Cassie and Jacqui
The two stood dutifully, with heels together, arms at their sides and straight backs standing before their commander. Of course, when those commanders happen to be your parents, it gives them an extra sense of authority over you.
"So," Sonya began but in fact was finishing the debriefing "You understand the mission?" she asked. The light of the monitors behind her cast a bright light over the room, but with her back to it Sonya only came off as a dark shadowy presence. Standing before her, were two members of the Special Forces.
"What's not to get?" Cassie replied, but it earned only a glare from Sonya.
"Yes Ma'am." Jacqui said more appropriately. An approving nod from Jax then came.
"Kiss ass." Cassie hushed under her breath as Jacqui basked in it.
"She heard that." Jacqui said out of the side to her mouth to her.
"I heard that." Sonya snapped almost as soon as she finished.
"Told ya." Jacqui said as her half grin turned to a full one.
"Enough of that." Jax snapped, turning both young women on their toes and snapping them perfect rigid attention. "Take another look." he said as they all turned back to view the monitor.
On the screen behind her were six items for six realms. One smaller blue circle joined by a larger green one, a blue square, a golden yin joined with a white yang, a red satanic shape, an orange spiral, a purple circle with three spinning fans inside.
"With all the fighting going on." Sonya told and the monitor behind them flashed different images showing the conflict across all the conjoined realms. The battle of the gods, the bout of the 'greatest warriors', green warriors clashing in Outworld's marketplace, or a lowly lurking ancient warrior hunting them all.
"We're having a hard time keeping track of it all." Jax spoke finishing for Sonya, his voice get lower and as he went on
"Worst of all." she paused lowering her head before looking back up to then "These things." she finished gazing back at them.
On the monitor flashed again overtaking the fighters new and old were six different colored but similar purposed gems. Though Sonya and Jax understood the gravity of what they were, Cassie and Jacqui looked on indifferently.
"So, sending us out for jewelry?" Cassie quipped unimpressed.
"It's more than that." a deeper voice called as Jax stepped up closer. "The Kamidogu's were made from the Elder Gods themselves."
"Seems like a lecture Raiden would give."
"In the wrong hands they can cause a whole mess of trouble. And make a bad situation worse." Sonya told looking to the screen behind her. "That's where you two come in." The two turned their heads to face the other unsure of what to make of it but found no answers in the other. "Go out and find the Kamidogu's." Jax said.
"All of them?" Cassie asked, surprise coming out in her face.
"All of them." Sonya confirmed.
"Like. Every single one."
"Yes." Sonya gritted her teeth impatiently.
"And where do we start looking?"
"The door." Sonya said pointing to it allowing a smirk to come over her face, one to match Cassie's.
"But they could be anywhere." Jacqui cut in "Or with anyone by this point."
"Then you better not waste any more time with questions." Jax crossed his arms again "You won't find them here by doing that."
The two younger members looked to each other again only this time despite feeling overwhelmed nodded to each other in solidarity. They knew what needed to be done so they then turned back to their parents.
"Understood." Jacqui nodded.
"We'll get right on it." Cassie added. The two then turned their backs to them and taking Sonya's suggestion headed straight for the door. Of course, once they were out of ear range, they spoke to each other in full confidence.
"Damn, leave it to us to get stuck with the biggest mission." Jacqui said.
"Take it as a compliment." Cassie said as she typed away on her phone as they walked.
"It's just a lot to take in after already a lot has happened." Jacqui let out practically venting "It's just-" she looked over and stopped short when she saw Cassie continuing to tap away at her phone, seemingly not listening to her "What the hell are you doing?"
"Updating my status. New mission, new bullshit."
"You can say that again." Jacqui sighed.
Ibuki and Sakura
A rustle from the trees above could have just been the wind passing through it. It twisted and turned one way or the other. But always moving forward.
If you were able to see it however, you'd know it wasn't the wind at all but a ninja. Ibuki paused to look ahead. More trees lined her path through the woods. As for what beyond that...
Well, that's what she was supposed to find out. No sooner had she returned from one mission, had they sent her out on another.
She scanned the woods ahead, gauging her path forward and what was to become of her and everything else. But that is what she was sent to find out. Her eyes squinted as she peered forward and the wind she was mistaken for died down into silence as she saw the next line of branches, she would make her way through.
The silence of the woods was suddenly cut short for an obnoxious blaring noise rang out. Not from any oncoming enemy or something up ahead. But from the stealthful ninja herself.
Her eyes bugged open Ibuki frantically reached into her pockets to pull out a phone and instead of silencing it brought it to her ear, once she saw who it was that was calling her.
"Sakura..." she whispered "this isn't really-"
"Hey! Ibuki-san!" Sakura chirped happily and loudly into the phone, so much so that Ibuki pulled her head away from it but was knocked off balance on the branch she perched on. She managed to grab onto the branch at the last moment, preventing her from falling, but she needed hands to do so. And looking down she saw she used both her hands to do it and her phone was falling to the ground below.
And she still heard Sakura's voice emulating from it as if it was still right next to her ear.
"Have you seen what's been going on in the world! Pretty crazy, isn't it?" she asked and told excitedly.
Swinging back up and around the branch that held her Ibuki hurled herself down towards the ground chasing after her plummeting phone. All the while Sakura voice only got louder and louder.
"So much more interesting than working any part time job. Or even a full-time job amiright?" she rambled on.
Ibuki reached a hand out as she fell, and her fingers encircled the falling phone.
"There's just so many strong opponents now. Maybe more than there ever were!" she squealed through the phone. Ibuki's fingers grasped the phone and not a moment too soon as when she retracted her arm back to her, she saw the ground fast approaching.
Twirling through the air, she brought her feet back down beneath her, planting them into the ground to brace her fall.
Squatting down to the ground she wasn't given a moment of silence as Sakura continued to chatter on aimlessly over the phone, likely having no idea what she just put Ibuki through. Propping her elbows onto her outstretched knees, Ibuki brought her phone to her ear to listen. Whether she would be able to speak was another question.
"And if I know Ryu-san he's out there trying to find and fight each and every one of them to test his skills." Ibuki rolled her eyes at the sound of pure glee and wonder in Sakura's voice. "But you know that just made me want to do the same thing. In fact, I was expecting you to do thinking the same so I'm coming-"
"Listen Sakura." Ibuki cut her off abruptly "That's great." she said as she stood herself back up "But right as I got back from a mission. It's like you said with all this weird stuff happened. I wasn't even given a moment to relax before my elders sent me out to investigate it." she pouted, puckering up her lips through her mask "It's so unfair." she whined throwing her head back. "They keep talking about Lin Kuei and how bad everything could get." She was starting to grow more and more frustrated as she vented into her phone "And all I wanted to do is enjoy a weekend off!"
"Oh good, you're here." she heard Sakura's voice cut her off. But strangely it was from two directions. One from the phone. And one from behind. Rotating her head back she saw Sakura standing amongst two bushes she just popped out of. Her phone in her hand.
"Sakura!" Ibuki exclaimed as she got up, rising with the phone still in her ear "What are you-" she stopped short as she realized she was still talking into the phone despite her being right there. She quickly hung up the conversation they were just having to continue it in person. And for extra measure, she pulled her mask down revealing her youthful face. "What are you doing here?"
Her friend put on a bright smile, as her cheeks turned upwards, and her eyes closed. It was so full of cheer that it brightened the forest. "I came to find you just like I said I would." she told.
"Find me for what?" Ibuki asked "I told you, I'm on a mission from my village right now."
"That only makes it better." Sakura said as her enthusiasm shone through her face.
"What?"
"Well, if you're going out there to investigate." Sakura said taking a step closer "Then I can tag along with you. That way we can meet and fight all the strong opponents there are."
"Wha?! I'm on an infiltration mission? Just to scout everything out. Plus, the elders are really stingy about this. It's really important to them."
"It's important to me too!" Sakura said, not refuting her statement but adding onto it. Ibuki looked Sakura over now, and as she gazed at her she saw a short of cheerful excitement on her face. Not like the usual one, though. There was a sense of yearning within it.
"It's just.." she began as she paused to look up. Puzzled Ibuki did the same, but when she looked up, she only saw the sun breathing through the leaves to shine some broken scattered light onto them "I know Ryu-san is out there." Ibuki lowered her gaze to look back on to Sakura. But she was still looking up, and though she spoke of fighting, knowing all the dangerous things that are out there now there was hope and optimism in her voice "And not just him. Blanka, Dan, I know everyone's out there fighting their hardest." then she snapped her head back down to Ibuki "And if that doesn't instill a drive to fight, then I don't know what will."
It seems Sakura had said all she had to say. And it was all Ibuki needed to hear. A smile broke out on her face to match Sakura's.
"Alright." Ibuki relented happily "Let's go."
Fight Your Rival! Living Forest
There sure were a lot of wandering eyes in this place. Even if their bodies were stationary.
Sakura walked through the trees creeping by as quietly as she could. It was more for Ibuki's sake than hers. But no matter where she wandered or how quiet she was, she couldn't help but feel like she was being watched no matter where she was going.
Which is because she was.
Rounding the tree, she paused. She heard the branches overhead rustle. She rotated her head up to see the aftermath of one being jumped off of before it stilled back into place. And Ibuki as silent as the night and as close as a shadow hopped form branch to branch. Following her from below with her eyes Sakura moved to follow her from the ground. She skipped on her feet but stopped short with a sudden 'AH!' when she came face to face with a grotesque face as large as she was, though it was wooden and lifeless it still moved its mouth and eyes. The face embedded in the tree watched her grumpily. But she was so startled by it that she ended up back up into another three.
A hard 'thump' was heard when she backed into it, yet it was followed by the sound of chewing. Looking back, she saw that her skirt was in its mouth, and it was gnawing at it.
"HEY!" she snapped as she pulled her skirt out of its mouth and moved away from it. Ruffling it back into place she got a look at her surroundings. Only to find a face on each tree surrounding her. And each one looking to her in the center of them all. Sakura put her hands down her back to hold down her skirt. Looking up she saw the numerous distinct faces etched into the trees looking towards her. "Hey! Watch those eyes pervs!" she flattened her skirt with her hands.
Watching on unamused, one of the trees rolled his eyes.
Skipping from one tree to the next, Ibuki moved on overhead.
"Man." she complained "How can I be a quiet and stealthful ninja, if there are so many eyes on me?" she huffed. She then turned her head down looking past the dangling Blanka-chan from her belt which was bequeathed to them in the aftermath of their last bout, and to the ground where she saw Sakura shuffling around far below her.
"And will you be quiet down there!" she snapped.
"Sorry." Sakura apologized embarrassed before perking up and whispering up to her. Eyeing her from below suddenly she saw Ibuki's head snap up and look away from the ground. "What's up?" she asked concerned.
But it wasn't her question that had the ninja so on edge. Looking upright in the branch, she scanned ahead of them. Through the small cracks between the trees.
"I hear something." Ibuki warned in a serious voice.
"What kind of something?" Sakura asked as she looked forward from level ground. Her head scanned from side to side, wondering what it could be. Or perhaps who.
She saw the faces on the trees as she looked around. But she had a feeling it was not them Ibuki was looking for. Some exchanged glances or amused if not ugly smiles to each other for what was about to come.
Then Sakura saw two shadows pass between two trees. She lost track of them after that.
Thankfully she still heard them.
"Come on." one young woman's voice called "Readout says it's right this way."
"Also showing two blips." the other said more warily "Could be trouble."
"Nothing we can't handle." the first voice effectively blew the seconds concern off, sounding more confident and nonchalant about whatever it was the other was worried about. And once she did a step was taken from behind a tree into Sakura's view.
There was no shadowy presence but a clear image of a person that appeared. A young blonde haired woman decked out in military gear stepped through the clearing between the two but stopped short once she and Sakura locked eyes. Neither said anything to the other, and remained staring blankly to the other in the midst of all the blank stares in the forest.
A second sound of footsteps came from behind her, and another young woman came into view though her attention was on a metal device on her wrist giving her a layout of the forest. She was dressed in a similar military's fashion to the first, though distinctly had two large gauntlets on her wrist.
Keeping her eyes on Sakura, the first woman spoke out of the side of her mouth to the second who had just come into view, still viewing her wrist.
"And que trouble."
The second woman looked to Sakura, less startled than the first and more puzzled before she went back to her wrist.
"Weird." she said as her face scrunched up concerned "Says there should be two-" no sooner had she said it had Ibuki dropped down from the trees to land before them. Startling the two, they jumped back from her. Seeing it until Sakura raced to her friend.
"And double trouble." the blonde said.
"We're not trouble." Sakura cried as she came to Ibuki's side.
"We're just on a journey to find out what's going on." Ibuki told.
"I heard that one before." Cassie said unamused.
"You figure anything out yet?" Jacqui asked.
"What are you doing?" Cassie asked dryly, her turning her face slightly to her.
"It's called intel gathering." Jacqui said before looking back to the two they came across. Turning back Ibuki was ready to answer them.
"Nothing." Ibuki shook her head "Just orders from the top down from the oldest to the youngest."
"Girl, you have no idea." Jacqui agreed putting her hands to her hips "Our parents sent us out on this one." she nodded over to Cassie who popped a pink bubble. When it did a smirk came over Cassie's face.
"Well, you seem to be the sneaky a ninja." Cassie asked and Ibuki nodded "What's say you join our group and take Takeda's place."
"Cassie!" Jacqui snapped at her.
"What?" she shrugged "He's not here. What's he gonna do? Disagree with me?" she opened her arms and shrugged.
"That'd be great!" Ibuki agreed taking a step forward "But I'd much rather hang out. What do you girls do for fun? Do you know any cute guys?!" she said her giddiness and excitement growing. So much so that Cassie and Jacqui actually took a step back from her as she came ever closer to them as she rambled on.
"I know what I'd wanna do." Sakura stepped up and into the conversation "The same thing I'm doing here. To meet and fight strong opponents." Sakura said raising a fist to the air.
"I'm getting more trouble vibes from this one." Cassie said.
"Well, if you want a real fight." Jacqui leaned over to Cassie and pointed with her thumb "She beat the Elder god of Death."
"Jacqui!" Cassie snapped.
"Oh, you talk that shit all the time." Jacqui waved her concerns off.
"No way!" Sakura pounded her fists together "Then we gotta have one." she took a fighting stance.
"Oh, I always get the weird ones." Cassie sighed.
"Well, I don't think you ever faced a ninja like me before." Ibuki said stepping up beside Sakura.
Skeptically Cassie and Jacqui looked to each other.
"What's a minor setback for an ass kicking these days." Jacqui asked as she and Cassie took their fighting stances.
"None so long as our parents don't find out."
Sub-boss Necalli Hour of Battle! Cassie and Jacqui
For everything they had gotten into so far since they had left the base, the two of them could at least agree that was the most amicable fight they ever had. Strange as a realization that might be, it was about to be overtaken by the next one.
A black puddle dripped out of the shadows of the Living Forest. The two of them eyed it warily, but when a shadow rose out from it to take its reddened feral shape against the dim forest the two took notice of it.
"uhhh" Cassie droned "What the shit?" she said having no other words for it.
Their eyes were locked on the puddle as two arms shot out of it to rip itself out of the ground. Rising up a head came with it and its menacing eyes looked over at them while remaining low to the ground.
"You see this shit?" she asked keeping her eyes on Necalli but nodding over to Jacqui.
Jacqui looked at her wrist reading the intel on it, as she took a step forward. The problem was there was nothing to read.
"We've got no intel on him." she said looking back up right as Necalli had done the same, looking to them as he had come out from the ground but remained hunkered down hear it.
"So?" Cassie asked unsure.
"So, let's get some." Jacqui smirked as she put her fists up. Cassie rolled her eyes but did the same.
"Always the goodie two shoes." she groaned as she did.
Though they had said all they had to about Necalli, he had just begun "Defeater of gods..." he gargled at them. And that caught them by surprise.
"Oh shit!" Cassie exclaimed.
"It talks!" Jacqui let out
"Defeater of the gods of life and death." Necalli said looking from one to the other as he spoke of their victories "You shall be mine!" he roared, and his terrible voice thundered throughout the forest. Had they been able the living trees would have covered their ears.
Despite his declaration Jacqui shook it off proudly.
"Sorry," she said smugly "There's already a ring on this finger. And now it's about to punch you out."
"Always a bridesmaid." Cassie quipped.
Sub-boss Necalli Hour of Battle! Ibuki and Sakura
The sound of the wind or anything else could not be heard. The only thing that could be heard was the great disruption of the forest. A low rumbled followed by a harsh hissing that turned into a guttural growl of some great beast.
The two had heard sounds of a fight, shortly after they parted ways with Cassie and Jacqui. And looking over now to the direction they last saw them heading, a man like creature emerged from the shadows between two trees, the faces lining his entrance looked to them and then worriedly to the two of them. One of them, however, was not worried.
"Whoa!" Sakura let out "He looks strong." Necalli opened his mouth to hiss at them.
"He looks scary." Ibuki said shaking a little. Sakura took a better look of Necalli as he continued to come forth coming more and more into view. The excitement in her eyes faded as she focused on him more and a realization came over her.
"Ryu-san told me about him." she said seriously, the most she had been since this shared journey began "He's bad news." She then brought a finger to point at him "Hey!" she yelled at him
"What are you doing?" Ibuki asked shakily, but Sakura continued on.
"You won't bother Ryu-san anymore!"
At her declaration Necalli stopped, but his glare only became more ferocious.
"I will have his soul! And yours!"
"Eh!" Ibuki squeaked behind Sakura as she put her fists up goading Necalli further "Great now you made him mad!" she whined.
Cassie and Jacqui Ending
The fanfare was wild, the colors bright and booming. The attitude? It matched it.
Cassie looked around amused at everything around here. Jacqui seemed a little more apprehensive. The crowds around them were wild. They cheered for them, in anticipation of what would come next.
Standing side by side the two Special Forces members taking center stage of what was to come. They however were not the only ones who would be participating in this prize fight.
Standing across from them in the arena was a young blond haired woman dressed in red. The ring was ablaze with lights as they stood within it.
"The prize." Karin raised a hand up and a light shined on to the pedestal behind them. Once shrouded in darkness now covered in light for all to see. And it shined bright red, and the sight of that prize made the crowd go even wilder. But the two special forces members remained quiet, even as they had come all this way for that very thing: the Kamidogou of the Netherrealm. The realms may be back to normal, but their mission was not over.
"Now how'd that get all the way up there?" Jacqui asked and Cassie shrugged.
"Guess it's no use asking who got it?" Cassie said as she brought her head back down and looked on at Karin.
"Cuz it's gonna be us." Jacqui pounded her fists together. That boast however, caught the attention of the woman across from them.
She turned her head down as Cassie had done. She then flicked her hair and let out a little giggle.
"Oh," she let out "I hope you're not celebrating too soon. You've yet to even face me or my technique."
"Please." Cassie let out sarcastically, as unimpressed by her boast as Karin was with theirs.
"Two special forces against one of you? It's gonna be a blow out." Jacqui said as the two readied themselves. That only got another laugh from Karin.
"Oh!" she let out amused "You think I'd be alone in this fight?" she smirked.
Suddenly springing over her like a rabbit came someone else. Their long yellow pig tails spread out like wings, matching their legs as they stretched all the way out as the was flung over Karin.
Jacqui and Cassie watched as they she hurled herself over and landed onto the ground crouching before Karin, but then stood up to her full height. A confident smile and a pep in her step.
Despite all that, she didn't seem to impress the two.
"Was there a birthday cake you just popped out of?" Jacqui quipped.
"I was gonna say that." Cassie whined nudging her with her shoulder, but Jacqui only grinned having gotten to it first.
"Show's what you know!" R. Mika refuted "That was a perfect wrestling entrance!" she said as she arched her body and slapped a hand to her rear, which was exposed for all to see.
"Uhh" Cassie droned snarkily "You know wrestling is fake right?"
R. Mika stomped her foot "Shows what you really know! Well, I'll prove you wrong."
"We both will." Karin said stepping up beside her.
The fighters took center stage, and the final round was about to begin.
Ibuki and Sakura Ending
The screen was a foggy haze due to all the steam coming from the bathhouse. But they could still see the colorful gleam from the arena through it and the four people about to fight on it. And they hear them as if they were there.
"You know wrestling is fake right?" Cassie Cage's voice was heard coming from the tv.
A blurry R. Mika stomped her foot "Shows what you really know. Well, I'll prove you wrong."
"We both will." Karin was heard next, and a glossy version stepped up beside R. Mika across from a muddied Cassie and Jacqui.
"Whoo!" Ibuki cheered as if in the audience herself, but instead her voice echoed all around in the small, confined space of the bathhouse.
"Get em girls!" Sakura hollered with a fist in the air before she brought it back down to run through her hair.
"Who are you rooting for?" Ibuki asked as they sat in a small tub before the screen with two white towels draped around them.
"Both of em!" Sakura cheered. The special forces made quite an impression on her, and she hoped she did on them. So long as her four friends had fun in this prize fight, she was fine with it "They look like they're having so much fun." she commented through the haze. It seems even though everything went back to normal their mission was not done. Maybe if they met up afterword's Sakura and Ibuki could help them. Better yet Cassie and Jacqui looked like they could use a trip to the bathhouse themselves "They were some pretty good opponents. I wish I was there now fighting them."
"There?" Ibuki questioned as she wrung her hair out "I'd rather be here!" she said looking around at the steamy fog that surrounded the bath. After everything they had been through and done, it was more than a welcome sight to rest their feet and relax. Naturally though they were not the only ones doing so.
"Do you mind?" a refined voice called out from across the bathhouse. Her voice was calm but on the brink of annoyance. Sakura and Ibuki looked over across the bathhouse to see two women in the bath behind them. One was a dark skinned woman lying in the corner of the bath, closest to the wall. Her features showed her at peace, with her eyes closed and body reclined into the water, but her voice hinted on agitation "This is the first vacation I've had in a millennium."
"Right, sorry." Sakura apologized a bit embarrassed by her outburst.
The woman seemed to take that apology as she smiled and slipped further into the bliss of the warm water. But a voice called out to her now. Close by but muffled due to travelling through the wall.
"Jade!" the voice called from the other side of the wall "Is that you?" he called almost in distress.
"Yes, Kotal." Jade replied tiredly "I am here." she droned closing her eyes ready to relax and give into the water, but they may not be happening.
"Are you.." his voice travelled through the wall before being snuffed out "enjoying yourself?"
"I am trying to." she let out a sigh "Yourself?" she asked more out of courtesy than anything else.
"There are..." he paused and for a moment it was like his voice didn't travel through the wall. A splash was heard though, and his voice followed "Komplications."
On the other end of the bath from Jade was another woman. Sakura and Ibuki couldn't tell who it was since her back was to them. Instead of lying in the bath she was instead kneeling in it and had her head pressed against the wall, trying to listen through it. A black shroud of hair covered her face, yet there was one stray white strand that matched the towel draped around her.
"Bi-Han?" she questioned through the wall moving to try to peer or listen through it "Is that you?" she asked knocking on it as if it were a door. From the other side only, malicious laughs were heard followed by another splash.
Kotal sat in the tub on the other side of the wall in the designated men's area. The water was hot and clear, yet it was muddied around him. Stained green like an oil spill from his war paint being splashed off.
A splash was heard from the other side of the bath and then felt on his chest. Kotal sat as well as he could, trying to enjoy his time off with Jade that offered to them as Kitana deemed it so. So, when the idea of a bathhouse came up both he and Jade jumped at the idea of it, restricted gender or otherwise. But while Jade had issues with sound, he had issues of space.
Another splash was heard, and water followed being splashed into his face. Dripping wet Kotal turned to glare at the other end of the pool where Havik and Noob Saibot sat.
"Do you mind?" he growled as water dribbled off his face.
Under the metallic brace of a helmet, made duller now by the fog came a more noticeable malicious grin.
"Haa" Havik took in an overly deep breath "No." he exhaled said flatly and then proceeded to splash Kotal again. Grumbling Kotal stood up.
"Is everything alright over there?" Jade asked from the other side of the wall.
"I am being set upon." Kotal replied as he kept his eyes on Havik who now took to splashing his legs, chuckling as he did and Noob Saibot joined him.
"Ignore it." Jade advised coolly as another splash came at Kotal hitting his legs upsetting the water further.
"I cannot."
"Well, you'll have to deal with it." Jade said as her voice relaxed itself along with her body "It's the men side and I cannot go there."
Knowing she was right, Kotal grumbled to himself, but Havik's eyes widened in alarm.
"Is it now?" he asked. Beside him Noob seemed to know what was about to happen and his eyes zoned in on his chaotic travelling companion. Their journey had taken them to stranger more crowded places as of late, as their group had gotten larger as well. Four by his count, three by Havik's. And Noob was intent to make it smaller yet again. As he was about to open his mouth to plead 'no' to him Havik suddenly moved.
He then raised himself up from the tub, and Kotal was certain he was about to take this to the next level. And it certainly seemed so when he dived forward with a kick. Kotal braced himself for an attack, but instead of coming at him Havik flew over his shoulder and hit the barrier separating one bath from the other.
Jade poked her head up from the water and Sareena ducked as the wall came down from on top of her and flew across the room. Ibuki and Sakura turned their heads to see it fly by behind them. Turning their heads, they followed it as it crashed into the wall on the other side of the room.
The four women then looked up to see the space between the two baths was gone. And in its place, someone took theirs. Havik then hopped up, putting one leg into the bath in between Jade and Sareena, while keeping the other in the men's bath where he came from.
And unlike all the others, he wore no towel either.
"Behold!" he cried raising his arms up "Just like the realms were split, the barriers to this bath are now gone. Come and go as you will. Set aside the rules and let chaos ensue!"
No one said anything. They all just starred up at him blankly. Jade and Kotal, Sareena and Noob just looked to Havik with a static stare, as if they weren't sure what his point was. But eventually someone took the bait.
Sakura and Ibuki draped in their towels walked over to the edge of the woman's bath, which was now seated next to the men's one without the wall between them.
"Why is their bath so much bigger than ours?!" Sakura asked.
"Let's go over there!" Sakura said before she jumped up and splashed down into the bath, causing it to shift about within the tub and splash Kotal even more.
Dripping as he stood the water, Sakura and Ibuki settled in beneath him, Kotal turned over to Jade who shrugged her shoulders at him. Another outburst soon followed.
"Bi-Han!" Sareena cried as she leaned over her tub and into his, but he had now hunkered to the end of hiss tub to be as far away as possible with his back to her "I knew you were still there. Now nothing can separate our love!" she declared joyously as Havik stood triumphantly over her. A dark grumble escaped from the darkest corner of the men's tub. "Now where was I?" she asked aloud looking up and touching a finger to her chin, trying to remember where she had left off in her last story "Oh that's right." she said answering it for herself "I was arguing with Nitara over what kind of rock we found." she said excitedly, but Noob let out a tired defeated sigh. She had berated them with such pointless stories since she joined them as if anything she said would be compelling to hear from him. And it seemed he had no choice but to listen. For telling her 'No' never seemed to work and no matter how many times he tried to lose her she always found a way back to him. Sareena now turned her back to him to settle herself into her side of the tub as if finally finding a reason to relax into it "So Nitara said 'That's granite, because I've seen it in a lot of caves." Sareena prattled on as if he was really listening. And as she was on Noob Saibot's shadow extended from his dark corner, stretching the length of the tub past Sakura and Ibuki's splash fight and an even more drenched Kotal until it reached the rim his side of the tub. Then it sprouted up to take the form of Noob Saibot himself. Despite its abrupt reveal it did not deter Sareena who continued on "But I'm from the Netherrealm, so I knew better." she told pointedly as the shadows hand lurched down to take ahold of her shoulders to rub and massage them "So I said 'No, no, no that's brimstone." she recounted shaking her head as she did "We have a lot of that in the Netherrealm. Because of the lava and the fire." she explained giddily. Behind her the shadow rolled its eyes tired of this already but continued to caress her shoulders.
"HOLD!" a might voice called cutting off her story and ending the splash fight. All had frozen in place, and they all looked over through the haze of the steam to see a great round figure approaching. Leading the way with an open palm, he took one mighty step forward as it seemed to part for him.
They now saw E. Honda standing before them. A disgruntled look etched into his face only highlighted by the lines of red running over him.
"No mixed bathing aloud!" he hollered to them. Sakura and Ibuki looked over their shoulders to him, Kotal and Jade turned their heads to view him, Noob remained in his corner while his shadow remained touching Sareena who was startled by him, but Havik remained where he was looking to the sky that wasn't there.
"We are not-" Kotal was about to refute before he looked down to his side to see Sakura and Ibuki seated beneath him "This is not how it seems." Kotal told him.
In reply, E. Honda only brought down his open palm to turn it into a pointed finger. Following his finger, they saw him pointing to Havik who had one foot in each bath. Tracing up each bare leg they all came to his face only for him to chuckle maliciously.
"You must return to your proper baths." E Honda demanded. He widened his stance, spreading his legs out more. "Or get out now!" he roared. He raised one up to his side as high in the air as it could go. He then slammed it down shaking the room and the bath further. He brought his other leg up to do the same, shaking it even more the ripples formed from the first stomp turned into waves, moving about and splashing Kotal further.
Sakura, Ibuki, Sareena, Noob Jade and Kotal watched before him, shaken to their feet as the water thrashed about them. Havik remained where he was.
"I didn't do anything wrong!" Sakura whined.
"Yeah!" Ibuki agreed "I'm not getting out for anything!" Jade and Kotal lined up beside them. Sareena held up her towel as Noob and his shadow flanked her, Noob rolling his right arm as his shadow rolled it's left, ready for whatever challenge was coming his way.
E. Honda slammed himself down like a raging bull before the bath. They all moved out of it, as if coming to the challenge he declared. Coming outside of the tub, the standoff between the many patrons and E. Honda had begun. But it left only one person to remain inside the water.
Havik stood triumphantly over them like the barrier between the two baths, as if it was the bridge between two realms that he had just opened. Finding his own solitude, he slumped back down into the water. Ready to watch it all unfold.