The thunderstorm had begun with little warning. The sky had filled with clouds, and the downpour started only minutes later. The band from Earthrealm was, with one exception, huddled in the cave which Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade had been sleeping in. As the others looked on, Nightwolf continued to sit in the open, with the wind and rain pounding down on him. He was sitting cross-legged on the bare ground, his eyes shut and a wide smile on his face.
"Is this normal for him?" Darrius asked.
"No idea," Stryker said. "Nightwolf doesn't really hang out with the rest of us when we're not being all "karate superhero", you know?"
"Actually, he had me spend a month on his reservation studying meditation techniques," Smoke said.
"I had him come to LA and consult on my last movie," said Johnny Cage. "It's coming out in December. The title is "Bloody Braves." He taught all the extras the proper way to throw a tomahawk."
Stryker shrunk back.
"Nightwolf says that meditating in the midst of this kind of weather teaches one concentration," Smoke said. He lowered his mask, letting a mat of white hair, which contrasted with his otherwise youthful appearance, spill out. "He says that if you can maintain your poise in such an environment, you can fight with greater focus."
"Also, I once saw him throw a lightning bolt at someone," Cage added. Smoke and Darrius glared at him. "What?"
Smoke groaned, and walked outside, taking a place on the ground next to Nightwolf.
"Good to see you Earthrealm people have such chemistry," Darrius smirked.
"We have slumber parties sometimes," Cage said. "Okay, I've got to ask, what did you do that was so bad that they actually checked you out of an entire realm?"
"Easiest way I can say it," Darrius started, not actually looking at Cage while spoke, "is I spoke my mind."
"That's nice and vague."
"My sister was put on trial for having a child out of wedlock," Darrius said. "The father was imprisoned almost immediately. I dared to say that that was silly. It spiraled downward from there. But that's in the past. I was kicked out of my home, but I landed someplace that suits me better. Outworld is in shambles, but there is potential for change. I have a purpose here, aiding Queen Sindel."
"Speaking of whom," Cage said, "when are we going to see this lady? I kind of assumed we'd have a layover of a night or two at best, but we've been here nearly a week."
"In good time," Darries replied. "There is one important task that needs to be finished before she calls on you."
"And that is?"
"She needs to get her daughter back."
Kitana pulled herself up to her feet. Goro was standing, while Baraka and Jade were similarly getting up off of the ground. There were small flames flickering out around them. As the fire settled, Kitana could make out a large pond, and high trees. They were, needless to say, far from Shao Kahn's palace, or the Lost Sea.
"Where are we?" Kitana asked. "What just happened?"
"Far away," came a rumbling voice. Kitana and Goro turned, and saw their rescuer. "And I grabbed you before you hit the water. I apologize for my tardiness. The passages through the Neatherrealm are hard to predict."
"Scorpion?" Kitana backed up. The specter may have saved her life, but he never simply helped people.
"You know who I am, congratulations," Scorpion sneered.
"She doesn't mean any insult, specter," Goro said. "Kitana didn't know the full extent of our plan."
"Nor, it seems, did I," Scorpion responded, looking at Baraka. "Or did you decide to improvise?"
"Can somebody please explain what's going on?" asked Jade, stepping between Scorpion and the others, and putting up her hands.
"Sindel asked for my assistance," Scorpion said. "I obliged. We have mutual enemies, and I always enjoy bringing stress to Quan Chi."
"The sorcerer? What does he have to do with this?" Jade turned to face the specter.
"He divides his time between the Neatherrealm and Outworld," Scorpion explained. "When he needs to focus on trouble in Outworld, and I have no doubt that Shao Kahn will demand it of him, there is less he can do in the Neatherrealm, and that makes my life much easier. Sindel asked me to play this small role in her little revolution, how could I say no?"
"So you haven't joined us?" Goro asked.
"I am not the type to simply join anyone's forces," Scorpion answered. "Not anymore. I have my own agenda. Our respective missions just happen to intersect at a few points. But for the moment, I've done my part. She can take it from here."
Scorpion pointed, and the others turned around. Queen Sindel had arrived, and was floating a few feet in the air.
"My thanks, Scorpion," she said, bringing her feet to the ground. "I hope our efforts coincide again."
"Perhaps they will," said Scorpion, his voice warming up. "Perhaps they will. But my job here is done. I need to get back to the Neatherrealm. There is trouble to be made."
"I have no doubt of this," Sindel responded.
Scorpion raised his fist in a salute as flames enveloped his body. And within seconds, he was gone. Sindel looked to her daughter and her companions, and couldn't contain her excitement. Kitana walked to her, slowly at first, then racing the last few steps, and embraced her. Baraka started to open his mouth, but Goro put a hand up.
"They've waited for this for some time," he whispered. "And they won't have a moment like it again for some time."