Project Motherhood: Kitana

by Gamer95

One night, abused Harry Potter is gifted a talisman from a mysterious old man that takes him to the realm of Outworld. There is where he meets the Kahn, Kitana, and finds the mother he always wanted. Co-writer: SkorchNTorch

4. Chapter 4

When the next morning came, Harry bolted upright in bed, having been trapped in the throughs of an aggressive nightmare, he woke up, but was afraid to scream, afraid to cry, knowing both those things would simply get him hurt. He looked around in confusion, not waking up under the stairs under his rags, and questioned if he had fallen asleep somewhere else; something else which would get him punished... But, when he looked to his left and right, he saw Kitana and Jade, his mommies sleeping soundly, and while he still shook from his nightmare, he felt a little bit safer. Pulling the blanket back up and over him, Harry curled up next to Jade and buried himself under the blanket, not wanting to think about his nightmare, but too afraid to go back to sleep. So, he decided he'd just stay close to his Mama, and hope she'd protect him.

At that point, Jade, a morning bird as always, woke up and felt a small weight against her chest. Her eyes slowly opened, then she looked down at Harry with a smile that quickly morphed into a concerned frown as she saw his scared body language. "Oh no, what's wrong, my love?" She whispered, wrapping her arms around him. She thought he was asleep, and was a bit surprised when he looked up to her with large, fearful eyes.

"M..mo...Mama?" He stammered out. "I had a bad dream..."

"Oh, you poor, sweet little boy." Jade cooed, settling back down into the bed and holding Harry close to her breast, rubbing his back reassuringly. "It's okay, you're safe, we're here for you." Harry let out a soft hum and nuzzled in closer to his aunt Jade- No. His mama Jade. He had nearly forgotten what had happened last night. His Mama had gotten together with aunt Jade, so aunt Jade was now mama Jade. Jade sighed gently and wrapped him up in a hug.

"It's okay, it's okay, Mama's here. Mama's here, baby." Jade said reassuringly, kissing his head. By now, Kitana began to stir and blinked as she saw Jade hugging Harry close.

"Jade? Is everything all right?" She asked.

"Little Harry had a nightmare." Jade frowned.

Kitana sat up and frownec sadly before pulling Jade, and by extension Harry, into a tight hug. "My poor little child... It's going to be all right... It was only a dream, it wasn't real, you're safe here with us..." She said softly. Harry let out a quiet mumble, sandwiched between Kitana and Jade, he felt safe and reassured, but he was still scared.

"The poor thing..." Jade sighed, kissing his head again. "He's so innocent and sweet, but he's so terrified of everything."

"He was afraid when I touched him." Kitana frowned, thinking back to when she first found him. "He believed I was going to strike him."

Both women exchanged a sad glance. The monsters that had raised him... They prayed with all their hearts that Jax and the special forces would be able to bring those inhuman beasts to justice very soon.

But for now, Harry was distressed, and Kitana and Jade wanted to comfort him, so they did just that. Pulling the large blanket up, Kitana shivered slightly as the cool morning air came in from underneath and quickly wrapped it around the three of them, bundling them all up under it like a large coat, with Harry snuggled in-between the two. Harry slowly looked up with a thankful expression on his face, but he didn't say anything. Neither woman needed to hear anything though, his face said it all. Each of them planted a kiss on both of his cheeks at the exact same time, and Harry closed his eyes with a smile at the affectionate gesture. The nightmare he had been through already felt like a distant memory. "Mommy...Mama..." Harry mumbled, leaning into them both. The Kahn and the Assassin grinned, hen smiled to one another. Harry really was too precious for his own good...

"So, what's going on today?" Jade asked after a few minutes of cuddling, and Kitana frowned.

"Most likely Harry will begin learning to control his magic, I hope that goes at least acceptably for him." The Kahn sighed. "I don't fear Skarlet hurting him, but I do fear him losing control."

Jade clenched her fists and nodded her head. "Kitana... Should you need to attend to any Kahn business while Harry is training with Skarlet, I would be more than happy to supervise everything in your stead."

"I may." Kitana sighed. "And thank you. Reptile will be there, but so will Mileena. The former I don't believe to be any issue, but the latter-"

"Is Mileena." Jade remarked, finishing the sentence for Kitana, who smiled and nodded. "She's your sister, but she's also, well, Mileena."

"Still, it's better than how she used to be." Kitana sighed, shaking her head again.

Jade nodded her head grimly. "Yes, Shao Kahn was the worst possible influence for someone like her to be exposed to so shortly after her birth... I am frankly amazed your acceptance was all it took to change her for the better."

"Mm, I still think it had to do with the fact that she was offered a connection that didn't require her to be a servant." Kitana sighed, seeming downcast about her family past. "Still, the past is, well, the past. There isn't anything we can do to change it, all we can do is try to make the future better." She looked down and smiled at Harry. "Case in point."

Harry looked up at her with a tilted head. Making the future better... His mothers had most certainly made his future better, there was absolutely no trace of doubt in his mind on that front... What could he do to make someone's future better? Both women seemed to pick up on this and hugged him again, Harry's mind being focused now on the comfort he was feeling, and he melted into the warmth. "You've made my future better, precious." Kitana cooed.

"Same." Jade nodded. "Just keep being you."

That was the most reassuring thing he had ever heard in his life. That his parents thought he improved their lives just by being himself... All his life he had thought that it was a bad thing to be his freaky self. "We'll have to get up eventually." Jade commented.

"Ugh, don't remind me. Just let me hug my baby." Kitana groaned, putting her head under the blanket as if she could avoid responsibility by doing so. Jade smirked, knowing what she had to say; Kitana knew as well. "Don't say it."

"You truly are like your sister."

"I asked you not to say that."

"You also told me that I should be honest and up front with you. I feel I am receiving mixed messages from you." Jade teased. Kitana let out a soft groan and forced herself to sit up once more with an annoyed glare. She took Harry and wrapped him up in her arms, holding him close to her chest, again, acting much like Mileena. Harry giggle at their interaction, he didn't think they were fighting in anger, but rather playing with one another.

"My precious little Prince..." Kitana sighed, kissing his head, earning a happy coo from Harry, who peeked up from where he was being held. He knew his mothers had to get up soon, but honestly he kind of wished for that not to be thr case. He wished these moments where his mothers would just hold him would last forever. He never felt safer... Thankfully, Kitana didn't need to get up right away, so she was more than content to relax with her son snuggled in her arms.

"If you want me to help raise him, you need to let me have him at some point." Jade remarked with a sly grin. Kitana looked at her, then shrugged.

"At some point, yes." The Kahn agreed, and Jade scoffed, reaching under Harry and plucking him from Kitana's arms with one swift movement. Kitana blinked, surprised by Jade's slight-of-hand. She let out a sign and chuckled softly. "I always forget you enjoy using your skills in stealth and infiltration to bother me..." Jade shrugged her shoulders and held the boy close with a smirk. "Well, I suppose I can let you have a turn." Jade let out a content hum as Harry snuggled closer to her, she rested her chin atop his head and closed her eyes. He was such a perfect little thing... so innocent, timid and sweet, and so affectionate and caring for his family... he leaned down and kissed the top of his head, making him laugh slightly at the contact, which only melted her heart further. Oh, how she looked forward to spending time with him and Kitana.

This was really happening... She had slightly worried that the prior night had been a dream and that she was going to wake up again to find that she was still alone in her bed. But no... Now she had the family she always wanted. "Mama..." Harry mumbled happily, clearly being in the same mindset as her. However, if Harry woke up, he'd still have Kitana. But that didn't matter right now. With a warm grin, Jade settled down under the blanket, letting Harry rest against her chest.

"Good morning, my little Prince." Jade spoke softly.

She gently stroked his hair and let out a soft sigh of contentment. This was it... She could finally be happy again, and she had the little boy in her arms and her best friend of many years to thank for that. Still, in time both women knew they needed to get ready for the day. But Jade wasn't ready to give her son up just yet, so when Kitana turned to get some clothing for the day, Jade took her leave, heading back to her room to get changed herself, taking Harry with her. Kitana didn't mind, Harry needed to bond with his other mother, more than he already had.

She saw them out with a smile, before letting out a sigh. Next she needed to collect Reptile and Mileena and get everything set up for Harry's first training session with Skarlet... She prayed all would go well today...

There was still breakfast to be had, so she knew she had a little bit of time before all that would begin, and things would either go well, or there would be violence and bloodshed. Honestly, Kitana didn't want Mileena there. At all. It wasn't anything personal (even though it sort of was) but Mileena's hair-trigger temper, mixed with her adoration for Harry, would most likely prove to be a volatile combination. However, she also knew NOT taking her would make things hard as well.

Perhaps she should invite Tanya along as well... She seemed to be the only one that could really reign Mileena in when she was really angry. She let out a soft sigh and shook her head. A family get together in the dungeon with a convicted felon...

Maybe having everyone there would make things worse, actually... the last thing she wanted was to make things more uncomfortable for Harry, and Kitana had a feeling he'd be terrifed of his magic, especially if others were around and watching while he tried to learn it.

She shook her head in exasperation. She really couldn't tell either Reptile or Mileena to stay out of it... Reptile would be desperate to fulfill his duties to his new charge and Mileena would just fly into a murderous rage.

She trusted Reptile to be there regardless, he and Harry already seemed to be getting along, so it would most likely be beneficial, and her sister... ugh. She knew at least for this session, she had no real choice, but in the following ones, she'd see if she could get Tanya to take care of Mileena.

Because no matter how much her sister didn't like it, she knew that she couldn't keep her hatred for the bloodbender in check, at least not well enough for Harry's sessions with her to go all that smoothly. She hoped Mileena would just stay silent.

The doors opened and Jade returned now donned in her usual green attire, Harry tucked into one arm wearing one of her oversized shirts. The tiny boy clung to Jade's arm with a smile, clearly as happy with this new set up as Jade or Kitana were.

"C'mon, I think breakfast is ready." Jade nodded, and Kitana nodded in response. Harry looked up and leaned into Jade's embrace, letting out a happy coo. "And I think the little one here is hungry."

"Well, he's happy, I know that much."

Jade let out a chuckle and lightly nudged her friend with her elbow, which got a small smirk from the blue clad princess. The pair made their way down to the meal hall, where the family was awaiting them all.

"Good morning, Kitana. Good morning, Jade." Sindel smiled warmly. "Good morning, my little darling."

"Hi gramma..."

"Mother." Kitana smiled, and Jade realized she wasn't sure how to adress Sindel now. She and Jade were together, but did that make Sindel her mother? She was still her Queen, so Jade decided to go with that for the time being.

"Your Highness." Jade nodded.

Sindel noted how unsure and confused Jade seemed and tilted her head to the side, but she decided not to comment on it. In fact, she already knew what was going on. The happiness the three of them showed said it all.

They sat down at the table wit Harry sitting on Jade's lap, the small boy smiling up at Jade, who smiled down at him. The look on Tanya's face changed from confusion to understanding, and she gave a soft smile, while Mileena seemed to be trying to figure out if it finally happened or not. Jade speared some food and held it up to Harry, who happily ate it. Jade was unsure how to approach this news, as was Kitana, but Harry accidentally did it for them.

"Thank you, Mama." He said, looking up at Jade.

Jade tensed up, then smiled awkwardly. Sindel blinked, then smiled with a nod. Tanya simply smirked. Reptile raised a brow, then nodded. And Mileena? Well, she began to openly celebrate. "Haha! I knew it! I knew it!"

Kitana smiled mirthfully while Jade seemed embarrassed more than anything. Harry looked up, concerned and tried to hug her. Jade quickly recomposed herself, wrapping an arm around Harry and smiling herself.

"Yes, Mileena. We've... we are together." Kitana nodded in confirmation. It still felt so bizarre to say out loud. But it was true, the two of them were now Harry's parents.

Mileena looked to Tanya with a smug grin. "Well, pay up, sweetie!" She extended her hand, and Tanya rolled her eyes and handed Mileena some currency. Kitana rolled her eyes at the fact that her sister had made a bet on whether or not she would get with Jade.

However, she had also totally expected her to as well. What she didn't expect was for Tanya to pass some currency to Sindel.

"Really? You too, mother?" She asked, annoyed.

"Mm. It was gonna happen sooner or later." Sindel shrugged with a mirthful smirk. Her response wasn't enough to take down Kitana's good mood, so she simply sighed and shook her head in annoyance, debating if she should instate a law against gambling based on the current ruler. "I think you owe Erron something as well."

"Yes, yes... I'll need to get some of that Daniels whiskey from Earthrealm..." Tanya sighed and Kitana frowned.

"Are you sure that's a good idea?"

"Hey, we made a bet. I can't be held accountable for anything that directly happens because of it." Tanya said defensively.

Kitana tilted her head to the side. "Am I to assume the only reason you betted against me and Jade coming together is because you assumed I would fall into a relationship with Liu Kang in the end?" Tanya just nodded.

"Yeah, seemed more likely." She shrugged. "Still, I'm not too disappointed by this loss. We've made far worse bets against you that you don't know about."

"I'm sorry, what?"

"Not saying anything."

Kitana glared at Tanya, then sighed in annoyance, knowing this is how the fire bender worked.

Shaking her head, she looked over and watched Jade feeding Harry, smiling warmly. Jade really had taken to the role of mother like a duck to water. It was apparent to her that she had had this exact scenario in her head for a while.

Harry finished eating (Kitana happily noting he ate a little more than he did the other day) and was now settled happily in Jade's arm as she began her meal. The emerald assassin seemed to have gained her composure from her previous embarrassment and smiled to Kitana as she ate, the warm smile made the Kahn's heart rate lurch forward. There was something so picturesque about it...

The morning sun shining through the window enhanced the feeling she got. She returned the smile the best she could. The two found themselves exchanging eye contact for the vast majority of the time they ate.

Kitana also looked down to her son, but found Harry was more focused on his new Mother than her.

'Oh joy. Someone else to fight over my son's affection.' She thought mockingly. Kitana knew deep down Harry meant well, and was just beyond thrilled to have parents, and especially ones who actually cared for him, so she dared not blame him for anything, he was just being the sweet, kind little boy she fell in love with.

And she supposed if there was anyone she didn't really mind sharing het adopted son with, it was het romantic partner. Letting out a sigh, she decided to sit back and just let them interact. They really were sweet together...

Currently Harry was hugging Jade's arm, holding it over pretty much her entire body, encasing him in a one-armed hug. He seemed happy as could be, and Jade made no move to take her arm out of this position. She could still eat, and she was keeping her son safe, so she was fine with both those things.

"Are you sure you're full, love?" Jade asked, concerned for her son's well-being. Harry just wordlessly nodded, and Jade let out a small sigh. "Very well then, if you are still hungry. Let me know."

She didn't like that Harry couldn't finish a relatively small meal, but she supposed it was only logical... At least he had eaten at all, she would be satisfied with just that... For the time being, anyway, he needed to fatten up...

He was so small and frail, and from the way he held onto her arm, it was clear that he was still timid and afraid of something. It was concerning, what was he still afraid of? After everything he had been through, all the reassurance and love, what did he still fear?

'I feel like he still needs to open up, somewhat.' Jade thought. 'He's hiding something from us, he probably thinks it would be a burden...'

But what could it be that he was afraid of sharing with his mothers? Surely he had spoken with Kitana at length about all the things he feared and dreaded... What kinds of deep dark secrets was this boy hiding now?

Harry smiled up at his Mama, but felt deep down ashamed for not being able to talk to her about his fears, about his nightmares. He had told Kitana some things, but there was still more to go, but he felt like telling them now would upset them, and Mama Jade had been through a lot already, so he didn't want to add more to that and upset her further. And Kitana had been so kind to him, he didn't want to upset her by telling her... what should he do? Tell his Aunts? His Gramma? He wasn't sure, and didn't want to think on it right now, he was enjoying his Mama's embrace.

He had told so much of his fears to his mommy at this point... Could he perhaps get away with just keeping a few things to himself...? No... His parents would want to know about it sooner or later, whether he liked it or not...

"Love?" Jade spoke, looking down at him. Harry was pulled form his thoughts and hugged Jade's arm a bit tighter. He smiled up at her, and Jade blinked, before returning the smile. This was so confusing to him... he had always been told he'd be abused or yelled at if he told anyone about what had happened to him, but his Mommy cared, she listened, and she wanted to help. He just needed to be strong, strong like she asked him to be when he first met his Auntie Mileena. He resolved he'd talk to them... later. "Aww, you're so cute."

Harry blushed and tried to hide his face in Jade's arm, which only mad eJade let out a soft laugh at that.

Oh elder gods he was so adorably shy... His timid personality was so unfairly huggable and sweet... But she knew very well the reason behind it, and it really was a tragic case that such cuteness came from intense abuse.

Harry didn't say much more during breakfast, he just remained at Jade's side, resting against her. He felt off, like something was going to happen today that wasn't going to be good. He remembered his Mommy told him he would be training to control his frea- his powers, so maybe that's why he felt so nervous. Something which had caused so much pain and misery, he was now intentionally going to try and use it?

But what if he messed up and did something wrong by mistake? What if he accidentally turned someone's clothes or hair pink? What if he made something grow bigger? What if he transported somebody somewhere else?

He felt Jade give him a re-affirming squeeze, and he let out a breath he didn't realize he was holding. He believed his Mama and Mommy wouldn't be angry... he desperately hoped they wouldn't. They had done so much for him! He couldn't upset them, not now!

"Hey, hey... it's all right, love. It's okay." Jade spoke softly, noticing Harry's unspoken fear. The small boy looked up, then leaned against her, wanting to feel safe and secure.

Being embraced by a loved one was the truly perfect way to find those safe and happy feelings he desired so much... When his mothers or his aunties or his grandma held him, he really did feel as if no one could get him.

"Thank you." Harry said softly, closing his eyes. Jade smiled, threatening to tear up, but held it back. She didn't want to give Mileena more to use against her...

"You're very welcome, my child." Jade whispered back.

Not long after, breakfast had finished, and despite her want to hold her nephew, Mileena had to watch as Jade embraced Harry, the tiny boy snuggling up to her chest happily.

Tanya rolled her eyes in exasperation at how pouty her lover was at tbis moment. "Relax, Mileena, you had plenty of time with him just last night, you can let his new mother have a turn today." She chided lightly.

Mileena grumbled something inaudible, but nodded. Jade smiled and handed Harry over to Kitana who took him into her embrace and let him get comfortable.

"Well, I'm glad to see everything has worked out so far." sindel smiled walking over to Kitana. "Hello, my sweet." She remarked as she kissed his forehead.

"Yes, I'm glad it has thus far." Kitana nodded. "Harry certainly seems happy with it."

"Of course, but then again, he's such a sweet little darling now, isn't he?" Sindel cooed, pinching Harry's cheek lightly. Harry giggled, but looked away.

"I..I dunno..." He mumbled still not feeling to great about himself.

No matter how much his family would gush over him and his supposed 'cuteness', he still found it more than a little difficult to believe that anyone could actually consider him to be cute... What was cute about him, anyway?

Sindel noticed this, and kissed his forehead once more.

"Oh, it's all right darling." Sindel said softly, the concern in her eyes genuine. "You don't need to think about yourself in such low terms, Harry. You're not a freak, and you're not an accident, you're an adorable little boy."

There it was again... The comfort and reassurance... Every time he had doubts and bad thoughts about himselr, someone would always be there to reassure him and try to make him feel better about himself...

"Thank you, Gramma." Harry timidly replied, looking up and giving Sindel a timid smile. The Queen smiled down at her grandson, before looking to her daughter (or was it daughters?).

"You'll have to let the little Prince stay with me, some night." Sindel remarked. "He'd make for delightful company, and I'd love to read him some stories or simply let him enjoy time with his Grandmother."

"Of course." Kitana nodded. "It may be a bit before then, though..."

"Oh, of course! I wouldn't dare think about taking him away from his new parents." Sindel remarked, smiling over to Jade.

The emerald assassin smiled back shyly. She... didn't really know what Sindel was to her now... Was she her mother in law, or did that have to wait until she and Kitana were officially married? She never understood how it worked...

"Well, Harry. There are a few things I need to discuss with you." Kitana said, herself and Jade leaving the dining hall, Reptile following behind at a respectable distance. He couldn't tell if this was a family thing, or a safety thing, either way, he didn't intend on intruding unless need be. "Today you will be meeting Skarlet, she's a woman with powers somewhat like your own. She should be able to help you learn to control them."

"Okay..." Harry clearly seemed nervous.

"I'll be there, as will Reptile and your Aunt Mileena."

"Okay..."

"Precious, I want you to know this now. She may say things to try and upset you, to try and scare you. Don't believe them." Kitana said reassuringly. "I don't know what she may say, but I want you to be prepared."

Harry was really, REALLY nervous now... What was this Skarlet lady going to put him through? Was she going to hurt him? He looked down at the floor and let out a soft whimper of fear at the thought of it.

"She won't hurt you. I won't let her." Kitana said reassuringly, giving her son a tight hug. "It's just... Skarlet has done some bad things, and she isn't exactly remorseful for her actions."

"W..wh..why are you leaving me with her?" Harry asked, nervously.

"She's the only one presently who can help you learn to control your power. Harry, I promise I'll be with you the entire time." Kitana said, even though it was clear Kitana was saying this as much for herself as she was for Harry's sake.

Reptile approached with his arms crossed. "I am your retainer, young Harry. My ssssword duty isss to prevent anyone from doing harm to you. Ssshould ssshe try anything, ssshe will have to go through me firssst."

"Mmm." Harry mumbled, burying his face in Kitana's chest. He was so used to being hurt because of his power, and now he was going to learn to control it? He didn't know how he felt about that. He wanted to stop being scared of it, but he didn't want the woman who taught him to hurt him... he just felt lost, more than anything.

He really hoped everything would start to make sense after his first lesson... Because this whole confusing mess was honestly starting to make his head hurt a littld bit. He just hoped he came out of it injury free.

About an hour later, the group of four were at the door to the dungeons, where down the stairs in a sort of 'common area', Harry's lessons would begin.

"All right, let's see how this goes." Kitana nodded, trying her best not to show her apprehension.

"Iswearimgonnacutherfaceoffandwearitlikeamask... ?therehastobeabetterwayoftraininghimthisisntfairtohimtoputhimwiththiswitch..." Mileena growled in a low tone. Harry didn't hear, but Reptile did, and he hit her slightly. "Hey!"

"Keep ssssuch words to yourssself." He remarked, rather seriously. "Young Harry is nervousss enough, as is." Mileena exhaled, and nodded. He had a point. "I understand you care for him and wissssh to keep him sssafe. But if you frighten him the way you seem to think Skarlet will, then you're not better than her in this sssituation."

Mileena clenched her jaw underneath her veil, but said nothing because she knew that the reptilian ninja was right. She didn't like the fact that he was right, but that didn't change the fact that he was rightl

Now, Kitana sat with Harry on her lap, and the others behind her. The guards had left, and the sound of chains could be heard as they returned.

"My, my... the scent of power is even riper than I expected..." A soft, almost scratchy voice spoke. "For one so small, such power is most intriguing." Skarlet came into torch light, her hands free (to Mileena's irritation, but shackles still on her feet. She entered the area, and paid no mind to Kitana, Mileena or Reptile. "Hm, and Earthrealmer, but one with such power, how delightful."

Harry shivered slightly at the sound of her voice. She tilted her head. "I see. You fear me. A wise decision, but an unnecesarry one as well. I have no intention of harming you, I just don't wish to see this potential go to waste."

Harry didn't say anything, Skarlet simply looked him over, mentally taking a few notes.

"You have no experience with magic, do you?" Skarlet asked after a few moments. Harry slowly shook his head. "I expected as much."

"What is that supposed-" Mileena began.

"Silence, please." Skarlet remarked, casting a sidelong glance to Mileena, who looked like she had been punched in the gut. "Honestly, I believe you being here will only complicate matters. The state he is in emotionally and mentally is causing his magic to act out as a sort of self-defense mechanism. The more... irratable you are, the more damage you're causing to him."

Mileena clenched her fists at her sides. How could she be snything but irritable in the presence of her most hated enemy?! She really did need to hold her tongue, didn't she? This was the ultimate test of her patience...

"Tell me, my child." Skarlet continued. "When your magic acts up, do you feel anything?"

"Uh... it...it...it's different." Harry mumbled. "Sometimes its really cold, sometimes its warm, sometimes I feel like I'm not in my body, and that just feels funny..."

"Hm, intriguing." Skarlet mused. "You don't appear to have a single division of magic, but many."

"Meaning?" kitana asked. Skarlet responded by cutting her hand on a nearby wall and creating a blood ball to Kitana's disgust and Harry's fear (but also amazement).

"I, myself have a division of magic focusing on blood. You and your family tend to have some form of sound magic." Skarlet explained, calm as ever. "The little child here, appears to have access to many different divisions of magic. This could either lead to one growing stronger than the others in time, or he simply wields an extraordinary amount of power."

Harry looked at his hand with a frown. "Do I have blood magic like you...? Because I don't wanna have to cut my hands open to use my magic, I don't like being all bloody and hurt..." The boy said timidly and sadly.

"You do, but you also don't. Furthermore, it isn't painful." Skarlet remarked. "Blood magic is only harmful should you choose to learn it. And while I am intrigued by the concept of training the little one in that talent... I know that your family would not be okay with it. In the future, it's best you not think too much on it, and focus on what I will be teaching you, the things they could not."

"Okay." Harry nodded, not realizing Skarlet was currently insulting his entire family.

Mileena and Kitana caught on though, if the way they very clearly bristled was anything to go by. Skarlet nodded her head. "Now then... Perhaps we should start out with something nice and easy... The very, very basics if you will."

Kitana (reluctantly) set Harry on the ground, knowing Skarlet and Harry might need some space in order to practice their powers. Skarlet took a deep breath, and guided Harry through some simple breathing exercises, claiming he needed to be calm, or at least able to control his shaking, somewhat.

"Now, I want you to look inwards." Skarlet instructed. "Find your core, it could be a memory, or it could be an image created by magic, but I want you to find it, and think on light, so you can try and create light in this dungeon."

Harry nodded his head and closed his eyes. Find his core... Look inward... How was he supposed to do that? Maybe he needed to figure that out on his own... He focused as hard as he could, trying to find a light inside him...

He thought things over, and then decided to stop thinking and try acting. He closed his eyes and almost seemed to shut down, ending up in a state he had been in many times before, abused terror. It was during this that his magic would act up and sometimes take him away to safety. It was also the reason he was abused most of the time... he felt a cold prick in his stomach, almost like he was poked with a needle. He didn't like this... all he was seeing was his pain, his abuse, he didn't get it! What had he done wrong?! All he ever wanted were his parents, but they were dead, and it was his fault, and-

Harry suddenly snapped back to reality, seeing icicles had formed on the ground around him. Jagged and black, the frozen weapons circled Harry in such a way he couldn't get out.

"Interesting." Skarlet remarked, calm as ever. "You clearly have been through hardship, that magic was summoned by terror. Try it again-"

"Skarlet, this is madness!" Kitana snapped, and Mileena and Reptile agreed with her. Skarlet rolled her eyes and held up a hand, having the audacity to tell them to be silent.

"Try it again, my child." She repeated herself. "But this time, think of something warm, something that makes you happy. THEN look for your magic."

Harry nodded his head and took a deep breath, closing his eyes again. Okay... His aunt and uncle didn't want him to do these things... But... his mother did... So maybe... if he could just focus on doing it for her...?

Focusing inward once more, he thought about his Mother, the warmth she brought him. How she found him next to the river and held him close, comforting him when no one else ever had, how she took him home, fed him and clothed him, comforted him during his nightmares... There was a warmth he felt from within, and it felt nice, it enveloped him and surrounded him.

"Good." Skarlet nodded, watching a ball of light appear, and then her eyes winded as the ice began to melt. "Very good."

The rest of the room's occupants were taken aback by the bright warmth of this brilliant light. All three of them felt a smile come to their face. Even the other prisoners that happened to be in the vicinity felt a sense of warmth from it.

"Now, let it go." Skarlet nodded, and Harry did as instructed, the light dying down to nothing. "Good, I take it you found what I was telling you to find?"

"Mmhm, I thought about-" Harry began, but Skarlet held her hand up.

"No, keep it to yourself." She instructed. "If others know what memoires effect your core, then they may try to use it against you. Keep this to yourself, and yourself alone."

Harry blinked and looked over at his mother. He trusted everyone that was watching, but when his mother nodded her head, he decided Miss Skarlet was right and obediently nodded his head. "Very good. Moving on..." Skarlet said.

Skarlet considered what to teach him next, before speaking.

"Your magic, does it act without you telling it to?" She asked. "In any sort of way."

"Y..s..." Harry mumbled. Skarlet raised a brow, uncertain if she had heard him correctly, but now she was sure.

"That is because it instinctively responds to danger to keep you safe and alive. Your magic is an extension of your will. So long as you desire to stay alive and safe, your magic will do all it can to ensure this happens." She explained.

"Oh." Harry blinked, he thought he understood, but he wasn't sure if he did. Still, he was afraid of asking, he really felt like asking too many questions would anger her, and he didn't want to do that. If she could control her blood, did that mean she could control his? He didn't want to find out, and he figured asking too many questions would be a way he'd end up finding out.

"You seem as if you have an unasked question... Perhaps later you will feel at ease enough to ask it. With that said, your magic can only subconsciously heal you so much. For a full heal, you must be the one to will it."

"Okay, how do I do that?" Harry asked.

"Similar to what you were doing earlier, focus on those feelings." Skarlet remarked. "However, as with everything, there is balance, light and dark, life and death, magic is no different. When you use your magic to high degrees such as advanced healing, you may be plagued by memories that you associate with your other types of magic, you need to be able to fight through them."

Harry bit his lip, not wanting to deal with scary, unpleasant memories... But he knew it was something he was going to have to bear with. And so, he took a deep breath, closed his eyes, and he focused as hard as he could.

He focused once more on his Mother, on all the things she had done, how she cared for him, loved him, was kind to him... he felt that warmth once more, as if he was beginning to summon the light again, but he was a bit confused when that 'darkness' didn't come. Was he not focusing hard enough? Was he doing it wrong? Harry didn't want to be reminded of what he had been put through, but he also wanted to learn, so he tried to focus harder... and harder...

To everyone's (Skarlet included) shock, a small shockwave of blue energy suddenly emanated from Harry, the power seeming very similar to Kitana's own fan abilities, and there was a brief cold rush of air as the power dissipated.

"I don't think I did it right..." Harry mumbled, not meeting Skarlet's gaze, who shrugged, indifferently.

"It will take time." Skarlet said. "It is okay to fail, my sweet little boy. You can't be expected to be perfect on your first go, the amount you have achieved thus far is commendable as is." She spoke in her usual, cold tone, but the words she used were of double meaning. Partially to help Harry grow to trust her as his mentor, and also to try and provoke those watching.

Then again, it wasn't as if she had to do much to provoke Mileena. The simple act of existing was more than enough for her to provoke the tarkatan half-breed. The crimson scourge shot Mileena a smug smirk.

"You...bit-" Mileena snarled, but was hit by Reptile once more. The bodyguard didn't like it, but knew that Mileena was being manipulated, and also knew the Kahn wouldn't want her child to hear what Mileena was trying to say. The half-tarkatan snarled and glared death at Reptile, until Kitana looked to her, wordlessly telling her to stop, now.

Mileena snarled, but didn't push the issue any further, crossing her arms and scowling at Skarlet. Harry was just confused as to what Skarlet had done. Nothing she said had seemed particularly mean or anything...

"Oh, don't mind her. She can't help but act like that, it's how she was made." Skarlet shrugged, waving indifferently. And THAT was more than Kitana or Mileena wanted to hear. However, Harry's confusion was noticable, and Skarlet decided to dig the knife in a bit more. "Oh, they haven't told you?"

"That's enough Skarlet." Kitana ordered, and Skarlet seemed taken aback by the force in her voice.

The bloodbender shrugged her shoulders. "If you wish to keep the truth away from him, I suppose that is your perogative. But it seems rather sneaky and dishonest if you ask my opinion." She said calmly.

"There are many things he has yet to learn, and things he will learn in time." Kitana spoke in a calm, but angered tone. "Speaking of which, I instructed you to teach him to control his magic, not to teach him history."

"Something which I am attempting to do, but her savage tendencies are proving to be... meddling." Skarlet coldly retorted. It was clear short of actually harming her, there wasn't much that would frighten or intimidate her. Kitana was willing to let this slide and simply talk with Harry after, but Mileena was clearly growing angered once more, which really wasn't anything new to her, but still.

Kitana put a hand on her sister's shoulder. "Deep breaths, sister... You mustn't let her get into your head... You know she is only trying to provoke you." She spoke softly to her sister in a soothing tone of voice.

Skarlet looked back to Harry, continuing to instruct him as if nothing happened. She enjoyed Mileena's anger, it amused her. Thankfully, (to her at least) she was subtle enough to keep her words clear to Mileena and Kitana, but it looked like she had done nothing wrong in his eyes.

"Now, there are many things I could teach you, but I want to ask, what do you wish to learn?" She asked, her tone a bit softer now. Harry thought it over and finally looked her in the eyes as he spoke.

"I wanna learn to stop losing control." He said, seemingly downcast by his own failures. "I...I don't wanna keep messing things up for everyone around me...I will, it's all I do...but I don't want my magic to be causing those problems."

'...I'm sorry, what?' Skarlet blinked. She knew Harry feared her, and had assumed one of his family (Mileena) had told him she was some twisted mass killer. It may be true, but that was hilariously ironic coming from her. But Harry seemed more afraid of himself, as if this view was beaten into him.

She frowned softly before the realization came to her. Yes, it only made sense that he had to deal with magic haters with the sheer amount of potential he had...

Well, that was rather tragic, and may prove to be somewhat detrimental to his learning. From the looks and sounds of it, he had put up mental blocks to try and deal with what was happening to him, and because of that, his magic had been cut off, but was still growing.

Well that certainly needed to be dealt with before it ended up levelling this entire castle. Power like this, going unchecked for so long... It was a wonder nothing had happened yet, to be quite frank and honest.

Still, Skarlet saw no reason to try and dig into this herself. The little boy was Kitana's adopted son, most likely she had found him in a less than ideal place, or something like that. Power or no, Skarlet herself could never imagine adopting a child, it just... didn't interest her. So, she'd leave the mental-strife-overcoming to the boy's mother. She was already working on sowing some discourse into the boy's mind, she didn't want to make it too obvious, though.

Frankly, she didn't much care what the boy did with the skills she would teach him. Whether he chose to be a hero, a villain, or completely neutral, it was no skin off her teeth. She just hated to see potential wasted.

She also didn't like how terrifed he was of her, it was clear that 'magic' had been beaten into him as something to fear and loathe, and that irritated her. Those who didn't understand this power wanted to shun it because they feared what they didn't have. It was such a... human, reaction.

Ah... Yes, at their core, they were all despicable and cowardly creatures, weren't they? She was no exception to that rule. And yet she continued to live on. While making no effort whatsoever to change her sinful nature.

Well, it was who she was, she supposed. She had no real reason to change, and she didn't much care what others thought of her. She had done what she had done to survive, and then to learn, Kitana couldn't claim ignorance or innocence, no one in this room save for the young boy could do that. That was kinda what still got to her, the way Kitana seemed to act like the past few decades never happened. But again, she really didn't much care.

At least not much... She did care a little... It was mildly annoying... And hypocritical... She let out a sigh and turned to look at the boy. Seemed he was trying his hand at the spell again. She watched closely to see how he did.

It wasn't much, it actually seemed weaker than his last attempt, but really, she didn't know what to expect, so she let it go. She felt like correcting him, but held her tongue, curious as to what he would do on his own. A big part of magic was making it ones own, one way or another.

She watched the boy closely. He seemed to have the right general idea of what he should be doing at least, but there was still quite a ways to go before she thought he was truly ready to complete his training...

She knew this going in, but she would be lying if she said she expected how much power he had. The boy was naturally gifted, gifted in ways she hadn't considered. It made her task all the more intriguing, as this power was his (and by an extent, her's) to shape, and whatever that shape was really fell down to him.

She could subtly try and guide him in the direction she would take, but honestly, it was far more interesting to see what he would choose to do. He probably wouldn't choose a dark path like her, but it should still be interesting...

He was trying to summon the light again, but was once more creating a jagged slab of black ice. He quickly released what was happening and let go, taking a step back in fear. Skarlet considered this, then frowned over at Kitana.

"He has constructed many mental walls around his powers." She remarked. "His emotions are feeding his power, which is rather common. But he is clearly still very upset or distressed over something. This is causing issues with his powers."

Kitana closed her eyes and let out a sigh. She had expected this, in all honesty. Her son was hurt greatly over the years solely due to the fact that he had his magic, of course it would be difficult to really use it...

"It won't be an issue to teach him to control it, but if you wish for him to learn how to use it, you'll need to help him with that." Skarlet added. "I dare not tell you how to raise your child, but teaching him to use his pain to grow is... not recommendable. It may have worked for you and those you know, but with his magic, that would be detrimental."

Kitana scowled slightly, understanding what Skarlet was implying, but she also knew what she was warning about.

She looked at her son with a sad frown and walked over slowly, gently resting a hand on his shoulder and squeezing it gently, trying to convey a very simple message: 'It's going to be okay, I'm here for you.'

Harry nodded, and looked up at her, heartbreakingly, he didn't smile the way he normally did, but Kitana had a feeling that Skarlet's presence, mixed with his magic was probably putting him in a weird place right now.

"I believe that is the most we are going to get for today." Skarlet remarked. "Have him practice that, and when you're ready, return and I shall teach him more." She paused for a moment, then added in a low tone; "And keep the half-blood monster out of this, it won't help him like you seem to think it will."

Kitana bristled at that, but said nothing. Skarlet had deliberately said it quietly to ensure Mileena would not hear her. Might as well respect that... She nodded her head, making her displeasure cleae through a death glare.

"If you think I'm incorrect in my assessment, say so." Skarlet challenged, and Kitana bit her lip, knowing she really couldn't. She could from a moral stand point, but at the end of the day, Skarlet wasn't 100% wrong in what she was saying. Kitana didn't like the way Skarlet spoke of her sister, but she also knew she had once spoken of her sister in such ways, so she wasn't much better, despite her want to be.

Though she had stopped and come around to see just what a delight her sister could really be, so in that regard. She shot Skarlet another annoyed look. "Be that as it may, you are still not to speak of her like that."

"Am I wrong?"

"That isn't the point."

"You defend her, when once you planned on executing her." Skarlet deadpanned, and Kitana inhaled sharply. She didn't know if Harry overheard that or not, but she figured they were done here. Picking up her son, she nodded to Mileena and Reptile, and the gorup of four left.

Skarlet smirked after them and congratulated herself on a job well done. She both successfully taught the child a couple basic spells and angered the woman that trapped her. A true victory in her book.

The guards began dragging her back to her cell, but she didn't much care. She was interested to see how things were going to turn out in the future...

"Are you all right, precious?" Kitana asked softly, looking down at Harry, who timidly looked up at her, then looked away.

"I..I'm all right, Mama." Harry mumbled, and Kitana pulled him into a tight hug.

"There, there, my little child." Kitana sighed.

Harry nuzzled closer into her and closed his eyes, letting out a soft, weary sigh. A sigh that sounded far too worn out for such a young child. His life would be so much easier without this power he was saddled with...

Kitana looked over to Mileena, and debated letting her hold him for a bit, but she seemed agitated, it was clear she needed space, or to be with Tanya right now. Mileena looked to her, then looked away, wordlessly leaving.

"Perhapssss you should resssst for a time." Reptile remarked with a nod. "The two of you could use ssssome rest before continuing any dutiesss."

"Yes, thank you, Reptile." Kitana nodded, managing to keep her composure and regal tone, but the sadness in her eyes was unavoidable. She tightened her hug and set off to find Jade, deciding Harry needed his parents right now.

She decided she would first check the training rooms. She wasn't there. So then she decided to check Jade's quarters. She wasn't there. Finally, she decided to check her own quarters. And there she was, waiting diligantly.

"Kitana, how did-" Jade began but stopped when she saw the tired Harry, quickly making her way to her son's side. "Oh, my little warrior, what happened?" She asked, concern clearl in her voice as Kitana gently set him into Jade's arms.

"He's fine, he's just tired." Kitana frowned. "Magic takes a lot out of someone whose never used it before, and little Harry did q

"Kitana, how did-" Jade began but stopped when she saw the tired Harry, quickly making her way to her son's side. "Oh, my little warrior, what happened?" She asked, concern clearly in her voice as Kitana gently set him into Jade's arms.

"He's fine, he's just tired." Kitana frowned. "Magic takes a lot out of someone whose never used it before, and little Harry did quite well for someone who had never attempted it before." Jade was listening, but her attention was on Harry. She was inspecting him for any injuries, and keeping him wrapped up in her arms and close to her chest.

She was truthfully more worried about Skarlet than she had let on prior. And she wished to attend the next training session just so she could say her piece on what she would do the the crimson scourge if she ever hurt her son.

Harry noticed Jade and nuzzled close, resting his head against her breast and letting out a soft sigh. He seemed exhausted, worn out and tired, but he didn't want to sleep, it wasn't that kind of tired.

"Hey, is everything all right, my little Harry?" Jade asked in a soft voice, turning Harry slightly so he looked up at her. Harry nodded, and then closed his eyes, just trying to get all the affection he could from his mother.

Jade smiled and stroked his back. "Good, good... I'm very glad to hear it... Did you learn any new spells, my dear?" Harry nodded his head slowly. He wanted to show his mother what he could do, but he was just too worn out for the day.

Jade sat on their bed and let him snuggle close, holding onto her hand, he breathed softly, as he tried to gather his strength once more.

"Did everything go all right?" Jade asked, looking to Kitana, who half nodded, half shrugged.

"Yes and no. Skarlet was somewhat problematic, as predicted, but she made no attempt to harm Harry, but she was clearly trying to provoke Mileena."

Jade rolled het eyes. "She is a fool to think that is a good idea... What does she hope to accomplish by angering members of the royal family?" The dark skinned woman groaned in exasperation and slight anger.

"She finds amusement in reminding Mileena of her shortcomings." Kitana sighed. "She enjoys dragging wounds to light, but whatever her reasons are, I can't say. Perhaps she's trying to prove something to herself, or perhaps she simply enjoys it. Either way, she does make a fair point. Mileena's rashness is most likely going to only cause problems for Harry and his learning further down the line."

Kitana looked down. "I will have to find a way to convince Mileena not to join us for Harry's training sessions in a manner that will not offend or anger her..." Jade nodded. That was certainly easier said than done.

"I don't say this to be mean, but some of the claims about her... well, unruliness are not unfounded." Jade remarked with a frown, nuzzling Harry as she spoke. "But I can see in their interactions that she really and truly does care for Harry, and does want to protect him."

"And steal him." Kitana remarked with a mirthful smile.

"Yes, that too." Jade conceded, then kissed Harry's forehead. "But look at the little dear, is he not the most precious thing you've ever lain eyes upon?"

Jade looked at her child and nodded her head with a smile. "Yes, I will concede he is very precious, and I can see why Milesna would enjoy stealing him... Oh... That's now something I have to worry about as well..."

Jade smiled and tightened her hug on Harry somewhat, wanting to comfort her son the best she could right now. Kitana noticed this and smiled, sitting next to her and putting a hand on Harry's back. The tiny boy cooed happily and leaned into both embraces, trying his best to be hugged on both sides.

The two women laughed quietly at their child's cuteness, then moved closer together to try and help him see his desire to be close to them through. They smiled at each other before Kitana kissed Jade's cheek.

Harry reached up for Kitana, as if asking for one as well, and the Kahn grinned, leaning down and kissing his nose, making him giggle at the contact.

"I could never forget you, love." Kitana cooed, kissing his forehead before leaning back. "The poor thing, he's just begun training and already he's exhausted..."

Jade closed her eyes and nodded. "Indeec, the first trsining session is always the most difficult to bear through no matter what your talent is. But so long as he trains consistently, it will become a little bit easier every day."

"I certainly hope so." Kitana nodded, casting a glance out the nearby window. It wasn't raining, but it was somewhat cloudy nonetheless. "His power certainly intrigues me, he had a flash of power much like my own, the same sort of magical winds I could summon with my fans, but he did so with his hands."

"Well, Queen Sindel can use such powers through her voice." Jade shrugged.

"Yes, it's a common trait to our bloodline."

Jade nodded. The power of powerful waves... And Harry wasn't even blood related to Kitana, yet he had a similar type of power to her... It was honestly almost as if they were meant to come together, like it was fate.

"I wonder if he'll be able to learn any of my abilities." Jade commented, smiling down at her son. She doubted it, but it was a nice thought nonetheless. Kitana agreed with a nod, patting Harry's cheek lovingly. "Harry, do you need to take a nap?" She asked, adjusting her son so he was resting against her chest.

"I...Idunno..." Harry yawned.

Kitana smiled and stroked his hair gently. "Hmm... Since you're yawning, I'm going to day yes you do." She cooed gently. Harry let out a soft hum in response and decided to obey his mother. If she thought he needed a nap, he needed a nap.

Kitana took her son and tucked him under the large blanket, smiling at how small he seemed compared to the bed. His face poked out from under the blanket, but he seemed to be sinking into the bed. Regardless, he was too tired to say anything about it, and settled down for a nap. Jade and Kitana took a seat on either side of him, content to watch him sleep.

The two women exchanged a brief smile before turning their attention back to their sleeping child. "He really is far too precious when he is sleeping..." Jade said softly. Kitsns nodded her head in agreement.

Harry began softly snoring, clutching onto the warm blanket he was tucked under, it was clear he was feeling safe and loved, and that was both adorable, and heartbreaking. This shouldn't be a new thing for him, he always should've been cared for, but that wasn't the case, he was abused and harmed for so long, and only now was he being given any sense of affection...

It was disgusting, really, how deeply discrimination seemed to run no matter where anyone lived, to the point where not even a precious, innocent child like Harry was immune from the very, very worst of it.

Well, things would be better now. He had parents who cared for him, Aunts who adored him, a Grandmother who would spoil him, and a bodyguard who would protect him with his life. And Harry seemed to have a strong connection with each one of them.

He would finally be happy after five years of misery and pain... The two women both gently stroked their child, Kitana stroking his head and Jade rubbing his tiny back. The boy, even in his sleep, clearly appreciated the gesture.

"Mama...Mommy..." He mumbled happily in his sleep.

"He truly is so precious... I'd like nothing more than to curl up next to him and sleep the day away." Jade smiled. "But I assume that's not possible, now is it?"

"Tragically, no." Kitana sighed. "I would like nothing more myself, but we have tonight to look forward too, I suppose."

Both women exchanged a smile, then kissed each other lightly before pressing their foreheads together. "I'm very grateful that you accepted my proposal, Jade... Thank you fot agreeing to help me raise our child..."

"I just adore the little darling." Jade smiled. "He's so kind and sweet... he's the perfect child."

"He very much is, and you're the perfect Mother." Kitana smiled at Jade. "You're caring and calm, you've comforted him when he needed it..."

"Yet you're the one who found him, the one who took him in, don't forget hat you did that." Jade replied. "Not out of any sense of need to atone for your past sins, simply because you wanted to help him."

"Fair." Kitana nodded, blushing slightly. "I'll be honest... I didn't intend on keeping him, but the poor thing stole my heart, and I couldn't bare to let him go."

"I'm pretty sure myself or Mileena would've taken him in, so he wouldn't've been gone forever." Jade smirked. "Or Sindel may have adopted him."

"No she'd've likely given him to Mileena, she always wanted a Grandchild."

"And she also always wanted a son... Hmm, seems to be a bit of a tossup as to what would have happened to the poor thing... But either way, whether it was as his mother, aunt or older sister, you would have been part of his life." Jade said.

"Yes... but I'm very happy with how things have turned out." Kitana smiled, leaning back against the headrest. A small whimper caught her attention, and she placed a hand on her sleeping son, which seemed to quickly calm him down. "The poor thing, he didn't ask for any of this..."

"Yes, and yet that is simply how things seem to work out, isn't it?" Jade frowned deeply. "Good and bad things happen to bad and good people, all we can do is trying and figure out how to deal with it..." There was something about the way she spoke that made Kitana realize Jade was talking as much about Harry as she was herself. Kitana couldn't blame her, even after agreeing to parent Harry with her, there were wounds which hadn't fully healed yet, and might not ever. But Kitana knew Jade would talk about them when she was ready.

The two women sat in a comfortable silence, just watching the little boy sleep between them. They didn't need to speak to one another to feel fulfilled being in each other's presence. The mere company of each other was more than enough.

"I will admit, I'm surprised how well he's taken to everything here." Jade spoke up after a bit of silence. "From our powers, to a whole new world, he seems to accept it rather quickly."

"Yes, well I think part of that has to do with him not being harmed by it." Kitana frowned, then smiled. "Still, his confusion was rather adorable when he met Queen Sheeva, I think he was so afraid of offending her that he forgot that he too is technically royalty."

Both women smiled. It was very good that Harry was naturally such a good and well behaved little one... They could count on him to always be on his best behaviour, particularly when there were others present.

Granted, he may have had those manners forced onto him, and he would be punished if he didn't follow them, but he also clearly wanted to make people happy, and it was clear he saw people older than him as people he needed to respect. Therefore, pretty much everyone he would ever meet he would respect, considering how tiny he was...

"I'll be honest... I do wish Father could meet him." Kitana remarked, smiling sadly. "He was a kind man, and a good ruler, he probably would've been able to help Harry with some of what he's going through..."

"I'm sure Kotal would've been able to provide some form of assistance, too." Jade nodded. "Even if he and I remained together, he would've be kind to the little dear, and probably wold've helped him overcome some of his fear."

Both women felt a pang of sadness in their hearts at the rememberance of the lost men in their lives. Jade did note, however, that the pain wasn't quite as immense as it had been for the longest time... She really was healing...

They both had little Harry to thank for that, the sweet, sleeping boy between them was helping close wounds that both women weren't certain ever would close. But now thy had one another to turn to. Things... things may be getting better, they could certainly hope so.

They were getting better... That was an objective fact. Peaceful times were dead ahead of them. They had a large family that adored them. They had a relationship where they both loved and understood each other. And most of all, they had their son.

"Well, what now?" Kitana asked after another few minutes of watching their son sleep.

"...we could train some more." Jade shrugged.

"He's asleep, don't we need- oh, that." Kitana began but trailed off, feeling sheepish for not realizing what Jade was getting at. "Ahem, uh, yes. Let's."

Both women looked down at their child and then exchanged a glance. "Let's ask Mileena or Sindel to watch over him in case he has a nightmare." Jade suggested, to which Kitana nodded in agreement with a smile.

"I think Mother would be better in this case." Kitana nodded, Mileena seemed a little... upset, after Harry's lesson, and the Kahn wanted to let her calm down. "I'll go find her."

Jade nodded and took her sleeping son's hand as Kitana left the room, Jade smiling fondly down at her baby boy. He truly was a precious little thing, and Jade wanted to do everything in her power to keep him safe and happy, no matter the cost.

It really was a privilege to call him her son... To call anyone her son, actually. And if she reslly had to have a child, she was grateful to have one with such impeccable manners... And such a kind and loving heart too.

He was such a little sweet heart, someone who asked for nothing and just wanted to make people around him happy. Jade smiled at his sleeping form, it was clear he was trying his best, honestly trying a little too much, to make her and Kitana happy. It was clear he was pushing himself beyond his usual limits, and Jade didn't want him to feel like he had to do so...

He was such a diligent little thing, always trying so hard to make sure the people in his life would be happy with him... Proud of him... She let out a sigh. "You don't need to fight for my love, my child... It all comes naturally..."

Harry let out a soft coo in his sleep, Jade couldn't tell if he was dreaming or listening, but either way, she took it as him understanding her remark. She meant every word of it, he really, truly was such a sweet little boy, she wanted to give him all the adoration she could.

She sat with him and gently stroked his tiny head with her hand, watching with a warm smile as he slept soundly. He was so peaceful... She just wished he didn't absolutely need herself or Kitana right there to sleep soundly...

But still, she liked being with him while he slept, even if the need to ward off nightmares was a sad one, as it came from a place of pain, not a place of love. Well, they were kind of the same now, but that was beside the point.

"Oh, is he not the most precious little darling?" Sindel remarked as she entered, smiling widely at her sleeping grandson. She saw next to him and gently placed a hand on him. "Sleep tight, you little darling, I'll keep you safe."

Jade nodded and rose to her feet. "Thank you very much, Sindel... I am going to train with Kitana now. If we are to protect our child, we must be in top physical condition." The emerald assassin explained with a nod.

"I don't need any reason to spend time with my little darling." Sindel smiled, down at Harry. "You and Kitana take all the time you need, he'll be safe and secure with me."

"And if we return and he isn't here, should we assume he's in your room or-"

"-the garden, yes."

Jade nodded her head in affirmation and leaned down to give Harry a kiss on the forehead. "Rest well, my little dear..." She whispered before backing out of the room, not taking her eyes off of her son until she turned the corner.

Sindel smiled down at Harry, seating herself against the headboard and relaxed, the tiny boy was sleeping peacefully, and she had no intentions of disturbing that. She let her hair drape down over Harry, gently resting against him. With a smile, the Queen bent down and kissed her sleeping Grandson's cheek.

The boy cooed adorably in his sleep and Sindel laughed softly before using a few stray strands of hair to pull a nearby rocking chair over to herself so she could comfortably sit and watch over her sleeping grandson.

It was about ten minutes before Harry began squirming, clearly tapped in a nightmare. Silently and swiftly, Sindel scooped him up, wrapping him in a blanket and pulling him into a warm embrace. The tiny boy continued squirming in his sleep, but the warmth and hug from his Grandmother did seem to help calm him somewhat.

He was calmed further when she began to rock him back and forth gently in her arms, marvelling at how cute he was when he was a snuggly little coccoon all snug in her arms. She leaned back in her chair and smiled.

The poor little thing was so cute and adorable, snuggled safely in her arms. The little boy had thankfully calmed himself down from his nightmare, and was smiling softly as he slept in her arms.

"Oh, you're just a sweet little thing, aren't you?" Sindel cooed softly, rocking the boy in her arms as he snored softly.

She gently pushed the rocking chair back and forth, closing her eyes and holding her grandson close. This was such a lovely feeling... He was the little boy she always wanted, whether as a son or grandson...

"Mama..." Harry mumbled in his sleep, and Sindel's face reddened somewhat at that, and she let out a soft 'Aww...' before kissing his forehead.

"No, precious. Grandmother has you, my little darling." Sindel said softly, readjusting him in her arms and rubbing his back. The Queen felt a serene sense of relaxation as she sat in the chair with her grandson, thinking about all the things she could do with him. She could take him for a stroll, work in the garden with him, read him stories, style his cute little hair...

She smiled mirthfully as she imagined all these activities. Surely her daughter wouldn't mind if her dearly beloved mother stole her little one for herself for a day every now and again. It was only fair, since she was her mother after all.

Even if she did have issue with it, Sindel didn't much care. He pulled a blanket up over the pair and let Harry snuggle down into her lap. He was such a sweet little precious baby, and Sindel wanted to spend all the time she could with him. From the way he snuggled close, holding onto her hair, it was the sweetest thing she had ever seen.

He looked like a little baby caterpillar just settling in his coccoon to await his metamorphosis into a lovely butterfly. An apt comparisoj to he sure, as he really was destined to become something truly wonderful later in life.

But for now, she'd hold her little cocooned baby close and keep him snug and warm. Sindel herself didn't realize it, but she had fallen asleep for about an hour, re-awakening and feeling squirming in her arms. At first, she believed Harry was having another nightmare, and that may be the case, but he looked up in confusion as his eyes slowly opened.

"M..mama? Mommy?" He mumbled.

"No, love. Grandmother has you." Sindel smiled warmly.

"Oh... hi Gramma."

Sindel let out a soft throaty laugh and kissed his forehead. "Hello to you to, my precious little darling... And how was your sleep?" Harry nuzzled in closer to her breast and let out a tiny yadn, trying to ward of the sleepiness.

"Itwasnice..."

"Mmm, I'm delighted to hear that." Sindel smiled. "Did you have any nightmares?"

"Mmhm... butItinkyouscardthemaway..." Harry mumbled sleepily, rubbing his eyes as he still fought to wake up. That was good news to the Queen, who smiled and kissed him again.

"Well, I'm glad to hear I was able to help." She remarked.

Harry stretched his tiny arms and tried to adjust himself in Sindel's arms so that he was sitting up. Sindel carefully helped him sit up and stroked his hair gently. Harry leaned in like a sleepy kitten and hummed softly.

"You just might be the sweetest little thing I've ever lain eyes on." Sindel smiled, resting her chin on top of his head as she pulled him into a hug. "You're so cute, I could just eat you up!"

"But... you're not gonna, right?" Harry mumbled, still unsure what the expression meant. Sindel laughed gently and kissed his head again.

"Of course not. But you are very cute." She remarked.

Harry rested his head against her chest and frowned softly. "You shouldn't eat people up, grandma, they don't like it... They have people to be with and they'd be really sad if they got eaten up..." He mumbled.

"Aww, you're too precious." Sindel laughed gently.

"I can try and stop..."

"No, no, no, my little darling. I'm just talking." Sindel spoke softly, her heart breaking slightly as she took in just how damaged Harry truly was. He didn't even understand she was trying to compliment him, he just... oh, the poor thing.

As the former queen of this land, she felt like she really should be the one to punish the ones responsible for harming this boy. He was a member of her kingdom now, after all. One of her people... Well... now he was one of Kitana's people...

But he was also her sweet little grandson, so she intended on showing him all the affection in the world. She wrapped both arms around him and gave him a long kiss on the forehead, making him smile at the contact.

"Gramma? Where's Mama?" Harry asked, innocently. Sindel smiled and patted his head.

"She and Jade went to train for a bit, and they asked me to watch you." Sindel remarked.

"Oh, okay." Harry nodded, snuggling closer to Sindel once more.

He paused for a moment before he looked up at his grandmother with his head tilted to the side and a confused and curious expression on his face. "Um... Gramma? Am I gonna have to train like mommy and mama?"

"Someday, maybe." Sindel remarked with a nod. "You won't need to fight so viciously like them or myself, those days of trials by kombat are long behind us. But you probably will be trained somewhat in some styles, if for no other reason than being able to defend yourself. But don'y worry, my sweet. That won't be for some time, and until then, we'll keep you safe."

"Thank you..." Harry mumbled.

Sindel swore she heard something in the corner of the room and looked over with a tilted head. "Reptile, dear, have you been standing there in that corner all night?" The reptilian ninja made himself visible.

"I have been here sssince Jade left, that isss all." He remarked with a shrug, and Sindel smirked slightly.

"So my own daughter doesn't trust me to watch her son, is that it?"

"No, your Majesty. I wasss asked to uphold my dutiesss, I meant no offence by doing so." Reptile shook his head, his tone calm and genuine, and Sindel respected him for that.

The former empress nodded her head in understanding. "I see... You are truly devoted to your position as Harry's guardian. I commend you for your loyalty, Reptile, even when it was towatds the most vile of kahn...

"When one'ssss kind is gone, and you are all that remain, you find yourself ssserving out of a sense of want to keep that bloodline alive, even if you know it endssss with you." Reptile shrugged, and Sindel was genuinely taken aback by his remark. Reptile hadn't spoken much about his past, or his people, but Sindel knew they were at one point conquered by Shao Kahn, but now? Now a lot suddenly fell into place. Reptile was loyal because... there wasn't anything else for him. His kind was gone, and he may be the last of them, because of that, what reason was there to try and fight for your kind?

She let out a sigh and shook her head. She had a hand in helping slaughter so many under Shao Kahn's control... She absolutely despised that man, moreso than any other being in this entire castle... He had ruined so much...

Surprisingly, Reptile seemed almost indifferent.

"Timessss change, your Majessty." Reptile remarked, nodding down to Harry. "The pain and bloodshed that once stained this land isss no longer the norm. If you allow the passsst to control you, then the future surely will only repeat what has previously happened."

The lizard man's words were impactful to both Harry and Sindel. They both had dark pasts full of pain and turmoil that left them feeling a constant state of fear and misery. They both had many demons to overcome.

Sindel felt guilt while Harry felt a mixture of things. Confusion, apprehension, and pain. It was clear something bad had happened to Reptile in the past, and to his Gramma and his Mama and his mommy and his Aunties and... everyone he had met in this world thus far, save for Erron Black (whom he assumed correctly just didn't care) but maybe it was his age, or maybe it was because of his compassion, Harry was afraid to ask what had happened, even if he wanted to ask so he could help them any way he could.

Reptile seemed to sense Harry's concern for him and gave him a small smile. "Do not grieve for my sssake, young Harry... I have long made peace with what happened in my passst. I now move forward to the future."

Harry nodded, resting his head on Sindel's shoulder and sighed slightly. The queen kept him wrapped up protectively, and smiled down at him, trying to let him know things would be okay.

"It is an era of peace we live in now, my dear grandson... Some like Reptile suffered greatly under the rule of unsavoury monsters. But we all fought hard to make that world better... And in the end, the victory was ours."

"Oh." Was all Harry said. He had been told a little bit about Outworld's past, but what he had been told was that things were bad, really bad. It was becoming clearer to him now that things had happened not just to Outworld, but to his family. He didn't like that... he wanted them to be happy!

He didn't like this old ruler. He sounded like a really bad man. He hurt people in his kingdom that he was ruling. He was their ruler though. He was supposed to protect them and keep them safe, not hurt them.

Sindel looked to Reptile, silently sending him a message which he nodded in understanding to. Harry would learn of Shao Kahn in time, but right now he had enough to deal with. Kitana and Jade would teach him more of their past in time, right now, helping him control his magic, and more importantly, his own mind after everything he had been through was more important.

The former Kahn's cruelty was not at all something someone as young as Harry should know about... They would tell him all about what happnened when they decided he was old enough to understand it all.

For now, Harry remained on Sindel's lap, feeling safe and secure in the Queen's arms. The former Queen smiled warmly down at him, kissing the top of his head, earning a small coo from the tiny boy. It was clear he wanted to make them happy, and he was succeeding just by being himself.

Simply having her precious little grandson in her arms was such a relaxing feeling. She felt so at peace whenever she had him. Perhaps that was because he was a fresh start for her... An opportunity to interact with someone as a clean slate.

Harry didn't know, didn't care, or wasn't affected by the things she had done in the past, therefore, he saw no reason to fear her. From the moment they met, he had latched onto her as a source of comfort and protection, and hat was something Sindel was just fine with.

She needed someone in her life that was blissfully unaware of her past transgressions... It would make it so much easier to try and get herself out there and win back the favour of her former subjects. Just this little dose of love was all she needed.

She felt Harry nuzzle against her, gently attempting to wrap his arms around her in a reassuring hug.

"Oh, you're too sweet." Sindel chuckled, patting his back and earning a small smile from Harry. "There, there. There, there." She cooed softly.

He snuggled in closer and clutched at her outfit with his tiny fists. Sindel smiled and rocked him back and forth. His constant attempts to cheer others up were so adorable... He was such a helpful little dear...

She saw why Kitana and Jade adored him, she did as well. He was the epitome of innocence and kindness, he just wanted to be held by his family nothing more, he just wanted them to be happy, as that made him happy.

And in turn, his happiness made all of them happy. It was a lovely cycle that she hoped would continue for many years to come... Oh how she dreaded the fact that he was going to grow up someday and become independant...

As if on cue, Harry snuggled closer, wanting to remain by her side. Sindel draped her hair over him like a blanket and rocked the chair slightly, Harry sighing happily and remaining where he was. The Queen couldn't tell if Harry was hungry or not, or if he wanted anything other than a hug, but for now, she was content to hold him where he was.

Then the sound of Harry's grumbling stomach made it clear that the time for cuddles was over and it was now time to go and get some breakfast. Truthfully, she was feeling rather peckish herself, so it worked out nicely...

Rising to her feet, Sindel left the room with Harry snug in her arms, resting his head against her shoulder, looking around him at the temple as she headed off to get a late breakfast. Harry still seemed so amazed by his new home, trying to take in all the details and things he hadn't seen thus far.

Sure, there currently wasn't anything new about these hallways that he hadn't already seen, but he still liked to look at it because it just felt like home to him. He never once felt like he was at home at the Dursleys, but here, he just... did.

Sindel smiled at that, picking up on what he was thinking about.

"Yes, my sweet. This is your home." She cooed softly. "You'll be cared for here, you'll never be hurt like you were before while you're here."

"Thank you, Gramma..." Harry said quietly.

"Oh, you're welcome, my little darling. Just you wait, little Harry... Someday you will be able to live in peace without the need for us to reassure you all is well... Because the day will come... where you will just know that all is well." She replied.

"That'd be nice..." Harry mumbled, holding onto his Grandmother. While Sindel knew the day would come, she secretly didn't hope it wouldn't come too soon, as being a pillar of reassurance and safety for the sweet baby boy she held in her arms was something she took great pleasure in.

She had missed the feeling of being needed... As far as she was concerned, Kitana had grown up much too fast, and it wasn't like she ever got to raise Mileena from childhood, as she was born into an adult body.

And while the caveat of him being so broken and shattered was not a pleasant one, there was something special about Harry. Maybe it was because her daughter found him and took him in, or maybe it was just his adorable little personality, but she loved everything about him, and was more than happy to help raise him.

She would dread seeing him grow up from her tiny adorable little grandso , but also look forward to seeing just what sort of man he would grow up to be in his adulthood. He wasva little ball of clay that had to be molded very carefully.

He wouldn't be molded like her daughters, he wouldn't be made into someone's tool or weapon. He'd grow up to be powerful in his own right, but he would do what was right, he would lead his people to a better tomorrow. He would be a wise ruler, possibly one who didn't rule through strength, but through compassion and wisdom. That was something Sindel wished she could've ruled through, and for a time, with Jerrod, she did. But now... well, the past was the past. There wasn't anything she could do to change it, aside from guide her Grandson to a better tomorrow.

Smiling to herself, she made her way into the dining room and set Harry down. She turned to one of the attendants. "Apologies for arriving late for breakfast, my dear, but we're ready to eat now jf that's all right."

"Of course, your Majesty." One of them said with a respectable curtsey. "We've saved plenty for you and the young majesty."

Harry blinked in confusion, raising a brow. Sindel laughed gently and rubbed his back.

"They're talking about you, darling." She remarked.

"Oh. Um... thank you..." Harry mumbled, still feeling awkward about being considered royalty.

He was a prince... It was weird to consider that he was taken in by someone with such a huge status as Miss Kitana. He had always imagined a princess or queen or whatever a kahn was would glance right over someone like him...

Sindel felt a pang of guilt at that. Did he really see himself as so worthless? She didn't need to ask, she sadly knew the answer. Still, Harry seemed determined to show the staff respect, even if technically he was leagues above them, he saw them as people who he wanted to show the courtesy and kindness he believed they deserved. that was sweet, and it was also a nice sight, as it showed Sindel how Harry may one day rule. With compassion and kindness, using words rather than violence.

She gave the boy a gentle head pat and seated him down in the chair next to him. Looking over, she noted Reptile was standing against the wall, leaning against it with his arms crossed over his chest, watching over Harry.

Sindel genuinely couldn't tell if Reptile resent her and her Daughters or not. They had been responsible for the destruction of Zaterra, and had since served Shao Kahn, Kotal Kahn and Kitana Kahn for reasons which were slowly becoming clearer. Regardless, he and Harry appeared to have a solid, strong bond nonetheless, and his loyalty to Harry at least was genuine, and Harry showed him respect and admiration the way Kitana did Jade in some regards.

The two didn't really show much outwardly, mainly due to the fact that Reptile was not at all the emotional or touchy-feely type, but it was abundantly clear, at least to her, that he and Harry really did like each other.

Maybe it was because there was another boy here, or at least a boy who didn't drink and ignore everyone (even though if she was honest, Sindel liked Erron more than Kitana, Jade or Mileena did) but there was something about their connection that Sindel admired. It seemed so real and genuine, and she wasn't sure what it was built on, but it was solid nonetheless.

Soon enough, the doors were opened, and breakfast was served. "Ah, thank you very much, ladies. You may rest until you are needed again." The former queen said with a smile and a nid. The maids curtsied and left.

Harry found himself tucked into Sindel's arm, looking up at his Grandmother as she picked up some food and began to feed him. He could eat on his own (he thought), but his Grandmother was very comfortable and gentle, so he remained snuggled in by her side as she fed him breakfast.

Honestly, he enjoyed it when his family fed him. It was a nice and comforting feeling that was a nice and comfortable reminder that he was actually allowed to eat snd no one would harm him for doing so.

For Sindel, it was almost like having a little pet sitting on her lap that she fed, or rather, a baby wrapped snuggly in her arms that she was caring for. It felt somewhat odd referring to her grandson as such, but he was as cute and sweet as both of those things, so she didn't mind the comparison. Plus, the way Harry would look up at her with adoring eyes was so precious to her... he seemed so thankful just to be near her, let alone held and fed, and while it was horribly he was so abused that he thought that way, sindel decided the best way to fix that would be through all the love and affection his sweet, precious little heart could handle.

Soon enough, breakfast was finished, and Sindel decided that the best way to follow up on it was to head out to the garden.

Harry reached up to her when she rose to her feet, and Sindel smiled warmly, scooping him up into her arms and letting him get comfortable. Harry may be a little spoiled by the time she was done with him, but the tiny boy just seemed to want to be with her and nothing more, so Sindel wanted to give him everything he could want.

"Come, my little Prince. Let's spend some time in the garden."

Harry eagerly nodded his head. Reptile was quick to follow along behind. He needed to make sure his young master did not end up getting hurt. There were some rather dangerous plants out in that garden...

Sindel smiled at the happiness the garden seemed to bring her little grandson. She enjoyed working out here on her own, it was calming and rather beautiful, but getting to do work out here with her precious little prince? That was a delightful thought to the Queen. Harry looked around at the different types of flowers he had been learning about, and still wondered how they grew. Some of them looked almost metallic, for lack of a better word, while others had long, thin stems that somehow supported the flower heads.

Sindel looked over at him and gave him a small smirk. "The plants from your world are certainly beautiful and lovely to have around... But the plants in this realm are far more unique and varied, would you not agree?"

"Mmhm." Harry nodded, leaning against Sindel as he held onto her hair slightly. He looked about, enjoying the colours and sights of the garden all around him. He wondered how his Mothers were doing, and he hoped his Aunt Mileena was okay, she had seemed unhappy earlier... but right now, he was happy with his Grandmother.

Meanwhile, Kitana and Jade's weapons collided with one another. For their sparring matches, they always made sure to use safer alternatives to their usual weapons of choice so they didn't grievously injure one another by accident.

Unlike the last time they fought, where Jade had struck Kitana, both warriors fought with power and elegance, their weapons striking one another, but never hitting the ones who held them.

"Harry seemed upset, are you sure everything is all right?" Jade asked for he third time.

"Yes, he's just tired." Kitana nodded, dodging out of the way of another strike. "His magic clearly takes a lot out of him, and he wasn't used to using it just yet."

"Yes, I suppose you're right... I just want the poor thing to be happy..." Jade replied softly, looking down at the ground. Kitana set aside her training weapons. Seemed it was time for the two of them to take a little break.

"Well, her certainly seems happy to have you as his Mother." Kitana remarked with a smile.

"As you." Jade nodded. "But then again, you found the little dear, of course he's happy with you."

"Yes, and I think he has a special connection with Mother." Kitana nodded again. "Then again, she seems to have a special bond with him, regardless of his response to it."

"But he seems to love her nonetheless."

They both nodded. It was always nice to see a reminder that Sindel was no longer the ruthless tyrannical monster that Shao Kahn had forcibly turned her into. Kitana had never truly believed her compassionate and loving mother would be plotting against their prosperous kingdom all along. Not after how just she had been before Shao Kahn.

Still, she wasn't weak, either. She wasn't one to suffer fools, but Harry may be the acceptation. Not that Kitana thought him to be a fool, but it seemed like anything he did would be met with love and adoration from Sindel, and most certainly would be met that way as far as Mileena was concerned. Then again, everything Harry did, he did out of good faith, so any mistakes he made weren't intentionally malicious, he just wanted to be helpful.

She closed her eyes and smiled softly. She was so proud of her little one... He was doing such an amazing job of overcoming his past trauma, though she couldn't hrlp but wonder if she would need yo have him see a ptofessional.

She also wondered if him seeing his old family before they were dealt with would be detrimental or helpful. She believed honestly it would be both. In the moment, it would hurt, and would only cause him more stress and pain, but in the long-term, it would be a reminder of how far he has come, how much better he's gotten at dealing with his pain, and how he isn't afraid of it anymore. But she also didn't want to push him into that, either.

Everything had to come naturally. He had to grow and heal at his own pace. If she tried to force anything, it was very likely that things could potentially get worse. Patience was a virtue, and in this case, a vitally important one.

Still, Kitana would be lying if she said she was fine with being patient until she could get her blades on the ones who harmed her son. She wanted to do that sooner rather than later, she wanted them to pay for their crimes... heck, it seemed like the entire royal family did too.

And it was only a matter of time, too. By now the special services must have been getting close to getting their hands on those disgusting, lower than dung swine that deserved to suffer all the tortures of hell.

She paused, considering if she should keep training or go see her child. Eventually, she settled on training. She adored hugging her little boy close, keeping him wrapped up under a blanket and reading to him, hearing his soft laughs as she played with him, but she also knew she had to be prepared to protect him, and she couldn't do that if she gave up her training. Besides, Harry had Reptile and Sindel with him, he'd be more than safe.

Outside, Sindel was giving Harry a detailed description of each individual plant in the garden. Harry hung onto her every word. This was such an interesting experience for him, seeing so many unfamiliar plants in one place.

Harry looked down and let out a happy coo, but didn't notice both Sindel and Reptile tense in a moment of genuine apprehension, and possibly fear, as a small rabbit hopped by, looking about before scratching its ear. After a moment, they both realized it wasn't one of the vicious ones that had been an issue previously, and Sindel let out a small sigh of relief. The rabbit looked about, then hopped off, heading (presumably) towards it burrow.

"It's cute." Harry said softly. "They were nice when I was working in the garden, even if Aunt Petunia got angry with me when they ate some of the plants..."

Sindel smiled, but it was most certainly a strained one. "Yes, rabbits do have a tendency to disturb plantlife, but I just never had the heart to do anything about it... They're such cute little creatures..."

Well, the heart and the scars. More than a few had attacked her (to her annoyance) but now, it was because they were rather cute when they weren't out for blood. Kind of like Mileena, actually... but now, she didn't want to do anything that would upset her grandson, so she figured they could stay. For now. Although she would have to tell Erron not to shoot them if Harry was around. He hunted them if/when he got bored, and Sindel had a feeling that wouldn't sit too well with Harry.

One of the rabbits seemed to be exploring the garden, and it came very close to Harry. It curiously hopped its way over and began to sniff at the boy's leg. The rabbit came to the conclusion that this human child was no threat and decided to sit down in front of him and stare.

Harry reached down and gently patted it on the head. He had some experience with petting the rabbits that would wander through the yard when he was working, and they always made him happy. The small animal leaned into the contact, then looked back up at him, before looking about as if searching for food.

The rabbit settled on a small leaf from one of the nearby plants. Sindel, having planned for this, pulled out a leaf of lettuce and moved it in front of the rabbit's face.

The rabbit looked to it, then hungrily ate it, crunching it up and stuffing it into its face. Harry laughed as the small sight, and Sindel passed him a leaf, motioning for him to try.

Harry obediently held the leaf of lettuce out to the tiny rodent and it acceptec it with gusto, wolfing it down happily. Now its little rabbit belly was full, so it decided to just lay there for s little while and watch Harry.

He scratched its head again, and it leaned into the contact, seeming happy with Harry if it meant food and attention. The rabbits in the garden hadn't eaten many of the plans, mostly because the plants were higher off the ground, to a point where they couldn't reach the leaves. Still, this one seemed rather calm around Harry, when in the past, they had been skittish around everyone.

Seemed the boy had a gift with the creature. This was not even remotely surprising to Sindel though. He naturally had such a gentle air to him, even creatures as naturally timid as rabbits were comfortable with him.

She was thankful the fall hadn't come yet, as the saber-jackals would be making their way through the lands on their migratory journey to warmer climates. Sindel believed Harry probably could tame one with his kindness, but they were known for being rather vicious with little to no provocation, to a point where even Tarkatans would simply see them as wild animals, and didn't attempt to train them as hunting partners. Again, Sindel believed Harry might be able to tame one with his sweetness, but she dare not put him in any form of danger.

May 28She simply decided to continue to show her grandson around t

She simply decided to continue to show her grandson around the gardens. "Have you seen these plants before, Harry? These are plants from your world. They are known as Venus Flytraps." Sindel explained.

Harry looked at them, they looked weird. They looked like they had a mouth, sort of, with sharp spikes around the edge of it. He took a wager that they were used to capture flies, and he was pretty okay with that. He liked seeing spiders, butterflies and other insects, but flies were always... annoying. He never had the heart to harm them, but he didn't feel the need to try and help them like he did when a spider fell from its web outside while he slept.

As if on cue, a small fly buzzed around and landed on the flytrap, which quickly closed its jawns around the small insect to begin its meal. Harry's eyes widened at the sight. "Wow... That was really cool!"

"Mm, there are some insects which are rather obnoxious." Sindel frowned. "Some bite, yet others are toxic to plants for one reason or another. They can't harm a person to a large degree, but I've taken to planting these and some others to help deal with potential infestations." Mosquitoes were annoying enough, but some of the Kytinn spawn could be downright painful to both person and plant. Sindel tried not to harbour hatred towards their kind because of that, but more so because of that wretch, D'Vorah. But that was neither here nor there.

Harry meanwhile, watched as another sleek, colourful bird fluttered down and began grabbing some seeds from a nearby S'uon Flower, a plant similar to the sun flowers he had seen back home, but a bit larger and with more of a golden colouring.

This bird was sky blue in colour and practically glowed in the afternoon light. The bird peckef st the seeds in the plsnt before letting out a majestic cry and taking off into the sky, dropping several seeds from its besk in the process.

Harry remembered what his Mother had told him, about how that was how the flowers would get spread around, but he was curious what kind of bird that was. He hadn't seen it back home, so it had to belong to his new home.

It was a very pretty bird... He liked them a lot. He wished birds weren't so timid around people though... He liked them a lot. They were really cute and really pretty. Especially owls. They were his favourite.

He wondered if he could have a pet Owl, that'd be cool! They always seemed so calm and wise, but they also seemed powerful and loyal. There was something about their feathers that intrigued him, and he couldn't say why. Maybe it was because he saw them flying about while he was stuck outside, but they always looked like they were in the middle of something important.

Except for that one owl that had actually come down to see him that one time. That little owl had acted like it was someone's pet and was used to being given affection by human beings. Its feathers had been very soft.

It was also very pretty, and had been white as snow. If Harry recalled correctly, it would've been called a Snowy Owl. It had spent some time with him, then left when the morning came, which made Harry sad, but he understood. Owls slept during the day, and he was surprised one spent any amount of time with a freak like him...

Maybe he would see more owls here in his new home that he could possibly make friends with... He turned to look at his grandmother. "Um... Gramma? Are there any owls here...? Because I really really like owls..."

"There are, my sweet." Sindel smiled warmly at him. "They're nocturnal, so we won't see one today, but some night if one happens to be nearby, I'll be sure to collect you so you can see them."

"That'd be cool..." Harry said quietly, thinking it over.

'Yes, yes, don't you worry your sweet little head about it.' Sindel thought with a grin. 'I'll take care of you that night... your Mothers will just have to wait.'

The former ruler paused for a moment before giving her grandson a smile. "You know, some in this world keep owls as pets. There is quite a demand for them, you see. They've become quite popular amongst the citizens..."

"Really?" Harry asked, looking up at her with that adorable, wide-eyed hopeful expression. "That's really cool..."

"Indeed, they're loyal pets which follow their trainers for their entire life." Sindel continued. "Plus, there's something quite beautiful about them. The way they move, and how soft they can be. They're loved for a reason."

She had honestly been considering getting an owl herself. They seemed like such a lovely and elegant companion to have. Perhaps her daughter could be convinced to let Harry have an owl of his own...

Harry snuggled back against Sindel, resting his head on her shoulder and looking out over the garden. Everything was so pretty and nice, he wished he could stay out here with his Mommies forever and ever! It was so pretty, and the flowers were so vibrant, he just wanted to learn more and more about them.

Sindel carried him around and told him more about the flowers and plants, pointing out ones that could potentially hurt him and explaining how he could avoid such scenarios. It was very nice and relaxing.

There was still much he had to learn, and his Grandmother clearly seemed to know a lot, so he was happy to listen as she taught him. They spent quite a bit of time together, Harry holding onto the Queen's hair almost like a safety blanket, but Sindel didn't mind in the slightest. He was so small and cuddly, she just adored having him close. She didn't know how much time had passed, but eventually she saw the Kahn and her wife approaching.

Kitana nodded her acknowledgement and Sindel smiled back before looking down at Harry. "Well, dear, it seems your mother has come to gather you." Harry perked right up when he heard that and whirled around to see his parents.

"Mama! Mommy!" He said happily as Kitana picked him up and held him in a warm, tight hug.

"Hello, precious." Kitana cooed, kissing his head playfully as Harry snuggled closer. It had only been a few hours, but Harry loved his parents nonetheless. "You seem to have had a nice time with Grandmother."

"Uh-huh! We had food, and we went out in the garden, and she showed me all the plants and told me what they are and what they do and then we saw some birdies and I made friends with a bunny and it was nice."

Kitana laughed, then frowned in annoyance when Jade took Harry from her. "Hey..."

"He's my little warrior, too." Jade remarked. hugging her son and kissing his cheek. "I'm happy you had a good day, sweetie. It's good you seem so happy."

Harry responded by nuzzling in closer to her. She gently patted his back and looked around the garden. She decided to simply trust that Sindel had warned their child about the spiky and thorny plants that could hurt him...

Sindel was smart, and she cared for Harry. Of course she did! Jade reassured herself. But again, being a Mother meant caring for your child, even if you were going slightly overboard with that. Still, she didn't want her little warrior getting hurt.

He was hurt quite enough already... Now that she thought about it, did she even know the full story? She knew his relatives had physically abused him, but to what extent had they done so exactly? This was something she needed to know...

She didn't want to make Harry talk about it, but she also somewhat felt like she had too. If he didn't, who knew when he'd ever open up about it? He was such a delicate, sweet little boy, and the memoires of pain were only causing him more trouble...

If she could, she would take those awful memories and erase them from his mind altogether. Alas, she had no such ability... These memories were just something that this poor terrified child would have to live with...

Still, she'd do all she could to take care of him, to make him happy and help him move away from those memories. She cared too much for him to be trapped with them forever, and she'd do everything she could to help. Harry deserved that, and so much more.

She gently rubbed the boy's back and looked down at him, feeling her heart warm at the sight of his sweet smiling face. Oh how she wanted to see this smile all day, every day for the rest of her life. It lit her life right up.

Harry snuggled closer, clearly enjoying the safety of his Mother's embrace. His mind began to wander, and he questioned what could he do to show his thankfulness? His Mama told him Jade had lost someone, but i didn't seem like he could find them, so that wasn't an option. She had told him that him being himself was enough, but he wanted to do more! He wanted to make her happy!

What had Dudley done when he wanted his aunt happy again...? Oh right. He usually made her a card. But could he do that? He had never made one before. In fact, he had never even touched the stuff people used to make cards...

Maybe he could do that here? He felt like that would work, but he wanted to do more! His Mama had plucked him from a river and held him close, taking him in as her son almost immediately, and his Mommy cared for him when no one else would. She had listened, understood, been compassionate... everything a Mother should, and Harry wanted to give that love and appreciation back to them.

Their love was entirely unconditional and pure. He couldn't just abdorb it without making the effort to pay it back somehow... This sense of love and warmth... It was what he had dreamed of all his life...

Jade seemed to pick up on how happy he was, a pulled him closer, kissing the top of his head as he buried his face into her neck. A small sigh escaped him, and signalled to Jade that he was happy. The Emerald Assassin beamed as she rocked her son in her arms, trying to keep him as relaxed as he could be.

Kitana watched the whole scene with a small smile. It was so nice to see her best friend so genuinely happy after all the time she had spent as s ball of depression and self loathing. And sll it took was one little boy.

Harry had done so much for her, and he still seemed so desperate to help in any way she could. She needed to let him know it was okay, that he didn't need to do everything on his own, but she wasn't sure how to do that. If she straight-up told him, he'd probably think he had done something wrong, and she doubted he could understand a subtle approach...

She would have to figure something out. She didn't want her child to become one of those people that just focused entirely on helping others at the cost of their own happiness and well being. Wanting to help was great... But he needed to know he was important too.

Still, if there was someone who needed help, it may be Mileena. Jade may have mixed feelings on the clone, but she seemed so... broken, the last time she saw her. Not even Tanya had managed to lift her spirits, and she had asked to be left alone. Jade didn't know if this alone meant 'alone' or 'alone, with Harry', but she hadn't asked.

She remembered that Harry had spent time with Mileena the night prior... Perhaps that had been enough to help her... sister in law... Oh... Mileena and Tanya were her sisters now, in all technicality. She didn't know what to make of that.

Still, if even Tanya couldn't raise her spirits, that probably meant something was genuinely wrong. As childish as Mileena could be, Tanya could always reach her in one way or another. Something Skarlet had done had probably hurt her in a way she hadn't experienced in a long time, or hurt her in a way she didn't want to experience for a long time.

She... was not at all a fan of Skarlet herself if she was being entirely honest. The woman naturally gave off an eerie, uncomfortable vibe and she kind of wished she had been up for execution as she felt the world would have been safer at that point.

And now she was the only one who could teach her son how to control his powers... that was something else which gave her pause, but she didn't know how to teach him what he needed to learn, so she couldn't exactly help him either...

She could train him in physical combat no problem if it came down to it, but she didn't know the first thing about how magic was supposed to work, and after all the wicked magic wielders, she hadn't exactly felt motivated to learn.

But now that meant the only one who could teach him to the degree he needed was Skarlet. Joy.

Kitana seemed to pick up on her feelings, and hugged Jade and her son, holding them close and earning a smile from the Assassin. She liked these feelings of comfort and warmth, and knowing she was making her son happy made her happy.

Harry looked up at his parents and smiled softly before coming across a dilemma. He didn't know which one of them he was going to hug.

Eventually, he gave up and attempted to hug both. Jade and Kitana noticed this, and adjusted him so both of them were better hugging him at the same time. He couldn't fully hug both, but he was trying his little heart out, and that's what mattered to both of them.

The two women looked each other in the eyes and smiled softly. Truthfully, they kind of wanted to kiss, but neither one of them was currently comfortable enough to do that right in front of Reptile, and especially Sindel.

Still, they were more than comfortable with hugging their son, so they focused on that for the time being. There was something so rewarding about just hugging him, and neither of them could fully explain what that was.

Perhaps it was the simple fact that the three of them were a family, after so many years of being alone... The only one who had known such a close relationship in the past was Jade. Kitana had her family for a time... until Shao Kshn showed up... And Harry... He had no one...

And of them all, Harry was the least deserving of what happened to him. He was such an innocent little soul, and he was hated for something he didn't even understand. His pain and suffering was simply... because. Because they enjoyed it? Because they genuinely feared him? Kitana didn't know, and she doubted she ever would.

They were sick, twisted, evil souls... She didn't even know them personally, she had never even seen them in fact, but based on what she knew they had done to this child, it was obvious they were evil, repulsive human beings.

Harry meanwhile felt warm and loved, and remained where he was. He looked up at his Mommies and smiled at them, Jade smiling and kissing his forehead in response, earning a small giggle from him. Harry felt like everything they had told him was true. That he would be able to get through this, that in the end, he would get better and he would overcome his pain. He hoped it was true, he really did...

He decided it was true... He needed to be strong and put his faith in his family. They had done a very good job protecting him and loving him thus far and he had to have faith that this wouldn't end any time soon.

Hopefully he could grow up to be powerful and wise like them, he wanted to make them happy, above all else! Little did he know everything he did was already aiding in that. Kitana was happier than she ever believed she could be, and Jade felt the same way.

He was a little gift that lit up their lives in ways no one else could. There was nothing about him that wasn't full of warmth, love and joy... Well... trauma notwithstanding, of course... If that awful stuff had never happened, he would have been a true ray of sunshine.

However, when a guard approached and bowed respectfully, the adults were a little nervous. Typically, the servants came if there was anything of note, and if a guard came, it usually meant something had happened.

"Your majesties." He spoke crisply. "I ask you come with me, a matter has arisen that I believed requires all your attention."

"Oh dear... Has anything bad happened?" Kitana asked nervously. After so many years of a war-torn world where c

"Oh dear... Has anything bad happened?" Kitana asked nervously. After so many years of a war-torn world where crime ran rampant, she was properly paranoid about things taking a step back into chaos.

"...well..." The guard seemed to fidget awkwardly before looking down to Harry, then back to Kitana. "Some of our Earthrealm allies have contacted us, they've found the young Prince's abusers, and were wondering if you wanted to deal with them."

"T-they found them, all ready!?" Jade sputtered, genuinely surprised by this revelation. On the one hand, she was shocked, but on the other hand, her bloodlust grew.

"Yes, uh, apparently Kano and the Black Dragons sold them out to several of Special Forces' agents for alcohol." The guard said in a 'I-seriously-don't-beleive-this-but-this-is-happening-way'. "But Captain Stryker and Kabal have contacted us, asking for your input on what to do next."

Kitana and Jade exchanged a glance, then nodded, knowing exactly what the other was thinking. "Bring them to us... They will be punished by the hand of their own realm... Right after I am finished with them." Kitana said coldly.

The guard nodded and left, and then it occurred to Kitana... Harry.

What was she supposed to do with him now? Part of her wanted him to see this, to see that they would be going away forever, that they couldn't hurt him again. But there was still so much he hadn't opened up about, and she feared him seeing this would only shut him down once more, possibly for good. How could she help him in this situation? It felt like every option was a bad one, and she only had so few and such little time.

She decided the best course of action was to let him decide. He needed to feel like he had control of his life... "Harry... Your old...family is here... And they are going to be punished for their cruelty... So I am giving you a choice. You can come and watch them pay... Or you can stay in someone else's care and never see them again."

This had the reaction she expected: Harry froze in fear, looking up with wide eyes as the blood seemed to drain from his face. Kitana tightly hugged him as she rested her chin atop his head and rubbed his back, trying to comfort him.

"It's okay, Precious. It's okay." She whispered. "I promise, they'll never hurt you again."

Harry leaned into his mother's embrace as Jade joined in the hug. His mother promised him they wouldn't hurt him, he needed to calm down and trust her... But why was it so difficult to do that? He trusted his mother!

"Oh, it's all right my little warrior." Jade spoke softly, soothing Harry somewhat. "I know this is scary for you, but you don't need to be afraid or ashamed. Whatever you choose is understandable, and Kitana and I will support you, no matter what."

Harry slowly looked up, then nodded in understanding. He was still scared stiff, and sheet-white, but he knew his family loved him, so that was a good start.

He took a deep breath and started to think about how he wanted to handle this situation. Would he go with his mothers and see what happened to his old family, or would he stay away from that mess? After some deliberation, he made his choice.

"I...Iwannabewithyou..." He mumbled, burying his face into Kitana's chest. The Kahn was actually a little disappointed, as sh didn't want to expose her son to this, but was also proud that he was being brave enough to face his past.

"All right. Should you got overwhelmed, let us know, and Reptile or Grandmother will take you away." Kitana nodded, speaking calmly.

Harry just nodded his head, but kept his face buried in her chest. She smiled sadly and gave his back a gentle rub. "It's going to be all right, my son... We will protect you from these unspeakable monsters..." She said softly.

Harry trusted them (he had no reason not to) but that didn't mean he was any less frightened by what was happening. The prospect of meeting his relatives again was one he didn't want to consider, and as they walked back to the temple, he only seemed to tense up more.

"It's all right, love." Jade smiled. "It will all be over soon."

She was trying to maintain a calm and reassuring demeanour for her son's sake. But in reality, she was eagerly anticipating an opportunity to severely injure these lower than dirt life forms that dared pass themselves off as human beings.

When they entered, Harry flinched slightly at the man who stood before them. He seemed... human, but he had a weird mask with tubes on it covering his entire face. Kabal looked over, and bowed respectfully, the sound of his respirator filling the hall.

"Kitana Kahn, Empress Sindel." He said respectfully.

"Kabal." Kitana nodded. "You were able to find my son's abusers?"

"Yeah, didn't take much." He nodded, then looked down to Harry. "Little Prince." He nodded, unsure how to address Harry.

"Hi..." Harry replied shyly. Kabal chuckled. He probably should have expected the kid to be more casual, he was formerly a normal citizen in his world after all. He had to grimace slightly under his mask at the cleae trepidatiom the boy showed though...

Either he was worse-looking than he remembered, or these scum bags had really screwed him up. HE chose to believe it was the latter.

"I don't know what their deal is, but they're either constantly denying ever knowing him, or claiming they loved him all their life." Kabal remarked as they kept walking, trying not to look to Harry. "Usually what open of them says conflicts with what the other one says. It's pathetic, really."

Kitana was currently doing her best to contain her anger at these blatant, shameless lies these worthless sub-human beings were spouting. Out of the corner of her eye, she saw Mileena was there as well... And she looked like she was about to murder somebody.

Kitana didn't know how this meeting was going to end, but all she knew was it wasn't going to end well for the ones who hurt her son... whatever that meant. Still, she knew she was the Kahn, and she wasn't like her Father. As much as she wanted too, she couldn't execute them on sight, but that didn't mean she had to spare them either.

'You must also be careful, your son is present.' She told herself, raising a fair point. The last thing she wanted was to terrify her son.

She needed to set an example for Harry and make sure he knew that everything was going to be okay... And so she needed to maintain a calm demeanour the entire time... A calm one... Yet also a terrifyingly stern one.

They could hear a voice speaking as they approached the throne room, and Kitana felt her anger rising before she had even seen her son's old family.

"Relax. Soon, you'll have nothing to fear... until then..." Erron Black was remarking as he checked over his guns as the doors opened. He looked over, and smirked under his mask. "Fear her." He nodded to Kitana as he spoke with a cold edge that made a million threats, and they hadn't even met face-to-face yet.

Truthfully, the gunslinger was looking forward to seeing these people suffer for their actions. He may not have been what many would call 'friendly', but even still, the stuff they put this little kid through was... Well, it was just sick.

Kitana squeezed Harry, then passed him to Jade. The little boy letting out a tiny whimper as he was handed off, and Kitana approached the abusers. She stood before them and looked down, her mask failing to hide the disgust and anger on her face.

"Do you know who I am?" She asked, well, more like demanded, but still. There was no answer after a few moments, and she narrowed her eyes. "Look at me, and answer me."

"You're screwed as is, just do what she says." Erron muttered, then took a few steps back, letting Kitana have control.

The obese man looked up at her, trying his best to look like he had control of the situation, but it was clear he knew that he was in a very bad spor. He looked like he wanted to insult her... But he instead just said "No..." through gritted teeth.

"I am Kitana Kahn. Ruler of this realm." Kitana said in a bold voice. "All that you have seen, and all that this world has to offer, is under my rule... and you... you hurt my son."

"What... what are you talking about!?" The obese man managed to get out, seemingly not picking up on the 'I'm-the-ruler' part of her intro. "We don't know your so-" The words died when he saw Jade holding Harry.

"Don't lie to me, like you did to him." Kitana ordered.

Vernon snarled when he saw Harry. "Boy..." He growled. Reptile and Mileena both stood protectively in front of Harry. Vernon moved to glare at them, but the absolute murder Mileena's eyes promised stopped him.

"So, you know him." Kitana said, effectively tightening the noose around his neck. "He's your nephew."

"No." Vernon said before he could stop himself. Then recoiled when a bullet struck the floor inches from him, Petunia screaming in shock at that.

"Next one goes somewhere really painful." Erron warned. "And I can make that shot twice. Stop lying to her." Normally, Kitana would be annoyed or even angered by Erron's flagrant disregard for safety, especially using GUNS around Harry, but right now, there was such a burning fury, that all she could do was look at him, but thankfully, he got the message.

"Little Harry was brought here by forces you're too incompetent to understand." Kitana began again. "When I found him, my son, the PRINCE of this WORLD, he looked like he had been tortured to death, many times over. He was terrifed to speak of what YOU knowingly did to him. Now, what do you hav to say for yourselves?"

The Dursleys all looked unsure, before Vernon decided to speak up. "He... He would have hurt us with that freaky magic of his! Either he would have lost control of it or he would have lead someone to us that would have murdered us!"

"And rather than seek guidance, you treat him like a slave? Is that it?" Kitana asked.

"No! We never!" Petunia shrieked, then immediately regretted doing so. But, it was that, or confess to what they had done... so... really, bad choices all around.

"Then WHY was he covered in burn scars and bruises unobtainable by magic?" Kitana pressed. "And WHY was he so terrifed of even mentioning you, claiming you'd KILL HIM, when I found him? Lie once more, and death is guaranteed."

The two of them paled and Vernon finally decided to speak up. "It was... I don't bloody know, it was like... something was feeding our hatred... We... never liked magic, but... I don't know why it got so bad..."

"...Blood wards..." Sindel whispered.

"And again, rather than seek help, you abused him? Made him into a slave and wrote down the things you did to him?!" Kitana demanded, refusing to let up from her questions. Jade meanwhile had tightened her hold on her son after Sindel had whispered what may have caused this. It wasn't an excuse, and it just made her heart hurt more.

Of course it was true that blood wards could increase one's hatred to very dangerous levels... But the fact that suvh hatred existed at all was just infuriating to everyone involved. But then, with blood wards, the tiniest hint of dislike was all it took...

Kitana didn't really care WHY they had done what they had done, only that they had.

"Do you think that excuses your abuse towards a child?" She asked. Maybe she wouldn't kill them (aside from that probably setting a bad example and terrifying her son, it didn't seem like this was the same degree of savagery as other things she had experienced) but she wasn't about to let the go, either.

"I...I don't even bloody remember doing it! It was like something else was taking overL it's not my fault, those bloody wizards must have put some sort of spell on me to try and make me look bad! They're the ones to blame, not me!" Vernon insisted.

Kitana cast a look back to her family, all of whom seemed indifferent to his excuse. Except Harry, who still seemed mortified of his family, and that was something Kitana wasn't willing to forgive. Rather than learn, or seek advice, they let their anger grow and abused her son, she saw no other 'reason' for this.

"Hmph. No one here cares to hear your excuses. Because to put it simply, there is no excuse. You have gravely injured an innocent little boy for five years of his life. There is no defending such actions, no excusing it." She said sternly.

It was clear now that nothing the Dursley's said would be able to get them out whatever came next. It mad no sense... this shouldn't be happening! That freak should've been protected by the other freaks, and now he was apparently adopted by royalty?!

"Do you ask for forgiveness? Or mercy?" Sindel spoke up, approaching the ones who hurt hr grandson. It was clear she wasn't too keen on either right now.

"Of course we do!" Petunia exclaimed. "We...We don't deserve this at all! It wasn't our fault, it was some sort of spell the boy must have accidentally cast on us! He put a hate curse on us so he could complain and have us get punished for his...his FREAKISHNESS!"

There was silence, as if the entire room was taken aback by her outburst. Those from Outworld looked on with anger and hatred, and those from Earthrealm looked on in disgust. Kabal looked over and patted Harry's head in an attempt to be reassuring. It actually meant a lot to Harry, but he was pretty much shut down at his point. He didn't know what was happening, but apparently something had made his family not like him, maybe that meant that they could change. He didn't want to go back, but still... and then his Aunt went and opened her mouth, and those child-like, pure hopes, shattered.

"I'mgonnakillthem..." Mileena scowled, anger rising.

"Mileena-" Tanya hissed, grabbing her arm to hold her back.

"Well, any chance of mercy just went out the window." Erron remarked, looking to Jade. "You may wanna take the little guy outta here. This probably isn't gonna end well."

Kitana turned to her lover and nodded her head. Jade nodded back, then turned around and exited the room to spare her child from what was guranteed to be a very gruesome sight. She even covered his ears for good measure.

"Mama?" Harry squeaked, not wanting to be away from her.

"It's all right, Harry. I promise, this will all be over soon." Jade whispered, before kissing his head. She left to return to her room (not Kitana's) and sat near the window, holding her baby boy close and trying to comfort him.

Kitana wanted to kill them, she really did, but she knew if she did, then on some level, she'd be no better than her father. Yes, killing them would be for a justified cause, but did she want to set that example for herself? For her son? For her realm? No, as much as she wanted to, she couldn't.

"You will know pain like the kind you have inflicted on my son." Kitana spoke, and it finally seemed to get through to the Dursley's how bad this was for them. "You will not die today, but you will pay for your crimes. Afterwards, you two will be imprisoned and made to work in this realm. That... thing, I assume to be your son, will be taken back to Earthrealm, and whatever happens to him is not of my concern or care. Do not speak of mercy or forgiveness, not after what you did to my child. Be thankful it is only by his grace that you will live through this day."

The Dursleys paled. Vernon tried to open his mouth to protest, but he found himself choking on his own words. This womsn had him extremely intimidated, even he couldn't muster up the will to try and argue with her.

Not to mention any argument he could make would most likely have involved the fact they were on Earth, knew people/freaks, and so on and so on, but they weren't, and they were apparently before royalty. Petunia however... wasn't handling this as well as Vernon.

"NO! YOU HAVE NO RIGHT TO DO THIS!" She shrieked. "I DON'T GIVE A DAMN WHAT YOU'RE SUPPOSEDLY THE RULER OF! I WON'T LET YOU TAKE MY DUDDLES FROM US!"

'Man I wish someone was recording this.' Erron thought, trying not to laugh. Every wrod out of the shrew's mouth just made Kitana reconsider her 'no killing' ideal, and when she opened her razor-fans, thankfully the woman was scared silent, even if just for a moment.

"That... is quite enough of that. Remember that the special forces of your world have relinquished you into our custody. I am able to punish you in any way I see fit. You are very lucky I have not decided to kill you on the spot." She said coldly.

Jade sighed deeply, nothing she had done had managed to calm Harry's nerves. The tiny boy was still clutching to her top, with his face buried into her chest. Jade couldn't tell if he was crying or not, but it was clear he was hurt, and hurt badly.

"I...whatdididdowrong..." He mumbled. "Didimakethemhateme?"

"No, my child... No, you did no such thing... They're just making excuses to try to avoid getting into trouble... And they will not succeed... They are being punished as we speak, they will be made to pay for their actions..."

"But, they only did those things because of me." Harry said quietly, and Jade tightened her hold on her precious little boy.

"No, that's not the case, little one." Jade spoke kindly, trying to reassure her son, but uncertain of how to do so. Everything she said, he seemed to take in, but that didn't seem to be enough for him.

Those people had damaged him so thoroughly, not just on a physical standpoint, but a mental one as well. He had been beaten, used and abused so thoroughly that the mere idea that he was not as fault didn't seem to click with him.

Jade rose to her feet and sat on her bed, tucking Harry onto her lap. she pulled the blanket up over herself and her son, covering the pair completely. Once they were covered, she exhaled and smiled warmly.

"There, nice and snug." She smiled. "Nothing can reach you in here, and I'll keep you safe."

Harry snuggled closer to her and stared off into space with an unsure expression on his face. He really didn't know what to think of anything anymore... Perhaps it would have been better if he had just gone with someone else than to the trial...

"Mama is very proud of you, and so is your Mommy." Jade spoke again, holding him close. "I know this was scary for you, but you faced your fears to the best of your ability."

"And I got scared and ran away..." Harry mumbled, ashamed.

"There's nothing wrong with being afraid, my child." Jade cooed, kissing his nose. "It's perfectly normal to be afraid of the ones who have harmed you."

Harry hummed in response and buried his face in her chest. She smiled sadly and gently stroked his back. "You tried your best... That is the best any of us could ever ask of you... And you were very close... That is very much good enough." She whispered.

Harry remained close, not wanting to leave his Mama's side right now. It broke Jade's heart to see how vulnerable he was, but it also warmed it somewhat at how cute he looked as he snuggled closer for warmth and protection. Jade bundled him up in her arms and sighed deeply, wanting him to know he was safe and loved here.

She thought back to those people and fought back the urge to scowl. The unmitigated GAUL of those subhuman beings, trying to victim blame Harry for their own cruel, senseless actions... It just made her blood boil...

From the way Harry had practically disappeared into her lap, it was clear he was as afraid as she was angered. The little boy just needed some love and affection right now, more than anything else. He needed someone to hold him and let him know it would be okay.

So she tightened her hold on him and gently stroked his back, deciding that at this point, the best way to reassure him that everything was well was just to hold him close and show him comfort with her presence alone.

"So how the hell did a kid end up here in the first place?" Kabal asked, casting a glance to the other Ex-Black Dragon member.

"Fujin, I think." Erron shrugged, watching as Kitana struck those who hurt her son. "He just... showed up, a few days ago, and Kitana decided she was keeping him."

"Did she think he was human? Or a cat?"

"Dunno, don't get paid to care enough to ask." The Gunslinger winced, feeling Sindel glare at them. "Besides, it's not like she kidnapped him, and the kid needed something better."

"I'll give you that."

Both men watched Kitana punish the two elder Dursleys and smirked. "Damn, she can be brutal when she wants to be. How long do you think it'll be before Mileena jumps in to get her lumps in?" McCree asked.

"Don't know." Kabal said coldly. He wasn't a fan of watching people get tortured, especially after what he had done with the Black Dragons, but even Kano seemed to think these people deserved to face justice. Either Kano wasn't as tough as he acted, or even he saw how screwed up this was. Whatever the reason, Kabal felt no sympathy for them, not after torturing a child. He had expected Harry to be some kid in his preteens with an emo-haircut, scars, and eyeshadow as a result of his abuse, not a little kid who looked to be three who seemed to be on the verge of wetting the bed at the thought of even SEEING his family again.

He winced subtly at the thought and gave the obese man an angry glare. He deserved everything he got. As far as he was concerned, the ones that would hurt small, innocent and defenseless children should suffer the tortures of the damned.

Kitana felt nothing, not anger, not pride, not sadness, she felt cold, almost empty. She didn't know why. She had every reason to be angry, she had every reason to want this, to enjoy this... but she still felt nothing. She felt an empty coldness as she realized what these monsters had done to her son, and that pushed her beyond anger, to... coldness.

She didn't even know what to do with these feelings... She wanted to hurt them, but she also felt like they weren't worth the effort it would take to lift her finger to do so... She was at an internal war with herself...

Jade remained where she was, humming a soft tune, until the door opened and the blanket was lifted up.

"Jade?" Kitana said, seeming worn-out beyond words. "I need Harry." Jade didn't say anything, but held her frightened son to Kitana, who sat on the bed, holding him close. Jade decided she wanted some words with her son's abusers, and left the two in her room. Kitana pulled her son close, kissing the top of his head multiple times to get him to warm up and look up at her.

He let out a tiny hum and nuzzled in closer to her, clutching tightly to her top and closing his eyes tightly as he tried to make himself be happy. His mother was here and his aunt and uncle were going away, so why was he still scared?

Kitana understood this, and tightened her hold on him. He was scared because he was scarred. It made sense, tragically. He had been abused for so long, that when it finally ended, of course he wasn't sure how to act or react.

"You're going to be all right, my child... I know everything seems confusing and scary right now, but I promise you that in good time, you will be just fine..." She whispered softly, stroking her child's back gently.

Harry seemed to decide her lap was the best place to hide, and curled up on it, trying his best to hide from... well, everything. Even his Mother's loving hand seemed to do little to calm his nerves. It infuriated Kitana this was how her son had been treated all this time. After everything he had been put through, his own Mother seemed to fail to help him...

"No, don't think like that." She kicked herself. "He needs you."

She let out a sigh and gave him a gentle smile. "It will be all right, my dear... I am here to protect you from those foul creatyres, and I xan certainly assure you that they will never raise a hand to you ever again..."

"I...Idonwannabehurtanymore..." Harry mumbled, honestly, it was tragic and almost pathetic in a very backwards way just how hurt he seemed, and it just angered Kitana more.

"I promise you, sweetness. You will never be harmed by them again." Kitana said reassuringly, pulling the blanket up over them both and hugging her son to her chest. Harry seemed to bury his face in her chest, clinging to her as if his life depended on it.

She gently rubbed the back of his head and let out a soft sigh. She was beginning to regret bringing him to see these people... She had only accomplished opening up those old wounds that he just wanted left behind...

But she wanted him to move on, to be brave and to grow...

'You. Idiot.' A voice scowled in her head, and she froze somewhat. 'He's six years old. He's been abused his entire life. You haven't even had him a WEEK. WHAT WERE YOU THINKING!?' Unfortunately, any counter argument she could think of in the moment failed to have any real weight, she felt like she had failed him, she felt like she had hurt him.

"Harry, I'm so sorry." She said softly. "I never mean to hurt you."

Harry nuzzled in closer and closed his eyes. "You didn't though... They did... And... And you didn't make me go, remember? I asked you to take me too becauxe I thought I wanted to be there... But I was wrong..."

"I know, my sweet. I know." Kitana sighed, holding him close. "Still, it is a Mother's job to protect her precious little son, and... this has been a very hard day for all of us. But I promise, it will get better for you in time. I promise."

"MmHm." Harry nodded, believing his Mother as he snuggled closer.

She said nothing else for the time being. All he really needed at this point in time was to be shown physical affection... To be shown someone cared by any means necessary... To understand that he was safe.

She wasn't sure how long it was until someone returned. Sindel entered and sat on he bed, Kiana taking off the blanket and holding her son close.

"Mileena is speaking with them now." Sindel remarked. "Tanya is holding her back, albeit barely."

"Hm." Kitana nodded silently.

"How is the poor thing?"

"He's in a rough place right now." Kitana sighed, shaking her head.

Sindel pursed her lips and let out a deep sigh. "It seems letting him be present may not have been the best idea..." She spoke sadly. Harry winced slightly. It was his idea... And his grandmother was right. It was a bad one.

Sindel noticed this, and gently let her hair drape over Harry.

"Oh, there, there my precious little dear." Sindel said softly. "It's okay, you're safe and secure now." Her words were soothing, but they didn't have the calming edge she hoped they would. It just went to show how damaged Harry was.

"This is all my fault..." Harry mumbled.

"Ooh... no, no... no it isn't, darling." The Queen sighed. "You were trying to be brave, you were trying to do the right thing."

"But it went all wrong..." Harry said softly. "I wasn't brave... I got too scared and wanted out... I tried to be brave but I was just scared... I chose wrong..." Harry whimpered, and his mother gently caressed his face.

"That's fine, precious." Kitana spoke kindly. "You didn't have to overcome your fears. But the fact that you were willing to try means more than I think you understand."

"I don't understand..." Harry mumbled, and Kitana held back a gentle laugh. It was both tragic with how much he was hurt, but also still so precious how innocent he could be without even trying.

"You put in the effort. That is all anyone could ever ask of you." She said gently. "You were doing a very good job, and I am very proud of you... So please don't feel like you did any wrong, because you did not."

"Hm." Harry mumbled, once again uncertain, but willing to believe his Mother. They remained there for no one knew how long, until Jade returned and sat beside Kitana, hugging her son as well as Kitana.

"It's over, my little Warrior, it's over." Jade said quietly.

Harry smiled brightly when he saw her, and she gave him a smile and a hug. Kitana tilted her head at Jade. "I assume you spoke your mind, then?" Jade shook her head.

"They didn't deserve the luxury of a simple lecture from me. I showed my disgust physically." She replied.

"Hmm." Kitana nodded approvingly, noticing Harry seemed better now that both his parents were here. "Aww, the sweet little dear..."

Jade smiled herself and hugged Harry close, letting him settle down between the two, feeling safe and warm and loved. This was a beautiful moment for him, and the fear of his family was fading somewhat, allowing him to live in the moment, to live for his family, to live with his family...

"I think that's enough, Princess." Erron remarked.

"HE'S STILL BREATHING!" Mileena screamed, as Tanya and Reptile were holding her back.

"Yeah, but I don't think he will be much longer if you keep-"

"THAT'S THE IDEA!"

The half-Takartan royal was making every effort to get back and finish the fat tub of lard before her off once and for all. He was the scum of every dimension to ever exist, after all. He deserved to die painfully.

Back in their room, Kitana and Jade continued trying to comfort their child, and Harry had settled down somewhat. He felt safe again, safe and happy, and warm on top of that. This was everything he had ever wanted. A home, a hug, a family... and now he had it.

"It'll be okay, love." Kitana smiled warmly. "I promise you, it will be."

"Thank you, Mama... Thank you, Mommy." Harry mumbled happily.

Both women smiled softly and tightly hugged their son. "You're more than welcome, my previous child... There is absolutely nothing in this world that either of us would not do to keep you safe and happy..."

Harry was kissed by both women, finally making him giggle lightly at the contact, a sound which warmed both women's hearts. It was a good sign, it showed he was still the adorable little boy they knew and loved. This had been one heck of a week for Kitana, and she was thankful for every second of it (minus the stuff with Harry's family, but hey, it was what it was). Actually, it had only been about four or five days, but still. She was beyond thankful to have this adorable little baby in her arms.

Fate was the one responsible for them coming together... This was how it was always meant to be, she just knew it... Both she and Harry had had so much to gain, so much to learn from her adoption of him...

Kitana leaned down to kiss her son, wanting to just enjoy the moment of her being with the sweet little prince who wasn't here- what?

ThWip~

"MILEENA!" Jade yelled, realizing Harry was gone. "Bring him back!"

"No!" Mileena yelled from down the hall, currently hugging Harry tightly. "I need my little nephew!"

"He's my son!"

"He's my nephew!"

Jade growled something inaudible, then set off to retrieve her son. Kitana blinked, then looked over to Sindel.

"Some things never change, do they?" She asked.

Sindel just smiled and shrugged her shoulders. "Would you truly want this to change?" Kitana thought about it for all of two seconds before she smiled with her eyes closed and shook her head.

"No... Not the least bit..."