MONTHS LATER
Finally September 1st has come. The invited cast members must now travel to the magnificent MK event. This event took place in the forgotten ancient realm of Angbotain. Angbotain was formerly inhabited by giants, but after the giants vanished, the realm remained forgotten until now. The elder gods (who were no longer in spiritual form) took over the realm and transformed it into what it is now.
"Well Arthur, the time has come to get going." While caressing his pet, Kung Lao said. "I hope you're ready to stay with Bo Rai Cho while I'm gone; I promise he'll take good care of you." Kung Lao's phone rang as soon as he said this. It was Raiden, according to the phone screen.
"Hello, Raiden! How's everything?" Kung Lao asked cheerfully.
"Great, I'm not complaining." Raiden exclaimed enthusiastically. "I just said goodbye to my family and am now on my way to Liu Kang's. We're planning on teleporting to Angbotain, and I was wondering if you'd like to join us instead of passing through all the portals."
"That sounds nice, I'm going to Bo Rai Cho's first to drop Arthur off. You are welcome to meet me there and we will go together." Lao replied then walked out the front door after finishing his phone call, carrying his luggage and his pet.
THE GRAND OPENING
Raiden, Lao, and Kang were all taken aback when they arrived in Angbotain. It was almost like a dream of how lovely it was. When the trio entered the Mortal Kombat event, they were surprised to see so many familiar faces.
"Kitana must be here," said Liu Kang. "Please assist me in locating her." Liu Kang was keen to track down the one that gotten away.
"Hold on Liu, we just got here, you can find your "soul mate" later." Let's start by looking for our lodgings." Kung Lao made a joke.
"I agree with Kung. Given that this is their first year, it appears that not many individuals were invited. I'm confident that finding her will be simple." Raiden added.
"Hey boys, I haven't seen you guys in forever!" Sonja exclaimed as she embraced the three of them. "Isn't it great that we get to relive history with a twist"
"Twist?" enquired Liu Kang
"Oh sure. Almost no movie ever goes word for word with true history. Producers can always add their own flavor to it." Sonja responded
"You do mean the Elder Gods when you say producers right?" Lao enquired
"Yup. They're the ones who established this realm and watched us all go to hell and back during our lives. They know the whole thing, believe me. Did you know that they are no longer in spiritual form? They chose to live like you and me, roaming around freely."
"You don't say?" Raiden responded
"I know it's strange, but I guess they got tired of sitting in clouds all day." Anyway, once you've settled into your rooms, there's a grand opening in the ballroom tonight at 8 p.m. The Elder Gods have some announcements to make."
"Sonja, Do you know where we might be able to get our rooms before you leave?" Raiden was curious.
"Of course, the Elder Gods simplified things. Each room was ordered from A to Z, however it was separated into several sections. A and B are on the same side. CDE is on the other side, and so forth. Radien your room is next to mine."
"Thank you," Liu Kang responded. "I suppose my room should be in the LMN section."
"You got it and Kung, yours is with the IJK." Sonja Added
"Great. Thank you for clarifying. I guess I'll see everyone later tonight."
Before leaving, Liu Kang and Kung Lao exchanged waves with Raiden and Sonja.
Kung Lao began wandering through the building, reading each section to find his first initial. During this procedure, he ran into Johnny Cage.
"Hey Cage, long time no see," Kung Lao smiled.
"How are you hat guy! Are you looking for your room?" Johnny Cage inquired.
"Yup, if I'm not mistaken, we should be in the same section?" Lao questioned
"You're absolutely correct. I saw your door right next to Kitana's, you lucky bastard," Cage laughed. "Anyway, before the event begins, I'm going down to the bar for a few drinks. You should absolutely come by."
"I think I'll skip Cage, but I'll see you tonight."
Kung Lao was walking down the corridor to his bedroom door when he discovered Jade and Kitana standing right next to it. Lao approached them while smiling, and they returned the smile.
"Hi Kung, great to see you!" Kitana smiled as she embraced him.
"Hey ladies, you both look stunning as always." Lao answered by staring at both women. He observed Kitana wearing a wedding ring on her left finger while inspecting them. Lao stood in silence, perplexed.
"Looks like we're all in the same section." Jade said with a smile. Cutting Kung Lao's train of thought.
Gulping Lao spoke up. "That seems about right, Jade; where is your room?"
"I'm the first door at the very end. So three doors down, next to Jax."
"Oh, nice, so it's not far at all." He said this while smiling. Lao was at a loss for words. He was keen to find out if Kitana was married, and if so, to whom. Knowing how strongly Liu kang desired to reignite his feelings for the Edenian princess.
"So, how have you been, Kung?" Are there any new developments?" Kitana asked, smiling.
Kung lao was relieved when Kitana asked him the question. That manner, he can reply, "How about you?" Without appearing nosy. "I've been good lately, keeping to myself," he remarked.
"Really, I thought you and Tanya were happily coupled; how is she?" enquired Kitana
"I honestly don't know. We broke up approximately a year ago after dating for 2 years." According to Kung Lao
"Oh, I'm really sorry to hear that." Kitana expressed her regret. "I understand that breakups can be a heavy burden on one's heart."
"Yeah, I'm doing fine. "I'm trying to meet new people and form new relationships." Kung Lao stated
Kitana reacted before he could finish his sentence. "You're completely correct about forming new ties and strengthening existing ones, Lao. Maybe you and Jade here can look into that together?"
Kitana's statement startled and puzzled Kung Lao. He had last heard about Jade when she was dating the Lin Kuei ninja Smoke. Kung Lao gazed at her, who was looking at her best friend in an unexpected way.
"It's just a thought," Kitana remarked nervously. Kung Lao recognized Kitana's embarrassment and tried to put her at ease.
Lao said with a smile, "yeah, if Jade is interested, I'd love to build a better bond with her."
Looking at Jade, he realized his remark had made her nervous. She returned the smile and whispered softly, "We will see, Shaolin.
EVENT IN A BALL ROOM
Kung Lao was 15 minutes late for the event because he was getting ready. He wanted to look great even though he wasn't attempting to impress anyone. Kung Lao entered the room and looked around, noting how lovely it was and how many people were there. The Ballroom was packed with the original Mortal Kombat 9 roaster. (Not including additional characters) In total, 26 MK characters were chosen.
While examining the room, Lao noticed Liu Kang and Kitana. They stood apart from the crowd, having a private talk.
"Damn," Kung thought to himself. He felt awful because he knew that topic would make his best friend uncomfortable.
Kung Lao was watching the former couple and trying to interpret their facial expressions to determine the gist of the conversation when he sensed someone approaching him from behind.
"Hey Shaolin," the mysterious person said.
Kung Lao turned around and noticed Jade approaching towards him with a smile.
"Hi," Kung Lao said, smiling. When Kung Lao observed the Edenian, he was taken aback. She was breathtaking, and he wasn't hesitant to tell her so.
"You look lovely tonight Jade, and that dress suits you perfectly."
"I don't think I heard you, mind repeating that?" Jade remarked humorously.
Lao responded with a smirk, "haha nice try."
"Thank you, You look dashing as well. I saw you spot Liu Kang and Kitana." Jade said this while joining Kung Lao and looked in the direction of the former pair.
"Yeah, I just know he's torn." Lao replied. He wanted to ask Jade who exactly Kitana married, but didn't want to be nosy.
"You're probably wondering who she's engaged to, aren't you?" Jade stated
"I'm intrigued."
"I'll give you a hint. He's here tonight, dressed in blue, and is a Grandmaster."
Kung Lao's eyes widened as he heard the words "Grandmaster." He recognized it right away. "Sub Subzero?" In disbelief, he stuttered. He then began exploring the room for the ice maker ninja. His gaze was drawn to the Grandmaster, who was conversing with his buddy Smoke.
Kung Lao was reminded of Jade and Smoke's breakup when staring at both ninjas. Lao was hesitant to inquire but eventually mustered the courage.
"So you and Smoke are no longer?" He inquired.
The Caramel skinned Edenian shifted her gaze to the Shaolin monk. Sighing she answered "yeah" before gazing to the ground.
Lao didn't want to push any farther and couldn't find the words to console her, so he took a step back.
Jade soon broke the stillness by speaking out. "A year ago, Tomas and I had a mutual breakup. I haven't talked to him since. He appears to be improving."
"Yes, appearances may be deceiving but who knows he may be thinking about you."
"Well, I'm not interested in rekindling any longer. What has been done is done. I'm ready for a change. So, how about you? Do you still think about her?"
Despite the fact that Lao hasn't spoken to Tanya in months. He still found himself wondering about her and how she was doing.
"Not nearly as much as I used to." Kung Lao replied. "I meant what I said about meeting new people, creating new relationships, and getting to know you better if you're interested." Lao remarked softly, gazing into Jade's eyes
The green-eyed Edenian was delighted to hear this. She smiled softly at Kung Lao, knowing that she, too, wanted to learn more about the monk. Lao and Jade rarely communicated much over the years, despite the fact that their best friends were dating. They had tiny exchanges here and there, but nothing romantic. With her dating Smoke and him dating Tanya, the two rarely crossed paths. Lao always sparked Jade's interest. Jade was drawn to the Shaolin by his dimples, figure, and sense of humor. Before she could speak she was interrupted by The Elder Gods.
"Ladies and gentlemen, may I please have your attention? We'd like to begin by thanking you all for accepting our invitations and participating in the Mortal Kombat 9 reboot film." When they heard this, everyone started cheering. "Just a quick rundown of how this works. We're making a film based on historical events. Yes, we will make a few adjustments to the film, a little spice if you will, to keep things fresh and the franchise running as long as feasible. If the film receives positive reviews we will continue the franchise. However, if it fails, it will be the end of Mortal Kombat reenactment in general. You're probably wondering why you got cast in this new Mortal Kombat revival movie. We, the elder gods, felt you played an important role in the history of Mortal Kombat and have a large fan base, thus you are the first original cast." Everyone was overjoyed to learn that they had been chosen out of 77 Mortal Kombat characters. "In terms of filming, we will provide you with a schedule outlining which days we will require you on set and so on. It is recommended that you stay here temporarily due to the lengthy filming duration. In Angbotain, we established permanent rooms for you all to use. You may, however, continue to explore the portals as you choose." Filming will begin next week. This week is for you to settle down and get used to the fact that once filming begins, it will be nonstop with a few days off in between. As previously indicated, your schedule will indicate which days you are required on set, so please be presentable, prepared, and have fun."
Following the news, everyone applauded, and a band began playing loudly, causing Jade and Lao to cover their ears.
Kung Lao cast a glance in the direction of Liu Kang and Kitana and discovered they were no longer present. He knew he had to track down his best friend.
"Well, then, I guess I'll see you later!" Lao yelled in an attempt to drown out the music. Jade couldn't understand what he was saying but realized he was saying goodbye. As a result, she smiled, nodded, and waved as the monk exited the ballroom.
Because Angbotain was so huge, Lao was absolutely disoriented when he stepped out. He began strolling around the structure, expecting to see Liu Kang, and eventually discovered his brother resting on a stone bench.
"Hey bro," Lao said as he took a seat next to his friend. Kang turned to face his friend with a sorrowful grin, attempting to conceal his true pain, before returning his eyes to the stars in the sky.
Without saying anything, Kung Lao gazed at the stars. He sensed that Liu Kang didn't want to talk, so instead of questioning him, he sat by his side, knowing that his best friend just needed to be with someone.