So, when I posted the prologue to Rising of the Orca and the Wizard, I said I was going to be working on a Mortal Kombat crossover, one based somewhat on the latest reboot. I haven't done much of Mortal Kombat 1 yet (in fact, I'm yet to get past the second story chapter, having concentrated on the Invasion part of the game), but between what I have played, and what I have seen on Youtube and read via wikis, it feels like this ultraviolent series is truly maturing. True, the over-the-top horrific violence is there to stay, but it also feels more like a serious epic than a cheesy and gory pastiche of martial arts films.
I have to admit, I actually had little proper interest in the series, despite it first coming out when I was growing up. While I saw the games being played, I think my first experience with the franchise proper was seeing Paul WS Anderson's film adaptations. Then again, my interest has not really been in fighting games. It wasn't until the latest few games came about that I found myself interested, especially as they began to go for stories that weren't all about OTT gore and cheesy martial arts fantasy. They felt like they had a real mythos, and while I had been meaning to play Mortal Kombat X and Mortal Kombat 11, Mortal Kombat 1 doing another reboot gave me a chance to start afresh.
Finding a pairing was easier than you'd think. Mileena, oddly enough, was one of the key choices on the list, as writing villains as pairings is challenging, if only to shape their heel-face turn, and it can be rewarding. Plus, in the latest games, she's voiced by Kari Wahlgren, who voices many of my favourite characters in anime and gaming. Yet Mortal Kombat 1 offered a chance to do a different take on Mileena, one who is actually a good person, but suffering from a monstrous affliction. Of the remainder, honestly, there wasn't much choice. I was loathe to break up Kitana and Liu Kang, even if that has pretty much happened after his apotheosis, and Cassy Cage hasn't shown up yet in this new continuity.
I did decide to tweak some things. This is a loose version of Mortal Kombat 1's setting. The biggest change is that Mileena is the youngest of Sindel's daughters this time. And it's a WBWL fic, albeit with little actual bashing. James, the WBWL and Dumbledore will have flaws, but they won't be the villains.
Oh, and the title means 'a wolf will not bite another wolf' in Latin. It's basically about the effect Harry and Mileena have on each other, despite their afflictions.
Of course, as usual, there's no guarantee this will become a full fic. I need to play more of the game first to get a better grasp on the relevant characters. But I hope you enjoy regardless...
LUPUS NON MORDET LUPUM
CHAPTER 1:
THE WIZARD, THE WITCH, THE EMPRESS, AND THE PRINCESSES
Every action has a consequence. This is an immutable law of the multiverse. And never is this ever more apparent when altering time. Even when I shaped history with humility and restraint, I could not foresee all of the consequences. Then again, neither could my predecessor, Kronika, something that irked her greatly.
I knew I could not change everything for the better. And to do so would be little better than the tyrants I spent much of my life, and many timelines, fighting. It was up to mortals to do their part, to act, for better or for worse.
But new timelines sprang up, shaped by my design. Some fused with others from afar. And I found myself drawn to one set in particular.
Magic is known to Earthrealm, even if it is hidden. But in this set of merged timelines, there were many more wizards and witches, living in seclusion from the more mundane parts of human society. More than once, they got involved with the affairs of Outworld and the Netherrealm. But otherwise, they had little to do with them, at least until the British Unspeakables rediscovered travel to Outworld, and began to have dealings with them.
Yet that would not last. It started with the rise of a xenophobic warlock once known as Tom Marvolo Riddle. Compared to the likes of Kronika, Shao Khan, Shang Tsung or Quan Chi, Riddle was a mere dilettante in evil, but he proved to still be a threat to too many. Taking the name of Lord Voldemort, he began an uprising in the country of Britain.
But on a fateful Halloween night, chasing the subject of a prophecy, he fell afoul of the protectiveness of a mother, whose keen and unconventional mind saved her children. Yet a man who was both wise and foolish declared the wrong child, the younger child, the 'Boy Who Lived', and a family was eventually sundered. But worst still was in store for the eldest child, something that would lead him to be shunned and dubbed a monster by too many.
And yet, what defines a monster? One would say that a monstrous visage reflects a monstrous mind, heart and soul. And yet, there are many with a fair visage and a foul heart, and vice versa.
Let me tell you, then, of a tale of monsters and magic. Of darkness and light. Of a pair of outcasts, born to privilege, tainted by monstrousness, and yet able to rise to become paragons. I see an echo of my past life in these two. I cannot claim I feel no envy, but that is no reason not to hope for them to have a happy ending of sorts.
Not that others would not conspire to destroy their happiness, for pleasure or ambition, regardless…
"Then you are prepared?"
"Of course, Empress. But I must reiterate that I have no guarantee of finding a suitable treatment, let alone a cure."
"At least you are honest in that much at least. Then again, if what you say is true, then we are both mothers, seeking help for our children. It will be some years before the next Mortal Kombat tournament is held. If my daughter's condition is at least mitigated by then…and indeed, if a cure or at least an effective treatment is available, there will be many who will sing your praises. Many curse me for my actions, but I have to make hard choices as Empress. They may not be always the right ones. But if you do find such a treatment or cure…then at least one source of suffering will be alleviated."
"I will do what I can. We'll be sure to keep in touch."
"Hmm. If the Protector of Earthrealm permits it, I may yet make a visit to your country, this…Britain. But for now, I have made the decision to leave my youngest daughter in your hands…"
It may not have been as bad as the first few times he had done it, but Harry Evans' lungs still felt like they were on fire as he coughed up the liquid back into the tank he had been in mere seconds before. Then again, the rest of his body felt like shit. The only consolation was that it was at least better than before.
After he finished, he gingerly used the steps built into the side of the tank to walk to the waiting shower cubicle. One thing about the containment tank was that it at least kept him comfortably warm. But when he got out, being naked and wet ensured that he ended up cold PDQ, so a warm shower helped. A quick one, though, as he just wanted to get back home. And after he got dressed, he emerged from the chamber.
The first figure waiting for him there didn't surprise him. Saul Croaker, the head of the Unspeakables, and probably the closest thing Harry had to an uncle figure who wasn't one of the Marauders. He looked vaguely thuggish, and yet, shorn of his robes, instead wearing a shirt, trousers, a sweater and a bow tie, he could have simply been an Oxbridge professor. Which, in some ways, he was. The Unspeakables, for all their secrecy, were basically the wizarding equivalent of academic research, particularly into some of the most dangerous things in the world.
But the second one, small and diminutive and ancient-looking, did. "Madam Marchbanks," he said, his voice raspy from coughing up the breathable liquid he'd been sleeping in. "To what do I owe this pleasure?"
The ancient, short woman gave him a smile. "Well, for one thing, I wanted to catch up with young Croaker here. But for another…well, I thought I'd come down and give you these results personally." She handed him a letter. "Congratulations, Harry Evans, on passing your NEWTs. Some with flying colours, others, well, not so much, but honestly, if it weren't for your…circumstances, you could have your pick of jobs right here in the Ministry."
Harry took the letter from Marchbanks, and opened it, scanning it, with a smile touching his lips, a smile that became sour when his mind caught up with Marchbanks' words. "It's not my fault."
"No…no it isn't," Marchbanks said solemnly. "Thanks to what happened to you, not to mention that ghastly woman Umbridge pushing through those laws…well, you'd be lucky to get a job as a janitor in the Ministry."
"I don't care what that Batrachian Bitch has to say," Croaker said. "The Department of Mysteries will accept anyone as long as they do not have a serious criminal record, and pending the use of Legilimency and other measures as a vetting process. Harry has effectively been my apprentice and that of his mother from an early age. The Ministry of Magic has no authority to dictate policy here, save when it is reasonable. Denying an intelligent young man a job for reasons beyond his control is not reasonable."
Marchbanks nodded. "Well said, young Croaker. Though I've also been speaking discreetly to Gringotts. Given the nature of their treaties with the Ministry, they'd take you on as an apprentice Cursebreaker, if you wanted."
"That's a very generous offer, Madam Marchbanks, and I'll be sure to thank Lord Ragnok via Owl Post for the opportunity, but joining the Unspeakables has been something of a dream. I've seen the way people treat me for my condition, and the Department of Mysteries, for the most part, treat me like I'm a person, not like some monster waiting to lash out."
"True enough," Marchbanks said, "but I'd deliver your thanks to Gringotts in person if I were you. I delivered these NEWTs results in person partly because I had an inkling that someone, possibly Umbridge or someone with ties to her, would try to intercept it. That ghastly woman has been pressuring me to grade you differently. I remember some of the grades she barely managed to scrape by with, and pointed them out to her." The wizened old woman sighed happily. "Ah, that shade of puce she turned…rather lovely, but unhealthy. I suggested she see someone at St Mungo's."
"I'd imagine Dolores didn't take that well," Croaker said with a chuckle. "In any case, Harry, while I will give you an interview for the sake of appearances, honestly, I'd welcome you in right now. Let's face it, it's not the first time the Unspeakables have had a werewolf amongst their number."
Harry winced a little at Croaker admitting his condition out loud, but otherwise, he was grateful to the old man. He meant well, unlike so many others. But it was still a painful reminder of what he had lost.
He'd had a fairly happy and normal life with his mother, well, as normal as it could be when he was a wizard and his younger brother was the infamous Boy Who Lived. He was looking forward to attending Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. And while relations between his parents were strained after their divorce, his father had treated him well enough.
But that had changed on a family gathering at Halloween, 1996. Eight years ago, well, almost, given that it was late August 2004 now. Harry was ten years old. Next year, he would be heading to Hogwarts.
Yet something happened. That night was not a night of the full moon, which had been a few days prior. And yet, Remus Lupin, a man he considered like an uncle to him, transformed and went berserk.
Harry had been the only one infected by Remus. But the attack provoked a fresh wave of anti-werewolf sentiment. Remus died to the Aurors on the scene, before the other two Marauders could stop them. And thanks to laws pushed through by Dolores Umbridge soon afterwards, Harry was forbidden from attending Hogwarts, despite Professor Dumbledore's best efforts, as well as his father's and Sirius' in the Wizengamot. Supposedly for the safety of the public, but Umbridge was a xenophobic bitch of the highest order, and what was more, she had clashed with both of his parents before. This was her revenge.
Which was why he was here in the Department of Mysteries. Until a year or so ago, he'd been kept at home during the full moon, in a reinforced room, doped up with Wolfsbane. But his mother never stopped looking for more effective treatments, and had asked her son to become a guinea pig for an experimental therapy he was undergoing. It was certainly reducing the stress on his body, and he felt calmer in the aftermath of the transformation.
That being said, she had strange absences over the past few months. In fact, she had been gone for the past week, and he was glad that Croaker gave him access to the Department of Mysteries' Floo, as he doubted he'd be let in through the front door of the Ministry lately. Nobody would tell him anything, only that she was on an expedition, and they wouldn't say where.
"Well, I'd best get going," Marchbanks said. "In any case, Evans, good luck. You'll need it, even with your mother and Croaker backing you. Goodbye."
The wizened old woman left, and Croaker sighed. "Well, now that's out of the way, I have some interesting news. Your mother is coming back soon. And she's not coming back alone."
"Sorry, what?"
"Look, Harry, I wanted to wait until you'd confirmed wanting to be with us," Croaker said. "I know joining the Unspeakables has been a dream of yours for some time, but dreams change. Besides, given that you'll have a guest at your house for the next little while, you need to know anyway."
Harry frowned, considering Croaker's words, before he nodded. "Okay. So, where's this guest coming from?"
"Another world, or more specifically, another dimension," Croaker said. "It is known as Outworld, a fusion of many other worlds. Our dimension is known to them as 'Earthrealm'. We recently rediscovered a portal leading to Outworld based at the Rollright Stones in Oxfordshire(1)."
"The Rollright Stones? Not Stonehenge?" Harry chuckled.
"Oh, Stonehenge is a place of great power, but it is no interdimensional gateway. There was some debate as to whom to send, but we decided on Lily. For those of us who are sane, it's about sending someone who has diplomatic skills, and doesn't have the arrogance too many Purebloods have. Of course, some people thought she would also act as a disposable scout. And apparently, the portal reacted strongly to Lily, and we have reason to believe that her ancestors came from Outworld long ago. As it happened, we made the right choice. Lily made contact with the local leader, an empress. There was a bit of tension, as apparently there's some martial arts tournament tradition about pitting fighters from these worlds against each other, but Lily smoothed things over. So well did she hit it off with the empress that she's accepted a rather interesting offer."
"And that is?"
"…The empress has twin daughters. The youngest, during a rather rebellious phase, contracted a disease not unlike lycanthropy," Croaker said. "Oh, it's very different in many ways, but it periodically makes the sufferer an aggressive berserker, even if they are normally quite lucid and moral. It is known as Tarkat, and its sufferers Tarkatans. The empress basically left these Tarkatans in what amount to leper colonies, but the guilt has been eating away at her, especially now that her daughter is infected by the disease. When Lily brought up her work in treating your lycanthropy, the empress asked her if she could cure her daughter, or at least give a treatment that mitigates matters."
"…So, we're hosting a princess or something?" Harry asked.
"Yes. Obviously, it goes without saying that you have to be careful around royalty, mind your Ps and Qs and such. The empress and her daughters are reasonable enough, from what I've heard, far better than too many Purebloods, but they are also the rulers of an entire other dimension. And they're strong, stronger than most humans. So show them some respect when you meet them."
"Oh joy…"
They arrived in the atrium of the Department of Mysteries, with Croaker speaking to another Unspeakable. "Has Evans and her companions arrived?"
"Not yet. She did send a message via House Elf. She will be here any moment to retrieve her son."
As if on cue, the Floo portal, a fireplace, albeit an elaborately carved one, flared green, and the familiar form of his mother stepped through. When she saw him, she smiled. "Harry, good morning! Has Croaker told you yet?"
"Just the bare details, that you were hobnobbing with royalty from another world," Harry said.
"Fair enough. I've left them at home for now. Though two of them won't be lingering for long. When I greet them, copy my gesture as a sign of respect. Come on, let's go…"
The first thing that greeted them was the sound of a woman's voice, imperious and sultry, and yet gentle. "Fascinating, this…television. What potential it has for both education and entertainment. The same could be said about this…DVD player."
"For the house of a sorceress, it seems to have much in the way of technology," spoke a younger woman's voice thoughtfully. "I daresay you will not be bored, sister."
Another young woman's voice emitted a harrumph, her voice a little higher pitched than the others. "That remains to be seen, sister. I hope that the sorceress is as good as her word."
Lily chuckled as she and Harry emerged into the living room, the Floo being in a study. "I can't ask that you have faith in me, as I cannot guarantee results. All that I can ask is that you at least give me a chance to help."
Harry found himself staring at the trio of women standing there, all three in surprisingly figure-hugging outfits, and with vaguely Oriental features, all of them quite beautiful, and yet their figures had some muscle to them. The first was tall, dressed in imperial purple, and her hair was white, with a distinct black streak in it, making her look vaguely like the Bride of Frankenstein, he thought. She could have been a mature-looking late twenties, or even as old as a well-preserved fifty-odd.
The other two were perhaps in their twenties, both with dark hair. One of them was solemn and serious, her outfit in blue, while the other looked a little irritated, her costume magenta coloured. The latter also had a slight scar above one of her eyes, just barely noticeable in the light of the room.
Lily halted, before placing the fist of her right hand into the palm of her left, and bowing. Harry, remembering her earlier words, swiftly copied her. The older woman chuckled. "Thank you," she said, her tone warm. "Though the gesture is unnecessary, if appreciated. I am only here unofficially. The Fire God, at least, understands that much, and hasn't taken umbrage at this. So, this is your son, the one you've spoken so much about. He has your eyes, and the fire within them."
"So I am told, empress," Harry said. "I mean…how do I address you and your daughters?"
"With respect if nothing else. Should you have need to come to Outworld, Lily will teach you the proper forms for any public audience, but otherwise, in cases like this, just some respect will suffice." She didn't say it like a Malfoy or any of those other haughty Purebloods would, either. She was smiling warmly. She held out a hand, and Harry took it, shaking it, noting that she had quite a bit of strength in her hands. "In any case, I am Sindel, Empress of Outworld and the realms attached to it."
"I am Princess Kitana," the woman clad in blue said, taking Harry's hand. Her smile was even warmer than her mother's.
And the third woman stepped forward. "And I am Princess Mileena. It is I who will be staying with you for now."
Harry shook her hand. "A pleasure to meet all of you."
He didn't know it, nor did anyone else present, but this meeting marked the beginning of a relationship that would form a bridge between Outworld and Earthrealm. A relationship begun with a simple handshake, and yet, it would have ramifications echoing throughout the realms. A wizard, and a princess, both afflicted with monstrosity, fighting against it…
CHAPTER 1 ANNOTATIONS:
So, there you have it. Harry is an outcast in Magical Britain…but he still has his mother's love, and the support of some sane people. But now, Mileena's shown up to shake up the status quo. Still, what could have caused Lupin to infect Harry?
I made Harry a werewolf in this version of events because I felt this would be a way to have Harry and Mileena bond. Lycanthropy and Tarkat in the current Mortal Kombat canon are surprisingly similar in some regards.
Now, this story's version of the Mortal Kombat story is based roughly on the story for the latest reboot (as of writing), albeit with a few elements tweaked and changed. Mileena's Tarkatan features, when she gets vicious, are closer to her appearance in Mortal Kombat X. In other words, instead of a grotesque and raw Glasgow Smile filled with more teeth than the Osmond family (ah, I love that joke from Red Dwarf), she has teeth growing along her cheeks, and she still has lips.
Mileena is also not the heir to the throne. Kitana came out first this time. And while there's some resentment, Mileena is on better terms with her sister than she is with her mother, let alone almost everyone else. Which isn't to say her relationship with Sindel is truly bad, but it is strained somewhat. Between Mileena's impulsiveness and Sindel's attitude to Tarkatans, even if she won't treat her daughter the same way, there is some tension. Lily arrived at just the right time.
I should also clarify something that will be brought up in another chapter. Tanya and Mileena aren't in a relationship, or at least it's not more than a good friendship. Both wanted it to be, but unfortunately, Tanya's duties as an Umgadi have taken her to a more remote area of Outworld. Mileena's orientation is ambiguous in the current timeline's canon, but here, Mileena is definitely bisexual, as she was in prior continuities.
Now, aside from the above, the state of Outworld is more or less the same as it is in current canon. There is a major exception, though. A certain character is missing from Outworld…a character who should have an eye kept on him at all times. Oh dear.
1. The Rollright Stones were the site for much of the location filming for the Doctor Who story The Stones of Blood.
