Guess Who's Coming to Dinner?
Chapter 14: For Starters II
To catch someone like Sonya Blade off-guard is an incredible yet rare feat.
Nobody knew this better than Cassie Cage. Growing up, no matter what tricks she tried to pull, her mother always managed to keep one step ahead of her. Perhaps it was her army training and subsequent experiences in Outworld that conditioned the older woman to keep herself on her toes at all times. Maybe it came down to her own strict upbringing in a military household, or her awakened maternal instinct – Cassie could not quite pinpoint which of these made her tick.
Nevertheless, pinning the blame on the neighbour's kid for breaking the kitchen window with a baseball, borrowing a buck or two (or more) from out of her mother's handbag, or trying to sneak out of the house at night to meet up with friends at the mall … Sonya was wise to them all, and she would be damned if she let even her own daughter – not to mention her then-husband, the one and only Johnny Cage – catch her out. It got to the point that Cassie was convinced there was nothing in the known universe that could possibly faze the Special Forces general.
Even if a Tarkatan horde had to storm the Sky Temple right now, Mom would hardly bat an eyelash. I wouldn't be surprised if she's carrying a piece and a walkie-talkie underneath that dress.
Of course, if one had to ask, Cassie could recall at least two instances in which Sonya was taken completely by surprise.
The first instance? When her father asked her for a break. It was late at night when it happened, and Sonya had just gotten back from work. With her room a few doors away from theirs, an anxious Cassie heard them as their heated whispers erupted into a full-blown argument. It couldn't have lasted more than two or three minutes, but for the young girl down the passage, it felt like the longest hour of her life.
Finally, when their argument reached its peak, and her father croaked out his request, a long pause followed. For Cassie, Sonya's silence said everything, and it made falling asleep that night difficult.
And the second instance? When she told Sonya that she wanted to join Special Forces. In the aftermath of their break-turned-divorce, the general had been convinced that her daughter was going to pursue a career in showbiz like Johnny. With her tenacity and brashness, a flair for the dramatic, and her questionable humour (plus a few famous connections, courtesy of Daddy Dearest), Hollywood seemed to be in the young girl's future.
But when I told Mom about wanting to join S-F … my God, you could have gone spelunking in her mouth, it was that wide open. Baby CC would have been so proud of me.
Took a while for Mom to become proud of me, though …
Other than those two instances, Cassie had never seen Sonya Blade caught off-guard.
"Tell me, General Blade, how long have you and Johnny Cage been married?"
Until now.
Kotal Kahn's voice – his words – echoed around the dining room, catching the attention of its occupants. The sounds of spoons scraping against the soup bowls suddenly ceased as everyone from the Earthrealmers to the Netherrealmers turned their heads to the top of the table with a mixture of surprise, puzzlement and intrigue. Raiden was especially gobsmacked, his mouth contorted into a grimace and his eyes as wide as plates as they darted between the figures on either side of him. Even the musicians, who continued playing their melody, exchanged flabbergasted looks.
As for Sonya, she looked up from her soup bowl to peer across at Kotal Kahn. Her spoon hovered near her mouth, which was slightly parted. Her eyes, too, were widened in what appeared to be astonishment. On closer inspection, one could see that her cheeks had attained a light-pink tinge. Before long, however, a tightened expression graced her features.
"Excuse me?" she said, her tone clipped.
The emperor of Outworld tilted his head, oblivious to the can of worms that he had just opened.
"You are most certainly Cassandra's mother," he declared. "The resemblance is uncanny. And if Mr Cage is her father, then that would make him your spouse. I was curious as to how long you two have been married."
S***, thought Cassie as dread rose from the pit of her stomach; beside her, Johnny stiffened, a similar curse silently passing his lips.
Sonya's steely expression remained unchanged.
"We're not married," she snapped.
Kotal Kahn frowned.
"But you and Mr Cage are her parents. Surely you two are –?"
"We're not married," the general repeated sharply. "At least, not anymore. We're divorced."
"Divorced? Oh … oh." Realisation dawned on Kotal Kahn, whose complexion grew rosier in the glow of the candlelight. "Oh dear, I … forgive me for my error, General. I was completely unaware of your marital status. My apologies if I have offended you."
"I am sure that you meant no harm, Emperor," added Raiden hurriedly.
Yeah, just like he meant no harm when he pulled a double-cross on my team back in Outworld, the sergeant thought bitterly.
Much to her chagrin, the Osh-Tekk spoke up again.
"I am also very sorry to hear that you and Mr Cage are no longer together," he said, trying to look sympathetic. "It must have been a harrowing ordeal for you both to dissolve your union, especially when there is a child involved."
Double s***.
Sonya's hot gaze could make the centrepieces wilt.
"I'd rather that we didn't discuss this anymore," she replied through gritted teeth. "Don't want to spoil my appetite."
Another rosy shade was added to Kotal Kahn's complexion. "Yes, of course. My apologies again, General."
Subsiding into silence, he immediately turned his attention away from Sonya. His apparent sheepishness only served to render him reminiscent of a lost lamb.
Ye gods, what a terrible mistake on my part, he thought. If my father were here, he would have surely had a stern word for me.
Indeed, the distant voice of his father whispered in his mind: "Ah, noconetzin, only you could have proven that the sun can grow dim. And exceptionally dim, at that."
While the flustered emperor battled to regain his composure, Cassie puffed out her cheeks in relief, prompting Jacqui Briggs to lay a hand on her forearm.
"That was so bad," the specialist whispered. "Your mom still looks like she wants to choke Kotal Kahn out with her spoon."
Cassie cringed. "If he can keep his blueberry piehole shut about the divorce, then he'll be fine. I know I don't want to hear about it anymore, either."
Unfortunately, she would have to.
"'Scuse me for a sec, folks," piped up Johnny, drawing everyone's eyes – including the fuming pair belonging to his ex-wife – to him. "Now that you know all about our, er, permanent break, I wanna quickly clear something up about it."
Cassie's hand was immediately on top of Jacqui's.
Triple s*** with a twist of lemon.
"Johnny, I do not think this is the time to –" Raiden started, but the actor cut him off.
"It's okay, Raiden, I'm not gonna get into the nitty-gritty. Believe me, I explained all that stuff to my lawyers at the time. I don't need to repeat it here."
With all eyes on him, Johnny cleared his throat and continued: "Just for the record, it was an amicable split. We bowed out on our own terms. None of that he-said-she-said, I-get-the-house break-up drama."
"For Christ's sake, Dad," Cassie hissed desperately, her face flushing and her nails digging into poor Jacqui's skin.
"Cage, enough," Sonya warned lowly.
Johnny held up his hands. "I'm just saying, we had a pretty good run, Sonya and me. Had ourselves a wonderful kid and a ton of great memories to show for it. I wouldn't trade all those years together for anything."
He paused, meeting each and everyone's eyes head on (although in Takahashi Kenshi's case, that was a little more difficult). Finally, his gaze came to rest upon Sonya; a gentle smile crossed his lips.
"So, at least our marriage ended on the right note," he finished. "No fuss, no problem, no more comment."
A brief silence followed his remarkable speech. Almost everyone wore looks ranging from disquiet (the musicians and the Earthrealmers, especially Kenshi, who suddenly took a keen interest in straightening his cutlery) to absolute bewilderment (the Netherrealmers and the Outworlders, except for Smoke, who was clearly in a world of his own). Takahashi Takeda, Kung Jin and Jacqui – who finally managed to recover her hand – all glanced at Cassie, who wanted to crawl under the table and wait for the Elder Gods to take her soul.
As for Sonya, her face remained rigid, and her knuckles were prominent as they tightened around her spoon. Still, despite her stony façade, she managed to give a single, affirmative nod in her ex-husband's direction.
That's it, Mom. Keep it cool. Don't lose it right here and now 'til we get back home.
Suddenly, an audible snort sounded nearby. Cassie looked up to see Kitana covering her mouth with her hand, although her eyes seemed to sparkle in amusement. She frowned.
"Is something funny, Princess?" she half-asked, half-barked. "Or did a wonton go down the wrong way?"
Kitana was unperturbed as everyone shifted their attention from Johnny to her. Removing her hand, a small grin could be seen, much to the sergeant's irritation.
"Dear Cassandra, I am merely thinking of what your father told me about himself and your mother a few weeks prior," she said airily. "The way he phrased it, he made it sound as if he were still married to her."
Sonya's knuckles were past the point of being bone-white as she glared at Johnny.
"Is that right?" she hissed.
The actor held up his hands again. "Hell no! As if I'd do you dirty like that."
Liu Kang almost snorted as well.
"Yet you did by marrying her," was what he wanted to say. Although the temptation to say it out loud was strong, he knew that doing so would upset Sonya and her loathsome ex-husband, which in turn would upset Raiden.
As much as Raiden deserves it, I will leave his humiliation in Kotal Kahn's hands, and let the Osh-Tekk act the fool in the process. It will serve to make Kitana and myself appear more competent in comparison.
So instead, Liu Kang clucked his tongue in what he hoped was an empathetic manner.
"Judging by the way that you spoke about her, Johnny, I had also thought that you two were together," he said. "It pains me to hear otherwise, especially on an auspicious occasion such as this."
His flaming globes momentarily flickered to Kotal Kahn, and the revenant was pleased to see his face reddening once more.
"Nitolinilo," he murmured towards the heavens. "I cannot apologise enough, General. If there is any way that I can make up for my slight, then I implore you to let me know."
If Liu Kang was hoping that Sonya would dump her soup over Kotal Kahn's head, then he was in for disappointment: instead, his former comrade's hardened visage gradually softened as she looked at the Osh-Tekk. The grip on her spoon relaxed.
"That will do, Emperor," she said, her tone surprisingly calm. "What's done is done. As Joh – I mean, Mr Cage says, we were fortunate that our marriage lasted as long as it did, more so when we parted on mutual terms without making a soup sandwich out of it."
Here, she also ran her eyes around the faces at the table.
"So, I'd thank you all to leave it at that. Goodness knows there are far more pressing matters to attend to than the particulars of my love-life."
Kotal Kahn nodded firmly, taking her warning to heart; Reptile, on the other hand, threw a dirty look at her, as well as at Liu Kang.
Johnny also nodded.
"Yeah, like when the next course will be served," he said.
"That's hardly what I call a 'pressing matter'," commented Sonya, rolling her eyes.
"By my standards, it's practically a state of emergency. How 'bout it, Raimundo? Shall we go for Round Two? My body is literally ready for whatever you've got next on the menu."
"Have patience, Johnny," replied Raiden, both delighted and relieved at the change of subject (and, importantly, that everyone managed to emerge from the discussion unscathed). "As soon as everyone is finished with their starters, we can commence with the next meal. I hope the soup is to everyone's satisfaction thus far."
Murmurs of agreement rose around the table, while others maintained their silence. As if on cue, the sounds of spoons scraping against the bowls once again mingled with the music. Light chatter also broke out as everyone allowed themselves to relax. Refocusing on his soup, Johnny peeked at Cassie from the corner of his eye. He was troubled to see her absentmindedly poking at a wonton with her spoon.
"You okay, Cass?" he asked her softly.
"Yeah," was the mute reply. "I guess I wasn't ready to, you know, hear all that stuff about the divorce."
"I'm sorry, punkin. It mustn't have been nice to hear. I didn't help by putting in my two cents' worth, did I?"
"That two cents' worth wouldn't have come close to covering my funeral costs, that's for sure. Seriously, I was ready to die of embarrassment."
Johnny gently squeezed his daughter's wrist. "I'll make it up to you, I promise – you can kick my ass later if I don't. Now c'mon, you'd better eat your soup up before it gets cold. Don't want you to waste away like Ermac. Talk about a mummified Mozenrath, am I right?"
He paused, grinning.
"Your mother nearly called me "Johnny", did you hear? Sounds like we're getting the hang of this whole "getting along" thing. Maybe I'll get her to say my name before this night's over."
Cassie raised her eyebrows.
"Yeah, if she was reading your chest tattoo out loud."
"One step at a time, sweetheart. One step at a time … I'd need to get my chest waxed first."
"Daaad …"
With another squeeze and a flash of his bright teeth, her father returned his attention to his soup.
Swallowing a sigh, Cassie glanced at Sonya; she was busy talking to Jax Briggs. She was the picture-perfect image of poise – it was as if the emperor had not brought up her and Johnny's relationship at all.
Business as usual, never off-guard … just like it's always been.
But with a difference, and a glaringly obvious one at that …
"The way he phrased it, he made it sound as if he were still married to her."
… after all these years, Johnny Cage was still in love with Sonya Blade.
Yet the sergeant caught herself off-guard completely when a new thought entered her mind:
They mustn't get back together.
"Want me to kick his ass for you, Sonya?"
Sonya looked at Jax with the barest hint of a smile. The question was soft-spoken, but it carried a measure of undeniable fury – the kind that was only ever incurred when the retired major felt that his friends and family were being threatened. Over the years they had known each other, he came to regard her as both.
"Who, Cage or the emperor?" she asked in reply.
"Honestly, I can take either one. The s*** they spouted from their dicktraps looked like it gave you a heart attack."
The general gave a hollow laugh. Stealing a glance at both Kotal Kahn and Johnny, her eyes then fell on Cassie. Staring at her for several seconds, taking note of her withdrawn manner, she shook her head.
"I appreciate the offer, Jax, but I'll let those two off for now – I don't want Cassie to get upset. No, let's just stick this dinner out and pray that it'll be over soon."
Jax shook his own head in wonder. "I don't know how you're holding it together like this, Sonya. I'd have gone off the moment the emperor asked about Cage, if I were you."
A sigh. "Believe me, it was hard not to."
Jax gave her a rueful smile.
"That makes two of us."
With that, he went back to eating the last of his soup. Sonya sighed inwardly.
Thank God for you, Jax. If you can stand being in the same room as Ermac, then I can do the same with Cage and everyone else, right?
Unbeknownst to Sonya, she would stand to be corrected later in the evening.
"Enjoying the soup, Ermac?"
Gulping down a spoonful of soup, Ermac found himself automatically looking up at Kenshi. As his eyes fell upon the smiling face of the Earthrealm swordsman, the souls within began to register their protests.
What did we say about keeping our distance? Turn away at once.
A low chuckle issued forth from Kenshi's lips.
"Did you think that I would forget to check on you? I'll admit, I was a bit delayed, but at least you can't say that I didn't go back on my word."
Ermac's gaze narrowed.
"We are still in the same state as you had left us."
"And that would be?"
His gaze narrowed further at his blunt tone.
"We are sound of mind," he answered evenly. "Nothing troubles us whatsoever."
Lies, the souls within countered.
The construct fought back the groan on the tip of his tongue. Be quiet. Speak not another word until –
"Really?" Kenshi responded, sipping his wine. Dabbing his mouth with his napkin, he continued: "Well, if anything, it doesn't seem as if your appetite has been spoiled – you've practically finished your soup. Doesn't the Kahn feed you and your colleagues enough?"
Ermac frowned, displeased at the implication of his statement.
"Our emperor provides sufficiently for us and our comrades," he replied, his voice bordering on a growl. "We serve him, and he provides for us in turn. His hospitality is incomparable and unquestionable."
Kenshi dipped his head.
"I've no doubt that it is. Compared to his, uh, predecessor, Kotal Kahn is a welcome and decent change. But what I was trying to say was that you seem to have quite a hearty appetite. That was just poor phrasing on my part."
The Outworlder was not so sure if that was the case. However, he did sense genuine curiosity in his words. He relaxed somewhat, running a slender finger down the stem of his glass.
"We do not require sustenance from foods or beverages," he explained. "Regeneration provides us with the strength that we need. Our body undergoes this for extensive periods at a time."
"I see … so to speak. And yet you eat and drink anyway?"
Something akin to a smile appeared on Ermac's lips.
"Lack of nourishment aside, we cannot deny that we relish the taste and textures of edible goods. We consume them because we enjoy the experience. This soup dish, for example, proved to be exceptionally delectable. Fragrant and sweet on the tongue."
Kenshi chuckled again. "By the Elder Gods, I didn't think you'd be a food connoisseur, and a convincing one at that. If my son ever has trouble eating his vegetables, I'll call on you to kick him into gear."
Across the table, Takeda overheard his father and glared at him, his cheeks a-blush.
"I swear to God, I'm gonna tell Master Hasashi on you," he muttered darkly. "I'll ask him to burn your beard off."
"Then people will think I'm your older brother instead of your dad," was the cheerful reply. "Lovely idea, son. We'll see if anyone spots the difference the next time we go out together."
While poor Takeda spluttered out a few of his imaginative curses (albeit under his breath, as he remembered he was in a temple), Ermac cocked his head to the side.
"You seem to enjoy teasing him," he murmured. "Mercilessly, we might add."
The swordsman smirked. "Comes with being a father, although naysayers would say that it's part and parcel of my aforementioned charm."
Charm … more like sheer roguery, the souls within jeered.
Ermac pressed his fingers against his forehead as it suddenly began to throb.
We said be quiet–
Try and make us.
"Ermac? Is something the matter?" Kenshi's voice was full of concern as he sensed the construct's discomposure once more. "You seem out of sorts. If you'd like, I could –"
"No," the soul vessel cut him off hurriedly. Struggling to keep his head up straight, he added, "We merely have a headache. It must have been triggered by the wine. It will pass."
Kenshi opened his mouth to argue but was again interrupted, this time by the voice of Raiden: "If everyone is finished with their starters, then we can start clearing away the table. The appetisers will be served shortly afterwards."
At once, monks streamed in from the kitchen to collect the bowls and top up the guests' drinking glasses. As they did so, Kenshi focused on Ermac again. Behind his blindfold, his dulled eyes creased at the edges.
"A headache? Are you certain that's all it is?"
Mentally cursing the damned swordsman's inquisitive nature, and earning another grating pulsation in his skull for his troubles, Ermac nodded.
"It will pass," he repeated. "Believe us when we say so, that's all we ask."
The edges creased further. "But I –"
"More wine, sir?"
By the time the swordsman waved the monk off, he was frustrated to find that the construct had turned away, his body shifted to his right as he directed his attention towards Kotal Kahn and his comrades. To his surprise, he could no longer sense the being's discomfort – it seemed to have disappeared completely, as Ermac said it would.
An illusion, or truly the power of Shao Kahn's magic at work?
A compelling thought. Then again, the soul collective was a compelling figure.
Kenshi grimaced, his senses overwhelmed by the fraught presence of animosity across the table. At the same time, Ermac instinctively balled his hand into a fist as he listened to the emperor.
Very compelling indeed.
But still no less dangerous …
"Did you find the soup to your liking, Syzoth?"
"It was sufficient, Emperor," answered Reptile lukewarmly. "Nowhere near the quality of Outworld's soup dishes, that is for certain, but it cannot be denied that it was delectable to some degree."
Kotal Kahn chuckled. "I am sure Ermac would disagree with you – he seemed to enjoy it as much as I did. Am I correct in saying so, Ermac?"
The construct nodded quickly – unusually quickly. The Osh-Tekk, however, merely took it as a sign of enthusiasm, albeit unexpected.
"There you are, Syzoth. You are one against many in this matter. And Erron, what did – oh, for goodness sake, Erron, you barely even touched your food!"
Indeed, Erron Black's bowl appeared to be half-full, as there were three or four wontons still lying in it. Leaning back in his chair, the mercenary lazily stared up at the Kahn from the corner of eye. He tipped back a mouthful of wine.
"Like I said, Emperor, I don't eat prawns," he drawled after swallowing. "Nasty critters like that put me off my appetite."
"Do not let our hosts hear you say that. They might be offended."
"I think bringing up the general's love-life did the trick already."
Muttering something along the lines of "Just like a child" under his breath, the scarlet-cheeked Kahn turned away.
Across the table, Kung Jin – who overheard the exchange – looked at Erron smugly.
"Don't you like seafood, Black?" he crooned. "That's a shame. Fish is brain food, after all … you could have done with some."
Erron shifted his gaze forward and stared daggers, arrows and spears at Jin. Then, his eyes flickered down to the monk's bowl, in which several wontons lay uneaten.
"You as well, if you actually had a brain," he snapped lowly, taking a long sip.
"Hmm? Sorry, Black, I wasn't sure if you were talking to me or to yourself there."
Truth be told, Jin was not one for pork: although he was not restricted by the Shaolin monastery from eating meat, he preferred lamb and beef over pork any day. Besides, growing up in Chongqing, pork was a favoured ingredient in many upon many a dish at family gatherings – in other words, Jin got tired of pork very quickly. Thus, he avoided eating the prawn and pork wontons in his soup.
Not that Erron Black's picky ass needed to know that, of course, hence the sarcastic clapback.
The scowl on the former Earthrealmer's face was impressive after hearing it. One hand tightened around his gun, the other around his glass.
"Cheeky piece of s –"
"Uh uh, cowboy," chirred Jin, wagging a finger. "We're in a temple, remember? No swearing, unless you want your mouth washed out with soap … or with some wontons. Take your pick, 'cause I'm sure Raiden could arrange either one for you."
If Takeda had to read Erron's mind right now, he would surely blush, for every single vulgarity known to man filled the gunslinger's head as he glared at the smiling Shaolin monk. He would have let slip a few of these colourful obscenities (Wontons be damned), just to see that rosy smile turn upside-down …
Thud-thud-thud-THUD!
… when a heavy knock sounded at the door, echoing around the dining room like gunshots.
All at once, everyone at the table – including Smoke – looked up in the direction of the door as another round of knocking ensued.
Setting down his glass of wine and sitting up straight in his chair, Raiden – looking somewhat relieved yet hesitant at the same time – called out: "Enter!"
The brass handles turned, and the great door swung open. Standing to attention in the doorway was the Shaolin monk, Xue. His facial expression was difficult to read, although his eyes were filled with what appeared to be apprehension.
"Forgive my interruption, Lord Raiden," he declared, bowing his head, "but I am pleased to inform you and your guests that Grandmaster Kuai Liang has arrived at the Sky Temple."
A soft gasp escaped from Smoke's mouth.
He's here? Kuai is actually here?
The thought alone was enough to send the vapour-haired revenant's heart into a flurry. Warmth burst upon his cheeks as if rays of sunlight caressed his skin. He barely felt Kitana's hand touching his arm. He did not even hear Johnny Cage saying to Cassie, "Oh my God, finally! It wouldn't be Titanic without the friggin' iceberg."
No. His dearest friend … his brother … the reward for all his suffering … was here, and nothing else mattered.
Patience does indeed bring roses …
"Excellent news," Raiden said, smiling a little as he got up. "He is just in time for the second course to be served. Please bring him in, Xue."
Smoke watched intently as the monk turned on his heels. A moment or so later, another figure appeared in the doorway, and his breath hitched in his throat at the sight of him.
It's really you …
He was tall, dark-haired and powerfully built, sculpted like a Grecian statue made of ice. The ensemble that he wore – a dark-grey, single-breasted suit reflective of modern Chinese design, with a navy-blue pocket square – did little to conceal the solid definition of his frame. From the neck up, his skin was a hearty shade of white. His bearded face, touched by lines of maturation and marred by a prominent scar, was no less faultless. A pair of eyes akin to lucent pools of frozen water regarded the other guests, while his lips were curled into a smile that Smoke knew all too well.
"Greetings, Lord Raiden," said Kuai Liang, placing a hand against his chest and bowing. "My apologies for the delay."
"Regardless, Grandmaster, I am just relieved that you were able to make it," replied Raiden with a bow of his own. "I trust you were able to rectify the matters that impeded your arrival?"
Kuai nodded. "Indeed. Everything has been resolved."
Hearing his voice, clear and deep, made Smoke's heart thump faster beneath his chest. He could not help but let a smile of his own form on his lips …
Wait.
… only for it to turn completely upside-down when another suited figure appeared next to Kuai.
Is that …?
A figure with down-turned eyes whom Smoke recognised immediately.
Sweet mother of the Elder Gods, no …
One whom he was incredibly shocked to see standing beside the cryomancer, of all people.
No … no!
The back of Smoke's chair crashed against the floor with a resounding bang! as he jumped to his feet, giving everyone at the dining table a start. Along with the musicians, who had stopped playing, they watched in shock as the vapour-haired revenant rose to his full height, staring dead ahead at the two alarmed figures in the doorway.
When Kuai's gaze moved from Raiden and locked with that of the ashen individual at the table, those frozen pools seemed to melt.
"Tomas? Is that you?" he asked quietly.
Smoke said nothing. His burning globes flickered towards the second figure.
The Grandmaster's smile was bright. "Tomas, it is you –"
"Kuai."
He stopped, momentarily stunned. His voice – one that he remembered as warm, kind and calm … it was full of venom as he uttered his name. He watched as Smoke turned his attention back to him, utter confusion colouring his grey visage.
"Kuai," he worded slowly, his tone rising, "what is Scorpion doing here with you?"
A/N: Kuai and Hanzo are finally at the dinner – I was wondering what took them so long. XD
Noconetzin = "My beloved child"; Nitolinilo = "I am tormented."
We're currently in the process of moving, hence why there was such a long delay between this chapter and the last. Also, I was feeling a little bit on the lazy side. Let me know if there are any specific characters that you would like to see interact (I know I was dying to have Kitana and Cassie, and Kenshi and Erron go at it).
Guest #1: Be sad or mad no more, my friend, 'cause they're finally here! :D I hope you found their fashionably late entrance to your satisfaction, along with the banter for Kenshi, Ermac, Erron and Jin. Gosh, I don't know how Jax is gonna calm down when Kenshi is too busy trolling his own son/trying to make friends with his rival. I'll be sure to include more bits about D'Vorah in the coming chapters. 'Til then, let's see where Subby, Scorpy and Smoke take us in the next chapter. Thank you always for the kind words!
Guest #2: XD I don't know where Emmanuel Macron came from, but yup, that's one of my official nicknames for Ermac now. XP
Revenant Nonny: It's the start of chaos, and goodness knows when it's gonna end. XP Thank you for the lovely review, you rock as always, and definitely give me a lot to think about. Bless Smoke, it's too bad he couldn't follow Kitana's advice for long. Especially now that Hanzo's in the building with them all, and with Coldilocks, too! (Ooh, Johnny is gonna have a field-day with this.)
Same here, even though I'm the one basically torturing Jax, Ermac and Takeda (with Kenshi doing the dirty work for me with his lame "cool dad" humour). I'm not sure how long Kenshi will manage to keep the peace, or if Ermac's going to get any better, but I can tell you that with Jax involved, it's just a volcano waiting to erupt at this point. Poor Takeda and Jacqui, they should've just stayed home. T_T I almost had Sonya do a spit-take and JC joking it up even more, but I'm pretty sure Jax and Cassie would kill me through the screen. XD Let's just say it's not the end of Ko-Ko making mistakes *stares at Kitana, Liu Kang and D'Vorah*. Second course is on the way, and it's inspired by our favourite fireman!
Sarah: Kuai and Hanzo have done hurried up, but poor Smoke sure as heck doesn't like it! Thank you, sweets, glad you loved reading it. :) Let's just hope that Kenshi's embarrassing ways don't get Takeda killed (I'll bet Jacqui would hunt him down if something happens to Tack). I have a few headcanons about Divvy and Ko-Ko (and the rest of the Outworld gang) that will be shared soon, so hold on to that thought! And I hope you liked the part with Sonya and JC!
A few more notes: the song playing in the "For Starters" portion is called Dancing to Music Made on Sheng, also by Lü Wencheng. Also, huge shout-out to MasterFran and nadillaandlaprasthefireandice for the line about the Tarkatan hordes invading the Sky Temple and for terming the phrase "Cage Family Treatment", respectively. Expect more Cage Family Treatment as the story goes on!
Reviews are welcome!
*~AI07~*