Courtyard (Night)
Flashing pupiless eyes gave a slight headache to a warrior with straw hat.
A monk with red headband, standing next to him asks - "Lord Raiden! What is wrong?" - Raiden comes to his senses - "Strange visions..." - A sound gets the duo's attention. Raiden takes the amulet from his white-blue gi for examination.
The monk exclaims with quiet concern about seeing it cracked - "Your amulet!" - Raiden keeps his composure and placed his item back to the chest plate, while drums started playing - "It is nothing, Liu Kang. The tournament begins."
The monks (contrast to Liu Kang's shoulder length black haircut and red/black gi, had either shaved or very short haircut and dressed in white/orange gi) entered the spectators' block, placed between kombatants' line and host's throne.
The host spoke - "Kombatants. I am Shang Tsung! In the coming days, each of you will fight. Some are here on their own volition. Others were brought here by chance."
Meanwhile, a dude with shades makes acquaintance with ponytailed blonde woman - "Hey, beautiful. Johnny Cage." - she replies with disinterest - "Good for you."
Back to Shang Tsung's speech - "You participate in the most important Mortal Kombat in history! This tournament, the tenth after nine Outworld victories, will determine the Earthrealm's fate." - Raiden and Liu Kang tensed up slightly, while Shang Tsung continues - "If you defeat all of your opponents, you will face one final challenge..." - dramatic pause - "...me."
Meanwhile, a dude with shades makes acquaintance with ponytailed blonde woman - "Hey, beautiful. Johnny Cage." - she replies with disinterest - "Good for you."
Cage turns to sound of coughing, where he finds Shang Tsung standing next to him. Surprised actor asks "What? How did you--" - host interrupts - "Appearances can be deceiving."
While floating back to his throne, Shang Taung announces - "Our first kombatant will be Mr. Cage!"
Johnny Cage looks around. Realising he had been called, he steps into Courtyard's arena with confidence, while examining the remaining fighters - "That's right! That's right! Who is it gonna be?" - Shang Tsung also being a referee answers - "Reptile!"
A green skinned warrior, dressed in ninja outfit, leaps from throne's rooftop, landing in front of his opponent. Earthrealmer is impressed by junps lenght - "Nice stunt! Who's your agent?"
As both fighters got into their fighting stances. Referee yells - "Begin!" - Johnny Cage banters - "Alright! It's showtime!"
Johnny Cage puts up a solid whooping against non-standard opponent of Reptile's calibre, with latter turning invisible whenever fight doesn't go in his favour.
The actor may be overconfident, but he learned to rely on more than one sense during fight and he successfully diasolves creature's invisibility.
Sometimes Reptile spits an acid which ruins Cage's blue suit. Unknown to Earthrealmer, his green aura keeps his skin intact despite, burning sensations.
In the end Johnny Cage scores a victory - "That's it! Ha ha! Oh yeah I'm so pretty." - Shang Tsung interrupts the celebration - "Congratulations, Mr. Cage. Now. Finish him!" - Cage hopes it's some kind of a twisted expression of speech "Finish him?! Yeah right." - Shang Tsung rephrased - "Kill him!"
Johnny glanced around the audience who looked in composed anticipation. The actor gained a grimm understanding, that it wasn't a joke - "Whoa. Whoa, whoa, wait a sec! I'm not gonna kill anyone!"
Shang Tsung glares "Very well." - and transforms into a green essence, entering Reptile's body.
Reptile's left hand emits green energy and rises up. He tries to hold it with right hand to no avail. Out of control hand grabs Reptile's head and separates it from falling body.
Shang Tsung returns to his throne - "Another disobedience and you're next. Baraka!" - A baldheaded creature with fangs roars and jumps onto arena.
Appalled kombatant comes back to his confident persona - "Mmm, ok... Nice makeup, but is it really necessary?" - In respond, Baraka unleashes blades from his forearms. After Shang Tsung's stunt, Cage got spooked rather than surprised. - "Whoa!" - Baraka banters - "They will taste your flesh!"
Johnny Cage became aware of his life being in danger. He took this fight to his maximum limits to prevent another graze from Baraka's weapons.
There's one move he decides to use as last resort. The actor quickly sits on split in front of the monster, and punches below the belt. Baraka holds the hurt section, giving time to do the rest.
Johnny Cage scores another victory - "My producer has got to meet you! We're doing "Tommy Scissorfists", and..." - The 4 guardsmen, armed with naginatas surround both kombatants. As 2 grabbed unconscious Baraka by elbows, other 2 aimed their weapons at potential winner. Shang Taung commands - "Finish him!"
Johnny understood the hopelessness of current situation. He approached his opponent, crounched while quietly mutterung - "Sorry." - And decapitates Baraka with uppercut. The victim's head got stuck into Cage's hand, so he threw it away with disgust.
Shang Tsung stands up from his seat - "The tournament will resume at dawn!" - Auditorium, host, guardsmen and some of kombatants leave the Courtyard.
Johnny exhales with relief about his survival, while still trying to comprehend his first kill during the match. - "You fought well." - Johnny sees Raiden and Liu Kang aprroaching him. As an actor he puts his confident persona in public - "Thanks. Nice hat."
As Cage was about to leave, Liu Kang blocks the way - "You should be more respectful of Lord Raiden. He is the Protector of Earthrealm, the God of Thunder, the--" - Not in the mood of these shenanigans, Johnny interrupts - "Look I don't what kind of role-playing are you into, but count me out."
Annoyed Liu Kang doesn't relent "This tournament is more than just a chance for personal glory. We're fighting for the very survival of Earthrealm." - Johnny asks - "What are you talking about?"
Raiden explains - "Your last opponent was Tarkatan. He was born with those blades." - Cage couldn't forget his latest fight - "Yeah. Those things are real."
As guardsmen take away Baraka's body, Raiden proceeds - "He represented Outworld. Had you lost, the emperor Shao Kahn would have come one step closer to physically absorb our world into his own." - Johnny lampshades - "Outworld, yeah right, right..."
Raiden continues - "The Elder Gods created the Mortal Kombat tournament to give Earthrealm a chance to defend itself. But if we lose this time, Shao Kahn conquers all."
After seeing latest stunts Johnny Cage decides to humour monks without additional dramatics - "Look, guys. I'm an actor. I save the world for the cameras. If this emperor is really a threat, call the military. Me I've got a date with blonde." - Cage slightly clapped Raiden's arm - "Ciao!"
Liu Kang looks towards Raiden - "What do you see in him?" - The Thunder God observes - "He is a hero, Liu Kang. Though he may not yet know it."
Bridge above the Pit
Sonya Blade holds her communictor. The other side speaks - "... trangulating your signal for evac... but there's no island..." - Sonya grows frustrated - "I'm standing on it. Just lock on to my wrist comm!"
Base replies - "Understood. What's your current status?" - Sonya reports - "They have Jax. And if I don't fight in this crazy tournament, they'll kill him. I'm gonna try to--" - Out of nowhere Johnny Cage interferes - "Need help? I specialize in rescuing damsels in distress."
Sonya turns off her communicator - "You again. Listen, I've got serious problems around here. I'm in no mood to be hit on by some movie star." - Cage insists - "Come on. A girl like you shouldn't be wandering around this freak show alone."
Just as Sonya tried to bypass, Cage grabs her arm - "Look, baby, I can't let you run loose without an escort."
Sonya releases herself from Cage's grip, punches him in a stomach and uppercuts - "I don't need an escort. And I'm sure as hell not your "baby"!"
This is the fight of precision and endurance. Both Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade were aware of either's doom whoever falls from tight bridge.
In the end Johnny successfully withstood Sonya's onslaught and knocks her down - "Not bad for a..." - and then comprehends his actions - "... girl."
Cage extends his hand to help his opponent up - "Look, sorry about that." - Being injured, tired and furious, Sonya knocks the hand away - "I don't need your help."
The actor got the message - "Fine. Have it your way. I'll just leave you to your... problems." - Unknown to them Kano approaches them - "Good Idea."
Thug grabs actor from behind and throws him off the bridge. He looked at his nemesis - "Now that he softened you up, it's my turn!" - Sonya could only seethingly glare - "Not man enough for a fair fight?" - Kano fires a laser from his cybernetic eye - "I don't do "fair."
Kano kept firing lasers at grunting Sonya, during their discussion.
- Kano: No need to get up love. So tell me... how are things at Command?
- Sonya Blade: Bastard.
- Kano: Gullible bitch. Just had to point you in the wrong direction. Couldn'ta done it without ya!
Further injured Sonya kept her mind composed - "S.F. is on the way. You won't get far." - Kano wasn't intimidated - "Oh, I've got a knack for survival. You, on the other hand, are gonna die here."
Little they knew, Johhny Cage survived the fall and jumped back onto bridge - "Step away from the lady!"
Surprised, Kano got into his fighting stance, while Johnny Cage shares a story - "Fans think my moves are all wire work and special effects. Truth is... I'am the special effects."
Now the actor had no need to hold back against the guy, who just tried to kill him. Cage's proper martial arts obliterate Kano's thuggish brawl and eliminates the threat down to the spikes.
That's one kill, Johnny Cage didn't hesitate nor regret - "Throw that on your... barby... Shrimp..."
As unhappy as Sonya was that she wasn't the one, who dealt with her most hated enemy, nevertheless she's thankful for her survival - "Thanks." - Cage offers his hand - "No problem. Who was that guy anyway?"
To his surprise, Sonya accepts the gesture and Johnny helps her up - "His name was Kano. He was an informant in our Black Dragon investigation. Big-time arms dealers. Turns out he was their leader, giving us a runaround. Lot of guys got killed because of him."
Cage asks - "So that's not a costume? You're actual military?" - Sonya clarifies - "Special Forces." - Johnny lampshades - "Get out! So you know about this "threat to the world" stuff, right? Raiden called in a cavalry." - Sonya looked confused - "Raiden?No idea who you're talking about."
Sonia bypassed Cage again, without latter's stoppage this time. She looks at him, extending her hand - "I appreciate the help, Cage..." - Johnny shooks it, while clarifying - "Johnny." - Sonya walks away - "...but right now I've got things to take care of. My C.O. is locked up somewhere in this island. I have to find him."
A/N: Canonical roster of 27 kombatant. 3 of them are dead. How would this story go if playable kharacter dies? And by how much the kanon deviates? Only time will tell... and your reviews.