GFD

Now, for one of the two Special Events: Liu Kang v Shang Tsung! I decided to go all out for these, so this will be one entire part, and Ryu v Akuma will be its own. This way, I can cut loose and don't have to worry about equaling out or other technical problems with the server. Now, on with the fight...oh, ok, a small spoiler. They look at the future once more, and one of them will change where they will go!

"Waahh!" yelled Liu Kang, as Shang Tsung's flames erupted from the ground, and rocked him closer toward his hated foe.

"You are so predictable, Kang!" and he finished with an uppercut. He then morphed in Scorpion, hit him with a teleport-punch, speared him, and then uppercuted him again.

"Ah, ah, Kitana!" he mocked as he changed into Reptile, and slid under her fan. As she attempted a second, he changed into Jade, and leveled Kitana with Jade's infamous monster kombo. Her impact into the foot of a mountain caused a small landslide, burring her under the rocks.

"NO!" yelled Liu Kang, as his beloved disappeared under what he thought would be her death.

"Too bad the hoe's only ageless; not immortal. You will join her, Liu Kang. I was arrogant before, but not now. You will die!"

Shang Tsung morphed into Jax, grabbed Liu Kang, and proceeded to bash his face with the metallic arms. He then pounded him with a Quad Slam. Liu Kang tried to counter with his fly kick, but Shang Tsung morphed into Baraka, and cut him up with a Blade Fury. Liu Kang collapsed, his mind in a daze.

Why has the Alpha-Omega let this go on? Why did it even start? It had said that there would be none of the stuff Tsung was now doing! Other fights had been broken up--why hadn't this one? Was it because he had to prove his right to be the MK champion by besting the one he won it from again? Maybe it was to see if he could protect his love from ANY danger that they may encounter.

He noticed that his eyes were growing very heavy. Things were becoming groggy, and he had trouble keeping his eyes open. He could see Kitana's lips moving, but couldn't hear nothing. She had just caught Shang Tsung off guard with her fan lift, and used the same kombo she had used on Chun Li. However, it didn't take long for him to mount a devastating comeback!

He changed into Mileena to take Kitana out with a teleport kick, hit her with a set of sai, and rolled to knock her off her feet. He then instantly morphed into Sindel, and wailed, paralyzing Kitana, set for more abuse. Kitana was down, now worse than Liu Kang. Shang Tsung was impressed that she was able to get out of the landslide alone, but that was all.

Neither of them had ever seen Shang Tsung fight so aggressively, nor had that seen him morph so fast, and freely. Had he been practicing to an extreme? Neither could understand as to how this demon had become so strong.

Kitana's mind began to think back to what she and Liu Kang had been talking about before they had been assaulted by Shang Tsung. Their initial talk involved the results of the previous tournament. Cage had, with Raiden's help, returned to help fend off Shinnok and his attacks. They got to know Quan Chi better after their initial meeting, a meeting they would be better off without. It was impressive to see Fujin for the first time. While not as powerful as Raiden, he was still very powerful. Kai wasn't too sure if he wanted to be like Liu Kang or not. Then, came them.

Tanya had told Liu Kang to follow her, as she was to take him to Kitana. What Tanya didn't realize was that she would actually tell the truth. They knew that if Kang thought he was the last one left, he would try and attack, his demise being inevitable. However, he wasn't as Kitana stopped Tanya before she trapped Liu Kang.

"What happened, Kitana? I thought that Tanya..."

"That was a part of the lie. You must remember to think with your head as well. Otherwise, your enemy can use your heart to kill you. Remember that, my love. I wouldn't want you to die because of me!"

"I--thanks, Kitana. There's something else, isn't there? Is it about Sindel?"

"You know me well, Liu Kang. There is something else, but it isn't my mother. It is us. We both feel it in our heart of hearts. I want nothing more than for us to be together. We have each served well in kombat. I would like us to serve each other well, in other ways. What do you think?"

"I'm...honored Kitana. But there is my duty as MK champion, and the defender of Earth Realm. I can't merely give up this duty, can I?"

"Perhaps not. Still, could you not hand down the duties to another. Surely you would feel one of your fellow Earth Warriors would be a great successor. I am sure that there is at least one of them that you deem worthy, one that could assume your role, and one that you would not have to worry about, Liu Kang. It must be your choice, however."

"I do want to be with you, Kitana...you are right. There is one man who I feel would be a great, if not better defender. I have known him well enough to know that he is not only a true warrior, but a man of honor who can defend Earth Realm. I think..."

That is when they were each leveled by a triple set of flames by Shang Tsung, and how they came to be in this situation.

"I think I finally understand what Kitana sees in you humans. You have such remarkable skills and a wide range of talent. You are constantly working on ways to outdo one another. You are so divided amongst yourselves, that you become forced to adapt to situations. Those that some would call `the greedy business people,' are constantly working on ways to control the rest of you that lack power. They tag you as they would any other wild beast, to study it, learn it's habits, and learn how to--handle you properly. Then, they learn what they can do, and want you want, need, and what they can get you to want. They rack up figures that most can only dream of, and that is their soul purpose (pardon the pun)!"

Liu Kang attempted a bike kick, but Shang Tsung easily morphed into Noob Saibot, and caught him with a warp. He the sent a double to toss Liu Kang in for an uppercut. He then changed to Ermac, and the explosion from his warp staggered Kitana, and nearly made her fall as the punch connected. He then used a TK slam, hit her with a fireball, and laughed as he punted her as she fell before him.

"Now, where was I before I was so rudely interrupted? Oh, yes. Then, there's the other side. You call them by a variety of names: hackers; crackers; pirates; and others. These groups are like their own culture. Some are mischievous in nature, while others aren't. Those that aren't claim that they feel that anything that can be used to help for the greater good should be available for all...not just an exclusive group. They go about the task of making things that should be available for the rest of you exactly that. As Raiden has said `There is no knowledge that is not power.' They live by this rule; not to destroy, but to help out those that can't get at the stuff, yet have the potential to do great things with it, if only given the chance. So, it is a contiuous fight, but without a `good and evil,' or a `right or wrong.' A most impressive, and very unique race. "

"You don't get it! That is all that power-hungry fools like you see! You will never know the truth!"

"Oh? I think I have Liu Kang! Now, it is time for you to meet your demise! What?"

Kitana grabbed Shang's arms, and with a look of hate in her eyes, gave him a hard knee to the jewels. She then caught Shang Tsung in her Fan Lift, and began the kombo from earlier. Then, Liu Kang hit him with a low fireball, and nailed him with a fly kick. Kitana tossed a fan at him, and he leapt over it, right into Kang's fireball. A second fan lift, and they double-teamed him. Kitana hit him with her Square Wave Punch, as Liu Kang hit him with his Fly Kick, sending Shang Tsung down a gorge of sorts.

"Liu Kang? Are you ok?"

"Yes...and you?"

Each felt like they had nearly died, and perhaps, they weren't too far from the truth. Each felt more pain than they could recall from recent fights. Each of them were bleeding harshly, and would need some time to recover.

"Liu Kang? Who were you thinking of? I mean before Shang Tsung attacked us; you said there was a warrior who you thought would be a good defender of Earth. Who?

"It wouldn't be easy, as he is already very busy, and he has other personal issues. I'm not even sure if I should say who...well ok. I would pick the younger Subzero. Thus far, he has a very impressive win-lose record, and be a great heir, if you would."

"Yes, I would. When do you plan to tell him, if at all? If you don't, I'll understand."

"Let me take some time to think about it, my princess. I think you are right, though. It would be very nice to go with you to your home, and to be at your side, Kitana."

"I'm glad to hear this, Liu Kang. There is no rush, as I don't think we'll be going anywhere, yet!"

©1999