15 Welcome to Outworld pt. 1

The scene cuts to Outworld's capital, Z'unkahran. Team S-F are walking through the crowded streets of Outworlders going about their normal business. Alex is just in awe, but a sense of familiarity washes over him as he looks around Outworld, Jacqui comments

"I dunno, I expected the sky to be purple or something."

Kung Jin laughed a moment before saying

"Don't believe everything you see online."

Cassie retorted

"And what makes you an expert?"

"The Shaolin archives. I studied a lot about Outworld."

"No substitute for experience."

"So, what makes you our leader?"

The two of them stop walking and stare one another down, Alex watches not only them but his surroundings. Takeda intercedes before anything else happens saying

"Guys, let's stick to the mission?"

Cassie breaks off the stare down and walks off. Jin smiles to himself and follows along with Takeda and Jacqui. Alex keeps up, shoving past Kung Jin to walk with Cassie, a small growl escaping his lips as Cassie muses

"Li Mei has to be telling the truth."

Jacqui agrees, adding

"An invasion would violate the Reiko Accords."

Kung Jin snorts and says

"'Cause, you can always trust an Outworlder..."

That line somehow stings Alex deep in his core, yet he does not understand why. Yet as he watches he notices the people starting to watch them, he hears whispers

"Arishok, Ataas armaas, Sten haas-toh! Bas nehersaam saata shok!"

Takeda questions catching some brief memory flashes from the Outworld citizens before their minds go blank

"But if Outworld's our ally, why didn't they help us during the Netherrealm war? Against Quan Chi and his team of..."

"Revenants? Like Jacqui's dad?"

Jacqui stops dead at Kung Jin's remark. Even Alex knew that was a low blow as he watches her round on him

"Asshole!"

Jin turns around, addressing everyone as he does so, Alex gets some familiar vibes from Kung Jin's stance. Alex notices the guards approaching along with a mercenary. Alex giving a silent nod to the mercenary says nothing as Jin says his piece

"It's not an alliance. Non-aggression pact. Outworld is not our ally."

A new voice cuts through the air, and Team S-F find themselves surrounded by several of Kotal Kahn's soldiers. The one speaking stands out the most in his gunslinger attire. As far as Alex can figure he's a cowboy. He continues

"A point you might make with more subtlety, given your surroundings. Now state your business. Including a reason why we shouldn't kill you."

Takeda puts his hand to his head, telepathically reading Erron Black's mind. He states

"I can read you. You're not from Outworld."

He turns his gaze to Takeda and sighs, explaining

"I'm from Earthrealm - like you - but my employer, Kotal Kahn is from Outworld. So now I'm from Outworld. State your business."

In an effort to keep things civil, Cassie answers,

"We're emissaries. We need to talk to Kotal Kahn."

She pulls something out of her back pocket. Alex smiles, ever proud of her. She says

"Here, we have Raiden's official seal."

The cowboy looks at it for a moment. Alex can tell he is playing things safe and he can respect that. He then realizes where he has seen him before, but he keeps quiet for the moment. The cowboy remarks

"I can buy one of those at that stall right over there."

He points over at a nearby vendor and his stall. The vendor looks at him nervously as some guards walk up and inspect his stall finding counterfeit items, soon arresting him. Kung Jin ignores that given it was the vendor's fault. Alex on the other hand feels a bit guilty. He listens as Kung Jin speaks

"Look, you can arrest us, even kill us, but if we're telling the truth, you probably get a pay cut - or worse. You take us to the Kahn, I'll tell 'im you took us down. Maybe get you a bonus. You can't lose."

The cowboy considers this new offer for a moment longer than he did Cassie's. He likes how Jin thinks. Alex must admit Jin had something going this route. This was working in their favor, for the moment. The cowboy glances at each of the five kids, finally looking at Alex. Alex was seven feet tall, had long black hair that was tied back and his crimson eyes were on full display. He had changed from his typical jeans and t-shirt to more appropriate attire. He wore a form-fitting blue shirt that covered every inch of skin from the top of his chest down to the top of his waist. Short sand stained white pants covered him from his waist until just a few inches past his knees. Brown thigh-high boots protected his feet and legs. Fingerless black armored gloves covered his hands and forearms for an added layer of protection from the scaring sand. A long red scarf was tied about his neck and head to serve as a dust mask to protect him from blowing sand kicked up in desert squalls. Lastly, red-tinted goggles rested on his forehead that he could lower to protect his eyes. The Cowboy's eyes lightened as they looked at Alex and he said

"Follow me."

He walks off. Team S-F followed with the soldiers close by. Jin flashes another smile at Cassie. The soldiers roll their eyes. Two of them stand out to Alex. One wears a traditional Spartan suit of armor carrying a large shield and a proportioned sword. The other wore golden armor with a blue star upon the breastplate. The cowboy looked back to Alex and beckoned him to walk beside him which he agreed. He looked at Alex and then said

"I think yah know me, Kid."

"Erron Black I presume?"

Alex asked, to which the cowboy nodded. Alex smiled before he said

"Then…"

"Yeah, Kid I know yah are a Black Dragon. They treatin yah well?"

"Yeah, though I want to kick Kano's ass right now."

"Why?"

Erron asked Alex, who sighed before saying

"He broke a promise he made to me."