As Nary spoke into the webcam, she saw Rasi's grin turn into a hearty laugh once she told him about her losses against Kano and her reactions to them.

"Baby sister, you let him off easy! Sokha has a scar on his chin from the time he beat you at Scrabble!"

Crossing her arms, she defended herself, "We were twelve, he shook his ass right in my face then just let one rip as he congratulated himself! So me pushing him was an appropriate reaction! And obviously him bumping his chin into a cabinet corner was an accident!"

"Yeah and Kano fucked the air and called you a loser! Yet somehow you didn't blast his Aussie ass into another galaxy! So, you wanna know what that tells me?"

Her voice was dripping with sarcasm, "Please, educate me oh wise Rasi!"

"Gladly!" He leaned closer to his laptop's camera, "You've got it really baaaaad for him!"

Her jaw tightened and her face scrunched up, "You're so wrong it's embarrassing! It looks like your personal trainer hit you harder than you think." She pointed at the camera.

He gestured to his right bruised eye, "Hey now, this was an accident, but uh, you actually showing restraint after losing, twice? That's a decision you clearly made! You don't even do that for us, your brothers!"

Nary knew he was right but she wasn't going to admit it, "Yeah…I'm done with this conversation."

"Seriously?"

"Oh yeah! See ya next week, douche!"

"Later, dumbass!"

They both chuckled before she exited the video chat.

Nary had just finished cutting vegetables when Kano walked into the lounge.

"Hello there Gorgeous, what ya cooking up tonight?" He joined her on the other side of the breakfast bar.

"Stir fry, my mother's recipe and for dessert, coffee cake, my recipe." Nary answered as she finished measuring out ingredients for the sauce.

He grabbed a thinly sliced carrot from a blue colander, "Sweetkins, you clearly got a talent for it; so why didn't you become a chef?" The mercenary popped the root vegetable into his mouth and bit down filling the air with a satisfying crunch.

She nodded, "I seriously considered it - but during my sophomore year of high school I took a first aid class where I also became CPR certified."

"And that was the little spark that set it off for you?"

"Not exactly. During my junior year when I was at Windemere Mall's parking lot. My mom and I had just gone shopping. Suddenly, this car came charging towards us! If I didn't pull my mom out of the way he would have run us over!"

Confused and stunned, he asked, "What the fuck was that prick's problem?"

"He was a pedophile and kidnapper!"

He leaned forward, "Get the fuck out?!"

She began removing white square plates from the cabinet, "It's crazy but true! Right after that happened a woman who was on the other side of the parking lot starts crying out for help. Mom and I ran over to her and there was a little girl on the pavement, she was that sicko's victim! She um, she had a really bad head wound; I went back to our car to get the first aid kit while my mom called 9-1-1...We took care of Stella, the victim, until the cops and paramedics arrived."

"That's a relief, but what happened to that sick motherfucker?"

"The cops caught him just as he was stealing another car and switching license plates. Luckily, Stella didn't have any serious injuries and he didn't get a chance to do anything else to her. As insane as that day was, it became clear to me what I wanted to do with my life." She wore a pleased expression.

The pride in her eyes and voice made him think about how Sonya introduced him to Cole. He wasn't a chosen champion. Unlike Kung Lao, he wasn't a descendant of Mortal Kombat's previous victors. He knew for damn sure that he was no hero. And yet he was grateful that Sonya hadn't slashed his throat before Liu found them. The reason for his gratitude was currently gripping his shoulder.

"Kano, are you still with me?" She asked after giving his shoulder a small squeeze.

He looked into her dark eyes, "You deserve to have the dragon marking; you belong here."

His sincere tone also had a trace of vulnerability; it caught her off guard. She locked eyes with him and talked to him in a reassuring tone, "Kano… it's not like I planned this. Getting my marking, it happened to me. However, it's not a coincidence that we're all fighters with varying degrees of experience. We're supposed to be here." She then held both his shoulders, "you belong here, with us."

He had never met anyone who believed in him as much as she did. It was new, surprising and overwhelming for him. After a moment, he responded with what he knew best, "Eh, yeah Angel, of course I do! None of the tossers here have a fuckin' laser eye! No offense."

Nary cracked a grin, "None taken and it doesn't hurt to have a Discount Cyclops on our side."

He pulled his head back and feigned offense, "I'd destroy that pretty boy motherfucker without even trying!"

She scoffed, "Anyway, I need to finish making dinner…would you like to know my family's secret recipe?"

He moved closer to her, "Fuck yeah I would! Tell me everything, Puddin'!"

After she gave him the exact measurements for the sauce, she mixed it together with a red stiff silicone mixing spoon then brought it to his lips. He opened his mouth allowing her to feed him. The savory sauce was also sweet and had a touch of spice, it melted on his tongue.

"Mmm, fuck that's great!" He said with a big nod.

"It's the best! And you sir, are lucky because you have to be a So or Stokes to get this recipe."

He playfully bowed his head, "Well I'm honored, my lady." A wide grin touched his lips.

"You should be and seriously, don't repeat it to another soul, unless you want me to kill you?" She pointed at him with a long flat wooden spoon while her free hand gripped her hip.

Kano laughed at her fake threat, "Of course not, Dumpling. Now, tell me your secret recipe!"

Nary evenly separated the vegetables, meats, sauce and rice noodles. After she gave the Aussie his half and his own wok, she instructed him to mimic her actions as she began cooking. She had seen him train with Liu and Kung Lao and knew that he could be impulsive and shortsighted. It surprised and pleased her to see him actually follow her instructions. Of course, she had to persuade him to not hastily cook the meal but once she saw him mirror her actions, it gave her hope.

Although the impatient part of him wanted to turn up the heat all the up and throw everything into the wok all at once; she urged him not to rush. Nary calmly told him the downsides and convinced him to take his time. In spite of his instincts telling him otherwise, he trusted her and followed her directions. He respected how she gave him guidance without being patronizing. After they finished cooking, he looked down at his wok and was satisfied with his handiwork. He turned to her and saw how impressed she was with him. The edges of his lips pulled into a satisfied smile.

Once everyone arrived for dinner, Nary proudly told them about Kano cooking dinner with her. Save for Sonya, everyone else complimented him while eating their meals. He accepted their praise and congratulated himself.

As Nary began cutting into the coffee cake, Sonya asked, "Can you give me a trim tomorrow? I'm starting to get split ends."

"Sure! Tomorrow's my day off. I'll show you our makeshift salon after breakfast," Nary placed a piece of cake on the blonde's plate using a black turner spatula.

With knitted brows, Kano asked, "Hang on a fuckin' minute, you know how to cut hair?"

Her shoulders lifted then dropped, "I'm definitely not a professional hair stylist - but my good friend David is and over the years he's taught me a couple of things."

Cole chimed in, "Would you please give me a trim too?" He pointed to the back of his head, "I was gonna get one the day after my last fight."

"No problem. Does anyone else need a haircut?"

Liu politely said, "If it's no trouble, I would; my hair is getting a bit messy…"

Kung Lao held up his hand, "So is mine."

Kano's lips pulled into a wide smile, "Don't forget about me, Puddin'!"

Jax motioned to his clean-shaven head, "I'm good but I'll drop by anyway because shit, everyone else is gonna be there." He shrugged causing his metal arms to creak.

With a sigh and a grin, she replied, "OK, so I'm gonna have to wear my doctor shoes tomorrow."

Jax offered as he pointed to himself and Sonya, "How about as our tip to you, we make dinner tomorrow night?"

"Ooh, I'd love that! What did you have in mind?" Nary inquired.

"I'm not gonna ruin the surprise, Stokes." His full lips had a hint of playfulness to them.

"Jax, you know that I'm a shitty cook, right?" Sonya asked.

"Yeah, that's why I'm taking the lead but don't forget, I'm also a great teacher. So soldier, tomorrow night you'll be my sous chef!"

"All right, but there's no way I'm wearing one of those poofy hats."

Jax grinned, "I don't know, I think we can both pull it off."

"I look forward to it but I only have one request, no celery!" Nary pointed at Jax and briefly squinted her eyes.

"Got it! This is definitely gonna be interesting. I can't wait to see how well these work in the kitchen," he held up his metal arms.

In between Kano's hands was a blue bowl full of sour cream and onion potato chips, "Sweetheart, what are we watching tonight?" He asked while the two of them walked into the lounge's living room.

"A Bronx Tale, have you seen it?"

He shook his head as he sat down on the dark grey couch, "Please tell me it's not some shitty romcom?"

"Definitely not." She swiped the remote off the cherry wood coffee table and joined him on the couch, "it's a mix between a mafia movie and coming-of-age story. Robert DeNiro stars in it and it's his directorial debut."

"Shit really? Let's get to it then!" With a rippled chip in his hand, he motioned to the television.

She didn't move away when he moved closer and pressed the side of his body against hers, "I know you're gonna love it!" Nary pressed play on the remote control.

It wasn't the kind of film that Kano typically watched but he really enjoyed the coming-of-age crime drama. The characters and story were unique, funny, layered, stirring, authentic and engaging. He noticed how he and Nary laughed, cheered and winced at the same parts despite her already having seen the movie. Despite having his side pressed against hers, seeing Nary display the same reactions made him feel closer to her.

When the end credits appeared on the screen, she stopped the movie, "So, what do you think?"

"The last ten minutes is a real kick in the nuts but it rings true, especially for a character like Sonny."

"I absolutely agree; it's not a big flashy event movie but it's just as gripping and wonderful. What about everything else?"

"It's pretty great, Love. Sure, I didn't grow up in that kind of neighborhood but I knew people like them. C's old man, DeNiro, was like my Uncle Jack, tough, fair and hardworking although not a racist. In that case, Sonny was the better man there."

"Definitely. Was your uncle a blue-collar guy too?"

He nodded, "A car mechanic, he was the best. He taught me everything I know about fixin' up cars. When I was too little to look under the hood, he made me little a steel step-stool to give me a boost." A soft smile spread across his handsome face at the fond memory.

She imagined a young Kano with grease smears on his face bent over a car's engine alongside his uncle; her mouth formed into a wide grin, "That's precious…is Jack also responsible for you being a massive flirt?"

A mixture of mischief and pride were on his face, "Of course, Cupcake! Women loved him!"

"All right, Jack was your DeNiro/Lorenzo, did you have a Sonny in your life?"

After a beat, he said, "Sort of. After I ran away from The Dores I got a job at a body shop. The owner also had a pub. He let me live in the apartment above it. He was a bookie too. So, he asked me to make some of his clients pay up, a threat here, a broken finger or arm there." He shrugged.

She waited a moment then nodded, "You had to do what you needed to survive…like Sonny."

He blinked then tipped his head to the right, "What makes you say that?"

"He went with what he knew and up until a certain point, it served him well. He was smart, at times ruthless, a fighter but he still had the capacity to care for people, C being the prime example. But he never considered that he had other options. So, C was right about him. He was talented and he had potential to be something more than he imagined…like you."

The Aussie pulled his head back, "You really think that about me?"

Her hand grasped his, "I do because I've seen it for myself. And I'm happy that you found your arcana but I'm concerned about you, Kano."

A small sigh came from him, "Love, you don't have to feel that way. I've been taking care of myself for ages and now that I've got a laser eye-…"

In a worried tone and expression to match, she told him, "You haven't won a fight against Liu or Kung Lao. Even Cole did and he still hasn't unlocked his arcana."

He rolled his eyes, "That's because they won't let me use my superpower!"

Nary gently squeezed his hand, "Kano, I've-I've read everything about past tournaments and the fighters who relied solely on their powers, they all lost!"

"Dollface, they weren't me. And I've got nine lives so stop-…" He gasped when she held his face with both hands. His eyes briefly closed at the feel of her delicate hands on his cheeks. When he opened his eyes all he could see was fear in her glistening dark gaze, it stunned him into silence.

She couldn't stop her voice from trembling, "I-I don't wanna watch some monster tear your spine out or…or Shang Tsung rip your soul from your body!" Her head pulled back; she saw the impact her words had on him. For the first time since he arrived, she saw genuine disbelief and concern in his eyes.

Her words rattled him to his bones. In her gaze he saw horror and how deeply she cared for him. He didn't know to process her reaction but it hurt him to see her so scared. A small shiver went down his spine when her fingers tenderly brushed his jaw and cheek bones.

Her voice was barely steady, "Kano, I'm not trying to control you or order you around. But you have to know that you can be more than who you are. And that almost everyone here is willing to help you. All you have to do is ask them…I'll uh, I'll see you in the morning." She slowly let go of his face and left him alone.

Kung Lao quickly ducked around the corner when Nary walked out of the lounge. Once she entered the champions' living quarters, he stepped inside where Kano was sitting on the couch. He saw the pensive expression on the Aussie's face.

"Speedy, don't bullshit me, how much of that did you hear?"

"Most of it. I didn't mean to eavesdrop but you two were clearly having a moment," Lao replied while retrieving a canister of wasabi flavored crunchy green peas from the pantry.

Kano watched the younger man take a seat next to him, "So, what the fuck do I do?"

After a moment, Lao said, "If we lose the tournament, all the people of Earthrealm will be Shang Tsung's slaves. If she survives the tournament, he'll make her a slave too. Do you want to see Nary in chains?"

His jaw tightened as he balled his hands into fists; "Fuck no! How could you even ask that?!"

Lao simply remarked, "Because until now, you weren't thinking about the tournament let alone preparing for it. And the only thing you have taken seriously is your pursuit of Nary."

"For fuck sake, I already found my arcana! The same can't be said about pretty boy and baby arms."

"And that's an important step but it's not enough to win. So, if you truly care about Nary, you'll take her advice and listen to Liu and me." He popped a crunchy pea into his mouth then pointed the canister's opening towards Kano.

He looked at Lao then reached into the canister, "…Fine, but there's no way I'm sitting on my ass for an hour meditating."

"If you offer Liu five minutes, he'll counter with fifteen, I know this for a fact." He grinned at him.

"Yeah-yeah, here's hoping my ass doesn't fall asleep before I do."

They both chuckled as Kano reached into the canister for more peas.

Sonya was about to turn in for the night until Nary quickly walked by her open door. Poking her head into the hallway, she asked, "Hey, are you OK?" When Nary turned to look at her friend, the blonde saw the tears in her dark eyes and immediately became concerned, "Come in, we'll talk." She placed her arm around the young doctor and guided Nary into her suite.

She sat on Sonya's queen size bed, "It's stupid-no, strike that, I'm stupid!"

"Far from it, but I do need details, Nary."

After releasing a long sigh, she told the soldier about her and Kano's conversation. As she spoke, she wiped her tears and felt Sonya occasionally rub her back. In turn, Nary gave her shoulder a grateful gentle grip.

Sonya's face was stoic while Nary explained what happened between her and Kano. Once the young doctor stopped talking, she asked, "So, what did he say?"

"Nothing, he was shocked and I felt embarrassed so I left."

The blonde's jaw became slack, "You did the impossible, you got him to shut up for once."

"Yeah, by being stupid and putting myself out there!" She briefly held her face in her hands.

With a sympathetic voice and face to match, she said, "Come on, you were being honest with a friend. That's not being stupid, it's what comes with all relationships! So, stop feeling guilty about it because you did nothing wrong."

Nodding she said, "That sounds and feels right…but I don't want Kano to think that I was trying to manipulate him. I-I wanted him to know that I care and I don't wanna see him die in the tournament. Hell, I don't wanna lose any of you." She wiped her eyes again and cleared her throat.

Sonya placed her right arm around Nary's shoulders, "I don't even have a marking, so you don't have to worry about me."

"You should have one though…you're the toughest bitch I've ever met and I have no idea how you do your horizontal spinning torpedo jump thing but it would come in handy during a fight."

They both laughed.

"About Kano, you're probably the first person in a long time who actually cares about him without having an ulterior motive. It seems like it's overwhelming for him."

"Yeah, that sounds about right."

"Still, he should be appreciative to have you in his life and if he doesn't show you that by tomorrow…Well, I whupped his ass once and I'll gladly do it again for you!"

"Sonya, you're the best." The young doctor leaned her head against the blonde's shoulder.

She placed her head against Nary's, "Aww, I know."

They shared another laugh.

The next morning Kano found Liu sitting in the orchard, with his back against an apple tree.

"Good morning, Kano." Liu kept his back to the Aussie.

"Mate, how'd you know it was me?" Kano sat down in front of a tree that was to the monk's right.

"It's how you walk. Each of you have a distinctive stride."

He nodded, "Anyway, the best I can give you is five minutes and I'm not putting me hands into fancy poses."

Liu held back a smile, "Fifteen minutes then?"

"I can manage it. So, how does this shit work?"

"You choose a stable and comfortable position, closer your eyes and simply follow the feeling of your breathing, in and out."

"That's all? You're shittin' me? I don't have to twist my legs into fuckin' pretzels or chant some culty bullshit?"

"You do not. Although it sounds simple but your mind will wander, it's only natural so don't get frustrated when it happens. Just try to refocus on your breathing again."

"Fuck it, I'll give it a go!" He placed his back against the tree, bent his knees and placed his forearms on the top of his thighs.

"I'll let you know when we're finished."

Kano closed his eyes and focused on his breathing. A gentle and constant wind slowly swept through the orchard. The sensations of the cool breeze along with the sun's warmth on his face and bare muscular arms felt familiar. His mind wandered to a lovely childhood memory. Although he knew he should refocus on his breathing, his heart and mind clung to every image, sound, sensation and scent of that beautiful day.

"Kano, fifteen minutes have passed, we're done." Liu said in his calm voice.

He opened his blue eyes releasing the blissful tears behind them. With the back of his hand, he wiped his eyes, "All these goddamn trees, making my fuckin' allergies act up."

Liu was unconvinced but didn't show his skepticism, "Did your mind wander?"

"It did."

"You don't have to tell me what you saw, Kano. But talking about it will help clear your mind and help with your training. And whatever you say, it will die with me."

Kano looked at the young monk. The empathetic look Liu was giving him put the mercenary at ease, "Yeah…back when I was a kid, me mum and I would go to Nobby Beach on the weekends. We'd swim, collect seashells and have a barbie. But one time, we left early in the morning, it was still dark. Together, we sat on the beach and watched the sunrise, it was…perfect. I could've stayed there forever." His smile was serene.

A kind grin was on his lips, "That sounds like a beautiful memory, Kano. And you're a fortunate to have it. My parents died a few months after I was born."

His head slightly leaned back, "How?"

"Believe it or not, it was in a fire. It happened in our home and my neighbor saved me but…but it was too late for my mother and father."

"That's um, that's a raw deal, mate."

"Yes and I'll always wonder what my life would have been like if my parents had lived. And I'll always love them for bringing into this world.

You see, I had no family to take me in. And the orphanage I was raised in was a terrible place. But then Master Bo Rai Cho found and saved me. Through him, I found my family in him, Kung Lao and Lord Raiden. Now, Nary, Cole, Jax, Sonya and you are a part of my family."

He blinked and furrowed his brows, "Really? We've said some nasty shit to each other, Liu."

A small laugh came from him, "True but families fight and have misunderstandings. I've also seen you change ever since you arrived here. Part of that is because of Nary but you've also made some good decisions like joining me this morning."

Shrugging he replied, "It doesn't hurt to add more weapons in me arsenal and well, you didn't see the Doc last night…she was terrified."

He nodded, "I know and I know that it's hard to see her in such distress. And she hasn't said anything to me - but it's obvious that she cares deeply for you."

The edges of his lips lifted, "Yeah and I feel same way about her. But I can't let anything bad happen to her. And I never wanna see her so scared like she was last night."

Reaching out, Liu gripped his shoulder, "Kung Lao and I will do everything we can to help you and to make sure that never happens. Now, we must start your training."

As they walked to the fight pit, Liu told him what he had planned for that day's training. Kano listened but also felt a small smile touch his mouth. Excluding Nary, he hadn't spoken candidly about his mother to anyone, not even his to fellow Black Dragon clan members. They talked about their skills, criminal accomplishments, how to pull off certain jobs, their sexual conquests and they celebrated their successes together, but he wouldn't call them his family. He never felt comfortable around them to reveal such personal details about his prior life, let alone his feelings. On the rare occasion one of them were candid, that individual was then ridiculed and labeled as weak. There was no way in hell he was going to make himself vulnerable to his fellow mercenaries. He was the Black Dragon, he couldn't afford to be seen as fragile, sentimental and sensitive. Reputation was everything in his business, it was only thing in this world that belonged to him; he wasn't going to do anything to jeopardize it.

His relationship to his fellow champions was different than what he had his crew. With Nary, Liu and Lao he didn't fear judgment, being mocked or worry about being betrayed for being honest about his past and feelings. Being open with them and asking for their advice, it came naturally to him and he liked it.

Note: This is one of my favorite chapters to write even though things got serious. Please review and favorite, guests can leave reviews. We're heading into the third act now, I'm both excited and a little sad because this has been an absolute pleasure to write. Checkout A Bronx Tale when you have the time!