"Makoto, stay still now." A tall, slender woman with light hair and emerald green eyes knelt down before the young girl with a washcloth scrubbing the dirt from her cheeks. "Honestly now," she affectionately chided, "I don't know how you manage to get so dirty so quickly." The feisty young girl just shrugged, and blew her unruly bangs out of her eyes, then took a bite of her candy bar. She had been still not more than five seconds, and she had already begun to fidget. She didn't want to stand around and get all cleaned up and coddled by her mother. She wanted to go play Tactics with her father some more. But no, she had to go and meet some boring old people on Venus, and their little girl of course, can't forget her. Her mother had been constantly gushing on how wonderfully fun this trip was going to be for Makoto, since there was someone her age there to play with. And although the idea was at least somewhat intriguing, she knew better than to get excited. Most girls didn't play fun games. She liked action; running and jumping and punching, and every other little girl she knew liked dolls and dancing. This girl wasn't going to be fun at all. Neither was this trip. Makoto's mother Sarin inspected her wild little daughter carefully. She had managed to keep her clothes clean, that was a good sign, and the washcloth had done its work well, her face was spotless. She beamed. "Well now, look at that!" She kissed Makoto on the cheek. "You almost look presentable. Now...do you remember what I taught you?" Makoto swallowed her piece of chocolate. "Hmm...yeah....when we have dinner there, I don't make funny faces when I taste the food, even if it is yucky. I pretend I like it, 'cause that's manners." She nodded, proud of herself. "That wasn't what I was talking about....but you had better remember that too, young lady. I was referring to the ceremony we will be a part of when we arrive on Venus." Makoto thought for a moment. "The present one?" Sarin nodded. "That's the one. It's tradition on Venus, so I want you to do your best. Make us proud, Makoto." Makoto just nodded absently, her attention span ending. "So did you find a gift for Minako yet?" Makoto's eyes widened. "Umm....yeah...of course I did." She gave her mom a big toothy grin. "Yes I did." Sarin quirked an eyebrow suspiciously. "And what is it?" Makoto thought quickly. "Givin' her one of my dolls." "Oh," Sarin's voice turned sugary sweet. "But dear....you don't have any dolls. You told us you didn't like them, so you haven't gotten any." Makoto looked at the floor, knowing she was going to get caught if she didn't turn the tables quickly. "No...I have that one...remember? Remember mom?" Sarin scowled. "You're not thinking of giving her that...MAKOTO, YOU PULLED HER HEAD OFF!" "I can glue it back on." Makoto replied quietly. "MAKOTO! YOU SHAVED HER HEAD TOO!" Makoto looked up at her mom, throwing her a winning grin and hoping she could somehow save herself. "She's special! One of a kind! No others like her!" Sarin facefaulted. "Makoto....you go and choose a proper gift, unless you want to stay home, with Mr. Claude to watch over you." Makoto shook her head and looked at her mother fearfully. "No mom! No! You know he farts all the time! I'll go get a good present. A real good one." She nodded to emphasize her quick change in attitude. "You just wait and see." Sarin gave one of those manipulative parent smiles and patted Makoto's head. "Good girl. I knew you would make the right choice. Now-Makoto!" "What?!" The young girl looked around. "What did I do now?" Sarin took Makoto's hands and spread her arms apart as far as they would go. "Makoto, I want you to do exactly as I say now." Makoto nodded, very confused. "I want you to go, just like this, and wash your hands. Do _not_ move your arms. You keep them spread far out until you are at the sink and wash the chocolate off of them! Understand?" Makoto nodded. "Wash hands. Don't move arms. I got it." With that, the young girl sped off towards the kitchen sink, her arms spread wide, making airplane noises. "She's quite the handful, isn't she?" Sarin turned around at the sound of her husband's voice, exasperated. "Yes! And I swear it's all your fault Dominion! If you weren't so busy teaching her military games and martial arts all the time, I would be able to spend more time with her teaching her important things. Basic rules of humanity. Like dirt belongs on the ground, not all over our bodies, and-" Dominion put a finger to her lips. "There'll be plenty of time for that later. She's still only seven years old. She has an aptitude for what I'm teaching her. And she enjoys learning it. I think that's what the important thing is. Protocol and other responsibilities can come when she is old enough to handle them. And besides, it's not as if she's mannerless, she knows how to behave when we explain to her that its important-" *CRASH!!* Sarin glared at Dominion as they heard a painful groan from one of the palace workers down the hall, and a young girl's joyful shout. "AIRPLANE!" They had been traveling for about two hours aboard the Royal Family's ship when Makoto started to doze off. She had tried valiantly to fight off the sleepies, but when there is nothing but flashes of stars out your window, and your parents are uncharacteristically quiet and boring, the sleepies get an edge that can't be countered. Makoto had stretched out on her seat, her head laying on the armrest. Usually she would just lay her head on her knapsack, but because of the fragile present inside, this time it could only lay on the floor by her seat. Makoto had searched through everything she had to find an appropriate gift to give the Princess of Venus. The custom stated that Minako and Makoto were to exchange gifts when they first met. Not just any gift, either. It couldn't be bought. It had to be something which had sentimental value to Makoto, to show an open heart and selflessness. Makoto had asked her mother why she couldn't just buy something for the girl she had never met. She wouldn't like the things Makoto held dear anyway. A small black headband from her father, that she used when she was training with him. A picture of her family together, that she kept framed on her wall. A small pocket knife she used when playing out in the Garden- her personal jungle. None of these things would interest Minako at all, she was sure. But her mother and father both had been quite insistent that she make them proud while upholding this tradition, so she had searched madly through everything she owned. She came up with nothing. Frustrated, she had gone for a walk out in the courtyard when she heard a small scream of surprise, followed by a cry for help. She ran as fast as her small legs could carry her to the source of the cries. They led her to the edge of the large tropical fish pond that lay in the far northeast corner of the Garden. There was a girl there, even younger than herself, struggling in the crystalline water. Makoto knelt down on the edge, and called out to the frantic girl. "It's ok...I'll help you." She held out her hand. "Can you make it a little closer? I can't reach." The girl shook her head and coughed. "No, I can't move. My foot is stuck, I don't know how to swim good." Makoto took a survey of her surroundings. There was no way she could reach that girl, and the only thing she could do was try to throw something out to her, or run for a grown up. But there was no grown ups close enough, and she was scared to leave the girl. "Ok," she told the girl, trying to keep herself calm. "I'm gonna grab somethin' to throw to you. Then I'll try to pull you." The girl nodded, her arms still flailing, but less frantically now. She was getting tired very quickly. Makoto grabbed a thick vine from underneath some of her mother's rose bushes, and threw it over her shoulder. "I'm coming! I got something! Just hold on!" "Hurry! Please!" Makoto tied a large knot at the end of the vine, and threw it out to the girl. "Grab onto that!" She shouted, her heart pounding. She didn't know if she was strong enough to pull the girl. Her dad had always said she was very strong for her age, but still.... The girl clung onto the vine, sputtering a little. "I got it," she called to Makoto. "Now please pull me back!" She was on the edge of tears. Makoto braced herself as well as she could, and began to tug on the vine. It didn't budge. The girl started to cry. "It's my foot....keep trying...please pull me back...I'm scared..." Makoto was beginning to panic. "You have to help me! Pull your foot as hard as you can! I'll keep trying!" Still sobbing, the girl nodded and started pulling her foot up, as much as she could. Makoto held the vine tightly, and took a deep breath, then started pulling. It still wouldn't move. Grunting with effort, she pulled harder, so hard her arms ached and her cheeks started to flush red with exertion. And just when she was about to collapse... She heard a loud snap, and the vine, with the girl clinging to it, shot towards her, flinging her backwards into the rosebush. Makoto bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain as the thorns from the rose stems sliced into her neck and arms. She extricated herself from there painful grasp and fell down to her knees, willing herself not to cry. ~Stings so bad...but daddy...he says crying never solves anything...dad doesn't want me to cry...even if it hurts...~ After a few agonizing moments, Makoto got up. She moved sluggishly back over to the pond, and saw the girl by the edge of it, hugging her knees to her chest and sobbing quietly. Makoto put a small but reassuring hand on her shoulder. "You're ok now. Don't cry. I can take you to your mom." The girl sniffled and wiped her nose on her soaked shirt. "I was scared I was going to die. I never ever been so scared before. Not even when I watched the scary movie." She looked at the pond that nearly killed her moments before. "I wanna go home now," she whispered softly. Makoto nodded and helped the girl to her feet. "Home now." She replied quietly. The girl lived very close to the Palace. In fact, her family were the garden caretakers who lived just on the opposite end of it. When Makoto brought the tearstained, tired young girl home, her mother began to cry. "Jayla!" She picked the girl up into her arms and held her tight. "By the gods what happened to you?!" She kissed the top of her damp head. "Your brother and I were looking all over for you. We were so worried!" Little Jayla hiccupped, and buried her face into her mom's neck. "I slipped into the pond, and getted stuck. I thought I was going to die." She started to cry again. "Ma...Makoto pulled me out...I was so scared mommy..." Jayla's mother gently smoothed down her daughter's hair, speaking to her in hushed, soothing tones. "There now....it'll be alright...this will never ever happen again...you're home now...safe now..." As she said this, she looked down at Makoto. "Thank you so much," she whispered. "So very much. You're the bravest little girl I know...and I owe you everything." Makoto didn't know what to say. A solemn "you're welcome" was all her young mind could come up with. She turned to leave, but was stopped by a hand on her back. Jayla's mother's hand. "My name is Laura," she said. "Please don't go yet. I have something for you. I can never completely repay you for saving Jayla for me....but I want you to have this." Curious, Makoto followed Laura through the house, and out onto the deck. It was set up like a miniature science laboratory, complete with vials and samples of what looked like different coloured rose petals and seeds. "I work for your mother and father," Laura said. "I'm a botanist. We maintain the garden and keep it beautiful. I'm always coming up with new flowers for the Queen, because she loves them so." She moved to a cluttered table and gently picked something up off of it. "I've been working on this for nearly a year now...I was going to present it to the Queen when she returned from Venus. But...for all that you have done for me and Jayla..I think giving you this first bloom is the least I can do." Laura took Makoto's hands gently in her own, and placed a single, beautiful rose inside of them. "I haven't named it yet," she whispered. "Maybe you'll think of a name for me." Makoto's eyes went wide as she looked at the precious flower. It was a white rose, with four different shades of blue along its edges. She looked up at Laura. "It's so pretty....I...I can't take this. Mom says sometimes I'm not very gentle, and I'd be so sad if I wrecked it." Laura only smiled. "Take it. I'm sure you'll be very careful. I can make as many as I want to now. But I want you to have that first one. Please accept it." Makoto knew enough about manners to understand that it would be rude to not take the flower now. "Thank you so much," she said earnestly. I promise to be very careful with it." "I know you will." Laura smiled once again. "Now...before you go home...lets get you cleaned up. You have a few nasty scratches that need to be taken care of." Laura took Makoto home after bandaging her up, and told the King and Queen what happened. Sarin had shed a tear, out of relief and also pride. Her daughter had her father's noble heart and courage, even at that young age. Later, after Laura had gone on her way, she went up into Makoto's room, where Makoto was finishing up her packing for their trip. Without a word, she pulled her daughter into an emotional embrace. "You have made me and your father so proud," she whispered into Makoto's ear. "So very proud..." Makoto gave a small grin. "I....I have a present to bring Minako now." "Hmmm?" Sarin was caught off guard by the announcement. "Oh? What is that, Makoto?" Makoto opened her knapsack and pulled out her gift, which she had wrapped in a thin, light, damp and cool cloth. "This." She said, and showed her mother the rose Laura had given her. So Makoto had finally found a perfect gift, and it cost her only some blood and fear. She grinned a little and looked at her pack. It was inside, wrapped and safe. And with those thoughts, the brave little girl dozed off. But Makoto hadn't dozed off for too long before a dull ache in her neck forced her to turn over onto her other side. She was about to drift away again, when slowly but surely quiet voices anchored her back into consciousness. They were the voices of her parents. "Did you tell Makoto yet?" Dominion spoke softly. "No." Sarin answered. "I was going to today, but then Laura came in and told me what had happened, and I forgot all about it." "It's alright. I understand. It was a hectic day. I was just curious is all." A pause. "Are you sure you don't want me to tell her?" Sarin's soft, tinkling laughter followed. "No Dominion. This is something I'd like to share with her myself." Makoto stealthily peeked one eye open, hoping she could see her parents. Kiddo logic told her that if she could see them, she could understand what they were talking about. Unfortunately though, all she could see was the backs of their luxurious chairs. She scowled. ~Tell me about what?~ She wondered to herself. ~Am I in trouble?~ She thought about all the shenanigans she'd pulled lately. ~No...I got in trouble already for everything I did do. Except....oh no. They found out where all the missing cookies from the kitchen went!~ "Now," Sarin sighed, interrupting Makoto's thoughts. "It's time you were honest with me, Dominion." Makoto's ears perked again, as she listened intently. "Honest about what?" Dominion did his best to sound sincerely ignorant, but even his seven year old daughter could see through him. "You're a terrible liar, love. You know exactly what." She paused. "As much as I'd like to believe this is an enjoyable, social visit we're paying to Adrian and Samantha, I know better. You've been tense ever since you announced that we were going. Now I want you to tell me what's wrong." Dominion was quiet for a long time after that. "Sarin....Serenity has had a vision. Adrian didn't tell me much about it, he wanted to talk in detail face to face. All I know is that it involves a terrible ending to the Silver Millennium." Sarin gasped softly. "That....can't be..." "That's all I know, Sarin. We'll find out more when we arrive on Venus." Sarin's breathing was shaky. Makoto knew this was very, very bad. She didn't know exactly what the Silver Millennium was, her young mind couldn't grasp such a complex idea yet. But she did know that it was the sole reason for the well being and happiness of everyone, in one way or another. And knowing that was enough for her. ~I...I won't let those bad things happen....~ Makoto's little hands clenched into fists. ~I may be small now...but someday...I'll be big and strong...maybe even stronger than my dad...and I'll fight....when I'm big and strong I'll fight....I'll keep everyone safe. I promise you mom....I promise you dad....everyone...I promise....~ And in that moment, Makoto made a vow that would shape her destiny. For the Gods listen to promises, even unspoken ones. Makoto fell asleep, her hands still clenched into fists, not long after that. Completely oblivious to the hand of fate and powers that be working around her.
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