From Mortal To Divinity

Shang Tsung's Island, Outworld

Four Days Before the Beginning of MK9

Waking up in an empty bed is a novel experience that I have not had the pleasure, or rather displeasure, of doing for centuries. It feels weird, foreign, and somewhat unpleasant, which makes me wonder how I was able to endure it for three jumps. Then again, for my first jump I was naught but a child, in my second I was too busy training under the N7 program and figuring out how to defeat the reapers while in my third jump I had Arianne while also being fueled vengeance and playing 'The Game', which I admittedly took pleasure in doing.

Which is why I can easily see through Shao Khan's tactics as one can see in daytime. From his exaggerated reactions to my abilities to using his 'daughter', I can see it all. Even now he uses those tactics with the overly lavish room he has assigned to me. The room's decorations are predominantly colored gold and crimson like the bed sheets and are so pretentious that I refuse to even attempt at deciphering why one would need them and what they even are. He must think me nothing more than a young overzealous martial artist seeking fame, glory, and women judging by the look he sent Kitana when ordering her to lead me to my quarters. I'm surprised that he hasn't thrown Mileena at me in an attempt to bear Edenian/Tarkatan children with the Power of Destruction.

Shaking the thoughts of Shao Khan's futile attempts at honey trapping me from my mind, I stand up from the bed and activate my tattoo runic array designed to replicate the effects of a very thorough shower and teeth brushing before donning my rune suit in the form of my personal Royal Fire Nation armor and pulling my long hair back into a ponytail. With that done I make out of the bedroom and towards the training arena by following the directions given to me by Kitana last night.

The arena is simply a massive open room with weapon racks filling the walls. From naginatas to spears, swords, and even chakrams, the weapon racks have them all. Inside I find Kitana and Jade already there in the middle of a spar. By my observation they have been at it for at least an hour and have most likely been awake for even longer. Meaning that they have been up earlier than me which is surprising since I rise with the sun, a habit I have cultivated since my days as a Fire Nation soldier.

Watching the two spar I can see that while they are evenly matched in terms of physical prowess, Jade has the advantage in terms of skill and experience, which is surprising considering the fact that she and Kitana grew up together and are of the same age. Then again Jade isn't being masqueraded as the Emperor's daughter and is more likely to be assigned to more missions than Kitana.

While Jade holds the advantage in experience, Kitana makes better use of her already versatile magical ability, wind manipulation. Even from here I can see the slight sharp aura of air that coats the blades of Kitana's fans along with the slight wind she uses to increase her momentum. It's an impressive display of skill and tenacity that they should be proud of.

Despite this however, I cannot help but find them to be severely lacking. Especially as I watch Jade take advantage of Kitana's misstep to sweep her legs out from under her using her bo-staff before stepping on the princess's stomach and making her yield.

"Impressive." I compliment as I make my way towards them, ignoring the look of frustration coming from Kitana.

"You think you can do better?!" bites back the princess with a slight snarl, no doubt thinking that without my Power of Destruction her 'father' would not be interested in me..

"Easily." I reply honestly as Jade helps Kitana back to her feet.

"Is that so?" asks Jade with a smile as she leans on her staff and brings attention to her toned and well endowed body especially since she wears the skimpy green ninja outfit that I remember from MK9.

"That is so." I answer as I make my to the weapons rack and observe my choices. "In fact, I believe that I can do much against both of you at the same time." I say before I take a pair of escrima sticks, twirl them experimentally in my hands before nodding in satisfaction.

"Care to test that theory?" challenges Kitana.

"Not a theory, princess, rather a simple fact." I reply as I make my way back to the duo.

"We'll see." she replies as she and Jade take their fighting stances.

"Rules?" I ask as I crack my neck and roll my shoulders.

"Until incapacitation or someone utters the safeword." says Jade with a wink. "After all, I don't want to break you… at least not too much." she says sultrily as she twirls the staff around her.

"Oooh, and what exactly is the safeword?" I ask with a flirtatious smirk.

"Enough flirting!" orders Kitana as she hurls one of her fans at me.

"Princess, I did not know that you were so eager to take me. Perhaps a warning next time or my little heart might just give out in excitement." I tease her as I casually dodge the fan with a tilt of my head. Going by how she threw her fan I can tell that I have three seconds before it starts making its way back to her and another five before it reaches her. Without wasting a second, I launch myself at her. With my right escrima stick I aim for her head which she easily blocks with her left fan, or at least it seems to be that way until I twist my wrist and redirect my blow onto her open stomach at the last second, knocking the wind from her lungs. Making use of my advantage, I sweep her legs out from under her using my left escrima stick even as Jade stabs her staff towards my head. As Kitana loses her footing, I twist into a back kick and smash my foot onto her stomach, sending her flying backwards and using the movement to dodge both Jade's staff.

Before Jade can retract her staff I send my left escrima hurtling towards her head, causing her to keep her staff in place for a moment longer as she dodges, allowing me to use it to pull her close to me as I straighten my posture. As Jade comes flying towards me, Kitana's fan returns just in time for me to grasp it with my open hand, close it, and place the blades centimeters away from Jade's jugular as she comes to a stop in front of me.

"Yield?" I ask her with a smile.

"How disappointing. Do you alway finish this quickly?" she asks with a smirk of her own. "You didn't even last thirty seconds." she teasingly comments.

"Unfortunately the ones who were finished too quickly were you and the princess, not I." I reply as I remove Kitana's fan from her neck. "Are women not meant to last longer than men? Or am I simply too skilled for your combined efforts?" I ask her with a teasing smirk on my lips.

Before Jade can respond, a groaning Kitana picks herself up from the floor and makes her way towards us

"I apologise for my confrontational behavior. earlier." she says with a bow. "I was frustrated from my loss."

"You also did not like your father using you to assert my loyalty to him and sought to take it out on me, the cause of it all." I add, shocking the two of them.

"What?" asks Kitana, more from shock at me knowing than anything else.

"I am not naive, princess. I know how to play 'The Game'" I tell her as I hand her the fan.

"I see." she says dumbly as she takes the fan from me. "You're right I didn't see what was so special about you. Especially since you're an Edenian, a species that my father easily conquered and made extinct." she explains with a nod, causing a vicious smile to grow on my face, which I hide as a charming one, as a thought occurs to me. Why ally myself with only Mileena when I can also turn Kitana to my side, and with her gain Jade's loyalty. Heck, I can even resurrect Sindel, turn her to my side and conquer all of Outworld. Once I'm finished with Outworld I can use the Mortal Kombat tournament to conquer Earthworld and every other realm in the Mortal Kombat universe with the Edenians as the dominant species loyal only to me first. I can use them as a template for my own armed forces. Azula has her Amazons, Scáthach has her Valkyries, and even Morgan is in the process of researching a species ideal to serve her. While I have the League of Assassins, they are more of a family resource than a personal one.

Looking towards Kitana and Jade I can tell that they are awaiting my reply to Kitana's statement, and I prefer not to make them wait.

"Tell me princess, how would you like to learn of your heritage and meet your family?" I ask her with a smile that only Azula, Scáthach and Morgan know means that I am about to completely ruin someone's entire life work.

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AN: Here's the chapter. As usual tell me what you guys think. Also I'm only accepting votes for a few more hours.