Disclaimer: I do not own "Arrietty". "Arrietty" was written by Hayao Miyazaki and Kieko Niwa and is based on "The Borrowers" by Mary Norton.
Lyrics from "I See The Light" by Alan Menken and Glenn Slater
"Meant to Be"
CHAPTER 1: APHRODITE'S GIFT
The goddess Aphrodite looked down from Mount Olympus and saw what she believed to be a grave injustice. She saw a love beginning to start. A love that could blossom and grow into something beautiful, but was being torn apart before it can. This was unacceptable for her, and it was something that needed to be remedied quickly. Time was of the esscence.
This wasn't the first time that this happened, with a boy his size and a girl her size, but that was different. He wasn't deathly ill and her family was quite happy and content living under his house. They weren't afraid of him, and they were good friends, as well. Aphrodite smiled at remembering seeing them go from childhood friends into sweethearts. It was when they were afraid of their size differences would interfere with them being together forever was when she acted.
She appeared before them and offered them a choice. He could choose to be her size or she could choose to be his size. She was pleased at their response. They said they wished they could go back and forth between sizes so their families wouldn't miss them. She happily granted that wish, and made it so that their future children after they are married could do the same.
Aphrodite smiled once more. They've been married how long? Ten years now, at least? She thought. Her mind returned back to the present and what to do. The poor boy's ailment needed to be tended to first. A quick visit to the god Asclepius and his daughter should take care of that.
But first, she decided to visit her father Zeus to ask that he would cause a storm to happen to delay that girl's parents from taking her and leaving that boy's aunt's house. She hopes he'll grant that request.
She entered the throne room where her father was sitting down, observing all that was happening on the earth. He looked up and saw his beautiful daughter walk in with a distressed look on her face.
"My dear sweet Aphrodite! Why such a sad face?" He asked.
"Father, I know that this will sound odd, but-"
"You want a rainstorm. Still determined to make sure those two end up together, aren't you?"
"It was meant to be. I know it. Even though they've known each other for a few days, if you just look into their eyes-"
"I already have. I did it when I noticed you taking a great interest with them just like you did with those other two. The boy is more than willing to admit his feelings, but she still isn't, for fear of her parents' reaction."
"I can assure she will admit hers. Please, father."
Zeus sighs. "Very well. I will cause a storm to happen. If you can't get her to admit them, then they will never be together. Do you still want to take that chance?"
She looks her father in the eye with the upmost confidence.
"Yes, father." She says.
"Very well then, it shall be done." Zeus says as he points down to the earth and creates the rainstorm.
"Now go, my sweet daughter. Save their love, if you can."
"Thank you, father." She says with immense gratitude. She hurries off to see Asclepius for a cure for the boy.
Below Sho's aunt Sadako's house, Pod, Homily, and Arrietty look outside at the storm that just suddenly appeared.
"There's no way we can leave out in this. We'll have to wait until tomorrow." Pod says. Homily and Arrietty nod and carry their bags back into their house.
Aphrodite enters Asclepius' home and sees Asclepius and his daughter Hygieia working over a cauldron mixing ingedients to make medicine. Asclepius turns and sees Aphrodite, and smiles.
"Aphrodite! What brings you here?" He asks.
"Hello, Asclepius. I would like for you to make a cure for a heart ailment for a boy named Sho. Even though he is to have surgery to fix it, his doctors aren't giving him much of a chance for survival. I want him to live a long, happy life, and what he's been through, he deserves it."
"In other words, he's sick, and he's found love."
"Yes."
"Very well. I think I can fix something up. I need to learn what type of heart ailment it is." He looks at his daughter. "Hygieia, bring up the health file of a mortal boy named Sho."
Hygieia nods, disappears then quickly reappears with the file.
Asclepius takes it and opens it and begins to read.
"My goodness! This is most serious, indeed! His doctors have no chance! I must act quickly!"
With that, he quickly grabs various bottles and begins mixing up a remedy in his cauldron. He soon finishes, and pours it into a bottle, corks it, and hands it to Aphrodite.
"Here, this should cure him of his heart ailment, as well as any other illness he has."
"Thank you." Aphrodite says as she leaves.
From there, Aphrodite goes to see the Fates, to make sure nothing can go wrong. She enters their cave, and sees all three of them sitting around a fire.
"Greetings, fair daughter of Zeus, we've been expecting you." One of them says.
"You want to know more about that boy." The second one says.
"As well as other things." The third one says.
"Yes." Aphrodite replied.
"Well, since you recieved a cure for that boy's sickness, his thread of life will be extended significantly. He'll live to a ripe old age." One of them says.
"The girl?"
"The same. A ripe old age, as well." The second one says.
"When he is cured, will his mother come for him?"
"No. Her heart has turned cold towards him, as she blames him for the divorce from her husband because of his health problems, and the financial burdens they caused, as well. She's going to leave him in the care of her sister he's staying with, which won't be for long." The third one says.
"Why's that?"
"Her thread of life is reaching it's end. She has a year at most. When it happens, he'll be bounced around foster care until he's eighteen." The first one says.
Aphrodite frowns at this. His aunt remaining alive was crucial.
"What will she die from?"
"Old age, the one thing that there is no cure." The second one says.
"The girl's family. Maybe they can-"
"They wouldn't allow it, unless-" The third one says.
"Unless what?"
"Unless the girl admits her love for him, and the boy is willing to give up his life as a human and become like her, they will never be together and their love will never happen." The first one says.
Aphrodite frowns at this even more. She was hoping for a similar outcome as with the other two. She gives a sad smile and thanks the Fates for their time. As she leaves, she gets an idea, and places an enchantment on the cure. She hopes it will work.
In Sho's bedroom, Arrietty comes to see him. She climbs onto the nightstand and looks at him sadly. How she wished things were different. She wished he didn't have a heart problem so he could be well. Not only that, she had fallen in love with him and also wished they were the same size so they could be together.
Sho smiled when he noticed her on his nightstand.
"Arrietty, what a pleasant surprise. I'm so happy to see you. Does this mean your parents changed their mind?"
Arrietty sadly shakes her head no.
"No, they haven't changed it. We're only staying an extra night because of the storm."
"I see. I wish that you were, because..."
"Because why?"
"Because I..."
Just then, a bright light illumates the room, and a beautiful woman with red hair wearing a flowing white robe, appears. Arrietty is frozen with fear, unable to move.
"Hello, Sho. It is time." She says.
Sho gives a sad, but contented smile.
"Yes, I assumed it would be, eventually."
Arrietty looks back and forth between them in shock.
"Time for what? Sho, who is she? What does she mean by that?"
"She's an angel, Arrietty. Sent to take me to Heaven."
"WHAT?! NO! " Arrietty says, tears beginning to fill her eyes.
"I'm afraid so, child." The woman says.
"NO! I WON'T ALLOW IT!" Arrietty says, overcoming her fear as she jumps on the bed, faces the woman, draws her pin, and takes a defensive stance over Sho.
"Oh, why is that?"
Tears begin to stream down Arrietty's face.
"BECAUSE...BECAUSE I LOVE HIM!"
"Exactly what I wanted to hear." The woman says, smiling.
Suddenly, the woman's red hair turns blonde, and her white gown turns into a blue one.
"Very well done, Arrietty. You passed the test. You admitted your love for him, as he was about to admit his for you before I appeared."
"He was?" Arrietty says as she drops her pin, stunned.
"Yes."
"What is this about? Who are you, really?" she asked.
"I am Aphrodite, the goddess of love. It is my duty to make sure that couples that are destined for each other end up together. You two are such people."
"But...how can that be? We're of different sizes...not to mention his health..."
"That won't matter. Not with this." She says, pulling out the bottle, and handing it to Sho.
"What is it?" Sho asks.
"The cure to your ailment, of course. Once you drink it, all your health problems will go away. Also, there's one more thing to it as well. It will grant your heart's upmost desire concerning that sweet little girl there." Aphrodite says, pointing to Arrietty.
Just then, Sho's aunt knocks and enters the room. Arrietty quickly hides under Sho's pillow.
"What's going on in here? I thought I heard-" She then stops and gasps at the sight of Aphrodite.
Aphrodite smiles at her. "Hello, Sadako. Please do not be afraid. I am glad you are here. There's something you need to know. Please, come closer."
Sadako slowly comes forward.
"Sho, what is this about? Who is she?"
"You might find this hard to believe, but she's Aphrodite. She gave me a cure for my heart ailment." He says, showing her the bottle.
"She has?"
"Indeed I have. Plus, there's more." Aphrodite looks over at Sho's pillow. "You can come out now. There's no need to be afraid."
Slowly but hesitantly, Arrietty comes out from hiding. Sadako is pleasantly surprised.
"You do exist! My father would have been so happy! What is your name?"
"Arrietty."
"It is a great pleasure to meet you, Arrietty. I'm Sho's aunt, Sadako."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, too."
Just then, Arrietty gives a gasp.
"What's wrong?" Sho asked.
"It's geting late! My parents will start to worry when they realize-"
"That you came up here without their knowledge?" Aphrodite said with a giggle. "No need to worry. They need to be here for this, anyway."
With that, Aphrodite waved her hand, and Pod and Homily appear on the nightstand, surprised.
Pod and Homily are then shocked and frightened at seeing three people looking over at them, smiling.
Homily looks down and sees Arrietty on Sho's bed and gets frightened even more.
"EEEK! ARRIETTY! GET AWAY FROM THEM!"
Aphrodite looks down closer at Pod and Homily, continuing to smile.
"Please do not be afraid. Your daughter is quite safe. We mean you no harm."
Pod and Homily look at Aphrodite, with her kind smile and beautiful blue eyes looking at them adoringly, and they suddenly feel at ease.
"Who are you?" Pod asks.
"I am Aphrodite, goddess of love."
"A goddess?! What does a goddess have to do here?"
"Well, it concerns your sweet, beautiful girl and that handsome young man there."
"What do you meant by that?"
"Well, they, as you would say, 'borrowed' something from each other. Something most precious."
"What's that?" asked Homily, confused.
"Their hearts, of course. In other words, they're in love."
Pod and Homily's mouths drop. Sadako, on the other hand, smiles.
"WHAT?! THAT'S CRAZY!" Pod says.
"Crazy, is it? That boy cares deeply for Arrietty, as she does for him. He cared so much for her he went to an extreme length to get you to stay when he gave you a new kitchen."
"He nearly destroyed our home in the process while doing it! He scared Homily half to death!"
"Yes, his plan wasn't thought out properly, but was well intentioned. Please don't think badly of him for it."
Pod and Homily look over at Arrietty, holding on to one of Sho's fingers.
"Arrietty, is it true? Are you in love with this boy?" Pod asks.
Arrietty nods.
"Yes, I am."
"And I love her." Sho says.
Pod and Homily give a weary sigh.
Aphrodite continued to speak.
"But the one thing that was well thought out was when he helped rescue you, Homily, from the clutches of that vile woman, Haru. Would he have done that if he didn't care about Arrietty?"
"No, I guess not." Homily replied.
"Considering that, along with everything else, would it be right to tear them apart?"
Pod sighs. "No. But it's still too dangerous for us to stay here."
"If it's about Haru, you needn't worry. I fired her." Sadako says.
"Even so, they're of different sizes!" Homily says.
"That shouldn't be a problem." Aphrodite says, turning her attention to Sho.
"Sho, as I said before, that bottle will cure your ailment, and it will grant your heart's upmost desire concerning Arrietty."
"Which is?"
"If your heart desires to be with her, then you will become her size, forever. If it does not, you'll remain the size you are."
"I do desire to be with her, but what about my mother?"
Sadako gives Sho a sad look.
"Sho, there's something you need to know." She says.
"What's that?"
"Your mother sent me a letter from her attorney. She's signed away her parental rights of you over to me. I wanted to wait after you recovered from your surgery to tell you."
Sho is stunned at the news.
"Why would she do that?"
"The divorce from your father, as well as your health problems was too much for her. She was cruel in the manner she mentioned it in the letter, as she blamed you for everything."
'I see." Sho replied sadly.
Pod and Homily sadly shake their head in disbelief, as did Arrietty.
"But what about you?"
"I'll be fine, Sho. A girl like that won't come around again. You'll be foolish not to go for what your heart wants."
The storm was finally ending outside. The clouds parted, and the moon and stars shined through the window, giving a beautiful glow around Arrietty. She gives Sho a loving smile. Sho smiled back at her as lyrics from a song went through his head:
NOW SHE'S HERE SHINING IN THE STARLIGHT
NOW SHE'S HERE, SUDDENLY I KNOW
IF SHE'S HERE, IT'S CRYSTAL CLEAR
I'M WHERE I'M MEANT TO GO...
With that, Sho drank the bottle, and felt his body begin to change.
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