Lantern Power asked for this one. Here you go, Amiga! Enjoy! :)

Mega Man belongs to Capcom. Mythology belongs to its respective owners. King Lauhin, Queen Bliss, Optimo, the Tickle Knights, and Jocu and his brothers belong to guestsurprise. I own nothing. :)

A Parent's Love

Bubble was inside the throne room with his mother and father, King Lauhin and Queen Bliss, as the rulers of the Tickle Realm checked some messenger scrolls and were pleased to see all was well. "Looks like our enemies are being quiet for a bit," the queen said.

"Good," the king said. "Which gives us time to enjoy ourselves today."

Queen Bliss smiled and looked at Bubble, who was in his robot form and had been sitting on a nearby pillow after visiting with his robot brothers Cut Man and Metal Man, and was waiting patiently for his parents to finish reading the scrolls. "And our youngest son has been very patiently waiting for us to spend time with him," she said.

King Lauhin grinned and stood up. "Then why don't we go into the garden? I believe the jolly berries are ready to be gathered," he said.

"What are jolly berries, Father?" Bubble asked.

"A large berry that changes colors every few seconds," the dark-furred king replied. "Your mother uses them to make a delicious pie."

"I'll need as many as we can pick, for it will soon be Valentine's Day on Earth," the white-furred queen said. "We'll make enough to give some as gifts to our loved ones and friends."

Bubble liked that idea. "Where are the jolly berries?" He asked.

"They should be beside the castle on the east side," his father replied, smiling as he took off his mantle. "Come, my queen and my son."

The Tickle Knights went and got the baskets the royals would need and placed them on the east side of the castle. Bubble's eyes widened as he saw the bushes that were full of berries that were as big as a golf ball and they changed colors constantly, some berries being different colors that the others, making it almost look like twinkling lights. Optimo chuckled at seeing Bubble's surprise.

"Your brothers never tire of seeing the jolly berries change colors," he said. "Tis a shame Jocu and them are on a mission at the moment. These are some of their favorite berries."

"I'll set aside some for them," Bubble said instantly, making the Captain of the Tickle Knights smile at him.

King Lauhin picked a couple of berries, eating a few and humming in appreciation. Queen Bliss giggled and noticed her son was doing the same, seeming curious but enjoying the berries too.

But while the berries were good, Bubble was careful not to eat too many of them. Even though he was part-Lauhinian, he remembered his parents' warning about how too much of something good could be dangerous. He wondered how the bushes were still standing with the heavy berries clustered on them in large bunches similar to grapes. "How is it the bushes don't droop or bend under the weight of the berries?" He asked his parents as he analyzed that the berries did have a bit of weight to them.

King Lauhin smiled. "Even though the jolly berry bushes look like they can't hold much weight, the branches are very strong," he said. "Try pulling one."

Bubble reached for a branch that looked like it would break and very carefully pulled. To his surprise, it didn't break off, but rather held firm. "Wow," he said.

His mother giggled at seeing his amazement and gently poked her son's sides, making him jump and giggle. "Our world is full of things that would normally not be possible, my little one," she said. "But with the laughter of the worlds we watch over and the joy from them as well, many things are possible."

"It is amazing, Mother," he said before looking curious. "How many jolly berries do you use in the pies Father mentioned?"

King Lauhin smiled. "Believe it or not, only four," he replied.

"Because they're so big?" Bubble asked.

"That and because more than four would make the pie too rich for some," Bliss replied. "And if the pies are too rich, they can't be fully enjoyed, especially by the humans I wish to give some pies too."

Bubble nodded understandingly and went back to picking more jolly berries. The baskets that were filled were taken to the kitchen by the Tickle Knights, who would replace the filled baskets with empty ones for the royal family to continue picking the berries.

The robot then noticed a few jolly berries that didn't change color, but were rather a creamy white color. "What about these?" He asked.

King Lauhin saw what he son was looking at and smiled. "Ah, those are jolly berries that haven't ripened yet," he said. "They're a bit too tart to eat."

"Leave them for now," Queen Bliss said. "It won't be long before they fully ripen."

Bubble then saw some that were a bit higher than he could reach, though he did try to get them. Gentle hands came around his waist and he turned to find his father behind him and the king smiled before lifting up the robot with no trouble so that he could get the berries that he couldn't reach before. The queen held up a basket. "Put those in here, Bubble," she said with a smile.

The robot began picking the berries and putting them in the basket, checking the branches carefully and leaving white berries to ripen. "I think I got them all," he said.

"How many baskets have we filled?" Bliss asked Optimo.

"Ten baskets, my queen," he said with a bow.

"Hmm," she hummed thoughtfully.

"We still need a few more, don't we, my love?" The king asked with a smile.

Bubble glanced around as he was still hoisted up in the air and he spotted something changing color in another bush nearby. "What about over there?" He asked, motioning to the bush.

They looked to see it was more jolly berries that were ripe. "Good eyes, my prince," Optimo said approvingly with a nod of his head.

The royal family was soon picking more of the berries and Bubble had crawled underneath the bush to find any that might have been hidden when he felt something tickling his feet and he squeaked in surprise, going to crawl out, but something wrapped around his ankles, stopping him. "Look at these ticklish little feet I've got, my love," he heard his father say, making him realize his father had no doubt wrapped his tail around Bubble's ankles to playfully trap him.

"Oh, yes," he heard his mother giggle. "These cute little feet are in need of tickles."

Feeling fingers wiggling into his feet, Bubble burst into laughter, unable to do much except squirm and wiggle in place, laughing harder when he felt furry fingers tickle his sides and slip under his stomach armor to get to his stomach, his worst spot.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" He laughed, trying to stop the tickle torture, but at the same time wanting his parents to keep tickling him.

"Cootchie, cootchie, coo, son," King Lauhin chuckled as he kept tickling his youngest son's sides and stomach.

"Who's my ticklish little one?" Queen Bliss cooed as she kept tickling her son's feet, giggling when she head him squeak cutely. "Oh, listen to that adorable squeak."

"It makes him even more adorable," the dark-furred king said.

Optimo chuckled as he watched, smiling before seeing something that surprised even him. "Your Majesties, look," he said, pointing to some of the jolly berries that had been white moments before, but were now changing colors just like the other berries. "Prince Bubble's laughter is making the berries ripen."

"That's right," the queen said. "Only the laughter of a royal family member can make the jolly berries ripen when they are still white in color."

"So that we'll always have enough to make your delicious pies, my love," the king said before they let the robot up.

Bubble lay still and took some deep breaths before looking up and seeing a few white jolly berries turn blue, then purple, and more colors. "My laughter did that?" He asked in surprise.

"That's right, my little one," Queen Bliss said, pulling him into a hug. He snuggled into her fur with a happy sigh.

"You've come so far, my son," King Lauhin said. "Turning from a shy little one into an adventurous one just like your brothers."

"And a compassionate prince who cares if others are in need of help," Optimo said, smiling. "I'm proud and honored to have my men and I serve you as well, Prince Bubble."

Bubble blushed at the compliments, but was bursting with happiness on the inside as they all headed to the kitchen and the royals began making the pies. While they were baking, Bubble came up to his parents and hugged them. "Mother? Father?" He said.

"Yes, our little one?" His mother asked with a smile.

The robot took a deep breath. "I love you," he said.

This was the first time he had ever said that out loud. While he had loved his parents when he had first become part of the family and knew they loved him in return, he had been unsure at first at saying he loved them out loud, but after today, he was no longer unsure.

They smiled. "We love you too, son," King Lauhin said as he enveloped his youngest son into a warm hug.

"And nothing will change that," Queen Bliss said as she kissed her son's forehead. "We love you, little one."

Bubble sighed contently, enjoying the happiness that his parents' love gave him, now knowing that it was both boundless and everlasting.

I think I just had a fluff overload. :) I just love family moments! :)

Please leave a review, but no flames!

GoldGuardian2418