Chapter 18: Honorary Endeavors

Armory:

Jade and Malcolm entered the Armory, both Edenians determined to save their friends. They stayed close together as to avoid detection until appearing in the main room. Taking command, Jade held up her hand and stopped Malcolm in his tracks before slowly peeking around a corner. Much to her surprise, she sees Baraka and a tarkatan soldier inspecting Franchi SPAS-12 shotguns with the buttstocks removed. Malcolm had never seen such a weapon before, although his lady has upon occasion after spying on Shang Tsung in secret.

The tarkatan soldier toyed with the weapon in his hands, holding it in a rather compromising position. He was fortunate it wasn't loaded, lest he accidentally shot someone else or himself for that matter. Baraka saw what he was doing and immediately put a stop to it.

"That is not a toy," he chastised as he snatched the gun out of his fellow tarkatan's hand. "These are for Shang Tsung." The last thing Baraka needed was a headless lackey in the armory. Shao Kahn's patience would inevitably dwindle with a blunder like that.

After putting the weapon back in the cart, Baraka ordered, "We are done. Return to your post." The lackey did as he was told, not wanting to anger his commander any further.

Baraka continued inspecting every gun in the cart, making sure all of them were accounted for. Shang Tsung wanted a host of these weapons of destruction after witnessing Kano use them in the forest a short while ago. The faint sounds of clicking heels got the lead tarkatan's attention. He turned to the entrance and found Jade along with Malcolm approaching. Neither the Emperor or Shang Tsung wanted anyone inside the tower besides him and Sheeva, who was in the hallway adjacent to him. Baraka stepped to the intruders.

"Step aside," Jade ordered, not in the mood to deal with this neanderthal. "We will see Kitana and Manerva."

"No one enters the tower!" Baraka challenged.

"You are an excellent guard dog, Baraka," she complimented. "But you must learn to heel."

An insult like that would guarantee anyone's death at the hands of Baraka, but even he knew better than to take Jade lightly since she can hold her own against anyone in battle, including the Princess.

A snarl came out of Baraka's mouth as he drew his patented blades from his arms. "I do not take orders from you!"

Despite his aggressiveness and savagery, Baraka was unprepared as he fights Jade. The match turned into a one-sided affair with the Edenian assassin's advantage in quickness and agility, not to mention adjusting her staff to whatever length she pleases. Every time Baraka tried to get close, Jade negated his advances by playing keep-away, winning the fight decisively.

"Good boy." Jade declared, standing proudly over the fallen Baraka. Her performance impressed Malcolm as he stood off to the side and watched the emerald assassin display her prowess.

A painful groan escaped Baraka's mouth. "Edenians have no loyalty," he criticized.

"Blind loyalty is not a good thing, as I have learned." Jade countered. "You have to keep your eyes open, to anticipate a finishing blow."

"What are you talk...?" Baraka wouldn't finish that sentence as Jade stomped on his skull with her heel, rendering him unconscious.

Behind Jade's mask was a smug smile. "You make it too easy."

Malcolm lauded his beloved warrior assassin, his arms folded with a smirk. "I'm impressed, Jade."

"Thank you, Malcolm," Jade replied, making her way to the stairwell. "Come, we must find your sister and Kitana. Last I heard, she's located at the Evil Monastery."

"Could Manerva be there too?" he asked while following her.

"It's likely," she said. "Let's go."

The walk toward the top of the tower was quiet between both Edenians, silence filling the air before Malcolm decided to break it with a question even Jade wasn't expecting. "I keep hearing about the word Edenians, and how others are calling us that... I'm not sure why, even now." He paused for a moment before continuing. "I know that Kitana is an Edenian princess by now, but why are people labeling us like that?"

Jade stopped in her tracks, gazing intently at her love interest as she answered, "To be honest, Malcolm, I had a nagging suspicion ever since we first entered the tournament. Reptile meddled in my business, telling me not to interact with you or pursue any sort of connection with both you and Manerva." Just the mention of Shao Kahn's pet annoyed her. "But he was the first person called me an Edenian."

Malcolm was perplexed, once having respect for the Zaterran mentor because he was the one who taught the Edenian boy how to fight. However, hearing this news about Reptile overseeing him and Jade work separate tasks while undermining any sort of relationship brewing between the two.

"You're suspecting we came from the same realm as Kitana? That we're... Edenians?" Jade answered as they resumed their trek.

A short nod was Malcolm's response. "That's what I assumed. Myself along with my sister."

Tower:

Also known as the Evil Monastery, the tower was now the present location for the former Princess of Outworld. Bound to a post by magical bonds was Kitana, next to her was a demoralized Manerva, who was still shocked over Shao Kahn's decision to have her imprisoned as well. Both were guarded by Sheeva, the female Shokan. She looked to be lecturing the Princess for disgracing her honor in front of her supposed father. Rain happened to be there as well, watching over Manerva and realizing Kitana will no longer be his future wife. If that was to be the case, he thought to stake claim over Manerva as his personal slave.

Kitana looked dispirited before seeing Jade and Malcolm from the corner of her eye. Manerva followed her Princess' stare and cried when she saw her brother along with Jade.

"Jade!" Kitana called out, prompting Sheeva to confront the Edenian duo.

"My orders are clear," the female Shokan stated. "No one is allowed in the tower."

"As you can see, we are here," Jade said mockingly.

"To help them escape," interjected Sheeva, already knowing what their intentions were. "You would deny Kitana's execution, the only means in regaining her honor?"

"We have different concepts of honor, Shokan," the Edenian assassin defended as she and her beloved went into their respective stances.

Malcolm joins Jade to battle Sheeva and Rain, the Prince's focus maintained too much on Manerva to pay attention to the situation. Her brother stepped in and fought Rain, easily countering his roundhouse with a reverse sweep, knocking the Prince down. They traded violent blows until Malcolm found an opening and landed a hard uppercut. Rain fired his bubble trap and connected, trapping Malcolm in a barrier full of water until he broke free before Rain had a chance to follow up. Meanwhile, Sheeva was having trouble mounting any offense against Jade, her agility giving the slower Shokan all kinds of problems. Malcolm laid the final blow with a powerful roundhouse to the temple that knocked Rain out cold. While Jade was having the time of her life against Sheeva, Malcolm unbounded Manerva from her bonds. She sobbed uncontrollably before hugging her brother tightly. Jade stopped toying with Sheeva and finished her with a pole strike to the skull. Kitana was still bound as her longtime friend quickly walked towards her, feeling horrible for how she treated Jade earlier when they had their argument.

"Now, your highness, let us free you from the bonds," Jade said, trying to free Kitana's binding.

Kitana knew she had to make up for her tirade. "Jade, I..."

Jade stopped her. "I know. I am too."

"Kitana, I'm sorry..." Manerva apologized.

"Shao Kahn revealed his true colors," interjected Malcolm. "What's our next move?"

Before a real plan could be formed, all four Edenians heard a shout. "Stop them! Don't let them get away!"

"Go! Find Raiden and ask for his help!" Kitana implored.

With a reluctant nod, Jade and the two siblings left Kitana and exited the tower, escaping from any pursuers coming after them. They made it back to the wastelands, panting heavily after running for quite some time. Manerva was the main one trying to catch her breath as she wasn't used to running all that often.

"This should keep us from pursuers," Jade told them, keeping a sharp eye out for anything suspicious.

She and the others didn't have to wait long as a pink and yellow flash appeared within their vicinity, showing Mileena and Tanya's forms after teleporting in front of the fugitives.

"Others pursues..." Mileena began, her twisted smile hidden by the ninja mask.

"We find..." Tanya finished, her words laced with seduction in Malcolm's direction before turning her attention to the bane of her existence. "Jade!" Tanya called her out. The heated rivals narrowed their eyes at each other in disgust.

Jade looked utterly stunned by Mileena's looks, which closely mirrored Kitana. "By the Gods, you're Mileena."

"You three must return with us." Mileena playfully sauntered in their direction as if she was in ballet. "There's a celebration for my sister. She's going away," she finished with a sadistic giggle, not lost on either Jade or Malcolm as Manerva found a spot to stay out of the way.

The tag team battle began. Malcolm went against Tanya, doing his best to ignore her sexual advances. Though his confidence was somewhat shaken at seeing her again, the resolve within his soul never wavered as he wanted to rid himself of this temptress. Tanya tries her Cannon Drill, spinning her body violently with fire sparks gathering at her heels. Malcolm ducked low and blocked it, following his defense with an uppercut. Just like in their first match before the inaugural tournament, Malcolm seized control of the fight and never let up on his advantage, even with Tanya's skill as a kombatant. Malcolm countered her Split Kick and tripped her, only adding to Tanya's frustration.

Jade never faced a kombatant quite like Mileena, gifted with exceptional speed and unquestionable ferocity. The Edenian assassin needed to be careful with her. Jade blocked Mileena's Sky Drop and used her Staff Grab, slamming Kitana's clone three times. Mileena recovered and rolled Jade off her feet and combined performed a Jumping Split Kick, her lunge kick into her low sai slice, and her Roll Ball and uppercut for good damage. Jade spat out a wad of blood but wouldn't fall so easily as she used her Shadow Flash, her entire body flashing green as Mileena missed with her sai throw and tried her Roll Ball again. But like her Sky Drop, that maneuver was blocked low and got an uppercut for her trouble. Jade finished her off with a Betrayal combo, side-kick, low swipe into a rising staff followed by her Pole Vault. Jade survived the brutal confrontation and watched as Malcolm held his own against Tanya once more, laying her out unconscious like Mileena.

"I am more of a sister to Kitana than you!" Jade commented rather angrily.

The fact that this clone would even consider herself to be anything related to Kitana was a slap in the face to Jade. Shang Tsung will have to answer for this sick practice of sorcery.

"Come, we must find Raiden..." Jade told Malcolm. Manerva timidly came out of hiding to join her family until a flash of lightning occurred in front of them, revealing the Thunder God and his chosen allies.

"They are here..." Raiden declared with Smoke, Liu Kang, Kung Lao, and Johnny Cage joining him. Smoke notices Mileena, thinking she was Kitana and immediately went to confront Jade. Tanya, incensed at another loss at the hands of her supposed love interest, disappeared to try and regroup for plan B.

"Kitana turns against Shao Kahn, and you attack her rather than join her?" Tomas accused Jade, jumping to the wrong conclusion.

Jade tried to explain, "This is not Kitana-" but she was caught off from an angered yet confused Lin Kuei ninja.

"You will come no closer!" Smoke threatened and prepared to fight.

An unexpected and unwarranted fight took place. Jade had to avoid Smoke 's Smoke Bomb and teleport attacks the best she could while trying to end this quickly. She found an opening and tried her staff smash and grab combos, keeping her opponent on the defensive. Smoke was hoping for Jade to throw a projectile, but she knew better and instead, made use of her Eclipse Kick. Jade didn't want to fight Smoke, but his unwarranted aggression gave her no choice, and he paid the price for it with his defeat.

"I did not wish to do that," Jade said as she relaxed her stance, satisfied with her victory as Malcolm was right at her side.

"Enough!" Raiden picked up Smoke, prompting Jade to apologize for her actions despite defending herself. She then began to explain Kitana's situation while the Shaolin monks and the movie star chatted about their new allies.

"I thought she was the bad guy," said Johnny Cage in amazement. "Or girl... looks like Raiden turned another one. What does he got that I don't have?"

"God-like power?" Liu Kang quipped.

"A personality that is not at all like sanding paper?" Lao jokingly added.

Both monks clearly insulted Cage. "Jerks," he replied. All jokes aside, hearing Kitana's name caught Liu Kang's attention.

"Kitana... executed?" Liu worriedly asked. "Where is she?"

"Held captive at Shao Kahn's fortress," Jade answered.

"I am not pleased with this outcome either," interjected Raiden. "But there is no time. We must return to the tournament."

"But you are responsible for her capture." Liu accused Raiden. "You persuaded Kitana to turn against Shao Kahn!"

"Lord Raiden," Kung Lao intervened. "We can free Kitana while others fight in our stead and we will join you after that."

"Very well." Raiden went with Lao's suggestion, although Liu Kang was not pleased with this suggestion. Nevertheless, they ventured toward Shao Kahn's fortress.

Malcolm joins Jade. "What must we do now?" he asked.

The Thunder God gazed intently at the trio, knowing they will all play huge roles in the coming days of the tournament. But it was Manerva who caught his attention the most. Though she may not know it now, Kitana's maid will become the X-Factor in the struggle for the fate of the universe.

"Now, you all must remember what you are, and who you are..." Raiden announced as his eyes turned and focused on Manerva. "The girl is the key in revealing your buried memories."