Chapter 1- Neptune and Helen

Earth smiled and slowly slid down his mother's arm until he reached the hand that Neptune was still sitting on. He offered his hands, and Neptune gratefully took them. Earth pulled the shaky stitchpunk to his feet, only then realizing how small Neptune really was; he was about if not a little shorter than the same height of their sister Venus. Helen moved her hand so that it was right above the work desk, allowing Earth and Neptune to step off.

"W-who are you...?" Neptune asked Earth. He was a little imitated by the green male's tall height.

"I'm your brother," said Earth, smiling.

Neptune looked up to Helen next as he cocked his head to the side as he tried to figure out why this thing was so much bigger than them and why it appear to be made out of soft pinkish material.

"And that?" Neptune asked well pointing to Helen but staring at his brother for answers.

"That," Earth replied with an amused smile, "Is our mother, Helen. But don't call her that; only Mom, Ma, Mother, Mama, or Mum."

Neptune smiled and looked around. His blue eyes landed on the talisman. "From there….?"

Before Earth could ask what he meant by that, their mother spoke up. "Earth, why don't you go and inform the others about Neptune now that his awake?"

"Okay..." said Earth, a bit excited. He quickly turned and hopped off the table, running out of the room to go tell the others.

Helen waited until Earth was gone before turning back to Neptune. She detached the talisman from its stand and held it in front of Neptune. "You want to see this?"

Neptune nodded and latched his fingers onto the small object of metal and turned it around several times as he took in the three strange symbols on it. He started to trace the designs with his left hand. That one line seemed to open up the gateway, and he began to examine the circular as it shined and beamed. He even gave it a curious nibble to see it tasted good, the small spitting motion that followed showed it didn't.

"Neptune..." The blue stitchpunk looked up from his antics, and his eyes widened when he saw Helen holding out a small piece of pure white fabric. She held it out, and Neptune took it. "Happy Birthday."

Neptune examined the fabric carefully, turning it over a couple times, and than nuzzling his face into it when he discovered how soft it was. He didn't ask what it was for, because he didn't really need to know. He carefully tied the fabric around his left arm, making the decision to guard it with his life. It was a gift, after all...

Helen watched as Neptune went back to playing with the talisman. This was the first time any of her creations showed such curiosity and insight to the world around them. Neptune wasn't an adult, but it still made a difference. Helen sighed a bit, remembering how she had been told by Julius that only nine beings could be created. Neptune was the eighth, so only one more could be done after this; she was thankful that Neptune was so small and hadn't needed much of her soul. This one was solely made of her curious and creative nature.

He would see things that the others can't, and for this reason he would never be able to truly fit in. There was one word that Helen thought best described him:

Peculiar.

Helen was pulled out her thoughts when she noticed that Neptune had stopped playing with the talisman, he was now just sitting on the desk with his small legs crossed as he tapped against the items metal with his own that made up his hands. He than began to push the symbols on the talismans with a deep gaze of his face when the first two light up…..

"No," Helen told him as she snatched the talisman back from Neptune's hands gently, "You mustn't do that darling. It's not a toy for playing with," her mind was clouded as she worried that Neptune would cry from having the item taken away or that he would get anger at her. But Neptune just smiled at her as he stood up again to hug onto her free hand resting upon the desk.

"Okay," he replies well nuzzling into her warmth, "I'll be good mommy."

Helen blinked in shock and surprise; none of her children had ever called her by a parental title this quickly before. Not only that but he had chosen to find a different form of mother to call her by. "Where did you hear that from Neptune?"

Neptune pulled off of his mom to think deeply for a moment before tapping a single hand to his chest. "Heard it in here," he said with a smile, "It seemed right and I liked how it sounded." He than glued himself right back onto his mom's hand as he simple seeked out her warmth and love.

Helen found tears forming in her eyes at the connection already forming between her and her newest child. She slowly moved her hand that Neptune was holding onto, wrapping her soft small fingers around his frame to lift him up to eye level to stare deeply into the young one's eyes. He seemed perplexed by something, his brows scrunched and his eyes confused.

"Your leaking mommy," he said with concern, "Are you okay? Did something break inside of you?"

Helen chuckled softly as she wiped the few spray tears away with the back of her hand, Neptune watching closely as he mimicked the movement, which made her laugh. "No darling," she assured him, "I'm not broken. Their called tears and all humans produce them when they are very emotional."

Neptune blinked in confusion at this statement. "Will I make them too?"

"No, no. You can cry just like me but you just won't make the tears, its better that way."

"Okay," Neptune accepted, "Maybe we can cry together sometime." Helen just smiled as she realized just how innocent Neptune was right now, than again so were all of her children once upon a time. It sadly would die down with time as they grew and learned to be independent from her. She could still enjoy the time before that as she brought her face toward to nuzzle against Neptune's front; making him giggle; and feel his arms hold onto her face in the closest hug any of her children had giving out.

"I love you mommy," Neptune chirped out after Helen had stopped nuzzling him so he could catch his breathe.

Helen smiled with love in her heart and warmth on her face. "I love you too, Neptune. I'll always love you my darling…"