A Bond of a Broken Family
Disclaimer: I don't own Saint Seiya or its characters or profit from this fanfiction.
Chapter Four: The Fond Memories
Libra Dohko's Point of View
By: Ladybug Maki
Author's Note: Oceania grew up thinking her name was Uma Ajax, as it was Elsa's wish to keep Oceania hidden from her father, Sea Dragon Kanon, and her uncle, Gemini Saga. Like her grandfather, Shion, Oceania, and her mother are descendants of the people from the Lost Continent of Lemuria.
I first met Ocean in September 1971 when she was three months old. I feel bad for Shion and Elsa, who will never witness Ocean's (one of the nicknames for Oceania) firsts. I swear, if I had known what I was getting myself into when I agreed to take Ocean in, I would not have changed the last eight years for the world.
Sighs.
Oceania will be my demise because I can sense a mischievousness and a strong sense of justice and truth in Oceania, as I once did in Belladonna and Briana.
Hm.
Ocean has Briana's personality. I sometimes wanted to strangle Ocean for some of the things she'd pulled. Yes, she's Kanon's and Elsa's daughter, all right. Athena helps me. How many times have I wanted to strangle this one for trying my patience?
Oh well.
My misadventures, as I call them, started when, at five months old, in Oceania, I noticed she could move things with her mind. At first, it was only noticeable once she began to move larger objects like myself, Zoom, or her playpen so she could listen to the waterfall's roar. She babbled at the Great Lushan Waterfall, but I later discovered Oceania was conversing with the Dragon Armour.
One morning, I woke up later than usual because Ocean is a night owl. And I discovered Ocean and Zoom were gone. I search everywhere in a panic, looking for my little one. Oh, Elsa, forgive me if Gemini Saga had come and taken Ocean or, worse, killed her. Later that day, I felt an unfamiliar cosmos surround the area, and then suddenly, Aries Mū and Virgo Shaka stood. Mū was holding Ocean while Zoom rode on Shaka's shoulder. I sighed in relief, of course. The memory dust must've worn off of Mu because he had that look of joy.
Sighs.
Mū told me Oceania had teleported herself and Zoom to India, where he and Shaka were having tea. Mū had lied to Shaka. The little one was my granddaughter, Uma Ajax, so now you know how Oceania got her pseudonyms. I smiled at Shaka and thanked him for bringing my tiny Uma home. Shaka only nodded as he slowly detached Zoom from his shoulder and teleported back to India. Shaka didn't believe Mu, but he just let it go.
Mu sighed, knowing later he would have to tell Shaka the truth about the memory dust and why he didn't remember Oceania.
Mu told me he had gauged Ocean's psychic powers, and I could tell Mu was a little jealous as he spoke because, at this point, Ocean's ability matched his now, but it may grow more substantial like her grandfather, Shion. Ocean was only five months old.
I swear, as young as Oceania was, I had to be on my toes with her around. So Mu came up with an amulet to suppress her psychic powers, but I shook my head no and said,
"As her guardians, we should teach Oceania how to control her powers instead of suppressing them. Furthermore, Elsa would kill us if we thought of suppressing those powers that could save humanity one day."
Mu laughed as Ocean yanked his hair to get his attention. Ocean started babbling at Mu. Mu stayed for a while and played with his niece. A week before Ocean turned six months old, Mu saw her sitting in her playpen, babbling with The Dragon Armour and The Aries Armour. Mu looked over at me and said,
"Ocean inherited Briana's power to talk with domestic and wild animals."
I nodded in acknowledgment while exclaiming to Mu,
"My adopted granddaughter is a genius."
Ocean turns towards Mu and me with a broad smile.
Mu left shortly afterward, promising Ocean that he would visit again.
I watched as six-month-old Oceania scooted across the floor as her great-grandmother did. I watched proudly as Oceania would scoot race with Zoom, and Zoom would win, of course, but he would always hold up Oceania's arm in victory with his tail, which made her smile widely. One day, Oceania stood up and walked to me with the biggest smile, and the peace went. Because it was "Oceania, come away from there," or "Oceania, don't touch that all day."
I swear this one constantly had me on my toes; Ocean reminds me of Briana in energy and personality.
Oceania pointed at me at nine months old and blurted out, "Papa." I tried to correct her, but she stubbornly shook her head and repeated herself. Mū, who came to visit us, told me,
"In Oceania's eyes, you're her grandfather, and there's no getting around it."
I grunted in defeat.
"I don't think Master Shion would mind at all either," Mū added, smiling.
I sighed heavily, gave in, and encouragingly smiled at Oceania; then she walked over to Mū, pointed at him, and said, "Unko!" Mū smiled widely.
Soon, other words followed, and I had to watch what I said in front of the little one. I'm laughing out loud.
As my little one grew older, her personality and attitude increased; Ocean seemed to enjoy challenging my patience and seeing how far she could push me.
June 23, 1972
I threw a birthday party for Oceania, and Mu and Shaka came to help Oceania celebrate her first birthday. The memory dust had worn off Shaka, who had promised never to tell a soul about Oceania.
Oceania had fun that day, as she should.
At age two, Ocean would mimic my movements as I flexed my cosmos. I would correct Ocean's movements. So, I took it upon myself to teach Ocean, much to her two godfathers' displeasure. Of course, I was hoping it would keep Ocean out of trouble.
April 3, 1974
I felt Elsa's cosmos slowly slip away, and a few moments later, a shooting star streaked across the sky as I heard Oceania fussing, so I headed in only to find Zoom cuddled close to Oceania. I only smiled at the sight. Is Oceania an empath as well?
I would look out the window to check on Ocean when I discovered Ocean had entered the Bamboo Forest instead of going to the rice farmers below my home to work. I would go tearing after Ocean to find her wrestling with tiger cubs under the watchful eye of their mother, or Ocean is stalking me with the cubs, or I find Ocean talking with a wise old King Cobra or riding on the back of a water buffalo. Ocean was three years old. At least Ocean was staying out of trouble.
That was asking too much from Oceania.
Ocean, the sneaky four-year-old brat, had climbed to the top of the Great Lushan Waterfall and jumped off. I felt my heart go up in my throat as I heard one splash and saw Ocean's head pop up and swim to where I was. Ocean climbed out without any broken bones. I thanked Athena and God for keeping Ocean safe and walked away from the child, seething with anger.
An hour later, out of the corner of my left eye, I saw Oceania's head pop up around the corner, watching me as I saw Oceania boldly walk in as she hugged me around my neck. I felt my anger disappear as I kissed her forehead. Damn, brat reminds me so much of Briana.
Ocean found two abandoned ferrets, and I didn't say no when Ocean brought them home. Taking care of the ferrets would teach Ocean responsibility and accountability; thus, Mask and Bandit, the ferrets, joined our little family. Ocean was four years old—my little Tempest.
It did calm Oceania down a bit.
Of course, those looking in didn't know anything but thought I was raising my granddaughter Uma, who lost her mother and was abandoned by her father. I didn't bother to correct them.
I continued to train Ocean; I asked her if she could split The Great Lushan Waterfall in half. Unfortunately, I did not notice the presence of a Lion and Sea Goat here and watching us. Ocean had spent five months syncing her cosmos and splitting the waterfall in half as a nine-tailed fox appeared in the water.
I cheered Oceania's success as Leo Aiolia and Capricorn Shura came forward, seeing great potential in Oceania to become Saint of Athena. Oceania refused to leave three-year-old Mask and Bandit, the ferrets; two-year-old Luna, the ChowChow; one-year-old Draken, the Golden Eagle; and six-month-old Bombay Cat named Eclipse (Zoom's daughter) behind. Shura and Aiolia relented and allowed Oceania to bring her animal companions.
June 30, 1979-
Ocean was on her way to Sanctuary as I prayed for her safety, and I prayed for the poor soul who got stuck with my little hellion.
To Be Continued!