//------------------------------// // Chapter 16: Raiden // Story: MLP vs Mortal Kombat 9 // by zgwrox //------------------------------// Raiden and Twilight have arrived in the Netherrealm. "Quan Chi! Quan Chi!" Raiden called out. Just then, Scorpion appeared. "It disappoints me to see you here." "Save your pity." said Scorpion. "Twilight and I will have an audience with Quan Chi." "You may address me. I will inform him." "Is this why you chose to not to save your family and clan? To maintain your place at his feet?" "Do not talk of my family, Raiden!" "Fetch your master, Scorpion. We must speak with him. NOW." "You speak only with me." Raiden and Twilight surrounded Scorpion. Raiden shot lightning from his hands and Twilight used magic to slam Scorpion onto the ground multiple times. Once the fight was over, Raiden said, "Now, Scorpion. Fetch your master." Scorpion teleported away in a burst of flames as Quan Chi appeared in his place. "You seek an audience." the sorcerer said. "I seek cooperation. Between Earthrealm and the Netherrealm." Raiden stated. "Losing the battle, are you?" "We will prevail. But with the Netherrealm fighting at our side--" "You lie poorly, Raiden. Earthrealm's defenses are overwhelmed. You have mere hours." "Name your terms." "What do you offer?" "I offer... I offer the souls of Earthrealm warriors who die in this conflict." Quan Chi laughed. "They would agree." "You are cavalier with other men's souls." "Not just others! I offer my own soul as well. If I die, you will have it." Twilight gasped and said, "Raiden, no! Don't do this!" "How noble, Raiden. Yet utterly pointless." Quan Chi waved his hand and summoned Cyber Sub-Zero, Jade, Nightwolf, Sindel, Stryker, Jax, Smoke, Kung Lao, Kitana and Kabal. "No!" said the other Thunder God. "You see, their souls are already mine." Quan Chi stated. "Shao Kahn's payment for Netherrealm allegiance." "No! This was not meant to be!" "Earthrealm has lost, Raiden. Now so shall you and Twilight. Finish them both." He told Jax, Stryker, and Kabal. "As you command, my master." Jax said. "Raiden, leave Quan Chi to me!" Twilight said as she fought the albino sorcerer. Raiden defeated the first three revenants and said, "May the Elder Gods watch over you." Twilight slapped Quan Chi in the face with her hoof and said, "Had enough?" "The Elder Gods cannot help them. Their souls are mine." Quan Chi told the next three revenants, "Kitana. Nightwolf. Kung Lao." "You sealed our fate in this place, Thunder God." Kitana said. "You have condemned us all." Raiden defeated them and said, "Curse you, Quan Chi." "Shao Kahn's victory is nearly complete." Quan Chi stated. "Soon, he will arrive in Earthrealm. "No. The Elder Gods cannot allow it." Raiden said. "The Elder Gods are toothless. Your worlds are near destruction. Yet they do not act." "They must! Only through Mortal Kombat may Shao Kahn merge the realms! Lest he face the judgement of the Elder Gods..." Raiden realized what he said. "Wait a minute! Twilight! That's it!" "What's it?" Twilight asked. "Lest he face the judgement of the Elder Gods! He must win!" "It is you who face judgement, Raiden." Quan Chi said. "Thank you, Quan Chi. We now know what must be done." Raiden said as he and Twilight disappeared in a flash of lightning. The two reappeared on the roof of a building and walked up to a portal. Liu Kang and the rest of the ponies took the stairs up. "Back from the Netherrealm empty-handed, I see." Liu said. "Twilight! Raiden! You're just in time!" said Applejack. "Liu Kang! Liu Kang, I now realize what we must do. We must allow Shao Kahn to merge the realms." "What?!" said Spike. "That is insane!" Liu added. "The Elder Gods forbid it without victory in Mortal Kombat." Raiden told everyone. "When he does, the Elder Gods' fury will fall upon him. Defeating Shao Kahn before the merge is but temporary. He will return, bringing Armageddon. I have foreseen it!" "Enough, Raiden!" Liu said. Everyone saw Shao Kahn moving his hand into Earthrealm. "He is here." Liu started to run up to the emperor. "No! Do as I say!" Raiden grabbed his arm. "Have faith in the Elder Gods. Have faith in me." Liu still wanted to fight but Raiden grabbed him again. "Liu Kang! I cannot let you fight Shao Kahn!" "Then you are my enemy!" Liu said. Raiden and Liu fought as Twilight tried to stop them from fighting. After Liu was beaten, Raiden said, "Liu Kang, do not interfere!" Liu got back up as Shao Kahn was almost out of the portal. Johnny and Sonya have arrived. "Liu Kang, stop!" Raiden said as Liu tried to run to him, but he shot lightning to block Liu. His fist had a flame covering it. "Liu Kang! Raiden! No!" Johnny said as he and Sonya ran up to him. "Enough of your madness! If you must die, so be it!" Liu yelled. Raiden tried to protect himself but accidentally electrocuted Liu. He got zapped and burned together. "By the gods, no!" Raiden said. Everyone walked up to Liu. "No. This was not meant to happen." "What did you do?!" Johnny asked. "Liu Kang, forgive me..." Raiden said. "You... have killed us... all." Liu said weakly. "Uh, guys?" Twilight said as Shao Kahn was out of the portal as he walked up to Raiden. "C'mon! It's up to us!" Sonya said as she and Johnny tried to stop him. "No, guys, no!" Starlight tried to warn them, but it was too late when Shao Kahn used his dark magic to push them away. Raiden bowed to the emperor. "Ah, Raiden. You have come to your senses." Said the emperor. "Earthrealm's citizens suffer. Further resistance serves no purpose." Raiden said. "All these ages you have fought me. You denied me my rightful claim. Not this time." He uppercut Raiden as he landed on his back. Things began to look a lot like his vision. He walked up to Raiden. "The Elder Gods fear me now!" He laughed as he picked Raiden up. "Their pathetic Mortal Kombat shackles me no longer." He threw the other thunder god to the edge of the building, where he fell and his amulet broke into a million pieces in slow motion. Shao Kahn pulled out his hammer. "They masquarade as dragons... but are mere toothless worms." He stepped on Raiden as he rolled over. "I know you can feel it. It is the end of all things." A green smoke appeared around him. "Elder Gods, where are you? Why do you forsake me?" Raiden asked as he was grabbed again. "Your time has passed." He threw Raiden again. "Ages wasted in foolish resistance. I have won." "Yes... you have won." "Now Raiden. Your world ends." He raised his hammer and was about to kill Raiden when golden lightning struck. "What the hay?" Asked AJ. The Elder Gods appeared as dragons, and swirled around Raiden, revitalizing him as his hat was back on his head. "You violate our will, Shao Kahn." Raiden said with the Elder Gods. "You merge realms without victory in Mortal Kombat. Our penalty is clear." They shot a golden light beam at the emperor, but it had no effect. Shao Kahn laughed. The Mane 7 and Spike ran up to Raiden's sides. The hammer disappeared. "An anemic effort for ineffectual deities. Today I become THE Elder God!" Shao Kahn yelled. "Alright, everypony. We're here to save Earthrealm and Equestria. Let's take him down!" said Raiden. Raiden, the Mane 7, and Spike fought Shao Kahn. He threw a spear at Starlight, who turned it into a bunch of colorful dust as it disappeared. Once he was beaten, he got up and said, "You never underestimate the power of Shao Kahn." "Oh yeah?" Twilight said. "Well, now you're about to feel the power of friendship!" The Mane 7 and Raiden put their powers together, as they shot a rainbow colored beam at him. "NO!" yelled Shao Kahn. "My magic powers... gone forever!" The Elder Gods ate his skin, as another rainbow beam shot into the sky, and it began to turn from red to blue. Raiden's amulet got put back together and the cracks disappeared. "It is over." Raiden said as he put his amulet back on. Johnny and Sonya helped him up. "But only at the gravest of costs." They walked up to Liu. "So many are gone. Their light has sunk into the earth. I am responsible for their loss." "You did what you has to do. to protect Earthrealm. Losses in war... are... are inevitable." Sonya said. "Come. Let us tend the fallen. Then we must help our realm rebuild. Our work has only begin." Raiden said as everyone left in a flash of lightning. Just then, Quan Chi appeared and picked up Shao Kahn's helmet as a hologram of Shinnok appeared. "Your plan worked to perfection, Lord Shinnok." the sorcerer said. "Shao Kahn was blinded by rage." Shinnok stated. "How easily was he convinced the the Elder Gods would ignore his merging the realms." "Yet the thunder god still lives." "No matter. Neither Outworld nor Earthrealm can withstand the Netherrealm's onslaught. It is time. Soon I will be free. Earthrealm, Equestria, and Outworld will be ours."