I am almost four years old, visiting the Moon palace with my mother. She tells me that the king has something very important to tell us. I wonder what it could be. As we are climbing the stairs towards the palace, she reminds me again not to start any trouble. I promise I won't.
The palace is bigger than any building I've ever seen in my life. All the people are dressed so nicely here. Women in brightly colored dresses with little gloves and handbags chat in the hallways with handsome gentlemen. I still think my mother is prettier than any of them.
One of the servants is leading us to the king's conference hall, and I begin to get nervous. I have never met a king before. Should I bow? What should I say? Should I even speak at all? My mother senses my anxiety and pulls me close.
"It's okay, dear. You have nothing to be afraid of." She reassures me with her words as large doors swing open in front of us. In the big hall, I see the High King, sitting on a throne, talking and laughing with a few of his nobles. We enter slowly, a few curious stares falling upon us. I ignore the urge to stare back, because mom said I should be good.
The king sees us and stands up, a big smile on his face. Now we're standing in the middle of the room, and everyone is looking at us. I stare at my feet.
"Imbriana," the king says warmly. I wonder how he knows my mom's name. He comes towards us, and I realize that he is very tall, but not scary like I thought he would be. He seems kind of funny. Then he kisses my mom on the cheek. I look up at him.
"This must be Ken." He smiles down at me. Now I wonder how he knows my name. He kneels down, and offers his hand out to me. I look at my mother, who simply smiles and nods. So I shake the king's big hand, my own hand seems to get lost inside his grip. He tells me what a strong hand I have, and I smile a little.
We end up living in the Moon palace. I have my own big room with a door that goes directly into my mother's room. I start to make friends with a few of the palace kids, but my best friend is the prince from Earth. His name is Tasuke.
My mother is married to the king three months later. Now I am a prince of the Moon kingdom. I think Prince Ken sounds silly. My new father tells me that he thinks it sounds very brave. I decide that maybe he is right. Maybe.
I am five and a half, and my mother has a little baby girl. Mom says that the baby's royal name is Princess Imbriana, but that we can call her Chiyo. The baby is very pretty, and she smiles a lot.
I have never had a sister before. Mom lets me hold her and give her bottles, and if I am careful we can even sleep together. I like to watch her sleep. One morning, as the sun is rising, Chiyo is still asleep and I wake up early. I sit on the bed and watch her sleep. . . babies sleep for a living. She looks very peaceful, and I can feel that she will be a wonderful princess. That morning, I look out the window and make a promise on the rising sun that I will always protect her. She is my only little sister, so I'll grow up as strong and brave as I can so I can always take care of her. She seems too little to take care of herself. I kiss her on the forehead, and the little moon symbol that she has starts to glow. Chiyo wakes up and looks at me, and smiles really big. She laughs to see her big brother, and I suddenly feel something itchy on my forehead. I look in the mirror, and I can't speak.
Now, on my forehead, there is a symbol too. It's the Sun's symbol. I don't understand at all, but something tells me that this is going to be Chiyo's and my little secret. The symbol vanishes again, but I can still feel it there. Part of me feels different.
I am now eight years old. It's Chiyo's fifth birthday, and all the Princesses in the Solar system are here for her birthday. I've met most of them, like Umi, Mikomi, Kei, Koushi and Kohana. I am introduced to Princess Uranus, Sora, and to Princess Pluto, Yodume. Sora seems mysterious, and Yodume always seems worried about something. I wonder briefly if Neptune doesn't have a princess.
The girly birthday party bores me. I creep out with Tasuke to play in the gardens. We play hide and seek for a while, and I always win. I'm too fast for Tasuke. Once, I hear Tasuke talking out loud, and I sneak up on him. He gave himself away, how clumsy! I jump from behind the bushes and growl like a big animal, but stop when I see that Tasuke was actually talking to someone. It's a girl. A very, very pretty girl.
Tasuke introduces us. Her name is Hakeru, the Neptunian princess I hadn't met before. Apparently she and Tasuke play together often. She has very blue eyes and water-colored curly hair. I like her hair a lot.
The three of us play together for another hour or so, then Hakeru says she has to go back into the girls' party. Tasuke and I are kind of sad, because Hakeru is fun to play with. Neither of us know how, but she always wins at hide and seek now. I think she's just psychic. When I ask her if she is, she only laughs at me.
When Tasuke and I are ten, Hakeru has just turned nine. We're the best of friends. THis year, I learn about the Sailor Senshi Legend. . . about how Hakeru is Sailorneptune, Tasuke is the Earth Guardian, and my little sister is the one they are all sworn to protect, Sailormoon. I remember that morning with my baby sister, and the sun symbol on my head. I feel oddly connected to the Senshi. I tell Tasuke and Hakeru about the sun symbol, and neither of them seem surprised. Tasuke says that he had seen the symbol once when I didn't realize it was showing. Hakeru says she just knew. I still think she's psychic. She calls me "Firebrand", and says that it means troublemaker. My mother has called me that, also.
One night, Tasuke is sick and can't come play. I am on Triton at Neptune's castle, visiting Hakeru. She confesses (finally) that she is psychic, and explains how she can read minds, feel people's emotions and even see the future sometimes. She tells me that she knows about my secret- my big secret- and that she can help. Hakeru explains that Chiyo already helped me, when she was a baby.
I never knew my father. My mom has never spoken of him, ill or otherwise, and I have never really asked. She and I were close enough that I didn't need a dad. I had accepted king Atlas as my father, and he was wonderful. But my true bloodline had always been a mystery. All I knew was that my father must have been powerful. Sometimes if I was angry, embarrassed or afraid, I could feel my eyes begin to burn and I would start fires. My skin would tingle and little flames would leap from my fingertips. That's when my mother started calling me Firebrand. She never scolded me when it happened. She could tell I couldn't control it.
Hakeru promised to help me. She said that there were ways to learn control over such power, and that Chiyo had already started to help and didn't even know it. When I swore that morning, years ago to protect my sister with my life, I became the eleventh unofficial Senshi- the Senshi of the Sun. The big brother of the Moon. I thought back to that time. . . I had never realized before, that from that morning on I had no more accidents with my powers, and I even could control them from time to time.
My brain was alive with possibility. I had sworn myself to protect the Holy Princess years ago, without knowing, and she had let me into her circle of soldiers. I felt so privileged, so honored. That night, I ran into Chiyo's room and hugged her for a long time. She was surprised at first, but then I think she realized that I knew. She told me that she had always been unsure of how I would react when I found out, that she worried I would be angry. I cried. I said there would be no better way to live my life than protecting her, and my family.
The only people who knew were Tasuke, Hakeru and Chiyo. I was sure my mother knew something, but how much I could never be sure. I decided it was best to keep it as secret as possible. I found meaning in life through Hakeru's training, and Chiyo and Tasuke's confidence in me. I grew up as Ken, the Firebrand. My sister's guardian angel.
The palace is bigger than any building I've ever seen in my life. All the people are dressed so nicely here. Women in brightly colored dresses with little gloves and handbags chat in the hallways with handsome gentlemen. I still think my mother is prettier than any of them.
One of the servants is leading us to the king's conference hall, and I begin to get nervous. I have never met a king before. Should I bow? What should I say? Should I even speak at all? My mother senses my anxiety and pulls me close.
"It's okay, dear. You have nothing to be afraid of." She reassures me with her words as large doors swing open in front of us. In the big hall, I see the High King, sitting on a throne, talking and laughing with a few of his nobles. We enter slowly, a few curious stares falling upon us. I ignore the urge to stare back, because mom said I should be good.
The king sees us and stands up, a big smile on his face. Now we're standing in the middle of the room, and everyone is looking at us. I stare at my feet.
"Imbriana," the king says warmly. I wonder how he knows my mom's name. He comes towards us, and I realize that he is very tall, but not scary like I thought he would be. He seems kind of funny. Then he kisses my mom on the cheek. I look up at him.
"This must be Ken." He smiles down at me. Now I wonder how he knows my name. He kneels down, and offers his hand out to me. I look at my mother, who simply smiles and nods. So I shake the king's big hand, my own hand seems to get lost inside his grip. He tells me what a strong hand I have, and I smile a little.
We end up living in the Moon palace. I have my own big room with a door that goes directly into my mother's room. I start to make friends with a few of the palace kids, but my best friend is the prince from Earth. His name is Tasuke.
My mother is married to the king three months later. Now I am a prince of the Moon kingdom. I think Prince Ken sounds silly. My new father tells me that he thinks it sounds very brave. I decide that maybe he is right. Maybe.
I am five and a half, and my mother has a little baby girl. Mom says that the baby's royal name is Princess Imbriana, but that we can call her Chiyo. The baby is very pretty, and she smiles a lot.
I have never had a sister before. Mom lets me hold her and give her bottles, and if I am careful we can even sleep together. I like to watch her sleep. One morning, as the sun is rising, Chiyo is still asleep and I wake up early. I sit on the bed and watch her sleep. . . babies sleep for a living. She looks very peaceful, and I can feel that she will be a wonderful princess. That morning, I look out the window and make a promise on the rising sun that I will always protect her. She is my only little sister, so I'll grow up as strong and brave as I can so I can always take care of her. She seems too little to take care of herself. I kiss her on the forehead, and the little moon symbol that she has starts to glow. Chiyo wakes up and looks at me, and smiles really big. She laughs to see her big brother, and I suddenly feel something itchy on my forehead. I look in the mirror, and I can't speak.
Now, on my forehead, there is a symbol too. It's the Sun's symbol. I don't understand at all, but something tells me that this is going to be Chiyo's and my little secret. The symbol vanishes again, but I can still feel it there. Part of me feels different.
I am now eight years old. It's Chiyo's fifth birthday, and all the Princesses in the Solar system are here for her birthday. I've met most of them, like Umi, Mikomi, Kei, Koushi and Kohana. I am introduced to Princess Uranus, Sora, and to Princess Pluto, Yodume. Sora seems mysterious, and Yodume always seems worried about something. I wonder briefly if Neptune doesn't have a princess.
The girly birthday party bores me. I creep out with Tasuke to play in the gardens. We play hide and seek for a while, and I always win. I'm too fast for Tasuke. Once, I hear Tasuke talking out loud, and I sneak up on him. He gave himself away, how clumsy! I jump from behind the bushes and growl like a big animal, but stop when I see that Tasuke was actually talking to someone. It's a girl. A very, very pretty girl.
Tasuke introduces us. Her name is Hakeru, the Neptunian princess I hadn't met before. Apparently she and Tasuke play together often. She has very blue eyes and water-colored curly hair. I like her hair a lot.
The three of us play together for another hour or so, then Hakeru says she has to go back into the girls' party. Tasuke and I are kind of sad, because Hakeru is fun to play with. Neither of us know how, but she always wins at hide and seek now. I think she's just psychic. When I ask her if she is, she only laughs at me.
When Tasuke and I are ten, Hakeru has just turned nine. We're the best of friends. THis year, I learn about the Sailor Senshi Legend. . . about how Hakeru is Sailorneptune, Tasuke is the Earth Guardian, and my little sister is the one they are all sworn to protect, Sailormoon. I remember that morning with my baby sister, and the sun symbol on my head. I feel oddly connected to the Senshi. I tell Tasuke and Hakeru about the sun symbol, and neither of them seem surprised. Tasuke says that he had seen the symbol once when I didn't realize it was showing. Hakeru says she just knew. I still think she's psychic. She calls me "Firebrand", and says that it means troublemaker. My mother has called me that, also.
One night, Tasuke is sick and can't come play. I am on Triton at Neptune's castle, visiting Hakeru. She confesses (finally) that she is psychic, and explains how she can read minds, feel people's emotions and even see the future sometimes. She tells me that she knows about my secret- my big secret- and that she can help. Hakeru explains that Chiyo already helped me, when she was a baby.
I never knew my father. My mom has never spoken of him, ill or otherwise, and I have never really asked. She and I were close enough that I didn't need a dad. I had accepted king Atlas as my father, and he was wonderful. But my true bloodline had always been a mystery. All I knew was that my father must have been powerful. Sometimes if I was angry, embarrassed or afraid, I could feel my eyes begin to burn and I would start fires. My skin would tingle and little flames would leap from my fingertips. That's when my mother started calling me Firebrand. She never scolded me when it happened. She could tell I couldn't control it.
Hakeru promised to help me. She said that there were ways to learn control over such power, and that Chiyo had already started to help and didn't even know it. When I swore that morning, years ago to protect my sister with my life, I became the eleventh unofficial Senshi- the Senshi of the Sun. The big brother of the Moon. I thought back to that time. . . I had never realized before, that from that morning on I had no more accidents with my powers, and I even could control them from time to time.
My brain was alive with possibility. I had sworn myself to protect the Holy Princess years ago, without knowing, and she had let me into her circle of soldiers. I felt so privileged, so honored. That night, I ran into Chiyo's room and hugged her for a long time. She was surprised at first, but then I think she realized that I knew. She told me that she had always been unsure of how I would react when I found out, that she worried I would be angry. I cried. I said there would be no better way to live my life than protecting her, and my family.
The only people who knew were Tasuke, Hakeru and Chiyo. I was sure my mother knew something, but how much I could never be sure. I decided it was best to keep it as secret as possible. I found meaning in life through Hakeru's training, and Chiyo and Tasuke's confidence in me. I grew up as Ken, the Firebrand. My sister's guardian angel.