Scorpion, Twilight, and Spike arrived in the Netherrealm in no time. As they arrived, Twilight and Spike looked around in fear, unsure what to make of their new surroundings. Twilight had expected it to be awful, considering that it really was Hell, but she never imagined it would be this terrifying. Fire, lava, demonic creatures, the souls of the damned, and many other horrid things riddled the landscape of the Netherrealm.

“Are you alright?” Scorpion asked his friends.

“Dude, this place is messed up,” Spike answered, cowering behind Twilight.

“And I thought Tartarus was bad. This place is just… evil,” Twilight added.

“I understand how you feel. Whenever there is a newcomer to the Netherrealm, they tend to tense up a bit,” Scorpion told them.

“Really? I never would have guessed,” Spike joked. Scorpion looked ahead to the path that they would be traveling. He had every intention of getting to Quan Chi and making him pay for his gross deeds. Scorpion could feel his hands choking the life out of Quan Chi, but he had something else in mind for his master.

“Let’s go,” Scorpion said, starting to walk. Twilight eagerly stayed close to him, with Spike on her back. The entire distance the group traveled kept adding things for Twilight and Spike to be afraid of. Twilight almost threw up at the image of a spiked pillar, riddled with the upper bodies of the damned. What frightened her most were the screaming and the cries of agony.

“Try not to listen to it, and you will be fine,” Scorpion told her. Twilight did her best, but it really wasn’t good enough.

“I’m sorry, this is just really…” she paused and gulped, “scary,” she finished.

“Scary? Boy, that’s an understatement,” Spike said.

“Do not worry. We are almost there,” Scorpion informed the two. Twilight stuck close to Scorpion as they traveled the rest of the way towards Quan Chi. And in moments, they stood at the base of the white sorcerer’s throne.

“Finally returned, have you Scorpion?” Quan Chi greeted him. “I see you’ve brought your pathetic new friends with you. Trying to please me with lesser souls are you?” He chuckled.

“Silence, you treacherous worm!” Scorpion shouted. Quan Chi only smiled.

“Something wrong Scorpion?”

“You cannot hide behind your lies any longer! I know the truth!”

“Congratulations Scorpion. I must say, I’m surprised you figured it out at all. I’m even more surprised that you managed to kill Noob Saibot. Are you regretting that yet?”

“Not at all,” Scorpion answered coldly. “He still murdered my wife and child. He deserved death. But you were the one behind it all along! And now, you shall pay!” Scorpion yelled, readying himself for battle.

“Do you honestly believe you can defeat me Scorpion?” Quan Chi asked, chuckling once more.

“I don’t believe it, I know it!” Scorpion answered sharply. Quan Chi’s smile only increased as he turned his gaze to Twilight and Spike.

“And what will your friends think of you once you’ve supposedly dealt with me?”

“They have already seen me eliminate Noob. I assure you, they will be quite pleased to see you perish by my hand. Now enough talk! Face me, you swine!” Quan Chi could do nothing more than laugh at Scorpion’s rage. Without saying another word, he opened a teleport beneath Twilight and Spike, teleported them right in front of the sorcerer. He then held Spike by the throat in his left hand, and as he took out his blade, he held it to Twilight’s throat.

“No! Leave them out of this!” Scorpion demanded.

“It was your mistake to bring them here in the first place,” Quan Chi said, smirking evilly at the specter. “Now, if you so much as move an inch, I’ll snap the dragon’s neck, and cut the pony’s throat.”

“If you so much as scratch them,” Scorpion started.

“You’ll do what?” Quan Chi interrupted. Scorpion didn’t know what to do. If he tried anything, Quan Chi would kill Twilight and Spike. He wasn’t about to let that happen. Scorpion lowered his raised fists to his side, not wanting his friends to suffer.

“Very well, Quan Chi,” Scorpion said, which earned him another smirk from Quan Chi. As Scorpion lowered his head in defeat, Quan Chi threw Spike to the floor and kicked Twilight aside. He jumped from his throne and flashed his amulet in Scorpion’s face, blinding him and putting him under a strange trance. Twilight and Spike turned to face the two bipeds as time slowed down and everything went black and white.

From the air, a green-flaming skull dropped into Quan Chi’s hand. He tossed it to Scorpion, who was unable to resist the sorcerer’s control. Scorpion violently smashed the skull into his head, cracking his own skull in the process, and letting out a slow, muffled cry of pain. But Quan Chi wasn’t finished there. Making a motion as if to snap one’s neck, Quan Chi made Scorpion do just that. Scorpion put his hands around his head and snapped his neck, letting out a loud crack, as Scorpion fell to the floor. Twilight and Spike could only watch in horror as everything went back to normal.

“You have lost Scorpion,” Quan Chi said, walking over to Scorpion and kicking him in the chest. Scorpion rolled across the floor, dazed and in great pain. He had dealt with a great deal of pain in the past, but Quan Chi knew how to make his enemies suffer. As Scorpion tried to rest on his hands and knees, Quan Chi lifted his head up and violently kneed Scorpion in the jaw, sending the specter to the ground once again.

“Scorpion!” Twilight cried out.

“There is nothing he can do. He is finished,” Quan Chi said, smiling wickedly as he walked over to Scorpion, his blade at the ready to finish the job. Scorpion rested once again on his hands and knees, awaiting his death. But before Quan Chi delivered the final blow, he knelt down and whispered into Scorpion’s ear.

“And once I’m finished with you, I’ll be sure to attend to your new friends with care.” Quan Chi let out a long cackle of evil laughter as he raised his sword high above Scorpion. But Scorpion was now being fueled by a new rage. Just hearing Quan Chi utter those words tore away at him. It was time to finish this.

“Never!” Scorpion shouted, landing a powerful uppercut to the unsuspecting sorcerer. Quan Chi flew through the air, coming back to the ground with a loud and painful thud, dropping his sword in the process. Scorpion got to his feet and lashed out his spear towards his master. It connected with Quan Chi, and Scorpion pulled him in.

“Come here!” he shouted, grabbing his former master by the throat. Quan Chi could feel Scorpion’s grip tightening, and his own hands clutched at Scorpion’s fist.

“My turn.” Scorpion pushed Quan Chi back, and once again, time slowed down and everything turned black and white.

Scorpion pulled out his blades, flipping them to hold them upside down. Scorpion drove his right blade into Quan Chi’s left leg, shattering his knee and forcing him to the floor with a cry of agony. Then, Scorpion slammed his left blade into the sorcerer’s right leg, doing just the same as the last strike. Quan Chi was on his hands and destroyed knees, but Scorpion wasn’t finished. Not by a long shot. Scorpion violently pulled his blades out of Quan Chi’s legs, and in the same motion, threw the heel of his right foot into Quan Chi’s skull. The white sorcerer fell back to the ground with a painful shout. But as Quan Chi got back to his feet, Scorpion placed his swords on his back and continued his assault.

Teleporting into the ground, Scorpion reemerged beneath Quan Chi, delivering a powerful uppercut to his chin. The uppercut shattered Quan Chi’s teeth, and sent him skyward. Scorpion stood on the ground, pulling his left fist back and engulfing it in flame. As Quan Chi descended, Scorpion threw and powerful left punch into Quan Chi’s back, effectively breaking his spine and shattering his ribs. Quan Chi fell to the ground once more in immense pain. Now was the time to finish it.

Scorpion threw two fiery spears towards his fallen master.

“Get over here!” Scorpion shouted. He pulled Quan Chi back to his feet in front of the specter. Scorpion punched his master in the gut to steady him, and then, looking to his ring, clenched his right fist. He glared at Quan Chi with rage in his eyes.

“For my clan, for my family,” Scorpion started, looking at his former master. He then looked to Twilight and Spike, and then back to Quan Chi. “And for Equis!” Scorpion shouted.

With all his might, and like never before, Scorpion threw an earth-shattering right punch to Quan Chi’s head, unhinging his jaw completely and destroying any remaining teeth. Scorpion could hear the cry of incredible pain coming from his former master, and he could even feel his fist leaving and large dent in the white sorcerer’s skull. Quan Chi fell to the ground, almost having passed out at this point. Scorpion lifted his left leg, and with all his remaining strength, stomped on Quan Chi’s stomach. As Quan Chi cried out in agony, Scorpion could feel his foot leaving Quan Chi’s ribs in pieces, and could even feel the beating of the sorcerer’s beating heart. Scorpion jumped back, having left his master in shambles, as everything went back to normal.

Quan Chi lied on the ground, completely broken and beaten. He was barely breathing, and couldn’t move a muscle. Scorpion looked at the fallen sorcerer with great pleasure. And now, he would finally avenge his family and clan.

“Twilight,” Scorpion said.

“Y-Yeah?” she answered shakily.

“Hold him up,” Scorpion ordered. Twilight composed herself, nodded, and used her magic to lift Quan Chi to his feet. Her magic kept him that way, not allowing him to move at all. Scorpion stared the sorcerer down with fire in his eyes.

“And now, Quan Chi, you shall perish!” Scorpion removed his mask, earning him a fearful look from the fallen master.

Leaning his head back, Scorpion took in a breath of air. As he leaned forward, he threw fire from his mouth towards Quan Chi, starting at his feet. The moment the fire connected with Quan Chi, he started screaming out in pain. But Scorpion didn’t stop. He slowly made his way up the white sorcerer’s body, cooking every inch of his skin to a crisp. As the flames reached Quan Chi’s head, he let out one last muffled cry of agony, until he was nothing but a lifeless husk. Twilight dropped the body as it continued to burn. She and Spike gazed at Scorpion, who threw his arms up into the air and let out a victorious shout, breathing fire into the air.

As Scorpion finished his war cry, he lowered his arms and started to breathe normally again. He lowered his head as he put his mask back on. Once he was finished, he turned his gaze back to Twilight and Spike. Whereas he expected to be greeted by images of fear and terror, he was greeted with a soft smile from the both of them.

“It is done. My family and clan have finally been avenged.” Scorpion walked over to Quan Chi’s body, lifted up what remained of it, and threw it into the nearest source of lava he could find. Scorpion watched the corpse of his former master burn up in the fiery liquid, smiling to himself under his mask. He then turned back to Twilight and Spike.

“What now?” Spike asked.

“Now, I must return you to Equis,” Scorpion answered. Twilight and Spike looked at each other with saddened expressions.

“And… then what?” Twilight asked.

“I… I do not know,” Scorpion replied. Twilight and Spike didn’t say another word as they gathered around Scorpion and teleported back to Equis.

Scorpion, Twilight, and Spike arrived in Equis in a flash. They had emerged at the exact same spot on the hill on the outskirts of Ponyville. The three of them were quite surprised to see the rest of their friends, and the Princesses, waiting for them at the base of the hill.

“Everypony, look! They’re back!” Rainbow Dash exclaimed. The group ran up the hill to greet the trio. “What happened? What was Earthrealm like?! I bet it was super cool! Was it?!” Rainbow asked excitedly.

“Indeed. Were the surroundings just as beautiful as Equestria’s?” Rarity asked.

“Were there cute little critters and animals like there are here?” Fluttershy added.

“Oh, oh, I know! Did you visit Scorpion’s home, only to be visited by the members of his fallen clan, who told you that his master was the mastermind behind their deaths, and then you totally went back to the Netherrealm, got into a huge battle, and finally avenged your family and clan but killing your evil master?!” Pinkie exclaimed. Everyone looked at her in utter shock. Scorpion even found himself dumbfounded by Pinkie Pie.

“How… did you know that?” Spike asked.

“Just a hunch,” Pinkie answered. Scorpion looked around at his friends in unmatched confusion.

“Don’t worry, it’s just Pinkie being Pinkie,” Twilight told him.

“At this point, I believe that I understand completely,” Scorpion said, laughing. The entire group joined him in laughter a moment later. And then, the tone fell, as all eyes turned to Scorpion.

“So Scorpion, what shall you do now?” Princess Celestia asked him.

“I believe I shall return to Earthrealm and find shelter amongst the people there. I imagine that the Shao Lin Monks will allow me to stay with them,” Scorpion explained.

“Well… w-why not stay here?” Fluttershy asked.

“Yeah. You could stay with us here in Ponyville,” Rainbow Dash said.

“We’d love ta have ya stay here. Yer already accepted by the folks in Ponyville. What’s stoppin ya?” Applejack added.

“I agree,” Celestia said. “If the ponies of Ponyville could accept you, then I’m sure the rest of Equestria could do the same.”

“As well, it is clear to us now that we are not alone in this universe. We would be honored to have you as a protector of Equestria,” Luna added.

“It is very kind of you to offer, but I do not feel it my place to stay here. I am very gracious for the offer, but I simply cannot stay. I am sorry,” Scorpion said. The ponies and Spike all wore expressions of grief at his answer.

“Then… this is goodbye?” Twilight asked, almost starting to cry.

“I am sorry, Twilight Sparkle, but it is,” Scorpion answered. Scorpion looked at his surrounding friends, each of them starting to shed tears. Twilight couldn’t help but wrap herself around Scorpion’s waist. And, not at all to his surprise, Scorpion returned the warm hug.

“Be strong Twilight Sparkle. This does not mean we will not meet again. I just need some time,” Scorpion told her.

“I… I know,” Twilight said through her tears. She let go and wiped the water from her eyes. She smiled at Scorpion, and everyone else did the same.

They each said their individual goodbyes to the specter. Each goodbye increased the pain that Scorpion was now feeling in his heart. He had grown so close to each of the ponies, and Spike was no exception at all to this. Each of his new friends helped him get to where he was now, and he could never thank them enough for that. As Scorpion said his goodbyes to the Princesses, they expressed their offer once more.

“Remember, our world will always be open to you Scorpion,” Celestia said.

“You have my thanks. And my apologies for wrongly murdering you, Princess,” Scorpion said, bowing his head.

“As long as it never happens again, I think we’ll be fine,” Celestia said, a hint of joy in her voice. Scorpion lifted his head and chuckled. He stood back from the group and looked at them all one final time.

“You all have my sincerest thanks. Until next we meet… this is goodbye.”

Engulfing himself in flames, Scorpion teleported himself to Earthrealm, leaving the ponies and Spike to be with each other. Twilight found herself on the floor, crying. Her friends and Spike gathered around her as they cried together. The Princesses even found themselves in tears. Twilight looked to the spot where Scorpion was moments ago.

“Goodbye Scorpion…” she softly said.

Author's Notes:

I think if there was ever a way to go from violent to dramatic/sad, this would be the way. This chapter was actually a lot of fun to write, and at the same time, a litle sad. This chapter marks the end of Scorpion's journey. Well, I've got an epilogue to write, but you get the idea.

I am fully aware that I made Scorpion look very... You know what, fuck it. I honestly don't care if you guys are pissed that he kind of broke down and got a little sappy and pussy-like. It makes him feel more human to write him this way. He's avenged his family and has left his new friends behind. I'd say that's a lot of stuff to get worked up over. So whether or not you agree with how I wrote this, just keep in mind what is going on, and that not all violent characters have to be violent all the time.

And finally, I shall award ten cookies to the first person to name all four of the X-Ray moves used in the chapter. By that, I mean which X-Ray moves belong to which characters in Mortal Kombat 9.