Disclaimer: Don't own Midway, New Line Cinema or anything else associated with Mortal Kombat. Thanks :) Rating: Uh, PG-13. WARNING: There are a couple of objectionable phrases in this story. If you aren't comfortable with two or three bad words, I wouldn't read this story. Also, there are some insinuations and innuendos. If you don't like story lines like that, I apologize. But thanks for giving it a try :) *HALLELUJAH. IT'S ENDED!!!* Mortal Kombat: A Different Interpretation: (10/10) by: Tara Depp And so it began. Johnny Cage watched uncertainly as the guard facing him moved forward, waving a metal spear in front of its face. Taking a risk, Johnny glanced around at his friends. Connor was battling against a tall, muscular guard with a pair of sais while Sonya was paired up with another guard who was holding a spear similar to the one matched against Johnny. But Liu Kang was nowhere to be found. Johnny guessed Shang had designated a place for them to fight. He filed this information and turned back to his fight. The guard facing Cage was weaving back and forth, looking for a time to strike against the actor. Deciding it would be wise to attack first, Johnny feinted a punch to the guard's throat. The guard blocked, as expected, and was immediately knocked to the ground by a powerful roundhouse kick. The guard fell, its spear clanging against the cobblestones. But Cage's opponent shook off the attack and jumped to his feet, leaving his only weapon where it had fallen. Johnny set himself up into a stance and watched as the guard jumped toward him, one leg flying out in a perfect flying kick. The guard's foot caught Johnny in the chest and sent him backwards into a wall. Cage fell heavily and the breath was knocked out of him. He looked up just in time to see an elbow smashing down toward him. Johnny rolled to one side and jumped to his feet. The guard was off balance and not ready for the heel of Cage's foot when it drove its self into the back of his neck. With a heavy groan, the guard fell and rolled around, trying to pull himself together. Johnny felt no mercy for his fallen opponent as he punched him twice in the back of the head. Instantly, the guard fell to the floor unconscious or dead. Johnny couldn't tell but he didn't stick around to find out. Cage spun around to see Sonya expertly finishing off her opponent while Connor--- "Oh God..." Johnny started as his eyes fell up on young Connor Ryan. The boy was standing in front of his opponent, frozen swirls of emotions on his face. A spear was sticking clear through his body and blood was starting to pool at his feet. Connor turned around to gaze at Cage. "Johnny?" he started and then promptly crumpled to the ground. Filled with fear, anger and blinding hatred, Johnny leaped toward his opponent's abandoned spear. He snatched up the free weapon and then dove at Connor's antagonist. The remaining guard, confused and off balance, could do nothing to prevent the spear being drove through his own chest. Johnny watched Connor's guard fall to the ground and writhe for a few minutes before lying still. Cage turned away from the attacker and knelt down by the fallen Ryan. "Connor, buddy, it's going to be okay." Johnny said reassuringly. Connor smiled wanly and moved his eyes slightly upward. Johnny followed his gaze to find Sonya next to his side. Blade gave Connor a warm smile. "Hold on there, kid. We're gonna get you out of here." Connor looked over at her gratefully. "Thank you, but I don't think it would do any good. At least I got to achieve my dream of fighting along side you John---" Ryan went into a coughing frenzy but then wrestled it down. He looked directly at Johnny. "Now I know why you would have died for her, Johnny. She's beautiful." With that, the young Connor Ryan died. He sucked in one final breath before his soul left his body for a Higher, more Sacred place. Johnny let out a shuddering breath and reached over to close Connor's brilliant blue eyes. He then settled back on his haunches, trying to keep his feelings hidden from Sonya. Blade wasn't fooled. She stood and walked to Johnny's side, holding her hands down to his. Johnny looked up at her and then reluctantly grasped her hands, allowing the Special Forces Lieutenant to help him to his feet. Once standing, Johnny let his pride slip as he leaned forward and embraced Sonya. Sonya was a little surprised and was not expecting this type of treatment. But she gradually leaned into the hug and ended up clinging to Johnny's body, praying he'd never let go. But after a few minutes, Johnny released her and took a step away from her. He gently touched her face. "Thank God you're okay. I don't know what I would have done if---" Sonya interrupted. "Shh." she pressed a finger to his lips. "I'm here, okay? *We're* here together. That's all that matters." Cage looked down at Connor for a second. "All he wanted to do was be a hero. It's my fault he's dead. He followed me." "No." Sonya said, lightly grabbing a hold of Johnny's jaw line and turning his head toward her. "He didn't follow you. He followed his dream. We both know good and well that he didn't die because of you. That boy died a hero, which is a proud death." Johnny took Sonya's hand and kissed the top of it. "I love you." She smiled warmly. "I love you too." Johnny dropped her hand and put his hands on her small waist, pulling her ever so slightly toward him. Sonya moved forward and tipped her mouth up toward his. Johnny lowered his head and his hands gripped her sides, afraid she'd turn into thin air if he let go. Their lips were about to meet when the ground below them shook and the moment was lost. Sonya broke away from Cage, trying to regain her balance. Johnny held tightly onto her hand until the trembling had ceased... for the moment. "What's happening?!" Sonya asked, her nails digging into Johnny's skin. He ignored the pain and looked around. An answer was forming on his lips when another quake hit, causing huge cracks to open up in the ground. "Come on!" Johnny yelled over the roar and pulled Sonya toward the door. Sonya followed and they escaped seconds before the entire floor of the room collapsed. They stepped out of the holding room and into a large hallway. There were many holes in the walls of the hall and debris was falling around them. Sonya noticed a door at the end of the hall and she tugged on Johnny's hand. "There!!" she yelled and pointed. Johnny looked to where she was pointed and nodded. "Show me the way." he grinned. "That's my favorite song." Blade quipped as she and Cage started toward the door. Johnny grinned and filed the information while they dodged falling debris. The door neared them, coming closer and closer until they reached it. Sonya reached down to turn the knob but found she couldn't move it. She released Johnny's hand and used both of her hands to turn the knob. But it was no use; The door was stuck. "Shit!!" Sonya swore as the ground began to shake harder. Johnny stepped forward and tried his luck with the door. He didn't help matters much. Cage stepped back away from the door and studied it for a moment. Sonya looked at him, puzzled. "What?" The ground shook harder and larger pieces of ceiling started to rain down as Johnny replied, "Stand back." Blade complied and took a spot behind Cage. She watched as Johnny readied his strength and then launched a shadow kick at the wooden door. Upon contact, the door burst into a million pieces and inward toward the awaiting corridor. Sonya ran forward to see if Johnny was all right but didn't get the words out of her mouth before Cage grabbed her hand. "Come on!" he screamed and pulled her through the remainder of the door. Blade said nothing and allowed Johnny to lead her blindly down and unfamiliar hall. She didn't complain about the un educated turns until they hit a dead end--- and this was a dead end to end all dead ends. The two barely stopped in time to catch themselves from falling. They were standing on the edge of the huge fortress, looking down at crystal blue water. The wall separating the inside rooms for the outside was gone, fallen into the river below. From where Johnny and Sonya were standing, it was about 100 feet up. The water below them did not look pleasing. It was rippled by a fierce wind and looked cold. "Look!" Johnny yelled over the destruction. Sonya looked upward and saw the sunshine peeking through the dark, ominous clouds. She smiled for a brief moment, realizing that the good guys had won. But then the reality of the moment came crashing back to her and she looked over at Johnny, worried. She knew that Shang Tsung's demise could now be their own. "What are we going to do?!" Sonya asked as more the castle crashed down behind them. Johnny looked down at the water. He gripped her hand tightly. "Do you love me?" he asked. Sonya stared into his eyes. "Yes." Cage smiled broadly. "Then jump!" With that Johnny jumped off the edge of the walk way, pulling Sonya after him. They fell for what seemed like minutes before hitting the water and sinking into its depths. * * * Liu Kang watched the scene unfolding from outside Shang Tsung's former fortress. Standing beside him was Princess Kitana. They both were staring up at the remnants of the huge castle, waiting for an answer. "Where are they?!" Liu demanded to mostly himself, but was hoping for some words of encouragement from his companion. Kitana tried her best. "They are excellent fighter's Liu. I'm sure they can over come this. Do not worry." Kang began to reply when he saw two figures standing at the edge of a fallen wall. He smiled and pointed upward. "There!!" he shouted. Kitana followed his pointing and saw what he was talking about. She closed her eyes and prayed they would be safe. And then they jumped. * * * The first to break the surface was Sonya, her expert military training kicking in. She sucked in air greedily, filling her deprived lungs. A slow smile came to her face as she splashed around. "We made it Johnny. We---" Sonya stopped suddenly, an object catching her eye. She swam toward the sparkling object and when she reached it, a sinking feeling crept into her stomach. "Oh God. Oh God." Sonya grabbed the object, a pair of twisted Ralph Lauren Sunglasses, and desperately looked around. "Johnny?! Johnny?! Where are you?" Sonya looked around for a few minutes and couldn't see anything. Deciding her only course of action was to look beneath the waves, Sonya tucked the sunglasses into her pocket, took a huge breath, and dove beneath the water. Once under the surface, Sonya opened her eyes and looked around. She pushed herself along until she saw a hand sticking out from behind a rock. Sonya swam farther down until she could tell who the body belonged to. Sonya saw the person's face and then pushed herself down next to them, her hands latching on under their arms. She then kicked with all of the might and fought her way to the surface, where she gasped in all the air she could. Still holding the person, she pulled them to land and safely deposited her cargo on land. Sonya felt tears in her eyes as she leaned over the person. "Johnny. Johnny please..." she begged as she began CPR on the unconscious body of Johnny Cage. Minutes passed and Sonya struggled to keep herself with the CPR regimen but her feelings were compromising her work. Tears started to flow freely down her face as she prayed. Finally, Blade settled back on her haunches and began to sob. "Why?" she cried and threw herself down on Cage's chest, her tears falling on his wet shirt. "Why did you leave me? Everyone leaves me..." Suddenly, Johnny's chest heaved upward. Stunned, Sonya recoiled and looked down at her love. He was breathing! His face was turning back to a healthy flesh color. Cage's eyes slowly opened. He looked around and he finally focused on Sonya. He smiled and tried to speak but only small squeaks came out. Blade grinned widely and laughed. "Don't try to talk." she brushed a fallen strand of hair away from his face and leaned down to hug him. Johnny weakly returned the hug and sat up with Sonya's help. They held each other as Liu Kang and Princess Kitana arrived, looking breathless. Liu smiled, his face covered in dirt and sweat. "Hey there John. How ya feeling?" Johnny glared at Liu. He said in a strained voice, "Do I have to answer that?" Sonya, Kitana and Liu laughed as they pulled Cage to his feet. Johnny looked around uncertainly and then asked: "Can we get out of here?" Princess Kitana smiled. She snapped her fingers and the world began to spin. When their surroundings stopped spinning, the trio of fighters found themselves standing in front of the Temple of the Order of Light. "Whoa." Johnny said. He stumbled back a step and Sonya caught him. "Thanks." She smiled and pulled him closer to her. "You're welcome." Johnny looked past Sonya to see Liu and Kitana reuniting with Liu's grandfather and Rayden. He smiled lightly and then turned back to Sonya. She was frowning slightly. "What's wrong, hon?" Johnny asked, concerned. Sonya avoided his gaze. "After we get back home, I'm never going to see you again." Cage was puzzled. "Wh--Why do you say that?" "Face it Johnny. You aren't going to want to be with me." she said. "So, you should just leave now and---" Without thinking, Johnny grabbed Sonya around the waist, and pulled her toward him. She fell into him and looked up startled. Second later, his lips where pressed down full force on hers. The kiss lasted for almost a full minute before Sonya pulled away for air. She looked up questioningly up into his deep blue eyes, searching for an answer. Cage touched her face lightly. "Sonya, listen to me. I want to be with you and I'm going to stay with you as long as you want me." "Then I'm stuck with you?" Sonya asked. "Oh yeah." grinned Johnny. Sonya reached down for his hand. "Good." Johnny leaned down for another kiss when they were interrupted. "Excuse me." said a soft voice. The couple looked up, feeling like they'd been caught doing far worse. Sonya blushed deeply. "Hello Rayden." she said in a low voice. "Hello Sonya, Johnny." the Thunder God smiled. "I see you two are making up for lost time." They both looked at each other nervously. Rayden chuckled and continued, "I just wanted to commend you on your job well done. Well, Johnny Cage and Sonya Blade, you've just saved the world. What are you going to do next?" Johnny put an arm around Sonya's waist. He looked down at his love and then back up at Rayden. Cage paused and then said: "Sorry Rayden, I can't answer that." The Thunder God looked puzzled. "Why not?" Johnny started to walk away, pulling Sonya with him. As he was passing Rayden, he leaned over and said, "This is rated PG- 13." THE END _____________________________________________________________ Scully: That girl is where she was meant to be. I feel certain of that now in my heart. Mulder: I still don't understand. Scully: Maybe I only was meant to. Maybe this was about letting go of something I was holding on to. Maybe it was about faith. As much as I have my faith, I am a scientist, trained to weigh evidence. But science only tells us how. Not why. The X-Files "All Souls"