This will be the last installment of Evolution, so I hope you all like it. And somebody, please leave a review and tell me what you think of the story as a whole. Now, with out further talk, I present the end of Evolution.

End

Reptile started at the light blue water, and the reflection that stared back at him. He didn't look any different. Sallow reptilian eyes sunken into a rough, scarred face. Green scales covered his outer body, with brown golden scales on his underbelly.

He didn't feel any different either. He was still alone in all these realms. All alone, as he always was. But what was he expecting? Killing Straw-hat, tasting his blood, would somehow bring back his people? No, that's not what he hoped for. He hoped that Raiden would kill him.

He wanted to die so bad, to end the constant loneliness. He couldn't take his own life. That would be a coward's thing to do. No. He wanted to die in battle, as his species no doubt did against Shao Kahn's vast forces. And if there was another life for his kind after this, he wanted to join with his own kind. Deep down, that all he'd ever hoped for, to find an opponent who could kill him.

Green-staff and Fan-hands, Jade and Kitana had been close. They had compensated their inferiority in fighting with betrayal and deception, and Jade had managed to impale him through the stomach. He could remember his blood running out of him, and that feeling of peace at last.

But death was not his that time. He awakened days later in a cave, his chest bandaged and his wounds healed. He was alone, and at the time couldn't think to wait for his host to return, so he ran back to his master.

The water was cold, though felt good against Reptile's burned scales. He stared longer at his reflection, as if something would happen, he'd see something he'd missed before. Strangely, this time he noticed a hooded figure behind him.

How? There were a handful of creatures who could surprise him, and he'd killed all of them save for Green-staff, who couldn't of recovered from her wounds this soon.

He spun; his claws erect, but to his amazement only cut through air. The hooded figure had leapt back with amazing grace, and now stood a few feet away in the knee deep, cold water. Reptile assumed his fighting stance, lifting his arms in front of him.

"We don't fight," the hooded figure said, lifting a clawed hand up. "Please. I've been searching for years for you. Please, we don't fight."

Her voice was soft with a residual hiss, and undeniably female. Her scent was similar to Reptile's but different.

"Who are you?" the Raptor demanded. He refused to leave his stance.

"You don't remember me, do you Aeon?" she asked.

Reptile hissed loudly.

"My enemies call me Khameleon. But that is just a name used by the ignorant. You, Aeon, called me Arioch, before you were lost."

Reptile leapt above the water and swung his leg into the hooded creatures head. She ducked, and then glided a few steps back. Reptile pressed, lashing out with his claw, but this "Khameleon" proved swifter and the Raptor only succeded in catching her cloak. He took hold of the fabric and ripped it from her form.

Reptile froze. Khameleon, or Arioch, stood fully erect to allow Reptile to look her over. She was covered in grey scales, save for a golden underbelly. A long, spiky tail ran down her back and wrapped around her legs. Sallow, reptilian eyes filled with hope started back at the male. She was another Raptor.

"I've been searching for millennium, years and years," Khameleon almost sobbed. She slowly moved towards Reptile. He caught her in his arms as she stumbled forward, and she rested on his shoulder. "I've missed you so much."

"But how," Reptile asked confused.

"When Kahn's squads entered our realm: I, and my family, fled. But, he caught up to us, and sley my parents. But I was able to escape. I moved from realm to realm: Edenia, earth, even the Chaosrealm for a time to escape his fanatics. Then I discovered you still lived. I wanted to save you so bad, to break his control over you. But I couldn't. When the Edenian warriors bested you, I healed your wounds, but you slipped away before I could warn you of Kahn's betrayal." Khameleon was sobbing into Reptile by now, unable to stop the tears.

Reptile slowly held the female, her scent awakening so many long forgotten thoughts. She was the one he loved, the one so many years ago he'd lost. For the first time in his life, he allowed tears to wet his eyes as he held Arioch close.

He knew he'd never be alone again.