Growing Pains

...

She didn't cry at all.

Prologue: Hatsumi's birth; Life 2

I had always known this day was coming, as the years went by I could feel the energy slowly growing within my body. She was in there. When I was younger and the thoughts first began to surface, I had my doubts. I thought perhaps it was all been a dream and yet it was one that clung to the surface of my mind and refused to be forgotten. Ririsu, that stupid bird and Eve… Hatsumi.

The memories had slowly trickled back throughout the years as though the ice encasing them were gradually melting and returning rivulets of forgotten moments to me… Youko, Kuiru, Miruka, Princess Fuji, everyone… I know now the reason why I had always known that I would have a child and what her name would be. It would not be Eve, Jiru, Lular or Fuji… it was going to be Hatsumi. It would be Hatsumi's way of returning and coming home to me, our second chance. So while I waited, I threw myself into school, into work, into everything so that time would pass faster. Pass it did but then I began noticing that even as life went by my body seemed frozen in the image of youthfulness. Of course, it was just like what had happened to those other two that had been bathed in Eve's souma.

Now I am lying here on the thinly carpeted floor of that same empty room I had found myself waking up upon forty eight years ago. This is… Hatsumi's old room, I knew it to be that from those old memories of a life that didn't happen. This house was only a husk now without her in it to make it warm but I couldn't bear selling it even if I rarely ever stayed. Make up was no longer being a very effective way to hide the fact that even though I was supposed to be sixty four, I looked no older than twenty-six at most so it became important that I was never anywhere long enough to be recognized anymore. However, I had recently met with a useful man by the name of 'Smith' who seemed willing to help me with some documents with minimal questions. I'm hoping that this will allow me to settle down again for at least sometime.

Pain hit hard and fast and even as I grappled for something to hold onto my hands found nothing but air and dusty carpet. A green glow just like the one from so long ago began filling the room, emanating from my womb. Before too long it began fading, leaving me in an agonized heap and the room suddenly seemed eerily quiet but for my laboured breathing. I suppose that I had expected more lights and dazzle and less pain through this ordeal, it was not as though I had the luxury of pain medication as one would have had in normal circumstances. The pain receded and after a few moments to catch my breath I managed to sit up. Lying on my jacket which I had laid down in the corner earlier was a small, delicate infant with soft blonde fuzz and crimson eyes.

…

"Ne, Oba-chan? What does 'Hatsumi' mean?"

"It means beautiful firstborn."

"…and Hazuki?"

Chapter 1: Hatsumi's 4th year; Life 2

Even though Hazuki had told herself over and over again that she shouldn't, she would almost always give in to her own weakness in the end. She watched the little girl in the garden as she played by herself, her caretaker nowhere in sight. She was busily throwing a small green ball around in a carefree manner, tossing it in the air and giggling to herself as she generally failed to catch it and it softly bopped her on the head. Azuma Hatsumi, age: four years old.

The little child soon spotted the tall woman by the fence and raced clumsily over, her ball forgotten on the grass.

She had imagined, when it all began, that all she would have to do was leave Hatsumi to be raised by the stranger she had hired. She wasn't aging any and so there was no reason Hazuki couldn't wait for the other girl to grow up enough so that they could be together again but that had turned out impossible. In reality she hadn't been able to keep away at all and in reality it was apparent that this Hatsumi was different.

Hazuki knew she had been foolish to think that it would just be Hatsumi as she had known her, in a childish body. This Hatsumi loved her Auntie 'Mura who had raised her, this Hatsumi loved her magical girls cartoons and another thing was… this Hatsumi could speak.

"Hazuki!" The young voice chirped exuberantly.

In one of the earliest of very few meetings the two of them had had, 'Hazuki' was what the little girl had been instructed to call her benefactor at all times. The reason for this was that while the dark haired woman may have brought her into this world the last thing she wanted to be thought of as was Hatsumi's mother. Nor could she ever be Hazuki-sama or Hazuki onee-sama. Hatsumi was the dear love she lost and wanted back and none of those titles were right. She had legally adopted Hatsumi, stating that she was a child she had found abandoned on her doorstep. The baby had cried unendingly every time she had been separated from Hazuki. She had cried until she got sick and eventually the child welfare agencies that had initially resisted, had no choice but to place the infant in her care. Still, she was no parent.

"How are you, Hatsumi? Where is Shimura-san?"

As always the best excuse she could come up for her being there was to give a couple of additional instructions to Hatsumi's caretaker. She knew it was a feeble reason at best because what could not be conveyed by telephone or electronic mail these days?

"Oh…" The little girl sounded disappointed. The older woman never seemed to pay anymore than a few seconds attention to her. "I'm alright. Auntie 'Mura is around the back, tending the vegetables."

Hazuki nodded and strode to the back garden, not giving a backwards glance at the child. It was enough, that small moment had been enough to tide her over until the next time she could not bear being away from the one who held her heart.

…

Chapter One notes:

After getting the occasional email and rereading some of the review of this fic, I decided that I would try and finish it. I've gone through this chapter and made some adjustments though.

Hazuki(葉月) in fact means the leaf month, referring to August in case anyone is interested since the question isn't answered.