"I say we take Malice and leave her imprisoned in the dungeons for the time being. She's too dangerous to be left free."

"I agree with Marek, Maybe i or Ekibyogami should take her. When does the tournament start? we dont want Marek to be late"

"The tournament has been underway for quite some time, but my battle will not be for a while yet." Marek takes one of Malice's arms and motions to Serenity. "Lady Serenity and I shall take Malice to the dungeons, Lord Ekibyogami. Find Master Raiden and tell him that I must talk with him again later."

"okay then"

"No I will come with you Marek,i will speak to Raiden Later." Ekibyogami lifts Malice in a cloud of locusts,and the group travel to the dungeons,leaving her in the cell. Before they go Ekibyogami takes out a pen he picked up in the village and drew a smiley face on her forehead. After noticing the looks from his companions,he remarks that it isn't permanent.

" Any idea what we should do next,we will meet up with Raiden later,we are unable to compete,we may have to ride out the tournament,staying here in case we lose"
Noticing a blue ninja fighting a blond soldier(with peculiar gear compared to what little soldiers he has seen) he motions that they should leave.

As they near the dungeons, Marek stiffens, sensing something. "This day keeps getting worse." Suddenly, a fiery portal appears on the dungeon floor, and a ninja in yellow and black armor leaps out, roaring in rage.

"It looks like were going to deal with him for the time being."
Roooooarrrr!!!!
As the company turns they see oni coming in a small pack towards them.
"Well who wants to fight who?

"I shall take the ninja." Marek walks toward the ninja. "Greetings. Tell me your name, ninja." The ninja roars and tosses a kunai from his belt at the Shadow Priest. "GET OVER HERE!!"

Etienne laughs in a whimsically high tone, holding his hands behind his back while rocking back and forth on his toes and the heels of his feet.

"We'll have to remedy that."

He surveys the room, finding a lone tomato sitting on the corner of a table. He wipes it on his pants as he returns, holding it out and saying, "It's super good for you."

Continuing to hold the tomato, he goes on, rolling it in his palm.

"You've caught me, I'm not a king. I'm not even noble... In fact, I am quite the opposite. You're wrong about one thing though, and I find it quite forward of you to speak of such things, haha, but nonetheless..."

He smiles wickedly and speaks through his teeth, "You have no idea just how inhuman I can be."

His eyes flash a different color, this time there is no twitching. A unique shade of pink, like dead roses or dry lips.

"In truth, it is all about technique. If you'd like to know how unlike a king I am, as a boy I lived in a whorehouse. By the time I reached adulthood I had seen many lovers, women, men, cripples, the elderly........ Some call it shameful, but I do not see it that way. My craft is burned into my flesh, it is a craft of the hands, and of it's practitioners, I am the master."

He clasps his hands together and takes a breath.

"If you'll excuse my frank ways of speaking, manhood is easily the least necessary object in this act. How else would a woman please a woman? Though I have never been a woman, I hear good things.... Though I certainly have been treated as one would a woman and... Well... Also, good things."

He settles down, eyes returning to their emerald green.

"Though, if I'm being perfectly honest, it was not that type of companionship I sought from you. Well, I'm not going to lie, it's always a goal, but not my primary concern here. I'm a business man, if that wasn't apparent.... As I said I am drawn to strong women like yourself... Some kind of complex probably but I haven't looked into it much... I find myself without purpose, you see? I exist only to please, and it so pleases me to be.... Pleasant. I simply ask that you allow me to accompany you during your stay... I won't be a bother, you'll likely not see me as often as you'd like... I mean, obviously I am intensely charming. I am, however, resourceful, tidy, and nice to look at... Do consider it. I am quite bored with myself... There's only so many times a day I can find myself both entertaining and arousing." He laughs then firmly plants the tomato in Khaali's hand.

"I guess we'll take the oni. Be careful Marek." Serenity runs at the oni as her ring blade appears in her hands. Oni launch at the goddess hungry and blood crazed.

Ekibyogami turns and swats the oni down."SIT!!" He turns to Serenity"I hope you don't mind,I missed the last fight"


Ekibygami looks back to Marek to see how he is doing,and back at the Oni.
"You just can't train these...........so you take the left side I take the right?"

Marek half-heartedly dodges the kunai, and as he does, he quickly grabs his battle axe and flings it at the ninja, barely missing him and embedding in the wall. "I'm not going to ask again, who are you?" The yellow ninja draws the swords off his back and roars once again. "I am Scorpion, of the Shirai Ryu! I have come for the woman you are with, sorcerer!" Scorpion lunges at Marek, swinging his swords, only to meet air. Marek punches Scorpion in the back of the head, knocking him to his knees. "I don't know what quarrel you have with Lady Serenity ninja, but I will not allow you to harm her either way."

"Alright consider them defeated already." She strikes the oni away easily, as they are mindless brutes. Hearing Marek and the warrior talking about her she turns around for a brief second. With that split second an oni tackles her down, ready to feast on his next meal.

"SERENITY!!" Marek wraps his robes around the Oni, eating it's flesh away. Throwing away the corpse, Marek holds serenity in his arms. "Are you hurt, milady?"

Seeing what happened to Serenity,the normally calm Ekibyogami loses contol,sending a storm of locust which completely decimates the advancing Oni,leaving nothing left but a few bones.Though upset by the events one look at his face shows when he is involved in it, he enjoys his work.

He turns to Marek "Is she alright?"

"I think she's okay, Lord Ekib-" Marek turns around and sees that Scorpion and Malice are gone. "Blast, Scorpion must have been looking for Malice. I suspect he was one of Quan Chi's servants as well." Marek lifts Serenity into his arms and motions down the other direction. "Let us go, the tournament beckons."

"Im fine Marek. Thank you. i just got a little distracted." Looking down at herself she remarks "i think i might need a shower, those beast smell horrible. But first things first, the tournament."

"Damn,o well nothing we can do at this point,at least Serenity is okay. You wish to watch the tournament?"

"Indeed, if only to ascertain what I will be fighting against." Holding Serenity close to him, Marek follows Ekibyogami as they leave for the exit.

"Sorry my friends. I haven't trained in years. I never needed to before. Forgive me for being a burden."

Ekibyogami witnesses Raiden standing in the dungeons as Shang Tsung walks away.

"Do you still wish to talk to him?"

Marek sits Serenity down and gently brushes the hair out of her eyes. "You are not a burden to anyone, Lady Serenity." Marek turns to Ekibyogami. "Not just yet, first I want to learn who I will battle in the tournament."

" No need,it has been interesting having you both for traveling partners."

Indeed Ekibyogami was worried for the day she did challenge Raiden,as the god was still in practice,and though he wished for Raiden to stay alive for earthrealm's sake, he had grown to like serenity and was worried for her safety if the time comes.

"You are from outworld right? If you were to fight you would represent them,do you still wish to participate?"

Ire becomes bored of waiting for the annoying monk dude and beats the crap out of him while he's afk.

Enough of this!

"Ire teleports his way to the warrior shrine. he lifts his mace up and pretends to be a statue. waiting for some poor bastard to walk by, or to observe a large group and follow observantly."

"Don't worry, I can always forfeit the match if I must." Marek takes Serenity's hands and pulls her up. "I shall stay close to you for the time being, Lady Serenity." Marek bows and kisses the Goddess's hand.