AN: Hey everyone, Nobel Six here. Well Story's Shadow and I bring to you an exciting new story. This story is one I've wanted to do for a long time, and it's a good opportunity for Story's Shadow and I to break our Writers Block regarding our other stories. Just as a heads up, we are focusing on the Mortal Kombat 2011 reboot, aka Mortal Kombat 9. Please let us know what you think.
Bold Text: Time Jump, Location Jump, and Fourth Wall Breaks.
-New York City, Manhattan-
Spider-Man leans back on a building, arms behind his back and one leg over the other. He looks out over the city, smiling under his mask.
(Oh! Hey guys! Yeah, it's been some time since I saw you all...not sure why though. Anyways, everything's been pretty ok since the mishap with the graduation and everything. I'm still teaching and guiding the youngsters at the Academy. *Chuckles* I'm glad to have had the rest, well, relatively...between classes and the usual low level crime of bad guy...things have been going smoothly...God I hope I didn't just jinx myself.)
He heard some arguing down below. Two young black men were in an alley going back and forth about something. He saw people walking by looking nervously at them, their sight focused on them. Some looked fearfully at each other. Spider-Man leapt down and carefully made his way between the two young men and the people behind him.
"Ok, ok. What's going on here?" Spider-Man asked.
"Spider-Man?!" One of the people in the crowd gasped.
"Thank God," another sighed in relief.
The two young men looked at the young hero in surprise.
"They're scaring us," another person said.
"Do something!" Someone demanded.
"Whoa! Whoa! What the hell?!" One of the young men said.
"We were just arguing debating about our work," the other said.
"What work?" Spider-Man asked.
The two young men grinned at each other then at the hero.
"Follow us," one of them said.
After a few minutes or so of walking they made their way into an abandoned building.
"So...uh...you boys gonna show me your stuff or what?" Spidey joked.
"Wait right here, close your eyes," one of them said.
"Ok," he sighed.
He heard them walk away.
(You might think this is stupid, but my spidey sense isn't tingling. I've got nothing else to do right now, so let's see.)
He heard them get closer and something being dragged.
"Open your eyes," one of them said.
He did and they widened.
(Whoa, you guys gotta see this.)
Before him was a huge canvas. On it was a full designed and colored image of Spider-Man, his closest friends, and the Avengers heroically defending the city.
"H-How...How long did it take you to make this?" He gasped.
"A long ass time. Cost us a lot to make this," one answered.
"We were just debating about what to do with it. He wanted to show people and while I do want to, we've had issues with people especially cops when we've done our work on the walls of abandoned buildings," the other added.
"You should show people, this is amazing. The cops...people...sometimes they don't understand what's going on and the importance of certain things to those specific people and will judge them harshly. You guys have a gift. You guys can use it to send messages and teach people with them," Spider-Man replied.
The two young men smiled but then looked nervously at one another.
"What's wrong?" Spider-Man asked.
"We...umm...don't know who to talk to about it...and being that we've done of our work on buildings," one answered.
"Hmmm, I may have an idea," Spider-Man chuckled.
About an hour or so later, he and the two young men stood with Spider-Man on a bit of a platform. Students of the Academy, a few of the Avengers, and some members of S.H.I.E.L.D. stood around the platform. On the platform was a familiar looking canvas but covered. At the podium, Steve Rogers stood in uniform.
"We're here today to share a statement of what the every day person can do. It may not be stopping a car with your bare hands or creating a miracle cure...and those are incredible and respectable feats...but I speak out what anyone can do, human or not. Being able to make a statement you find meaningful that helps the world is something to be heard, seen, and recognized. These two young men have done something some may see as unneeded for recognition or it subject is something that speaks to only certain people, but there's a message to what they've done," Steve proclaimed.
He nodded. Two of the Academy students unveiled the artwork. Many of the crowd gasped in amazement, others were unable to speak.
"We just wanted to thank these heroes for all they've done for this city and the world. Some may seem them with hate, but they've done so much for the betterment of this world. Risking their lives to keep people safe. They go through things we may not know or understand and we just wanted to thank them," one said.
"We've looked up to them for years. Followed their exploits and heard the stories of those they've saved. We wanted to show our appreciation. We just have done our work in ways we've been harassed and looked down on for by some. But we felt that it would show that there are heroes here and that we owe them everything. We weren't sure whether or not we should show people...we've had hard times and we were hoping to do something with our art...but we didn't know if we could," the second added.
"But Spider-Man showed us we could," the first said.
Spider-Man grinned under his mask as he walked forward. Steve smiled at him and took a step to the side of the podium as the wall crawler came to it.
"They have a gift, we all have gifts. We can use them to make things better in the world. Their gift can show and inspire people. While one might say it's not saving a life, it shows that there are those that care and will fight for others. These two gifted guys will be doing more as they now are working with special people to create art in all its forms to spread messages of hope to people," he announced.
There was applauding.
The two young men smiled broadly.
"Oh, I do have one critique though about this work though guys," Spider-Man said.
"Yeah?" They asked confused.
"Couldn't you made me the center of the artwork? I kinda did organize this after all," Spider-Man joked.
The people laughed. Some of the Academy, Avengers, S.H.I.E.L.D. members rolled their eyes. Steve just chuckled and the two young men laughed.
(This guys, this is all really special. Seeing people together like this, it's incredible. This is what we protect and it's just something you can't let anything bad happen to. Also, I gotta see about if these guys will do one of just me. *Chuckles*)
-Meanwhile: Unknown Location-
A young man walked into the temples main room, and dropped to one knee out of respect for the being who resided in the room.
"Lord Raiden." the young man said in a respectful tone.
The being who was addressed quickly turned around, and laid his blue eyes upon the young warrior before him.
"Have the Shaolin Monks chosen the one who will represent their order in the coming tournament?" Raiden asked in a serious tone.
"They will have their representative chosen before dusk." the young man informed his lord.
This earned a brief smile from Raiden, before his expression turned serious again.
"I can only pray the Shaolin choose wisely. To much is at stake for them to make a mistake."
"Lord Raiden, I have faith that the Shaolin will choose wisely," the young man reassured his lord.
Raiden nodded.
"While we await the decision from the Shaolin, might I ask who else will be fighting on Earthrealm's behalf?" the young man asked in his own serious tone.
"You remember the Shaman, Nightwolf?" Raiden asked.
The young man merely nodded his head silently.
"Nightwolf is a noble warrior, more so than the Lin Kuei...given what happened to the Shirai Ryu."
"The Lin Kuei are participating in this tournament?" the man asked Raiden.
"Indeed. I have my suspicions as to why they have decided to join. But I cannot act however on mere suspicions," Raiden said, being careful as how to proceed.
"Who else?" The young man asked.
"There are others I believe would be of help: two soldiers, a man and woman both very seasoned and skillful warriors and one who some will consider a mistake, but I sense potential and power in him."
"Have you considered the consequences of recruiting these warriors?" the young man asked quickly.
Raiden looked at the young man inquisitively and listened to what he had to say.
"Once Shang Tsung finds out these young warriors might fight in the great tournament, what is to stop him from recruiting their enemies to fight on behalf of Outworld?" the man asked.
"I understand you're hesitance and uncertainty...but once they realize the importance of this and the threat to Earthrealm, they'll fight as hard as they can to protect it," Raiden said confidently.
The young man nodded.
"I will have an agent sent to recruit two of them...the third will take...a different approach but he will come," Raiden said.
He prepared to leave, but he stopped for a moment. His eyes closed.
"What's wrong, my lord?" The young man asked.
"I sense something...I'm not sure what it is...but I feel there is more to this than I first believed..."
The young man looked at him with concern.
"Fear not, my friend. We will succeed, I have faith," Raiden said.
The young man bowed his head with respect.
Raiden clapped his hands and a bolt of lightening came from the ceiling and consumed him, teleporting him elsewhere within a few seconds.
To Be Continued...
AN: Please let us know what you think about chapter 1.