They parted immediately. Liu looked over at the clock. It read seven o'clock.
He walked over and opened the door to see Master Bo' Rai Cho, Kung Lao and his girlfriend. He smiled as they smiled back. He stepped aside so they could enter.
"Where's everyone else?" Liu Kang asked.
"They're coming, don't worry." Bo' Rai Cho said.
"They should be here any moment. They weren't far behind us when we left." Kung Lao said.
"You guys all came together in a group?" Liu Kang asked.
"Sonya suggested we all meet up and at her and Johnny's house and drive here."
Liu laughed. "Of course Sonya suggested it. She's always been the one to take charge in our group."
Kung Lao laughed. "Yeah, that's true."
They all walked into the living room where Kitana joined them from the kitchen.
"Hello guys." She said.
She hugged them both. She looked at Kung Lao's girlfriend. "And who's this?"
"This is Rebecca. Rebecca, this is Liu Kang and his wife princess Kitana."
"It's nice to meet you." Kitana said shaking her hand.
"It's nice to meet you too." Rebecca said as she shook Liu's hand and Kitana's hand.
"Yes, Rebecca is Kung Lao's girlfriend." Bo' Rai Cho said laughing heartedly.
"Master, please!" Kung Lao said.
Kitana tried hard to chuckle at the monk's embarrassment. Liu Kang only shook his head. Bo' Rai Cho never hesitated to put anyone on the spot. He found it funny while it was a total embarrassment to his victims. A knock on the door diverted everyone from Kung Lao whose face was beginning to turn red.
"That must be them now." Liu Kang said walking up to the door. He was right.
He opened the door to find Sonya, Jax, and Johnny standing at the doorstep.
"Come on in. The others are already here."
"Good 'cause I'm starving." Jax said.
All warriors were now gathered in the living room, each catching up with one another on old times and their present state. Kitana was so caught up in a conversation with Sonya that she barely noticed the timer on the oven go off. She got up but Liu immediately gently pushed her down. She looked up at him confused.
"What are you doing?" She asked.
"I'll serve dinner, you just get everyone seated." He said.
Kitana didn't argue as her husband went into the kitchen.
"That was nice. I wish a certain individual would do that for me." Sonya said looking at Johnny.
Johnny Cage looked at her blankly. "What?"
"Don't give me that, Johnny, you know what." Sonya said.
"Oh, come on. He's only doing that so Kitana won't be in a foul mood." Johnny said.
"And what about the other times he offered to help?"
"Yeah well…he's just being courteous! Trust me, mend don't normally do these kinds of things."
"I'm sure they don't." Sonya said disapprovingly.
"Why don't we all sit down at the table?" Kitana said getting up trying to prevent world war three in her house. Last time it took both Raiden and Jax to prevent it the last time they had a fight. Liu had managed to put out al of the food by the time everyone got seated.
"This is really good." Rebecca said taking a bite. "Who made all of this?"
"Kitana did." Liu Kang said.
"You did?" Rebecca said looking at her. "This must have taken you all day to make. Didn't Liu help you?"
"She wouldn't let me." Liu Kang said.
"It's true. I like challenges and wanted to take this one on myself. Besides, I'm a better cook than he is." Kitana said.
"Hey I'm getting better."
"Yes that's true. He doesn't burn food as much anymore."
"So how is teaching going Liu Kang?" Bo' Rai Cho asked.
Kitana and Kung Lao looked at him worriedly.
"It's going ok. The kids could be better skilled and behaved. I'm having quite a hard time controlling them."
"Ho-ho you just need to discipline, that's all! That's all it took with the group you were in."
"But these kids are…different." Kung Lao said.
"Raiden had to give us a hand." Liu Kang said.
"That sounds funny indeed! Well it'll get easier. You're close to the end of the term aren't you?" Bo' Rai' Cho said.
"Yes." He said. 'Thank god.' He thought.
"What about you Jax and Sonya? How's the OIA going?" Kitana asked.
"It's going really well actually. We've managed to reduce crime in Outworld and Earthrealm." Sonya said.
"Yeah but it's also caused us to make a few more enemies." Jax said.
"That's understandable. What about you, Johnny?" Kitana asked.
Johnny sat up proudly. "Well I'm releasing a new movie that I'm acting in and directing in a few weeks." Sonya rolled her eyes but Johnny ignored her and carried on. "It's a little documentary about making it in Hollywood. It's called 'The Life and Times of a Hollywood Actor'."
"I think it sounds interesting." Rebecca said.
"You don't know half of it. Try living with one everyday. Sometimes I think eh can't tell the difference between a movie and real life."
"Well if it's being released in a few weeks, I just might watch it." Rebecca said.
"You really don't know who I am, do you?" Johnny asked.
"No I don't sorry. I don't really look into actors. I like a few here and there, that's it." Rebecca said.
A slight frown came across Johnny's face.
"Well know you can say you know a big time actor." Kung Lao said.
The frown on Johnny's face changed to a slight grin. Kung Lao's compliment brightened his mood a little.
"So Kung Lao, how did you and Rebecca meet?" Johnny asked.
"Johnny!" Sonya said.
"What? I'm curious." Johnny said.
"It's alright, Sonya." Rebecca said.
Sonya still glared at Johnny who was beginning to sink into his chair.
It's a rather strange really." She began. "The sun had just begun to set when I was walking home from the grocery store when suddenly the two ugliest creatures I've ever seen came out from the trees. They had two blades that came from their arms and teeth like daggers. What did you say they were Kung Lao?"
"They're called tarkatans. They're grotesque and vile creatures."
"That's right. Anyway, they were talking about how they would devour me then one of them lunged at me. I was so frightened that I dropped my grocery bags. I thought I was a goner when suddenly this hat with a sharp blade on the rim flew across like a disk and decapitates the tarkatan and flew back into the shadows like a boomerang. That's when Kung Lao emerged." Rebecca said smiling. Kung Lao smiled back at the memory.
Kitana herself was smiling. Their story was similar to how she and Liu met during the first mortalkombat tournament. She helped him defeat Shang Tsung. She held Liu's hand under the table. Everyone's dinner was starting to become cold but no one took notice. They were too interested in Rebecca's story to eat.
Rebecca carried on. "He told the tarkatan that if he valued his life that he would to back to Outworld. The demon attacked him but Kung Lao performed what he calls a windmill kick and knocked him to the ground. I was so shocked I couldn't say anything. That's when Kung Lao introduced himself and told me I was safe. By the way, what were you doing in the forest?" She asked Kung Lao.
"I was taking a walk to clear my mind when I heard a woman's scream so I ran towards it and found her approached by the two demons." Kung Lao said.
"Well he was kind enough to help me pick up my groceries and walk me home. Apparently he wanted to make sure I made it home safely. And the rest they say is history." She said smiling.
"Ha-Ha! Just like Kung Lao not to hesitate to help someone in need!" Bo' Rai Cho said laughing.
Kung Lao blushed slightly. Everyone began eating their meals in silence.
"So how come you never told us about her?" Johnny asked.
"Well I wanted to get to know her a little better before introducing her to you guys. After all, you're not exactly an easy bunch to get to know." Kung Lao said.
"Well that I can understand but man, you could have told us about her." Jax said.
"That doesn't really matter. What matters is this: how long have you guys been dating?" Johnny asked.
"Johnny stop being rude!" Sonya said.
Johnny ignored her remark. "So?"
"About eight weeks." Kung Lao said.
"And stop ignoring me John Carlton!" Sonya said.
Johnny was silent for a moment. She rarely called him by his real name, except when she was really getting upset, much like a parent calling their child y their full name. "I'm not ignoring you. I'm just dodging you, that's all."
"Dodging me? What's that supposed to mean?" Sonya asked.
"Well it means that I'm choosing not to start up an argument." He said.
"That's the same thing as ignoring!"
"No it's not!
"Yes it is!"
"It's just called dodging ok?" Johnny said.
"Ok Mr. big time actor, why not try dodging this?" Sonya scooped up a spoonful of mashed potatoes and flung it at Johnny who ducked in time to miss the solid white mass. Raiden who suddenly appeared wasn't so lucky.