"The tournament will proceed shortly." Shao Kahn made the usual announcement, "It will be Kung Lao versus Erron Black!"
"A hat or some guns, take your pick." Black joked to his allies, unaware of Kung Lao's supernatural abilities as he hadn't required them to defeat Kollector.
"I hope you're worth my time." Kahn sighed; his doubts were clear.
"Fear not, emperor." Shang Tsung assured, "Erron Black is an exceptional fighter."
"That remains to be seen." Kahn commented, glancing at Erron who was polishing his revolvers.
"It seems you're on thin ice." Quan Chi acknowledged, whispering to his fellow sorcerer.
"I don't need your pity." Shang replied, facing away to express his lack of interest.
Quan Chi placed an arm over his ally, walking him off the stage so he could vocalize his point privately. "Whatever plans of treachery you have, execute them soon."
"Treachery?" Shang snarled. "What makes you think I want to do such a thing?"
"Don't play dumb with me." Chi quickly responded. "You're waiting for a perfect opportunity to seize the throne. Unfortunately for you, your time is coming to its end."
"You sound too confident in your theories." Tsung said in dismissal of the accusations.
"Because they're true."
"What will you do then, report me for treason?" Tsung asked with hidden worry.
"Not at all." Quan Chi lowered his voice again, "I have my own... plans."
"You think I won't tell the emperor about these 'plans'?"
Quan Chi laughed, "You're in no position to accuse me: a man offering Shao Kahn forces from the Netherrealm of treason in your current status."
"My role still stands higher than yours." Tsung argued.
"Perhaps." Quan Chi considered his point. "You aren't aiding it though by pinning a cowboy against one of the finest warriors from Earthrealm."
"You underestimate him." Shang Tsung disagreed, sending Quan Chi into more laughter.
"If you need help with your schemes, then seek my aid." Quan Chi offered as he returned to the emperor's stage.
"Wish me luck." Black continued to make light hearted comments as he walked past his master, Black was heading off the stage to begin his fight only for Shang to pull him back.
"Come with me." He ordered.
"Alright..." Erron complied, confused as Shang took him outside the coliseum gates.
"I need you to stay hidden for a few minutes." Shang Tsung explained, "I will shapeshift myself into you and face Kung Lao myself."
"Pardon?"
"No need to get offended by it." Shang said, his accent becoming suddenly southern as he morphed into the outlaw.
"Since when did you learn how to use guns?" Black said, doubting that he knew how to properly utilize his arsenal.
"You'd be surprised." Shang replied with a smirk, drawing his own revolvers that forged via the morph.
"Err, boss?" Erron wanted to defy his master's decision.
"Not now, Erron." Came the rejection.
The imposter Erron Black stepped back inside the coliseum, approaching Kung Lao.
"Were you stalling?" Lao said in an attempt to wind up his opponent.
"Let's make up for some lost time then." The shapeshifter came back, his words impacting the Shaolin whereas his were meaningless to Shang Tsung.
"FIGHT!"
Shang Tsung began by spraying bullets inaccurately but still in the direction of Kung Lao, whom threw his hat at Shang in response and then teleported to where his hat had landed. Tsung smashed his new attire's shoulder pad into the face of his opponent, causing them to stumble away yet remain on their toes which allowed Lao to respond with a diving kick that sequenced into a barrage of punches.
As Shang Tsung struggled to his feet, he thought of another genius idea: Erron Black was yet to have competed in the tournament meaning that if he were to utilize his sorcery then nobody would question it.
As Kung Lao approached his floored victim, a flaming skull emerged from the hands of the grounded Shang Tsung. The sorcerer leapt to his feet and began a relentless assault in which he delivered many strikes empowered by his fire magic. Kung Lao attempted a second diving kick, only to be caught mid-air by flames resembling of a viper, it scooped up Kung Lao and smashed him into the floor.
Shang Tsung had secured Erron Black's victory, but at the same time he revealed his identity. The amount of energy used in his flaming viper had left him too depleted to maintain his morphed state, his identity was now exposed.
"Erron Black wi..." Shao Kahn silenced himself as he was now looking at Shang Tsung.
"M-my emper..."
"SILENCE! I should've known, not even you have faith in your own servants. Are you trying to get me punished by the Elder Gods? You fool! How many times must you disappoint me, Shang Tsung?! ANSWER ME!"
"My apologies." Was all Shang Tsung could reply with.
"I've lost count over these past few days." Kahn sighed.
"I-I've only committed o-one major failure over this m-millennia." Shang Tsung boldly argued, "Y-your anger has exaggerated the m-minor issues."
"I cannot stand your presence any longer, return to the fortress." Kahn ordered, "Immediately."
Shang Tsung bowed and hurried away with no desires to enrage his master further.
"What the hell was that?!" Black asked in frustration as Shang Tsung walked past him.
"Erron Black, you've advanced." Kahn informed.
"Oh, alright." Erron said in dissatisfaction, choosing to re-join the emperor on his stage.
"Next fight: Liu Kang versus Li Mei!" Kahn impatiently announced, wanting to move on with the tournament.
"I am sorry that we must fight." Liu Kang apologized, aware of Li Mei's lack of desire to aid Shao Kahn.
"Me too." She returned the apology, drawing her Sai as she did.
"FIGHT!"
Liu Kang charged Li Mei but was kicked back, the two stared down, Li Mei still armed whereas Liu Kang had no weapons after Goro demolished his nunchakus. Liu tried a more calculated attack but received a couple deep slashes on his chest, Liu still got his own kick in during the mix-up.
"Not bad at all." Liu Kang complimented.
Li Mei didn't reply, she was laser focus on getting the victory. Mei threw her Sai, Liu ducked it and dove at her with a dragon kick which connected. A frustrated Li Mei drew her Kunlun Dao and swung at Liu only for him to carefully catch the flat sides of the sword with her hands, pushing the sword back and delivering another kick to Li Mei's head.
This kick stunned Li Mei. She staggered back and was left vulnerable to a fireball which she was too dazed to avoid. The flaming ball blasted Li, and she crashed into the sand, rolling around to put out the flames.
"Liu Kang wins." Shao Kahn said, which he had already grown sick of announcing his name in victory.
"You ok?" Jade asked to Li Mei, coming quickly to her aid. Jade being the only person in Kahn's forces that Li Mei actually had the pleasure interacting with.
"Y-yeah." She replied after catching her breath. "By the way, I'm sorry about your friend..."
"Ain't nothing for you to concern about." She said as she offered a hand to help Li Mei to her feet.
"Thanks." Li Mei paused before asking, "Err... do you want to talk about it?"
"Talking about a plan to free her, yes." She replied quietly. "Let's go somewhere more private."
Li Mei was halted by the emperor's command before she left. A guard stood in front of her and Jade.
"Have I appeased you, Shao Kahn?" She asked, praying for a yes.
"For now, but I will require your services for a longer period." Kahn explained.
"I understand." Li Mei replied with the only answer she could truly give to the emperor, compliance.
The two continued walking as the conversed, they walked through a small sand village that was neighbouring the coliseum. The village reminded Li Mei of home, Sun Do.
"You mentioned a plan?" Li Mei recalled.
Jade nodded, "The emperor imprisoned her daughter, that says enough on how absurd it is."
"She's Shao Kahn's daughter?" Li Mei was surprised; her unawareness came as her 'allies' were still relatively new faces to her.
Jade nodded again, "Not by blood though, apparently Mileena's his real daughter."
"I heard that much." Mei said in reference to Kahn's shouting.
"Then you also heard him mention the Cobalt Mines?" Jade asked.
"Yeah and it sounds awful." Li Mei commented.
"I've only heard stories but the prisoners there apparently represent the worst scum on Earth." Jade informed.
"To Shao Kahn's standards then I can imagine so." Li Mei presumed.
"I'll see if any of those vendors are selling a map, hopefully I can acquire a map." Jade said as she pointed at the few market stalls that were cramped together.
"I understand," Li Mei approved, "and good luck."
"Well I was thinking you could help me." Jade offered.
"I'd love to, but I can't risk putting my people in danger by betraying Shao Kahn." Li Mei reluctantly declined.
"If you help me free all those prisoners, then they can help protect your village." Jade negotiated.
"Hmm..." Li Mei still wasn't convinced, "It's too risky."
"It's risky enough to be working with Shao Kahn," Jade made another excellent point, "especially in his current mental state..."
"His tempers unstable." Li Mei noted.
"So, will you join me?" Jade asked. "I understand if not."
"Count me in." Li Mei accepted.