Sonya stirred as the rising sun, which had been creeping up her body for last hour or so, reached her eyes. She stretched as she stood and walked over to the window, which looked down on a courtyard of sorts. What she saw made her laugh.
Jax and Johnny were sparring while Liu and Kitana cheered them on. Jax was fast, but not quick enough as Johnny darted around him and playfully slapped him on the back of the head. Jax whirled with a snarl frighteningly similar to Goro's and reached for him. The actor was too fast and jumped back, kicking out with his front leg and connecting with Jax's stomach.
Sonya laughed loudly, causing Johnny to turn his attention up to her. He smiled brightly at her, losing his focus, and Jax pinned his arms to his sides. Johnny looked up accusingly at her, and she merely shrugged, chuckling as she walked away from the window and down from the tower.
When she emerged in the courtyard, Jax was sparring with Kitana while Liu was mocking Johnny. Neither had seen her yet, and she crept up behind them, listening closely.
"You had him, Johnny. Then all of a sudden…"
"Hey, I can't help it if every time I see her I just freeze. She just has this power over me, and I'm loving every minute of it." Liu finally saw her, but she motioned for him to ignore her, which he did brilliantly by turning the topic to the fight.
"Kitana's not as fast as you, I don't know."
"Yeah, but she's got more agility than Jax. I think she can come out okay, even if she doesn't win." Johnny wiped the sweat from his forehead with a spare towel. Sonya was standing right behind him now, but his gaze was fixed firmly on the fighting duo.
"Hey Johnny!" she yelled, causing the actor to jump ten feet in the air. He whirled around frantically, his arm lashing out quickly. If not for her reflexes, Sonya would have had an earful of fist. She caught his arm deftly at the forearm, her eyes wide. For a moment, Johnny stood frozen, soaking in what had just happened. When he realized what he'd almost done, horror spread across his face.
"Are you okay? Did I hit you? God what have I done? Are you hurt?" His questions came at a rapid, frantic pace, and Sonya could merely shake her head.
"I'm fine, my fault. Gotta remember not to sneak up on you." His panic was abated, but his eyes were still wide, shifting to her form now and then. She crooked her arm through his and leaned on him as Kitana and Jax continued.
It seemed Jax had the upper hand for a while, then Kitana performed a flawless backflip twist, landing directly behind the warrior. One hook punch and sidekick later, Liu was stepping into the ring to take Jax's place. Sonya chuckled sympathetically at Jax as he sat down next to her, using the towel Johnny had discarded to wipe his brow. Her attention shifted back to the fight, and she watched as Liu and Kitana performed attack after block, each as if it were choreographed. Neither seemed to be gaining the upper hand; it seemed more like an intricate dance routine than a sparring match. Johnny's voice in her ear broke her stare.
"You wanna go for a walk?" he asked softly. She nodded and let him lead her away, into the garden. They passed by monks at work, who didn't even look up as they passed. They had been told that the guests were to be given freedom to go where they will, so long as they didn't enter the Temple or the training grounds. Johnny's gaze kept landing on her, and finally she chuckled.
"I'm fine, Johnny. You didn't hurt me." He didn't respond for a moment, but when he did, his voice was soft and unsure.
"But I could have, and that scares the life out of me." His voice quivered as he finished, and she stopped in her tracks. She stepped around to face him and took his other hand in her grasp.
"Look at me," she commanded when he cast his eyes to the ground. His brilliant blue eyes pierced into her soul, and she gave him a small smile. "I was the one who snuck up on you, remember? Hell, I would have been worried if you hadn't reacted. Now, forget about it. Let's just move on." Johnny said nothing for a moment, and Sonya became worried. But before she could react, Johnny had closed the distance between them and captured her lips in a tender kiss. She could feel his love flowing through her as they stood connected for a brief moment. When he pulled away, he had his old reckless grin plastered on his face, and Sonya breathed a sigh of contented relief. Smiling, she let go of one of his hands, but held onto the other as they continued their walk.
"When do we get out of here?" he asked suddenly. She shrugged.
"I guess whenever we want. Jax and I should probably check in with HQ soon; they'll be listing us AWOL soon. Though I was thinking about taking leave and hopping a plane to the US. I haven't seen my parents in a while." Johnny nodded thoughtfully.
"What would you say to an all-expense paid trip back to the States? You could go visit your folks while I pack up some stuff." Sonya thought for a moment.
"That sounds nice, though I've never been to Hollywood. What would you say to showing me around?" He laughed.
"It would be my pleasure, m'lady," he bowed, sweeping his free arm grandly. She fought back a giggle and shook her head, smiling. "Come on," he pulled her back to the courtyard where Liu and Jax were sparring. Jax blocked nearly everything the Chinese monk could throw at him, but he wasn't landing anything either. Johnny and Sonya stopped beside Kitana, who was watching the battle intensely.
"They've been at it for a few minutes," she said. "Neither can get a hit in." Distracted by Kitana's voice, Liu looked up, and Jax landed a back fist on his chest, sending the man sprawling. He lay there for a moment, unmoving, until Jax went over to investigate. As soon as he stood within reach, Liu lashed out, sending the larger man to the ground while sweeping up at the same time. Sonya laughed at her partner's face and Kitana smiled.
"That was a dirty trick, Liu," Johnny stated. "Very nicely done!" Sonya rolled her eyes and swatted his arm.
"Men," she muttered to Kitana, who nodded in agreement. Liu and Jax walked over, finally finished with the pleasantries.
"Hey, Liu, where are you going after this?" Johnny asked as a precursor.
"I don't know. With the Emperor gone, Mortal Kombat is no longer needed. I think I'm going to move back to America, try my hand there." Kitana hooked her arm through his, silently supporting any decision he'd make. Johnny looked over at Jax.
"Man, I need a vacation," he responded to the actor's question, "I'll probably go to Europe. I can get a Space-A flight from Japan or something."
"How do we keep in touch?" Sonya asked Liu. Johnny smiled, pulling out a card from his wallet.
"Here, this is my cell number. Give me a call when you get to the States. I can probably get you a job in Hollywood if you wanted." Liu took the card as his face brightened.
"Hey Johnny, what would think if I asked you to help me start up a dojo in the States? The five of us?" he motioned to the group. Johnny shook his head.
"Sorry, Liu, but I'm moving to Hong Kong shortly. But tell you what. I'll loan you the money for you and Kitana to get it started." Liu shot a knowing smirk at the actor when Hong Kong was mentioned, but he said nothing. Jax looked a little indignant, but a glare from Sonya kept him silent.
"Thanks. I guess you're leaving then?" Johnny nodded.
"I have some arrangements to make. But we'll keep in touch, if you will." He stuck out his hand.
"Deal," Liu said, taking the man's hand in a firm grasp. Kitana enveloped Johnny in a hug as Liu took Sonya aside.
"It's been fun, Sonya," he said, smiling at her.
"Yeah, it has. And thanks, Liu, for everything." He took her in his arms, promising to keep in touch. Jax followed Sonya and Johnny upstairs where the three packed what little belongings they had. As they exited the Temple walls, the children struck up a praising song, honoring the heroes of the world.
