(This is a sequel, so you'll have to read Walking Kontradiction before this one. Sorry! :D Also, again there is no real time arch to this, so don't expect an explanation to when this takes place. It's AU because I'm lazy and not feeling all too creative. Enjoy.)

I don't own anything that is not mine.

Chapter One: Room mates

To say he was bored was probably saying too much, but it was as good as any way to describe someone sitting against a large rock staring at the sky, wishing he had something to do. To be more specific, wishing he had some sort of lead on the whereabouts of a certain sorcerer. Strike that-- either one of the two sorcerers he knew of.

He felt a frown tug at his lips as the very thought of such scum entered his mind. The frown deepened as he (almost) morbidly realized how he had not found said scum. Of course, there was no real way to find them when he was stuck in the Nether realm. The specter laid back harder against the boulder and allowed himself to relax. He had been traveling for days without stopping. The thought of a dead man tiring made no sense, but it just so happened to be possible.

Within a few moments the ninja had found himself in a quiet sort of meditation. It was honestly the nicest rest he had had in a while. And even though Scorpion knew the Nether realm was no place for rest, there he was, resting. He knew he needed to get up and keep moving, but his body wasn't going to do anything but lay against the boulder behind it.

Also, the thought of a certain brat kept making itself painfully known.

"She's not here," Scorpion hissed under his breath as he forced his eyes open. He wasn't going there again, he vowed not to. It was completely useless; a waste of time.

But that didn't stop him from recalling that a whole two months had gone by since she had left.

"Son of a bitch." Scorpion forcefully slammed his head into the rock behind him. The pain didn't help like he thought it would, but it did a good enough job. The Shirai-Ryu stood, glad to be rid of stupid thoughts for the moment. Scorpion began walking again when something hard hit the back of his head, causing him to fall face first to the ground.

Before he knew it, he was out cold.

Two figures stood over the ninja's unconscious form. One had some sort of club attached to his hand while the other was hunched over. Neither really looked human.

"I hope that damn sorcerer keeps his word," the one with the club hissed, absently stroking said weapon.

The other snorted something close to a laugh. "That was too easy. Maybe Shang Tsung was right." Moloch gave the other an amused glance.

Drahmin shrugged. "Let's just get this over with."

Scorpion awoke after what felt like hours. The specter sat up, feeling a sudden rush of paranoia. He couldn't remember anything after he had stopped to rest. He cursed under his breath-- why had he been so stupid? If he wouldn't have stopped he wouldn't have...

Scorpion looked around to see where he actually was. Where was he? It was some sort of bed chamber. It was distantly familiar to him; he had been there before. But when? Scorpion studied the light blue sheets on the bed and the strangely colored pillows.

"Except my pillows. They're probably my favorite things in my room."

Scorpion felt the color leave his face. He absently looked at the only lamp in the room by the bed on the night stand. He was in her room.

But she wasn't there. Scorpion glanced at the window, noticing how bright it was outside. The ninja growled as he squinted. He stood and headed for the window's curtains. After blocking the blinding light, Scorpion stood in the middle of the room, racking his brain. How had he managed to end up in Erren's room?

Scorpion sighed as he ran his hand over his head, which was killing him for some reason...

Erren felt someone touch her shoulder and she jumped. She turned to see friend Alexis. Sighing, Erren gained her composure.

"Erren, why are you jumpy all of a sudden? Well, I mean, not all of a sudden, but..." Alexis stopped when she saw Erren's irritated face.

"I'm not. It's just..." Erren sighed again and brushed her bangs back out of her face. "Ah, I don't know. You know how weird I am."

Alexis frowned as she watched her friend wave it off. "Seriously Erren. You've been acting weird for a while now. Did something happen to you?"

Erren chanced a glance at her friend-- a mistake on her part. Alexis was pretty much the opposite of Erren. Strong, outspoken and loud. Sometimes so loud in fact it hurt Erren's ears. The girl had killer lungs.

Alexis stared Erren down, making sure she saw the threat in her eyes. "You can talk if you want, ya know." Erren laughed, trying not to sound nervous.

"...There's nothing wrong and nothing happened."

Erren broke her gaze with the other girl as she peered down at the brightly colored tiled floor. She quietly prayed that the last period of the day would zip by. Her friends had been noticing how much more reclusive she was becoming and were asking questions. Erren couldn't even begin to explain to them what was "wrong".

Luckily Alexis stopped asking questions and the last class of the day went by fairly quick.

Erren smiled at her friends as they waved bye. She hated to see them worried about her but she couldn't help it. When she first woke up after she entered the portal, she at first thought she was going crazy after everything was finished two months ago. She woke up in her bed, wondering why she was there and not in the fantasy land she had just been in. Erren then thought it was all a dream, feeling extremely relieved.

Then she went to take a shower and saw a few cuts and bruises on her body. She cried in the shower.

After that she hadn't exactly been the same. Erren had gotten better since then, it had been two months after all. And, thankfully, she didn't see her parents enough for them to notice anything.

Erren walked into her empty drive-way and headed straight for the door. It had for some reason been an extremely long day and she felt exhausted. She dropped her bag in the kitchen and automatically started toward her room, ignoring all of her supplies spilling out on the floor. She was so tired all of a sudden and didn't know why. Well, she didn't really care, either. The teen groggily stepped up the stairs and eventually fumbled to her room. She opened the door, happy to see her bed, and stepped in.

Then she heard him-- a small, sharp intake of breath on the other side of the room. Erren jerked her head toward her closet door and felt her throat close on her. He was there. For real.

Scorpion was staring at her, wide-eyed and perfectly still. He wasn't even breathing as far as she could tell..

"Why..?" She asked quietly. Erren herself had no idea where the question came from, her lips just moved on their own. "Why are you here?"

Scorpion seemed to remember to breathe and inhaled. Besides that, he did nothing.

Erren blinked a few times before feeling her eyes sting. Great, she had started to cry. She had no idea why, either.

End of Chapter One

(Yes, I know that Drahmin and Moloch are the ones who helped out Quan Chi escape the Netherealm in Deception, but I'm shamelessly using them. Shamelessly. ;D And as always, typos are always apologized for in advance.)

(And a million apologies for puttin' this up twice!)

Red