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.

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[niceofyoutoask.livejournal.com]

He should have woken up by now.

When he'd somehow woken up in West Virginia with Jane last year, they'd lived out the two days they were asleep for and woke up just fine back on the island. Not only had it been five days, but Lipton had a very real fear of what would happen if he died here. He'd kept in shape on the island - the ITF's various drill sergeants made sure of that - but his body had forgotten the weary ache that went all the way down to your bones from continuous fighting and no real rest. He'd kept it up for months in the ETO, they all had, but that didn't help him any now. He was dirty, banged up and bleeding, but nothing life threatening.

Maybe people dying in these sleep journeys was the reason they disappeared on the island. He had nothing to support it - everyone had woken up last time, as far as he knew, but the great mystery of how people came and left the island would never stop bothering him.

He'd had an estranged wife and a younger brother and sisters back home when he'd fought in the war, but now he had a wife, a daughter and another child on the way - he needed to return, and couldn't take solace in the fact that his death would at least provide for them through Uncle Sam. Jane was resiliant, resoureful and wonderful; she'd get on without him just as she had when Stuart Redman left, but he didn't want her to have to.

He shoved a hand through his hair and down the back of his neck, eyes and mind keenly aware of their surroundings despite his thoughts and exhaustion. He didn't know what to think of their new two arrivals, but he could tell that Sonya hesitated in fully accepting them into the group, and that prompted him to feel similarly. He'd been friendly enough to them, but he knew how to be suspicious and alert without giving it away.

"So what's the plan once we're inside?" Lipton quietly asked the others.

[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.