Daytime finally shined upon Equestria, and the animals at Fluttershy's Cottage were looking at the strange creature that slept on Fluttershy's couch. Fluttershy herself was wide awake, and she worked on making some tea for her unknown guest. She soon took notice of the animals looking curiously at the sleeping man.

"Please everyone, don't make him feel crowded..." She said but couldn't help but feel curious herself. Shaking her head, she headed back to the kitchen.

However, while Fluttershy was busy, the man's eyes slowly opened and looked in her direction. Since he had just woken up, his vision was still blurry.

"Haru...mi?"

In the kitchen, Fluttershy poured the hot water into a pot and put some tea bags inside it. She turned around, only to see the man standing right in front of her. She gasped and dropped her tea tray, but before it could hit the ground, the man caught it and kept it balanced.

"Oh my goodness...!" Fluttershy gasped as the man's gaze focused on her.

"Are you the one who brought me here?"

"Y-Yes." Fluttershy nodded timidly. "I-I found you unconscious out in the woods and brought you to my house."

The man set the tea tray down while Fluttershy took a few deep breaths to get over the shock before sitting down.

"I...see you're feeling better now."

The man nodded. "I am grateful for your hospitality."

Realizing she still didn't know the man's name, Fluttershy fixed her hair a bit before speaking.

"Um...who are you, if you don't mind me asking?"

"My name is Hanzo Hasahi of the Shirai Ryu Clan...but now I merely go by Scorpion." The man said.

"Um, I'm Fluttershy..." Fluttershy introduced herself. "Are you...from Earthrealm?"

Scorpion shook his head. "No. I used to be, but I was killed and reborn in the Neatherrealm. But how do you know about Earthrealm?"

"Well...some people from Earthrealm arrived here in Equestria just the other day," Fluttershy explained. "But how did you get here then? I thought Celsetia's Amulet only sent the Protectors of Earthrealm?"

Scorpion looked at his hands before clenching them tightly, his mind going back to 10 hours ago...

*Flashback: 10 Hours Ago...*

Quan Chi was in his study in the Neatherrealm, trying to learn the secrets of the amulet Raiden had. Suddenly, his instincts kicked in as he dodged an incoming kunai on a chain, turning to see his former servant standing behind him.

"Murderer...!"

Quan Chi merely huffed. "Scorpion... you know what I did was to get Sub-Zero out of my way."

"But he wasn't the murderer I sought, you were! You made me into a puppet, burrowed your way into my head!" Scorpion snarled. "I thought that by killing Sub-Zero, my soul would be at peace... but all this time you lied to me, and used me to kill those who were a threat only to you!"

Quan Chi shook his head. "You were my best servant...but now you are merely a disappointment. NOOB!"

Out of a flurry of liquid shadows came a black-clad ninja with empty soulless white eyes and a black sickle dripping with shadowy energy. Scorpion narrowed his eyes as he recognized the individual.

"Bi-Han...So it is true that Quan Chi resurrected you."

"He has perfected me into the ultimate warrior," Noob said, his voice a dark throaty rasp. "But you have become defective in your design...now you must die!"

"I killed you once... I will have no problem killing you again!" Scorpion snapped.

Noob rushed in, making the first strike but Scorpion blocked the attack and countered with a scissor kick. However, Noob anticipated it and pulled a roundhouse kick to Scorpion's face, sending him flying.

The Shirai Ryu Spectre growled as he recovered just as Noob rushed and threw several punches at him, which he bobbed and weaved through before retaliating with a left hook to Noob's face, sending him stumbling back, shaking his head before glaring at his foe.

"You won't so much as get near Quan Chi! Not while I draw breath!"

Noob sent a shadowy clone of himself to tackle Scorpion but he jumped over it and grabbed the stunned Noob by the arm before jabbing him in the throat, making him choke. He then threw a few quick jabs at Noob's torso, and pulled a backflip, kicking Noob in the jaw as hellfire covered his feet.

Noob hit the ground as Scorpion remained standing, but he wasn't about to let his old foe win this fight. Black ooze covered his body, and he threw another shadow copy of himself at Scorpion, holding him in place as Scorpion struggled to break free.

"Now I will have my revenge on you Hanzo... for taking my life...!"

However, Scorpion refused to give up and die there so he quickly turned using the shadow copy as a shield. Noob was shocked by what just happened as Scorpion glared at his enemy, flames engulfing his fist.

With a powerful uppercut, Scorpion sent Noob flying into the air before throwing out his chain kunai, piercing his shoulder.

"GET OVER HERE!"

With a mighty pull, Scorpion pulled Noob toward him before landing a powerful right hook, breaking the resurrected Bi-Han's nose and knocking him out cold.

"Perfection does not mean that you are invincible." Scorpion coldly said to his fallen foe before turning to Quan Chi. "As for you..."

"Scorpion, there is still time to make this right." Quan Chi said as he secretly held a flaming green skull.

"You've gotten away with many things, Quan Chi, and deceived so many people...but no more!" Scorpion growled, hellfire blazing off of him. "Now I am going to finish you!"

As Scorpion reached for one of his swords, Quan Chi sent the skull at him, hitting his chest and sending him to the ground as the necromancer smirked cruelly.

"Your path of vengeance ends here, Scorpion. Now, join your family in Hell!"

Scorpion angrily sprung up, kicking Quan Chi in the chest to send him stumbling back as he got back to his feet. The necromancer wasn't too bothered and smirked as Scorpion rushed at him, only to block his attacks and land a kick to Hanzo's ribs, fracturing a few of them.

Scorpion grunted but before Quan Chi could make a killing blow, he teleported through a burst of hellfire and reappeared behind him, delivering a downward punch to the back of his head.

Quan Chi stumbled from the hard blow but managed to balance himself and turn to Scorpion with a glare.

"Perhaps bringing you back from the dead was my greatest mistake... just as taking pity on Sub-Zero, will prove to be yours!"

"This has nothing to do with him!" Scorpion snapped. "All that matters is making you pay for my family and clan!"

With a roar, hellfire surrounded Scorpion's body as Quan Chi summoned two skeletons to defend him, sending them charging at his former servant. However, Scorpion dodged the attacks and cut through them with his swords, scattering their bones before they disintegrated into green mist.

Quan Chi could not find a way to counter Scorpion in time, as the Hellfire Spectre grabbed him by the head and threw his knee into his jaw, dislocating it and sending him into the air.

He then threw two chain kunai at him, one landing in his chest, the other piercing his skull. He pulled hard on the chains, slamming Quan Chi down on the ground and breaking his neck. Scorpion glared at the helpless sorcerer as he brought his kunai back.

"Now you will feel the same pain I felt..."

However, Quan Chi had one last trick up his sleeve as he summoned several demons to surround Scorpion.

"Kill him!"

The demons lunged at Scorpion, all of them ready to rip him apart but the Shirai Ryu Warrior was not going to die here. With a furious yell, hellfire exploded from his body and incinerated all the demons. Quan Chi shielded himself as best he could but when the flames settled, he saw that Scorpion was gone, leaving the necromancer to glare furiously at where his former servant once stood.

*End Flashback*

"I do not know how I was able to bring myself to your realm," Scorpion admitted as he checked his bandaged chest. "But all I remember is your face before losing consciousness once more..."

"I couldn't just leave you there out there..." Fluttershy said. "And for what it's worth, I'm really sorry about your family."

Scorpion saw the compassion in Fluttershy's eyes and knew right then and there she was a genuinely kind soul. He set his tea down before standing up.

"I am grateful for your kindness but I do not wish to overstay my welcome." As he said this, Scorpion looked at Angel Bunny glaring at him from the corner of his eye. "And your pets don't seem to take too kindly to me either."

"I am sorry about him, Angel Bunny doesn't always take kindly to strangers." Fluttershy apologized as she took her bunny. "Oh, that reminds me... if you're here, then you should join up with Liu Kang and the others..."

Scorpion's eyes widened. "Liu Kang? But he was killed by Shang Tsung."

"I know. He told me and my friends about what happened." Fluttershy nodded. "But trust me in that he's alive and well here. Come on, I'll lead you to the Castle of Friendship!"

Scorpion was unsure but he could tell Fluttershy was trustworthy. With nowhere else to go, he followed her out of the cottage and into Ponyville, heading for the Castle of Friendship.

The face of the franchise has arrived! But what about Sub-Zero? We'll get there in time!