Of Guns and Roses

The Dark Empress of the Netherrealm

It's been only a couple of hours since Thalia had entered Outworld. Having accepted to work for Erron Black, seeing as the job had better pay and that she deserved better than her old job. She could care less for the next saloon girl, The Rusty Spittoon would be hiring to calm down the rowdy drunk patrons before a riot starts.

She had been searching for somewhere to stay in Outworld but the inns, she had been visiting, either had no vancancies, closed for refurbishment or due to fire damage. She wasn't very satisfied due to how hostile some of the citizens can be and how the wildlife is more particularly vicious than any other wildlife. So now she was sitting in a tavern, with two bodies lying dead at her feet, bleeding from bullet wounds, who happened to be members of the Black Dragon, a clan of mercenaries, trying to have a go at her.

"And I thought drunk patrons were the worst." Muttered Thalia under her breath as she blew the smoke from her pistol and went back to sipping her drink, sitting on a barstool.

As she brought the glass to her lips to take another sip, the sound of the tavern door opened and a figure came walking in, revealing to be a young woman, wearing dark black and blue royal uniform and a mask that covered the lower half of her face, showing only her glowing red eyes.

"Can I help you, ma'am?" Thalia asked in an unsure way.

The woman smirked as she drew out what seemed to be dark blue bladed fans. "Yes child, you can."

Thalia removed her rose from her hair, revealing it to be a switchblade, smirking as she was ready for a fight. "Let's go."

The woman frowned. "I meant with Kotal Kahn's demise. My army in the Nettherrealm has quite a lot of plans for this wretched place."

Thalia nearly looked mad but cooled off a bit as she began to file her fingernails on her switchblade. "My apologies, ma'am. But I've already found a job with better pay."

The woman glared at Thalia, unsheathing her fan blades. "Your job is lacking in something...your death!"

That comment got Thalia all riled up as she finished filing her nails and got off the barstool.

"Oh, you asked for it!"

With that said, Thalia began to fight with the woman in an all out battle in the bar. Punches and kicks flying, slashing of fan blades and switchblade and shooting of a pistol ensuing in the bar for what seemed like an eternity until the woman was now subdued with Thalia standing over her, with a threatening serious look burning in her brown eyes.

"You will not lay a finger on Kotal Kahn. Not now not ever." Thalia said in a low growl.

The woman gave her a nasty look even though she needed to recover from battle. "We shall see about that...Thalia."

Thalia didn't have any time to react as she took out a gas bomb and set it off, causing her opponent to cough due to the fumes before escaping from the tavern, sheathing her rose switchblade and placing it back in her hair.

"Lousy members of the Black Dragon trying to have a go at me." She muttered as she dusted herself off from the battle and began fixing her hair.

"The hell was that about?"

Thalia's eyes widened as she turned to see Erron Black, having spotted her leaving the tavern and the fumes billowing from the gas bomb that was set off.

"The dark empress of the Netherrealm is planning to take down Kotal Kahn permanently." Thalia began to explain, before adding. "And a couple of members of the Black Dragon tried to have a go at me. I took them down."

Erron's eyes widened as he heard every detail of what Thalia had told him. "...so you met Kitana, eh?"

"Of course." Thalia answered, nodding. "The fallen princess now corrupted."

Erron just shrugged. "...I'm pretty sure she's in full control nowadays."

Thalia nodded again. "Yeah, just when I was looking for somewhere to stay in Outworld. The inns I looked at, had no vacancies, closed for refurbishment and due to fire damage."

"Perhaps the Kahn can give us more information."

Thalia perked up at hearing Erron's suggestion. "I'd like to meet him, if I may."

Erron turned to look at Thalia before warning her. "If you insist. I should warn you...he's been pretty on edge ever since Shinnok's return."

Thalia's eyes widened but nodded. "Yes sir, I understand."

"Good..." Erron turned to the direction of their destination. "Now come along. We've got work to do."

"Yes, sir." Thalia answered as she started following the gunslinger, adding a little sashay, as they were both on their way to Kotal Kahn's palace so that the emperor could provide some info, seeing as the former saloon girl was now beginning to work for the mercenary of Outworld.