In a parking garage on the fourth level, a group of strange gangsters wearing clown makeup and clothes are loading tons of guns and artillery weapons into a painted truck.
"Da-huh, heh, this'll be funny," said one of them.
Suddenly, he is shot in the head by someone behind a pillar. Emerging from that pillar is a mime, holding his finger out like a handgun. Suddenly, Coming for you by the Offspring plays in the background. The clowns charge him. Holding his hands out like he's holding an assault rifle, the mime fires invisible bullets. The clowns go down in a heartbeat, all...but one, dead. The remaining clown throws a punch, which the mime quickly dodges, returning the favor, kicking the clown's thigh thrice, and whirl kicking him down.
Walking towards the truck, the mime looks inside and-
"CUT! Take five!"
"Ugh...you've gotta be frickin' kidding me."
The clowns get back up, revealing to only be actors in clown costumes and the whole area just a set for a movie.
The mime steps off the set and rubs off his makeup, revealing the handsome face of Johnny Cage, a B-list actor. His agent, Edwards, walks up to him with a proud face. "Magnificent, Johnny," he praised.
"Magnificent? MAGNIFICENT!?" Johnny ranted. "Are you not paying attention, Edwards? The more we take five, the more we waste five! We've been on this scene for a whole week al-goddamn-ready, and I can't wait any longer to finish it! This movie is my one chance to come back on top, man. I haven't been the star of anything since Time Smashers, or the first Ninja Mime,...or even-"
"Relax, Johnny boy. Sure, it's taking a while to finish the scene, but at the end, the ninja mime makes a noble sacrifice, and people looove a good sacrifice. Think about it, Johnny. This film could make you once more...a star- OW!"
"Certainly made you a star," said Johnny Cage, punching his agent in the nose and walking off, flipping him the bird. "I'm gonna go take a stroll."
"You broke my smellhole."
XXX
Meanwhile, walking around the streets of Hollywood also, Scorpion and Sub-Zero, with their hoods and masks up, ponder their surroundings. Scorpion, as focused as ever, cares not for the sites before him. Sub-Zero, however, as youthful as he is at the moment, takes a moment to admire the Hollywood sign.
"Hmm...pristine, for an American city," he said. "If this is where our next chosen warrior is, what do you suppose this place has to do with them?"
"I do not know," said the undead ninja surly. "We have obviously been teleported to the wrong location."
"There are no errors in the Elder Gods' judgement, Scorpion."
"Even gods make mistakes, Kuai Liang."
"Are you certain this is a mistake?"
"Do not question me, and I suggest you lower your voice. No one must discover us. For all we know, there are eyes watching us in every corner. Eyes of agents working for our nameless foe. Unless you wish to die, keep your hood up and your head down."
Without another word, Scorpion continues on. Sub-Zero follows quietly behind, once again questioning the specter's judgement.
XXX
Meanwhile, walking down the same streets, Johnny Cage dawns his signature pair of lit shades. Passerbys waved to the actor, him giving them the occasional what's up or autograph.
One specific thing catches his eye though: Two guys, wearing similar outfits, one blue and one yellow, on the other side of the street. Pretty good cosplay they got going on there. Maybe they were starring in some kinda action packed, mysterious warrior type movie? Maybe they were looking for more parts. Why not give these dudes exactly what they're looking for? It could benefit both them and Johnny. In fact, this could put Johnny on the map.
Without thinking another thing, Johnny follows the cool looking dudes.
XXX
"Look at this," Sub-Zero said, looking over the wheel. "We are in the right location. These glasses are a pair of sunglasses, and what a more appropriate place to find people wearing sunglasses than Hollywood."
"Exactly," Scorpion interjected. "Millions of people here wear sunglasses. It could take months, perhaps even years to find our next chosen warrior."
"Oh reeeeeaaalllyyyy?" said a voice behind them. They turn around fast and see a man with a blue and purple jacket, no shirt, and purple shades. "Suuup, green mixers? Ya looking for a chosen warrior for your blockbuster? Look no further, your warrior has arrived."
Scorpion and Sub-Zero appear unimpressed.
"What? Look at the three of us. With me around, you're bound to get yourselves into the limelight. I can see it now: Yellow and Blue make the Earth Green, starring the sexiest, Johnny Cage. We could be famous, I'm talking A-list, homie."
"I am not for sale, fool," Scorpion sneered. "Now be on your way."
"Aw don't be that way, hothead. It's fine if you only wanna work for free. So what's the story? Anti-heroes? Anti-Villains? Anti-Fairies? Actually, that last one might be too much junior high. Maybe you already got the script written down? Who's our main baddie?"
"It is none of your concern."
"Psst...may I speak to you in private, Scorpion?" Sub-Zero pulls aside the ninja. "Listen, we might actually want to play along with this man. Look."
Sub-Zero shows Scorpion the wheel and points to the sunglasses. Looking over at Johnny Cage, Scorpion notices something.
"You must be joking..."
End of chapter. If we're all gonna be stuck inside for who knows how long, let's just take a moment to thank the public health workers and researchers in the science community for helping with the coronavirus, and hope a vaccine can be made soon. Stay safe. Until next time.
