AN: This fanfiction will be going from the events of the first tournament to the end of the second and the Earthrealm invasion. I do, however, have plans to stretch this to Armageddon. But that remains to be seen. Skartana (Skarlet x Kitana) may seem strange to you, but that is normal. I have not seen a single piece of fanfiction or fanart of the two so I guess I'll be first. This is a fanfiction about the events of the tournaments in the original timeline, with several notable changes and additions from the new timeline, including several characters such as Skarlet and Kotal.

This is my first Mortal Kombat fanfiction, and I apologize if it's not very good. After all, the whole concept of this fanfic is strange.

KITANA

Kitana and Ermac practiced inside of one of the arena's on Shang Tsung's island in the lost sea.

Ermac was the latest weapon created by Shang Tsung. Despite the Sorcerer's confidence in the soul-masses fighting ability, they still required some amount of training, especially in keeping whole. Every soul was bound to Ermac's consciousness made up of the Edenian warriors. Each was supposed to lose it's own identity and sustain Ermac's consciousness and being. However, souls always sought to be free, regardless of Shang Tsung's binding.

Kitana's job, as always, was to perform tasks unwanted by her father, training Ermac for the upcoming tournament, expected to occur soon. Despite the short time, The Kahn and his Sorcerer were confident in his fighting ability, although Shao Kahn had deemed it unnecessary to create him, self-confident after the longest stream of Outworld victories to ever exist against Earthrealm.

Ermac, as a fluid being, was prone to dispersing through themselves, having great difficulty at maintaining their own physical form. Shang Tsung had wished for Kitana to teach the use of ranged weaponry during Kombat, despite Ermac's use and great ability to do so physically.

The princess of Outworld, despite her own talent, was having no luck. Constantly, over and over, the mass of souls would reach out their right arm, and all that would follow is their bandages loosening as the souls escape outside of Ermac's shape. This was little surprise, Ermac was Edenian by their own souls, and most Edenians were blessed with elemental powers they would use to attack physically, lacking ethereal magic such as souls.

Kitana had been getting exhausted with her own demonstration, throwing forwards one of her fans in it's blade form, sticking into the sides of one of the arena's pillars, and having to retrieve it with each failure by carrying the blade back to her through the wind picked up by the other fan.

This continued onwards, through multiple trials until she had finally just about lost it, frusturated through the reprimand she would be given by her father, and the difficulty of it all, she turned to the soul-mass and insulted him.

"How can father expect you to be a useful fighter for his Mortal Kombat?" Kitana yells, "You are made of warriors yet lack their skill and willingness to learn!"

Ermac did not respond, or react in any capacity in the moment instead of turning their head to look at Kitana. Staying completely still, the wrappings around Ermac's head moved, attempting to project their voice.

The voice which came out instead of Ermac's projection was instead strangely clear. It addressed Kitana directly to her face, in the voice of a man, one that felt familiar to her. She had heard the voice before, perhaps a great deal, many years ago. Ermac's form solidified entirely, containing the green aura and transforming their shape into one of an Edenian Man.

"Sindel never would have wanted this."

Moments later, Ermac's shape reformed into their normal appearance, the one of the ideal warrior Shang Tsung had wished them to take, with souls forming an aura around their wrists.

Kitana's mind went blank in confusion, and worry as she thought of her mother. Shao Kahn had not mentioned her mother's name in years, and only did so to remind her of her commitment to Outworld. Sindel had died thousands of years ago, killed by Earthrealmers who came to the aid of Edenia despite their fair losses in the Mortal Kombat tournament.

"You could never have known that, Ermac." Kitana says, dismissing the strange statement. "My mother was betrayed by her own realm. Outworld won, and therefore claims supremacy over Edenia."

Ermac turned their head. "Known what?"

"Do not play dumb Ermac, what you have just told me."

"We haven't spoken a word."

The soul-mass's voice had a tone, despite it's strange form. Ermac seemed to genuinely not know what they have said. But the whole thing was suspicious. Of course, How could her father and Shang Tsung trust a mass made of many individuals, some from Outworld yet most of those from Edenia. Ermac could harbor traitorous feelings against Outworld.

And for such a thing they needed to be punished.

Kitana called Ermac to follow her, where they took the short walk into her father's throne room itself. If Ermac could sabotage her father, She must reveal it to him.

SHAO KAHN

Shao Kahn merely sat still, concealing his anger as to not arouse suspicion to his favorite daughter. Kitana had come to him and Shang Tsung with great urgency, to tell of a potential flaw with Ermac as a challenger to any Earthrealm warriors. She had meant it, pulling out her fans to force them to stand still, although Ermac did not understand the gesture or what it should have meant to them.

"I am certain. Ermac regained a solid physical form during our training, and had attempted to question my loyalties Father."

"Is that so?" The Kahn turned his head to Shang Tsung, who was just barely managing to stay calm at the notion. His anger was one of potent fury, for both his failures, and the potential such a mistake has had to ruin his relationship with his daughter. Despite Mileena's creation, Shao Kahn had found her disgusting, and unworthy of Kitana's place.

"What did he say..."

"Father, he looked to me and said "Sindel never would have wanted this."

Shao Kahn let out a feigned laugh. "How foolish Ermac is. Do not believe him Kitana." He emphasized, "The Edenians had failed to protect their own homeworld. Outworld is now their peoples protectors."

"Sindel was killed by Earthrealmers allied to Edenians Kitana." He explains, "Sindel saw the weakness of her own people, and you are continuing her work. She would be proud."

Kitana was pleased with the minor show of affection her father had given her, and decided to ignore the remaining feelings she had. Sindel's love for her father had begun before she was born of course, before her death. Her father would know Sindel better than herself, and what she had wished. Ermacs feeling could not matter.

"Yes Father."

"I will talk to Shang Tsung myself and consult on what should be done with Ermac. You are excused and have no need to train him further today."

The throne room was a deafening silence as Kitana loosened her grip on Ermac and left.

Shao Kahn's eyes trailed her carefully until she was far, far away, out of sight and hearing range. For what he was about to do. Discipline Shang Tsung, or punish him with his life. Whichever felt more appropriate.

"Emperor- I promise to fix whatever is wrong with-"

Shao Kahn stood from his throne, and in an instant, grasped his hands around his own sorcerer's throat. Aiming for the floor below, he threw him onto the ground hard, reaching out one of his hands to summon his hammer.

"You bastard!" Shao Kahn yells, "You fail me yet again. Your creations are nothing but failures!"

"Why would you allow Jerrod's soul to inherit Ermac? Why was Mileena born with a deformed mouth?" The Emperor yelled, raising his hammer above the elderly sorcerer's head, preparing to slam downwards and cave in his skull. "Thousands of years for this? I have the opportunity to merge Earthrealm with outworld and you sabotage it with your failure!"

Shang Tsung, in a moment of weakness and desperation, kneeled downwards to the floor, sinking down even further as The Kahn lowered his helmet to rest upon his head.

He only had one choice, to appease Kahn.

"There is another... A warrior of your own creation that may take Ermac's place." Shang Tsung begs. "Skarlet... she has great fighting prowess and has been imbued with a dagger of the one being!"

Skarlet was a Earthrealmer blood mage. Brought by accident to Outworld as a child through interaction with a tear between realms Sindel had not been able to patch. Once Shao Kahn had sensed her presence, Tarkatans were sent to retrieve her. And using Outworld's dagger, which had been collected by Onaga many thousands of years ago, it had been plunged into her heart, binding her life to the blood code, and as Shao Kahn was it's wielder, He possessed total control over Skarlet.

His grip on the hammer faltered, and he allowed it to dissipate into the air, opening his palm to disarm himself.

"You are lucky."

Shang Tsung's proposition is attractive. Shao Kahn himself for many years had wished to use Skarlet, yet she was too destructive to achieve a regular purpose. If he wished someone dead, Jade, Kitana, or Mileena could easily accomplish the task instead. And while Skarlet's addiction to blood if she is deprived proves very useful in her desire to kill, it had applied to all who had not had power over her, or an assurance by Shao Kahn that she could not harm them. Which at this point, was narrow. Only Shang Tsung, the Tarkatans whom went inside of her cell to feed and retrieve the sunken in corpses, and his daughters.

The Sorcerer on the floor began to recover from the experience, clutching his heart as he tried to subconsciously forget his near death experience. If it had not been for Skarlet, his head would be shattered along the stone floor, and filthy Tarkatans would be the ones to dispose of his corpse.

"This could, at once, be a use for Skarlet." Shao Kahn acknowledges, "However, you are the runner of the tournament, correct?"

"C-Correct..."

"Then you must control her. Take her to the surface, and restrain her accordingly." Shao Kahn points his right hand to the cold stone floor. "And if she breaks the rules of the tournament, you will die."

The Emperor walked back to his throne, and Shang Tsung took the message immediately. Scrambling to his feet, he started upon his path to the Flesh Pits, hyperventilating along the way.

Once he had made it, underneath the castle past the wide stone staircase, into the Flesh Pits he took a deep breath.

With his careful thinking, he had managed to avoid his own execution once more, from events which had been seeming more and more likely. Now he would have another task, but no job seemed too much in exchange for what truly mattered most to Shang Tsung, his very own life. And if Skarlet must be restrained and used for the first time since Shao Kahn's binding, so be it.

AN: Sorry that not much happened this chapter. I just need to set up the events for the first tournament and Kitana learning the truth, plus a few NT characters.

I thought it would be interesting if Jerrod had been able to manifest in Ermac even with Shao Kahn's influence, for a short time to try and reveal the truth. Of course, Kitana wouldn't believe him. Not yet. Next chapter will be up soon.