Steven Universe/Mortal Kombat
The Next Generation
CHAPTER 1
DEAR KOMBATANT,
YOU HAVE BEEN CHOSEN FOR YOUR SKILL, POWER, AND SPIRIT TO PARTAKE IN THE RETURN OF AN ANCIENT COMPETITION! THE MORTAL KOMBAT TOURNAMENT BUT NOT AS THE STORIES YOU'VE HEARD, THIS IS FOR THE NEXT GENERATION. WHAT WAS ONCE A BLOODSPORT FOR THE CONTROL OF THE REALMS IS NOW A SIMPLE FRIENDLY COMPETITION TO SEE WHO IS THE STRONGEST OF THE NEXT GENERATION OF KOMBATANTS.
DISCLOSED WITHIN THIS LETTER IS AN INCANTATION THAT WILL TRANSPORT YOU TO THE ISLAND ON WHICH THIS COMPETITION WILL BE HELD. YOUR PARTICIPATION IS ENTIRELY VOLUNTARY, THERE ARE NO STAKES HERE. BUT IF YOU DO ACCEPT WE PROMISE AN ENJOYABLE TIME TESTING YOURSELF AGAINST STRONG OPPONENTS AND IF YOU ARE STRONG ENOUGH YOU MAY BE CROWNED CHAMPION. BUT THERE IS MORE THAN JUST A SIMPLE TITLE, THE WINNER WILL RECEIVE A FABULOUS PRIZE HIDDEN ON THE ISLAND. WHETHER YOU FIGHT FOR FUN, FOR GLORY, OR TO TEST YOUR LIMITS I ASSURE YOU, IF YOU WIN YOU WILL GET EVERYTHING YOU'VE EVER DREAMED OF. I HOPE TO SEE YOU AT THE TOURNAMENT AND GET A CHANCE TO TEST YOUR MIGHT.
Steven looked just below the text and saw that instead of a traditional signature there was a dragon head inside a circle breathing fire closing out the parchment. He recognized it as the symbol of Mortal Kombat, he had seen it all his life, in his home, the shaolin temple, even in his favorite Johnny Cage movies. He heard tales of how it was held every 500 years for the right to merge realms, and how Earthrealm was nearly taken by the Tyrant Shao Khan. He was regaled with tales of how his Master and Mother fought against him and his tyranny, saving the realm and destroying him for all eternity. They all said the tournament would return someday, he just never thought it would be now.
"Well this is interesting." He said, getting the attention of his aunts and sister, who were walking in at the time.
"What's interesting, Steve-O?" Amethyst asked with a raised brow, catching the teens attention.
"Oh, you're back already?" Steven asked.
"Just got back." Garnet replied.
"What's so interesting, Steven?" Pearl asked as she took a seat beside the boy.
"Oh, well it's this letter, invitation really, to a fighting tournament for people my age." Steven said as he folded the parchment back up; wanting to at least ease them into the big bomb. "Also, where's Mom?"
"On her way," Amethyst said as she flipped over the table and landed next to her human sibling, "had to make a quick stop at Greg's place."
"Oh." Steven said, internally grateful that he had some time to think of a way to break this invitation's news to her. Strawberry Sweetheart she may be, but his mother was not one to make mad regardless.
"So what's this tournament about?" Pearl asked.
"Huh? Oh," Steven started, "apparently it's a sort of generational homage of some kind to the Mortal Kombat tournament you guys took part in."
"Homage?" Pearl said incredulously. "First Neo-Disco, now Mortal Kombat? I will never understand humans." She covered her eyes in grief.
"To be fair, we did do some awesome things in our matches." Amethyst said.
"Not helping my grief, Amethyst." Pearl said.
"Wasn't trying too." Amethyst replied cheerily.
"Grief over past battles and trends aside," Garnet said as she leaned on the wall, arms crossed, "what exactly does the letter say, Steven?"
"It says," Steven said as he partially opened the letter back up, "that it's a return of the Kombat in a more 'for fun' kind of way; so no blood, gore, and killing I guess."
"Hm," Garnet hummed in thought, "I see."
"You're not seriously considering this are you, Garnet?" Pearl asked as she removed her hand from her eyes.
"Well from the sounds of it, this tourney seems more like some kind of convention than anything." Garnet said before asking Steven, "Anything about a prize?"
"Um," Steven said as he quickly skimmed the letter, "other than being crowned the winner and getting a secret prize, like most contests claim, nothing much about that."
"That sucks." Amethyst said.
"But enticing for anyone that want to join." Garnet replied.
"True." Amethyst conceded.
"Not saying that I'm against him going," Pearl chipped in, "but we're not the only ones Steven would need to get permission from."
"Oh, right, this is definitely something the old man and Mama Bear would want to know about." Amethyst said.
"Don't call her that." Pearl said.
"I will when she does something more over the top than throwing a leopard over the horizon to save Steven's baby butt." Amethyst said with a chuckle.
"Are you ever not going to hold that over me?" Steven asked.
"Who knows, Steven, who knows." Amethyst replied nonchalantly.
"Garnet?" Steven asked the tallest Gem with a hopeful tone.
"Nope," was Garnet's simple reply/
"Aw, man." Steven groaned to Amethyst bark of laughter as he reclosed the letter.
As he got up to get away from the laughing Amethyst, as a laughing one was never a good one in his experience, Pearl asked, "Wait, what about transport?"
"Oh, uh, there's gonna be a bus that picks me up if I decide to join in." Steven said as he walked out, "But I haven't decided whether or not to yet, so I'm heading to the beach to think about it and maybe meet up with Cassie and Jin."
"Remember, you still gotta-" Amethyst called out before he interrupted her.
"I know!" He retorted.
"Cassidy and Jin got permission?" Garnet asked, causing Steven to stop and look at her.
"Huh," Steven asked before catching on to what she asked and quickly saying, "oh, yeah, you know how their parents can be after all."
"Ain't that the truth." Pearl said, rolling her eyes. "But you better text us if you got your mother's permission to go."
"Will do." Steven said as he walked out backwards and flashed two thumbs up as he grabbed his cheeseburger backpack unknowingly already filled with everything he thought he would need for this event.
SOMETIME LATER
The gut bejeweled boy skidded to a stop after reaching his favorite spot on the beach, having done so to make sure he wasn't followed by the Gems and consequentially ignoring his vibrating phone as a result. He finally pulled out his phone seeing a set of Messages from his close friends Kung Jin and Cassie. Looking back at the phone and pulling out the scroll he sighs and opens the messages.
C.C- We're ready to go! Are you coming Universe?
K.J- Only if you're comfortable. You don't have to come
C.C-Yeah only if you want to. I understand if you're afraid to take me on. ^u^
K.J- CASSIE (
C.C- Joking ;P
Steven sighed and typed
S.U- Are you sure this is a good idea?
K.J- NO
C.C- We agreed on this already. This is our chance, to show them were just not kids. Imagine how proud your mom will be seeing you got second place.
K.J- Classy Cass
C.C.- More than you got Jinny.
Steven thought about the scroll and the Legacy left by his mother. He wanted to be a great hero like she was, she wanted to do her proud. His master always said his time would come, maybe this was it? Steven took a moment to think and breathed out.
S.U- Alright I'm ready. Let's do this.
C.C- ALRIGHT! IT'S KOMBAT TIME! WERE GONNA KICK BUTT HARD!
K.J- Alright then. We read the incantation and it will bring us there, see you guys there
C.C- Hope you packed a toothbrush
Steven stood up pocketing his phone and pulling out the scroll. He gripped it tight in his hand as he slung his bag over his shoulder. He unfurled the scroll scanning it 'til he came to what he was looking for. It was written in Outworldese, and though he had little knowledge of the language, he could make it out. He spoke out the incantation, sounding like gibberish to anyone listening. As he spoke the wind picked up and energy crackled around him, lightning seemed to form from thin air before.
KABOOM!
Steven covered his eyes as an explosion happened before him, kicking up dust. As he opened his eyes before him stood a swirling portal, he had heard of them before but never seen taking a step forward, he tentatively put a hand through the portal, yanked it out upon feeling a tingling chill to inspect it for any strangeness, and finally damned the paranoia before sucking in a breath of courage and plunging through with his eyes closed. After a sharp yet oddly painless tingling chill, he opened his eyes and saw.
KOMBAT ISLAND
"Woah." Steven said in awe, for before him was a beach quite similar to the one at home, but beyond that was a jagged mountain range and jungle treeline, and beyond that was the light of what looked like a palace sat atop a mountain. But what really caught Steven's eye was the sky, it felt different, it was night and the clouds looked off like they weren't natural. It sent a shiver up Steven's spine making him back up a bit.
"HEY, WATCH IT!"
"O-Oh sorry!" Steven said apologetically, having backed up into another person, looking around to see that there were a lot of people his age range around as well. But no one he had directly bumped into.
"Huh?" He said in confusion before a voice called out to him.
"Steven!" Called the voice, making him turn around to find the source.
Upon finding the source to be a waving Cassie, he cried, "Hey," and rushed over to her and a somewhat impatient looking Jin. Cassie was wearing a Blue hoodie with an expensive duffel bag slung over her shoulder, While Jin wore his usual training attire with a more simple looking bag with a single strap.
"Hey guys!" Steven says excitedly.
"Alright the Trio is here! And look at all these chumps, we are gonna clean house!" Cassie says grinning evilly.
"There are a lot more here than I expected." Jin said looking around.
"Y-Yeah… guys do you feel….. Off being here?" Steven asks.
"What's wrong? Tummy turning after that portal?" Cassie asks
"No there's just a… wrong feeling here. Like this place feels rotten." Steven says.
"I felt it too a bit." Jin says.
"What's that some shaolin sense or something?" Cassie asks.
"No, common sense." Jin says.
"Hey look at that." Steven says pointing down the beach seeing some of the other competitors walking that way.
There was a light from a torch, which was held by a hooded figure. It slowly waved it's hand gesturing for them to follow.
"Guess that's our guide." Jin said as he followed the group.
"Sure seems like it." Steven said, briskly following as Cassie took out her phone to take pictures.
As they trekked, they pushed through the foliage of the woods, passing a shrine of sorts to some kind of warriors, and crossed a path through the mountainous region toward their destination and above a pit of sorts. Cassie all the while taking pictures and trying to send them; keyword being try.
"Ugh," Cassie groaned as she furiously tapped at her phone, "I can't send my pictures or get any signal."
"We're on an island likely in another dimension," Jin sardonically said, "what did you expect?"
"UGH, SERIOUSLY?! How am I supposed to show my thousands of watchers my cool fight pics and landscape shots." Cassie complained.
"Well you can still take photos Cassie." Steven reasons.
"Your right! I'll take a bunch of photos, make it into a collage and then post it on my socials." Cassie says typing away as Jin groans
Steven took some photos along the way as well wanting to have something to show to his family when he got back. He moved his camera to the treeline to take another picture, but noticed something before clicking capture. Once the flash dissipated Steven looked at the picture he just took, in the treeline there was something there. He couldn't make it out completely but it was all white and humanoid. And this was just a feeling, but Steven swore it was looking at him, not the group solely him. Steven was now creeped out, but knew showing his friends a blurry picture wouldn't alleviate his worries so he just kept moving. Eventually after some walking they made it to the palace, and it was even bigger up exterior looked a little rundown, the paint was chipping and the gold was rusted. Two masked guards stood at the door and opened it allowing everyone to enter. As people started flooding in Steven, Cassie, and Kung Jin were greeted with an impressive sight.
The interior was in complete contrast to the exterior, it was fabulous and immaculate the whole place looking freshly cleaned. And before them was a massive hall illuminated by candles upon sticks or hanging from the chandelier. The whole room had an ancient chinese feel to it, the trio having been to a few palaces in the past. But what really drew their attention was the tables filled with food, the smell assaulted their noses with their sweet and delicious scents. They couldn't help but drool a bit as they looked upon the spread. But that was quickly covered by dozens upon dozens of people swarming the table trying to get their hands on whatever they could.
"Come on! Let's get something before everything is gone!" Cassie says pulling her two friends along.
The three were now chowing on some food, plates provided as they stood in the center of the hall looking at all the people before them.
"All of them are in the 13 to 16 age range, this thing really is about the youngbloods huh?" Cassie says eating a chicken leg.
"Yeah… where are the adults?" Jin asked, eating rice.
"What are you talking about? They're all over this place." Cassie says mouth full gesturing around to the masked people standing around the hall silently and motionless which only made Jin narrow his eyes.
"There's sure a lot of competition here." Steven says worried eating as well.
"Who cares, we were trained by the best of the best. We're gonna clean house!" Cassie says.
"These guys aren't just from Earthrealm, look." Jin says pointing to other groups.
They looked and saw that not all the kid fighters here were human. Some were larger, shorter, had fangs or spikes, some even had animal features. It was a grab of realms there being a taste of everything.
"There are some species I haven't even seen before here." Steven says curiously.
"Which means we have to be even more careful." Jin says.
"Got it." Cassie said as she swallowed her morsel. "Careful."
"Hey, Cass!" Cried a voice, making the three turn to the source: a waving girl amidst a small group that Cassie immediately recognized.
"Juno!" Cassie waved back as she made to head toward them.
"Juno?" Steven and Jin asked, making her pause.
"Oh, yeah," Cassie said flippantly, "just some guys and gals I know from the MMA."
"And you were going to go over to them so carelessly right after I said to be careful?" Jin asked incredulously.
"It's not like they're dangerous, Jin." Cassie said, rolling her eyes. "Just some guys I've kicked the face in, and had my face kicked in by. Nothing big."
"Your word choice says otherwise." Jin retorted.
"Tomato, Tomato." Cassie waved his words off, "get back to you two in a bit." She said, bidding them farewell and heading over to the group.
As they watched her go, Jin said, "Well she's a lost cause."
"Oh, come on, Jin," Steven said, "it's not that bad."
"I'm just saying." Jin replied before turning to gaze into the crowd and saying, "I might as well go scope out our competition. You do you, just don't blow what I;m doing like last time, okay?"
"You're never gonna let that go are you?" Steven asked.
"I had the thing in the claw, Steven," Jin stressed, "and it was on my last quarter too!"
"It was just a pocket watch." Steven groaned.
"A golden pocket watch!" Jin retorted.
"That was probably fake." Steven replied.
"Agree to disagree." Jin said, ending the conversation and going off to spy on their competition.
Steven was now alone sighing as he fiddled with a stick in his teeth. With the only people he knew gone off to their own thing, he had to find his thing. So he went to do what he always does: try to make friends. He swallowed his food and wiped his mouth as he looked where to start. His eyes were immediately drawn to a pair of what looked like large dragon wings, drawn to them he walked to the table. Still a few feet away he examined the person before him, it looked human and was a girl around his age. She wore a pair of tight black shorts with a gold chain around her waist, red heeled boots, what looked like a black padded sports bra, and red long sleeve jacket. Her black hair was tied into a bun held by chopsticks, some bangs covered her forehead but were kept out of her face by a red headband. She was clearly wearing red lipstick and other cosmetics and had an upper class air to her. Steven took a deep breath and put on a friendly smile as he approached the girl.
"Hi there, I'm Steven. Nice to meet you. I like your dragon wings." Steven says friendly with a wave, getting a side glance from the girl.
"RRRRAAAAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGHHHHHHH!" The girl roared at Steven, her jaw unhinging and showing a row of razor sharp teeth, the force of her roar blowing back Steven's hair.
"I'll um…. I'll see you around. I mean we're in this tournament so we'll probably… see each other."" Steven says slinking back as the girl glares at him.
"Sheesh." Steven said as he turned and slunk away, eying the other participants as he did so, and making a mental note to just observe for now. That is until he caught a flash of yellow and stopped in his tracks.
"What the?' He said as he focused on the person, and found a tan skinned, long dark haired, woman his age in a yellow and black one piece with a sash around her waist, drinking from a cup and looking lazily around.
Steven gulped at the sight of her, very much thankful for his years of training at the shaolin temple. Especially so when the yellow woman's head shifted toward him, and her piercing yellow eyes locked onto him. Time seemed to slow as the two looked at the other, Steven in trepidation, and the woman in seeming calculation. Until the latter closed her eyes, brought her cup to her lips, and walked away.
"I'm gonna get trouble from her somehow," Steven thought, "I just know it." Shaking off the experience, he was about to continue looking around until he heard the sound of something, likely wooden, breaking. Swiftly turning to the direction of the sound, he found...a purple ninja?
Yeah, a purple ninja, grabbed in an extravagant dark purple cape/robe one would find on royalty, standing over an unconscious lizard man and a shattered mini table. His crossed arms and glowering at his would-be opponent immediately gave Steven the impression of a superior royal looking down on his lesser enemies.
Unlike the woman in yellow, who eyed him and left, this man let out a "Tch", never once gave Steven a look or gaze, and crossed his arms as he stayed in place and merely turned away; as if the act of leaving his opponent in disgust was itself an inferior act to him. Deciding to go to another portion of the room to avoid further ominous entities, Steven quickly made a random turn and went his merry way. On said way he caught sight of a young brunette in a white gi/hoodie hybrid, combat pants that faded from black to grey from top to bottom, a karate belt, and sneakers practicing some punches and kicks on the empty air before him.
"Okay then, a lot of interesting characters here." Steven says as he continues to looks and walk around, only to then bump into someone falling to the ground.
"Oh man, I'm so sorry I didn't see you there." Steven says apologetically, turning around.
His eyes then met a pair of icy blue eyes. Before him was a girl slightly smaller than him dressed in a familiar garb. She wore what looked to be the ninja garb of the Lin Kuei Ninja; this one was blue and padded with a crest on her left side. She had black hair that was done into a spiky top knot, with some bangs in front of her forehead dyed ice blue. She seemed to have a mask but it was pulled down revealing her face as she looked at Steven shocked.
"Xue?" Steven says surprised.
The girl yelps in surprise, blushing, pulling up her mask, and running away from Steven. The boy yelps in surprise getting up to follow her.
"Xue? XUE WAIT?! You got invited too?" Steven asks as he tries reaching her.
Steven pushes through the crowd trying to follow the blue ninja girl. The chase ended up leaving the main hall where everyone was into an empty hallway. The Ninja turned a corner and Steven followed running down the hall, not noticing the shadow above him and a pair of blue eyes looking at him run while letting out a sigh. Steven continued to run thinking the girl was ahead of him, reaching the end of the hall which led to the balcony.
"XUE?! WHY'D YOU-?!" Steven yells reaching the balcony only not to see the person he was chasing but someone else
As expected from here it was someone in his age range maybe younger, She had Dark skin and long black hair that was done in an extravagant fashion potentially chinese in origin. She wore a brown robe over a red tunic with gold ends and a blue sash around her waist. She had black pants and brown and gold boots. The most eye catching thing was a flap on the front with the iconic dragon symbol on the end, that and the massive spherical green tinted glasses she wore on her face.
"Um….. my name isn't Xue." The girl says, clearly startled by Steven's yelling.
"OH-man-geez. I'm sorry I thought you were-I was following someone I knew and I ended up….. Here." Steven says embarrassed.
"Well….. You should probably get back to the main hall." The girl says passively before turning to face the balcony looking out to the Island.
Steven nods turning around but stopping upon seeing the girl was alone. His instincts took over again as he decided to approach the girl standing beside her a few feet away. After a minute Steven finally spoke.
"Hey there, sorry about surprising you. I didn't mean to, I'm Steven Universe what's your name?" Steven asks.
"... Connie." Connie says adjusting her glasses.
"Connie's a nice name, got a last name?" Steven asks.
"Not important." Connie says looking away.
"Well, nice to meet ya Connie Not Important." Steven says extending his hand for her to shake.
"That wasn't funny." Connie says bluntly.
"What wasn't funny?" Steven says confused.
Connie looked at Steven wide eyed for a second, her brain trying to compute what he just said, before finally realizing he was being genuine. And upon realizing that she couldn't help but snicker and laugh a little holding onto the balcony railing as she did.
"Soooooooo, I guess I made a good first impression?" Steven asks with a charming smile.
"Okay. Yeah ya did, Mr. Universe." Connie says catching her breath.
"Oh please, Mr. Universe is my dad, plus I'm only 14. Call me Steven." Steven says, still waiting for that handshake, which Connie gives with a smirk.
"Well then it's nice to meet you, Steven." Connie said before the two released their hands.
"So," Steven said as he leaned on the railing, "what's your story?"
"You mean aside from being invited to a mysterious island in the middle of interdimensional nowhere for a tournament hosted by an even more mysterious host, all for the purpose of beating faces in?" Connie asked sarcastically.
"Well when you put it like that it sounds no different than mine or likely everyone else's story." Steven said.
"Well, to enlighten you, aside from also likely having a parent or two fight in the actual Mortal Kombat tournament," Connie started, rolling her eyes, "I'm here just to fight and get what I want." She finished with a shrug.
"So beat faces in to get a prize." Steven summed up.
"Well when you say it like that it's not all that complex." Connie said with a smirk.
"And your way wasn't?" Steven retorted with a chuckle and raised brow.
"Certainly lengthier and more ominous." Connie replied with a raised brow of her own.
"Sure, keep telling yourself that." Steven nodding in jest.
"Then what's your story?" Connie asked, "Snuck out to come here, or tricked to get permission?"
"How did you? First off, it was a bit of both," Steven said raising a finger, "and second, how did-"
"I guess?" Connie said before giving him the jazz hands and saying, "Magic."
"Oh, the universal answer to everything then." Steven mock groaned.
"Got it, flaunt it, as the saying goes." Connie shrugged.
The two proceeded to laugh for a moment before Connie suddenly stopped and cleared her throat into her fist.
"Didn't you come here looking for someone?" She asked a still laughing Steven, who quickly stopped and did a perfect imitation of a deer in headlights as he remembered about Xue.
"Oh, you're right! He cried, quickly turning to head back inside and continue his search. "Thanks for the reminder, catch you later!"
As he left the hearing range, Connie said ominously, "I certainly will."
Steven rushed back into the main hall scanning for Xue, eventually running into Jin who had finished his scouting.
"Whoa, what's the rush?" Jin asked.
"Jin, you're not gonna believe it! I think I saw-!" Steven says until Cassie slaps his back.
"Sup nerds, what you talking about?" Cassie asks.
"I was just about to say I saw-!" Steven starts until.
GONG!
One of the masked attendants hit a gong in the front of the hall getting everyone's attention. They all looked to the front seeing two attendants open a set of large metal doors revealing a darkened room. From it emerged two masked guards and the girl Steven just met Connie. Steven let out a silent gasp as he saw the girl step upon a podium overlooking the crowd of fighters.
"Good evening, as you all are aware you have received invitations to this exchange. They were sent to you, because you were the best and showed promise as Kombatants. Years ago a tournament was fought for the fate of the realms….. In fact to be honest 3 tournaments were fought consecutively in like the same year due to technicalities, but that's not important. Mortal Kombat was a tournament where the battles decided the fate of thousands upon thousands of lives. Where the greatest of the older generation made their mark and showed that they were true warriors, and now I say it is time for the next generation to step up. Instead of waiting another 500 years for the next tournament, I thought it would be better to host one now so that the stress of realm merging wouldn't have to be on our heads. We can instead focus on finding out who is the strongest among us! Welcome to Mortal Kombat! I am the host of this tournament, you may all call me Lady Maheswaran." Connie says as she gives a small bow to the crowd Steven looking at her curiously
"In the coming days you will fight for the title of the strongest of the new generation, and for the secret treasure to be granted to the winner. Some of you came for glory, to test yourselves, or perhaps you seek something that can only be found through Kombat? Either way you will face a variety of fighters here each with their own strength, skills, and weakness. And if you can defeat all your opponents you will face my chosen champion." Connie explains to the crowd
"Who's the champion?" A female fighter asks.
"She's a little shy around crowds, so she's staying out of this orientation. But if you can make it far enough you will meet her." Connie says.
"She doesn't sound so tough, being shy around crowds." A male fighter says.
"I'd like to see you say that when she's standing over you." Connie whispers.
.
"What are the rules of the fights?" Jin asks
"The Preliminaries will start tomorrow after you all rested. There we shall find the truly strong among you. Fights will take place in chosen areas overwatched by me. All fights will be to a Knockout or if another fighter surrenders. The preliminary fights will have a 3 minute timer, afterwards a judge shall dictate the winner. When the finals are reached this timer will be removed. All losers will be sent back to their respective realms as soon as possible. Does that answer all your questions?" Connie lists
A lot of the fighters talked amongst themselves for a bit discussing the rules they just heard. When suddenly the brunette Steven saw before spoke up.
"I heard people died in the Last Mortal Kombat tournament." He said. "That fighters had to finish each other with fatalities; heads ripped off, punched off cliffs, stuff like that. So is that gonna be the same here?" He asked, sending murmurs across the room.
"NO!" Connie said loudly, snapping for a moment before quickly recollecting her composure. "No, there will be no fatalities in this tournament. This is merely a fun test of strength not a Bloodsport." She finished calmly.
Silence filled the room as everyone mulled over the information, ignoring how it was presented of course. Nothing but the creaking of the floor as people shifted was heard until someone, Steven didn't see who, asked, "How exactly will this all happen?"
Connie smirked in response, and said, "I'm glad you asked, anyone care to take part in a demonstration?"
There was once again a moment of silence, Steven looking up at Connie when suddenly he felt something. Right under his armpit something started tickling him, the sensation ran through him and Steven let out a laugh, his arm shooting up.
"Well thank you for volunteering." Connie says.
"WHAT?! I didn't!" Steven stammers looking behind for the culprit but not seeing anyone and swearing he heard a giggle.
"So now, who else would like to participate. This will be considered a preliminary match, and as a special gift to the winner they get to stay in our special room for the night, while the loser gets sent home early." Connie explains.
"I'll take that deal." A very large fighter with horns said getting everyone attention as they started to talk
"Man that kids gonna get destroyed." Said one.
"He's really big." Said another.
"I should've jumped on that, this is so easy." Someone groaned.
"Everyone clear the center. We're about to begin." Connie says with a smirk
Almost immediately everyone cleared out making a hole for Steven and his larger horned opponent. Steven looked on nervously as his opponent smirked confidently at him cracking his knuckles. Steven swallowed a lump in his throat as he removed his bag placing it on the ground next to him as he looked forward.
"YO STEVEN! KICK HIS ASS!" Cassie yells.
"Steven you need to focus! Take your time!" Jin yells.
"RUSH HIM AND FINISH HIM! HE AIN'T WORTH THE TIME!" Cassie yells.
"Don't go showing everybody here your skills just yet, start it off easy!" Jin yells.
"THEN END IT QUICK! GO FOR IT!" Cassie yells.
"Will you stop giving him terrible advice?" Jin asks annoyed.
"Will you?" Cassie asks back equally annoyed.
As his two friends argued with each, Steven felt all the eyes on him and it made him nervous. Still he took a deep breath and cleared his mind with a kind voice going through his head.
When in kombat, it is only you and your opponent. Block everything out.
Calm your mind and your body. You mustn't waste any energy for what's ahead.
Take any time you need to examine the situation to make a strong first strike.
With these words in his mind Steven took a deep breath and calmed himself. He slowly raised his hands and took a stance his master taught him, his eyes closed and breathing slow. While everyone else was yelling a cheering, certain people took silent notice of Steven and watched intently.
"BEGIN!" Connie yells also having her interest piqued by Steven.
The larger fighter immediately charged at Steven full force, while Steven remained still, eyes closed. And even though they were closed he could still see and time was slow. The mouths of the onlookers moved but no sound came from them as Steven could only hear the oncoming footsteps of his opponent. Once he was close enough he threw a punch at Steven, the boy feeling the air from the blow coming at him. Steven's hands moved swiftly from his stance parrying the blow to the side as he extended his hand fingers out lightly touching his opponents chest.
"WAAATAH!" Steven yells out before closing his fist and slamming it onto his chest the light crack of bones heard only by Steven and him.
With only a inch the force of the blow could be felt by everyone bringing silence as they looked on. The larger fighter flew back screaming out spit as he flew and slammed into the podium Connie stood on. As he slumped unconscious Connie and everyone looked at Steven amazed as he slowly opened his eyes.
"Um… is he gonna be okay?" Steven asked.
"...Flawless Victory." Connie says with an impressed smirk.
"OH YEAH! THAT'S MY FRIEND, BETTER WATCH IT PUNKS! AND LADIES HE'S SINGLE!" Cassie yells to a male fighter next to her and then switches to a girl on the opposite side.
"Master Kang, taught him well. But he's still hesitating." Jin thought as the larger fighter was carried by the attendants.
"Seriously, is he gonna be okay?" Steven asks worried.
"He will be fine. My attendants will take care of him and send him home. And for you Steven, you just earned our finest room." Connie says with a smirk.
"Yo Steven you're gonna share that room right?" Cassie says getting close to him.
"Guess it depends on its size." Steven says with a shrug.
"Are you seriously already trying to mooch off him?" Jin asks following.
"I prefer to sleep in the manner which I am accustomed to." Cassie explains.
"Well not everybody gets a queen size bed in a room the size of a small dojo!" Jin says annoyed.
"You can come along as well Jin if you want." Steven asks.
"Why thank you? I appreciate that." Jin says gratefully.
"Who's mooching now?" Cassie smirks.
"He offered to accept, there's a difference!" Jin yells.
"You will all be led to your rooms, in the morning you will be fed and allowed to prepare for the preliminaries. Come afternoon it will begin!" Connie says as the doors open again and the masked people usher the people out of the room leaving Connie alone.
The bespectacled girl walked down the podium only to fall down the steps onto the floor. She gets to her knees breathing hard and sweating looking like she has run a marathon.
"I'll have to cut down the number I animate tomorrow. This isn't gonna work for the long term." Connie says getting to her feet and wiping the sweat from her face.
She gets up entering another room where the larger fighter was two of the attendants standing at his sides. He looked visibly annoyed and fumed.
"That absolutely wasn't fair! You can't kick me out now! You gotta give me another chance!" He pleaded.
He got no reaction from Connie, the girl's eyes hidden in the gleam of her glasses. She raised a hand, her fingers moving in a gentle manner as a green energy surrounded her hand. The fighter looked on confused seeing the energy, just as Connie clutched her hand into a fist surging the energy. With that the two attendants collapsed to the ground like puppets with their strings cut. One of their masks fell off revealing a rotted face missing an eye, teeth, and patches of skin the smell of death was very strong making the fighter gag.
"Sure, I'll give you another chance. I just need something from you." Connie says darkly, walking forward eyes still hidden.
"Wha-?" He says confused.
Just then Connie closed the distance between them zooming forward in the blink of an eye and wrapping her hand around his throat. He gaged as she squeezed his windpipe her strength greater than his despite the size difference. He finally saw Connie's eyes seeing green energy flowing through her pupils.
"I need your Soul." Connie says coldly as the energy overtakes her.
The scream is heard from outside the room, but no one is around to hear it. The scream slowly gets softer and finally stops there being nothing but silence. After a moment of nothing Connie exited the room looking refreshed as she let out a sigh adjusting her glasses.
"I know you're there." Connie says looking to her side where there was nothing.
"SHIT!" A female voice says as shimmer is seen in the air darting to the side.
Connie moves her hands fire surrounding them as from the Earth a fireball shoots up into the air. A yelp heard as she shimmer falls back, suddenly the shimmer starts to fade revealing a figure. The figure seemed to be transparent, the outline of a humanoid shape and hair around Connie's size. It wore a turquoise and black one piece with boots, fingerless gloves, face mask, and hair band keeping it's bangs out of its face. It had a belt with three pouches around it's waist, and a backpack.
"You're a Suarian?" Connie says surprised.
"And you're a soul sucker! I just came here to rob ya, but that ain't worth it. See ya Little Witch!" The Suarian girl says waving.
"You think I'm just gonna let you leave?!" Connie says defiantly.
"Probably not. So I guess I better do THIS?!" The Suarian says pulling down her mask.
She puffs up her cheeks and then plows spewing out a thick green mist that plumed in front of her. It engulfed Connie the mist burning her eyes and skin, Connie screamed as tears welled up in her eyes making her furiously rub them dropping them to the ground as she flailed about trying to get out.
"Better take a bath after that or you'll get a rash!" The Suarian says with a laugh as she takes off for the door pulling it open.
She doesn't look as she runs forward slamming into something that stopped her. She looked up with her white eyes widening in shock. Before her stood a Shokan, a young one, but still. A girl wearing a red tunic over a black sports bra and shorts. She had a black belt around her waist with a Yin Yang buckle. She has gold bands on all four of her arms and toeless yoga socks. Around her neck was an extravagant looking necklace that looked like it belonged to royalty. Atop her head was long black hair done into a ponytail, though through it a sick nub like horns could be seen poking out. The shokan's red eyes locked with the Suarians white for a tense minute.
"Hi, I'm Koran." The shokan introduces simply.
"Hi, I'm Khameleon." The suarian introduces with a nervous chuckle, only for Koran to grab her by the head with two of her four hands.
She showed incredible strength, easily lifting Khameleon off the ground and restraining her with her four arms. Khameleon didn't even bother struggling as she was carried to Connie who escaped the mist, her eyes still red and coughing.
"Are you okay Connie?" Koran asked.
"I'm-cough cough-fine! Did you catch that suarian?" Connie asked still rubbing her eyes
"Well… yeah I did, she's right here. Can't you see?" Koran asked holding out the restrained and smirking Khameleon.
"I can't see, cause she FREAKING BLINDED ME! ELDER GODS IT'S LIKE A JUMPED INTO A CHLORINE POOL WITHOUT GOGGLES! AND MY SKIN IS SO ITCHY!" Connie yells annoyed as she uses her tunic to wipe her eyes.
"Do you want me to get you a wet rag?" Koran asked, concerned.
"Yeah, get that for her. I'll stay here and keep her company." Khameleon says.
"DON'T! Just keep her still." Connie says, managing to clear her vision enough to focus on Khameleon.
"You didn't receive an invitation did you?" Connie asks.
"Nope, hitched a ride with some other guy who did. Heard there was some big treasure here, so I thought I would make a quick buck and mess around with some people for fun. But then you sucked that guy's soul out so I think I'll just head home and forget this ever happened." Khameleon said nervously.
"Well she didn't suck all his soul, she can't do that." Koran says bluntly.
"KORAN! Really?!" Connie says annoyed.
"Sorry, I don't do well around new people. Remember when we met?" Koran says with a nervous chuckle.
"Yeah, I do. Just keep her still please." Connie says with a tired sigh Koran nodding.
"I heard invisibility is a trait common amongst most Suarians, but that only a select few can fully utilize it. You managed to sneak in here without anyone noticing." Connie said intrigued.
"Only if I want them to. Like star kid back there, I thought that was gonna go differently but I was pleasantly surprised. I guess you found me out cause you felt my soul or something?" Khameleon asks.
"Once everyone was gone, yeah I was able to. But still it's impressive. I'm guessing you're a ninja, to what clan?" Connie asks.
"My own. I steal what I want for myself." Khameleon says proudly.
"Hmmmm…. Koran let her go. And take that guy in the other room to the Vault room." Connie says getting a "Okay" from the four armed girl as she dropped the thief going to the room.
"A vault room, eh?" Khameleon asks massaging her wrists.
"Yes, I'm trying to get in it, but it requires…. Some extra power to open, something that I plan to retrieve through this tournament." Connie says.
"So this whole thing is a scam. Knew it! So what's in the vault?" Khameleon asks.
"For me, that's none of your business. But for you, I feel like something worth your time." Connie says as she reaches into her tunic and pulls out a golden dragon pendant.
Khameleon's eyes sparkle at the gold taking it from Connie and examining it, reaching into a belt pouch and pulling out a magnifying glass. She lets out an impressed whistle looking at the treasure.
"This is 100% real gold, and by the looks of it very old, maybe 1,000 years old, 1,500 tops." Khameleon says amazed.
"Yep, and there's more behind that vault. And once it's open I'm willing to give it to you." Connie says smirking.
"... All of it?" Khameleon asks.
"I only require one thing from there, everything else is trivial. But for that you will have to work for me." Connie says.
"Doing what?" Khameleon asks.
"What you do best, not being seen. I want you to be my eyes and ears to spy on who I tell you to and tell me exactly what they are up to and where they may have been. Do that and you will leave this Island with all the gold you can carry." Connie says.
"Make it all the gold, she can carry and ya got a deal!" Khameleon says pointing Koran who was carrying the withered and groaning body of the fighter.
"Fine, do we have a deal?" Connie asks extending her hand.
"You're not gonna suck my soul when I touch it are ya?" Khameleon asks, looking at her hand.
"No." Connie says simply.
"And if you open the vault and there's no treasure, what do I get then?" Khameleon asks.
"I-I don't know. Help yourself to whatever on the Island." Connie says unsure.
"And if there is treasure and I touch it will the whole Island collapse on itself?" Khameleon asks.
"I DON'T KNOW! I've never been in there before. Listen do you wanna make this deal or not!" Connie says annoyed.
"Eh, why not. Not the worst deal I made." Khameleon says, shaking Connie's hand.
"What was the worst?" Koran asks.
"Now that is a story let me tell you!" Khameleon says with a laugh.
"Please not now. Listen follow us, I got something to show you before you start." Connie says with a groan gesturing for the two to follow.
"Sure, just give me your name. Real name please, Just a professional courtesy." Khameleon says smiling.
"I told you like I told everyone, it's Connie." Connie says.
"Connie….. Who?" Khameleon asks with a curious smirk making Connie stop.
"... Tsung. My name is Connie Tsung." Connie says looking back a green shimmer seen in her eyes.
Hello everyone today is the day, the release of the BRAND NEW MORTAL KOMBAT MOVIE!
And in celebration I now release a project I've been Co-Writing with the amazingly talented Mysterious Mr M
So with the help of friends I came up with this fun and insane concept of Steven Universe crossing over with Mortal Kombat
Read and enjoy, if you like it leave a comment. I will do my best to respond to them and any questions you may have for the story. Though as a heads up I will not answer anything that may be a spoiler. You probably have questions on the past I will answer a few of them, but a lot of stuff will be revealed in the story. Also fun little game for ya'll can you point out whose in my roster? Leave a comment if ya can figure it out. ;)