Earthrealm was so fucked.

It was a hard reality to accept, but Earthrealm had so few warriors left and their enemies had suffered very few losses.

Ironically, according to Raiden's visions of the old timeline, Johnny Cage had been killed no less than three times. And it was in preventing the first of those deaths - run through with a spear by the centaur general, Motaro - that Raiden had unwittingly given Shao Kahn cause to empower his undead bride, Sindel, and send her to wipe out Earth's forces; an attack in which only Johnny and Lieutenant Sonya Blade survived.

Johnny's relationship with Sonya became somewhat strained after this revelation. After all, her closest friend, Major Jackson Briggs, had been killed in the attack as well, his throat pierced by Sindel's spike-heeled boot. She knew it wasn't Johnny's fault, nor really Raiden's, but with Kahn and Sindel both now dead, a living target to aim her frustration at helped her to cope, it seemed. She needed professional help, but Raiden had warned of an invasion from the fallen Elder God, Shinnok, which had occurred in Sindel and Kitana's home realm of Edenia in the old timeline. Without Edenia's liberation from Outworld in the current timeline, however, Raiden predicted that Shinnok would come to Earth first.

As such, Sonya wasted no time in making preparations for then inevitable; especially in light of most of those who fought against Shinnok originally now being his undead slaves this time around, including Liu Kang, Sub-Zero, and Sindel. And the Elder Gods, apparently infamous for their stubborn refusal to ever intervene unless absolutely necessary, refused to believe Raiden's warnings about Shinnok's return. As such, Johnny knew Sonya had a long, lonely two years ahead of her.

Johnny wanted to lighten the load on her, somewhat. Her closest friend was now one of the undead thralls of Quan Chi. Sonya seemed to partially blame herself. Of course, there was nothing she could have done, given that Sonya was arguably the weakest of those present at the time, lacking any kind of powers or incredible equipment. If anything, she was lucky to have survived. But, Johnny was sure that this was exactly her problem. Why had she survived when so many other, more powerful and useful warriors died? And Jax, especially, her mentor and oldest friend, now putting his considerable tactical skills and mighty mechanical fists to use in the name of Shinnok. She probably wished it had been her instead to give Earth a better chance. But, one must make the most of the hand they are dealt, and Sonya was pushing herself harder than she ever had before in her training and preparation, according to other SF personnel Johnny had spoken to.

He asked Raiden if his visions had shown him any Earthrealm warriors that should have come into the spotlight in the following ten years before the end of the universe. Understanding his intention, Raiden sent Johnny to find a blind swordsman named Kenshi Takahashi. This man was presumed to be seeking out Shang Tsung, unaware of his death during the invasion. He would have joined up with Sonya and Jax a decade from now, but Earthrealm couldn't wait that long. He needed to be brought in now.

The name seemed somewhat familiar to Johnny, but it didn't twig for him until he actually saw the warrior in person. He had been in Outworld during the second tournament and fought some guy named Reiko. He didn't know who won, but Kenshi seemed no worse for wear. He guessed that Liu Kang and Kung Lao's interference had led to the tournament's premature end, preventing Kenshi or Reiko from getting their next match.

Kenshi was practising his sword moves on some dummies in the middle of a bamboo forest on a Japanese mountainside. After silently observing for a while, Johnny plucked up the courage to walk out and meet with him.

"You should learn to mask your presence, Johnny Cage," the blind man said.

Johnny froze for a moment before continuing his approach. "Easy for the man with psychic powers to say," Johnny replied, trying to sound as nonchalant as he could.

Kenshi smirked. "I hardly need psychic powers to hear you lumbering in from a mile away."

"Alright, Matt Murdoch, there's no need to get snippy."

"As unique an experience as it is for a famous movie star to seek me out, I'm afraid I must ask you to get to the point quickly."

"Hey, if I could abridge the script for 7 Poisons down to half the length-"

"Caaage."

"Right, sorry. You know about the invasion, right? Big portal opened in the sky over New York, monsters from Outworld tried to take over the Earth. Ringin' any bells?"

"I'm aware."

"Good, because there's another one comin'. Two years from now. And most of the guys who helped us stop that last one are gonna be this next guy's undead slaves. We're gonna need all the help we can get, and you're at the top of my list."

"Why me? What made you choose to come for me, in particular?"

"You were supposed to join up with us about ten years from now. Mainly for your own reasons, but you eventually came around."

"'Supposed to'?" For the first time in the conversation, Kenshi's interest was piqued.

"The timeline was changed to stop the last guy from winnin' in the the end. We did that, but the short-term consequences were dire."

"The timeline? If this is a line to get me involved with one of your movies, forget it. I've got more important-"

"Shang Tsung's dead, buddy. Shao Kahn killed him back in the invasion. I don't mean to sound rude, but if hunting him down was your life's goal, you've just wasted your time. That sword of yours'll be needin' a new target, and this Shinnok guy sounds like he'd be ideal. Or Quan Chi. That guy's basically Shang Tsung, but bald and white."

"You have an interesting way of pitching this, Mr. Cage."

"How else do you think half my recent movies got greenlit? You seen those things?"

"I did listen to one of them once. The commentary for the visually-impaired was very well done. And from the descriptions, your moves are quite impressive, assuming they're real."

Johnny had been beaming at the praise, up until the doubt about his moves came up. "Buddy, let me tell you something: my moves aren't all flashy special effects. I am the special effects."

"So, I've heard."

"You wanna go right now? I'll show you I'm the real deal."

Kenshi smirked. "Sounds like fun. Very well. Have at you, Johnny Cage!"


"What do you want, Cage?" Sonya asked irritably as Johnny entered the command centre. She had given him clearance to enter the SF base and meet with her, as the closest thing she had to an expert on other realms, given the difficulty in reaching out to the Thunder God. He could tell she had made this decision begrudgingly, and he didn't want to add regret to the ever-growing list of stresses she was attempting to quash in her every waking moment.

"Well, I figured, in light of our unfortunately short list of allies, that we should try tracking down people who would've joined up later in the timeline and bring 'em into the fold now."

Sonya's body stiffened up. Johnny knew that reaction. She was surprised by Johnny's sudden brilliance. She turned, trying to keep this fact from her face, but Johnny could see the subtle signs of relief in her attempt at a stone-faced expression.

"Sonya Blade, Kenshi Takahashi. Kenshi here's a psychic swordsman who's agreed to join us about a decade early."

Sonya extended a hand and waited a few seconds before realising. "Oh, sorry, I'm holding out my-"

Kenshi smiled and took her hand. "I know. I heard the ruffling of your sleeve as it brushed past your hip. I'm told you were one of the warriors who fought off the invasion, Lieutenant Colonel Blade. And that you lost a lot of comrades."

"That's right. I trust Cage told you about what we're up against."

"Mr. Cage explained this fallen Elder God and the reality of living in an altered timeline."

"And you believed him?"

"He knew about my vendetta against Shang Tsung. And, I sensed his sincerity when we fought."

"I won," Johnny added smugly. Sonya rolled her eyes.

"It was a clever plan you came up with, Ma'am; bringing in other warriors early to help level the playing field."

"That wasn't-"

"No, it was a very good plan," Johnny interrupted. "Don't listen to her, Kenshi. She's too modest. Trust me, there'll be plenty more where that came from, right, Sonya?"

"R-Right. Plenty. Hoffman."

"Yes, Ma'am?" the younger woman said as she approached.

"Take Mr. Takahashi to the guest quarters to get settled in."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"We'll meet later to discuss how best to integrate you into the SF."

"Do you need me to take your-?" Hoffman began.

"No, no. I have telekinesis." Kenshi's luggage rose off the ground with a blue aura and followed him down the hall.

Once the two were gone, Sonya turned towards Johnny.

"Admit it. You're impressed."

"That you didn't take the ego boost for once, maybe."

Johnny sighed. "Sonya, look. You're in charge now. Alright? Maybe, in the old timeline, Lou Kang or Kitana or Jax might've taken the lead, but in this timeline, it's on you. You should know better than anyone that soldiers need to have faith in their leaders. So, if I have to give up recognition for the odd stroke of genius so the new guys can feel relaxed following your orders, then so be it."

Again, her body language suggested he'd impressed her. "I appreciate the gesture, Cage, but I don't want them overestimating my ability to lead."

"Oh, don't worry, it wasn't that amazing an idea."

"Oh, it wasn't, was it not?" She was smirking now.

"It's exactly as brilliant as it needs to be to make you feel better."

Sonya snorted. "Thanks, Johnny. I needed that. Dismissed."

"Any time, LT." Johnny saluted and headed off after Kenshi. He practically skipped as he muttered to himself, "She called me Johnny."


The Second Invasion of Earthrealm was brought to an end in a climactic battle between Johnny Cage and Shinnok. Johnny had awoken some ancient bloodline technique during the battle, allowing him to tank hits like a... well, a tank. Raiden sealed Shinnok inside his own amulet and then took it away to ensure he couldn't return again.

Johnny's special power had awoken while trying to defend Sonya from one of Shinnok's attacks. Partially as thanks and partially just to blow off steam at Johnny's suggestion, Sonya finally agreed to go out to dinner with him. While she tried to deny it every step of the way, Johnny knew she was enjoying herself. The night ended with Sonya taking Johnny home, after insisting that, while him taking her home was the gentlemanly thing to do, the past-his-prime-but-still-filthy-rich movie star was far more likely to be targeted than the tall, muscular special forces operative. He wasn't sure he agreed, but he accepted her viewpoint.

"Thanks for tonight, Cage. I needed this after... everything that's happened."

"So, you admit you had a good time."

Sonya sighed in a somewhat playful manner and smiled. "Yes, Cage, I had a good time. Honestly, I was expecting something like what you'd see in some generic rom-com from about ten years ago."

"Harsh, but fair," Johnny conceded, eliciting a chuckle from Sonya.

"I wish you hadn't worn the shades, though. It might work for other celebrities, but they're part of your image. You'd be less recognisable with your face fully exposed."

"Eight years ago, I wouldn't have had a choice. They were prescription back then."

Sonya cocked an eyebrow. "You had bad eyes?"

"Video games."

"But it'd be 'lame' to wear 'nerdy' glasses."

"Right. By the time I hit it big and could afford the surgery, they were an iconic part of my image. And let's be honest, I make it look good." Johnny mimed a kiss.

"Ugh," Sonya responded, playfully rolling her eyes.

"One downside of having sunglasses as part of your iconic look? No subtle winks."

Sonya grinned. "Fair."

"So, $500 sunglasses aside, we can call this date an official successful mission?"

"Maybe until the sequel."

"Now, you're speaking my language."

"I thought movie terms might be more appropriate, seeing how you'll be going back to Hollywood soon."

"I... Huh?"

"You were only sticking around with the SF to build up our ranks and deal with Shinnok, right? Now that we've gotten additional funding, and a list of allies to track down, you can go back to acting, finish up that Mortal Kombat script."

"Do you want me to go back?"

"I want you to do what's best for you. I never wanted to deprive you of your career, but we were desperate. As long as you're still willing to help out in a crisis, I see no reason you can't go back to it."

"Well, damn, Sonya. You are one hell of an incredible lady. Any guy on Earth'd be lucky to get to call you his."

Sonya pulled Johnny by the tie and kissed him on the lips. The kiss lasted longer than he expected. It made him realise that his idea of what a kiss was was based on those seen in movies, having had his first with the co-star of his first feature film. But this was something all together different. This was special.

She eventually released him and her grin mirrored his own.

"Hell, any guy'd be lucky to call himself yours."

"You want to audition for that role?"

"Oh, baby, you always know just what to say." The front door clicked open and Sonya held up a hairpin for the confused Johnny to see. "Did you just-"

"You'd take too long," was all she said before she pulled him inside.


The two began dating soon after their first night together. Johnny asked Sonya to move in with him, but she wanted to stay close to the base so she could be on-call at any time. Johnny offered to have his house relocated closer, brick-by-brick if need be, but the amused Sonya turned him down.

A few months after they officially became a couple, Raiden called upon the duo and Kenshi to head into the Netherrealm. One of Quan Chi's former followers had come forward with intel on one of the sorcerer's hideouts. Raiden hoped that they might find a way to break the revenant curse there. Hoping to free Jax, Sonya was quick to arrange the mission. They managed to restore Jax, Sub-Zero and Scorpion, but Quan Chi managed to escape, and the other revenants remained M.I.A.

Sonya spent most of her time helping Jax to recover after that. She felt bad for having so little time for Johnny, but he repeatedly assured her it was more important for her to be there for Jax. She appreciated that.

Johnny was surprised when Sonya called him up one day and asked if she could come over. Her tone was less suggestive or excited and more... concerned. She assured him it had nothing to do with Jax, who was right on track with his recovery. Also, it wasn't about breaking up, which was his next question.

Sonya arrived in the evening after visiting Jax again. After taking Sonya into the living area, Johnny went to get a drink for her, asking about Jax as he went.

"He's doing good. He'll be starting a trial run with a new set of arms tomorrow."

"Good to hear. He'll back up 'n' at 'em again in no time."

"I'm not so sure about that. Anyway, that isn't what I wanted to talk to you about."

"Alright. Lay it on me."

"Finish that gulp first. I don't want you doing a spit take on me."

"That serious, huh?" Johnny asked after swallowing his drink.

"Yeah. Very." Sonya took a minute to gather her thoughts and think of how best to break the news. "Johnny, listen. I... Phew, this is big."

"Sonya. Breathe."

"Right. Right... I... I'm pregnant, Johnny."

Johnny froze. "You.. You are? P...Preg... With my..." His eyes rolled back and he fell face-first onto the coffee table.

"Great. Centaurs and demons and Elders Gods don't phase him, but fatherhood? That's the real fear..."

After he woke up and had time to process that, yes, Sonya Blade was indeed pregnant with his child, they managed to have a serious conversation about the topic.

"So... You and me, huh?"

"Yeah."

"We're gonna be parents."

"Yeah."

"That's... Wow, okay. We can make this work, right?"

"I hope so."

"You hope so?"

"I... I'm scared, Johnny."

"What is there to be scared about? If it's Outworld stuff coming up before the birth, Kenshi and I can deal with it."

"It's not that. It's just... What if I'm not a good mother?"

"What on Earth would give you an idea like that?"

"When I was a kid, I didn't dream of having a husband and kids like the other girls. I wanted to be a soldier. I didn't care about starting a family. I didn't even bother with sex until we..."

"Wait. I was your..."

"Yeah. I never bothered before then."

"Oh, wow."

"I don't know how to be a mother. The military's all I've ever known."

"Alright, listen." Johnny took Sonya's hand in his firm grasp and looked into her worried blue eyes. "My sister Becky's had two kids. They're six and four. If we need any advice, she can help. Even if we didn't ask, she'd probably move in with us anyway to make sure I don't screw up."

Sonya chuckled at the thought.

"If anything, I'm the one we should be worried about. You've got the discipline, the patience, the leadership qualities. You just need to work a little on your less stern side and you'll be a great mother. Trust me." Johnny kissed her hand reassuringly.

Sonya nodded and smiled. "Alright. I trust you."

"Then, it's settled. We'll go visit Becky tomorrow and-"

"Actually. There's someone else I want to be the first to know.


"Well, whaddaya think?" Jax asked as he showed off his new arms. They were more streamlined than the previous set, thanks to the advances in SF technology. With a rubber coating, they'd likely pass for the real thing at a distance.

"They look great, Jax," Sonya replied with a smile.

"Jackson!" Cage exclaimed in a rough approximation of an Austrian accent. "You son of a bitch!" The two recreated the iconic arm wrestling shot from Predator, a personal favourite of both men, and one of the few subjects they had common interest in.

"What's wrong, Cage? Sonya got you pushin' too many pencils?"

"Damn," Johnny said as they broke off and he shook his hand. "That's quite the grip you've got there, my man."

"Let's hope we don't have a repeat of the armoury then, huh?"

"What did happen in the armoury?" Sonya asked, having heard very little of the incident beyond that it existed.

"Never you mind that, Sonya. That's strictly between us men."

"I kicked his ass because he wouldn't stop askin' about your... availability."

"Dude!"

"You never quit, do you, Johnny?" Sonya chuckled.

"Hey my tenacity saved Earthrealm and got me the girl. It's officially one of my strong points."

"Yeah? Let's see if that tenacity can keep you going tonight, huh?"

"Jesus, Sonya! I don't need to hear this!"

"Sorry, Jax. I've actually got something to tell you, and I wanted you to b the first to know."

"You got a promotion?" he asked hopefully.

"Not since we took down Shinnok, no. It's that... Well, Jax, I'm... I'm pregnant."

"Pregnant? From who- You gotta be fuckin' kiddin'!"

Johnny grinned like an idiot.


"You look beautiful," Johnny said, grinning like an idiot, as Sonya stepped onto the altar in her gorgeous white dress.

"You're not so bad yourself in a real suit that's not blue and pink."

"Really? We're doing this now?"

"No. You really do look good."

"Quite the pair, huh?"

"Yeah. But, it's not just my beauty that had you so surprised, is it?"

"I guess I expected you to wear a suit as well."

"With this belly? Are you insane? Or, did you just think that because I'm a tough-as-nails military woman that I wouldn't want to wear a wedding dress on my big day? You have a lot to learn about women, Cage."

"You know you're gonna have to stop calling me 'Cage' now that you're about to become Mrs. Cage, right?"

"If you two are finished with your little rom-com routine," Jax interrupted, "I'd like to get started."

"Right. Sorry, Reverend." Sonya almost lost her composure at Johnny's quip.

It turned out that Jax was qualified to legally marry people, and that Herman Blade had put in his will that he'd wanted Jax to be the one to marry his children off.

"And if I may say, Reverend, with that suit, you can barely tell your arms-"

"Cage? Shut up. You still wanna do this, Sonya? There's still time to back out."

Sonya turned to her husband-to-be, then looked down at her swollen belly, at Cassandra Erica Cage, who would be born in fourth months' time.

"I do."


"Sonya, will you relax? You've been squirming in that thing for ten minutes now."

"I just can't get comfortable when I'm away from work, Johnny."

Johnny and Sonya were currently 'relaxing' on a beach in Italy. Both were sat in deck chairs, a large parasol protecting them from the blazing Italian sun. Johnny was wearing a pair of black shorts with a blue stripe running up the side of each leg. 'Branding', he'd declared in response to Sonya's reaction. The less adventurous Sonya herself, meanwhile, had opted for a simple red one piece.

"Sonya, this is a vacation. The idea is to relax and forget about work."

"I'm not made for relaxing, Johnny. I get antsy and feel like I should be doing something. With so few of us left to protect Earthrealm-"

"I know, I know. I get it, really. But, you're trying to shoulder too much by yourself."

"Because who else will, Johnny? Most of our friends are dead."

Johnny sighed. "Yeah, I know. We lost a lot of good people and it's tough moving forward without 'em. But, just for a minute, will you look over there?" Sonya lowered her sunglasses as Johnny pointed towards a young blonde girl, no older than five, running along the shoreline, being chased by a darker-skinned girl of around the same age, occasionally slowing down to splash water in the other girl's face. Sonya watched, entranced, as Cassie and Jacqui played in the water, oblivious to the threats their respective parents faced in their day jobs.

"That's your real job. And you're damn good at it, I might add."

Sonya continued to watch Cassie and Jacqui play as they ran up the beach towards Jax and Vera, who were getting in a round of ice cream for the group.

"Yeah. Yeah, you're right."

"I usually am. For instance, I would be right if I said that not only are you a damn good mother, but for a woman of thirty-five, you've still got a slammin' body."

"I'll slam your body if you're not careful, Mister."

"Is that a promise?"

"Only if you promise you've got the stamina for it, old man."

"Ooh, ouch, Sonya. Even Baraka's blades aren't that sharp."

Sonya chuckled. Then laughed out loud.

"Man, I forgot how beautiful you are when you smile."

Sonya looked like she was struggling to decide how to respond. Ultimately, her grin grew wider as she shook her head. She then rested her head on his shoulder. "Thanks, Johnny. I really needed this."

"If it's positive reinforcement you need, I-"

"No, no, not that. I just needed to remember what it is we're fighting for."


"Sonya, we need to talk," Johnny said in a serious tone as he entered the command centre.

"Not now, Johnny," she snapped, turning her attention back to Kenshi.

"Could we not reach out to other realms for aid?" Kenshi asked. "Surely, there are more realms than just Earthrealm, Outworld and the Netherrealm."

Sonya sighed and shook her head. "Raiden says Outworld's still in turmoil after Kahn's death, and there's another inter-realm conflict going on with the two unaligned realms. We're on our own."

"Shao Kahn really did a number on the universe, it seems," the swordsman noted.

"Just make sure you're on standby. I'll keep you informed. Dismissed."

Kenshi saluted and walked post Johnny, giving him that expression he used to let him know exactly what kind of mood Sonya was in.

"Sonya-"

"This really isn't a good time-"

"Then when the hell is a good time, Sonya!? Huh? Cuz it seems to me like you never have time for me and Cassie."

The room was dead silent, aside from the continuous humming of the computer equipment. This wasn't the first time the Cages had had a fight in the command centre, but Jax's retirement earlier that year meant that he wasn't there to keep the peace anymore. Everybody else knew it was best to keep their heads down and pretend they were able to work in spite of the loud verbal confrontation.

Sonya turned to face Johnny, her fury evident on her face. "I'm sorry I have to be here to co-ordinate Earthrealm's defence, since no one else will. I'm sorry I can't have a cushy little acting job. I'm sorry I can't-"

"Be a mother?"

"Don't you fucking dare, Cage."

"Or what? You'll have me court-marshalled? I don't work for you anymore, remember? I quit the SF to raise Cassie. Our daughter. Not mine. Ours. But half the time, it feels like Cassie's only got one parent."

"And what do you want me to do about it? Prioritise our family over the safety of Earthrealm?"

"Yes!"

After a moment of silence, Sonya managed to force down her frustration and reply in a civil tone. "I can't. There's too much at stake for me to take time away from this."

"Yeah? Well, you're gonna have to choose. Because I'm sick to death of having to explain to Cassie why she's the only kid in her class whose mom is never around for parent-teacher conferences and field days. Did you even know she played you in her school play? I wouldn't be surprised if you didn't, seeing how you weren't there to see it!"

Sonya remained silent for a while, not wanting to say what they both knew was coming, but knowing there was little else she could say instead.

"Get out," she grumbled before turning her back on him.

Knowing he'd say or do something he'd regret if he stayed any longer, Johnny turned his own back on her and said, "I'll hire the divorce lawyer," before storming out of the room.

Neither of the two left the argument with dry cheeks.


"What the hell, Cage?" Sonya demanded the second Johnny opened the door.

"Good morning to you too, honey," Johnny replied spitefully as Sonya pushed her way inside.

"You let Cassie enlist?"

"I thought you'd be happy. It's about time she got something from you that wasn't her hair colour."

"You think I want my daughter to put herself in harm's way? After what happened to my brother-" Sonya stopped herself before she continued. She knew she'd only make things worse if she didn't take a minute to calm down.

"Sorry," Johnny said sincerely. "I didn't mean-"

"I know," Sonya sighed. "I just... You know, after Danny and Jax and my dad... I don't... I can't..."

Johnny moved to embrace her, but stopped himself, thinking it might be inappropriate. "You won't. She's got you looking out for her, right?"

"I'm a general, Cage. I don't have time to watch over her training or her operations. Jax retired and Kenshi's away on assignment right now. There's no one else who can make sure she's ready enough to deal with what we've been fighting all these years. She's going to die!"

Another awkward silence fell between the two.

"Sign me back up."

"What?"

"Sign me back up. I'll pull some strings with Secretary Blake, get my old rank reinstated. I'll oversee her training and her missions, so you can continue your work without worrying about her safety."

"I'd rather she not be in the SF, period. Even following your footsteps as an actor would be preferable."

"Sonya, there's nothing we can do to stop her. She may be a Cage in name, but she's a Blade in spirit. She wants to protect her home, just like her mom and her grandpa, and there's nothing you or I can do to stop her. All we can do is make sure she's ready. If it has to be me who does that, so be it."

"And what about your film career?"

"If I was willing to give it up for you when I was in my prime, what do you think I'd be willing to give up for Cassie now that I'm past it? Cass'll be ready for whatever comes her way by the time I'm through with her. If you've ever trusted me before, trust me now."

Sonya nodded slowly. "Alright. I trust you. But don't screw this up. This is more important than anything you've ever done before." Sonya made her way towards the door.

"Even more important than fighting Shinnok at the Jinsei Chamber?"

Sonya turned back, her hand on the door handle. "Far more." And with that, she left.

"Is it safe to come out now?" Cassie asked as she peered around the corner.

"Mornin', Cass. Didn't know you'd snuck back in yet."

"Fuck. I hoped you wouldn't notice."

"First of all, language. Second, I pulled the same crap back when I was your age. Of course I noticed."

"Sorry, Dad. But, at least, Mom's okay with me enlisting."

"Only with me as your C.O. So you'd better get used to calling me 'Sir'."

"Don't let the power go to your head, Dad," Cassie quipped as she poured herself some cereal.

"Cass, I'm not gonna be Fun Dad at work. I'm gonna be pushing you to your breaking point to make sure you're ready."

"Damn. Is it too late to back out?"

"It was too late when I had to tell Jax about how you convinced Jacqui to enlist with you."

"Eye still swollen, huh? Good thing shades are part of your image."

"You're gonna have to take this more seriously, Cassandra."

Cassie sucked air through her teeth. She hated when Johnny used her full name. It meant he was serious. Despite his usually lax demeanour, when Johnny got serious, there was no debating him.

"Alright, Dad- Sir! I'll take this seriously."

"Atta girl. Now, be in the gym in ten. I'm gonna whip you into shape so you can make your mom proud."


"Alright, kids. Let's get you all introduced." Johnny stood before the four members of the new squad, each representing the next generation of Earthrealm defenders. "Cassandra Cage, daughter of yours truly and expert in martial arts and gunplay. She'll be your squad leader. Jacqueline Briggs, expert in robotics, boxing and capoeira. Kung Jin, White Lotus Shaolin and master of stealth and archery. And Takeda Takahashi, Shirai Ryu ninja, telepath and master of serrated wrist whips. We're gonna be spending the day getting to know one another and what each of you is capable of. Tomorrow, it's a training mission where you'll have to put those skills and that knowledge to the test. Any questions? No? Good. Let's get down to the simulator then."

The SF simulator was like any number of holographic training rooms seen in superhero comics. Numerous past SF missions were recreatable for training purposes, such as the assault on Quan Chi's headquarters. The first exercise was against holographic training dummies based on Baraka, Reptile, Kano and Noob Saibot. The goal was for each to show off their skills to the others.

For he second, Johnny set the team up with some basic AI-driven enemy types: Black Dragon thugs and the fictional White Talon ninja clan, which secretly stood in for Lin Kuei and Shirai Ryu.

"How are they doing?" Kenshi asked as he entered the observation deck and joined Johnny.

"Not too bad. Your boy's about to stick a knife in one of those ninjas from behind. Ooh, nice and clean."

"He took to Hanzo's training quickly, thanks to his earlier training with mother. And Cassandra?"

"She's got a ways to go yet as a leader. But as a soldier, she's a damn good one."

"Good to hear. Let's hope they're ready for their first mission."

"I've got that covered, don't you worry."

"If this was when we'd first met, I would worry. You've matured quite a lot since then."

"Gotten more jaded, maybe. The divorce changed a lot."

"I can imagine. Regardless of how it happens, losing one's wife is never easy."

"I hear that. You ever get the guys who killed Suchin?"

"As far as I know, yes. But the Red Dragon remains active. I hope Takeda and I will get the chance to stamp them out for good once he's fully trained."

"Oh, trust me, by the time he graduates the Cage Academy of Ass-Kicking, you'll be backing him up while he takes out Daegon."

"Heh. You certainly have a way with words, Cage."

"I know. I wrote some of my better movies."

"Even that Mortal Kombat sequel? Annihilation, was it?"

"Man, I don't have the time to get into that one. I've gotta go deliver my evaluation in a couple minutes."

"Understood. Go easy on them. It's their first time operating as a team."

"Yeah. I can see that."

A few minutes later, Johnny was standing before his four 'Kombat Kids', as he decided to call them. He had jotted down his thoughts on a notepad, though their strengths and the key issue were clear enough for him to not need the thing.

"You all performed well as individuals. Jin, fantastic twofer shot at the end there. Takeda, your ninjaing puts Ninja Mime to shame. Jacqui, distracting the enemy with the drone and striking with the turret was a smart move. And Cass. You executed your mom's moves flawlessly. But, there's just one problem with this team: you guys aren't operating like one. You all went off to do your own thing. Even when we were just a ragtag group of fighters wandering around Outworld, us older guys worked in teams. Me and Raiden, Liu Kang and Kung Lao, Sonya and Jax.

Outworlders and Netherrealmers aren't like disorganised street punks or rival ninjas. They're generally tougher and meaner than us Earthrealmers, and you guys're gonna have to learn and co-ordinate all of your skills and abilities if you're gonna take on serious operations in other realms. Especially if, God forbid, you wind up engaged with the revenants. But, if you guys can gel better as a unit, you four have the potential to surpass us old fogeys and do great things. Don't disappoint us now.

"Alright. Again. Let's see you guys really work as a team."

Cassie saluted with a smile. "Sir! You can count on us, Sir!"

"I know I can, Cass. I know!"


"Hey, how you feeling?" Sonya asked as she entered Johnny's hospital room.

Thanks to Quan Chi's machinations, Shinnok had returned and easily beaten the older warriors, including Johnny and Sonya. Johnny had been taken by Shinnok as an act of vengeance, wanting his old foe to witness his corruption of the Jinsei. But, Cassie and her team had taken him and his followers down, reclaiming the Jinsei with help from Raiden and saving Johnny's life. In fact, it was in saving Johnny from Shinnok that Cassie had awoken her own bloodline powers.

"Oh, you know me, Sonya. I bounce back fast."

"From box office bombs, maybe, but from D'Vorah's torture?"

"Harsh, but fair. Doc says I'm well on my way to recovery. Should be out in a few days."

"That's good."

"Where's Cassie?"

"She's out in the hall. I wanted to talk to you alone for a while first. Is that okay?"

"Yeah, sure. What's on your mind."

"You. And me. Well, us, I suppose."

"Us?"

"Yeah. After you were taken by Shinnok, I realised how much I'd been missing thanks to my work. You were right about me never finding time for you and Cassie."

"Well, you were right about-" Sonya placed a finger on his lips to silence him.

"I was scared. More scared than I've been in a long time. Scared that you wouldn't be coming back this time. That Cassie was going to lose her favourite parent. That I'd never get a chance to tell you I'm sorry. God, what the hell have we been doing all these years? All the arguing and the fighting. What was the point of it all? In the end, all we accomplished was depriving Cassie of a real childhood."

"And depriving ourselves of each other."

Sonya stared. "Each other? You mean..."

"Come on, Sonya. It was too hard to keep going as we were; you with your work, and me having to put everything aside to raise Cass. But that doesn't mean I hated you, or stopped loving you. If I'd had my way, we'd have stayed together. Not just for Cassie, but for us as well. You might not feel the same, but-"

"I do. I do, Johnny. God, I wanted to take back everything I said after you left, but I was too damn stubborn. And I suppose I thought it would be better for Cassie if I was officially out of the picture. I've regretted it every day since I signed those papers. Cassie must hate me now."

"Hey. Don't think like that." Johnny held out a hand and placed it on Sonya's cheek tenderly. "All throughout her training, Cass wanted me to teach her some of your moves. It made a great incentive to keep her going when things got tough."

"R-Really?"

"Really," Cassie confirmed from the doorway. "Sorry. I couldn't help but overhear, and I couldn't just stay quiet. It's true, Mom. I don't hate you. Part of why I joined the SF was to make you proud."

"Cassie, I didn't want you to enlist in the first place. How would-?"

"Did Grampa Herman want you to enlist?"

"Well, no. Hmm..."

"I didn't always understand why you weren't around, but once I did, I was so incredibly proud to have you as a mom. That's why I wanted Dad to teach me your moves. I was so happy when he finally did. And that Arc Kick of yours? Knocked Shinnok's fuckin' teeth out."

"Language," her parents both reprimanded.

"What, I save Earthrealm from an Elder God and you guys're still on my ass about swearing?"

"Yes," both reaffirmed.

"You guys suck."

"She's got us there, Sonya," Johnny said with a big smile.

Sonya chuckled. "Yeah, she has."

Johnny took Sonya's hand and kissed it.

Sonya leaned in and kissed Johnny's cheek.

Both kissed each other's lips.

"Uh, guys? Still here?"

"Come on, Cass. If not for this, you wouldn't be here to begin with."

"Ew, no. Mom!"

"Well, he's not wrong."

"Come on!"


"Those two really found a way to make it work," Liu Kang observed, looking through the Hourglass. "The tragic end in the Bone Temple notwithstanding."

"Indeed. Although unconventional, their love was true," Kitana noted, taking her own lover's hand in hers.

"I admit, I am tempted to remove the dysfunction from their timeline and let it all be happy."

"But that would deny them their strength to overcome their differences."

"They earned their happiness by their own power," Raiden chimed in. "Denying them that would be... somehow crueller than removing the turmoil entirely."

"Discovering new depths to human nature, Raiden?"

"Yes. I find myself understanding mortals far more now than I ever did in my aeons of immortal life. I never truly appreciated just how fascinating their lives could be, so focused as I was on protecting them. Perhaps, that is why Fujin was always so much more in-tune with the mortals than I was."

"We cannot deny them their struggles, but perhaps we can lighten them a little?" Kitana suggested.

"Perhaps." Liu Kang nodded. "But, it will be difficult to decide exactly how much to reduce it."

"With your respect for the Cage family, I have no doubt you will make the right choice, Liu Kang."

"Thank you, Raiden. Then, let us begin."


I held off on writing this until after MK11 released, in case there was anything I could use there (there wasn't) and because I was considering changing direction with regards to the multiple timelines idea. I've made up my mind about the matter, and I'll be delving into it more explicitly in the future.

At some point, Johnny was going to give up acting to stay with the SF, declaring that he'd matured.