Chapter 10

Breathing With No Mask On, or

A Wicked Use Of Liquid Life

They arrived in the middle of nowhere. A desolate dirt road beneath a dark, star filled sky. On each side was desert and in the distance you could make out the silhouettes of small mountains. The air was cold; wafts of vapor escaped from their mouths with each breath. Kitana bound her cloak tighter around herself as she looked around this strange new world. Jade sat down on a rock by the road, letting the bags slide off her shoulders. She tried not to shiver in Kitana's presence – there hadn't been time to get a cloak for her.

"Where do you think we are?" Kitana asked.

'Earthrealm' was the concise answer, but the Princess already knew that. Where here was, however, was indeterminate. Despite the Emperor's obsession with the realm, they knew little about it, including its geography.

Jade shrugged.

"Not in Outworld." And that was the only important part.

Kitana wandered a few paces away down the road, craning her neck to look beyond the nothingness in front of her. She turned to do the same the other way. Several times she revolved in place, aimlessly gaping in every cardinal direction, as well as upwards to the heavens twice or thrice. Minutes passed before she walked over to sit down with Jade. The rock wasn't big enough for the both of them, so Kitana sat in Jade's lap, her posture slumping and forehead resting against Jade's shoulder.

"What should we do?"

Jade wrapped her arms around Kitana and began rubbing her back through the fabric of her cloak.

"I don't know yet. I'll come up with something."

Kitana nodded whilst slowly exhaling. Her mannerisms were listless in a way Jade had never seen before. Even during her temperamental phase centuries ago when she was young, Kitana always found the strength to compel herself to smile, the life in her eyes permanent. Now, however, she was pallid and hollow. Soulless.

The Princess was in deep distress, and Jade was partly to blame for it. She had saved Kitana from capital punishment, whilst tearing her away from what she held dearest.

Jade could try to convince her that the Emperor, obstinate and tenacious as he was, would certainly recover, or that Mileena would be out of harm's way, but knew there was no point. She also wasn't confident of the truth in either statement. She did believe the Emperor would survive – probably not in the same condition as before, but survive nonetheless. And Mileena would be safe (she would), but would she be well? Jade often told herself the younger sister was the tougher of the two, but reality did not agree with her. The sisters had different strengths and weaknesses regarding all of their features; when looking at the whole picture they were equally resilient – and fragile – as the other.

Bringing a hand up to stroke Kitana's hair, Jade dragged herself out of her self-indulgence. All of that was unimportant, for the moment. Right now, she ought to focus on their next step.

They could sleep outside this first night, then hike to the nearest civilization the next day when they were revitalized. They needed food and lodgings. The gold should be able to pay for it, but they still needed to acquire Earthrealm currency. It would most likely be done by illegal means. Jade was willing to do anything to keep them alive.

"Raiden."

"What?"

Kitana glanced up at Jade, her brows raised inquiringly.

"Lord Raiden… Do you think he would help us?" she asked.

It was a good question. Would he?

The Thunder God was a protector, but of Earthrealm. It was Earthrealm he had pledged to defend, and which he for millennia struggled to save from Outworld's impending grasp. Jade and Kitana posed a threat to all that, not just because they technically were of Outworld. Them simply being here could jeopardize the god's great efforts. The fact that they had fled and were no longer affiliated with the Kahn didn't necessarily matter. Raiden had no reason to aid them.

"Possibly. Or he would send us back."

Kitana picked at her bracelet; it clinked from beneath her cloak. She puffed out a breath, blowing some tresses from her fringe out of her eyes.

"We only need him to put us in contact with Kang. Then we will be fine."

Jade hummed in agreement, albeit skeptically. Kitana stood up, straightened her back, and put her hands on her hips. She looked at Jade with resoluteness in her gaze.

"That is my proposition. I think we should call for Raiden."

Jade was about to continue the discussion, when a loud rumbling interrupted her. A flash of lightning struck the ground hardly ten meters away from them, lighting up the road. Jade leapt to her feet, pulling out both her staff and razorang. She placed herself between Kitana and the cracking lights.

Raiden stepped forth with a placid countenance as the light vanished and the darkness engulfed them once more. He bowed.

"Your highness, milady."

Jade didn't leave her shielding position, instead gripping her weapons a little bit tighter. Raiden smiled at her.

"I assure you, I will not lay a hand on either of you unless you give me reason to," he said. "How can I be of service?"

Kitana put a hand on Jade's shoulder. After another few seconds of cautious glowers, Jade stepped aside to allow her princess to speak. She did not, however, put away her weapons.

"Lord Raiden." Kitana had stopped shivering. She clasped her hands in front of her, pulled her shoulders back, and elevated her head to look the god in the eyes. "Forgive us for this sudden incursion. We are not intending to battle or cause conflict of any kind. We are in need of your assistance. My… support of Earthrealm in the tournament has been discovered and I now face judgement."

She paused for a quick breath, glancing at and gesturing to Jade.

"Jade forewarned me and aided my escape. We chose Earthrealm as our potential sanctuary, but have minor knowledge of it. Thus, we ask for your help, if you please."

The Thunder God nodded thoughtfully as he listened to her plea whilst stroking his chin. When she was done, he took a moment to reflect on her words. He chuckled.

"Well," he said. "I imagine sending you back will result in execution for the both of you. That would be unfortunate. I will help you."

Kitana, who had awaited his response with a tense stance, instantly relaxed. She let out a short, gasping laughter.

"Oh, thank you! Thank you! We will never be able to recompense this kindness!"

Raiden smiled; Jade found there to be something calculating about it. Kitana either didn't notice, or didn't mind.

"I am sure you will – in one way or another, probably inadvertently," he said as he picked up their baggage from the ground, then put a hand on each of their shoulders. "Now, let us find you a place to stay and someone to watch over you. I have the perfect person in mind!"

Sonya was not having a good day.

First and foremost, there were all those hours at the hospital, in the ER. If Sonya hadn't realized things were bad before, she sure did when seeing the looks on the nurses' faces. Jax was brought into surgery while Sonya paced in the corridor, waiting for news as he was stabilized. His arms disintegrated right as they were… removed, and wouldn't be able to be reattached. One less thing for the surgeons to think about, and yet another to plague Jax later in life.

Sonya did her best to keep those kinds of thoughts far away from her. Limbs didn't matter – life did. Jax was strong and dynamic – he could tackle anything as long as he was given the chance to try.

That was when the staff noticed Sonya wasn't exactly in top form either: bruised, dirty, and stressing out like a basket case. Hospital staff were much harder to intimidate than the people she usually spent time with, so she was forced to see a physician. He told her the basics – ice, rest, etc., etc. She was on her way out when he noticed she had trouble walking, and she admitted she'd been attacked in the groin area as well. He insisted she should let them check that too, coercing her into another examination. That physician had – finally, after hours upon hours – said she was all right to go and she would still be able to have children, although "sexual intercourse might not be as pleasurable as before".

She bit back at least five different replies to that, instead only nodding politely before sprinting back to the ER. When she arrived, it turned out Jax had been moved elsewhere, which lead her to search what seemed like half the fucking hospital to find him again. By the time she located him, he was unconscious, looking so weak and pitiful Sonya nearly burst into tears at the sight of him. Then it was just them, except Jax wasn't really there at the moment, so it was just her. Sitting and staring at him as his chest slowly rose and fell, the fluids dribbling into him through the IV, alone in the silence with nothing but her own thoughts as company. Worrying about thrombosis and cardiac arrest. Worrying about the other guys and whatever could be happening to them right now. Worrying about the fate of the world, but only a little. The destruction of the world as she knew it was… immense. Exhausting. Even after all that had happened, losing sleep over it seemed unrealistic. Being concerned about the lives of a small number of people was much easier.

She remained until asked to leave late in the evening, when visitation hours were over. On her way out she met Vera. The woman was dirty, worn, and slightly panicked. You could tell she had cried, but held up very well at the hospital. They swapped stories of the day's events, leaving Sonya with news she'd hoped for and news she hadn't thought to dread, then argued with the receptionist to let Vera stay with Jax for the night. When that didn't work, they stormed out and took the subway back to the Briggs' house. There they packed a duffel bag with essentials, grabbed Jax and Vera's IDs to confirm that they were indeed married, then drove back to the hospital to throw it in the receptionist's face.

And now she was at home.

She'd showered, changed clothes, and cleaned up the grime that assembled by itself in the corners of the small apartment during her absence. She hadn't eaten due to a lack of appetite, but she probably should – her thoughts were becoming muddled.

She stood in the living room with the phone cradled between her ear and her shoulder, listening to Bridgette's chatter. The two women didn't see each other as much as they did in high school, but they still talked over the phone from time to time, mostly about nonsense. Present time included.

Sonya sighed as she dug through the menus from different take-out restaurants nearby.

"I don't know why you're asking me this," she said. "I know nothing about drapes. My mom picked out mine for me."

"I only want your opinion on the color," Bridgette said on the other end. "You've seen my new wallpapers. What fits best to it: rose or mulberry?"

"What's the difference?"

"Rose is a bit warmer? I don't know. My neighbor stuck her head inside yesterday and said that Byzantium would look 'totally fresh in there!'"

"So why don't you go with Byzantium?"

"Because I'll fucking deep-throat a hot curling iron before I listen to what that woman says."

Sonya snorted out a laugh. Then something boomed behind her; the entire living room was bathed in light.

Whirling around, she was met by the spectacle that was three people standing on her balcony. Raiden leaned forward a bit, grinning as he waved at her. Flanking him was the Outworld Princess and that Jade-woman.

Sonya gawked at them, phone hanging precariously loose between her head and shoulder.

"Bridgette, I'll have to call you back," she said, hanging up before the other woman had time to answer. She dashed over to the glass windows to let the unwelcome trio in. "What the hell, Raiden?!"

"Sonya!" He held out his arms as if inviting for a hug. She crossed her arms and glared at him. "There has been a situation," he said, gesturing to the Outworlders. "We have gained some new allies, but I don't have housings for them at this very moment."

"So you brought them here."

"It's only temporary. I would have loved to notify you, but everything's happened quite suddenly, what with the impending execution and all."

That perked Sonya's ears. She looked over to the women. They stood tall and proud, but couldn't hide the exhausted way their postures faintly drooped or the anxious tension on their faces. The princess in particular reminded Sonya of a small, abandoned animal. Behind the brave facade were eyes that looked lost and fearful. Against better reasoning, Sonya felt for her.

"Of course, this is not ideal, but I've recently gotten short on people," Raiden said.

Sonya's head snapped back to him.

"Excuse me?"

"If I could I would have made a better fit, but sometimes you just have to make do with what you have."

The hell? What was that supposed to mean? Was he insinuating she was a bad host? That she couldn't be hospitable? That she couldn't look after and support other people for a couple of days?

Without a word, she seized the collar of his robe, shoved the god out of her apartment, locked the balcony doors, and drew the drapes. She turned to her guests. Jade was stoic but guarded while Kitana was visibly taken aback. Sonya held up the phone.

"How do you guys feel about pizza for dinner?" she asked whilst dialing the number.

"That sounds lovely, thank you," Kitana said.

She chose a plain pizza – just in case. Many of the dishes in the Outworldian buffet had been spicy, but rather be full on food that tasted nothing than not be able to eat because it tasted too much. They seated themselves around Sonya's small kitchen table and ate right out of the box. It was habit for Sonya, so she didn't realize until they'd started that maybe plates and forks would be more "proper". However, Kitana immediately mimicked Sonya by picking up a slice, nibbling on it in a truly regal way, and Jade followed suit without issue. Kitana explained what happened during dinner, about treachery and trial, and why they decided to flee. It was Shang Tsung, Kitana maintained, who was to blame. Now that the Emperor was sick he had taken over as much as he could, blown the whistle on her when he just as easily could have hushed it up. If her father had still been well, he wouldn't have dared. Sonya found no trouble believing that. The sorcerer was a snake, and although Shao Kahn too struck her as an awful man, a father would not kill his own daughter.

"Okay," she said when they were done eating. "Firstly, this is a small apartment. I only have one bed and one couch, so one of you'll have to sleep on the floor."

"That is not a problem," Kitana said quickly.

"Secondly, we need to get you some Earth clothes. Do you have any money with you?"

"Not from Earthrealm, but…" Kitana said.

Jade brought up one of their bags to the table, emptying it of several small purses and a jewelry box. The purses were filled with coins of pure gold, according to Kitana. After Sonya scraped one with a knife and dented it after sticking it with a fork she was inclined to trust her. The jewelry box was… impressive, to say the least.

Precious metals and glittering gems Sonya couldn't name to save her own life. They spread them out on the table, laid them so close you couldn't see the wood beneath, and there were still a few pieces left at the bottom of the box. Sonya scrutinized the collection, mouth drying up slightly.

"Yeah, I think we'll be able to pawn this."

"You mean sell it?" Kitana asked.

"Yes. Not all of it and not at once, but you're going to need something to live off."

Nodding, the princess looked through the pool of trinkets. She picked up a silver tiara, a pair of large blue earrings, a necklace with big purple gems, and a bracelet made out of black and white fabric and decorated with small, shiny black flowers and a silver chain. She glanced down at the bracelet she was already wearing – a delicate, colorful thing – and seemed satisfied.

"These we can't sell," she said. "But everything else is all right."

Sonya's eyebrows rose at that. This girl owned dozens of accessories, some so fine even the most loaded human could only dream of it, and she deemed five of them too important to part with.

"Right," she said, rubbing her eyes. "Thirdly, do you have a plan?"

Biting her lip, Kitana rested her elbows on the table as Jade cleared it of ornaments. She cast her eyes down whilst she fiddled with the chain of her bracelet.

"Not exactly. These past few hours have been comprised of nothing but impulsive decisions. But… Well, we can't possibly return to Outworld. There are no worldly possessions there we will miss-" She cut herself off with a gasp. "My fans! I forgot my fans!"

"But I did not," Jade said calmly as she patted one of the still unopened bags.

Kitana sunk back into her seat with a relieved exhalation.

"Then, we have left nothing material of worth in Outworld. We are prepared to begin a new life here."

Sonya tried picturing that. The Princess of Outworld, living in a two-room apartment in Brooklyn. The Princess of Outworld, working at Wall-Mart. The Princess of Outworld, hitting the dry-cleaner every Tuesday and Friday.

Swallowing a yawn, she squinted at the red blinking digits on the microwave. 00:04 already? Christ, no wonder she was feeling tired. She stood up.

"Let's make you some beds before I faceplant the table."

Sonya's apartment wasn't very big, but it did luckily have quite a few pillows and blankets lying around. They propped up two against the couch's armrest and put Sonya's thin duvet which she used in the summer with it. Her thick winter duvet got on the floor together with two more pillows and a blanket. The carpet beneath was furry and soft, so Jade probably wouldn't be too uncomfortable. They didn't say anything about the arrangement, but it was as if all three knew that the tall woman wouldn't allow her princess to sleep on the floor. Kitana thanked so many times it almost got annoying, and then they bade each other good night.

Sonya was completely wiped out as she climbed into bed, pulling one of her thinner blankets over her. Yet it took a frustratingly long time before her mind to shut down and she actually fell asleep. She just couldn't quit thinking about what she'd gotten herself into.

She had the "enemy" asleep in her apartment. Less than sixteen feet from her. They said they left Outworld – that they were basically exiled – but was it true? What if it was a ruse. What if it was a twisted, elaborate plan to get back into the Emperor's good graces.

She told herself she was being paranoid. Kitana appeared to be a good person. Liu Kang held extreme faith in her, and she had helped somewhat. Also, Jade did spare Sonya's life in spite of most likely gaining the Emperor's ire for doing so.

Moreover, Raiden trusted them. That meant that she, theoretically, should too. Probably.

She re-directed her thoughts to what Kitana said before, about being ready for a new life on Earth. They'd have to get them papers. Birth certificates, passports, ID cards. Both of them needed to claim surnames – Kitana might have to change her name completely. Jade could just blame hers on quirky parents with delusions of style. Every few years they'd have to move so that no one would notice they barely aged, and get new birth certificates each time. They would only truly have each other by the time they died. What if one of them died decades before the other one? Or centuries?

Sonya held back a shudder.

No good. She was only keeping herself awake like this. She closed her eyes, rolled over onto her stomach, hugged her pillow, and began making a list for what they needed to do tomorrow. Or, today.

First to pawnshops and jewelers. Then buy clothes, toiletries, and food. Sonya was running out, and since they didn't know how long this would last they should stack up. Bread, milk, water, lettuce, eggs, coffee, pasta, chicken, beef, tomatoes…

When she opened her eyes again, the sun was up. Her alarm clock showed 8:09 a.m., which meant she'd overslept. Damn. After getting out of her pajamas and leaving her bedroom, she found the makeshift beds in the living room empty and neatly made. Her guests were in the kitchen, both of them dressed, in the process of serving breakfast. Jade had even found the instructions to the electric kettle to make tea.

And other people thought Sonya rose early.

"Good morning!" Kitana said, pulling out a chair for Sonya. "We didn't wish to wake you, so we helped ourselves. I hope you don't mind."

Ugh, how could she be so sweet and polite all the damn time? Was she as a princess obligated to be, or was it just who she was?

"It is fine, I don't mind," Sonya said.

"Tea?" Jade asked, holding up a mug.

"I prefer coffee in the morning." Which hadn't seemed to exist in Outworld. That was the one thing that annoyed her whilst staying there.

"Coffee…" Jade mumbled as she looked into the cupboard.

"You use the coffeemaker for that," Sonya said, about to stand up, but Jade waved for her to sit down again.

"You can explain how it functions without standing," she said. Soon the smell of coffee mixed with the peppermint, toast, and melted butter. Jade put the mug in front of Sonya, then seated herself and accepted a slice of bread from Kitana.

"Sonya," the Princess said. "Before we leave today, I want you to pick something from my jewelry box."

Sonya raised a brow.

"That's not necessary. I don't use jewelry much anyway."

"Then some gold? Or you could have money after we've sold it. I don't want to leave you emptyhanded after we have taken up time and space from you."

"I told you it's fine! I… I like helping out."

Kitana looked like she was about to protest, but was interrupted before she had the chance by Jade.

"Say, Sonya," she said. "What happened to your, what did you call it, prototype?"

Sonya's grip on her coffee mug hardened. She narrowed her eyes and ground her teeth together.

"Destroyed," she bit out from behind a clenched jaw. "They are working hard on making a new one!"

Jade nodded contemplatively as she brought her teacup to her mouth. She peered at Sonya from beneath her brow, her lips curling upwards smugly. Sonya had to use all her power to resist pouring her coffee over the bitch.

"Perhaps I can compensate for it with some of my gold," she said.

The evil, evil bitch.

Sonya grumbled unintelligibly as she slurped down the last of her coffee. Kitana giggled, and Jade finished her piece of toast with an amiable smile.

Clearing the kitchen after breakfast was quick work. All of them getting ready to go out and face the world… not so much.

First they had to decide how much jewelry they should bring. Carrying too much could be dangerous, not to mention look suspicious. After that (and after making sure Kitana wasn't planning on stuffing a necklace between the sofa cushions.), it took some effort to pick out more human clothes for the two Outworlders. Kitana, who wore one of her more informal dresses, only needed to borrow a jacket from Sonya. Pretty much all of Sonya's clothes were too big for the Princess, but at last they found one that suited her. The sleeves were still a bit too long, but that only made her look cuter in it. Jade's single outfit was the one she arrived in, but luckily she was only slightly taller than Sonya, and fit quite nicely in one of her jeans and shirts. Lastly, Sonya had to spend some time explaining to Jade that carrying weapons on your person was illegal in Earthrealm. Jade seemed more bewildered over the fact that humans generally didn't need to defend themselves after stepping outside the front door.

But all that was nothing compared to actually walking the streets of New York together.

Jade kept her cool, but Kitana made no attempt to conceal how amazed she was by Earthrealm. She spent the majority of the time looking upwards, at the skyscrapers and the advertisements, with glee so tangible it hit you in the face. She looked exactly like a tourist. Which, in a way, she was. It was either that or pointing out stuff and asking questions. Lots and lots of questions. The first one was about the vehicles – predictably. How did they work, how were they made, how many different kinds were there? What did that sign mean? What are traffic lights? What were those things in that window? How come those people were dressed like that, whereas those other people were dressed like that?

Strangely enough, Sonya found herself not actually minding answering them. What she did mind, however, was the attention.

Walking in New York as one, reasonably attractive, woman was difficult. Doing it with two other nothing short of gorgeous women was fucking impossible! Catcalls, slimy invitations, men underestimating their own charm approaching them, you name it. Sonya flipped off two cars that honked at them, and one persistent guy was asked to go fuck a meat grinder, causing Kitana to ask what "fuck" meant. Sonya was about to explain, when yet another guy – extra sleazy, with some hair grease on the side – leeringly said he could show her. Jade rendered him unconscious with a single punch.

They were actually lucky the guy looked so sleazy, because otherwise the people around them might've cared that he was decked, and Sonya wouldn't have been able to usher Jade and Kitana away from the scene. She asked Jade if she knew what the word meant; Jade denied, explaining there had been something uncouth in his eyes. Sonya was honestly a bit impressed – it was a pretty good punch – but nonetheless explained that attacking others like that also was illegal. Jade shook her head as she sighed, saying the humans were lucky Earthrealm won Mortal Kombat, since they wouldn't have survived for long in Outworld.

They reached their first stop, a pawnshop, and exchanged three necklaces for a substantial sum. The next few hours they hit pawnshops, jewelers, and antique shops. It went well, except with the last one, where a seriously miserly man stood behind the counter. He was willing to offer less than half of what the previous ones had, and Sonya spent a good chunk of the morning haggling with him. She'd almost broken through when he tried one last time, and Jade joined Sonya by the counter to give the man a glare to end all glares. The combined weight of the two women was apparently too much for him, because he finally relented.

Afterwards, Jade dryly asked if that too was illegal.

"Not as long as you're quiet while you do it," Sonya said.

After that, it was time to go shopping. Sonya had never been fond of looking for clothes, even as a teenager, but now she needed to. Having someone more enthusiastic with her made it… not bearable, but perhaps a little bit easier. Kitana was on cloud nine during the entire trip. She grabbed everything she could get her hands on, even if it was obviously nothing she would want to buy. She was mainly fascinated by jeans. She tried several ones, looking good in many of them, but despite both Sonya and Jade telling her so, Kitana remained skeptical. In the end, she bought two slim pairs, a short jean skirt, numerous other skirts in varying lengths, as well as tons of colorful tops and blouses.

Jade seemed to have a similar opinion of clothes as Sonya did – the bulk of her garments were identical. Many black pants, along with a few shorts after Sonya warned her of the summer. No skirts, whatsoever, just basic, dark shirts and tank tops. Kitana took it upon herself to find more "fun" clothes, which Jade let her do. Sonya expected the younger woman to return with pastels and frills, but Kitana actually picked out mature and quite racy pieces, some with plunging necklines, in vivid but earthy tones.

The norm changed the instant they got to the shoe department. Kitana retained the same energy she had had since breakfast, buying three sandals, two flats, one pair of heeled shoes, and a pair of sneakers Sonya showed her. Jade's demeanor, on the other hand, transformed. By the look on her face, the light that suddenly appeared in her eyes, you could tell this was her territory. She selected more than two dozen pairs – pumps, sneakers, slingbacks, and boots. Many boots, in many different shapes and sizes, all of them with at least 2-inch heels. As if that woman needed supplementary height.

When they walked away to buy bedding so they wouldn't have to share Sonya's for another night, Jade had eleven pairs of shoes in her shopping bags. Sonya was positive she didn't own eleven pairs now, and never had done in the past. Probably never would, either.

By the time they'd bought the bedclothes, their arms were so full they needed to return to the apartment and drop off their bags, then hurried back out to the supermarket before the afternoon rush.

"Sonya," Kitana said as they stood in the Health & Beauty section. "What is this?" She held up a small, pink box.

"That's an electric razor," Sonya replied from over at the stall with shower gel.

"Razor… Do you shave with it?"

"Yes."

"How? I mean, what do you shave?"

"Face, head, legs… It depends. That kind's for women."

"I see." She carefully put the box back in its place. "Do you have one?"

"Nah, I prefer the plain ones." Sonya glimpsed down at the Princess's legs. "How do you keep yourselves smooth in Outworld?"

"Oh, we use hot wax," Kitana said. Sonya held back a grimace. Once, in tenth grade, Bridgette's mom had invited them to a spa day, which included waxing.

Never again.

"I'll show you how to use cream and razor," she said.

At first Kitana's brow puckered in confusion, but the expression passed as soon as it came and she quickly nodded. One bout of puzzlement wasn't going to deter her from asking questions – especially not in a goldmine like the supermarket. Before they reached the cashiers she'd inquired about various electrical apparatuses, beauty products, canned goods, frozen food, cooking utensils, batteries, and a handful of other things. Sonya supposed she should be thankful over how well-mannered the Princess was, and that she understood that shouting from across the store wasn't considered acceptable behavior. If they'd been stuck in a bad comedy she surely would have hollered, complete with including Sonya's name, what "prophylactics" were used for. It also did distract Sonya from how hungry she was becoming – lucky since her budget was already stretched thin due to having to buy for three persons rather than one.

"Ooh, what is this?" Kitana asked at the end, crouching in front of a number of vending machines. Sonya was sort of surprised she didn't notice them when they walked into the store one hour earlier.

"Vending machines," she said. "You put money in the slot and they dispense snacks, or drinks, or toys, among other things. This one is a gumball machine." She put in a few coins and turned the handle three times. One orange, one green, and one purple ball were released into her hand. "This is gum, a type of candy. You don't eat it, only chew it. When the flavor disappears, you spit it out."

Kitana took the purple one, inspecting it meticulously.

"What happens if you eat it?"

"Well, nothing really. Some people say it'll stay in your digestive system for seven years, but that's bullshit."

Jade shrugged as she took the green ball to pop in her mouth.

"Seven years is not such a long time," she said and began chewing.

Right… Forgot who I was talking to…

"We have something similar in Outworld," Kitana said. Her jaw was working hard to break through the outer shell. It split in half with a crack. "But we call it 'tichi-bi', after the tree where it's retrieved, and it's much bitterer than this."

They took the subway home. Kitana was ecstatic; her head darted rapidly in every direction during the ride to take in as much as possible from it. She was without a doubt saving loads of questions for later when there were less people around. When they arrived at the apartment the sun was maybe one hour away from setting, and Sonya was exhausted. Kitana, on the other hand, was as chipper as she had been that morning, talking about how amazing Earth was and how she couldn't wait to learn more about it.

"It is almost like a dream come true!" she said when they packed up the groceries. "When we were younger, we used to pretend that we were other people. Adventurers, or performers, or simply merchants traveling to faraway places. Anywhere where we could walk freely and no one would recognize our faces…"

She trailed off, her animated movements becoming still. A troubled frown settled on her face. She looked at Sonya with the corners of her mouth insincerely pulled upwards.

"Perhaps I should clean up the couch? So we can exchange the bedding for the new ones."

"Sure," Sonya said after a second's hesitation. "Good idea."

She looked over at Jade for a hint to this sudden change of mood, but the other woman was putting dairies into the fridge with her back firmly turned to them. Kitana was already on the way out of the kitchen. In the doorway to the living room, she started with a gasp.

"Oh!" she said, putting her hand on her heart as she let out a nervous laugh. "Hello!"

Sonya and Jade locked gazes for less than a heartbeat before dashing to the living room, Jade hauling a long dagger from her boot, fuck had she carried that all day? They reached the living room. Jade stepped in front of Kitana and Sonya felt her fingers longing for a gun or a knife of her own, but fist to face was good enough if need be… and then they stopped dead in their tracks.

"I see you ladies have kept yourselves busy," Raiden said as he flipped through the channels before selecting Discovery HD. He put the remote control on the coffee table and leaned back into the sofa. "I knew I could trust you."

"Yeah. Nice of you to drop by," Sonya said. A fist to the face was sounding more attractive with each passing moment.

Jade slipped the dagger back into her boot with a sullen face. Sonya quietly wondered if she had a bone to pick with the god, or if she was just vexed she didn't heard him come, like Sonya herself was.

Raiden turned his attention back to the television, waving a hand at them.

"Now, finish with your groceries and gather your things. I have something to show you."

They, slightly grudgingly, did as told, before assembling around him in the living room. Lightning crackled. The lights turned so bright Sonya had to close her eyes. A shiver went through her body and rushed to the pit of her stomach. Her skin prickled. After half a second it was over. When she opened her eyes again they were standing outside, in the last moments of daylight, in front of a huge cathedral.

It was old, but in good condition, with a gravel path leading to the huge entrance. The garden surrounding it was lush with red tulips and two medium-sized willows. Bordering it all was a high, black iron fence. On it hung a sign that said: Private Property – Keep Out.

"Kitana, if you would accept the honors," Raiden said, gesturing to the gate. It was electric, with a keypad placed above the handle. "The code i 5."

The inside looked as could be expected: stone-tiles, large windows, rows of pews, a tall pulpit, an enormous altar with a stone table, and pillars lining up to a round window in the back with stained glass that shifted in orange hues. On each side of the altar were two expansive staircases.

"What is on the upper floor?" Kitana asked excitedly.

Raiden pointed to the right one. "That one is purely aesthetic and leads nowhere. That one…" He pointed to the left. "Well, why don't you find out?"

Hesitating for only a second, Kitana sped up the stairs in curiosity.

"More stairs," she shouted when she reached the top.

Jade chuckled as she and Sonya followed her up. At the top of the staircase was a ledge where the windows went from the floor to the ceiling, along with a door. Behind it, sure enough, was another set of stairs, wooden and windier. Past those stairs was an apartment.

Sonya stopped to rub her eyes, contemplating pinching herself to make sure she wasn't dreaming. An apartment above the cathedral. A couch, armchairs, and television set. A kitchen with cupboards, stove, and a dishwasher separated from the living room by half walls. A corridor to the right with four doors on each side – bedrooms, she guessed. Two more doors in the living room, one belonging to a bathroom with not only a shower accompanied by a tub, but a washing machine and a dryer too. The other hid a ladder that led to a hatchway in the ceiling.

"You have electricity and warm water," Raiden said. "Other necessities you'll have to obtain on your own."

"We are going to live here?" Kitana asked.

"Yes. I can't have Sonya house you forever."

"Lord Raiden, I don't know what to…" She whirled around, skipping forth to look at, behind, and below everything. "Thank you!"

Sonya's cellphone beeped in her pocket. Bridgette, sharing an anecdote about her swine of a boss. Their texting began hours ago, with Bridgette trying to persuade Sonya to reveal what caused her to hang up so suddenly the night before. By now, however, she'd given up. Sonya wrote a quick reply, and was about to put the phone away again when she saw that it had connected to a wireless network by itself. She squinted at the screen, then at Raiden.

"You've got Wi-Fi for this place?"

"I upgraded the deal to include that, yes."

Deal… with whom? And when, and how? Why did Raiden decide to do this? What kind of contacts did he have to make it possible? Sonya decided it best not to ask. He was a god – it was a good enough explanation.

Raiden stretched his limbs, cracked his joints, and put his hands on his hips

"Now, if you ladies will excuse me. I have a realm to protect, catastrophes to prevent, and a spy to update," he said before teleporting away.

Wait, spy?

Not even going to ask.

Kitana was quiet the first few seconds after he left. Then she turned to Jade, speaking in a loud whisper.

"It's so small!"

Jade nodded, and began knocking at the walls to look for hollow spaces.

'Small'? Sonya was pretty sure her place could fit into this one without filling it up completely. "I think my apartment can fit in this one."

Kitana slapped her hands over her mouth, eyes wide. "I didn't mean- Your home is very nice; it's comfortable! You can tell someone lives there. This is so barren!"

Sonya walked into the kitchen to open one of the cupboards. Empty. All of them, clean but empty.

"So we'll have to fill it with stuff," she said as she opened the fridge. With the exception of a couple of water bottles, nothing. She pulled out her phone. "How do you guys feel about Chinese for dinner?"

Father's breaths were heavy. They weren't even breaths - they were wheezes. With each inhalation, there was a tiny hissing and whistling that etched into Mileena's ears. His body was damp with sweat, and the bandages on his chest had a blotch of red in the middle. It always began to appear some hours after the dressings were changed. Beneath his tan was a paleness she previously only associated with dying people. But Father wasn't dying. Every healer that had come said he would recover, in due time.

Where was Kitana? Why wasn't she there?

Mileena had to admit, if only to herself, that when she first heard that Kitana caused some kind of disturbance, she became happy. Kitana never failed to live up to expectation. But now she had, while Mileena had not! It was the opening of copious of possibilities and perquisites for her!

But then it was made clear that Kitana wasn't just in trouble; Kitana was gone. And Jade left with her. If Shang Tsung was to be believed, they fled the entire realm.

What could've warranted this? How could it be so bad that Father's poor health wasn't enough to keep her in Outworld? And why, why, had they not told Mileena anything about it?

Father coughed wetly from the depths of his lungs. Mileena enfolded her small hands around his large one. There was a lump in her throat that she tried to swallow it down. It split into two: one remained in place, the other sunk like a rock into her stomach. She carefully kissed Father's fingers. They were burning, like the rest of him.

A streak of light briefly entered the room as the door opened and closed. A shadow appeared by the foot of Father's bed. Mileena did not dignify him with a greeting.

"Emperor," Shang Tsung said. "I am here to gladden you with good news. I have found your daughter."

Father slowly opened his eyes and lifted his head to look at the sorcerer, breathing with an open mouth. Against her will, Mileena turned to look as well.

"In Earthrealm, as I predicted. But to trace her whereabouts further, I need more precise means. I propose a blood search."

Father's eyes shut. He rested his head back on the pillow as he panted.

"Mileena," he said. "Offer your blood to help find your sister."

"Yes, Father."

Shang Tsung drew a knife from his robe and took a step closer. Mileena instantly recoiled from him with a repulsed glare. As if she would ever allow that serpent close to her whilst wielding a sharp object! She pulled a small dagger from under her sash – Jade had made them carry one since they were children – and nicked the tip of her finger. She wiped off the dagger and herself on a handkerchief from Father's bedside table, before throwing it on the sorcerer.

"There!" she snapped. "That should be enough!"

Shang Tsung caught it with a smile. He bowed, then left with a promise of finding and bringing Kitana home shortly. He better! Or the knife would drink his blood!

Mileena wondered if she should leave as well. She had kept Father company for many hours now; maybe she was also keeping him from resting and recovering? Taking her veil off the bedside table, she began making her way out, when Father seized her wrist. His hand was clammy and unpleasantly warm.

"Mileena," he said. She bent over, putting her ear close to his mouth. "We are vulnerable now. It is important for you to stay strong and clever. With me in this wounded state, there will be many eager to exploit you. Fill your head with lies. Harm me through you. Defend yourself from these people, Mileena."

She held his hand, squeezing it as firmly as she dared, and wiped away a few beads of perspiration from his brow.

"Yes, Father," she whispered.

"Meanwhile, Kang is still unconscious…"

Hey, did we just officially pass the Bechdel test? I think we did!

Thank you for reading, and please review. Positive or negative, it will be appreciated.