Note: About 70% of the movie is cannon for this specific story, the ending will be the same but there will be detours and twists along the way. Kung Lao lives in this tale. I'll alternate referring to him by his full name and Lao. More time passes in this fic compared to the movie which seemed to only happen over a few days where this fic will play out over several weeks. This first chapter happens right after Cole, Kano and Sonya meet Raiden for the first time. At some point this story will feature mature content but you'll be warned about it. Keep in mind, I'm American so apologies to any Aussies if I mess up the slang. There are female monks in this story because they exist in my headcanon and there's more to Raiden's temple than what we saw in the movie. The name Nary is said as Na-Ree and the name Rasi is said as Ra-See.

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Kano kept his eyes on the gold and green amulet while Liu Kang picked it off the floor of Lord Raiden's chambers. The champion handed it to a female monk as he spoke to her. The young Chinese woman protectively held the amulet and glared at Kano when she walked past the deadly Aussie. With a small scoff, the mercenary winked at her and planned to steal the trinket at a later date; he always did love a challenge.

Liu walked up to him and the other champions of Earthrealm, "Before we start training, we need to be certain that you're all in good health. In a few moments, you'll meet one of our best doctors."

Sonya paced towards the infirmary, "I'll go check on Jax; I should be there when he wakes up." She did a half turn, "Oh and Kano?"

"Yeah Blondie?"

"The next time you try to steal one of these priceless artifacts, let me know first. I just love seeing Raiden light your ass up." Her lips formed into a smug smile.

Cole chuckled. Liu suppressed a smile.

Kano rolled his eyes, "It was a lucky shot, Gandalf's not getting me next time."

"You should be wise and heed her advice." Lord Raiden told him as he walked by them.

"Thanks for the advice, Dr. Phil." He shot at the thunder god.

"You're welcome." He dryly replied.

Kano turned to Liu, "Anyway, it's time for me checkup. So lead the way, Little Lulu."

Once Liu left him alone in the exam room, Kano curiously looked through the cabinets and drawers until a female voice caught his attention.

"All the feel-good drugs are in the pharmacy."

"Shows what you know I was just looking for…" He turned around then paused.

An attractive Asian woman in her mid-thirties was confidently strolling towards him. For several reasons she wasn't like the other residents he had come across thus far. She was American and she was the only medical staffer wearing scrubs. Her black hair was held up in a blood red claw clip. With her hair off her face, her dark eyes, full lips and flawless cinnamon complexion were on full display. Kano had many talents when it came to the fairer sex and one of them was immediately knowing their dress size by sight alone. She stood at 5'7" and the blue scrubs' loose fit couldn't hide her subtle hour glass figure. Based on what he saw, he knew that she was a size eight.

His deep blue eyes gave her a slow once over, "Oh, hello there, Love.."

Nary saw the smirk on his face cracking through his beard. The dirt, scratches and scruffy facial hair couldn't hide his good looks. Hearing his nickname for her caused Nary to grin; she offered him her hand, "I'm Nary and the last guy to call me that pet name with that accent was my college boyfriend."

Intrigued, he accepted her soft hand and was surprised by her strong grip. He sat down on the exam bed, "Well, we Aussies can be very charming. By the way, the name's Kano."

Grabbing the clipboard off the nearby desk, she removed the pen from the board's pen holder, "No argument here. Just Kano, no last name?"

With obvious pride, he simply said, "Just Kano, the one and only."

She jotted down his name, "I see, you go by one name like Madonna.."

"Eh.."

"Bono."

"Better."

"Elmo."

He cocked his head, "Did you just compare me to a fucking Muppet?" Her infectious laugh brought a smile to his face.

She then looked straight at him and lifted her brow, "I didn't stutter."

His head leaned slightly forward, "Ooh, you're a feisty one."

His bright smile briefly softened his rough exterior and caused her to grin. She tilted her head, "Speaking of," she put down the clipboard, put on gloves and examined his head and face. It was then she noticed how blue his eyes were and his long thick eye lashes. She asked him a question to distract herself, "Liu told me what Lord Raiden did to you. Are you experiencing dizziness, nausea, any pressure?"

"It was just a little knock, nothing to whinge about."

"All right," she looked at the scratches on his face, "I'm assuming that a kitty cat didn't do this to you?"

"More like a giant fucking lizard man."

His words caused her to briefly pause, "Like a mini-Godzilla?"

"Yeah, you've seen it before?"

She nodded, "Reptile, he's one of Shang Tsung's best fighters-well, he was."

His voice was dripping with arrogance and pride, "Well, he's dead meat now, I tore out his heart myself!"

Her lips briefly quirked, "That's great to know, it's one less threat we have to worry about. These scratches will definitely leave scars but I have an ointment that'll stop them from getting infected." She leaned in closer to him and gently lifted his chin.

He was able to catch the pleasing scent of her body lotion and shampoo, it was creamy and there was a hint of orange. The last person he was this close to was the champion he killed. Unlike that encounter, he wanted this interaction to last as long as possible.

"What's this cut on your throat? It's fresh and shallow."

The image of Sonya beating him entered his mind, "I cut myself shaving..."

"Shaving?" She asked in an unconvinced tone.

"Shit happens when you're on a bumpy cargo plane."

She removed bandages and a small white tube of antibiotic ointment from a drawer, "All right, this should heal up in two to three days. Remember to change the bandage every time it gets dirty or wet. You can take this ointment and these bandages with you. I'll also give you some antibiotics for the scratches."

"Oh I don't know, I don't mind having you patchin' me up. I mean, you have such a lovely bedside manner." He wiggled his brows.

She made her lips into a flat line fighting off the smile that pulled at them, "I'm pretty sure you can handle it just fine. Now I'm gonna check your blood pressure, take a blood sample, weigh you, ask you a few more questions and then I'll be on my way to see your fellow fighters."

"Sweetheart, I can assure you that I'm much better company than those wankers."

"Thanks for the commentary, but I'll make that judgment for myself and I'm currently the only doctor on shift so I just can't bail."

He shrugged, "Suit yourself, Sweetface."

"However, I am the one-person welcoming committee so after I'm done with Ms. Blade and Mr. Young, I'll give you the grand tour, if you're interested."

"Oh I am." He tipped his head to the right taking her in with his eyes.

"Real subtle." She dryly remarked but couldn't remember the last time a man looked at her in such a way.

"I'm a master at it."

Rolling her eyes, she told him as she started to use her stethoscope on his chest, "In twenty minutes meet me at the blue fans."

"I'll be there, punctuality is one of me strong suits." He winked at her.

A ghost of a smile was on her lips, "Just like modesty."

Sonya sat up when Nary entered the room while Jax remained unconscious. They exchanged pleasantries as Nary performed the exam. As she took a blood sample from Sonya she asked about Kano.

The soldier scoffed, "The only reason he's here is because I promised him three million dollars to bring me and Cole to this temple."

Furrowing her brows, she commented, "I know that Uncle Sam doesn't pay that well…unless my twin brother has been lying to me all these years. He used to be a Navy SEAL."

Nodding, she remarked, "Impressive and you're right but we needed to get here. Unfortunately, he was our only option."

Nary released a slow sigh, "Well, we need all the fighters we can get…so, I can cover what you owe him."

The blond looked at Nary and then at their modest surroundings, "How much is Raiden paying you?"

With a sigh she admitted, "It's not Raiden's money it's um…My last name is Stokes."

Her light blue eyes narrowed in concentration, "I know that name-wait! Stokes' Sweets, you're a candy heiress?!"

"Yeah, my great grandparents founded the company." she shifted in her seat. "And we also have a national chain of bakeries too but I digress; my point is, I'll get you the money."

Shaking her head, Sonya said, "Nary, that's very generous but I can't accept it for so many reasons. The main one being, there's no way I can ever pay you back."

Nary held up her hand, "You don't have to. We need all the help we can get."

With some reluctance, she replied, "I know but-but there has to be something that I can do to make us even?"

After a beat, she closed the door and locked it, "OK, this probably sounds pathetic but I miss having girls' nights with my friends. Don't misunderstand, the people here are wonderful but it's not the same because well, they're monks! There's Liu and Lao who are great but they're like my brothers and-…"

With a small smile, she answered, "I get it and it's not pathetic to want that, you're homesick, it's normal. And I'm in. So, when can you get the money?"

Her smile was bright, "Great! And tomorrow morning. Every couple of weeks I go on a supply run into the city to get things that we can't make or grow ourselves. Raiden sends me there."

"All right and I gotta admit, I can't wait to see Kano's face when I hand him the money."

A small chuckle came from her, "Based on the um...colorful things you two have said about each other so far, I think it's safe to assume that there's no love lost between you two."

With a derisive scoff Sonya stated, "More like it never existed in the first place. The guy's a mercenary/killer for hire, a drug runner, arms dealer and those are just the things we know about. He's also wanted in almost forty countries!"

Nary tilted her head and thoughtfully said, "We work with what we have. And maybe I'm naïve or a super optimist, but I get the feeling that once he sees what we're up against and what's at stake, he'll come through in the clutch."

With obvious skepticism, she explained, "His long track record of being a greedy opportunistic selfish asshole says otherwise."

She shrugged, "My big brothers, all three of them, they tell me that I tend to see the good in people and that's it's a strength and flaw."

A dry chuckle came from Sonya, "They're not wrong. So, three brothers, that must have been so fun to grow up with."

"Oh yeah, especially being the only daughter and the youngest. But there was never a dull moment. And we're all close but for obvious reasons I'm really tight with my twin, Rasi. So, I guess I'm giving Kano a shot because Rasi was also a mercenary after he was honorably discharged. It took him some time and a detour but he found his way."

Nodding, Sonya stated, "Makes sense and I hope you're right about Kano but-uh, I'm not gonna hold my breath."

Nary was taking Cole's blood pressure when he shared, "In the last two days I went from worrying about supporting my family to running from an ice ninja and fighting a giant lizard. Now I have to find my secret superpower to help save the world in a martial arts tournament."

"Yeah, it's a lot to process but you're not going through it alone. Liu Kang and Kung Lao are excellent teachers. Liu is sweet, calm, respectful and understanding. Lao is pretty cocky and blunt but he's harmless and he can back up all of his bragging…but I'll deny ever saying that because his ego is already so big. You'll see what I'm talking about once he gets back from his trip."

An amused grin came to Cole's lips, "Sounds like you three are close."

She nodded, "They've been there for me when I needed them the most. They're not blood but they're family."

"How long have you known them?" Cole asked Nary while she took a sample of his blood.

"Almost a year."

Shaking his head, he commented, "I can't imagine being away from my family for that long. How do you deal with it?"

"It's not easy - but every week I have a video call with my brother, Rasi. He updates my family. My family knows what I'm doing but not where I am, we decided that it would safer that way. But my friends and co-workers think that I'm in some war-torn country taking of refugees."

Cole nodded then inquired, "So, Raiden hired you? Or did you already know someone here?"

After a deep exhale, she told him, "Liu was following a man with the dragon marking and that's when our paths crossed." She lifted the bottom of her blue top and revealed to him the dragon symbol on the lower right side of her stomach above her hip.

He blinked then his dark eyes grew large, "You're a champion too…"

Her glistening eyes went to her lap before returning to him, "Liu saved my life that night. And the guy that I killed, he had it coming. But uh-it took a lot of time for me to learn to live with it and to find my arcana. A couple of weeks earlier, I had a horrible couple of days at work, I was an ER doctor and I…I needed to get away from it all."

Cole saw the captive tears in her dark eyes and decided to change the subject, "Uh, so my daughter, Emily, she loves Stokes Pokes."

Her lips curved upward, "I'm talking to my brother tonight, he'll hook her up."

Kano turned his attention away from the blue bladed fans once he heard footsteps approaching him; he instinctively gripped his knife's hilt. He saw Nary walking over to him and let go of the blade, "You're here and right on time. I love punctuality in a woman."

"My parents raised my brothers and me to have good manners and that included being mindful of others people's time." She explained with a little nod of her head.

"Well, it looks like they did a decent job with you-what you got there, Girlie?" He pointed at the basket in her hands.

"Thanks, and this is your welcome basket, it has toiletries, a bathrobe, some snacks, a bowl for said snacks and a map of the temple. And once you choose your suite, you can reach out to any of us and we'll get you some clothes."

"Not bad…Didn't think Lord Sparky would care about hospitality."

"Actually, the baskets are my idea. I know it's hard to be so far away from home and I want everyone here to feel comfortable and welcomed." She offered him the basket.

"You're doing pretty good so far. You should've rolled out the welcome wagon instead of MC Hammer." He grinned after he accepted her offering.

A little chuckle came from her, "Liu loves being outside and today he was on watch duty." She placed her hands in her pants pockets, "Come on, I'll show you around."

During the tour, he saw how everyone they came across were friendly and respectful towards her. Every couple of minutes he'd dished out wisecracks and was charmed when she threw verbal jabs of her own. Yet, she was still a calm, gracious hostess and answered all of his questions. He couldn't remember the last time a woman had been kind to him without expecting money in return.

While she shared information about each location, she noticed that he rarely took his eyes off of her. The Aussie's humor and accent did remind her of college ex-boyfriend but that's where their similarities ended. Although she didn't mind how blunt, crass and playful, flirtatious he was with her. She saw him as a breath of fresh air especially after living with monks for so long.

His low expectations for the temple fell by the wayside when she showed him the hot springs and its various pools. The main kitchen was bustling with everyone preparing dinner but all of the workers politely waved and smiled at the pair. They then passed by the chicken coop where a female monk smiled at them as she fed the chickens. Afterwards, they passed by the library and walked through the gardens and small orchard. In the greenhouse they plucked cherry peppers and popped them into their mouths. Their next stop was the forge where one of the workers showed them a newly made sword. Next, they came into the champions' wing. During their walk they passed by the formal dining room. She then showed him the lounge which had a kitchen with a breakfast bar, an informal dining area, a fully furnished living room with an entertainment center and a couple of board, pub and video games.

"Friday and Saturday nights I host movie nights here. More than half the time it's an action or horror movie because I love them but I like to change things up with a comedy or crime drama." Nary explained.

"As long as it isn't some shitty romcom, I'm in." He told her.

The instant they turned the corner she pointed to a corridor to their left, "That's the champions' living quarters, the first two doors on the right are Liu's and Kung Lao's suites. My suite is at the very end of the hall."

He nodded, "I get it, no one wants to live with a bunch of fucking monks."

"Something like that…Anyway, that concludes the grand tour." She clasped her hands and bowed her head.

His lips stretched into a smirk as he stepped closer to her, "Are you sure that your suite isn't a part of it? Cause, I wouldn't mind getting a little peek."

Her head tipped to the right; she didn't back down, "I'm sure you wouldn't…but that's not a common area."

"And why's that?"

Placing her hands on her hips she said, "Because I don't let just anyone in, I'm very selective."

The corners of his lips lifted higher, "Darling, I'm not just anyone and I never back away from a challenge."

"Kano, I'm not challenging you. I'm simply telling you to not waste your time." She backed away from him, "I have a meeting with Raiden and I'm not gonna be late for it. I'll see you around."

"All right, have a good one, Doc." The Aussie winked at her. She turned her back to him and began walking away; he kept his gaze on her shapely backside.

The minute she was out of his sight, he walked down the hall and entered the room next to Nary's. He riffled through the basket and smiled before he pulled out a metal canister filled with sriracha flavored crunchy green peas.

"Lucky guess." He uttered while he removed a small bowl from the basket and poured his favorite snack into it. He carried the bowl with him as he returned to the hall.

The door to Lord Raiden's chambers closed shut after Nary sat down before the thunder god.

"Nary, what do you think of Cole and the others?" He asked.

"Well, save for some minor cuts and bruises they're in good health."

He tipped his head, "Good. But mentally, do you think they have what it takes?"

Before she could answer a loud commotion came from outside. His luminous eyes narrowed, "Shang Tshung!" He grabbed his staff off the mantle, held up his hand in the air and with a flash of lightning he was gone.

With the blue bladed fans to his right, Kano watched the tense exchange between Lord Raiden and Shang Tsung. He was intrigued with what he saw. A part of him was relieved that coming to this mountain retreat proved to not be a total waste of his time. The sudden sound and image of Lord Raiden creating a force field around the temple startled the Aussie causing him to almost drop his snack. After Shang Tsung and his band of killers left, Liu Kang and Kung Lao started training him and Cole. Although it tickled him to see Sonya being banned from the fight pit, he was more excited to discover his superpower.

After dinner, Liu Kang, Kung Lao and Nary met with Lord Raiden in his chambers.

Kung Lao held his hat in his hands as he spoke, "Cole has talent but he has almost no defensive skills and he's not strategic."

Liu commented, "But he does have real potential and heart."

Nary agreed, "Liu's right, he also has a wife and a daughter, he'll do anything to protect them."

The thunder god nodded, "What about Kano?"

Liu Kang nodded at Kung Lao who then said, "Liu and I believe that Kano is a terrible fighter. He has no discipline, everything's a joke to him, he has zero skill, the few moves he knows are sloppy, he quits easily and he's a hothead."

Liu commented, "I worry that we may not have enough time to prepare Kano for the tournament."

Nary interjected, "That's not fair, it's their first day of training, cut him and Cole a break. Let's not forget, it took me almost six months to discover my arcana! And the tournament is in a few months, not days. They need time and patience to learn like I did."

"Nary, that was different," Kung Lao stated, "you came in with twenty years of martial arts training and unlike Kano you've taken this seriously from the start."

Lord Raiden spoke, "Lao's right. You struggled but you persevered because you believe in this fight. We shouldn't waste time on a fighter who may not feel the same."

Liu believed her and straightened his posture, "With all due respect Lord Raiden, I believe we should take Nary's advice, at least for a few more days. We were patient with her, Cole and Kano deserve the same patience and grace."

Lord Raiden took their words into consideration, "I agree Liu…but you and Lao must make them focus. Turn their weaknesses into their strengths, be creative. Is there anything else we should discuss?"

Kung Lao chimed in, "Ms. Blade and Kano constantly bicker and once Jax wakes up, his attachment to her could be another distraction. She's doesn't have a marking, that also makes her a liability. We should ask her to leave."

Shaking his head, Lord Raiden replied, "No, she has a role to play in this. I don't know what it is yet. So, she will remain with us until I figure out what it is."

The three champions stood up, Kung Lao spoke, "As you wish, Lord Raiden."

Kano couldn't remember the last time his entire body had felt so swore. He made the mistake of underestimating the Shaolin monks. He would never say it, but they were the best fighters he had ever met. Despite his soreness and bruised ego, what really got under his skin was that his arcana hadn't been unlocked. To unwind and soothe himself, he went to the hot springs. After soaking in the warm relaxing waters for over a half hour, he felt rejuvenated and headed back to his suite.

As he entered the champions' living quarters, he tightened the belt on his bathrobe and then looked up to see Liu, Lao and Nary strolling towards him.

"Hey Kano, how were the hot springs?" Nary asked while walking up to him. Lao and Liu stood behind them.

"Oh Love, they were fucking perfect! I haven't felt this good in years!" He nodded and grinned at her.

Lao immediately gave Liu a suspicious look upon hearing the affectionate nickname Kano had given Nary.

"That's good to hear, the hot springs is my second favorite spot."

"What's the first?"

"I'm not telling you, it's a secret," she said while her pillow lips playfully curled up.

He lifted his brow at her, "Sweetheart, I'm a man of many talents, one of them is finding out secrets and my track record is flawless."

She shrugged and stepped a little closer to him causing her shoulder to brush against his, "There's a first time for everything…"

Liu was also surprised by the exchange and gave Lao a concerned look. Once he reached his room, Liu wished them all a good night while Lao only did the same to Nary.

"So, which one's your room?" She asked Kano.

With a smirk on his lips, he pointed to the room right next to hers, "Right there, it's the perfect spot, don't ya think?"

A slow breath came from her, "How predictable of you."

Giving her an innocent look and shrug, he said, "What? Me little wandering heart just led me right to it."

"Oh I'm sure it did. I'm turning in for the night so-..."

"Doc, just one more thing."

"Yes?"

"Since we're neighbors, if you ever wanna drop by to chat or relax after a long day, you're more than welcome to join me. And lucky for you, I also give really good foot massages." The flirtatious look on his face matched his tone.

She folded her arms. "Thanks but I'll pass. I know to how relax without anyone's help."

"All right, but my door's always open for you, Princess."

Nary masked her curiosity with annoyance, "Goodnight, Kano!"

He stood there watching her close and lock the door; with a small cackle he retorted, "Sweet dreams, Sunshine!"

Note: Please review, follow or favorite! I wrote this because I loved Josh Lawson's Kano and there aren't enough stories about his take on the character. He's also a great actor.