Today was meant to be a beautiful, brilliant day.

Kitana had finally, after many years and many deaths, had gotten her mother and the ruling council to let up on their overly-constrained rules so she and Liu Kang can marry…right after having to convince Liu Kang to drop his 'I'm the guardian of Earth' stance. Shao Kahn and his troops had been pushed back from Edenia, Earthrealm was in the clear, and the biggest threat going on right now were the weather going out of control or a natural disaster.

Kitana feared only the unpredictable. And she didn't see what laid in her mother's room coming…

"MILEENA?" Kitana roared upon seeing her clone playing in the corner with a teddy bear, acting completely obvious to the events transpiring around her. Sindel didn't even rise from her chair as Kitana walked over to Mileena and pointed a angry, trembling finger at her. "Tell me, mother, as to why this creature deserves even the corner!"

"Sheeva found her mindlessly wandering the gardens this morning, when you went to Earthrealm to see your future husband." Sindel explained, with a more somber tone than what Kitana expected. "Her mind has been shattered into pieces….possibly the work of that soul-stealing sorcerer. Mileena hadn't responded to anything; not her name, not to any other name, not to any familiar objects, nothing. She is practically a baby now." Sindel shook her head; out of pity? After all the twisted, demented acts of evil she performed under the tutelage of Khan, you think Sindel would be a little less…concerned.

"Regardless, she should stand trial for her crimes against Edenia!" Kitana declared, again pointing to Mileena, who had put down the toy and now looked on to the arguing Kitana like a confused baby.

"How can she defend herself if she can't recall her own name?" Sindel pointed out.

"You can't be seriously considering giving her a fair trial!"

"We can't just execute her outright when she's like this. Our allies in the Earthrealm will not like it if we executed a mentally-handicapped person."

"She's isn't handicapped…"

"Kitana." Sindel sighed, resting her head on the hand perched up on the chair's arm. "It's my decision, and I'm sticking with it. Also, it's my decision for the wedding to go ahead." This turned Kitana's aggravation into fear as her own mother gave a subtle evil eye. "Yes. Leave Mileena be..."

"Or you'll do something to Liu Kang!"

Now it was Sindel's time to be surprised. "No. I was going to play the annoying mother-in-law I often hear about from the Earthrealm ambassadors. But…" She waved her hands around, trying to figure which plan would be better by weighing invisible weights. Kitana took the smart decision.

"Fine." Kitana sighed and threw down her arms. "I'll let Mileena live…" But she said the next part with the tone she entered the room with. "…for now."

"If and when she regains her memories we will decide her next course of action." Sindel concluded. "You can help her…" Sindel gave a cross look at her biological daughter to make sure she didn't interrupt. "…and perhaps she can offer information on Shao Khan's plans."

"I want nothing to do with her." Kitana groaned, squeezing her eyes closed for a second. "The wedding is two weeks away. I don't want her near anything to do with it." She started to count off the various details off her fingers. "I don't want her near the preparations, I would prefer if she kept away from any of the guests, she's NOT ALLOWED anywhere near the ceremony…"

"Fine." Sindel blew it off with a wave of her hand. "I make sure she keeps away from you and anything having to do with the wedding. Mileena will either be kept to her room or be kept to paths away from the guests."

"Good!" Kitana cleared her throat. "Now I'm off to prepare…and forget." She left the room with a quick jog out of the room, leaving Mileena to play with the teddybear as Sindel just shook her head.

"Oh, my dear daughter." She shook her head. "These two weeks are going to be the longest…"