Chapter 29: Uneasy Alliance

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(The scene opens at the Batcave. A portal opens up and Shang Tsung comes through it along with Liu Kang, who speaks into his communicator (presumably to Kitana))

Liu Kang: Shang Tsung and I have just arrived at the fortress. No sign of the enemy.

Shang Tsung: You can chat with your woman later. We have a job to do. People to kill.

(Liu Kang looks like he's about to say something, but the two of them spot Batman gliding down with Green Lantern by his side.)

Batman: Your forces got the better of me before. But I am prepared now.

Liu Kang: The warrior Sub-Zero warned us about.

Shang Tsung: Let's finish what he couldn't!

(Shang Tsung faces Batman while Liu Kang pairs off against Green Lantern. The Shang Tsung mercilessly beats the Dark Knight to a pulp, and soon Batman is knocked unconscious. Liu Kang manages to beat Green Lantern around the same time as well.)

Shang Tsung: At least they were more of a challenge than your masters.

(The comment seems to provoke the rage within Liu Kang.)

Liu Kang: Do not test me, Shang Tsung! I should have killed you at the Academy!

Shang Tsung: What stopped you?

Liu Kang: Shang Tsung, your treachery ends HERE!

(They fight. In a stark contrast to their battle earlier, it is Shang Tsung who gets the advantage in this brawl. He beats the Mortal Kombat Champion down to the ground.)

Liu Kang: Aagh...uugh...how? How can this be? You are more powerful than before.

Shang Tsung: I was weakened when last we fought, but energies are in constant flux as a result of the merging. Now I am revitalised, surging with power! I could finish you right now!

 Now I am revitalised, surging with power! I could finish you right now!

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Green Lantern: You want a finish? You got it!

(The not-quite beaten Green Lantern uppercuts Liu Kang across the cave, knocking him out.)

Shang Tsung: Leave him - he is defeated. Now you face a more deadly adversary!

(They fight. With his power restrengthened, Shang Tsung proves more than a match for Green Lantern and leaves him unconscious on the floor of the fortress. Liu Kang, now back on his feet, can't quite believe what he's just seen.)

Liu Kang: You defeated him. You defended me!

Shang Tsung: It was not something I enjoyed.

Liu Kang: I owe you my gratitude.

Shang Tsung: Save your pathetic graciousness. Were it not for Dark Kahn, I would kill you now. Our objective is complete. We must return to the others.

(Back at Raiden's sky temple, Baraka, Kitana, Kano, Cassie, Scorpion, Sub- Zero and the Thunder God himself are in discussion.)

Cassie: We couldn't stop them either. They overpowered us.

Raiden: How can this be?

Kano: It was a skinny one, dressed in black and white with orange hair, holding a hat and a cane, stronger than ya'd think!

Scorpion: I fought him before... A criminal with a clown face...

(Shang Tsung and Liu Kang portal in to the conversation.)

Shang Tsung: A clown? You were defeated by a clown?

Liu Kang: It may be as you said, Shang Tsung. Energies shifting, causing imbalances.

(The rage begins to affect Kano.)

Kano: I don't need you to make excuses for me!

[He points to Shang Tsung.]

Kano: And I don't need YOUR approval!

Liu Kang: Kano, calm down! You don't want to do this now!

Kano: You think you could have handled him? You can't even handle ME!

Shang Tsung: We shall see.

(They fight. Shang Tsung proves that he can indeed handle Kano and beats him down to the ground. He raises his hand to finish Kano where he lies, but Cassie rushes in and intervenes.)

Cassie: As much I would love to see you two kill each other, there are bigger issues to deal with.

Shang Tsung: Agreed.

(Cassie picks up a message on her communicator as Kano picks himself up.)

Cassie: Cassie here.

Jacqui: This is Jacqui. I am at the base. I have some bad news.

(Then Tarantula comes in the base alongside Takeda as Raiden teleports in the base.)

Jacqui: They were at the base. The guy in two pistols shot me down. Then they used our techno-portal. I think they're headed to Outworld.

Tarantula: Then that is where we must go. We all know what is at stake. If we fail, none of us will survive.

Kitana: Then we shall go to Outworld.

(Kitana generates a portal and everyone walks through it.)

(The final battle is about to begin.)

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