Rose and Makoto
She tried her hardest to look ahead, to see the path before her. But with closed eyes and foresight she saw only destruction. The ruin of not only this world but all of them. Through fire, water, light and darkness, Good and evil. Polar opposites coming together in a destructive clash of the ages where none would survive.
Armageddon.
Rose tried to hide the distress that was evident in her, but she kept coming back to them no matter how hard she tried to ignore or understand it. It all remained the same.
Opening her eyes, she saw this was not just the future of the one before her, but of everyone, a shared fate for all. Yet this one still wanted answers, or why else would she come to Rose for her to read her palm? The problem was that she had many palms and each one showed a different future. Peering forward over the table, she looked to the fortune teller with hard anticipating eyes.
"Well?" Sheeva asked as Rose still held two of her hands in her own.
"Ma'am." Rose said holding in a sigh "I'm afraid there are far too many futures to read from you." she told stiffly. She was right with that of course for each hand told something different. Aside from the impending doom one palm showed her defying her Overlord Shao Kahn, defeating Motaro in the process. Another showed her being turned into a powerful goddess by the Elder Gods themselves. Yet another showed her declaring a continent as a safe haven for her people, and the final hand showed her in possession of a powerful white orb.
Grumbling to herself, Sheeva retracted her hands from Roses grip to put them before her. She wiggled each digit before growling to herself in disapproval before standing up from her seat and turning around leaving Roses shop of fortune telling.
The second she was alone again Rose let out the sigh she had been holding in. Leaning her head down to lie in her hands it was a relief to do so, but it did not relieve her from her true burden. She could feel it now, a dreaded long dormant power come back to life, threatening all of it whether it for or against it. And every soul across every realm would suffer from it. But what could be done about it? If anything.
So deep were these thoughts that haunted her, that she did not hear the sound of someone entering her shop.
'But what can be done?' she thought to herself. 'What should be done?' she wondered further. Determined as she was to find the answer and so focused on that, that she didn't notice the person walking in draw closer to her. Not even when she was directly before her on the other side of the table. But she would find out anyway.
"ROSE!" an obnoxious voice suddenly shouted at her, shaking the entire shop.
"AH!" Rose shot her head up and shrieked only to find another figure grinning madly and bearing down on her "M-Makoto-" she let out in disbelief.
"That's right!" the young aspiring fighter let out "It's me!" she pointed to herself with a wide cheeky grin "And I need a favor of you!" before bringing it closer to her, leaning over the table pushing her face into hers. As enthusiastic as ever she couldn't have come at a worse time. For the weight on Roses shoulders was more than she could admit freely. And it involved everyone's fate. Even though she could tell Makoto, what she sensed for it was no different than all others; from hers, Ryu's, Menat, Sheeva and everyone out there. "I need a way to prove my dojos reputation!" she said before Rose even agreed to help her, taking a seat across from her. But Rose despite all she was sensing and going through had seen that request coming from her.
"I know." Rose sighed as she sat back upright in her seat.
"So, if you know that, then let me know what I can do to improve it." she said offering a hand to her, throwing it at her like it was a fist before opening it out for Rose to gaze at. But Roses eyes only rolled down to stare at the outstretched empty palm "Come on, it won't bite." Makoto urged her on "These fights were made for punching, though." she grinned confidently. Rose rolled her eyes before closing them to let out a tired sigh.
Slumping over, putting her head into her hand Rose reached a hand out to take Makoto's in her own, checking it as if she was checking for a pulse. But as soon as she had a great and terrible feeling rushed over her. One more terrible than any before. One of Konstant Kombat and never ending battles. From earth and beyond. This premonition of a looming konflict was correct. She knew that now.
The more and more fighters she encountered the more she could feel the power of konflict rising within them, rising to the khallenge of what was to come. One from a great and long gone foe.
'When will it end?' Roses eyes widened in horror 'Can it end?' she wondered. Her shocked expression, blank stare and silence only confused Makoto opposite her.
"What?" Makoto let out oblivious to the pain that had overcome Rose "Do I become that strong and my dojo that famous?"
Rose gulped down trying to calm herself though sweat still dropped from her forehead. But then a sensation came over her. One that started out cold and soothing before it eased her from her weariness. She felt another sense now, as if a revelation was coming to her.
For just as there is conflict, there must be a way to end it. There was no certainty to it, but if there was any way to stop. It would battle against time; she knew that. So perhaps, more time is exactly what they needed.
Rose let go of Makoto's hands and stood up.
"Huh?" she let out beneath her "So what is it?" she asked looking up to her.
"Too much to say in the little time I have." Rose told sternly.
"Huh?" she let out again unalleviated by it.
"There's too much at stake now." Rose began to explain "A great evil is coming if it isn't already here. A great many warriors will find themselves drawn into kombat. Some for good, some for evil, some in between. Some will fight for each of those sides, for others or for themselves." she thought that covered everything she had felt and envisioned. But it seems Makoto was still hung up on something else; what she came for initially.
"So, you're saying," she paused and blinked a few times "with all these strong fighters here I should fight them."
"What- no!" Rose said "I'm saying there's a great threat out there. But reading your future I can see there's a way to end this."
"Yeah!" Makoto cried getting up from her seat "Through my own skill!" she pounded a fist into the air.
"No, it is something else. Something older and stronger." Rose warned trying to reel her in though it only had the opposite effect.
"Then let's go find it." Makoto turned to point out of her shop.
"We?" Rose questioned.
"Of course." Makoto said putting her fists to her hips "We can go together. To find your lost thing you don't really know about." she tried to explain the situation as best she could "And to beat strong opponents for me." Enthusiastic as she was, Rose did not share it.
"Fighting if the last thing we need to do to turn this tide." Too many warriors and too many moving parts. Too many cards on the deck and futures intertwined in this one event.
"But it sounds like well have to, so let's go!" Makoto cheered once more this time pounding a fist into the air.
Whether it was a determination to match her own or just the simple offer of companionship Rose couldn't tell exactly. But something Makoto had done, had put a smile on her face.
"Very well." Rose relented as she began to rise up and float above the ground "Let us go, together."
Sareena and Frost
All it took was one small step. But it didn't seem small to her, or to anyone else who was measuring. For to cross between realms going through a portal may make it all the more easy, but that didn't mean it was just that easy for her to leave.
She was a demon of the NetherRealm. It was where she belonged. Where she would always return to no matter what. But things had gone awry, reaching from one realm to the next as if they were not separate, but one. It was easier to move to and from them without being noticed now.
'Another tournament.' she thought at first.
But her Master Quan Chi left suddenly, and it seemed as if whatever had happened before, it was different this time. Something far worse. Or better for her. A chance to leave the Netherrealm undeterred and go to the other realms.
And if she had one day, and only one chance she knew exactly what she would do, where she would go, who she would see. And who she would spend that time with.
And she took that chance.
Sareena left the Netherrealm behind. It didn't matter what Jataaka or Kia said, she was going for it. And she made it.
She traded the burning heat of the Netherrealm for the biting freeze of the artic mountains of Earthrealm. The smoldering light of the fire traded for the blinding light of the sun reflected brightly off the snow.
She put a hand above her face to block out the sun, though some of its rays still shot through the cracks in her fingers. But she adjusted to it well enough. Her eyes went from almost completely closed, to squinting and finally to wide open, at first in wonder, but then in awe. For carved into the mountains and settled atop and beside them was a temple encased in ice. And the home of who she had come all this way to see. Her smile widened with her eyes, and she raced across the snow trodden path to get to the temple.
The vision of the temple bounded up and down as she sprinted forward, her head bobbing as her heart pounded harder and harder until it rang into her ears louder than her footsteps in the snow.
But a sudden thought crept into her mind. One that numbed her to all else.
Would he be expecting her?
Of course not. This was meant to be a surprise.
Would he even want to see her?
And she had no answer to that.
She skidded to a sudden halt as the slump of snow skidded around her feet. Her head hung self-consciously as she contemplated that question alone to herself. A cold wind blew, encapsulating her and blowing her hair about her face overtaking everything in black save for the one white streak. Her eyes then went to where the wind blew, travelling across the land and over a frozen lake. She crept forward cautiously to the ice, seeing the glimmer of a reflection within. Finally, she got the courage to peak over the edge to see what looked back at her. Only when she stood fully over it, did she see a figure staring back.
She expected to see a demon stare back at her. But thankfully all she saw was a woman. But that didn't change what or who she really was inside.
She suddenly shook her self-pity away. She didn't come all this way to stop now. Gazing into the frozen water, she took a longer harder look at herself. Her mind left thinking of him for a moment and she thought of all those she knew who felt as she did. Kitana and Liu Kang, Jade and Kotal, Sonya Blade and Johnny, Jacqui and Takeda. If they could be happy, then why not her? Her and him, reunited. Together at last.
She readjusted her hair moving the white streak behind her ear to show more of her face. She crouched down further, pulling her shirt down in the process. Her head bobbed to one side and then the other to allow her a better look at herself. Everything had to be perfect. This reunion would be just as she dreamed it to be.
But she was so focused on making herself presentable and so within her fantasy that she didn't see or hear someone approaching until they were too close.
"Hey!" a sudden voice barked at her. Sareena jolted in place shaking back up straight and then towards where the voice came from.
Grilling her down was a blue clad assassin, with spiky blue hair to match as if it was icicles atop her head. The assassin's face was obstructed by a mask but the eyes shone malice and judgment upon her. But perhaps the most noticeable thing was that this assassin, unlike the others was a woman.
"What are you doing here?!" Frost hounded her again "This is the Lin Kuei temple!"
"I know." Sareena answered breathlessly "I've come all this way to find it." she told.
"You have no business here Sareena." Frost snapped.
"I've come for Sub-zero-to see Sub-zero" she stammered bashfully before her.
"Master?!" Frost let out alarmed.
"Yes." Sareena perked up locking her arms behind her and turning from side to side "Is he..." she peeped, needling one leg to allow the tips of her toes to shift and grind into the ground "here?"
Frost dropped out of her fighting stance, but her demeanor remained the same, in fact it actually deepened as her scowl did and she averted her eyes from Sareena.
Sareena leaned over to get a better view of the face that insisted onlooking away from her, her hair falling off of her head as she did.
"My master is not here." Frost pouted beneath her mask.
"Not here?!" Sareena repeated in disbelief, emotion breaking through her voice.
"No." Frost said, aggravated she was still talking about Sub-zero and not about her. Though she had come all this was for him and not her. "But he has left me in charge of the temple. And I will not accept any intruders."
"Where is he?" she asked pressing further.
Frost grumbled and further "He has gone to seek the disturbance of the realms..." She paused briefly "And find a solution to it."
"He has?!" Sareena said shocked. Not that she truly was. Sub-zero was just as heroic as she remembered him to be. But if he had gone out to do this, she would help him where she could, just as she did all those years ago. And once his mission was done then they could truly be together. But the task had to come first "Then I must go!" she said without hesitation and quickly turned around leaving the temple and Frost behind just as soon as she arrived there.
Frost jerked just as she made Sareena had once, she heard that and saw her leave. "Where are you going?!" she asked, now being the startled one.
Sareena stopped to turn back to Frost.
"Sub-zero needs my help. I came all this way to see him" she clenched her fist to her chest over her heart "But if I can help him. Then that would be even better." she declared looking to the sky "Just as he helped me." she whispered aloud to herself.
Frost eyes widened. Her master in trouble? She hadn't expected such a development. She had intended to take charge of the temple as he instructed until his return. And once he returned victorious from saving the realms, he would praise her for saving the temple and reward her with the rank of master. The first Female Master of the Lin Kuei.
But if he was gone never to return... that would be a terrible development. But it didn't have to be. Not if she went out there to save him! Then the student would truly be the master. It didn't matter if she abandoned the task he assigned to her if she completed what he could not.
Or so that's how she saw it.
But how could she allow Sareena to realize that and not her?!
Frost snapped her head back up, so fast and so hard the whiplash could have broken it. Only to see Sareena's pale figure fading away against the snow.
"Wait!" she called out.
Sareena stopped in place and hardly turned all the way before Frost was on her.
"Ah!" Sareena shrieked and backed away, but Frost just stepped up on her again.
"LETMECOMEWITHYOU!" she asked, pleading though it was a command.
"You and I?" Sareena questioned "Together?" she questioned again unsure "But didn't Sub-zero want you to stay with the temple?"
"That doesn't matter!" Frost shook her fist at her. Guarding the temple was better suited for someone like Smoke, who even got to go out on her masters orders anyway "I can't leave my master out there alone!"
"You said he left with to find help." Sareena scratched her head confused.
"Do you want to help him or not?!" Frost pressed her and Sareena buckled under the sudden pressure and mention of abandoning him. Something she would not do.
"No of course not!" she fretted putting her hands up defensively as assurances.
"Then let's go! Frost barged passed her, knocking her shoulder into Sareena and moving further down the path "Follow my lead."
Sareena turned around to face and quickly trotted to catch up with her and the two walked together side by side.
"So," Sareena asked innocently, putting her hair behind her ear, looking at Frost as she looked ahead, clearing not wanting any conversation or distraction "has Sub-zero mentioned me?"
"No." Frost said immediately and flatly. Shutting down the conversation as soon as it started.
Rose and Makoto Fight Your Rival! Skyscraper Under Construction
Distress rose in her eyes as she looked upon the world. For it was changing before them.
They may have been putting up a new building, its frames helping to build up this new world. But there were other signs of the same thing. Foreign incursions mixing with their world diluting the two.
Out in the distance rising amongst the construction was a statue of Mike Haggar, proud and triumphant as he was in the ring and in office. But across from him was another statue. One tall and menacing, rising just as high in an intrusive standoff with the other. One arm was stretch out as if goading into a confrontation was another statue, tall and menacing, wielding a hammer was Shao Kahn.
"It's getting worse." Rose said in fright of the sight before her. She lowered her head to avert them from the continued merging and confrontation of the realms and the dreaded realization that time was running short.
"You think so?" Makoto asked beside her much more innocently but curious all the same "I think it looks really good." Picking her head up Rose was appalled to hear such a thing. But looking to the girl, Rose saw her looking ahead though much closer to the ground. Rose turned to look again as well though was hesitant to do so. But in doing so she found what Makoto was focused on, what was before them was a large billboard with bright letters reading 'Johnny Cage vs Fei Long' "Who are you rooting for?" Makoto asked.
"Tsch." Rose rolled her eyes and turned away. But as she put her back to that a strange sensation came over her that made her freeze in place. That dreaded feeling growing inside of her; one of continued meddling and eating away at her constantly. She sensed a strange new presence, one much closer than the others they just witnessed.
Raising a hand and flicking her fingers up a tarot card appeared in between them. And on the face of the card was not a symbol but a woman. A pale woman with dark clothing, and black hair save for a white streak on one side that lined her face. She had evil origins, but pure intentions. Not unlike Rose herself, who housed a piece of Bisons soul.
And looking past the card and into the construction she saw that very woman walking through away from a junkyard. But she was not alone.
Flipping the card in her fingers Rose saw on the other side the exact appearance of the woman she was traveling with. Younger, draped in blue with frozen hair. From her, Rose sensed growing ambition and restlessness. A desire to prove herself against all others at all costs.
Perhaps not unlike Makoto, though severely lacking in charm.
Right as she thought of the girl, Makoto popped up beside her. Just as she looked ahead to these two women so did Makoto.
"What's that?" she asked peering up and across of them as they walked under beams "More strong fighters?"
"Yes." Rose said as she put her hand down "But they may not be our enemies..." she paused focusing in on the darker of the two "In fact they may need our help."
"If they're strong, then I gotta try them!" Makoto cheered as she pounded her fist together.
"Wait." Rose cautioned her putting an arm out to stop her from doing anything too reckless too soon "They may not be a danger to us." she paused as she saw the two make their way into the construction site "Let me handle this." she then floated up into the air right as she heard the tail end of a disagreement between the two.
"It just feels like we'll never find him at this rate." she heard the pale woman said.
"You're a real downer aren't you?" the blue one derided. It was now that Rose too would speak.
"I would not lose all hope if I were you." she spoke calmly from above.
The two women were taken by surprise and quickly snapped back to see Rose descending before them. But they were not the only ones to take notice of what was going on.
"Who are you?" the darker one of them asked. She was startled by Rose arrival but that did not make them automatic enemies. Rose was about to answer, but someone else was ready to interject now.
"Don't worry Rose I got this!" she heard Makoto cheer supportively behind her. Alarmed she hardly had time to turn her head back to stop her before the girl cried out over her desperate, please to stop "Here I go!"
And then Makoto leapt forward fist first into them.
Sareena and Frost Fight Your Rival! Skyscraper Under Construction
Frost was not the most pleasant of travelling companions. Sareena had realized that early on. She was certainly willful and confident- more overconfident than just confident. Though with a master like Sub-zero that truly didn't surprise her.
She didn't seem to want to talk too much, unless it was about her. Though for all her skills she had even more grievances.
"And you know they had the audacity not to invite me to be on their little team!" Frost complained as they walked, delving into all the tragedies and unfairness that she had been subjugated to. Whether it was the wind blowing towards her to hold her back or blowing away from her so as not to help her out. And don't even ger her started on the pebble she tripped over "I mean Kung Jin?! Takeda!" her voice and anger rose as Sareena kept a concerned watch on her out of the corner of her eye as they walked side by side "What can they do that I can't!" Frost fumed. Sareena was too uncomfortable to answer, though whether she did or not Frost would likely add that to her list of grievances. But Sareena kept her mind on the task at hand, the one that brought them together.
Once silence overtook them Sareena took the opportunity to look away from Frost to their surroundings. An entire city was all around them, yet they found themselves on the inside of ones being built. The metal framework made it seem like skeletons compared to the many buildings around them.
"Um." Sareena piped up as they ventured deeper into the construction zone "Are you sure this is the right way?" she asked.
"Yes." Frost said flatly and pointedly. Ending the conversation yet again. Sareena looked around as they walked together. Despite the fact that Frost was sure of where they were going Sareena felt like they were just getting farther and farther from it.
She ran a troubled hand through her hair, lining up the white strand and tucking it behind her ear.
"So where to next?" she asked.
"Forward." Frost said bitterly.
"Are you sure?"
"Of course, I'm sure." Frost said now turning to her "You don't think I know what I'm talking about?" she asked as if about to add Sareena to her list of slights and grievances "I'm sure it's this way." she nodded off with her head "You saw him heading this way same as I did." she said nodding off deeper into the construction zone. They had truly seen only a glimpse of him and his travelling partner, though it was enough for them to continue on.
"No, no I saw him go this way!" Sareena stopped and pointed in one direction "I saw him with Scorpion." she said looking off in that direction.
"Your wrong." Frost said walking past her and facing the other direction "I saw him go this way with Havik." she pointed off in that direction.
"Are you sure?" Sareena asked, obviously concerned about which way they would travel. For if they picked the wrong way, they would lose him.
"If that was him, why'd he run away when he saw you?" Frost nagged.
"I think because he saw you." Sareena pointed to her.
"Please." Frost gagged "He'd be more likely to skold me than congratulate me for coming all this way." she waved and rolled her shoulders, her voice becoming more aggravated as she spoke.
"Well, you did leave without his-" Sareena began.
"What?!" snapped at her getting dangerously close.
"EEK!" she shrieked and put her hands up.
"Come on let's keep going." Frost grumbled as she lumbered forward with her shoulders.
Sareena became more and more concerned as she watched on.
She didn't know how much time she had until the realm's realigned. Who knows if she'd be able to find Sub-zero before then?
The two began to walk together further passing under and by beams but stopped short when they came before a wide and tall metal gate. Though it had seen better days. Spray Paint was all over it. With numerous words and designs etched over each other. Rust was etched beneath that. And piling high on the other side was scrap and metal junk. A few inoperable cranes could be seen aside the high piles mountains of trash. Sareena and Frost looked up to see how high it went.
"Well," she began with wide cautious eyes "whatever it is I don't think it's this way." Sareena said before she turned around. In silent agreement Frost turned as well. The two began to walk away from the junk heap behind them.
"I told you it wasn't this way." Frost said, gloating dryly at her victory.
As they spoke and doubled back the way they came, behind them Noob Saibot jumped up backwards landing on a high pile of rubble that rose above the wall they had just left behind. Seth soon followed him up landing before him on top of that same pile. Noob swung at her, but she dodged and then punched him hitting him in the head. Noob fell back off of the rubble disappearing into the waste below the wall. Seth stood triumphant and laughed menacingly into the sky.
Then from behind her, Havik leapt up and grabbed ahold of her head and put his back to her. Forming a jumping head cutter he fell back to the ground on the other side of the gate, disappearing behind it and dragging Seth with him.
"It just feels like we'll never find him at this rate." Sareena slumped down; her voice defeated.
"Hit me bitch!" Noob Saibot's voice shouted, echoing from the junkyard behind. Though they were oblivious to it.
Frost looked at her with a raised eyebrow "You're a real downer aren't you?"
Sareena's head hung and she did not answer. But someone else did.
"I would not lose all hope if I were you." a woman's voice suddenly said. The two of them shot up, taken by surprise. Quickly they did an about face and saw nothing, until they looked up. There they saw a woman floating above them with two illuminated balls of light swerving around her descending down from the cranes and higher levels of construction. In each of her hands, she held two cards between her fingers.
"Who are you?" Sareena asked on edge.
"Here I go!" another voice called though much livelier and closer to the ground. Their attention was brought back to the ground as suddenly they were overtaken by a white flash and a leg was hurled at them.
Unable to block it in time, Frost braced herself as she could do nothing but take the blow. But the leg was stopped before her. Stunned further Frost looked to see Sareena had put herself out and blocked the kick bracing it against her arm.
As for the assailant who was currently upside down as her leg was up and she was doing a handstand.
"Wow that was really good!" Makoto complimented before her belt felt down and hit her in the face.
"Huh?" Sareena let out. Makoto then flung herself back flipping in the air before landing on her feet.
"I knew you were strong when I was saw you." she said to Sareena before looking to Frost "As for you," she began "I thought you'd see me coming. For a ninja you're not very perceptive." she said, happy but clearly disappointed.
Frost bristled at the comment "I'm an assassin." she corrected spitefully clenching her fist and jaw beneath her mask. Sareena put up an arm to brace her.
"Enough of this!" Rose shouted from above as she floated down to the ground "This is not what I expected when we encountered."
Sareena and Frost looked puzzled.
"Expected?" Sareena questioned.
"You following us?" Frost grunted more aggressively.
"The cards told me everything." Rose answered holding her hands out two and on the face of the cards were two people: one showed Frost, the other Sareena. The two looked stunned now.
"It showed we would meet? "Frost both asked and stated, as if it wasn't obvious by this point.
"Among others." she concluded. Flipping the cards through her fingers "It also showed me who you seek." she told and revealed them again, this time holding two up between her fingers on each hand. Though they did not see themselves this time, but someone else. On one card was a blue clad warrior in a mask. The other showed him again, though this time draped in black.
Sareena gasped "Sub-zero!" she and Frost exclaimed at the same time. She took a frantic step forward "Then you know where he is?! Please tell me?" she pleaded.
Rose did not answer her and instead looked at the opposite sides of the cards, the ones that faced her. On the back of the one bearing Sub-zero was Scorpion. On the back of the one showing Noob Saibot was Havik grinning wildly at her.
Rose looked from the cards back to her "You are in a service to a great evil." she told. Sareena flinched though a blow hadn't come her way "Whether you know it or not."
Sareena's face showed only distress, but she would not stop now. Not after she took the chance and had come all this way. "I serve Quan Chi." she admitted "But I have not come all this way for his sake-"
"It is not Quan Chi who I speak." Rose cut her off confusing Sareena. A reflective look came in her eyes, on the verge of self-pity as she saw in Sareena someone no different than her. Someone who was once shackled to a great evil "I was like you once, yet I broke free. But it is not that darkness that binds you now." she paused again, her tone graver making Sareena all the more concerned. It was almost like she was warning her, warning her from perusing Sub-zero "Your emotions. They are strong. But they lead you astray."
Sareena's face flared up "Emotion will free me!" she said in a surge of violent angry passion. She then put her fists up.
"You know not what you say," Rose said warily trying to get through to her but holding her ground "or what you are looking for."
"If you won't tell me where he is," Sareena said "then get out of my way!"
Frost then slid up beside her "They may have him hostage." she said peering at Sareena who only nodded to her. This was getting out of hand very quick, so quickly Rose was dreading she could not avoid a conflict or shave them from their fate.
Beneath them the metal beam shook and then the great lines that held it up rose high bringing it into the sky, yet none of them lost their footing. They remained squared off against each other. Sareena and Frost viewed them as threats, Makoto looking for a challenge and Rose still trying to find a way to stop this. All the while the beam was brought higher and higher into the sky.
"You do not know what you are getting yourself into" Rose warned "But if this is the only way for you to learn this lesson." she said residing herself to another fight, to bring them closer to the end they would all share. Makoto, however, only laughed
"Ha!" she said "See I told you your stupid cards wouldn't get us anywhere." she rolled her arms and bobbed on her feet "Now come on. I want a challenge. Good thing I came across you." she said to Sareena which only angered Frost more.
The beam finally settled in place, taking its unconnected unobstructed place along the tall framework of the building all around them. Construction workers lined the rails and platforms all around them, busying themselves with their work, but stopped when they saw the spectacle before them.
"Break time!" one called and all followed suite, dropping what they were doing as they leaned over the railing and bare ledges to get a better look at what was to come "Cat fight!" one called, and others whistled at four women who didn't respond "Knock em dead beautiful!" they cheered, and cat called together.
The four of them prepared for a battle in the sky along the beam. As Makoto set her eyes on Sareena, Frost grumbling looked over to Rose, hoping to get something more out of this "So." Frost began looking to Rose "Do your tricks show me leading the Lin Kuei."
"Your future is even worse than hers." Rose cemented.
Frost grumbled "I hate fortune tellers."
They platform raised and they shook with it, rising into the air the two pairs squared off with each other.
Sub-boss Necalli Hour of Battle! Rose and Makoto
The platform they had battled on had stilled in its movements. The battle they just had was a hard fought one. For all her attempts Rose could not help Sareena or Frost. It worried her, for if she could not help others what could she do? But at the same time, it hardened her heart, knowing she would have to press on, to see this to the end.
There was another obstacle they would have to pass through first. When the barrels on the other end of the platform were flung aside Rose and Makoto looked back at their new assailant. And each one had a completely different reaction.
"Oh no!" Rose said worriedly more so than she had before on their journey. But her worry was not shared by the one with her.
"Whoa!" Makoto let out more intrigued that put off "What is that?" she asked.
Lumbering through the barrels that rolled out of his way, Necalli came forth. His head low to the ground as if tracking something. His hair dangling from his head touched the ground, but his attention was directed ahead across the platform. To them.
"Something terrible something that must be stopped at all costs." Rose answered. That didn't frighten Makoto, however.
"Is it strong?" she asked excitedly.
"Absolutely."
"Then let me take a crack at it." Makoto said stepping up to face him without hesitation.
That, like her initial action that won her over, surprised Rose. Her smile turned into a fierce protective smirk as she moved to come side to side with her.
"Not alone." Rose said gliding up with her.
See the oncoming challenge Necalli spoke.
"You.. you shared his soul.. his strength... his power."
Rose knew who she meant. Bison.
"I fight against him now." she declared "The same as I would you!"
"I will have you... and him."
"Yeah, yeah whatever!" Makoto chimed in "If you're really that strong talk with your fist!"
Sub-boss Necalli Hour of Battle! Sareena and Frost
As hard as that fight was, the men watching really seemed to enjoy it. So much that they tried pouring water on top of them. In Frost case it only froze, but Sareena had to stop to wring her hair out. But whatever that fight was, it brought out a much different reaction this time.
Frost was too busy shaving off the water thrown on her that had been turned to ice, but Sareena saw it and she was petrified. Frozen in place her hair fell through her hands as she watched on in horror as the ground opened up and a terrible man like creature rose from it.
Noticing her first, and oblivious to what was approaching them Frost looked up "What the hell are you looking at?" she asked kneeling beneath her. Sareena did not answer, her eyes merely widened as more of this creature revealed itself. So, Frost turned to look herself. Finally, seeing Necalli rise from the ground, she instantly went on guard. Frost on edge as always played it off like it was nothing "What the hell is this?"
"He's come for me." Sareena answered horrified. Frost snapped her head over to her.
"How can you be so sure?" Frost asked looking back to her as Necalli stepped forward.
"I don't know what that is." Sareena said fixated on Necalli "But it's here for me. To return me to the Netherrealm. To my service."
"Tsch. Looks like playing hooky is over for you." Frost mocked looking back at Necalli. Hearing Sareena's words, Necalli answered.
"I come from beyond that place..." he answered, relieving Sareena if only a little before he spoke again "But I have come for you..." he huffed confirming her fears "your soul is strong... stronger than you guess." he paused to hack and swallow "I must have it." his threat however, chilled Sareena.
But if he was not sent by her master to return her home, then her journey wasn't over, not yet. And if it was to end, it would not be by him.
But before she could tell him that, Frost stepped between them.
"If it's a strong soul, you came to the right place." she said obstructing Sareena and entering her fighting stance "Because I'm as strong as they come."
"You..are not even comparable a drop of water... in an ocean." "Necalli said before nodding off past her to Sareena who was blocked from him vision by her "It's her I want."
"Well, you won't have it. Neither of us" Sareena stepped up "I came to find someone. And I won't leave without him." she said assuming her own fighting stance beside Frost.
"You can share your fate." Necalli growled like a freakish animal "In my stomach for all eternity."
"That won't happen!"
"But I-eh-came for you."
"It's me you'll get." Frost said as she was the first to charge Necalli, sliding across the ground to do so. Necalli in reply rushed at her and Sareena was right behind Frost.
Rose and Makoto Ending
They had come across many realms. Far from earth where they had started in her fortune shop. It felt almost as if they travelled across time itself. But looking at where they were now perhaps that was not the wrong conclusion to come to.
Great spindles turned around them like clockwork, as if suspended in the air with only their natural machinations to keep them going; for Time never stopped for anything. Stark colors of white and black were all to be seen. This place seemed to stretch on eternally.
Stepping forward together the two gaged their surroundings. Rose with caution, Makoto with gusto.
"Hello!" Makoto called but only her echo was heard. Normally Rose would have chastised her for this, but she was too fixated on what was ahead. What she had come for.
The floor was solid and heavy, yet thin and spread out. Looking to the center of the room, they saw the great spindles centered around one object, like pieces of a spider's web coming to its center.
Treading cautiously the two came closer, naturally drawn to the structure centered in the room. A large sphere atop a white piling. Clear inside yet held immense power to shape all the realms at once.
The Hourglass.
Rose eyes widened when she saw it.
"This is it!" she gasped in awe. A white light shined onto it as she dared step closer. Her hands outstretched as she was gazing into a crystal ball, it was here she saw it all. Past, Present and future. Timelines that were remade, and ones she can make herself. "Yes." she said floating up to become level with it "I see it now. It was here all along. It's so clear to me." she said as the rush of power and realization came through her. Then her gaze hardened on it "There's only one thing to do." she said. What she had come all this way for. To undo the terrible visions, she had seen. Of death, of Armageddon. To remake the timelines anew. Free of beings like M. Bison, Shao Kahn and all others. The white light of the Hourglass then shined onto her, and Rose began to glow white as her power over the hourglass became stronger "Yes." she said feeling it surge through her, but at the same time her through it. The power was immense, but the sight of what she wanted wasn't lost within it "I can do this." she paused grunting "But it will be hard." she admitted "But I can do it. I can save us all." she proclaimed selflessly.
Suddenly as if to aid her Makoto popped up. Having been on the sidelines watching Rose interact with this thing, she wanted a crack at it.
"Let me try it!" Makoto shouted jumping up at her.
"What?! No!" Rose shrieked "Makoto wait!" she moved a hand out at her. But it was too late. Makoto had already taken hold of the hourglass and waved her hands wildly. They began to glow brightly before the light from them was cast out overtaking the room. Rose covered her eyes from the blinding light.
When she put her arm back down, there was no sign of the black and white stage where they once stood.
Thankfully the Hourglass was still there, as they were. But now there were others. And given the look of them, it didn't seem like they were from their world or time. They were all standing around a great arena, jumbled together to watch a great conclusion together. But that was not why Rose was here. But she had to find out where she was exactly. So, she turned to the culprit.
"Makoto?" Rose turned her head from side to side to find her "Mako-" she turned it straight and stopped short when she found the young girl and her face dropped at the sight.
There was Makoto in the center of the ring standing atop two great warriors. Her leg extended onto Prince Goro's back as he laid sprawled out on the floor defeated. And beneath him in the same state though under the crushing weight of the Shokan Prince was a younger Shang Tsung. There they lay, the two would be champions of Mortal Kombat, defeated by its new champion, Makoto.
"Yeah!" he cheered "That's how you do it!" she thrust her arms up triumphantly "You saw that right?!" she snapped her arm out and a finger pointed down to the nearest man standing close to her. A bald, monk known as the Great Kung Lao. Startled by her, he humbly nodded his head to her "Yeah! That's what I'm talking about!" she cheered putting her arms up again "Now this'll be good promotion for my dojo!"
As the Champion of Mortal Kombat, it certainly would be.
Rose, however, just sighed and held her head in her hand.
They had a lot more work to do now.
Sareena and Frost Ending
Noob Saibot let out a terrifying laugh as he raged into the darkness. His laugh was as dark and evil as he was. His head reared back into the sky before he settled down. And when he did his eyes rested on the figure before him.
His little brother. He may call himself Grandmaster, but he was still his little brother. And that's all he'd ever be. A pale imitation.
But perhaps that was not as egregious as the figure besides him. A sorry forgotten sack of flesh risen from the grave. A pitiful excuse for a fighter.
"Look at him brother." Sub-zero pleaded as Charlie Nash stood beside him loyally. Sub-zero had saved him from the Netherrealm so he would help him now "He has been risen after death. A flawed destructive copy of who he once was."
"I have no flaws." Noob corrected him plainly.
Sub-zero pleaded reaching out his hand "Please. Do not let his fate be yours."
"His fate shall be death." Noob clenched his hand "By my hand. As will yours if you do not move aside." But his younger brother did not take the mercy he offered.
"I-" he choked "I cannot allow you to do this to yourself."
"Then you shall die." Noob said and readied himself for the fight to come. Resigned to it, regretfully Sub-zero did the same. Charlie beside him prepared as well. But just as Sub-zero wasn't alone, neither was Noob Saibot.
Cackling Havik came aside him. "Who shall fall first?" he asked madly.
"This new warrior." Noob looked to Charlie "I will prove he is as failed in death as in life."
"Then let us delay no longer!" Havik cried out. But before this final battle could begin to decide their fates once and for all, another set of voices overtook theirs.
"Sub-zero! Master!" they cried together.
And their voices made the two brothers flinched in shock: the tension giving way to confusion and caused the fighting spirit to die out. Both of their heads jumped up their bodies eased up and their eyes went wide.
"Hm?" They both turned to the side to see two women running towards them. The darker one heading straight for Noob while the one in blue's course lined with Sub-zero.
"Oh no." Noob whispered still wide eyed.
"Who is it?" Havik's head asked, and it popped up over his "Another challenge?" he asked, but Noob gave him no answer. The two women drew closer to their intended targets. Then in a drastic sudden movement changed their trajectory.
They changed directions, crisscrossing each other's path and now ran towards the opposite of the Sub-zero brothers.
Sareena leaped off of her feet and flew in the air and headed right for Sub-zero. She cried out his name as her arms wrapped around his neck and dragged him down as he was unprepared for her sudden burst at him.
Noob Saibot, on the other hand had something else to deal with. He tensed up as Frost came at him expecting a fight now, but instead she went to her knees and bowed to him.
He stalled in a reaction as if he had been frozen in place by his own move, as he loomed over Frost who sat on her knees beneath him.
"I'm come to save you Master." she said, her voice monotone and full of reverence.
"Hm?" Noob's head twisted at the oddity beneath him.
"You'll never believe what I've been through to find you!" he suddenly heard Sareena say. His head snapped over to her to see her dangling off his brother's neck as he was burdened with not just her weight but her words. "I left the NetherRealm just like that. And you know Kia and Jataaka said I shouldn't go! They said it was a waste of time but here I found you, so it wasn't! Then I fought a fortune teller and saw a lot of interesting fighters. What realms are they from, I wonder? " she continued to ramble on almost incoherently dragging Sub-zero down like she was a heavy necklace. But as she rambled and he lowered, Sub-zero managed to look across the way to his brother who was staring back at him. And their eyes locked sharing the same bewildered outlook of what was going on here. "And your student helped me." Sareena squealed kicking her feet up and clenching onto him tighter.
Sub-zero gagged as less air got into his lungs. But he did manage to let some of his voice escape.
"Yes..." he said "She did." Sareena's giddiness faded now as her eyes now opened and let her see clearly who she was talking to. And needless to say, despite the garbs he wore, he seemed different, almost not how she remembered. She looked over to see Frost kneeling before someone. That was who Sub-zero was looking at as well. "Frost!" he called out.
She stirred and looked over to him. And now it was she and Sareena who starred on in bewilderment. Their faces turned from looking at Sub-zero to Noob Saibot and then back to the other. Back and forth they went until they finally settled in on the other man; the one who they really came to see.
"Master! Sub-zero!" they called out again and broke away from their spots to trace spaces. Frost stumbled over to Sub-zero and knelt before him.
Sareena began to go towards Noob Saibot with just as much zeal, but then slowed her pace as she crept forward as if unsure of who this truly was before her.
"...sub-zero?.." she squeaked. The shadow of the man took in a deep breath, his chest becoming larger before he released and with it, he said her name.
"Sareena." he let out a deep breath. Her fluttered at the sound of his voice speaking her name after so long. Her eyes widened in astonishment.
"It is you!" she leapt at him and began to squeeze him tight. Beside him Havik eyed this whole thing curiously scratching his head as Noob began to suffer the same fate Sub-zero had.
"I love it!" he suddenly admitted throwing his arms in the air "So many twists and turns!" On the other end Charlie Nash did not share this outsider's enthusiasm.
"You'll never believe what I've been through to find you!" Sareena said excitedly as she began again, choking him in the process "I left the NetherRealm just like that. And you know Kia and Jataaka said I shouldn't go! They said it was a waste of time but here I found you, so it wasn't! Then I fought a fortune teller and saw a lot of interesting fighters. What realms are they from, I wonder?" she rambled onto him as she had done before.
Noob Suddenly took control of her wrists and forcefully took her off of him. She was confused and looked up to him for answer as he stood over her.
"I am not who you remember." he said in a voice as dark and menacing as his colors. But it didn't stop her.
"Of course, you are!" she dove at him again, her excited voice returning as did her death grip on him, which was only stronger than before.
Across from them Frosts reception was not as pleasant.
"Master." Frost said again as she knelt before him.
Sub-zero let out a grumble "Frost." he paused "Did I not tell you to remain at the temple to guard it?"
"Yes Master." she admitted "But I-"
"Deliberately disobeyed me." he snapped. Though he could not see it, Frosts eyes bugged open. Her eyes drilling holes into the ground. She began to sweat nervously, but the sweat only turned to ice against her skin. "You will have to be punished for this."
'No! This isn't how it was supposed to go.' she thought to herself. She snapped her head over to Sareena hoping she would voucher for her amid all this. She would prove her story true of all the great things she had done to come all this way.
But she was walking away.
"Come on!" she said cheerfully leading the way as she dragged Noob by his neck caught in her headlock hug "There's so much we have to do now that we're together again!" He squirmed and tried to pry himself loose, but he couldn't free himself. His shadow emerged and tried to pry him free but to no avail. He grabbed ahold of his foot but ended up being dragged away with him. And following behind them with his arms raised his triumph Havik followed laughing the entire way.
And as Sareena walked away Frost saw her only chance at someone vouching for her fading with her. She looked back up to her master with pure fear in her eyes as he looked down at her with disappointment. She then let out a defeated sigh.
Watching all of this unfold Charlie moved his bangs from his eyes.
"So" he said aloud and Sub-zero turned to him "Are all your family reunions like this?"