Chapter 4: The Reawakening - Jadeite

Serena and the girls were spending the day at a park for a lovely picnic that Lita graciously prepared for the group.  The picnic blanket was filled up to the edges with plates containing different kinds of mouthwatering food, as well as several bottles of cold softdrinks that Mina was able to buy from the local grocery store – a treat, for she was called by the director of the production she auditioned for, informing her that they will be needing her on the set.

The girls were having so much fun, and of course, the usual bickering was still very much part of the menu.

"I swear Serena, God knows where you put all that food you eat..." Mina said as she watched Serena in awe as the latter kept on gulping down large amounts of food in her little mouth.

"...well you can bet that it's not going anywhere near her brain for that matter," Rae said mockingly.

"Ohh, RWAE!!!  Why dwo you havwe to be swo mwean?"  Serena tried talking while her mouth was filled with food.

"Serena dear, don't speak with your mouth full, you're literally slobbering food everywhere," Lita who was sitting nearby scolded her gently.

"But Lita, that's how pigs eat.  Aren't you glad that Serena is living up to your expectations?" Rae said, giving a wicked look to the fuming blonde.

"RAE!!!"

Anybody walking along the park would have called the cops seeing the ruckus that a couple of girls were making, if not for the laughter that were also emitted by the girls in question as well as their friends.

Unfortunately however, the girls were tackling each other near the drinks, and a few moments later, a shriek can be heard from one of the other girls.

"Eeekkk!  You guys, stop it!  Oh, no..."  Mina was in the nick of time in clutching her doll, Keith, to save it from getting soaked entirely by the cola.  The sleeves of its uniform were not lucky however, and a spot of stain can be seen soiling its white uniform.

Serena and Rae immediately stopped and looked sheepishly at Mina, who was now removing the uniform top from her doll.  Mina gave both of them a scowl.

Still, Serena had the decency to look guilty at what they've done and spoke in a childlike voice, "Sowy..."

"We're sorry, Mina.  Serena most especially." Rae seconded, and Serena glared at what the dark-haired girl said.

Mina just looked at the two, and sighed laughingly.  Despite the apologies, the two were still at each other's throats.

You really can't get mad at those two no matter what they do. . .now, what am I suppose to do with this?

Mina glanced at the soiled clothing on her hands as well as to her doll, a worried look on her lovely face.

"Don't worry, Mina, the stains will come off if you would just immerse that in water with detergent powder for an hour or so."  Ami said in her gentle voice, trying to console the girl.

Mina smiled at Ami, "Thanks, I'll do that, but what is Keith going to wear in the meantime?"

"Well, those doll dresses you have seem to fit him perfectly, especially the frilly ones," Lita remarked jokingly.

The whole group laughed as they still remembered seeing the doll once wearing a lovely yellow dress, with ruffles on the collar and bottom hem.

Mina too was also laughing, then she looked at her doll lovingly, and in a soft voice said, "...well, he IS beautiful...dress or no dress..."

Lita looked at Mina strangely and suddenly wished that she brought Nate with her.  She left the doll at home thinking that it would get soiled if she brought it along with the food in her bag.

Lita slapped a hand gently to her forehead in exasperation. 

My God, what am I thinking?  A doll, for crying, out loud.

The tall brunette shook her head.

Still, I miss the little guy.

Ami on the other hand, was clutching Zack to herself a little closer, as she too suddenly felt the need to hug her doll more snugly.  Instead of the usual book that Ami often brings during a group picnic, she opted to bring her doll instead, though she was hesitant to do so at first.  She thought it a bit odd that a young lady like herself, would still carry a doll at her age.  And yet, now, she felt really glad to have brought it with her.

"Hey guys, it's getting awfully late, why don't we start cleaning up, hmm?"  Lita said.

And so the girls stood up and started arranging their stuff to leave.

"Grandpa?  Are you home yet?"  Rae cried as she entered the Cherry Hills Temple.

The place was unerringly quiet and unusually dark and Rae felt goosebumps on the back of her neck and all the way to her arms as she felt her way along the corridor of the temple.  As she came nearer the shrine, she noticed a flicker of light beyond the translucent door towards the sacred room where she often spent her time meditating.

She slid open the door leading to the shrine and was surprised to see a blazing fire on the altar, but her grandfather was nowhere in sight.

Strange,...why would he leave the fire burning...and where the heck is he?

Rae started to get worried when she found a note in front of the fire and kneeled down to retrieve it.  After scanning the said note, Rae gave out a long and exasperated sigh. 

Apparently, her grandfather would be out for a very, VERY long time.  Just the phrase "out with some grumpy old men" would usually pertain to a group of old men having the time of their lives drinking sake and reminiscing the "old days."

The dark-haired beauty stood up and went nearer to the fire to take a yoga position in front.

Might as well use the fire to meditate.

Rae closed her violet eyes and started concentrating in the silence of the night. 

In her mind, she saw darkness and focused all her energies on calming her mind and spirit.  As she finally reached the pinnacle of her tranquility, she suddenly felt an odd sensation creeping into her subconscious.

Her lovely face was creased by the sudden knitting of her brows and she unexpectedly felt the inclination to open her eyes, but something was pulling her back into the dark abyss of her mind.

What is this?

Somehow, she didn't feel threatened by the new sensations, she just felt. . .different, but in a peaceful way.

Rae.

Her heart started pounding at a faster rate upon hearing her name.  She knew it wasn't anyone around her or near the shrine. It sounded different, like it was coming from far, far away.  And yet, so near, so familiar, so -

Firefly.

Now THAT certainly had an effect on the girl.  Rae suddenly opened her eyes and gasped as she looked into the fire in front of her. 

She thought she saw,...no, she MUST have imagined it, a form.  It was but a mere shadow, but a figure nonetheless.  And what made her gasp was that even though it was but a shadowy form, she saw clearly two dark pools of blue.

Eyes of blue.

But then it faded away as soon as she saw it.

Rae stood and approached the fire.  She stood there for a very long time, her mind filled with confusion and even, trepidation. 

After a long time, she went to the side of the room and retrieved the bag of sand that would extinguish the fire.  After doing so, she walked out of the room and shut the door.

Remember me... 

Rae stiffened at the voice but continued walking to her room, muttering under her breath about "imagining crazy things".  She opened the door to her room and went to the bathroom to get ready for bed.  After brushing her teeth and washing her face, Rae felt a bit more relaxed, but still exhausted and sleepy.  She went to lie on her bed and automatically reach out for a particular item...which she happened to have the trouble of not being able to find immediately. 

Rae turned and started looking for her doll.

Oh for crying out loud, where are you this time?

Rae cannot seem to find her doll and she was getting frustrated and annoyed.  Add that to the fatigue she's feeling and the weird things that have been happening to her tonight, she suddenly felt tears of frustration and exhaustion coming to her eyes.

"Damn!  Where are you, you stupid doll?!" Rae kept searching but tears were already blurring her vision.  With a sob, she gave up searching and buried her face in her pillow to let out her aggravation.

"...Jade...," Rae whispered.

A few minutes later, she gave in to her fatigue and slept.

Throughout the night however, the figure on the bed seemed restless and whimpers can be heard coming from her lips.  Her arms were wrapped around her but she can't seem to keep still.  Rae was tossing and turning, and she seemed lost in her sleep. 

She then reached out, as if seeking for something, and then her hands touched something warm.  Upon discovering that, she clung to the warmth and tried bringing it to her.  At first, it seemed so far away and it won't come near her, another whimper was heard as Rae became desperate.

Finally, it came nearer and when the girl felt the solid warmth on the side of her face, she gave out a restful sigh. 

Instinctively, she wrapped her arms around it, bringing it closer, and even though it now seemed larger and more solid than what was usual, the dark-haired beauty was still very much asleep and didn't have the strength to be thinking rationally. 

Besides, she didn't seem to care, she had HIM. . .and that's all that matters. 

"HIM" wasn't particularly sure of what was happening however, but after a few minutes, the tension in his body started to ebb away, and a long sigh can be heard in the night. 

Seeing the girl restless in bed worried him and he merely wanted to make sure she's alright.  He wasn't counting on Rae reaching out and clinging to his hand.  Nor was he counting on Rae actually bringing him to her bed and embracing him intimately for that matter.  And yet he noticed he wasn't even complaining.  In fact, a tender smile can be seen on his handsome face as he looked down at his Firefly and saw her beautiful and peaceful countenance.

Beautiful, Yes...but Mine?

Jadeite's handsome face was suddenly creased with a gloomy expression as he contemplated on that particular question. 

He knew that it would definitely take a LONG and difficult time for Rae to get used to his presence.  As a doll, yes, she already did, but as a full-grown warm-blooded male who happens to have a not so respectable past?  That still remained to be seen however. 

Besides, wasn't she persistent in saying that she didn't give a hoot to him?

Jadeite smiled as he remembered the numerous times that his Rae would act as though he didn't exist and yet still had the time of day to wash his tiny uniform when it needed washing, or would sometimes whacked Serena on the head when she attempted to snatch him from her, or the fact that they always shared an embrace when sleeping.   

Rae shifted in her sleep and Jadeite stilled at the action, he feared how Rae would react if she found herself in a very intimate position with a strange guy. . .and ON her bed, for that matter.

Fortunately, the girl merely buried her face further into Jadeite's shoulder and nuzzled her nose in the crook of his neck.  Jadeite almost groaned out loud, for he wanted nothing more than to return the affection by brushing his lips in her forehead.  He stopped himself from doing so however and decided to go to sleep to retain his sanity.

"...G'night Jade..." Rae muttered in her sleep.

The surprised Jadeite stopped breathing for a moment, and then smiled.

Oh, what the hell...

Jadeite wrapped his arms gently around the girl and embedded himself further into the embrace.  He then closed his eyes and went to sleep.