"Okay, you've got your mission," Johnny said in an uncharacteristically professional manner. "Gear up. I want you all ready to go in fifteen." As the four cadets stood and saluted, he added, "Cass, hold up a sec." After exchanging a concerned look with Jacqui, Johnny's daughter nodded for her to go on ahead.

"Sir?" Cassie asked once the two were alone.

"Off the record," he clarified.

"Dad?" she corrected.

"You doing okay?" he asked, any professionalism melted away, leaving only the tone of a concerned parent.

"Huh? Y-Yeah, I'm fine."

"Cass, you inherited a lot of things from your old man, but his acting ability isn't one of 'em."

"Not that there's much to inherit there," she quipped.

"Point proven, wiseass. Now, come on. Something's clearly bothering you. It won't do you any good to let it nag away at you on your first mission."

Cassie sighed. "It's nothing, it's just... Dad, why did I really get assigned as squad leader? Is it just because I'm the daughter of the General and Earthrealm's hero?"

Johnny cocked an eyebrow. "Is this about what Jin said?"

"No. Well... kinda."

"Okay, first of all, fuck Jin and his-"

"I don't think he'd be up for that."

"Just... zip it for a sec, alright? Listen." He placed both hands on his daughter's shoulders, firmly. "You got the job because you're the best. I learned my lesson about nepotism after I let my cousin David write the screenplay for Ninja Mime... Your mom and I both know what you're capable of. Between your mom's proficiency with firearms and my quick wit, you were the obvious choice. Jin's got a major chip on his shoulder about other people, Takeda's not had an equal in his clan since the Kamidogu incident, and Jacqui gets a little too sensitive when it comes to her dad. Given time, they could each be good leaders in their own right, but for now, you're the only one fit to be a leader."

"So, it's because I'm somehow the least fucked up," Cassie replied, dejectedly.

Johnny sighed deeply. "Cassandra," he said, resorting to using her full name, a tactic he and her mother only employed when she was matching Sonya's impressive stubbornness. "This isn't about who's the least bad choice, okay? Whether or not you or your teammates believe in you, I do. That's why I put your name forward to be squad leader, and that's why I fought your mom when she disapproved."

Cassie looked up, shocked. "Mom disapproved?"

"Of course she did. You know how she is. She assumed, like you and like Jin, that it was because you're my girl. You wouldn't believe how long I had to spend talking her around. It never took me that long to talk her into sex-"

"Ew. Dad. Come on."

"Look, the point is... I wouldn't have spent the better part of two hours debating her if I didn't really believe you were the best fit for the job. Now, I want you to go out there and show your team, and yourself, that you deserve your position through your own talent. Go prove your old man's intuition is better than his acting chops."

Cassie smiled warmly. "Well, it's hardly-"

"Don't ruin the moment, Cassie."

"Okay," she replied, hugging her father. "Thanks, Dad."

"Any time, kiddo. Now, run along. A leader shouldn't keep her squad waiting."

"Yes, Sir," she said with a crisp salute, before spinning on her heel and leaving to join her squad.

"I'm never gonna get used to that," Johnny mused, shaking his head. "Sergeant Cage, huh?"


"What the hell, Dad!?" Cassie demanded.

Johnny exchanged a look with Sub-Zero, who indicated towards a nearby room with his head. "Alright, you three head back to the plane," Johnny told Cassie's squad before leading her into the room and closing the door behind them.

"A training exercise!? After all that shit you said about proving myself on this mission, it was a goddamn training exercise!?"

"Hey, now, the point of this exercise was to test your ability to work as a team in the face of an opponent who's far out of your league. I asked Sub-Zero because he is just that, and his ability to assess a warrior's shortcomings is unparalleled. Evidently, that ability was necessary here."

"But why didn't you tell me this wasn't a real mission?"

"Will Kano call ahead to let you know when he's planning to make his move? Or Mileena? Or Quan Chi?" Johnny's tone was more serious now, his growing irritation as his daughter's immaturity growing clearer with each word he spoke.

"N-No, but-"

"And that's the point. So, this mission wasn't what you expected. You have to be prepared for the unexpected and react accordingly, Cassie. And if this had been a real mission, one where the lives of you and your squad really were on the line, what would you have done then?"

He gave his daughter a chance to respond. When she didn't, instead opting to avoid his gaze and look at her feet, he answered for her.

"You would've died. All four of you. You're not ready for a real mission, clearly. That's why I didn't tell you beforehand. Now, I may be your dad, but I won't tolerate that little outburst out there. It was unprofessional and, if anything, only confirms Jin's suspicions that you're undeserving of the position."

"Goddammit," Cassie muttered under her breath. Not because Jin was proven right, or because she knew Johnny was right in his admonishment. It was because she was actually starting to cry in the face of this harsh truth. Cry! Like a goddamn child! "Why am I so fucking useless?"

She felt Johnny wrap his arms around her and pull her in close for a tight, warm embrace. "Listen, Cassie. You know I'm only doing this so that you can be deserving of your position, right?"

"I know," she whispered between gasps.

"You have it in you to be the best. You're a Cage and a Blade, after all. But don't let that be all that defines you, alright? Use what we've given you to be best Cassie you can be."

Cassie gently pulled back to look up at her father with a smile. "Geez, Dad, did you let Uncle David write that one too?"

"Hey! Most of my best lines are improvised."

"Well, you coulda fooled me."

"Alright, smartass, let's get you back to your team before I have to have you court martialed."

"You, court martial me?"

"Yeah. Me court martial you. I am your superior, you know."

"You keep telling yourself that, old man."

"Okay, now I get why Jax beat me up that time."

Cassie cocked an eyebrow. "Jax beat you up? When did this happen?"

"I don't wanna talk about it..."

"Uh-uh, you've mentioned it. Now you've gotta tell me."

"Nope."

"Come on!"

"One more and I'll cancel your Netflix subscription."

"Ah-! Hold on! That's not fair!"

"Life's not fair, kiddo. Now, get back to the plane."

Cassie saluted, before spinning on her heel and leaving to join her squad. Johnny followed soon after, stopping to thank Sub-Zero for his assistance.

"Any time, Cage," the Grandmaster replied with a bow. "If you find discipline is still lacking in young Cassandra-"

"No thanks," Johnny replied. "I'm practically with Jax on letting the girls join SF, let alone your little ice kingdom up here."

Sub-Zero shrugged. "Even so, the invitation remains open. The Lin Kuei colours quite suited her last Halloween."

"I knew I should've forbidden her from posting those... Wait, you guys have internet up here?"

"This is the twenty-first century, Cage. Yes, we have internet. We even have wi-fi and a Friendships fan page. Now, best not to keep your apprentices waiting. And I sincerely hope they are better prepared when next I meet them."

"Oh, they will be. In fact, I bet my kids-"

"Best not to make bets you've just been proven you'll lose, lest people think your team's shortcomings are on your head."

Johnny's mouth hung open for a moment before he slowly closed it again. "Point taken."


Yes, this was based entirely around the cousin David exchange, shut up. Another potential named was "Cassie Uncaged". See, with a bit more focus on her inner turmoil over her position, Cassie could have been... not shit. She could have joined SoulCalibur's Cassandra in the pantheon of legendary fighting game Cassies, but she falls short, hard.