Raiden and Scarlet

I've always been a big fan of the Mortal Kombat character Raiden (god of lightning) and consider him a true mainstay of the iconic video game franchise which now includes full-length films. This short-story about Raiden falling in love with a female swordsman and sorceress named Scarlet represents my interest in making Raiden both spiritual and warlike. It seems to me that pairing Raiden with others captures something essential about the mystical quality of this MK avatar. What do you think?




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Raiden had traveled all over the world after winning the ultimate Mortal Kombat tournament. He was searching earnestly for a way to balance his love of combat with his deep appreciation for peace and mystical spiritualism. Instead, he crossed paths with a beautiful red-headed female swordsman and sorceress from Nepal named Scarlet whose strange beauty captured his imagination and interest. Raiden wanted to know everything about Scarlet, but she insisted that if he knew more about her, he'd have to disclose his secrets and what made him so fascinated by both combat and spiritualism. Raiden decided to open up to Scarlet, but he knew that if he allied himself too closely to this beautiful woman, his rivals and adversaries would exploit his new lovebound vulnerability.

Raiden decided to build a secret hidden fortress in the mountains of the Himalayas for himself and Scarlet and named it Xanadu. He'd visit her there and make love to her and she'd be safe whenever she found him there. This fortress would represent all of Raiden's lifelong interest in placing spiritualism and love within the framework of universal intrigue and even war. Xanadu would be for Raiden (and Scarlet!) what the great castles of past kings were to the concept of secured dominion. Raiden's Xanadu became a haven of love and light for himself and Scarlet. They married, and Scarlet encouraged Raiden soon afterwards to return to his life of wandering combat and seek more medallions from the Mortal Kombat tournament so that honors acquired would ornament their fortress and palace of love and life.

Raiden accepted the challenge and proposed to the Mortal Kombat tournament god Kotal Kahn that there be another combat-tournament in the hot summer and that both female and male warriors would be invited. Raiden would be the honored returning warrior, and other favored warriors including Kitana, Sindel, Subzero, Xeno, Johnny Cage, and Baraka would be attending! Kahn asked Raiden what he was doing since he won the last Mortal Kombat tournament, and Raiden explained he was traveling and meditating, but he didn't reveal his new marriage to the beautiful Scarlet, thinking that keeping such a secret would safeguard Scarlet's person. Kotal Kahn however suspected there was something unusually and uniquely 'deep' in Raiden's complex heart and privately wondered if the god of lightning had somehow secretly (and finally!) found someone to delight. Was this divined love?


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{Raiden & Scarlet}

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Chapter 2: The Green Recruits

This is a second chapter describing Raiden and Scarlet having to possibly come out of peaceful retirement to witness the vengeance aspirations of two intriguing females, Jade (semi-heroic female assassin and once-servant of Shao Khan and friend of Princess Kitana) and Khameleon (an invisibility-endowed female warrior who has a grudge with Shao Khan just like Jade). I'm writing this second chapter to offer MK fans another perspective on what keeps the combat-consciousness in this awesome franchise going...




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Raiden and Scarlet were happily living together in peace in their sanctuary when one day they heard a commotion outside their abode. They ran outside and saw two fiery women come into shape from an Outworld time-tunnel. The women were Jade (a green female assassin) and Khameleon (a green female avenger). Jade and Khameleon came to ask Raiden for help in destroying Shao Khan's new fortress in Outworld. Raiden explained he was now retired and happily living as a married man. He introduced his wife Scarlet to the two ambitious women, but Jade/Khameleon insisted they help them destroy Shao Khan's dominion. Raiden asked Scarlet what he should do, and his wife explained that it seemed Jade and Khameleon were truly desperate. Raiden concluded he'd make Scarlet happy if he actually helped Jade and Khameleon.

However, Raiden didn't want to directly intervene in this matter. Therefore, he promised to help Jade and Khameleon by providing them overlook elements and powers and magic that would help them topple Shao Khan's fortress. First, Raiden invoked the spirits of two human females from media on Earth, from America. The first woman was an NFL cheerleader named Tea who would don the mantle of Jade; the other was a Hollywood movie-actress named Cameron who'd don the mantle of Khameleon. As Tea and Cameron would be transported to Outworld and carried to Shao Khan's fortress dressed/disguised as Jade and Khameleon, they'd negotiate with Shao Khan, urging the evil master to deconstruct his fortress. as Shao Khan conversed in frustration with these high-minded Earth-women disguised as Jade/Khameleon, the real Jade and Khameleon would infiltrate Shao Khan's fortress and plant devastating netherworld spores Raiden gave them!

The plan worked beautifully. As Tea (the cheerleader) and Cameron (the actress) were persuaded to pose as Jade and Khameleon and converse/negotiate with the evil Shao Khan and try to convince him to change his dominion, the real female warriors (Jade and Khameleon!) invaded Shao Khan's fortress and planted the devastating spores. Shao Khan bade 'Jade' (Tea) and 'Khameleon' (Cameron) farewell, not knowing that the real Jade/Khameleon had planted fortress-devastating spores in his otherwise seemingly indomitable dark fortress. Tea and Cameron were escorted back to Earth (America) by Raiden who thanked them for their invaluable courage and will to go on an incredible Outworld adventure; but Raiden made them promise to keep the mission/adventure an absolute secret. Raiden then went back to his abode with the real Jade and Khameleon and had a delicious lunch (cabbage-and-veal curry) with his wife Scarlet before wishing the two female warriors good luck. Jade and Khameleon semi-promised Raiden that no one else from Outworld would bother the god-of-lighting and his lovely wife and simply allow them to relish in their peaceful meditative life!

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Cameron and Tea:

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Jade and Khameleon:

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Ermac/Kitana

I'm personally really psyched about the 'aesthetic feel' of this approach to Raiden fan-lore, so here's a final addendum about some politics-exposure for the master of lightning from Mortal Kombat. Thanks for reading,



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Well, as it stood, Raiden was about to get a new experience one weekend while writing poems with Scarlet in a lake-house by a dark forest. Raiden took Scarlet there to take some time to reflect on some of his memories of Outworld and the various Mortal Kombat battles that made him an ultimate god and represented some of the dark complexity of war and peace! Scarlet had become his supreme spiritual counselor and best friend. While at the lake-house, Raiden and Scarlet were paid a visit by two Outworld warriors of the new generation, Ermac (a mysterious green-eyed warlock) and Kitana (famous warrior-princess). Ermac and Kitana were ruling over Outworld and leading the new crop of warriors after Raiden retired. Ermac and Kitana held various combat tournaments showcasing their skills in Outworld, and they wanted to ask Raiden (and Scarlet!) about the experience of getting away from Mortal Kombat!

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Ermac/Kitana discovered that Raiden and Scarlet were praying and loving together at the lake-house in the dark forest. Ermac had used his psychic abilities to track down his old friend Raiden. Ermac told Raiden that he and Kitana were coordinating a soccer tournament for the children of Outworld, modeled after the World Cup soccer tournament on Earth! Ermac had been following the US women's national soccer team on Earth (Americas) and the Dutch women's national soccer team (Europa) and how politics of Apartheid impacted humans' perspectives on gender-athletics and the marketing of unified sports in the 21st Century. The US and Dutch women's soccer teams were among the best on Earth, so Ermac and Kitana were using that rivalry to model the Outworld children's soccer tournament. Raiden was highly impressed!

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RAIDEN: This Outworld soccer tournament has good vision, Ermac.
ERMAC: We miss your governing presence in Outworld, Lord Raiden!
RAIDEN: I'm retired now and living happily with my beautiful wife (Scarlet).
ERMAC: I can see that.
RAIDEN: You seem well-adjusted with Outworld diplomacy with Kitana.
ERMAC: She's a supreme princess-warrior and leader.
RAIDEN: I imagine she's good with children...
ERMAC: Yes, our Outworld children's soccer tournament was designed by her!
RAIDEN: How're you contributing?
ERMAC: I help with some of the actual soccer/football coaching.
RAIDEN: Right; I remember someone told me you're good at that sport!
ERMAC: I learned it while trekking/monitoring Earth in the 20th Century.
RAIDEN: So Kitana is familiar with Apartheid-politics on Earth?
ERMAC: Yes, it serves as the model for our educational approaches on Outworld.
RAIDEN: You're using colonialism/fascism to tell Outworld children about Republicanism?
ERMAC: We have to be wary of the looming force of the sinister tyrant Kotal Kahn!
RAIDEN: Yes, one can never underestimate the love-devastation of the great Kotal Kahn.
ERMAC: So I'm glad we visited you for this revealing interview, Lord Raiden.
RAIDEN: Tell the children of Outworld that their historic champion is thinking of them.
ERMAC: Kitana and I will tell the kids that Raiden/Scarlet are delighted by the direct news!

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