(Shang Tsung's Temple: Throne Room: Early Morning)

Shang Tsung was sitting on his throne, listening to Quan Chi, as the Outworlders were on edge with the Netherrealmers, nonetheless they didn't attack each other but kept their guard up.

Shang Tsung: "You expect me to believe that you know how to beat Raiden's champions?"

Quan Chi: "No, not beat...but perhaps put them out of commission?"

Shang Tsung: *confused expression* "What do you mean?"

Quan Chi: *smirks* "Attack the champions...not all but only two, possibly three, and make it sure it doesn't lead back to you."

Shang Tsung: "Ambushes before the fights? That is forbidden...and dishonor."

Quan Chi: "Shang Tsung, if I may, it is...certain that Outworld won't win this tournament. And when you lose, who knows what Raiden may do? He may decide to invade Outworld."

On the side of the throne, Kitana looked at Mileena with equal distrust towards the necromancer as she spoke up.

Kitana: "Shang Tsung, me and my sister spied on the Earthrealmers, and it seems they have no ill intentions towards Outworld."

Quan Chi: "Princesses, with respect, the adults are talking."

Kitana glared at Quan Chi about to speak once more before Shang Tsung cut her off.

Shang Tsung: "Fine...Jade, Skarlet. Attack the fighters Smoke and Ermac. Maim, do not kill."

He orders as assassins and close friends of Kitana and Mileena, dressed in green and red attire nodded at the orders and left.

Quan Chi: "May I send allies to assist them? Smoke already beat one of your strongest warriors and Ermac...he is easily one of the strongest Earthrealm fighters."

Shang Tsung: "Very well...but who are these allies of yours?"

Quan Chi: *smirks* "The Lin Kuei."

(Forest)

The Kombatants had woken up early, and were sparring with each other, except for Smoke who was off wandering in the forest, still seeing flashes of his past and the Enenra.

He was trailing deep in the forest, almost in a trance as the forest flashed between it's current look and that of a rainy one, dark, in the center of a trail...a wolf cub, it's eyes glowing red.

"Thomas..."

Smoke: "What?"

Confused, the Lin Kuei assassin continued forward, only for the cub to start running.

"Thomas."

He was about to chase it down, wanting answers but was snapped out of his trance.

Ermac: "Thomas!"

Smoke stopped in middle of the trail and looked at Ermac who had a concerned look on his face.

Ermac: "My friend, you wandered off from training. Is something wrong? Do you need Raiden?"

Smoke: "No! No...It's...I think my memories are coming back."

Ermac: *confused* "What do mean coming back?"

Smoke: "I see...things I've never seen but yet it's familiar to me. As if I was there. They're signs..."

Ermac: "What signs?"

Smoke: "Signs to rediscover who I am..."

Soon as Smoke finished his sentence, a razor was thrown at him, before he could react, the razor stopped near his face.

He looked at Ermac who had stopped it with his powers.

Smoke: "Thanks."

He says then gets out his karambit knife as Ermac lets the razor fall to the ground.

Ermac: "You're welcome."

The two then look at their attackers, to see Jade and Skarlet who were walking up to them.

Ermac: "Assassins...from Outworld?"

Jade: "Yes, and you've been proven a threat, and now...you will die."

She says, then a bo-staff appears in her hands, and she extends it, getting into a fighting position.

Skarlet: "Too bad, they seem nice...especially you."

She states, winking at Ermac who blinked, confused as she forms a dagger out of blood.

Smoke and Ermac get into fighting stances as they look at each other.

Smoke: "I'll get the one in green, you get red...I think she likes you."

He says, cheeky as Ermac rolls his eyes as the two assassins started charging at them.

Jade lunged at Smoke with her staff, but missed as he passes through her in vapor form and rematerializes then kicks her from behind, only to be blocked and swept off his feet.

He fell on his back and saw the staff coming down and he rolled out of the way, as he recovered, Jade kept striking her staff as Smoke kept blocking with his knife.

Then their weapons clashed, and Smoke looked closely at Jade, studying her, then saw more flashes of a girl in a green as he raised an eyebrow.

Smoke: "Jade?"

Jade: *confused* "How do you know my name?"

Smoke: "Not...completely sure yet."

He says then Jade manuvers around him and throws him over her.

Smoke hits a tree, falling to the ground, he then continues fighting with Jade.

Ermac was having no struggle whatsoever as Skarlet as striking but Ermac kept blocking with ease.

Ermac: "Why do you attack us? We've done no harm by participating in the Tournament."

Skarlet: "Orders. Nothing personal."

She says then goes to stab him in the shoulder but couldn't move, Ermac then pushed her against a tree with his telekinesis.

Ermac: "Funny. It feels that way."

Skarlet: "Is so, then you're gonna hate this."

Ermac: "What are you-"

He starts to speak but stopped as he feel a sudden burst of pain, he fell to his knees, the pain still continuing as he lifts his mask and coughs up blood.

Ermac: "B-Blood Magic..."

He continues coughing as Skarlet kneels down in front of him.

Skarlet: "Yeah, that's my specialty. It's a shame, I've heard how Raiden took in a being of living souls...I expected more of a fight."

Ermac then creates a burst of soul-energy, causing Skarlet to go back a few feet, she was then lifted into the air, restricting all movement, then slammed down.

Ermac: "Expectations met yet?"

Smoke had gained the upper hand on Jade and had her in a choke hold, using her own staff, as he saw this and looked at Jade.

Smoke: "Look, we don't want to kill you, even after you attacked us...You had orders. So, we're willing to let you go. IF you don't attack us."

He states then an object rolled near his foot, they looked down and saw a yellow sphere as it was glowing.

Jade: "What is that?"

Smoke: "Not...entirely sure."

Then the sphere started beeping rapidly as Smoke's eyes widened, in realization.

Smoke: "Shit!"

He then tried teleport with Jade in tow, but the sphere exploded, sending them flying back onto the ground.

Ermac released his hold on Skarlet and the two ran over to check on their friends.

Ermac: "Smoke, are you harmed?"

Smoke: "No, but whoever did that is gonna be."

He states getting up and turns to see Jade and Skarlet were gone.

Smoke: "At least they're out of the way."

As he finishes his sentence both him and Ermac are hit across the face and kicked in the gut.

Then to their surprise two robots in red and yellow, appear, no longer invisible as Smoke and Ermac were confused.

Smoke: "Robots? God, this island is weird."

???: "Silence Tomas, you, Kuai Liang and Frost are to return to the Lin Kuei for cyberization."

Smoke: "Your voice...Sektor?"

He asks, shocked and disturbed as Sektor chuckles.

Sektor: "Yes, Smoke...impressed? My father was right to activate the Cyber Initiative."

Ermac: "Cyber Initiative?"

Smoke: "A phase that Sektor's father suggested, but the previous Grandmaster, who was Bi-Han, Kuai Liang, and Frost's father, declined, as it inhumane and stripped us of our freewill...but you actually did it...you're a cyborg."

Sektor: "I'm not the only one...right, Cyrax?"

Cyrax: "Yes, General Sektor."

He says as Smoke looked Cyrax, pitiful and with remorse, he looks at Sektor, pissed.

Smoke: "Kuai Liang told me how you tried to kill the new Shirai Ryu. And how Cyrax stood against you. You turned by force! He would never in his right mind join you!"

Sektor: "So much emotion...that will be fixed, once you return with us."

Smoke then unsheathes his knife as he and Ermac get into their fighting stances.

Ermac: "Smoke, is going nowhere."

Smoke: "Damn right."

Sektor: *scoffs* "You are blind to your morals, as you lack vision...with the Cyber Initiative, We are more stealthful than the night...and more deadly than the dawn!"

He exclaims then fires his flamethrowers, but only for them to be protected by a wall of ice.

They all look to see Sub-Zero and Noob who had their weapons ready.

Sub-Zero: "Our clan has truly fallen."

Noob: "For all your talk of dishonoring the Lin Kuei...you pervert all the means to be one."

Sektor growls, then aims his flamethrowers at the two brothers but Cyrax stops him.

Cyrax: "General, their combined power level is too much...we must regroup."

Sektor looks at him, then lowers his arms, then sneers at Sub-Zero.

Sektor: "You will serve your clan...willingly or not."

He states then the cybernetic ninjas teleport, leaving the forest, as the Kombatants now realize the tournament will be even more difficult than anticipated.