Noob Saibot and Havik
The roaring flames and the agonizing screams of the people ensnared in them would regularly be a horrifying sight. Yet it was just a normal day in the Netherrealm and therefore did not give Noob Saibot pause.
The wraith moved among the cinders and molten rocks as easily as he would a regular path. Though this one often had hands rise up from below in agony he paid them no mind or kicked them away if they dare got too close and kept his beady white eyes ahead as his pitch black form took him forward.
But suddenly yet slowly, an arm reached out to him, not from down low, but from up high and stopped Noob Saibot's advance.
"Noob Saibot." Havik greeted in his thin voice as his pale right arm reached across to his back to perch itself and grab a hold of his right shoulder as his left hand grabbed his closer left one and pulled him close. Finishing the task Havik spoke again as he hunkered over him "It is time." he said cryptically. His voice eerie yet enthusiastic at the same time.
Noob merely rolled his shoulders and Havik's arms fell off him "Time?" He repeated in question "Time for what?" he moved to face him. His body bladed as Havik faced him fully and though his mouth was a bare skull it seemed to widen and grin maliciously.
"A new age is upon us. A new power is rising." he spoke as if he was giving a sermon, his arms out and wide before him to try to explain the grandness that befell the two of them. But all Noob saw in between his arms was nothing.
Noob stirred at his yet again cryptic talk.
"Speak sense." he ordered, though asking sense from someone from the chaos realm may be a tall order.
Havik's arms diminished as they slumped back to his side, but his enthusiasm did not "Do you not know? Do you not see?" he asked as he stepped forward his arms outstretched, but Noob would not be touched again. Havik stopped before him and still Noob said nothing.
"You have been down here for too long." Havik teased followed by a mean chuckle. Noob meanwhile waited for answers. "Have you not wondered why your master has left without so much as a word?" Havik continued. Now, this had occurred to Noob already as Quan Chi's abrupt departure was noteworthy, even more so that he was in the presence of the sorcerer of Outworld. But Noob was told to stay here, but now that was brought into question. To guard his master's lair. He remained silent and continued to look at Havik "The Realms are imbalanced." he declared, and Noob raised a curious yet unknowing eyebrow at him. "Misshapen and open" his hands twisted and rolled before him "Allowing for warriors from across them all to come and go as they please. I'd wager even the fallen elder god Shinnok may escape his prison now." he mused "And already these warriors have journeyed and collided in kombat. Who knows what will become of them?"
Noob only blinked to acknowledge heard his ramblings. It was not surprising that Havik would be so keen on such an occurrence. But he still felt his question went unanswered. "What does this bode for us?"
Havik's fingers strummed the air "It is time." he declared again opening his arms and coming towards him again "time for us to go out into these worlds. Ripe and ripped in chaos. And take it for our own!" he declared triumphantly as if it had been done already "To komplete the pact we made." Havik said having finally spoken his mind and finished. The two of them had an 'understanding' as alliance never seemed the right word for them.
Noob was silent as he remained in the front row of Havik's outburst. But it seemed as if this one had brought sense finally reached his ears. He wasted no time in letting his intentions be known.
"Then let us go." he said finally meeting Havik's enthusiasm with his own dark senses. He raised his hand as did Havik and he slammed it into Havik's connecting the two of them. The two gripped each other's tightly. Their journey would begin now.
Juri and Seth
The hallways were long and empty. Only the soft sound of bare feet sliding across the ground or off the walls could he heard as they weightlessly carried their owner deeper into what remained of the demolished base. The corridors were pitch black allowing her to go throughout it unknown and unseen, save for the bright shine of a pink light. It was hidden behind a black patch, but even that could not contain the bright light which shined out to show and reflect the shape of the face that wore it. And the sadistic violent grin she bore. Needless to say, regardless of whatever was left and how little Juri could see, it was easy to maneuver through.
Flinging herself forward the drop down the once functioning elevator shaft didn't daunt her either.
Landing on the ground she came down low, stretching her legs out to brace her fall as she hunched down her face in line with her body. Snapping her head up she licked her lips as she saw what was up till now the only still working set of lights, shining down on the only remaining fully functioning door.
Or it was, however.
Slinking back up to her feet she looked at the door for only half a moment before she thrust her body forward with a kick that split the door open and off its hinges like it wasn't even there.
"Knock knock." Juri called into the room which only echoed the greeting back to her.
Standing confidently in the doorframe she propped a hand to her hip to look around. The base was just as she had last seen it. Destroyed, ruinous and beyond repair. Entire levels collapsed down onto lower ones, but it seems there was something still worth finding in here. Or else she wouldn't be here now. An old abandoned base belonging to M. Bison didn't seem like it'd be the place to find something worth her while.
Those were just rumors, of course and if they turned out to be false, she would repay them in kind.
She slid deeper into the room to stand amongst the rubble.
Out of the corner of her eye, she saw something. Something out of place. There were many large tanks and capsules, but they were all broken, knocked over or shattered. Yet this one was standing upright, untouched by all the destruction around it. More noticeable still was that it held something inside of it. The shadow of a figure.
Juri's eyes flashed a dangerous gleam as her sneer widened "Well, well, well." she let out "Let's see what got left behind in this dump." she said as she strutted forward to stand before it. She paused to look into it though even right before it she could only see the outline of a head inside, a shadowy figure isolated inside. Looking at it from her view, she saw her face reflected perfectly onto the dark outline and saw her tongue ran across her lips. "Better get ready." she said raising her limp arm up as the other remained resting on her hip "This is your wake up call." she said mocking as she pressed a button.
A hissing like that of a giant snake was heard as Juri's hand returned to her side. Waiting smugly but not too eager for what was about to come out from the pod. A streak of light creeped out from the top as the door that held it in began to open by lowering itself. As it crept down, she saw more of the shadowy figure inside.
It had the shape of a woman. No clothes could be seen but for skin, it was plastered shiny silver with black parts all interconnected with long orange lines that traced the body and shined as bright as Juri's eye as she appeared. Long black hair flowed behind her like a shadow. And right as the door touched the ground creating steps for her to exit her eyes snapped open wide and malicious and staring straight at Juri just like how they did last time. And it didn't take Juri too long to catch on.
"Oh crap." she muttered.
"JURI!" Seth's deep voice beckoned before flinging herself out from the pod onto the ground right before Juri who instinctively backed away and readied herself for what would come next. Seth rose to her full height and stared contemptuously down at her with crossed arms "You have released me from my prison again." Seth grinned as part of his long dark hair fell to cover half of her face but could not conceal the malicious grin or shining yellow eyes that pierced her.
"Freed?" Juri questioned "You think I'd wanna-"
"And just in time!" Seth cut her off as if she hadn't heard her complaint uncrossing her arms to raise them up "For it seems new challengers have arrived to greet me as well."
"Tsh? You heard of that crap too?" Juri asked dismissive and uninterested.
"Now that they are here I shall-" Seth began to boast but was suddenly cut short. The shine of the orange around her body and the life in her eyes went blank as if suddenly snuffed out. The torso then fell over limply as her hair fell down over it.
"Huh?" Juri let out confused. Keeping her distance but her guard up Juri spared a few uneasy blinks at the now lifeless body "What the hell?" she asked. As soon as she spoke as if responding to her voice Seth's torso shot back up, as if given jolt of life. Yet despite this new life there was an uneasiness to be found in Seth's eyes and stance. Shoulders slumped as her head fell into her hands and her hair fell through them. Her body reeling over itself.
"Where am I? What am I?" Juri heard muffled painful cries.
"Huh?" Juri let out.
"I know what I am, who I am!" Seth began to answer, ranting with anger and resentment growing in the voice "I can't become the greatest warrior." Seth's voice dropped seeming to fret and argue "But I am the greatest warrior!" Seth began to cry out erratically.
Seth seemed to be unstable and at war with herself. Amusing as it was to watch, it wasn't the reason a grin came to Juri's face.
"Is that so?" she spoke up and Seth's maddened strained face shot up to look at Juri who resigned herself to the more casual stance she entered the room in "There are a lot of new fighters out there who would say otherwise." she warned.
"They are wrong!" Seth shot up "I will show them!" Seth declared.
"If you wanna then come with me." Juri said wiggling a finger at Seth as she backed away "I know exactly where they all are." she said turning around and putting her back to Seth. She continued to walk on but listened intently to what was going on behind her. Another harsh whisper and then it was snuffed out by the sound of footsteps as Seth took a step forward to follow Juri who hid a mischievous grin behind her long bangs.
With everything going on she had plans to deal with it. She came all this way, and she would get whatever it was worth.
Noob Saibot and Havik Fight Your Rival! Junkyard Paradise
The two walked side by side. How much father they had to go they were unsure, but they would make the most of it when they got there. And from whatever there was along the way.
They had left behind the fire and screams of the Netherrealm for the metal clanking of and seemingly endless abandoned scrap yard. Abandoned junk and age-old rust surrounded them amongst piles of discarded and forgotten ilk. Perhaps it wasn't all that different from the NetherRealm, after all. Some of it was even on fire. The two followed on the broken and forgotten concrete path laid out for them. Discarded like the rest with the trashed cars and metal taking over it as if it was moss or vines.
'Is that a plane?' Havik quipped as they walked otherwise silently through the junkyard. The mountains of trash seemed to grow as they continued on through it. They had been walking for so long that it felt like this place was a realm all itself.
Noob kept his eyes straight as did Havik, at first. But soon enough his head began to wander and turn to the right. Slowly at first, but he halted when he caught sight of something, and he remained fixated on it. He stopped in place, and he put out his left arm stopping Noob Saibot when he walked into it.
"What?" He asked partly alarmed as he looked to him. Havik said nothing else but dropped the arm stopping him and raised the opposite one to point off to his right and into the distance where his vision remained focused on. Noob followed his finger to look past him to where he pointed and just behind the tip of his finger to see what caught his attention.
For just beyond them nestled between two larger hills of scrap metal and over a wall of piled up cars were two women, ones that neither one had recognized, which was good for now. They had intended not only to encounter others, but to be followed as well though so far, they managed to evade Sareena and his brothers wretched pupil, Noob was sure they persisted. These two however were new to both of them. Meshed in with the rest of the mountains of metal and debris and seemingly on a journey of their own. They walked along a path that would have intersected with theirs had there not been a few beaten old cars and their husks blocking them from doing so. They were not making any headway now though for instead of moving forward they were facing each other, their fists balled and shaking, their mouths flapping wildly with it, as if in an argument against the other.
"Hm." Noob let out his voice dark to match his shade "Women. How typical." he said unimpressed.
"That one looks like you." Havik commented pointing to the darker of the two and Noob Saibot turned further too and peered forward with beady white eyes to see beyond the edge of Havik's finger. Whatever she was wearing-and it looked like nothing- was pale silver intermeshed with black, with streaks of amber running around her nearly naked form. It seemed the one thing to cover her was long black hair reaching down to her feet. There was a halo positioned around her head, but she did not look saintly given her demeanor and the glare of her eyes. She was pretty, though her beauty was more bewitching and haunting given her shade and demeanor.
He did not see the resemblance.
But if that was meant to be him then the other perhaps was Havik; or so was Noob's rational thinking. Though again the Chaosrealm lacked in such things. He turned slightly to view the dark figures travelling companion.
The other, though more colorful perhaps, still had a darkness about her. Her black hair was held up but extended out as if it were horns and she wore a skin tight jumpsuit of purple and black with a spider engraved upon her back. An eye patch clung on her left eye and being the only side that faced them was all the had to go off of.
He could not hear what they were saying, but it seemed as if they were in an argument against each other- whoever was winning was not clear to him nor did he care. And he instantly turned away to continue walking without another word to be spared on the matter.
"You don't want to see what it's about?" Havik asked curiously as he turned his head to see Noob go.
"No." he said flatly as he took his eyes off of them and continued to walk forward, ready to continue on their way. But Havik remained and watched Noob walk away, but then returned to keep his eyes on the two of them curious to see what would happen next and realized now that they had stopped whatever argument they were having and were looking over in their direction. Their faces were like deer in headlights being the only parts of their body facing them as the rest of them remained frozen mid argument.
"Too late." Havik commented.
"Hm?" Noob stopped and when he turned around to Havik to hear what he said, he saw not his Chaosrealm companion, but one of the women peering up, directly face to face with him with hardly a breath between them. One eye shined a bright purple under the eye patch while the other was plain. Already caught off guard Noob backed up, stumbling defensively and when he got farther away, he assumed his fighting stance and saw her fully. And something must have been funny when he did that because he saw the woman cackle and lower herself off her toes, growing smaller before him. It was now as she stood properly, he saw the distance in size between them as she hardly reached up to his neck let alone his chest. But her stance was only for a fleeting moment as she twisted and curved her own body before bending at the hip putting one arm in it as the other hung limply.
"Heeeeyyyy." Juri said as she hung down adjacent to her legs "What'd you think you're doing?" she looked him up to down. Her voice oozing with a wild malicious intent.
"It is none of your concern." he spat back defensively. From behind her the other woman walked up, more casually behind before staking a neutral more nuanced stance as opposed to her traveling partner. Her hands folded before her stomach and her head bowed slightly as her bangs covered her eyes averting them from the scene before her.
But as she remained on the edge, Noob's companion did not. Havik moved over to stand mid-way between them, but parallel to the stare off between Noob and Juri. His concentration was on her, a curious gaze on his face. But he now turned his torso down and hung on his side partly mimicking her.
"What is the objective of this?" Havik asked curiously as his head turned up to Noob as the rest of his body bent over at the waist like hers "Is that how you Earthrealmers greet each other?"
"Really? Is that what you're looking at?" she asked bringing a hand up to run across her skin and lips "You checking me out?" she asked before bringing herself up only to have her torso fall to its opposite side and then come back up again. She began rotating her hips round in a circle enticing him to look even more, but he remained rigid and on guard the entire time. Juri then leaned back poking her chest up "You like what you see?" she asked coming back up as a tongue slithered out between her fingers and teeth before retracting back inside. But if Noob wasn't answering Havik, he certainly wasn't answering Juri either. Instead, he looked past her to the figure right behind her, who despite being close herself seemed distant at the same time.
He lowered his guard briefly for the moment. With his focus towards her, he then walked forward. But to get to her, he'd have to get pat Juri first.
She shot back up when he came before her.
"You're the kind that takes what you want huh?" she called as Noob continued to walk towards her "Well you won't get it without a fight from m-" Noob pushed her to the side and walked forward, past her before stopping before the darker of the two.
Juri slid to the side and came close to Havik before stopping herself, crouching over to bring a hand to the ground "Hey!" she snapped as he came to a complete stop.
But like before Noob did not answer and instead, she was left in Havik's company.
Her attention was before her to the back of Noob Saibot as Havik leaned down behind her and hissed into her ear.
"Did someone piss on your friend?"
Recoiling Juri snapped back to face him "And what're you supposed be?" she asked putting a hand to her hip and waving the other.
"I'm the reckoning." he replied opening his arms wide "The agent of chaos."
"Pah!" Juri spat "Unlike your friend," she constricted to face Havik, only to contort before him "sounds like you know how to treat a girl to a good time." she said as she glared hatefully at Noob.
Noob came to a stop before the mysteriously silent women. He instead looked down at the faint figure before him. He looked down to her meticulously as she finally raised her head and looked up to him curiously, but not a word nor breath came from her. He could see now that there was in her the center of her body in her abdomen was the Yin and Yang symbol. But perhaps most distinctly was that her face was identical to Juri's even though they were clearly to different beings.
Yet this is the one Havik thought was like him.
"You." he began stopping before the darker one and she perked up more when she was spoken to "Who are you?"
At the sound of a voice directing itself at her, her eyes flashed in their amber way as a sadistic grin widened across her face.
"The Greatest Warrior." she replied threateningly, but the voice they heard come out was not what they expected. The words they spoke were not as shocking as what came out of her mouth.
A man's voice.
Noob backed away from her now as Seth began to cackle madly aloud to herself. The unsettling sound of it spilled out and echoed through the junkyard ringing against the metal. It was now that Noob stopped himself and knew what he had to do next.
"Fool." Noob himself said darkly breaking the cackle as the brim of his hood overtook his head "I am the greatest warrior. " Noob countered his body tensing up and growing larger in place.
"You will prove your worth by dying before me!" Seth declared. Her expression exaggerated from the plainness of before. Noob widened his stance as one arm went before him and the other clung to his chest in a fist.
"I was not expecting that." Havik said as he cracked his neck to one side and then the other taking his stance to Noob's side as Juri lined up across from him "Our greatness begins now it seems."
"Your greatness will fall as you do at me feet!" Seth declared. As Seth finished, Juri spun to her side.
"I'm gonna enjoy breaking you two." Juri cackled.
"You are the one who shall be broken into pieces." Noob threatened, finally speaking to her.
But his first words and boast didn't do anything to impress her "Oh, that's all you got for me!" she shouted back "You're a loss already."
"History is written by the victor and I never lose." he said bending down "As we will show you now."
"Oh, go to Hell!" she spat as the two sides squared off against each other.
"You first." Noob said and then the two groups moved towards each other.
Juri and Seth Fight Your Rival! Junkyard Paradise
The junkyard was a high as it was long. Countless heaps of scrap and discarded junk of all shapes and sizes brought together in one forgotten formless hulking land. There was hardly any ground to be seen through it all. The large piles built shapeless distorted towers as the smaller cans and junk combined together to make ones just as large and grotesque. A graveyard for metal as abandoned cars, planes, buses, train cars and even boats littered the waste. It was a city of trash as far as you could see. And was just another stepping stone in their path.
The gray heaps were only a hurdle to the two warriors as they made their way there. But they were not the only ones doing so.
For curiously itself there was another pair moving amongst the rubble. They offered no aid to the other as they passed through, yet they were inseparable, going along the same unseen path together as one ducked under a low beam connecting two piles of junk as the other jumped over it. Slinking low and jumping high the two reunited on the other side and continued on their path. Which was heading right towards her.
A metallic eye gleamed purple, and a sadistic smile grew even wider she saw them. A tongue ran across her lips, wetting it as her teeth gleamed like fangs.
Emerging around a makeshift corner of rubble came two men who looked as if they just walked out of their graves. One was tall and pale, distinctly missing the skin around his jaw which showed bare bones and his revealed teeth which always seemed to be in a perpetual evil grin. The other was a darker figure, hooded and dressed completely in black so that no part of his body could be seen save for the small white eyed under his hood.
He could easily have been mistaken for his lighter companion's shadow... if his own shadow wasn't moving on its own.
Juri sat atop a pile of cars, sitting on the hood of the highest one as if she was sunning herself on the beach. She was so high up and had a perfect view of all around and beneath her. Her arms propped up comfortably, her head looked down below at the two. Her head following where they went.
They passed another corner and turned moving shoulder to shoulder and side by side. Their eyes were ahead where the found no path, but a small wall of rubble. And beside it, standing like a guard tower was the cars she sat upon. They did not see her, but instead kept moving forward. That was until she decided they had gone far enough.
"And where do you think you're going?" her voice called from above taking them by surprise.
The two were startled flinched and looked around eager for a fight.
So was she.
When they saw nothing, they looked around further. The lighter one was the first to bring his head up and when he saw her looking down on them, he looked no further. Keeping his head at her, he reached a hand out to touch the shoulder of his darker comrade. He stirred violently towards him as if he was going to turn and hit him first. Yet when he replied with a casual finger pointed upwards, he raised his head.
He saw several discarded cars piled atop each other. Of different makes, models, colors and sizes. Yet his eyes trailed up through the several of them to see at the very top a woman sitting casually atop the hood of one as if she was an ornament.
His eyes focused on her and his body tensed. His white eyes under his black hood squinted upwards menacingly. Juri, however, bobbed hers the other side looking down at them sideways half amused already.
"What are you looking at?" she asked down mockingly. The darker of the two did not hide under his hood. He eased back to standing up straight as if not threatened. He then turned his head to look forward again to where they were originally heading as the paler stepped forward.
"I am Havik! Cleric of chaos." he declared with open arms "This is Noob Saibot." he put an outstretched hand to his shoulder, but it was soon shrugged it off. "What are you doing there?" he called up.
"Ohh" Juri bobbed her head to the other side "Just waiting."
"Waiting for what?" He asked dropping his arms a malicious chuckle escaped her before she answered.
"The show to start." she replied. Noob grumbled in annoyance. Juri smirked at that. Poking his head up Havik peered up at her.
"And who are you who waits?" Havik took a step closer to look up at her "What do they call you where you are from?"
"Heh." she let out a small chuckle "Juri~" she purred as the Havik ogled her from below. Noob stood listlessly beside him.
Whatever Havik said to Juri, Noob Saibot had nothing to say and wanted no part. As Havik continued to speak up to her, Noob turned on his feet blading his body away and began walking off.
There was hardly a road to follow in the junkyard, yet whichever path he set himself on he was obstructed regardless. The way he went was obstructed by the long wall of metal. Two large piles were placed like ramparts and an overturned truck was stuck between them as if it was a gate. Yet that was the way Noob insisted on heading. Her head falling back, Juri's eyes trailed him turning over her shoulder as he passed beneath her.
"I wouldn't go that way if I were you." she called slyly, as if warning him. Now he stopped walking but did not turn back. His body was ahead toward the blocked off path.
"Did you come from this way?" the back of his head called to her finally letting her hear his voice.
Juri's head turned to him now as the rest of her body remained propped up. "Yeah." she answered with a smirk as if it wasn't. But like so many others these days she did not come alone.
"Then I have nothing to fear." Noob insisted and kept on walking. Juris face twisted in anger, but a sly coolness eased her back in place.
Noob approached the car before him lodged between the two walls of scrap. On the other side of them were countless more hills of garbage, exactly what he expected. As he got closer the truck without warning was suddenly flung from its place and hurled at him. Moving quickly, he hunkered down low, sinking into the ground and turning into a shadowy smear on it. The car barreled across the ground behind him as Havik tucked himself away towards the pile of cars Juri sat upon. He then sprouted back up again as the car bounced off the ground and crashed into another metal hill behind them.
From atop it all, Juri was rather amused.
Havik was back upright first, and Noob followed emerging from his black puddle to take form again. Both were now concentrating on what was ahead standing where the car was stuck before. And like before they were ready for a fight. Only now it seems they would get one.
For standing where the car once was with her intermeshed white and black leg raised not to the ground but adjacent to her body, out forward as if she just kicked. Long black hair fell from her head and a halo hung above her head though it did not suit her. Fuming Noob's eyes focused in on her.
"You!" Noob pointed glaring at her. A sadistic grin adorned her face as she wore nothing else.
Seth let out a laugh and lowered her leg to take a step forward. She flitted forward walking around Noob as he turned following her aggressively. Her head twisted on her neck watched him as well as her stomach churned white and black. A sickening chuckle coming from her as Noob followed her with her eyes. "You dare!" Noob shouted at her enraged, yet she only laughed at him angering him more. His arms raised as fists ready to fight "Do you know who stands before you?!"
She twirled around lashing her hair and feet before she turned sideways to face him.
"It matters not!" Seth declared taking a triumphant stance against him spreading her feet and arms out. Yet what she said was not as surprising as the voice That said it.
Though she had the appearance of a bare, curvaceous figure, the voice that spoke it was that of a man. Noob and Havik looked to her with blank strange looks.
"...what?" Havik asked from behind Noob's shoulder. Seth pranced before them coming closer in some deranged dance. Noob tensed but Havik out a hand to his shoulder. "No, no, wait." he called trying to soothe him "The contradictions in here fascinate me." he lurched his long head over his shoulder. "Let us see what she does next." he grinned. But Noob shrugged his hand off and marched toward Seth "Or perhaps not." Havik says sensing his intent.
Suddenly from behind Juri pounced down from above. Noticing it, Havik turned his back to face her as he turned his back to Noob and Seth.
"Hold on." she raised a hand as she slid on the ground toward him her hips bobbing from side to side. "Let's see how it goes." she pointed off past Havik and towards Noob and Seth squaring off with each other.
"It will not bode well for her." Havik warned as he watched.
"Tsh." she let out spitefully "Don't think he'll be let off with just a warning."
Both looked to see the upcoming bout between the two.
Seth darted from one side only so far out and move to the other. Noob remained as he was but tended it flinched when she did so, trying to anticipate a movement or attack.
"Is this it? This is what is brought before me?" Seth waved a hand and then laughed contemptuously "How can I have all the strength of the greatest warriors if this is all I'm offered!"
"There is only one. And it is me!" Noob boasted pointing to himself.
"One-" Seth's face flinched and faltered, as if it had been made of glass that suddenly fractured. Juri's head peaked over his to see as Havik looked up to peer too. Noob remained as he was. Seth lowered down holding two hands to her head mumbling something to herself in a low guttural voice. Her fingers gripped into her head, digging into her scalp and her eyes went mad, glowing red and black, rings forming around her pupils as they poked through her own grip to look wildly in noobs direction. Then suddenly she shot her head up as if it was to be an attack. Her hands parted from her face, and she screamed "Don't ever call me a number!"
Then finally, she sprung forward spreading her leg out again. Her long hair waved wildly behind her as if it was her shadow. Her leg came forward heading right for noobs head.
Yet at the last moment Noob brought his right arm up to block the attack. Seth's arm collided against his raised forearm.
Yet neither moved from there. Seth's shin remained lodged against Noob's arm pushing forward against it, and Noob was intent to prevent it from hitting him. The two struggled against each other, her leg against his arm. Noob knew the power of her kick was strong, yet the force now was more than what he expected. He budged for a moment and her leg inched even closer to his head. Tensing up, Noob braced himself again stopping it.
Looking across at him and down the leg, Seth's face twisted in delight. Noobs stiffened further but his arm continued to budge against her leg. He brought up his left arm to help strengthen it and brace him further.
"Ha!" Seth cackled and wiggled her toes before his face as they inched ever closer. Noob grumbled as the digits danced before him. Noobs face squinted in rage as his arm shifted against her and closer to his face.
But he was not defeated.
Suddenly bursting from the ground as if from the water was his shadow. Come to life and like it's master grabbing ahold of her leg, this time by her knee and thigh.
Seth's eyes opened in shock as four arms gripped her leg. Then together in one motion they pushed it away.
Seth reared her arm back, controlling the whiplash from his push and backed away as Noob went side by side with his shadow. Both of them starred toward her. She twisted her body before him before throwing her arms outwards and rearing her head back.
"You have failed!" Seth declared as if victorious.
"Your attack was repelled." Noob told callously "You have failed." he shot back. His shadow nodded in agreement.
Seth lowered herself back down and pointed to him "To take two of you to challenge me! Hardly a challenge at all!"
"That it why I am the Greatest Warrior!" Noob declared.
Seth now flared at him darkly "You! Unlikely fodder!" she pointed "Your skill is not worthy of the Tanden engine. I am the greatest warrior! I am the KING!" Seth shouted but Noob stood his ground.
"We shall see!"
Suddenly another bare foot came at his face. Not from Seth but from behind himself. He looked to his side as a Juri had her leg shot out at him as Seth had before. Yet it was not Noob or his shadow who grabbed her foot stopping her, but Havik.
Pressed beside Noob he looked down the sights of Juri's leg to her face. She grimaced at him as he chuckled to her. Then he shoved his body forward pushing her away, but she kicked off out of his grip. Sliding across the ground she stopped herself rising back up to taunt him more.
"I said your friend wouldn't get off easy." she repeated "Neither will you." she threatened spitefully.
"Your threats are as weak as your strikes!" He cackled to her.
He braced himself going back to back with Noob as Seth and Juri faced them on opposing sides of the junkyard. Juri's eyes gleamed like when she first saw them but this time it shot out a laser. Noob and Havik ducked as his shadow splattered to the ground. An explosion went off behind Seth as the laser passed by her. It was not that which she was concerned about, however.
Seth then lunged forward coming down to kick at Noob. He brought his arm down to stop it. Havik then came under as Seth came to the ground and pushed her away. From behind Juri jumped at them but Noob having switched with Havik and standing over him redirected her strike. He moved to throw his own punch; his shadow raised to do the same from the other side, but Juri flipped back dodging both.
Juri backed away as both she and Seth prepared for another assault against the fortified duo. Havik and Noob having switched places and now back up, Noob moved passed him.
"Take the harlot!" He shouted to him waving at Juri "She is mine to finish!" he said as his shadow emerged from the ground and charged Seth.
"Harlot!" Juri called as she came at him from the side again. But Havik was there to block her again.
"Ah Ah Ah" Havik came between them "Harlot or no. It's the agent of chaos you must face!"
"Heh, like your anything more than a waste of time." she said before spiraling into a series of kicks directed at him. In reply Havik moved back evading them and laughed as he dodged each one and she stopped her assault. Right as she had, Havik was then kicked forward when a sudden kick meant for Noob was evaded by him and only ended up hitting him in the back of his head. Turning his head, he saw Noob evade a series of kicks before Seth took a stance and unleashed a continuous assault of punches.
"As for this little number." he hissed menacingly as he brought out his morning star. But Seth must have heard him and had a perfect reply.
"Don't ever call me a number!" Seth shouted and punched Noob away before diving at Havik who awaited her with his mace. Kicking up she knocked him into the air and off his feet as he spiraled in the air above them.
"Oh man this is gonna suck!" his voice echoed from above. But as Seth relished in that victory, she did not see the attack from behind. Noob grabbed Seth by the long black hair. Gripping it tightly he twirled her around by it and launched her away crashing into a pile of rubble. With those two gone it was only Juri and Noob left. He set his eyes dangerously on her, but she only laughed his rage off.
"Come back for me." she purred as she swayed her body around for him to see "Couldn't stay away."
"You are not my concern." he huffed.
"But I will be your death." she grinned at him.
"I am death itself." he said. Behind them Seth emerged from the rubble only for Havik to land right on top of her.
Despite both landing hard on the ground Seth rose above it with Havik in her grip. Raising him high she flung her arms forward sending him hurling towards Noob. Both he and Juri watched him soar through the air, but neither did anything to stop it. But they were not the only ones. Jumping up from the ground Noob's shadow jumped up a grabbed Havik midair as they came back to the ground. Landing beside Noob his shadow set him back to the ground.
"Ah" Havik chuckled as his shadow set him back onto the ground "You two fight crazy just how I like it!" he complimented as his eyes zeroed in on them "But it will not save you."
"Nothing can now." Noob agreed as the three took a fighting stance against Juri. Havik tapped his mace to the ground as Noob Saibot rolled his shoulders.
Stepping up to Juri came Seth "It doesn't matter how many you summon!" Seth declared "None can save you."
"Don't you mean our numbers." Havik mocked riling Seth even more.
Sub-boss Necalli Hour of Battle! Noob Saibot and Havik
Noob may have wanted Seth for himself, but the battle that raged all across the junkyard changed hands multiple times. Regardless of that he proved his words true. He was the Greatest Warrior. And he and Havik proved their 'understanding' was working.
But there were others they had to prove that to and who stood in their way. Others who would be drawn to their strength. One came upon them now in the aftermath of that last fight.
At first it seemed as if oil leaking from a car, but something came from it. A figure that started as a pool on the ground before rising up out of it. Noob and Havik stopped amongst the rubble to watch it take shape.
"Your shadow?" Havik asked intrigued, casting a sideways glance to Noob as they both looked forward at the rising creature.
"No." Noob said as together they watched whatever rise out of the ground take full form before them revealing itself as a feral, blood red tainted figure
"I thought he from the Chaosrealm."
"There is no kinship with us." Havik said before he rubbed his chin "Though there might be." he said eyeing Necalli.
"What is this madness?" Noob asked to it shook its head, like a dog shaking itself dry yet it only seemed to highlight its wild nature.
"I like it." Havik rubbed his hands together enthusiastically.
"I seek the strongest warrior!" Necalli hacked at them. In reply, Noob Saibot strolled forward towards him.
"Then you have come to the right place." he answered before he came to a stop "But it ends here for you"
"Your soul is corrupt- a flawed shadow of what it once was."
"I have no flaws" Noob shook his head "As I will show you." he raised his arms ready to face off with him.
Letting out a thin breath that echoed off the rim of his helmet Havik came beside him.
"There's a madness that binds you creature." he said to it pleasantly "The greatest force in the realms."
"Soulss of the sstrong."
"No!" Havik snapped "Chaos." he answered and as Necalli answered wrong Havik too his place beside Noob to face him.
Sub-boss Necalli Hour of Battle! Juri and Seth
Seth gloated in their victory at first but could not do so for long. As Seth ranted of her greatness Juri noticed a darker patch forming beneath some overturned rubble. It twisted and rose to create the shape of a man. For all Seth's proclamations of victory, it seemed they weren't done yet.
"Looks like perverts back for more." she groaned aloud getting Seth's attention. But by the time she looked the shadow moved to go behind the rubble.
"Retreating already." Seth gloated crossing her arms. Juri though amused was not as convinced and began to think it was someone else than Noob Saibot.
A feral grunt accompanied by heavy panting and beating of feet against the ground caught their attention just as those other two weirdos had left them. Juri turned around as she heard it getting louder. A moment later Seth followed suit, catching the sight as a car placed atop a pile of rubble fell as a creature passed behind it.
"Someone sent some junkyard dog after us?" Juri asked as her head rotated to follow the figure.
Together they followed the shadow as it passed between one pile of rubble to the next. But they didn't have to watch shadows anymore once it leapt forward to land on the ground before it. His eyes set dangerously on them; its mouth opened to growl.
"And what are you looking at?" Juri asked as she rotated her hips around "Tsh. Another pervert." she scoffed.
"Another dog to be kicked to the curb." Seth derided stepping forward.
"I have come for the souls of the greatest warriors." Necalli droned at them, causing half of Seth's face to twitch "They will be mine!" his voice grew louder as Seth's face continued to spazz until finally she regained control.
"NO!" Seth roared and then stomped forward with a powerful step cracking the ground " I will have all the fighters' skills! They are mine!" Seth said taking another step forward.
"Huh?" Juri creeped out behind Seth "What the hell are you doing?"
"You are but a waste." Necalli grumbled "Another number to fall into the pit of my stomach!"
"Wha-" Seth began and seemed to flinch though she wasn't hit. Flickering again uncontrollably it erupted into pure anger that was able to be harnessed and right itself "Don't ever call me a number!" Seth shouted standing off against Necalli further. At that declaration Juri hung her head and stepped forward.
"Sheesh" she let out "And here I thought I was the one pulling the strings."
Noob Saibot and Havik Ending
He took a mighty leap forward, aided by his shadow to reach a little farther and he did so. Every step was suited for that task. To get him away from the others. He was thankful for that, for he had been trying to lose Sareena ever since she appeared, though, he found it harder and harder to do. But there was something worse than that.
He had lost Havik during their last encounter.
It was his appearance that prompted their partnership. Together they would take these worlds by force. It was their time, their greatness to achieve. Noob was sure he could do it alone, but he needed someone other than his shadow for now.
"Noob Saibot!" he heard the clerics voice cry.
Turning around Noob saw him approach, his movement towards him much more fluid and less hectic than Noobs frantic escape. Havik came to a stop before him.
"Do not dawdle." Noob snapped "There is still work to be done."
Havik chuckled "Always more."
"I will have no more distractions."
"Ah but where's the fun without them? All the chaos that ensues from them." Havik countered his point with his own, but Noob not wanting to press further with words and only actions said nothing, though a grumble escaped his mask.
As he was about to move a bright line was cut between them lining the ground between them. More noticeable than that, the land around them changed. Around Noob became the familiar hellhole of the Netherrealm. The sight came first, of molten rock, flowing lava and surging heat. The sounds came after, of erupting fire and countless screams.
"What is this?!" Noob asked looking around distressed as it all. He then looked across the line to Havik whose surroundings had taken on to him the form of the Chaosrealm his home. He stood much more relaxed at this prospect. "What is going on?!" Noob called again.
"Just as it began, it has ended." Havik said looking down.
"WHAT!" Now he put his head up to face him.
"Whatever has brought the realm's unaided together has split them apart." he told "It ends here for all us of."
Noobs white eyes bugged open "NO!" he protested "It cannot be!" he held an arm up "What about taking it for our own! This was our time of power!" he raged. But Havik was less distressed and in reply to Noobs calls his grin only grew.
"It's beautiful, isn't it?"
"What?" he clenched his fist.
"Never knowing what comes next, or what will end!" Havik called putting a hand out to match Noobs though his pointed a finger to him "That's pure chaos!" he told. But Noob did not want Chaos. He wanted what was his. What he was owed. He reached his hand out to grab at Havik's outstretched hand. But it seemed no matter how much closer he got or how much strength he put into it he could not cross the threshold to grab him.
Though he did the same Havik only laughed. But his laughter like the sight of him to Noob was cut off abruptly as for a moment he was there and then he was not. Snuffed out and overtaken by the rest of the Netherrealm which now completely encircled Noob Saibot.
He dropped his arm and grumbled in place.
He was back in place. Back where this all started. Back where he belonged with nothing to show for it.
The sound of footsteps approached from behind. Though they sounded much lighter than those he was used to hearing he concluded quickly that given where he was, his master Quan Chi had returned with him.
He turned around stiffly to greet him, but it gave him pause when he found it was not Quan Chi at all.
An old man stood before him, draped in purple with white hair and beard. He smiled at Noob who only raised a brow at him.
"What are you doing here? Old man." Noob asked standoffishly.
"Here same as you it seems." he replied "I am Gen."
"I do not care." Noob snapped "But it seems you are under control of Quan Chi as well."
"Wrong." Gen said "I defeated the Fallen Elder God and his new partner. Though I did not see any sign of this Quan Chi." That puzzled Noob but intrigued him as well. If Quan Chi was not here and Shinnok dealt with, then his greatness could still come. Starting here in the Netherrealm and going from there. But what to do with this old man? It seems just as Noob had machinations of his own, this old man was drawing conclusions about him.
"I see." Gen said amused "You cheated death as I have. You are the one who Akuma sought to face. And who Kolin sought to use." he concluded.
"I serve no one but myself." Noob clenched his fist "All others are fools who stand in my way." he cocked his head towards him "Where do you stand old man?"
"Against you, I'm sure."
"Then I shall give you a permanent death."
Gen seemed amused by that but even more so by something coming up from behind Noob.
"Ah" he let out "It seems you have another to tend with before me." he chuckled. Noob was not amused, but he felt a calming hand place itself on his shoulder. From there he heard the light prancing of feet come to a stop behind him. His growl simmered in his mask for he knew who this was.
"Sareena." his voiced hissed through his mask before he began to turn to her "I -" he stopped short when a womans face plunged before him, a mad expression on it and a deep menacing cackle exited it. Noob backed away but recognized it instantly "YOU!" Noob shouted.
"YES!" Seth declared shooting her arms up "It is I! The Greatest Warrior!"
"Did I not teach you that was I!"
"Here I found knew, where I knew you'd be!" Seth rambled.
"The Netherrealm is full of trash these days." Noob said as he assumed his fighting stance ready to take the fight to Seth. But Seth was not to be his only enemy. He turned his head over his shoulder to glare at Gen "I shall deal with you later old man." Noob said as he put his back up to him and lined against Seth.
Juri and Seth Ending
Upon arriving here, it looked like they had come across an old, abandoned mining operation. Deep trenches and gorges dug deep into the earth by mechanical means. A great excavation site, though long lost and forgotten.
Not unlike the one she travelled from or with.
Juri stood idly, one hand dropped on her hip as the other swayed with each turn and motion her body made to look around. Her head pulled one way and then the other as the rest of her followed.
Letting out an aggravated sigh, she hung her head and let out "Come on." she whined aloud "Is that really all they got?" she let out unimpressed.
"nononono" Seth droned beside her. Juri rolled her eyes before her head turned over to see Seth cradling her head as she rambled further to herself diving deeper into the rabbit hole and into her fractured thoughts and memories. The process of completing that body wasn't complete and her mind had already been going since she reawakened her last time. Not that the body was catching up, so Juri was just waiting for it to shut down so she could be done with it.
But Seth kept fighting that, like she did everyone and everything they came across. How Juri didn't end up on the opposite ends of her fists was interesting enough, but she had sly words and ways to keep Seth at bay.
But for how long?
Juri eyed Seth as she continued to murmur aloud "They are not here. None of them. Not here. HE is not here." Seth then said more boldly. Keeping an eye on Seth but also on their surrounding Juri looked past Seth to see on the side of one of the mounds leading into the mountain a great wide opening.
"Hmm." she let out intrigued "Hey! Seth!" she called out, but the murmuring continued. She would have to do something else to get their attention "Maybe it's in there!" she called out.
Suddenly as if come back to life Seth snapped her head up, long black hair falling over her face like streaks of blood only making her look all the madder, as the golden rings shined in her eyes and her mouth bore it teeth like fangs. Looking to Juri Seth saw that she only nodded off past her and then turning to see for herself saw the grand opening for the first time.
"Yes." Seth hissed instability growing in the voice "This is it. This must be it!" Seth announced before going towards it. Juri cautiously followed though remained a step or two behind.
The base was engraved into the side of the mountain though did little to hide itself other than being abandoned for some time. The wide, tall opening funneled deeper into the rock and ground taking them deeper into the earth and the base itself.
Lights were seldom and when they were seen they flickered leaving little to be seen. But finally, they came across something worthwhile. A closed door. And on that door was a symbol. Of the very clan who owned this base.
But Juri thought just as highly of them as she did M. Bisons.
Each of them took ahold of the doors and pushing on them, and away from each other pried it open, getting a good look at what was inside.
In all honesty the Lin Kuei base was as abandoned as the SIN lab was where she found Seth. Like that one there were discarded and whether in complete piles or limbs, cybernetic body parts filled the room.
Though the process was a failure, it was noted that the materials that made them were still functioning.
Creeping into the room Juri and Seth began to part ways. Seth to go towards the piles of cyborgs while Juri went to the podium. She eyed the buttons and nobs on them. Brining a hand up she flicked a switch and then a bright light shined over the room. It didn't give her or Seth any pause. But when she heard a great humming sound, she turned her head up to see all the gears and machinations began to wind up from their long rest. Slowly at first and then back to peak function ability. A grin came across Juri's face.
The sound of metal clanging got her attention. Looking over she saw Seth hurl a limp white cyborg across the room.
"No!" Seth cried out in anger, but Juris grin only grew. She then slunk away from the controls towards Seth "This cannot be!" Seth shouted and the voice echoed throughout the base and to the outside. "All of this here?! Countless endless bodies! Numbers piling higher!" she shouted and then gripped her head again covering her face and eyes "I'm not a number! I'm the greatest of all!"
"Aww." Juris sultry voice cooed behind her "Poor baby. Can't count that high" she said mockingly as Seth reared her head up, not soothed from her condition but taken off guard by Juri's re-entrance "Why don't you just sleep it off!" Seth turned her head back right as Juri's bare foot collided with her face.
Seth was flung off her feet across the room landing hard against the wall. Falling back limply Seth looked up to see that though Juri has attacked her, she had not taken a stance to fight further. But that only confused and enraged Seth further. Letting out a blood curling scream Seth lunged at Juri who remained calmly in place keeping a cool glare at her.
Seth's arms reached out but right before she could snatch Juri she was snatched herself.
The great mechanical arm reached out wrapping around her torso, pulling Seth away from Juri who only brought up a small hand to wave at Seth's exit. Struggling in its vice grip Seth tried to break free before another arm robotically came out taking one arm and then the other. Before long Seth was grabbed by each limb sprawled out and being pulled on each of them. Being moved to an assembly line Seth was passed through a great golden ring which scanned her. Despite all Seth's screams and struggling she could not get free and was dragged beyond Juri's sight deeper into the factory. Though her echoes still cried out to reach Juri in a threatening echo.
"Alright." Juri rolled her shoulders and bobbed on her feet "That takes care of that" she said before making her way back to the controller "Now let's get this going." she said as the screen lit up showing Seths body, design and capabilities. "Tah" Juri spat "To think I'd wanna make more of that." she spat. An ingenious idea came over her "Let's make it more suitable." she said before tapping away at the controller showing a design that was modeled after her likeness.
Smirking at her accomplishment it seemed everything was coming together.
Bison was known to keep a host of bodies, and the Secret Society had their own experiments on the matter. So, this would be her own foray into the field, through the remnants of the cyber initiative.
Settling herself back into the seat, she waited for her perfect creations to be done. After that of course was the questions of what to do with them.
All of a sudden, a ringing was heard. Her eye rolled to her headset. And then she put a finger to it.
"Yeah." she started "What the hell do you want?"
"Say now." an Australian man's voice replied rather amused "That's no way to start off a potential business transaction."
"Potential? Think I have time for that?" she lurched forward in the seat.
"Only if you'd gone through all the trouble to get it yerself." Her head fell to one side as she admitted he had a point.
"So, what do you want out of my hard work? Lazy bum." she said stretching her arms and chest out as she did.
"To capitalize of course. I wanna place an order."
"For wa?" she came back forward "Shrimp on the barbie?" she mocked.
"Does it sound like I'm hungry?" he asked annoyed "No, I want those cyborgs you've been talkin' up."
"It'll cost ya." she grinned.
"I got a deep tap." he chucked in reply "But if were talking food again, I could eat you up." he said suggestively.
Chuckling evilly Juri leaned back fully in her seat "oh I like it when you talk dirty." she said as her eye gleamed an even bright purple.
On the other end of the line his eyes shined red.