I only own Mariposa!

Church

August 19, 8:00 am, Normal POV

I wake up to someone shaking me gently. "Mari, i's time ta wake up."

I blink up at him. It's always hard to sleep good when I got curlers in my hair. "Sire? Why you shakey me?"

He shrugs. "Ah couldn' ge' ya ta wake up."

"No' easy ta sleepy on curlies…"

"Ah guess no'…" He smiles. "Wan' me ta carry ya down?" I nod and reach up to him, then lay my head on his chest, over his spark. "Now, don' go back ta sleep on meh, Mari." He taps my head lightly. "Wake up, Sweetspark. It's mornin'!"

"Do not pester our youngling, Jazz."

I blink up at Carrier. "How we get down so fast?"

Sire looks down at me. "Ya fell asleep 'gain."

"Oh…" I look up to Carrier sleepily. "I s'eepy…"

"I can tell."

Sire sets me in my chair as Carrier sets a plate of sausage and eggs in front of me, with a cup of strawberry milk. I stare at it for a moment before remembering what's going on—I can't help it, I'm sleepy still!

Once I'm done, Sire takes me upstairs and helps me into a sundress with a red and white polka-dot bodice, white strawberry print skirt and straps, a red and white polka-dot hem, and a full skirt, pink tights, and red Mary Jane shoes, then sits me down in my new desk chair. Once I'm still, he starts taking the curlers out, then brushes my hair before spraying it, then clips a light pink hair bow with a strawberry border along the top and in the center in the back, and holds a white long sleeved shrug with a white lace collar and single strawberry out for me to slip into. "Now…ya gotta stay clean. Ah'll be righ' back."

I look up at him with a pleading look. "Toy?"

"Wha's ya Carrier say?"

"One toy, from my stim box."

"Then go pick one, but don' take too lon'. Ah think we're leavin' soon."

"I won'!" I run to the stairs, and walk down to make sure I don't fall, before running to the toy bin by the door.

"Mariposa…"

I look up to Carrier with one hand on Rose. "Yeah?"

"Come here." I walk over to him slowly with my velvet dolly. I don't want him yelling at me. "Your Sire does have excentric tastes…" He motions for me to turn around. "Turn around." I do, quickly. I love dresses like this! "Slowly, Mariposa. I want to look at the dress."

"Oh…" I turn slowly, then look up to him expectantly.

"It is acceptable." I blink up at him with a sad look, causing him to crouch to me. "Mariposa… It is not that I do not like the dress, but I am not sure it is the best for a church service."

"I can wear?"

He nods. "Yes, you may." He slips my yellow binky around my neck, then turns to the stairs. "JAZZ! BLUESTREAK! LET'S GO!"

Sire steps over to the top of the stairs. "Ya ready?"

"My holoform has been ready for the last half-hour. We have to leave." He watches Sire step past us and outside. "We are using one vehicle mode, Jazz."

"Ah guess we're usin' yours."

"Yes. Your vehicle mode will not seat more than two humans, making it unsuitable."

Sire makes a pouty face. "Fine…"

Bluestreak steps down with a nervous look. "Prowl? Is everything okay? No one's attacking, right? I think I left my rifle at the base if—"

"No one is attacking, Bluestreak. We need to leave now, or we are going to be late."

"Ya forgot ya gun a' the base?"

Bluestreak shrugs. "I didn't want Mari getting hold of it, so I think I left it with the twins when we were there yesterday…" I look between the two. "You used the same tone you use in the battlefield…"

"I know, and I appologize." He sighs. "You need to get into holoform. We are taking one vehicle mode."

"Can' we take Blue's? His—"

Carrier glares at Sire. "Does not have a safe enough booster seat. Mine does."

"Fine…" Sire goes back to pouting.

Carrier leads us outside and transforms before opening both doors. "Jazz, wait until Bluestreak gets in and secures Mariposa before you climb in."

"Ah gotta si' in the back?"

"No, but there is no back door, which means they have to use yours. It will take less than a minute for them to get in."

I plop into my booster and turn to Bluestreak. "Unca Blue buc'a me?" He nods, causing me to smile. "Carrier?" He glances back at me. "Music?" He nods, and starts my Bible music CD.

"Ya keep music in ya vehicle mode?"

"I have a youngling who loves music, Jazz. Of course I am going to keep CDs for her when we leave the house."

"CDs? As in more'n one?"

"Yes. This one is songs they sing in her Sunday school class, and she does not enjoy listening to it during the week."

"An' the music player in 'er room? She didn' have tha' when ah lef'."

"She inherited your love of music."

Sire gives him a look before shaking his head and leaning back, choosing to enjoy the kids music instead of question it anymore.

Church

"Stay close, Marianne."

"Yes, Sir…" I smile up at Sire's holoform. His suit is gray and white, and he has a horsey tie, while Carrier's is still the same black and white with a blue tie, and Bluestreak's is gray, white, and red. "We gonna show you eve'ywhere!"

Carrier hands me the new pink Bible from my desk, then hands Sire a dark blue one, and Bluestreak a red one, before keeping the black one for himself. "Do not lose these. They were not cheap."

"Ya go' me a book?"

I tug on Sire's hand excitedly. "They use 'em here in church!" I make a face. "It's 'fusing, bu' the p'eacher 'splain it to us when he teach later. 'Fore that's Sunday School, an' I getta listen to story an' sing, an' color!"

"Sounds fun…" He looks up to Carrier. "Thin' I coul—"

"No." He sighs heavily. "Jazz, you cannot invade out daughter's class just because it sounds "fun"."

Bluestreak turns to the two. "Cami's class usually goes for the entire service, since her class is young kids."

"Prowler…"

"Peter here. We cannot blow our cover, Jazz." He turns to Bluestreak. "And she is coming up with us as soon as Sunday school ends."

"Guess ah'm lucky tha' mah name's human enough already." He sighs. "Why ya pullin' Mari outta 'er class so early?"

Bluestreak smiles. "He's afraid someone's gonna hurt her. I can't blame him, after they were apart for so long, but she's gonna want to fly sometime, and—"

"She is not allowed to ride with…" Carrier sighs heavily. "She is not flying without me present."

"Ah think 'e mean' tha' she's gonna wanna be 'erself sometime, an' you'll jus' be in the way. She's no' gonna stay li'l forever, Pete…"

"Do not call me Pete." He sighs heavily. "Do you want me to take you to your class?"

I cling to Sire's hand. "Papa take me!"

"Would you?"

Sire nods. "Ya're gonna hafta show meh how ta ge' there…"

"I can!" I giggle before dragging him behind me as I run inside, then make a beeline for Cami's room. "We're here!"

He peeks inside. "Looks like fun…"

I give him my best stern face. "Daddy say you no' 'lowed!"

He laughs softly. "Ah know, Mari."

"You must be Jazz. Blake told me about you." Cami walks over. "I'm Cami." She crouches to me. "I love your dress!"

I give her a nervous smile before looking up to Sire. "She don' like ta talk ta people she don' know much…"

She crouches to me. "You know me, Sweetheart…" She looks up to Sire. "I'll take care of her, Jazz. Go on and enjoy the service."

"I okay, Papa. She no hurt me."

"I know, Girly…" He sighs before following Bluestreak to the main room.

I look up to Cami. "I finks he wanna stay wif me, 'cause in there boring, an' in here fun, an' Papa no like boring."

"Hi, Mari!"

I look up, and smile when I see Annie. "Annie, Papa's back!"

"I know." She grins. "Daddy tol' me! Is he gonna take you ta school tomorrow?"

I shrug. "He no say…" I smile. "But he take me ta skating!"

"You got in skating? I wanna skate…"

"I coul' ask Papa to talk wif you Daddy…"

"Would you?"

I nod before starting to bounce. "I be glad to! I need f'iends there! Addie, an' Cori, an' Ella in class. Need f'iends!"

Cami sighs softly. "Mari, Annie, you two need to sit down. It's time to get started." She looks over at the door as I slip into my chair, being extra careful so I don't sit back on my curlies. "Come in, girls. Sheleeka, would you hand out the crayons for me?"

Violet raises her hand. "Can I hand out the papers?"

Cami smiles. "Of course." She sits at the head of the table. "Today we're learning about Noah. Can anyone tell me who he was? Daniella?"

She turns to the teacher. She's wearing a bright yellow Belle-styled dress with a large yellow bow on the back of her head. "He…Um…" I raise my hand.

"Mari?"

"He was the only one who still trusted God. Tol' to buil' Ark to safe family from floods."

"Good." She smiles at me before turning back to the rest of the class.

Daniella turns to me before whispering. "No one likes that rag you're wearing. It looks really bad on you, too! 'Course, you never look as good as I do. You're ugly no matter what you wear, after all, and you're way too old for a binky." She turns back to Cami and smiles sweetly.

One Hour Later

We look up at a knock. By now, we're just coloring pictures of Noah's Ark. Cami walks over and opens the door, revealing Sire on the other side. "Ah need ta ge' Mari."

"Marianne?"

I bounce up and grab my new Bible before running around the table to Sire. "Lookie! I color Noah' Ark!"

He smiles down at me. "Ah see. I's real good." He takes my hand. "Ya're gonna hafta calm down before church, Sweetheart. Pete wan's ya ta pay 'tention ta the lesson."

"He wan' you ta pay 'tention too! That why we here!"

"Ya're righ' 'bou' tha', an' ah'm doin' mah bes'."

He lets me slip into the pew before following me in, then sits between Bluestreak and I. "I color' Noah, Daddy." I hold out my picture to him.

"Good job, Marianne. Put it away for right now."

"Okay…" I slip it under the pew in front of us. "No let me fo'get i'…"

"I will not, Marianne." We look up as the piano starts playing. "It is time to be quiet now."

I nod, and lean into Sire, careful of my curlies and bow, then set my new Bible on my lap.

"Careful, Mari. You don't want to fall asleep again." Bluestreak glances to Jazz. "Mari fell asleep last week."

"Be nice, B'akey."

"She can fall 'sleep if she wan's, Blake. She's only six."

"I tiwed…"

Carrier sighs heavily. "Try to stay awake for now, Marianne. You can take a nap when we get home."

Sire snaps at Carrier in a whisper. "Pete—"

"Quiet, Jazz. We are in church."

He lowers his voice, but continues. "Bu' Prowler, Mari's tire'." He sighs heavily. "Ah can take 'er home…"

Carrier continues in a whisper. "We came in one vehicle. We must leave in one vehicle. This lesson is designed for teens and adults. Mariposa would fall asleep even if she was alert."

"Then why didya pull her out of her class? Wouldn' she have more fun with people 'er own age?"

"She is far too young to be away from us for very long. School is unavoidable at this time, but I prefer to have her with us." He sighs. "This discussion is over, Jazz. Pay attention to the sermon."

"Bu'…"

"I will explain further once we return home. Until then, be quiet and listen."

Sire huffs before glancing down at me. "Ya okay, Mari?"

"Likes music. I' pwetty…"

"It is." He sighs. "Ya're no' upse' 'bou'—"

I shake my head slightly before whispering. "Tiwed, bu' no' mad. Wan' be wif Carrier. He safe. Wan' be safe."

Carrier sighs. "I need to talk with Red Alert about setting up a security system on our property, and increasing security on base tomorrow. Mariposa needs security as much as she needs her schedules."

I feel someone shake me lightly, and look up at Sire. "Hi…"

"I's time ta go, Mari."

"Get your picture, Sweetheart. It is time to go."

Home

I run inside and toss Rose into my stim toy box, while Carrier, Sire, and Bluestreak walk behind me. "Jazz, help Mariposa get changed. I need to start cooking her lunch."

I grin up at him. "What you gonna make this time?"

He smiles down at me. "I have noticed you really like chicken."

"So I has chicken on Sunday?"

"Yes. Go get changed." He sticks my picture on the fridge—I know he saw them like that on Sarah's fridge—then turns to get the food out so he can cook.

I start toward my room, then turn back to Carrier with a whimper. "Carrier?"

He kneels to me. "What is wrong, Sweetspark?"

"Gots bullies in Sunday school too. Like be wif you in church. You safe."

"Jazz—"

"Hol' up." Sire kneels to me. "Ya have bullies in ya'r Sunday School class?"

"Uh-huh…" I look up at him. "Ella, an' Cori, an' Addie from school and skatin', an' the triplets in my school, an' Bobby from my school…"

"Ella's in ya class a' church too?"

"Uh-huh…"

"Oh, Sweetspark…"

"An' she dwesses in poofy dwesses, an' sparkly bows, an' thinks she' the pwettiest girl in Sunday school, an'—" I whimper. "She say I look ugly all the time…"

"Sheh WHA'!?"

I shriek and duck behind Carrier's leg, tears in my eyes. Carrier sighs heavily as he picks me up, then turns to Sire with a heavier sigh. "Jazz, calm down. You are scaring Mariposa, and she is already upset enough."

"Ah'm callin' 'er Sire." He stomps over to the phone on the wall before glancing to Carrier, who rolls his optics, but otherwise doesn't move. After a moment, he pulls out the paper he got yesterday and dials before leaning back against the wall.

Carrier turns to me. "I promise you she is not being honest. You are the most beautiful youngling I have seen on any planet."

"Really?"

"Yes."

"Damien? I's Jazz. Mari's Papa?" He sighs heavily. "Mari tol' us Ella calle' 'er ugly in their class this mornin'. Woul' ya know anythin' 'bou' tha'?"

Daniella's House, Third POV

Daniella runs downstairs, now wearing shorts and a T-shirt. "Daddy! I wanna eat now!"

"Hold on, Princess. I'm on the phone." Damien sighs before covering the mouthpiece. "Did you call Marianne ugly in Sunday school?"

She gives him an innocent look. "'Course not, Daddy."

He turns back to the phone. "Dani says she didn't, Jazz. I'm sure it's just a misunderstanding…"

Home, my Room, Normal POV

Carrier takes me upstairs and sets me on my bed before pulling out some clothes, then turns back and helps me into a white short sleeved T-shirt with a red butterfly graphic, a red tulle skirt, and white flats. "Would you like me to put a movie in for you while I cook?"

I nod. "Cindy-Ella?"

He smiles slightly. "Of course. Just keep the volume down."

"I' hur' you?"

Carrier sighs softly. "Not in the way you might think." I look up at him, confused. "My doorwings are sensitive to changes in the air…" He picks me up and starts down the stairs. "And the louder the television, or your music, or your sire's, the harder it is for me to concentrate on what needs to get done."

His doorwings twitch slightly, causing me to turn to them in awe. Without really meaning to, I reach over for the one closest to me, but I barely touch it before it jerks away from me. "Mariposa, please do not touch my doorwings." He sets me down on the couch before slipping the DVD in.

"Is tha' so?" Sire shakes his head before grinning at Carrier and I. "Ah've go' an idea. How' 'bou' we see wha' the others in church think 'bou' the girls' dresses?"

Daniella's House, Third POV

"And by that, you mean…"

Home, Normal POV

"A friendly competition, ta see which of our daughters' styles the preacher an' their teacher prefers."

Daniella's House, Third POV

"Judged by who? You?"

Home, Normal POV

"Ah woul' be too partial ta mah li'l one, as woul' mah spouse. Scorin' woul' be based on compliments an' their teacher." He laughs. "Ah though' ya'd go for tha'. Ah was thinkin' we'd go for four weeks…" He grins. "So weh go' a deal, then? Grea'. Ah'll see ya on Fri." He shakes his head. "Naw, ah'm bringin' Mari ta 'er skatin' lesson this week." He grins. "Ya too. Buh-bye."

Carrier turns to him as he hangs up the phone. "Jazz—"

I slide off the couch and run to Sire before jumping at his feet. "I getta 'pete 'gainst Ella!?"

He crouches to me with a grin. "Ya getta compete 'gains' Ella for the nex' month. Ah know ya'll do grea'. Ya're the pretties' femme ah've ever seen."

"Jazz…" Carrier sighs heavily. "What if I do not want our daughter competing against anyone?"

"I's jus' ta show Ella she's no' as 'mportan' as she thinks she is, Prowler. She thinks she's the only femme on this plane' tha' matters, an' maybe losin' ta someone she thinks is no one will teach 'er ta be nicer ta people."

"And you are positive Mariposa will win the competition?"

"With mah sense o' style and 'Kaela's help? There's no way she coul' lose!" He grins. "Ya need ta ge' 'er lunch finished. Ah'll keep an optic on 'er."