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So much had changed, and it was ultimately for the better. Gone were the days of strife and turmoil. No longer were Edenia's denizens feeling consumed by darkness and despair. The Sun shone brightly, illuminating the love that held everything together. Even the Three Moons themselves glimmered at night, each of them highlighting the shadows of the past that had long since been transmuted to eternal peace.
Queen Sindel no longer held the throne. It was for the best, for she felt that there was no more that she could do as Edenia's primary sovereign. All she wanted to do with the remainder of her days was be happy. These days, her joy came from simple pleasures such as gardening, drinking tea with her daughters, and going on long walks with those who'd served her during her time on the throne.
Despite having been created as a construct in Shang Tsung's Flesh Pits for Shao Khan, Sindel still regarded Mileena as if she'd been her own. There was a time when that was not the case, however. Kitana and Mileena were completely unaware of the fact that they were under Kronika's control. This was the reasoing for why they'd fight viciously for the Edenian throne, but that mattered no more. Sindel was just glad to move forward; that the days where Kitana and Mileena's connection was rife with petty jealousies and trivial misunderstandings were long gone.
Kitana was the one with access to the Hourglass now, so this had become a timeline in which everyone was happy – not just the Royal Family.
Seeing her fraternal twin daughters getting along – at last – was the truest source of Sindel's joy. There was something about this newfound love shared between the once estranged sisters that allowed peace to take hold in Edenia once more, and bearing witness to this beautiful transformation was enough to bring tears of happiness to her once undead eyes.
All Sindel had ever wanted for her two girls was for them to be happy. It hurt her deeply to see them constantly destroying one another, fighting over nonsense that just was not worth it in the end. Even though she herself had fallen victim to Kronika's trap, to see them getting along and doing well at last was wholesome and sweet. Moreover, the girls' happiness only served to amplify her own.
The former Queen of Edenia stood off to the side as she saw Kitana standing alone on the throne room's upper balcony. It overlooked the lush gardens surrounding the ground level of the palace. Thousands of different species of roses colored the main gardens below a blushing red, and the nearby fountain allowed for a rainbow to shine over the palace itself.
It seemed that Kitana, too, had been reflecting on times past.
“Enjoying the weather?” Sindel found herself asking. At first she wasn't sure whether her daughter had heard her, but the faint nod gave it away.
Kitana held her lace gloved hands behind her back, her flowing turquoise gown trailing behind her ever so gently. Turning slightly to face her now approaching mother, the reflection of the beaming sun made her pearl earrings glow as she sighed wistfully. “I am,” she replied calmly. “It's lovely out. Though a part of me wants to find Mileena. She hasn't replied to my messages. Even my General couldn't find her, and we both know that woman is a master tracker.”
Sindel sighed. She understood what the cause of Mileena's absence was now. “You're worried.”
“I am, yes.”
“Ah.”
Kitana sighed as her mother joined her at the balcony. “She's probably still mourning the loss of her spirit friend.”
“Perhaps.”
Mileena had befriended a young child in recent years who'd turned out to be a ghost from the Beyond. This spirit child kept her company as she adjusted to her new role as Edenia's Princess, teaching her what Sindel and Kitana could not. The spirit eventually had to go home to tend to other matters in her respective world, and this made Mileena feel sad. For a moment, she even felt like she'd been abandoned. However, the spirit had left a gift for the princess in the form of a glass butterfly, which remained in the center of the Garden of Peace as a reminder of their shared bond. It was then when she understood that it was for the best, and that everything would be fine.
After all, everything had its time. Everything had its season. Though it was Spring in their realm, the spirit's departure had left a bitter Winter in the depths of Mileena's heart.
“That bond she forged with that spirit child was powerful,” Sindel mused. “I would be devastated at such a loss myself. But I hope she will be alright in due time.”
Kitana said nothing as she started to walk away from the balcony, descending the elaborate stairs that led away from the triple thrones and pausing near a white wicker table that had been placed at the left end of double doors leading to the main halls. One of her decorative fans lay upon the table's surface, as if beckoning to be touched. She instinctively grabbed it, gingerly opening it and quietly staring at it for a few moments before folding it and placing it back where it was.
It was then when she spoke again. “I think she will be,” she said. “The glass butterfly is in the Garden of Peace for a reason.”
“Would you like to go there?” Sindel asked her daughter, an eyebrow raised. “It might do us some good to get a little bit of exercise.”
Kitana turned to face her mother, who'd been dressed in a lavender colored gown that matched her own. A smile lit up her face as she nodded. “That would be lovely, thank you. And if we find my sister, then that would be even better.” She looked to the domed palace ceiling. “I just hope she knows that I'm still here for her no matter what.”
Sindel smiled at this. It pleased her to hear Kitana speak with love in regards to her sister. “I've certainly raised you well, Dear. You make me proud.”
The Empress grinned, though there was a hint of sadness in her voice as she spoke. “I do try, Mother. Even though I at times do find myself tempted to let those turbulent emotions from millennia past take over me, I know in my heart of hearts that Mileena was never meant to be my enemy. I also know that I was very cruel toward her when what she really needed was love and unconditional acceptance.”
“I know,” replied Sindel. She placed a loving hand on her daughter's shoulder and gave a gentle squeeze to reassure her. Edenian butterflies and bees fluttered and buzzed about, bringing new life to the large variety of flowers, shrubberies, and trees decorating the entirety of the palace grounds as they spoke. “We come from an aristocratic past and sometimes those privileges make us blind to what really matters. That is the only reason why Mileena resented us.”
“Mileena deserved better from me,” Kitana confessed. She held her skirts as she walked beside her mother. “She still does.”
“But she's forgiven you,” Sindel remarked. “I can only imagine how extremely difficult that was for her.”
“Indeed. Moving forward in the name of forgiveness is all we can realistically do now.”
They continued in silence as they walked through the palace halls, eventually exiting toward the public gardens where the palace workers would often rest after a long day of hard work. Eventually they made it past the Hidden Groves, one of the private gardens, and toward the gates leading to a multitude of different gardens and lakes. The wrought-iron gates leading to Kitana's Eternal Gardens – the private rose garden where she once surprised her workaholic best friend, Jade, with a tea party – were at the opposite end of the grounds. As they were not going there this time around, they instead walked through the middle gate and through a portal that led to the veiled Garden of Peace where they suspected Mileena was.
Their lavender and turquoise dresses sparkled in the light of the Edenian Sun as they found the second gate leading to the Garden of Peace. Within moments, a white dove found them and cooed twice, giving Kitana a very pointed stare.
“Hello again,” she said to the bird in greeting. The bird cooed again, flying away and dropping a few of its feathers in its wake. Kitana looked to her mother. “I think the dove wants us to follow.”
“Then we shall.”
They followed the dove into the depths of the gardens, taking care to not step over the ivy vines that threatened to pull them onto the ground. This garden was alive in every sense of the word, and it was something of a preservation ground. Each and every living thing here – flora or fauna – had a story of its own that wasn't for the Royals to tell.
Eventually the dove landed on the lap of a pink-clad woman, cooing once more as it stared at Sindel and Kitana knowingly.
They'd finally found Mileena.
Surprisingly, Skarlet and Sareena flanked the Princess on the bench facing the large fountain, both of them dressed in their usual red and black. Neither of them were clad in their usual battle garb, and they also did not look like they were here looking for a fight. It was clear to the Empress and her mother that they'd shown up as moral support.
“Hello!” they both greeted in unison, both of them standing to greet the Royals.
Skarlet's red and black streaked hair was braided, loosely draping over her left shoulder. It bounced and fell along her back as she stood up to hug the Empress. She wore a dark red skirt and a black and red intricately beaded bodice.
Sareena, on the other hand, arose to give Kitana a high five, which she returned. She then nodded at the Sindel with respect. The former Netherrealm Demon Queen wore something akin to a business suit. The jacket was a checkered black and grey, the blouse she wore was a brighter red, and the deep black pencil skirt she wore as part of her Lin Kuei emissary uniform matched her black kitten heels. Her voice was chipper and her white-streaked hair was longer than they'd last remembered it, though neatly tied back in a bun.
For her part, Mileena continued staring at the butterfly sculpture in silence.
“Surprised to see you here,” Kitana replied, bending down to give Sareena a hug. She'd always been just a few inches taller than her. Nonetheless, the former demon queen returned the gesture, standing on her toes ever so slightly. “Kuai Liang isn't with you?” Kitana found herself asking.
“No, sadly, but he and Smoke send their regards,” Sareena replied. “However, Mileena needed me. So here I am.”
Skarlet nodded, her arm resting on Mileena's shoulder as she sat back down beside her. “She needed me, too. It felt wrong to ignore her summons, especially when she is still grieving a significant loss.”
Sindel and Kitana both couldn't help but smile at this. In times past, Skarlet and Sareena would have never been allowed to be here. Things have definitely changed for the better...
“So how's everything else been?” Sareena asked, nodding at the former Empress. “I have not seen either of you since Armageddon. You look well.”
“Ah, thank you both. But you know how it is,” Sindel replied. “Rebuilding and restoring, and doing our best to maintain things. It probably helps that I've stepped down to focus on my own life for a time.”
Kitana sighed and brushed a strand of her dark hair away from her face, removing her tiara from her head and setting it aside for the time being. “I've been doing okay since taking Mother's throne, but it is a lot of hard work and lately I've been tired so I told everyone including my workers to take time for themselves to focus on their mental and spiritual health.”
“That's good of you to do,” Skarlet replied. “Elder Gods know we've been through enough. Rest is important.”
“Can't really run a realm without proper rest,” Sareena added. “But where is Liu Kang? It is rare to not see you together.”
“Liu Kang is with Kung Lao helping Raiden fix the Sky Temple,” Kitana replied. “Something about a burst pipe. I'm not entirely sure.”
Skarlet found herself chuckling at this. “Touche,” she remarked. “I'm sure they'll fix it in due time. Either way, it's good to see you both.”
“Yes,” Sareena added. “It's nice to see how things have changed. Edenia looks beautiful.”
“How have you been, Skarlet?” Sindel found herself asking. It had been some time since she'd seen her former husband's enforcer, as the last time they'd met, it was not a good time at all.
“Well, it's certainly nice to not have to consume blood anymore, even though I miss practicing blood magick.”
Sareena scoffed at this, and Sindel found herself laughing out loud as she remembered those days. “I kept telling you that you'd live to regret messing with that shit someday,” she heard Sareena say to Skarlet. “You're still my favorite witch, though.”
Skarlet reached over to gently smack Sareena's upper arm, smiling. “And you are mine. Three years at your side post-Armageddon and you're still not letting me live that bad habit down,” she groaned. “But, yes. I do have my regrets, and I've learned my lesson.”
Kitana saw that her sister was still not talking. “Has she said anything to either of you since your arrival?”
Sareena moved over to give the Empress space to crouch in front of Mileena. “It's just one of those days, you know?”
“Yeah, I know,” Kitana said, surprised at her own informal use of the word 'yes'. “I'm just glad she's not alone, so thank you both for showing up. She's very fortunate to have forged a deep friendship with the both of you.”
“What can I say?” Skarlet said as Sareena smiled and pat Mileena's shoulder. The Princess was still quietly staring at the butterfly sculpture. “No one should ever have to grieve alone. It's not right.”
“Agreed,” Sareena added. “We've all lost something important to us.”
Sindel now joined them. The five women sat together on the cement bench. “We couldn't find Mileena earlier.”
“What's with the dove?” Kitana finally asked. “I've never seen such a beautiful bird with a powerful presence before. They're usually only in Earthrealm. Never here.”
“OH, that?” Sareena said. “That's because the dove isn't actually a dove.”
“What do you mean?” Sindel asked.
“It's actually Kira.”
“What? I thought Kira was dead.”
Sindel and Kitana both shared a look. They couldn't believe it. Years had passed since they'd even heard of Kira, and the understanding was that she'd chosen Chaosrealm over everything else, abandoning all that she once knew in favor of a life of being on the run from herself.
Clearly, that was a lie.
“Why is she in this form? Did someone curse her?”
Sareena and Skarlet both laughed as they gave each other a knowing smile. The former blood mage nodded at the despondent Mileena and then glanced at Kitana. “Nah, Kira changed her ways and chose to serve the greater good. Somehow, along the way, she entered a portal and ended up back here without meaning to. But she is also one of Mileena's dearest friends, and that's why she's here.”
“She also wasn't sure if you both would welcome her presence, so in the name of self-preservation, she transformed into a bird.”
Kitana gave a small nod, looking between her mother and the other women. This was odd, but if Kira was here with good intentions, that was the only thing she cared about. “I didn't know she and my sister were friends.”
“Yeah, they've got history.”
Kira cooed and nestled further on Mileena's lap as they spoke, but before Mileena could pet her again, she flew onto Kitana's shoulder and rubbed her face against her neck. Upon closer inspection, Kitana saw the speck of red that was her signature. “Ah, there it is. The red feather in her tail. Doves do not usually have those, from my understanding of Earthrealm birds.”
“I'm glad you're all talking and not screaming at each other,” Mileena finally said, now looking up at her friends, her sister, and her mother. “That was tiresome then. It's nice to not have to deal with that now.”
Kitana gave her sister a small smile. “I know,” she said. “And I am deeply sorry for the pain I have caused you. Just know that I can leave you be, if you want to be alone with them.”
Mileena stood up and threw her arms around her older sister, catching her off guard. Kira cooed in annoyance at this and flew over to rest on Sindel's shoulder instead. “No! Don't go,” she pleaded. Tears threatened to spring from her eyes as she held on to Kitana for dear life. “I'm sorry I didn't tell you where I was,” she said. She clearly thought she was in trouble. “You and Jade must have been worried sick!”
“It's okay. Don't worry. Mother already seemed to know where we might find you,” Kitana replied, gently petting the back of Mileena's dark head as she held her close. Her hair was a mess, just the way she'd always liked it. “Besides, I understand what you are going through. You have a right to your privacy as you navigate these feelings. I never want to be in your way.”
Mileena finally released her sister, smiling sadly as she approached the glass butterfly. “I miss my friend,” she said, her voice soft. “Do you think she'll ever come back?”
Skarlet and Sareena could only look on sadly as Mileena continued to cry. This was heartbreaking for them to see, but at least the princess was finally acknowledging her emotions and not allowing them to destroy her. That was what used to happen, before she developed the self-discipline that kept her from engaging in acts of destruction that only served to hurt her and the people that she loved.
“I don't know if she will,” Kitana confessed, now holding her sister's hand in both of her own. “But it might help you to think of this statue she left behind as a very important part of her.”
“Not to mention that nobody ever truly dies,” Sareena added. “I would know, having been a part of the Netherrealm for so long.”
Skarlet nodded in agreement. “Remember, Kitana, Kuai Liang, Tomas, Kung Lao, and Sindel were once trapped there for a while. They were freed, and they still live.”
“Life goes on. It shifts and transforms with time, but it is an eternal thing. She'll never leave you.”
Sindel herself had started to tear up, wishing that things had been different for her second daughter. This was the same grief that had destroyed her when Jerrod had been forcibly taken from her all those years ago. Approaching the glass butterfly to stand beside Mileena, she pulled the grieving girl into her arms and brushed her tears from her face. “It's okay to cry. Don't let anyone shame you for having these feelings,” she told her.
There was something about this moment that felt healing. Skarlet, Sareena, and Kitana joined them both as they stood around the butterfly, their hands all joined. As they collectively grieved and mourned with Mileena, the glass butterfly shone even more brightly. Kira noticed this and left Sindel's shoulder to sit on it. Spreading her wings, an even stronger light began to consume her.
The five women became six as Kira shifted back into her human form, her red and white streaked hair loose and wavy as it draped around her shoulders. Dressed in white, the bodice of her gown lined with pink and white roses.
“Don't even forget about how much that spirit child loved you,” Kira found herself saying. “She's still here, by the way. She lives on through me, in fact.”
At that very moment, Mileena let go of the other womens' hands and threw her arms around Kira. “You are such an asshole, Kira,” she said, but with a hint of amusement in her still strained voice.
Kira chuckled, running a hand through Mileena's hair. “I love you, too.”
If there was anything these six women had in common with one another, it was the shared experience of having loved and lost. Time had kept them apart, and they each knew what it was like to have to fight battles on their own. Some of these battles were secret.
Nonetheless, Death had somehow brought them even closer together. It was beautiful, and, as it turned out, love was the answer.