//------------------------------// // Chapter 6: Jax // Story: MLP vs Mortal Kombat 9 // by zgwrox //------------------------------// Everyone was having a good time at the victory party, except Raiden, Jax, and Big Macintosh who were outside. Raiden looked at his amulet and said, "That's weird. I do not understand why my amulet is further damaged. He must win... if not Liu Kang, then who?" Jax looked at Raiden. "Ya got me... Not sure anyone coulda done what he did. Made Shang Tsung and Queen Chrysalis look like a pair of chumps. Right, Big Mac?" Big Mac looked at the two and said, "Eeyup." "Here to congratulate us on our victory, sorcerer?" Raiden said as he, Jax, and Big Mac turned around to see Shang Tsung, who was wearing an entirely different outfit, and younger. "What? Shang Tsung?!" Jax said. "You have been revitalized, I see. I didn't realize your master was in the habit of rewarding failure." Raiden said. Pinkie and Twilight walked onto the balcony and looked at the sorcerer. Twilight said, "Shang Tsung? What are you doing here? We didn't invite you to our victory party! Your name isn't on the list, so you aren't allowed. Now get out before I tell the others!" "The emperor has an offer, Raiden." Shang announced. "A new tournament." Raiden looked at Shang. "Psssh. I see no reason to participate in any plan of yours." Twilight added, "Yeah. Liu and I just kicked your butts, and now you want a rematch?" "The Emperor proposes a single tournament, to replace the current system of ten." Shang explained. "It will be held in Outworld. If Earthrealm does not win, Outworld will absorb it AND Equestria. But if Earthrealm wins, Shao Kahn will abandon is claim to it... forever." "Give your emperor my regards." Raiden told him. Twilight Sparkle said, "Buck off, Shang!" The rest of the Mane 7 agreed with Twilight. Shang grew angry and said, "Big mistake, everypony." Fire appeared on Shang's arms as he extended them. A portal opened up with a bunch of Tarkatans coming out. Raiden and the Mane 7 got into a fight with Shang, while Jax jumped off the ledge. He defeated three Tarkatans, and two more punched him in the face, he fell over and was knocked out with a kick to the face. Jax started to regain consciousness. "He gained a momentary advantage during our kombat and escaped. I now realize what we must do." said Raiden. Applejack looked at Jax and said, "Hey! Looks like he's wakin' up!" A grey pegasi stallion that looked like a mare named Ed Plus and an orange unicorn mare named Cordelia with cutie marks that look the same but have different colors have arrived. Ed looked at the fighters and said, "Hey, everypony. Sorry we're late." Jax got back up and said, "Anybody get the number o' that--" He stopped and looked around to see Sonya wasn't present. "Wait. Where's Sonya?" Applejack was confused, too. "I don't know. Wasn't she at the victory party?" "Shang Tsung and Chrissy have taken her." Raiden answered. "We gotta find her." Jax told everyone. "We must follow them!" Kung Lao responded. Raiden stated, "Shang Tsung has made it clear that both Earthrealm and Equestria will be constant threats unless I agree to a new tournament." Raiden had a vision of Liu Kang killing Shao Kahn. "Another vision?" Jax wondered. "Yes." Raiden explained. "I saw Liu Kang win the proposed tournament. I belive we must attend. But my earlier vision of your victory over Shang Tsung and Queen Chrysalis was not the solution I sought. Therefore, this premonition shows an event that I need to change. Perhaps 'He must win' refers to another." Discord magically appeared behind Raiden and said, "You should have seen the look on Jax's face when he woke up. Priceless!" Twilight looked at the dragonquus and said, "Discord, this is serious. We need your help to win this tournament. We can't let Shao Kahn merge Earthrealm with Outworld AND Equestria." "Hear me, Elder Gods! I accept the terms proposed by Shao Khan!" Raiden said as a golden light shone down on him. "We go to Outworld." In Shao Kahn's throne room, the emperor was greeted with Goro, who presented a yin-yang object to Shao Kahn. He gave it back to Goro, who put it in a chest which he and Sheeva moved out. Raiden, Johnny, Jax, Ed, Cordelia, Discord, the Mane 7, and Spike were looking at Shao Kahn and his minions, who didn't notice them. "I assume that's the big man himself." Jax said. "I can almost think of him ripping my jaw in half!" Spike said in fear. Ed had a happy look on his face and said, "He kinda reminds me of John Cena." "The wrestler guy with the cowskull on his head?" Johnny Cage asked. "And why aren't the Kung Fu Twins here helping us?” "I sent Liu Kang and Kung Lao to free their Shaolin masters." Raiden answered. "I expected Sonya Blade to be here with Shang Tsung." "She better not have a scratch on her." Jax said in anger as he walked forward. "Wait! They'll see us! This is a tournament!" Raiden warned him, blowing their cover. "Ah, the Earthrealm delegation has arrived." Shang said besides Shao Kahn. "And we have a volunteer for first kombat!" "Wait, what?" Jax was confused. "The tournament will begin... NOW!" Shao Kahn announced. The tarkatan army roared in cheers. "Jackson Briggs!" Shang called out. "You will face... Baraka!" The tarkatans applauded for Baraka as he stepped up with his blades out. "Damn you ugly." Jax called out. "My blades will find your heart!" Baraka said before he shot sparks at Jax. Jax hit the tarkatan general with a ground pound, launching him into the air where he was uppercut, and eventually he was defeated. Jax looked at him and said, "You shouldn't be running with those." He walked up to Shang. "Where's Sonya?" "Tell me, Major Briggs... do you and she do anything than rescue one another?" Shang asked. Ed was angry. "You tell us where she is right now, or I'll-" "SILENCE!" Shang demanded. "Your next opponent will be--" Shang was about to announce the next opponent, but was interrupted by Reptile. "What is it?" The creature whispered something in the sorcerer's ear. "Excellent. It seems I have a pressing matter to attend to. With the emperor's permission, we will reconvene later." Everyone except the Earthrealmers and Equestrians left. "What was that all about?" Jax asked. "I think we should follow 'em." Cordelia and Ed looked at each other. "Good idea." Raiden had a vision of Sonya chained up and throng to escape. "You okay?" Jax asked. "Sonya Blade... she is to be executed. My powers compromised here in Outworld, bio I will be able to transport us near enough to her.” Everyone left the throne room and found themselves in the armory. "Maybe you could try for even nearer next time?" Johnny asked Raiden. "Where are we, anyway?" "I will inform you the instant I know." Raiden said. "Man, Shang Tsung's island sure is confusing." Ed said. "You said it, Ed." Cordelia replied. "I wish this damn tracking device worked in here." Jax tried to get reception. "This is just like my movie 'Time Smashers,'" Johnny mentioned. "Where we were goin' around—" "Give it a rest, will ya?" Jax remarked. "Makin' my ears hurt." Johnny paused. "So what's the deal with you and Sonya, anyway? She's smokin' hot!" Johnny wondered. "It's not like that. I'm her C.O." "Honey like that, under my command? Oh I'd be so—" "You'll wanna stop talking now." "But if it's not like that, then you won't mind if I—" "That's it!" Jax exclaimed. "Time somebody shut you the hell up!" Twilight teleported in front of Jax. "Jax, stop it!" Jax was angry now. "Two against one, why the hell not?" With that, Jax plunged forward and punched Johnny in the face and kicked Twilight in the flank until they were beaten. "How do you like that, Mr. A-List?" "HEY! Save your fight for the tournament!" Rainbow Dash declared them to stop. "You're right." Jax sighed. "Sorry, Dash." Twilight apologized. "Enough!" Raiden scolded, walking to the major. "Jackson Briggs. You will restrain yourself." "Yeah well, I—" Before Jax could continue, Raiden motioned him to be quiet. "Someone approaches." "Good. Maybe somebody else needs their ass whooped." He walked up to Jade, while Johnny and Twilight got back up. "You lookin' for somethin'?" "The Armory is restricted. You will leave now." Jade ordered. Jax shook his head and said, "You're gonna have to ask nicer than that." Jade and Jax fought until she snapped his elbows. "Come on! I was gonna go applebucking with Big Mac!" Jax got angry and used an X-ray on Jade, defeating her. "Wrong place, wrong time, lady." Jax said. Johnny walked up to Jax and Twilight. "Feel better?" Johnny asked. "Uh, listen, Cage—" "Don't worry about it. Guess we know where we are now, thanks to her." "Yes," Raiden agreed. "And where we must go." Raiden headed off while Jax did so too. "Let's do it." he responded to the Thunder God's words, following him. "Um... um..." Johnny stammered not sure of what to do. "Come on, Cage!" Jax said from afar. Twilight grabbled the actor with her magic. In Dead Pool, creatures were playing a game which is like dice, but there was a lot of cheering involved. Watching them is Sonya and the Shokan Sheeva, the former being tied up. "What is it with you Shokan and underground cesspools?" Sonya asked. "If you haven't dishonored yourself by attempting escape, we would not be in this sewer." Sheeva told her. From afar, everyone found her. Johnny yelled, "Sonya! We're coming!" gathering Sheeva's attention. "Guards! Stop them!" Sheeva commanded. Jax glared at the actor. "So much for the surprise attack..." Jax told Johnny. The door behind them closed. "Well, what else could we have done?" Ed questioned. Johnny and Raiden got into a fighting stance and waited for incoming foes, but Jax seems to take care of their job pretty well, making one of the guards fall into the acid with the weapon he took from his now dead opponent. Applejack knocked the rest on the guards into the acid with their own weapon and said, "Ooh! This could come in handy!" "She is the emperor's property, human." Sheeva announced. "She's nobody's property." Jax reflected Sheeva's fireballs back at her. Sheeva jumped in the air, and tried to land on Jax, who uppercut her before she could hit him. "I guess extra arms don't make a difference." Jax said. Sonya watched her C.O. heading towards her and said, "You sure have a way with women." Jax looked up at the blonde and picked her up, gently placing her down once the anchor was away from her. "You know me. I'm a class act." Pulling out a knife, the major cut the rope while Johnny and Raiden walked forward. "Thanks." Sonya said. "What took you so long?" "He was busy hitting me in the face." Johnny answered. Sonya checked her wrist computer. "That's weird... I've got two sets of readings... heavy tech signals... both of 'em." Jax checked his wrist computer, which was still not working. He said, "What? How come yours is working but mine isn't?" Twilight looked at the two and said, "Well, now I'm REALLY confused." "Technology..." Raiden trailed, crossing his arms. "Then they cannot be of Outworld. We need to confront the source of each signal. We might discover the one whose victory I must insure." "Wait, what about us?" Johnny asked. "What are we? Chopped liver?" Everyone glared at Johnny angrily. "What?" "Perhaps you are right, Johnny Cage." Raiden replied, uncrossing his arms. "You and Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Ed and Cordelia will stay close to me. Close as a shadow, and twice as silent." "Sonya, you're with me, Rarity, Pinkie, Twilight, Spike, Discord, and Starlight." Jax announced. "Keepin' my eye on you." He walked up to her wrist computer and pointed one of the signals, saying to the Thunder God, "Raiden, looks like you'll wanna teleport yourself about thirty clicks that way."