plot: home 2011 *backdated to 2/26*

[lt_blade]

Five days..

Five days since they woke up. Five days since they started on this mission to save their realm (again). They should have woken up by now: five days into this and Sonya had to almost daily shove back the worry that maybe they were going to be stuck here-no, it wasn't for her, it was for Lipton. He shouldn't have been here, this wasn't his fight, and most of all, he had a wife and kid back on the island. Least with her and Scorpion, they didn't have anyone back there waiting for them, especially in way of kids.

Their time spent traveling wasn't long, not by comparison, but it was by no means easy. Physically, because every so often they would run into a band of mutant or centaur warriors, and mentally because nearly everywhere there were remains of people having had their souls already taken. Sonya was only grateful that they hadn't lost anymore people. Indeed, just before they left for the journey, they'd actually..according to her story..gained two more warriors: Kitana and her friend Jade, both 'former' assassins for Shao Kahn. Liu Kang and Nightwolf were willing to give her a chance, but Sonya couldn't bring herself to really let her in so easy. It was true that the damn video game booklet said that Kitana was now on their side-but how could much could she really put her faith in that book, especially when Kitana herself wasn't too keen on giving details as to 'why', only asking that they trust them. It was only because they needed the 'manpower', and out of respect for Nightwolf and Lui Kang that Sonya kept her mouth shut, but she wordlessly kept an eye on the two women.

It was evening on that fifth day when they finally reached the city, the fortress of Shao Kahn jutting against the dark purple sky.  For once, they didn't stop to set up camp as evening set, as Kitana had told thm that the security around here would be extremely tight. If they were to find shelter anywhere it would have to be within the city. Centaurs were the hardest to defeat, but they were also naturally claustrophobic, and so a building would offer some protection.

Sonya was past caring about physical comfort. Several days of on and off fighting and her body was already bearing bruises and scrapes. Nearly all of them were bruised up, and that wasn't counting the exhaustion that was threatening them.  She had to put faith in that their endurance could carry them through all of this-for every one's sake.

Comments

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

It was a race against time when they reached Kung Lao's side at the 'apartment floor' they made into their shelter. He was the first to challenge Shao Kahn, but the Emperor not only made quick work of him, but from the looks of things (Lao was really in no condition to speak) managed to beat him past that point. The result was that his injuries were severe enough that they made Sonya's look like mere scratches.

Jax had already started a fire when they arrived: there were so many 'stray' fires in the area that one more would just go unnoticed. It wasn't to keep warm though, as the place was already hot enough that a fire wasn't necessary, but the monk's injuries needed to be sterilized and the alcohol pads they had from the med kits weren't enough. Along with killing the infection, the fire was needed to stop the bleeding.

Sonya told Sub-Zero to find some source of water. They were in a city, he should be able to find undamaged water bottles somewhere. Meanwhile, she had Jax hold Kung Lao back as she tried to wash off one of her knives before heating it over the fire. This was going to hurt like a bitch, and even with him in that state, Sonya didn't trust him to not lash out. She also had to work fast, not just for his safety, but because the smell of burnt flesh wasn't something she wanted to linger. For what wasn't the last time, Sonya desperately wished for a proper medic, or atleast some proper supplies instead of improvised tools.

By the time they were done, Kung Lao was finally stabilized and the rest of them were able to sit and tend to their own injuries. Jax and Sub-Zero had left to join the others, though rather reluctantly. It was only after Sonya assured them that Kahn would have his forces around his fortress, not a decrepit apartment building. Besides, someone needed to watch over Kung Lao, and atleast while here, she wasn't really in anymore combat. Lipton and Scorpion were in better shape than her and Lao, so it wasn't just her either.

It was only when she assured Jax that she didn't plan on jumping into any fights, and that she wouldn't be by herself-he agreed.

The good news about exhaustion was that it rarely left room for dreaming, and given the environment they were in was enough of a bad dream-Sonya was grateful for the respite. Sub-zero used his powers to make a few ice packs for them, and Sonya had one currently pressed against the bruise on her face and another against her ribs while she somehow found herself able to catch an hour or so of sleep.

When she woke up, her body was still sore and throbbing, but the rest had restored some much needed energy. Part of her wanted to join in the fight, but she had a nagging inner feeling that her part in this fight was done-it was up to the others to kick Shao Kahn's ass.

[niceofyoutoask.livejournal.com]

Lipton knelt beside Sonya, helping whever he was needed and silently offering his assistance whenever he wasn't. He helped Jax hold the kid down, wishing Doc Roe were here - even if there was nothing he could do that Sonya couldn't, he had a way with people in pain. He'd heard from Spina, as they all had, that his grandmother had been a Cajan faith healer - and Lipton wouldn't be at all suprised if Eugene had gotten a little of that too.

As much as Lipton realized how important it was to track down and get rid of this Shao Kahn guy, he knew his place was with Sonya and Scorpion. He held his own ice pack, every once applying it to his various motley bruises, but for the most part just sitting, elbows on his knees, ice pack held loosely in his hand, forgotten. He sat, keeping watch while Sonya slept. He was exhausted, but she needed rest more, and knew Scorpion was keeping his own watch, but wasn't sure he fully trusted the currently compassionless-man when they weren't in a fight.

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

There was this stage in part of Sonya's character that never fully relaxed, that could spring at the right trigger. Combined with the adrenaline of the past few days, it was no surprise that she woke up full on alert. The exhaustion and pain was still there, but for the moment she could put it on the backburner.

She sat up, or tried to before her ribs protested the sudden movement and she was compelled to go much slower.

"Heard that one." Rasped Kung Lao, still groggy after the painkillers Sub-Zero had given him (Sonya didn't ask how he'd aquired them, it was enough that they kept the monk coherant.)

"You need anything, we've some water atleast." She ignored the comment: nothing was broken, she may've just had a joint pulled back into place.

Kung Lao nodded and Sonya reached into their supplies to pull out a half full bottle of water and hand it over. Nervous energy and stiffness finally letting her to slowly move about.

Lao was soon asleep again a few moments later before she took a seat next to Lipton.

"You may as well try to get some shut eye too, I've got this shift." Her arm bands had recharged enough that they could do some fair damage.

[niceofyoutoask.livejournal.com]

"Yeah?" He was exhausted, all right. And with Sonya awake and keeping watch, it would be safe to catch a few winks. Still, it was a moment of peace that he didn't want to give up too quickly. "Hey - how're you holding up?"

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

"Just fine and dandy," For the most part she was plain fed up with this, but hell, she can have a breakdown later-when it didn't hurt to breathe. "You? Don't imagine this is what you had in mind when signing up for the paratroopers."

Hell, she didn't have this is mind when she joined the army, but it wasn't really like she had much of a choice in the matter. Not really.

Sonya looked at her watch, mostly out of habit as it had stopped working since the invasion. She felt they'd been waiting awhile, but there was no real indication of how long. The merger had made the sky cloudy, and with no visible sun, there was no real way to measure time outside her own head-and that was something she was trying to avoid.

[niceofyoutoask.livejournal.com]

"Generally, no." He said, a tiredly amused smile crawling onto his face. "Life Magazine prepared me for very little, all things considered."

He glanced over her battered form, his own bumps and bruises paling in comparison - and from the way he ached, he didn't envy her.

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

"They didn't really talk about this with me either-was sort of 'drafted' into the whole thing." She answered, feeling strangely introspective.

Sonya checked over at Kung Lao: he was still sleeping. She wondered if it was just from the seditives, or if the prolonged stress, combat and extensive injuries took that much of a toll on him.

"Almost jealous, to be honest." She turned to face him, feeling a little embarressed. "One way or the other, you'll head home, maybe during the war, but even then for you the war eventually ends." She suppresses a laugh. "I've a feeling it's not going to be the same for me. Even when Kahn's defeated, who's to say there's not some other overlord wanting to take over. Our military needs to get stronger and better prepared for such a threat, but it also means that for Jax and I-looks like early retirement isn't an option."

Her 'ice pack' had more or less melted by now. She wrung the excess water from the cloth and placed it over her head.

[niceofyoutoask.livejournal.com]

"We'll get back to the island," Lipton said, with the unshakable confidence of an optimism he didn't quite feel. "And you'll have that time." The 'at least' went unsaid, but in rang in the air anyway.

"I don't know my war will end, it was people who came after me who had that knowledge. Perhaps if Scorpion had come from a few months later than you, or a few years, he would've said the same as Webster and Buck, that there was an end in sight." He shook his head. "It sure didn't seem like it was near the end for me, or that things would necessarily go our way." He suspected those dark days in the Ardennes would never stop haunting him, where the lives, limbs and sanity of Easy were battered and broken.

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

Sonya smiled a little, glad for the optimism even if they both probably didn't feel it. "One good thing about coming here again. Reminded me why I wanted to get married in the first place. Current state aside, both Scorpion and I will never really have a chance at peaceful life." Or what you could call 'scorpion' as a life anyway. "On the island, the oppurtunity arrived and I wanted a chance at that. Something I could never really have back home."

That was something most soldiers wanted in the end, wasn't it? Sonya never really understood that when she first joined the army, now she understood it clearly.

"Oh, he already told me. He said we win the invasion, and that we survived." Her smile faltered. "But this just proved that our military needs to be more prepared against invading realms, and Jax and I are the only soldiers with such experience in that field. It'll be a completely new military branch, and we'll need to develope the technology to create portals to and from.."

Maybe all the talking was a bad idea, as her rib cage started aching and resulting in a coughing fit.

"Shit." She coughed,grabbing a water bottle and trying to suppress the cough.

Her coughing fit woke up Kung Lao, who shook his head, trying to clear it.

"Anyone of you want to check outside?" He rasped. "By that I mean Lipton not the Lieutenant," she was in bad enough shape already and he didn't want the Major on his ass for letting her out. "Something kept..when I slept.." He tried to find the words. "Something's not right."

Sonya grumbled as she caught her breath, but nodded. "Just a recon, okay." See, she could lay low if she had to. "If it's not one of ours-kill it."

The last thing they needed was something finding their 'safe house'-if one could call it that.

[niceofyoutoask.livejournal.com]

"That's what the island's best at," he agreed easily, "second chances and new starts." It certainly had been for him.

He was going to respond to her musings about the future, but held them back when she coughed and he winced in sympathy for her ribs. When he'd been hit by part of a tank shell, the recoil had slammed him back into a wall. He'd a vivid motley of bruises on his back and sides that put his current bumps and scrapes to shame, and could remember the agony of breathing and talking when your ribs wanted nothing well to do with it.

"No problem," Lipton told Lao when he woke, rifle in hand and a quick slap to his side showing his knife was handy as well. He nodded to Sonya, gratful that Lao had saved him from having to convince her to sit tight himself, and headed out the door, wary and alert.

[(Anonymous)]

Sonya didn't really like the idea of sitting around, but at the state she was in, only an emergency would have her disobey Jax's order (implied order anyway). So long as she didn't start counting bricks or tiles, she could hold up.

Outside the sounds of marching were evidentant, but it was all aimed in one direction, as though they were reinforcements.

That didn't mean there wasn't someone else outside besides Lipton.

"Carwood?"

The voice was soft, shakey, but to him it would've still been recognizable.

Jane Lipton slowly emerged from an empty shop-or so it would have been had the people inside not been in suspended animation-her hands gripping the fabric of her dress.

"Carwood," her face lit up with relief. "It's really you. The gentleman Raiden said I would find you here."

[niceofyoutoask.livejournal.com]

"Jane?" It came out as something like a hoarse shout, crossing the distance between them in the blink of an eye and gathering her up into his arms, rifle awkwardly resting against her back. She was warm and there, her blonde hair soft under his cheek, but before Lipton could be too elated at being reunited with his wife he remembered where they were, and his heart seemed to beat even faster. How could he keep her safe in a place as dangerous as this?

He kept his arm wrapped around her, drawing back enough to survey their surroundings for anything suspicious, but when nothing appeared out of place surmised that it was Jane's sudden presence herself that had caused Lao unrest.

"Have you been here all along?" He asked, looking at her from an arm's length away, concerned.

[(Anonymous)]

She returned the hug, so glad to see him alive when everything else was falling around.

She leaned against him at the feel of his arm around her, taking note of his expression but visibly ignoring it.

She nodded, her face lighting up a little as seeing him safe. "I woke up in the city just a day prior to when..this..happened. This man, who..claimed himself a god, wondered why I was here, he spoke of 'chosen warriors' and realms. I'm afraid I wasn't really paying attention."

She looked around. "Oh, he said that you were here with Ms. Blade? Where is she, is she alright?"

[niceofyoutoask.livejournal.com]

"He's a friend of Sonya's," Lipton assured her, not willing to let her out of his arms. It wasn't only the desire to cling to her after such a week of hell, but that he feared for her safety. His hand settled on where he knew the soft curve of her pregnant belly lay beneath her skirts, worried.

"Yes, she's inside with a wounded man, pretty banged up herself. But you know Sonya - nothing will keep her down. She'll be alright." He shook his head, his eyes opened to just how tough the woman was this past week. "Come with me, we'll be safer inside." He guided her towards the door, arm around her and eyes scanning the area around them.

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

It was a good thing it was dark outside, otherwise Lipton would've noticed Jane's face darkening a little at the mention of Sonya being 'banged up'. It was only for a moment though before her face softened.

"Yes, I know." She nodded, leaning against him for what could've been emotional support as they walked to the shelter.

Lipton would've found Sonya under one of the window sills inside, trying to keep an eye on them via a small, dirty mirror she acquired. It nearly fell from her hand when she saw who Lipton brought along.

Inspite of saying that she'd take it easy, Sonya quickly stood up, pausing only a moment as the pain sharpened from the sudden movement, before heading outside.

"Lipton..Jane" Oh shit, she thought. A wounded man was one thing, but two defenseless people-Sonya refused to count herself as defenseless. "How'd you..when you arrive here?"

Questions started popping up in her head: how long had she been here, and yet avoid the frequent raides from Outworlders.

[niceofyoutoask.livejournal.com]

"Raiden had a hand in it," Lipton explained for Jane, keeping her close to him, even as they entered the building. He wasn't quite ready to let her go yet, not when even in this attempt at shelter there was so much constant danger for her and the baby.

He'd spoken directly to Sonya, catching her eyes. He was both thankful that the guy had sent his wife to where he could attempt to protect her, and furious that he'd sent her into such a battle. A man like Raiden could have sent her many safe places, but instead he'd sent her to the middle of a war.

[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

Something didn't settle right with Sonya. It wasn't just that Jane still seemed 'put together', inspite of appearing shaking, but how could Raiden have teleported her here? His powers were compromised and even if he could, why would he teleport Jane in the middle of a war zone?

She looked to Kung Lao, who was only slightly wary looking as the rest of him was still woozy from the pain killers she'd just given him.

Jane followed her gaze before fixing it on Sonya again. "Lets leave here!" She said, quietly but urgently. "He only told me to stay as long as it takes for you to find me, but we have to leave now."

Sonya shook her head. "We can't. We have to wait for the others," And they will come back. "And besides, Kung Lao's in no shape to travel far."

Jane looked to Lipton, her eyes pleading. "Help her understand, there's no sense in waiting-both of you are still well enough to escape."

[niceofyoutoask.livejournal.com]

Lipton shook his head, drawing her out to arms length to look at her directly. He was sure that she was disoriented - eternally caring Jane would never suggest that anyone be left behind. "We'll all escape, together." He told her, in the optimistic, reassuring voice he'd always used with the boys when things got tough. The one that sounded more capable and confident than he ever really felt. "We're stronger as a group against those things out there, and we'll be better able to figure out how to get Lao out, too."

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[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

Sonya nodded, glad that Lipton wasn't so lovestruck that he couldn't see what needed to be done.

Jane on the other hand, wasn't so convinced. "I know you believe it is best," She agreed. "But how far could you-both of you-manage with a comrade who could barely walk let alone fight?

Sonya listened to her, feeling her own exhaustion and pain subside when it was clear Jane was starting to become more hysterical. Obviously, the stress was getting to her and making her panic.

Kung Lao had actually been more or less conscious the entire time, so Jane took both their hands and tried to lead them to where they could all talk in private.

Sonya turned and told him it was nothing. They'd found Lipton's wife and she was just freaking out from stress.

"Please." She whispered, even as Sonya tried to convince Lao that nothing was wrong. "He would only slow us down, and he's too far gone anyway." Her voice became more urgent. "I should have told you, but I was so relieved at seeing you alive that I couldn't bring myself to worry you. But just before I saw you outside, I heard an army of those 'creatures' marching toward this part of the city. If we don't leave now, you will be killed, I know it."

She rung her hands, tears welling up in her eyes before she addressed Sonya. Strangely enough, it was almost like her voice had more urgency when she spoke to Sonya rather than Lipton. "And you..surely you could not wish to stay here any longer, not after last time. To risk recapture and maybe harsher methods as they try to break your will? Why risk any of that for a man who may die from his injuries along?"

Sonya was at Lao's side by this time, trying to ease Lao's anxiety when it seemed to increase, and trying to fight the urge to tell Jane off for even insisting on leaving a wounded comrade.

But the words were only at the tip of her tongue when she heard Jane and her fears: 'recapture'...breaking...?

Slowly, both from stiffness and suspicions that were slowly dawning on her.

"Jane Lipton." She spoke slowly and with force, as she had the sudden suspicioun that maybe Kung Lao was right to feel uneasy: from Janes 'sudden' appearence, that she looked too well put together..her wanting to leave Kung Lao to die. "I don't ever recall telling you that I was once captured."

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[niceofyoutoask.livejournal.com]

It was difficult to hear the most compassionate woman he'd ever met say such things, and some part of him twisted inside at the realization that she wasn't thinking clearly. He unconciously tightened his hold around her, as if that would serve to protect her from this place.

At her mention of the creatures, his eyes immediately moved up to meet Sonya's, the arm not wrapped around Jane's waist slipping to the rifle he'd slung back around his back when they'd gone back inside.

As Sonya worked on calming Lao, he attempted to do the same with his wife, tucking her hair gently behind her ear in a familiar movement, and brushing his thumb over her cheek. "Jane, darling..." But her focus remained on Sonya, imploring her to listen. Lipton was listening too, but he was more concerned with the tears in her eyes and the wringing of her hands rather than the details of her argument.

Sonya managed to capture his attention, however, when her tone of voice entirely changed. He turned to look at her, arm still around Jane and his posture becoming automatically a little bit defensive at Sonya's tense statement. He looked back at his wife. "I must've mentioned it to you."

His exhausted mind suddenly couldn't remember if he'd learned about Sonya's capture and torture here or back on the island. A part of him was stubbornly certain that he would never have mentioned something so personal in Sonya's life over tea or dinner, even to his wife, but how else would Jane have known?

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[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

Sonya strained her ears. One of the only 'benefits' about the city not having any people was that the only noise around was the wind, and with the power out there wasn't even the white noise of someone's radio or tv being left on. When 'Jane' mentioned some creatures coming towards them, Sonya could just the sound of boots on the ground.She mirrored Litpon's action about reaching for her rifle, but Jane's words combined with the seriousness of the situation peaked through the physical pain, and she shook her head at Lipton.

"I don't remember telling you either." Yes, she told Lip about her capture, but she didn't go into details until after they'd arrived here, and even then he wouldn't go and tell Jane just out in the open, not with the time they had.

For Jane, she seemed to pick up on the rising tension in the room-and she started to laugh. Not the merry, soft laughter that she was wont to produce, but something cruel, biting.

It also seemed to be the key answer to the riddle, and Sonya nearly snarled as she twisted the rifle off her shoulder and swung it over at the false Jane, who promptly blocked twisted the muzzle so that Sonya couldn't pull it back. She then followed it up by grabbing at Sonya's jacket and, throwing her body weight back, catching her off gaurd and sending her crashing through the doorway and outside the building.

ooc: finally! Sorry about that, this week was just busy.

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[niceofyoutoask.livejournal.com]

The sound of her laughter made Lipton look at the woman in his arms, his face adopting the expressionless mask he'd practiced to perfection during his own war, certain he'd never heard that laugh from Jane before.

He therefore thought nothing of Sonya reaching for her rifle in the corner of his eye, but when she swung at his wife he automatically moved to protect Jane and grab at Sonya's arm. He needn't have worried - Jane had blocked the swing and thrown Sonya through the door, right before Lipton's stunned eyes.

"JANE!" He shouted at the woman who looked like his wife, turning on her and moving quickly to grab her upper arms, pinioning them to her sides in the process. "What the hell is going on?" Sonya's state outside was a burning question for him, but he knew that his priority lay with the woman in front of him, as long as there was a still a chance that it was somehow Jane.

No worries! :D

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[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

Sonya barely had time to twist herself in the air, so that even though the fall was painful, she didn't break anything-it also helped that the door broke her fall.

It took a moment longer than it should for her to get back up and recover from the breath being knocked out from her. When she did, the sound of footsteps marching was even clearer and atleast now she knew that part wasn't just a trap.

"Scorpion!" She yelled out in the direction where he was lurking. "Tarkatens headed in his direction!"

'Jane' meanwhile, only frowned when Lipton tried to pin her arms at her sides.

"Unhand me, you fool!" He may have had her upper arms, but she kicked a leg out from beneath him and leaned her weight forward, the combination throwing his weight off of her.

Free from his grasp, 'Jane' scowled before addressing him. "I should thank you, Carwood Lipton. I could sense the others' souls enough to find them, but with you, I could find your hide out with 'much' suspicion. Still, the charade's gone on long enough.

Kung Lao had been watching the event long enough, and trying to get in a fighting stance even though he could barely stand let along fight. His urgancy only strengthened when 'Jane' became surrounded in a green mist, and when it disappeared, in her place was a tall, well built man with dark features and richly clad in red and gold.

Both men's attention was diverted to the sounds of cries outside, and the smell of burned flesh. Even more so when Sonya finally ran back through the door way. Seeing Shang Tsung, her features twisted in anger.

"Damn you, Sorcerer!" She reached out for her rifle, but Tsung mearly held out his hand. Sonya cried out in disgust and threw the weapon as it turned into a snake right there before her.

"I'll deal with you later-"

Sonya didn't give him time to finish as she rushed at him. "You'll deal with me now, you fucking bastard!"

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[niceofyoutoask.livejournal.com]

He stumbled back into the wall, dumb with shock, his usually quick mind working slowly. This was far more disorienting than anything else he had witnessed in this world. He'd let in Shang Tsung, dressed in the guise of his wife - Jane was still on the island, she and their unborn baby safe and sound, but he'd endangered everyone on their side, and the fate of this world.

He was a humble man, and harder on himself than he'd ever be on anyone else, and the knowledge that he'd made such a mistake, blinded by his concern for Jane... there were no words for how low he considered himself at the moment of that realization.

He pushed himself off the wall, swinging his own rifle around in the desperate hope that he could get a kill shot off before his weapon met the fate of Sonya's.

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[lt-blade.livejournal.com]

It was near suicide, rushing into a fight against a fighter like Tsung when Sonya herself could barely draw a full breath of air without gasping, but she wasn't thinking-or rather, she was, but it was more about keeping his attention away from Kung Lao.

It was for this reason he was able to see her fist coming at him and was able to dodge, returning it with a strike of his own, striking at her torso. Sonya was just able to twist to avoid him getting at what felt like the most painful side of her ribs, catching Lipton just as he reached for his rifle. She hooked an arm around Shang and tried to twist him within the rifle's rifle's range, but the sorcerer could see as well and went with the attack instead of against it.

The move sent Sonya hard onto the ground, knocking the breath from her. Shang used the diversion to thrust out a hand towards him, using sorcery to send him flying back against the closest wall and conjuring up a set of chains around his wrists to keep him rooted to the spot and unable to interfere. He then turned his attention to Kung Lao, who was still trying to summon the energy to put up a fight.

By this time, Sonya had gotten up to her feet, trying to not wheeze as her lungs tried to fill up with air. She quickly rushed over and managed to get the energy to jump kick the sorcerer right in the back, showing that while she may not be at her best-she wasn't down for the count yet.

She watched him recover and look at her with an amused expression.

"Shang Tsung!" she called out, somehow able to sound forceful even as the rest of her was screaming in pain. "I challenge you to Mortal Kombat."

It was stupid and liable to get her killed: Shang was at the top of his game, and she wasn't even sure if she could win against him on her best day. She could only hope that her sparring with Hanzo had made her more quick to react in a fight.