Wow, look at that. Nash and his friends are going to be in touch soon! Well, the journey continues as Nash and Riana are going to find Bo Rai Cho. After all, you would find someone to train you if you were thrown into a world full of war and violence and you have ZERO fighting skills! Well, let's see how our little cookies are going at.

Chapter 28

We decided to refresh ourselves before travelling for the night, in search of the man who trained Liu Kang and Kung Lao, Bo Rai Cho. I only know him for that and his love for the alcoholic drinks such as sake or red wine. I wonder if he likes tea or cocoa? What's more important is how the hell can Azril track down people's address in Outworld and Earthrealm?!

"Azril," Riana called her friend from the counter. He only responded with a head up. "Thanks for giving us the address and hope that we desperately need after our sentence. I want to make something as a thank you gift for that. May I use your oven?"

Azril raised his eyebrows in surprise but nodded nonetheless. But if my sister is going to make something, I want to help too! Hey, I don't always sit around and play video games all my life! So, the both of us decided to make Azril a pie. I see a stove so maybe Riana can try something light and crispy?

Now, I don't want to brag but I'm a better baker than Riana while she's a better cook on anything except the oven. I had to come and supervise her. She's still learning. In return for my help, Riana would demonstrate and teach me how to cook stews and fried stuffs. For now, we're baking two pies: one for Azril for letting us have a second chance here in Mortal Kombat while the other for the trip. Who knows, we might need it.

"You're a big help, Kurt!" I praised the little dragon, who was pouring the ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Don't worry, he washed his front legs and was resting on my sister's shoulders. Riana giggled and gave the both of us high fives. While we're making the goods, a few of the customers were watching with interest. Even our friends looked impressed at our gastronomic knowledge. My sister and I exchanged glances, knowing what exactly needs to be done.

While Kurt and I worked on the whipped cream and filling, Riana is working on the pie crust and the lattice pattern around it. Needless to says, she's pretty good with her hands even with the gloves. My hands can knead and pound doughs but weaving stuff needs a gentle hand. So the preheating and timing was all on me. While the pie was baking in the oven, both of us started cleaning up, a bit messy but worth it! Well, I should have thought of this to impress Jade and Kitana if they let me use their kitchen at the palace. Now that I think about it, I've been making mistakes with the women of Mortal Kombat all because I find all of them hot. Yes, including Mileena with her dangerous tiger shark teeth.

"Woah, I wished I can bake or cook up something like this," Kristina sighed wistfully. Oh yeah, she's a tough cookie alright but not in the kitchen. She almost caused the whole kitchen up in flames during home economics class! And her cooking is almost as bad as a burnt scone.

"Well," Azril murmured as he inspects the pie in the oven. "You two did a wonderful job. Even you, little dragon. Never knew you could bake, Nash."

"Smells good!" Bryan sighed dreamily as he inhaled the sweet scent of cinnamon. "For a guy, you sure know your desserts! Then again, I'm also a craftsman of sweets myself. We should team up in baking contests. Though, you don't have the hands for crafting, do you?"

Yeah….maybe or maybe not!

Once the pie was done, we offered slices to the owner of the cafe and friends before giving the rest for the remaining customers. I was proud to say that it was a big hit and Azril promised that he'll add it into the pastry menu. Riana was scanning through the cafe, pondering. I wonder what's she thinking about? Hell, Kurt tilted his head as if he was thinking with her!

"Say," Riana mused. "Have you ever thought of using that empty wall space over there for a movie night or a TV series, Azril? It will attract more customers." You know, that doesn't seemed like a bad idea…

"I'll think about it," Azril sighed, rubbing the egg strapped to him. I wonder if it will hatch soon? One thing is for sure, that's no normal bird or lizard. It's really hard to deduct whatever the hell he's thinking. Can he really feel on the inside? Is he going to be colder than any Cryomancer in the Lin Kuei despite not having the powers? One way to find out if any of us are willing to stalk him.

"Wait a minute, guys!" Bryan stopped us from leaving the door. Kristina even pulled the both of us back forcefully. God, I think my wrist is going to be black-blue if she doesn't let go! The both of them were holding something, a device I think. Kristina handed one to Riana while I got mine from Bryan. It looked like an iPod nano from 2005 where you can get a rainbow of colours. Both of us looked at our friends quizzically.

"We all got this," Kristina told us. "Even Azril. We're gonna use this now to talk with each other. Since you know….our phones are in the other world."

"Plus, we are going to be talking to each other anyways since our mentors…well, OUR mentors are from different realms," Bryan explained. Does he have to rub salt into the wounds? "We're going to be doing this until the five of us can go back home. Don't worry, I have downloaded your preferred music in each device. With a little bit of my own."

"Bryan," Riana approached him with careful words. "When did you have time to do all of this?"

"I haven't slept for four days!" Bryan announced proudly. The four of us stared at him, don't know whether to be impressed or concern for his well being. But I got to say even I couldn't do something like this without sleep. Bryan must be on to something. I guessed there's more to his brain than we all thought.

"We'll keep in touch," I assure my friends. "It's best we leave now to find the address you gave us. Thanks guys, we owe you one."

"No need," Azril shook his head. "Just get back in mint condition will have to do. We don't want to explain to our friends and parents why you came back crippled or handicapped. Though, being mauled by dogs wouldn't be the best explanation…". Okay, no need to be that morbid!

…

Thanking everyone, my sister and I left the establishment for a quest to find the man who trained Liu Kang and Kung Lao. Now, I've only played MK9 but I have watched some videos of the previous games to know what does Bo Rai Cho looks like. He's not what I expected in a person who trained the main heroes of Mortal Kombat. Let's just say he could crush and flatten you like a pancake but with his own 'seasoning' to add the 'flavour'. This jungle we're crossing through is kinda getting humid, a queue to get going. Kurt decided to scatter in front of us, since he's done resting on Riana's shoulders. Speaking of which, Riana's face looked red from exhaustion.

"You doing okay?" I asked in concern, stopping my tracks.

"Yeah," she breathed. "My back is aching from carrying my pack. It's filled with my venom collection and their cures. Also my book for guiding me through."

Ah, I knew it! If decided to walk slowly so that Riana could keep up. I bet a little cardio would do her and Kurt good. After all, even a simple walk can burn off some calories off her. Not my problem if she wants to scoff down the food to the very end due to…

Nah, I won't mention it! It would bring back some bad memories for either of us. Maybe some other time we will confront that together.

Well, at least the pie is inside my back since I only carry minimal stuff unlike Riana. Then again, I wonder if it's important to have more things in the pack just to be prepared? But then again, a lighter pack would mean a better chance of escaping and fighting. Oh well, it's our choice, right?

"Nash," Riana's voice called me from behind. "Do you ever have the feeling that we're being followed?" I paused, trying to hear some footsteps. Only thing I could hear were my sister's breathing and Kurt's feet going pitter patter on the jungle floor. The insects were humming, birds were chirping hesitantly, and the gentle breeze of the wind whistled in my ear. But something in my gut told me that we're being followed. My heart was pumping with anxiety.

"Nash," Riana whispered, fear was detected in her tone. "Do you hear something? It sounded like a screaming parrot."

I blinked. That wasn't the sound I heard! "No, sis. The sound I heard was something like a grunting bull."

There was the sound again. Both of them and it's heading right towards us!

My hammer was secured to my belt while my sister flexed her claws out of her gloves like a cat. I wonder where's Kurt? Riana doesn't seemed so worried. Maybe he knew about us being followed so he decided to hide or head further away from danger. I don't care that it could be past midnight, something is hunting us down and it's not going to stop anytime soon!

"Run," I whispered. No need to make a sentence for it. I don't know how long we ran and walked quickly. I think Riana mostly walked at a fast pace because she sounds like an injured dog when she runs. Anyways, we ran until we reached a dimly lit temple where a hearth was seen with flames flickering. A man was sitting by the hearth, chugging a bottle of what seemed to be ale or some sort of alcohol. He looked like the type with a round belly and a chubby face. I'm starting to doubt myself about this.

"Excuse me," Riana called him. This made the man looked up from the fire and stood up. This is Mortal Kombat so I guessed even the fat folk can fight too. I hope Riana will sick on him if anything goes awry. I have a hunch that he has heard about us because of the trial.

"Ah, you must be Nash and Riana!" boomed the drunken master of martial arts. He stumbled a little when he walked, probably from the drink he was having by the hearth. We approached him slowly, hoping he's not going to fart or vomit projectiles at us like in a South Park episode. But he only wrung my hand in his while my sister watched.

"I've heard about you and the trial," he continued. I knew it! But he seemed jovial compared to the negativity of the people in both Outworld and Edenia. I can't understand why. Is it because of the broken alliance we were not aware of? But he ushered the both of us inside, safe from whatever the hell was hunting us outside. When we were inside, we saw Kurt lounging by the door.

"Kurt!" Riana called him to which the bearded dragon came to our direction and latched onto my sister's leg, his way of a hug I supposed. Bo Rai Cho chuckled at the scene. "Found him near the hearth, trying to warm himself. I have never seen a lizard like him. Not a Zaterran in flesh yet he has spirits like one."

"Kurt must have sensed that those things that were hunting us and ran for cover," I concluded. "Who knew we would bump into you."

"Yes," the drunken master chuckled, taking another swig of the bottle. "Now, a friend of yours, the slender one who was Sub Zero's disciple told me about what happened. I am surprised you haven't broken down, Nash. First being banished out of the Edenian palace with your sister and then the whole kingdom is against you. I can see why you two needed my help."

"There's a war coming," Riana told him. "Our other friend Kristina found out what was Shao Kahn's main intention at the gala. He wants to conquer and merge Earthrealm with Outworld and Edenia. An apocalypse!"

"Shame I didn't attend that party," Bo Rai Cho sighed and drank a little more from the bottle. "I bet there would be better drinks than this. You know how Earthrealm has better drinks than Outworld. Especially sake."

I swear, I could hear him drool from the thought of that fermented rice wine.

"Umm…" I interrupted. "What about the upcoming war?"

But Bo Rai Cho was already in a fighting stance, even with his drink in his left hand. He was gesturing to the both of us. Instinctively, Riana and I drew our weapons out. I held my hammer with a strong grip while my sister flexed her claws from the gloves. Kurt retreated to a nearby window to watch the fight before him. Smart, dragon!

"If you two want me to train the both of you," Bo Rai Cho challenged. "You will have to defeat me if you want to earn my trust. Prove yourselves to me and we have a deal. Now, the both of you attack me at once!"

So we're going to have a tag-team battle against him? Sounds like an advantage but knowing Bo Rai Cho, he's going to unleash his secret weapon on us. Allow us to make the first move, Riana rushed forward to punch his belly but a swift kick from the drunken master as a reflex gave me time to strike his head with the hammer but I wasn't expecting him to vomit out to stop me!

"Ugh," I crinkled my face at the disgusting counter. Great, now I need another wash after this! But I wasn't going to give up even though I smell like garbage now. Again, the both of us tried our best to hit him but he was too fast for a fat guy! There's got to be someplace…

His stomach…I got an idea!

Glancing at Riana, we gazed for a brief moment before we decided to distract him so that either of us will hit the target. Riana used her claws to slash at Bo Rai Cho to which he stumbled back to avoid the sharp tips, only to fall for my trap. I used my hammer to hit him at the back.

In a sense, the swing of the hammer would bring him forward, allowing Riana to give him a perfect shot right in the gut. After all, the smaller the base of the object the bigger the pressure it puts on.

Bo Rai Cho was gasping for air, as if his oxygen supply was cut off. The both of us knocked him down before I placed my foot near his neck. One stomp could have killed him but it's already scary to see his face contorted and him clutching his stomach. Looks like this is our chance.

"Hurry Nash," Riana urged me. "His tissues are going to destroy him before it gets permanent!"

"So Bo Rai Cho," I looked down at the drunken master. "Do we have a deal?"

"Yes…yes….please, I can't breathe…"

Letting my foot up, I gestured my sister to inject the anti-venom into him, coaxing him to calm down. Riana paid no heed to anything else but to save Bo Rai Cho's life. After a few minutes, he was breathing normally and sat up.

"That was…an interesting battle," he admitted. "Clever tactic for you to distract me, Nash. So it is true you wield venom claws, Riana?"

Riana smiled and nodded. I felt proud of myself for this. I'm getting better at this.

"But," Bo Rai Cho interrupted us from celebrating our little victory. "You two lack some persistency in convincing me. Unless you could pay-"

"Money?" Riana concluded. Bo Rai Cho shook his head.

"No! Something that I can have. Money is not my first priority. Let's see…do you have anything valuable?"

Shit….none of us carry anything valuable besides money. I doubt Bo Rai Cho wants venom after he almost meet his Creator. Unless…

"Nash," Riana looked at my bag. "Give it to him."

Oh, the pie! So quickly, I gently took out the wrapped butterscotch cinnamon pie I saved for the both of us. I guessed this can be used as a bargaining chip if we need to survive. I have never seen the drunken master's eyes lit up greedily.

"Here," I offered him the pie. "You want this homemade butterscotch cinnamon pie? Please train the both of us and we might make more than just that."

"Deal!" Bo Rai Cho took the pie from my hand and gobbled it down. I guessed our pie's going to be a currency soon. Oh, if only we have more flour and sugar…

"I guessed we'll take turns to cook every day?" Riana shrugged. Cooking was not a problem to her but it is to me! I know how to bake due to the cool recipes in every charity bake sale my school does and it has been a good activities. Riana knows how to cook because she helped our mother in the kitchen and has tried experimenting things on her own. Well, edible food just to reassure you!

"Why don't the both of you get yourselves clean up and rest for tomorrow's training," Bo Rai Cho suggested. We were left to get into our rooms and I got to get a good wash down before changing. Today has been a tiring day and all I want now is to sleep. But I couldn't. Was it because of that presence I felt at the jungle?

"Nash," Riana's muffled voice was followed by a knock on my door. Stumbling as I walked, I answered the door to find her in her nighties with Kurt on her shoulder. He too looked tired. "I can't sleep, little bro. I could still hear that thing out there."

"I have the same feeling too," I admitted. Kurt jumped down from Riana's shoulders and climbed his way into my arms. Aww, he's just a cat with scales! So now, the both of us can't sleep because whatever was out there, it's not going to rest until it captured either of us. There's only one thing left to do:

"We're gonna take it down," I announced. Riana was still hesitant yet she nodded in agreement. "Little bro, let's hope the moon is up. I hate to fight it in pitch black darkness…"

I agreed. Who knows if it has excellent night vision.

So here we are, brother and sister on a midnight hunt for the creature lurking outside. We don't have a watch so I guessed it's past midnight. First, we will set up bait, which was the last remains of the pie we brought. I placed it close to the jungle we came out from. Riana decided to hide between the foliage, I hid at the corner of Bo Rai Cho's place while Kurt had already climbed onto a higher ledge to act as the signal.

Suddenly, the ground shook and the lumbering mass of a figure approached the bait. It was hard to make out what it was but those muscles told me otherwise. We could be crushed into mince meat if we are not careful. All I could see besides the bulk of muscles was a single red eye peeking out of a burlap mask over it's head. Was that a type of moving tumour on its back?

"Gotcha," I whispered and signalled Riana to approach it from behind. But just as Riana was sneaking behind the creature quietly, a high-pitched screech was emitted on the back of the creature. I was shocked to know that it was another living thing on the creature. I quickly rushed in to help Riana.

"Gah! Get off me!" Riana tried to scratch and slash the smaller thing that was clinging on her chest. But the little thing was growling and clawing back. Even Kurt leaped onto its face to attacked it which gave Riana a chance to take it down. While Riana was busy with it, I took my chance on the big guy, using all what I have to beat it up. Man, this thing's not messing around!

"Son of a bitch," I muttered, trying to avoid getting hit from its swinging gorilla arms. Only way to bring it down is if I can get onto its back and do something similar to a rodeo show. My hammer is going to be a burden if I swing it now. Waiting for the brute to charge at me, I braced myself to jump over it's shoulders and grasped onto it's shoulders. The brute lets out a bellow.

"Hold onto him, Nash!" Riana called out. I noticed how her face was a bit slashed and her glasses were askew while her frame was glistened with sweat. The thing that attacked her was now in her grasp, just inches away from piercing the sharp claws of the gauntlets into my sister's skull. Riana's right claw was held up to the little runt's face. Oh, I hope it's neurotoxic!

But the brute under me made a low sound. It almost sounded like it's in distress. Could it be that it's worried about the little runt? Aha, now we are going somewhere! I knocked the brute square in the head with my hammer, letting it collapsed to the ground. I placed my hammer close to its eye hole from the burlap mask in case it wakes up.

"NO!" the little runt screamed. It sounded like a little girl as she struggled through Riana's grasp trying to avoid my sister's venom claws. "Torr no dead! Wake up! Wake him up!"

God, as if she wants the whole world to know!

"Who are you?" Riana demanded from the kid. Her claws were just inches away from her heart. "Why did you follow us? You were hired to kill us?! I will put these needles inside you!"

"We follow good smell!" the little kid protested. Poor thing. If she didn't have those gauntlets or this brute, we would've helped her. Now, I am not sure. "We no kill fat and skinny! We want good smell!"

I was surprised by her speech. She seemed to be around six or seven but most kids at that age would already picked up words and construct proper sentences. And I guessed she's alone with this brute, whom may be her only friend and companion. That's….very depressing.

At the corner of my eye, Riana was asking Kurt to fetch her something. She tend had her gaze softened. She too felt sorry for the kid but her claws were going to poke her. I pressed two fingers on the brute to feel a pulse. Thankfully, it's still alive. Wait, why am I thankful for that?! Is staying in Mortal Kombat and the trial making me like this? Eventually, Kurt came back with the last slice of the pie on his back. He looked tired from just carrying the slice itself! He dropped it to the side between both the runt and brute.

"Riana, what the hell are you doing?!" I exclaimed.

"Just experimenting," Riana waved her free hand to reassure me. I watched in anticipation as Riana gently lowered the kid to the ground next to the brute. I scrambled off to join my sister, observing the scene before me. The brute groaned before sitting on his haunches to allow the kid to climbed on top of his back with the pie like a young chimpanzee.

"What are they?" Riana whispered to me. Kurt was still on the ground, tilting his head at the two. He too had never seen anything like them. Neither did we.

"No idea. But we got to tell the guys about this. Who knows, maybe they might have seen this thing."

"I think we should ask Bo Rai Cho," Riana suggested. "These two might be from Outworld that we've never heard of."

Actually, that does sound like a good idea. We watched in silence as the duos wolfed down the piece to the last crumbs. They were staring at us for a brief moment until the little one climbed down to approach us. She was edging close to Kurt, who seemed calm.

"Slashed him," Riana threatened. "And you'll meet death in a matter of seconds!"

"Him rider?" the kid inquired with curiosity. Heh, despite trying to attack us, her curiosity is kinda innocent. Kurt seemed to bumped his snout gently into her hands and I can't believed how she's laughing with excitement. It would've been cute if it wasn't so disturbing.

"No, he's a pet," Riana corrected her. "So, who are you?"

"We Ferra/Torr!" the kid, Ferra I presumed announced proudly. The brute, Torr gave us a grunt in agreement. Okay, this is just weird! First coming into this world was a mindfuck but befriending these two who reminded me of Master Blaster from Mad Max was already beyond my imagination!

"Alright," I tried to maintain my composure. "So the both of you followed us because of our pie?"

"We ran away!" Ferra explained. "Stabby men tried to take Torr away! Ferra want someplace safe. Won't hurt Torr and me. We followed both you because of yum yum smell!"

Stabby men? I don't recalled any unless….

"Tarkatans," I looked at my sister. Riana gave me a questioning look, thinking why would they want these two. I think because they worked well together, there's a chance they might take down anything in their path.

"Who you two?" Ferra now demanded the both of us. So we introduced ourselves but since Ferra was having some speech impairments, our names did not turn out as we thought they'd be.

"Ash, Reena and Froggie!" Ferra declared proudly. Torr made a rumbling sound out of satisfaction. Great, now we're stuck with these names! Trying to correct her, she began to repeat the same damn names she has giveen us. Oh well, no point arguing over here!

"Nash," Riana threw an arm around my shoulders. "Why the hell does this happen to us?"

…

3rd P.O.V

"Do you think we are making a mistake?" Jade inquired. She was still peeved that Nash had had an affair with Mileena and Kitana's mother behind her back. Before she knew, she thought Nash was different. She had given her virginity to him and had opened her heart out to him.

She has never felt so conflicted.

"No, he deserves it," Kitana told her general briefly. "He will learn that cheating and going behind someone's back will have consequences. I had no other choice but to banish him and his eyewitness."

"But Princess," Jade questioned. "What if he really wanted to redeem himself? Like he's apologies to me at the trial….it felt genuine."

"We'll see," Kitana sighed. As much as this angers her, she too felt a bit of guilt for banishing her disciple and her best friend's disciple. She rubbed her temples, still stressed.

"Only one way to prove himself," Kitana finally said. "Is that he could train and become stronger for the upcoming tournaments. He was very promising. Too bad he has a promiscuous mindset. But if he could proved himself in battle and can control himself, he may come back to the palace with his sister after your match with Tanya."

"Tanya," Jade seethed at that name with vehemence. "She will pay for what she has done to me!"

Kitana could only nodded. Lately, her father Shao Kahn had doubled the prisoners to be executed in the tournaments for his own amusements. Her guards had informed her of the different methods that were performed in the arena. As much as Kitana enjoys training, this bloodshed felt so wrong…

Also, she has heard rumours of her guards discussing about the emperor's lackey prowling around in the middle of the night at the palace. She would like to know why. But this time, no reports of the being had been made. She decided to travel to Outworld on her own to seek out for answers.

When she arrived, she found the lackey the guards had been discussing about. Reptile had been assigned to do manual labour due to his failures in the previous tournaments and assignments. Kitana approached the Zatteran with authority in her tone.

"Reptile," Riana called to which the raptor paused his work. "I know what you've been up to."

"It's none of your business," Reptile hissed irritably. "I haven't been out to witness your trial on the boy."

"I know that," Kitana continued. "But you do know I banished both him and his sister away from here."

Reptile stopped everything he was doing and stared at Kitana. "Where are they?"

"Why are you so concern, lackey? For Shang Tsung's experiments or for your amusements?"

Reptile stood in silence. He will not admit the very reason he's concern.

"Don't try and hide it," Kitana raised her fan closed to him. "I know that you had snuck into the palace and manipulated my disciple's sister!"

Oh, shits about to go down between Kitana and Reptile! Looks like Nash and Riana have found a new mentor to train them in exchange for their cooking. Believe me, butterscotch cinnamon pie can replenish your health in any game. So good that brutes will want to be your friends. So, the two siblings are stuck with Ferra and Torr. But why are the Tarkatans after them?

Please review to find out!