So here the battle begins. No filler and no added characters to make this long. Just going up and down with this before the climax. And of course I am introducing the 2 playable characters you can find in MKX but one I love so much while the other I hated so much. Ying and yang, my darlings! Also, I got the name for Azril's baby dragon! Can you guessed where the name came from?

Chapter 35

I can't believe today's the day. Big tournament ahead of us, crowd watching with the lust for gore in their eyes and now Azril has a baby dragon! As if today's not intense enough. I was ready with my hammer while waiting for my name to be called. I was searching through the crowd for familiar faces.

And there they were.

Kitana and Jade, beautiful as they were. I wonder if they remembered me and my sister after they exiled us. But it wouldn't hurt to talk to them and make amends. But then I also saw Mileena in the shadows closed to where Shao Kahn was sitting on his throne with Shang Tsung by his side.

I'm starting to regret trusting him but not regretting meeting Mileena who liked me the first time.

"Hey Nash," Riana whispered. She was flexing her fingers with those venom needles. "Do you know those two other guys sitting next to Shao Kahn?"

I followed where she was pointing at. The man next to Shao Kahn was in blue and I mean blue skin! He wore a helmet with plume feathers, bone ornaments for a belt and his vibe gave about something that reminded me of an Aztec warrior in a Mel Gibson movie. He looked just as threatening as the tyrant sitting next to him. The person standing next to the Aztec warrior looked like a bee or a wasp with her figure. Yes, a her as in I saw her boobs.

Do insects have breasts or lactate?

"I have a feeling these new guests will soon be allies," Azril commented. I nearly jumped. He was so silent a breath from him was enough to give a child a heart attack. I need to get used to him. I wonder if Riana has experienced this since they together in class?

Also, now apparently he has a blue baby dragon that sits on his shoulder like a parrot. A bit creepy but it wasn't causing any harm to anyone. In fact, he trusted that thing to wander free or play with Kurt!

"Great, more enemies before we could really go home," Kristina sighed. "Oh joy…"

"But his style is so fabulous!" Bryan gushed. I noticed he was wearing a badge on his shirt that says 'Super Genius', as if he wants the whole world to know about his ego. Then again, Bryan is random so anything can happen.

Everyone seemed to be prepared and they got new weapons too. Kristina has cuffs and fingerless gloves, still in her tank top and shorts but belt with all kinds of guns. Her boots reminded me of those steel-toed boots people use to smash cars. Honestly, if her hair was short, she would be a thug!

Azril is still is normal self with his daggers. Only difference I could comment on was the baby blue dragon. I'll have to ask him later about his new pet's name yet he insisted that it's not his pet.

Riana has been looking more focused but there are times when her mind was drifted off somewhere. God, I swear her thoughts are about animals and her own emotional struggle. Don't most people just get over it and not let it cloud their judgement? Apparently it is not with my sister.

And I have a feeling she is gazing at Shao Kahn's direction for a reason. That damned Zaterran! She needs to get away from him or else he's going to cause harm to both of us. Before we could continue our talk, the tournament had already begun.

…

Bryan was up first like the last time just to be the crowd's jester in this bloodied arena. But he doesn't seemed to care. Dare I say he radiates confidence and waved at the crowd as if he were a celebrity. His mentor, Johnny Cage gave him the thumbs up while the rest of the SF here today either looked away or face palmed. Our friends watched with mixed emotions. The new guests peered over the rails with their goblets of wine in hand.

Johnny Cage gave him the thumbs up while the rest of the SF here today either looked away or face palmed. Our friends watched with mixed emotions. The new guests peered over the rails with their goblets of wine in hand. I have a feeling that if we kill each other, surely they would support Shao Kahn and his conquests in future events.

His opponent happened to be the symbiotes stuck with us: Ferra/ Torr.

"Ready to go, skinny?" Ferra asked enthusiastically while Torr bellowed as he pounded the ground with his fist like a gorilla. Bryan looked like he wanted to piss his pants and run but he stood his ground, plastering a confident smile on his face.

"Ready as you and your pet boyfriend are!" he smirked. I don't think Ferra knows the concept so she thought it was another taunt which is why she screamed to battle.

The battle begun with Torr swinging his gorilla arms at Bryan's direction. I was going to imagine him whimpering but what I saw nearly dropped my jaws, maybe Kristina's as well. Bryan dodged but not running away like I thought he would. He looked like he wanted to fight. Could the Triborg episode changed him?

No, he's still himself! Is he?

Bryan seemed to use the tactic of jumping over Torr and bitch-slapping Ferra who tried to pounce him like a monkey. But Bryan seemed to block them from trying to hit the badge on his shirt. It seemed so weird….

"It's a device," said Azril bluntly. All of us stared at him in confusion before he gazed at us carefully. "His badge is his device."

"Bryan maximise!" he announced while bouncing on the brute's shoulder. And then the badge glowed, surrounded his body until shifting of metals and gears were heard until the whole crowd gasped. Bryan became as big as Torr in the suit but he looked clean and very robust. In a nutshell: Bryan became Iron Man!

Bryan was chuckling like a maniac in that suit as Torr was charging at him like an angry bull. Ferra tried to claw him with her gauntlets but to no avail. Bryan swatted her off like she was a bug before punching the young girl repeatedly. This enraged the brute to clobber him to the ground but Bryan's arms transformed into blaster guns to shoot them.

It seemed to push them back and Bryan looked like he's dancing in the suit.

And then something I never thought would happened: the crowd were cheering on Bryan! Even us Disciples are proud that he is taking the fight seriously. I just hope the suit is not going to rip easily. Johnny Cage had a smug look on his face as the young SF paid him some cash.

Wait, they were betting on him too?

I glanced at Cassie and Jacqui. I hoped Takeda doesn't kill me for having sex with his girlfriend in a three-way. Cassie and Jacqui wouldn't look at me so I decided not to press on. I scanned the area for Mileena, who was no where to be found. Maybe she doesn't want to fight or there's a reason behind all of this. In the end, Bryan for the first time won the match to which stunned the tyrant along with Shang Tsung and the two guests. They could not believe it!

After his match, we all gathered around him. "Wow dude, how?"

"Isn't technology great?" he flexed a pose in the suit. Kristina groaned at his ego but my sister and the rest of us are impressed. "Not only am I awesome but I am invincible!"

"Yet you cry if you got a stain," Cassie Cage approached us with her hands on her hips. I averted away, trying not to think of the threesome I had with her and Jacqui. So I decided to watch Kurt playing with the baby dragon. Azril would've been a good father if he knew about raising a pet.

Next was Kristina who seemed to have it well off with someone like Sonya Blade. She may got some bruises but both of them seemed well off. I have a feeling they might get along except Kristina is more of a rebel. Kinda hot but too bad Kris didn't fill out in the chest area like the hot ladies here or even my sister. But she had used not only her combat skills of martial arts but the guns she had in her holsters as well.

I caught the gunslinger Erron Black watching from afar and even that construct Ermac who was by Mileena's side. Damn, why are all of the women in this game so fucking sexy?

Kristina and Sonya were a tie, with my friend having a bloody nose and a bruised leg from the fight. She seemed fine walking it off like the trooper that she is. I watched as she fist-bumped Azril along with Riana and Bryan before making her way to talk to Erron. I don't know why but she looked annoyed but then laughed with him. I still feel kinda suspicious about that cowboy.

What are he and Kristina planning.

"Isn't it pretty, Nash? An old Western romance that can make any girl's vagina twitch," Bryan's swooning caught me off guard. He was standing uncomfortably close to me. We were both watching Kristina and the gunslinger. Bryan may be right about her relationship with Erron Black. But how will he keep up with her since she's the future and he's an old man from the past.

"But I wonder if she knows it's not going to happen?"

"Like you getting all the ladies but not settling down for one?" Bryan prompt. I glared at him not to remind me of that. Anyways, so the match carried on as usual with my sister next in line with Azril's hated rival: Frost.

"You are just a pathetic as he is," the woman seethed. Riana was confused, so was I since Azril was far from pathetic. But the fight started with Frost firing icicles from her palms while Riana blocked them with her gloves. She looked determined and I have never seen my sister so fired up. Her claws were unsheathed and she pawed the ground with her shoes like some animal.

Both ladies charged at each other, cries and shrieks broke out of them. And I would say it was the bloodiest battle I've ever seen. I had to restrained Kurt from jumping into the fray to help Riana. At the corner of my eye, I saw that damn Zatteran watching with anticipation. Can't he leave my sister alone?

But then, Riana has been comfortable around him. Should I really give him a chance to court my sister's hand?

In the end, Riana won the match with a crooked jaw and her limping away. Before I could run up to talk to her, Reptile beat me to it. He helped her jaw back into place and said something to her. I wanted to barge in on them but Azril held my arm.

"Let her be," he told me. "She's safe with him. It's you I am concern about with your little harem train on board."

"What?!"

"Exactly," he nodded slowly. He sighed, turning his head to watch his baby dragon. "Visenya needs a better caretaker than me. I could only give her this much."

Nonsense! Azril is a good caretaker just as much as my sister. Without saying a word, I just patted his shoulders. He plopped both his baby dragon and Kurt onto me as it was his turn to fight. This is going to be interesting because his match up was Takeda. So it's mini Sub Zero and Scorpion battle. Speaking of which, where is Scorpion or should I say Master Hasashi?

Daggers vs whips

Mind reader vs Logic dictator

Their battle was by far the most epic like a showdown between two heroes from different tribe and I gotta say, Shang Tsung sure knows how to pair up his fighters when it is good. I saw Sub Zero watching Azril with a proud look on his face.

Maybe that's something he needs, considering he never had a dad which was the turning point of his childhood. From what Riana told me, that sounds depressing.

Azril was so swift that every moment was tensed! He dodged Takeda's attacks like they were nothing and he only moved when he needed to counter. No sweat and no hesitation from his face. Takeda looked like he was struggling while our oldest Disciple kept his cool throughout the competition. The whole crowd went wild.

"How are you so calm?" Takeda asked out of curiosity mid-fighting.

"Don't hesitate," Azril answered bluntly. His pet dragon was chirping in my hands. Kurt was letting the thing drape over his scaley body. While the fight carried on, I wonder who will be my opponent. I would be damn if it is either Jade or Kitana.

When I wanted to talk to them, they gave me the cold shoulder.

Great, ways to make me feel guilty and this war is going to be tensed because of me!

Suddenly, I bumped into someone, making both the reptiles in my arms scatter before I could pick them up. And to my surprise, it is Jade. Her gaze was so steely, I could tell she wants to impale me for what I did and the banishment is not enough. My mind was scrambling at what to say.

"Jade…"

"I see your friends are doing well," Jade commented, not looking at me.

I decided not to pressure her in. "Yeah. So are you fighting as well?"

"Of course I am. I take it you are taking your banishment quite well and I can see Riana's improving. I may need to speak to her soon."

We said nothing afterwards but from her body posture, she's less tensed than she was during the trial. I nodded her a goodbye, waiting for my fate at the arena.

…

3rd P.O.V

Azril was impressed with Takeda's performance during the match. It was no surprise since he was trained under the Shirai Ryu. He wondered if it was a coincidence that he is trained under Scorpion's rival. He sighed and watched the little dragoness he looked after who was playing with Riana and Kurt.

Ah, if only he knew how to care for a pet. His family aren't the pet kind of people. He sighed, knowing he has a lot of work to do if he was to earn his stay at the Lin Kuei.

Little did he know, Sub Zero had always welcomed him with open arms.

"Hey, that was a good match!" Takeda's voice broke his deep thoughts. He sat at the opposite side of Azril in the mess hall. Azril simply nodded. Takeda was confused at how little Azril has spoken, even among his friends from what Bryan told him. Out of all the people he would like to chat with, he doesn't mind Azril but…

"So…do you have a girlfriend?"

"Nope."

"Anyone here that catches your interest?"

"Nope."

"What about Frost? She seems to be obsess with you."

"Obsess to kill me that's for sure," Azril snorted. He sipped a bit of his drink much to Takeda's dismay. But he couldn't helped but detect a hint of denial in that flat tone. He decided to test his little theory by reading his mind.

"I read your mind," he admitted to the silent man. "You have a lot of work going on. Why don't you take a break? It'll do you good."

"I am aware," Azril sighed. "Rest assure I will. Let me have my drink and I might return to the Lin Kuei. It was intense fighting with you."

"Um yeah…it was," he chuckled nervously. "So…we meet again?"

"Sure."

With that, Takeda left the strange man to his own device. But he could tell that Azril is in denial. There is no doubt that he does felt something but he's resisting himself. Only time could tell what was going on.

Azril shook his head before scanning the crowd for Visenya. She's very quiet for a dragoness yet so playful around Kurt. He wouldn't mind leaving her there so long as she comes back to him by command. She's a clever girl.

Suddenly, Visenya growled viciously at something. He knew as well, because he caught the person's hand before she could make any more actions on him. He began to stare at her with tired eyes. Frost struggled to blast him but the grip was stronger than those of Shokan's. His damn dragon whipped her face with her tail.

"Is that all you got?" he arched a brow. This routine is getting stale. Visenya knew it too well despite being a newborn. He couldn't understand why Frost wouldn't just give up on him and kill him when he is at his wit's end. But then again, he wouldn't have this interesting play of kill or be killed by her.

"I know you go to underground cage fights," he stated, taking in Frost's surprised expression. "But with your training in the Lin Kuei and lately you've been distant, I can see why you did. Bet you were fuming when a chubby shorty beat you."

"Says the droid who just learnt emotions," Frost scoffed. "You don't know me and I don't want you here at the Lin Kuei."

"I never asked for this," he sighed. "Of course I want to get out of the Lin Kuei back into my normal life. By the time I do, you can as well. We just have to bear with each other at least."

Frost didn't want to admit that he was right. Her expression on the inside felt warm when she saw him stroking his wyvern. For someone emotionless, his eyes held those affections like no one has ever seen. She huffed, storming out of the conversation to his relief.

He is an outsider.

Yet why does it hurt when he talks to her? She decided to sneak off tonight for another cage fight without knowing a little blue creature was stalking her to report to her master.

…

Bryan was overseeing everything from Nash fighting a sexy vampire with wings to the fact Azril is having a deadpan flirt with Frost. He wished that snowflake could understand that Frost bullies him because she likes him. Or was it always a rivalry, he couldn't tell.

It's not much help that the SF kids won't give him a chance to talk or let him mingle with all of them. He hates being left hanging because that was the curse of being born a nouveau riche. You can flaunt all of your wealth to gain followers but never true friends.

Coming from a rich family, a lot of expectations were made for him the minute his mother announced her pregnancy. They want him to be everything they asked for: investor, engineer, doctor or maybe all three if they want to. They were fortunate to have a prodigy son to carry on with being successful.

His parents don't pay a lot of attention to him unless he scores at the top of his class, win every trophy in talent shows or academic olympics. During family gatherings or Chinese New Year, Bryan would admit he felt proud of being called the genius compared to his cousins who are nothing but boring lawyers and accountants who are wage slaves to the capital while he's the one running the capital.

But he doesn't mind doing designing and engineering at the same time if he enters university. What better way than to be a genius and a successful entrepreneur with his own brands and designs. He wasn't good with sports or physical activities as Nash and Kristina covered that for him. Ever since he came here, he had something he never knew.

He allowed himself to use his gadget work to practice.

At home, it either created chaos or it was draining him of his parent's hard earned money. But it's not like it's something they care since they owned fourteen houses in different parts of Southeast Asia. Being rich is the most wonderful thing as you don't have to be independent when you are loaded to pay people to do work for you.

Yet it feels lonely as people only recognised you for your status, your intelligent or how annoying you are because of being ignored for so long.

Bryan decided to laugh on that because he never knew he would be here and laugh at how pathetic he had made himself to be but decided to do it anyways. Jokes and being the annoying pain in the ass was what he made himself do in order to get attention or else people are just going to view him as nothing more than a nerd or the social class nouveau riche that just got lucky.

He wanted to go home just like everyone else but to also prove that he is more than what people expected from him back home.

He saw Nash about to pound that vampire with his hammer. His mind was in the gutter for the different route. Alas, this tournament has to finish soon if the five of them are to return home. He felt a bit of pride when people started to notice his inventions. He decided to talk to one of his friends and see if there are anymore infos about the upcoming battles he has heard from Kristina. He saw Nash's sister, Riana having a conversation with the reptilian warrior at a secluded part of the area. This gave him a little hope to at least record them so that he could put in his book of pairings where he would ship or pair up people together.

"Animal Planet's got nothing on this one! I knew that Riana was into this!" he giggled as he used one of his gadget to record the scene. He never knew something like this would actually happened! Does Nash know or he's busy nailing two ladies during this?

But his gadget was then crushed into pieces by an invisible force to which he screamed like a locomotive whistle. The invisible forced revealed himself to be Reptile. Bryan backed away until his back was at the wall. He was eyeing the green acid dripping from the lizard man's mouth.

"H-hey, Reptile!" Bryan tried to sound lighthearted. He had no idea how could he be in front of him talking to Riana and with a blink he's right here with his eyes boring into him. The Zaterran said nothing but growled.

"You saw us," he hissed lowly. "You saw us, boy!"

"And you destroyed my gadget," he wailed, the claws reaching his neck. No one seemed to care as if this was an everyday occurrence. "It took me days without sleep to make that! Days!"

"Enough! Both of you cut it out!" Riana stepped in between them to intervene. Funny how someone as small as her could halt the both of them. Behind her glasses, Bryan noticed her brown eyes almost turned hazel from her expression. Riana then passed her gadget into Bryan's hand.

"You can have it," she told him. "I have a feeling I won't be needing it. But thanks for it, Bryan. I never knew you're an inventor."

"Why thank you, kind lady!" Bryan gave her a mock bow. "I take it you're not worried Nashy Boy is getting his ass kicked by a vampire?"

"He'll be fine," she assured him. But she has never seen her character before. Turning to Reptile, she tapped his arm. Reptile looked down at her, his yellow eyes softened. "Who is that winged vampire that's fighting my brother?"

"That's Nitara," Reptile explained. "Shao Kahn has given me the task to seek her out after this tournament about the partnership he wanted from her. Also, it has been told that she possessed something of my race."

Bryan had never heard Reptile sound so hopeful. Poor guy, always hiding and following people who keeps giving him promises. Bryan doesn't know what to say but felt sorry since he knows what it's like to be tricked. But Bryan peered over his shoulder and saw Kristina arguing with the damn cowboy.

How adorable!

But then the three of them saw the new guest with his bee assistant walking inside the palace, signalling Reptile to leave. Bryan observed how Riana's gloved hand was holding his in an affectionate gesture. Bryan didn't know this kind of relationship was possible. Then again, Mortal Kombat's logic was something not even an A.I. could compute.

"And here I thought those conspiracies of lizard people were fake," he chuckled to himself before walking away with a snapshot of Riana and Reptile holding hands. "Everyone knows it's not because of celebrities or alien invasion. It's about moving with the times and evolving or devolving."

With that, he walked away be prepared for what Nash is about to say. He is certain after this fight, there's going to be another quest with Nash nailing one of the ladies and trying to prevent a genocide from happening. Bryan decided to read through the list he had written down on Nash's harem while fixing the device used to form his apex armour.

"Oh well, I hope Kristina does put the moves on Ermac!" he giggled. "Poor guy needs some fire in those dry bones. Maybe Azril gets a chance for the frigid warrior! Oh, this experience is going to be part of my blog!"

Okay, so Nash finally talked to Jade despite how short it was because Jade wouldn't forget what Nash had done that broke her trust in him. Don't worry, they will interact again, hoping they will make amends. As for Nitara, she is going to play a big role in the next chapter since it will either build up Shao Kahn's army or destroy life as we know.

But Jade is going to talk to Riana about something when the woman is taking a risk seeing a certain Zaterran at the palace or jungle.

As for the two new guests, they are also going to play a big role too especially towards Riana and Kristina.

Azril is what I call a man of a few words and for those who wanted a lemon of Nash with Frost...it's not happening.

Plus, Bryan's not going to stop stalking and annoy people now that we know his backstory. Then again, what crazy inventions is he going to pull this time?

Please review if you want a horror-fest lemon chapter when I update!