Post-VT PSL, Trunks

[nutkrusher]

It's been a year since they left the train. She's missed him a lot - and everyone close to her damn well knows it. But she hasn't just sit around pining for him in the intervening months. She's trained to further master the use of her new gifts - and to pass as many of them onto others as she can. Earthrealm will continue to need defenders, after all, both in the Special Forces and outside of them.

Mind, the debriefing after her return was a bitch and a half. They had a hard enough time accepting the whole being-able-to-fly-just-by-learning-how bit.

But things had gotten a lot better after that. She'd made Commander, for one. She'd also led a mission to take out the Great Cathedral of the Netherrealm without suffering a single casualty. Meanwhile, Jacqui and her fine band of misfits and nerds in the Tech Unit claimed to be making progress in the field of interrealm communication and transport.

She should've figured the peace wouldn't last. Turns out Kronika had a problem with how unbalanced things had gotten. And when the Mistress of Time has a problem, everyone has a problem. Now past and present have collided, old folks are running into their younger selves, and old baddies who should've stayed dead are back alive again.

It's easy for the being who sculpted the sands of time to stay one step ahead of her enemies. But Cassie's newfound power hadn't been part of her design. The fight has been long, and not without losses, but they've gutted it out - victory is in sight. Kronika is now cornered, surrounded within her Hourglass Chamber by the realms' greatest heroes, who now have her all-important crown in their possession. But Kronika and her daughter Cetrion are not beaten yet - and defeating the former is more easily talked about than accomplished.

Cassie's body erupts with green light as she looses a Shadow Kick against the corrupted nature goddess. It's now or never - this one's for all the realms.

Comments

[light_of_willpower]

Those left behind legs were soon just as dead as Trunks dropped one hand from his sword and blasted. He wasn't playing around--in these kind of situations he never did. Green-eyes scanned the surroundings, and half a smirk came to Trunks' mouth with Cassie's comment.

"You done?" Trunks asked, tilting his head to the side. "I get it, types like you love to hear themselves talk." He looked bored--alert, but bored.

[nutkrusher]

Kronika holds her hand palm out toward Trunks, glaring intensely. The wave of energy extends from her arm again, seemingly more powerful this time. And then she tries it a third time.

Her expression turns to one of desperate frustration. How is this mortal still moving?

"You...who are you? WHAT are you!? How do I not know your face? How can you exist and not have been part of my design!?"

[light_of_willpower]

"You really do like to talk." Trunks snorts, flourishing his sword slightly before resuming his two-handed grip, and a ready stance. "I'm the one who kills you."

Before Trunks charged forward to do just that. Slicing with his sword, and if needed, using hand-to-hand to back it up as well as short-ranged ki blasts. Whatever it took to leave her in pieces and then to obliterate those pieces into nothingness.

[nutkrusher]

Kronika is on her back feet from the very start. Trunks comes so quickly that all she can do is attempt to teleport behind him, jumping short distances to try to avoid him. She sends blasts of sand and balls of energy in wild directions in front of her - these aren't the intentional actions of a fighter in control of herself. Indeed, it's clear that she isn't used to being at a disadvantage.

The cosmos she had envisioned had never produced a warrior such as this. It won't take much - just a single solid blow that she fails to dodge.

As Kronika's focus drifts, Cassie's eyes are open - she can hear, and more importantly, sense what's happening. As her control slips further, she even starts to gain enough control of her muscles to smile.

He's gotten stronger.

[light_of_willpower]

Even with her teleportation, she's never out of range for long. Not when Trunks can move so fast at times it almost seems like teleporting. There is no banter, only flashes of energy as the two travel around the arena. Wind guests from missed attacks, bursts of energy as the two clash, an occasional 'shing' sound of metal slicing the air.

All his time on the train, working with his father and others (including Cassie), had helped him prepare for Cell. And when he'd gone back to his time, he'd taken out the androids. And Cell too, when he showed up. It had been a few years, and Trunks had not let himself get out of practice even if he wasn't used to going up against godly types.

Eventually, he sheathes his sword. Moving to favor pure-hand-to-hand with her. It allows more speed to his strikes. That he's keeping her purely on the defensive--and not a thinking defensive either--is going to be her undoing. Kronika is not thinking, only reacting. And she's getting sloppy.

She's realizing it as she takes the hit. Having been a split second too slow on her teleport, so that she was grabbed--and he moved with her. They appeared in a different part of the arena, but his knee is already buried in her gut as she doubles over, before Trunks follows it up with a wicked elbow strike against her back that sends her hurtling. Down....down and down fast to the Arena floor.

All flashing before her eyes in the second, maybe two, it takes.

Trunks hasn't been playing though, and as soon as she started to fall he's bringing his hands up and gathering ki. Pulling it together like he had for Cell. As soon as she impacts, he's letting the blast fly. Atomizing her, and taking part of the arena out in a crumbling-edged hole from the blast.

Only when he's sure, does he let himself float back to the ground.

[nutkrusher]

Thankfully, Kronika's grip had slacked enough that Cassie and her allies are able to move well out of the way of the blast. By the time Trunks descends, they're already starting to congregate to greet them.

Cassie, naturally, is ahead of them all, practically waiting to pounce on him. It's a matter of perspective whether it will be her who catches him or vice versa.

But it isn't her or any of the others breaking the silence. Instead, they're interrupted by a loud crash and a woosh of swinging doors. Stepping through them is something even louder: Johnny Cage.

"Cavalry's here! Okay, Sinead O'Connor, time for a double dose of..."

He trails off, removing his sunglasses as he scans the room.

"...okay, did I miss something?"

If Trunks is astute, he may well notice that Johnny Cage was already in the room before this Johnny Cage - who appears to be a little over twenty years younger - even entered.

[light_of_willpower]

It's kind of a mutual 'catching' between them. She's pulled close, one arm sliding around her waist firmly. The other goes more loosely to her shoulder, moreso because he's still on guard. Not powering down yet, although he guesses with the arrival of a younger Johny Cage, that he needn't be. Yet.

[nutkrusher]

There's an eruption of murmuring and activity among the assembled warriors. Cassie steals a quick kiss while she can - it's clear she'll be explaining things for a while.

Kung Lao removes his hat and rubs his head, a hint of confusion seasoning his usual sardonic grin. "I think we all might have missed something."

Cassie turns her head, her hand still resting behind Trunks's back.

"Yeah, I think I can get everyone up to speed here."

She steals a quick glance at Trunks and grins. "And that goes for you, too."

[light_of_willpower]

Only then, does Trunks let himself power down. His hair is shorter, save for two long bangs over his face. He's perhaps a bit leaner, a bit taller. Grown up a bit more, but holding on to Cassie just as tightly.

"I'd appreciate that, considering I'm going on your word here that she needed to be killed."

[nutkrusher]

Cassie sighs. "Right. Well, here goes. Dad, I've already told you all about Trunks."

The elder Cage's eyebrows raise. "So this is Trainboy, huh? You know, my daughter hasn't been able to shut up about you for the past year."

Cassie looks away, blushing slightly. "Yeah, well, we...yeah. Anyway, for...everyone else who's come from the past timeline, the short version is that we met in another universe. One that's separate from all the realms we know about."

Liu Kang steps forward, his face revealing no more enlightenment than before. "Separate from the realms?"

"Yeah. It actually was a train that traveled between other universe. You see, it all started..."

Whereupon a rather succinct summary of the workings of the train and their adventures on it follows.

"...I hope that's clear."

Kung Lao tips his hat and nods. "About as clear as anything has been lately."

[light_of_willpower]

Cassie blushing was adorable. Unsurprisingly, Trunks blushed too--head ducking a bit, with the elder Mr. Cage's comment. He couldn't help it.

Trunks filled in where he could about the train, and explained about how he was familiar with time-travel from his own universe, and how it altered timelines to create a new branch. But he was content to let Cassie speak for the most part. "It took a bit for Mom and I to figure out how to alter the tima-machine for dimensional travel too. I also had unfinished business, so it's been more than a year since I've seen Cassie. More like...3-4ish years."

[nutkrusher]

Cassie smirks. "Guess that means we'll have a little more catching up to do once we've sorted this mess out."

Her smile fades slightly as she continues.

"'Cause a mess is exactly what you've walked into. The bitch you just wasted is called Kronika. She's basically the Mistress of Time, and a huge control freak. She's got this obsession with making sure Good and Evil stay in balance, and Evil had been getting its ass kicked way too hard for her liking. So she decided to scrap the whole timeline and start over - which she's apparently done a whole shitload of times before.

"But before she did that, she took the past and mashed it up forward into the present for...reasons. Basically because she was looking for people that the future went badly for who'd help her gather the energy she needed to reset all of time. I dunno, seems a little extra to me - I'd have just put out an ad on Craigslist, but that's why I've got two daddies right now."

The younger Johnny Cage waves from the back of the room.

[light_of_willpower]

Trunks blinked, then blinked again. "SO is this more, or less confusing than the train-situation?" With a little grin.

[nutkrusher]

"Might be a bit of a push. But we didn't have to unfuck the entirety of time after we left the train."

She turns toward the rest of the assembled warriors.

"Which is something we're gonna have to discuss right about now, I think. We've got an important job to do, and we want to make sure things get set the right way."

[light_of_willpower]

"I'm the newcomer here, so I think I'll stay out of this conversation." Assuming Cassie was letting him pull apart so he could retire to the edges of the area. Albeit he wasn't pulling apart without briefly leaning forward to kiss her forehead in greeting.

[nutkrusher]

Cassie nods. "You've done more than enough for us already."

Liu Kang bows. "All the realms are now in your debt."

With this, the discussion begins. The leaders still left outside - Queen Sheeva, Empress Kitana, Baraka, and General Blade (who reacts to Trunks with her usual restraint but is clearly pleased to see him) - are all brought in to say their piece.

A consensus eventually emerges. The timeline as it was had resulted in a great victory for the forces of Good, so they should leave as many events intact as possible. To that end, the manner of Earthrealm's victory in Shao Kahn's invasion remained the same. Crucially, however, the magic which bound the deceased Earthrealmers as revenants changed. When Quan Chi died, they would revert to their human selves with no memory of their time in the Netherrealm.

Outworld, meanwhile, insisted on honoring the promises which were made during the struggle against the resurrected Shao Kahn. The Tarkatans would be destroyed, and the Shokan would retain their dignity and rights.

The crown and the shaping of the sands would be handed over to Raiden. Only those who remained in the chamber would remember what had occurred. Once they were finished, they would return to their rightful places.

As the final agreement is being reached, Cassie makes her way to the back of the chamber where Trunks is waiting. There's a clear look of intent in her eyes - after all, she hasn't really kissed him yet.

[light_of_willpower]

Trunks shook his head, hands up almost pleadingly. "Thank you, but I really just...it was the right thing to do." Still modest, apparently, considering he was blushing again a bit.

Finding a corner of the room out of the main conversations, he pulled off the sword-and-scabbard. Laying it on the ground beside him as he sat, one knee brought up and an arm leaning on it casually. Listening to it all, even if he wasn't understanding much. He smiles when Cassie heads over though, and gets to his feet.

About to speak even, before she's against him and her mouth is against his. Blue eyes widened for a moment, and he blushed hard. But his arms still went around her, holding her just as closely.

[nutkrusher]

Cassie fully intends to put everything she's got into it and make it a kiss worth waiting three years for. Not that it ever takes much effort at all to make a kiss between them feel special.

After a long while she finally pulls her lips away.

"Mmmm. So worth the wait."

She plants another, shorter kiss on his lips.

"Missed you."

Her hand drifts upward, leaving her fingers to drift through his now-shorter hair.

"Think I could get used to this new haircut, too."

[light_of_willpower]

Oh he can tell. Might even be a bit breathless when she does pull back. One of his hands had come up to cup her nape while they'd kissed. Keeping her close, and hopefully making it clear he'd missed her as well.

"Missed you too Cassie." Before he's nuzzling her nose softly. Affectionately.

"It's actually what my hair was like before it grew out. I just...never bothered to cut it on the train." Tapping a finger against her ponytail, from where his hand was at her nape, he grinned. "Besides, now I get to play with your hair for a change.

[nutkrusher]

Cassie chuckles softly. "I was hoping you'd like it."

She nuzzles his nose again.

"I've been hoping a lot for the past year."

She raises her eyes to meet his, her expression soft and warm.

"Were you able to get what you hoped for? For your Earth?"

[light_of_willpower]

"For now. That's part of why I'm here." That hand at her nape was moving. Coming around to cup her cheek, thumb caressing her jaw. "I'm not sure when or where the next threat will show up, but they're gone. All of the androids."

[nutkrusher]

Cassie smiles to hear him say it.

"So you've saved the day. Just like I always knew you would."

She brings her own hand to his cheek and leans forward to kiss him again.

"And now you've got the girl."

[light_of_willpower]

"It's not a fairytale Cass." He was grinning into the kiss as he spoke though. She could likely feel the low chuckle in his chest too.

When they pull away again, he leans his forehead against hers. "Besides, I always kind of thought that was unfair to the girl. She should get a choice too, not be some prize." Definitely not someone who wanted a passive woman.

[nutkrusher]

"Might just be the Hollywood in me."

She grins as she shuts her eyes, enjoying the feeling of her forehead on his.

"If it makes you feel better, maybe it's my story and you're my happy ending. I did do most of the work getting to this chamber, after all."

[light_of_willpower]

He snorted in amusement, sounding remarkably close to his father of all people. "Why don't we see about getting everyone home then." Nuzzling her nose again before pulling back some. "I am prepared with my own housing if I need it, assuming I can take up part of your back garden."