Description: Impressed with Johnny Cage's title defense against Nightwolf, Raiden decreed that the eccentric actor and martial artist is worthy of joining the ranks of the Society and defend Earthrealm against evil. Not surprisingly, Mr. Cage has a hard time believing this is not all special effects.
RECAP, END OF JOHNNY CAGE VS. NIGHTWOLF:
Johnny Cage been teasingly acting like the feather Nightwolf had given him after the match was a radio and he could contact the shaman that way. It was all special effects, right? Just smoke and mirrors that Nightwolf was really good at, enough that they looked real even on the set. Saves money on post-production if you don't have to edit the visual effects later.
Except then someone with similar eyes to Nightwolf showed up. Same contact lenses. Maybe they're in the same production studio or something and are known for that look. A hand was put on his shoulder... and then everything went white.
Lightning. That may have been the last thing Johnny Cage saw.
PRESENT TIME:
Lightning! And then the surroundings are visible when it all disappears. This is not the studio Cage and Nightwolf were fighting in. This isn't even the city. It's a shrine deep in the woods outside Southtown. It doesn't look like a typical shrine though. An architect could see western architecture merged seamlessly with Asian.
The tall man with the white outfit and conical hat is still there, and takes a step back from Johnny, removing his hand from the movie star's shoulder. He says nothing for a moment, allowing Cage to get his bearings. Sometimes being teleported is disorienting.
Still hurting from his fight, and now teleported, Johnny presses one hand to the side of his face, not quite sure what just happened. "What the-hey!" He looks around but doesn't really recognize the area. "Where the hell am I? What did you do?"
Things start to get even weirder when Nightwolf also appears in the area in a flash of moonlight. The shaman materializes from thin air and pulls his wolf hood down showing his equally bruised face. However, he has a somewhat fierce smile to him, showing his enlarged wolf like canines, his dead blank eyes making the gesture that more disturbing.
"I see that you are very eager to follow your destiny." Smiles the shaman. "Good, you live up to the legends of your prowess, Johnny Cage."
He gestures to the man with the conical head so that they can all get acquainted quickly. "This is Lord Raiden, The God of Thunder. He and I have been watching you very carefully for quite some time."
"Greetings, Nightwolf," Raiden offers as the shaman appears. And he bows his head in greeting when Nightwolf introduces him, eyes closing briefly. "Greetings to you as well, Johnny Cage." That's not a character name this 'Raiden' just used. That's his actual name. "There is something important that we must speak with you about."
Pause. "But first. Are either one of you injured?" He raises both hands, palm of one hand aimed at Nightwolf and the other at Johnny. Blue lightning surrounds his hands, and then emits at both Nightwolf and Johnny. They bolts are slow enough to dodge if either wishes. But it's not pain that waits for either one if hit. The lightning produces a momentary tingling sensation on the skin, and the pain should ease.
As a note... Johnny may actually be able to find out where he is if he still has his phone on him. With a GPS app, he'd be able to tell that he's somehow in Japan. Also the phone didn't get fried from the lightning!
Johnny stares dumbfounded still, even as Raiden uses his lightning to heal some of his fight wounds. "Okay, first off, I didn't ask to get brought to..." He pauses to check his cell. "...Southtown. This Raiden guy just...did whatever he did to me out of nowhere. Did you knock me out?" He points a finger at Raiden. "Wait a sec, this is about that 'defending the realm' stuff? I already told you, take your fantasy game crap outta here, I'm not interested."
"In reality, you did." Nightwolf corrects him whilst he holds still for Raiden's healing powers, the skinwalker taking a deep breath feeling the warmth of his injuries banishing almost completely. "When you spoke my name into the feather, you believed enough to give your consent for us to bring you here. Belief.. faith.. is strong in humans, and even when it starts jokingly it can lead to great things."
"I assure you this is not a game, Johnny Cage. Here you are now, transported to a distant land in mere seconds, offered the greatest honor that is to fight for Earthrealm, and you still would squander your opportunity to take your rightful place in the hall of legends without even listening to what we have to say?"
"Listen now closely. This is your chance to embrace your true destiny, and to finally lend legitimacy to your martial prowess." Because what better way for Johnny Cage to get the respect that he craves than by becoming a true hero?
Raiden waits until Nightwolf has spoken before he adds his voice. "As he said, this is no game. There is a very real threat approaching, one that the peacekeepers of this realm cannot hope to stand against. I know this, for I have faced a peacekeeping force. Formidable... but that which approaches will tear through them."
A pause, and he stands with his hands clasped behind his back as he collects his thoughts. "Under normal circumstances, Nightwolf would simply have appeared as you spoke into the feather. But... I sensed the doubt. For a man of this world such as yourself, that much is understandable. So I brought you here to try to dispel the doubt, and explain what we face."
Johnny pauses, phone halfway held up to his ear. He thinks about it, then places it back in his pants pocket. "Alright, fine. Let's say I accept the fact you just...teleported me. That's the only other explanation I can think of right now. Second of all, my martial arts ARE legit. The world just doesn't quite GET it yet. But if you two weirdos want to help spread the word of the Cage, well, I guess I'll go ahead and listen to what you have to say, alright?" Johnny folds his arms. "So, I'm listening."
Nightwolf rubs his chin and gives that feral grin of his again, canines showing. "Oh, I know of your legitimacy, Johnny Cage. But as you said, it is the world that must be made to learn the truth behind you, so that perhaps you as well might learn what you really are."
As the actor finally complies to listen, the skinwalker nods and takes a side next to Raiden, also crossing his arms. "You have chosen wisely."
"Believing is only the first step. Listening is the second. Haokah.." The Apache brave motions to Raiden now so he can start filling Cage in on what he must know.
"Thank you," Raiden replies to Johnny as he seems amenable to at least listen. Though again he waits until Nightwolf has sort of given him the floor until he speaks again. And he gives the shaman a nod of thanks. He draws a breath in... and then pauses. He hesitates, seems to think better of what he's about to say.
"...Were this a short time ago, I would say 'the furies have shifted out of balance'," he begins. "This is still true. But now I know that this is not enough to tell the problem. Energy... the same energy you use to fight, that you call upon to strike your opponents, that energy runs through this world as well, flowing from the positive to the negative furies.
"As in the body, this energy has a certain balance. Recently this tension between the positive and negative furies has shifted, and dark creatures are making themselves known. Men are calling them 'Darkstalkers'." Here he looks to Nightwolf for confirmation. "While some are harmless and benevolent, some mean this world harm.
"The shift has also opened the path to Outworld, and even now its armies begin to search for weak points, so that Outworld may invade and take over Earthrealm. Outworld's armies are ruthless. There will be no negotiation. They will destroy all in their way. There must be a unified front to meet them, otherwise Earthrealm stands no chance to repel them."
Johnny paces around while Raiden speaks, finally stopping to face the God of Lightning when he's done. "Okay, hold up. What, exactly, is Outworld? Your saying all this has to do with how I can throw energy balls if I concentrate really hard?"
When a God speaks to a mortal, it is understandable that many of the things that are a hard reality to the deity will pass as inconceivable concepts to a person who has not had the opportunity of living thousands of years to understand the intricate way the world moves.
In this day and age, where fighting is seen as mere entertainment and sport, even a strong chi user like Johnny Cage may not understand where his spiritual powers truly originate from. What is common knowledge to Raiden seems to be something that Cage has never even bothered to wonder how does that really work. Much like how a person uses a phone without understanding how it's made, chi users nowadays may spent their entire lives without investing a single second in mysticism.
This is when men like Nightwolf come in, mortals who still follow the path of the ancients and serve as speakers of the Gods themselves.
"The energy that you create through concentration is called chi. This energy flows through all things, granting life and power to all residents of Earthrealm. But where there is light there is also darkness and energy called psi also exists, a duality that is not necessarily evil, but provides the balance in the world so that it continues existing as it does now."
"Outworld is a Hell by any other name, and now seeks to send its legions to Earthrealm due to the unsteady balance that has presided over Earthrealm recently. I do not know why this imbalance is happening.. perhaps it is by the resurgence of the Darkstalkers.. or perhaps because mankind has grown too greedy with its quest for power and has found ways to create dark ones through most unholy means." If Testament is saying the truth, for example, Nightwolf has good reason to believe that mankind finding means to produce Darkstalkers en masse is enough to break the balance of the world and incur an Outworld invasion. It's all starting to make sense now.
He shakes his head though. "There may be nothing we can do to put Earthrealm in the balance for now. But what we can do is to banish whatever Outworlders have managed to cross to our realm before they find a way to flood us with their armies." He then glances at Raiden to see if there's anything the deity wants to add.
Johnny sits down near the shrine to abdorb all that Raiden says. "So chi is really some...mystical thing like monks talk about? I thought it was just like, mutation in biology or whatever. You know, science? Not something tourists get suckered into?" He shakes his head. "Second, so, basically what you're saying is, demons are trying to mess with Earth and you need people to stop it. Is that about right?"
Raiden nods to Johnny's question. "Just as you have energy, so does this world," he confirms. Nightwolf explains farther, and Raiden nods to this as well. The mention of Outworld gets a visible frown, and a tiny spark of electricity jumps from his eyes. He doesn't like these Outworld people. He does add, "Or perhaps the Darkstalkers now rise in creater numbers because of the imbalance. It could be either."
As for the balance of Earthrealm? "The furies will generally balance themselves, eventually. But while this imbalance lasts, Outworld gathers its strength. For now, as Nightwolf says, the most important thing is to see that Outworld's forces are stopped. Once the balance returns to normal, the path to Outworld should close, and the invasion will be stopped."
Johnny's question of 'demons' gets a nod. However, he is not unaware of how much it is to take in. "This is all difficult to believe, I know. Perhaps human science will eventually discover it and quantify it." He doesn't speak of science with disdain, however. "It takes strength to do what you have done. Not strength of the body, but of the mind and spirit. This is why we sought you out, Johnny Cage. You have the strength to defend Earthrealm."
As for the second thing? "I suppose 'demons' is a good way to describe them," Raiden agrees. "They do many of the things you associate with demons-- take pleasure in hurting the innocent, destroy for no reason, take indiscriminately. They are certainly just as dangerous as what you might call a 'demon'."
Johnny lets out a breath. "Okay, if all of this is true, and you guys aren't part of some cult, like those guys that follow that one book author - then how many other martial artists do you expect to recruit? I mean, lets face it, I'm the hottest thing in the fighting world you could ever get, but I'm just one Johnny Cage, am I right? Furthermore, while all this sounds like it'll make for a great movie, I'd like to see SOME proof of what you're talking about, huh?"
Actually, yes, demons is a good way to describe the fiends of Outworld. Nightwolf had tried to avoid the term since it seemed like a catch all phrase that could very well refer to Darkstalkers too and Outworld creatures are an entirely different category. However, judging by Johnny's expression, it might do well to simplify it a bit for the sake of the mortal mind. Huh, Johnny isn't giving Westerners a whole lot of credit right now since Raiden and Nightwolf have to dummify a lot of things so he can understand them, Philosopher Stone anyone?
Speaking of book cults, Nightwolf has no idea to what Johnny is referring too, but he does know how to handle some of the actor's questions. "There's quite a few of us already. We go by the Full Moon Society and our ranks have both Hunters and Darkstalkers that are willing to stand in the defense of Earthrealm. Keep the feather that I gave you, it will provide the means for our members to recognize you."
But as Johnny demands to have prove, even after being teleported thousands of leagues away by a literal God, Nightwolf glances at Raiden and archs an eyebrow. "Haokah." His tone implies that he understands that Raiden was trying not to ham it up until now, but it may be time to cut loose and unleash the ham.
Ham? Oddly? Raiden shakes his head. Looking to Nightwolf, he notes, "If he does not believe, it does not matter what proof he sees." It's true, the human brain has a massive capacity for rationalization. From tasers up sleeves to explain being zapped with lightning to a sighting of 'MacGruff the Crime Dog' upon seeing a werewolf.
Instead, Raiden looks back to Johnny. "Keep the feather with you," he suggests. "Make sure it can be seen. Others of the Full Moon Society will see it, and will know you as one of us. And they will approach you, and show you that they are real. Or..." Here he pauses. "Keep the feather for when those of Outworld-- or one of those Darkstalkers who would harm you-- finds you. I hope it is the former and not the latter. But if it is the latter, speak into the feather and help will come."
Johnny almost forgot about the feather. He takes it out to examine it again, actually taking off his sunglasses. His eyes gaze it for a few seconds. "So either way...this thing's the key, huh?" he muses. "Alright. Sounds like a fair deal to me." He stands up again, pocketing the feather. "I don't think you have to worry about me too much, I could probably take out a Darkstalker or Outworlder or whatever. Is there anything else you wanna lay on me?"
Fair enough, Nightwolf returns the nod to Raiden, agreeing with his decision to allow Johnny Cage to learn in his own time. That does sound for the best. The shaman turns to face Johnny as he accepts the terms and offers a somewhat mischievous smile when the actor, predictively, claims to be fully capable of handling an Otherworlder or two. So he wants partings words of wisdom? "If you do run into an evil Darkstalker or an Outworlder." Says Nightwolf giving him a thumbs up. "Give them a punch in the groin for me." Nightwolf has.. learned a lot of sass ever since he started fighting professionally.
Raiden's said his piece, so he allows Nightwolf to make the closing remarks. He does say, in response to the claim of being able to handle it, "I hope, for your sake, that you can. Many are quite strong. But be careful. Merely because they are Darkstalkers, this does not mean they should be attacked." That's part of the whole thing. He's not explictly saying it, but that means Outworlders are all fair game. None of them mean well."
He does smirk as Nightwolf asks Johnny to make a special attack for him. Then he approaches again. "Are you ready to go back?" Provided Johnny agrees, Raiden will place his hand on the actor's shoulder and HOLY CRAP, LIGHTNING AGAIN. And the two will disappear. When Johnny's vision clears, he'll be back where they were-- probably with worried attendants and staff there!
And then, with a respectful nod to Johnny, Raiden disappears again.
Log created on 22:04:04 01/22/2015 by Nightwolf, and last modified on 11:17:37 01/23/2015.