Chapter 12: Waiting for me

His mother was sleeping at the moment, but he was looking down at the infant who was currently staring back at him with mint green eyes as if not sure what to make of him.

He personally, didn't know what to make of her either. Or..rather him. It. Gah, the pronouns here were hard to come up with right now. He had been told - like his sister- that the baby would be considered female, per their mother's wish, and that the child would be treated as such.

Much like his father earlier he wonders how this would effect Yuzuki later on. What if she felt more like a 'he'? He could only picture how badly things could go over for the baby in the future. It was rather worrisome.

Still, in this quiet moment he picks up the infant carefully, making sure to support the head, and walks over to the nursery window to look out of it.

"Well, Yuu." He decided that wouldn't be a bad nickname for her. "Looks like you're here safely enough right now." He didn't say anything else but moves away from the window, walking with the child towards the small dresser where a tiny golden box sat.

Originally, it was going to be a gift for his mother but ever since he learned about her pregnancy he had decided to give it to the baby instead and got something else for his mother.

He wasn't sure if she'd appreciate it much but then again...

"Look, it's a music box from Kinmoku." He told her cooing softly, "They're not like any other music box on earth. These actually have a special scent that's suppose to calm down the person that opens it and it never fades. I think you'd like the music."

Shifting the baby a bit, Darius reaches over and opens the box. He turns walking back to the crib as the music plays softly with a pleasing scent accompanying it. It wasn't overpowering or even harsh, but gentle as the sound of the music.

"See? It is nice." He said and sets the baby back into the crib.

As he was about to stand up he froze, feeling as if something was watching him. Something that wasn't the baby. He shivers as fear began to well up inside of him before turning to see what it was.

But there was nothing there.

He breathes out thinking it must've been his imagination. Still, he smiles at the baby before moving to shut the music box before leaving the room.

After all, his mother would be up soon wouldn't she? He wasn't sure he wanted to see her much at the moment. Besides he had other things he needed to do.

Like training.

After he left, the music box started to play again slowly as the lid creaked open and the scent wafts through the room again. In the crib, Yuzuki smiles up at the figure leaning over the crib and giggles.

A week had passed since he and his sister arrived home and had started their training- only kicked up a notch more. Chibiusa trained harder with the girls and the boys studied under the Shitennou when they weren't doing other things such as going back to Elysion to help out and meditate there.

Helios said something about being able to commune with their elements helps them stay in touch with their abilities.

Darius didn't quite get it and as far as his own training went he did nothing more then swordplay and strength training. Nothing to do with powers or magic at all even though Helios did say he could transform now.

Weirdly, it almost seemed as if they discouraged it. Something he brought up after a lesson with Helios himself.

"Why can't I do what the others can?" He sounded frustrated-rightly so of course. "I can transform now, why can't I learn as the others do?"

Helios glances at him, there really was no easy way to answer this, "Because you are the heir."

"That makes no sense." Darius glances at him frowning, "That should be even more reason for me to learn how to control these powers."

"It's not just that." Helios told him, "Remember, it's only temporary because you didn't want to usurp your father's claim to the Golden Crystal. Therefore how man times you can transform is also limited as are the powers." He looks ahead, "I told you that on Kinmoku when I did this. The thing is, Prince, by technicality you have more than enough Guardians to protect you that it is not as pressing for you to learn."

"Speak sense." He didn't like how this was going. "I have only the Elysion Guard."

"Actually," Helios paused as they came towards a small pond that was in the forest of Elysion, "Because you are the heir, you're protected by the Sailor Senshi themselves, Small Lady's team, the Asteroid Senshi, the Shitennou as well as your own personal guards."

He shook his head at that, "No, the Senshi protect my mother, the Shitennou protect my father and the Asteroid Senshi guard Chibiusa. I only -have- the Elysion Guard. I don't see the connection."

"Think on this." Helios tries a different track, "The Sailor Senshi's purpose is to protect Earth. You are the heir to that and if you died it would not end well for the rest of us. Same token, the Silver Crystal, guarded by the heiress to the moon, is meant to protect the Earth- indirectly that means you. The Shitennou may protect your father, but they are bound to protect you as well because you are his heir. That's why they train your guards harder then any of the others. " Helios turns slightly, "While it's true, individual groups protect certain people the end result is to protect the Earth and ultimately it's chosen heir."

Darius tilts his head for a moment listening and thinking about it. What a weird kind of sense this all made. After all, the Silver Crystal is obviously powerful however from what he remembered by itself it isn't that great. Same token the Golden Crystal is powerful as well. So did that mean the Silver Crystal was an external thing while the Golden Crystal was internal?

Honestly, it was giving him a headache.

"Still, why can't I just learn something?" He hated to sound whiny but.. "Anything other then swordplay?"

"Don't underestimate it, Darius, "Helios told him, " Many enemies rely heavily on magic and manipulation. If you hone these non-magical skills you can surprise them and thus it can lead to victory."

"You talk as if you know." Darius sighs, "Very well, I'll drop it for now, but I still think I should be able to do as they do."

"I know my prince." Helios shook his head with a faint smile. Didn't Endymion have the same complaints when he was younger?

"Still wish we could've stayed on Kinmoku a bit longer." He went on frowning, "There's so much wrong there and so much to figure out!" He turns slightly to Helios, "Why me? Why was she after me? What was the deal with that cult and- just so many unanswered things."

Helios merely shrugs, "It is not our place to solve their problems as well." He wasn't trying to be mean or cold, it was simply a fact. "Their social problems are for them to solve as is the rest of that. It is not your place nor is it your kingdom, Darius. The best you can do is learn from what you did uncover and try to avoid those pitfalls."

"I suppose..." Darius wasn't sure about that. He really wanted to help them but then again his place wasn't there. He could only hope that they would be able to get through that safely.

Such as it was...

Finally, she managed to break away from the girls. As much as Chibiusa loved having new friends closer to her own age, she wanted some peace and quiet as well. She was certain that everything would be alright now. After all, even if her little 'sister' was a bit...strange, it didn't mean anything. She'd love her just the same as she did her brother.

Pausing, the pink princess's mind drifts off to one certain thing that her mind had been avoiding a bit ever since she had gotten here.

Helios...

She ducks her head a bit looking ahead towards the golden door. Right now he was in Elysion. Maybe...Maybe she should see him?

Part of her wondered if he knew about her in the past and had been waiting for her to grow up and become a lady.

She stops thinking about it and couldn't help that her heart beat increased,. If that was it- if that was why he always seemed so favorable towards her when she was younger...

"I should speak to him." She said to herself before moving to go see him. "Maybe he's waiting for me to decide? What if-?"

She pushes the door open and hurries onto the fields looking for him. "Lord Helios!"

Chibiusa pauses looking around again until she spotted the familiar white hair. Smiling a bit, she moves to follow it. After all she needed to tell him. She had to. If there was a chance!

She pants as she nears the spot where he had been and moves closer to find him.

There, ahead! She thought slowing her pace. There he was but her brother was there as well. Suddenly she felt self-conscious of herself. After all if she confessed in front of her brother it would be so embarrassing!

Still, it would be rude to be there and not announce her presence too.

"Helios.."

Her gaze went back up looking at them from where she was hidden, what was with that tone?

"Helios, I..." Darius was looking somewhat flushed. Why was that?

"Yes Prince?" Why was Helios smiling like that? What was he expecting?

He looks away, "Nothing, how about we go out?"

Was he asking him 'out' or was it nothing? She frowns noticing this new..weird situation before her. After a moment, she steps forward. Something inside her said she didn't want to know the answer to that. Helios was..was...

"Ah, Small Lady." The white haired priest noticed her. "What are you doing here? Your lessons aren't until tomorrow."

Darius was giving her a weird look again but she ignored it. "Can.. can I speak with you alone?"

"What's so important that you can't just say it?" Darius asked.

"It-it's private." She blushes a bit. "Besides, shouldn't you be going on to that painting thing?"

He raises a brow but glances at the pocket watch for a moment, " I'll speak with you later on that." He smiles a bit at Helios and seemed to want to do something else but he turns and leaves.

Much to her relief.

"You wanted to speak to me?" Helios asks looking at her."

"Hm." She nods breathing a bit before saying while blushing furiously, "Lord Helios.. I... I like you."

"Darius, what sort of painting is that?" Michiru walks by him and a few of the others that had showed interest in a painting course. Michiru being who she was, couldn't help but teach the class, though it wasn't her main expertise-that was the violin. Her only joy was that Hotaru was continuing with lessons in that as was, surprisingly enough, Para-Para.

"I don't know." He replied mixing the paints, "It's just something."

"Something?" She eyed the piece of work for a moment. A shadowy hand and two gleaming silhouettes in the center. One was looking away and the other was looking towards it. She noted he was added what looked to be stars to the scene as well as some strange white..well.. 'blob' would be a term here. "It looks more then that to me."

"I suppose it could be a thought for a book?" He glances at her a bit though he looked almost as if he wasn't entirely there. "Or maybe story or something."

"What is it suppose to be?" She examines it a bit more. Now the two figures seemed to take on a more human like quality. She could at least tell the gender-sort of.

Darius simply shrugs. "I do not know."