Netherrealm was in the girl's house. He was waiting on the couch for the impromptu surgery to be completed. He took off his face mask, cowl and headband. Setting them on the coffee table. He rubbed his neck, remembering how strong that girl was. He brought out his wakizashi. Looking at himself in the reflection. He saw bruises on his neck from how hard she strangled him. It's a wonder she didn't crush his throat.
He put the wakizashi back in the sheath and then leaned back on the couch. The door opened and the girl who carried the unconscious one came out of her room. Her hastily thrown on surgical outfit was bloody, yet she had a smile on her face when she took off the mask. "She's going to live. She needs to rest," she informed Netherrealm. The girl sat down next to him and finally looked relaxed. He could tell by the look on her face, she hadn't expected to succeed in saving the other girl.
"Well umm, My name is Compa! It's nice to meet you!" She chirped happily. Netherrealm stared at her for a second. "Netherrealm…" he replied coldly. Compa looked at his neck and frowned. "What happened to your neck?" Compa asked.
Netherrealm explained how it was the girl they brought to her home. She nearly strangled Netherrealm to death. "Oh dear! She probably was... Well, scared. I could see it on her face even when she was out. She was probably desperate to stay alive, knowing she didn't have much time left anyway. She might still be a bit scared. But, I think she'll be better soon, her mind recovers with the rest of her body. As my Grandpa says, 'It's alright to lose your marbles as long as you find them again.' So please don't hold it against her," Compa said. Netherrealm grunted in response. Not in the mood to argue.
Netherrealm grabbed his stuff. "So if that's all you need me for. Then I'll be going," he said as he stood up. Compa frowned as she watched him go. "Oh… okay…" she sighed. Netherrealm heard her sigh and he grit his teeth. Before opening the door and leaving.
With a duffel bag over his shoulder. He walked down the dark streets of Planeptune. Reaching Planeptune's projects. He was heading to his apartment. He went through an alleyway that led to the back of a building. So he can go up the stairs that lead up. However there was a man waiting for him.
"You live here?" The man asked. Netherrealm nodded and looked down. The man in front of him was only a head shorter. Wearing a gray suit with a white shirt. His hair in a crew cut and a brown goatee. "Good, every tenant pays protection money. You're the last one I need to collect from," the thug explained.
"Protection money from this building? When the fuck was that a thing?" Netherrealm asked with a sneer. The thug pulled out a switchblade. "Since now douchebag! Pay up or get cut up!" He threatened. Netherrealm chuckled before it turned into a laugh. The thug in anger ran at Netherrealm. Ready to stab him through the heart.
CLANG!
The knife bounced off the cuirass. "Oh right, it's pretty dark so I guess you didn't see that. I'm wearing armor dipshit," Netherrealm explained before grabbing the man by the collar. He pushed him against the wall. Then Netherrealm kneed the man in the gut. Before throwing a couple of haymakers to his face. Causing bruising and some blood to splatter on the ground.
He then grabbed him by the collar again. Turning and yanking him at the same time before letting go. Causing him to stumble forward, into a clothesline by Netherrealm's clone. Sending him on his back. The clone melted into shadow. As the man sat up and looked at Netherrealm in terror. "I saw that shit, Nether-chan!" A somewhat screechy voice exclaimed from the side. Netherrealm groaned in frustration before turning.
Entering the alley was a woman in her early twenties. Her black hair done up in a ponytail with her bangs parted in the front. She wears a tacky, gold and black, snakeskin jacket. She has no shirt but has bandages wrapped around her chest. Black leather gloves, and dark pants. Black dress shoes with metal that covers the toes. She has one mischievous black eye. While her right eye has a black eyepatch with a gold snake on it.
She was flanked by two guys and had a closed umbrella resting on her shoulder. She gave Netherrealm a toothy grin as she got closer. "M-Ma'am! N-Nether?! You don't mean?!" The goon asked in fear. "Yup! The Black Dragon of Planeptune, Netherrealm-chan!" She introduced Netherrealm.
"It's been way too short, Kyoken…" Netherrealm growled. Kyoken is the Mad Fenrir of Planeptune, the Matriarch of the Skoll-Hati Family. One of the biggest crime families in Planeptune. Skoll-Hati rose to power after the Vanir Family was put down to fill in the power vacuum.
Kyoken began to walk around Netherrealm casually. "Still as blunt as ever! I heard you and some chick were running down the streets. Carrying a bleeding girl. Those two didn't look so bad. Mind if I check 'em out?" Kyoken asked. Netherrealm shook his head at her question in annoyance.
"Anyway, whadda we do with this fool?" Kyoken asked Netherrealm as they looked at the beaten up thug. "I'm sorry! I didn't know it was you, Netherrealm, sir!" He apologized profusely. "Whatever, just don't let me see you again," Netherrealm replied with distaste.
"Too soft Nether-chan! As soft as a marshmallow! Ya gotta make things right… Like so!" Kyoken advised before smacking him in the head with the umbrella. Leaving a mark. "I ain't even done!" Kyoken yelled as she began to beat him with the umbrella. "Ya! Ya! Take it!" Kyoken said as she whipped his head with the umbrella. Before changing her grip on the umbrella. Lifting it up and ready to stab him in the head.
Kyoken brought it down, however her arm was caught by Netherrealm. Not even looking at Kyoken. "That's enough!" Netherrealm growled out. "The hell? I only did it for you…" Kyoken said with a shit eating grin. "And I say that's enough you crazy bitch," Netherrealm replied.
Kyoken lowered the umbrella while Netherrealm still held her arm. Then he let go once the umbrella was lowered. The two stared each other down. "Oh… Well fine then," Kyoken accepted jovially. "But when you're a top dog. You gotta keep the pups in line," Kyoken advised.
"Hey, let's roll," Kyoken said to her boys. As she turned around to leave. "Yeah, I'll keep that in mind. But…" Netherrealm said as he trailed off. Kyoken stopped and turned back around to look at Netherrealm. "Oh? But what?" She asked.
"I'll do things my own way, got that?" Netherrealm said. Kyoken walked back over to Netherrealm. Their noses are inches apart. "And what way's that?" Kyoken asked. They were silent for a minute as they stared down. Kyoken looking up at Netherrealm, while he looked down.
"It's written on my back," Netherrealm answered. "The hell? You tryin' to start shit? I'll fight you right here, right now," Kyoken said as she tilted her head. Netherrealm sneered and growled back. "Not right now. Next time we meet, you can bet your ass I'm ready," Netherrealm replied with finality. He wasn't gonna budge.
Kyoken then backed off with a smile. "You got it then! I'll see those ideals of yours to the end! I'll have my eye on ya, twenty-four seven!" Kyoken exclaimed with excitement. Netherrealm raised an eyebrow at her statement. She clapped her hands together and waved goodbye. "See ya soon Nether-chan! Look forward to some fun!" Kyoken said as she walked away with swagger.
Netherrealm watched the crime boss leave and he climbed up the ladder to the fire escape, then walked up the stairs to his apartment. It was a one room apartment. With a small TV, a mattress and a kitchen. Netherrealm walked over to the mattress. "Protection money my ass… What money do I even have?" he scoffed as he sat down on the mattress.
He opened his bank account on his phone app. There was a deduction on his account. Looks like the debt collectors stole from him. Netherrealm growled and squeezed his phone. The screen cracked as he did so. He looked at the stack of overdue payments on the floor.
Underground fighting doesn't give the same protection or rights to their fighters like actual sanctioned sports. So people can just choose to not pay Netherrealm. No show, no money, it's how it goes.
He laid down on his mattress. Up to his neck in debt, payments are overdue, he's gonna be homeless in a few weeks, at least. He'll probably have to squat in the streets again. "...No, I can't go back to her. Burned that bridge," Netherrealm muttered.
He closed his eyes as he drifted off to sleep. Ready to start a new day.