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"They just don't get it," Jin mutters under his breath. He takes a moment to exale sharply in a quick, dismissive sigh before turning back towards the temple and approaching it. He continues speaking to himself in a low tone, "This all needs to go off without a hitch. I can't have other people messing this up. Too much on the line."

In his mind, there could be no one better to handle this task than a Shaolin, and it's his family vault that contributed the artifact in the first place. Only someone with the kind of discipline instilled by years of harsh training in the Shaolin temple could be entrusted with it. He didn't look down on the others, it was just a simple fact that the Shaolin produced better warriors, philosophers and protectors than any other organization in Earthrealm. As he ascends the steps of the temple, he cannot help but smile in pride; not only in having successfully defended the box, but that his skills came from the very best. After all, what harm was there in a little pride over it?

He stops at the top of the stairs, his brow furrowing slightly. 'Liu Kang had pride,' he thinks, and a cloud of doubt suddenly washes over him. 'He thought the idea of having the New Defenders in the first place was a waste of time, when he was still in his prime. What did that get him?'

He looks out over the courtyard, in the direction of the nearby forest, towards the tomb of Liu Kang. Against more prudent judgement, Kung Jin finds himself thinking, 'I could do better than Liu Kang did. He was complacent... Here I am, actively trying to stop our enemies, while he just let them grow until they were strong enough to overwhelm him.' He curls his hand into a fist, and smirks. 'Yeah... When next the Deadly Alliance meets a Shaolin, things will go very differently.'

Inside the temple, he finds Kung Lao, sitting once more in his chair. He strides up to his cousin, confident and proud, with a surety in his step that Lao immediately picks up on. "Something on your mind?" he asks Jin.

"Just our upcoming victories," he replies, kneeling to take a seat in front of the shrine before which the grandmaster sits. He sets the box in his lap, keeping a hand on it. "I gotta say, back when we were in the moment, you surprised even me with your moves in the vault. I shouldn't be, of course---it's you."

Lao looks at him, then the box, then back up to him. "Yes. All seems well, for now at least. I have sent several groups out into the local forests and to the nearby villages. I doubt very much we will find more Red Dragon after defeating them soundly at the vault, but we must be certain."

"Cowards," Jin says distastefully, shaking his head. He would spit were he not in the temple. "To attack us like that. Where's their pride?"

"Virtues are lost on men who have none, but pride isn't always a good thing," Lao is quick to remind him.

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>>4538529

"I know, I know, but c'mon---we kicked their asses." He sees the look in Lao's eyes and immediately straightens. "Pardon me, Grandmaster. I only meant that we should feel proud of our victory."

"Hm, I suppose we should," Lao says softly. "Tell me, what is next? For the box, and your plan."

"We just need to wait for Otiak to make contact with us. Then, we take down the Kollector."

"I see. And in the meantime?"

>I'll stay here and meditate.
>I thought we could get some training in.
>We'll head back to the base.
>Perhaps we can get a headstart on luring out the Kollector, without Otiak.
>Other

>>4538531
>I'll stay here and meditate.

>>4538531
>>I'll stay here and meditate.

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>>4538532
>>4538540

"I thought we could meditate, clear our minds of all this nasty business."

Lao nods and smiles. "Very wise." He leans forward, placing his hat on an empty space of stone nearby, and checking the incense that sits upon the altar. "You'll pardon if I don't leave my chair."

Jin crosses his legs. "Not at all."

Collectively, they both breathe in deeply, then exhale, their breaths seemingly in sync with one another. The breathing techniques and self-induced trances have been passed down through the ages from Shaolin to Shaolin, and the pattern is so ingrained as to be second nature to them. Together, they both reach for the inner calm, the peace of tranquil silence, the place where only one can reach when they have mastered themselves. Time melts away; to a casual observer, the transition between being in the physical world and ascending to a higher level of awareness is impossible to discern. It could be seconds, minutes or hours for all they would know, though the Shaolin never bother to count the seconds it takes as well, for the sheer act would anchor one to physical constraints of time and place.

Following the thread of his inner self, the connecting essence to the heavens, Jin once more finds himself on the side of a mountain, sitting within a circle of stones. He opens his inner eyes to the splendor of the spiritual plane, this place formed by his connection to that ethereal realm of higher existence, visualized in forms he can comprehend. There is wind, and with it brings coolness, even if it does not exist in the conventional sense. There is comfort, brought about by the serenity of his surroundings.

But yet, just as when he last attempted to spend time here, there is something wrong. He detects it almost immediately, this foreign presence that lingers beyond the edge of understanding. There is something---someONE---here with him, he is absolutely certain of it. Turning, he sees another man near the cliff, just as before, only now the image is slightly more clear: a red headband, flowing in the wind, set above a face he knows. And yet, before recognition can be gained, the man---along with the mountain, and his connection to his inner realm---are gone.

Jin startles, showing more of an outward reaction than he'd have ever liked, but he felt he could not control it. The thought is equally troubling. Lao opens his eyes and looks down, his face colored with concern. "What is wrong?"

"I... I do not know," Jin admits. "This happened before, earlier, but..." His voice trails off, having no answers for his questions.

"Describe it to me."

"There's some kind of presence in my inner self. It is distracting me, keeping me from remaining there. It feels foreign and... something else, something familiar, but I cannot place it."

"I see..." Lao sits back. "Did you see anything?"

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>>4538584

"A red headband."

"Both Liu Kang and the Great Kung Lao wore such a thing. Both hold great meaning for you and your bloodline."

"But Liu Kang's spirit is trapped in the Netherrealm, and the Great Kung Lao is long since passed on."

"Nothing is ever truly gone, and it may be something else, some other reason why it is appearing when you recede into yourself."

"Am I haunted?"

Lao rubs his chin. "I find that unlikely."

"Then what?"

"I must think more on this." He observes Jin for a moment. "You are upset."

"I've never had difficulty meditating before. Never. There must be something wrong."

"Well, what do you think it may be?"

"I said I don't know," he snaps, though Lao remains as still as a statue. Jin immediately composes himself and bows his head. "Forgive me, Grandmaster. I forgot myself."

"Hm," he says softly. "Would you like to try again?"

>Attempt to meditate once more.
>Perhaps we should seek out some other assistance.
>No, whatever this is, it should wait. There are more pressing matters.
>Someone must be messing with me. Perhaps Shang Tsung? Or the Kollector?
>Other

>>4538596

>Attempt to meditate once more.

Enough of this shit, vague red headband mystery man. Time to show yourself.

>>4538596
>Perhaps we should seek out some other assistance.

>>4538596
>Attempt to meditate once more.

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>>4538609
>>4538654

"Yes," Jin answers without hesitation. He puts his hands on his knees and closes his eyes, but one doesn't have to be a Shaolin Grandmaster to see that he is tense and on edge.

"You must calm yourself. You're too present."

"I know," Jin says, letting out a long, deep breath. "I can get there. Just give me a moment."

Lao studies his younger cousin for several moments, noting his uneven breathing, furrowed brow and the grip he has on his knees. He isn't relaxing, and at this rate, may not be able to achieve his meditative trance. He is about to speak up again when suddenly they are interrupted.

"Grandmaster!" Guy Lai approaches them quickly.

Jin lets out a grunt of frustration, quick to blame outside interference on his inability to successfully meditate. "We're busy!"

Lao holds up a hand in Jin's direction, bidding him to be silent. "What is it?" he asks the slightly-winded monk.

Guy Lai focuses his attention solely upon Kung Lao and reports, "Trouble in one of the nearby villages. The Red Dragon, they are attacking again, indiscriminately. They are burning everything they can."

Jin reacts with shock. "This is not their way," Lao notes, stroking his thin beard. "A reprisal such as this, so soon... They must be attempting to draw us out, to somehow accomplish some aspect of their original goal."

Jin is quick to hop to his feet. "Sheeva and Ling?" he asks Guy Lai.

"They are already on their way, as is Cyrax."

Jin is about to leave as well, but then he looks down at the box in his hands, and wonders what should be done. Are the Red Dragon attempting to split them up, or is there something else going on?

>Take the box with you
>Leave the box with Kung Lao
>Hide the box
>Return the box to the vault, for now
>Other

>>4538715
>Hide the box

>>4538715

>Hide the box

>>4538717
>>4538719

Where should we hide it?

>Bury it
>Put it underwater
>Somewhere on the temple grounds, like the library
>In thick bushes in the gardens
>Other

>>4538750
>Put it underwater

>>4538750
>Put it underwater

Unless the RD have scuba equipment, ain't no one gonna get this box underwater.

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>>4538757
>>4538763

Jin quickly grabs the box and runs out of the temple. "Which direction?" he asks Guy Lai.

"To the northwest, down the trail. The very first village."

Jin is about to set off, when he decides that rather than take the box with him, something must be done with it. "Rally anyone else that you can," he instructs the older monk. "I must see to something."

They part and Jin rushes to one of the lesser-used corners of the gardens. There is a bridge here, crossing a dark creek. Jin looks around and, confirming that no one is in sight, hops alongside the bridge and places the golden box within the water, obscuring it among the reeds. With the box successfully hidden, he grips his staff tightly and sets off.

Without a destination to portal to, and without any of the others having activated an emergency beacon, he cannot hone in on a site with his personal portal device. He instead relies upon running to his destination, as quickly as he can. As he runs, he contemplates the situation he left behind with Lao; why can he not meditate successfully? What is keeping him from achieving his inner calm and maintaining it, whereas before he never had any such issue?

With the threat of facing more Red Dragon looming ahead, he sets aside such thoughts for now. He comes to a large hill near the trail, which he knows overlooks the village from afar, and runs to the top.

What he sees are no fires among the village rooftops, nor pillars of smoke, nor does he hear the sounds of battle. His eyes narrow as he scans the horizon, searching for any sign of battle. Unfortunately for him, he realizes too late what this may imply.

His ears pick up the sound of a flying kick, but he cannot react in time. The powerful blow to his back sends him hurtling down the hill, tumbling and rolling through dirt and thick vegetation, scratching his arms and legs. When he comes to a stop, he groans and tries to pick himself back up.

Guy Lai leaps from an overhead branch, planting his feet upon Jin's chest and arm, and pinning him to the ground. The older monk reaches down and grabs something. Jin swings a leg up, but his assailant is already flipping backwards off of him. His head throbbing and his lungs struggling to fill with air, Jin picks himself up and looks at the traitorous monk. He has taken the personal portal generator off of his person.

"You," Jin coughs. "Why?"

The monk regards him with utter contempt. "The Shaolin have spent too long fighting a losing battle. It is time for change. Lord Daegon will let the organization live... when I am Grandmaster, serving his Red Dragon."

Jin wipes his mouth as he stands up straight, reaching for his staff as he does. "You're going to regret not just killing me when you had the chance."

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>>4538883

"I would never have robbed myself of the opportunity to have you know that your death was at my hands," he replies, tucking away the portal device and assuming a combative stance. "Long have I yearned to wipe the Shaolin of your insolent, degenerate taint."

Jin spits and spreads his feet, matching his fellow monk, albeit a traitorous monk, in pose. "Just tell me this: how did you lure the others away?"

"The Red Dragon are truly attacking a nearby village. I simply told you the wrong one. Now, Grandmaster Lao is defenseless."

"When I finish with you, I'll drag you before him and you can beg for mercy yourself." Jin spits on the ground and spins his staff, the dragon head spouting fire from its mouth, creating a circle of flames in front of him in a grand flourish.

Jin knows he must be cautious. Guy Lai may be a traitor, but he is a Shaolin with many more years of experience than himself.

"Time to die," the traitor says, darting in with the speed and surety of a monk with his mind on the kill.

>Current Meter: 1
>1d100 and an action!

Rolled 100 (1d100)

>>4538886

Block his first attack with your staff and headbutt right in the nose

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>>4538895
Damn, son

Rolled 1 (1d100)

>>4538886
Swing for the fences with the staff.

>>4538896

Indeed.

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>>4538901

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>>4538905

Well shit.

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Well it's been a long, long time since a 100 and a 1 met in this dusty ol' saloon, but given the circumstances, I'll let them both ride.
>>4538895

Guy Lai opens with a string of attacks, punching and kicking at Jin. The younger monk plays defensively at first, using his staff to deflect the blows. Superficially, he wants to measure his foe, but deep down he is enraged at both the betrayal and his words about putting Kung Lao in harm's way.

When Jin sees his opportunity, after knocking a punch wide, he surges forward, slamming his forehead into Guy Lai's nose. It may not be a very traditional move, but it's damned effective, especially with his metal headdress. The flat, carved surface of the bronze strikes against the nose, cracking it audibly. Guy Lai falls back, grasping at his face, attempting to stop the suddenly flow of blood from it.

Jin reels back, bringing up his fingers to the flat of his headdress and noting the blood on them after wiping its surface. He smiles down at the traitorous monk, haughtily twirling his staff in one hand. "What a fool," he says, stepping closer. "I've been fighting real opponents while you've been at the temple. Did you really think that---"

>>4538901

His arrogant tone is cut short by a foot springing up, snapping with lightning speed into his face. Guy Lai cracks Jin's nose in turn, causing the younger monk to also fall onto his back. Pain rushes through Jin's face as it flushes with heat. He stumbles as he attempts to stand, using a nearby tree to balance himself. Across the clearing, Guy Lai is doing much the same. They both look at each other, now with the lower halves of their faces bloodied in equal measure, and both of them stand to face each other once more.

Jin rubs the back of his arm against his mouth and spits out some blood. He holds up his staff while his other hand reaches for his chakram. His opponent plants his feed solidly into the earth and prepares.

Having drawn each other's blood, and both well aware of what the other is capable of, they charge.

>Current Meter: 2
>1d100 and an action!

Rolled 4 (1d100)

>>4538953
The Kung dive kick

At this range, it can't hurt.

Rolled 34 (1d100)

>>4538953

Low Chakram his feet and perform Bo Swing

Rolled 65 (1d100)

>>4538953
Pin his feet to the ground with arrows

>>4538961
>>4538970
>>4539020
Just eating dinner, will resume shortly.

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>>4538961

Jin leaps high into the air, then rapidly descends with a diving kick. Anticipating this, Guy Lai steps to the side, raising both palms and thrusting them forward with only one finger sticking up on each with his thumbs tucked along the sides. The double palm strike hits Jin and sends him flying backwards, right through a particularly thin tree. It splinters and snaps as he crashes through it, skidding along the forest floor before coming to a stop amidst a cloud of dirt.

Guy Lai retracts his hands and stomps upon the ground, waving his arms in a circle before widening his stance. His hands begin to glow with fire as he summons forth the power of his qi, manifesting it as righteous flame.

Jin picks himself up, feeling a distinct pain in his side; one of his ribs may be broken, or at the very least cracked. He leans on his staff for a moment as he looks up at his opponent and grimaces, preparing for the oncoming assault.

>>4538970

The treacherous monk throws his fists forward, hurtling two fireballs towards Jin. The younger Shaolin raises his staff and deflects one, swinging the dragon head of his staff so that it impacts against the fireball, but the second one hits him in the chest. He is knocked backwards, but does not fall completely; only down to one knee. He looks up at Guy Lai with a fiery hatred of his own; for years, the elder monk has talked down to him, doubted him, made things difficult for him---and now, to learn that he is a traitor, in league with the Red Dragon? The inner flame within Jin burns brightly with a righteous fire of his own.

>>4539020

As Guy Lai is about to advance, Jin suddenly draws an arrow and fires it, aiming low. The elder monk reacts, pulling his foot back, but still he is snagged---his shoe is caught by the arrow, pinned to the floor. Jin then nocks another arrow and fires---not at the same foot, but at the second. And this time, he hits his mark. Guy Lai lets out a howl of pain as his foot is impaled, and the wailing brings a certain amount of grim satisfaction to Jin.

As Jin takes a moment to catch his breath, Guy Lai frees himself, powering through the pain and the debilitating injury. His discipline is representative of the power of Shaolin training---but it is wasted upon a traitor such as he. Though his gait is now somewhat uneven due to his injured foot, he prepares for another round, and prepares to hurl another fireball.

>Current Meter: 2
>1d100 and an action!

Rolled 70 (1d100)

>>4539223
Show Guy Lai who is quicker on the draw.

Rolled 59 (1d100)

>>4539223

Use Vampiric Quiver and then smash that stunned motherfucker's chin with your bow in an uppercut

Rolled 68 (1d100)

>>4539223
Fuck his fireballs, shoot him in the hands.

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>>4539227

Jin's hands move like the wind, drawing, nocking and firing an arrow in the span of a single breath. The arrow flies true, striking his opponent squarely in the chest, right in the sternum. It stuns Guy Lai, taking the breath from his chest as surely as any fist. It is not a fatal blow, but Jin doesn't want it to be, for he isn't done yet.

>>4539252

With a whisper, the arrows in his quiver glow with an amethyst energy, a swirling mist that surrounds the arrow as he withdraws it. When it is fired, it trails purple energy behind it, and this arrow finds its mark as well. With the ancestral power of his staff's enchantment, this spell-like arrow saps his opponent of energy, feeding it directly into himself. As the arrow joins its twin in Guy Lai's chest, Jin immediately feels endowed with newfound strength, while the elder monk only grows weaker.

Jin leaps over the broken tree, his legs soaring high overhead and landing in a crescent style, and one more step brings him within attacking range. He swings his staff, utilizing his impressive reach, smashing the dragon head against the man's jaw from below, taking him up into the air. As Jin settles back into a more secure stance, Guy Lai falls onto his back.

>>4539339

Withdrawing two arrows, he fires them both at once, having angled his staff perfectly to hit his intended targets. They soar in a widening arc at his opponent before pinning both of his hands to the floor. Robbed of breath, Guy Lai cannot shout in pain, but his body seizes as his palms are nailed into the dirt.

Jin walks up to him and plants a foot on his chest, aiming a third arrow at his neck. "It's over." He has a temptation to let loose his final arrow and end the man's life. All those years of snide remarks, implying Jin would never be a true Shaolin, giving him degrading chores and tasks, and deep down Jin always knew why. Yes, he would very much like to sink an arrow into the man's neck and watch his blood bubble up through his mouth...

>End him.
>Leave him here, hurry back to the temple.
>Knock him out and take him back to the temple.
>Portal him into confinement.
>Other

>>4539844
>Knock him out and take him back to the temple.

>>4539844

>Knock him out and take him back to the temple.

>>4539844
>Knock him out and take him back to the temple

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>>4539895
>>4539898
>>4539907

But although it would bring him a great deal of personal pleasure, Jin knows that it would not be the way of the Shaolin. He closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and calms himself---before bringing the head of his staff down and cracking it across the man's head, just hard enough to knock him out. After taking a moment to retrieve his arrows, he turns Guy Lai over and retrieves his portal device. He rubs from blood out from underneath his broken nose.

"That's going to hurt for a while," he mutters to himself. Knowing that time is of the essence, he hefts the unconscious monk onto a shoulder and then opens up a portal for the Wu Shi Academy. He quickly enters it, stepping through the other side into the courtyard.

What he finds is a very unfortunate sight indeed. The Wu Shi Academy is under attack by the Red Dragon. The terrorists are setting fire to the buildings, using flamethrowers and firebombs, and what few monks remain from those sent away are stretched thin attempting to fend them off. Not since the tarkatan attack that preceded the Outworld tournament has the Wu Shi Academy been so openly assaulted. Jin immediately drops Guy Lai to the ground and activates the emergency beacon on his personal portal generator to call for backup.

Turning his eyes towards the main temple, Jin runs towards it, knowing that Kung Lao's life was specifically mentioned by the traitor to be in danger. As he crosses the grounds, sprinting towards its steps as fast as he can, a massive explosion goes off within the temple itself, destroying a structure that has stood for centuries upon centuries. Wood and stone fly in all directions and the force of the blast sends Jin hurtling backwards. Debris rains down around him as he attempts to pick himself up, staring in terrific awe at the annihilation of the great temple.

"No," he finds himself whispering, then shouting. He rushes up and runs towards the flames, intent on trying to find Kung Lao, but suddenly finds himself held back. He turns only to behold Fujin. "Lao! We must find the Grandmaster!" he shouts in protest.

The wind god shakes his head. "I do not sense his life within the ruin, Kung Jin."

"He can't be dead, he can't be!"

Fujin's grip upon his arm tightens. "Nor did I sense his passing! Only that he was not in the temple!"

Jin hesitates. "Then where...?"

Fujin's white eyes stare penetratingly into his own. He speaks with resolve as he reminds Jin, "There are pressing matters! We must preserve the rest of the monastery and save your fellow monks!"

>Assist Fujin in dealing with the Red Dragon
>Search for Ling, Sheeva and Cyrax
>See if you can find Kung Lao on the grounds
>Ensure that the box is safe
>Other

>>4539930

>Assist Fujin in dealing with the Red Dragon

>>4539937
Let's have some 1d100s.

Rolled 97 (1d100)

>>4540009

>>4539930
>Search for Ling, Sheeva and Cyrax

Rolled 46 (1d100)

>>4540009
oh nevermind then lol

Rolled 58 (1d100)

>>4540009

>>4540011
>>4540026
>>4540060
Writing now, back from lunch.

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Gripping his staff tightly enough to turn his knuckles white, Jin nods at Fujin's instructions. The wind god soars upwards with a burst of breeze, launching himself towards the rooftops. There he lands and immediately thrusts his hands towards two Red Dragon soldiers who were scrambling across the roof, sending them and several shingles flying away in a cyclonic blast.

Jin immediately begins drawing arrows and firing at any soldiers he can see, intent on making up for the lack of range the other monks can offer. His eyes scan the area, setting aside the righteous fury that is building up within him at seeing his ancestral home ravaged by these intruders. He struggles to keep his calm as the righteous fury of unbridled and arrogant youth burns within him, not only at the sights and sounds of his fellow monks being murdered, but at the betrayal that led to it all. He grits his teeth and fires away, pinning soldier after soldier.

'Why are they doing this? They're bringing war down on themselves,' Jin thinks, sinking another arrow into the stomach of a Red Dragon zealot. 'An attack on the White Lotus Society may as well be an attack on all of Earthrealm. We have powerful friends, and if they think we'll let this rest...'

After letting loose another volley, suppressing a squad of soldiers who thought to make their way into the main courtyard, Jin makes his way into cover, kneeling behind a stone wall. He tries not to think about Lao, knowing that the Grandmaster is more than capable of defending himself, but worry worms its way into nearly every fiber of his being. The Red Dragon knew just when to strike, thanks to Guy Lai's intel most likely; with so many monks away from the temple, the damage has already been catastrophic. Several of his brethren now lie dead, and the great temple and a few other structures lie in ruin while others burn.

Anger wells up within him, clouding his thoughts. He turns and sees a small group of Red Dragon, four or five strong, heading towards the archives. One of them is carrying a flamethrower.

'No!' Jin thinks. 'Not the archives!'

>1d100 and an action!

Rolled 1 (1d100)

>>4540075

Shoot an arrow straight through the head of the flamethrower RD and then slide down to crack the legs of four of the other RD.

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>>4540086

With a whisper and a thought, Kung Jin's arrows glow bright orange, infused with the power of fire. He nocks and aims, setting his sights upon the tank of the flamethrower carrier's back. Striking it with a fire-arrow would undoubtedly cause it to explode, saving the archives and generations of preserved knowledge. They survived the attack of the tarkatans, and Jin would not see them harmed, at any cost.

But Jin is not well. Much weighs upon his mind; anger, fear and doubt. The pressure to live up to his ancestors and not let them down is overwhelming. His bow feels heavy, his arm is sluggish. Sweat rolls down his forehead, stinging one of his eyes. His breathing is tense, uneven, ragged due to the blow to his ribs he received earlier. But none of that matters; he pushes through it all and calls upon his years of Shaolin training, his flawless execution of its many drills that have honed him into the warrior he is today. He knows that he will not miss---he CANNOT miss.

Yet, when he lets the arrow fly, that is exactly what happens.

The arrow soars wide by the narrowest of margins, missing the tank upon the man's back by an inch, perhaps even less. Jin's eyes go wide as he realizes that the worst of his fears have come to pass. In the span of the second it takes him to draw another arrow, they are already inside the archives.

"No," he says to himself with great urgency. "No, no, no!" He sprints across the courtyard, pain filling his chest, barely noticing the great ropes that have held up the sparring ring for ages snapping nearby, cut by Red Dragon weapons. The ring, held aloft by the statues of great warriors and teachers of old, now wobbles and crashes with a great clamor, crashing against the stone of the pit over which it was suspended and cracking the tiles.

When he reaches the entrance to the archives, he can already see the flames within; the one with the flamethrower has let loose, blasting the shelves and alcoves, torching everything he can. The arsonist walks casually between the aisles, his flamethrower constantly spurting out a stream of book-burning ignited fuel. Books, scrolls, wood carvings, tapestries, a history's worth of priceless knowledge---burning.

A rage unlike any other fills Kung Jin as he charges into the archives. The Red Dragon member nearest the door turns around, only to see the dragon head of his staff come crashing down into his face, caving it in. The others turn to face him, raising their weapons.

He pulls the bloodied head of his staff out of the man's skull cavity and glares at them in turn. He cares not for them to make the first move; he charges.

>1d100 and an action!

Rolled 61 (1d100)

>>4540194

Slide under a RD, knock him into the burning inferno, and blast several volleys of arrows into the rest of the RDs

Rolled 48 (1d100)

>>4540194
Shoot down the flamethrower if there's still line of sight to them.

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>>4540234

Jin ducks and slides across the stone floor, right between the legs of a soldier while tripping him with a swipe of his staff. As the man stumbles, Jin thrusts the head of his staff up, knocking the man forward and into an inferno that was once a shelf. Before he comes to a stop with his slide, he draws three arrows and nocks them simultaneously, firing them all at once---right into the other three soldiers, leaving only the one with the flamethrower.

>>4540350

The man aims his weapon at Jin and unleashes a torrent of fire, causing the Shaolin to roll off to the side. He rolls behind a burning shelf as the man continues to spray the area he's ducked behind. The heat is immense and the smoke is choking, but he holds his position, withstanding the assault.

Finally, the man must cease spraying in order to check if Jin is still alive. Taking advantage of the momentary lapse in fire, Jin pops out from around the burning corner to fire an arrow at the soldier. However, the arrow never finds its mark, nor any other, for halfway through its flight it stops midair, pulled by some supernatural force. Jin feels himself being pulled as well, sliding across the stone floor, as does the living Red Dragon and his dead companions. Before Jin can comprehend what is truly going on, there is a suction within the building as they are all pulled out by a powerful cyclone. Fire, smoke, ash and sections of burning pages follow them in a spiraling trail as they are ejected out through the open door of the archives and back into the courtyard.

Jin picks his head up and sees Fujin waving his arms in a circle, directing the flow of wind beneath him as he hovers over the building. By creating both a wind tunnel and a bubble of vacuum, he is able to snuff out all of the flames within the building, robbing them of the oxygen they need to burn. Looking around, Jin can see that he has done this to some of the other structures, for the fires around the Wu Shi Academy have considerably died down. A section of burnt paper lands in Jin's lap, and he lifts it up. Even if some of the knowledge in the archives was spared due to Fujin's intervention, much of it has been damaged---he can only speculate despairingly at how much has been lost forever.

Nearby, the flamethrower wielder attempts to scramble away. Jin lets go of the burnt scrap and pursues him, hooking his foot with the dragon head of his staff and dragging him backwards. "Where do you think you're going?" he asks, tearing the tank from the man's back. "Do you have any idea what you've done?! DO YOU?!"

He now turns the man over, prepared to deal death to him directly, but when he does he can see the man is already foaming at the mouth. A suicide capsule. Within seconds the man slumps over, very much dead.

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>>4540619

Standing over his corpse, Jin falls to his knees and trembles, denied even the simple pleasure of taking the man's life by his own hands. His hands clench maddeningly as he alternates between wanting to control his outburst to screaming at the heavens. Surrounded by burnt remnants of the archives, he struggles to contain the anger that wells up within him.

'How dare they,' he finds himself thinking. 'The audacity, the sheer audacity of it all... It's all so senseless! Senseless! Those bastards don't care what they've done, if they even know at all!'

Suddenly he feels a hand on his shoulder. He looks up to see Fujin standing somberly over him. "The fires are out. Our reinforcements have arrived. The Red Dragon have retreated once more." He looks over the courtyard. "Yet, I do not sense Kung Lao's presence... anywhere. Nor his passing..."

"What does that mean?" Jin asks in a shaking voice, trying to keep calm and very near failing.

Fujin is silent for a moment. "Likely, they have taken him."

"Taken?" Jin stands up and nearly slaps the god's hand off of him. "Don't speak nonsense. Grandmaster Lao was still capable of defending himself, I know it, I saw it myself. They couldn't have taken him, it's impossible."

"I know you are upset," Fujin begins, but Jin interrupts him.

He shouts, "Upset?! Do you even know how little that begins to cover it?!"

Fujin merely stares at him, his face without judgement, only patience and understanding. Jin's bluster almost immediately fades under the gaze of the wind god. Panting, he averts his eyes, bowing his head in shame.

"Forgive me, Lord Fujin, I... I have forgotten my place, and..."

Once more, the Protector of Earthrealm places a steadying hand on Jin's shoulder. "I understand, Kung Jin. I do."

Jin trails off in silence and merely stands, defeated and lost. He hears the approach of footsteps, and Fujin turns towards the Special Forces who have arrived. Colonel Briggs, Cassie, Jacqui, and several others, along with those who were already present at the temple who now approach from the opposite direction: Sheeva, Ling and Cyrax. As the wind god explains the situation, Jin's mind is drawn elsewhere.

>Find the box.
>Stress the importance of finding if Kung Lao was truly taken, or is merely in hiding.
>Swear that you will not rest until the Red Dragon are defeated for his transgression.
>Secure Guy Lai; you must ensure he does not slip away.
>Other

>>4540623
>Find the box.

>>4540623

>Find the box.
>Stress the importance of finding if Kung Lao was truly taken, or is merely in hiding.
>Secure Guy Lai; you must ensure he does not slip away.

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>>4540629
>>4540634

Amidst the wind god's explanation, Cassie asks, "How could the Red Dragon have known when to attack the temple?"

Jin answers that. "There was a traitor. Guy Lai. I got it straight from his mouth before I knocked him out cold." He points across the way at Guy Lai's form.

Jax sends some soldiers to secure the traitor. They're about to ask more questions, but then Jin breaks away from the group and heads towards the gardens. There, he seeks out the bridge and hops to its side, frantically searching the reeds beneath it. A flood of relief surges through him as he feels the box. 'At least this wasn't a loss, too,' he thinks as he picks it up out of the water, examining its golden surface.

"Jin," a voice draws his attention. He looks up to the bridge to see Ling standing there alongside Takeda, who arrived with the other reinforcements. She asks, "What are you doing?"

"Just making sure this was still safe," he explains, stepping out of the shallow water he was standing it. "After all we've lost today, the means to draw out the Kollector would be the cherry on top."

They both give him concerned looks, but Takeda then scans the area with a faraway look in his eyes. "I wish I could've been here," he mutters. "I've got a score of my own to settle with these Red Dragon punks."

"You and me both now," Jin replies, pausing in front of them.

Takeda holds up his hand. "We'll take them down together, then."

Jin has no hesitation in clasping Takeda's hand. They share a silent affirmation, newly forged by their bond in having both lost something important to the Red Dragon, feeling much more like brothers than before. When they let go, Ling speaks up, her voice wavering on the edge of revealing how worried she truly is.

"Jin, they've taken father. They must've abducted him with a portal; Fujin cannot sense him anywhere. There's something very strange about all of this."

"I agree. Grandmaster Lao couldn't have been taken without one hell of a fight, so who could have done it?"

"I know who," Takeda says with a dark look in his eyes. "I feel it in my blood. It was Daegon."

"Their leader," Jin whispers. "Could he really have been so strong?"

Ling reminds him, "Lao may have been able to defend himself and subdue a lower-ranking soldier, but he was still recovering. He isn't invincible." She looks down, her face clouded with doubt.

Their communication devices all simultaneously beep and they look at them. "We're being recalled to the base," Takeda reads, even as they themselves read it. "The general wants to speak to the team."

>Return to the base
>Remain here to help clean up
>Speak with Fujin
>Take a moment to be alone
>Other

>>4541060

>Return to the base
>Take a moment to be alone

>>4541060
>Return to the base

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>>4541062
>>4541199

Jin quietly follows the others back to the courtyard, where the rest of the Special Forces are beginning to clean up. Several soldiers are being left to help the Shaolin pick up the pieces and act as additional security. A portal is quickly set up leading back to Shang Tsung's island.

As Jin passes Cassie, she gives him an unreadable look, but he doesn't regard her, nor anyone else. He's much too absorbed with his own thoughts to pick up on anyone else's.

It doesn't take long, merely several minutes or so, for everyone to assemble in the briefing room of the New Defenders base. More than half of the team have been assembled; the only notable absences are Kaito, Fireseed and Cao. Johnny Cage is also nowhere to be seen, but Cyrax and Kenshi have both been asked to attend, and Fujin is here as well. They stand in one corner of the room, speaking with Colonel Briggs. Several other hushed conversations can be heard in the room, among both the team and OWEA personnel, though Jin sits silently, brooding. The golden box rests on the table in front of him, and he appears fixated upon it, though in reality he is staring beyond it into nothing.

"Hey," Frost says, attempting to nudge Jin. "Hey, Jin!"

He blinks a few times as he comes out of his deep thoughts, then narrows his eyes and looks at her. "What?" he nearly spits.

"Say something, man. You're weirding us all out."

Jin looks around the table and sees several of his teammates staring at him. Takeda is the first to speak up. "His home was just attacked. Give him a break."

Frost sits back and remains silent as Jin prepares to resume his thinking, but then the rest of the room grows quiet as the general enters, accompanied by some additional staff. She approaches the front of the room as everyone else settles in.

Sonya's face is stoic and hard, like usual. Though there are times when she can take on a more relaxed and comfortable air, this is not one of those times. Her news is difficult, but like any capable leader, she bears the burden well.

"Here's what we know, people. The Red Dragon had an inside man in the Shaolin temple. Thanks to Jin, that man was apprehended, but not before the monastery was attacked, and Grandmaster Lao taken. We know all of this for absolute certain because the Red Dragon have already contacted us and told us directly."

"Why?" Takeda speaks up. Cassie puts a hand on his shoulder, assuring him that the general will get there.

"The Red Dragon were initially after weapons. This lines up with earlier accounts and encounters with them; why they have been specifically targeting and stealing ancient weapons is currently not known. We had hoped to learn more from our very first live captive, captured on site earlier today when they attempted to steal weapons from the Kung family vault, but it appears that very action is why the Red Dragon attacked the Shaolin temple." She clears her throat. "In short, they are demanding a prisoner exchange."

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>>4541405

Jin can hardly believe his ears. All of this for a prisoner exchange?

"Do we know for certain they have Kung Lao?" Kenshi asks.

"They are claiming that they do."

"How did they send the message?" Cyrax inquires.

"A coded transmission sent across several networks worldwide; it was specifically designed to be as obvious as possible so we would see it immediately. We're currently trying to determine its origin, but it's already clear that several steps have been taken on their end to prevent that from happening. I suspect that following the cyber-trail will only lead to dead ends, as it has been in the past."

Jax looks over at Fujin. "And you can't detect him anywhere?"

"No," the god replies, shaking his head forlornly. "Long have I ruminated upon the Red Dragon problem, but never have I been able to sense their presence. Only when they reveal themselves, but that has always been on their terms, and often too late for us to respond quickly enough. Much like today."

"But why do all of this?" Fox wonders aloud.

"It seems fairly obvious," Sonya replies. "They don't want their man that we have to talk. Secrecy has always been the Red Dragon's greatest tool, and as soon as we captured one of them alive, they put a plan into action to stop it. They sacrificed at least two dozen men in the attack, and spent their asset in the Shaolin temple. The Red Dragon have demonstrated that they are willing to go to the absolute extremes to preserve their secrecy."

"What if we don't agree to the prisoner exchange?" Kenshi asks.

Sonya frowns. "They've made their intent clear: either we play by their rules, or they kill Kung Lao."

Jin's hands ball into fists, and Ling shifts uncomfortably in her seat.

>We must agree to the prisoner transfer.
>Is there any way we can track them down first?
>What else did they say?
>Where is Kaito?
>Other

>>4541407

>Is there any way we can track them down first?
>What else did they say?

>>4541407
>What else did they say?
>Where is Kaito?
Suicide attacks to preserve intelligence leaks seem to be a hallmark of fanatics. The turnaround on an op like this is pretty extreme, nonetheless.

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>>4541411
>>4541415

"What else did they say?" Jin says, his tone demanding. Normally, such a thing would result in a verbal reprimand, but everyone in the room is well aware of his current mood, and finds it justified given what has happened.

The general gives Jin an assessing look, and for a moment in her eyes there is a flicker of sympathy. Jin recognizes it, and knows that she is in the unique position of having been present at the original sacking of the Shaolin temple twenty years ago. Though she never called the place her home, she had a strong connection to it, as did all of the old Defenders who participated in the Mortal Kombat tournament.

"The Red Dragon were rather specific about a time and a place. In just under one hour, they want to meet in Outworld, in the Golden Desert."

A series of conversations spring up around the room. In response to this, the general holds up her hand. "They clearly want this because of a few factors: the Golden Desert is across the sea from Kotal Kahn's kingdom, and isolated from prying eyes and interference. Geographically, it is very isolated. And as it is in Outworld, there is no way for us to track their portals; we have no satellite coverage, and the span of time they have given us isn't enough to set up the equipment needed to locally track portals, and even if we did, it's likely they would use a portal back to Earthrealm, and we cannot track portal locations in realms other than the one we are tracking it from.

"Furthermore, they have stipulated that only three individuals may be present from among us. They given us two people who must not be present, and two who must." She looks at Kenshi and Takeda, who are situated near one another. "They have stated that no Takahashi may be present."

Takeda is about to object once more, but Kenshi tilts his head, sending some mental communication to his son. Takeda slowly relaxes in his seat, though he is still clearly upset.

"Who must be present, General?" Cassie asks her mother.

Finally, Sonya's eyes focus on Jin and Ling, seated alongside each other. "They specifically want Kung Lao's two family members on our team to be present."

Jin meets Ling's gaze. He would have demanded to go along in the first place, but now that his presence has been specifically requested by his enemies, that gives him pause even in his current emotional state. Ling asks the question on his mind, "Why us specifically?"

"They're likely relying on your love of Kung Lao to keep you in check from acting out against them, as you more than any of us are invested in his safe return."

"They've got a point," Jin concedes. Even so, he finds himself growing angrier at the constraints of the situation. The speed at which the Red Dragon have acted in this entire encounter suggests something else, almost like prescience of how events would play out. 'But how could they have planned all of this in advance?' he wonders. 'Did they always have this contingency in place should this happen?'

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>>4541624

"Who's going to be the third?" Cassie asks. She then immediately also adds, "I volunteer."

General Cage holds up her hand. "Settle, Sergeant. Our third is already in Outworld, on site. Kaito."

Jin looks back up. "Kaito is at the Golden Desert?"

"He was on a goodwill mission to Nemsai after accompanying Princess Kitana on a diplomatic mission in southern Edenia. The Golden Desert is not far from Nemsai, and so he has already agreed to travel there. You two will link up with him, and the remainder of us will be on standby to immediately storm the area through portals at a moment's notice."

>What about the chest?
>We should position others in the team, hidden on site.
>I don't like this. It could be a trap.
>What's the plan after we get Kung Lao? A counter-ambush?
>Other

>>4541626
>I don't like this. It could be a trap.
In the meantime, hand off the chest to Cassie. Assuming Otiak makes his call, the Kollector business is formally her problem now. Make sure to ESPECIALLY EMPHASIZE that this is a Kung family heirloom, and we'll want it back. Treat it like they were treating Kung Lao's Hat itself, not least because Kung Lao himself offered the hat as equivalent bait.

>>4541626
>>4541724

Same.

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>>4541724
>>4541747

Jin considers the situation for a moment longer. "I don't like this. It could be a trap."

Sonya nods. "That's why we'll be on standby. If the prisoner exchange goes off without a hitch, we'll evac you all back to the base. Now then, we have less than an hour to get ready. I want all personnel in place immediately and at the highest level of vigilance. If someone's going to make a mistake here, I want it to be them and not us. You have your orders, people."

The room suddenly bustles back into activity as everyone converses among themselves and begin to file out. No one on the team gets up from their seats, however. Cassie leans over the table and speaks to Jin.

"I'm sorry for what happened to the Wu Shi Academy." She stares into his eyes, but he continues to stare at the smooth surface of the table. "None of the rest of us may have been Shaolin, but an attack on any of our homes is an attack on all of our homes. We're going to bring the Red Dragon down, just like the rest of our enemies."

Jin looks up, into the eyes of his compatriots. They each nod their agreement with Cassie's words, some throwing in words of encouragement of their own. "These dishonorable wretches will know the meaning of pain before we are through with them," Sheeva says.

Takeda holds up a fist. "And you know I've got your back. These bastards have taken too much from too many people. Once we find their base, we'll take them all down." Fox echoes Takeda's sentiment wordlessly with a pumped fist of his own. Much like the Shirai Ryu representatives on the team, the Lin Kuei voice their support as well.

"We're all in this together," Jacqui adds.

In spite of all that has happened, Jin cannot help but feel somewhat humbled. Even with his earlier rude remarks to Cassie and Jacqui, they stand ready to support him and the White Lotus Society. For a moment, his anger cools and he is reminded that he isn't facing this problem alone, and is glad for it.

Near the exit to the briefing room, Sonya turns around. "To your posts, people."

The team stands up, except for Jin and Ling. As they leave, they clasp their hands upon Jin's shoulder or offer similar forms of solidarity and sympathy. Jin looks up at Cassie as she walks by. "Wait," he stops her. He reaches for the chest. "Take this. Keep it safe."

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>>4542320

"What? Really?" she asks, hesitantly. "What about all that stuff before?"

"The Shaolin may do things differently, but it doesn't make us better. We make mistakes too. I was wrong to say the things that I said." He looks up at her. "If it was you in my place, with your military base attacked and burnt, I'd want to help you just as much, because I want you to trust me. So, I'm trusting you with this."

He places the golden box in her hands and stands up. Cassie places her hands protectively upon its surface. "You won't regret it."

"Just please, keep it safe. It's a Kung family heirloom and I intend to return it to the vault."

"Understood. And I'm not gonna open it, either. I know that the mystery of what's inside is what makes it so attractive. When Otiak comes back around knocking, he'll have his bait." Cassie gives him thumbs up and leaves the room with Jacqui, leaving Jin and Ling by themselves.

He looks over at this cousin. "Looks like it'll be just me and you, and Kaito, to save Grandmaster Lao."

"We'll get him back," Ling says simply, her voice full of determination.

Under normal circumstances, Jin would feel compelled to describe her sudden concern and affection for her father as uncharacteristic, but such a thing feels inappropriate in the circumstances. And, deep down, he knows that she does care for him in her own way, and would feel his loss as surely as he would himself. In this common desire to save Kung Lao, they are united, like a family should be.

He offers her his hand, and she takes it, grabbing him by the arm. They exchange no words, but a silent vow to do whatever it takes it retrieve him, even if it means kowtowing to the Red Dragon's demand for a prisoner exchange. It sours them both to meet the demands of the Red Dragon with anything other than violence after attacking them and taking their kin, but for the sake of his life, they will do what must be done.

>Attempt to meditate before the mission
>Take a lone walk before the mission
>Get into position with Ling and wait
>Speak to someone else on the team
>Other

>>4542322

>Get into position with Ling and wait
>Speak to someone else on the team

Speak to Takeda about what to expect with the RD

>>4542322
>Attempt to meditate before the mission

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>>4542353
>>4542430

Upon leaving the briefing room, they part ways, each leaving to prepare themselves in one way or another. Jin takes a moment to go to his room and inspect his damaged nose. It isn't broken, like he thought it may have been, but he'll have a nasty bruise for a short while. He washes his face of blood and takes several deep breaths in order to center himself for the coming task.

As he rests his hands in the sink, watching the blood soak softly off of his skin, he reflects on how angry he is, and wonders if it must be what Liu Kang and Kung Lao felt when the temple was attacked after their return from the very island upon which he stands. History has an odd way of repeating itself, so it seems; just as the heroes of his day ventured into Outworld to rescue Sonya and avenge the monastery's destruction at the hands of Shao Kahn's tarkatan horde, now must he and Ling travel to Outworld to rescue Kung Lao.

"What a curious fate this all is," he thinks to himself aloud.

After wiping a wet towel on his hands and face, Jin proceeds towards the operations center. There, various members of the team standby while technicians prepare the portal to Outworld. Not all on the team have arrived yet, including Ling, but there is still some time yet. Jin looks over and sees Takeda, fully suited up with his skull-mask covering the lower half of his face, limbering up. He decides to approach him to speak.

Takeda notes his approach and speaks first. "I can't tell you how steamed I am that they don't want me and my father to be there, and I can guess why."

"Your telepathy?" Jin deduces.

"Exactly. My dad was here to interrogate the captive; use his superior telepathy to break down the man's barriers and get at what's inside. But that process takes time, time that we don't have anymore. Us not being physically present to read the minds of whoever shows up to do the prisoner exchange is just good sense on their end. Plus... they know we've been a thorn in their side before."

"You've dealt with them more than I have. Anything I should expect?"

"I wouldn't be surprised if they just try to murder our captive the second we bring him out in the open. Don't let them get a shot, because so long as he's alive, then we still have our bargaining chip. And you know the prisoner himself would take every opportunity to kill himself for 'Lord Daegon' so don't give him the chance either."

Jin nods along as Takeda speaks. "Anything else?"

"Yeah. If things go wrong out there, you can bet I'll be the first on the scene to help you tear those murderers a new one."

Not too long afterwards, Jin notices Ling enter the area, along with General Cage. Sonya proceeds to the upper station while Ling joins him on the pad.

"Get the portal ready for generation," Sonya orders. "Kaito is nearly on site. We'll link up with him when he clears the area."

>Wait for the portal
>Suggest going there now
>You've forgotten something; you'll be right back
>Speak with Ling
>Other

>>4542938
>Speak with Ling

>>4542938

>Speak with Ling
>Wait for the portal

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>>4542954
>>4542969

Jin spares a half-look in Ling's direction. "Ready?"

"I am." A moment of silence hangs in the air between the two as everyone else around them buzzes with activity. Amidst the noise, Ling asks, "How do you think they got to your monk? Guy Lai?"

"Don't know. Same way as anyone else in that crazy cult, I suppose. I thought that being a Shaolin would prevent such corruption, but I was wrong," he admits.

"It makes me wonder who else could be working for them without us knowing," Ling whispers, and Jin looks fully into her eyes. "Isn't it strange how quickly the Special Forces got the Red Dragon's message?"

"The Red Dragon are very knowledgeable when it comes to technology; they wanted their message to be heard, so it was heard. Even so, yeah, I can't help but wonder myself what other groups they may have infiltrated. At first we were just worried about the saurians, but now..."

Behind them, up on the command platform alongside a row of computer stations, General Cage speaks up, holding a pad on her hand. "Kaito is on site. When he gives the all-clear, open the portal. Standby."

"We should discuss this with the others," Ling suggests. "Later."

"We can at least know that nobody on the team is a Red Dragon spy."

"Can we?"

He meets her serious gaze. "That's dangerous thinking, Ling. We have to trust one another or everything falls apart. Does the possibility exist, no matter how small? Perhaps. But that doesn't mean we should assume that it's true."

"Maybe," she replies. "Still..."

Several more tense minutes pass. Then, Sonya lifts her head up from the digital readout once more. "Area is clear. Fire up the portal at his coordinates."

The other New Defenders linger off to the side of the room, prepared to be called into action at any moment yet remaining at their post. Jin and Ling, on the platform before the portal, watch as it opens, twisting and spiraling into existence with flashes of light and lightning. The green vortex widens until it is large enough for them to pass through. Once it is stable, Jin and Ling hurry through it.

Having become accustomed to the disorienting nature of portal travel, something no one ever quite gets used to but can learn to tolerate, they emerge on the other side and are immediately hit with a blast of heat and dry wind. The Golden Desert is a harsh and unforgiving place, as remote as it is deadly. They are standing within a valley, with high and steep walls, into which are carved ancient structures of stone and wood. The valley is wide and stretches for many miles, and nearby is the edge of a cliff. Jin approaches it and looks down, seeing a fatal drop to a dark bottom, and even more temple-like structures built into hollowed recesses along its walls.

The portal closes behind them, leaving only the sound of the wind.

"So this is the Golden Desert," Jin mutters. "To think, we only read about this earlier today." His hands clench unwittingly as he thinks about the archives.

>>4543533

>Search for Kaito
>Signal Kaito with your communicator
>Wait in place
>Explore the nearby structure
>Other

>>4543534

>Wait in place

>>4543534
>Wait in place
They did say we beamed to Kaito's coordinates, so we have to assume he's in the area.

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>>4543571
>>4543574

Their eyes are naturally drawn in all directions; the tops of the cliffs, the emptied windows and doors of the ancient temples, the larger rocks one may hide behind. They are looking for Kaito, but also for the Red Dragon.

"He's supposed to be here, isn't he?" Ling asks, turning in place as she does.

"This general area, yes," Jin replies.

"I'm here."

They both suddenly turn towards the nearby mouth of the temple. A set of weathered stone steps leads up to the archway, and within its shadows stands Kaito. A thick, brown cloak with a hood drawn up is set upon his shoulders, and Jin can see that he looks somewhat gruff---unshaven and his eyes seem weary. He steps forward, into the light, and approaches them with a smile. "It's good to see you guys. I know I've been somewhat... absent." His smile then fades. "And, from what I've heard, I've missed some bad things. I only received a message about the Wu Shi Academy. Is it...?"

Jin wears a grim look. "Not destroyed completely, but much was lost. Monks, the archives... Grandmaster Lao."

"From what I understand, we're here to correct that. The general has the prisoner ready to be released. Once our Red Dragon counterparts show up for the deal, and show us Kung Lao, we'll portal him in." He lifts his eyes somewhat and looks around. "I've surveyed this entire area with my earth power---we're completely alone, for now."

He approaches a nearby rock and sits on it. He withdraws a small bowl from a satchel, and fills it with water, then brings it up to his lips to drink. Jin walks up to him as Ling stands off to the side.

Kaito looks over his shoulder at the monk. "You know, I wasn't present at the first sacking of the Wu Shi Academy."

"You were lost in Outworld at the time," Jin, ever the historian, reminds him. "Nobody can blame you for that."

"I suppose it's much the same this time."

"You were lost?" he asks, confused.

"Losing myself, maybe," Kaito mutters, then takes another sip. "First our enemies attack the Edenian palace, now the Wu Shi Academy. Makes one wonder what's next, and how soon."

Jin studies his team's leader carefully, and dissects his word choice. His reference to the attack on the Edenian royal family's home, and its parallel to the attack on the Wu Shi Academy, draws a clear picture of his thoughts. Ever since Liu Kang's death, Kaito has been distant. Nobody blamed him; everyone understood. Jin himself felt a desire to be distant, but Kaito has physically been elsewhere nearly all along.

He can see from Kaito's body language as well, the sloop of his shoulders, the look in his eyes staring off into nothingness along the canyon walls, what he is feeling: guilt.

>Remain silent.
>Console him; attempt to make him realize his feelings are shared.
>Advise action; we must go to our enemies before they come to us again.
>Chastise him; this isn't the time for moping, we need our leader.
>Other

>>4543877

>Console him; attempt to make him realize his feelings are shared.

>>4543877
>Console him

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>>4543887
>>4544528

Kneeling alongside him, Jin also stares out at the canyon walls. "You're not the only one feeling this way," he says softly. "Everyone's felt Liu Kang's death differently, but we've all been affected by it. Some more than others. You fought alongside him in the tournament, in Outworld, in Earthrealm during the invasion."

"It's not just that," he assures the younger monk. "I've got a problem that no one else has."

"Your sleep, you mean? You know, Frost was frozen in ice for a long time. Perhaps she could relate."

"True, but she doesn't care about what she missed. There's so much that could be different now if I had been around."

Jin thinks for a moment. "Well, how much different? Knowing what you know now, you could have changed things, sure---but if you had been awake, without the knowledge you have now, would things have been different?"

"In some ways," he replies. "I've been doing a lot to try and make up for my lost time; trying to set things right. But it seems like our enemies just get more and more numerous by the week, and enemies we've beaten before keep coming back. Now the Red Dragon have attacked the Shaolin. What's next?"

"I understand what you mean. But what else can we do, other than keep going? We'll get our chance to put our enemies down. They'll make a mistake, and when they do, we'll be there to exploit it."

A noise from nearby draws their attention. "Looks like it's time," Kaito remarks, standing up from the rock. He, Jin and Ling look on as a portal opens up. It is unlike most others they have seen; it is red in color, and formed from a spiraling dragon-like image. As the crimson specter of the dragon circles around the portal, two figures begin to shape in it.

They take full form and walk through: Mavado and Hsu Hao, high-ranking members of the Red Dragon.

Jin stands to Kaito's left and Ling to his right as they face their enemies, who stand thirty meters away. All five of them stand in the light of the midday sun bearing down upon them. The portal the Red Dragon emerged from remains open, continually swirling behind them.

"Give us the prisoner," Mavado shouts, getting straight to the point.

"Show us yours and we'll show you ours," Kaito calls back, his voice firm and unwavering.

>Remain silent
>Echo Kaito's counter-demand
>Demand to know why they attacked the Shaolin temple
>Make a break for their portal
>Other

>>4544793
>Remain silent
>Other
Move closer to the rocks nearby. Even if we'll have to get our prisoner to them first, we can throw him behind the rocks for cover in case they will try to kill him to leave us without our advantage.

>>4544793
>>4544841

Same.

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>>4544841
>>4544844

Jin remains silent, taking a moment to survey the space between him and their foes. Though there is a clear path between them, there are several large rocks nearby, large enough to hide behind. He gently positions his feet, subtly angling them so that he could dive behind them quickly if need be, or pull someone else with him.

Hsu Hao and Mavado look at each other. Mavado nods, seemingly the one in charge, and Hsu Hao pulls out a radio and speaks into it.

A moment later, Kung Lao is forced through the portal. He stumbles forwards before falling down to his knees. A chain is wrapped around him, and he is missing his hat. Even from a distance away, they can see that he is bloody, likely from a rather severe beating.

Anger fills Jin once more. To see his enemies forcing his beloved kin and hero into such an undignified position is disgraceful beyond disgrace. He nearly charges forward when Mavado grabs Kung Lao by his grey hair and pulls his head back, exposing his bruised neck.

"Now bring our your prisoner before we slit his throat," he calls out his warning, taking out a knife.

Jin and Ling both stare at Lao as he struggles to breathe calmly. He can see them, but is too weak to call out to them; either that, or his silence is one of stoicism.

Slowly, Kaito takes out his communicator, and presses a button on it. Behind them, within the span of a few seconds, a portal of their own opens up. The Red Dragon that Jin defeated earlier, the one who had the more ornate garb, is forced through the portal. Ling is quick to grab him and force him to stand and walk closer, keeping him protected behind Kaito's frame but still visible.

"We have our prisoner," Kaito shouts as the portal behind them closes. Jin cannot help but notice that the Red Dragon's portal is still open and perfectly stable; what powers such a solid tear between the realms? Is it technology, or magic?

"Send him over," Mavado commands.

"We do it at the same time," Kaito replies. "Get Kung Lao up on his feet and let go of him."

Jin feels a bead of sweat rolling down his forehead. His grip on his staff is tight and his body is tense, ready for anything to happen.

"Why don't we walk our prisoners over ourselves?" Mavado suggests. "You and me. We'll meet in the middle. Our cohorts remain where they are."

Kaito appears to be considering it, then speaks. "Where is Kung Lao's hat?"

"Not part of the arrangement!"

"I suppose we'll find out where you're keeping it once we interrogate this prisoner."

"And I suppose you'll have Kung Lao's blood on your hands unless you hand him over!" He yanks on Kung Lao's head again, pulling him tightly by the hair. "What's it worth? Knowing you could have saved his life, only choosing to be a stubborn fool? Perhaps pride? Is that worth seeing me slice his throat?"

"You kill your prisoner, and we'll learn everything," Kaito warns.

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>>4544899

"We can always take someone else." Mavado smiles wickedly as he points his knife in their direction. "Maybe your mother in the hospital, Kaito."

Jin can see Kaito's reaction, even if he is trying to control it.

>Remain silent
>Advise Kaito to just get Lao back
>They won't risk losing Daegon's secrets; they won't kill Kung Lao
>Shoot Mavado and give Kung Lao a chance to escape
>Other

>>4544899

>Remain silent

Let Kaito handle the talking. He's the calm and stoic guy of the group.

>>4544902
>Remain silent
But, the moment Mavado or Hsu Hao try to do anything funny,
>Shoot Mavado and give Kung Lao a chance to escape

>>4544902
>Remain silent
Saying "they wouldn't kill Kung Lao" is just begging for narrative comeuppance just to fuck with us.

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>>4544905
>>4544912
>>4544997

Jin's free hand flexes nervously, which he immediately stifles. He looks over at Kaito, uncertain of what to do. He feels as though he could get a shot off on Mavado, but is Kung Lao strong enough to take advantage of such momentary freedom? Or would Hsu Hao get to him first? Kaito and Ling are here, but could their skills make a difference in time if he were to force them into attacking?

'No,' he thinks. They did not agree on a plan beforehand; if he were to fire, they could be just as surprised and unable to act in time. If he were to try and communicate a plan to them now, the Red Dragon might see and be on higher guard... if they are not already.

Finally, after a very tension-filled few seconds, Kaito holds up his hand. "Alright. We're going to send our prisoners forward on their own."

Mavado lowers his knife and forces Kung Lao up onto his feet. "Get walking," he says, pushing Lao forward.

Kaito, in turn, allows their prisoner to walk forward. Unable to speak with the gag that has kept him from biting down on a suicide capsule, and his own hands bound, the zealot gives them only the merest of glances as he passes by.

"Be on guard," Kaito whispers to Jin and Ling, loud enough for only them to hear. Their grips on their weapons tighten as they stare at the slowly-shrinking gap between their prisoners. Jin's eyes dart from Lao, to Mavado and Hsu Hao, the portal behind them in case anything should emerge from it, then to their prisoner as he shuffles forward, watching for any signs of strange or sudden movement.

Lao and the Red Dragon pass each other, finally at the halfway point. It is at this moment that Kaito, Jin and Ling are at their most vigilant, on utter guard for something, anything, to happen. With another step, the prisoners are now closer to their respective allies, and another step follows.

When Kung Lao reaches them, Jin immediately rushes forward to help him. He sees the extent of the damage; Lao has been beaten soundly, covered in bruises and cuts, and his breathing is ragged. He seems unable to speak. Ling helps Jin bring her father behind Kaito, who imposes himself in front of them and the Red Dragon.

The prisoner reaches his masters, his head bowed. Mavado walks up to him and places a hand on his shoulder and whispers something to him. He then looks back towards them and calls out, "This was not so bad, was it? We should do this again sometime."

He then brings up his knife and impales it through the neck of the prisoner, dragging it across the man's throat to violently tear it out. The man twitches and falls down, writhing slightly as he dies.

"Damn," Kaito mutters. "So much for the tracking device..."

"You had a tracker on the prisoner?" Jin asks.

"A last-minute idea of Sonya's. We figured the man would be dead in their hands, but they're not even bringing him back. We hoped they might..."

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>>4545081

Mavado and Hsu Hao suddenly step aside from the mouth of their portal, and the black-haired lieutenant calls out, "A parting gift from Lord Daegon himself!"

Before their eyes, a massive fireball emerges from the portal, surging towards them. "Move!" Kaito shouts, slamming his foot onto the ground and forcing a boulder-sized chunk of stone to rise up in front of him. Jin and Ling grab Lao and attempt to move for distance. When the fireball strikes the stone, it shatters the barrier into pieces, sending chunks of burning rock in all directions and nearly knocking Kaito to the floor. His cloak threatens to blow off of his shoulders as he holds up his hands to guard against the sheer force of the explosion. Jin and Ling stand protectively over Lao, shielding him from the blast and the debris that follows.

Jin barely has time to notice Mavado and Hsu Hao leaving through their portal in the wake of the fireball, and the portal vanishing behind them. The spectral dragon winds into itself, twisting into nothingness.

All that is left is a great blackened spot upon the ground where the rock Kaito raised was. Kaito himself stares at the vanished Red Dragon for only a moment before turning back towards Kung Lao. He approaches quickly and kneels alongside him. "Let me," he says, holding up his hands. He conjures forth a water that both cleanses Lao of blood while healing his wounds; his cuts begin to close and his bruises lose some of their color.

>Open a portal back to base
>Get him into a nearby temple
>Call for backup
>Attempt to get Lao to speak
>Other

>>4545084
>Call for backup
Kung Lao is safe, but the Red Dragon tried to cover their tracks - in more ways than one. Who's to say they didn't try anything else fancy?

>>4545084

>Call for backup
>Attempt to get Lao to speak
>Get him into a nearby temple

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>>4545086
>>4545112

Jin takes out his beacon and activates it. Within seconds, portals open up all around them, and the team streams through, ready for battle.

No battle finds them, however, as the Red Dragon are gone. Kaito looks at the others and quickly orders them, "Spread out and secure the area! Get eyes on the tops of the cliffs."

Vapor immediately turns into mist, carrying herself, Cassie and Jacqui upwards, crawling up the canyon wall. Sheeva lets out a mighty roar and leaps high upwards, towards the opposite side of the valley wall and over the great drop. She does not reach the top, but smashes against the stone wall, practically burying her fists in the rock. She begins scaling it immediately. The others all fan out on the ground level in front of the temple.

Jin, Ling and Kaito lift and carry Kung Lao to the steps of the temple, getting him into cover. There, Kaito continues to apply his healing water, waving his hands over his body. Lao's breathing grows calmer.

"Grandmaster?" Jin asks, gently stirring him.

"Father," Ling says, cradling his head protectively.

Though his eyes are closed, Lao replies. "I am alright," he assures them, though his voice is still weak. "The Wu Shi Academy..."

"It was attacked," Jin tells him. "Many of our brothers... they are gone. The archives have been destroyed."

Lao swallows and lets out a pained sigh. "Then it is as I feared... just as it was twenty years ago..."

"Lord Fujin stopped the fires. Many of the buildings still stand. The central temple is gone... they destroyed it after taking you."

Ling now speaks. "How did they capture you? Who was it?"

Lao opens his eyes. "It was Daegon himself. We fought, but while I may have been strong enough to defeat one of his men, he made short work of me. He had such speed and power... In my state, surprised as I was, I was no match for him."

Kaito, his work finished to the extent that he can perform it, pulls his hands back and sits on his knees. "Daegon himself. I should have guessed."

Jin frowns. "Guy Lai was a traitor. He wished to be Grandmaster, and allied himself with Daegon. When he arrived in the temple to send me to the village, he sent me to the wrong village and ambushed me in the forest. He told me himself. He wanted to finish me off, away from the others, and take your place."

Kung Lao closes his eyes and leans his head back into Ling's hands. "I am filled with sorrow. This treachery strikes deeply... I never suspected one of our own would fall to Daegon's machinations. He is dead, then?"

Jin shakes his head and answers, "No. I left him alive, so that we could question him. But the Red Dragon only wanted our prisoner in exchange for you, and not Guy Lai, so I suspect he knows nothing."

"What happens now?" Ling asks.

Kaito answers. "We get him back to the island for medical attention. We can talk about the rest of this situation later."

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>>4545353

Another portal opens, and medical personnel along with Cyrax emerge. The Special Forces medics rush over to Kung Lao and get him onto a stretcher and quickly usher him through the portal. Ling decides to go with them while Cyrax remains behind. Jin feels a compulsion to go with Kung Lao, but knows he is safe and in good hands and so elects to stay here.

Kaito approaches the yellow-clad cyborg and clasps his hand. "It's good to see you again."

"Likewise," Cyrax replies cordially. He stops shaking hands and visually inspects the area. "My sensors are detecting unusual energy signatures in this area."

Jin stands up and walks next to him. "Like what?"

"There are fluctuating patterns in the ambient environment that indicate an instability in the anchoring of reality, characteristic of those read in portal storms, such as those that affected Earthrealm during Shao Kahn's invasion."

"Too many portals in too small an area in too short a time," Kaito notes. "Makes sense. How bad is it?"

"The readings are lowering at a consistent rate. I do not believe there is any danger."

Jin looks at Kaito. "Wait, there's a danger in our portal technology?"

"It's a problem with portals in general. Raiden and Sonya once explained it to me; a portal, no matter what creates it---magic or science---is a rip in reality from one point in existence to another. We tear a hole, then it closes, but this leaves a kind of 'scar' in the fabric of reality. Think of them like actual scars on a human body; they are evidence of a wound, but heal in time and fade. The OWEA has developed means that can detect if a portal has opened by scanning for the scar it leaves behind, but only in a window. Eventually it becomes impossible to tell because the scar has fully healed."

Cyrax then adds, "Too many rips in one place can have permanent and disastrous effects. The Lin Kuei discovered this when they were experimenting with portal technology for the Cyber Initiative that was later improved upon by the Special Forces. Destructive energy can be unleashed; loss of personnel in the space between realms is possible as they are sucked into oblivion."

"The furies," Jin notes. "They become unbalanced."

"Exactly," Kaito replies. "There are also other factors, like distance traveled, the size of the portal and the duration that it is opened. The OWEA have been running experiments but the science is difficult to narrow down. Sonya has let me look at the results; a lot of the technical stuff goes over my head, but the gist of it is that too many portals is a very bad thing."

Jin's brow furrows; he hardly had any idea that there was such danger in their portal use. "It was somewhat reckless of us to portal in through several then, wasn't it?"

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>>4545359

"Perhaps," Kaito says. "We have safeties in place on our personal portal generators developed by the OWEA to prevent 'bad' portals from opening. Those readings that Cyrax was picking up; if we had tried to create a portal using one of our devices while they were too high, they wouldn't function. That's partly the reason the Dragon Jets were developed, so that we could travel to other realms using portals in the air, away from unstable regions, but still give us mobility."

"That's good," Jin says. He looks back towards the area where the Red Dragon were standing, which is currently being combed over by Takeda and Tundra. "What kind of portal were the Red Dragon using? I've never seen one like it. It looked incredibly stable and was open for a long time."

Kaito nods. "That's a very good question."

>Return to base
>Stay in the area
>Speak more with Kaito and Cyrax
>Speak with another team member
>Other

>>4545361

>Speak with another team member
Speak with Takeda and Tundra

>Stay in the area

>>4545361
>>4545405
Seconding.

>>4545361
>Stay in the area

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>>4545405
>>4545697
>>4545710

Kaito continues to converse with Cyrax over the nature of the Red Dragon portal. Jin, in turn, walks away and approaches Tundra and Takeda. They note his approach with a glance, but Takeda is the one who speaks up.

"No fight, eh?"

"Not exactly," Jin replies. "The only back-and-forth was with words. Then, apparently Daegon himself threw a fireball at us."

Tundra looks back and asks, "That scorch mark?" Jin nods. "Must've been one hell of a blast."

"Kaito blocked it with a stone barrier." Jin is silent for a moment. "They gave us Kung Lao back, but kept his razor."

"Thieves. Wonder what it's worth to them," Takeda muses.

"They ambushed us when we opened the family vault, and said they were after weapons. Ancient weapons. My best guess? They're accumulating magical artifacts for some purpose, probably consolidating them somewhere. Maybe even trying to learn how to replicate them."

"That's a sobering thought," Takeda says with a whistle. "An army of men with razor-lined magical hats? We need to find these guys and soon."

"It's just a guess," Jin says, approaching the dead body of their prisoner. He kneels alongside it, turning it over. "Apparently there's a tracking beacon on this guy. Not a bad plan, but we should've known that they'd kill him as soon as they got their hands on him. They have absolutely no regard for their own, each person is simply a means to an end... I want to know how they corrupted a Shaolin."

"Corruption is an insidious thing," Tundra says, his voice barely greater than a whisper. His eyes gaze into the distant corners of the canyon; his one good eye seeming just as empty as his milky-white one. "It feeds upon your worst qualities, but rather than get rid of them, it only makes them stronger, which in turn fuels it more. Soon enough, before you can even realize what's happened, it's too late."

"What are you saying?" Jin asks, looking over his shoulder.

"That vigilance and discipline are the only things that keep it at bay. That and love."

Jin finds himself chuckling. "A bit much, that last part, don't you think?"

"It's a proven fact that the only thing that keeps us from being heartless monsters is that we care. Call it friendship, call it camaraderie, call it whatever you wish; it's love."

"I'm gonna have to agree with Jin on this one," Takeda says. "It's a bit... kiddie."

The cryomancer tilts his head and raises his brow. "Ever see many corrupted children?"

"Ever see Children of the Corn?" Takeda replies. "Cassie made us watch it. Those kids were messed up, man."

Beneath his blue mask, Zian lets out a low laugh. "Maybe you two might deny it, but I don't. I've seen first hand what love can do to change someone, even a demon."

>The area seems clear; we should head back to base.
>Love is a weakness; our enemies exploit it.
>Maybe you're on the right track.
>We should explore more of the area.
>Other

>>4546071
>Maybe you're on the right track.
>The area seems clear; we should head back to base.

>>4546071
>>4546075

Seconded.

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>>4546075
>>4546079

Jin thinks for moment. "Maybe you're on the right track about something. Vigilance, discipline, love---in whatever form it takes. Maybe."

He stands up and looks back towards the others, who have begun to gather. "Looks like we're getting out of here," Takeda notes, walking up next to Jin. "Regroup back at the base, sit through a debriefing, then back out to hunt the Red Dragon some more."

"If they crop up," Jin mutters. He looks back down at the body of the dead man. "We still have no idea where they are."

"So we keep looking." Takeda puts a hand on his shoulder. "Let's go."

Together, they and Tundra walk over to the others. One portal is generated, through which they all travel back to the base. Once there, as Kaito begins to deliver a report to the general about everything that happened, Jin quickly heads towards the medical center to see Lao. He finds Ling sitting alongside her father, who is lying in bed beneath a white sheet with tubes running into his arm. Jin quickly and quietly enters the room.

"I'm just glad to see you," he picks up Lao saying. With Jin's presence becoming known, Lao adds, "Both of you."

Ling says, "You had us worried. It wouldn't have been a very good ending."

"Indeed not. I'd hardly have been satisfied with that." He gives her a wry grin and places his hand upon hers, squeezing softly. He seems in a remarkably light mood, given what has happened.

Jin sits down in another chair near the foot of Kung Lao's bed, laying his staff on his lap. "What happens now?" he asks. "With the Wu Shi Academy, I mean..."

"We rebuild it, just as I and Liu Kang did long ago."

"But the archives are gone..."

"Then it is good you read most of it; you can help recreate it."

Jin is startled by how casual the answer is. He must know how much of a herculean task that would be. "But... the archives were so much more than what I could possibly recollect. My memory would be second-hand, vastly inferior to the knowledge of the original, less eloquent."

At that, Lao laughs. "That knowledge was collected and recorded by monks who were no different than yourself, often from second-hand sources themselves, no more or less eloquent. I have every confidence that you will be able to meet the challenge. Other resources exist that will help you: texts from other monasteries, libraries of the world, and the realms are full of knowledge. Only the archives were lost, Jin---not all the knowledge in the world."

Jin calms down somewhat, nodding his head. "I understand, Grandmaster. I will not fail you."

"Don't worry about failing me. Worry about failing yourself. Only you will know when the archives are complete."

"But Grandmaster... the archives may never be complete."

Lao grins once more. "Precisely."

>Ask him about his fight with Daegon.
>Inquire about his missing hat and its potential location.
>Express your anger and frustration at the Red Dragon.
>Wish him well on his recovery and excuse yourself.
>Other

>>4546274

>Inquire about his missing hat and its potential location.
>Wish him well on his recovery and excuse yourself.

>>4546274
>Inquire about his missing hat and its potential location.

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>>4546293
>>4546305

Shifting in his seat somewhat and looking at Ling, who offers nothing more than an amused shrug, Jin changes the topic. "Grandmaster, they took your weapon. Your family heirloom."

"Ah... yes, they did." Lao closes his eyes.

For several moments, there is silence. Then, Jin realizes that Lao is not pausing in recollection, but falling asleep. "Grandmaster!" he says, insistently stirring his foot beneath the blanket. "Please, you must think: do you have any idea where it may be? Where they are taking the weapons they collect or what they are doing with them?"

"Oh, I'm sorry," he says, blinking. "I must admit, I am very sorry to have lost it. But this wonderful anesthetic is keeping me from thinking too heavily upon it."

Jin sighs. "I understand. We will speak more, later." He looks at Ling. "You'll stay with him?"

"Drugged as he is, it'll be the most quality time I've ever spent with father," she jokes.

Jin takes his staff and stands up, hesitating only a moment. "I'm glad we have him back."

Ling delicately pats her father's arm. "As am I."

Jin departs the medical wing, whereupon he is met by Jacqui, who was sent to collect him on behalf of the general. Jin joins several others from his team, but noticeably not Kaito, in the debriefing room and delivers a full report on the hostage exchange.

"Why weren't we told about the tracking device?" Jin asks Sonya as they near the end of the meeting.

"It was a last-minute idea. Intelligence was not intentionally withheld from you, Jin. Regardless, the situation dictated your complete focus on getting Kung Lao back safely." Sonya sits back and taps her fingers on the table. "We're doing all that we can to try and find the Red Dragon. Fujin has graciously offered his assistance, but we have very few leads. Unfortunately, the Red Dragon have us at a disadvantage on several fronts; they know much more about us than we know about them."

"They threatened Kaito's mother," Jin says.

"Yes, he told us. We're putting her somewhere more secure."

"How secure, exactly?" Jin leans over the table and looks around before staring at her in the eyes. "How deep could the Red Dragon infiltration go? They had a Shaolin monk, one much older than me, in the palm of their hand. How many Special Forces might they have?"

Sonya's face is darkly serious, even more so than usual. "The military has faced the insider threat ever since its creation, Jin. We do everything we can to weed out traitors. We've never been unaware of the potential of our enemies to slip within our ranks. Let us handle it."

Her stern words set him back a bit, and he leans away from the table slightly. "Understood, General."

Sonya closes the file in front of her and stands up to leave. Once she is gone, Cassie looks at Jin and asks, "What was that all about?"

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>>4546554

"Just something Ling and I have had on our minds. How do we know we are truly safe from the Red Dragon? That they don't know our every move as soon as we make it? We may not have had saurians in our staff, but how can we be sure that there are no Red Dragon among the base personnel?"

The others all end up looking at each other; nobody has an answer.

"All we can do is trust that we're working with the right people," Cassie finally says. "...And keep our eyes and ears open."

"What about me and my dad?" Takeda suggests. "We could do a mental screening of everyone. Probably him; he's better at it than I am."

"That could be seen as a gross violation of privacy," Cassie replies. "The staff could protest."

Fox, his arms folded, sitting at the corner of the table, speaks up. "Not if they don't know it."

Everyone looks at each other again, with no one raising any complaints. "Not the worst idea I've heard... I'll pitch it to the general," Cassie says, pushing her chair back to leave the room. Some of the others follow her lead, but Takeda does not.

Jin looks over at Takeda. "Something on your mind?"

"I was just thinking... All of this Red Dragon stuff with the Shaolin started when they ambushed you at your family's vault. They only attacked the monastery when you took one of theirs alive. But the reason you there in the first place is because Shang Tsung refused to part with his book."

"We expected he wouldn't."

"Right, but don't you think he could be doing more for us? That book of his is supposed to contain all sorts of knowledge and let him see many different places---how come he isn't using it to help us find the Red Dragon? Or the saurians?"

Jin purses his lips and thinks. "Could be he doesn't know."

"Or he's just biding his time until he can get rid of us from his island," Takeda says in a low tone.

"Hard to say. I wouldn't call him our ally, but we can't exactly rule him out as an enemy, either. He very well could be just biding his time; it's not like he has much else to do."

>Let's go talk to Shang Tsung.
>Return to your room and meditate.
>Seek out Kaito.
>Return to the medical ward to spend time with Lao and Ling.
>Other

>>4546559


>Let's go talk to Shang Tsung.

>>4546559
>Seek out Kaito.

>>4546559
>Seek out Kaito.

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>>4546777
>>4546785

As Jin stands up, Takeda follows. "I need to go talk to dad about what you've said," Takeda tells him. "Maybe he could read a few minds even if the general doesn't approve."

"You think he would?"

"To find the Red Dragon, he would. Daegon took my mother away from us."

Jin understands the gravity of those words; the Red Dragon may have offended him greatly by attacking the temple, burning the archives and kidnapping the Grandmaster, each act of which would be worthy of great retribution, but for Takeda it is a debt that runs much, much deeper.

"I need to ask Kaito a question."

"Maybe they're in the same place. They're old friends. Let's go find them."

Takeda's instincts prove correct. Jin even suspects that he may have known due to a faint mental link with his father, operating on some level of subconscious knowledge, but it could also have simply been a reasonable guess. Kenshi and Kaito are on the roof, looking out over the setting sun. Not so much in Kenshi's case, but perhaps he can see it through Kaito's eyes.

Whatever conversation they were having is interrupted as Takeda and Jin approach. They both turn as the younger warriors walk up to them, and Kenshi speaks. "My son. We were just discussing the Red Dragon."

"Popular topic today," Takeda replies in a sorry tone. "It'd be nice to be done with them for good."

"We will find them," the blind swordsman promises, placing his hand on his son's shoulder. "Hsu Hao, Mavado, and yes, Daegon. All of them will get their due."

Jin recalls his earlier conversation about Kenshi's prior defeat at Daegon's hands, how he was left for dead in the Living Forest in Outworld, found and saved by Kaito and Takeda. His eyes trail downwards as he thinks about how he initially denied that Kung Lao could lose, but Daegon must be a truly formidable foe... or perhaps merely a cowardly one, fighting only battles he knows he can win, such as those where he outnumbers the opponent.

He looks at Kaito and gestures for them to step away. "Mind if I take a moment?"

Kaito nods and Kenshi walks off to speak with Takeda as he and Jin head towards another corner of the roof, overlooking the ocean as it is painted orange by the setting sun.

"What's on your mind?" Kaito asks.

>Talk to him about Otiak
>Talk more about his recent absence
>Discuss your problem meditating
>Talk about the Red Dragon and the Shaolin
>Other

>>4547032
>Discuss your problem meditating
>Talk about the Red Dragon and the Shaolin

>>4547032

>Discuss your problem meditating
>Talk about the Red Dragon and the Shaolin
>Talk to him about Otiak

>>4547032
>Discuss your problem meditating
>Talk about the Red Dragon and the Shaolin

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>>4547033
>>4547053
>>4547141

"I've been having a problem," Jin begins to say, then stops himself. "I don't really know what it is. And all this mess with the Red Dragon has probably only made it worse..."

"What is it?"

"For some reason, I cannot meditate like I used to. Even before the attack on the temple, I was having difficulty for some reason, like I was distracted. But before the attack, I didn't think I had one."

Kaito places his hands on the railing and leans forward. "I have to admit, I'm not too good at meditation myself. Patience, that I know, and I've learned some meditative techniques to enhance and focus my powers, but I've never attained a higher level like the Shaolin can."

"When I go to the higher plane, my meditation is interrupted by what feels like a foreign presence. It distracts me and pulls me out of my focus."

"Does it feel like a curse? Or malevolent?"

"No, there's no malevolence or negativity, it's simply just there."

"Hm." Kaito thinks for a little while, listening to the waves roll up onto the beach. "Well, maybe it's just something inside."

"I did see a red headband when last I attempted to meditate. But both Liu Kang and the Great Kung Lao wore one of those, and besides, I may not have even seen it clearly."

Kaito is quiet for a moment longer. "Liu Kang's death has had a profound effect on me, too."

"I mean, it can't possibly be that simple," Jin begins to protest, but Kaito keeps speaking.

"He was the best of us. I wanted to be the greatest martial artist, at some point, but I was fooling myself. What I really loved doing was traveling: seeing new sights, new people, new fights. New experiences. Liu? He was on another level. He lived martial arts, breathed it, made it his own. He inspired everyone to be better, even if you only met him once. Getting to see him fight, it was wild. If I didn't have the power that I had, I never would have been anywhere near his level. His power came from within."

"But he grew complacent," Jin points out.

"Sure... that's one way to look at it. But I would argue that at least he never forsook his morals. Maybe he was distracted by his love for Kitana, and was smitten by her realm, but why not? Who is to say that even if he hadn't left the temple to live in Edenia, the same wouldn't have happened?" Kaito looks over at Jin. "There's a reason our enemies went after him. He inspired everyone, even our enemies, and even if it was inspiring fear... or jealousy."

"Jealousy..." Jin mutters, looking out over the water. "Do you think I could be jealous of him? Or the Great Kung Lao?"

"I wasn't suggesting that... but maybe that's just it. Maybe you make things too much about yourself, even if you don't mean to. Liu Kang may have been many things, but he wasn't selfish. Wanting to live a life with Kitana in Edenia, that's not selfish. There's nothing selfish about wanting peace and love in your life, especially to share it with another person."

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>>4547526

Kaito sighs wistfully, clearly thinking about someone in particular. Jin considers asking him about it, but fears such a thing would be invasive of his privacy. It is curious, though---both he and Tundra have spoken on the positive quality that love can bring into one's life.

>Talk about love.
>Ask to meditate with him.
>Inquire about his personal life.
>Thank him and move on.
>Other

>>4547528

>Ask to meditate with him.

>>4547528
>Ask to meditate with him.

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>>4547532
>>4547546

Instead, Jin asks, "Would you meditate with me?"

"It's kind of a personal thing, isn't it? Or are you just trying it out with different people and seeing if anything sticks," Kaito asks, his voice more mirthful than it has been today.

"Maybe you could observe, and see if there's anything physically wrong."

With a shrug, Kaito sits down. Jin is halfway into following the action when he notices Kaito looking past him and then hears footsteps approaching.

"Excuse us," Kenshi says as he and Takeda walk around Jin's left. "I couldn't help but overhear and thought we might be able to render some assistance."

"You were all the way at the other corner of the rooftop," Jin says, slightly dumbfounded.

"When you are blind, you hone many other senses, starting with hearing," Kenshi explains as he and Takeda sit upon their knees and place their hands in their lap. "Together, Takeda and I can influence your mind. We will not alter anything, of course; you meditate, lay the path, and we shall simply follow, and we may 'anchor' you." He looks at his son, though it is more of a slight tilt to his head for their sake so they know whom he is speaking with. "Are you prepared?"

"I am," Takeda replies, taking a deep breath.

Kaito settles, as do Kenshi and Takeda. Jin is uncertain of the telepaths and what they may do to help or hinder, but is willing to give it a try. He takes a deep breath of his own and closes his eyes. Soon, the sensation of the breeze rolling over the ocean and the sounds of the waves gently washing against the shore fades. He follows the path that he has come to know so well, even if the destination has eluded him.

Once more, Jin is on the side of the mountain. He opens his eyes and stands, turning, searching, but finds no one other than himself. For it is not Liu Kang, nor the Great Kung Lao that stands before him: it is himself.

Jin looks at this vision of himself, wearing simpler clothing; the garb of a monk and the red headband of his ancestor. His eyes are closed and he faces the sun, standing upon one leg with his palms touching, his other leg tucked beneath. For several moments he simply stares at his other self, worried that he may simply vanish, but he does not. He suspects that it is due to his 'anchoring' at the hands of the telepaths, and wonders if they can see what he sees. Regardless, he is determined to take advantage of the opportunity and attempts to make contact.

"You're me," Jin says, his voice distant; it is not his physical force, but rather the voice of his mind and heart. "You're me? I don't understand. I felt a foreign presence before... but you are me."

"I am foreign, in a way," his other self replies.

"Are you supposed to be what I am meant to be? The better me?"

"I simply am."

His other self lowers his back leg, seamlessly transitioning into a form of moving meditation, the form of which every Shaolin knows. As he moves, his feet draw small circles in the dirt of the mountain.

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>>4547855

"But then why do you feel alien to me? Why do I see you as my ancestor?"

"Because you do not choose to accept me. You fight me, suppress me, ignore me---and because of this, I am foreign to you."

Jin closes his eyes, puts his hands on his hips and laughs lowly. "So, after all this doubt and wondering what's wrong, who's haunting me---it turns out it's me. Is that the lesson? That I'm my own greatest enemy?"

"I am not here to teach you anything," his reflection replies as he moves in place, slowly yet purposefully moving his arms and legs in a flowing motion. "I simply am."

"I can hardly believe this," Jin mutters, approaching a nearby rock and sitting on it. "Here I am, attacked outside my ancestral home, betrayed by a brother monk, my temple and home assaulted, the archives burnt, my mentor and Grandmaster taken and beaten within an inch of his life, his family heirloom stolen by the enemies responsible for all of it... and I can't even blame anyone for my meditation problem. It's just me. That's the cherry on top."

He sits for a moment more in silence, simply watching his other self move. He feels an uncontrollable urge well up within him, and he jolts upwards. "Alright then, tell me, what is it, huh? Am I too too present, too focused on physical things, like the archives? Am I distracted, upset, lost? Am I too angry, too vengeful for wanting to make right what has wronged me? Because I already know all of that! Or is it my arrogance? My pride? Is it that I often feel superior to those around me? Well how is that MY problem? Why don't THEY get better?"

His other self says nothing and only continues to move, going through the motions of the Shaolin tradition.

Jin, however, is not nearly done. "Give me an answer, damn it! Am I not living up to my potential? Am I always comparing myself against others and my ancestors? Is that why you're dressed up like that---do I actually wish I was the Great Kung Lao that everyone speaks of with such reverence? What's holding me back? Why can I not find peace? Why are you here, insisting that I am denying you?" He hesitates. "Is it love, then? Like Zian said? Friendship, camaraderie---what am I missing? I love my family, I love my home, I love the Shaolin and my friends and my cause---and myself! I love myself! So WHY are you not with me?"

Jin finds himself shaking, his nerves feel as though they are on fire. In spite of his insistence on loving himself, he feels as though he is at war with himself.

Finally, his other self stops moving, and simply offers him a humble look. "The greatest point of negativity is where we find the greatest opportunity for improvement."

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>>4547860

Jin wants to say more, he wants to continue to shout and question and demand, but he is powerless to do so, for with but a simple touch, his other self sends him hurtling back into the physical world. Jin finds himself breathing heavily, as though out of breath, gasping for air. His heart is racing and his eyes feel blurry---they are wet with tears. He brings up a hand to wipe his eyes, staring at the moisture on them in confusion.

"What happened?" Kaito asks. "One moment you were fine, and the next, you weren't."

"How long?" Jin asks.

"Only a few seconds."

Jin lowers his head as Takeda and Kenshi remain silently seated. "I know that the deeper levels of meditation allow one to disregard the flow of time, but it usually results in making long periods of time feel short. The other way is not inconceivable, but... Strange..."

Kenshi then speaks. "We felt conflict, and merely kept you stable. Something much stronger forced us out and you back to the physical world."

"Stronger," Jin repeats his word.

"What did you see?" Takeda asks.

"Myself," Jin answers, even though he knows it only invites more curiosity. "I talked with myself, but it wasn't much of a two-sided conversation."

"Fascinating," Kenshi says, tilting his head forwards and turning it slightly. "I've heard of inner demons, and separating the Ego, Id and Superego, even conflicts between right brain and left brain, but which was this, I wonder?"

"Nothing that I think talking about will help," Jin replies, unfolding his legs to stand up. "Clearly, I have some stuff to work through. I said a lot of things to myself that I framed as questions, but I already know the answer to. But what I still don't understand is that my 'other self' said I wasn't accepting him. I don't even know what part of myself I'm rejecting in the first place."

"Perhaps we will find it together," Kaito offers. "Only if you want us to."

A distinct growling is heard, and Jin realizes he hasn't eaten since the morning. "For now, a good meal will do wonders." The others all smile at that. They stand up and begin to follow Jin back towards the roof access stairwell, but then suddenly stop dead in their tracks.

There is a lone figure standing in front of them on the rooftop, tall and imposing. The sun, nearly completely set, casts its orange glow upon his dull green scales, and beneath a black cobra-like hood two gleaming yellow eyes stare at them.

Otiak merely says, "The time has come. Where is the book?"

To be continued in our next thread...

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That concludes this thread on Kung Jin; I sincerely hope you enjoyed it. I has a blast writing it.

It's been a long while since we had a poll, so here's one for the protagonist of our next episode: https://strawpoll.com/y1y9abc3o

I don't believe I mentioned it in the first half of this thread, but while I was away in Korea during 2020 our five-year anniversary came and went in April. I was in the field at the time, and couldn't run a thread; I was also going through some personal stuff, but I'd like to think I'm past it. On another small note, I got the opportunity to visit the military base I started writing the story on, now long abandoned and left to rot for about three years now. It was a wild trip, let me tell you, seeing the places I inhabited and had so many memories of now decrepit and ruined.

I just wanted to say how wonderful it is that we've been running for five years now; look at all we've accomplished. Though the time and places have come and gone, we're still here, and that's pretty special. For those who have stuck with me so far, I can't thank you enough. I'll see this story through to its end for you.

I've archived the thread in the usual place: http://suptg.thisisnotatrueending.com/qstarchive/4538527/

Be sure to join us on Discord: https://discord.gg/8BHvxRH