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She Was Loved By The Multitudes	By : Johnny-Topside Category: +M through R > Mortal Kombat Views: 17164 -:- Recommendations : 1 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Mortal Kombat or any of its characters. I do not profit from this work

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Chapter 3: Jade Fox

It was cold and wet outside the temple as Mika ran up and down it's hundreds of stone steps, but no matter how his lungs burned, the warmth never reached his skin. Grandmaster Cha was dead now, killed by Shang Tsung's treachery, and war with Outworld was inevitable. What could he do? He wanted nothing more than to fight but without Cha he was the ranking master and had to watch over the remaining students who hadn't fled. His legs pumped and ached, but there was no running from the fact that he was alone now...

...She was alone now, but Alaine was capital police, she didn't need anyone holding her hand she thought as she beat back another looter with her sectional staff. The guards were spread across the city, most Edenians had the patriotism and decency to stand united now that Shao Kahn's forces were coming but there were still maggots who thought they could do whatever they wanted. Damn but there were alot of them though. One had sawed off a table leg and tried to brain her with it, but she spun around him, catching him with the chain before beating him in the kidneys with each end of her staff. The man grunted in pain...

...And the guard went down under Karlis' fists with a face drenched in blood. The other guard tried to catch him from behind but a side kick crushed her windpipe and she fell back, her three piece rod skittering across the cobblestones. The weak rasp of her breath finally ceased after he straddled her and gave her slim neck a good snap. With everyone running scared from Shao Kahn, Karlis could do as he pleased. He whistled tunelessly under his breath, stooping among the bodies to pick up the jewels he'd dropped. So what if Kahn wiped out Edenia? The warlord would surely have work for someone of his talents. Maybe he'd even pay something for these guards. He bent down, ripping the royal seal off the woman's uniform before palming it. Let it all burn...

...It had all burned Brahn thought, remembering the Takartans attacking his village, ripping men, women and children to shreds. He'd run, leagues away, all the way to the capital, and it still wasn't far enough. He'd trained all his life, he could break a half dozen stone bricks but when faced with the slaughter, his cowardice had got the better of him and he could only flee. He was dazed and numb, letting the Y'len root course through his veins, making the world seem to shimmer unreally. The whores he'd paid writhed naked along his body, and he gently pushed their heads towards eachother until they kissed deeply and began to fondle their bodies. Now he pulled them towards his thighs and then lay back and let the women lap at his bare flesh. Letting their tongues and the drug help him drift away he stared up at the ceiling with half lidded eyes and a foolish grin...

...Directly at the balcony high above him at the king and queen. Shu was only 48 years old, still practically a child, but he'd never felt more confident, more responsible, more like a man in his whole life. He'd never wanted to be anything but a baker, but now the filthy Takartans were threatening their realm and he'd found a fervor he'd never known. He'd breezed through the week's training, he felt like he could stand up and do something now. The old king finished his rallying speech with a raised fist and as one the troops all cheered and Shu felt himself swell with pride. It was glorious, he knew he was only militia but it made him feel like somebody to have the king address them. Queen Sindel stepped forward now, and though her speech was really just gentle encouragement to do their best, he felt a fire rise inside him. There was no one like her waiting for him at home, no woman to return to with tales of heroism and gallantry. It was a false note, this feeling, but he thought the king wouldn't begrudge him drawing inspiration from such a beautiful and noble woman...

...As his wife Sindel stood by his side, squeezing his hand, and the crowd roared below them. Jerrod thought he could see the lines of worry in her mouth, but he knew that with his realm pulling together, they still had a chance. This is what I'm defending he thought as he looked into her hazel eyes, but then he felt strange as he looked out into the sea of faces. Somehow Jerrod could make out each and every one of them, hear each individual voice as they cheered him. For one bizarre moment, he knew and understood them all.

It was cold and wet when Jerrod awoke face down on the ground. He shivered, groggily getting to his feet. Along with exhaustion, there was a strange jumble of unpleasant sensations in his head. A dull throbbing pain that he dimly recalled from his youth as a hangover, how long ago had that been? He had been younger than Kitana then. He felt light headed too, like a balloon that wanted to float away as the world trebled and came into focus and he realized he smelled like smoke, as if he had rolled around in a campfire, soot and mud stained the front of his red tunic. It was early morning and a canal lapped nearby, he could hear the sounds of city life and he realized that he wasn't in the palace. He staggered down a filthy side street, then another, incoherent until his head finally cleared enough for him to get his bearings and recognized he was still in the capital at least. What had he been doing, how many days had passed?

When he showed up outside the gate, filthy and bedraggled it took the guards all of five minutes to pull his family from whatever they were doing. His wife and daughter looked as haggard and confused as he felt.

"Jerrod? Jerrod, where you have been!?" Sindel's voice wavered, uncertain if she should be angry or relieved. She saw the filth on his clothes, probably smelled it as well because she pulled back for a moment. "What have you been doing?"

"We were worried, we thought maybe something had happened to you, maybe the Takartans had...father? Father are you alright?" Kitana snapped her fingers at his vacant gaze and he came back to himself a little. He could already hear the low murmur of the voices again already, but they were unintelligible.

"I'm sorry. I'm sorry for worrying you. I don't remember where I've been or what I've been doing." The two women looked at him like he was speaking a foreign language. "How long have I been gone?"

"Nobody missed you until yesterday morning." Kitana said softly and Sindel had the grace to flush. "You say you don't remember anything?"

"Talking to Mileena is the last thing I remember and after that, nothing. I woke up in the mud in the center of the city." His daughter's face clouded at that but it was nothing compared to the fury in Sindel's.

"Tell me what that bitch did to you Jerrod and I'll make her pay! Was it some poison or spell?" He shook his head wearily.

"It wasn't her. I have a...a condition it seems. I didn't want the two of you to find out this way. I need to talk to Giles."

"Jerrod, what kind of condition? You've got to sit down and-"

"It can't wait!" Jerrod snapped, and then immediately regretted it. He could barely stay awake, it felt like the other souls had been running his body constantly and now he was terrified what they would do the next time he lost consciousness. "I'm sorry, I can't explain things now. I need to make arrangements with Giles, then I'll tell you everything after I've rested, I swear." Kitana tentatively put a shaking hand on his shoulder and after a moment Sindel joined her and he drew them close to him in a hug. He sighed, trying to draw strength from their love and ignore the swell of voices inside. "I need to lie down now, I'll tell you both later." If I'm able he added mentally.

Jerrod performed his kata in the dingy cell, despite his aching muscles and throbbing wound. It helped keep him awake, and he needed to stay that way at least until after he talked to Giles. After that, he just didn't know. All he could hope was that he would still be himself when he awoke. He was in the dungeon above Mileena, the walls and the bars were strong, they'd probably hold. Probably.

After what felt like eternity he heard soft foot steps and Jerrod ceased striking at the air and let his muscles relax a little. Giles was an old friend from his youth, one of the few elderly Edenians to survive the war who could vouch for his identity, and that was important now. He was as old as Jerrod should have been, back then his hair had been going white, now all that was left were a few whispy strands. He'd built a reputation as a resistance fighter since and now he functioned as Jerrod's jack of all trades minister, adviser and sometimes general. His wizened face scrunched on itself at the sight of the king sitting in the dungeon and he took out a large keyring and began rifling through it.

"Don't unlock it. I put myself in here for a reason."

"Hmmm. I heard I'm the only one to have the key to this cell and no one else was to have access to you, not even your family. Is that right?"

"That's correct." Jerrod couldn't imagine what Sheeva must have thought of him by now. Whatever he must have said to her before, and now asking her to lock him away and give the only keys to Giles. You're the only one I trust to determine if I'm well enough to leave."

"What's wrong with you?"

"You know Shang Tsung created me from thousands of warrior souls, and you know I defeated those souls to regain control of this body. But they never went away, just lay dormant. They took control of my body and I have no idea what I've been doing. I don't know who I may have raped or killed! I-" His friend's brow was burrowed, Jerrod could already see him trying to work the variables but that was for later.

"Why me Jerrod? What do you want me to do?"

"Because you know me, the real me, and you may be the only other person who will be able to tell if it's me in control or not. That's why the others can't be trusted, even Sindel. I might try to trick or hurt them and then..." He shook his head, he was so tired. "If I ask you to let me out, you have to be sure it's me. I want you to get some men and find out what I've done, talk to everyone in palace, everyone in town. Then we can decide if I deserve to ever see sunlight again. If I've hurt anyone, I want you to explain things to my family and leave me here."

"And if you haven't?"

"We'll see. I need to sleep now Giles, I only hope it's me when I wake up." Giles nodded and pocketed the keys reluctantly.

"Try to keep it together till I come back." The bed was little more than a stone slab with a few thin, filthy blankets and it felt like it looked but Jerrod was so tired he could have slept right on the floor. It was out of his hands now, and maybe that was for the best he thought, as seconds later he slipped into a deep slumber.

Jerrod awoke to the sound of metal clanking against bars and saw Giles was standing banging a cup against them.

"Giles."

"Jerrod maybe?" His friend quirked an eyebrow.

"How long did I sleep?

"It's been a whole day, I brought you some water." He raised the cup but didn't move to unlock the door.

"Did you bring the keys?"

"Not on me, I followed your instructions of course. Can you prove you're Jerrod?"

"We were about 7, no, 800 years old or so when you convinced me to sneak out of the palace with you and see those dancers, but the one you liked in the green shawl turned out to really be a-"

"Ok, that's enough." Giles chuckled. "You'll really never let me live that down will you? Give me a second." He came back to the cell with the keys, stepped in and handed Jerrod the water which he gratefully took. He was dying of thirst, it felt like he had only slept an hour but at least he could think a little now.

"How is my family taking all this?"

"They're handling as well as could be expected. They're worried, they want to know more, I told them I'd find out what I could. You're still married anyway." Giles gave him a cynical smile and Jerrod nodded. Of course he knew, they'd been friends since almost the beginning.

"Did you find out what I did?" Giles pulled some papers from his robe.

"I think we accounted for almost everything, let me see. Sheeva says after meeting with Mileena you gave her what she described as a 'queer little smile' and told her you were going on a stroll. Then you went up to the kitchen and drank two bottles of mushroom wine while singing what the cooks described as bawdy sailor songs. Then you asked for grog and cursed at them. Then you passed out. Some guards took you back to your bedroom. An hour later you told your Minister of Justice to 'Fuck off'. Do you remember any of that?"

"Nothing." He shrugged and flipped a page.

"You went to see the court physician about a headache. You propositioned two of the maids for fellatio and touched them inappropriately." He stopped reciting at Jerrod's falling face and said a little more kindly. "It didn't go further than that at least. I'll spare you the details."

"God Giles, please tell me that's the worst of it."

"You tried to post three messages to different corners of the kingdom." He continued. "I had them intercepted after yesterday. I noticed they're all in different handwriting. One was an inquiry about the whereabouts of a certain man's family. The father and two brothers died in the war, their names were-" Jerrod held up his hand to stop Giles.

"I don't want to know."

"Alright. Another was a letter of support and a large donation of gold to a temple in Soutai. The last was a threatening letter with very poor spelling to a woman in the south. It promised to find her where ever she ran and...well, it talks about cutting off privates. Sounded like that one was sore about a remarriage."

"Post the first two. If that woman still lives there, tell her to move elsewhere, just in case. Give me the rest Giles." His head slumped, preparing himself for the worst.

"You went to a tavern and extorted drinks from the owner on the basis of your crown. You challenged some of the customers to a fight but nobody took you up on it. That canal you pointed us to was in the red light district, apparently you spent the rest of the night there. Lastly, and most egregriously, it looks like you spent some time browsing women's clothing, although I don't see here where you tried any on." Giles folded the papers back into his pocket and only looked at Jerrod calmly but all he could feel was a sinking desperation.

"How can you joke about this? What did I do there? Are you sure I didn't rape anyone? Didn't kill anyone?"

"Do you think you did?"

"I don't know."

"Well, we interviewed every one we could. Said there was an imposter impersonating the king, offered a reward. Most of them believe that, the rest thought you were having a nervous breakdown. I heard reports of drinking, drugs, theft, whoring. I don't know how much is true, but it seems like you're mostly accounted for." Jerrod sighed, but couldn't really bring himself to feel relief. The not knowing, the uncertainty was almost worse than knowing what he might have done. His blood ran cold imagining what would have happened if he had run into Kitana or Sindel in that state. "It's bad, but not the worst I've heard. Past kings have done worse in their day."

"You're taking this pretty well old friend."

"You and your wife both came back from the dead, it would take alot more than this to rattle me. I worry for you Jerrod, but that doesn't do either of us any good. I'll do everything I can to help you get this under control, so you tell me what you want to do." He waited patiently as Jerrod turned it over and over in his head. He was himself now, and Giles knew now about his condition. He could put surveillance on himself, and if it happened again then that was it. Whether he should chance it at all though really only came down to one question.

"The Takartans, what are they doing now?"

"Don't worry about that, we should focus on this thing of yours. The Queen is a capable leader and she never stopped giving this threat her attention even with your disappearance. She-"

"Giles, it can't wait, I need to know."

"They annhiliated the forces Jade left in place." Giles' voice was grim, and he let it sink in for a a moment. "They're wiping out every settlement they come across and enslaving the survivors. They've overwhelmed all the garrisons. They're taking their time, they're much more organized than they were before, and there are more of them than we ever imagined. This Thraxa has the hordes, all of the hordes behind him. At this rate, we might have a week before they move on the palace."

"Then that's it then. Get your man and we'll think of some way to end this."

"Well what do we do about your condition? We could talk from here if you want."

"No. How much good do you think I'll do the kingdom in a cell? Edenia will need my strength and I'm not willing to give up just yet. Put a detail of men to follow me, get measures in place to stop me if you have to. Don't tell me what they are, just in case. They won't be able to outfight me, so it'll have to be clever. If it happens again, I'm never to leave this cell."

"I think I already know how to deal with you if need be." Giles looked a little too sure of himself and Jerrod began to wonder about that but stopped. The less he figured out, the better. Giles was smart, he wouldn't just throw throw bodies at him. "The real question is what do you want to tell your family?"

"I need to tell them something, but the Takartans need to come first." How much longer could he put it off he wondered. The bars sliding open as Giles left were a sound Jerrod would normally associate with freedom, but instead he only felt deep unease. The cell door was like an invitation into an open cage with a ravenous beast inside, but there were still things he had to do.

After a hot bath Jerrod felt a little more like himself. Toweling his face he walked over to the mirror, the first thing he noticed as always were his swamp green eyes. The second thing was his wife sitting on the bed behind him and he turned, surprised.

"When I heard you were out I came right over, I thought we should talk." Sindel rubbed her eyes and cheeks blearily. "I have to go back soon though. I never realized what dimwits Mileena and Baraka were until we started fighting these Takartans." They weren't though, especially Mileena, he thought. The hordes hadn't been united under Shao Kahn because of his military brilliance, but his sheer power and brutality. Kahn was always a sore subject, so he let it slide.

"We'll beat them too." She nodded, a little doubtfully, who knows what she had heard.

"I can't remember the last time you came to my room." Sindel's eyes flicked down to his bare chest, and her mouth quirked, then as if remembering herself she became serious again.

"I wanted to start a scandal. Talk to me Jerrod, tell me about this memory loss."

"I don't know where to start."

"Start at the beginning."

"Sindel I'm..." Now he couldn't finish, so he sat down on the bed next to her, which was worse. She wasn't wearing perfume, but he could smell the salt on her skin. Her white eyes were soft now, she was listening, and he wanted to find some way to say it the right way without telling her he was beginning to think of fucking her brains out there on the bed. He stood up hurriedly and paced back to the mirror, watching her in the reflection. In a way he'd already told her some of the worst of it he reasoned, he could get to specifics later.

"The souls inside me are still aware. They speak to me, and it seems in moments of stress they can control me to an extent. That's part of why I haven't been myself, and why I was unfaithful to you before. It started a few weeks back."

Pious lies. You wanted Tanya, and Mileena. Aren't you going to even think their names? Can't admit righteous King Jerrod is just a horny man after all?

That wasn't me, and you know it, he thought as Sindel quietly digested his words.

No, that's exactly the problem. I do know.

"Part of?"

"I have to take some responsibility don't I?"

"I'm so sorry Jerrod. Was Giles able to tell you what happened during your blackout?"

"Yes. I ran around town. I threatened, I extorted, I drank, I'm pretty sure there was drug use. I may have...been unfaithful again." He watched the mix of emotions on her face as she debated with herself and forced himself to stop focusing on her lips as she bit them. She used to do that when she was struggling with something he remembered.

"I thought you were having a breakdown. Over us. What can I do to help?"

Take your clothes off.

Can you give the man a moment for Elder Gods' sake?

"I think I should talk to Giles first. Then I want to talk about us tonight."

"Maybe you should wait a few days."

"I think knowing where you and I stand would help give me peace of mind."

"It's just the wrong time. The Takartans are moving, and your condition means-"

"Now who's finding excuses to avoid eachother?"

"That's not fair!" She huffed, then took a deep breath to calm herself. "Alright. It was me avoiding you as much as anyone this last year, but this is the biggest threat we've faced since Shao Kahn. We have to deal with it."

"I still want to know why Sindel. We can't keep running."

"Just...not now." She lay back in his bed and he had the urge to jump on top of her. "This on top of everything. Let me deal with the latest orders, let me have a few drinks to steel myself and we'll talk tonight. Happy?"

A few drinks? I hope you appreciate this situation, because I sure do.

"Not just yet, but I'm looking forward to tonight. I want to work through this with you my love."

"After what I have to say, maybe you won't want to." Her pearl eyes stared at the ceiling and she sat up with a reluctant groan. "Just a few more hours to keep the war machine running, and maybe I can talk to you with a clear head."

At Jerrod's insistence they set up in a smaller room for the meeting, away from pyring eyes. Giles and the Rat were sitting fireside in plush high backed chairs and Jerrod slid into his relieved at not having to keep up the facade for his family or officers. There were no women to distract him here so he could almost think straight, the way he felt he didn't trust himself near Kitana now.

The Rat was warming himself by the flame, in his ragged field gear and cape, only his signet ring indicated his rank. The acrid purple smoke from his pipe tickled Jerrod's nose, a habit he'd never indulge in the regular war rooms. He'd been a low rank officer in the Outworld military, a tactical genius who's disregard for orthodoxy had long precluded him from further advancement until his loud mouth and vices had earned him a ticket to the chopping block. After that he'd slipped the noose and together with Giles they'd evaded capture by Shao Kahn and led a pocket of resistance for almost 9000 years, so it was only natural he became a trusted lieutenant.

As a fighter he was mediocre, but a master of dirty tricks and sly maneuvers to compensate, to Jerrod's knowledge he'd never thrown a straight punch in his life. This had earned him his unaffectionate nickname from those who lead from the front. He was clever and reliable, if distasteful, with an encyclopedic catalogue of dirty jokes. It contradicted Jerrod's sense of honor, but he wondered if Edenia wouldn't have fared better in the last war with more men such as him. Well, they would find out.

"Let's start at the beginning shall we?" Giles offered Jerrod a glass of wine and then adjusted the thick spectacles on his weather beaten nose. "This is what we know. His name is Thraxa, and he's Takartan. Nobody knows his history, he seemed to show up out of nowhere once we routed Baraka. They say he's unusually large and intelligent for a Takartan. He fights on the front lines, on foot.”

“What a hero. Real man of the people...or whatever.” The Rat emptied his pipe with a morbid kind of grin.

“That's the thing, they say there's no animal in the realm that can carry his weight. They also say he's bigger than any three men put together.”

“I doubt the enemy propaganda.” The Rat began the seemingly neverending task of refilling the foul pipe.

“I trust the sources. It's good news for us though.” They sat nodding to eachother and Jerrod took a sip of the Tienjo to calm his irritation. They had their own rapport and though he'd known Giles for longer he always needed them to explain their inside jokes.

“How can that be good news Giles?”

“It means we have a good chance of catching him at the front, and he'll be easy to spot. He's the only thing holding the hordes together now. Kill the head and the body will die." Jerrod swished another mouthful of wine.

That's how Shao Kahn buried you after all, right? Leading from the front like the fool you-"

"It'll make things alot easier. Doesn't matter how strong he is, we'll take him out. They all look alike to me anyway.” The Rat lit the pipe and breathed plumes out of his nose like a dragon and Giles wrinkled his nose at the smell.

“I notice you do that whenever you're trying to be, what did the Earthrealmers call it? 'Cool'?”

“Horseshit. I smoke when I want to stay warm, too damn drafty in these rooms. Still, suppose the reports are wrong or this Thraxa wises up and stays at the rear. What then?”

"An assassin of our own. What about Jade?"

"No..." The two of them waited expectantly for Jerrod to go on. He knew she was qualified but for some reason he didn't want to consider her. She was too valuable as Kitana's friend, no, as his general. "Not her anyway. We can't afford to lose her on what might be a suicide mission and I'd rather not stoop to that anyway. What are our chances if it comes to war?"

"We can't beat them in open battle, even if we call on our allies. Jade's captains were some of our best and Thraxa rolled over them, so we can't rely on war tricks. There's too many of them too soon. We might hold out awhile if we took a defensive position in the capital but that would leave the rest of the realm to Thraxa's mercy."

"I might have something. Still having it worked up but it could be ready before the weeks out." The Rat continued to puff his lazy rings, looking pleased with himself, and Gile's scowl added even more wrinkles to his withered face.

"Stop trying to play it so mysterious, you're killing me faster than the Takartans. What is it?"

"It's a kind of a one use weapon that might even the odds if we used it properly. I already started on it a few days ago, let's just leave it at that for now."

"You had something like this and you didn't tell us?"

"After the leak in the guards I thought it wise to keep this close to my chest. We should still send the assassin though. If it comes to it, there's going to be massive loss of life, both us and the Takartans. It won't be enough to outthink or outfight them. We have to get vicious, that's the way of it." He looked pointedly at Jerrod, then went back to his puffing.

They're right you know. I'm in no hurry to be dying again and after what Thraxa pulled with you and your wife, it's only fair to return the favor. Suppose Kitana had been there?

"You know I don't approve of these methods, assasinations were Shao Kahn's way." They looked at him expectantly. "I'll send Reptile. In the meantime, the Rat will ready his weapon in secret and we'll gather as many allies as we can." After the millions of lives that had been lost in the last war, Jerrod was in no hurry to add to that tally, but there was no way around it. If he simply left the garrisons for Thraxa they wouldn't even have what meager time the soldiers lives were going to buy them. He couldn't put their lives, or Reptile against the countless that might be spared. "

"Then we're in agreement." Giles nodded. "We'll continue to evacuate to the capital and build our strength while the garrisons fight a delaying action. I'll see you later about your project." The Rat gave Giles and Jerrod an overly elaborate, self-depreciating bow before leaving them alone to nurse their drinks.

"I think there's a joke somewhere about trusting the Rat, isn't there?"

"Jerrod." To him Giles expression seemed as dry and unforgiving as a desert. The Rat had forgotten his smoldering pipe, and Jerrod picked it up, tapping it in his hand, not meeting his friend's eyes.

"Dirty habit. I thought only pirates still smoked this."

"Take your time, but we do need to discuss this. No more dealing with this by yourself, we've established that you can't. I know you're suffering a...an illness of sorts. I only want to help."

"Giles, I went to the court sorcerors, the physicians, they didn't know where to begin-" Giles held up his hand placately.

"Fine, I'm not a shadow priest, and my magic is third rate anyway. I've never met an Elder God, you and Shao Kahn are the closest experience I have. But I'm reasonably intelligent. Just start at the beginning, and we'll think through this logically." Jerrod had turned it over almost continuously, searching for some meaning but now he had no idea where to start. He'd always been so honest before, why was this so difficult? He'd known Giles for most of his life and he knew he might be the only person who wouldn't judge him, but for a minute the words wouldn't come. The firelight played off Gile's spectacles, obscuring his eyes and making him look like an inquisitor.

"About a month ago, I had a dream..."

For the better part of half an hour he laid out the dream, the lewd voices, his encounter with Tanya. Giles listened intently, stroking his beard and stopped him twice to ask the odd question. Finally, Jerrod finished with blacking out after being tempted by Mileena and waking in the jail cell and sat down, drained from the confession. Without thinking he picked up the pipe and took an experienced drag to calm himself, savoring the sensation of the Bac with the faintest trace of Y'len in it as it swirled in his lungs before he releasing. He wondered if it was any cheaper now since his seafaring days. Giles arched an eyebrow.

"Since when did you take up smoking Bac?" Jerrod looked down at the pipe unaware of what he'd been doing and deliberately set it out of arm's reach.

"The voices tell me things, sometimes I just know them. It's like I become these other people. I've got to do something Giles. It's only a matter of time until I lose control again."

"Hmmm. Hear me out. You say this started after the dream with your wife and daughter?"

"Yes, but that's not surprising. Every other thing the voices chatter about is sex." Giles steepled his fingers, glowered over them. Thousands of years later, it was difficult to reconcile the brash youth Jerrod had known with his serious grandfather act, it was a good one.

"I think that's the key to controlling this thing of yours Jerrod."

"What, the dream?"

"No, listen, try to follow along. Your being is made up of thousands and thousands of souls. I'm sure there are women in there too but probably more men, so let's go with that. Fighting men. Men who curse and drink and smoke and fuck. I know you Jerrod. You don't do any of those things, not really."

"I just had a drink!"

"Yes, one. You have the odd social or celebratory drink. How often do you get tipsy, let alone drunk?"

"That's not what a king does Giles. I have obligations and responsibilities and I need to keep a clear head, especially now."

"When's the last time you made love to your wife?"

"That's completely irrelevant to-"

He's saying you're not plowing your wife enough, have to say I agree.

Is this really the reasoning you're going to pursue?

"I'm trying to help. Will you listen? You first became aware of all of this during a sexual dream. Most of the voices seem fixated on it, you said that yourself. You lost control three times , twice in sexual situations. Men do strange and desperate things when they're not getting their needs met. Now when's the last time you made love to your wife?" Jerrod wanted to storm out, to go back to the cell, to smoke some more Y'Len, anything, but Gile's face remained patient and clinically detached. To him solving the problem was more important than Jerrod's wounded pride.

"It was the night before the last battle against Shao Kahn." He said, letting his memory drift back. For luck Sindel had said, though they both knew he was likely going to die the following morning. Her legs had bent and kicked softly as she bunched up the bedspread in her hands, her eyes closed and her face a mask of ecstacy as he first coaxed and then invaded her. As many years as they had been together, he could only remember half a dozen times with Sindel as vividly as this. The white webbed canopy of the bed had blown over her black hair and her heavenly breasts like a funeral shroud as he thrust inside her and she'd bucked against him until-

Go on.

It was beautiful, it's like I can almost smell her hair.

Nice memories, maybe we could go relive some of them with the Queen?

Jerrod flushed deeply at the realization that the other souls could probably see his memories far easier than he could theirs and Giles nodded seriously but without surprise. He'd known they'd had problems.

"You're the king and about as close to the Edenian ideal as you could get. I always said you should have been born into the priesthood instead of royalty."

"Well I'm hardly as pure as I started out now am I?"

"No. I think you could still stand to loosen up, I think your sanity depends on it now. Most people have neither the ability or inclination to live up to your ideals Jerrod. We're all not shining suns in the sky, we're just men scurrying about trying to find a little gratification in life like our friend the Rat. Men have needs, and if those needs aren't taken care of, it's not uncommon for them to go a little crazy. It drives other men to do sick and sad things and-"

"What you're saying is I need to get laid?"

Yes! So there is a little light in the forest after all!

You men are all disgusting pigs, all you ever think of is that.

No, I think he's onto something. Denying yourself only leads to restlessness. It may not be the answer you want to hear, but it's an answer.

"If you want to oversimplify things, yes."

"I can't believe this Giles, I came to you for serious advice and you're telling me the reason I'm losing my mind is I need to loosen up."

"It's just a theory, but I think it's sound. You defeated the other souls, but that's not the same as destroying them is it? As I understand it, they're part of your body, your mind. When you use your powers, you're not drawing on yourself, you're drawing on all of them. They all have their own desires, and you deny yourself those desires, of course they rebel against you."

"So you're saying I should submit myself to every perverted urge that crosses my mind?"

"Not at all. I'm saying, without meeting the needs of his subjects any king will eventually face insurrection. It might not be possible to cure you, but maybe you can make your condition livable by pacifying these souls. Have a drink. Have a smoke. Make love to your wife. I'm not saying go out and bust up a bar or commit murder. Just take a step down with the rest of us."

"You know about Sindel and I. Things are worse than ever between us."

"Then you need to get your needs taken care of elsewhere." Jerrod lifted his head from his hand and gave Giles a hard look but his expression hadn't changed.

"You're asking me to cheat on my wife."

I don't think it's actually cheating if she fucked a guy first ya know.

It's pretty clear this old coot friend of yours is going senile.

"Or see a prostitute. I'd normally never suggest that, but your condition is unique and it always seems to come back to sex. So, let's eliminate it as a suspect. Now don't look at me like that." Jerrod shook his head again and Giles sighed exasperated. "You have to get this under control, and not just for yourself. It's an ugly solution, but it's less ugly than maybe raping a bar maid."

"What if it doesn't help? What if I give into these voices and they want more? Want it enough to take it?" Giles spread his hands as if the answer was self evident.

"Then we lock you up and throw away the key. There's a little extra incentive for them to behave right? Look, it's worth a try. Talk to Sindel about all of this. She'll understand."

"I can't. Right now she's the only stable regent this realm has. Never mind our marriage, all this on top of everything would unbalance her. It-" He took a breath and squeezed Giles' shoulder. "Thank you for your advice. I didn't mean to come off like an angsty teenager. It's just too much too soon."

"Think nothing of it old friend. It's a unique situation. I don't think I'd trade for your youth and strength if it meant I had to deal with it."

"It's something for me to think about anyway, after I talk to Reptile." Giles' head bobbed and he settled back into his chair.

"I'm going to take a well deserved nap then. Don't worry too much. I'll have the detail follow you inconspicuously, I'll know where you are at all times."

"But I'm not going to cheat on my wife. That's not who I am."

"It's who you may need to be for the time being. I suggest you bring her flowers and keep what I said in mind." Giles murmured, his voice already drifting out.

The sun was sinking in a brilliant ball of fire by the time Jerrod made his way to the glade that lay outside the palace. He dismounted his horse and breathed in the forest air as he looked about. A canopy of green rustled overhead, making it seem darker than it was, and the many trees cast long shadows off each other.

"Reptile? Reptile, it's Jerrod!" Here and there a leaf fluttered down and he looked above for the Zaterran, it would have been the ideal place for concealment but really he could have been anywhere. If Reptile didn't want to be seen, it was unlikely Jerrod would find him. Sindel had been against extending friendship to the creature until Jerrod had finally made the argument that if they were going to exile every being that had ever served Shao Kahn, that would include the entire royal family as well as a large portion of the army and their allies. She'd grown quiet at that, he had hated saying anything to remind her of that time but he'd made his point. In Jerrod's eyes, Reptile had been duped as much of any of Kahn's unwilling pawns, and he was only too happy to leave him alone here on these few acres in exchange for the odd espionage job. He was solitary by nature and never left the glade as far as Jerrod knew.

"Reptile? I need your services! It's urgent!" He strained his eyes at every patch of daylight for the ripple, the telltale flicker of movement that would give Reptile away. There was a small rustle from a bush a few feet away and no sooner had Jerrod looked then he felt the soft whoosh of air being displaced as the figure dropped behind him. His arm was jerked behind him and simultaneously he felt the faint edge of sharp talons held against his throat. The hand was scaly and green, held flat against his neck and ready to slice. Jerrod restrained himself with difficulty, his first instinct was to kill the attacker and most of the voices were thinking along these lines, but instead he reached out with the power.

"Do you feel that tingle in your hand? I could break every bone inside it."

"Not before I slit your throat Majesty." The long snake like tongue hissed in his ear and then abruptly let him go. He was humanoid and dressed head to toe in green and black, but the hooked fingers, yellow eyes and lizard face betrayed his true nature.

"I knew it was you. No offense, but I didn't come around to play hide and seek with you again. It's a really bad time to be ambushing me, why the games?"

"Maybe I wanted to show you I'm still worth something. My talents are wasted skulking here, I long to leave these woods."

"You can leave any time you want. You're not a prisoner here."

"Where would I go?" He knelt on one knee and bowed his head. "Forgive me."

"You don't have to prove anything to me, I know you're the best spy in the realm. "

"I've disappointed you somehow. Why else would you call on me so little?" Jerrod put a hand on his shoulder and Reptile's yellow eyes blinked in an expression that might have been surprise, it was difficult to tell with with the irises.

"I know you can handle yourself but it would be a heavy burden for me to send the last of his race to his death needlessly."

"Your pity is misplaced. My race is already doomed, and all things die, including me. I'd rather die fighting for something then hide here for eternity. There's nothing for me now but the mission, please tell me you have one."

"Rise and accept your orders then." He rose and made a raspy sound of reptillian satisfaction.

"A Takartan named Thraxa now leads the hordes. We don't know his location but I understand he's so big you can't miss him. He'll probably be well hidden and well guarded. Find him and kill him." Reptile's long tongue slithered out and flicked at the long daggers of his teeth, picking thoughtfully.

"You've never asked me to kill before your Majesty. Not even Mileena. Why this one?"

"He tried to kill the Queen and I and almost succeeded. Mileena we could beat but Thraxa is too dangerous. I'm not proud of this but it's the only way to save what we've built. Do you accept these orders?"

"Of course. I've performed assassinations before. I won't come back without Thraxa's bleached skull."

"Don't get careless, if you can't kill him then-"

"No. I will follow my orders to the death, and if you respect me you won't patronize me again. Do you know why I would give my life if need be?" Jerrod shook his head, a little taken aback. The Zaterran had never been this personal with him. "Because unlike the liar Shao Kahn, you were always honest with me. There is no bringing Zaterra back, but Edenia..."

Repile bowed again and put the beaklike face mask over his large snout and walked away, each step the color fading from him until only the ghost like outline of his body was visible. Jerrod followed it until it blended seamlessly with the foliage and there was only silence. He hoped with all his being Reptile could put an end to this war before it began.

Giles' men were discreet but Jerrod was pretty sure he'd spotted one trailing him as we walked to Sindel's room. He knocked, when there was no answer he opened the door, wondering what she might be doing this time. Her plush room was normally spotless but now there were piles of paper all over the room. The large canopied bed was covered in scrolls with only a vaguely humanoid space cleared for sleeping. He moved a field report to the side to make room and sat down, he could hear water running in the bathroom so he looked at the large map she'd mounted on the wall as he waited. There were red pins positioned in clumps to the west, a scattering of blue pins in the center, and a mass of them in the east, where the palace lay. He examined the map for a minute with critical eyes, trying to probe for a weakness. The positioning was sound, but there were still far more red pins than blue pins.

"Oh, you startled me!" She stood in the doorway towelling her great mass of hair. She'd changed into loose fitting night clothes that looked strange on her somehow, it was actually more conservative than her normal outfit he saw with mingled disappoinment and relief.

"Sorry, I heard you washing. Who were you expecting?" She flushed a little, he'd meant it as a joke but could tell she was thinking of Aiden.

"After what I'd heard, I wasn't sure." He offered her the Tienjo wine and a glass and she took it gratefully as he poured for them. "You didn't used to drink so much." She said thoughtfully.

"With everything that's been happening, it's enough to drive anyone to. Here." Jerrod handed her the handful of purples he'd picked for her. "I meant to give them to you before but..."

You were too busy fucking Aiden.

That's enough, he thought angrily, mostly because he couldn't tell if he was the source of the thought or not. She took them and sniffed with eyes closed.

"They're beautiful, thank you. I'll put them in some water."

"How are you holding up?" Sindel gestured around at the haphazard mess, it looked like some sloppy war student's disaster, if she had a system he couldn't see it.

"Everyone's doing their best. I feel like I could lay down and die that's how exhausted I am. I thought the wars were over."

"So did I. Do you mind if I sit down?"

"Sure." He moved to clear some space next to her but when he saw the small look of discomfort in her eyes he chose the corner of the bed instead and sighed. "I'm sorry, I don't mean to push you away right now. What did Giles say?"

"He brought me up to speed on the Takartans. I'm sending Reptile out and the Rat thinks he might have something." She nodded distractedly. "Did he tell you about my condition?"

"He gave me his report, I couldn't believe it. Can anything be done?"

"Giles has a theory, but first, let's talk about us."

"Jerrod, I'm so tired, I feel like I haven't slept in days. What do I even say?"

"We were cut off at the pavillion before. I wanted to know if you loved me or not. You started to get a little, well, morbid about yourself. You're no more dead than I am."

"It's nothing to laugh about." She said, irritated.

"I'm not laughing, I want to know more about what you meant."

"Alright. I did love you, as your wife, deeply. Back when I know who we were. I'm not sure of anything anymore."

" You must have thought you didn't love me anymore before. I'm just trying to understand."

"It wasn't that I didn't love you so much as...those people are gone. You really can't see it can you?" He shook his head and she downed her wine and coughed a bit. "We're literally not the same people we married, it's written right in our eyes for anyone to see." Jerrod had always known their resurrections had been a problem for his wife. She'd said she accepted him in this new body, that it was who he was on the inside that counted, but now that he didn't even know his own mind, let alone Sindel's, could he say she was wrong? Still, the woman he married had to be in there somewhere, he would see flashes of her day to day, buried underneath her fierce exterior, and even if he was just one of a multitude, King Jerrod was still controlling this body.

For now.

"You know I'm right." He wanted to contradict her, but for now he had nothing, so he took another sip.

"Let's talk about Aiden."

"I'm sorry for that. I'm not going to try to justify it. Just an explanation, if you'll listen."

"I'll try." She ran a hand through the length of her hair.

"As captain of the guard, he was around me alot more than you were." He drew in his breath and her long lashes looked down. "I didn't mean it like that, that's just how it happened. He was always complimenting me on my beauty, it was like that from the beginning. I never thought much about it, I just thought, he's just impudent, just trying to flatter the Queen. There were too many other things to worry about. I...lowered my guard. Then he started asking personal questions, asking about us. He knew we never saw eachother anymore. He wanted to know the last time I'd had sex." Her milky eyes rose from her lap to meet his look. "Again, I don't blame you for that. Maybe I did, then, I know it wasn't fair. One day our eyes locked and the next thing I knew we were in bed. "

"Did you love him?" She looked embarassed.

"No, I...no. I was shocked when they found him torn to pieces. But I didn't love him. He made me feel good about myself and he...there were no expectations with it. Not like us. I'm sorry for putting you through this, we can stop if you want." Jerrod's face was screwing up in agony, or maybe it was anger, he wasn't sure, but he forced it to relax.

"No, we already waited too long to talk about this."

"I've been rethinking things ever since the pavillion. I was using him to avoid the truth, and now my crutch is gone. Then, I almost lost you too."

"What truth?"

"That this, all this, was always about me. Not you. It's true I wanted the sex, but what I really wanted was to be guilty. So beyond redemption that you'd see me for what I was and agree to the divorce."

"Why would you need to feel that way? If you were so unhappy, you only had to come to me. I would have tried harder, I would have talked to you."

"That's the problem. I knew you would say or do something unbearably sweet like in the woods and we would have argued but ultimately, I would have stayed with you, and I can't do that. You made me question myself, like I knew you would. I know we're no good for eachother, not anymore."

"But why? You keep telling me how none of this was my fault, surely I must have done something to bring this all on."

"I have problems of my own, I'm not trying to tart it up. There were so many things, so many ways you were different that bothered me, but it wasn't you, even with this. I know I've changed. I get furious, murderous almost, and I don't even know why. I cry and I don't know why. I have these vulgar cravings and it's-"

"Cravings?" She shook her head, flushed from the wine but the color in her cheeks came from elsewhere. They'd inched closer during their talk and now he was within pouncing distance. There were only two buttons done up on her shirt, with a flick of his finger he could have it open and have her soft breasts filling his hands. No, take it slow, he told himself, and he traced his fingers up her arm and back down. As electric as her skin felt to him he thought she'd respond but she kept talking in her glass, not looking at him.

"I feel like a ragdoll, just bits and pieces put together to resemble the real Sindel. I don't know where Quan Chi's artifice ends and my own thoughts begin."

"Sindel, we are the same, I can understand, can't you see that?"

"I do." She said seriously. "I know I'm no good for you the way I am. Just imagine what kind of disaster the two of us could cause for Kitana. We had a good thing, but that was another life. All we can do now is try to save everyone further heartache. It's nobody's fault, except that bastard Shao Kahn." She stole a glance at him, he'd been leaning in slowly during all this and now he was barely a kiss away. "It's dangerous to look at me like that."

"You like it though, don't you? There must be a reason you keep me around." It was meant to be smooth but Jerrod's voice cracked a little and he frowned. Had that been him, or...?

"Jerrod, you're not listening."

"No, I am, and I want to show you how I still feel about you. What was it you wanted someone to do? Was it...this?" His arm encircled her, and his other hand ran up her leg. He reached the cuff of her shorts and began to caress the thigh and all of a sudden she jerked away, shrinking from him. He stiffled his frustration, and when she saw where he was looking she buttoned her shirt up further. Damn.

"I'm sorry, it's too soon. We can't do that yet."

"You don't want me?"

"No, you can't imagine how much I want it, but it would be a bad idea." He wanted her now, there was a chorus of voices goading him on but he knew the urge was his. He was trying to restrain himself, this wasn't like him, but it had been so long for them and he felt like he finally beginning to understand her.

"You could do it with Aiden but not with me?" She got up suddenly and in a second she had stalked to the bathroom and slammed the door.

You just have no tact at all do you?

I thought it was a fair question. Don't worry, my wife used to do this all the time.

He hadn't meant to set her off, he honestly wanted to know. He knocked on the bathroom doorly softly and over running water he heard a single muffled sob before the door opened. Her eyes were bleary, he could tell she had washed her face. Every time he'd resigned himself to dealing with this hard woman she'd become, his old Sindel would pop up like this, it was frustrating.

"It didn't mean anything with him, but with you, I want it to mean something. If we do it, it means I'm with you, and I'm not ready for that. Yet."

"I want you Sindel. No, I need you." In one motion he slipped an arm around her waist and pulled her to him, feeling the power in her muscles as she tried briefly to pull away and then he pressed his lips to hers. Her eyes went wide and then he felt the tenseness in her melt away and she relaxed in his grip. His hands ran up and down her back and her lips melded with his, he felt the minute sensation of the tips of their tongues touching. Now that she was this close he was completely intoxicated with her as her breasts pressed against his hard chest.

She's incredible, what is it about sex that makes women look so much younger?

Try touching her here...

He listened to the female voice and his hand moved as if being guided down his wife's sides and then slipped around her ass and down between her legs. His fingers pressed gently into the cloth, feeling the outline of Sindel's crevice and she gasped.

"Jerrod, no..." She sighed, and he felt her squirm down there as her hips rocked with his motion. He kissed her again and squeezed one of her apple cheeks with his other hand. "Jerrod, we shouldn't. Jerrod, stop!" Her voice took a sharp edge, and suddenly she broke the kiss and jerked away and he let go, startled.

"Are you alright? I didn't hurt you?"

"No, no! It's...you should go. I can't control myself if you stay."

"All the more reason for me to stay." Her eyes flashed angrily at his smile and his heart sank. "We can help eachother. Don't we have a chance?"

"I don't know yet. I'm sorry, I just need more time to sort this all out." He moved to hold her but her quiet menace warned him he was in the room with Kahn's war bride again. It would be like touching a lightning bolt.

"I'll be waiting for you if you change your mind." He murmured. Her expression was unreadable as she closed her door softly and then he could only stand in the hall feeling like a fool.

What happened? She was into it. I feel like I'm going to pop!

She's barely holding it together, you heard it yourself. I really want to see them make it.

Yeah, I want to see them make it too, did you feel those tits?

Not what I meant.

That's the second time we've slunk out of her bedroom. I think it's time we start considering other options.

Such as?

Does Jerrod really want to have to relearn such a severe woman? Sindel is right, hard as it is to hear. It's time for them to move on.

The priority right now is the Takartans.

No, the priority is I'm burning up, I want to feel a woman again after that tease, and if I don't I'll take what I can get.

Jerrod looked up to see he was in front of a door. He hadn't lost control, just lost himself in thought and the swirl of the voices and his feet had carried him to Jade's room for some reason.

Oh I think you know the reason. She adores you, and she's delectable.

He raised his hand to knock, unsure of what he would say to Jade, and for a minute his hand froze in that position, like a game of Statue.

Do that and you throw away your chances with Sindel.

What chances?

It would get back to Giles, one of the girls he'd leered at on the way down had been too hard eyed for a mere servant girl, but that didn't really matter. He could just talk to her couldn't he? His mind flashed back to her alluring, tawny body, the bare shoulders and toned legs and he shifted uncomfortably and finally managed to walk awkwardly back up to his room with his hardon against his leg.

Jerrod let himself fall forward and lay facedown on the bed with his head in the crook of his arm. The huge, painfully empty royal bed. Down the hall his wife would be sleeping now. Her long white hair flowing around her perfect body. Jerrod hadn't felt her nude body in thousands of years, now he could barely remember the sensation. He rolled over in frustration, both physical and emotional and his green eyes stared at the ceiling without seeing it.

Go to her now. Women never say what they really mean.

No, respect her wishes, just give her more time.

Catch her in bed with your clothes off.

The voices debated and freely gave advice, some filthy, the female voices in particular were a little louder this time. Jerrod groaned in frustration, all he could think of right now was sex, but he resolved to spend the night alone after all.

“You really wanted her didn't you?” Jerrod sat up with a start to see Jade lounging across the room in his chair. She sat sideways over the armrest and a knowing glint in her eyes. How did they keep sneaking up on him like that? Was it something to do with wearing green?

“Wanted who?” He asked, trying to keep the guilt out of his voice and Jade stretched herself out, her long chestnut legs shifting seductively.

“The Queen. I was hoping you two would get back together, you really need to Jerrod.”

“We're doing better now Jade. We'll be fine.”

“Not at this rate. It's driving you crazy, I can tell. You'd have to be to fuck someone like Tanya.” Her voice was even and casual but she may as well have shrieked in his ear for the start it gave him and all he could do was stare at her.

"Giles told you!?”

“No, but I was there, I heard everything. Reptiles not the only one who can eavesdrop.”

“Why did you-”

“I like to know everything that's going on and then decide what concerns me.” It had been like having to saw off his own arm telling Giles his situation but for Jade to know too! He was too shell shocked to process, but when her expression didn't change he finally found his breath.

“I know how this sounds before I say it, but I'd appreciate your discretion. I'll tell Sindel and Kitana soon but right now-”

“There's a war on, which is why we can't afford division and distraction." She finished for him. "Let me help."

"If it's about Reptile, I'm sorry, but I need you here.” She held her hand up placately and he realized he'd misread her again.

“Don't think I wouldn't like to go myself, but he might be better suited for this. That's not how I intended to help though. Look at you. You can barely control yourself. You're wound tight enough to snap." Below her impish nose, her inviting lips were sympathetic. Jade took the pin out of her hair and her silken black tresses spilled like glossy midnight. She began to roll down her gloves slowly. It was just her bare arms but something about the motion was mysterious and sexy.

"What are you doing?"

"I told you, I want to help. I heard Giles theory, and I think he's right. You need to learn to control your lust." He was transfixed and as she saw she still had his attention she placed her leg on the chair and began to roll down the long boots that so accented her tan thighs. The rest of her shapely legs were revealed and then she stepped forward in her barefeet and faced him.

"You're not helping me control it Jade. Quite the opposite." He thought he saw small roses bloom on her cheeks, out of place on either side of the veteran's smile.

"Someone has to. Why didn't you tell the Queen?" He flushed knowing she'd eavesdropped on them in the bedroom too, he had no privacy whatsoever anymore, not even inside his own head.

"I didn't want to use her just to satisfy myself. It would have been wrong, she's not ready for it."

"Then use me your Majesty." Jade breathed, he'd never heard her use his title before. Jerrod became acutely aware that all that was standing between him and her bare body now was the gold armlets and her green corset. He was already so close to the edge, the corset only hid those final, tantalizing details of a body that promised to be breathtaking. She smiled a little self-consciously as his gaze, it reminded him uncomfortably of when they'd first met, she and Kitana had been little more than babes. Most of the voices screamed in protest, but he found the strength to shift his eyes to the far wall

"Jade, I appreciate your offer, I'm flattered, but I don't want to take advantage of you, or anyone. I'll deal with this some other way. Please leave."

You are a fucking moron Jerrod!

"Is that a command?" She arched an eyebrow, and a little bit of her old conceit was back. She walked towards him, her gait deliberately senuous, the hips swaying each steps, and he struggled not to embrace her, to taste her. Jade stood toe to toe with him now, the cool green eyes, a beautiful deadly warrior chiseled from a noble's daughter, and he backed up in a hurry and fell back against the bed.

"Finding it hard to make up your mind? I'll bet if I just touched you here...” Her hand caressed his clothed thigh and he moaned inadvertantly, feeling his body tingle like a cold wind was playing over it. Now he was shaking, he was going to lose it again, but she didn't move, only smiled patiently.

"I won't force you and I'll try not to tease. If I was Tanya or Mileena, you'd be dead already, I think you know that. But you're safe with me. I'm not trying to make you lose control, what I want you to understand is how easy it would be."

"Jade...I'm sorry, I'm married"

"Shhh." She hovered over him, if she took off the corset he was finished. "I'm not doing this to hurt the Queen. I know you're a good man. No, you're a hero. The Queen will understand. Or she won't, but Edenia needs King Jerrod. Not Ermac, not anyone else you've got in there either."

"I'm not a hero, or I wouldn't be tempted like this."

"Not your fault." She put a hand on his shoulder. "You weren't here, you don't know what it was like under Shao Kahn. You freed us." The emerald eyes bored into his. "All of us."

“I can't do this. I'm old enough to be your father.”

“Grandfather.”

“I wouldn't go that far.” He frowned and she chuckled, then tapped his forehead gently.

“Up here maybe, but not down here.” Her eyes sidled down his chest suggestively and now his cock was like a small pillar of fire. “I think you have to make the decision to sleep with me, and not let it be made for you. You have to learn to yield without losing control.”

“What if I do lose control Jade? What if I do something you don't want or hurt you?”

“I'm one of the best warriors in the realm, I can handle it. I mean-” She blushed and he understood her joke and grinned.

“Shao Kahn understood that the deadliest weapon of all in an assassin's arsenal was a kiss. So you understand why you have to control this?”

“I understand that I have to but this just doesn't seem like the way."

“Because you feel guilty you might enjoy it. If you had to fast for three months or lock yourself in a dungeon for a year, you'd do it no hesitation, wouldn't you?" She wasn't asking so much as stating. "Giles is right, I'm sure of it. Do you really want to lose control around your wife or daughter?” The lust of those souls for his family lanced at him and that more than anything convinced him. It was worth a try and he gave her the smallest nod.

“Don't think of it as sex. It's like training.” She undressed him like a doll with a reverential expression, pulling his shirt over his head until his bare torso was exposed. “I'm going to touch you gently now, just get used to the sensation ok?” She put a hand on his shoulder and ran it down his muscular arm and he felt the flesh on it rise in goosebumps. She went on that way, rubbing his arm, tracing figure 8's on his skin with her fingertips, then took his arm in both hands and blew on it. Her breath prickled his flesh and he let her relaxing touch seep into him. The voices were mostly quiet, they too were in suspense to Jade's caress.

“That feels so good.” He murmured and she massaged his bicep.

“Lay back now, and get used to the feeling of my skin.” She gave him a little pressure until he lay flat on his back. “Close your eyes.” He felt the second hand on his other arm now, kneeding his skin. He felt torn, her voice and her touch were relaxing and driving him crazy at the same time and his cock rose like a snake from a charmers basket. She must have saw because her caress slowed. “Don't think about what could happen. Nothing will happen that you don't want. You're in control Jerrod. You're in control.” She droned it like a mantra until he felt her hands wrap around his and bring them to her arms. He started to open his eyes and he felt her fingertips gently force his eyelids close again.

“Touch my arms and my shoulders the way I touched you, but don't touch anywhere else. Don't open your eyes.” He opened one eye ever so slightly to see her stern, disapproving look.

"Pretend I'm the Queen if it helps. What do you want to do to her?"

"I don't know if I'm comfortable talking about that."

"What do you want to do to me then? Be honest."

"I want to...take your clothes off. I want to play with your breasts." He couldn't believe he had said that to his general, to his daughter's best friend!

"Here, feel them then." Her hands led his up to her chest, and he felt the ripe curves. He began to open his eyes, and then he felt her pinch his hand. "Eyes closed. They're just flesh, see? You're the one moving your hands, nobody else." Jerrod felt his hands squeeze them roughly and she gasped before he got control back and kneaded them more gently. He allowed them to slip inside the tight corset and now he could feel the soft domes of her tits between his fingers.

Is she just teasing? If she doesn't go all the way I'll go crazy.

"What then? Don't be shy."

"I want to taste your nipples." He felt her undo her corset, and now the breasts were free, and he lifted them with his palms, squeezing them together. He felt a hard tip pressing against his lips and took an experimental lick, then suckled on it's point, running his tongue along as he did so. Jade sighed, he felt her writhe against him, and when he opened his eyes, he saw that hers were closed, her chest offered to him. Her breasts were well formed and proud, with nipples the color of cinammon pointing pertly. He nuzzled his face between them, licking between them and up Jade's neck, to behind her ear, which he nibbled on.

"Jerrod? Jerrod, slow down." She moaned, and he kissed her roughly as his body moved on it's own, his lips moved up and down her, ravenous, devouring her. "Jerrod." Her voice was like ice and he pulled back guiltily.

"I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine. Take what you want from me, but keep control." It was strange considering his true age, but he felt like a virgin she was teaching from experience. Jade slid the rest of her outfit down, and then he could see her in all of her splendor. Her skin was like desert sand, her stomach and thighs taut, and her slit was smooth and shaved.

I can't wait to ram it into her.

Absolutely stunning. If only I was a man...oh wait, I am!

Jerrod felt the voices try to go for her, they lunged and tried to bolt, but he held the mental reins fast, ready for them. Jade lay on her side, offering herself, her namesake eyes watching his struggle solemnly.

"Do you feel like you're getting a handle on it?"

"A little. It's difficult."

"Let's keep trying. What do you want to do now?"

"I want you to...to taste me."

"You want me to suck you?" That almost sent him over the edge again, and she waited before he managed to nod once. "Then lay back." She got down on her knees as she undid his pants, and when his cock sprang free before her naked form, it felt like a great weight had been lifted off his lap. His engorged member throbbed and she hesitantly put her hand around it.

"What's wrong?"

"I just didn't expect you to be so big. You're huge Jerrod." He thought maybe she was saying it for his ego, but her eyes were shiny as she examined it and moved it this way and that, stroking softly. Her eyes met his, and Jade blushed slightly before returning his look more confidently and took him into her mouth. The feeling of his cock sliding between her lips was rapturous as she went down his length slowly before swishing her tongue straight up his length all the way to the head. The voices were quiet, nobody wanted to interrupt this as her eyes and her mouth held them all captive. He felt waves of pleasure radiate through his veins, her hair bouncing in time as she engulfed him. With a pop Jade finished and held his thick cock against her exquisite face, her eyes were half lidded.

"Here's the real test. You want to fuck me?" She asked, and once again he had to hold the reins, but he didn't need anyone else to tell him he wanted her. "Then do it to me." He pulsed, hot and ready against her slit, slick from her blowjob he entered her up to the hilt without any resistance. She closed her eyes, letting out a deep breath as she got used to his girth, before he felt her velvet softness begin to squeeze and urge him on. Her fingers dug into the bedspread, bunching them up, and then she began to buck against him, their thighs slapping together. The pleasure built inside of him until it wasn't enough anymore, so he pulled her legs up over his shoulders and pumped her, pulling her hips to him with each thrust. Now she was tossing her head side to side, eyes closed, her mouth an O of ectasy

It feels so good, she's so tight!

"Jerrod...is that still you?" She panted, and he forced himself to slow down and then leant over and kissed her, which she returned open mouth.

"Your favorite food is Hio style barbecue."

"If you can remember something like that..." She moaned and squeezed him there. "You're doing great. Are you going to come for me soon?" He shook his head and she wrapped her arms around his neck and brought him back down to her mouth. "I want to be on top now."

From underneath he could see her sloping breasts in their full glory as she lowered herself down onto his cock, first just the head before rotating her hips in such a way that he didn't enter so much as snake his way slowly into her pussy. She balanced expertly on his legs, her hands on his thighs and her toes digging softly into his knees for purchase as she lowered her hips and teased the tip of his cock with rapid, shallow thrusts he didn't think were possible. She grinned then sat completely down on his erect spear, and he was overwhelmed as her hot wetness enveloped him.

Oh God!

They were crying out, enraptured by each touch but Jerrod paid them no mind, only concentrating on the rise and fall of Jade's body as she tried to coax his seed out while riding him hard. She was so lithe, so agile...

This body is really strong. I think we could manage it.

He wasn't sure if it was the voices, but he felt inspired in a perverted way. She gasped as he sat up and slipped his arms beneath legs and then picked her up easily, still thrusting up into her. He held her under her legs and stood completely up now and she held onto him for dear life as he bounced her off him.

"Oh, you're so good Jerrod. I can feel it so deep, fuck me more!" She felt light as a feather to him as he stirred her insides, it felt so much better to be in control, even if it hadn't been what he wanted.

"I've got a mirror on the bureau. Do you think you can turn around?" Her lips grazed his in response, her hot breath on his neck as she twisted around, hanging herself from his neck and then dragging herself up and down his spire. From this angle they could watch themselves in the mirror as he let her slide down his length to the base and then pushed his hips forward, feeling a jolt each time his cock reached the wall of her vessel. Finally he could take no more and pushed her down until she was leaning against the bureau and hammered her ass from behind.

"I love it! Ah, pound me!" Jerrod slapped the tan cheek as it rippled with each joining and felt her twitch in response, it wasn't like him, or maybe now that'd he'd pushed thought of right and wrong from his mind it was, but it still felt like his idea. "Don't stop, give it to me!"

He gave Jade one last deep, extended thrust before pullng out and a white stream spurt the length of her smooth back. He lay against her, his seed dripping between her buns and her legs rubbed against eachother. Her smile in the mirror reminded him of a satisfied cat that had caught the mouse.

"How was it?"

"It was..."

Sheer bliss.

"Sheer bliss." Jade blushed again, seemed pleased.

"Did it help?"

"Yes, thank you Jade. I think I need more practice though."

"Well you can't expect to cope with something like this after only one night. Tomorrow night we can try again." Jade's brow knit and she looked behind her to see his erect cock rubbing against her again. It was like a dam had burst in him, the voices all had an idea what they should do to her next, and some of them sounded too good to pass up. He picked her up and carried her to the bed, dragging himself across her supple body, before sinking on top of her.

"It's still me." He breathed, before sucking on the sweet nipples again with abandon, and then bit one softly.

"You want more?!" She gasped, but it wasn't fear in her voice as he explored her body, and soon that voice was trilling as she received him again for the first time in what was to be several in that long night.

Sorry this took forever, been as sick as I've ever been, so I lost months writing. This one also went 2000 words over limit, so think of it like a chapter and a half I guess. So nerd time, thought I'd explain some things. Edenians have low birth rates, otherwise they'd be running around with kids in the thousands. Edenians age normally until adulthood, after that they live thousands of years, that's why Jade and Kitana look the same age. Could you deal with a screaming infant for 1500 years? I'd kill myself in 5! So figure age like this: 10000 years x 2, divide by 1000. So Jade looks to be about 20. Oh, and if you're wondering why the bad guys call it Outworld versus Edenia, and Jerrod, Ermac, it's for political reasons.

As many palette swap ninjas as MK has it's hard to differentiate them but the recent games gave me alot to work with. Jade started pretty flat but having her know Jerrod before helped me flesh her out and get a feel on her personality. Mileena was also fun to write, you have to figure she's like Helen of Troy to the Takartans. Alas, I don't want this turning into a “Main character fucks everyone” fic.

Next chapter: Ever see that movie Se7en? A big bad, a big battle, and some big hair. Sindel, blood, and snu snu!
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She Was Loved By The Multitudes