"Friend in Need"
The next morning everyone awoke and we started traveling. Liu said we were going to use some portals get us back in America where he said there were other Earth warriors waiting. From there we'd head east where my step-father's fortress was and make a plan to stop him.
I didn't pay much attention and just followed. I hadn't slept at all. I kept thinking about Jade. I wasn't surprised she didn't come with me. One would think since I expecting her to stay with Kahn, I wouldn't be disappointed...but I was. My friendship with Jade was the only thing from my old life I wanted to keep, but it was gone.
My newfound Earthrealm allies traveled across the land which would often change between Earth and Outworld. Although Raiden was not allowed to interfere directly, he would offer us guidance and point us in the right direction. As we traveled we would suffer frequent attacks from Extermination Squads. The further we got the more severe the attacks would become.
We finally reached America after few days. We ended up in a city...I'm not sure of the name...which was half-merged with Outworld. In the middle of this large city was the blood red sea and beyond the Outworld Plains. We set up camp inside one of the abandoned buildings and tried to get some sleep. But I hadn't been getting much sleep for the past several days.
For some reason, every time I tried to sleep, in my dreams Mileena's words would repeat in my mind. About how I could never change. I was haunted by this indescribable feeling of dread that maybe she was right. That maybe I hadn't changed. This dread was usually followed by the sound of my step-father's voice. Calling me back to him.
As I wake up I would for just a moment feel what it would be like if I accepted. And what scared me was there was a part of that liked it. With all that was happening, all the pain and hardship I've been going through, I kept wondering deep down if I should just go back to Kahn. I decided to leave the camp to gather my thoughts alone. I didn't go far because I knew that Reptile and Jade could be near. I went to the waterfront which looked out onto the view of the great sea which stretched for miles.
There was so much preying on my mind...it was almost overwhelming. I suppose it was the disappointment that Jade chose to stay with Kahn that gave strength to my fears. I wondered how much else I would have to lose before this was over. What more pain would I have to experience? Pain I could save myself from if I just went back to being Shao Kahn's daughter...
I could not even consider going back to Kahn. I had come to far already to give up now. No matter how bad things would get, I could not allow myself to go back to him. Never. But...I did wish that there was at least someone else who'd understant what I was going through...
"You shouldn't wander off alone." I heard someone say behind me. I turned around and saw Rain sitting on a nearby ledge. "You never know who's waiting for you."
"What are you doing here?" I demanded, expecting him to attack.
"I'm not here to fight." he answered, jumping down from the ledge. "I told you: you're not my job."
"Then what do you want?"
He didn't answer and slowly walked by me and started staring out at the view. "I've been thinking a lot about you, lately." He paused for a moment then looked at me and asked "Why did you turn against Kahn?"
"He killed my father. He drove my mother to kill herself and enslaved my people..."
"No." he interrupted. "I mean why bother? You of all people should know...do you really believe you can win?"
I thought about it and quietly answered "Honestly...no. But I have to try. I have to do this."
"Why? I don't understand how you can just suddenly change like that."
"I look back on my life and I realize now...how'd he twist words and my emotions so I would be perfectly devoted to him. I would've done anything for him...which is exactly how he wanted me to be. You understand? He used me. He turned me into a weapon."
"I see." he said. "You want revenge."
"No." I quickly said. "No. It's more than that. I look back on my life and I see all the people I've hurt. All the people I've killed. Thousands of ghosts haunting me. Thousands of ghosts I murdered...and for what? A lie. My miserable excuse of a life..."
"The Zansatsu Massacre...right?"
"...among other things." I paused and continued "I can still hear the screams. Especially when I try to sleep. I...don't sleep often."
Looking back, I'm not sure why I confided all that to Rain. I guess...I just needed to tell someone. Since I learned the truth about my parents, I'd been hiding all the pain it caused me. I hid it from Jade and I hadn't yet told Liu and the others. It was all bottled up for so long...I guess I just wanted to get it out.
"I've hurt so many people for the wrong reasons. I just...I just want to make it right."
We were both quiet until I heard Rain whisper "I don't believe it."
"Believe what?"
"I've heard stories about you for as long as I can remember. The infamous 'Kitana the Bloody.' I never would've figured you a guilty conscience."
"Up until about fifty years ago you'd be exactly right." I laughed a little and said "Funny how fast you life can change."
"Is that what happened? You learned the truth about Kahn and decided to turn against him?"
"It really wasn't that easy. Honestly, I was terrified."
"Really?"
"Like you said...I of all people should know..."
"But you turned against him anyway?"
"I told you: I have to do this." Rain just stared at me, dumbfounded. As if he couldn't believe was he was hearing. "What's the matter?"
"I just...I'm speechless. That you of all people...you would turn against Shao Kahn. I mean...you who was favored above all others...you who could've just kept going like nothing happened...you who have more to lose than anyone...I never would have believed."
"You make me sound like a hero." I said with a slight laugh.
"You are." he answered. He then turned his back to me and continued "Unlike me. I have plenty reason to hate Shao Kahn. I too am Edenian...if you haven't already figured it out." He paused a moment then said "Shao Kahn killed my father. My father was a general of Edenia who was killed by Shao Kahn himself. I know this...and yet I still serve Kahn out of fear for my own life. You are a hero Kitana. I'm just a coward."
As I listened to him, I realized that maybe he could turn with me. If he was as uncertain about his loyalty to Kahn as he sounded, maybe I could convince him to join me against Kahn after all. "No, Rain. There's still time to change." I said, stepping in front of him. "You can be a hero too."
"You believe that?"
"If I of all people can get a second chance...certainly you can, too."
He thought about it for several moments then quietly said "Kitana...I don't...I don't know. Maybe you're right. Maybe I can change." I continued to think about it, still apparently unsure and said "I...I need to think about it."
"I understand." I answered. "I won't force you to do anything you don't want to. But I do hope you will reconsider you're loyalty to Kahn. It'd be nice to know I won't be going through this alone."
He nodded and said "I'll think about it. I will." With that he turned and quickly disappeared into the shadows.
After Rain left I began to return to the camp. I truly did hope Rain would join us. A fellow Edenian, trying to change...not unlike me. We would both understand what we're going through. We could help each other through this. Even better, he could maybe even know of a way to get to my mother.
But I tried not to get my hopes too high up. I reminded myself that there was the chance that he's still loyal to Kahn and only trying to gain my trust to infiltrate us. I didn't want to think negatively, but I had to be ready for that possibility. Regardless, the hope that Rain could join me eased my fears about going back to Kahn.
As I made my way back to the camp, I heard something move behind me. I quickly ducked into a small alleyway and looked around, but I could see nothing. My ninja training has taught when and how to tell when I'm being followed. Although I could see no one...I could just feel someone was tailing me. Probably an assassin.
I heard something again and tensed up. It sounded like there was only one...but whoever it was very well hidden. Almost invisible. Then I realized who it was.
"Show yourself Reptile! I know you're there!" I called out, stepping out of the alleyway, into the empty street. I went into the open so he couldn't corner me. I kept turning in circles so I'd be ready for him to attack from any direction.
"Good to ssssssee you're inssssstinctsssss are intact." I heard him hiss. His voice echoed through the area so I couldn't get a bearing on where he was.
"Took you long enough to find me!" I called out. I hoped if I kept him talking I'd figure out where he was.
"I've been following you for ssssssome time. Jussssst waiting for you to get out in the open." His voice was still echoing. He was probably moving around too, to throw me off even more.
"Well here I am! Why don't you fight me now!"
I heard Reptile laugh and say "I am not ssssso foolish asssss to fight Kitana the Bloody in a fair fight."
With that I heard a loud spit coming at me from behind. I turned and say a large spray of green acid coming straight toward my face. I quickly through one of me fans at the acid which saved me from being hit, but cost me one of my weapons.
Suddenly, the second fan was kicked out of my hand and I was struck hard by an invisible fist to my face. I quickly tried to sweep him, but I hit nothing. I heard Reptile jump away. I braced for another attack, but nothing came. Reptile was invisible and playing defense, which put me in a severe disadvantage. I realized he may even have been waiting for Jade to arrive to back him up.
The fan he kicked away landed near a parked vehicle. I decided to make a run for, knowing I'd be much better off with at least one weapon. As I was about to reach the fan, I suddenly felt something slimy and sticky violently wrap itself around my throat. I was suddenly pulled backwards and I realized Reptile had wrapped his tongue around my throat and was trying to take my head off.
I tried to resist the pull, which was only strangling me. I desperately tried to reach for my fan, but it was out of my reach. Although I couldn't reach my fan, I was close to the vehicle. I punched out a window, grabbed a shard of glass and quickly cut into Reptile's tongue.
I heard him growl in pain and his tongue released me and Reptile suddenly appeared visible. I took a moment to catch my breath and quickly grabbed my fan. I charged at Reptile, and he quickly sprang to his feet and charged at me.
Fighting Reptile is unlike fighting any other creature I've ever faced. Although he looks human, he moves like a snake. He is extremely fast and strikes hard and often. I was at a disadvantage because I needed to end the fight quickly before Jade arrived. Reptile was challenging enough, but I could never fight him and Jade at the same time.
I let him knock my fan from my hand, allowing him to think that would throw me off. Instead I caught him off guard with a sweep kick that took him down. I tried to press my advantage but he suddenly launched a Force Ball at me to put some distance between us. I barely managed to evade the Ball and catch Reptile with a roundhouse kick that sent him tumbling to the ground.
I quickly turned around to retrieve my fan only to see Jade standing in front of me with her Bojutsu drawn. She gave me a cold stare with her glaring green eyes and said "Kitana..." I froze for a second, not sure what to expect and she finished "...get down."
Without really thinking I quickly ducked and she swung her Bojutsu above my head which cracked Reptile in his face just as he was about to hit me from behind. I turned and saw Reptile tumble on the ground and I turned and stared at Jade, who extended her hand to me.
"You okay?" she asked, pulling my up.
I just stared at her dumbfounded. She couldn't really be joining me, could she? I couldn't possibly be that lucky, could I? "Jade...what are you doing?"
I could tell beneath her mask, Jade smiled at me and answered "The right thing."
Behind me I heard Reptile hiss and yell "Traitor! How dare you do thissssss!"
"Be gone Reptile! I will no longer be a slave for Shao Kahn!" Jade yelled back.
Reptile snarled and screamed "No! I will not fail Masssster Kahn! I shall kill you BOTH!"
Reptile hissed and charged at us, and tried to fight both of us at once. I, however, could barely concentrate on the fight. I just couldn't believe Jade chose to help me. It seemed too good to be true. First Rain...now maybe Jade. For a moment I had a very grim thought that Jade was only pretending to join me and that this was just a ruse. But fighting alongside Jade again felt so right, I didn't want to believe it was a lie.
Reptile was no match for Jade and I at the same time. After only a few minutes of battle he crumbled to ground defeated. Jade moved in to finish him off, but he quickly sprang to his feet and scurried away, but not before yelling "You will not get away with thisssss! You whoresssss will pay for betraying Massssster Kahn!"
As Reptile disappeared from sight, Jade and I let out a sigh of relief and we just stared at each other for several moments before Jade said "You're probably wondering if I'm just deceiving you." I didn't answer and she only laughed and continued "I know you Kitana. Optimism was never your strongest suit."
"Not that I don't trust you...it's just...why?" I answered. "Why come with me?"
"How could I not?"
"Jade...you know as well as I do what will happen if Kahn wins. Why risk your life and your soul for me?"
"Kitana...you are my friend. My only friend. You said it yourself...like a sister. What do I owe Shao Kahn? You've given me so much in my life...how could I not stand by you?"
"But Jade...it's not that I don't appreciate you coming with me...but...you have no reason to risk so much for me."
"No reason..? You don't remember..?" she then whispered.
"Remember what?"
"Armand." she answered and it all became clear. I couldn't believe I had forgotten. I was even more shocked that she didn't. I would've thought she'd want nothing more than to forget that.
Many thousands of years ago, even before the Zansatsu Massacre, there was a general who worked for my step-father named Armand. One of my step-father's most ruthless and most vile warriors. Also one of his most dangerous. After many years of servitude, Armand decided he was no longer content being just a general. He decided to take his own power. He goaded several soldiers and assassins to join his coalition and they began plotting to overthrow my step-father and rule Outworld.
Jade was sent to find where Armand and his men were hiding out. It was one of her first missions, but she accepted it anyway. After a few days she discovered where Armand and his band were hiding out, but shortly afterward we lost contact from her. We then received her mask instead. The message was clear: they had caught Jade spying.
Jade was my only friend. The only person, besides my step-father at the time, I cared about. I refused to believe she was dead. I wanted to find her and get her back, but my step-father insisted she was dead and not worth the trouble. But I refused to listen. Even if she was dead, I wanted to at least avenge her.
I tirelessly tracked Armand's men through Outworld to the new hideout. I sneaked inside and found Armand and his men, ten in all, plotting and scheming against Kahn. I also found a small basement hidden underneath and inside I found Jade, lying motionless on the floor. I went in and slowly approached her, expecting her to be dead, only to find she was trembling. Her clothes were torn and stained with blood and she had cuts and bruises all over her body.
I don't know what Armand and his men did to her...I'm not sure I want to know...but I was intent on seeing to it they paid for it. I broke out of the basement and began fighting Armand and his men and I struck them down one by one. I did not however, kill any of them. I merely crippled and immobilized them. I then helped Jade out of the basement, handed her my fans and walked outside and waited.
After several minutes, Jade came outside as well. My fans and she herself were drenched in blood. I asked if she was okay but she didn't answer. Instead she only dropped my fans on the ground, hugged me tightly and burst into tears. I never asked Jade what exactly happened to her with Armand or what exactly she did to them...but she was never the same after that.
"Jade...I..."
"You came for me Kitana. You saved me. I owe you so much...I'm ashamed I even had to think about joining you."
"Jade..."
She didn't let me finish. She hugged me and said "Never again. I'll never question my loyalty to you again. I'll follow you into Hell itself if I have to."
I was no longer suspicious after that. I could just tell she meant it. I hugged Jade back and I was just so happy to have my friend back. Throughout my life...I've done terrible, horrible things. I was once a cruel, nasty, and evil woman who killed just to hear my victims scream. But Jade...and my friendship with her...was the only good thing. The only thing that was true and good in my life.
"I'm sorry I didn't tell you sooner." I said quietly. "I'll never doubt you again."
I said there were no happy endings in my life. But...every once in a while...there is a bright spot.
End of Chapter XVII