For once, the next morning came on time; not too early, and not too late.
My eyes slowly opened and caught a glimpse of the morning sunlight seeping in through the window. The bright and eager sun had risen above the topmost trees in the jungle and was beginning its slow ascent into the sky.
I blinked several times at it, trying to gauge the time of day by its place in the sky. After a solid ten seconds of minimal effort, I resigned from the task. I'll find out later, I thought. I'm enjoying myself.
Lying here, finally lying down after a traumatic couple of days was a luxury of the highest order. The muscles in my calves and arms were aching; moaning in pain and making silent promises to intensify if I tried to fight again soon. For once my body and I understood each other, and I made a mental note to let somebody know that mid-morning training was not happening.
I took a deep breath, and felt my pecks push back against my expanding chest. Turns out that they were in sore shape too. I said a silent prayer that there had been no long-term damage to my rib cage or lungs during the fall that Quan Chi had overlooked. He was good, but I had my doubts.
I tried to move my arms again. Ouch.
I shifted my weight from side to side as I kicked off my shoes, which I had promptly fallen asleep in, and in doing so felt something warm bump up against my leg.
I turned and realized where the pressure on my chest had been coming from; not any injury, but an arm draped across my body. It was small in size, but a surprising amount of muscle was developed across the bicep and forearm, and the tanned skin was free of flaws save for a bandaged wrist and faint bruising on the outside of the forearms.
Defensive wounds. She certainly knows how to block well enough, I remember.
Kitana stirs for the first time in many hours, taking a deep breath and pushing the side of her head further into the crumpled pillow. She looked beautiful in the morning, and I averted my eyes just in time to avoid her own eyelids click open. The hand on my chest was drawn back slowly as she grudgingly sat up in the bed next to me, still in her "formal wear" and boots, and rubbed her eyes.
I decided not to make any comments on watching her sleep, and to keep my mouth shut.
"Morning," she announced cheerfully, a state I had yet to see her in. "Good sleep?"
Grrr… Morning people. Just don't make a comment about having stolen a glance of her while she was sleeping.
"Uh, yeah. Not bad, not bad at all. You know you look really peaceful while you sleep."
Way to go jackass, you just screwed it up again.
"Yes, sleep generally is a time of little activity for most people," she confirmed, somehow completely missing the point.
It took a second for that to register as a friendly jab rather than a misunderstanding.
"Oh that's hilarious, Kitana. You're a comic genius," I said with a half-grin, shaking my head at myself for catching the meaning of the remark a second too late.
I took a deep breath and sat up, putting my back flush with the stiff, wooden headboard. I grunted as my lower back and abs protested the task, but I promptly sat myself up beside her, letting my head rest against the plaster behind me.
Jesus, if I could make it onto my feet, today would be a freaking breeze.
Kitana looked over at me and gave me an endearing smile.
"Are you ready for a day of kombat?" she asked. "A day in which our minds and bodies will be tested in the most strenuous way possible?"
I think that was a joke. Had to have been, right?
"Honestly? I wouldn't bet on me if I have to fight today. But I'll do what I can, just like always." I grunted and gingerly massaged my lower back, which ached like that of an old man only much worse. Much worse not only because it hurt to sit up straight, but because I knew that I would see action again soon and I would have to fight through it.
She nodded in approval. "I appreciate that, and so will Raiden. And Max?"
"Yeah?"
"Try not to fall off of any cliffs in the near future."
Women.
MKMKMK
Kenshi took a deep breath and shivered. Despite being in the middle of a piping hot shower, a chill ran up his spine and made him shake all over.
Kenshi leaned against the smooth wall in front of him and let the stream of water from the shower head cascade over him. While travelling on missions, he had developed something of a fear of being in water or heavy rain. The latter impeded his hearing with heavy thunderclaps and the constant feeling of being soaked was pressing on him, masking his remaining senses.
And even though he could swim, he didn't trust his heightened senses to be able to guide him to safety should he fall into a stream or ocean.
Kenshi rapped his knuckles on his temple and shook his head repeatedly, trying to shake the thought loose from his mind. Loose strands of hair fell in front of his face, and he ignored them as he continued to try to think about nothing.
Nothing. Not even his quest for revenge. Kenshi had made the decision that he would take some time to forget about the cruel injustice done to him by Shang Tsung. He was tired out from the physical exertions he had undergone the past couple of days, and needed time to think positively about the coming events.
Or he really just wanted to enjoy his shower.
At least the water drowned out the violent and harsh thoughts in his head for the moment. Long had they brewed and stirred in the front of his mind, unforgotten and unsettled. They had begun to set into an awful concoction of revenge and bloodlust, knowable only to Kenshi, who silently carried his hate with him as a child would carry a gun; hidden, but barely within control. Ready to go off at any moment.
For days, he had desired the feel of the Sorcerer's very warm, very human blood on his clothing. The hell he would send that man to would seem like heaven after the treatment Kenshi had given him. He had dreams about skewering him with his beloved sword, Sento, but had woken soon each delusion after to discover that they were but fantasies.
He had been the first to awaken that morning from such a dream, and decided that he needed to refocus. Even though he refused to speak it aloud, Earthrealm's fate was at the mercy of the coming fights. And if Kenshi's mind was elsewhere during the middle of his next brawl, then he would surely end up dead.
Kenshi rolled his neck, hearing two of the vertebrae in his upper spinal column sound off with sharp pops as he loosened them. He let his mouth hang open as droplets of water clung to his lips and eyelashes, dripping down leisurely after their own weight tore them away from their nooks in Kenshi's naked body.
He let his mind wander everywhere, and nowhere. Meditation was an exercise he performed regularly and half-heartedly, much of the time during the cleansing was spent calculating the odds of success should he face Shang Tsung in mortal kombat.
The odds looked grim, but Kenshi let himself forget about everything for the half hour he spent soaking. He let his hatred simmer down and retreat into the back of his mind for the first time in a long while, letting the anger go.
Kenshi hung his head and smiled, actually forced a smile.
Today was going to be a good day.
MKMKMK
Sonya slid her fingers across the uneven surface of her dog tags. The bumps and ridges that etched out her name in the metal never felt so meaningless. She felt like her old life, the only one she truly knew how to live out and find comfort in, had been left forever behind by this tournament.
For now she fought for the very survival of Earthrealm, and nothing less than total victory would be acceptable. She had come here pursuing Kano, but was now fighting for much more than that.
She now was burdened with being on watch, looking out for Liu Kang as he continued to advance in the tournament and keeping a close eye on Kenshi, who now believed himself to be above her control.
But Kenshi was still very much a part of the Outworld Investigation Agency, and she was still his handler. If he believed that this tournament changed the chain of command, he was sorely mistaken. She secretly envied Kenshi's steely resolve and ability to work through his problems, but she would never admit that to him.
Sonya Blade had to be tough, tougher than the rest if only to survive.
She absentmindedly hung her tags around her neck, watching the identification cards dance as they fell down over her chest.
She reached over and tightened the strap of one of her gloves, feeling the fabric pulled taunt across her hand.
Kano would answer for what he did to her partner. He alone would be held to account for his crimes. Once she had Kano, things might get simpler.
But until then, she continued checking her weapons and gear, finding comfort in the meticulous work, and all the while imagined her small fingers wrapping themselves around Kano's windpipe.
MKMKMK
Liu Kang stepped out of the barracks, barefoot and shirtless, to meet the early sunrise. He traded the cold wooden floor for the comforting warmth of stone pavement underfoot, still retaining heat from the previous day.
He stretched his arms out wide and yawned. He felt only slightly sore from the fight yesterday. Sektor had not landed any blows at all, but the fatigue and adrenaline dump after the conclusion of a fight is more exhausting, and much more memorable, than any other sensation.
Winning a fight feels like running a marathon in the mountains, Bo Rai Cho had once told him, but it tastes like victory. And taste good it did.
Liu lowered his arms and looked out over the tops of the massive tropical trees at the horizon beyond, imagining the entire island as a utopia. If Shang Tsung hadn't corrupted this place, it might have been one of the most peaceful on Earth.
He swiftly retrieved his blood-red headband from the pocket of his pants and began to fasten it around his forehead. The tug of the material was a welcome and familiar one to the Shaolin monk as he secured the cloth in place.
Liu Kang closed his eyes as he balanced himself on a single foot, drinking in the warmth of the sunrise.
MKMKMK
We all gathered around the table in the dining area after breakfast, and nobody said a word about what was going to happen next.
Everyone was holding their breath, waiting for someone else to be the hero. I could just tell that no one wanted to be the one to step up to present a plan of attack. Even Stryker, who looked to be one of the likely candidates for coming up with a feasible plan, silently cleaned his gun and stood against the back wall.
Smoke and Kitana's expressions remained neutral under their masks, but I could tell that we were all thinking the same thing; something needed to be done about Nightwolf, and something needed to be done about the creature found in the Flesh Pits, whom Kitana told me was named Mileena, her replacement for the "daddy's-little-killer" position in Shao Kahn's operation.
Everybody was standing around expectantly while myself and Kenshi were leaning against the wall, both still sore and unwilling to stay standing up straight for the uncomfortable amount of time we would crowd around in this silence.
I drummed my fingers against the wall and sighed. Somebody had to say it.
"Alright, so we have to save Nightwolf, make sure Mileena is dead, and win this tournament. What's the play?"
I looked around, trying not to get red from embarrassment. It wasn't my position to tell these killers and fighters what they needed to do. I wasn't their boss, their commander, but I chose to speak up anyway.
Johnny Cage grinned and nodded slowly, gaining confidence as he mulled over his idea.
"I say we go Mission Impossible-"he started.
"No," Smoke cut him off. "That's not how it's done in real life."
"Yeah?" Johnny challenged. "How would you know?"
Smoke shrugged and threw up his arms. "Oh, my goodness you're right! It's not like it's my job or anything to assassinate and extract information from people is it? I mean, that isn't what I have devoted my life to since I was a child-"
"Alright then, smartass. How are we supposed to do it?" Johnny asked crossly, a bit irritated at the man's sarcasm.
Smoke stepped forward. "It's so simple: we break up into teams based on skillsets and-"he looked at me and Kenshi"-varying degrees of health and combat-readiness and divide up the tasks evenly amongst ourselves."
"I'm sorry," Stryker stepped up from his place beside the dining table, folding his arms and squaring his jaw. "But why is it that we have to ensure that Mileena is gone for good? I mean, if we win this tournament it won't really matter-"
"Not an option," Kitana said sharply, shooting him a steely glare with her brown eyes. "She is Shao Kahn's daughter now. Even if Shang Tsung is defeated and Shao Kahn killed, she reserves the right to begin a new mortal kombat tournament as soon as she inherits the throne of Outworld."
"Princess, would it not be possible for you to take your father's place after he has been removed from office?" Raiden asked in a somewhat humble voice.
She shook her head. "I do not think so. Lies and propaganda about my change of heart will have proliferated to every corner of the empire by sunset. We are better off defeating him in mortal kombat and leaving the Tarkatan hordes and the Centaruians to squabble over the throne."
"Sounds like a tall order," Sonya said suddenly. "How do you propose we pull it off?"
We all turned back to Smoke, who suddenly appeared apprehensive.
"Hey, it was just an idea," he said gingerly.
"Well that idea is about the only thing we have going for us right now," Stryker said dryly. "I'm all ears."
Smoke shot me a glance and I nodded in encouragement, giving him the keep going motion with my right arm, nodding expectantly.
"Well, if there is no other option out there, then the best course of action would be to take action," Smoke said confidently. "Take action, split into three teams; one to stay here and fight in the tournament, one to destroy any remnants of Mileena and the Flesh Pits, and a third rescue team to find Nightwolf and bring him back here."
"Divide and conquer," Sonya said quietly, nodding as she mulled it over for a minute before looked up at all of us. "That might work."
"Wait," Johnny held out a hand as if to physically stop the argument as he interrupted. "The tournament is priority Uno right now, everything else can sit in the back seat until we make sure Earth is safe."
"We'll be fine, Cage," Kenshi said with a hint of contempt.
"I mean, it's not the plan itself, but have any of you ever seen Alien? What happened when they tried to split up, huh? I'm just saying, I've seen way too many movies to know that this isn't going to work," he said, working his way toward a smile as he continued. "Okay, in Star Wars III, they split up to duel Anakin and The Emperor. That didn't work. In Ghostbusters, the dude got slimed-"
"Anything constructive to say?" Sonya asked impatiently, turning her chin up and staring the movie star down. She cast him a glare that came close to freezing him in a block of ice, fed up with his antics.
He looked down in defeat, shaking his head.
I smiled. "Well, I'm in. I can be a hell of a lot more use in Outworld than here..."
"Ditto," Stryker agreed. "I've got some experience with search and rescue, so I can take the team to get Nightwolf."
"I'm with you," Sonya said with conviction. "Wherever they're holding him…" she cut off midsentence, hesitating for a second before continuing. "There's sure to be guards. I'll go with Stryker and I'll bring him back."
"And I'll lead the team to the Flesh Pits," Kitana declared. "There are sure to be sentries this time, and I'll need some help getting past them and destroying the place for good."
"I'm with you," I said quickly, maybe a little too quickly for my own good. Sonya and Smoke exchanged a glance while Johnny wore a sinister grin.
"Princess!" a new voice spoke up from behind us.
I recognized the voice, but had forgotten the name.
I turned quickly, expecting trouble from the entryway. But I instead found a woman with a dark complexion wearing a bright green outfit that reminded me of Kitana's. Her knee-high boots sounded off like gunshots as she strutted across the tiled floor and over into our little circle. In her left hand she twirled a short stick absentmindedly, and I watched Kenshi grimace as she stood between him and Kitana.
He knew the voice, and I'm sure he remembered the combat staff the woman carried, concealed as a harmless-looking baton in her grip.
Jade was her name. Kitana's bodyguard.
Johnny's jaw about hit the floorboards, and Smoke raised an eyebrow and looked away, feeling uncomfortable.
"Jade!" Kitana exclaimed. "How is it you found us?"
"Don't underestimate me, Shang Tsung's men already made that mistake earlier today when they tried to kill me in the woods. It'll take him a considerable amount of time to find the bodies," she announced proudly, giving the stick another spin before turning and facing the rest of us.
"I will fight for Edenia, and for Earthrealm," she told Raiden. The Thunder God nodded in approval, and the bags that had developed under his eyes disappeared for a second. A new ally was music to his ears.
"Where Kitana goes, I will follow," Jade added with a slight bow toward the Princess.
Kitana blinked several times, as if she was in shock or trying to hold back tears. "Thank you, Jade. I really appreciate that."
"Awesome," Johnny cage smiled mischievously. "You know, I'm glad we're getting so many people on our side now. Hey, my name's Johnny Cage, what's yours?" he said with the sort of charisma that made his intentions as clear as day.
He stuck out a hand, and Jade was unsure how to respond, visibly taken aback by his forward gesture.
"Alright, you don't have to answer that," Stryker said, stepping in between them. "Bottom line, good to have you here on our side."
Jade must have been coy with Johnny, because she grasped Stryker's hand immediately, very familiar with the gesture indeed.
"Alright then, it's settled," Raiden announced. "Kitana, Jade, and Max will destroy the Flesh Pits and collect anything worth keeping from the Sorcerer's lair. Stryker, Sonya, and Smoke can break Nightwolf out of wherever he is being held in Outworld. The rest of us will remain here, and keep up the guise that we are still at full strength."
"I know where your shaman is being held," Jade said. "I can give you information about how to spring him from Quan Chi's hold."
"Much appreciated," Sonya said flatly, obviously not willing to trust the newest members of our team. In a way she was right; if Jade and Kitana really were bad, the she might be the only one paranoid enough to survive should they attack.
But I knew that at least Kitana was loyal to us. I felt like I knew her; somehow, better than anyone else here, save for her friend. For a moment I waited for Sonya to follow up her remark so I could give a harsh rebuttal back, but Sonya knew where to draw the line. She resumed listening, catching my glare from the corner of her eye.
"I will be able to reopen the portal to the Flesh Pits. It will be much easier than trying to generate a new portal out of thin air," Raiden said quickly, weighing the odds in his head and pacing back and forth across the room. "Given a few hours, I will be able to land one team in the Flesh Pits and the other somewhere within the immediate area."
"Fantastic," Sonya said with a smile playing at the corners of his mouth. "And I brought some toys for the break in, should anyone be interested…"
"Dibs," Stryker and I called at the same moment, raising our hands to lay claim on the hardware before anyone else could. I doubted many of the others had been in the military or had training in that sort of thing, so I guess our urgency was only our own.
We exchanged an excited glance that was not shared by the others. Funny, it almost reminded me of when we were friends, about to suit up for a mission. He would nod his head and let himself smile a bit, and I would get pale and withdrawn as I prepared my body for the task to come, eventually giving him a grin back.
Everyone was excited about our new approach, and I found myself slipping into old habits.
I crawled back into the recesses of my mind, taking deep breaths and trying to slow my beating heart. An electric current hummed in my veins as energy passed through my body. Let myself get too amped up, my adrenaline rush and consequent exhaustion would come too early. Don't get amped up enough, and then I'll be unprepared for combat.
In my mind it felt like I was always on the brink of failure, and rightfully so because most times I do something, it'll be stupid and reckless and awesome. Emphasis on the first two. The fine line I walked became something of a game in my head as I navigated my thoughts, putting some in the forefront of my mind to remember and cramming some into the background to forget.
A chill went up my spine, and something told me that this was a half-assed plan. Doomed to fail. As desperate as it was cocky.
But something else shot up, flipped that other sensation the bird, and kicked it out the window. This would work out, although maybe a little different than planned.
I couldn't decide which to listen to, but while I made up my mind, I went to nab a water from the kitchen.
And a fresh ice pack.
Hey everybody! New chapter is officially up and complete. I thought about jumping to the punching/kicking/eye-gouging immediately, but I needed everybody to assemble and get a plan together before they began to battle. So while that's coming next time, I hope people enjoyed what I've done with the characters and their own motivations thus far.
Until next time, have a good one.