Mortal Kombat: Equestria

by Green Akers

In Liu Of Victory

Taking a sip of her ice tea as she sat on one of the many palace balconies, Princess Celestia couldn't help but smile as she watched the sun begin to sink low in the sky. "Oh, Luuuu-naaaa!" she called out. "Tell me, what's the current face of the moon?"

"Face?" A dark blue pony appeared in the balcony doorway. "Dost thou mean 'phase,' dear sister?"

"No...but it was a rhetorical question anyway," Celestia admitted, using her magic to float a piece of paper over to her sister. "Do you think you could project this onto the moon tonight?"

Luna scrunched up her face at the sight of the picture: a bald, misshapen face sporting an oversized creepy smile. "Are thee sure?" she inquired. "Thy image is...disturbing."

"I know," Celestia replied, looking over at Luna with a smile similar to that of her drawing. "Raiden won't be able to watch the primetime fight with us tonight, so I figured I'd send him a little message instead."

Luna arched an eyebrow. "Pray tell, fair sister," she questioned, "what possible message could such a face deliver?"

Celestia took another sip of her tea, and turned to watch the sun go down. "Just one: Ponies rule, and humans drool."

---

After making storage arrangements for the soulless remains of his companions, Liu Kang returned to his hut, trying to maintain his focus as a thousand different thoughts raced through his mind. "I must quiet my mind," he told himself. "My battle tonight will require more of my strength and discipline than any before it, if I wish to taste victory. Perhaps I should meditate, and pray to Raiden for guidance."

"That won't be necessary." Liu Kang froze at the sound of another's voice behind him, and he spun around to find that Raiden was already waiting for him. This was no mere vision of Raiden, however - this time, the elder god was live and on location to deliver his pep talk.

"Raiden?" Liu Kang scratched his head at the development. "What brings you here?"

"Anger, determination, and the most annoying set of ponies I've run into since I lost twenty grand at the Belmont back in '93," Raiden answered. "I can deal with losing one fighter this early in the game - especially when it's Johnny Cage - but losing two like this cuts our margin of error down to zero, and gives me a serious case of heartburn." Raiden glared at Liu Kang will all the seriousness and gravity he could muster. "We're one loss away from ceding the entire planet to Shao Kahn," he reminded Liu Kang, "and I am not about to let that happen."

"Neither am I," Liu Kang confirmed, "but I believe your estimates are overly pessimistic. After all, the ponies fight with us, not against us."

"Do they?" Raiden asked. "Sure, they talk a good game about saving their friends - heck, they might even believe they're doing the right thing! But do you really think they stand a chance of beating Shao Kahn's minions - not to mention Kahn himself - and winning the tournament?"

"If I have my way tonight," Liu Kang proclaimed, "the answer to that question will be moot."

"Yeah, well, I'm not taking any chances," Raiden declared, reaching into his pocket and pulling out a small metallic ring. "Take this," he insisted. "It will help you in tonight's battle."

"No," Liu Kang declined. "I find that such trinkets interfere with my fighting style. Besides, I only wear bling on karaoke night at the Shaolin temple."

"Look here," Raiden explained, "this is an anti-magic ring. It will render any spell cast on you completely ineffective." Tossing the ring at Liu Kang, he pulled out a small pamphlet detailing the day's matchups. "I picked this up at the island's visitor center," he remarked, pointing to Liu Kang's name on the paper. "You're scheduled to fight Twilight Sparkle, Celestia's personal protégé back at her academy. She's a potent spellcaster, but all that time spent reading books in the library means she doesn't pack much of a punch physically. With this ring, her magic will be powerless against you, and she'll be a sitting duck...or pony, in this case."

Liu Kang eyed the ring suspiciously. "Isn't this cheating?" he finally inquired.

"Hey, if that stupid gun Stryker carries around is legal, there's no way this ring is against the rules," Raiden pointed out.

"Point taken," Liu Kang agreed. "Very well - I shall carry this ward with me into battle."

"Good." Raiden turned and headed for the door. "I'll leave you to your meditation."

Liu Kang looked down at the ring in his hand. "Where did you get this thing, anyway?" he asked, just before Raiden exited the hut.

Raiden shrugged and kept walking. "I won it from a miniature giant space hamster in a poker game," he called back to Liu Kang. "Now those guys have some cool trinkets."

---

The night's broadcast opened with a closeup of the moon, complete with the troll face Celestia had asked her sister to display. "Even the man in the moon is tuning in tonight!" Joe Buck's voice drifted in from off-camera. "There's a full moon out, and that means anything goes - of course, when it comes to Mortal Kombat, anything goes no matter what phase the moon is in! We've got an epic matchup on tap for you tonight, as the reigning tournament champion - and arguably the greatest warrior in Mortal Kombat history - takes on the ringleader of the most improbable team of hotshots to arrive on the scene since Chuck Norris hit town!"

The camera switched to a head shot of the announcer, who was standing next to the candlelit battle arena where Twilight had first defeated Goro. "Good evening, everyone," Joe continued, "I'm Joe Buck, here with you once again from Shao Kahn's private island, where one of the most anticipated bouts since Tyson-Holyfield is about to get underway! As I bring in my partner Hulk Hogan, I have to say, Hulk, this has to be the last matchup we expected to be an instant classic."

"You got that right, brother!" Hulk agreed. "I mean, we're talking Liu Kang, one of the toughest, most experienced brawlers of all time, going up against Highlight Speckle, a lightweight egghead whose daily exercise routine consists of turning pages - on paper, this thing's a total mismatch! But take it from the Hulkster, dudes - this girl is no one-trick pony! She's a serious sorceress who gave up five hundred pounds and four-arms to Goro and still cleaned his clock like a boss! I tell ya, Joe, the guys in Vegas have Liu Kang as a slight favorite, but he's gonna have his hands full tonight!"

"Liu Kang's certainly got the experience advantage in this fight," Joe offered, "and while he's a perfect 41-0 against Motaro in his career, nothing can really prepare you for a fight against a purple unicorn with enough magic to make Albus Dumbledore jealous. On top of that, Twilight's posse has put together an impressive 9-0 record and taken the planet by storm, earning congratulatory tweets from A-listers, attracting thousands of fans worldwide, and most impressively of all, knocking Tim Tebow off the back pages of the New York Daily News."

"I've never seen anything like it!" Hulk gushed. "We're talking Ponymania, brother!"

Meanwhile, high above the broadcasters, Shao Kahn sat in his private box, munching on a cupcake and gazing silently at the crowd below him. "Mmm..." he murmured, savoring the sweet delicacy in his hand. "Seriously now, why can't we get treats like this in Outworld? Perhaps I should talk to the Cakes about franchising their shop and opening up a branch back home..."

"I'd go easy on the sweets if I were you, Kahn," a voice remarked from behind the Outworld emperor. "Empty calories are a fighter's worst nightmare."

Shao Kahn turned to see a familiar set of eyes staring at him from beneath a wide-brimmed hat. "Why, Raiden!" he exclaimed with a smile. "How nice of you to grace us with your presence. Please, have a seat!"

"I'd rather stand," Raiden replied, not returning Shao Kahn's smile. He walked over to the edge of the box and looked down at the crowd. "What's your game here, Kahn?" he inquired.

Shao Kahn couldn't help but laugh at the question. "Raiden, Raiden, Raiden..." he declared, shaking his head, "what do you think my game is? I'm here to conquer the Earth and finally take control of the realm I so justly deserve! Honestly, I'd have thought you'd have figured that out by now."

"It's different this time," Raiden accused. "You're letting a bunch of unwitting ponies do your dirty work for you by having them take out the warriors your henchmen never could."

"So?" Shao Kahn shrugged. "You've heard that old line about the ends justifying the means, haven't you? I don't give a flying fart who beats your champions, Raiden, so long as they are beaten...for once they are gone, your world is mine."

"Don't go counting your chickens before they hatch," Raiden advised. "You've thrown an entire book of dirty tricks at Liu Kang before...and every one of them fell flat."

"Perhaps," Shao Kahn admitted, "but as you so eloquently put it, things are different this time. This 'Twilight Sparkle' character dispatched our friend Goro with frightening efficiency."

Raiden dismissed the statement with a wave of his hand. "Please," he insisted, "that fight wouldn't even crack Liu Kang's top ten smitings of that four-armed freak. That pony's game is all smoke and mirrors." He turned away from Shao Kahn to hide the smile forming on his lips. "I doubt her magic will pack quite the same punch this time around," he predicted.

---

Back down on the ground, Twilight and her friends had gathered at the edge of the ring for one final pep talk. "All right, everypony, hooves in!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "What are you gonna do here, Twilight?"

Twilight gulped nervously. "I'm...gonna win," she managed to say, albeit with a Fluttershy-esque level of confidence. "I'm gonna beat Liu Kang."

Rainbow Dash gave Twilight a disappointed look. "Not sounding like that, you won't," she observed. "Say it again, like you mean it!"

"I'm...gonna win tonight," Twilight repeated.

"I can't hear you!" Rainbow Dash declared.

"I'm gonna win!" Twilight shouted.

"Louder!" Rainbow Dash implored.

"I'm gonna beat this guy!" Twilight screamed.

"LOUDER!" Rainbow Dash yelled.

Twilight took a deep breath. "I'M GONNA KNOCK THIS POSER INTO THE MIDDLE OF NEXT WEEK!" she proclaimed.

"That's the spirit!" Rainbow Dash announced. "And what are we going to do, gang?"

"Um...cover our eyes, plug our ears, and try to think happy thoughts?" Fluttershy offered.

Rainbow Dash facehooved. "Try again," she demanded.

"We're gonna cheer Twilight to victory!" Applejack answered.

"And eat our weight in cotton candy!" Pinkie Pie added.

"And look fabulous doing it!" Rarity chimed in, sporting her usual elegant attire.

Rainbow Dash sighed. "Wrong on all counts!" she declared. "We're gonna boo the heck out of that Liu Kang guy! If that bozo thinks he's just gonna walk in here and squash us like a bug, he's got another thing coming!" She looked disapprovingly over at Liu Kang, who was calmly stretching at the other end of the circle. "Just look at that scrawny wimp," she muttered. "Seriously, put a freakin' shirt on!"

"Pay no attention to him, darling," Rarity suggested, turning back to Twilight. "Don't worry about a thing," she told her fellow unicorn. "Remember that brains triumph over brawn every time."

"And you've got one thing that rascal ain't!" Applejack added, pointing at Twilight's horn.

Twilight closed her eyes, took a deep breath, and steeled herself for battle. "You're right!" she proclaimed. "It's not about strength and power - it's about preparation! I've read more books on martial arts than this guy's read in a lifetime, and I've put together a set of spells that will guarantee victory!"

"That's what I'm talkin' about!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "Now get out there, and show him what you're made of!"

"Ladies and gentleman!" All eyes turned to the fight's announcer, who had stepped into the center of the ring. "It's time for tonight's final matchup, so I ask all of you...are you READYYYYYYY?!

The crowd's loud reaction to the question suggested the answer was 'yes.'

"In this corner," the announcer began, pointing towards the empty side of the circle where Twilight was slated to enter, "the most feared librarian in all of history, who will make you regret not returning your books on time...Twiliiiiiiiiiight Sparklllllllle!"

Twilight bounded into the ring with a renewed sense of vigor, waving her hooves to acknowledge the cheering crowd.

"And in this corner," the announcer continued, "the reigning champion of Mortal Kombat, and winner of eight of the last ten tournaments, a warrior, enforcer, and all-around tough guy...Liuuuuuuuuuu Kanggggggggg!"

Liu Kang bowed his head and stood still, eschewing a flashy entrance and choosing to tune out the crowd and quiet his mind instead.

"Combatants ready?" the announcer asked.

"Ready and able!" Twilight confirmed.

"As am I," Liu Kang added, finally looking up.

"Then let's get this show on the road!" the announcer declared. "FIGHT!"

"Time for 'Operation Victory!'" Twilight announced. "Step 1: The Super Soaker!" Gritting her teeth as her horn lit up, she began drawing water vapor out of the air around her to conjure a stream of liquid that began circling her. "Take this!" she shouted, aiming her water stream at her opponent and blasting it at Liu Kang like a fire hose.

Liu Kang didn't even flinch as the attack connected, and the water bounced harmlessly off of him, not even soaking his clothes. "Twilight strikes first," Joe narrated, "but the attack doesn't seem to have any effect!"

"Amazing!" Hulk gushed. "He must be using some duck style of kung fu!"

Twilight, for her part, was too busy to notice that her attack had fizzled. "Time for Step 2!" she decided. "The Super Shocker!"

As Liu Kang looked on stoically, Twilight's horn began crackling with electric energy, and suddenly a lightning bolt shot out from the horn, sped across the ring, and struck Liu Kang square in the chest, drawing a gasp from the crowd as it hit. Once again, however, when the lightning fizzled away, Liu Kang looked no worse for wear.

"Er...correct me if I'm wrong, sugarcube," Applejack asked Rarity, "but when you hit somepony that hard...shouldn't it leave a mark?"

"Well...perhaps this Kang fellow is a distant relative of Pinkie's," Rarity suggested.

"Whoa! You really think so?" Pinkie gasped, then pulled out a photograph depicting a huge collection of ponies smiling for the camera. "Hmmm..." Pinkie Pie mumbled, scratching her chin as she scanned the picture. "Well, he wasn't at the last family reunion," she informed her friends, "but cousin Stinky Pie couldn't make it - maybe he's from that branch of the family."

Twilight, for her part, had moved on to Step 3 in her plan, still completely oblivious to the fact that her attacks weren't having any effect. "Here we go - the Seismic Smite Special!" she proclaimed, as the aura around her horn grew larger and brighter.

Suddenly, Liu Kang found himself bathed in a white light, as if someone had turned on a spotlight above his head. Looking up, the warrior's eyes widened slightly as a beam of light shot down from the sky and headed straight for him. "Very impressive," he admitted.

BOOM! The force of the light beam hitting the ground sent a tremor (and a thick cloud of dust) through the entire area. "Gah!" Rarity shouted, ducking behind Fluttershy as the cloud swept over them. "Honestly, Twilight, was that really necessary?" she complained.

"We'll...see!" Twilight managed to reply in between coughs.

"Twilight opens with an impressive trifecta!" Joe announced. "But will this shot be any more effective than her first two?"

Unfortunately for Twilight, the answer was a resounding 'no.' Unleashing a fierce battle cry, Liu Kang burst from the dust cloud on a dead run, heading straight for his pony opponent.

"Wha...?" Startled by the attack, Twilight froze, and could only watch as Liu Kang closed in.

"I can't look!" Spike covered his eyes and buried his face in Pinkie Pie's mane.

POW! BANG! BOOM! Reaching his opponent, Liu Kang executed an efficient seven-hit combination, ending with an uppercut that drew a roar from the crowd and sent Twilight flying back across the ring. "And Liu Kang showcases both style and substance with a devastating set of blows!" Joe reported.

"Oof!" Twilight landed in a heap on the other side of the candlelit circle. Trying to blink away the stars from her eyes, Twilight looked up just in time to see Liu Kang rushing in for another attack. "Yah!" she screeched, instinctively summoning a purple-colored energy shield to protect herself. Liu Kang, however, went through the shield like a knife through butter, executing another six-hit combo that sent Twilight flying out of the ring, over the crowd, and crashing up against the side of the nearby stone building.

From his box above the action, Shao Kahn muttered something unprintable under his breath as he watched Twilight slide down the wall.

Twilight's friends had a similar reaction. "What the hay is going on out there?" Rainbow Dash shouted. "That guy went through Twilight's shield like it wasn't even there!"

"Maybe...he's immune to magic," Spike hypothesized nervously. "Twilight's told me about creatures like that..."

"No way!" Rainbow Dash disagreed. "This guy is way too lame-looking to be magic-proof!"

"Well, whatever this feller is," Applejack stated flatly, "Twilight better figure out a way to turn things around, and fast."

Meanwhile, Twilight lay on her back up against the building, trying to remember the license plate of the truck that had just hit her. "Who...what...where..." she moaned, staggering to her feet as the crowd parted around her to give Liu Kang a clear path to his opponent.

"Your quest is noble," Liu Kang monologued, "but it ends here." With that, he raced towards Twilight for another attack.

"YAH!" Still lucid enough to remember how well her 'fight' response had worked before, Twilight chose the 'flight' option this time, casting her trusty teleportation spell and disappearing into thin air as Liu Kang approached.

"Twilight pulls out her Elvis impression and leaves the building!" Joe declared. "The question is, where will she re-emerge?"

Liu Kang remained on guard, unsure if Twilight had teleported or used a Reptile-esque invisibility spell. "Your power is strong," he remarked, "but it will take more than mere magic to defeat me."

"He's got that right, brother!" Hulk confirmed. "It's time to find out if Skylight Sickle has the soul of a true warrior!"

Suddenly, Twilight reappeared from the ether, ending up just behind her friends. "Goodness!" Fluttershy exclaimed. "You look terrible, Twilight!"

"It's nice to know I look the same as I feel," Twilight muttered, pounding on her head with her hoof. "Think, girl!" she exhorted herself. "If magic can't hurt him, you've got to think of something that will!"

"Hey! She's over here!" a voice called out from the crowd, causing everyone to turn towards the purple pony.

"No rest for the weary," Twilight grumbled.

Instead of rushing over, however, Liu Kang remained by the stone building. "You are not the only spellcaster in this fight," he revealed, "and you are also not the only one who can call on a dragon for assistance!" Bringing his hands together, he thrust his palms out towards Twilight, and a plume of fire shaped like a dragon's head shot towards the pony.

"HOLY..." The end of Twilight's statement was drowned out by the roar of the flaming dragon, and she quickly conjured up another teleport spell, disappearing just before the fire beast reached her.

"And Twilight moves to a hide-and-seek strategy!" Joe narrated. "But how long can she avoid the champion's attacks?"

"That's a great question, Joe!" Pinkie Pie interrupted, popping up between Joe and Hulk. "You know what else is a great question? If you mash up cherries in a tortilla, should we call it a chimicherry, or a cherrychanga?"

"Good grief!" Joe exclaimed, sticking his fingers in his ears. "Quick, go to commercial!"

Meanwhile, Twilight reappeared back along the side of the stone building a mere fifteen feet from Liu Kang, but dived around the corner of the structure before being spotted. "C'mon, Sparkle," she pleaded with herself, "those fillies are counting on you! You've got to find a way to beat this guy, or you're gonna be soul food for Shang Tsung - literally!"

Back out by the ring, the crowd had started to boo the lack of action, but Pinkie Pie's incessant chattering sent everyone - including Raiden and Shao Kahn - looking for things to stuff into their ears to block the sound. Luckily, the concession stand vendors had learned their lesson from Pinkie's previous primetime bout, and had more than enough cotton candy for everyone.

Liu Kang, for his part, sensed an opportunity to bring the crowd into his corner. "Where is you honor, Twilight?" he demanded. "A warrior does not run and hide in the face of danger - they resolve to fight with all their soul, and face their fate with bravery and pride!"

"Sure," Twilight mumbled to herself, "because 'I fought with bravery and pride' would look so good on my tombstone." Looking over towards the treeline, she spotted the trusty boulder that both she and Rarity had used to great effect in the first round sitting nearby. "Perhaps it's time for the heavy artillery," she decided, using her magic to levitate the boulder.

Back at the battlefield, the crowd was starting to find its voice again. "Come out, you magical coward!" "Did you go running to your mommy?" "Mr. Ed fights better than you!"

"Booooooooring!" Rainbow Dash shouted. "We want a battle, not a rotten apple!"

"Rainbow!" Applejack scolded her friend. "You're talkin' about Twilight here!"

"I know," Rainbow conceded, "but come on! This is like watching paint dry!"

"The crowd here is getting restless!" Joe commented, as Hulk fought to hold Pinkie's mouth closed. "When is Twilight going to make her move?"

"Right now!" Twilight declared, using every last bit of her power to fling the boulder towards the ring. "Bombs away!"

Twilight's aim was true, and Liu Kang quickly realized that he was standing at the boulder's landing point. Instead of moving, however, he chose to stay put, and drew back his fist. "HI-YA!" he shouted, thrusting his hand forward as the rock approached.

SMASH! The sound of the rock hitting its target drew Twilight out from her hiding spot. "Gotcha!" she proclaimed, bouncing giddily back into the ring. "Now then, if there's nothing.." She stopped in mid-sentence when she saw Liu Kang standing in a pile of rubble, still frozen in his follow-through pose, and realized it was the rock that had broken and not Liu Kang.

Liu Kang gave Twilight a funny look. "Really?" he asked. "You thought a rock would beat me? I'm a martial artist, for crying out loud! Smashing boards and blocks is at least 50% of my training regimen!"

"You don't say," Twilight muttered.

"This charade has gone on long enough," Liu Kang announced, raising his right hand as a ball of flame began to form in his palm. "It is time to end this!"

"Yipes!" Twilight screeched as Liu Kang flung his fireball at the mare. Predictably, though, Twilight managed to teleport out of harm's way at the last second, drawing another round of boos from the crowd.

Up in Shao Kahn's private box, Raiden could only shrug at his host. "What can I say?" he offered. "Liu Kang likes winning even more than Charlie Sheen."

Liu Kang stomped around the ring, his hand still smoking from the fireball. "Where is she?" he asked. "Stand and fight like a ma...er, pony!" Behind him, the crowd booed in solidarity.

"Things are looking bleak for the unicorn now," Joe narrated. "It'll take a miracle comeback for Twilight to win!"

Eventually, Twilight reappeared behind the crowd, and quickly skittered back to her hiding place around the side of the building. "This is bad," she muttered. "My magic's no good against this guy, and I'm ten years of training and one Angelo Dundee away from going toe-to-toe with him...what'll I do?" Spying a fallen palm tree about ten feet away, a burst of inspiration hit her like a Liu Kang roundhouse. "I've got it!" she declared happily.

"Such cowardice is beneath you, Twilight Sparkle!" Liu called out from the ring. "Face me, and let us discover our destinies."

"D...d...does she have to?" Fluttershy whimpered, cowering behind Rarity.

"Yoo hoo! Liu Kang!" A deep contralto voice suddenly sang out from behind the building. "I'm over hee-yer!"

Liu Kang hesitated for a moment, as the crowd scattered from in front of the stone structure. "Who is there?" he asked, not immediately recognizing the speaker. "You are not Twilight."

"Oh, I'm Twilight, all right!" the voice assured Liu Kang. "If you don't believe me, come around the building and find out!"

Liu Kang approached the building cautiously. "I do not trust you," he proclaimed. "You sound...hoarse."

The crowd stopped booing Twilight for not fighting, and started booing Liu Kang for his terrible pun.

"You crushed my voicebox with that last combo of yours, okay?" Twilight sputtered in frustration, forgetting that she had been speaking just fine between now and then. "Just get over here and fight, would you?"

"Very well." Stopping just before he rounded the far corner of the building. Liu Kang took a few steps backwards, let out another battle cry, and leaped around the corner with his fists and feet flying.

Liu Kang's eyes nearly popped out of his head at what he saw: Waiting for him around the corner was Twilight Sparkle, bulging with muscles and nearly five times her original size, pinching the fallen palm tree between her front hooves and holding it like a baseball bat. "Hidey ho, neighbor," she greeted her opponent, as she reared back with her weapon. "Batter up!"

Liu Kang flailed his arms wildly trying to slow his momentum in mid-air, but it was too late. "Oh, crud," was all he could manage to say.

CRACK! The loud crack of the tree caught everyone's attention, and the crowd watched in awe as Liu Kang was unceremoniously launched into the night sky. "EEEYYYAAAHHH!!!" Liu Kang screamed.

"He's going back-back-back-back-back-back..." Pinkie Pie called, freeing herself from Hulk's grasp and channeling her inner Chris Berman.

"What the..." Raiden's nearly fell out of Shao Kahn's box as he leaned over the railing to watch Liu Kang sail. "Impossible!" he objected. "There's no way!"

Shao Kahn could not contain himself, and started rolling on the floor with laughter. "My my, Raiden," he teased his guest, "perhaps your warriors have been spending too much time with these ponies - they're starting to fly like them!"

As everyone watched and waited with bated breath, Liu Kang cleared the trees, the beaches, and eventually the entire island, finally landing in the ocean several hundred feet offshore. "We have splashdown!" Pinkie declared.

Shao Kahn managed to pick himself up off the floor and compose himself enough to deliver his final verdict. "This match is over!" he called down to the throngs below. "Miss Sparkle is victorious!"

The crowd began cheering at full volume, giving Twilight a standing ovation as she emerged from around the building. "Incredible!" Joe shouted into his microphone. "Twilight Sparkle channels her inner Albert Pujols and sends Liu Kang on a one-way trip all the way to El Salvador!"

"The old Team Rocket Send-Off Special!" Hulk gushed, wiping a tear from his eye. "Beautiful job, brother!"

Not knowing what else to do, the announcer raised his finger in the air and swung his hand in a circle to signal a home run. "Touch 'em all, Twilight!" Pinkie Pie shouted, now channeling Bob Costas. "You'll never hit a bigger home run!"

Twilight obliged the fans by doing a victory trot around the ring, winking at her friends as she passed by. "Neat, huh?" she asked rhetorically.

"Er...Twilight?" Applejack asked. "Why do you look like that Iron Will feller on steroids?"

"Well," Twilight explained, "since I couldn't use my magic on Liu Kang...I decided to use it on me instead!" She flexed one of her front legs for the crowd. "The tree was a nice touch, don't you think?"

"Heck yeah!" Rainbow Dash declared, "That was sick, girl! I didn't know you had it in you!"

"Um...Twilight?" Fluttershy inquired. "What about Mr. Kang? Is he going to be alright?"

Twilight froze. "Oh, no!" she realized. "He's probably drowning out there! We have to go save him!" With that, Twilight turned and headed for the beach, plowing a path through the fans that had stormed the circle in celebration.

---

Luckily for Liu Kang, the impromptu cold-water bath had brought him to his senses, and he had managed to drag himself back onto shore by the time the ponies arrived. "Liu Kang!" a back-to-normal-size Twilight cried out, her spell having worn off by the time she reached the beach. "Are you okay?"

"An...an odd question...from the one who...who put me here," Liu Kang acknowledged. "But I do not die so easily."

"Well," Rarity huffed, "if I'd have known that, I wouldn't have risked sullying my outfit by taking a shortcut through the forest."

A set of faint lights began shining through the treeline. "Listen carefully - I do not have much time," Liu Kang insisted. "With my fall in battle, the defense of our realm - and yours - falls to all of you. You must continue to fight your way through the tournament, and claim victory by defeating Shao Kahn and his minions. It will not be easy, and Kahn will use every trick at his disposal to stop you...but in watching you battle, I have seen that you all possess the strength and the spirit needed to triumph."

"Don't worry," Twilight assured the fallen warrior. "We won't let Kahn and his cronies take over the world."

"You got that right!" Applejack seconded her friend. "We'll teach that realm-hungry rascal not to mess with us Equestrians!"

"Not to mention punish him for his crimes against fashion!" Rarity added, drawing a disapproving look from everypony around her. "What?" she declared incredulously. "Have you seen that awful thing he wears on his head? It's simply horrid!"

The lights in the distance grew brighter, and soon Shang Tsung and a squad a ninjas emerged from the trees. "It is time," Liu Kang observed. "Stay strong, stay focused...and teach Kahn a few lessons about friendship."

Wearing a smile a mile wide, Shang Tsung strode smugly up to Liu Kang and the ponies. "Your soul has always been a personal favorite of mine, Liu Kang," he proclaimed. "To possess a man of your strength...it is a high no drug could ever match."

Liu Kang winked knowingly at a guilty-looking Twilight. "Enjoy it while you can, sorcerer," he answered, "for the arrangement will be temporary."

"Whatever you say," Shang Tsung casually responded, looking over at the ponies. "We'll handle things from here," he explained. "You should all hurry over to the castle - Shao Kahn would like to talk to you."

"Fine by me!" Rainbow Dash declared. "I've got a few things to say to him myself!"

"Rainbow, wait!" Twilight cried out in vain, as the pegasus took off for Shao Kahn's fortress. "Ugh," she muttered, as she and her friends gave chase.

---

Rainbow Dash zoomed through the halls of Shao Kahn's castle, making her way to the emperor's personal chambers. "Dirty rotten lousy snake!" she muttered. "When I get my hooves on him, I'll..." She stopped abruptly in mid-sentence, as a familiar cry reached her ear from farther down the hall. "Wait...is that..." she whispered, kicking herself into another gear and zipping down the hallway until she reached a large set of ornate-looking double doors.

"Take that!" Rainbow shouted, spinning around and bucking the doors open with her best Applejack impression. "All, right, you lousy mother..." she began to speak, but cut herself off again, this time due to the sight of a small iron cage sitting on the floor in the middle of the room, which contained three familiar-looking-and-very-much-alive fillies: Apple Bloom, Sweetie Belle, and Scootaloo.

"Rainbow Dash!" Scootaloo cried out, rushing to the edge of the cage to be as close to her idol as possible. "I knew you'd come!"

"You're darned right I would!" Rainbow Dash declared, quickly scanning the cage to find the door. "When somepony steals the soul of my number one fan and practically begs to have to their tail kicked, I am there!"

"Hmph!" Shao Kahn pouted sarcastically from the corner of the room. "Are you just going to take your friends and leave without saying goodbye to your host? I'm hurt, Rainbow, I really am."

"Rainbow!" Twilight called out, and she and the rest of the Ponyville crew burst into the room. "You shouldn't go running off like...

"Apple Bloom!" Applejack interrupted, racing over to the cage. "You're alive!"

"And Sweetie Belle! Thank goodness you're..." Rarity suddenly twisted up her face in agony. "My word!" she objected, covering her nose with her hoof. "You three need a bath, stat! Why Sweetie, you've even got mold growing on your flank!"

"That's what that is?" Sweetie Belle's face fell. "Aw...I thought I'd finally gotten my cutie mark..."

Shao Kahn pantomimed wiping a tear from his eye. "Such a heartfelt reunion," he observed. "I knew you all would appreciate it."

"So this is what you wanted to see us about?" Twilight inquired.

"Ah, Twilight - getting straight to the point as always!" Shao Kahn replied. "As a matter of fact, this is what I wanted to discuss with you. You see, I saw you all working so hard out there and mopping the floor with your opponents, and I thought to myself, 'You know, Kahn, I think these ponies - and don't forget our friend Spike! - have proven their point, and they shouldn't have to slog all the way through the tournament just to save a couple of fillies.'" He reached into his pocket, and pulled out a brass key. "I have here the key to the young ponies' cell," he announced. "You may take it, free your friends, go back home to Equestria, and forget this whole thing ever happened."

"Really?" Applejack was skeptical of the offer. "You mean you'd just let us up and leave like that?"

"Of course," Shao Kahn answered. "That is what you wanted, isn't it?"

"Well...yes, I suppose..." Rarity admitted.

"Then what's the issue?" Shao Kahn asked. "You've saved your friends, triumphed over your critics, and probably picked up another million fans in the process. What's left to accomplish? And besides..." He looked over at the caged fillies. "Haven't they been through enough?" he posed.

Apple Bloom looked over at Applejack. "I...I wanna go home, Applejack," she decided. "I really do."

"Me too," Sweetie Belle added.

"So you've been smacking down the bad guys in death matches?" Scootaloo asked Rainbow Dash, completely ignoring Shao Kahn's question. "That must've been awesome! I wish I could've seen it!"

Applejack and Rarity exchanged pained glances, as Liu Kang's final request echoed in their minds. "Er..." Applejack stammered, "well, uh, you see..."

"The truth is, Sweetie..." Rarity started to explain.

"It's okay, girls," Twilight proclaimed. "You should get the fillies out of here while you can." She looked back over at Shao Kahn with the fiercest gaze she could muster. "With Liu Kang gone, we're the only ones standing between Kahn and total domination. I have to stay and finish the job."

"Me too!" Rainbow Dash declared. "You're not taking over the world on my watch!"

"But we can't just leave you here to face all these...fellows...by yourselves!" Rarity objected.

"Rarity's right!" Applejack seconded. "We're strongest when we work as a team!"

"Well, then don't go!" Scootaloo offered. "Stay and knock their blocks off!"

"Scootaloo!" Apple Bloom shouted. "If we don't leave right now, they're gonna leave us stuck in this cage for the whole thing!"

"Actually," Shao Kahn interjected, "Shang Tsung was going to re-consume your souls if your friends didn't take us up on the offer...but, you know, to-may-to, to-mah-to, six of one, half-dozen of the other."

"I don't wanna go back there, Scoot," Sweetie Belle offered. "It was cold, and dark, and...and we could be stuck there forever!"

"Aw, it wasn't that bad," Scootaloo countered. "Besides, these jokers will never beat Rainbow Dash! She's the best!"

"How true..." Rainbow mentioned to nopony in particular.

Apple Bloom looked back over at Applejack, her spirit stirred by Scootaloo's speech. "You know something?" she decided. "You're right! Applejack, you're the greatest rodeo pony in all of Equestria! You could beat these guys with two hooves tied behind your back!"

"But if I don't take you home now, that varmint Shang Tsung will take your soul back," Applejack pointed out. "Are you really okay with that?"

"Just make sure I don't stay there too long!" Apple Bloom said with a wink.

"I dunno, girls..." Sweetie Belle admitted.

"But they need Rarity here too!" Apple Bloom insisted. "You've seen how nasty she can be!"

"I beg your pardon!" Rarity objected. "I am a lady, Apple Bloom - I do not get 'nasty'!"

"Oh really?" Sweetie Belle arched an eyebrow. "Then how would you have described yourself after Opal ate one of your false eyelashes?"

"I did not get nasty," Rarity reiterated. "I was only...mildly irritated."

"Well, if you sew Opal's tail to the wall when you're 'mildly irritated,'" Sweetie Belle reasoned, "I'd hate to see you when you really get angry."

"People, please!" Shao Kahn finally shouted. "So let me get this straight - you three want to stay and be part of Shang Tsung's soul collection?"

"That's right!" Scootaloo responded. "We're not afraid of you!"

"...well, maybe just a little," Sweetie Belle added.

"And the rest of you are okay with this?" Shao Kahn went on. "None of you want to take them home and leave the competition?"

Rainbow Dash wheeled on Fluttershy (who was cowering behind Pinkie Pie at the time) and gave her the evil eye. "Don't even think about it," she warned.

Shao Kahn sighed and shrugged. "Fine - be that way," he decided. "I'll have Shang collect the fillies' souls when he gets back from the beach. You may all go back to your quarters and prepare for your next battle."

"We'll do that," Twilight agreed, turning to leave.

Apple Bloom and Applejack exchanged a hoof-bump through the cage bars. "Don't you worry none," Applejack declared. "We'll beat this rascal and get you home in no time at all!" The statement drew an eye roll from Shao Kahn, but none of the ponies noticed it.

"Stay strong, girls," Rarity encouraged. "We shall deal with these ruffians, and bring this whole matter to a swift and satisfactory conclusion."

Shao Kahn watched silently as the Equestrian contingent filed out of his chamber, then turned back to his desk. "An unfortunate decision," he acknowledged, "but not entirely unexpected. Perhaps these next matchups shall..."

SCREEEEEECH! A high-pitched sound approximating nails on a chalkboard suddenly filled the room. Flinching at the noise, Shao Kahn turned back around to see Scootaloo scratching the bars of her cage with her hoof. "Would you cut that out?" he demanded.

"What, this?" Scootaloo flashed Shao Kahn a smug smile. "Why? It's not bothering you, is it?"

"Either you stop, or I will..." Shao Kahn began to threaten.

"You'll what? Have your lame sorcerer take our souls like he was going to do anyway?" Scootaloo started digging on the cage with both hooves. "Come on, girls," she declared, "it's time for Operation Irritation!"

"Yay! Cutie Mark Crusader Crazy Cretins!" The three fillies exchanged a high-hoof, and began scratching on the bars in unison.

Muttering a phrase unfit for young fillies' ears, Shao Kahn stuck his fingers in his ears and turned back to his desk. "Perhaps I've been too easy on these ponies so far," he reasoned. "I think it's high time we showed them just how painful this tournament can be."

Comments

[Bookmaster]

I'm sorry I officially hate this story

[Bookmaster]

I mean twilight beating Liu Kang just no

[TundraStanza]

Magic...steroids? Really? That's not Twilight's style at all. *sigh*
Oh, forget it.
See you next chapter.

[AnubisLOAD]

I don't understand why people like liu kang in the first place, he doesn't even have that cool of moves. Anyways, great chapter I really liked Twilights plan and could easily see her do that. Looking forward to seeing the new developments, hopefully we'll see some ermac later too.

[confoundtheseponies]

From the comments, it seems like my complete lack of any exposure to Mortal Kombat allows me to enjoy this story much more.
I'm just here for the jokes and the violence, and so far I'm satisfied.

Although I do question how easily the mane 6 decided to not free the CMC until after they'd one the tournament, but meh.

[Ice]

........Right no, I can accept many things but you have to have at least one of them lose to a hero.

[Dozy Dreamer]

Hmmm. There is a major problem here. Whilst your style of hunmour is still top notch, I'm afraid I do have a slight problem. The ring made Liu Kang immune to magic - this means magic spells applied to him would not work. Of all the attacks he was struck with, only the laser beam thingy would have been ineffective - and even then, only if it were made out of magical energy. Him punching through Twilight's shield is stretching it slightly - after all, he's _immune_ to magic, not _anti-thetical_, but I'm willing to allow it. Everything else, though... No. The water attack would have struck him, because whilst the water was guided by magic and summoned by magic, in and of itself it was _not_ magical. The lightning would electrocute him because, again, whilst it was summoned and guided by magic, it _was not magical_. The rock... actually Liu Kang's point holds up there. my point is, however, that none of these were direct attacks. The magic involved in them was targeted at _the environment_, not Liu Kang, and so should have hurt him. Hell, by the logic that is implied in your story, the only reason Twilight didn't shrink into her normal self when she hit him was because the tree was wielded by her manually, and was entirely natural.

473126 No - Twilight's style is to unleash all kinds of hell with magic spells. She already tried that, and failed. Therefore she had to try something new.

[Dozy Dreamer]

482618

Firstly, I never claimed to be an MK fan - simply that I really like Sub-Zero.
Secondly, no the rule is never _permanently_ kill off Liu Kang. I refer you to MK: Deadly Alliance/ Deception.
Thirdly, I might not be a fan - but at least I can spell his name correctly.
Fourthly, if you had actually read my review, you would have noticed I was arguing for a more epic fight between the two. Whilst this is bordering on fandom favouritism now, it is still borderline acceptable because a) the lulz, and b) Twilight Sparkle is a unicorn who was personally tutored in magic for her entire life by a deity. How much deific influence does Liu Kang have in his life?
Finally, refresh my memory, what is the unofficial motto for the entire fandom?

[AnubisLOAD]

482618 Lol you are one angry dude. Also everyone is entitled to there own opinion, I think everyone knows your's by now, and mine is that I don't care much for just about any of the good guys besides Kenshi.

[Fat Autistic Weeaboo2222]

this story is so hype bro wooo

[godzilla54]

I really think at least spike and two of the ponies should lose. And that trollestia should send shao kahn to the moon. If it happens then I called it!

[godzilla54]

482618 Didn't the latest game do that. Raiden killed Lui Kang, remember. I agree it was a bit much for him to die though. But I will not freak out until sub zero is killed. That will be what pushes me over the edge. Also, sorry about my comment to you earlier. I apologize, and I hope you except it. Love and tolerance and all that crap you know.

[fluttershyfan3030]

this is getting intense I hope the ponies win

[Truthseeker]

"I won it from a miniature giant space hamster in a poker game,"

Minsk and Boo stand ready. Baulder's Gate reference! Golden.