Hi everyone. Merry Christmas. I have not much to say, so enjoy!
Chapter 28: The Blissful Child
-Nether Ocean-
After getting away from battle, Julie swims straight back home. Today is December the seventh, since it's already late in the morning. Her kingdom was the same since she last saw it two years ago. The red roses and briars are still around the castle, as if they are embracing it. She would know since the same happened to her back when she was Princess Rose Red, or rather Briar Rose. At that time, before Snow White's birth, she was curse to pricked her finger on the spindle wheel. When their Stepmother came into the family, she was sent away with her memories as Rose Red is gone, and lived the rest of her life as Briar Rose until the curse was broken and she remembered everything.
She stops at the courtyard and put a hand on one of the pillars, remembering all the other hero's she has encountered before.
"Everyone had sacrifice more than just their life after they were reborn..." she spoke to the empty ocean. "They each lost a part of themselves to live this new life. I lost my flames, which I can only retain if I take the form as Rose Red. And... All the princesses of the younger sister pearls can't grow up when their older sister reached the age of eighteen. It's likely that Sakura will stop aging at a young age... Unless..." she trails off as she enters her kingdom and made her way to the throne room.
-Throne Room-
When Julie entered the throne room, Taiyo turned to see her.
"Julie." he rush to her.
"Taiyo." Julie swims over to hugged him.
"I missed you, Julie." he told her.
"And I missed you. It has been two years since we have seen each other like this." Julie replied. "You were like a brother to me."
"Yeah." he pulled away from the hug. "So what brings you to come back home?"
"I came back because... We're going to see the birth of our little sister." Julie teased.
She showed him the second Red Pearl. It was pinkish-red, a lighter shade than Julie's, but not bright enough to looked like Lucia's. The red shell throne started to glow a soft red color. Julie put the Red Pearl on the throne and a pinkish-red orb of light appeared. In the orb is her sister, Sakura. She was ten years-old and her cute arms are wrapped around her strawberry red tail. A sea shell bra matched her tail while she wears a red ribbon around her neck. Her hair reached passed her waist while two small locks are in both sides of her face, in front of her, reaching passed her shoulders. She has Lucia's bangs, except each strands is slightly parted from each other. Hanging around her neck is her red shall pedant. She opened her beautiful ruby-red eyes and smile at the sight of her older sister and Taiyo.
"Julie onee-chan, Taiyo." she smiled.
"Sakura." Julie was filled with bliss at her sister's birth.
Suddenly, three orbs of light appeared around the red shell throne. Two women and a girl are revealed when the light died down.
"It's you..." Julie trailed off in awe.
"We meet again, Rose." the woman who appeared from the yellow light replied.
"Yes, but you don't call me 'Rose'. That's not my name in this life." Julie request.
"But your were Rose Red in the past and that name is a part of you." the woman told her.
She has honey blonde hair that reached passed her waist. A golden crown sat on her head. She wore a full golden dress with no straps and shoes that went along with it. One golden bracelet with a jeweled sun rest on her right wrist. In her left hand is a staff with a sun stone on top. Her golden eyes shine with strength and life. Julie recognized her as the Sun Goddess, the one who personally blessed her with her powers over the flames before her christening back when she was Princess Rose Red. Julie looked at the other woman at the opposite side of the throne.
This woman has silvery white hair that just passed her shoulders. She wears a moon circlet around her forehead, with a white jewel at the center. Like the Sun Goddess, she also wore a strapless full dress, except it was silver and it's the type like a mermaid. On her feet are silver slippers with diamonds sewn onto the material. Dangling on her left wrist is a silver bracelet with a jeweled moon. In her right hand is a scepter with a moonstone on the top. Her silver eyes radiate mystery and wonder. Julie guessed that this is the Moon Goddess, not just based on her appearance. Long time ago, Snow White told her of a woman who visits her in her dreams once. Her exact description of the woman match with the Goddess standing before her right now.
Lastly, is the girl in the middle. She has raven black hair that flows passed her shoulder, but more than the Moon Goddess. Unlike both Goddesses, she wear no crowns or circlets. She simply wore a star clip. Her white dress was very simple and causal. She goes around barefoot and have no accessories or anything in her hands. Her purple eyes sparkle in guidance and intuition. In a way, she almost looked like Miyuki with the exception of the hair style, eye color, and age.
"What brings you here?" Taiyo questioned as he kneels in front of them and then got back up.
"Well, today is your sister's birth, isn't that right?" the Sun Goddess teased.
"We're here to give sweet Sakura our blessings." the Moon Goddess answer for her sister.
"For she will have a gift that can solve everything." the Star Child-Goddess finished as all three were beginning to glow.
"On behalf of the strong Sun..." the Sun Goddess began.
"The comforting Moon..." the Moon Goddess trails off.
"And the hopeful shining Stars..." the Star Goddess replied.
"We bless this princess to be the first Blissful Child in this new time." all three finished.
Three lights, sunlight, moonlight, and starlight went into Sakura and she glowed a light red color until the glowing stops.
"The Blissful Child will be immune to any curses and evil spells." the Sun Goddess explained.
"With this power, Sakura will be able to help that girl and her prince. However, some curses are a bit stubborn and having her powers won't be enough, but it will be helpful." the Moon Goddess further explained.
"Good luck, Princesses. May the power of the Sun, Moon, and Stars be with you." the Star Goddess replied as all three began to fade.
"Thank you." Julie express her gratitude as they are gone. Sakura was born with no problems, which relieves the older sister. Sakura swims over and hugs her.
"I can't wait to see everyone, Julie onee-chan!" Sakura exclaimed.
"I know... Happy Birthday Sakura." Julie told her.
-Pearl Waters-
At the bath house, Lucia, Hanon, Rina, and Seira were in Coco's room, where Coco was laying in bed. They all manage to rescued her from Lady Bat thanks to Akari becoming Eliza. There was four things that worries the girls: One, the Yellow Princess hasn't woken up ever since they got back home, two, Hippo is still frozen in ice outside the beach. Nikora hoped that no one goes outside and sees Hippo in his Hippocampus form. Luckily, despite Miyuki returned to normal, it's still snowing really bad. It will prevents anyone from going outside, but at the same time, that cause the two other problems. Three, when will Miyuki wake up, and Fourth, the girls have no idea where Julie went. All they know is that she have to go somewhere and only Akari and Miyuki know.
Seira, wanting to check on Akari and Miyuki, left the room first. Unknowing to the girls, she doesn't want to see her best friend and "sister" in a state she isn't sure of.
-Akari's and Miyuki's Room-
Akari was on Miyuki's bedside, making the twelve year-old as comfortable as possible. She looked at her sister worriedly until she heard a knock.
"Come in." she replied. Seira came in and closed the door behind her. "Seira."
"How is she?" Seira questioned.
"From what I remember, this is the second time Yuki is in this condition. The first time was when she was Snow White." Akari explained.
"Akari." Seira called the eighteen year-old's name.
"Hm? What is it?" Akari asked.
"Julie told us that we were all heroes in the past, but it is true? I mean, only the three of you were seen as your past selves yesterday." Seira questioned.
"It's a bit complicated... Long ago, each hero made a sacrifice, but it wasn't just their life to ensure peace on earth. Now, living this new life, we lost a part of ourselves from the past. Only when we return to our past selves, we'll regain what we lost." Akari explained.
"What kind of sacrifice do you mean?" Seira was a bit curious.
"Princess Rose Red lost her flames after she was reborn as Julie. Her powers over flames were passed down to another hero who she knew will used it with good intentions. I, as Eliza, once lost my voice when my brothers were curse into swans. Later on, I lost my freedom when I was captured by an evil wizard and when he turned me into a swan. I died before the final battle so I can joined my childhood friend who was my love one." Akari answered.
"And Miyuki?" Seira asked.
"Yuki, as Snow White, she lost her love for everything. There is a reason why she and all the younger sister pearls can't age once the older sister turned eighteen." Akari replied.
"I'm sorry." Seira told her.
"That's alright, I know it's hard to believe that we once live human lives and made great sacrifices." Akari gave her a small smile. A knock on the door was heard. "Come in."
The door opened to reveal that it's Lucia.
"Coco woke up." she replied.
"Really?" Seira questioned in hope. When Lucia confirms it with a nod, Seira left the room. She told the White Princess that she'll be back after she sees Coco.
-Coco's Room-
When Seira re-enters the room, she saw Coco sat up from her bed, drinking tea.
"Coco!" Seira exclaimed as she ran and hugged the Yellow Princess. "What happen when you returned home?"
"That stupid vampire captured me after he threatens my kingdom. After that, I don't remember." she answered.
"Just what is Shika planning?" Rina questioned as she began to think.
-Diner Room-
When Lucia, Hanon, Rina, and Seira went downstairs to let Coco rest, they saw Julie sitting in a chair in the dining room.
"Julie!" Lucia called out to her.
She heard the girl and turned, "Hi Lucia onee-chan."
"Where did you go yesterday?" Hanon questioned.
"You can come out now." Julie replied, addressing to a nearby wall.
A girl of ten walks from her hiding place. She has bright red hair that reached her waist and ruby-red eyes. The two locks on both sides of her face reached to her shoulders. She was wearing an off shoulder red dress that has a two layered skirt. The frilly sleeves only reached to her elbows while the skirt reached to her knees and she wears red flat slippers.
"Hello everyone. My name is Sakura Emiko, it's a pleasure to meet you." Sakura cheerfully introduced herself.
"Sakura... Emiko...?" Lucia trailed off.
Rina turned to Julie, "She's your sister?"
"Yep." Julie answered.
After Julie explained everything, excluding the fact that Sakura is the Blissful Child, the girls understand much better. They remembered that there was a seond Red Pearl, but they didn't think that Julie would find it. Seira was filled with joy and was jumping up and down excitedly. She has a friend who is around her age, despite she is nineteen days older than her since her birthday is on December 26th while Sakura's is December 7th.
-Julie's and Sakura's Room-
That night, Julie moved her furniture to the right side, leaving the left side for Sakura. Because, she was born today, not a lot of furniture was on her side of the room. In fact, it looks really bare since there is only a bed. However, she plans to help her little sister fill up the gap when the holiday break comes.
"Julie onee-chan, why must I keep my gift a secret to the others except to Akari nee-chan?" Sakura questioned.
During their way back to the human world, Julie requested that Sakura keep silence of her gift from the girls except for Akari.
"Sakura, listen." Julie got to her sister's level. "Your gift is wonderful and it can perform miracles, but you have to keep it a secret. Do you know why?"
"Because Shika is after you?" she answered in a question tone.
"Correct. Can you sense it?" Julie asked which Sakura nods. "Eventually, that which will get 'them' involved. Humans with greed in their hearts. You have to be careful with your gift until we find and complete the jewel. In case if you get caught, they'll underestimate you. As for me, it's to protect you from Shika if she ever learns of your powers."
"I understand." Sakura replied as Julie gave her a hug.
-School-
Unfortunately, everyone has to go to school despite the snow storm. Nikora was still worried of people discovering a frozen Hippocampus on the beach. Luckily, early in the morning, Sakura used her powers to melt the ice, thawing Hippo. After that, Akari took him back to the bath house. The six girls went to school after Akari came back with the penguin. Sakura has Seira's homeroom and classes, which means they'll have all the time to bond and show the new girl around the place.
Many of the students accepted Sakura and she was even lucky to have a seat in front of Seira.
"Sakura." Seira called the girl's name. When she turns around, she gestures to Takumi. "This is Yoshiro, Takumi."
"Hi Sakura-chan." Takumi replied.
"Hello Takumi-kun." she replied back. After an awkward moment of silence, she asked excitedly, "Are you Seira onee-chan's boyfriend?"
"Wha- No! I mean yes. I mean... Not yet anyways." Seira blushed at the way she answered the question.
"We're just friends." Takumi added, though he was probably worse at lying just like the Orange Princess, herself. He then took notice of Sakura's red shell pedant which was hanging around her neck. It was the same like Seira's, minus the color difference. He frowned a bit, keeping note about it in his head as the bell rang for lunch.
Meanwhile...
During class, Julie was troubled at the news Coco gave her in the morning. She told her that although she can't remember what happen, she did recall seeing a man of seventeen with black hair and brown eyes. He was chained to a wall and he carried with him a jewel. He was able to gave the jewel to Coco before she passed out and was taken to the beach by Lady Bat. She looked at her cupped hands to see half a heart garnet glowing very faintly.
"What happen after you left, Kyle?" she whispers.
I hope you have enjoyed this chapter. Please Favorite, Follow, and Review. Merry Christmas and see you tomorrow.
