Chapter Two
DISCLAIMER: I DON'T OWN MORTAL KOMBAT OR ANY OF ITS CHARACTERS. I ALSO DON'T OWN ITUNES AND 'J'ADORE' BY CHRISTIAN DIOR.
One year later…
It was 7am and Cassie Cage was fast asleep in her bed. She was lying on her stomach and her face was down on her pillow. She was snoring a little bit and drooling on her pillow. Just then, Cassie's room door opened and someone tip toed inside. Jacqui Briggs, Cassie's best friend and roommate, quietly walked up to her bed. Cassie was still sleeping. Jacqui quietly chuckled as she stood by Cassie's bed. She went up to Cassie's ear.
"HAPPY BIRTHDAY!" Jacqui screamed into Cassie's ear.
"AAAAAHHHHH!" Cassie screamed. She woke up so startled that she fell off the bed. Jacqui was laughing so hard. Cassie gave her an angry glare as she kept on laughing louder and louder.
"You fucking bitch." said Cassie, standing up and giving her an angry glare.
"I'm...I'm sorry! But the way you fell off the bed...that...oh shit that was so funny! Hahahaha!" said Jacqui, laughing hysterically.
Cassie crossed her arms and kept on glaring at her. Jacqui didn't care, she kept laughing.
"I'm sorry." said Jacqui, who gave Cassie a hug. Cassie continued to cross her arms and Jacqui released the hug. She smiled at Cassie and held out a birthday gift bag.
"Will this birthday present make a good apology?" said Jacqui, smiling.
"It depends...is it the keys to a brand new Lamborghini?" said Cassie, smiling.
Jacqui laughed.
"You wish." said Jacqui.
"I do actually." said Cassie.
Jacqui gave her the bag. Cassie sat on her bed to open her present. Jacqui sat next to her. Cassie brought out a card and a beautifully wrapped box. She tore open the wrapping paper, revealing a box of designer perfume.
"Woah! You got me J'adore?" Cassie exclaimed, smiling. Jacqui smiled and nodded her head.
"So what are you trying to say Briggs? You implying I smell like shit?" Cassie said sarcastically.
"You're an idiot." said Jacqui who rolled her eyes and laughed.
Cassie chuckled.
"Seriously though...that's a really amazing gift. I love it. Thanks Jacqui."
"You're welcome! Now open your card! Open it!" said Jacqui, excitedly.
"Okay, okay, I'm opening it." said Cassie, chuckling and opening the card.
The front of the card had two cartoon squirrels who put their hands on each other's shoulders. The front of the card said: 'Happy Birthday Best Friend!'
Cassie smiled and opened the card. The inside of the card read:
'You're NUTS and that's why I love you!'
Cassie then saw that Jacqui wrote a handwritten note in the card. Jacqui's handwritten note said:
Cassie,
You're a crazy bitch and that's why I got you this card. Because you're crazy. You're nuts, like a squirrel...get it? Lol. Yes, I know it's super corny and you're gonna make fun of me for it. Anyway Cassie, we've been best of friends since we were babies. You're not just my best friend, but you're my sister as well. We've been through so much together. We've trained together. We've traveled the world together. We've saved the world together. We've fought together side by side. Just like a sister, you can annoy the shit out of me sometimes. Sometimes you drive me crazy. You're a crazy girl Cass, and that's one of the many reasons that you're my best friend. Never change being the crazy, funny, badass bitch you are! I couldn't imagine my life without you. My life would suck without you. I love you to the moon and back. Happy birthday!
Love,
Jacqui.
Cassie was so touched by Jacqui's sweet birthday note. However Cassie was a tough tomboy. She didn't like to be all fluffy. Even when Cassie did get emotional, she didn't like to show it. She was a person who hid her emotions so that she wouldn't seem vulnerable.
The one emotion that Cassie didn't hide though, was anger. When Cassandra Cage was pissed off, she would let you know. Growing up, her mother Sonya wasn't exactly maternal and emotional. Sonya was a tough as nails soldier and she raised Cassie like a soldier. She wanted Cassie to be tough...to be able to face the world. Cassie loved her mom more than anything, but she wasn't close to her.
Growing up, Cassie couldn't cry to her mom. She couldn't confide her problems to her mom. Whenever Cassie was upset about something, her mom would tell her to suck it up. If Cassie complained that her classes were too hard, or she was having drama with her friends or she was having boyfriend problems...Sonya would say, "Suck it up and get over it. These aren't real problems." Cassie got so angry whenever her mom dismissed her problems like they were nothing. Were there more important problems in the world? Of course. But that didn't mean that Cassie's problems weren't real problems!
Also, Sonya's high expectations drove Cassie crazy. Since Cassie was a little girl, her mom always criticized her grades. If Cassie got an A minus, Sonya would ask her why didn't she get an A plus? In high school, Cassie's report cards were mostly B's. Maybe B's and one or two A's. B report cards are really good, but Sonya wasn't impressed by Cassie's grades. Whenever Cassie showed Sonya her report card, Sonya would always say, "B's again? Not good enough Cassie." Hell, in 2nd grade, Cassie got third place for most well behaved student and Sonya told her that she should have been first. Second grade people! Second fucking grade!
Cassie knew that her mom loved her...she just wished that she expressed her love. Cassie envied her friends who were close to their moms. Jacqui and her mom Vera were very close. Jacqui had a lot of respect for her mom, but she and her mom were also best friends.
Cassie was happy that she and her dad were very close. Cassie and her dad were best friends. She had always been a daddy's girl. She always confided in her dad and she looked up to him. She wished that she was close to her mom, but at least she had a close relationship with her dad.
"This is the corniest, cheesiest birthday card and birthday message ever." said Cassie, smiling at Jacqui.
"Oh boy, here comes the teasing!" said Jacqui, laughing.
"And I love it." said Cassie. "Thanks Jacqui. For the gift, the card and being the best sister a girl could ask for. I um...I love you too."
"Woah...did Cassandra Carlton Cage just tell me she loves me? You barely tell me you love me! Except when you're drunk!" said Jacqui, laughing. She hugged Cassie and playfully kissed her on the cheek many times.
"Ewww! Ugh! Stop that!" said Cassie, laughing and trying to push her away.
"I love you too bitch! Muah!" said Jacqui, kissing her on the cheeks.
"Ugh! I knew I shouldn't have said I love you! I knew I was gonna to regret that!" said Cassie.
Jacqui laughed and released the hug.
"Alright, enough goofing around. We should get ready for work." said Cassie.
"By the way, we are totally going out to celebrate tonight!" said Jacqui.
"Jacqui, you know I don't like making a big deal about my birthday."
Jacqui sighed.
"Cass, we do this every year. You never feel like celebrating your birthday, but I always end up forcing you to. You know that I'm gonna make you celebrate. Why do you keep fighting this? Resistance is futile." said Jacqui.
"'Resistance is futile?' Really? Wow, you are really cranking up the corniness today huh?"
"Shut up! Anyway you have no excuse! Today's Friday so you can't say that you have work early tomorrow. So get ready girl...when we get back from work, you, me, Takeda and Jin are going to celebrate!"
Cassie groaned.
"Happy birthday again!" said Jacqui who chuckled and left the room.
Cassie and Jacqui drove to the Special Forces Headquarters. They saw Takeda and Jin, who wished Cassie a happy birthday and gave her presents and birthday cards. Takeda bought Cassie a pair of designer women's high top sneakers. Jin bought Cassie a $100 iTunes Gift Card. Cassie was very grateful to her friends for their birthday wishes and gifts. Cassie also got tons of text messages and phone calls from her aunts, uncles, cousins, Jax, Vera and Kenshi.
Cassie was walking to the Conference room to have a meeting with her teammates. Just then, her cellphone rang. Cassie looked at the screen of her phone and smiled. On her phone screen was a picture of her and Johnny Cage, smiling. Underneath the picture was 'Dad Calling.' Cassie slid her finger on the screen to answer the call.
"Hi Dad!" said Cassie.
"Hi punkin!" said Johnny Cage cheerfully. "Happy Birthday!"
"Thanks dad!" said Cassie.
"Do you want me to sing 'Happy Birthday' to you?" Johnny asked jokingly.
Johnny Cage was talented at many things. He was a great actor, martial artist, one of the greatest fighters in the world. He was funny, a social butterfly and an overall just cool guy. However when it came to singing...Johnny Cage couldn't hold a tune.
"Please don't." said Cassie, chuckling.
"You don't want to hear my soothing, beautiful, singing voice that would put Bruno Mars to shame?"
"Trust me dad...my ears are sure." said Cassie, chuckling.
Johnny Cage chuckled.
"I'm coming back to the States late tonight." said Johnny.
"How was England? You have fun?"
Johnny was involved with the Special Forces, but he was still a famous, successful action movie star. He recently filmed a new action movie, 'Pow! Bang! Showdown in Korea Town!' The film was very successful in the box office. It grossed millions of dollars in the States and internationally as well. Johnny and his co-stars Jet Li and Sanaa Lathan had travelled to promote the movie. They went to New York, Atlanta, Miami, Japan, France and England.
"I had an amazing time! I haven't been to London in years. I had fun sightseeing, riding those big red buses, hanging out at the pubs...and I got to hang out with some sexy British women. Damn British women are so hot! And their accents...hubba hubba!"
"Calm down Romeo." said Cassie, laughing.
"I met this British supermodel, Gemma Hopkins. She is so sexy...perfect body, perfect skin, perfect boobs, perfect ass...we went back to my hotel and..."
"Dad! Ew! Ew! Ew! Stop! This conversation just got mad uncomfortable!" Cassie exclaimed, grossed out.
"What? I was just gonna say that we hung out." said Johnny, laughing.
"And that's all you did huh?" Cassie asked, sarcastically.
"Of course." said Johnny, sarcastically.
"Okay. Whatever you say dad." said Cassie, chuckling and rolling her eyes.
Johnny chuckled.
"I've missed you punkin. I can't wait to come home. Anyway tomorrow how about you and me go have a nice birthday lunch? We'll go to your favorite restaurant."
"Cool! That sounds like fun. Looking forward to it dad."
"I'll pick you up at your place by...say around 4?"
"Okay dad, see you then. Um, dad...I'm sorry but I actually have to go. I have a meeting and I'm running a bit late."
"Sure thing Cass. See you tomorrow. I love you."
"Love you too dad." said Cassie. She hung up the phone and went to the Conference room. After the meeting, Cassie went to her office to do some paper work. After an hour of working, her office phone rang. On the phone screen, she saw that her mom was calling her from her office.
"Yes Ma'am?"
"Sergeant Cage, could I see you in my office?" Sonya requested.
"Yes Ma'am."
Cassie hung up the phone and stood up. She walked to her mom's office and knocked on the door.
"Come in." said Sonya.
Cassie opened the door and walked inside. Sonya was sitting behind her desk, studying important files. Sonya kept looking at the files and didn't look up. Cassie went up to Sonya's desk and stood at attention.
"Um ma'am, you wanted to see me?" Cassie asked, smiling.
Sonya looked up at Cassie.
"Yes Sergeant. The Special Forces are gaining some new recruits later this month. I am assigning you to be in charge of their training sessions."
"Yes Ma'am."
"You will teach them combat and weapons' training. You'll be training them every day from 5am to 10am."
"5am?!" Cassie thought to herself. "And I thought I already woke up super early for work. Ah fuck me."
"I want you to keep a progress report of each of the new recruits." said Sonya. "The recruits that don't successfully complete their 3 week training won't join Special Forces. Understood?"
"Copy that Ma'am." said Cassie.
"Alright, you're dismissed Sergeant."
Cassie stopped standing at attention and stood in a casual posture. She put her hand on her hip and kept smiling at Sonya. Sonya raised her eyebrow at Cassie.
"Uh...can I help you with something Sergeant?" Sonya asked, raising her eyebrow.
"Isn't there something you want to tell me Ma'am?" Cassie asked, smiling. "Something you want to give me?"
Sonya looked at Cassie with confusion.
"Huh?" Sonya said.
"Come on, you know what today is." said Cassie, smiling.
"Um...Friday?" said Sonya, still raising an eyebrow.
"Oh, I see what you're doing...you're joking around...trying to mess with me. Very funny Ma'am." said Cassie. "Come on the joke's over."
Sonya looked even more confused. She stood up and leaned against her desk, facing Cassie. She looked at Cassie with concern.
"Sergeant...what the hell are you going on about? You're not making any sense. Are you..." Sonya whispered "...are you high?"
"What?!" Cassie exclaimed.
"Sergeant, I know that when you were in high school you were experimenting with weed. I was disappointed in you. But at the same time, I understood that you were a teenager and teens do stupid shit. But you are a grown ass woman Cassandra Carlton Cage. You're the leader of an elite military team. You're supposed to set an example not just for your teammates...but everyone else here in Special Forces. You are old enough and smart enough to know better Sergeant." said Sonya, sternly.
Cassie looked at her mom in shock.
"You're kidding me...she forgot. She actually forgot." Cassie thought to herself.
"I'm not high mother!" said Cassie, raising her voice a bit.
"You sure about that?" Sonya asked sternly.
"Yes!" she replied angrily.
"Then what the hell were you talking about earlier? You weren't making any sense."
"Um...nothing." said Cassie. "I um...I just wanted to ask for the rest of the day off...since it's Friday."
"Oh. Well why didn't you just directly ask me that then? Anyway sorry, but the answer is no Sergeant. You have work to do. Any other stupid request you want to ask me today?"
Cassie gave her mom an angry glare.
"No Ma'am." said Cassie.
"Alright. Get back to work then. You're dismissed."
"Yes Ma'am." said Cassie.
Cassie walked out of Sonya's office. She was so angry that she wanted to slam the door, but she had to restrain herself. She closed the door and started walking to her office.
"Unbelievable." Cassie muttered to herself. "So I guess I'm still not good enough for you, huh mother? Forgetting your own daughter's birthday? What a bitch."
Cassie was so angry. She and her mom weren't close, but she never thought that Sonya would forget her birthday. I mean, how could you forget your own daughter's birthday?!
After Shinnok was defeated, Cassie thought that she had finally met her mother's high expectations. Cassie was able to lead her team to stop Shinnok's evil plans. Not only was Cassie a great leader, but she actually went one on one with Shinnok. Not only did she fight him, but she defeated him. Shinnok was powerful and he seemed unstoppable, but Cassie bravely fought him and won. She saved her dad, her friends and the world.
After Shinnok's defeat, Sonya told Cassie that she was very proud of her. Cassie was happy because she thought that she finally gained her mother's approval. She thought that maybe she and her mom could improve their relationship. She hoped that maybe she and her mom could actually...be close.
However, even after Cassie saved the world...she and Sonya's relationship hadn't changed. Sonya still had high expectations for Cassie. Expectations that Cassie felt that she would never meet. Sonya forgetting her birthday, made Cassie feel that her mom still didn't respect her. She felt that she still wasn't good enough for her mom.
Cassie got to her office and closed the door. She leaned her back against the door and sighed. She had such a nice birthday until her mom ruined it. Cassie was so angry and sad. She didn't even feel happy about her birthday anymore. Cassie was used to the fact that she and Sonya weren't close. However, deep down, she wanted a good relationship with her mom. Sonya forgetting her birthday made Cassie have a harsh realization: That she and her mother...would never be close.
A tear fell down Cassie's face. Cassie quickly wiped away her tear and sniffled.
"Ugh, get it together Cass. Don't cry because of that bitch." she said to herself.
Cassie was very upset. She knew that she would be too distracted to keep doing paperwork. She decided to go to the gym. Special Forces had huge gyms and training facilities. One of the gyms was a boxing gym. Cassie loved boxing. It was a great way to let out her anger and frustration. Cassie definitely needed to punch a bag right now.