I'm still not Ed Boon or connected to Netherrealm Studios. This chapter focuses on mortal Raiden, while next chapter focuses on Johnny Cage. Please comment on who you want next.

Syzoth, feeling pleased, smiled to himself. His guest tonight was the greatest enemy the Zaterrans had ever faced and had much to answer for. He was the former Protector of Earthrealm, which had been the Raptors' home long before humans evolved. And the instant his precious mammals acquired sapience, he would not stop interfering in their affairs.

Syzoth rattled his tongue against his teeth in anger. The guest would soon bear the brunt odf sixty-five million years of anger and betrayal in this interview.

"Ladies and gentlebeings," Syzoth said, moving his eyes from the nothing he had been staring at to the middle of the audience, "The being that you are about to meet used to be the Protector of Earthrealm before giving his job and powers to Liu Kang. He is also guilty of mass genocide against the first intelligent residents of Earthrealm. Please welcome the former God of Thunder, Raiden!"

A middle-aged man in an east Asian straw hat entered the room and politely bowed to Reptile. Syzoth didn't return the gestured, opting instead to roll his eyes.

Raiden took a seat.

"Comfy?" Syzoth asked.

"Quite," Raiden said.

"I guess it is quite comfy these days: you get to spend retirement in the void beyond time while Liu Kang and Kitana clean up your messes across the timeline."

"I'll admit, my stewardship of Earthrealm was not perfect but I gave it my best shot."

"You call destroying the Raptor civilization 'your best shot?'" Reptile spat.

"Like I said, I wasn't perfect, but you can't blame the separation of Zaterra from the rest of Earthrealm entirely on me. It never would have happened had Shinnok not betrayed the Elder Gods by attempting to restore Norbert…" Everyone giggled, including Syzoth.

"It's not funny!" Raiden said. "If Norbert—" More laughter interrupted him.

"If the One Being reconstituted himself all realms and everyone in them would be destroyed."

"Yes, yes," Syzoth said. "We know that, but could you have maybe taken both pieces of Earthrealm under your protection."

"I was only allowed to protect one realm, so you might want to take this up with Cetrion. I was following her orders."

"And look where that got you! Were it not for her and Kronika's need for balance you could have ended Shinnok then and there."

"Like I said, it was above my paygrade."

"You were supposed to be protecting Earthrealm's people, Raiden, and back then that was us Raptors."

"I asked the Elder Gods what was to be done about you, and they said they would handle it."

"By 'they' you mean Aunt Cetrion?'

"And Argus."

"Wait," Syzoth said, "I thought he was only a demigod like you and Shao Khan?"

"He gave up his status as an Elder God to become the protector of Edenia, but he said he'd get someone lined up for Zaterra."

"Ah, yeah—the guy who told his children millions of years after the fact that Shinnok was still trustworthy."

"I entrusted the matter to beings I trusted."

"Cetrion and Argus…"

"I wasn't the best judge of character," Raiden said.

"So, you just abandoned my species because the Elder Gods told you to?"

"I'm sorry, Syzoth. I thought I could trust them at the time."

"Don't call me by name! Only my friends get to do that, and you and I are not friends! All Zaterrans hated you, former god of thunder! Did you ever show even a fraction of the care for my species that you later showed the humans?" Syzoth paused, took a deep breath, looked into the camera, "To all my fans in Earthrealm, I don't hate you, just your former protector." Syzoth looked back to Raiden, "When Shao Khan began his plans to conquer Earthrealm, I supported them whole heartedly because it meant that you and I might have a chance to fight."

"You do realize that Shao Khan is the one who merged Zaterra with Outworld. You should be most angry with him."

"Oh, I hate Shao Khan, I just hate you more. You left us vulnerable to him, but it became so important to you to protect the humans later, that I just couldn't understand where was this Raiden when Shinnok invaded the Raptors' Earthrealm."

"The Raiden who fought Shinnok was much younger and more naïve than the Raiden who fought Shao Khan," Raiden said.

"Sure. You still asked the Elder Gods what action you should take every step of the way."

"It surprised all of us when Cetrion killed the council."

"And Argus—"

"Was dead by this point. Daegon killed him."

"And none of you thought his life decisions were questionable?"

"He was already off the council by this point. Millions of years had passed Reptile. Had I known now what would have happened I would have nominated Fujin as protector of Zaterra or given him Earthrealm and went myself."

"And I'm just supposed to forgive you because you were young and stupid?"

"No, because I was a teenager when all of this happened sixty-five million years ago!"

"But you haven't really grown from it though have you, Raiden?"

Raiden arched a greying eyebrow. "Meaning?"

"Back then you didn't take any responsibility for anything because the Elder Gods would take care of it. Now, when you do have eons worth of experience, you'll let Liu Kang and Kitana take responsibility."

"I'm still on board in an advisory capacity," Raiden said.

"Yes, for all that that's worth. Face it, every time you took matters into your own hands someone got killed. First Kung Lao, then everybody except Sonya and the actor, oh and then Sonya."

"I was having hallucinations from my future self the first time around and then I was corrupted by the jinsei?" Raiden asked more than stated, before coming to his own conclusion and saying, "Look, do you want someone who makes those kinds of decisions to have the final say over the timeline?"

"I don't know. Do you think the thunder God who abandoned the Raptors was ever fit to protect the humans anyway?"

Raiden grimaced and wearily rubbed his eyebrows. "Are we going back to my earliest mistake? I already told you, Reptile, I was young and naive then."

"But you were older and mature when you said, and I quote, 'Do you want someone who makes those kinds of mistakes to have the final say over the timeline?'"

"Your point?"

"My point is," Syzoth hissed, "that you didn't mature in all those millions of years. You were just as inept at your job when you handed it to Liu Kang as you were when you got appointed by the Elder Gods."

"I have matured enough to understand that when I lead bad things happen. When I give advice from the side, things tend to be ok."

Syzoth tried to think of a retort but couldn't. The ex-thunder god had made a statement that he couldn't really disagree with.

"Very well. Your point is conceded." Then Syzoth saw another angle. "I mean its not like you had a lot of good role models in your family."

"What are you talking about?" Raiden asked.

"Look into the Anihilation Timeline. Shinnok's your father and Shao Khan's your brother, which makes Cetrion your aunt and your old enemy Kronika your grandma."

"Ah, I never knew my father in this timeline."

"Were you conceived at a wild party of Elder Gods and elementals?"

"They were young then too!" Raiden said defensively.

"I'm sure. But was there a party at which Shinnok was present?"

"Listen, I don't know if Shinnok is my father or if Shao Khan is my half-brother or not."

"I'm just saying that for that to even be a possibility, your family must be messed up."

"You'll get no argument from me." Raiden said.

Syzoth grew even more furious. He had expected the former deity to put up more resistance, but he had just passively agreed with Syzoth.

"What is wrong with you, Raiden? I try to insult you and that doesn't work. I try to go after your family, and that seems equally pointless."

"Is this all because of what happened sixty-five million years ago?"

"You abandoned us! And—" Syzoth felt a salty tear move from his eye down his cheek. Did he just cry…on interrealm television? He had meant to break Raiden, but he was the one breaking down. He would have to ignore the tear and find some more neutral ground.

"If it makes you feel better, Liu Kang and Kitana are sculpting the new timeline. They should be able to accommodate both humans and Raptors in this one."

"I could settle for not being in Earthrealm so long as we don't go extinct—as a species or a culture. And Liu Kang and Kitana have already made certain assurances to me."

"That's good. They are giving a council of new Elder Gods a test run at my recommendation."

"Why does this sound like a bad idea to me?" Syzoth said, his emotional outburst contained and his demeanor back to the dry humored sarcasm that made up his host persona. "Who all's on it, or do I really want to know."

"Liu Kang, Kitana, Kung Lao, Jade, Sonya, Jax, Johnny Cage, and myself."

"Ok, Liu Kang and Kitana I get. Jade, Sonya, and Jax are good choices, but Kung Lao, and especially Johnny Cage…Liu Kang's friend and Sonya's future ex-husband, what exactly are their roles? And you for that matter? I thought you retired!"

"We're just testing the idea right now. We can always get rid of the council if it turns out not to work."

"So, Cage is in for what reason?"

"He beat up Shinnok."

"So did his daughter who is far more level-headed. But beating up Shinnok isn't really that much of an accomplishment. He is horrible as a fighter—without the amulet Quan Chi gave him, a child could beat him up. And Kung Lao?"

"Liu Kang was looking for people he could trust. So was Kitana,"

"Ah," Syzoth exhaled and steepled his fingers. "I see, so that's why there's no Kotal."

"Why would you that concern you?"

"He's my friend and since retiring from Kombat and becoming a fan I'm a shameless Jade/Kotal shipper."

"Yes, Jade will probably ask to bring Kotal on board."

"I'm still confused though about why Cage is a member. People they trust—I get that, but Johnny instead of Cassie? Young Johnny instead of Old Johnny? What's the story behind that?"

"I don't know all the details, just that Cassie didn't want the responsibility and Old Johnny thought it would be weird to work with an alternate Sonya."

"So, the decision was originally to include Cassie?"

"Of course, do you think they're stupid?"

Syzoth leaned forward, about to speak, before remembering that Liu Kang and Kitana held the fate of the Raptor species in their hands.

"Liu Kang and Kitana—no. Certain other members of the council, heck yes!"

"I too questioned the wisdom of certain choices, but Liu Kang was insistent that Kung Lao joined them, and Cassie was insistent that her father take her place."

"I trust Liu Kang will keep Kung Lao on a short leash?"

"The members of this council are mostly just sounding boards for Liu Kang and Kitana's decisions."

"I still fear the damage Cage can do, even in giving an opinion. Have you ever seen Ninja Mime?"

"Elder Gods, no! That film is the single most destructive item to be produced in any realm."

Syzoth was about to nod in agreement when suddenly he realized that he was agreeing with Raiden, his mortal nemesis.

"I don't believe it! We have the same misgivings about the council."

"Yes, we do have a few things in common. We are both dedicated to protecting our worlds."

Syzoth knew that Raiden was baiting him, but he couldn't just leave it there.

"Except my world was yours once."

"And as I said the old council of Elder Gods had problems. Ones I hope the new council can learn from."

Syzoth saw a chance to regain control and insert a wise crack before the commercial break and Raiden's departure.

"Somehow, with Johnny Cage and Kung Lao, I doubt it."