Chapter 19: Almost there
It's funny how quickly time floes isn't it? It feels as if my siblings just entered the world a few days ago and now Clover is trying - though she is failing - she's trying so desperately to stay on her feet at nine months old. Aren't babies supposed to start walking at around a year or something? Or does it just depend on the child themselves? I think it's the latter since Clover has decided she's tired of crawling all over the floor and would instead prefer to stand on her own two feet. Should I help her, I wonder? Or should she struggle on her own? I'm left to watch her, hair all a mess despite mom having so carefully brushed and settled those cute messes of curls. I had told her that it would be fruitless, she did not listen and here we are. While Clover tries to stand Elijah is far more focused on the building blocks in front of them, stacking them on top of each other with surprising care as to prevent any destruction. He's such a cute little guy and his hair is as long as his sister's, resting a little bit past his ear and like her his hair is just a mess, despite having been so carefully tended to by our mother. Blue eyes are filled with a curiosity and wonder I will never understand as he tries his best to build a tower that will not immediately fall to the ground as his last two failures did. He doesn't even seem to notice Clover as he reaches for his last block, small hands barely big enough to actually hold the thing.
My eyes are back on Clover as she holds onto the sofa tightly, wobbling as she struggles to take a step without falling on her face or her butt. She struggles, but she takes the step and in doing so she lets go of the sofa. She manages to stay on her feet for a good five seconds before she stumbles and I'm rushing to catch her before she can hurt herself.
This is why mom told me to watch them while she cooks dinner, there's no telling what they can do.
I manage to catch her, falling to the floor in the process and causing Elijah's tower to topple, sadly. I manage to save one, but in the process, I broke another's heart.
It doesn't take long for him to adopt the well known "I'm about to cry" face and, having accepted my fate, I await the cry of pain, loss and regret, but it never comes. He's sniffing, obviously heartbroken by what had happened, but he does not actually cry. He just sits there, wallowing in self-pity for a few seconds before slowly getting a random block and returning to his endeavour.
Oh, well that was unexpected. I thought for sure he would bawl his eyes out but instead, he kept it in, picked up the pieces, and worked on building a new.
Good job little bro, you've learned a valuable lesson today.
"And you, Clover" I right her, holding her carefully as I make her stand and stand with her. "You need to hold onto something whenever you pull stunts like this. You have no sense of balance yet"
She makes a rather adorable sound, almost as if she's agreeing to my words while I fully understand that she did not understand most of what left my mouth. We'll get there.
"She's walking?" Mom strolls into the living room, an apron tied around her and oven mitts still on. I wonder what she's making today.
"Trying to"
"Don't let her fall"
What does she take me for, a terrible sister? Of course I won't let her fall. I'll jump off a bridge before that happens.
"Will you be alright without us?"
The question is unexpected and has zero context so I'm confused for a moment and I can only imagine the surprised Pikachu face I'm making as I try to make sense of those words. I'm looking to my mother in question, wondering what she could be talking about and for a moment she too looks confused as if I should know.
"You want to go to U.A right? You'll have to go to Japan and your father wants to send you when you're twelve, which is only three months away and you'll have to go without us" mom doesn't like this idea, I can tell by the way she almost nervously takes off her oven mitts only to put them back on. "You won't necessarily be alone since Morgan has already agreed to house you, and your cousins too, but you'll be without us. Not for long, I hope, because I'm not a fan of this separation, but you'll be away from us for some time"
Oh, I guess Dad wants me to attend middle school over there then before UA. Or perhaps he just wants to give me time to adjust. Most likely both, for both reason will benefit me in the end. He never told me this and from the clear anxiety that's coming off my mother, she really doesn't like this. I don't think I've ever seen her nervous like this before, not even when I fell out that tree. Sometimes I forget that she can get anxious because she's always so composed and... well, her sassy self.
"You don't have to worry, I'll be fine. I mean, yeah I'll miss you and I really hope you come with me, but I'll live. And I'll be with Morgan, no? I always wanted to meet her. And I'm guessing Alissa and Israel will be with me, so I won't be lonely" rambling, yes, I've resulted to this in an effort to calm my anxious mother before her own anxiety activates mine. And if that happens I'll be forced to calm down again and that's a nauseating experience. And I don't like to worry my mother or cause her any form of distress, because I very much prefer it when she smiles and jokes and teases.
She chuckles, it's shaky with the undertone of her worry, but she smiles and that's good.
"Of course you'll be alright" she sighs almost in defeat as she approaches me. "You've always been a mature kid, so you'll be fine. I guess the real question is if I'll be fine without you, isn't it?"
Words could not find me at this moment for I was ignorant to what to say. What can I say to make her feel better? I don't know and I believe she understands that by the way she ruffles my hair in some form of reassurance.
"I'm sorry for the unexpected words, I'm just worried"
"It'll be fine" I promise and I intend to keep that promise. I Will be perfectly fine and mom will be okay as well because no matter where I am I will make sure to talk to her every day. I can go without seeing my father for days, but being away from my mother for a day is almost crushing. Dad liked to bring this to my notice, voicing his mock displeasure at my apparent lack of affection towards him, while teasing me, calling me a momma's girl. Perhaps he has a point, perhaps not. What I do know is that I indeed am more inclined towards my mother, despite the amount of time I spend with my father. We're together often, maybe that's why I can do without him.
"Though there is a major downside" my words seemed to bring back worry and I laugh it off to still her nerves. "I won't be here to help you with the kids so I won't be witnessing their milestones"
Though I'm happy to be here when Clover decided to start walking.
"I'll make sure to document their progress for you, don't worry"
Of course, she has to document their progress because that's what I've been doing for the past nine months. I managed to max out my camera's memory space with the videos and pictures I've made of my siblings.
Can't wait to show them those embarrassing videos when they're older.
A sudden stench makes me furrow my brows and scrunch up my nose in both disgust and confusion as I try to locate the source of the scent. I'm not too surprised to be looking at my siblings, eyeing each of them suspiciously, as if my gaze would make them confess to a crime. My eyes settle on Elijah, the kid too focused on his blocks to pay me any attention, or even fuss about his most likely full diaper.
"You're disgusting, Elijah"
~~~~~~
The soft melodic sound of a guitar fills the spacious room of a young Zena, the child entertaining herself through unpredictable tunes with no clear structure, no clear synchrony, but still pleasant to the ears. She allowed herself to indulge in the moment, allowed her mind to wander beyond the walls of her home, beyond the gates and further still. She reaches, grasps and tugs on the thoughts of those she will likely never meet, but those she knows better than a stranger should. She chuckles, amused at a silly thought and the image it brings, snickering at the ridiculous thought. It was something so idiotic that she could see herself partaking in the crazy act, dragging either her father or Leon along with her idiotic schemes. Fingers easily and almost gently strum the strings of her guitar, the sound shifting from slightly exciting, adventurous, curious to something more calming, slow and tranquil. It has her lulling, mind carefully filled with the thoughts of others, buzzing with activity, yet still calming to her. Having gotten so used to thoughts in her mind, thoughts that are not her own, Zena has learned to enjoy the buzz. It was almost white noise in the back of her head, almost nothingness, only forming into something notable with focus.
A familiar melody began to form the longer she strummed, her unknown and nameless songs having transformed into something better known, something she recognized with slight fondness. It made her smile, somewhat laughing at the way she unconsciously began to play the song that marked the beginning of a young boy's journey into heroism. Such an iconic song it was, the day, such adventurous and, admittingly, invigorating mix of instruments and vocals. She enjoyed most songs, never caring what genre or what it could possibly be about as long as it was pleasing to her ears. If she could fall into a state of rest, almost unconscious at that, untettered to the world, lost in the vibrations that formed such beautiful sounds, if she could enter that state then she is happy with the song, no matter what it.
How did the lyrics to this song go again? She hummed, the lyrics lost to her, despite her ability to speak fluent Japanese at this point. She could never remember such things, despite her love for the song.
The English version, however, was still clear to her. She knew two versions, the first well known amongst those who watch the anime, given to them by Nate, a truly talented artist in her eyes. She wondered how long it must've taken to make sense of the lyrics and reform it to keep their meaning while making rhymes as well. She didn't think she could do it. The second one she knew of, one she didn't hear often, was by someone she forgot the name of. Though the one most prominent is the one by Nate.
"You see the sunrise, a new day is upon you" the words form as she pulls them from her memory, having not uttered them in all of the years she has been in this world. She wondered why the song never came to her before this point."You bite your nails and your knees start to tremble"
Still, she was curious about the original song, its original lyrics. If only she could remember, she could sing it, now she had a knack for Japanese.
"The time is upon you, to show them what you can do and soon they will know that the day has come" The end fades momentarily as she recalls the high note of that last word. She never tried reaching that high, though she felt she was capable. She knew her voice and she knew her limits, she never tried a particularly high note, but she was sure she could reach a couple.
"The day will come" a correction to the song. The day has not arrived yet, not for her anyway. She's not sure when "the day" is to come, but it will come to her.
She dwells on her mother's words suddenly, thinking about what is to come within a few months. After her birthday she is off to Japan, an entirely different country with different cultures and the likes. She'll have the adjust, she realizes, she has to learn of their customs and abide by rules unspoken. It was an exciting thought, Japan, she had always dreamed of visiting the country even before entering this world. She always wanted to be in the country that is the source of all those anime she had learned to love. She gets the chance now, though for different reasons. She's off to attend an academy that trains the next generation of heroes.
She could hardly wait, wanting to meet those she got to know and be witness to the changes her appearance has caused, or perhaps the lack thereof.
"All in due time" the words are spoken to herself as the melody filling the room switches again, taking on its adventurous and curious tune once more.
Just a few more months.
Weekly Power Status
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Ranking 
-- Power
stone