AW's Note: This is my first Shadow Raider fic. I've written several ReBoot fanfiction and it's time for Graveheart to take his place in my writting books.
My Brother's Keeper
By Al's Waiter
Prologue
"You know, I never really much thought of myself as a fighting man. My dad was a miner, as his father before him and his before him, but when the resource wars got out of hand again and duty called; I answered. After all, it was the right thing to do. Wasn't it?
"For centuries, the four planets in our cluster had been at war; stealing one another's resources. As a quarriour of Planet Rock, I raided Planets Ice, Bone and Fire; just as they raided us. They were nasty wars; dirty wars, but they were also our way of life.
"I thought I'd grow used to it, but I was wrong; the only thing I grew was tired. I lost a lot of teammates, a lot of friends, and then...I almost lost my mind.
"When it was all over, they said I was a hero. They just didn't understand; at heart, I've always been a miner."
~Graveheart "Uneasy Hangs the Head"~
Chapter One: Seek and Ye Shall Find
The sun shone brightly as Graveheart ran out of his home and down the hill towards Jade's house. His hair sparkled in the early morning light as he sped along the road. The four year old was so excited that he couldn't stand to waste a moment, he just had to tell Jade. He arrived tired and out of breath at her door and he knocked as hard as he could.
The door opened and there towering over him was a mountain of a man. The suns' rays reflected in his dark green hair and beard and made green light dance inside the darkened house. His broad shoulders filled the door-way and his head almost brushed against the top of the door frame. He looked around for the visitor, then glanced down, finally noticing the small child before him.
"Graveheart," he said in a deep fatherly tone. "What are you doing here alone? You know it's dangerous for a boy as yourself to be alone in now in days. There might be a raid on Rock somewhere near here. You know you are always suppose to be with your parents when you're outside."
"I know, sir. I'm sorry," Graveheart panted out, "but, I have something to tell you and Jade and Mrs..."
"Alright, son. Take a deep breath and come inside. Crystal might have a drink for the little harold of news."
Graveheart waddled into his home away from home, because Jade had been his best friend ever since he could remember. The two were always together. until it was time for either of them to go home.
Jade's father, Granite, walked into the kitchen while Graveheart followed. The small child climbed onto a chair near the table and tried to catch his breath. Jade's mother, Crystal, was a small woman, with a kind face. She smiled sweetly at Graveheart and brought him a glass of cold water. Graveheart gulped it down, put down the glass and wiped his mouth on the shoulder of his short-sleeved shirt.
"Now," Granite's voice rumbled as he sat down on another chair across from the young boy. "What's this thing that you find so important that you come here alone, young man?"
At that moment, Jade walked into the kitchen. "Mommy, I..." when seeing Graveheart, a smile spread across her face. Graveheart beamed back, sat straight up and looked at his small audience.
"Today is a very special day." he paused. "I'm a big brother." He stopped and watched three faces grow a smile.
"Oh, Graveheart, honey. Dat's wonderful! Sapphire had her baby. Is it a baby brot'er or sister?" Crystal inquired.
"It's a baby brother," and he finished with a wide grin, "and his name is Mica!"
Jade hopped up to her best friend. "Really?! What's he look like?" Jade had become as excited as Graveheart.
"I don't know yet. Grandma is going to take me to see Mommy, Daddy and Mica after lunch. We just got a phone call and I had to come straight over here and tell you." Graveheart couldn't stop smiling.
Jade looked at her parents. "Could I go wit' Graveheart?" She pleaded. "I'd like ta see Mica."
Crystal looked at Granite. "What do you think?" she asked.
Granite rubbed his chin in thought. "Well, I don't know." He said with a twinkle in his eye. "Only if you stay with Graveheart and his family, I don't see any harm in that." He finished in a warm smile.
Jade jumped in glee. "Yay!" She squealed. "Can I go ta Graveheart's house now?" She asked.
"Sure." Crystal replied. "But Daddy will have to walk you two back." She said sternly.
"Yes ma'am." Jade said happily. She ran upstairs and put on her favourite shirt and new socks, then ran back down all ready for a new day to have adventures and to see the new baby.
Granite strode briskly down the walk while Jade and Graveheart ran happily a little ways ahead. When all three reached Graveheart's house, Granite turned back to go back. "Jade, be good. I'll be back to pick you up at six o'clock to take you home."
"Ok Daddy. I'll be good!" Jade called as both children ran into Graveheart's cave home and shut the door behind them.
Alone in the hospital room and standing on a stool, Graveheart and Jade peered over the hospital bassinet at the new baby. The blue hair, what little he had, matched Graveheart's' and his mothers', Sapphire, unlike his father, Gravel, who was grayish.
Blue stripes paned across his face and torso and his eyes were bright blue. Graveheart looked at Jade and smiled. "He looks like me." he said proudly.
Jade only nodded and returned back to the pramer. "Mica's so tiny." she whispered.
Graveheart grinned, "Yeah." he agreed.
Gravel entered the room. "Ok, you two." he whispered softly, now that the baby had fallen asleep. "It's time for you to go home. You'll see him in two days because that's when he'll be coming home with Mommy. He'll be at your fifth Birthday party Graveheart. His first party ever." he grinned.
Both children climbed off the chair and tip-toed to Gravel as to not wake the baby. As the children left the room, Graveheart turned to Jade. "It's going to be fun having a little brother around."
"I hate having a little brother around!" Graveheart grumbled to Jade as the walked outside after lunch. It was four years later and Graveheart and Jade were nine years old. They were allowed to play outside for the time being because it was during the Golden Jubilation; Peace Treaty negotiations for the four worlds of the solar system.
Graveheart and Jade were off to play Quarriors and Glacial Troopers while Mica took his afternoon nap. "Ok, sometimes I admit, he's fun," he sighed. "but other times he gets in the way of our playing. I just wish that he'd get friends of his own."
Jade said nothing. She agreed with Graveheart because if both of them were best friends and if they were doing something together, guaranteed, Mica would be tailing behind them. They were both getting tired of Mica hanging around them.
The children reached the abandoned cave where they loved to play. The cave served as anything, it was only restricted to Graveheart and Jade's imagination. They would always only played at the mouth of the cave and made sure that they didn't go too far in.
All afternoon, in, out and around the cave to two children ran, chased and hid from one another. As the sun began to dip into the colour changing sky, the pair of friends headed back to their homes.
As Graveheart walked in his front door, Sapphire called from the kitchen "Graveheart, Hun. Please help Mica wash up for dinner."
Graveheart, being in a better mood than earlier that day, searched the living room, the bedroom that he and Mica shared and the playroom for his little brother. "Where is he?" he called to his mother from the basement.
"What do you mean? He's not with you?" Sapphire asked.
"No. I haven't seen him since lunch time." He said as he walked into the kitchen to join his mother.
"Oh no..." Sapphire whispered. "He went to go play with you and Jade two hours ago. He didn't meet you?" she asked worriedly.
Graveheart shook his head. "Where did he go?"
Sapphire's hands were in front of her mouth. "I don't know..." she whispered. "I don't know! Where could he be? Oh...Mica!" Tears started to fall down her face and get caught in her hands.
Graveheart watched his mother in silence. Mica's missing? Graveheart felt slightly numb. Sure, he was a pain sometimes, but Mica was still his little brother. Graveheart had to think fast. Maybe he went to Jade's.... Graveheart ran outside and sped towards Jade's house.
He wasn't there, so Jade and Graveheart grabbed flashlights and began the search in the ever growing darkness. The made it to the cave where they had been playing for the entire afternoon and shone their lights around the mouth and rocks surrounding it. He wasn't there either. They were just about to leave when they heard a sound coming from inside the cave. Sounds of crying from a small child.
Mica?
"Mica!" Jade called into the cave. There was no reply; the crying only continued.
"Come on!" Graveheart began to jog into the mouth of the cave with Jade close behind. "That's gotta be him" Both children ran into the pitch black darkness with their little lights bouncing in front of them. If it wasn't for Jade and Graveheart's flashlights, both children would be in total darkness.
Following the sound wasn't easy; the cries echoed back and around the tunnel, but lucky for them, they didn't have to follow the sound. The tunnel didn't break off and split up into different directions. As the children moved closer to the crying, it became more obvious who was sobbing; it was Mica.
Upon rounding a corner, a small child came into view. His head was buried in his knees and his shoulders shook with every sob that escaped from his lips. His blue crystal hair sparkled in the introduction of the flashlights.
"Mica!" Graveheart exclaimed. He must come and looked for us when Jade and I left the cave for get sticks to use as play swords . he thought.
The child looked up in surprise and squinted at the new light.
"Graveheart?" the small child inquired as he tried to see who was behind the blinding light. When he realized who it was, his face lit up and he ran to his older brother.
"I was so scared!" Mica sobbed. "It got dark so fast! I couldn't see how to get home and the noises and voices scared me!"
Graveheart held tightly onto the small child, who was hugging his waist. "What noises Mica?" he asked, looking down. "And what voices?"
Mica took hold of his brothers hand. "Listen."
Both Graveheart and Jade stood still and listened. Now that there was no crying, except for the occasional sniffle from Mica, Jade and Graveheart could make out sounds of men's voices, talking.
"What is dat?" Jade asked in a hushed whisper.
"I don't know." Graveheart answered just as quietly. "Let's check it out!"
Holding tightly to Mica's hand, Graveheart began following the voices. Further down the tunnel, the trio discovered that the voices were being emitted from a very large crack in the wall. Jade was the first to look through.
After a moment, she gasped with excitement. "It's da Battle Moon Core! Ya know, where da quarriors control Rock's Battle Moons!"
"Quick! Turn off your flashlights and lemme see!" Mica whispered quietly. The two other obeyed and Graveheart lifted his little brother up, bringing the control core into view.
"Dis rocks!" Jade exclaimed in a loud whisper. "I'm goin' ta be a quarrior when I get older. Maybe I'll get promoted to Lieutenant."
"I want be a quarrior too!" Mica said softly as he looked through the crack. "I wanna be the commander of all Rock's quarriors."
"Let's keep this our little secret." Graveheart said as he lowered Mica back to the ground. "No one must know that *we* know about the location of the Battle Moon Core."
The two other children agreed. Silently both Jade and Graveheart turned
on their flashlights and headed for home.