I'm still not Ed Boon. Now that evil Sindel is canon, my fic is ruined. Fortunately, I'm a master of dialogue based retcon. Cassie is this chapter and I've got requests for Kotal, Ermac, and D'vorah.

"Everything has gone crazy lately. Shinnok's mom, the evil clan matriarch Kronika has turned out to be as hapless as her son," Syzoth said. "Just as everything he did was manipulated by Quan Chi, her grand scheme was manipulated by Shang Tsung, and until either he or Liu Kang claim the hourglass the timeline is up for grabs. Knowing what it is to work for Shang Tsung, I can only say, 'Go, Liu Kang!' and I'm sure those are Shao Khan and Quan Chi's sentiments too."

The audience laughed.

"Speaking of our former emperor it turns out he's remarried, to the 'good' Sindel. She's definitely from the same timeline as everyone else but was just pretending about her alignment. Actually makes me sad for the evil one. At least she was honest. I know Kitana is disappointed. And our guest tonight knows all about parents disappointing them. Give it up for Shinnok's Bane, Cassandra Cage!"

Cassie entered the studio to thunderous applause. She shook Reptile's hand and took a seat.

"So Cassie, I've met both your parents. Your dad's a total joke but your mom is pretty badass. Who do you think you take after more?"

"Well I like to think I'm a badass but I've got a pretty good sense of humor too. I enjoy roasting Liu Kang. He beat Shao Khan, I beat Shinnok, so we tease each other about who's the greatest of all time."

"Please, Shinnok is not in Shao Khan's league."

"Shinnok is Shao Khan's dad."

"And Johnny Cage is yours, but you don't see me taking that out on you."

"Yeah," Cassie chuckled, "I get that all the time."

"Speaking of Mommy and Daddy, do they work well together as Elder Gods?"

"Interesting story with that one," Cassie said. "Mom only accepted Dad back to make things easier for me, but I don't want to be a member of the team."

The audience broke out in murmuring.

"You're passing up being an Elder God?" Syzoth asked, disbelieving.

"Actually, yeah. I don't want to be responsible for shaping history or maintaining balance between the realms."

"It's not like Cassie Cage to shirk her responsibilities."

"My responsibilities are completing the mission, watching out for my soldiers, and otherwise having a normal life."

"And Sonya's ok with this?"

"It doesn't matter. I turned her down."

"And your mom just took it?"

"The Sonya from timeline is my mom. This one has no more life experience than I do."

"Disrespectful whelp," Reptile coughed.

"Oh no, I respect her, but there are some lines I will not cross."

"Do you know what is like to have the pressure of shaping trillions of destinies on you?"

"Not really. The closest I can imagine is parenthood, being one of only three Zaterrans left in the realms."

"If you took my place as an Elder God, you could rewrite the timeline so that Zaterra never gets conquered."

Syzoth paused, licked his fangs, and said, "Maybe it could work." Then Reptile tilted his head. "But you know, your mom and Liu Kang are giving out these appointments on a friend by friend basis. I'm not in your circle of trust."

"They'll be desperate to replace me," Cassie said. "Go for it."

"I think I will. But you have already given me a great idea for a backup plan."

"Do tell."

"Liu Kang chose Kitana. Kitana chose Jade. None of them trust me but Jade trusts my buddy Kotal. I ask him to take up your mantle and Jade will support him."

"Good plan."

"Thanks. Now does Jacqui also want out?"

"She's mainly doing this for her dad, but she wants to rewrite his past. Make it less traumatic."

"The temptations of the hourglass," Syzoth mused.

"She has no more intention of being an Elder God than I do. She wants to fix things for her dad and get back to marry Takeda."

"I'm surprised she," Reptile bit his tongue before he could say anything else. Cassie had just provided him a way in, and he was about to waste it.

"Perhaps you and Jacqui leave. You're down two members. Kotal joins. Jade vouches for him. I join; Kotal vouches for me.

"You scheming lizard," Cassie said laughing.

"I worked for Shang Tsung for centuries. You pick a few things up."

"Anyway, you and Kotal have my votes, if I can persuade Jacqui."

"Why are you so eager to get back to a normal life?"

"I've seen what success and too much responsibility do to people. I'm Sonya and Johnny's daughter. I've picked up a few things. I've also seen enough fallen Demigods and Elder Gods."

"Does your green energy work on Titans?"

"Apparently. From what I hear I beat Kronika in one timelime."

"Do you know what happened in that reality?"

"I think I gave the hourglass to Liu Kang and Kitana."

"So, it's basically the same as this one."

"Pretty much."

"Could have been worse. Could have given it to Raiden."

"Yeah, come to think of it, you weren't involved in any of this mess with Kronika."

"I almost was. I was trapped in the Krypt on Shang Tsung's island. Heard Jax and Bi Han fighting."

"Yeah, you were probably better off. This was a crazy one."

"It still got all of us in the end?"

"That it did. But you seem determined to escape."

"Yeah, I just want to have a successful career and a family."

"You know, you are probably the most down to earth Kombatant I've interviewed."

"Thanks, Reptile," Cassie said before inquiring, "That was meant as a compliment, right?"

"No, just a statement. Everyone else is honor this, vengeance that, duty, power, respect etc. Oh, and ego. Can't forget your old man, especially when he was younger."

"You'll have to forgive his injuring you. He didn't know you were the last male of your species."

"I'm not. There's also Chameleon."

"I thought Khameleon was a girl."

"Yes, Khameleon's a girl, but Chameleon's a guy."

"What?"

"Nevermind." Reptile cleared his throat. "So, Cassie, you don't want to be an Elder God. What do you want to do? Stay in the special forces?"

"Yeah, I've kinda of gotten used to taking on demented Elder Gods and Aussie crime lords that pee in public…oh and the occasional cyberninja."

"Never call a Lin Kuei a ninja. 'Ninja' is a Japanese word, the Lin Kuei are a Chinese organization."

"Please, they are all stealth assassins and English doesn't have a word for that. Besides, the Tekunin are located in Japan now."

"Really? That's surprising considering it was Sektor's dad who had Quan Chi wipe out the Shirai Ryu."

"There are other ninja clans in Japan."

"Unless I'm mistaken, the Lin Kuei hated all of them."

"The Lin Kuei did but the Tekunin are hard up for members."

"Ah. You do know you could stop the Tekunin from ever coming into being by using the hourglass."

"I'd rather stop them the old-fashioned way."

"I admire that about you. You like getting your hands dirty. Unfortunately, to restore my species I need to use the most effective means available and that's the hourglass."

"You'll have it, or at least Kotal will. I'll work on getting Jacqui to leave for you."

"Thanks, that's all I can ask. Has Jax talked her out of changing his past?"

"He's trying to, but she's pretty determined."

"Okay, I never thought I would say this, but her getting with Takeda is more important for the future of my species than me getting with Khameleon. I need her to renounce her position as an Elder God," he angled his head and narrowed his gaze, "Just as my friend Kotal is happy to hear you are renouncing yours."

"There's a problem, Reptile. Kotal's alignment is neutral and yours is evil. All of the current Elder Gods are aligned good."

"What about Raiden?"

"Keep him away from his dad's fake amulet and he's fine."

Syzoth nodded, then blurted, "It's official? Shinnok is Raiden's dad?"

"We just got the DNA."

"I don't believe it. The entire basis for the Mortal Kombat Tournament is an eons old family drama."

"You've interviewed Shinnok, Raiden, and Shao Khan already. That only leaves Kronika and Cetrion."

"And Onaga if he really is the reincarnation of Norbet."

"I still can't believe that's the One Being's name."

"Stranger things have happened."

"But still, you used to work for Shao Khan. You can't be an Elder God."

"Jax used to work for Kronika and Liu Kang, Kitana, Kung Lao, and Jade all used to work for Quan Chi."

"They have all refused with their younger selves though. And younger them were never evil."

"Kitana and Jade worked for Shao Khan when I did though."

"But they…" Cassie stopped. "Oh, yeah…"

"And besides, Shinnok was one of the original Elder Gods and he was evil."

"Ok, Reptile you were making good points until you brought up the stuff about Shinnok. Really hurting your case."

"Oh, thanks. Look, Cassie. I'm not evil. I've just had evil bosses. Everything I've done has been to secure the future of my species."

"And I get you, but the others might not."

"I've already made inroads with Liu Kang and Sonya. Kitana's a little iffy, but I'll work with what I've got."

"Seriously though, your best bet is convincing Jade to back Kotal for taking my place and then getting him to back you for taking Jacqui's."

"Yes. There is much to be done. But if Johnny Cage can become an Elder God, there's hope for me."

"But Liu Kang, Kitana, and Mom have the final say. And so far they've tended to only hand it out to friends."

"Doesn't really sound like the best basis for entrusting responsibility," Syzoth said silencing himself. Couldn't be giving anyone any ideas for making Fujin or Nightwolf Elder Gods when he need himself and an ally to fill those slots.

"No, they should have totally gone with Fujin and Nightwolf," Cassie said.

"No!" Reptile shouted. "Do not give them any ideas!"

"Just saying," Cassie interjected.

"Just keep working on Jacqui and persuading your mom of my uses."

"Will do," Cassie said, "If you can demonstrate why you and Kotal would make better Elder Gods than Fujin or Nightwolf."

"Traitor!" Syzoth hissed at her.

"No, no, the more I think about, if we were choosing who was the most qualified and not just who are our friends it would be them."

"I need this job for my species!"

"You didn't want it until you found out I was quitting. If this is really about restoring your species talk to Fujin and Nightwolf like you did Liu Kang, Kitana, and Mom. They're pretty reasonable."

"I will talk to them as a backup plan. I still want those job slots for me and Kotal."

"I thought you wanted to be with Khameleon?"

"I want to repopulate my species, and, truth be told, I just miss other Zaterrans. I don't even know her."

"But you want to, don't you?"

"Yes," Reptile said slowly, "I suppose I do."

"And if you became an Elder God on Kotal's recommendation, there's no place left for her, and she has no one's recommendation anyway."

Syzoth let his jaw drop.

"Think of it this way," Cassie said, "You were having to choose between a possible romance and saving your species. This way you can have both."

"But, I…" Reptile struggled to find what to say next.

"You know what? I'll just talk to Fujin and Nightwolf myself about the Zaterran situation and ensure that they help you."

"I…I…I," Syzoth stammered.

"Yeah, I'm a huge fan of your show, and think you have had to put up with a lot," Cassie said, "So, it's the least I could do."

Hold on, Reptile thought. Just who exactly interviewed who here?