Johnny Cage sat in her hospital room, watching her sleep. He could
only imagine the hell Shang Tsung had put her through. The doctor that
examined her, after she was calmed down enough for him to proceed, said she
was undernourished, and dehydrated. He also said that several of her bones
had been broken, and hadn't healed properly, including a fracture in the
back of her skull. Her amnesia was acute, and the doctor couldn't predict
if she would ever get her memory back. And, if she did, he had no clue how
this new persona she's been living for two years would play into it. She
was different. Scared of her own shadow, and it ate Johnny up inside to
see her like that.
"Good morning." He looks up, to see her beautiful face looking at him.
"Good morning."
"Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah, how about you?"
"I had a dream last night."
"What about?"
"About you, Master."
"I told you, don't call me that."
"Sorry. About you, Johnny Cage."
"Really? What happened?"
"We were standing on a beach together." Johnny sat up.
"What happened on the beach?"
"We were arguing. You said you had a plan."
"The tournament! You remember." Johnny could feel his heart soar.
"It was a dream, nothing more."
"Didn't it feel real to you?"
"Yes, but I've had many dreams that felt real. This is just one of the many."
"So you've seen me before?"
"Yes, many times, Johnny Cage."
"Call me Johnny."
"Johnny." As she said it, a small smile crossed her face.
"Who else have you seen?"
"I have seen the large man accompanying you. I feel very close to him, though I don't know why. In one dream, he is always carrying me out of a building that explodes seconds later. In another, I am diving into a tank, and come up with him. I don't understand them. They are just flashes. Some very violent flashes that make no sense, yet they feel so real, I jump out of my skin. Then there's the balding man with the red eye."
"Kano."
"If you say so, Johnny. He's always following me, stalking me. I do not know what he wants, but I hate him, and I do not know why."
"Kano is a terrorist. You chased him down and killed him because he killed your brother and your partner. But, somehow, he was brought back to life by Shang Tsung."
"Master Tsung has used his power over life and death many times. It is possible, but I have no firsthand knowledge," She pauses for a moment, fear and tears filling her eyes, "Johnny, why have you done this?"
"What?"
"Why have you spared me the beatings that Master Tsung ordered? When he returns, they will only be worse than before."
"Yes, they will, little Miet." Sonya's eyes fill with terror, as Shang Tsung appears in front of her bed. Her grip increases on Johnny's arm.
"You're not touching her." Johnny said, staring into his eyes. Shang Tsung laughs.
"Come now, Johnny Cage. Do you really think you can stop me?"
"For her, I'd kill you." Shang Tsung laughs again.
"Love is a very foolish emotion, Mr. Cage. Soon you will bore of Miet, and see her for the worthless slave she is, and send her away."
"Never, you sonuvabitch. You will never have Sonya Blade again."
"You think that is Sonya? Sonya is dead, killed two years ago. You are looking at Miet, my servant, and I have come to reclaim her." Sonya trembles in fear, curling up into a ball.
"Over my dead body, sorcerer."
"That can be arranged. But not just yet. If you wish to keep her in this realm, you will return to mine. Or I will simply take her. You're not ready, and I want a good fight. You have one year. If you don't return and face me, I will come for her. If you do face me, I will kill you for sport."
"That's what your boy, Goro, thought, too."
"Goro. My champion. You did beat him, Johnny Cage, but he is nothing compared to me. I will see you in one year, Johnny Cage. And, Miet, be prepared. The past two years are nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you when you return." She begins quietly sobbing. Johnny gently strokes her blonde hair.
"That's not gonna happen." She clinches Johnny's hand tightly.
"One year, Johnny. A little something to remember me by." Shang Tsung waves his hand, as fire begins forming around it. He fires the ball at Sonya. Johnny dives, trying to cover her. The impact of the ball hit him flush in the side, driving him into Sonya. Shang Tsung laughs, vanishing.
"Johnny!" Sonya screams, holding him tightly. He catches his breath.
"Are you OK?" She nods, crying.
"Please, Johnny. Please don't let him take me again. Please." He sits up, holding her head into him, as she weeps.
"I promise, Sonya. He'll never hurt you again." Johnny said, kissing her head. Jax runs in, gun drawn, "It's OK, Jax, it's done."
"What happened?" Jax asked, lowering the aim.
"I've been challenged. One year from today, I have to meet Shang Tsung in battle."
"He's gonna kick the shit out of you."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"I'll find Liu, you're gonna need the help." Johnny nods, as Jax walks out. Johnny sighed, almost crying himself. He had never seen Sonya cower away from anyone, especially Shang Tsung. Whatever he had done to her, she was deathly afraid of him.
"I warned you, Johnny, you may have trouble seeing her like this." Johnny turns, to see Raiden.
"She's terrified of him."
"Yes, she is. He's tortured and tormented her for two years, and she doesn't know, doesn't remember how to fight back. Do you remember me, Sonya?" She shakes her head.
"I am sorry, I do not."
"Don't worry, you will. I am Raiden, God of thunder, and defender of the realm of earth, at your service."
"Master Tsung has mentioned you."
"I'm sure he has." Raiden said, laughing.
"You heard about the challenge?" Johnny asked, still holding her protectively.
"Yeah, I heard about it. Are you ready?"
"I won't let him have her again. I can't."
"You have to do what you feel is right. I give you the same advice I gave Liu. To fight Shang Tsung is to fight not one, but a legion of adversaries, remember that."
"I didn't forget. Jax is getting Liu for me."
"You will need him. If anyone can tell you how to beat Shang Tsung, it's Liu."
"I have one year."
"Then use it wisely." Raiden vanishes.
"I hate it when he does that." Johnny whispered, laying Sonya back on the bed.
"Johnny . . ."
"Just rest, Sonya. Just rest." Johnny whispered, kissing her head. Seconds later, she was out like a light. Johnny collapsed in the chair, passing out himself. When he woke up, he found Sonya sitting up, a tray in front of her. She hadn't touched it.
"Master, may I . . ."
"I'm not your master. You don't need to ask my permission to do anything. If you want to, do it." She immediately begins eating. She quickly cleans the tray, gulping the juice.
"Thank you, mas . . . Johnny."
"Better." She smiles.
"Johnny, tell me more about Sonya."
"Sonya, You, are an amazing woman. A mix of softness and strength that few possess. You were as tough as you had to be, and as gentle as you wanted to be. A body that made you thank God you were a man, and a heart that made the body pale by comparison." Sonya blushed.
"Sounds like you thought a lot of her."
"I love her. I love you, Sonya."
"Johnny, I'm not that amazing woman you described. I am a slave. Born to serve my master's every need, nothing more."
"No, you are so much more than that. You're a soldier, a friend, a . . ."
"Johnny, Sonya may have been, but I am just Miet. I could never hope to be her."
"But you are her. You just don't remember yet. Those dreams you've had all this time are memories. You've been trying to remember all this time. Shang Tsung may have repressed your memories, but they found a way to resurface."
"I am sorry you lost your love, but Master Tsung is correct when he says you will bore of me and send me away. If you think I am that woman, then you will. For I have never met a woman like the one you describe. And I am not her." Johnny, frustrated, walked out.
"Good morning." He looks up, to see her beautiful face looking at him.
"Good morning."
"Did you sleep well?"
"Yeah, how about you?"
"I had a dream last night."
"What about?"
"About you, Master."
"I told you, don't call me that."
"Sorry. About you, Johnny Cage."
"Really? What happened?"
"We were standing on a beach together." Johnny sat up.
"What happened on the beach?"
"We were arguing. You said you had a plan."
"The tournament! You remember." Johnny could feel his heart soar.
"It was a dream, nothing more."
"Didn't it feel real to you?"
"Yes, but I've had many dreams that felt real. This is just one of the many."
"So you've seen me before?"
"Yes, many times, Johnny Cage."
"Call me Johnny."
"Johnny." As she said it, a small smile crossed her face.
"Who else have you seen?"
"I have seen the large man accompanying you. I feel very close to him, though I don't know why. In one dream, he is always carrying me out of a building that explodes seconds later. In another, I am diving into a tank, and come up with him. I don't understand them. They are just flashes. Some very violent flashes that make no sense, yet they feel so real, I jump out of my skin. Then there's the balding man with the red eye."
"Kano."
"If you say so, Johnny. He's always following me, stalking me. I do not know what he wants, but I hate him, and I do not know why."
"Kano is a terrorist. You chased him down and killed him because he killed your brother and your partner. But, somehow, he was brought back to life by Shang Tsung."
"Master Tsung has used his power over life and death many times. It is possible, but I have no firsthand knowledge," She pauses for a moment, fear and tears filling her eyes, "Johnny, why have you done this?"
"What?"
"Why have you spared me the beatings that Master Tsung ordered? When he returns, they will only be worse than before."
"Yes, they will, little Miet." Sonya's eyes fill with terror, as Shang Tsung appears in front of her bed. Her grip increases on Johnny's arm.
"You're not touching her." Johnny said, staring into his eyes. Shang Tsung laughs.
"Come now, Johnny Cage. Do you really think you can stop me?"
"For her, I'd kill you." Shang Tsung laughs again.
"Love is a very foolish emotion, Mr. Cage. Soon you will bore of Miet, and see her for the worthless slave she is, and send her away."
"Never, you sonuvabitch. You will never have Sonya Blade again."
"You think that is Sonya? Sonya is dead, killed two years ago. You are looking at Miet, my servant, and I have come to reclaim her." Sonya trembles in fear, curling up into a ball.
"Over my dead body, sorcerer."
"That can be arranged. But not just yet. If you wish to keep her in this realm, you will return to mine. Or I will simply take her. You're not ready, and I want a good fight. You have one year. If you don't return and face me, I will come for her. If you do face me, I will kill you for sport."
"That's what your boy, Goro, thought, too."
"Goro. My champion. You did beat him, Johnny Cage, but he is nothing compared to me. I will see you in one year, Johnny Cage. And, Miet, be prepared. The past two years are nothing compared to what I'm going to do to you when you return." She begins quietly sobbing. Johnny gently strokes her blonde hair.
"That's not gonna happen." She clinches Johnny's hand tightly.
"One year, Johnny. A little something to remember me by." Shang Tsung waves his hand, as fire begins forming around it. He fires the ball at Sonya. Johnny dives, trying to cover her. The impact of the ball hit him flush in the side, driving him into Sonya. Shang Tsung laughs, vanishing.
"Johnny!" Sonya screams, holding him tightly. He catches his breath.
"Are you OK?" She nods, crying.
"Please, Johnny. Please don't let him take me again. Please." He sits up, holding her head into him, as she weeps.
"I promise, Sonya. He'll never hurt you again." Johnny said, kissing her head. Jax runs in, gun drawn, "It's OK, Jax, it's done."
"What happened?" Jax asked, lowering the aim.
"I've been challenged. One year from today, I have to meet Shang Tsung in battle."
"He's gonna kick the shit out of you."
"Thanks for the vote of confidence."
"I'll find Liu, you're gonna need the help." Johnny nods, as Jax walks out. Johnny sighed, almost crying himself. He had never seen Sonya cower away from anyone, especially Shang Tsung. Whatever he had done to her, she was deathly afraid of him.
"I warned you, Johnny, you may have trouble seeing her like this." Johnny turns, to see Raiden.
"She's terrified of him."
"Yes, she is. He's tortured and tormented her for two years, and she doesn't know, doesn't remember how to fight back. Do you remember me, Sonya?" She shakes her head.
"I am sorry, I do not."
"Don't worry, you will. I am Raiden, God of thunder, and defender of the realm of earth, at your service."
"Master Tsung has mentioned you."
"I'm sure he has." Raiden said, laughing.
"You heard about the challenge?" Johnny asked, still holding her protectively.
"Yeah, I heard about it. Are you ready?"
"I won't let him have her again. I can't."
"You have to do what you feel is right. I give you the same advice I gave Liu. To fight Shang Tsung is to fight not one, but a legion of adversaries, remember that."
"I didn't forget. Jax is getting Liu for me."
"You will need him. If anyone can tell you how to beat Shang Tsung, it's Liu."
"I have one year."
"Then use it wisely." Raiden vanishes.
"I hate it when he does that." Johnny whispered, laying Sonya back on the bed.
"Johnny . . ."
"Just rest, Sonya. Just rest." Johnny whispered, kissing her head. Seconds later, she was out like a light. Johnny collapsed in the chair, passing out himself. When he woke up, he found Sonya sitting up, a tray in front of her. She hadn't touched it.
"Master, may I . . ."
"I'm not your master. You don't need to ask my permission to do anything. If you want to, do it." She immediately begins eating. She quickly cleans the tray, gulping the juice.
"Thank you, mas . . . Johnny."
"Better." She smiles.
"Johnny, tell me more about Sonya."
"Sonya, You, are an amazing woman. A mix of softness and strength that few possess. You were as tough as you had to be, and as gentle as you wanted to be. A body that made you thank God you were a man, and a heart that made the body pale by comparison." Sonya blushed.
"Sounds like you thought a lot of her."
"I love her. I love you, Sonya."
"Johnny, I'm not that amazing woman you described. I am a slave. Born to serve my master's every need, nothing more."
"No, you are so much more than that. You're a soldier, a friend, a . . ."
"Johnny, Sonya may have been, but I am just Miet. I could never hope to be her."
"But you are her. You just don't remember yet. Those dreams you've had all this time are memories. You've been trying to remember all this time. Shang Tsung may have repressed your memories, but they found a way to resurface."
"I am sorry you lost your love, but Master Tsung is correct when he says you will bore of me and send me away. If you think I am that woman, then you will. For I have never met a woman like the one you describe. And I am not her." Johnny, frustrated, walked out.