Chapter 5: More Rescues

Outworld, The Living Forest

Izuku moved across the path leading to a rather terrifying looking forest. He and Sonya later decided to split up when they reunited with the rest of the group, and she had gone with Jax to see where the second reading was coming from. Izuku, on the other hand, decided to go alone into the forest. Large faces from the trees glared at him at every corner, some moaning and howling.

Yep, definitely no Treebeard to be found here.

Suddenly, Izuku heard an RPG go off.

WHAT THE HELL?!

Izuku rushed to where he heard that sound, only to be confronted by the sight of a man in black armor and respirator fighting a man dressed in purple.

Hidden behind the tree, Izuku was treated to the sight of the black ninja manipulating smoke to annihilate his opponent. The black ninja spun around, utilizing his abilities to disorient the purple ninja, before lifting him into the air and suplexing him into the ground. His opponent slowly got up, only to be greeted by a heavy boot to the face. The purple ninja flew back, a dark red stain appearing on his veil..

"Not tell me, what do you know of Sub Zero's death?!" the black ninja shouted. The purple ninja merely waved his hand, before he disappeared in a puddle of rain. Suddenly, the black ninja started to get hit by an invisible assailant.

The assailant's invisibility shimmered away, replaced by the visage of a yellow robot.

"You are ordered to return to the Lin Kuei temple for assimilation." the yellow robot commanded.

"Cyrax!" The black ninja exclaimed. Izuku froze

That's Cyrax?! What the hell happened to him?!

"I am Lin Kuei Unit L-K-4-D-4. You will come with me."

The black ninja looked downwards in sorrow. "I am sorry for what they did to you…" He looked up to Cyrax. ",but I will not comply!" and with that, the black ninja struck.

The ninja leapt into the air, only to be met with Cyrax's net launchers. Immobilized, the ninja couldn't defend himself against the flying side kick Cyrax employed. As the ninja attacked with a leg sweep, Cyrax teleported in a burst of green light, before kicking the ninja in the back. The cyborg grabbed the ninja, tossed him into the air, before uppercutting his jaw. The ninja flew into the air, while Cyrax dropped a few grenades from his chest.

The ninja tried to teleport away in a small burst of smoke, only to be met with Cyrax's fist punching him in the face. Cyrax capitalized on the ninja's dazed state by activating a saw blade. The cyborg proceeded to slice the ninja's tendons, forcing the ninja to kneel to the ground.

The fight finished, Cyrax turned and teleported away, as grey versions of himself teleported into the forest and started hitting the black ninja with a burst of green energy.

Izuku looked around, trying to find something that would save the black ninja. His eyes fell upon a crate full of RPGS and assault rifles a few feet away from him.

Jackpot.

Izuku rolled out of his cover, grabbing an RPG, before aiming it at the grey cyborgs. He pulled the trigger, taking enjoyment in the scrap metal that flew from the blast.

The black ninja groaned, looking around the area. His eyes widened, as he saw the destruction of the cyborgs that had moments ago been trying to destroy him. He tried to get up, only to stumble and fall.

"Easy there, buddy. You just got the shit kicked outta you." Izuku said, trying to calm down the black ninja.

The ninja, in response, simply pressed his chest and heart in some kind of strange cross before bowing down.

"Thank you, stranger. I am called Smoke." the ninja stated.

"Oi, that's not necessary. My name's Izuku." Izuku replied.

Izuku proceeded to grab Smoke and put his arm around Smoke's shoulder, getting him off the ground. The two slowly started walking out of the forest.

"Why are you here in Outworld?" Smoke asked.

Izuku sighed. "To fight in a tournament to save Earth. Again. Because apparently the big guy in charge here is a sore loser." He turned to the supply of weapons. "Hold on a sec." Izuku told Smoke, gently putting him down on the ground. Izuku then walked towards the cache of weapons.

"Hmm. This isn't good. At least I was able to find it on time." Izuku then spotted something rather...beautiful.

"No way." Izuku muttered, digging out an assault rifle with a grenade launcher underbarrel. "Holy shit. Izuku, it looks like Christmas's come early tonight." He chuckled in glee. "Oh man, I always wanted one of these." Taking all the grenades he could out of the stash, Izuku aimed the rifle at the stash, before firing a grenade.

BOOM

A deafening explosion rang out, the heat bellowing into the forest. Izuku grabbed Smoke and started to walk out of the forest at a brisk pace.

"Everyone within a dozen miles could've heard that explosion. Let's get outta here, quick as we can."

The duo exited the forest just in time. In the distance, a few dozen Tarkatans could be seen running into the forest to investigate the explosion. Izuku chose that moment to turn to Smoke. "You know, we could use someone like you. Those smoke abilities of yours were pretty badass."

Smoke shook his head. "Forgive me, but I cannot help you. Sektor and Cyrax are hunting me, and I have a friend that may be in danger from them. Earlier, I told him that he should be safe from them, but seeing Sektor's depravity firsthand, I am no longer certain in that assessment."

Izuku sighed. "Alright, then. Let's go get your buddy. What's his name?"

"Sub-Zero."

P.O.V Switch - Sub-Zero

Sub-Zero dodged the arm blades of a man with hideous facial features, dressed in a simple black gi. The creature snarled, but it couldn't hide the fear it felt.

"My turn." Sub-Zero growled, before countering the creature's wide swing and throwing him into the ground. As the creature tried to get up, Sub-Zero materialized two karambits made out of ice. He neatly sliced off the creature's blades, before grabbing the creature by the throat and holding them against the wall.

"Don't make me add your corpse to this graveyard of a world." Sub-Zero warned. He slammed the creature against the wall. "Talk! Who killed me!"

"Filthy human!" the creature snarled, trying to break free.

Sub-Zero snarled, before slamming the creature into the wall again. The creature spat a few globs of blood.

"You will not make me talk!"

Sub-Zero threw the creature into the ground, freezing his legs and arms.

"Are you trying to scare me?! I won't break!"

"Your bones will." Sub-Zero growled. He then proceeded to materialize a staff.

The creature stirred, more desperate than before. "It's true what they say! You're an animal!"

"Time to live up to my reputation." Sub-Zero started to slowly walk up to the creature. "You know...you can bleed to death without ever spilling a drop. All on the inside. Tell me the identity of the man that murdered me before, or I start swinging."

The creature still refused to talk. Sub-Zero started to get more angry every passing moment. Losing his patience, Sub-Zero smashed his staff onto a rock right next to the creature. The creature screamed in terror.

"TALK!" Sub-Zero roared.

"T-t-they say that he came from the Netherrealm. A wraith of a man, far more powerful than any demon. H-he wields a kunai, attached to a chain."

"A name, dammit! GIVE ME A NAME!"

Just then, Sub-Zero heard a scream of pain. He quickly turned around, and was greeted by the sight of a large man with his arms bleeding from stumps, as well as a woman screaming at the man to stay with her. The culprit behind their suffering hovered in front of them, expelling green energy.

Sub-Zero stilled. He felt something foreign worm into his chest. A small thought echoed throughout his brain.

If I do not help them, they will die.

Sub-Zero then turned back to the creature, who was desperately trying to free himself of the bonds of ice Sub-Zero had placed him in.

But if I leave with the creature, I will learn the name of my brother's killer.

The two thoughts waged a war on Kuai Liang's mind. The voice of his brother shouted at him to leave, to learn his murderer's name no matter the cost. Another, more subdued voice, one that sounded eerily like Tomas, told him to save the two humans.

Kuai Liang looked back and forth, then made his decision.

P.O.V Switch - Sonya Blade

This was bad.

Jax was screaming in pain, his arms having been reduced to stumps. Meanwhile, the culprit for that was right in front of them, ready to kill them both. Sonya got up, raising her fists. If she was gonna die, she would die swinging.

Just as she was getting ready to throw a punch, Ermac froze.

Literally.

Ice creeped up on the monster rapidly, before completely encasing Ermac. A blue garbed ninja started to yell at them.

"The ice won't hold for long! Come, quickly!"

Sonya nodded, before draping Jax over her shoulders and running. "Where're we going!" she shouted.

"There's a portal to the south of this place! We can use it to get to safety!"

Sonya and the ninja ran to the portal, as the blue ninja put up a sturdy wall made of ice between them and anyone that came for them. During that time, Sonya was able to stop Jax's bleeding, and the portal started to activate. Suddenly a heavy force began to hit the ice wall.

"Dammit, this won't hold for long! What's the status of the portal!" the ninja shouted, desperately trying to reinforce the ice wall.

A loud noise echoed through the halls, signifying the portal's activation.

"It's on! Get in!" Sonya shouted to the blue ninja, draping Jax across her shoulders again.

The ninja nodded, manipulating the wall to form into large spears, before throwing them at Ermac. All of them shattered before they could hit their target, but it provided enough of a distraction for the trio to get away to safety.

The portal dumped them into an unfamiliar landscape, near the sea. Dozens of bodies littered the area.

Sonya retched at the smell. "I fucking hate this place." she muttered.

The blue ninja chuckled, freezing Jax's arm stumps, most likely so they could avoid the risk of infection. "Had the same reaction when I came here."

It was at that moment that Sonya was able to recall why the blue ninja looked so familiar.

"Wait a minute...Sub-Zero?! But...you're dead!" Sonya exclaimed.

Sub-Zero looked downwards, his sorrow visible through his mask. "I am not the Sub-Zero you speak of. He was my brother."

"Your...brother?" Sonya looked down. Suddenly, she realized why this Sub-Zero was standing in front of her, even if he hadn't admitted it yet. It was why she even got involved with this damn Mortal Kombat business in the first place.

"I am only here to learn the name of my brother's killer, and then kill him."

Sonya nodded. She knew that feeling all too well.

At least she knew the identity of the man who murdered her brother. Since this Sub-Zero had saved her and Jax's life, the least she could do was tell him.

"He was killed by someone named Scorpion."

Sub-Zero's eyes widened, before narrowing in anger. "Where would I find him?" he growled.

"Try the Coliseum, when it opens up. That's where you'll find all the Kombatants participating in the tournament."

Sub-Zero bowed in thanks, before walking away.

P.O.V Switch - Scorpion

Scorpion could only watch from the sideline of the Soul Chamber, dazed at what he had just seen.

Strange didn't even begin to describe the events that had just transpired.

First, there had been the torture against the Tarkatan. Except it hadn't even been torture! More like an interrogation, something the old Sub-Zero never tended to resort to.

Then, even more importantly, Sub-Zero had abandoned his mission to help two random Kombatants!

That was something the old Sub-Zero would never, even on his best days, have ever done. He was ruthless and focused, willing to give up anything, even his own life, to accomplish his mission.

Scorpion was left wondering, if Bi-Han's time in the Netherrealm had greatly changed him.

Or if this was some new Sub-Zero that had taken Bi-Han's mantle.

Scorpion shook his head. Earlier, he had been quite ready to kill the new Sub-Zero. Now, it looked like he had to take a few steps back in that regard and focus on observing him.

AN: So, fun fact, I decided to copy paste all the different parts of this story together in one document. I was expecting something like 60 pages at most.

Nope.

137. Fucking. Pages.

Wow.

So, Izuku gets a new toy and a new ally. How long will both last, though? We also see Rain coming into the story, as well, since Shang Tsung is a bit too busy right now agonizing over how he lost Sonya so quickly. Kenshi will be dropping in soon, don't worry.

In other news, we get a first big look into the difference between Bi Han and Kuai Liang, and how Kuai Liang struggles to try and live up to a reputation that he doesn't have the stomach for. We also see a few hints for what I'm planning to do with his character for the future, with his heroic rescue of two people he never even met before. Also, no, that Tarkatan earlier wasn't Baraka, in case you all were wondering. Poor dude's suffering enough as it is.