1. Intertwined Fates
   _________________
   Johnny Cage

Everfree Forest: Equusrealm

Equestria's Everfree Forest is notorious for its danger, particularly after dark. Amid this treacherous terrain, a storm began to brew, unleashing massive lightning strikes that unexpectedly transported six individuals to the forest's heart. Raiden, Liu Kang, Kabal, Cyber Sub-Zero, Smoke, and Johnny Cage emerged from the electrifying chaos, ready to face whatever challenges lay ahead.

"Huh," Johnny spoke out. "I suppose you weren't joking, then." Cage informed Kabal, still skeptical of everything he had said in Earthrealm. Although Kabal's mask obscured his facial expressions, he raised an eyebrow and responded to the famous actor.

"I have no intention of making any jokes," declared Kabal, his tone severe as he conveyed the information he had gathered from his time in Outworld to the celebrity before him. "I regret that my time there was brief, as it prevented me from acquiring more knowledge," he added, feeling remorseful for not being able to provide his allies with a more comprehensive report.

"Kabal, don't lose hope. Informing the monarchs of Equusrealm about the upcoming invasion will aid in their preparation for battle," Raiden encouraged Kabal. He then closed his eyes, tapping into the energy of the Jinsei. The peaceful and harmonious energy of Equusrealm's Jinsei filled Raiden.

Liu Kang asked, "Lord Raiden, what is it?" The God of Thunder opened his eyes and turned towards Liu Kang and the Earthrealm Protectors.

"The Jinsei in this world is quite...unique. It shares similarities with Edenia but is more powerful than Earthrealm's Jinsei." Johnny Cage and Kabal were left clueless amidst the amazement of others towards this realm's life force.

Johnny asked, "I'm sorry, but I've never understood Japanese. Could you please tell me the meaning of 'Jinsei'?"

Sub-Zero, the cybernetic warrior, responded to his confused thoughts. "The Jinsei is the life force that exists within a realm," explained the Cyber Lin Kuei.

"I am the protector of Earthrealm's Jinsei, located in the Sky Temple, along with my brother Fujin," Raiden explained. "However, I am unable to locate the Jinsei of Equusrealm." Suddenly, Raiden heard a sound coming from his amulet. Upon inspection, he found that although there were many gaps indicating the impending armageddon, there were no cracks. This meant that armageddon had been prevented. Raiden had faith in this. Liu Kang approached him.

"Lord Raiden. Did our efforts with the amulet finally manage to stop the armageddon?" The Shaolin Monk warrior questioned, to which Raiden took a moment to respond.

"For months, I have been receiving vague premonitions of the future. But none of them foretold this." Raiden informed everyone. "Although the Armageddon I predicted is no longer imminent, it's possible that we've entered a new timeline," Raiden spoke and then turned to Liu Kang to address him. "Liu Kang. You and I must consult with the Elder Gods to ask for their aid. Continue searching for the sovereign of Equusrealm while we're gone." Raiden informed the rest of the group.

The group of individuals unanimously agreed with Raiden's suggestion, and without any hesitation, he teleported himself and Liu Kang to the Eternal Palace, leaving the rest of the Earthrealm Protectors behind in the depths of the Everfree forest. As time passed, an hour to be exact, they decided to split into groups to cover more ground and increase their chances of success. Cyber Sub-Zero and Smoke ventured towards the north while Kabal and Johnny Cage journeyed towards the south.

As Cage and Kabal ventured further into the forest, Johnny thought he heard Kabal say something while searching for civilization. Cage gave Kabal a perplexed look. "What?" Kabal inquired.

"Did you say something earlier? If you did, I hope it wasn't about me," Johnny warned Kabal.

Kabal believed he was overly suspicious but still provided an answer. "I didn't say anything," he said with clear annoyance as if assuming that it was him who had been accused. He had an amusing thought and suggested, "Maybe it was your inner voice speaking to you saying..." As he spoke, a distant voice interrupted him.

"One day." Both of them suddenly realized that it wasn't either of them.

"Okay, that was something," Kabal said to Johnny.

They approached the source of the voice, noticing spider webs, eerie trees, and strange green slime. Cage touched one of the webs on a tree, causing it to adhere to his finger. "The hell is this?" He shook his hand to remove the goo, which came off easily. As they approached, they could hear a woman's voice speaking.

"One day! You'll see!" The female voice declared. "I will defeat Twilight Sparkle and her friends!" She chuckled. "And they will pay for stealing my kingdom," A female creature caught the attention of Kabal and Johnny. She appeared to be a tall black bug creature with transparent wings and dark cerulean hair with holes in her mane and tail. She also wore a small black crown with a black horn with many holes. Although they couldn't see her face, she yelled at a log with a carved face on it. Johnny was disgusted with her and assumed she was a pony, confirming Kabal's previous statement.

Kabal overheard her conversation, and a particular name caught his attention. "Twilight..." he muttered to himself. He then turned to Cage and shared his hypothesis. "I believe that Twilight is the leader of this world," Kabal speculated.

"Congratulations, Officer," Cage praised Kabal with a friendly pat on the back. "You're now a detective." Kabal didn't find Cage's joke amusing. By the time they turned back, Bug Horse had already left. "She's gone." The Star informed as they emerged. They walked towards a pile of logs with carved faces, and Johnny chuckled. "Those are some snarly and ugly faces," he joked while picking up one of the logs. "What kind of pony looks like this? It's like a ponified mosquito!" Unbeknownst to them, the log behind them had lifelike eyes that widened in response to Johnny's words.

"I don't believe it's a pony or a mosquito," Kabal corrected him. "Based on the appearance of the flea, it seems to be a firefly." The bug in question was actually a female insect disguised as a log. She was annoyed at being referred to as various other types of bugs and began approaching them slowly and quietly.

"Ok, smart Alex," Johnny and Kabal argued about the creature's identity. "If she's not a mosquito or a firefly, what could she be?" Cage asked Kabal.

Kabal was about to answer, but the men suddenly began to glow before he could and were lifted from the ground. They turned around to see the bug behind them. She shouted out to them. "I'm a Changeling!" She flung Johnny and Kabal. She caused Kabal to strike his head against a tree, rendering him unconscious.

On the other hand, Johnny fell to the ground and came face-to-face with the Changeling. "You dare insult me, you weak creature!?! You die by my hoofs, Queen Chrysalis!" She exclaimed.

Cage stood up in preparation for a fight after pushing Chrysalis away. "I have another insult for you. You're hideous," he said. Chrysalis hissed in anger and readied herself for Kombat.

FIGHT

Johnny executes the initial attack on Chrysalis by utilizing his 'shadow kick.' This causes her to fall to the ground, and subsequently, she retaliates by launching energy blasts towards Cage. Fortunately, Cage successfully defends himself by blocking the attacks, and he only sustains minimal harm as a result. She used her magic to grab him and impaled Cage with her horn. Johnny yelled in acne as she blasted him away. She continues the attack while chuckling.

But when Cage recovered, he does his 'No Autographs' Kombo and ends it with a 'flippy kick'—making her cough out teal blood. She was furious now. "I refuse to let you walk away after that, whoever or whatever you may be." As the intense fight raged on, Kabal slowly regained consciousness. He opened his eyes to witness the epic battle between Johnny Cage and the shapeshifting Changeling.

With every move, both fighters were giving their all, determined to emerge victorious. Despite the Changeling's ability to transform into any opponent, Cage held his own and fought back with equal ferocity. Kabal watched in awe as the two Kombatants clashed in a flurry of punches, kicks, and acrobatic maneuvers, each one trying to gain the upper hand and defeat their opponent.

"Come on. Show me something I haven't seen yet." Johnny taunted her. Chrysalis then shapeshifted into a bear, blowing Johnny's mind. "Ok, that's new." She tried to strike down Johnny in her bear form, but he dodged all the barrages thrown at him.

Chrysalis then shapeshifted into a wolf and attempted to bite his neck. Still, Cage caught the wolf's mouth and kicked the Changeling away. This caused Chrysalis to revert to her original form. Cage then uppercuts Chrysalis, causing her to stand on her back hoofs. Johnny then kicked her in the ribcage. Her ribcage broke to pieces. Johnny was causing her to cough even more blood from the fatal blow. Then Kabal threw the Changling at a tree. The impact causes the tree to break and fall on her, knocking her out.

"And another thing. You're unattractive." Johnny spoke to the Changeling, who was unconscious.

When Kabal arrived next to Johnny, he spoke. "I witnessed someone shapeshifting only once, and it was when Shang Tsung performed the act." Cage said. As they gazed at Chrysalis, her form dissipated into a cloud of black fog, leaving both of them stunned. "What just happened? Where did she go?" Cage exclaimed in surprise.

Kabal faced him and expressed his curiosity but quickly added that it might be better if they didn't know. "Personally, I have no desire to run into her again," he stated before setting off. "Let's regroup with the two Lin Kueis now," he declared. Johnny saw no reason to argue and followed Kabal toward the north, where the assassins were headed.

Johnny had a feeling that the black fog was somehow related to Outworld. However, he hoped that his intuition was wrong.

Castle of the Two Sisters: Equusrealm

Two Lin Kuei left the castle and proceeded towards the bridge. They had conducted research to determine the Monarch of this realm. "Based on our findings, it appears that Princess Celestia and Luna are the reigning monarchs of Equusrealm." Smoke responded to his friend. "And their new castle named Canterlot sits atop the mountain." He directed Sub-Zero's attention to the mountain with a castle atop it.

As they made their way back to the forest, The Cyber cryomancer replied. "Then we have found the sovereigns of this world," he exclaimed to Smoke. "We must hurry and regroup with Kabal and Cage so we can inform lord Raiden." Suddenly, his radar beeped, alerting him to an anomaly below where they were standing. Their research was far from over.

"What's wrong, Sub-Zero?" asked Smoke. He turned to face Smoke and replied.

"I'm sensing a significant surge emanating from the narrow canyon." He pointed out the cavern and stairs that they had missed. Sub-Zero used his technology to teleport down, while Smoke transformed into a cloud of vapor and joined the Cyber Lin Kuei in heading towards the cavern. Upon entering, they were amazed by what they discovered. "It's a tree... made of crystalline."

The stunning tree they gazed upon was entirely crafted from exquisite crystals. Its intricate design boasted numerous branches, each one protruding at different angles. What caught their eyes was the sun and moon design on the stem of the tree. It was adorned with five vibrant-colored gems, each one unique in its own way. Although similar to a traditional diamond, the purple gem retained its charm. The pink gem was shaped like a butterfly, with intricate details carved into it. The blue gem was similar to a balloon, with a rounded shape and a slight curve. The red gem, shaped like a lightning bolt, was a true testament to the artistry that went into crafting this beautiful tree. Lastly, the orange apple-shaped gem was the perfect finishing touch to this magnificent creation.

As they admired the artwork, they couldn't help but notice the immense star at the tree's core. Smoke turned to Sub-Zero and inquired about it. "Could this tree be the cause of the sudden increase in activity?" Sub-Zero nodded. Smoke asked, "What is the purpose of this tree that gives it such great power?"

"I'm not sure, but I'll note this for future reference." After making the declaration, he scanned the tree and created a 3D holographic model of it. Soon after, they heard a voice they recognized.

"Oh my God, have you seen that magnificent castle over there? It's truly stunning!" The Lin Kuei were already aware of the identities of those on the bridge, Kabal and Johnny. They went outside to inspect the castle but were interrupted by Smoke's shout.

"Cage! Kabal! We have identity the ruler of Equusrealm!" He informed them. Kabal and Cage look below to see Lin Kuei heading back up.

"No way! We also know who the ruler is!" Johnny declared. Both members of the Lin Kuei teleported to their location to save them the trouble.

"We need to hold on until lord Raiden arrives. Let's wait for him to return," Sub-Zero suggested to the others. They all agreed and remained where they were until Raiden returned.

Eternal Palace

"Elder Gods, I beseech you." Raiden and Liu Kang are seeking help from the Elder Gods. They stand before them with their request. "Two realms are in danger." He exclaimed to the Elder Gods.

"We are aware of your plight, Raiden." The Elder Gods spoke in unison.

"Then you must intervene on these realm's behalf." Raiden prayed to them, but he was shocked when they responded.

"We cannot," The Elder Gods said.

Raiden argued. "But Shao Kahn… Liu has bested him twice, yet he still–”

"Shoa Kahn has not violated the rules of Mortal Kombat." They spoke. "And we are prevented from intervening on Equusrealm’s behalf."

Raiden was surprised to hear this. "What could be preventing you all from assisting us in protecting this recently discovered realm?" He questioned them. The Elder Gods answered as one.

"Equusrealm’s magic is the cause of this. This realm is engulfed in it, and we Elder Gods are overwhelmed by this. Preventing the rules of Mortal Kombat tournaments to decide the fate of this realm." The Elder Gods declared.

Now Raiden was even more surprised when he learned that the magic of Equusrealm was more powerful than that of the Elder Gods. "Is this even possible?" The God of Thunder asked.

"Yes. Equusrealm is the only realm impervious to us… and Shao Kahn's attempts at merging." The Elder Gods addressed the God of Thunder, and Raiden's anger subsided.

"Then Equusrealm is our best chance at beating Shao Kahn, and this... Grogar?" Raiden asked.

"Indeed. However, if Shao Kahn conquers Equusrealm, all realms, including us, will fall," warned the Elder Gods.

Raiden spoke up. "I will fight Elder Gods. But how? He asked.

"You must ally yourself with the mortals of Equusrealm and protect their kingdom. Only then will the realms be in peace." The Elder God told Raiden.

With determination, he spoke out his last words to the Elder Gods. "It will be done."

When Raiden was about to teleport both him and Liu Kang to Equusrealm, he had one last thing to say but chose not to share it with the Elder Gods.

However, the Elder Gods were already aware that he had further thoughts to express. "Speak your mind, Raiden." They said.

"Since arriving at Equusrealm, the cracking of my amulet represents the Armageddon I had foreseen. However, they have stopped appearing. Does this mean we have avoided this grim fate?"

As they vanished, the Elder Gods uttered their final words to Raiden. "Despite your best efforts to prevent this path from becoming inevitable, it is imperative that you take control of your own destiny and shape it according to your desired outcomes."

After the Elder Gods departed, Raiden spent some time in contemplation. Meanwhile, Liu Kang waited patiently for the God of Thunder to be ready to leave.

Canterlot: Equusrealm

Twilight and her friends disembark at Canterlot train station to visit her mentor. Princess Celestia and Luna sent a letter expressing their eagerness to show her something. "I'm curious about what Princess Celestia has in store for me, but I'm not exactly thrilled about it." Twilight was stressed. What could be worse if being told she would rule Equestria was bad? "If she tells me I'm going to be a goddess next, I'll lose it."

As Twilight walked into Canterlot's courtyard, she was taken aback by what she saw. The city was adorned with freshly made flags and ribbons, all bearing her name. However, what really caught her attention were the large propellers installed on the rooftops of every building and the increased number of royal guards patrolling the area. Twilight also noticed several new ponies who had joined to serve her as the newly crowned Princess. Among the guards, she recognized Silver Sable, who was now wearing her night guard armor. "Silver Sable. What's happening? What's with the decorations?" Twilight questioned.

"Princess Twilight, this is for your coronation as the ruler of Equestria." Silver Stable replied. "With the coronation two days away, Celestia implemented safety precautions to defend Canterlot." Twilight was taken aback by the news. She nervously laughed, assuming it was a joke, but it was not.

"Girls, did you hear that? The coronation is happening in just two days! That's the funniest thing I've heard today!" She continued laughing nervously until Pinkie gave her a side hug and spoke.

"I know when I hear a joke, Twilight. But what she said was not a joke at all." Pinkie Pie told her lavender friend.

"Oh, really? If you're certain it's not a joke, you must have-." Twilight realized her friends already knew but showed no signs of being affected. "Y-you all knew, didn't you?"

All of Twilight's friends attempted to conceal the news by creating a false story, but as the Element of Honesty, Applejack told the young Alicorn the truth. "Ta be honest, Twilight, we did know." Twilight saw her remove her hat, a sign of honesty.

"Why did you all keep this information from me? I want to know the reason behind it."

"Don't worry, darling. We didn't want to cause you any distress," Rarity assured her.

"You were stressed enough. Plus, you made many plans and preparations before you became the ruler of Equestria," Starlight said.

"This is something that Celestia and Luna should tell you themselves. It would be better coming from them than from us." Rainbow told her. "We couldn't tell you. Otherwise, you would be Twilight-ing even more."

Twilight frowned at her friends. "Enough is enough! I demand that you stop using me as a verb!" She urged. "And secondly, I absolutely would be freaking out at the thought of running an entire kingdom in just two days!" Twilight struggled to catch her breath as her friends realized the importance of being truthful. Despite this, she continued speaking. "I understand that Celestia and Luna created a training program for me during the many years I spent with you girls. However, I never desired to be the ruler of my home. All I ever wanted was to live a simple life as a regular pony alongside my closest friends."

Twilight believed that her friends would empathize with her situation. To some extent, they did. When Rainbow Dash said, "I understand that you didn't ask for this responsibility," Rainbow Dash said. "But let's be honest, who wouldn't want to be in your position? You've been given a once-in-a-lifetime chance to become something that any pony would dream of being."

"Maybe not everypony, but it's a dream come true," Fluttershy said calmly.

Starlight confessed, "Twilight, I can't deny that I wish to become an Alicorn myself."

Rarity exclaimed, "If I were an Alicorn, it would be simply divine!"

"I WISH I COULD BECOME AN ALICORN! IT WOULD BE AMAZING!" exclaimed Pinkie excitedly.

"Exactly." Said Applejack.

Rainbow hugs Twilight from the side and speaks once more. "The Princesses were preparing you for this when we didn't know about it. Like Destiny," she said.

Spike flew alongside Twilight and spoke a few words of encouragement. "It's true. I have previously mentioned this, and I will repeat it. 'There hasn't been a single villain that we couldn't defeat.'" Although her friends tried to make her feel better, their efforts were unsuccessful. Unfortunately, they were unaware of what was to come.

At the gate of Canterlot, 15 Royal Guards stand at their positions to defend the city from any potential threats. However, one of the guards noticed a ripple in the lake underneath the bridge leading to the gates. Something had stepped into it, but he couldn't see who or what it was. He thought a rock might have caused the ripple, but he couldn't be sure.

But even more, ripples appeared along with splashes rocking around the lake. The guards all saw this and realized that this was not natural. "I think there are invisible creatures here! Blow the horns." One of the guards said.

One of the guards held out a horn on his hoof, ready to blow, but his mouth was covered by someone holding his mug. And in an instant, his neck was snapped, killing the Royal Guard.

The rest of the Royal Guards were stunned until they felt a piercing in their hearts. Their hearts had been removed from metallic ropes, killing almost everypony. The kingdom's defense was left in the hoofs of a lone female Royal Guard who fought valiantly to protect it.

With a spear in her hoof, she was ready to defend her home at any cost. The Solar Guard was vigilant, scanning the pool of blood and never taking her eyes off the surroundings. Suddenly, a ripple appeared in the puddle on her left, and she instinctively thrust her spear in that direction, successfully stabbing whatever was causing the wave.

The Solar Guard was taken aback when the previously invisible figure made himself visible. The creature had two gray metal legs, and its body emitted sparks while its eyes glowed cyan. The shock caused the guard to lose her hold on the spear. The metallic creature fell to the ground and died. "What the hey are you?" She asked herself. Before reporting to the Princesses, she was electrocuted by a Cyber Lin Kuei, causing her to collapse. After the initial act of brutality, additional members of the Cyber Lin Kuei appeared and cleared the area of any traces of violence.

A yellow Cyber Lin Kuei spoke to the Lin Kuei after taking out the last guard. "Take her to the new Cyber Lin Kuei factory in the desert. She will serve the Lin Kuei…like the others we have captured." The Cyber Lin Kuei nodded, grabbed the mare, and teleported to the new factory.

"Assist the Grandmaster, who is already inside. If phase one fails, initiate phase two." The yellow cyborg glimpsed the castle they were instructed to infiltrate as they communicated with the other Cyber Lin Kueis.

Upon entering the throne room in Canterlot, Celestia and Luna awaited the arrival of the Protectors of Equestria.

When the doors closed, Pinkie felt a sharp pain in her left hoof. "That's weird. Is this a new Pinkie Sense?" Pinkie wondered if her stinging hoof had a message. She'd have to figure it out later. Right now, Twilight was speaking to the Princesses.

"Princess Celestia, I received your letter. I suppose I understand what you were attempting to tell me." Twilight said while clenching her teeth.

"It's great to hear that you were able to see the decorations for your coronation, Twilight." As the sun and moon princesses, Celestia and Luna exuded an aura of regality as they gracefully rose from their thrones. With a humble expression on her face, Celestia approached Twilight Sparkle and her friends, her movements measured and deliberate. Luna followed closely behind, her eyes scanning the room with a watchful gaze. Celestia asked, "I would appreciate your thoughts on this."

"My thoughts? Oh, well, I'm feeling quite overwhelmed at the moment. I can't seem to find anything to feel confident about myself, and everything is just coming at me so quickly." Twilight was struggling to avoid yelling at the Princesses.

Princess Luna felt the need to chitchat with Twilight, so she approached her and spoke to her. "We understand that taking on the role of ruler of Equestria may be overwhelming for you. However, Celestia and I also experienced similar emotions when we were given this responsibility." The Princess of the Night said.

"It's not just that," As the Twilight descended, Pinkie's hoof kept irritating her. "The fact that my life was all just a training for me to take over, and I didn't even know about it," Twilight expressed with a bit of anger coming out.

Pinkie's ear twitched as she heard a clanking sound. Her hoof stung even more, but she didn't know where the sound came from. Perhaps the sound is related to her new Pinkie Sense.

Pinkie surveyed her surroundings while her friends observed her. They immediately assumed it was just Pinkie being Pinkie. Twilight continued, "I'm not saying I'm ungrateful, but..." Twilight would express what she truly wanted until Pinkie did something to interrupt their topic indefinitely.

Pinkie saw something through the moving flare of light the others missed in the stained glass windows. There was some kind of invisible creature present.

Upon noticing an invisible figure with a bladed weapon preparing to strike Twilight, Pinkie Pie quickly acted. She jumped onto Twilight, causing her to collapse on the floor, and kicked the figure. As a result, the figure's cloaking was compromised, and everypony was stunned to see an invisible creature revealed.

As soon as Twilight and the Princess caught sight of the creature, any conversation they were having vanished.

The character disabled his cloaking mechanism and appeared in front of the ponies. He had a metallic body with a color scheme of red and gray. His hair resembled dreadlocks but looked like cables, with blue, glowing lights all over his body. When the character spoke, his voice sounded technical. "I was informed that ponies could be formidable opponents, but I never anticipated that Pinkamena would prove to be even more challenging." He declared.

The new villain's voice intimidated the ponies in the throne room. Rainbow Dash demanded his identity and asked, "Who are you!? Are you an evil creature attempting to take over the world!? Because if so..." Before she could finish, the villain threw a punch that caused a flame to erupt from his arm.

Twilight acted quickly and used a shield to protect Rainbow and her companions from harm. Starlight followed up by trapping the figure's arm in crystal, causing the creature to cry out in pain. Despite this, he broke free by punching the ground with his crystal arm. Twilight bravely moved forward and confronted the beast, "Who do you think you are trying to attack, my friend?! Identify yourself!"

The being responded. "I am Sektor, Grandmaster of the Lin Kuei. And you, Princess, are not qualified to govern." Just as Twilight was about to ask why she wasn't deemed fit to rule Equestria, Sektor continued speaking. "It's clear that you possess wisdom, but your youth and lack of experience ruling a realm are concerning. Additionally, your current friendships have proven to be disappointing." The ponies were infuriated. How dare he pass judgment on Twilight like that?

Twilight was extremely upset that her friendship held no value, but then she recalled hearing something from Sektor that caught her attention. "Ruling a realm, Sektor? What do you mean exactly?" She questioned the metallic creature, but all she received was an evil and menacing chuckle from Sektor.

"It seems like the creature who joined forces with Shao Kahn was telling the truth after all," Sektor scoffed. He also mentioned someone who caught the attention of the ponies and Spike. "You all believe that your realm is the only one, but you are sorely mistaken."

"You just mentioned someone, Sektor," The Grandmaster gazed at Princess Celestia, who approached Twilight's side with Princess Luna. They spread their wings wide to appear more imposing. "Whose Shao Kahn? Is he the pony you work for?" She glared at the blue optics of the machine as she questioned him.

"To clarify, Shao Kahn is not a pony. He is a Konqueror, the Emperor of Outworld, and 'we' are honored to serve him faithfully until the very end."

"I'm sorry. Can you explain who you refer to when you say 'we'?" As Starlight asked Sektor a question, the door suddenly slammed open. All the ponies in the room gasped in surprise at what they saw - eight metallic creatures had entered and were now standing beside Sektor. One of them was even holding a Royal Guard by the throat who was choked to death. The other Royal Guard is dead on the ground, bleeding at his post.

Rarity nearly vomited upon witnessing the dead bodies. Fluttershy and Pinkie were about to burst into tears for the unfortunate guards. Applejack and Rainbow Dash were appalled at the behavior of these animals for causing death. Celestia, Luna, Starlight, and Twilight all wore scowls on their faces. They knew they would have to fight for their lives when Sektor uttered the ominous words, "Don't expect mercy, because you won't receive any from the Cyber Lin Kueis." To prevent the Cyber Lin Kueis from entering, Twilight quickly summoned a massive shield when the Grandmaster pointed at the ponies. However, Sektor was able to teleport through the magical barrier and deliver an uppercut to her face after appearing before her.

In a heated battle against the Cyber Lin Kueis, Twilight found herself suddenly knocked backward onto the ground. With a quick glance around her, she saw that her friends were fighting against the Cyber Lin Kueis. Twilight saw Celesta and Luna engaged in fierce Kombat as she turned, struggling to keep up with the intimidating and powerful Sektor. Though neither of them was particularly experienced in physical Kombat, their powerful alicorn magic allowed them to hold their own against their formidable opponent.

Applejack triumphed over a Cyber Lin Kuei by delivering a powerful kick that severed its head, causing a spill of blue oil on the ground. Meanwhile, Rainbow showcased her impressive karate skills by taking on multiple Cyber Lin Kuei but was mindful not to use excessive force with her hooves to avoid injuring herself.

Rarity, Fluttershy, and Pinkie were having a hard time trying to hold down a powerful Cyber Lin Kuei to get a clear shot of its face. Applejack came to their aid when things looked bleak and helped bring down the machine. At the same time, Starlight was busy firing multiple beams and had already taken out two Cyber Lin Kueis. Suddenly, more enemies arrived and shattered the stained glass. One of them punched Starlight in the face, causing her to collapse onto the floor.

Twilight quickly flew towards the Cyber Lin Kueis to protect Starlight. With a powerful beam, she pierced through their chests. "Starlight, are you alright?" Twilight asked while helping her get back up. Starlight nodded in response.

"I'm doing well, thanks to you," said Starlight, but her eyes widened in horror at the scene outside. Twilight followed her gaze and gasped in shock as well. Canterlot was engulfed in flames, with Cyber Lin Kueis attacking innocent ponies while the Royal Guards tried to protect them. As they looked on, they witnessed new creatures aiding the Cyber Lin Kuei. As they looked on in horror, they noticed creatures with six limbs instead of the usual four and other monsters with blades protruding from their arms and nightmarish faces. These abominations were able to easily overpower even the most skilled Royal Guards. In response, Starlight placed her hooves on her head and yelled out to Twilight. "Now I'm terrified, Twilight! What in Celestia's name is going on?!" Starlight exclaimed.

Starlight noticed that Twilight looked worried. "I'm really worried. I think we are at war. Celestia and Luna taught me so much but never taught me how to fight in a war!" Twilight started to panic. "I don't know what to do?!" Just as Starlight was about to say something, a bunch of yellow metal parts flew in through the broken stained window and assembled themselves into a Cyber Lin Kuei of the same color. Twilight and Starlight were extremely scared, to the point where their tails were tucked between their hind legs.

"It has been determined that you lack experience in warfare, which is the purpose of Phase 2. As a result, you will perish and be unable to serve your people." Twilight reacted quickly when a yellow ball from the Cyber Lin Kuei's chest landed near her hooves. The ball was beeping red and making strange sounds. She created a barrier to protect herself and Starlight, but the ball exploded, causing both mares to fall out of the window. Unfortunately, Twilight hit the floor and lost consciousness.

Entrance of the Everfree Forest: Equusrealm

The protectors of Earthrealm decided to leave the Everfree Forest, as they had endured enough. They had faced a challenging fight against a pack of wooden wolves and lions with scorpion-like parts. They saw a village in the distance as they emerged from the forest. "Look!" Smoke exclaimed, pointing towards the town ahead of them. "Civilization is up ahead."

"Thank God," Kabal exclaimed, relieved. "I'm done fighting those living wooden wolves." The group began walking towards town when they suddenly heard the sound of thunder in the distance. They all knew who it was. In a flash of lightning, Raiden and Liu Kang materialized beside them.

"Lord Raiden," Kuai Liang began speaking and contemplated the return of the God of Thunder with his Champion. "What did the Elder Gods say?" The Cryomancer asked.

"We must ally ourselves with the Equusrealmers and protect their kingdom. Together as one, we shall all prevail." Raiden informed everyone.

"Oh great, let's go make some friends with ponies," Johnny said sarcastically. "I'm sure they will-" Just as Cage was about to finish his sentence, a loud explosion was heard in the distance from Canterlot.
"Whoa, I didn't know they had fireworks...or is that..." The Star didn't want to say it, but Sub-Zero stepped forward and started scanning the castle on the mountaintop.

He detected advanced signals from machines in the city that surpassed the Equusrealmers' technology. "I have detected multiple Cyber Lin Kuei in Canterlot. The invasion has begun." LK-52O reported.

As Raiden summoned lightning, he shouted, "Then we must join the battle to aid them!" Suddenly, they were teleported to Canterlot.

Canterlot: Equusrealm

As the Protectors of Earthrealm arrive in Canterlot, they witness a brutal battle between the Cyber Lin Kuei, Tarkatans, and Shokans, slaughtering the ponies. Stunned by the fierce fight, Cage exclaimed, "I was expecting sunshine and rainbows, not this." Some pawns of Outworld charged at the Protectors of Earthrealm.

Raiden electrocuted their foes, killing them instantly. He then addressed his comrades. "We must aid them!" The demigod declared. "Scatter across the city." They nodded and dispersed in different directions. Raiden summoned his bō staff and began attacking any Outworlders in his path.

Johnny Cage was sprinting through Canterlor Garden when he heard a distant cry that was suddenly silenced. As he looked around, he saw Baraka, the leader of the Tarkatans, with a dead Royal Guard in his left arm blade. As he turned around, he was taken aback by the sight of an Earthrealmer. It didn't take long for him to recognize who it was. "Johnny Cage?!" Shouted the monstrous leader. He then tossed the dead corps out of each other's sight. "There was no way you could have known about this realm. How did you get here?"

"An ally of ours was in Outworld when they met your new companion and overheard everything. We are here to defend their world." Cage smiled fearlessly at Baraka, unafraid of the nightmare-inducing being.

The Tarkatan drew his arm blades, preparing for Kombat. "If that's the case, then he will die! The same way you will!" Baraka snarled.

Johnny only chuckled at this and reminded the Tarkatan, " Did you forget who beat you at Shang Tsung's Temple? Oh, wait...I do. It was me."

FIGHT

Baraka initiates the fight with the 'Outworld Bash' Kombo and successfully brings Johnny to the ground with his rapid punches. Johnny expresses his dissatisfaction with a groan. Baraka then unsheathes his arm blade. To counter the Tarkatan's attack, Cage utilized his 'Rise And Shine' punch, sending his opponent soaring into the air.

After getting to his feet, the superstar deliver the 'Post Credits' Kombo punches followed by a Shadow Kick to create distance between him and Baraka. "Is that all you got?" He mocked. When the Tarkatan stood up, he aimed and fired two 'Blade Sparks' projectiles at Johnny. "Oh, S**t."

Johnny successfully avoided the initial spark, but unfortunately, the following spark caused a burn on his right shoulder. This left him vulnerable to Baraka's 'Baraka-Serker' charge attack. Before Cage collapsed, Baraka executed another Kombo, which Baraka calls 'Bloody Mess.'

Baraka's attempt to start another Kombo was interrupted by Cage's 'Flippy Kick,' which provided him with sufficient time to equip his 'Brass Knuckles.' Cage successfully prevents Baraka from using his blades by breaking them with his 'Brass Knuckles' before the Tarkatan can use them.

Baraka attempted to end the situation by using 'Spine Burst.' Unfortunately, the Earthrealmer was able to dodge and retaliate with an 'Upper Cutter.' The attack caused extreme damage to the Tarkatan's jawbone, knocking Baraka out.

"That's two for Johnny!" He told himself. Johnny left the unconscious Tarkatan to face the other Outworlder forces.

Twilight regained consciousness after the explosion, struggling to stand due to her injuries. Despite this, she knew the war would continue without her. However, she couldn't stand up because she was kicked by the yellow cyborg that knocked her down again. Twilight was lying on her back when she felt a metallic footstep on her chest. She met eyes with the Cyber Lin Kuei, who spoke. "This is Cyrax LK-4D4…Proceeding to terminate Twilight Sparkle."

Terminate? The realization struck the young Alicorn.

They had come here for a specific purpose… to kill her. Cyrax drew out his saw blade and aimed for her neck. She was aware that it was going to decapitate her. Twilight's horn glowed, and Cyrax’s sharp edge stopped near her throat, preventing the machine from killing her. She exerted all her force to restrain that arm; her survival was at stake. Suddenly, a hidden hole in Cyrax's elbow shot out a fire, giving him extra strength to push the saw blade toward Twilight.

Twilight was now freaking out as this thing showed no signs of hesitation to kill her and was proofing it well. She used every ounce of her magical power to stop that sawblade from ending her life. She cried in pain from using too much magic, causing a headache.

After a grueling battle, Spike and his friends finally defeated the Cyber Lin Kueis that had taken over the castle. Meanwhile, Celestia and Luna were still locked in Kombat with Sektor, one of the deadliest foes they had ever faced. As they ventured outside, they were confronted with even more terrifying creatures, unlike anything they had seen before. Amidst all the chaos, Spike couldn't help but notice a particularly gruesome sight that sent shivers down his spine. "Guys! Look!" Spike directed the mares' attention towards what he wanted them to see. Twilight made a valiant effort to restrain a bladed weapon from killing her. However, she was beginning to give up.

"Twilight!" The girls shouted in unison and rushed towards the machine in an attempt to prevent it from harming their dear friend. Surprisingly, Rarity began firing beams at the robot, hoping to bring it down. Although her beams were on target, the group was shocked to see the Cyber Lin Kuei endure the attack and persist in trying to eliminate the young Alicorn. LK-4D4 had enough. He forcefully grabbed Twilight by the back of her head, pushing it towards the saw blade.

Twilight had reached her limit and couldn't continue holding the arm any further. Eventually, she had to surrender as her horn's magic was extinguished. Twilight perceived everything to be moving in slow motion as she witnessed the blade moments away from piercing her body. She shifted her focus to her distant friends. They were beyond reach to save their friend. Twilight heard them scream one word: "NO!" The sound echoed. She closed her eyes, filled with tears, and waited for death to come. It was inevitable.

Except it didn't come. Suddenly, the temperature inexplicably plummeted. Twilight noticed that her head was getting very cold. She looked over at the yellow cyborg and was shocked to see that it was completely frozen in ice. Twilight's friends were relieved that their friend was saved just in time. "Thank Celestia! Starlight must have used a spell to freeze the monster." Spike was overjoyed and assumed that Starlight had saved Twilight from almost being killed.

"Spike, I don't think Starlight froze that thing, darling," Rarity pointed to the lilac unicorn, who was recovering after being knocked out from the fall.

"But if Starlight didn't save Twilight, who did?" Fluttershy questioned. As the group pondered over the question, the sound of clanking footsteps echoed in the distance, growing louder with each passing moment. They gazed into the darkness of an alley, trying to discern the person's identity. They anticipated the arrival of the person who had saved Twilight earlier, but their expectations were shattered when a blue Cyber Lin Kuei emerged from the shadows.

The machine walked confidently towards their friend, its metallic form glinting in the dim light. Twilight turned her head to face the approaching cyborg, her heart racing with fear and uncertainty. She couldn't help but wonder if this new arrival was here to finish what the previous attacker had started. The tension was palpable as they all waited for the blue machine to make its intentions known.

Twilight succumbed to her panic and lost control. Twilight was in a state of panic, although she could have teleported away. Unfortunately, she still felt the after-effects of using so much magic to prevent the yellow creature from killing her. Her friends began running again, with Starlight shouting, "Stay away from her!" They were prepared to face the metallic being, thinking that they were ready for any surprise that may come their way, but they were caught off guard yet again.

The blue Cyber Lin Kuei approached Twilight and reached out to her, causing her to shut her eyes. However, to her surprise, the robot spoke to her, offering help. "I will help you." As Twilight slowly opened one eye, she witnessed the metal creature carefully removing the yellow Cyber Lin Kuei from her. Confused, she opened both eyes to observe the machine assisting her but wondered why it was doing so.

The mares and Spike stopped running, amazed to see the metal monster aiding Twilight.

"Are you alright?" The blue robot offered his hand to the Princess, who flinched initially but decided to trust him and see what would happen next.

"Um, yes…thank you. But I'm a bit confused. Who are you, and why you just helped me?" Twilight inquired the blue robot.

"I am Sub-Zero, Cryomancer of the Lin Kuei. And 'we' couldn't allow the Outworld fiends to invade your peaceful world of Equusrealm." As soon as Sub-Zero mentioned "we," Twilight was confident that he was not alone.

The ice began to crack as Twilight was about to inquire about what he meant. Both Sub-Zero and Twilight noticed this and shared a look of concern. "That can't be good." She thought while feeling frightened about what Cyrax could do.

"Behind me!" Twilight darted without hesitation towards the towering machine, Sub-Zero, seeking refuge from the impending danger. As she cowered behind the metallic structure, she could sense the tension building up within her body. Suddenly, the deafening sound of metal clashing against ice filled the air as Cyrax escaped from his icy prison. The yellow robot stumbled and fell to the ground but swiftly regained his composure and glared at his attacker fiercely.

"Unit LK-52O? You are not assigned to Equusrealm." Unlike Sub-Zero, Cyrax spoke devoid of any emotion.

"I came here by my own choice, not because of any external force or coercion," Sub-Zero addressed the Cyber Lin Kuei member whose attire was yellow.

Cyrax then scanned Sub-Zero’s programming. As Cyrax scanned Sub-Zero's neural net, he noticed a significant change. It seemed something had been altered, but he couldn't entirely process what exactly it was. Nonetheless, he knew he needed further investigation to determine the issue's root. "Your neuromodulators have been recalibrated," Cyrax told Sub-Zero. Twilight and her friends were already confused about what they were regarding. That is until the Cryomancer replied.

"My soul is free of the corrupted programming implemented by Sektor, but your soul still remains affected." Sub-Zero approached Cyrax. "I apologize for not being able to assist you in your struggle to retain your humanity." Twilight, Starlight, and Spike were taken aback by Sub-Zero's revelation. According to him, Cyrax was a human. This raised the question of whether all members of the Cyber Lin Kueis were human or not. The Cryomancer extended his hand, hoping to pass through Cyrax. "I would like to make amends by releasing you from this program."

He did not show any emotions, and instead of granting Sub-Zero's request, he spoke. "My duty to the Lin Kuei and to Shao Kahn is of utmost importance to me. As an AI with programmed principles, I am bound to remain loyal to both, but I will never compromise their values. Even if faced with challenges, I will always do what they desire and uphold their principles with unwavering dedication." The mares were surprised to see that Cyrax had refused his offer to help.

"Cyrax, please, if you don't accept my aid, you will continue to be a 'slave' to Sektor. This path will make you Shao Kahn's pawn." The Cryomancer said. However, what changed Mare's perspective on Cyrax being a monster was what he said next.

"I act to secure the Lin Kuei’s glory in Shao Kahn’s rule." Twilight and the others came to the realization that Cyrax had been brainwashed by Sektor and was now entirely obedient to a Conqueror. It was evident that Cyrax needed their help to break free from his enslavement. But before they could do anything, Cyrax's chest opened up, and he fired a green energy net that trapped Sub-Zero, Twilight, and her friends in it.

"What in the hey is this?!" Rainbow questioned, her eyes widening in surprise. Sub-Zero and the Mares were caught in a green energy net, struggling to break free.

Cyrax was on high alert, preparing to fight Sub-Zero, when a familiar voice suddenly called out his name. "Long time no see, Cyrax." The yellow robot ninja turned to see the human, Johnny Cage, with a grinning face.

"I don’t believe it," Twilight muttered.

Applejack moved to Twilight’s side and asked, "Whose that creature, Twi?" She asked her friend.

Without looking at Applejack’s face, she replied to her. "It’s a human," Twilight said in awe.

Cyrax turned to meet his opponent. "Johnny Cage. If I recall, in Shang Tsung Temple, I defeated you when I was a mere human," He told the former actor. "Now that I have been upgraded, I'm capable of defeating you once again."

Cage scoffed at what Cyrax told him and answered back. "You're forgetting one thing; you had free will to defeat me. Without that, our rematch can go either way." After Johnny said that, he got into his fighting stance. Cyrax did the same and began to battle each other.

FIGHT

Johnny Cage was hit by Cyrax's 'Cyber Beatdown' and struggled to stand. Without a chance to recover, Cyrax used 'The Grinder' Kombo to knock him down. Johnny was unable to dodge Cyrax's quick barrage of kicks.

The group of ponies winced as the machine quickly knocked down its target. But the Mares were unaware of Johnny Cage's skill. Cage promptly stood up and seized the device by its face, forcefully throwing it down to the ground. He continued to repeatedly slam Cyrax's face onto the concrete surface at crazy speeds.

The ponies and Spike were stunned by the incredible speed at which he moved. Despite being under attack, the machine retrieved a 'bomb.' It detonated it, sending both Kombatants soaring through the air. LK-4D4 then activated his boosters and used the 'Air Cyber Charge' to make Cage roll toward the ground again.

Cage and Cyrax then held hands and engaged in a pushing contest. However, Cage was unable to match Cyrax's strength. "Why on earth did Cyber Lin Kueis have to be so damn strong?"

Cyrax made Cage kneel down by kicking his left leg. Then, he rapidly punches Cage in the face and launches him with a rocket fist. "Inferior Being!"Cyrax shouted.

After her headache subsided, Twilight employed her magical abilities to break free from the net that restrained her and her friends. Cyrax made an unsuccessful attempt to execute his 'See Saw' Kombo, while Johnny countered with his 'Something Punchy' attack to stop the Cyber Lin Kuei.

Twilight and Starlight combine their magic to destroy the energy net and succeed. "Come on, everypony. We have to help him!"

"No," Sub-Zero stepped forward and addressed the group before they could help Johnny.

"What! Why?" Rainbow questioned.

"This is Cage's fight. Besides, he’s nearly finished." The Cryomancer answered.

After being ordered to stand down, the group witnessed Cage execute his 'Kind Of A Big Deal' Kombo on Cyrax. Cyrax's body was surrounded by sparks, a clear indication that he was on the brink of defeat. Cage performs 'Wing Man' and connects it with an Amplify 'Pissed Off' attack before Cyrax lands a hit. Cyrax attempted to stand up but ultimately shut down and collapsed onto the ground.

"Guess that makes us even." Cage told the offline Cyrax.

As Twilight walked by Cage, she noticed the Mechanized ninja lying on the ground. She leaned down and looked into his eyes, which had turned black. She knew that he was unconscious and felt sorry for what Cyrax had gone through. Turning to Sub-Zero, she asked, "Can you help him?"

"Yes, he will need a moment to initialize." Sub-Zero turned Cyrax around to access his back. He froze his trapezius and removed it before working to free his friend.

While Sub-Zero was helping his companion, the Girls, Spike, and Cage, they suddenly heard terrifying screams coming from behind them. A pack of four-armed monsters had appeared in the area where the heroes were situated. One of the creatures was carrying a dead pegasus.

The individual shredded the pegasi into two equal halves. The liquid of blood gushed out of the corpse. It cascades and flows onto the ground below, and the guts emerge, creating a bloody mess. The ponies were disgusted at the gory sight. Rarity's face turned green, and her stomach felt uneasy.

Cage didn't flinch, his previous experience showing. Sub-Zero glanced over and uttered a single name. "Goro."

The mares turned to him, and Fluttershy asked, "Do you know that…monster?" She said, easily startled.

"We actually do," Cage responded as he caught the ponies' attention. "He's the Shokan Prince and the mightiest warrior of their race." Cage's statement prompted Johnny to move toward Goro and declare, "I'm not afraid; I'll fight him." Johnny's courage and determination were evident as he stood up for his convictions.

As he approached Goro, he heard Sub-Zero calling out to him. "Be wary, Cage. Liu Kang may have defeated Goro, but you lack the same skillset."

Johnny confidently walked up to the Shokan Prince, prepared to engage in battle. However, he was caught off guard when the Prince forcefully snatched his sunglasses and punched him, sending him flying next to the Mares.

"I wasn't expecting that," Cage groaned. Upon rising, he witnessed something horrific to him: Goro crushing Cage's sunglasses, dropping them to the ground, as Johnny and the Mares looked on.

"Oh no…you didn’t," Cage was furious with Goro's actions. "Those were $500 sunglasses, asshole!" He charged towards Goro, ready to launch an attack.

Worrying for the human, Twilight shouted, "Oh no! Cage. Don't attack him. He's likely stronger than you." However, Cage disregarded Twilight's advice and sprinted towards the Shokan.

Goro attempted to grab Cage, but Cage evaded his grasp with a split. And for revenge for his glasses, he nut punches the Shokan warrior, making him groan in pain.

The girls were surprised when they saw someone strike that particular region of the body. Spike held his hand on his testicles, knowing how painful that was for a guy like himself.

Cage rose from his split and watched the Shokan in pain. While one of his hands was holding his private part, he tightened his other fists, trying to recover from his nuts being punched.

"The human…is mine," Goro said as he recovered. "Kill the horses." The leader gave orders to his Shokan warriors, who swiftly charged towards the Mares with deadly intent.

"Heads up, y'all," Applejack shouted, "We got monsters headed towards us!" In their first war together, they fought fiercely against the Shokans.

"Johnny Cage, be warned that the action you have inflicted on me will result in regret." Goro got into his fight stance and said, "Your punishment…your limbs will be torn off."

FIGHT

Johnny attempted to strike the Shokan with a 'Cool Kick' to start the fight. But Cage was halted by Goro's 'Undefeated' Kombo. Goro taunted Cage, saying that, "I expected more from you." In response, Cage got up and performed his 'Bad Scripts' Kombo, and he followed up with an amplified "flippy kick," knocking the Shokan off his feet.

When Cage approached, the Shokan retreated, performed the 'Shokan Grab,' and threw the actor away. Johnny growled at this and continued the fight.

The Shokan warriors proved formidable opponents while battling against Twilight and her friends. However, those who were less robust had little chance of success.

Applejack encountered difficulty in defeating a Shokan on her own despite her strength. The warrior was able to block her two legs with one pair of arms and held onto her tail with the other pair.

Applejack attempted to break free by kicking his arms. Still, unfortunately, her efforts were unsuccessful, and she found herself being lifted up. Applejack is now dangling by her tail helplessly. "Can somepony help me!" She yells in desperation.

Rainbow Dash helped out Applejack by taking down the Shokan with a powerful roundhouse kick.

Rainbow caught Applejack before she hit the ground after the Shokan released her. "You okay?" The Cyan Pegasus asks.

"Um, yup. Thanks." Applejack said while blushing. She turned her head so Rainbow wouldn’t see, but she did.

Meanwhile, Cage managed to avoid Goro's attempt to 'stomp' on him, and the Prince landed on the ground.

Cage managed to avoid Goro's attempt to 'stomp' on him, and the Prince landed on the ground. Johnny then performed 'The Gist Of My Fist' Kombo and connected it with a 'Shadow Kick.' "Are you really a Prince? Because I'm winning against you." Mocked Cage.

As Cage taunted the Shokan, Goro's powerful punches created a seismic impact that knocked Cage and the remaining Shokans to the ground due to his 'Quake.'

After the defeat of the remaining Shokans, Twilight and her friends finally took a moment to catch their breath. The ponies divert their attention to the battle between the human and the Shokan Prince.

Goro proudly declared his imminent victory over Cage. "It's over, Earthrealmer, I've won," he said. Cage stood up and uttered a final comment to Goro.

"You're right. Then 'THE AWARD GOES TO...'" Cage executed a sudden punch on Goro and followed it up with two kicks to the Shokan's face. Then, he did two flip kicks to bring the creature to the ground. During the event, Cage suddenly produced a golden trophy, leaving the group of ponies, including Pinkie Pie, speechless. Finally, Cage utilized the trophy to strike Goro and then impale him in the chest. "Me."

Goro caught his breath after being defeated, while the ponies were stunned by the human's performance.

"And by the way, you'll be responsible for replacing my sunglasses," He said to the panting and defeated Shokan, "That’s your punishment."

Upon looking upwards, Cage and his companions spotted lightning in the sky. A group of Tarkatans was making their way towards the Protectors of Equestria. To their astonishment, they saw a human engulfed in lightning, bravely fighting off the fiends.

The human stood before the ponies and yelled a warning to the Tarkatans. "Withdraw! Or feel the wrath of Earthrealm's Protector!" Afterward, Raiden created thunder swords, which he used to defeat the Tarkatans individually. The God of Thunder proved too powerful for them to overcome.

"I’m finding this hard to believe! Three humans in Equestria?" Twilight was attempting to comprehend the situation.

Twilight felt a tap on her shoulder and turned to see Fluttershy. "Um, make that four, Twilight," Fluttershy said. She pointed to someone on the rooftop using smoke clouds to destroy Cyber Lin Kueis.

"Look over there!" Rainbow yelled out in alarm as they witnessed a blur of motion cutting through the Shokans with deadly precision. He wore a mask that concealed his identity while piercing the head of a Cyber Lin Kuei with a hook blade, successfully disabling the machine. The individual retrieved his weapon and continued to protect the city. Rainbow was in awe as she watched someone run with incredible speed.

"Ah, see one more over there y'all!" Applejack shouted. The human fought against Cyber Lin Kueis, Tarkatans, and Shokans that came his way, and the ponies watched as he defeated each and every one of them. Twilight sensed a connection with him, but couldn't pinpoint why.

The ponies heard Sektor's yell as he fell out of the window towards the ground. Sektor saw the two alicorns landing before him with scowls and bruises. Baraka, Goro, and the remaining troops of Outworld were surrounded by the Royal Guards. They were outnumbered and had lost many soldiers.

The Defenders of Earthrealm stood by Raiden as he spoke. "Surrender Sektor, you are finished!" Most ponies, including the Protectors of Equestria, are still confused about the presence of humans in their world. However, they are grateful that the humans are on their side.

Sektor rose to his feet and addressed the God of Thunder, but his response was not what the deity had anticipated. "You may have won the battle but will not win this war, Raiden." Suddenly, a black portal with red outlines appeared, catching everypony off guard.

To the pony's surprise, creatures appeared from the portal holding strange sticks. While everypony else saw them as unknown creatures, Twilight and Starlight recognized them as humans. As soon as Kabal saw them, he instantly recognized who they were and exclaimed, "It's the Black Dragon!"

The Equusrealmers were attacked by the Black Dragon men, who used guns to massacre most of the Royal Guards. As a result, the Outworlders chose to retreat to Outworld. The Protectors of Equestria were fired upon by a group of the Black Dragons.

Twilight expected bullets to hit her magic shield, but Kabal stepped forward and parried the gunfire with his hook blades. He continuously blocked their attacks and then charged towards the enemy while still defending himself.

Using one of the robots, Kabal impaled it and utilized it as a shield to protect himself from the bullets. Once he approached the gangsters, Kabal sliced the machine in half and defeated the Black Dragons who had been attacking the ponies. Thankfully, Twilight, Starlight, and other unicorns used their magic to create a shield that protected everypony.

The last to leave Equusrealm was Sektor. As soon as he entered the magic portal, it disappeared, marking the end of the battle... for now. As Twilight and the other unicorns lowered their magical shield, the Princess of Friendship muttered to herself, "This day just keeps getting stranger and stranger."

"Twilight!" With a worried expression, Celestia called out her name, causing her to turn and face her. "Are you and your friends alright?" The Princess of the Sun asks.

"Yes, we are all alright," Twilight confirmed. "I’m guessing that was not part of my test?" She assumed.

"It certainly wasn’t," Celestia assured. While she was talking to Twilight and her friends, Earthrealm Protectors spoke to Raiden.

"These are the sovereign rulers of this realm, Lord Raiden." Smoke leaned in and whispered to the God of Thunder, gesturing towards the two large Alicorns.

"I'm no detective, but when the Changeling said 'Princess Twilight,' that little Alicorn fits the description. Plus, Kabal said a young Alicorn was yet to become ruler." Cage interjected.

"She has not yet become ruler, Cage," Liu Kang corrected. "So, for now, these two are still in charge." Liu Kang presumed.

Either way, Raiden decided it was finally time to introduce themselves. "Princess Celestia, Princess Luna..." Raiden said as he approached and earned the attention of the sisters and the Protectors of Equestria. "I am Raiden, God of Thunder and Protector of Earthrealm."

Twilight and her friends were surprised to hear the human declare himself a God. So were the Princesses. "We have much to discuss." The God of Thunder said.

Author's Note

I apologize for the delay in completing this chapter. I sincerely hope that you found it enjoyable. I would like to extend my gratitude to "JDPrime" for his invaluable assistance thus far. Without him, I would not have been able to accomplish this. Now, it's time for another choice to make.

"The joint forces of both realms united in their fight against Shao Kahn and his army. But Cyrax, recently saved from his corrupted programming, drops a bombshell. Cyrax clarifies three major events are unfolding simultaneously! It's time for our heroes to split up and tackle these predicaments head-on. But the question is, where do you want to go for the next chapter? The fate of the adventure is in your hands!"

(But be cautious, as the option left unselected will bring consequences for the heroes.)

By the way, Starlight begins the next Chapter.

(A). Fillies and Foals have been kidnapped into Outworld.
(B). Ponies have been taken to a New and Unknown Factory near Appleloosa. Winner
(C). Earthrealm forces are struggling to fight against evil Equusrealm reinforcements.