From a Woman's Point of View

Return to Koldness

Sub-zero stared at Scorpion's quivering figure. She hyperventilated. Someone kill me, someone kill me! She thought. Scorpion's eyes were full of hatred and she took a step back involuntarily. Be careful what you wish for, Sub-zero. She gathered up all the remaining courage in her heart and spoke.

"S-scorpion?" she stuttered. Kenshi was between them, but she did not feel safe. Kenshi said nothing and the two waited for Scorpion's response.

"Sub-zero." He spat venomously. Sub-zero cringed. He said her name so acerbically. She felt the tears form in her eyes but she forced them to stay where they were. Maybe her dream was prophetic. Maybe she was going to get killed. Scorpion took a deep breath in an attempt to calm himself. It wasn't very successful. "It's taking-all-my will power-not to kill-you." His sentence came out half-strangled.

"I'm not letting you kill her." Kenshi said protectively. Scorpion did not avert his gaze from Sub-zero.

"Shut up." He answered, and Kenshi pulled his sword out.

"I'm sorry!" Sub-zero blurted out. She was concentrating on the tears. Don't fall! Don't fall! She won the fight against her tears and they remained where they were. She tried to swallow, but the lump on her throat was there again.

"You're sorry?" Scorpion laughed coldly and it sent chills down Sub-zero's spine. "You're sorry?" he shouted. "You lied about everything!" he jabbed a finger towards her direction. "Everything you told me was a lie! And all you can tell me is that 'you're sorry'?

"I lower my defenses…I let you in…all of this was just…a fucking lie!" he yelled

"Scorpion, I-," she started.

"SHUT UP!" he screamed at her. "I don't want to hear any more of your lies, 'Zeiva'! I'll leave, now, I might kill you if I don't." he said and her ran out of the balcony and left the two there. Kenshi turned to Sub-zero.

"Are you all right?" he asked her. She shook her head. The tears won and were now rolling down her cheeks. Every word Scorpion said was engraved in her memory. She felt Kenshi, pick her up. She closed her eyes and the next thing she knew, she was on her bed. Kenshi left without a word. She hugged her knees to her chest and Sub-zero, grandmaster of the Lin Kuei, cried herself to sleep.

OoooooooO

Kenshi and the rest of them were eating at the table when Sub-zero arrived. Needless to say, she was back to her old self. Cold, and calculating. And that was how she was supposed to be. She sat down beside Kenshi and started to eat. Kenshi cleared his throat.

"So, what are our plans for today?" he asked Li Mei. She looked thoughtful but she shrugged.

"I don't know." She answered. "How about you Zeiva, what are you doing today?"

Sub-zero looked up from her plate.

"I'll probably return to the Lin Kuei temple today." She sounded cold, even to herself. The others were alarmed and they stared at her.

"My clan needs me."

Li Mei nodded. She was not one to pry, and Sub-zero silently thanked God.

"Where's Scorpion? I haven't seen him since yesterday." Ermac asked Sub-zero. Sub-zero gritted her teeth.

"Do I look like his warden to you?" she asked venomously.

"Er…no." he replied after some time, obviously befuddled by her sudden vehemence.

"Then why are you asking me where he is?" She said viciously. "I'm not his bodyguard. It's not as if I always know where he is." She turned back to her meal and ate silently. Ermac stared at her for a long period of time before he continued to eat.

Sub-zero was the first to finish her meal. She got up from the table, threw her left-over and cleaned her plate. She went upstairs and packed her clothes. As she was doing so, Li Mei entered the room.

"Hey." Sub-zero greeted after sometime. Li Mei sighed as she was finally acknowledged. If Sub-zero wasn't mistaken, she was there four uniforms ago.

"Are you all right?" she asked cautiously.

"That's a pretty stupid question to ask." She said heartlessly. Sub-zero didn't have to look to know that Li Mei got hurt by her words. Sub-zero turned to Li Mei and sighed. "Sorry. I'm not in the best of moods."

Li Mei smiled in understanding. The two opened the door and went downstairs. They stopped at the front door.

"That's all right. Is it something you want to talk about?" she asked.

Sub-zero shook her head, she couldn't speak.

Li Mei only nodded. "Do you need someone to transport you?"

"I'll find my way back some way." And with that, Sub-zero opened the front door and left the house which felt like home…until yesterday.

OoooooooO

Sub-zero ran into Fujin, (he looked like someone had just beaten him up) and he was the one who transported her to Arctika. The guards let her in of course. Old Takumi would never forget the underwear incident. As she entered the temple, she was greeted by the smiling faces of her Lin Kuei warriors. She nodded at them as they bowed. One of the youngest trainees came up to her. She was about nine or ten years old. She smiled and hugged Sub-zero. Sub-zero was surprised at this gesture. The older assassins ran up to them, took the child and apologized to her. As they were leaving, the young girl spoke.

"We've missed you Grandmaster Sub-zero!" she smiled and walked away leaving her behind. And Sub-zero, despite the pain in her heart, was able to smile back at the young girl.