Backstage Pass to Mortal Kombat

Chapter 24 - Final Test

[[Okay, I'm really having fun writing Zak drunk, now. (not me drunk, her drunk. I don't drink). Yepp, this is getting fun.]]

Sunlight beat down on the ground below, causing heat waves to radiate from the dusty ground, up. Faces scrunched in pain, as if the sun were literally boiling them, as fighters trudged around camp. For the first time in days, I wasn’t one of them. Though I was dressed in all black, I wasn’t over heated. I was beginning to think my body was getting used to this scorching heat.

Today, I held my head high, my mask hiding the lower half of my face, watching all the men walk around me. Johnny sat beside me, snoring quietly. I was keeping watch, even without request; he wasn’t supposed to be sleeping, but I knew it was the only way he wouldn’t be whining in my ear, and so I allowed it. His snores were quiet enough to be dismissed by passerby. Today we were doing the final test; a strength test. Crusher had said there’s some kind of test at the end of every area. Sometimes it’s strength, sometimes it’s mental ability, and sometimes it’s agility; every time though, it gets harder and harder.

The reason these men were out of their tents, braving this heat, was to form the line ahead of us, all heading into the small tent where the strength test was being held. Seeing as it would take us a long time to get there anyway, I decided Johnny and I should sit on this log, which eventually led to his slumber.

Emerging from the tent, every now and then, would be a frustrated fighter, storming away, shaking his hands fervently. A low chuckle would escape me before I turned my eyes back to the tent, waiting for another pouting figure to stalk by. Instead of another figure, I saw an aggravatingly familiar figure walking, this way. I quickly stabbed Johnny’s side with my elbow. When it didn’t work, I tried again, only this time much harder. Kano was standing right in front of us when Johnny jolted awake.

“Was he sleeping?” Kano snorted.

“…In the name of Jesus, Amen…” Johnny sighed, looking up.

Though no one could see it, my jaw had dropped as I stared incredulously at Johnny. I wanted to howl with laughter; my chest ached and shook, threatening to burst if I didn’t. Johnny’s glare towards me told me to get it under control.

Kano raised his one human eyebrow, “And what were you praying for?”

Johnny shrugged, “Strength; you know, for the strength test–” He quickly cut himself off before rushing through the rest of his words. “What the hell are you doing here?!”

Kano’s smug grin was enough to make the humor fade quickly from this situation. “I just thought I’d annoy my favorite girl on camp.”

I glared up at him, “I’m the only girl on camp.”

“Exactly…if there was anyone else – anyone at all – I’d prefer them. But since you’re the only one here, I suppose you’ll have to do. Cage here is a close second; he seems girly enough.”

I leapt to my feet, my fists clenching at my sides, but a firm grip on my shoulder stopped me from beating the snot out of Kano. Normally, I’d try and hold myself back, but this idiot was just infuriating! My eyes narrowed at Johnny, who belonged to the hand on my shoulder. He quickly dropped it, but shrugged.

“Look, we can’t get kicked out of here because someone can’t keep their tempter in check.” He explained.

“Well I wouldn’t have to keep it in check if I just got rid of the source!” I shook my shoulders to try and relax myself as I turned back to Kano, who seemed to just be basking in the glory of how infuriated I was.

“Watch your temper, honey,” Kano smirked. “We don’t want you busting that vein in your forehead, now do we?” With that, he turned slowly on his heel and strut towards the tent, not bothering with the line, and advancing into the tent. Suddenly, a cheer erupted from a small crowd inside the tent.