what-does-the-foxy-say

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

writing posts are being moved to a new blog

ok I'm finally admitting I can't keep control of multiple blogs on multiple e-mails. As much as I wanna keep trying to revive this blog, trying to keep active on it when I'm active on another is just too much for me. I'm moving all my posts about writing and other things to a blog I've made for my AO3 account. You can find me now on across-the-sea-was-taken. I'll be posting updates on fics I'm working on and anything else I might wanna talk about on there. It's more focused on Mass Effect and Fallout than Mortal Kombat but if that interests you I'll be happy to see you there!

I'm gonna keep this blog active just because it was my first Tumblr blog and I might wanna look back at all the shorts and things I wrote years ago.

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

Seeing how much MK1 is blowing up is really giving me urges to start back up writing requests...

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

Every night you dream that you talk to a genie, when you wake up you can't remember what you wished for. One morning you wake up with a giant crab pincer replacing your right arm. What do you do?

I scream in horror as the saying my mother always told me whenever I ate crab legs echoed in my mind.

"You are what you eat."

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

did Kano just kill Kat???

You'll have to wait for the next chapter to find out 😉

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

Eyo! glad to see you back! can I get some BlackCage because my crops are starving?

Of course! Though I just wanna double check, is this for Johnny or Cassie? Looking at the BlackCage tag, Im seeing both and wanna make sure to get it right!

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

Stryking Emotions Ch. 5

"Jin did what?!"

Kat almost dropped her communicator in shock from Cassie's update in Outworld. 

"Yup," Cassie confirmed over the communicator. "Jin ended up fighting Kotal Kahn all over a bread thief."

"I mean," Kat paused so she could pass a bowl of soup to a mother and child. "I kinda agree with Jin; execution is a little extreme for food theft. But he's lucky he won; otherwise, we'd probably have a whole other trouble on our hands."

"Speaking of trouble, I should probably report to mom before she finds out I called you first."

"Alright, be safe, Cassie. Stryker out."

"Cage out."

She hung up and put her communicator back in her pocket, and let out a sigh. From Cassie's explanation, they'd probably not be back for some time.

"Everything alright?"

Kat looked up. Standing beside her table was a refugee woman with black hair and a tired smile. Kat returned the smile as she grabbed an empty bowl.

"Just talking to my sister, I offered to stay here and help while she went out."

"Oh," the woman said, accepting the soup. "Do you usually work with your sister?"

"Actually, I just recently found out she's my sister," Kat admitted with a laugh. "It's a long story, but we're basically playing catch up now."

"Oh, how sweet," the woman said with a smile as she turned to leave. Kat smiled back as she turned her focus to the line of people that began to form. She was halfway through the line when she noticed Sonya approaching her.

"Stryker, can you come with me?"

"Of course," Kat said, letting a soldier that was following behind Sonya take over as she followed Sonya to a tent. Inside was Johnny and Kenshi standing at a table where a body bag was laid out. Sonya led Kat over to the bag and pulled the zipper down. Kat's eyes widened when she saw the body.

It was the woman Kat had talked to less than half an hour ago.

"You've been passing out food for most of the day. Do you recognize this woman?" Sonya asked, looking at Kat with an unreadable expression. Kat knew that look; some of the officers in homicide would take on that look when interrogating suspects to keep their emotions in check.

"I do; I talked to her not too long before you came to me," Kat explained, frowning when she saw Kenshi and Johnny share a look. Sonya's expression hardened, and Kat noticed her fingernails were digging into her crossed arms.

"What did you talk about?" Her tone made Kat bristle. She sounded like a mother scolding a child. 

"What does it matter?"

"Stryker, this is serious. I-"

"No," Kat cut her off. "What's serious is a dead woman right here; what does it matter what we talked about while she was alive?"

Before Sonya could reply, Johnny cut in.

"I told you, you need to tell her."

"Tell me what?" Kat looked between Sonya and Johnny. Sonya was glaring at Johnny as Kenshi let out a sigh.

"We need to know because if what you said is true, you were speaking to an imposter. This woman has been dead for a few hours, according to the medic."

Kat's eyes widened at Kenshi's explanation. How could someone impersonate this woman? Was this the person Sonya was talking about earlier?

"Just tell her about Kano, Sonya!"

"She doesn't need to know!"

Kat's attention returned to Johnny and Sonya, who were in the middle of an argument. Sonya looked furious as she yelled about keeping Kat out of it at Johnny. Immediately Kat moved between them and glared at Sonya.

"That's enough; just because I found out you're my mom doesn't mean you can treat me like I'm the child you never raised. Right now, I'm an officer that deserves to know who killed this woman." 

Sonya was silent, staring at Kat with a frown. For a moment, the tent was quiet as mother and daughter stared each other down. Finally, Sonya's voice broke the silence.

"Kenshi, take Cage and prepare some sign-in tables. Keep an eye out for this woman."

Kat could see Johnny wanted to speak up but followed Kenshi out of the tent. Sonya turned her head to watch them go. As soon as the tent flap fluttered shut, Sonya sighed, looking back at Kat. The stern General facade she kept up had gone, leaving a visibly exhausted Sonya in her wake.

"You're right; I should apologize. Suddenly having you here threw me off. You deserve to know." 

She gestured for Kat to follow her over to a nearby computer, where she sat down and opened a file containing her file on Kano.

"His name is Kano; he's a member of a group called the Black Dragon. He's extremely dangerous and is skilled at evading arrest. I've been tracking him for years."

Kat frowned as she stared at the candid photo of Kano. She could tell just by the smirk on his face this man was dangerous. Sonya took this moment to take a good look at Kat. She could see so much of Kurtis in her features, and yet, seeing Kat with a braid similar to her own, it's evident that Kat was her daughter, which means if Kano had talked to Kat, he would have already figured that out by now. 

With Kat leaning closer to read the file, Sonya noticed a square item dangling from a chain around her next. Reaching out, she gently held the swinging object steady as she looked at the familiar numbers on the badge.

"Is this Kurtis' badge?" 

Kat looked down at Sonya as she ran her thumb over the numbers. She noticed Sonya smiling softly as if remembering a fond memory.

"It's not his original; grandma said the other officers told her they couldn't find his body. They gave her a replica of his badge to honor him. I found it in the attic a few years before I moved out and have kept it on me since."

"You know, Kurtis called me once saying he used his badge number to try his hand at the lottery. He told me he won fifty dollars and took you to the toy store and was upset you wanted-"

"A Johnny Cage action figure," Kat finished, smiling at the memory as Sonya chuckled. "He hated those movies so much, but I begged him to watch them with me."

"Would you believe he blamed me for your love of those movies?" Sonya said with a smile. "He insisted that as soon as you watched Ninja Mime once, you were hooked, and you had to have gotten it from me."

"Well, you did marry Johnny, so he might be right," Kat laughed, surprised it was so easy to talk about her dad with Sonya when she usually felt upset when mentioning him.

Sonya sighed, letting the badge go and standing up. She hesitated as she raised a hand, reaching out to touch Kat. When Kat showed no resistance, she brushed a stray hair behind Kat's ear before placing her hand on Kat's cheek.

"When we leave this tent, I'll make sure to treat you like an officer before a daughter. I also promise from now on; there won't be any secrets between us. If you need to ask me anything as your mom before we leave, you can ask now."

She had so much to ask; why did she leave? Why did she never look for Kat? Did she regret having her? All these thoughts were racing through her mind, but she only had one question in the front of her mind.

"Did you love dad?"

Instead of immediately answering or reassuring her instantly, Sonya paused as if trying to find the right words to say.

"I did, and even after being with Johnny, a part of me still does. It might sound cheesy, but your father was my first love." Sonya let go of Kat's cheek and gently took her hand. "I need you to know, when I had you, it was one of the happiest moments of my life. It killed me to be separated from you. But it's because of my goal of taking down Kano I had to stay away from you both to keep you safe. If Kano found out about you and used you to get to me, it would haunt me for the rest of my life."

Sonya's explanation made sense; that was why she wanted to know what Kat said to the imposter woman. It still stung that she missed so many years getting to know Sonya, but her safety was more important.

"I understand," Kat said, wiping away tears that threatened to fall. "Thank you for telling me." The warm feeling in Kat's chest made her smile. She hadn't felt this happy since her dad was alive. She wished Cassie was here so she could talk to her.

At that moment, Kenshi stepped in.

"We have everything set up, General."

Sonya's General persona returned as she nodded at Kenshi, telling him to wait outside for her. Before she dropped it to speak to Kat.

"Take your time before coming out. When you're ready, meet us at the tables we have set up; I could use your help catching Kano."

Kat nodded, watching as Sonya began to walk to the tent entrance. She wanted to call out to her, say what she's been wanting to call her since she found out. But the word remained caught in her throat as she watched Sonya step out of the tent.

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Sonya's eyes traveled across the lines of people like a hawk. Kat and Kenshi stood at her side, keeping watch as well. Once in a while, her eyes would drift to Kat as she thought about their conversation earlier. While she said she would treat Kat like an officer, she didn't know if she could keep that up when confronting Kano.

Do not worry; Katherine can take care of herself

Kenshi's voice in her head did nothing to reassure her. Until Kano was found, she couldn't rest easy, knowing both Kat and Cassie were at risk.

"General." She heard Kat whisper as she pointed to one of the lines. Near the middle of the line, trying to hide between two taller people was a woman who looked exactly like the murdered woman.

"Gotcha," Sonya said with a smirk, gesturing for Kat and Kenshi to fan out. Kenshi went left, Kat right, while Sonya made a beeline to the woman. As soon as she noticed Sonya coming, she attempted to escape by pushing through another line but was stopped by Kenshi. When she looked back, Kat had stepped up to block the way around. With a smirk, the image of the woman dropped, and in her place stood Kano, smirking at Sonya.

"Hello love, been a while."

"Not long enough," she replied, calling for backup at her location. As she spoke into her radio, Kano's attention turned to Kat. 

"Well, well, now that I can get a better look at you, you're the spitting image of your mother. Have you been hiding this one from me?" 

"Lay even a finger on her, and you'll regret it," Sonya growled as Kano laughed.

"Hello, love," Kano said to Kat with a sickly sweet grin. "You can call me Uncle Kano."

"No thanks," replied Kat. At her side, Blitz gave a warning growl. "If I had an uncle, he probably wouldn't be a murderous scumbag like you."

"Well then, how about we have a trade, mom," Kano said, turning back to Sonya. "Information for freedom."

"Like Katherine said, I don't negotiate with scumbags." Sonya stepped forward to restrain Kano but paused when she saw him reaching for his knife.

"Well then, if mother won't play nice…," he said as he pointed his knife at Kat. Sonya felt her heart stop, memories of losing her partner at Kano's hands rushing through her mind. 

"Maybe the daughters will."

"If you ever-" Sonya growled, stepping forward while Kano continued to smirk. 

"Back off, and all is well. Piss me off, and it'll be Cassie's turn to meet Uncle Kano."

"I swear to god I'm gonna kill you," she said, dropping all pretense of a composed General. Right now, she was not only a furious mother but an avenging friend.  Before Kano could say another word, she moved in close, delivering a solid punch right into his nose. He grunted in pain, wiping the blood off his upper lip with a grin.

"Well, looks like mother does want to play after all."

Sonya ducked and dodged as he slashed at her with his knife. She could faintly hear Kat shout her name and Kenshi shouting for Kat to stay back. After an attempt to drive the knife into her stomach, Sonya grabbed his arm, yanking him forward and bringing her knee up to slam into his lower jaw. As he fell back, slamming his head against the concrete, she brought her boot down onto his chest, faintly hearing a crack as a rib broke. Kano lay unmoving on the ground; the only indication he was still alive was the rise and fall of his chest.

Sonya's body urged her to continue, to crush all his ribs under her boot and let him drown in his own blood. She held back the urge. Looking around for the backup she requested. When she realized they hadn't arrived yet, she turned her attention to Kat.

"Katherine, cuff him and wait here with Kenshi; I'll be back with the MP."

Kat nodded, and Sonya waited until the handcuffs were securely around Kano's wrists before she turned to leave. She had taken about three steps away when she heard Kenshi shout.

"Kathrine! Get away from him!"

Sonya quickly turned around. Just in time to see Kano sit up as a red beam pierced through Kat's chest.

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

So this was a request from @hanrumistan for some Harumi/Scorpion! It’s a bit short but I hope you enjoy it!

Harumi chuckled, listening to her husband’s footsteps as he gathered any necessary supplies. It was going to be his first time away from Harumi for more than a day since she became pregnant and it was obvious Hanzo was nervous about leaving her alone.

“My love, your students are waiting for you,” Harumi said, amusement obvious in her voice as Hanzo appeared with a pack slung over his back and a large blanket for Harumi.

“Are you sure you will be alright? I can have Daisuke stay with you in case you need anything.”

“Hanzo,” Harumi placed a hand on his cheek, smiling softly when he leaned into her touch. “I may be with child, but I am not feeble. I will be fine for three days.” 

She could tell he wanted to protest but she gave him a push to the door as she took the blanket from him. 

“Now go, the longer you keep your students waiting, the longer it will take you to return.”

Hanzo knew she was right. With a sigh, he gave her a kiss goodbye as he lead his students to the edge of the village. When they reached the forest border, Hanzo looked back at the village, worry already beginning to worm its way into his mind.

“Master?” One of the students called out to him, watching as Hanzo whistled for another ninja to join them.

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“There we go,” Harumi said to herself as she hung out the final piece of laundry to dry. She could almost hear her husband’s voice in her mind scolding her for doing strenuous work while in her state. The thought made her chuckle as she carefully bent down to pick up the empty basket and make her way back into the house.

“Oh my dear child,” Harumi smiled, gently rubbing her stomach. “Your father is too overprotective sometimes.”

She paused and stared at the nearby cherry trees from the window. the flowers were in full bloom and a soft breeze sent many petals falling like pink snowflakes. she leaned against the windowsill as she continued to rub her stomach. 

“I don’t think your father realizes that while he may be the best ninja in the Shirai Ryu, I am his wife.” With a smile, she raised her voice. “And I can tell when he is hiding nearby.”

Harumi watched a black and yellow blur leap out of the tree and landed right outside of the window. 

“How long have you known?” Hanzo asked.

“Since I started hanging the clothes to dry. I could feel your gaze on me.” 

Hanzo sighed as Harumi chuckled, she was right, he was too overprotective. Instead of scolding him, Harumi leaned out the window to kiss his cheek. This time, Hanzo actually did leave to train with his students.

Though, he did insist someone secretly keep an eye on her, but she humored her husband and pretended she didn’t notice.

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

Sad cowboy

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

Omg MK11 in the year of our lord 2022????

Based off from a banter they had:

Keep reading

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

Forever, Until Eternity

Sooo...this might be bad since I’m still rusty...and also a little drunk. But I wanted to write something for @ever-moonlit who is an ermance fan. I’m sorry that it’s very feelsy but I really wanted to write some ermance feels

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It started off small.

subtle glances at each other during patrol, a brush of fingers as they pass an item. 

It soon developed into caresses as they cared for injuries, fingers lingering on their skin longer than usual. 

It stayed like this for a time until Erron made the first move.

Ermac could still remember the taste of his lips on that moonless night; Outworld spices mixed with Earthrealm tobacco, as Erron kissed him against a pillar in the Kahn’s palace.

“How long?” Ermac asked, knowing the answer, for he had felt the same.

“Forever.” Was his reply, tracing his thumb over the wrap that covers Ermac.

“Will it last?” Was his next question.

“Until Eternity.” Was the reply.

They both knew it wouldn’t last, the magic that gave Ermac life was Eternal, the magic that kept Erron alive was not. But, for now, they had forever.

Together they watched Kahns come and go, empires rise, fall and new ones rise from the ashes. through it all, they walked together, the being with a thousand souls and the wandering mercenary.

Until the magic that kept Erron alive reached it’s end.

Ermac stayed with Erron through it all, his face the last thing the mercenary saw as the light faded from his eyes. 

Unlike the other souls he has taken, Ermac was careful as he brought Erron’s soul into his being.

To outsiders, watching Ermac patrol alone without the sound of spurred footsteps walking beside him made him look lonely.

But Ermac was never alone, he had his souls.

And every night as he dreams, he remembers that night.

And in those moments, he can smell the scent of Outworld spices and Earthrealm tobacco. 

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

Stryking Emotions Ch. 4

"Alright, I'll admit it. You got some makeup skills."

Kat examined her reflection on her phone. The black eye that had formed when she had been kicked was concealed entirely, while her split lip was barely noticeable through the layer of lipstick and gloss. Across from her, Cassie sipped her smoothie with a cheeky grin. This morning, the bridge of her nose was a nasty purple from her own bruising. Besides the bandage keeping her nose set straight, you couldn't tell she took an elbow to the face less than 24 hours ago.

"Told you, I learned a thing or two from dad's makeup artists." 

Kat was silent, chewing lightly on her smoothie straw. While Cassie offered to take her out for smoothies so they could have a "sister talk," neither had attempted to broach the subject that was on both of their minds. Instead, they talked about their childhoods and school life as they observed each other. Both of them could see their mother in each other; Cassie had Sonya's posture and smile, while Kat had her hair and figure. With Kat's hair braided back like it was today, Cassie could mistake her for her mother from behind.

"What was she like growing up?" Kat quietly asked, moving on from chewing her straw to tearing up a napkin into a pile of shredded paper. Cassie didn't have to ask who Kat meant.

"Mom was…" Kat sighed, thinking of the right way to describe their mother. "At first, mom was great; dad said she would almost never put me down when I was a baby," Cassie chuckled, playing with her straw and making the plastic squeak.

"But, it didn't last. Apparently, on my first birthday, she left to help rescue Kenshi from a covert op mission he was in. Dad told me she hoped I would understand that duty requires sacrifices, but" she laughed half-heartedly. "It seems like almost everything was sacrificed for duty."

"What about Johnny?"

"Oh, dad tried his best; he even declined a few roles to focus on raising me. At least he waited until I was old enough to take care of myself before leaving for weeks at a time…."

Cassie trailed off into silence, keeping her eyes focused on the styled mosaic table. Kat was about to ask if she was alright when she spoke up again."

"You know, I always wanted a brother or sister," Cassie confessed, looking up at Kat. "Sure, I had Jacqui growing up; I practically lived with her sometimes. But, when I was younger, and I couldn't visit her, I'd wish I had someone to talk to when I was feeling lonely."

"Cass," Kat reached over the table and placed a hand on her arm. She could understand the loneliness she felt as a child; Kat had felt the same when living with her grandparents.

"It might be a little late, but we could try. You know, the sister thing." 

Cassie smiled lightly, pointing at Kat with her straw.

"Isn't that what we've been doing? Having some sisterly bonding time?"

"Cass, I broke your nose, and you gave me a black eye. What sisters do that?"

"The best kind."

Kat couldn't help but laugh at Cassie's statement, sending Cassie into her own fit of laughter. They could almost feel the thick tension that had been surrounding them dissipate as they laughed together. Suddenly, Cassie sat up, digging through her jacket pocket until she found her phone.

"Kat, scoot over; you're taking a selfie with me."

"Wait, what?" 

Kat's chair was pushed to the side to make room for Cassie to crouch next to her. Before Kat could protest, she heard the camera click, and Cassie's phone showed an image of Cassie smirking at the camera with a surprised Kat with a hand raised to try and push the phone away. 

"Eh, close enough," Cassie said to herself as she pulled up her Friendships page. She quickly typed out a caption and posted the photo. Seeing what Cassie was doing, Kat pulled out her phone and opened the app. It wasn't hard to find Cassie's page and see that the photo had already gained about 100 likes and a couple of comments. She paused when she saw the caption Cassie wrote under the photo.

Who is cuter? Me or my sister?

Cassie's alarm went off, alerting them both they needed to get back to the base. As they were tossing out their trash, Kat froze as she noticed a figure across the street.

Her father.

And he was looking straight at her.

"Kat?"

Kat looked over at Cassie, concern obvious in her eyes as she looked at Kat before turning to find what she was looking at. When Kat looked back with her, her father was gone.

"What's up?"

"Sorry, I… thought I saw someone familiar."

Kat trailed behind Cassie as they walked back to the base. Once in a while, Kat would look back to see if she could see him again. Once they reached the base, they quickly made their way to their bunks to change into their uniforms. After Cassie finished suiting up, she noticed she had a few notifications on her phone.

Kat-Attack added you to their friends list

Kat-Attack changed your Friendship connection to Baby Sis

Kat-Attack commented on your photo: obvs Im cuter

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"I haven't been able to re-summon that green halo. Raiden thinks it was triggered when I saw a loved one about to die…"

Kat listened as Johnny retold about their encounter with Shinnok. If it weren't for all the recordings and news articles about what happened years ago, she'd have a hard time believing all this was true. But, the energy she could control and people like Kenshi, Raiden, and Johnny were proof there was more to this world than meets the eye.

Kat was pulled from her thoughts as Jin and Cassie got into an argument. Kat rolled her eyes as Cassie flipped him off. Meanwhile, Takeda mentioned he was glad to join and see new places and faces. Kat couldn't help but smirk at his obvious look towards Jacqui during the last part of his comment. She didn't need to read minds to know what he was thinking.

"Anyway, your first mission as a team is simple. We haven't heard from the Grandmaster in a while, so we need you to make sure he's still on our side."

As Johnny explained their mission; check in on Grandmaster Sub-Zero and make sure the Lin Kuei are still their allies, Jacqui explained about the Lin Kuei and the Grandmaster's ability to manipulate ice. The plane set them down at the base of the mountain that led to the temple. The wind's chill made Kat shiver, thankful the thermal layering in her suit protected her from the worst of the cold. 

"At least one of us is having fun," Jin commented, gesturing to Blitz, who had leaped out of the plane and into a pile of snow. Kat rolled her eyes, whistling for Blitz and tightening his combat vest. 

"Alright, Jacqui and I will head south; Jin and Takeda, take the west; we'll rendezvous at the north gate. Kat, take Blitz and head through the east side, and find a way over the wall. Stay hidden; the Grandmaster has never met you, so we can use that to our advantage if things go south."

"Copy that," Kat led Blitz off the path and secured Blitz's harness with a rope to her waist before beginning to climb. The mountainside wasn't too steep, and Kat quickly reached the top and the high stone wall that separated the compound from the cliffside. 

"Kat, we've reached the north entrance." Cassie's voice called to her through her earpiece.

"Roger, I just reached the wall, moving into position now."

Kat unhooked Blitz and backed up as far as she could before breaking into a sprint and running up the wall. As she began to lose momentum, she leaped and grabbed the top of the wall, pulling herself up until she was sitting on the edge.

"Alright, Blitz, up!"

At her command, Blitz took his own running climb and leaped as high as he could, allowing Kat to grab him by his harness and pull him over. They dropped down on the other side, and Kat quickly took cover behind a large tree. She could faintly hear the sound of fighting and quickly made her way to the source of the sound. 

As Kat reached the border of an open courtyard, she could see Cassie was in the middle of a fight with an older man with a scar across his eye, Grandmaster Sub-Zero. Her first instinct was to run out and provide assistance, but as Cassie said, he didn't know about her. If Cassie and the others could wear him down, Kat could move in and catch him by surprise.

Kat watched from her hiding spot as Cassie and her team, one by one, fought the Grandmaster and were defeated. As each of them fell, they were caught and tied up. This was her chance; if she moved quickly, she could catch the Grandmaster off guard before the rest of the Lin Kuei could stop her.

The prick of an icy dagger at her throat froze her before she could even lift a finger. The chill of the blade seeped through the layers of her thermal uniform, making her throat feel numb from the cold.

"I wouldn't move if I were you." A female voice threatened, pressing the dagger harder against her throat. The chill of her breath against Kat's ear made her shiver.

"Alright, I won't…but he might."

On cue, Blitz leaped out of the bushes, and Kat heard the woman grunt in pain as Blitz bit down on her ankle. While she was distracted, Kat pushed the dagger away from her neck, which she noticed was actually a shard of ice in the shape of a dagger. Twisting around, Kat brought the woman's arm with her and twisted it behind her back. Kat hooked her other arm around the woman's neck. 

From this angle, Kat could see she was dressed in the same uniform as the Lin Kuei. Her hair was short with a blue tint from what Kat could see through the fine layer of frost and snow that coated her hair.

"Nice try, but you'll have to try harder than tha- what?"

The woman used her free arm to grab Kat's leg. Suddenly, a thick layer of Ice covered her leg and made its way up her waist, and covered her right side, allowing the woman to break free as Kat's grip on her wrist loosened.

"How's that for trying harder?" The woman mocked as she delivered a swift kick to Kat's stomach. The force of the kick shattered the ice and knocked Kat backward into the courtyard, where everyone's attention turned to Kat and the woman as she stepped out into the open.

"Shit, Kat." Kat could hear Cassie say as she groaned, attempting to catch her breath after that kick took the breath from her. 

"Katherine Stryker, I see you've met Frost," Sub-Zero said, walking over to Kat as she struggled to her feet. Blitz leaped in front of Kat and gave a warning growl, keeping his eyes trained on Sub-Zero.

"How do you know who I am?" Kat asked, standing up and raising her fists in a defensive stance. Who told him about her? How could he know she was here?

"Your father talked about you when we fought together. You've grown a lot since then," he explained, stepping closer. Blitz snarled and attempted to leap at Sub-Zero only to find his paws had been frozen to the ground, leaving him unable to stop Sub-Zero as he stepped around Blitz.

"You- you knew my father?" Kat asked, lowering her fists.

"Yes, and I know he is a weakness to you."

"Kat behind you!"

Cassie's shout alerted her just in time to dodge a blast of ice thrown by Frost at Kat's back. Sub-Zero took the opportunity to create an ice axe and slam it into Kat's side. She let out a cry of pain and swung a fist at Sub-Zero's head. As her fist connected with his head, she released a blast of energy from her bracer, making him stumble back. She fired another shot at Blitz's feet, shattering the ice and freeing him to fight the woman while Kat focused on Sub-Zero.

"I see your mother gave you her bracers," he noted, moving in close and creating an ice sword and swinging at Kat. She dropped low and swung her leg out, kicking him in the knee as she aimed another blast upward to his chest.

"Thanks for the reminder, still need to talk to her about that," Kat said, forming her energy whip and swinging it at Sub-Zero. He easily dodged the strikes and grabbed Kat by the next, creating ice around her neck that began to cover her chest. From behind, Kat heard a yelp from Blitz as the woman knocked him away from her, sending him sliding into a pile of snow.

"You're gonna catch hell if you kill us!" Cassie shouted, a pair of Lin Kuei forcing her to stay on her knees when she tried to stand up. She could see Sub-Zero pause, the ice stopping at Kat's waist before it suddenly began to crack and fall off her.

"Yes, I suppose so." With a gesture, one of the Lin Kuei members began to cut them free as Sub-Zero set Kat down. She immediately ran over to Blitz's side and checked him for injuries. Blitz happily licked her face as she ran her hand over his legs and chest, finding nothing bruised or damaged; from what she could see, most blows that hit him were aimed at his padded harness.

A whistle from across the courtyard made Kat turn around, and she was surprised to see Johnny leaning on a pillar with a smirk.

"Wait," Jacqui said, looking around. "This was all a…."

"A training exercise," Sub-Zero finished for her. "To test your skills working together as a team," he looked over at Cassie as Kat and Blitz joined the group. "You and your team show promise Cassandra Cage, but until your team can function as one, you will fall short."

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"How's your side, Kat?" Jacqui asked as the plane took off to return to the main base. After about an hour of training with the Lin Kuei and Cassie having an apparent rematch with Frost, the group had returned to the plane to report back to General Blade.

"Yeah," Kat said, wincing as she touched her side where Sub-Zero struck her. "Pretty sure he made the thing dull because it feels like I got hit with a bat instead of an axe."

"You should work on not hesitating when your dad is mentioned," Jin commented as he sat down. He swiftly earned a kick in the shin from Cassie.

"And you should work on following the plan."

"Alright, easy," Johnny said, stepping between the two. "You all did better than I expected; things can only improve as you all work together."

A call from his communicator made Johnny frown as he walked over to one of the computers. 

"Just got a call from General Blade; we have Outworlders in Earthrealm."

"An invasion?" Takeda asked, looking at the rest of the group.

"Can't be. Isn't there a civil war going on? Plus, the Reiko Accords forbids it."

"The Reiko Accords won't mean anything if they took down the Kahn," Jin piped up as the plane began to land. Waiting at the landing zone was Kenshi. As they walked, Kat could see groups of people huddled together. Most were wearing more traditional; handmade clothing made for warmer climates. Were these the Outworlders? They looked like ordinary people.

"-nearly five thousand refugees, all from the civil war."

Kat's attention was brought back by Kenshi's breakdown. If these were refugees, they were going to need to set up temporary living spaces, hand out food, and make sure these people were taken care of. Kat followed the group into a tent where she could see Sonya and Raiden talking to a woman sitting at a table. 

"Thanks, Kenshi. Could you and Mr. Cage join us?" Sonya said, gesturing for them to move closer. When Cassie tried to join Johnny's side, Sonya gave her a stern look.

"Sergeant Cage, you and your team as you were."

Cassie looked at Kat with a frown as she moved back to stand next to her. As Raiden introduced Li Mei, Kat casually reached out, giving Cassie's hand a tap. She could see Cassie jump and look down at her hand, smiling slightly as she took Kat's hand and gave it a squeeze.

"Tell me about the weapon," Raiden asks Li Mei after she finishes describing the attack led by a woman named Mileena.

"A talisman," Li Mei begins. "Gold, with a center jewel. Mileena wields its crimson energy without precision."

"Well, that's good then," Cassie speaks up.

"Not now, Sergeant Cage," Sonya silences her.

Kat feels Cassie's grip on her hand tighten. 

From the description, it sounded like Mileena was in possession of Shinnok's amulet. Sonya couldn't believe that could be the case, but Raiden insisted on going to check to be certain. Kat noticed Sonya's look darkened when Li Mei mentioned a man whose eye glowed red. 

"I'm going to the refugee camp. Gotta get to him before he finds a way out."

"Allow me to come with you, General."

Sonya froze, turning to look at Kat, who had called out to her. 

"I worked with first responders; I can help with any refugees who were injured during their escape."

Her first reaction was to say no; she didn't want Kat anywhere near where Kano could be. Before she could say anything, she noticed Johnny giving her a look.

"Fine," she sighed. "Seargent Cage, I need the rest of your team to go to Outworld, confirm with Kotal Kahn that Li Mei's story is true."

"I'll join you at the camp," Johnny said.

"Go get an update on camp security from Colonel Flagg."

"Why?"

"Because then you won't be here."

The icy tone from Sonya's voice stunned Kat. She could see Cassie shared the same look and took a step forward but was stopped by Johnny. Kat could see Johnny give Sonya a look before walking off. Sonya frowned, watching her retreating form before looking at Kat.

"Are you coming?"

Kat looked between Sonya and Cassie, noting the dejected look on her face, before looking back at Sonya. 

"I need to speak with my sister first, ma'am."

Sonya watched as Kat walked over to Cassie, took her hand, and dragged her out of the tent. She led Cassie away from the tent, stopping near the dividing fence to the refugee camp. Both women were silent, Cassie continuing to squeeze Kat's hand. Finally, Kat spoke up.

"Does this-"

"Yeah"

"Often?"

"Less since they divorced and stopped living together."

"Cass…" 

"It's fine," Cassie said, slipping on her sunglasses. "I should be used to it by now."

"Do you want me to join you in Outworld? I mostly offered to join Sonya to talk to her, but if you need back-up-"

"Nah, it's fine," Cassie smirked, squeezing Kat's hand one final time before letting go. "These refugees could use your help more. It should be a quick in and out, and we'll be back before you know it.

"Alright, we'll talk more when you get back."

"You got it."

Cassie watched Kat walk over to the camp gates. Once she was sure Kat was out of sight, she quickly wiped away any stray tears under her sunglasses and left to rejoin her group.

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

In an alternate universe, one in which Netherrealm studios never chickened out and got rid of Dark Raiden in the 2nd chapter, we would see more of these two togther.

Two little brothers joined together on a similar journey to save their respective older brothers from the darkness corrupting their souls.

Saving Raiden and Bi-Han from themselves. Because we know Fujin and Kuai Liang would do absolutely that.

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

Omg your back! I have a couple of requests but I'll try not to flood your askbox! Its great to see you back!

By all means, flood away! My ask box is open atm. All I'm doing right now is working on my fic!

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

Stryking Emotions Ch. 3

Kat felt like she couldn't breathe. Was it true? General Blade, Sonya, was her mother? 

"Sonya? Are you-" Johnny said, hesitating to finish his sentence. Sonya sighed, turning to Johnny and Kat.

"I didn't want you to find out like this, but yes. I'm your mother, Katherine."

Kat felt as if she was dunked in a freezing lake. She had to focus on moving her feet to keep from stumbling as she walked past Sonya.

"I- I need to go."

"Katherine-"

"Don't touch me!"

Sonya's hand on her arm burned as she yanked her arm away. She wanted to scream at Sonya, ask her why she abandoned her, and make her hurt as much as she was hurting.

Instead, she ran.

Kat stumbled through the hallway with no destination in mind; she just had to move. She soon found herself outside where Cassie, Takeda, Jin, and Jacqui were training with Blitz napping in the shade of a truck.

"Hey Kat!" Cassie, her sister, called out, waving to catch her attention. "How was the Takahashi beatdown?"

Cassie's voice barely registered in Kat's ears as she focused her attention on the gate. She could feel her breath quicken and her hands tremble as she continued walking.

"Yo Kat! What he-" Cassie moved to follow after Kat when Takeda stopped her with a hand on her shoulder. 

"Cas, I think she needs some time to herself," Takeda said, watching as Kat broke into a run and ran through the gate. Through it all, he could hear Kat's racing thoughts as she struggled to remain calm. 

"The hell Tak? You wanna explain what's going on?" Cassie asked, looking from Kat to Takeda. Takeda sighed, he promised not to tell Cassie anything until General Blade talked to her, but if that was Kat's reaction, it might be better if she knew now.

"This might be hard to believe, but…."

----------------------------------------------

Sonya watched Johnny pacing back and forth. Raiden had already left after apologizing for what happened earlier. Kenshi, meanwhile, has been meditating nearby, just in case things progress to blows between Sonya and Johnny.

"I can't believe this," Johnny mumbled, quietly laughing to himself. "We got married before Cassie was born; Kat would have been at least eight…." Johnny stopped pacing and turned to look at Sonya.

"Why didn't you tell me you had a kid?"

"I didn't tell you because, according to the courts, I'm not her mother," Sonya explained, looking at the double doors Kat ran through earlier. "After Stryker died, Katherine was in danger. I couldn't take her when we were in the middle of an invasion. Kurtis' parents lived in New York; they hated me, but they could keep her safe."

Sonya paused, looking back at Johnny. He could see she was holding back tears.

"They said they'd take her if I gave up custody of her and stayed away from them."

Johnny reached out, hesitating before placing his hand on her shoulder. He could feel Sonya lean into his touch.

"What about when she turned eighteen? Couldn't you contact her then?"

Sonya laughed a hollow and bitter sound.

"We were in the middle of our own problems. By the time I had any time to try meeting her, she had moved out and gone no contact with them. I had no clue where to start looking for her."

Johnny could feel Sonya tremble under his touch, a familiar sign she was holding her emotions back. Sonya stumbled as Johnny pulled her into his chest. She weakly put up a struggle as tears began to run down her cheeks. Soon enough, she was sobbing into his chest as Johnny held her tightly.

The doors to the training room burst open, separating Johnny and Sonya, as Cassie stormed in, making a beeline to her mother.

"Why the hell didn't you tell me Kat was my sister?!" Cassie demanded, glaring at Sonya as Johnny stepped between them and held Cassie back.

"Cassie, calm down," Johnny said, pushing her back gently. "Your mother has her reasons."

"How hard is it to say, "by the way, Cassie, you have an older sister"?" Cassie asked, looking between her parents. While she was confused and angry, she worried more for Kat. From what Takeda told her, Kat wasn't taking it well.

"How did you know?" Sonya asked, gently pushing Johnny aside to stand in front of Cassie. Cassie's glare softened as she unclenched her fists. 

"Takeda told me everything. Kat ran off, so I sent him to find her with her dog."

"What? Do you know where she went?" Sonya grew concerned, moving to rush out of the room when Cassie stopped her.

"Mom, wait. It might not be a good idea if you look for her."

"She's right, Sonya," Johnny agreed, "let Takeda and Blitz find her. It might be smart to give her some space."

Sonya wanted to deny it, but they were right. She could still see the look in Kat's eyes before she ran off. It was a mixture of sadness, pain, and betrayal.

"Alright, just…let me know if you find her." 

Cassie nodded, watching her mother walk away. She hadn't seen Sonya that worried since she and Jacqui were kidnapped. 

"It'll be alright, Cass," Johnny reassured her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders in a side hug. "Both of them just need some time before talking. Can't be easy going most of your life not knowing your mom and suddenly finding out you're working with her."

"I guess," Cassie sighed. "I'm gonna check with Jacqui, see if Takeda found her yet."

"Hey, Cass."

Johnny stopped her from walking away and pulled her into a hug, kissing the top of her head.

"Your Mother and I love you, okay?"

Cassie smiled, hugging Johnny back.

"I know."

----------------------------------------------

Kat continued to run until her lungs burned. She didn't know where she was going; she just let her feet carry her further and further away. When she felt her legs give out, the sky had begun to turn a soft orange. Looking around, she found she had run until she reached a shipyard. A cooling wind brought the smell of salt water and a familiar scent she hadn't smelled since she was a child.

The smell of gunpowder and burning wood scented cologne, a combination Kat associated with her father.

Looking around, Kat scanned the faces of the people walking by her. Most looked like shipyard workers or joggers running by. A uniformed police officer caught her eye. While she couldn't see his face, she had a clear look at the short blond hair hidden under a cap and could read the writing on the back of his vest.

NYPD 

SWAT

"Dad?" Kat whispered, forcing her legs to move in the direction she saw the man walking towards. She pushed her way through a group of people, keeping her eyes trained on the man as he turned down a nearby alleyway. Her legs screamed in protest as she broke into a run to catch up with him.

"Dad!" Kat shouted, turning the corner into the alleyway. She was greeted by nothing but a couple of rats scurrying out of a nearby dumpster from her shouting.

Her father wasn't there.

Wha-? But I swear I just saw-

Her thoughts were interrupted by the familiar barking from Blitz as he ran up to her, jumping up on his hind legs to reach her face and covering her with licks.

"Blitz? What are you doing here?" Kat asked, kneeling down and scratching behind his ears. Blitz barked again, running back the way he came, pausing to look back to ensure Kat followed before continuing to run. A couple of minutes later, Kat could see Takeda talking on a phone with a panicked look on his face.

"I don't know, Cass! One minute he was sniffing the ground, then he suddenly took off, and I lost sight of him."

Kat let out a whistle, catching Takeda's attention. His panicked look was immediately relieved when he saw Kat walking up with Blitz at her side.

"Nevermind, Blitz found her," Takeda paused, listening to Cassie's reply. "Uh, I'll see if she wants to."

Takeda held out the phone to Kat.

"Cassie is asking if she can talk to you."

Kat paused, looking at the phone before taking it and holding it up to her ear.

"Cassie?"

"Kat? Thank god, are you alright?"

Before Kat could even think about it, she said the words that had been building up in her mind since she found out Sonya was her mother.

"Am I alright? How would you feel if you grew up never knowing your mother, lost your father and grew up never knowing about either of them!" She yelled into the phone, beginning to pace back and forth.

"And just to top it off, after accepting that you might never find out who your mother is, all of a sudden, it turns out she's actually standing right in front of you! Better yet, she has another kid that she doesn't seem to have a problem associating with! So no, Cassie, I'm not alright, and if you don't want to get your ass kicked, you'll stay away from me when I get back there!"

Before Cassie could reply, Kat hung up and tossed the phone back at Takeda before collapsing to the ground, tears running down her cheeks. Blitz let out a small whine as he laid down next to her and laid his head on her lap. She didn't even know why she was crying. Frustration? Anger? Sadness?

Regret?

"Kat," Takeda knelt down, putting a hand on her shoulder. "I don't know if it helps, but I understand. I didn't know my father for the longest time."

Kat wiped away her tears, looking at Takeda with a raised eyebrow. 

"Kenshi? I can't imagine that; you two seem fine around each other."

"Yeah, well, you should have seen me when he came back into my life," Takeda stood up, offering a hand to help Kat up, which she gladly took. "When I first saw him, I wanted to kick his ass until I felt better."

"What did you do?" Kat asked, following Takeda back to the base.

"I kicked his ass until I felt a little better," Takeda told Kat about his mother, her death, and being raised by Grandmaster Hasashi. By the time they reached the base, both Takeda and Kat were laughing at stories of Takeda's telepathy training.

"No way," Kat laughed, leaning on Takeda for support as she tried to catch her breath.

"Yup, I thought it would be cool to show off my skills and spook the guy by reading his mind. Turns out, he was daydreaming about going home and banging his wife," Takeda shuddered at the memory. "I haven't tried sneaking into people's minds since then."

"Please don't tell me he is on this base; I don't think I'll be able to look at him without laughing," Kat snickered. Her grin faded as they stepped into the base, and Kat noticed Cassie near the bunks talking to Jacqui and Jin. She remembered what she said to Cassie on the phone and felt worse. 

"Hey Tak, how do you think Cassie would react if I tried apologizing?"

"I'll be honest; I don't know," Takeda shrugged. "Jacqui is her best friend; she would know Cassie better than I would."

"Well, wish me luck. This might end in a fight."

Before Takeda could reply, Kat made her way over to the bunks and called out to Cassie. Cassie looked over at Kat before looking at Jacqui, who shook her head and said something Kat couldn’t hear. What she could hear was Jin laughing as Cassie passed him her gun holster.

"Cassie listen, I'm so-"

"Fight me."

"What?"

"You heard me," Cassie said, moving into a fighting stance. "You said you'd kick my ass if you saw me. Well, here I am."

Kat looked over a Jacqui, who just shrugged, before sighing and tying her hair back into a high ponytail.

"Alright, fine. Just don't complain if you're busted up during our next mission."

Cassie waited for Kat to make the first move, a high kick which she blocked before sending her own kick into Kat's stomach. Kat grunted, stepping backward to create space between them. Cassie took the offensive, moving in close with a punch which Kat easily blocked.

The two continued to exchange easily blocked blows until Kat spoke up.

"Alright, I'll bite; why did you really wanna fight me?" Kat asked, ducking to avoid a kick and landing a punch to Cassie's side.

"I'm not the best when it comes to words," Cassie admitted, grunting as she blocked an axe kick from Kat. "But you're right; I don't know how you feel."

"That doesn't explain why you want me to fight you." Kat spun around, bringing her elbow up and aiming at Cassie's face. She expected for Cassie to block it; she wasn't hiding her intentions. Instead, Kat heard a sickening crunch as her elbow made contact with Cassie's nose. She quickly turned to see Cassie clutching her nose. Blood trickled down her chin as she straightened her broken nose with a grunt.

"Because… I don't want you to hate me," Cassie admitted, raising her fists. "I thought if you let out your anger on me, we could talk later."

Cassie brought her knee up, which was blocked by Kat. Cassie then swung a fist at Kat's head. Instead of another block, Kat stumbled back as Cassie's fist connected with her face. Kat wiped the blood from her split lip away as she looked at Cassie.

"I don't hate you, Cassie," confessed, shifting into a defensive stance to catch a flurry of Cassie's kicks, missing one kick that hit her in the eye. "I'm sorry for yelling at you. I was angry at Sonya and took it out on you."

"Well then, think of it like this," Cassie ducked and grabbed Kat's arm, flipping her over Cassie's arm and making Kat land on her back. "You won't be court-martialed for kicking my ass instead of the general's."

"I think it's the other way around," Kat wheezed, sitting up with a groan. "You're teaching me some of those moves later."

"I'll give you a rain check on that," Cassie said, helping Kat up when she noticed Johny making his way towards them. "Right now, we might have some explaining to do."

"What the hell is going on here?" Johnny asked, looking between Kat and Cassie. "I thought you said you would tell me when she was back, not beat her up."

Before Cassie could speak, Kat stepped forward.

"It's my fault, Mr. Cage; I was still frustrated when I returned and took it out on Cassie. I apologize for my behavior."

Johnny raised an eyebrow, looking past Kat to Cassie. He could immediately tell that wasn't the case; Cassie was chewing her bottom lip, her telltale lying sign. Instead of calling both women out, he let out a sigh.

"Alright, just don't fight with her again unless you're training. All of you get to bed; we have our mission tomorrow night."

Johnny watched the group leave, noting how Kat and Cassie walked together. He took out his phone and quickly snapped a picture just as Kat laughed at something Cassie had said. With a smile, he sent the photo to Sonya with a message.

your daughters are back

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

Johnny: We call that a traumatic event

Johnny, facing Jin: Not a 'bruh moment'

Johnny, looking at Cassie: Not a 'major L'

Johnny, looking to Takeda: Or a 'OOF lmao'

Jacqui: Tell that to yourself, Mr. 'WHELP'

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

are requests open?

Yup! Requests are back open!

[what-does-the-foxy-say]

Stryking Emotions Ch.2

"Sonya."

Sonya turned to face Kurtis. Behind him, the rest of the group called together by Raiden waited for Smoke to join them.

"Is something wrong, Kurtis?"

Kurtis shook his head, pulling a set of keys from his pants pocket.

"Listen, if anything happens to me, take Kat somewhere safe."

"Kurtis-"

"Promise me, Sonya," he insisted, grabbing her hand and pressing the keys into her palm. "I don't care what happens to me. All I care about is keeping her safe."

Sonya paused, staring at the keys in her hand before nodding, securing the keys to her belt.

"I promise."

----------------------------------------------

Memories of Kurtis flooded her mind as Sonya watched Katherine help Takeda up from the training mat. She could hear Cassie asking Katherine what she had just done. Katherine smiled sheepishly; she had her father's smile.

"I don't know how exactly; I've been able to do it since I was a kid."

Sonya cleared her throat, catching most of the group's attention while Takeda rubbed his temples.

"Cage, my office. Now."

"Oh boy, sounds like I'm in trouble."

She ignored his comment as she walked back to her office. She waited until she heard the door click shut behind Johnny before turning to face him.

"I don't remember approving a new addition to your team." 

"And I remember being the one to approve of her recruitment since you said you were too busy to look through it," Johnny sighed, shaking his head. 

"The only reason Colonel Flagg approved of this team of yours is that you've been helping Special Forces for years. You still need my approval before adding additional members."

"Well then, if that's the case, requesting Kat Stryker join the team," Johnny said, giving her a smug grin before his tone turned serious. "Did you see what she did in that fight? It looked a lot like your-"

"Fine, request granted," Sonya interrupted him, picking up a file and flipping through it. "You can go now; I have more work to do."

"Sonya-"

"Just go."

She kept her eyes focused on the file so she wouldn't see the hurt look on his face as he walked out. Sonya picked up one of the photos in the file, a picture of Kathrin in her police uniform, and smiled slightly.

"You've grown up so much since I last saw you."

----------------------------------------------

Sonya's hands trembled as she opened the door to the apartment. Even as she heard the distant cries of Outworld creatures and gunfire muffled through the closed windows, she couldn't help but pause to look at the photos of Kat and Kurtis hanging on the apartment walls as well as many crayon drawings.

The slam of a door from further in the apartment caught her attention, and she quickly moved through the hallway to the one closed door. Carefully she tested the handle, unlocked, and stepped inside. Inside, she could assume it was Kurtis's room by the large bed and simple furnishings.

On the bed, covered by the comforter, was Kat, curled up in a trembling ball.

Slowly as not to startle her, Sonya stepped towards the bed and gently pulled back the sheets.

"Kathrine."

She has his blue eyes. Was Sonya's first thought as Katherine looked up at her. Her blond hair, similar to Sonya's, was braided back as she clutched a mini Johnny Cage action figure to her chest.

Of course, she would like Cage.

"Who are you?" Sonya could hear Katherine's voice trembling. It took everything for her not to pick her up and hold her.

"I'm your-" she hesitated. "I'm your dad's friend. He sent me to bring you somewhere safe."

"Daddy? Is he ok?"

Kurtis's body, bloody and bruised from Sindel, flashed through Sonya's mind, forcing her to choke back a sob.

"He's fine. He's busy helping people, so I came to get you."

"Okay."

She held out her arms for Sonya to pick her up. Sonya took a moment to hug Kathrine tightly as her tiny arms wrapped around her neck. As she carried Kathrine out of the apartment, she let a few tears escape and soak Kathrine's pink shirt.

----------------------------------------------

A knock on her door brought Sonya out of her memory. Quickly returning the photo to the file, she set it on her desk as she sat down. 

"Come in," she said, quickly wiping away a stray tear as Kenshi stepped into her office.

"Am I interrupting something?" Kensi asked, closing the door behind him.

"No, just going through some paperwork," she lied, opening an email on her computer. For a moment, she could feel a familiar tingling sensation and turned her attention back to Kenshi.

"You should protect your thoughts better," he said with a knowing smile. "I could hear your thoughts across the base."

"Then, if you know what's good for you, you'll keep what you heard to yourself."

"Take it from me, Sonya; the longer you take to tell her, the harder it will be for her to trust you." 

Kenshi turned to leave, pausing to look at her over his shoulder.

"Don't worry about Takeda; I'll be sure to tell him not to say anything to her."

Sonya watched him leave, letting out a sigh of frustration as she returned to her work. She'll figure out what to do later. For now, she has work to catch up on.

----------------------------------------------

"So Kat, what made you want to be a police officer?" 

After Sonya took Johnny away, Jacqui suggested they grab some food off base since they didn't have any upcoming missions. Of course, Cassie was up for it; any excuse to wear anything except her SF uniform was always appreciated. It was thanks to the group changing into casual clothes that she noticed the NYPD jacket Kat wore and asked about it while eating at a local fast food place.

"My dad was an officer," Kat explained as Jin swiped fries from her tray to give to Blitz. "I was practically raised in a police station since dad couldn't find a babysitter that would watch me for eight hours straight, so the officers at the station would watch me."

"Didn't your dad star in a movie about a father and daughter cop duo?" Takeda asked, looking over at Cassie, who laughed.

"No, he was offered the part of the dad, but they wanted him to use a stunt double, and he refused. I think it's called Parental Police Force or something."

"Did you and your dad go on patrol together?" Jin piped up, scratching Blitz's head as he laid his head in Jin's lap. Kat's smile faltered as she looked down at her cup, watching a drop of condensation run down the side.

"I never got to; he died when I was little."

The group went silent at her answer. Cassie and Jacqui looked between each other, unsure what to say, when Kat spoke up, looking at them with a small smile. 

"I get that reaction a lot. It's fine. I was five when he died during the Outworld invasion. I lived with my grandparents until I turned eighteen and have been on my own since."

"Well, it looks like dead family is a running trend around here," Jin said, pointing a fry at Kat and then himself. "Lost my uncle during the Mortal Kombat tournament."

"What's the Mortal Kombat tournament?"

The rest of their meal consisted of Cassie and the group telling Kat about Raiden, the Elder Gods, and Shao Khan's attempted invasion of Earthrealm.

By the time they returned to the base, it was almost lights out. As they stepped through the gates, Kat could see the same woman from earlier; Cassie explained that she was her mother, General Blade, along with a man with a blindfold covering his eyes.

"Who's the guy?" Kat whispered to Jacqui as Cassie walked over to talk to General Blade. 

"Kenshi," Jacqui whispered back. "He's Takeda's dad."

"Is that a sword on his back? How can he fight if he can't see?"

"There is more than one way to see, Miss Stryker," Kenshi said, turning his attention to her. Even blindfolded, Kat could feel his eyes on her. "You'll come to learn many things working for SF."

"Yeah, I forgot to tell you," Takeda piped up, placing a hand on her shoulder. "My father and I are telepaths." 

"Ok then, remind me not to think of anything around you guys," Kat grumbled as Cassie returned to the group. It was obvious General Blade had scolded her by the exasperation on her face.

"We have a mission in two days. Until then, we're stuck here training," Cassie turned her attention to Kat. "Also, the General wants to speak with you."

Kat raised an eyebrow, looking at General Blade, who was talking quietly to Kenshi. From the frown on her face, the conversation wasn't going her way.

"I'll take Blitz to your bunk," Jacqui offered, taking Blitz's leash and following the rest of the group to their bunks. Kenshi soon followed after, leaving Kat alone with General Blade.

"You wanted to speak to me, ma'am," Kat said, standing at attention. 

"At ease, Stryker," General Blade said, stepping forward and looking at Kat silently. Kat couldn't tell if she did something wrong by the look on General Blade's face. It was a look she had never seen before.

She looked like she was holding something back.

"I apologize for not meeting with you earlier. I want to welcome you to Special Forces," General Blade said, holding out her hand for Kat to shake. As Kat shook her hand, she could tell something was bothering the General. 

"Thank you, ma'am. I'll do my best."

"I'm sure you will."

Kat felt a swell of pride when General Blade smiled at her. For a moment, she forgot she was speaking to a superior and smiled brightly. 

"I should probably check on Blitz; it was nice to meet you, General."

"Kathrine."

Kat paused, looking back at General Blade, removing the bracers around her wrist. She walked over to Kat and gestured for her to hold out her hands. When she complied, General Blade placed the bracers around Kat's wrists.

"I saw your fight with Takeda earlier; your form was decent, but the attack was weak. These bracers enhance energy-based abilities. These should help you control it better."

Kat didn't know what to say. Her father always told her to keep her ability hidden, and yet, the General gave her a way to control it and basically said her abilities were useful.

"Thank you, ma'am."

----------------------------------------------

The next day, Kat once again found herself in the training room. This time, instead of Takeda, she faced his father as she practiced with her gauntlets.

"Again."

Kenshi raised his sword with one hand to block the energy strike. At the same time, he forced Kat backward with the other.

"You're improving. I might just be able to fight you seriously by dinner," Kenshi smiled, walking over to Kat and offering his hand. Kat reached out, smirked, and yanked Kenshi down as she pushed herself up.

"Let's see if I can bump that down to lunch."

She really is like her mother.

Kenshi smirked, picking up his sword and taking a fighting stance.

"I hope you won't regret it."

 

Faster than Kat could follow, Kenshi appeared in front of her, his sword raised above his head. Kat quickly gathered energy around her hands and caught the blade as he brought it down, pushing it to the side to avoid hitting and landing a punch to his stomach. When her fist connected, she released the energy with a blast, throwing Kenshi back and leaving his armor singed.

"Impressive," he praised, calling his sword back to his hand before throwing it at Kat. With a flick of her wrist, a whiplike tendril shot out from her gauntlet and grabbed the sword. With another flick, she sent the sword back to Kenshi, where he quickly caught it.

Kat smirked, charging toward Kenshi with another energy blast ready. Before she could make contact, she was lifted into the air and hung upside down by her leg. Under her, Kenshi chuckled, and he pointed his sword up at her throat.

"Clever, but remember what I told you," he sheathed his sword, dropping Kat on her back with a grunt. "Expect the unexpected."

"God, did Takeda have to deal with this when he was training?" Kat groaned, sitting up and rubbing her sore arms. Though it had only been a few hours of training, using her gauntlets made her body feel like she had been fighting for days.

"Be glad it's Kenshi and not Master Hasashi; you'd be limping for days after training with him."

Kat looked over at the training room entrance to see Johnny walking toward her with General Blade, and a man Kat assumed was Raiden based on Cassie's description yesterday.

"It's good to finally meet you, Katherine Stryker," Raiden said, giving her a bow which she returned.

"You as well, uh, Raiden? Lord Raiden? How do you address a god?" Kat asked, looking at the rest of the group. Raiden chuckled, his glowing eyes showing mirth. 

"Raiden is fine, Katherine Stryker. Your father had a similar reaction when he first addressed me."

"Wait, you knew my father?" Kat could feel her heart begin to race. She had asked multiple people what had happened to her father. Until now, no one could tell her anything about what happened to him that day.

"Yes," Raiden nodded. "Your father and mother fought to stop Shao Khan's forces alongside many other defenders of Earthrealm.

It was like the wind was knocked out of her. Her mother? From Raiden's side, Sonya inhaled sharply. 

"Raiden-"

"I never knew my mother," Kat stated. She felt Kenshi place a hand on her lower back to keep her steady. 

"Wait, hold on," Johnny cut in, holding his hands like a referee calling for a time out. "I know I'm getting old but I definitely remember most of the women on our team were Edenian. If Kat's mom was with us, she'd have to be-"

Even through his shades, Kat could see his eyes widen before he turned around. She followed his gaze until she landed on General Blade, who refused to look at the two staring at her.

"Sonya?"