Hey, hey! I'm here again. So, now we are looking at some other routes our disciples are taking. Don't worry, more flashbacks and talks will come to both them and our MK Cast.Anyways, while Nash gets it on with our beloved general, let's see what big sis is up to, eh?

Chapter 19

3rd P.O.V

Riana had to lie to the guards who saw her sneaking off into the night with her faithful bearded dragon for a companion. She had to because she was meeting someone. To reassure herself, she decided to wear her new gloves in case anything happened. This sender of the message could be her next experiment for her new weapon. She decided to rely on Kurt to track down the scent and she followed from behind.

"You are sure that this guy is in this location?" she asked Kurt. The bearded dragon nodded for he was the one who was given the task to passed the note on the scrap of paper to his owner. He had his sense of smell to locate the sender of the message for his owner. He had grown accustomed to her ever since she chose him out of the group of other bearded dragons in the pet shop. From that moment, he never knew any purpose in life except to be with her. Until either one of them dies.

But that changed ever since the both of them were transported into this chaotic world against their will. Now he has a new goal besides his first: Kill or be killed.

"Kurt," Riana panted, her hands on her knees. She knew she can't keep up with her lizard's pace but will do whatever it takes. "How much further? I'd like to rest. I've never seen this jungle before…"

Even Kurt stared at his surrounds after a few stops. All his life, he has never been out into the wild such as this humid jungle. A sandy desert is more to his preference. Then again, this scent was familiar to him so it's safe for him and his owner to meet up with this person secretly.

Only, this isn't really a person.

Reaching in the heart of the jungle, Riana slumped down to rest her back against a tree trunk. Kurt has started to detach from her shoulder and climbed onto one of the branches. Riana watched her pet climb with a proud smile.

"Wow, you're really skilful at climbing," Riana commented. "I wished I was good at climbing. Or running in general."

"That's a shame," a slithery voice chuckled from above. Riana tried to scan the tree tops, hoping to find the voice. Somehow, she felt his presence yet could not see him. Either it's because of the night or that he's simply-

"I know you're camouflaging, Reptile!" she called out to the hidden Zaterran. "You're the one who sent the note through Kurt, right?"

The hissy laughter was heard. It would have been scarier if the moon was not shining tonight. Riana watched as the figure leaped down from the tree with grace. Like their previous meetings, Reptile's outfit was somehow a bit unique than his deceptive outfit with the bones adorned on his vest. This was his tournament attire with the special straps and tied bonds on his arms and feet. Needless to say, Riana finds it cool. Especially without his mask that guarded his now vulnerable snout.

'How cute,' Riana thought to herself when she checked him out.

"You got my note," the Zaterran nodded. "A perfect plan to ask your pet to deliver it to you."

"So what's going on?" asked Riana. "Is this about Mileena or something?"

"Apparently," he nodded, standing up to his full height. Riana had to craned her neck to get a glimpse of his face since she could only reach his torso. "Shang Tsung wanted the plan to be on full course. I have also heard that your brother was caught red handed by the Edenian Princess?"

"Sure did. Kitana is doubling his training in preparation." Riana has to be cautious now for there is a likely chance that Shang Tsung and Mileena would be after her as well because of her brother. Sometimes, she wondered if she was a good sister to her little brother yet she gave him too much freedom.

"He has the right to be and so are you," the Zaterran pointed out. "Anyone can be killed." He moved closer to her, his breathing was already the sounds that filled her ears. Riana noticed the acid salivating from his mouth. Maintaining her composure, she stared right back at him.

"Shang Tsung sent you?" she enquired. He shook his head. Riana was confused. As far as she knows, Reptile has always been the lackey. The loyal dog so to speak. But Reptile shook his head.

"On my own accord," he answered. "When the emperor or sorcerer doesn't need me, I took the liberty of my break to invest in other matters."

Riana was ready to surprise him with her weapon. "Like…sending me a message."

"As a warning. You will never know if I might want to eat you now and your corpse can be the threat for your brother. So my dear, how shall you die?"

"In combat," Riana answered as she unsheathed her secret weapon: claws hidden in the gloves as she flicked her fingers, like a cat. She began to slashed him across the chest, earning a scream in pain from him. Besides the scream of pain, Reptile was somehow giving her a sharp-tooth grin.

She backed away, seeing the green liquid oozing out from him. Was that his blood? If so, it's interesting to look at if the Zaterran had not retaliated at a nimble pace. Riana herself is not swift unlike her friends so she relied on time. Timing is important when you want to find an opening to your enemies' weak spots. She was waiting for the right moment.

Wait for it…

Reptile growled as he began to use his claws to slash her as well. Riana either blocked those claws with her clawed gloves or her arm. With her broad arms, she can used it as a shield. Only thing to be thankful for having more beef in the body than bones. Or the fact that her burly figure enough to withstand attacks. But from his attacks, Reptile has not turned his head or at least elongate his neck to the young woman's preference.

She has to make him expose his neck somehow…

'There's only one way,' Riana assumed. She may get killed from this but she will have to test her luck on her idea. Evading a kick in the face, Riana purposely fell backwards, allowing her front to be vulnerable to his vision. She heard that growl again. As much as it sounds scary, it felt nice to hear it. The growl was a soothing music to Riana's ears. She mentally chuckled to herself of her self-interest. God, Reptile's growls are giving her goosebumps.

In a good way.

"Expecting me to pounce on you?" Reptile hissed silkily. "I know what you are up to! I would rather do this!"

Before Riana realised, Reptile snatched away her glasses, leaving her exposed with her short-sighted vision. She was on edge now. Without her glasses, how was she going to aim now?! Trying to calm down her panic mind, Riana will have to rely on hearing in order to strike. Her hearing isn't as good as a microbat's or a rabbit's but she will have to make use of what she has at the moment.

"Can't see?" he asked sickened sweetly. "A shame. Your eyes were better looking when you wore them. Squint all you like, I can avoid you."

Riana was getting frustrated. This Zaterran warrior can smell her thoughts. She'll have to improvise for now. But the problem is that her mind is currently blank. How will she defeat him now?

Being in close combat isn't helping her at all. All she could do was dodge his attacks, still struggling to find an exposed neck out of him. After their previous battle, Riana assumed again Reptile is wary for another surprise attack. A small smile crept its way onto her lips.

If he's expecting another surprise, she'll do the exact opposite.

Riana rushed forward, knowing this is what he would have wanted from her. As expected, Reptile began to punch her in the face. Riana could feel the swollen effect from the punch while she kicked him in the gut again. She was so thankful to not wear her nightgown after a bath. Things would have been sticky afterwards…

"This is too easy!" Reptile laughed with confidence. "Are you even trying? I thought humans are intelligent. I guessed not!"

As Reptile gloats away as they fought, Riana was inching closer to him. Hell, if he could bend down a bit she could of just hugged him. But that was the plan! While he has that confident grin, Riana swiped her right arm around his neck, extending a single claw on her index finger before piercing it into his scaled neck, like getting a shot from the doctor.

Reptile's eyes widened from the surprised, shaking Riana's hand away from his neck. He felt the back of his neck before snarling at her direction. He began to spit his corrosive acid at her. Now Riana is screwed. Her plan backfired!

'Shit!' she thought to herself. 'Why won't it work?!'

Reptile retaliated by firing his famous green acid at her direction. Riana either ducked or even allowed her anxiety get the best of her. If he aimed at her eyes, she's done for the night. Her breathing was also clear in her ears.

Suddenly, she felt a stinging pain on her left thigh. Her first instinct was to touch the wound but she mentally told herself to stop. Reptile had spitted at her thigh, probably slowing down her gait like a broken thoroughbred in a race track. Only, this is a race against time. Between him and her.

Stumbling, she backed away from him, knowing when he will fire again. Riana wished there was another way. But something from Reptile also changed. His pace slackened as well. He was using offence but slower than his previous strikes. Could it be that the effect was working but slowly?

Riana will have to hold her excitement and focused on taking the reptilian warrior down. Soon, the both of them fell down side by side before any of them could strike. Riana could almost feel her thigh bone being exposed by the corrosive acid. She will have to find water to stop the irate on her skin. Or if there's anything left on the skin….

Dragging herself to the river's edge, Riana dunk her legs into the water, hissing at the feeling of the water stinging the acid part of her skin. When she finally looked down at her thigh, in relieved that the acid did not form a hole but just the reddish mark across her skin. Reptile must have spit the acid that was somehow similar to hydrochloric acid she had used in the chemistry lab. Then, she turned around to see Reptile still on the ground, having a hard time moving. Riana has seen something like this happened.

Reptile is undergoing paralysis.

Quickly, she took off the right hand of her glove where a small vial with liquid came out. She had kept it inside her glove in case anything happened. The same goes with her left glove. Rushing to the Zaterran's side, Riana uncapped the vial and used the claw on the left pinky as a syringe to suck up the liquid from the vial. Slowly, she aimed that pinky at the back of Reptile's neck.

"Try not to panic," Riana soothed him. Ironic since she herself was having a heart attack for loosing her glasses and seeing the warrior break into convulsions and the small pains he's feeling. Reptile was struggling to breathe properly.

With ease, Riana finally injected the needle-like claw from the pinky into the back of the Zaterran's neck. She rubbed the back of his neck carefully, hoping all the liquid is now inside of him. Her heart was pumping with fear. What if she gave the wrong cure? She's going to kill him further? All she could do was stroke the neck slowly.

Thankfully, his breathing became normal and his body was now relaxed. Riana sighed in relief. Reptile turned his head so that he's looking at her from below. If his blood was red instead of green, his whole scales would have changed if they ever be in a position like this. Reptile revealed his teeth in a form of a smile. Riana hoped the moonlight is not too bright tonight.

She wouldn't want him to see her hamster cheeks red.

"Not bad," he commented. "Never knew you decided to use venom against me. But I was hoping for a surprise."

"I know," Riana chuckled. "After our previous battle, I have a feeling you will be ready for a surprise attack. So I did the opposite: make it obvious so that your confidence and ego get the best of you."

Reptile closed his eyes before opening them to look back at her. "Interesting strategy. And the venom you used, was it-"

"Yes," Riana nodded. "Neurotoxic from snakes. I didn't know the place I went to had cobras and coral snakes. Best snakes to collect the venoms and used it to my advantage. Also the same I used for my left except the pinky finger. The left has hemotoxic. How come it took time with you?"

Reptile smirked. "From your interests, I thought you would know by now that my body is slower to react with any venom. Since us Zaterrans carry the acid, we are slightly immune to venoms caused by other animals."

"Fascinating," Riana murmured, helping the both of them up on their feet. Reptile then went off to somewhere, then came back with something in his hand.

"Yours I believed?" He chuckled, handing Riana back her glasses. Thank goodness the lens were not cracked or damaged. It would have made her situation more difficult than ever. Riana was glad her glasses are back. She can see again!

"Thanks," Riana thanked him gratefully. "I would be a blind mole if it weren't for these glasses."

"I should have thanked you," he told her. "For this battle and preventing me from dying."

It was Riana's turn to smirk as she nudged him. "Hey, I'd get bored if you are dead. The same goes for me. I thought I was a goner when you spat your acid at my thigh."

Reptile gently touched her thigh. His expression softened. He was glad that he spat the right amount to give this small scar. If it cut through her flesh, he wouldn't forgive himself. There's something about Riana had drove him wild. More wild than his primal instincts. He doesn't mind that she is thicker, wider than most human females he had encountered. Riana stopped his hand gently.

"I'll be fine, Reptile," Riana reassured him. His scales were a bit rough yet cool to touch. "I washed it off at the river. Good thing we fought close to the water's edge. So the next time, we'll see who'll triumph?"

"Definitely," he grinned. "I also wanted to show you something. Can you climb?"

Riana shook her head. "Nah. With my weight and body, I'm a human anchor. You'll laugh at my attempt."

"I promise I won't," he told her as he climbed the tree until he reached the first branch. He observed from above at the young woman's attempt. Riana was glad to wear long pants and a top instead of a dress. Climbing would be a joke to her.

"By gods," Reptile laughed at Riana's struggle to climb. She was barely climbing up. In fact, it looked like her cellulite thighs were just causing frictions to the bark of the tree than actually climbing up. "Are all humans bad at climbing or is it just you?"

Riana glared at him as she continued to climb up, only to improve by a fraction before reaching the branch the Zaterran was on. Reptile watched in amusement until he decided to assist her by hoisting her up to the branch. Riana was sweating, panting even. After fixing her glasses up and finally catching her breath, she sat next to Reptile on the branch.

"Told you that you'll laugh!" Riana punched him at the shoulder. Reptile could only let out his snake-like laugh. "Can't help it. For a human your size that is. How can a human, not a child be so small?"

"Environment," Riana shrugged as she leaned closed to the trunk. Reptile observed her in the opposite direction. Then out of the corner, Kurt emerged from the foliage with insects in his mouth. Judging from the size, Riana estimated that her pet had caught three large grubs. The bearded dragon crawled between the both of them.

"He's growing up," Riana smiled at her pet proudly. "Climbing on his own and now caught something bigger than him? He's becoming more independent each day."

Reptile smiled as he petted the little lizard on his back. He finds it ironic that a pet can have a better life and treatment than he does. He wondered if this meeting was a waste of time. Would Shang Tsung assigned him to assassinate the disciples in the future? The risk is too great. For now, he will enjoy this company until he returned back to the Kahn's palace.

"Wow," Riana stared at the scenery of the jungle and beyond from their view. Because it is nighttime, the insects humming with the scent of the river made her feel at peace. Almost one with nature. She hoped to spot the fauna in the area. That would make tonight a wonderful experience.

"Reptile…the view is amazing! You ever come here often besides a hunt to relax?"

He nodded. "Sometimes. Though this atmosphere is peaceful in troubled times. Hopefully this jungle will last until my final moments."

"I wished all of nature would last," said Riana woefully. The both of them were enjoying this peaceful moment. Nothing was said between them as the silence is like a cocoon to be wrapped up in. Only this one had company.

"I better go back," Riana sighed, much to Kurt's and her own disappointment. "I'd love to stay but my mentor and brother will get suspicious."

"Agreed," Reptile nodded. When descending down, Reptile couldn't help but chuckled at the young woman's attempt at climbing down. It's just as funny as climbing up, much to Riana's dismay. Kurt had no problem climbing down.

"So…" Riana cleared her throat.

"Yes…" Reptile hissed awkwardly, looking away a bit.

Without a word, both of them left in the opposite direction, towards their own path. When Riana wanted to look back, he had disappeared. Kurt nuzzled his owner at the crook of her neck. Riana rubbed him in respond.

"This is our little secret. Not even Nash should know about this."

…

Nash's P.O.V

I groaned awake as the Sun's rays beamed through my window, signalling me to get up for a new day. After last night, I'm actually looking forward to what awaits me. Sure, I'll get killed but hey at least I'll die knowing I scored someone of my dreams, right?

I got dressed and at least wash my face before meeting up with my mentor and the most beautiful woman in Edenia. As I rushed passed the corridors, I bumped into my sister. Riana looked like she was wrestling a bear with her messed up hair, a slumped posture and even her glasses were crooked.

"Morning, little bro," Riana yawned in greeting. "You look peppy today."

"Thanks," I smiled. "Never been better. So what happened to you?"

"Rough night," Riana answered quickly. "Kurt has been keeping me up."

But the said bearded dragon was not found on her should. I assumed he's sleeping or hunting for more bugs for breakfast. Leaving my sister to tend to her needs, I met both Kitana and Jade in the courtyard.

Damn, these ladies looked fine as hell!

But Kitana's expression was anxious. She was holding something in her hand. A message, maybe? I walked up to greet both of the ladies, Jade regarding me with a smile behind her mask. Kitana nodded to me but still had that anxious look.

"What's wrong?" I asked.

"It's my father, Shao Kahn," Kitana answered. Oh no. I've played the game and know that he is not really her father. How will I tell her this? Also Sindel is her mother but I haven't seen her yet. I wonder where she could be…

"What does he want?"

"Tonight's a celebration for his anniversary with my mother," Kitana told me. "The four of us are going since I am his daughter and Jade is the general. Plus, you and your sister are our disciples so it's important for the both of you."

"We will have to be prepared," Jade added. "The Kahn may want a tournament in honour for his glory and rule. He will invite Outworld as well."

"Wait!" I interrupted the ladies from their conversation. "Is Raiden coming as well?"

"Most likely," Kitana nodded. "Go tell your sister. You might encounter your friends again."

Oh god! As if today's not going to be hell for me. We are going to meet THE emperor and main villain of the game! I'm betting the five of us are going to be screwed and most probably not go home. Or even survive this damn place!

Well, maybe Azril.

I better think of a weapon fast before tonight. It seemed like everyone except me has a weapon. Even Bryan has a weapon which is a music player for fuck's sake! I just wished we could beat Shao Kahn eventually. And that old clod of a sorcerer too!

Wow, Nash is determined as ever. And Riana sure can hide those venoms well in those gloves while holding a conversation with Reptile. Fun fact, I will share you a thing about neurotoxic and hemotoxic.

Neurotoxic is found in venomous snakes like cobras, coral snakes and sea kraits. Main function of the toxic is to destroy your nerve system, causing you to paralyse before it reaches the heart, killing you, The best thing to do is not panic unless you want a quicker death and get an injection of anti-venom to counter the effect.

Hemotoxic is found generally in rattlesnakes and pit vipers. The toxin can destroy red blood cells, causing the victim to have a reduction in oxygen level and can severe the blood clot. It will result in permanent death and tissue damage if the cure is too late.

So please review!