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A small alarm on the nightstand buzzes irritantly, waking up the two occupants of the dark bedroom. A hand lazily gropes around, accompanied by annoyed groaning as it searches for the perpetrator. It finally finds the beping device and slams down upon it, silencing it completely. That same hand then reaches down to scratch its owner's groin.

Cao yawns as he sits up in bed. He blinks a few times as his mind catches up to his body, just as upset at being jolted awake as his partner, who is similarly waking up. She pulls the covers nearly completely off of him as she rolls over, seemingly intent on going back to sleep and leaving none for him. He looks at the clock; having recently understood how to read numbers, but only barely, it takes him a moment longer than a normal person to register that it's nearly the afternoon. They slept in for quite a while, but then again, were also up quite late, so maybe it all worked out in that regard. The blinds are closed---if they were open, the room would be terribly bright with the afternoon sun.

He looks over at Jacqui, memories of last night suddenly flooding into the forefront of his mind, rushing to remind him of how great it was. A smile creeps onto his face, but then runs away when memory of what preceded it returns.

D'Vorah. She's back, and a member of the Deadly Alliance. She attacked Kotal Kahn two nights ago, and today he's to report to the Z'unkahrah palace to begin his new duty... as temporary Kahn.

His hands clasp his face, stretching it and rubbing it before he buries them both in his hair, pulling slightly. As if news of D'Vorah's return wasn't enough; now he has to fill in a position he hadn't expected to deal with for a very long time. Last night was his last night here on Shang Tsung's island at the New Defenders base before heading off to sit on the throne.

'The throne...'

For some reason, a shiver runs up his spine at the thought. He had prepared for the notion, or so he thought until the news actually came.

Jacqui was---is---supportive. They spoke for a long while about it last night, before... other things. Kotal was not dead, so Cao wasn't stepping up to fill a permanent position. Yet. Ever since Cassie backed off and things switched to a solo relationship between himself and Jacqui, she's been constantly there for him, even going so far as helping him learn to read basic letters and numbers while teaching him more about Earthrealm culture.

'And the sex is amazing, that's a bonus too,' he thinks amusedly to himself. But now, here she is, hogging all the covers! 'That simply won't do...'

>Get out of bed
>Steal the covers back by pulling them off her
>Kick her out of the bed suddenly
>Wrestle her for the blanket
>Wake her up with a kiss
>Other (write-in)

>>812891

> Steal the covers back and flee with our new cape/imperial robe

When you play the game of thones...

>>812891
>Steal the covers back by pulling them off her

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>>812901
>>812946

A wicked idea pops into his head. Cao reaches over and places a hand on her sleeping form, gently running it along her side. Even through the blanket, he can appreciate her toned yet shapely body, but he has other things on his mind right now... like stealing his new cape!

Without warning, Cao grabs the blanket and pulls, taking her with it as she rolls towards him. The blanket comes free from her body and her eyes shoot open; she begins to speak in protest as he hoists the blanket up high and then swashes it behind himself, wrapping it about his shoulders. He stands up in bed and jumps off, running to the opposite end of the room where he quickly readjusts it, causing it to completely cover himself, staring at her over the top of an arm like Dracula's cloak.

Jacqui, mostly nude, rolls over onto his stomach and looks up at him with groggy, half-there eyes. "What... are you doing?" she manages to finally ask, equal parts confused and tired.

"If I am to be an emperor, I need a cape, don't I?"

She cocks a brow. "You also need clothes. A crown would help, too."

"Nah. First rule change: Everyone's naked, except for capes." He blinks a few times. "Scratch that. It only applies to the women, and to me."

Jacqui, in spite of herself, lets out a laugh but then immediately shakes her head. "I fear for Outworld. Truly."

"Outworld should fear ME!" he proclaims, striking a pose. "Why, who's to say? I still might have Shao Kahn inside of me, waiting to take the throne back for myself!"

She holds up her hands and rolls her eyes. "Oh, no. Whatever will we do?" She flops onto her face and lets out a low groan. "What time is it?"

"Afternooon. Lunch is probably already on."

"Thinking about food at a time like this?"

"Time's got nothing to do with it, I think about food a lot."

Jacqui picks her head back up and stares at him. "Ugh. I couldn't eat a bite right now. I just wanna go back to bed; gimme those blankets back."

"You mean my cape."

She pushes herself up onto her elbows, folding her arms in front of herself as she leans on them, cleavage barely contained behind the window of her limbs. "Don't make me come over there and get them from you," she says, this time with an air of playfulness.

"I'd like to see you try. We both know I'm faster than you."

"I bet I can make you come back over here willingly..." she says, her voice now alluring as she bites her lip, subtly shifting her arms to expose more flesh. Her eyes are almost sparkling like the ends of her barrels when she fires her gauntlets.

Cao stops moving, his eyes fixated on the sight before him. 'I know she's playing me... but I might allow it.'

>Fall under the spell
>Play along but then run away
>Creep up close and then shove the blanket on her
>Tease her back
>Other

>>812985

> there are no wrong options here

> All of the options

>>812985
>>Creep up close and then shove the blanket on her
Do not be swayed young prince

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>>812990
>>813029

As she beckons him with her eyes, he steps forward, as though in a trance, hypnotized. Jacqui smiles, knowing that it's working. Cao stops in front of her, just outside of arm's reach.

"C'mere..." she whispers, reaching out. "We can share that blanket, if you like."

He blinks, then smiles. "You can have it, I'm done."

She reacts in surprise, but then he can't see her next reaction, since he quickly takes off the blanket and throws it on her, all but shoving it down on her front half. Based on her voice, he can guess what it is, though. "Cao!"

The young prince isn't swayed as he leaps back onto the bed, holding the blanket down. A struggle ensues for several minutes, the end result of which is the blanket becoming entwined among them as they lay on the bed, kissing and caressing. Jacqui pulls away and smiles.

"Well, that's one way to say good morning."

"Good afternoon," he corrects her.

She gives him a sassy look. "Or is it goodbye?"

"Well... I don't have to leave yet. They're expecting me some time today and that includes tonight, so..."

"As nice a thought that is, you shouldn't keep them waiting. Not even I'm worth keeping an emperor from his big skull chair."

"I disagree," he says with a charming smile that makes her blush. He goes back in for a kiss, but she stops him.

"Cao... we really should get dressed." Her eyes drift over to the clock, taking in the time; twelve-forty.

He lets out a sigh. 'She's probably right...'

>Twenty more minutes couldn't hurt
>Get dressed and head downstairs
>Shower first, then head out
>Push her into staying longer
>Other

>>813102

> Shower

> ... for twenty more minutes.

>>813111
Supported

>>813102
>Shower first, then head out
Savor the wonders of modern indoor plumbing for as long as we have it.

>>813102
>Shower first, then head out

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>>813111
>>813135
>>813137
>>813166

The two of them make slow progress towards the shower, and even once inside, little focus is spent on actually cleaning each other. Something about that first night makes the shower one of their favorite places to spend time together. When all is said and done, it's a few minutes past one when they are toweling off and searching for their scattered clothing.

"Have you seen my shorts?" she asks, lifting up a pillow and finding one of his socks.

As he catches it when she tosses it over, he looks up at the ceiling fan. "Found them," he says, reaching up and taking them off of one of its blades. He tosses it back to her and she quickly slides them on.

Within minutes, they're fully dressed and ready to face the day. He leaves ahead of her, to allow her a moment to tidy up a bit more, but not before one last quick shared peck. She's never been too much of a makeup kind of girl, but a little touch of a few things never hurt anyone.

Cao stretches as he walks down the hall. Him leaving first also serves a dual function of them not being seen leaving together; while it isn't by now exactly a secret that they are together, it's something of an unspoken rule that inter-team relationships shouldn't be at the forefront of anyone's business, including those involved in it.

He hears noise coming from the rec room and walks inside to discover Takeda, Jin, Tundra and Fox all hanging out and watching a movie, drinks in hand. They had worked the schedule to ensure that they would all have today off. Takeda looks over and immediaely focuses on him. "Cao! Come on, man, we're having guy day!"

Jin nudges him and reminds, "He's got things going on. Outworld."

Takeda shrugs. "Yeah, I know... but he can hang out for a minute. Or two." He raises a bottle, unopened, and shakes it slightly as an invitation, tempting as ever.

>Hang out
>Get a drink
>Get lunch instead
>Report to your superiors
>Other

>>813218
>Get lunch instead
Food first. When you're a thief in Outworld, food always comes first.

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>>813234

"Thanks, but I'm hungry."

"We got chips and salsa," Takeda says, but Cao holds up a hand.

"I'm good. Maybe next time."

"Later dragon-bro," Takeda says as the thief walks off. When Jin shoots him a questioning glance, the Shirai-Ryu only offers a smug shrug. "It's a dragon-slayers thing. You wouldn't understand."

Cao proceeds to the kitchen to get some lunch. The staff have prepared spaghetti today; a delicacy that Cao has only recently become acquainted with. Interestingly enough, he's not the only one doing so. Sitting alone at one of the tables in the mess hall is Frost, who is disinterestedly poking at the sauce-covered noodles with her fork.

He gets his plate and sits across from her. Her bored expression seems to lighten up somewhat when she sees him. "Hey," she greets him.

"Hey." He prepares to dig into his food, but notices her plate is full. He becomes wary of his meal all of a sudden. "Is it bad?"

She seems distracted. "Hm? Oh, no. It's fine. I don't get Italian very often, is all."

"Is that a sickness?"

"It's a---Nevermind." She giggles and resumes poking her fork into the noodles.

"Is it too warm? Can you eat warm food?"

"I prefer it, thank you very much," she snarks back at him. "I said it's fine. Tasty, really. I'm just not very hungry, I guess."

"Something on your mind?"

"A few things," she admits in a moment of vulnerability, but then quickly retracts it. "But nothing, you know, serious or anything. I'm fine."

He scoops up a mouthful, but remains somewhat curious by the frankly brisk nature of her response.

>Ask her what's up
>Wish her well and eat elsewhere
>Eat here and see what she says
>Talk about something else
>Other

>>813307
>Ask her what's up
It's not like Frost to be so sullen.

>>813307
>>Ask her what's up

>>813307
>>Ask her what's up
>>Other
Can we stroll around outworld in Shao Kahn's Helmet and Cape?

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>>813315
>>813336
>>813377

He decides to press the matter further. Setting down the fork, he asks, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing, it's just, I guess today's my brrfdyrwhtvr..." The lattermost bit of her speech is mumbled, causing him to lean forward.

"Come again?"

She sighs. "It's my birthday, or whatever."

His brows shoot up. "Oh... really? Where's Ling?"

"She doesn't know. Nobody does."

"Why?"

Frost shrugs. "It's not like anyone else knows. It's not written down or documented or anything. I chose it for myself when I was a kid."

Cao finds himself repeating himself, but he doesn't care. "Why?"

"Because I'm an orphan," she deadpans. "Remember? I can't exactly ask mommy and daddy when I was born. I mean, you have to know what that's like, right?"

"Um... Well, I was born when Shao Kahn died, so I actually do know what day that is. But I mean, I've never really celebrated it. Or cared, honestly. I don't even know what day it is on the calender."

"Right! I feel the same way. It's just another day of the year, right? Another year older, another year closer to dying. Woo-hoo." She rolls her eyes again.

Again, Cao isn't quite sure what to make of that. "Are you feeling alright? Seriously."

Frost shrugs. "Eh. Whatever. It's just a weird day is all. Sometimes I think about being back on the streets, what it was like fending for myself, before the Lin Kuei, before all of this... It was, I don't know. Simpler."

She hasn't really opened up too much to anyone other than Ling. Cao knows he and she share more than a few things in common, as far as origin is concerned. One of the first things they ever mutually learned about each other is their similar status as orphans.

>Sympathize; part of you misses the streets of Z'unkahrah
>Ask her some more about her past
>"Do you ever think about just getting back out there?"
>Shrug; the past is the past, the now is now.

>>813392
>>>Sympathize; part of you misses the streets of Z'unkahrah
>>Ask her some more about her past

>>813392
>>Sympathize; part of you misses the streets of Z'unkahrah
>>Ask her some more about her past
Remind her that a while ago we actually promised to talk about this stuff with her and never got around to it

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>>813400
>>813409

"I know how you feel," Cao admits, pushing aside his plate. "Out there, on the streets, it was just me. And my sisters, but they could look after themselves, mostly."

She smiles. "You would, wouldn't you? Not many others around here grew up like we did."

"We were going to talk about it one of these days, remember?"

Frost hesitates for a moment, before she pushes her plate off to the side as well, now resting her elbows on the table. "What do you miss most about it?"

"I don't know," he replies, looking up at the ceiling in thought. "Running from the guards? I got so used to it that it seems like second nature."

She giggles softly. "Yeah. I remember ducking from the cops, and now we have a cop on our team. Hah."

"I'm expected to live around those guards when I'm not here," he says in a jovial tone. "Those guys used to throw spears at people like me."

"Oh that's nothing. One time, I was robbing some pawn shop when this old guy busts down the door with a shotgun. I barely had time to freeze the floor and make him slip; one second too late and I would've painted the wall behind me red."

"I once grabbed a nice dress from a girl who was going to get married so I could give it to my sister. Her fiancé chased me down an ally; I knocked him out and stole his shoes.”

“Oh, I can so top that. I took the cake from a wedding once, before it was delivered. I couldn’t eat the whole thing so I just left it outside some school once I had my fill. Damn good frosting…”

“One time, I climbed the tallest tower in Z’unkahrah just to jump off into a cart of hay, just to see if I could. Sanra nearly killed me afterwards when she found out.”

“That’s nothing. I climbed a rocky mountain in winter once just to skate down it with ice.”

“Would you do it again?”

“In a heartbeat." She laughs, a genuinely surprising sound to hear from her when it isn't derisive in nature, but happy. "You know what I miss the most? The freedom. Now, here we are, with all these… obligations, responsibilities, whatever. I miss just living in the moment.” She flicks her fork off to the side. “I guess that’s just childish.”

>Fuck that. We decide what matters.
>I think it’s about finding balance.
>Things are what they are, I guess.
>Probably, yeah.
>Other

>>813468
>>Other
"I know why I'm here. To protect my family, realm, and kick some ass while spending time with some good friends. Maybe you need to figure out why you're here. And if things don't work out nothing stopping you from leaving... just remember that Ling and I would miss you."
Say something like that and throw a wink

>>813468
>Other
It feels different now because we're part of something bigger now. For the first time, we're not fighting just for ourselves anymore. Like it or not, folks are counting on us to kick the shit out of anything that's too dangerous for them. I'm not saying we shouldn't want to be carefree, but we gotta realize what we're doing now.

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>>813508

For a moment, Cao considers what to say. His hands come together on the table and he looks into her steel-blue eyes.

"Do you know why you're here?"

She seems somewhat caught off-guard by the question. "Well, yeah, of course. I'm a Lin Kuei and---"

"Hold it," he interrupts her. "That's not what I meant. I said, why are YOU here?"

"I... What?"

Cao draws in a sharp breath through his nostrils, then shrugs and says, "I only ask because I know why I'm here: to protect my family, realm, and kick some ass while spending time with some good friends, like you."

Her face is still as she takes that in. Frozen might be an apt (if somewhat inappropriate) description as her mouth remains somewhat slack and her brows up.

"I mean, I get it. It feels different now because we're part of something bigger now. For the first time, we're not fighting just for ourselves anymore. I had to learn how to do that when I worked with Kotal. Yeah, I liked being out there on the streets, but like it or not, other folks on those streets are counting on us to kick the shit out of anything that's too dangerous for them. I'm not saying we shouldn't want to be carefree, but we gotta realize what we're doing now."

"I mean, I..."

"Maybe you need to figure out why you're here. And if things don't work out nothing stopping you from leaving... the streets are always out there, but you wouldn't have nearly as good company as here, I think. Just remember that Ling and I would miss you." He throws in a wink and a smile.

Cao is about to resume eating his spaghetti when she says, "I know why I'm here. I just---"

Suddenly, the base is put under alert. Red lights flash on the walls.

"Shit," Cao says, setting down his fork. "I didn't even eat lunch yet."

Both he and Frost drop their conversation and run back to the barracks to suit up. Within minutes, the team on site is assembled; it seems that an unknown presence is attempting to open a portal near the base.

Cao, armed and equipped, runs out onto the beach to join the others, with a few more right behind him. Kaito is here, directing the team to take up various positions.

"Has Fireseed left yet?" he asks Cassie.

"This morning," she reports. "He's probably back in New Mexico by now. Are we going to call him back?"

"First thing's first, let's see what happens," Kaito says. "This might be a false flag... Or the Deadly Alliance."

"So, keep him on speed-dial, right?"

>Take up position on the roof
>Position in the bushes nearby
>Out in the open and near the front
>Crouch behind a barrier
>Other

>>813616
>>Position in the bushes nearby
Our ranged options are limited from the roof.

>>813616
>>Position in the bushes nearby
Could we maybe perspective switch to foreseed since the votes tied? Might be cool

>>813632

Nah he gets the next episode

>>813637
Fine. Ruin all the fun why dontcha?

>>813616
>Position in the bushes nearby

>>813642
Turok will get his turn. Relax.

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>>813624
>>813632
>>813645

Cao crouches in the bushes alongside Takeda and Sam. All around them, the team gets into similar positions.

"Taking bets," Takeda whispers. "Deadly Alliance? Wraiths? Orderrealm?"

"Someone friendly?" Sam says in a hopeful tone.

Slowly, the portal further up the beach manifests into a swirling grey vortex. Light and matter around it bend and distort as the mist-like opening grows large enough to pass through, and that is just what happens. A shadowy figure can be seen, growing more distinct the closer to the end they grow to the exit.

Everyone watches, tense and ready, as the figure emerges. As soon as everyone gets a good look at who it is, Kaito stands up and a knot suddenly forms in Cao's stomach.

A beautiful woman, in a grey edenian-style outfit, stands upon the sand with her hands on her hips.

"Khameleon?" Kaito says, his voice full of disbelief.

But before he can say anything more, more figures start to appear in the portal. They are shorter than her, smaller, and when they become distinct shapes it is easy to see that they are... children.

Eight of them, to be exact.

'Oh, oh no...' Cao thinks to himself.

The saurian waves her fingers at the team leader. "Hello, Kaito. Been a while, hasn't it? I'd love to catch up soon, but first... I'm looking for a certain thief."

I'll call it there for tonight, I need to get to bed.

Also, I'll be playing D&D tomorrow at a friend's house (I'm the DM) so I'll be a bit busy until tomorrow night. But I've got all of Saturday, Sunday and Monday to run, so stay tuned!

>>813682
Child support don't fuck around, even in Outworld.

>>813682
*Groans externally*

>>813682
Thanks for running boss, see ya.

Hope the military isn't running you down.

>>813682
Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeell, sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeit. Time Cao wifes himself up. If for no other reason as to keep his dick from causing more interrealm incidents.

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>>813682

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>>813682

As she says this, the eight children file out of the portal. They are human-looking, for the most part, but there are slight saurian qualities which are more obvious in some than others. Yellow eyes, sharp teeth, claws; all qualities that serve to make them slightly unnerving in a way. Kaito looks down at them and asks, "What are those?"

"I know you napped for quite a while, but those are children," she says sarcastically, "...or demons from the Netherrealm, maybe."

"It's just, it's been so long since we've seen each other, and now you show up... with kids."

"Funny how life turns out, isn't it? Either way I can't stand them so I'm dumping them off on you."

The kids all look up at him. "This one da?" one of them asks.

She looks back. "No, no. But I'm sure he's around here somewhere." She looks around, spying a few of the others. "Come out come out! I know you're hiding!"

Behind the bush, Cao continues to crouch and remain out of sight. Kaito holds up his hands. "Woah, wait, hold on a second. First of all, we don't have the facilities for children. Secondly, I thought you were all about the restoration of your species?"

"Well what safer place could there be than with an old friend and his team?" Khameleon says, walking up and giving Kaito a hug. "It's not forever; I just need a break. A vacation. I wasn't suited to being a single mother to a horde of monsters like this; their father needs to take some of the stress."

Behind her, two of them have suddenly picked a fight; one is biting the other while the others laugh and cheer.

Khameleon groans. "I thought it would be perfect, raising a new generation of raptors, but these little devils are... Argh! Anyway, I'm sure you can handle it."

"...Who's the father?" Kaito asks. "Is it---"

Cao suddenly shoots up. "No! Stop! Hold it!" He waves his arms, trying in vain to make what is about to happen not occur.

The exhausted mother looks over, her eyes flashing green. "Ah, there he is! Kids, say hello to daddy!"

Jacqui, from behind her cover, pops up. "WHAT?!"

'Kill me now,' he thinks.

All at once, eight lizardlike children turn towards him, and then charge, shouting and screaming. It may be the most terrifying thing he has ever seen.

>Escape into the base
>Attempt to run back into the portal they came from
>Run into the jungle
>Let them tackle into you
>Other

>>814271
>Other
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7bIuUp4eGmU&t=0m16s
>Let them tackle you

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>>814282

Cao grabs Takeda and hoists him up. "It's HIM! The one in YELLOW!"

"No dragon-bro, why?!" Takeda shouts as three of the kids break off and jump onto him, but five others are not fooled. Cao is taken to the sand as five kids gleefully leap on him, hugging, tugging and biting.

"Gah! Get off! Help!" His screams go mostly unheard, as everyone is unsure of how to handle the situation.

Khameleon seems the most at ease, stretching and yawning. "Well, I'd love to stay and catch up, but I'm going to find a nice corner of this warm, sunny island and sunbathe. I really need it, I'm so pale." She gives Kaito a wave and then blows a kiss at Cao. "Good luck, my little thief!" She then walks off up the beach, turning invisible as she does so that she cannot be followed.

"Hey, wait!" Kaito calls out, but she is already gone, like so often before. "Damnit. Alright, get those kids off of them."

It takes the combined efforts of the team to pry them off, especially once they figure out that Takeda isn't the father and the three of them switch focus to Cao. Cassie tries to pick one up and look it in the eyes. "What's your name, little guy?"

He then burps an acidic bubble that pops in front of her; thankfully the only thing it ruins is her sunglasses. She drops him and he scrambles away on all fours. "Arh! My shades!"

Jin attempts to grab at him, but the one he was holding suddenly shoots a four-foot tongue out and slathers it across his face, causing him to let go. She slips away as well. Another child turns invisible and bites Frost's hand to get her to let go; small footprints in the sand appear as she makes her escape.

Suddenly it is mass hysteria as the kids all escape, one way or another, and begin crawling up trees, the walls of the base and digging into the sand.

"Don't let them get inside the base!" Kaito shouts. "And don't hurt them, they're just kids!" Suddenly, one of them throws a rock that hits the back of his head. He whips around, rubbing the back of his head as the child turns invisible. "Where are you, you little bastard?!"

Amid the chaos, Jacqui pushes past Vapor and Ling and storms up to Cao. "What is the MEANING of this?" she demands to know. Nearby, Tundra shouts as one of them climbs into an open window, getting inside.

>Dodge the question and focus on capturing the kids
>Run and hide
>Attempt to explain but get sidetracked
>Promise to explain, later
>"These aren't my kids, honestly!" (lie)\
>Other

>>814312
>Other
"You save a woman's life from Onaga, and next thing you know, she drugs and rapes you."
>Leave it at that, and try to help find the kids.
Saurian powers and Cao's slipperiness combined are not good in the hands of what are basically toddlers.

>>814312
>Dodge the question and focus on capturing the kids
Team leader Kaito gave us an order let's do that hahaha
>Other
Internally think
>FUCKFUCKFUCKFUCKFUCK

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>>814315
>>814317

"Uh... You heard Kaito! We need to get them, that's an order, haha!"

He springs up to his feet, runs towards the nearest tree with one of the kids at the top and begins to climb. 'I'm in deep shit,' is all he can think about while he does, though.

Another one crawls up the base's exterior wall like a spider, or perhaps more like a tree frog, before reaching the roof and scuttling onto it. Cao sees this, then looks back up at the little girl at the top of this tree. She has a darker coloration to her scales than the others, though her eyes, teeth and claws are just as bright. "Hey there, little girl... uh..."

"Hi da," she says, tearing off a coconut and gnawing on it. Her teeth are sharp, but they can't quite break the hard surface. It also tastes terrible, so she spits it out of her mouth and onto Cao's head, nearly making him lose control and fall.

The little girl then shoots her tongue at one of the handrails on the roof, wrapping it around. Cao's eyes go wide and he leaps up, attempting to grab her, but is too late---like a fishing reel, she pulls herself towards the roof with her tongue, leaving Cao to fall back down to the ground and hit the sand.

Nearby, Forrest Fox has one of them on his back and is trying to get it off, with Takeda and Tundra trying to help. Jacqui and Cassie both chase one into the jungle while Kaito radios the rest of the base to put them on high alert; though he isn't sure what to classify this alert as.

Cao picks himself up and looks around at the carnage ensuing. 'What a bunch of little ingrates...' he thinks to himself. 'Didn't Khameleon raise them better?'

>Head up to the roof
>Get inside the rec room
>Run to the mess hall
>Make for the jungle
>Other

>>814358
>Head up to the roof

>>814358
>Head up to the roof

>>814358
>>Head up to the roof

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>>814369
>>814372
>>814390

Running to the wall, Cao leaps upon it, using the windows and railings as hand and footholds to climb. Though not equipped with the lizard-like palms of his spawn, he can climb nearly as well, and is upon the roof in an instant.

There, he discovers a ventilation duct entrance torn open with a combination of claws and acid. "Oh, hell," he mutters. "These little guys are going to tear the entire base apart!"

He quickly dives inside to chase after his misguided progeny. As he crawls through the vents, he mutters to himself.

"Damn lizard woman, drugging me up and stealing my seed... Damn kids, showing up on a day like today! What Elder God did I piss off to deserve this? Damn the Elder Gods..."

He comes upon an opening, leading down into the rec room. He jumps down, whereupon he discovers two of them in the process of building some kind of fort out of the furniture. One of them sees him and jumps up on top.

"KNEEL!" he commands, pointing at Cao, who is quite confused by the command. The other child continues to stack things from around the room and avoids eye contact.

"What'd you say?"

"I said KNEEL!" He stomps his little foot, but this causes the structural integrity of the fort to wobble slightly, making him lose his balance for a moment. He regains his composure. "KNEEL! KNEEL KNEEL KNEEL!"

"I think you got a little Shao Kahn in you," Cao mutters. "What's your name?"

"I AM ZOD!" he decrees. "I'm the tallest, and that means I'm in charge! KNEEL!"

"I'm Zan," the other one meekly says, but still doesn't make eye contact. He looks like the skinniest of the children. He then hands Zod a flag made out of a stick from outside and one of the torn-up window curtains. Zod waves it around triumphantly, like a king in his castle claiming the land for himself.

>Pick him up and put him in time-out
>Smack him around a bit
>Tell him to put the furniture back
>Kneel before Zod
>Other

>>814419
>Tell him to put the furniture back

>>814419
>Pick him up and put him in time-out
>Other
Go stand in the quiet corner! Now!

>>814419
>>Pick him up and put him in time-out

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>>814449
>>814450

Cao approaches him, takes the flag and tosses it aside and then lifts him up by the arm as he struggles. "You go in the time-out corner now, and you'll be quiet!"

"This can't be happening! I'm in charge here!" he screams as Cao sits him in a corner chair.

The thief looks back at Zan, who followed but keeps staring at the ground. "Do I go into the time-out corner too?" he asks, sounding sad.

"Well, uh... That is..."

He looks back, and Zod is gone. He then looks up at the ceiling and discovers him climbing on the fan. "Hey! You're supposed to be in the time-out corner!"

"What's keeping me there, huh?" he teases back. As Cao reaches up for him, Zan sits quietly in the time-out corner.

Zod eludes Cao's grasping hands as he crawls around the cieling. "Get back here you little---!"

Suddenly, Takeda busts in through the door. "Cao! Do you know if we have any doggie-cages? You know, like the kind you carry puppies or whatever in?"

"I'm busy!" he shouts back as he tries to catch Zod. Out in the hallway behind him, Sam runs by with a fishing net, chasing one of the little devils.

Nearby, a window breaks. Both Cao and Takeda look on as a coconut flies in and lands on a table. The momentary distraction allows Zod to leap down and grab the more well-behaved Zan and run out.

"Damnit! After them!" Cao cries, but as they make it out into the hall, they hear shouting coming from the mess hall. One of the on-base chefs stumbles out of the doors, covered in marinara sauce.

"I quit!" he declares, throwing down his hat. "No salary is worth lizard people in my kitchen!"

He storms off.

"Today is weird," Takeda deadpans. He then looks over at Cao and asks, "Hey, did you really, you know? With that chick?"

"Not now, man."

"Because if so... niiice. I mean, you know, except for all of this. But niiice."

>Head up to the barracks
>Head to the kitchen
>Set up some kind of trap
>Brainstorm ways to capture them
>Other

>>814471
>Head to the kitchen

>>814471
>>Brainstorm ways to capture them
The easiest way seems to be food or something similar. Something the children would want

>>814471
>Head to the kitchen
Maybe we can make some food that will sate their hunger for destruction! Like chicken fingers and fries, that always killed me.

Alright, I put in as much as I could before heading out. I'll be back from D&D later tonight, we'll resume then with trying to contain the little devils.

See you then.

>>814471
>>Other
Fuck it, time for Backup. Go call in angry grandpa Shang.

>>814500
Old Shang Tsung is probably the last person you want trying to corral kids. He's the "get them drunk on cough syrup" type of parent.

>>814510
We've seen Shang's parenting style. It's "make 'em in a lab, tell 'em Shao Kahn is their real dad, and peace the fuck out."

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>>814520
That's when he had to make a kid for himself. Watching someone else's kids is different.

>>814523
The difference is that you get to skip the first two steps and go directly to "peace the fuck out".

>>814520
Well, it worked for Kaito at least

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>>814530
That's because Kaito had to personally rear Mileena in lieu of Shang Tsung's (lack of) "guidance." If he had access to Sesame Street and Mr. Rogers' Neighborhood, it would've been easier, but the fact remains that he did what was conventionally considered impossible and turned Mileena into a good girl.

>>814544
Really all Kaito did was talk to her, hear her out and explain his side of things like you would for a friend.

I wouldn't personally classify Mileena as "good" still necessarily. Left to her own devices away from people she gave a damn about, or if one of them got hurt badly I doubt it'd be pretty is all I'm saying.

I mean, she needs actual reasons to go all HORROR MOVIE VILLIAN now, and generally tries to be decent, and I'd be out of my mind to call her "evil" or anything, I'm just not sure if somebody counts as "good" if they can dive straight into CE with motivation just because they'll probably walk it off.

Hey folks, just wrapped up here. I'll be heading home soon and we'll resume. See you soon!

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>>814523
a body like that should be illegal

>>815434

One cod day that it's out of this world

As in Outworld

Writing update now

>>815445

Could say*

Phone autocorrect and not double checking

Kill me

>>814477
>>814480

Cao and Takeda run into the kitchen. Inside, they discover a mess of food and utensils scattered about. On one table, a child sits, gulping down the uneaten plates of spaghetti from earlier.

"At least someone is enjoying it," Cao notes with some disdain fir his own hungry nature. This child in particular is wider and less handsome than the others.

He approaches his lizard-like son and asks, "So, which one are you?"

"Lod," the boy replies before burping loudly.

Takeda leans over. "I know it's not nice to say, but your kid is a bit of a slob."

Given his state, covered in spaghetti sauce and noodles, Cao can't disagree. If anything, he finds it to be an understatement.

Cao walks up and picks the slightly-heavy child up by the back of his neck. He protests and tries to turn invisible, but the excessive sauce on him prevents him from vanishing, due to it clearly indicating where he is. The child has also eaten too much to run away and quickly gives up.

"I don't suppose they'll all be like that, huh?"

"That'd be too easy," the thief laments.

With Lod in hand, they leave the mess hall and prepare to catch the others. As they walk away, the child shoots his tongue out; not to escape, but to bring an apple to his mouth, whereupon he munches loudly on it.

>Come up with some kind of trap
>Split up to search for more
>Put Lod somewhere safe
>See how the rest of the team is doing
>Other

>>815510

Time to mebrace our inner scooby doo

> Trap

>>815510
>>Come up with some kind of trap

>>815510
>Come up with some kind of trap.
Or actively turn this into a game with the kids.

>>815510
>>815618
Also!
>Put Lod somewhere safe.
Little guy needs a nap under a warm blanket after a bit meal yeah?

>>815634
We put him in the trap w/ a blanket!

>>815634
>Big meal.
What, are the typos contagious today?

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>>815532
>>815559
>>815618
>>815634

"What we need to do is set a trap," Cao suggests. "What about candy? Kids like candy, right?"

Takeda nods. He looks up the hall at Sam, who is still failing to catch one of them. "Hey, Sam! You still got that secret hidden stash of candy that Cassie said you're not allowed to have?"

"Oh, let the whole team know why don't you!"

"I promise you that nothing is going to compare to what Cao's going through." He leans back. "Sorry."

The thief shrugs. "Nah, you're right, don't worry about it."

Sam drops the net. "Yeah, I do. Why?"

"Go and get it!" Takeda says, and she runs upstairs. A few moments later, she comes back.

"Here," she says as she hands him a bag. Takeda quickly sorts through it.

"Let's see, let's see... Ah-hah!" He holds up a large jawbreaker. "Perfect. I saw one of them gnawing on coconuts outside, so he'll love this."

"I think that one's a girl," Cao says. Suddenly, one of the female soldiers on staff runs into the hall with a saurian child on her back, biting her uniform.

"GET IT OFF!" she screams.

As she runs by, Cao grabs the child off her back and holds her up in one hand, using the other to hold onto the sleeping Lod. The little girl bites and snaps at him, waving her claws around.

"Rah! Rah! Lemme go! Rawr!"

"And your name is?"

"Snik! Snik! Snik! Grrrr!"

"Thank you." At Cao's order, Takeda reaches up and plops the jawbreaker into her mouth. Almost instantly, the child is defeated, and is now entirely fixated on the jawbreaker, gnawing and suckling upon it. This also causes the raving child to calm down considerably.

"Well, two down, six to go," Cao says. He hands them both to Sam, who looks at him questioningly. "Keep them somewhere safe and keep an eye on them, could you please?"

"I'll take them to YOUR room," Sam says. "They're your weird monster kids."

She takes the sleeping Lod and preoccupied Snik towards Cao's room. Takeda looks back at him and asks, "Well, now what?"

>Try to use the rest of the candy as a trap
>Try to use the net
>Attempt to lure one closer by playing a game
>Search for the biggest concentration of the kids
>Other

>>815772
>Attempt to lure one closer.
Hide and seek, and YOU get to help us seek.

>>815772
>Attempt to lure one closer by playing a game
Ask Takeda to help us work the plastic box that makes the television play video games so we can play with the kids

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>>815791
>>815805

"I'm going to try to lure one into the rec room. Takeda, get that plastic game box working on the teevee."

"Hey, good idea. I'll load up Mario; maybe the kids will find it funny in an ironic way."

They walk back into the rec room, and Takeda proceeds towards the television. As they do, they see Tundra climbing in through the window, holding one of the kids in a frozen block.

"What the hell did you do?!" Cao asks, running up to the kid.

"Don't worry, he's not really frozen. I just did that thing we do where we freeze someone for a few seconds and then---"

The block shatters open and the child pops out, shivering. His little body is covered in spots, his scales speckled with different shades of green. He looks up at Cao, and then suddenly launches into a hug, wrapping his little arms around Cao's neck.

"Da warm! I love you, Da!"

The words stun Cao as he is hugged by his son. Tundra chuckles. "Aw, that's adorable." Outside, a gunshot is heard. "But that isn't. I'm going to go stop them from shooting your kids."

Tundra leaps back out the window as Cao holds the spotted child up at arm's length.

"What's your name, little guy?"

"Fly!" He then puts his lips together and blows a raspberry with his forked tongue.

"Fly? Snik, Lod, Zan, Zod... What did Khameleon think when she named all of you?"

"Ma never named us," Fly says almost absent-mindedly, his eyes wandering around the room.

Cao's eyes narrow. "She never... named you?"

"We named each other!" He laughs and flaps his arms, almost like he's trying to fly away.

"Hey kid!" Takeda says, having gotten the game up. "Want to play a game?"

"Yeah! Yeah yeah yeah!" Fly starts to struggle out of Cao's grip. It seems like he can hardly focus on more than one thing at a time, because as he walks towards Takeda, he gets distracted with scratching the cloth of the couch. Takeda has to pick him up, put the controller in his hand, get him to stop trying to eat it, and then show him how the buttons work before he focuses on the screen. From that point on, the television provides all the stimulus he could ever want, as he quickly loses sight of anything else and only plays the game.

Takeda stands up and walks over. "So that's three, right? I don't think he'll be going anywhere."

Cao is still focusing on what he just learned. 'She never named her children...'

Another gunshot can be heard from outside, drawing their attention.

>Go outside
>Get up on the roof again
>Back to the kitchens
>Check on Sam
>Other

>>815772
>Attempt to lure one closer

>>815873
>Go outside
>Get up on the roof again
Takeda goes out while we go on the roof. We could get back down faster than he could if needed

>>815884

Dude has hook whips of grappling?

I'm genuinely interested to see who'd be faster up and down.

>>815869
>Check on those gunshots

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>>815884
>>815888
>>815890

Cao leaps towards the window and climbs out, but not before telling Takeda to head up to the roof for a better vantage point.

He runs up and sees Cassie firing at one of the children, with Tundra yelling at her to stop. Cao quickly does the same. "Hey! They're just kids!"

"And these," she says, holding up a clip, "are just tranq rounds! They could put an elephant to sleep!"

"Well they're not elephants!" Tundra points out, freezing the front of her gun in her hand.

She tosses it over into the sand. "Oh, thanks. Now what are we gonna do?"

"KNEEL!" the nearby child screams.

"Oh, that one," Cao grumbles.

>Try to chase Zod
>Attempt to placate him
>Let them deal with that one
>Give him a good smack upside the head
>Other

>>816008
>Discipline
>Kneel into tackle
First work off some of that energy, then we're having a talk

>>816008
>"ZOD, I challenge you!" A contest of capturing his remaining siblings and returning them to the rec room. His team vs Ours. His team can be any of his sibling we have already captured

>>816042
We will kneel if he wins, else he must kneel.

>>816008
This>>816029

>>816029
>>816042
>>816094

Cao approaches Zod. Behind him, Zan lingers, still avoiding eye contact. As the thief walks up, Zod stomps his foot and demands that he kneels.

He does just that, but then tackles Zod into the sand. The child struggles, but now that he has a solid grip, he soon tires himself out as Cao holds him down.

"Hey, Zod," Cao says between gritted teeth. "You think you're the one in charge of your brothers and sisters?"

"I am!" he insists.

"I bet you can't get more of them than me," Cao says. "And I already caught three of them!"

"Yes I could! I'm the best! They all listen to me! Right Zan?"

Zan only mumbles a, "Mm-hmm..."

"Alright, well then... If you can get more than me, and bring them to that room over there, I'll kneel to your superior handling of them." He lets go of Zod, who wastes no time in jumping up.

"I got one already!" he says, grabbing Zan and holding him up by the arm. "See? I'm gonna beat you! I'm gonna!"

Zod drags his brother over and tells him to sit outside the window before he runs off. After he does this, Cao approaches Zan, with Cassie and Tundra lingering behind him. He sits down in front of the skinny saurian, who doesn't look him in the eye.

"Hey, you alright?" Cao asks. "How are you feeling?"

"I'mokay," he answers quickly, as if it were one word. He seems shy and a bit afraid.

"Hey... Don't be scared." He holds out a hand. "You're the only one I've seen that isn't trying to destroy everything in sight, little guy."

"Mm," he mumbles.

>Go look for more kids
>Talk some more to Zan
>Take him inside with his brother Fly
>Take him to Sam, Snik and Lod
>Other

>>816102
>>Go look for more kids
>>Talk some more to Zan
>Take him to Sam, Snik and Lod

>>816102
>Talk a bit more and take him to the others (Sam, Snik and so on.)
>Get one more to force a tie.
That or as many as possible, whatever.

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>>816136
>>816147

Cao takes Zan by the hand and leads him back to his room. There, Sam is thankfully keeping things under control, as both Lod and Snik are still subdued. He sits Zan down on the bed. "Now, I'm going to go find all of your siblings, alright?"

Zan nods as he sits quietly on the bed. He softly pats the little guy on the head and then walks out, whereupon he discovers Jacqui storming up the hall, holding one of his kids in her hands, whos mouth is full of feathers. She shoves him into Cao's arms.

"Here. This belongs to you, not that you ever TOLD me."

"Look, Jacqui, I know what this all must look like but I---"

"Save it!" she says. "You're going to have PLENTY of time to explain yourself when this is all over."

Cao lifts up his son and looks at him. "What was he eating?"

"A bird. After I chased him up and down the jungle."

"Huh. You know, he looks like Lod."

"Me Lun," he says with a mouthful of feathers. "Lod brother."

"Of course you are." He then sniffs. "Goodness, you smell..."

"Terrible, I know," Jacqui says, nearly gagging. "Now you try dragging him back here through the jungle. I caught one, so I'm going to go shower again. And YOU are in serious trouble when I get out."

She pokes him in the chest and walks off, leaving Cao to sigh.

"Da sad?" Lun asks.

"Well, it could be worse," Cao says.

The alarm on the wall turns red again; Kaito comes over the intercom and says that one of the kids got into the central control room for the facility.

"Annnnd it's worse," he says, quickly dropping Lun off in his room. He quickly runs down the hall.

>Link up with the others
>Head straight to the mainframe
>Cut through the gym
>Search elsewhere
>Other

>>816246
>>Head straight to the mainframe
>>Cut through the gym

>>816246
>Cut through the gym
No time to waste!

>>816246
>Head for the mainframe
Elder Gods why?!

>>816246
>>Head straight to the mainframe
>>Other
Prepare to hear "One of the kids got into Shang's Castle" after we fix the mainframe.

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>>816260
>>816262
>>816313

Deciding to cut through the gym to save time, Cao runs inside, only to discover one of the children shouting at the training android, and nearby is a very exhausted Vapor and Frost.

"What happened?" he asks.

"That one wouldn't stop arguing," Frost explains. "Just back and forth, over and over."

"So we brought her here and told the robot to argue with her."

Cao looks over at the little girl shouting at the droid.

"I'm right!"

"Negative."

"You're wrong! Admit it!"

"Incorrect."

"You're just a big stupid shiny head!"

"That is technically correct, but you are wrong on the previous matter."

"No, I'M NOT!"

"Yes."

"NO!"

"Yes."

"NO!"

"And here they go again," Frost groans.

"Pick her up and take her to my room, that's where the others are," Cao tells them. "I need to find the one in the mainframe!"

Cao runs to the military portion of the base, where the central command is located. Two soldiers are trying to get the doors open. "The little bastards sealed them from the other side!"

"How?"

Kaito appears alongside him. "Not intentionally. One of them was chewing on the wires."

"Oh, no. How do we get inside?"

Suddenly, Vapor walks up behind them. "I'm done playing around," she says, grabbing them both and turning into smoke. She wisks them away up into the vents, and then into the central control room, where Zod is shouting at his sister to leave.

"You're going to make me lose! Open the door back up!"

"I'm busy," she says, tying the wires of an open panel back together.

As they appear in the room, Zod sees them and starts jumping up and down on the computer keyboard. Behind him, various things flash on the screen as he does; numerous programs opening and closing. "No fair! No fair! I need more time! You're cheating! You cheating cheater cheat!"

Vapor holds up a hand and quickly subdues them both with smoke, carrying them back towards the three of them.

"Why didn't you do that earlier?" Cao asks.

"I tried. I got one out of the vents, but then he ran away when I wasn't looking." She reaches into both clouds and holds up the kids and then hands them to Cao. Zod is furiously struggling to escape, but the other seems content with simply letting whatever is going to happen, happen.

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>>816552

Vapor uses her power to force the doors open with two large streams of smoke, then walks past the two surprised soldiers on the other side. "If you need me, I'll be in my room," she sighs.

"Speaking of which, I need to get these two to my room, too."

Before Cao can step off, Kaito grabs him by the shoulder and whirls him around. "Alright, just hold on a moment. I was supposed to brief you earlier about heading to Outworld."

"What, and you want to do this now?"

"No! Control of this situation takes priority." Kaito lets out a steadying breath and leans back. "I understand the timing wasn't something you could control, but... Why didn't you ever bring this up? When did this even happen? Give me the short of it."

"Well, I mentioned Khameleon to you, right?"

"Right..."

"She hadn't had sex for twenty years, so she drugged me and had her way with me, and these," he holds up the kids, "are the result of it."

Kaito blinks a few times. He then mutters, "Huh. Now I'm glad I never went for it."

"What?"

"Nevermind. I'll see if any damage was done to the computers in here, you head back to your room. Get these kids under control, Cao. We'll figure out what to do with them and then we'll figure out what happens next from there."

"I'm sorry about this, Kaito. I didn't mean for any of it."

"I know. I know. Just go do what you need to do... so we can get you to Outworld. We've already missed our schedule and they're probably wondering what's going on. Did any of THEM know about these kids?"

"Scarlet did."

"She's not pregnant too, is she?!"

"No!"

"Oh, thank god. The last thing we need is blood-babies."

"I don't think she can have kids, actually. It's a thing about blood constructs."

"You... How do you know that?"

"...I should go."

"We need to have a chat later, kid," Kaito says as he rubs his head. "Goddamn..."

As Cao walks off, Zod continues to struggle.

>Drop the kids off
>Stop and discipline Zod
>Find Jacqui and try to explain
>Try to relax for a moment before more bad things happen
>Other

>>816561
>>Stop and discipline Zod

>>816561
>>Other
Fuck finding jacqui. Let's find khameleon, bout time we talked

>>816602

Any supporters?

>>816561
>Stop and discipline Zod

>>816561
>Discipline Zod
THEN
>Find Jacqui
Explain.
Then go talk to Khameleon

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>>816568
>>816633
>>816707

"Let me go!" Zod demands. "I'm the big one!"

"Yeah, well, not anymore you're not."

"You can't boss me around!"

Cao stops in the hallway near the rec room and then decides to bust inside. He set the girl down on the couch and looks at her. "What's your name?"

"Pik."

"What's your deal?"

"I like puzzles."

He around, eventually finding a Rubik's Cube. He hands it to her. "Here, play with this."

She takes it and starts examining it, her eyes going wide. "Ooooo. What do I do with it?"

Cao looks over at Takeda, who is now playing two-player with Fly. "Takeda! What do we do with the weird puzzle box thing?"

"Make all the colors on each side match," he calls back.

Immediately, the girl takes up the challenge and tries to solve it, turning it and twisting it.

Next is Zod. He approaches the chair and puts Zod in it. "This is the time-out chair. If you get out of it, bad things are going to happen."

"Oh yeah? And what are you gonna do about it?" He asks, smug and sure of himself.

"When I was a little upstart brat to my sister, she would smack me on the head."

"I'd like to see you try!"

The room rings out with a smack. A bright mark appears on Zod's face, and almost immediately, after the shock sets in, tears well up in his eyes and he begins to cry, loudly.

"Now you're NOT getting out of that chair, and trust me when I say that things can get MUCH worse." Cao leaves Zod there as he bawls his eyes out. He walks up to Takeda, who adjusts himself in the couch seat and looks back at him.

"Was that necessary?"

"I've had worse from my father. He should consider himself lucky," Cao says, loud enough for Zod to hear it.

"Which father?"

"Both."

"I'm just saying, in Earthrealm, some people look down on hitting kids."

"In Outworld, brats learn quick or they tend to die."

"Duely noted. I mean, I support whatever you do; he's your kid. Plus, Master Hasashi gave me more than a few good beatings when I was younger. Plus, I mean, these kids haven't really ever had much of a father figure in their life, so I won't begrudge you dishing it out. Plus---"

"Are you done?"

"What? Oh, sorry, I was ranting."

"No, with the game. We need to get these kids in my room, all in one place."

"Oh, I got them, don't worry. You go do what you need to do."

Cao nods and leaves the rec room.

>Find Jacqui
>Find Kaito
>Go into your room with all of the kids
>Find Khameleon
>Other

>>816777
>>Go into your room with all of the kids

>>816777
>Find Jacqui
talk, then Khameleon
Thank God we don't have to be there until tonight

>>816815
>>816832

Alright, I'll just need a tie breaker.

>>816924
Jacqui

>>816777
>Find Khameleon

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>>816832
>>816945

Aftering taking a moment to check in with the team and make sure they have the kids under control, now that most of them have suitable distractions, Cao goes up to Jacqui's room. He opens the door without knocking to find her toweling off, wearing a tank top and shorts.

She puts the towel around her shoulders and puts her hands on her hips. "Close the door."

He does just that.

"So, when were you going to tell me that you had eight bastard lizard kids running around, huh?"

"Well... I didn't know I did. I mean, the last time I saw them, they were eggs."

"Were you cheating on me with some freaky saurian chick?"

"No!"

"I know you nailed a vampire. Any vampire kids running around?"

"Again, no! Just let me explain!"

"While I'm willing to listen."

"Alright, alright, just... It's a story."

Suddenly, the door opens and Cass sticks her head in. "I'm hearing it too!"

"Cass, not now, please," Jacqui says.

"As if I'm missing this. Come on, I'll help you chew him out, it'll be like old times." Jacqui is annoyed, but given their history, lets it slide.

Cao walks over and sits on the bed. "Alright, well... Let me start out by saying that I was never intentionally 'with' Khameleon. She drugged me with her kiss and then used me."

Both of them look at each other. "So she raped you? Hot," Cassie snickers, then quickly shuts up when Jacqui shoots her a nasty glance.

"When?"

"A while ago. I had just beaten Rokuro in a fight in the arena... But before that, I saved Khameleon and accidentally awoke Onaga when Reptile... You know, it really does have a lot going into it. Uh... I met her when she was guarding a dragon egg, and I freed her from service to said dragon egg, which had Onaga inside of it. She was, uh, grateful. And really, really, really crazy about continuing her species."

"So she used you? I find it hard to believe this wasn't exactly willing, knowing you," Jacqui says.

"It wasn't! I flirted with her, you know, normally. Then she suddenly wanted to go straight into sex, and strictly for breeding, because she knocked me out. I didn't even get to enjoy it." Jacqui's eyes narrow. "Not that I, uh, would have. I was also there when she laid the eggs, which was... weird."

Cassie is loving this a lot more than Jacqui, but even she has to say, "You could've brought this up at any time, though. Like when the three of us were fooling around? 'Oh, hey, by the way, I banged a raptor once.' Just saying."

"I didn't think they would grow up this fast! It wasn't that long ago, and they're already small kids!"

"Maybe they grow faster," Cassie muses.

"That's not the point. The point is, you never TOLD me! Or told us, rather. But when we started going solo, it was because I wanted us to have a more serious relationship, and in serious relationships, people TALK about things like this!"

>I'm sorry.
>Again, I didn't think it would be an issue for a while.
>She used me! It's not my fault!
>What would you have me do?
>Other

>>817086
>>I'm sorry.
>>Other
Now I'm sure if you had kids someone and haven't spoken with them in a while you'd want the chance to talk

>>817086
I know, it's just we never see each other and as far as I knew she wanted nothing to do with me.
It's not so much that I didn't bring it up as had no idea how to, you know?
"Drugged, possible kids, number unknown, maybe they all hatched, maybe none of them did. The woman involved never really gets in touch and I know of exactly zero ways to get in touch with her myself."
What would saying that have accomplished aside from making you worry?

>>817086
>Again, I didn't think it would be an issue for a while.
>She used me! It's not my fault!

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>>817116
>>817123
>>817127

"She didn't want anything to do with me! What was I supposed to do when she never even wanted to talk to me when it was over? She used me, and then she left---she made it seem like it was HER thing, and I was just a... a donor. I didn't have a way to speak to her." Cao stands up. "You know, one of them down there just told me that they all named each other? She never even named them!"

"That's messed up," Cassie concedes.

"And this bears repeating, but I was drugged! Knocked out! When I woke up, she was gone and D'Vorah had kidnapped my sister!"

Jacqui's face changes then, to one that looks concerned. "I remember you telling me about that..."

"Look, I know I never brought it up, but it's not so much that I didn't bring it up as had no idea how to, you know? What would saying that have accomplished aside from making you worry?"

"I don't know," she admits. "I just... This wasn't exactly a fun way to find out."

"I didn't like it either!"

"Okay, okay, calm down," Cassie advises, putting a hand on both of their shoulders. "This has been an emotional and stressful afternoon for us all. I almost shot a kid, among other things. I think what's important is that we just try to put it past us. The kids are contained, right? So we can move on."

Jacqui folds her arms. "I'm still a little upset at you, Cao. This is a serious matter that you have to deal with."

"Yeah, I guess that makes two of us. I didn't want kids either."

"Well, now what?" Cassie asks. "I mean, about the kids. How long until Khameleon takes them back, and how much exactly does she want you to be involved in raising them? I mean, if she's going to dump them on you for the weekends, we should get the joint-custody thing on paper, right?"

Her joke doesn't really inspire much humor in either of them. Cao looks out the window at the beach. "I don't know. But I think I should find out."

>Go speak with Khameleon alone
>Bring the girls
>Just bring Jacqui
>Bring Kaito
>Other

>>817260
>Just bring Jacqui
if she wants, else
>Go speak with Khameleon alone

>>817260
>>Go speak with Khameleon alone

>>817260
>Go speak to Khameleon alone
Unless Jacqui's insistent but she's already keyed up and we gotta figure out what Khameleon is even thinking, and have a long talk about parental duties I guess.

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>>817283
>>817298
>>817387

It doesn't take long to find her lounging on the beach, soaking up the sun. She stretches as she lies on the ground, yawning and enjoying the sunlight.

Cao approaches her from the south; she notices him coming and gives him a wave of her fingers.

"Hello, Cao. How are the kids?"

"I think I can see why you wanted to get rid of them."

"Yes, they're dreadful."

"I was talking more about you," he says. "You're an awful mother, aren't you?"

She shrugs. "I wanted to be a matriarch, but I never realized how... exhausting it would be."

"You never even named them!"

"Oh? And what would you have called them all? Cao Jr.?"

"I like to think I would've at least named them all something! They named each other!"

"So it all worked out in the end."

"I thought you cared about the future of your species, that's all you ever seemed to talk about. But you won't even raise them right! They're all undisciplined little monsters!"

"Hey now. They're YOUR little monsters, too."

"And when were you going to cue me in on that? You seemed like you never wanted anything to do with me!"

"Well, I showed up here today, didn't I? You got to meet them. Go be a parent, or something."

"Your timing couldn't have been worse, barring us being under attack."

"Again, so it all worked out. And it's like I said, I won't leave them with you forever. I just needed a vacation before they drove me completely insane. They grow up quickly, so as soon as they're fully grown, we'll kick them out and we won't have to worry about them again, or each other. At least until I come into fertility again, in which case you're more than welcome to have another shot..."

She throws a sultry wink his way, but Cao didn't come to flirt.

>Demand that she leaves the island and takes the kids with her
>Demand that some changes are going to be made in her parenting
>Point out that the future of her species is in jeopardy if she raises terrible children
>Accuse her of being a terrible mother and a downright louzy person in general
>Other

>>817413
>Demand that some changes are going to be made in her parenting
>Point out that the future of her species is in jeopardy if she raises terrible children
They're gonna be Reptiles if this continues

>>817413
>>Demand that some changes are going to be made in her parenting
>>Point out that the future of her species is in jeopardy if she raises terrible children
"Maybe you shouldn't of been so quick to shoo me away considering you don't know how to act around people, let alone children!"

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>>817429
>>817440

"You know, you need to make some serious changes in your parenting style, lady. YOU didn't want me to be involved, this was YOUR thing. And now you expect me to just roll over and take it when you show up to dump them on me now that they've turned out to be more than you can handle because you're never even really TRYING in the first place?"

"So?"

"SO?! So maybe you shouldn't have been so quick to shoo me away considering you don't know how to act around people, let alone children! You were stuck in a cave or always turning invisible and running away from meaningful interraction; when you finally GOT the kids, you never even tried to be a mother to them, to the point of not even naming them!"

"They'll be fine."

He throws his hands up. "Is this how you want your species to end up? A bunch of lousy kids that could grow up to end up like Reptile?"

She seems to take offense to that. "Excuse me! My children aren't Reptile! He's disgusting, repugnant, the worst our species ever had to offer!"

Cao scoffs. "Oh, that's rich. That is just hillarious. You know what? You're just as bad as Reptile is."

Khameleon shoots up. "What?!"

"In fact, in some ways, you're even worse. You've convinced yourself that you're better than him, but your attempt at rebuilding your species has fallen completely flat because of just how irresponsible you are!"

"Oh, and you're one to talk about responsibility, aren't you?" she shoots back. "Don't act all high and mighty on me, you little street rat. You never even tried to take responsibility with me to help raise them!"

"Because you didn't WANT me to! I was there when you laid the eggs, I was supportive, and you shunned me then, too!"

"Well, you're a prince now! That makes my children royalty! You SHOULD feel somewhat responsible!"

"You drugged me! And I earned my title of prince, cleaning up the mistakes YOUR kind made with Reptile and Onaga, thank you very much!"

"I just wanted to be a matriarch! I made mistakes, alright!" Khameleon suddenly tears off her mask, and falls to her knees. "I love you. Marry me."

>"...WHAT?! NO!"
>"The hell is wrong with you, Khameleon?"
>Say nothing
>"Get the hell out of here."
>Other

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>>817527
>Say nothing
>Look around for anyone that she could have been saying it to other than you

>>817527
>Other
"What the fuck?"

>>817527
>>"The hell is wrong with you, Khameleon?"
Nigga you can't be serious

>>817547
Supported

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>>817547
>>817561
>>817566
>>817578

At first, Cao looks around left and right, as though looking for anyone that she could have been saying it to other than himself. "You what? The fuck? The hell is wrong with you?"

Khameleon shakes her head a bit. Her expression softens and she says, "Truth?"

"Please."

"I'm... I've been drinking a bit." She brings a hand up to her mouth and gasps, trying to keep her composure. "Not too much, just... Just a little. To take the nerve off. A few bottles."

"Are you serious?"

"It's the only way I can put up with them!" Khameleon says, her façade rapidly dissipating. "They keep me up all night, they're always crying! 'I'm hungry, my tooth hurts, he's pulling on my hair!' I wasn't BUILT for this! I don't get how the old matriarchs did it! It's gotten so bad that I've started to think that my species died because we were too afraid to have children to DEAL with them!"

She crawls across the sand and puts her hands on his chest, pleading. "I'm sorry! I'm a terrible person, a terrible mother, I KNOW! I thought I could do this on my own but I can't! I don't know how to deal with kids! I got so caught up in wanting to be a matriarch that I never realized it would have to take actual work!"

"...Of course it would! They're children!"

"Well I didn't think about that!" She gently slams her head against his stomach and seems on the verge of tears. "I just wanted my species to come back. I just wanted it so badly, and I used you, and I used all the others. I'm so stupid, stupid, stupid!"

This breakdown is clearly the result of her being drunk, which up until this point, she had been hiding fairly well. But now that he's come here, shouted at her, pointed out her faults, not even she can deny it any longer: she's a terrible mother.

Cao sighs in frustration.

>Pat the top of her head and tell her everything will be alright.
>Ask her if she's considered putting them up for adoption.
>"Well, what do you want to do about it? Change or not?"
>Well... I can help. With conditions.
>Other

>>817527
>>817527
"You're joking."
"Yeah I could see how the prince thing looks better than 'streetrat'"
"You're not serious about at least half of that."

>>817652
>>"Well, what do you want to do about it? Change or not?"
>>Well... I can help. With conditions.

She hasn't earned the pats yet

>>817652
>"Well, what do you want to do about it? Change or not?"
>Other
Have you thought of getting help? Earthrealm should have people who help with this sort of thing.

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>>817652
>Pat the top of her head and tell her everything will be alright.

>>817652
Two things.
I mean I'm not surprised but "all the others?"
>Headpats
>You've gotta change
>I'll help...with conditions

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>>817672
>>817680
>>817681
>>817699

He pats the top of her head. "Alright, there, there. Don't get tears all over me now. It'll be okay, it'll be alright."

She leans back. "So... You'll help?"

"Don't think you can guilt me into this, alright? This was your decision. What do you want to do about it? Change, or not?"

"I want my species to be good," she insists, holding tightly onto him. "I want them to be good kids, I do!"

"Have you thought of getting help? Earthrealm should have people who help with this sort of thing. I've never raised kids either, you know. There's a doctor on the base, a psycho-ologist, he might help."

"But I trust you. I trust Kaito. You're both good people, and your team has good people on it. Kids need... role models, right? That's you! And your team! Role models!"

"What are you asking, exactly?"

"Can we stay here? On the island? I hate that old cave. It's so dark and dreary, and the sun here is so nice... And you're here! And the others, the other good ones, the role models. You can help raise my kids and set examples for them!"

"Khameleon, I'm supposed to be LEAVING today. I'm heading back to Z'unkahrah, to the palace. Kotal Kahn is hurt, and I need to..."

He pauses for a moment. Should he tell her he's about to become emperor, even temporarily?

>Sure, you can stay on the island.
>You need to go home, Khameleon, and take them with you.
>This island is for New Defenders, not children. Come to Z'unkahrah instead.
>I don't mind occasional visits, but we can't make this a permanent thing.
>Other

And:

>Tell Khameleon about Kotal Kahn and the situation at hand
>Or keep it a secret from her for now

>>817781
>>I don't mind occasional visits, but we can't make this a permanent thing.
>Or keep it a secret from her for now

>>817781
>Other
You might want to talk to Kaito about that
and
>Or keep it a secret from her for now

>>817781
>Other
I want to help but we need to okay it with Kaito first
And:
>Keep it a secret
BITCHES LEAVE

>>817781
>Sure, you can stay on the island
Confirm with Katio
>Or keep it a secret from her for now

>>817781
>I'd have to talk it over with the group and their people
>I'm supposed to be going back to Outworld for a while. I'm not entirely sure on the specifics.
>Maybe come to Zurankah instead.
I don't strictly mind her around or trying to raise Cao's kids to not suck.
But they are bastards, and should be given relatively low status if any, nothing demeaning.
Possibly trusted, but they aren't necessarily successor material unless we say otherwise.
But I'm sure if we raise them right they shouldn't strictly dislike their eventual half siblings (bonus points for Shanghai'ing them into babysitting when they're older)

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>>817797
>>817800
>>817796
>>817810

"...Look, I'm not the one to talk to about this. Talk to Kaito, and General Cage, and Johnny. They're the ones who run the show around here. I'm late, I need to get back to base. I was supposed to be in Outworld by now, so thanks."

Cao turns and walks away. Khameleon gets up and shouts, "Wait! About that marrying thing..."

"Yes?"

"I wasn't serious about it. Unless, you know, you're not opposed to the idea of---"

"Nah."

He walks off, back to the base, to leave her to think for a while.

As he makes his way through the forest, he suddenly hears a voice. "Rough day, huh boy?"

Cao turns to see Shang Tsung appear between the trees, smoking from an elongated pipe.

"You smoke now?"

"I always have. Just never around anyone else." He takes a brief puff. "The little show you put on earlier was amusing. All the kids running around, I mean. Really livened up the joint."

"Gee, thanks."

"As something of an expert on cross-species hybrids, might I offer a word of advice?"

"Sure, what?"

"They don't all end up so badly. Look at Mileena: she's probably the best thing I ever made, and that's being generous mind you. But she ended up rather fine."

"Weren't you trying to make a bunch of copies of her, and that's why there are two of them now? And wasn't one of them super evil?"

"Yes, well... Not ALL of them were. That's the important part."

"So what's the advice?"

"Give your gaggle of bastards a chance, there's probably at least one good apple in the spoiled bunch. But what the hell do I know, eh? I'm just an old man, certainly not a powerful sorcerer."

"...Nice seeing you today, Shang. Lay off the smoke, that stuff will kill you."

"Hah. As if anything else ever did." When Cao looks back, he is gone.

>Find Kaito
>Return to your children
>Go to Jacqui
>Head to Outworld
>Other

>>817889
>Return to your children

>>817889
>The kids
>Kaito
>Maybe short aside with Jacqui
>Outworld
Do ALL the things Cao

>>817905
>>817910

Upon returning to the children, Cao sits down with some of the other people on the team and gets to know them better, now that their initial excitement has worn off and they are less inclined to cause chaos.

"So... Fie, Fly, Lun, Lod, Pik, Snik, Zan and Zod. What do you kids like to do, exactly?"

"I like to eat bugs," Lun says.

"Puzzles!" Pik says, still fiddling with the Rubik's Cube.

"Can I play more Nintendo?" Fly asks.

Lod, still asleep, snores.

Snik, having been introduced to bubblegum by Casie (and having finished the jawbreaker from earlier) chews vigorously and blows a big, wide, pink pubble.

Fie is arguing with Zod over who gets to play the Nintendo after Fly.

And Zan says nothing, as he sits and draws small circles on the ground, avoiding eye contact.

"I think they're kind of cute," Cassie says, sitting nearby with Sam. "I mean, in a weird, psuedo-human reptilian kind of way."

Ling is leaning on her staff, a bemused expression on her face as well. "I think you should be a proud parent, Cao. Really."

>Play a game with them
>Leave to talk to Kaito
>Have a chat with Jacqui
>Outworld
>Other

>>817977
>Leave to talk to Kaito

>>817977
>Outworld
Could we perhaps bring them to Outworld where are are actual babysitters and our sisters to actually take care of our kids

>>817977
>Kaito
Gotta brief Kaito and get debriefed.
Tell Cassie to tell Jacqui we'll talk as soon as we can.
>Then Outworld

>>817977
>Leave to talk to Kaito

>>817977
>>Play a game with them
fuck it, I'll be the good dad voter

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>>817988
>>817995
>>817996
>>817991
>>818020

After checking with Cassie and the others to make sure they have the kids in hand, and helping to start a game with some of them, Cao proceeds to the briefing room after a few minutes.

There, he meets with Kaito and General Cage.

"Uh, reporting for duty," Cao says.

"Sounds to me like you've already done that," Sonya says. "Cao, I allow my soldiers and team members a lot of personal freedoms. Bringing a nest of lizard children that cause chaos all over the base, damage to the mainframe and one of my chefs to quit isn't quite what I had in mind."

"Yes, ma'am, but---"

"Don't. I've been fully briefed on the situation, and I know it isn't your fault. I would, however, like to stress that you should be extremely careful in the coming days."

She looks over at Kaito and nods, allowing him to take over. "Essentially, Cao, the original plan was to send some of the team with you to Outworld, to help you with anything you need. We know that it's a big chair you're stepping in to fill, at least until Kotal gets better. We were going to send, at the most, four of us. But, given all that's happened... the offer is still on the table, if you think you need it."

>Take some of the team with you
>Leave them here
>Don't take any of the team; instead, take the kids with you
>Allow him to decide
>Other

>>818020
Man we're trying but we have an entire plane of responsibility happening right now.
It's why I initially voted to bring them and Khameleon with us to the city.
>>817977
Although if we're going back to that we should probably talk to Jacqui

>>818032
>>Take some of the team with you
Maybe we could take just fireseed? He seems like an excellent fighter and decision maker, the perfect guy to take care of us. Plus we aren't that close to him so we're not being serious.

>>818032
>Take the kids
>And Khameleon
Worst case scenario Kaito... maybe one or two, but there is still Scarlet and...well, Ferra and Torr at least if I need back up there.
Who would you suggest? Not that they're necessarily needed but I'll admit Kotal Khan being...well, temporarily in his position might cause some trouble if it gets out

>>818053
>Maybe we could take just fireseed?

We could, but he's in New Mexico at the moment.

>>818053
Maybe Frost, Ling, Takeda?
Jacqui if we want to have the weirdest family vacation of all time.

>>818092
>Frost, Ling, Takeda, Jacqui

Not a bad lineup. Any backers?

>>818092
I dub that team name. "Asking for trouble."

>>818103
Go for it fampai

>>818103
i agree, also bring the kids

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>>818053
>>818092
>>818106
>>818109
>>818136
>>818057

Cao thinks for a moment. "How about... Takeda, Ling, Frost and Jacqui?"

Kaito looks over at Sonya for any conflict. She doesn't seem to have an issue with it. "Okay," he says. "We'll make it happen. Understand, Cao, that while you'll be in on this position as a figurehead emperor, you won't be part of the team. Your full-time position is to help Outworld maintain its stability. The team members we send with you will help maintain a connection to the team; they'll be assigned to you, but if we need to call them back, we will. You, however, we won't call back, until Kotal gets better."

"And... just hypothetically speaking, what if Kotal doesn't get better?"

Kaito's brows shoot up. "Then you're full-time emperor. Hope that's not too much pressure."

Cao gulps. "Yeah, no pressure at all."

"No need to play tough, Cao," Sonya says. "Nobody on this team or in this command doubts you. But it's a lot of resposibility you're going to be assuming. A word of advice: listen to your elders. I know you've said that some on Kotal's council and in his court don't like you, but sometimes you need to play ball with people you don't like. That's life."

"Right. Got it."

"Do everything you can or are advised to do to help keep Outworld running as smoothly as it can," Kaito tells him. "If you need more help, let us know. We're here for you, and so are our allies in Edenia."

"Well, that just leaves the matter on the kids," Sonya says.

"I can take them with me," Cao quickly volunteers. "I mean, they should probably return to Outworld, right? I could take them out of the team's hair. Less for you to worry about."

"Is that a good idea? I mean, well-intentioned, yes, but is it for the best?" Kaito cannot help but wonder aloud. "How would they react?"

"I don't know," Cao admits.

>Take the kids; leave Khameleon
>Take the kids and Khameleon
>Take Khameleon, leave the kids
>Take neither
>Other

>>818136
>Cue talks with Zod, and the rest
"A people without a Khan are squabbling sorts prone to infighting. Listless, like a ship without a rudder."
"A Khan without his people isn't a Khan, just some jerk that thinks he's better than everyone. A proud fool, totally toothless."

"Kings serve their people just as much as they are served by them. So you should strive to be fair, kind where you can, and harsh where you have to."
"Don't forget that or accept anything less from the people above or below you."

"And don't forget that ultimately, the people choose to serve, a Khan must serve his people first to be worthy of being called Khan at all."

>>818172
>>Take neither
Let's keep them here for the time being

>>818182

>Kids blink
>"...Can you repeat that middle part?"
>"And the end? And the beginning?"

>>818172
>Take the kids; leave Khameleon
Just tell her where we are going

>>818172
So you're saying you're willing to deal with them and Khameleon until I return?
If I return?
>Take the kids and Khameleon if no
>Maybe take them anyway

>>818172
>Take Khameleon, leave the kids
Earthrealm's child protective services are vastly better than Outworld's, and Khameleon needs a crash course on not being a terrible trailer trash mother.

>>818192
"We'll...uh...go over it some other time, long and short of it is 'don't be jerks unless you have to.'."

>>818201
She's the closest thing to a 'stable' presence they have.
I feel like the least destructive option is to take both or leave both.

>>818207

Well, it's a tie for now.

That's pretty much one for each option.

>>818201
Cao can't babysit all the kids by himself while pulling full-time duty as Kahn. He simply doesn't have the personal manpower. The manpower at the base is better able to handle the kids. Besides, Khameleon is probably the most toxic element of that relationship; she needs to be fixed separately before she gets a second chance with the children. She can get lessons from Sanra on how to handle unruly wards.

>>818211
Meant for >>818207

>>818207
>>818211
>>818201
>>818199
>>818196
>>818190

Feel free to have some more discussion on this; please do. I should probably get to bed, and when I resume in the morning, we can continue with the most agreed-upon decision.

Does anyone else have anything they'd like to weigh in on?

>>818211
The idea was Cao's sisters could help out, and perhaps occasionally Skarlet or Ferra part time if they wanted.
or Jacqui if nothing requiring DEFENDERing came up, she's gotta deal with them some time if she plans on sticking around, and it doesn't have to be immediately

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>>818255
>Getting your current bae to babysit the children of your rapist
bruv

>>818268
Well, we aren't exactly throwing the kids, Jacqui or Khameleon to the wolves and this thing in Outworld is going to take a while.
So getting everybody to the point where they can at least not shoot/poison/laserblast each other is probably for the best unless we're about to go order Khameleon or the kids onto the chopping block and/or exile.

Which would be why I said Jacqui could maybe, maybe bother.

If we're going the "not a shit dad and still talking to Khameleon in some capacity whatsoever" route though- Jacqui will eventually have to either get used to the kids and Khameleon existing near her.

Or turn into a toxic harpy that may or may not be literally made of salt that slowly kills our relationship with herself and the kids as is more common in fiction when it comes to this sort of scenario.

I like to think Jacqui'd be able to eventually not hate the kids and be able to tolerate Khameleon in some capacity.

Plus, hey, it gives Sanra, Skarlet, Jacqui, Frost, and Ferra a chance to just cringe at Khameleon for a while and one way or the other get her act together either by genuine effort or social pressure.

>>818332
That said, this is all just my line of reasoning, which basically boils down to "exposure is better than trying to keep everyone in their own compartments if we're keeping them."
And I'd be interested to hear the other side.

>>818172
>Take neither
Tell the kids and Khameleon that we will be back. We have to go on what people in Earthrealm call a "Bis Nis" trip.

>>818221
I think our first act as Emperor should be to invade Earthrealm and force a merger.

>>818588

Yeah then we can live in the same realm as our friends without having t worry about travel!

Good morning folks. We'll be resuming in just a bit.

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>>818537
>>818190

Many thoughts about how to handle the situation go through Cao's mind. He rubs the top of his head as he weighs the potential paths before him, trying to discern the best course of action for everyone.

"I think, for now, I'd like to leave them here, if that's alright. Not permanently, but I'd like to see how things in Z'unkahrah are first. It might be strange to show up with all of these kids, unannounced and nobody is ready... and we saw how well that went today, right?"

Kaito folds his arms and smirks. "Yeah, you've got a point. But this place isn't a daycare, and Khameleon clearly has a few problems of her own to sort through... Tell you what: I'm good at talking to people. I'll have a long ovedue chat with your baby momma and see if I can't get her straightened out."

"Just make sure she doesn't try to turn into Mileena and rape you," the thief advises him. "I'm pretty sure she talked about it once, before we... ahem."

"I'll be safe, don't worry. So, when are you heading out?"

>Assemble the team
>Words with Jacqui
>Have a moment with the kids first
>See Khameleon one last moment beforehand
>Other

>>818678

> Kids

We can talk to Jacqui once we get there.

>>818678
>Kids
Going on a business trip, I won't get lost coming back from getting cigarettes

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>>818682
>>818685

"Soon. I think I'll let the kids know what's going on first." Cao rubs his face for a moment and grumbles, "I never thought I'd have to say that sentence..."

"I never thought you'd be the first one on the team to have kids either," Kaito chuckles.

As he and General Cage leave, Cao follows them out and returns to the rec room, where the kids have been moved. They're all separated into different areas, where team members are overseeing them and making sure they don't go crazy again.

As he walks in, Tundra winces in pain as one of the children, Snik, pulls on his ear. Despite this, he forces a smile and tries to talk the kid down, which results in more pulling. Sam, standing next to him, puts a hand over her mouth and tries to stiffle a fit of giggling, but fails. "You sure have a way with kids," she says to the cryomancer.

Moments later, Cao has the kids all sitting in front of him, with the team looking on. "So... I need to go away for a short while, but I'll be seeing you guys again soon."

"Where?" Fly asks.

"Back to Outworld. It's kind of like a... business trip."

"A what?" Lun asks.

"It means he's bringing back food," Fie says. "That's a kind of food."

"Yay!" Lun and Lod both cheer.

"Well it's actually..." Cao stops for a moment when he remembers that Fie will argue about anything, so he stops himself before he takes the bait. "...Anyway, I'll be gone for not too long, so I'll see you guys when I get back, alright?"

The children nod and seem to understand.

"Da hugs before leaving!" Fly shouts as he leaps up. The rest of the children, even Zod, suddenly swarm him and Cao shouts as he falls back, the center of a pile of hugs. "Love you da!"

"This would be adorable if... Actually, no, it's adorable," Takeda says, plopping some popcorn into his mouth.

Several minutes of disentangling from the children later, and Cao is ready with his team. Frost, Ling, Takeda and Jacqui are all ready and standing by as Cao gathers what few things he needs. They are all silent as he walks up to them.

>Straight to Outworld
>Talk to them before leaving, give them an idea of what to expect
>Have a moment with Jacqui, alone, first
>Thank them all for their help earlier
>Other

>>818707

> Talk to them all shit gonna be real.

Can we work in a

> Thanks.

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>>818712

He looks at them and says, "Well, we all know the deal, I guess. I'm going to be emperor. I'll need your help, so thanks in advance... and thanks for all of the help earlier in catching the kids."

"No problem," Takeda says, giving a thumbs-up. "I love going to Outworld; something exciting always happens." Ling shoots him a funny look and Frost cracks her knuckles. Jacqui, for her part, also doesn't say anything; she adjusts her gauntlets and nods at Cao.

He looks her in the eyes for a moment before leading them down the hall to the portal chamber. Within minutes, a stable portal is generated, leading to the throne room of Z'unkahrah.

Cao takes a deep breath and steps through, followed by his squad. Once on the other side, he takes in the sight of the throne room, occupied by a few notable individuals: Ruby, Erron Black, Ferra & Torr and Skarlet. Ruby appears to have been conversing with Erron Black when they appeared, as she turns from him to look on as they enter.

Immediately, Ruby kneels. "Welcome, my Kahn." Ferra, Torr, Skarlet all do the same, with Erron opting instead to merely tilt his hat.

"Rise," Cao says, not used to people kneeling for him. They do so as the portal closes behind.

Ruby walks over. "We have been expecting you, my Kahn. It is rather late; the council has retired for the evening."

"Yeah... some things came up. Sorry about that."

"We understand," she says. "What do you desire? The council has decided to meet tomorrow morning, but upon your command, they can be assembled tonight."

>Meet with the council tomorrow morning
>Assemble them now
>Just speak to Ruby and your enforcers this evenings
>Send everyone to bed for now
>Other

>>818748

> Speak to the inner circle

Tell them that the council has long hated you, you'll be relying on them to tell you when the advice they give you is genuine or not.

The people here right now are worth 3 of the people sitting in those chairs to you.

You don't want to be a puppet, but you'll need their help learning how to run this place.

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>>818751

Cao looks around at the group assembled before him. "The council has long disliked me. This isn't a secret to anyone, really. I'll be relying on you all, my inner circle, to help me. The council will advise me, but I trust your word more than theirs. The people here right now are worth three of the people sitting in those chairs to me. So if they try to steer me wrong, I'll need your help."

"You have my word as your First Minister that I will do everything in my power to ensure you are not taken advantage of, my Kahn," Ruby swears, bowing her head.

"And I will do the same, as I have," Skarlet says.

"Ferra listen! Ferra obey!" the diminutive symbiote declares, and Torr grumbles.

Erron Black remains silent at first, but then adds, "Outworld's stability means my continued pay. We'll make sure things keep rolling along until Kotal wakes up."

"Good, thank you. I don't want to end up a puppet on this throne. But I also don't know much about ruling, so I'll need your help learning how to run this place."

Ruby nods. "Very well. What would you like to do first?"

>Sleep for now
>Give me a status update on everything that's happened; make it brief, it's late
>Go to Kotal's bedside and see how he is doing
>Send the enforcers away and speak to your squad and First Minister
>Other

>>818774

> Status update

Then

> Take me to Big Poppa Sun

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>>818779

Cao walks up to the large throone, but does not sit on it. He touches the armrest and then turns back to Ruby. "What did I miss today?"

"The situation is, largely, as it was. We are still attempting to contain the Wraith-Plague, which has frustratingly continued to elude complete control. In addition to this, we have not yet made the preparations required to go to war with the city of Nemsai, due to Kotal's condition, when he pledged to do so at the conclave in Edenia."

"Right, the war with Turana and her people..." Cao says. At that moment, he remembers the private conversation he had with his adoptive father, about stealing the water with the Portal Stone. He brushes it aside and listens to Ruby.

"In addition to this, we also have the new prisoner, the edenian Nadia, in our dungeons. The osh-tekk people are disheartened by what has happened to Kotal, and his father, K'etz, has spoken of withdrawing support of your rule. The situation is tense."

"Why would he do that?"

"There is a delicate matter involving the daughter of an osh-tekk nobleman, Luliya. Her father was taken by the Wraith-Plague, and now she has inherited his house and fortune."

"And what's the problem?"

"We will speak more on this later," Ruby assures him. "There are quite a few other matters, unfortunately... But it is late."

Cao nods. "Are my sisters in bed?" Ruby replies with a nod of her own. "Alright. Take me to Kotal, if you could."

The red-clad hinparian bows and begins to lead Cao to Kotal's bed chamber. The enforcers and the squad linger behind, to give him privacy.

Once inside, Cao looks upon Kotal's body; he has not often seen him without his crown or armor. He is wrapped in bandages where he was stabbed by D'Vorah's stingers, and a number of other medical actions have been taken; leeches, herbal leaves laid upon his skin and healing salves in bowls near his bed can be seen. He lies still, breathing, but unresponsive.

>Reflect on the impact he has had on your life
>Ask Ruby what measures are being taken to wake him up
>Ask to be alone for a while with him
>Leave, and go to bed
>Other

>>818828
>>Ask Ruby what measures are being taken to wake him up

Maybe we should find a Kytinn and beat them till poison comes out, so we can make an antitoxin with it? That's how that works, right?

>>818828
>>818864

> I can support this. Also it'd be fun to try and hunt and find a non dickish Kytinn. Maybe a good job for Erron?

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>>818864
>>818871

"What is being done to help him?"

"I am using all of my resources to find a cure for the poison, but it is difficult work. At best, I have turned his condition into one that is stable, but not improving."

"Is there no cure for kytinn venom?"

"There exist theories, but the isolationist nature of the species, coupled with the fact that D'Vorah was the only one the kingdom ever had any significant interraction with, makes this difficult as well."

"Could we find a kytinn who isn't a murderous, vengeful whore and make friends with them? Or, maybe, find one and beat them up to get the poison and make a cure? That's how that works, right?"

Ruby takes off her mask and pulls back her hood, letting her short hair hang freely. "If only it were so easy. The kytinn exist on an island, and while we could go there, Shao Kahn forced them into submission. To be frank, we are not Shao Kahn, and have not his power of intimidation. Another issue is that D'Vorah's venom may in fact be unique to her, due to her newly resurrected form."

Cao looks over at her. "How did this come to be? I burnt her. I thought she was made out of insects; she had no soul."

She rubs her arm and attempts to explain her side of things. "The kytinn are perhaps one of the most fascinating yet unknown species we know of. I do not know how she came to be, but, you desrve to know... The spawn that was implanted in your sister, the one that I removed? It was placed into a jar, but it was stolen. I never learned by who."

"Are you saying this D'Vorah might be that child?"

"I do not know. She seems to have retained memories, so whether she is in fact a resurrected D'Vorah or grown from that spawn and her species somehow passes memories on genetically, it seems to matter little. She is returned."

Cao lets out a long, low sigh. "I hate that fucking bug bitch."

"I share your sentiments," Ruby says, moving closer and putting a gentle hand on his arm. "We are taking extra care to ensure the safety of your sisters, my Kahn. We know D'Vorah hates you and your family as surely as she hates Kotal Kahn, and her allegiance with the Deadly Alliance means we must take every precaution available to us."

"Thank you, Ruby."

"Is there anything else you need?"

>Go to bed
>Spend some more time with Kotal
>Thank her for her work
>Ask her for advice about Khameleon and the kids
>Other

>>818887

> Thank her for work

> Advice about babbies.

>>818887
>Ask for advice on babbies
Specifically this
>Other
"Do you know how to deal with kids?"
Don't let it out that they are actually our kids. Say we are babysitting for a friend at the base.

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>>818891
>>818907

Cao pauses, and looks back to the door to make sure they are alone. "Ruby, I have a difficult question."

"Yes?"

"Can you give me some advice about children?"

"...Perhaps some context would help me understand your question better."

"I'm just, uh, thinking about kids. In the future, I mean. Not now. I don't know what I would do with them."

Ruby puts her arms behind her back. "Well, legacy is important, and children are part of that legacy; a considerable part. Though you and Kotal share no blood, beyond the blood oath you made, he has named you his heir. Children inherit things from their parents, so raising them to properly take care of your legacy is important. This is where choosing a mate and choosing wisely is also important." Ruby thinks for a moment. "What brings up this question?"

"Nothing, nothing," he says, coughing slightly. "I was just baby sitting for a friend. Out of curiosity, though, what about if someone has a lot of kids? Who gets the inheritence?"

"Well, typically the eldest trueborn heir. It has happened on occasion that rulers have bastard children. They share blood, but if born out of wedlock, can be discredited fairly easily and excluded from inheritence."

"I see... Well, that's all," he says, quickly cutting off the questioning. "I'll see you tomorrow morning?"

She bows, but is slightly suspicious from the sudden line of questioning. Cao quickly leaves the room.

>Sleep
>Check in on your sisters
>Walk the palace briefly
>See how the squad is doing
>Other

>>818939
>>Check in on your sisters
I still can't tell if Ruby is playing the long con or not...

>>818939
>>Check in on your sisters

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>>818939
>she misinterprets this as Cao asking to have children with Ruby and she comes for him in the night

>>818939
>Check in on your sisters

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>>818960
>>818989
>>819024

After leaving the royal bedchambers, Cao goes to check on Hua, but she is sleeping like a baby. He gently rubs her forehead and gives her a gentle brotherly kiss on her head. Next, he goes to check on Sanra, who is awake and glad to see him.

"Finally! I've been expecting you all day," she says, throwing him into a hug. "How are you, little brother? Or should I say, little emperor?"

"Har har," he says as they sit down on chairs in her room. "How've things been?"

"Things have been on edge around here ever since Kotal Kahn... Anyway, they have guards watching us all the time. I can barely get enough privacy."

"Do you want me to change that?"

"Don't get me wrong, I don't mind it so much, given everything that's happened. I'm old enough to defend myself, and I'm not such a bad fighter too---but Hua needs the extra protection, we both know that."

"Yeah." He sits back in the chair and folds a leg over the other. "Sorry I wasn't around earlier. I had something come up."

"What was it?"

"A problem with one of the many women in my life," he mutters.

"Listen to you, grumbling and moaning about beautiful women. You've got it so bad. I wish I had half as many women trying to interfere with me as you do."

"You wanna take some?" he jokes.

"How many?" she jokes back.

They share a laugh.

>Admit that you aren't sure of becoming Emperor; the responsibility may be too much
>Ask her if she thinks she would make a better ruler
>Tell her you'll need her help to rule
>Bid goodnight and sleep
>Other

>>819034

> Tell her seriously about the kids and stuff she might have some good thoughts.

>>819034
>Admit that you aren't sure of becoming Emperor; the responsibility may be too much
>Tell her you'll need her help to rule

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>>819051
>>819077

Cao puts his hands together and wrings them slightly. "I'm nervous."

"I would be too."

"It's a lot of responsibility. I don't know if I'm ready. I'll need help."

"If you need anything, let me know," she says. "Of course I'm here to help."

"I think the only thing that will get me through this are the people like you, the ones I can trust. The ones I fought for and who fought with me."

Sanra reaches over and holds his hand encouragingly. Afterwards, they share a drink. They talk for a while longer, but eventually the evening grows late. Sanra bids him goodnight, and that she will see him tomorrow.

"Don't worry too much. You've got plenty of people around you to help."

"Yeah, you're right. Thanks."

She hugs him one last time before he heads back to the upper portions of the palace.

>Sleep
>Talk to Skarlet
>Talk to Erron Black
>Talk to Jacqui
>other

>>819164
>Talk to Skarlet

>>819164
>>Talk to Skarlet

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>>819171
>>819180

As he walks through the stone halls, a figure emerges from between two pillars, standing next to a burning torch. "It has been some time since I last called you 'Kahn,' has it not?"

He smiles at Skarlet. "Should be familiar, shouldn't it?"

"Even without the influence of Shao Kahn haunting your soul, it seems you were destined for the throne."

"Temporarily," Cao reminds her.

"But one day perhaps permanently."

He approaches her as she removes her mark. "How have you been?"

"I am well. Since the effort on Kotal's life, I have been spending my time guarding him, and your siblings."

"Sounds like you're spreading yourself thin, doesn't it?"

"The likelihood of someone attempting to attack Kotal, or your siblings, is now much higher than it was. The kingdom has a vulnerability. I am attempting to do all I can to keep that vulnerability from being exploited."

He reaches up and gently touches her face, running a thumb over her cheek. "You look tired. Your eyes are weary."

"I have been working non-stop, remaining vigilant. What would you have me do, my Kahn?"

>Take a break. I'll assign some of my squad to watch them, or Erron Black.
>Protect my sisters
>Protect Kotal
>Protect all three
>Focus on guarding me instead
>Other

>>819207

> Assign squad, Erron is going on a bug hunt.

>>819207
>Take a break. I'll assign some of my squad to watch them, or Erron Black.
for tonight at least

>>819207
>>Take a break. I'll assign some of my squad to watch them, or Erron Black.

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>>819212
>>819214
>>819257

"Take a break, get some rest. Even a blood construct needs to recharge, right?"

"I... But your family---"

"I have some of the New Defenders here. I'll assign them to watch over my siblings and Kotal, maybe do a rotational thing; maybe Erron Black, too. At least for tonight. You should relax, though."

She manages a smile. "I understand. Thank you."

They linger yet a moment longer. "What's on your mind?" he finallly asks her. She takes a step closer and brings her face to his, lips hovering a mere inch from his own.

"I've missed you," she whispers.

"It's only been a few days since you last saw me," he smiles.

"I know." A hand trails up his arm to rest on his shoulder. "More than enough time to miss my Kahn."

He closes his eyes and leans forward, but she turns into blood and drips away from him, pooling nearby and rising from it. "But, you also have company here with you. It would be rude to keep them waiting."

Cao stops himself from arguing; the last thing he needs is to give Jacqui further reason to be mad at him.

"You're right. Goodnight, then?"

"If you need me, you need only call," she says with a bow, sinking into a bloody pool on the floor.

Cao shakes his head, seeking to clear his mind, and walks back to the throne room.

>Sleep
>Assign the squad to protect the others
>Speak with Erron Black
>Try sitting on the throne
>Other

>>819265
>Try sitting on the throne
Gotta do it at least once.

>>819265
>Try sitting on the throne

>>819265

> Sit on throne

then

> tell Erron to go on a bug hunt.