A few weeks later...
Cherin sat down on her couch, reaching for the t.v remote. The screen came on fuzzy, so she flipped through the channels, all the same.
"Damn cable," she muttered.
"Haven't you got better things to do?"
Cherin jumped to her feet, spilling her diet coke.
"Who's there?" she demanded. The voice had come from directly behind her, but it was dark, the only light coming from the fuzzy television.
"You have nothing to fear from me," the voice said, "I'm not here to hurt you Cherin."
"H-how do you know my name?" she asked, angry with herself for sounding so scared.
Out of the shadows stepped a man, almost a foot taller than her. He wore a midnight cape, and a strange skull shaped mask...
"Does it really matter?" he asked, "I can help you."
He took a step forward, and Cherin stumbled backward, searching for any kind of weapon.
"BACK OFF!" she screamed. The man stayed put, staring at her.
"My name is Havik," he told her.
Cherin couldn't help but chuckle despite her fear, "Well there's a name you can trust..."
"I have been watching you," he continued, "You are special, you don't belong here."
Cherin reached for the phone, "I'm calling the cops."
There was no dial tone.
"Come with me," the man extended a hand. Cherin looked at him. She didn't know this man, but she had a strange urge to go with him.
"No," she replied.
"All right," he said, smiling, "I see you will not trust me unless I explain. I am from another realm."
Cherin snorted, "Well I figured that."
"I make my home in the realm of Chaos," Havik continued, "It is a wonderful place, Chaos and disorder reign."
"Sounds fun," Cherin said skeptically.
"Oh it is," Havik said, the enthusiasm rising in his voice, "There are no rules, no one to control you. I see Chaos in your soul Cherin, you belong there."
"No rules huh?" she asked. Her mind felt...foggy, she couldn't think straight. Something was telling her to go with this man, and it wouldn't let up.
"Not one," he replied, his hand still extended, "Well, are you coming?"
She couldn't help it, she grasped his hand and they vanished in a puff of smoke.
Ashlynn sat down on the couch in Amilee's apartment, next to Sub-Zero. The strangest look had come over his face.
"What's up?" she asked.
He didn't look at her, "I just...have this feeling. Like something is-
He was cut off by the shattering of the window opposite the couch. He pulled Ashlynn behind the sofa to avoid flying shards. Amilee ran out of the kitchen, screaming at the sight of her ruined living room.
"What the hell!" she shrieked. Sub-Zero stood up slowly, walking toward the window. On the streets, so many stories below, the people of New York City were in a panic. The streets were completely crowded, frantic people trampled one another, trying to escape.
"What are they running from?" Ashlynn asked, coming to stand beside Sub-Zero. Her question was answered a moment later, when a massive wave of men clad in black uniforms came pouring down the street, quickly catching up with the fleeing people.
"Quan Chi," the Lin Kuei said simply. No one argued with him.
"How could I have let this happen?"
All three of them turned, and were not surprised to see Raiden. They had become used to the thunder god dropping in like that.
"Oh my god," Ashlynn gasped, "Arilayn, Rhapsody! Jay took them out to eat! I've got to find them!"
She started for the door, only to be pulled back by Sub-Zero.
"You can't go out there," he said, "It's not safe."
"Jay will take care of the girls," Amilee added.
Raiden sighed, staring down at the carnage below.
"Cherin is missing," he said without looking at them.
"What? Where is she?" Amilee asked.
Ashlynn hardly heard the bad news, her thoughts were with her children.
"That I cannot tell you," Raiden replied, "But...she is no longer within the boundaries of this realm."
"Do you think it was Quan Chi?" Amilee asked.
Raiden shook his head, "I have no way of knowing. But why he would take her I do not know..."
Ashlynn took a breath, finally able to speak again.
"What are we supposed to do?" she demanded, a little too loudly.
The thunder god looked at her.
"We will need help," he said, "Ashlynn, travel to Outworld and find Scorpion, he may be able to aid us. You two, I need you to locate Jax and Sonya, they are currently in Seido. I will try to find the others, we will hold back Quan Chi's forces as long as possible. Hurry."
Ashlynn rubbed her throbbing temples. Raiden had sent het to the small fishing village of Sun Do, in Outworld. After a while of walking, she realized that everyone had stopped what they were doing, staring at her with frightened expressions.
They all recognize me, she thought.
Slowly, a small man in an oversized hat approached her, bowing slightly.
"Is...is the emperor displeased with us?" he asked quietly.
"No," she replied quickly, "But that doesn't matter. I'm here for another reason."
The villagers had begun to gather around her.
"I've turned against the emperor," she began, "He's sent his forces to Earthrealm, my home, and I have to stop him."
"We want nothing to do with this," said an elderly woman to her left, "The emperor would burn our village to the ground if we defied him."
Ashlynn nodded, "I know. I don't want to bring you into it. I'm here looking for the ninja specter, Scorpion. Um...I've heard he's been seen around here."
The people looked at eachother questioningly.
"I know him," said middle aged man.
"Can you tell me where to find him?"
The man swallowed, obviously scared.
"He takes his residence in a cave but..."
He stopped, staring at her.
"But what?" she asked, trying not to become frustrated with him.
"The cave is located behind the encampment of a Tarkatan horde, led by...led by Baraka himself."
Ashlynn sighed, she knew exactly where to find it. The camp wasn't too far from the village, a thirty minute walk...a ten minute run.
"Thank you," she said quickly. Pushing her way through the crowd, she ran north at full speed. She found the camp in good time, although her legs were on fire and her sides felt like they would split. The camp, of course, was guarded.
"Halt!" the helmeted guard demanded.
Ashlynn stopped, trying to slow her breathing. She thought, maybe she could use her status to her advantage.
"Do you have any idea who I am?" she asked, forcing herself not to smile at how idiotic she sounded.
The Tarkatan guard paused, staring hard at her.
"Apologies," he said finally, "I did not know..."
"I accept your apology," she said, "I must speak with your leader."
He turned, giving her a chance to giggle silently.
"Baraka? He is inside. Go on."
She walked past him, pleased with herself. I didn't take her long to find Baraka, he was standing toward the back of the camp, close to the cave in which she needed to be. The Tarkatan leader recognized her almost immediately.
"How may I be of service to you?" he asked.
She winced at the sound of his voice.
"I have need of a...sacred space," she said, now it was almost impossible to keep from laughing.
"We have no scared space here," Baraka replied.
"Oh but you do," she said, "Do you see that cave?"
The Tarkatan leader glanced behind him, then turned, a skeptical look on his face. For a moment Ashlynn was afraid her plan may not be working.
"Of course," he said slowly.
The cave was smaller than it had seemed from the camp. Ashlynn had to squint to make out a wobbly door built into the stone. Cautiously, she reached for the knob...Before she could pull the door open, she was tackled to the ground.
"I have told you the Tarkata are not to enter this cave!" Scorpion bellowed.
"I'm not a Tarkata! Get off of me!"
The specter stared at her a moment before releasing her.
"I thought you were one of those revolting warriors," he said, "Thought you are not far from it..."
Ashlynn waved a hand, dismissing his insult.
"I'm here because Earthrealm is in danger."
Scorpion pulled off his mask, attaching it to his belt.
"Again?" he chuckled.
"This isn't funny," Ashlynn snapped.
"Wait...Why would you care about Earthrealm? Last I heard you were living in the fortress with..."
She cut him off short, "Don't say his name. He sent his forces to Earthrealm, people are dying, we need your help."
The ninja shrugged, "I could not care less, let Quan Chi take over Earthrealm."
Ashlynn sighed.
"You don't get it," she said, "If he takes over Earthrealm, what do you think he'll do next? He'll go after every realm until he has control of them all. We have to stop him."
Scorpion was silent for a few uncomfortable moments.
"All right," he said finally, "But I am only doing this for myself."
"As long as your helping," Ashlynn said, "I don't care what your motivations are."