Crystal Legacy - Generation 5 (Part 26)

 

Abandoned by her mother at an early age, Citrine has always been loved by her family and she loves them all the more in return. But even that love can't fill the hole inside of her, and chasing after her past only leads to more heartbreak.

Fern: Nobody else is puking, and we all had it. So, either you’re allergic to raw salmon, which I doubt consider we had it before, or…

Citrine: …or what? Spit it out, Fern, I only had three hours sleep last night!

Fern: *laugh* okay, okay! Guess: What has constant puking, bloating, and general stomach distress.

Citrine: That’s not spitting it oooouuuutt~

Fern: Okay okay! *laugh* The sushi was new food…but it wasn’t the only new thing we’ve been doing.

Citrine: Wait…wait what.

Fern: Remember the others went out for a night? We had the house to ourselves…?

Citrine: …oh. OH!

Fern: *laugh* Yeah, oh! Babe, it was not the sushi!

Citrine: *general keysmash noises*

Fern: …hey, are you…are you okay with this? I mean, it’s early enough, we can go to the clinic and–

Citrine: No! No, I don’t–I just. Mmph. Give me a second.

Fern: Okay. One question: You want this kid?

Citrine: I do.

Fern: Okay. Then we keep it.

Citrine: Her.

Fern: Her–oh. Oh, Delphine’s Vision.

Citrine: Yeah…and what she saw in it…

Fern: Oh, sunshine. Visions aren’t always accurate. Especially after the people in them learn about them!

Fern: We know about it, so…we can stop it from going that far south. Nothing to worry about!

Citrine: No, there’s still plenty to worry about! I mean…what do I know about being a Mom? It’s not like I had one!

Fern: Wlell, no, but you do have two amaziing Dads, and two amazing Grams, and you’re pretty amazing too, and I’m not so bad myself, so…

Citrine: …if I don’t trust her, she dies.

Fern: Well, then you trust her.

Fern: I’m not saying it’ll be perfect, or easy, but…we’ll make it work. The three of us. Maybe more if someone else decided to tag along?

Citrine: Heh, maybe. Somebody doesn’t like sushi and it’s not me!

Fern: *laugh* I’m serious, though. Whatever else happens, we can handle it. Together. You and me, and your Dads, and your Grams, and the little one. We’ll handle it together.

Citrine: …even if it’s…him.

Fern: Even if it’s him. D’you know what the Darkness’ greatest weakness is?

Citrine: Light?

Fern: Love. Between friends, or family, or lovers…just, love. Because love makes you strong, and gives you a reason to fight rather than fall. The Dark can’t take that.

Fern: So let him try. Let Obscuro just try anything with our girl. He’ll get his teeth kicked in so fast he won’t know what hit him!

Citrine: …yeah. Yeah, you’re right. We’ll show him not to mess with us Crystals.

Fern: Darn straight we will! And, hey, if he does decide to show up? I’ve got Vita on speed dial. Trust me, if anyone wants a rematch with that slug it’s Vita, and you do not get on his bad side!

Citrine: *laugh* I bet. With a name like that…*sigh* Okay. Well, we’d better get dressed.

Fern: What, you don’t want to rock up to the clinic in your pjs?

Citrine: No, I do not. And I don’t want to worry Gramron if she sees us leave like this, so.

Fern: AH–fair point. She’s such a gossip!

Citrine: Oh, like you’re any better!

*both laugh*

Fern: …we’re gonna be Moms.

Citrine: We’re gonna be Moms.

Fern: I love you. So much.

Citrine: I love you more. …she’s gonna be perfect.

Fern: We’re going to need name ideas.

Citrine: I was thinking…what do you think about Peridot?

Fern: I love her already.

Dr. Starshower: Well, you were absolutely right! Congratulations, Citrine. You’re carrying a perfectly healthy baby girl.

Citrine: I knew it!

Fern: How far along? Two, three months?

Dr. Starshower: Just over three months. You should start showing very soon, so if there’s anyone who needs to be told…

Citrine: Gram’s gonna freak!

Fern: Your Dads are gonna freak!

Dr. Starshower: *laugh* A good freak, I hope?

Citrine: The best freak! But–everything’s okay?

Fern: No worries, concerns, issues?

Dr. Starshower: none, none, and none. Honestly I haven’t seen this healthy a child in a very long time. Just keep doing what you’re doing and she’ll come out absolutely perfect.

Citrine: Thank you. Thank you so much.

Dr. Starshower: Of course. My secretary can get you set up for pre-natal appointments just to be sure, and I have some recommendations for supplements you can take, but really: she should be just fine.

Fern: We’ve still got to tell everyone else! Oh, and make up the nursery, and get you maternity clothes, and–

Citrine: And make sure Pop is sitting down so he doesn’t pass out!

*all laugh*

Dr. Starshower: Well, if he does, we’re here 24/7 if he needs a check up.

Citrine: *snicker* We’ll keep that in mind. So, we…don’t have anything to worry about?

Dr. Starshower: You’re past the first trimester, so no. No real concerns. Obviously avoid keggers and whatnot, but all tests point to a perfectly healthy carrier and child. 

Dr. Starshower: To be entirely honest, I’d love to send your results to some of my colleagues at the Waystation–they’ve never seen such a healthy Carrier, either!

Citrine: HA!

Fern: oh, now she’s gonna be smug!

Citrine: Yes I am gonna be smug!

Dr. Starshower: *laugh* For very, very good reason. Now, I would suggest you set an appointment for your due date so we can deliver her here, just to be absolutely sure, but it wouldn’t surprise me if this little one decides she wants to come at home!

Citrine: –okay, no, we’re setting an appointment!

Fern: *laugh* What, don’t wanna give birth in the bathtub?

Citrine: No I do not! I like doctors, and clean sheets, and private rooms!

Dr. Starshower: *chuckle* We can provide all of that. Congratulations, Mrs. Crystal. Everything’s going to be just fine.

Peppermint: You and Moony? Yeesh! Talk about not wasting time.

Eternal Glow: Babe, you know if you wanna…

Peppermint: Nooooo thank you, Scar’s enough of a handful. And I don’t want to ruin my figure.

Moonflower: Oh, thanks for that vote of confidence!

Lucky Penny: Shh, baby, ignore them.

Lucky Penny: In this heat? You’ll melt right back to normal.

Eternal Glow: You’re all big babies. *snort* But seriously, all good?

Citrine: Better than all good. She’s perfect.

Peppermint: She, huh? They can tell already?

Fern: Med-tech’s good like that. Especially Sixam-sponsored med-tech….ya know…maybe I should carry, too.

Citrine: I mean, there is time to think about it….

Others: GET A ROOM!

Moonstone: A baby! You’re going to have a baby!!

Citrine: We’re having a baby!

Calcite: Haha! Congratulations, both of you!

Calcite: We’re gonna spoil that kid rotten I hope you know that!

Fern: *laugh* We know, we know!

Saffron: Oh, kiddo..you’re gonna be a great Mom.

Citrine: You really think so?

Moonstone: We know so. And you’re gonna have all of us to help, too. Everything’s gonna be just fine.

Saffron: Do you know when you’re due?

Citrine: Middle of fall, ish? I’m only three months along so there’s still time!

Moonstone: Not as much as you’d think!

Calcite: BUT! We do still have time to paint a room for a nursery!

Nova: Were we thinking yellow or green or…

Fern: *laughter* Now I’m just–seeing you all splattered in green, I can’t—

Nova: Oh come on now! Our painting skills aren’t that bad!

Calcite: Speak for yourself, babe!

Saffron: Well at least we’ll be out of the heat wave by then! Mostly.

Citrine: Mostly is good! But speaking of heat…I’m going to the pool before I don’t fit in my swimsuit anymore!

Citrine: …hey, Fern? You said you’d tell me what a Guardian is.

Fern: …oh yeah…I did say that, didn’t I. Well…

Fern: …when Obscuro was sealed away, he was put into this…realm between realms. It’s called the Abyss. Kind of the frosting between cake layers, you follow?

Citrine: So far, yeah.

Fern: Okay, well, the Abyss connects all sorts of realities and places, and. Well, sometimes things are drawn to Obscuro’s power and try to break him free.

Fern: Guardians are people, usually young people, picked by the Gatekeeper to defend the Abyss from those things. Kind of like…supernatural security teams.

Citrine: You called it a sad story, too.

Fern: That’s because it is. There hasn’t been a Guardian team since Vita and his peers, and…well, it didn’t end well for them.

Citrine: What happened?

Fern: I’m not actually sure, they never talked about it, but there used to be a sixth Guardian with them. Lluvia–she was Vita’s partner.

Citrine: Was–oh. She died.

Fern: Yeah, and from the sound of it, she died hard. That was…geez, over two hundred years ago? Time’s weird in the Magical Realm.

Citrine: Yeah no kidding. So…being a Guardian means your chances of dying are really high?

Fern: You’re fighting against monsters and dark forces with only your team to back you up…so yeah, they’re really high. Higher than Hunters because we can usually book it if we have to, but a Guardian…once you’re in the Abyss, getting out’s a lot harder than getting in.

Citrine: So when Delphine said she saw Peridot as a Guardian, she–

Fern: Yeah. But that’s not going to happen! You have to be Chosen by Lady Lucera to become a Guardian and she hasn’t Chosen anyone since the Council returned so–so Peri’s gonna be fine!

Citrine: *sigh* Yeah. Yeah, you’re right. We’re getting the first half of that vision, not the second.

Fern: Yeah. If we have to take her place, she’s going to grow up happy and safe right here in the Springs.

Citrine: Where the worst part of things is the heatwaves!

Fern: But that’s what swimming pools are for!

Citrine: And air conditioning, and ice cream, and shorts…

Fern: So many pairs of shorts. *snort* Yeah, no, we’ve got enough issues to deal with on our own, thanks!

Citrine: So, no need to worry, right?

Fern: Nope! None whatsoever. At least…not about that.

Citrine: …then what’s there to worry about?

Fern: I’m just thinking: if she’s anything like us? Peri’s gonna be a real handful!

*laughter*

[End Gen 5]