Chibimamoru: Small Lady's Little Brother
Chapter 6: If That's What it Takes.
Author's Notes: sighs sadly I really worked hard on Chapter 5. I tried extra hard to make it longer than the previous chapters, and it took a long time to write - - and yet, I only got ONE review for it. is deeply hurt
So . . . I tried even harder on this next chapter. I believe Chapter 6 is my best one yet! Please people, Tell me what you think! I really put my heart into this chapter – particularly in the scene between Chibiusa and Lita. If no one thinks this story is worth reading after this chapter, I give up. It's not worth the amount of time I spend on it, if no one is reading it any more. . .:( :( :( :( :( :(But. . .this really is my favorite story of all my completed ones so far. . .
(Chapter Begins)
With a daring grin plastered across his face, Prince Triston held his hand out for his little sister. "Triston no baka." The eight-year-old giggled as she was quickly hoisted to her feet. Brushing a few stray blades of grass off her green mini-skirt, Princess Lita glared at the cocky prince. "You just wait until I get my new henshin stick, Triston. Then, you are going to get it – you and Damien both." Two chestnut-brown French pigtails wielded frivolously to a gentle breeze as Sailor Jupiter's second born child grabbed hold of her brother's arm, checking his watch. "3:48 – I have to meet Mama at 4:00 for training. I wish my henshin stick would appear already!"
Shaking his head at his sister's over-enthusiasm, Prince Triston just grinned nonchalantly at the girl, while brushing few stray locks of chocolate brown hair back from his face. "Yes, well . . . you should probably go on, Lita-chan. I have some things to take care of anyways." Lita frowned curiously up at her older brother. Something about his whole attitude this afternoon seemed peculiarly . . . fake. She could be wrong though. Reluctantly, the young Jupitarian princess nodded her agreement turning in the direction of the training fields. "See you at dinner, Lita." Triston called after her . . . mostly for effect.
Shutting his eyes, Prince Triston sighed with an irrefutable heaviness of heart. 'Why?' Triston asked himself as he began to make his way slowly back through the many gardens of the Crystal Palace. Why her? Why did 'Small Lady' have to receive the Shadow? Why couldn't it have been another kid – one he didn't . . . care so much about? With his hands shoved roughly in his pockets, the Jupitarian Prince made his way past the Eastern and Northern Gardens. Various children turned their heads curiously as the prince stormed bitterly towards a large park just a few blocks outside the castle gates.
A small trio of noble girls turned their heads at the young Prince's approach, but he walked past them without so much as a glance. Triston cursed his lips making his way down to a small lake at the park's edge. Here, the young prince kicked off his shoes and plopped himself down on the edge of the long dock. Cool blue water lapped playfully over bare feet as the Jupitarian prince tugged his green tank up over his head to reveal a well-toned stomach. Training daily with King Endymion's toughest general – who also happened to be his own father – had its advantages. Leaning backwards, Triston crossed his hands behind his head. Wavy locks of auburn hair fell indifferently over the prince's lightly tanned face as he starred thoughtfully up at the clear blue sky. 'Why her?'
'Better yet, why me?' As leader of the Small Lady's court, Triston felt it his job in particular to make sure she was safe and out of harms way. When he were younger, his position as leader was really nothing more than a title he would use to get his way in his many quarrels with Prince Damien. But now . . . now he took his job more seriously. Now, there was a very real and very present danger threatening his princess – – and potentially his family as well.
How could he have let this happen? Worried chocolate brown eyes closed tightly with frustration. How could he have let it go on for so long, and stood by and done nothing? He could have – he could have – well, he could have done SOMETHING. But how? What - what could he do? And when - - - when did the annoying little princess with the funny looking pigtails become - - a Small Lady? He HAD to do - - do - - - something, before it got any worse. He had to stop this before he – before he started to care any more about - - -
"Triston-kun?" Prince Antiny questioned sympathetically coming up behind his friend. Chocolate brown eyes met emerald green eyes as Triston leaned his head back, looking up doubtfully at the Mercurian Prince. "Are you alright?" Pulling off his shoes, Antiny sat down dipping his feet down into the cool water. "You really do care about her, don't you?" Reluctantly, Triston pushed himself up with his hands turning to meet Antiny's knowing glance.
(End Scene)
Two and a half years – for two and a half years they had searched for this child and here he was. Flesh and blood, tears and all, the missing prince was FINALLY home. Gentle locks of raven hair fell lightly over two innocent pools of azure blue. The Neo-Queen soft features starred up at the Venusian General as Nicholas' emerald green eyes studied the child from every angle. "Do you know where you are Mamo-chan?" Nicholas questioned hopefully. "Do you know who I am?"
'Do you know who I am?' A mixture of emotions swirled like a hurricane in the child's eyes. Who am I? I'm a orphan. I'm a orphan 'cause me an Oneesan had to run away. Me an Oneesan had ta run away 'cause Mommy went to sleep inside the big crystal thing. I remember Mommy sleeping inside the big crystal thing. I remember Daddy's voice.
"Run, Mamo-chan." I was supposed to go away inside the pink cloud with Oneesan, but Oneesan went away without me.
"Run, Mamo-chan." I am Mamo-chan. I'm a orphan. Being a orphan means Mommy and Daddy don't want you any more. That's what the other kids say. Being a orphan means being alone – alone in the darkness. I don wanna be alone no more. I don wanna be a orphan no more. I wasn' always a orphan. I was somebody else before I was a orphan, but I don remember that. I don know who I am. Azure eyes looked intently up at General Nicholas' face. "Do you know who I am?" Mamo questioned back.
A sad smile crossed the General's face. With a single hand, he thoughtfully rubbed the young child's back. Innocent azure blue eyes pleaded for a ray of hope. "Hai, I know who you are, Chibimamo-chan." Nicholas gently assured the child. Standing up, Nicholas shifted Mamo onto his hip and carried him over to the desk opposite his own.
Wide eyes blinked curiously, searching for an answer within the papers and books and various other things situated neatly around the larger of the two desks. His eyes trailed, following General Nicholas as he looked over the top of the desk. Mamo blinked. The top of the desk was filled with various sized pictures, and on either side a small potted plant. The left side pot was filled with greenery and a dozen red roses. The pot on the other side, however, held but a single unbudding rose surrounded by unlively greenery. "What'sa matter with that one?" Mamo curiously wanted to know.
"That? Oh . . ." A sad sigh escaped the general's lips as he looked over the dull flower. "Your father was growing that plant, Mamo-chan. He has had it for over two years, but it never blooms." Mamo blinked. After a moment's hesitation, Mamo reached a single tiny hand out towards the fading flower. Emerald eyes watched the child's actions intriguingly. Taking hold of the little brown pot, Nicholas brought the plant into the child's reach.
"It's a silver rosebud." Mamo stated conclusively as he fingered the leaves gently through his tiny fingers. Blue eyes watched the flower with amusement. "Why are you so sad, flower?" Mamo innocently questioned of the plant. "Don't worry." Wrapping his hand around the stem as if he would pull the single bud right out of its roots, Mamo ran his hand up, and up, over the thorn less rosebud.
As he did so, tiny rosebud seemed to appear on the plant out of nowhere. When he reached the top of the plant, Mamo covered the bud with both his hands. Nicholas watched with amazement as a soft golden glow surrounded the flower. Instantly, each of the blooms began to open, one after the other. Mamo grinned widely at the red flowers with silver lining in them. "Now, you won't be lonely no more."
Nicholas couldn't help but smile at the child's trick. The little prince had always been the only one who could get the rare blooms to blossom like they did. Setting the plant back atop Endymion's desk, the general reached decisively for a certain picture framed with little flowers and greenery carved ever so carefully into the woodwork.
Azure blue eyes went wide as Nicholas held the picture up for Mamo to study. There in the midst of the Royal Garden, Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion stood side by side with smiles grazing their faces. A small girl, not much older than himself, with bouncing strawberry blonde hair and laughing baby blue eyes squirmed in her mother's arms. "Oneesan?" Mamo thought wonderingly while running his hands over the glass. Mamo bit his lip as he focused his attention past the girl to a tiny figure hiding his face in his Father's chest. Blue eyes went wide as the child turned to General Nicholas for a reasonable answer.
"That is YOU, Mamo-chan with your parents and your big sister. This is who you are." Mamo starred from Nicholas to the picture and back again, eyes voicing uncertainty as well as disbelief. "Chibimamoru Endymion, your parents are Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion of Crystal Tokyo. They have been searching for you for over two years, ever since the Dark Moon separated you from us."
An aura of silence surrounded the child as he carefully fingered the lost images starring back at him from Endymion's photo. Once again he saw the image of himself clinging to his father's regal form. The image of a blood red rose Daddy used to protect him from silly Uncle Nicky-san. Daddy protected me. Daddy always wins. Daddy promised ta always protect me, but . . . where was Daddy when the shadow attacked? Where was Daddy when T.J. came in at night? Daddy promised ta protect me. Daddy promised . . . "Daddy promised ta protect me." Mamo replied coolly – distantly. "Daddy lied."
A noticeable frown plastered itself on the young general's face as he found himself starring deeply into accusatory azure blue eyes. "Mamo-chan." Shutting his eyes, the child turned his face away focusing distantly out the large study window. "Your Father didn't leave you alone on purpose, Mamo-chan." Nicholas tried unavailingly to explain.
Pain showed itself momentarily within the gentle features of the child's face; then, it went neutral. Mamo grew noticeably silent as he began to draw himself inwards. Emotion disappeared from his face and the innocent smile disappeared from his lips. Nicholas watched the hurting child painfully unsure of what to do – what to say to bring back the happy, innocent child they had all once fallen in love with.
Nicholas could feel the innocent child slowly slipping away, disappearing somewhere deep, deep inside a hurting soul. "Mamo-chan, your parents and everyone love you very much. Please don't shut us out." Silence. The child continued to stare aimlessly out the window, hardly acknowledging he'd even heard Nicholas' pleading words. A heavy sigh escaped the general's lip. "You parents have been waiting anxiously to meet you. They will be hurt if you won't even speak to them. Won't you at least give them a chance?" Silence again. "Mamo-chan?"
Pain-filled azure blue eyes starred distantly out into the Eastern Gardens, down to a dead patch of dirt which used to be his and his sister's own private garden. Dead. Would the happiness and gentle love that once made the royal children's garden grow ever bloom again? Or were they doomed to be forever lost to the shadows haunting their nights, and darkening their days? Only time would tell. The voice Nicholas heard escape from the little child's lips was small . . . quiet . . . lost. "I'll try." He whispered almost inaudibly.
(End Scene)
Frowning uncertainly, Princess Lita made her way slowly in the direction of Small Lady's bedroom suite. Two brown French-pigtails swung loosely behind the Jupitarian princess as she tiptoed up to the Princess of Earth's door, listening guiltily to the aching sound of heartrending sobs echoing from deep within. Why did they have to send HER to fetch the Small Lady? Where had Triston and Antiny disappeared to? In her mind, she listened to the voices of the past - - Damien's frightening visions . . . Triston's uncertain fears . . . the stories passed around by other children.
Taking in a deep breath, Princess Lita braced herself before pushing the door to Small Lady's Sitting / Playroom slowly open. 'No way.' Chocolate brown eyes blinked with astonishment as they were faced with a startlingly familiar scene. There, at the far side of the room, sunlight streamed in through long, flowing pale pink curtains. In her mind, Lita saw the five year old lady hiding behind the curtains with her hands over her eyes, while Lita "seeked" her with a hyperactive giggle.
Just in front of the glass doors and pink curtains leading out onto the young lady's balcony, the princess's chocolate brown eyes focus in on a small cherry wood tea table set for two. In her mind, Lita saw the Small Lady sitting across from her at the table. She saw herself protesting in anger as the young lady snatched up the very crayon she herself had intended to use next. "Luna, Usa-chan stole my crayon!" She yelled loudly while her and Usa played tug of war of a blue crayon.
"Usa-chan." The word echoed in Lita's word. Back then, the two girls had been the best of friends – back before the Dark Moon Attack - - back before the shadow. "What happened?" Lita wondered aloud to herself as she listened to the sound of soft crying coming from the bedroom adjacent to Small Lady's sitting / playroom. The "shadow" happened.
In her minds eye, she saw the five-year-old lady clinging to her, wailing in fear as the nightlight beside her bed flickered out. Rolling her eyes, Lita held onto her friend as she watched the "evil" shadows dancing on the walls of Small Lady's bedroom. Thinking this over, Princess Lita frowned. Cries from past mixed with cries from present echoing in her ear. 'I lost my best friend over a damn shadow!' She thought with annoyance. Silently, she wandered over to her friend's bedroom. Somewhere beneath the covers, Small Lady cried like a little kid. 'When was it again I stopped believing boys were stupid?'
Shaking her head, Lita head back into the sitting room to think. She hadn't spoken a word – outside of formalities – to the Princess of Earth in over two years, and she hadn't really the slightest idea what it was the girl was crying over. If she had been more insecure about herself, she might also have worried over the fact the Small Lady might not WANT her as a friend any more. Fortunately however, unlike the Small Lady, Lita didn't have this problem.
Chocolate brown eyes narrowed as the princess crossed her arms before her in thought. The Jupitarian Princess's afternoon training with Sailor Jupiter was all but forgotten as she buried herself deep in her thoughts. 'I'm sorry' would seem the simplest thing to say, but in her heart she knew it was enough. 'I'm sorry' was what you said when you had a fight and stopped talking to each other for two days.
So, what did you say after you had stopped talking for over two YEARS? Something really deep – something special – that's what. Lita thought it over in her mind. Aside from fighting, which wasn't really all that special considering who her parents were, Lita only had one other passion. That is - - her secret passion, the one she had yet to reveal, even to her own brother. Secretly, Princess Lita looked up to Sailor Venus. Secretly, she planned one day to talk to her parents about the idea of private music lessons. Secretly, she kept a picture of her idol in the back of her closet. Her idol – an old American musical artist named Celine Dion.
What would Celine do if SHE wanted to get through to a long, lost friend? As she let her eyes wander once more around the old sitting / playroom, Lita found her answer. A wide smile crossed the Jupitarian princess' face as her eyes fell upon an expensive-looking karaoke set. Reaching deep into her sub-space pocket, Lita pulled out her favorite Celine Dion classical. Who would have believed a Jupitarian warrior princess to hold a secret passion for singing? Quickly, Lita popped the DVD into the karaoke box plugging the microphone into the slot. "If this doesn't get through to her, nothing will." Taking a deep breath, Princess Lita listened to the tune, coming in on the eighth beat of the music.
You're the bravest of hearts. You're the strongest of souls.
You're my light in the dark. You're the place I call home.
You can say it's alright, but I know that you're breaking up inside.
I can see it in your eyes. Even you face the night
. . . afraid and alone. That's why I'll be there.
Buried beneath the sheets and blankets layered over her canopy bed, Princess Small Lady cried her sorrows out into her pink feather pillow. It wasn't true! It couldn't be. She would never hurt anyone one purpose . . . particularly not her best friend. Was that why Triston kept Lita away from her? He thought she would try and hurt Lita again. 'That wasn't me! It couldn't have been me!' Had she really been the cause of her best friend's injury? 'No wonder everyone hates me.' But . . . she didn't mean it. Really, she didn't . . . She didn't know. . .It wasn't her. It COULDN'T have been Small Lady's fault.
When the storm rises up, when the shadows descend,
Every beat of my heart, every day without end,
Every second I live, that's the promise I'll make.
Baby, that's what I'll give if that's what it takes.
If that what it takes . . .
"What the - - -" Bloodshot red eyes, swollen from brokenhearted weeping, grew wide with shock as a familiar voice came blared out of the speakers of her new karaoke machine. "It can't be." Sliding out from under the covers, Small Lady wiped her eyes with the back of her hand. 'No way - ' Hastily, she padded over stopping in the open doorway. "Lita?" Small Lady questioned quietly in wonder. Tears came to her eyes once more as she listened to the words of her best friend's song. "I'm sorry."
You can sleep in my arms. You don't have to explain.
When you're hearts crying out, baby – whisper my name,
Cause I've reached out for you, when the thunder is crashing up above.
You've given me your love. . .
When you smile like the sun, it shines through the pain.
That's why I'll be there.
Princess Lita smiled apprehensively as her best friend appear in the doorway, eyes bloodshot and face in awe. Tears pressed at the edge of her eyes. 'Did I really hurt you that bad? I didn't mean to.' Pushing down the emotions, Lita had to fight to keep her voice steady as she continued on with one of her favorite songs by Celine Dion. She had to shut her eyes burying her in the words of the song in order to finish it. She tried to put her heart in the song as she sang the lyrics – just as Celine would have.
When the storm rises up, when the shadows descend,
Every beat of my heart, every day without end,
I will stand like a rock - I will bend till I break
Till there's no more to give, if that's what it takes.
I will risk everything. I will fight. I will bleed.
I will lay down my life, if that's what you need.
Every second I live, that's the promise I make
Baby, that's what I'll give, if that's what it takes.
As she sang previous paragraph with all her heart, Lita felt an energy, like a raging storm beginning to build inside of her. The power of Jupiter – of thunder and lightning and oak – enveloped the second born of Jupiter with a familiar, yet new and more powerful aura. The sign of Jupiter glowed brightly on Lita's forehead. Chocolate brown eyes held a slightly greenish hue as they opened slowly. There – floating in front of her – was her very first henshin stick. A wide smile crossed Lita's face as she finished the last stanza of her favorite Celine Dion tune.
Through the wind and the rain, through the smoke and the fire,
When the fear rises up, when the waves sever higher,
I will lay down my heart, my body, my soul
I will hold on all night and never let go
Every second I live, that's the promise I make.
Baby, that's what I give, if that's what it takes.
If that's what it takes . . .
Whatever it takes . . . whatever it takes . . . .
If that's what it takes . . .
(End Chapter)