a new fighter has apeared

chapter 3: scorpion

I am the first of the lin kuei to awaken in the morning, I look around the room and see my brothers still sleeping, but for some reason I don't see smoke in his bed, I'm usually the early bird of our group so I am a little surprised, I stand up and dress myself in my pants and cloak, I leave the room quietly as to not wake the others, looking around the hall I see guards at the entrance, I wall towards them and they both look at me as I walk past, walking a little faster I follow the hall until I reach the large doors leading to the courtyard,

I walk into the courtyard and take a deep breath, the smell of cherry blossoms and fresh water is pleasant, I sit on the ground in front of the pond and look into the sky, Sonya told me the odd machine we saw the other day was called a helicopter, it was our way off the island and now the only way out is to compete, I don't think I can fight like the others can, I don't have powers, and now I'm on the sorcerer's radar along with Reptile, I should have thought of something else, I just wanted us both to be safe,

"Komodo?" I turn around quickly and see reptile standing over me, "you frightend me. when did you get here?" I ask, "just now, I came through the dungeon." He says, I have a bad feeling in my stomach, "...why were you In the dungeon?" I ask, Reptile becomes visibly uncomfortable, "Shang tsung is unhappy with me." He says, I quickly stand up and turn to him, "what did he do?" I ask, "worry not my friend, I was able to make a deal with him, one I am not happy about." He says, "what kind of deal?" I ask, "one I cannot tell you." He says, I look to the ground upset, but not at Reptile, at Shang tsung, he is the reason we're both here to begin with, damn him,

I see reptile reach for my arm but flinch and pull his arm away, I look at him to see him upset as well, I reach out and place my hand on his shoulder, Reptile looks at me expecting me to say something, "we will both survive, I swear." I say, my words seem to have calmed him but I see he is still unwell,

"Komodo!" I turn left and see the last person I want to see me with reptile, smoke, "what is going on?" He asks, "Smoke calm down, I can explain." I say, "get away from him now, or I will kill you reptile!" Smoke orders, "smoke stop! Just listen to me." I say, "komodo come to me, now!" Smoke says, "smoke just be quiet! And let me talk!" I say, smoke looks surprised and wide eyed, "smoke...you know why I'm with reptile, just don't tell the others please." I say, "what? How can you trust him, he works for the sorcerer." He says, "then how are we any better Tomas, we were hired by him to take out earth realers." I argue, "we fight to survive komodo, not to take over the realms." He says,

"You've known me since we were children Tomas, you know what I've wanted my whole life, and I'm not about to let you take it away from me!" I say, Tomas looks surprised and a little saddened at my outburst, he looks at me then reptile, "I do not trust you...but I will tolerate you." Tomas says, smoke walks up to me and places his hands on my shoulders, "just tell me if you need help, okay?" He asks, I look smoke in the eye and nod, I can't see because of his mask, but I believe he is smiling,

"We need to move, we've already missed two fights today." Smoke says, "what? Who fought?" I ask, "Scorpion fought a challanger who hid among the guards, and nightwolf." He says, "the next fight should be in the throne room. follow me." Reptile says, smoke and I follow reptile to the next fight,

We enter the throne room and thankfully we are not the only late ones, as I don't even see Scorpion yet, but I do see sektor and cyrax, I walk over to them with smoke as reptile walks behind the throne, "let us ask them." Sektor says, "ask us what?" Smoke asks, "we wish to know your opinion on the cyber initiative." Cyrax says, smoke looks upset as he looks at them, "you know how I feel about it already cyrax." Smoke says, they all look at me waiting for me to speak,

"I have to agree with smoke, the initiative isn't right. It will strip us of our souls and free thought, we will become puppets for the grandmaster to use and throw away." I say, "we cannot go against the grandmaster you know this." Sektor says, "we will speak of this later." Sektor continues, he looks past smoke and I glaring at something, I turn around to see what and I see the hellish spector, scorpion, he walks up to us and stops in front of us,