Rain fell over Outworld. Hard and cold it pierced the night sky and stabbed all beneath it like a million daggers. Mileena, bared of her mask that bore the brunt of her heated breath gazed into the dark abyss of Outworld's severe weather from the barracks beyond the palace. There even the Tarkatans that remained still trained, what little Shokan were left would not let any other race better them and so they fought in the rain as well. Bruises and welts formed like dots of blood spilled a fresh kill, speckled and freckled, the warriors fought on before Mileena's eyes.
She had on several occasions been accosted by the few Tarkatans in their vein attempt to claim her lineage, but she knew she were a construct and nothing more, or less. Still, arms folded and a freshly stolen set of sais tucked in each boot, she watched and knew that none of them were as good as her.
Not even Kitana.
As the rain fell as it may, she stepped out from the barracks, closed behind her by a loyal Osh-Tekk guard. As the welts formed on the backs and shoulders of others, she noticed nothing touched hers. She looked up to find nothing but rain and sky and clouds all around her, but not a drop until suddenly the water itself which seemed to splash on an empty surface above the roof fell at once upon her.
Reptile.
She sprung to action and jumped to the edge of the roof. With a few kicks and upper body strength, and the help of the curved edge, she pulled herself up. The roof was scaled and curved, so she wouldn't trip if she stepped carefully, but the rain made no promises.
"Reveal yourself!" She demanded.
Only a hiss returned. To Reptile's detriment, she had known to see the signs of his presence and the spots of stains where he stepped and rain from her then jumped as the water splashed over empty air, she moved swiftly toward him.
Without hesitation, she brandished her sais and took a swing at the center arch where the water curved in mid-air. Reptile, having finally touched her, revealed himself with a kick that cast her down from the barracks into the mud below.
"Construct, you commit treason?" He hissed and jumped at her.
Her sais pointed up, he landed awkwardly on her, but as one foot pressed on her stomach, the other braced itself and his arms were quick to grasp her wrists and hold her down. He leaned forward and pressed down on her, but she was stronger, he couldn't deny that. Her hands curved to change the arch of the sais inward rather than up and she pushed his body back until they pressed at his neck.
"You're the traitor! My blood is that of Kitana's!" As she screamed, all fighting stopped and all eyes were downcast upon them.
"You're blood is rotten!" He snapped with a bite after the sais scrapped his leather mask from his reptilian face which morphed from human to reptilian.
With all her strength she used a knee to push him off into a forward roll. Quick to rise, she stabilized into a defensive stance just quick as he. Once squared off, Mileena dropped all defense and lunged for Reptile with her one sai ahead of the other.
The tarlatans screamed for joy as the fight broke out. They cheered her on, the Shokan roared as well, but their allegiance to none. In with an overhead directly within Reptile's measure, she aimed to pierce his skull, but he batted the arm and covered into a defensive stance to her left. One kick and she was on her knee, another and she swiped his with a visible line of blood that spilled across her chest.
"Enough!" Kitana's voice roared like thunder amongst the storm clouds.
"She has committed treason! She must die!" Reptile hissed. He kneeled lower for Kitana as the Stewardess of Outworld approached, but it was Mileena she assisted a stand.
"You're both fools." She spat. "My chambers, Mileena."
She cast a hard cold glance back at Reptile. He sulked, but hissed back as the construct passed him.
"You're my second in command, Reptile, not my blood." These words, spoken loudly for all to witness put the reptilian in his place amongst the monsters around them. "I trust you more than anyone, but you are a fool."
Like Reptile, Mileena hissed back through jagged teeth and then grimaced as Kitana pulled her by the shoulder and shame walked her through the crowd and dagger like rain.