" But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world. "
- Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince
(Several Months Ago: Rouen, France: 8:30 PM)
The bright yellow light from the lampshade had broken the darkness of the room when Elder Carol Danvers sat beside her son, Amnon. The Kree-Lizard boy held one of his favorite books, the Little Prince. The mother and son remained sitting on the bed. The elderly Kree-Hybrid paid her attention to her son's reading.
" Ah ! petit prince, j'ai compris, peu à peu, ainsi, ta petite vie mélancolique. Tu n'avais eu longtemps pour distraction que la douceur des couchers de soleil. J'ai appris ce détail nouveau, le quatrième jour au matin, quand tu m'as dit :
- J'aime bien les couchers de soleil. Allons voir un coucher de soleil...
- Mais il faut attendre...
- Attendre quoi?
- Attendre que le soleil se couche.
Tu as eu l'air très surpris d'abord, et puis tu as ri de toi-même. Et tu m'as dit :
- Je me crois toujours chez moi !
En effet. Quand il est midi aux États-Unis, le soleil, tout le monde le sait, se couche sur la France. Il suffirait de pouvoir aller en France en une minute pour assister au coucher de soleil. Malheureusement la France est bien trop éloignée. Mais, sur ta si petite planète, il te suffisait de tirer ta chaise de quelques pas. Et tu regardais le crépuscule chaque fois que tu le désirais...
- Un jour, j'ai vu le soleil se coucher quarante-trois fois !
Et un peu plus tard tu ajoutais :
- Tu sais... quand on est tellement triste on aime les cou-chers de soleil...
- Le jour des quarante-trois fois tu étais donc tellement triste ?
Mais le petit prince ne répondit pas."
" Kid, can you read that one in English? " his mother asked.
" Okay, " he nodded and continued reading the other translation from the next page.
" Oh, little prince! Bit by bit I came to understand the secrets of your sad little life...
For a long time you had found your only entertainment in the quiet pleasure of looking at the sunset. I learned that new detail on the morning of the fourth day, when you said to me:
" I am very fond of sunsets. Come, let us go look at a sunset now. "
"But we must wait," I said.
"Wait? For what?"
"For the sunset. We must wait until it is time."
At first you seemed to be very much surprised. And then you laughed to yourself. You said to me:
"I am always thinking that I am at home!"
Just so. Everybody knows that when it is noon in the United States the sun is setting over France. If you could fly to France in one minute, you could go straight into the sunset,right from noon. Unfortunately, France is too far away for that. But on your tiny planet, my little prince, all you need do is move your chair a few steps. You can see the day end and the twilight falling whenever you like...
"One day," you said to me, "I saw the sunset fortyfour times!"
And a little later you added:
"You know one loves the sunset, when one is so sad..."
"Were you so sad, then?" I asked, "on the day of the fortyfour sunsets?"
But the little prince made no reply. "
" Can you tell me from this chapter? " Carol asked.
" The little prince was eager to see the sunset, but his friend asked him to wait." Amnon replied and closed his book. " Does it tell you about time? "
" Yes, " she nodded. " So, what do you know about the sunset and time? "
" All I know is the sun rises in the east and sets in the west. I have seen them a lot in my journeys before, Mom. "
" That's very clever of you, Kid. Anything else? "
" I have a question about this part, " her son recalled. " It says,Everybody knows that when it is noon in the United States the sun is setting over France. If you could fly to France in one minute, you could go straight into the sunset,right from noon.What does that mean? "
Carol smiled and replied at him, " Well, that has something to do with time zones. Every country has different time zones. Let's say here in France, it's evening. Then, in the United States and Canada, it's afternoon. In Asia, it could be morning. "
" Wow! " Amnon commented in awe and asked. " So, is this how the Earth spins around by itself? It has day and night? "
" That's right. We call it, "rotation". Our planet rotates by itself and roams around the sun. This causes sunrises and sunsets. I think I'm going to teach you that by tomorrow morning. "
" Okay..." Amnon yawned and covered his mouth.
" It's time to count some sheep, not asking me to draw it, " his mother joked and kissed her son's forehead. " Goodnight, Kid. "
" Goodnight, Mom..."
The hybrid boy lied down on his bed as his mother gently covered him on his blanket. The elderly half-Kree woman felt pleased to see her son sleeping as she sighed in relief.
" You're starting to learn the secrets of the Universe, Kid. I know you will learn more until your father and I will help you see them, " she thought and gently rubbed his back.
(Two Years Later: Rouen, France, 8:00 AM)
Elder Carol Danvers was busily working around the garden, harvesting some vegetables, and putting them into the basket, in order to keep herself busy. She has been worried about Methu-Selah and Amnon's condition back in Ethiopia last night when her two friends consoled her.
This morning, she focused on taking tomatoes, onions, carrots, and some leafy vegetables which she and her son had worked for the past couple of months before he got abducted in Paris. Just then, she noticed a dark-haired man with an Asian descent. He had a ponytail and sharp katanas with some slings attached on his back. He was wearing a black leather jacket and a pair of dark pants. The man was holding a cane and approaching her. The elderly half-Kree woman turned her attention to him and ceased her harvesting work, when she instantly stood up.
" Look, I don't have much time to talk, " she sternly replied. " I have a lot of things to do. You need to leave now. "
" I am not leaving you, Danvers-san, " he said.
" Why? How did you know my name? "
" You were once a glorious and mighty heroine as I have heard. "
" Me as Captain Marvel, right, " she nodded.
" It would be very impolite to leave without starting any conversation, " he calmly replied and bowed. " My name is Asuga Hasekura. I came here all the way from Japan. The winds can hold many secrets and carry those words. So, I just simply listen. "
" Well, it seems I have no choice, but to talk to you then. " Carol sighed. " All right, how can I help? "
" I do understand you don't want to get involved in such battles. I have come here to tell more truths from what your dark angel friend and the others have said. "
" So, you're an Inhuman who controls and observes the wind. Am I right? "
" That is correct, " Asuga smiled. " But my blindness has hindered seeing the beauty of this planet. Just like this unending invasion, it prevented the people's freedom to improve and build on such beauty and wonders. "
" How long have you been blind? "
" It has been more than two centuries, " Asuga sternly explained. " I used to be a ninja fighting against the clans during the Edo period back in Kanagawa prefecture. In the forest, I got captured by the enemy faction. One of their men slashed my body and took my both eyes as they had ended my life. "
" Oh, I'm sorry...I didn't know..." Carol sadly muttered.
" No, it has happened. I never realized what was going on with me, until I woke up in total darkness and broke the rocks within my body. "
" You mean someone had revived you through terrigenesis? "
" Yes, it was the man named Methu-Selah who saved me. He told me I died and regained my life as an Inhuman who controls the wind and the air, aside from longevity. At first,I wanted my sight back, but I gradually accepted my ability in exchange for my eyes. I thanked the Kree man who saved my life. "
" This is how you became? "
" Yes, I spent years harnessing the wind and the air and travelled the world. "
" I'm sorry for what happened. "
" It is all right, Danvers-san, " Asuga calmly spoke. " I can manage myself and start to fight on my own. As my gratitude to Methu-Selah, I have been following his son's whereabouts. "
" I see what you mean, " Carol nodded,assisted the blind visitor to the porch, and offered him a seat. " Here, have a seat. Would you like to have a drink of tea, coffee,wine, or water? "
" A cup of tea will do, Danvers-san, " Asuga nodded.
" All right, then, " she nodded back. " Just please wait for a while. "
The elderly half-Kree woman headed into the kitchen to get her a visitor with two cups of tea and some biscuits. She placed them on the tray and returned to the porch, placing it on the table. Asuga felt pleased to smell the snacks and the drinks.
" This is really delicious, Danvers-san. Thank you, " he smiled and took a bite of the biscuit.
" You haven't eaten yet? " Carol asked.
" Yes, food is very scarce, but you managed to get some in this time of hardship. "
" We've got all the sources, Asuga. You do understand what we do. "
" Yes, it is, " the Japanese Inhuman replied and took a sip of his tea. " By the way, this is a very soothing and interesting zest of lemon. The biscuits are sweet and scrumptious with such chocolate bits. "
" Oh, I made that tea. Then, my son had a biscuit recipe. He usually bakes them when he's in the kitchen. "
" He is a talented baker. You have taught and raised him well. It seems you and him have a very mutual and harmonious mother and son relationship, " he replied. " He must have been very grateful to be with you. "
" Yeah, it's more than two years I have been raising and helping him, " Carol slightly smiled and sighed." It's been six months, since he has been never returning here in France. "
" I know, he got abducted and enslaved. You tried everything to help him, but you failed. "
" I should have done the right thing to save him. He could have never been like that. I wished I tried to rescue him back in New York. "
" It has happened, Danvers-san. You can never change the past, but what you can do is to reunite with him and help him shape his future. That's the only thing you can do. "
" How did you know about his past? "
" I have been watching him ever since he escaped from the facility. He has a long journey all the way from here. I have seen his experiences. Yet, I felt sorry for him because he had been chased by the invaders and the same people who contained him. "
" Did Methu-Selah order you to follow him?"
" Yes, indeed. I have an obligation to follow your son wherever he is. I'm still fulfilling the task of watching him. "
" I'm glad you have done it for us. Thank you. "
Asuga nodded, ate some of the biscuits, and then drank some tea. Carol also ate her share and waited for her visitor to respond.
" It is my passion to serve you, both. Not all the Kree are evil, but there are few good people like you who care. "
" I understood, " she nodded. " Any news about them? "
" Just last night in Ethiopia, I saw those people fighting against your son who is not of the right mind. Until, your friend showed up and almost died to defeat him. "
Carol widened her eyes in shock and remained silent as Methu-Selah's prophecy had come true. She heavily sighed and lowered her cup of tea. Asuga noticed her silence and wiped his mouth.
" Is there something wrong in what I have said? " he curiously asked.
" Methu-Selah just predicted his encounter with his son, " she broke her silence. " It came true. "
" How come? "
" It was two years ago. He knew that very moment that he and his son would meet someday in Ethiopia, but it would end up skirmish. "
" I see, " Asuga nodded and clasped his both hands. " It was their first violent and unlikely encounter, but it ended well. The father had tamed his son's insanity. "
" He did? " she curiously raised her tone.
" Yes, the boy was very confused as he needed help. I wished to meet this lonely child. "
" You will be, but I don't know when. "
" Can it be a possibility that you will visit him and I should come along too? "
" Yes, " Carol said. " Are they coming anytime soon? "
" I can sense the winds from the south. They are telling me an airship carrying the father and his son is coming to the City of Lights. "
" Paris..." the elderly half-Kree woman muttered and wept for joy. " That means my son is closer to home. He is coming home. "
" You have a chance to see him. I want to ask, Danvers-san. What is your son's name? "
" Amnon-Selah in Kree. Amnon Joseph Danvers-Montmartre. "
" The boy's name suits him. I will meet him someday. "
(Excerpts from The Little Prince by Antoine de Saint-Exupéry)
(Asuga Hasekura byKnightfall077)