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.
Later that night…
*knock on door*
Citrine: Come in!
Citrine: Oh…hi, Dad.
Calcite: Hey, kiddo. Can we talk?
Citrine: I guess.
Calcite: So…what happened back there?
Citrine: Basil was blaming Pep for everything that was happening to him, and calling them a freak again.
Calcite: And you didn’t leave?
Citrine: He’d shoved Pep over! I couldn’t just leave…
Citrine: And if we’d just walked away he’d have chased us. Or done it tomorrow anyway.
Calcite: Citrine…
Citrine: He’s a bully, Dad. And what’s it matter now anyway? We’re not going back, right?
Calcite: Not to that school, no. But, Citrine, you can’t solve all your problems with your fists like this.
Citrine: No, I know. His nose hurt my hand anyway.
Calcite: Citrine.
Citrine: I know. No punching anyone and I’m grounded for…what, two weeks this time?
Calcite: …*sigh* Scoot over.
Calcite: What’s this about, really?
Citrine: What–what do you mean? I wasn’t going to let him pick on Pep, that’s all!
Calcite: Kiddo. You don’t usually pick violence for your first reaction, and this is twice now. What’s going on?
Citrine: I just. Promise you won’t be angry?
Calcite: Not at you, and not at Pep. I promise.
Citrine: I was just…
Calcite: Hm?
Citrine: I was just doing what I thought Ma would have done for you!
Calcite: …what?
Citrine: Gramoony and Gramron told me how close you and Ma were as kids and how she wouldn’t have let anybody bully you and Pep’s my sibling and I wasn’t gonna let anyone pick on them and I–
Calcite: Whoa, okay, easy. Calm down.
Citrine: I just–I know I’m not your daughter but I—I couldn’t just–
Calcite: Whoa, stop. What do you mean, not my daughter?
Citrine: I….I mean, I’m not your daughter. You and Pop….you didn’t carry or donate for me, and…and Mom kinda forced you two to take me and I…I thought…
Citrine: I thought…I thought if I could…if I could be more like Ma then…then I’d be a part of this family for real and I…I just…
Calcite: Oh, Citrine…
Calcite: Kiddo…we weren’t forced to take you. Your Pop and I both wanted kids, and then you come along? It wasn’t perfect, but we wanted you! It doesn’t matter that neither of us carried you, or donated for you, you’re ours.
Citrine: ….
Calcite: Hey. You know I love you, right?
Citrine: …yeah.
Calcite: And you know I wouldn’t lie to you about something this important, right?
Citrine: ….yeah.
Calcite: Then believe me when I say that you are my daughter, no matter who carried you, and nothing will ever change that.
Calcite: You don’t have to be someone else, or prove anything to any of us. You’re our girl. That’s it, full stop.
Citrine: But I…
Calcite: No. No buts. You’re our daughter because we love you. That’s all that matters.
Calcite: You don’t have to “earn your place” here. You’ve always had a place here. Your Ma did, and you do. That’s all there is to it.
Citrine: Dad…
Citrine: …thanks.
Calcite: …anytime. Anytime.
The next morning…
Citrine: …I really overslept…
Calcite: You needed it! Here, sit. Your eggs are almost ready.
Citrine: Where’s everybody else?
Calcite: Out. Hey, did you have plans for today?
Citrine: Haha, very funny, Dad. I’m grounded, remember?
Citrine: What is this place?
Calcite: It used to be a mine, way before your Granny Opal’s day. Now it’s just a place to get outside of the sun.
Citrine: Is it safe?
Calcite: Perfectly.
Calcite: There hasn’t been a shake since back then, either.
Citrine: Okay, cool. …Dad why are we in a dusty old cave?
Calcite: *laugh* Patience, young Guardian. You’re not seeing the whole picture yet.
Citrine: Daaaaaaaaaad….don’t quote Star Guardians at me!
Calcite: What? I can’t pull off the old mentor voice?
Citrine: No!
Calcite: *laugh* Okay, okay. Your Ma and I used to hang out here a lot with our cousins. I wanted to show it to you so you could bring your friends here, too.
Citrine: …well, thanks, but I don’t think anybody wants to hang out in an old cave…
Calcite: Just…give it a chance. Come on. We’re almost there.
Citrine: Almost where? Dad–Dad!
Calcite: Almost here.
Citrine: Oh….oh, wow.
Calcite: See?
Citrine: It’s so pretty! Where’s the light coming from?
Calcite: Somewhere in the canyon topside, same as the river. …It really hasn’t changed at all.
Citrine: Dad?
Calcite: …come on. Let’s sit and talk a bit.
Calcite: …How long have you been thinking you aren’t my daughter, Citrine?
Citrine: Oh…um…I guess….a few years now.
Calcite: Did Basil say something to you?
Citrine: A little? He knows I don’t have a mom like Rose and Oceana, so…he’d been saying stuff like…my mom didn’t want me. He doesn’t know Ma died or anything, I don’t think, just…
Calcite: Being a bully.
Citrine: Yeah. But…um. It’s not like you or Pop didn’t tell me about Ma. It…it wasn’t that hard to put together.
Calcite: And you thought because neither of us carried you, you weren’t our real daughter. Right?
Citrine: …yeah.
Citrine: *sniff* Sorry.
Calcite: ….Let me ask you something. Do you think Pep is any less your sibling because your Pop or I didn’t carry them?
Citrine: No! Pep’s my sib…
Calcite: Okay. That means that family isn’t just who carried or donated for you, right?
Citrine: ….its who loves you, too.
Calcite: Exactly. …Look, there’s not a day that goes by that I don’t wish your Ma was still here with us, or that your Mom would send you some emails, but….
Citrine: But?
Calcite: But not a day has gone by that I’m not glad you’re here, and so grateful that Solana thought to bring you to us.
Citrine: …even though you weren’t ready?
Calcite: Even then. You weren’t what we expected, but you were what we wanted.
Calcite: So, as your Dad, I’m going to tell you something and I want you to listen really well, okay?
Citrine: I…okay. Okay, I’m listening.
Calcite: You are my daughter, as much as you are Pops’, and Amber’s, and Solana’s. You are their blood, and that makes you my blood, but I know that your Ma would have wanted me to raise you if she couldn’t. And do you know what that makes you?
Citrine: …what?
Calcite: A daughter of my heart.
Calcite: I chose you. Nova chose you. We love you. What the rest of the world thinks, what a bully too caught up being like his father thinks, none of that matters. You’re our girl. That’s it.
Citrine: ….it can’t be that easy, though!
Calcite: Why not? People adopt kids every day! And, sure, this wasn’t some normal through an agency adoption, but that just made it easier anyway. We didn’t have to sign any paperwork.
Citrine: *wet laugh* Dad…
Calcite: It doesn’t matter who you came from, or why you came to us. All that matters, to me and to Nova, is that you’re here with us now. I wish you could have met your mothers, but do you know what?
Citrine: What?
Calcite: I am so, so glad you’re my daughter. And I wouldn’t change that for the world. Come here.
Citrine: Daddy…
Citrine: I’m sorry…I know I said I wouldn’t punch him but I–
Calcite: It’s over, kiddo. Let it go. We’re here, right now, and we can only do better from here. Okay?
Citrine: *sniff* Okay…does this mean we’re gonna be homeschooled?
Calcite: You leave that to your Pops and me to figure out. Hey, when we get back, do you want to call your friends over? It is the weekend…
Citrine: I thought I was grounded for two weeks…
Calcite: One week. …And we can postpone that for after the weekend. Okay?
Citrine: …okay. Dad?
Calcite: Yeah?
Citrine: Love you.
Calcite: *sniff* Love you, too.
Calcite: Nova and I were looking up schools when you called! Will you relax? Babe, how many have you found in town?
Nova: Six. Ten if we want to consider a commute of an hour or more.
Calcite: Ten schools within a good distance! We’ve got this!
Calcite: What does it matter who or why the other kid was bullying him for? Corona! It was going to get worse–it got physical, for Watcher’s sake!
Peppermint: Uncle Cal?
Calcite: Hang on, kiddo–
Calcite: Nova and I are doing the best we can. There are always going to be bullies and we’re doing what’s right for Pep, whether you see it or not!
Nova: Babe…
Calcite: Look. It’s done. You trusted us with your kid, so let us do what’s right for him. ..mmhm. Yeah. Yeah, I will. Bye. *sigh*
Peppermint: ….you called me he.
Calcite: Oh, Pep…
Calcite: I did. I did it too many times and I am so sorry. Would it help if I explained why?
Peppermint: …I know it’s ‘cause I haven’t told my Mom and Dad yet, I just…
Calcite: Hey. You know you can tell me anything, right? Whatever it is, I’ll listen.
Peppermint: I don’t know if I’m really a they, Uncle. It feels right, but I…I don’t know…
Calcite: You know you can use both, right?
Peppermint: What?
Calcite: You can use both he and they. There’s no laws for this kind of thing, kiddo. If you’re comfy with both, use both. If you’re only comfy with one, use that one. That’s all there is to it.
Peppermint: Really?
Calcite: Really. Look, you seemed pretty sure about using they before, but if that’s changed now that’s okay! You’re only twelve, kiddo. You’re still learning who you are.
Peppermint: ….Miss Freeze said that, we don’t choose who we are at our cores. That that’s not a choice.
Peppermint: But I chose to use they and now I don’t know so do we choose who we are I just…
Calcite: Pep…only you can decide that. I know, I know, that doesn’t make it easier, but no one can tell you who you are. Look–take some time to think about it. We’ll back whatever decision you make about this, I promise.
Peppermint: …thanks, Uncle.
Calcite: Always. Hey, why don’t you go hang out with your friends for the day? Your Uncle and I have to find you a new school.
Peppermint: ‘Kay.
Calcite: Are we doing the right thing?
Nova: Little late to back out now, babe!
Calcite: No, I know, I just. *sigh* I worry, is all.
Calcite: I thought raising a son’d be easy, I mean, we’re both comfy being seen as guys, but then this, and trying to help Pep be their true self, and Citrine’s been keeping so much hurt locked inside…
Nova: They’re trying not to worry us, I think. *sighing laugh* We’ve got good kids.
Calcite: Yeah. We do.
Calcite: And I want to do right by them, I just…do we even know how?
Nova: I think every parent asks themselves that question, Cal. Mom and Dad did, and I’m sure your Moms did, too. We just do the best we can with what we have, that’s all.
Calcite: That’s all? Can things really be that easy?
Nova: I would not call this easy, but…yeah. It can be that simple. Besides, I think we’re doing pretty good so far.
Nova: No family’s without issues, but they’re reasonably happy and well cared for. Could do with a few more talks and a few less secrets, but…I think we’re doing okay.
Calcite: …Yeah. I guess we are. Did you find a good school?
Nova: Looks like. The Willow and Stone Academy’s still got some vacancies.
Nova: It’s over by the church. New developments, I think?
Calcite: …Yeah. We should check it out. Come with me?
Pyro: So, what is it that brought you to my school? We’re a bit small and off the radar, all things considered.
Nova: That’s actually exactly what we’re looking for. Small, quiet, close knit. The big public schools can be a bit much.
Calcite: Our kids have had some…hard experiences with bullies. It was our hope that a smaller class size might help with that.
Pyro: Well, you can rest assured that none of my kids are bullies. Everyone who’s come here has had reasons of their own to leave the public school system.
Pyro: Of course, I can’t disclose those reasons, but…
Calcite: But I’m guessing they’re pretty close to our reasons.
Nova: How many students do you intend to take on this term?
Pyro: No more than six. I have three, currently, so if Citrine and Peppermint join us that’ll be five.
Nova: Very small class.
Pyro: There’s been plenty of research that smaller classes lead to better learning for the students as they don’t have to compete for teacher’s attention or resources.
Calcite: I believe that! I got through school just fine, but…it was a lot of kids.
Pyro: Too many sometimes. Now, looking at these transcripts…can I ask why you pulled them both out?
Nova: Well…
Calcite: Another student was bullying Peppermint. Citrine…took matters into her own hands.
Pyro: Ah. Well, my three aren’t going to go down that road, but you should know that my zero tolerance is zero tolerance. One toe out of line is grounds for removal.
Nova: We understand that. All we’re asking for it a chance.
Nova: Citrine was defending her cousin from a child spouting his purist bigot father’s nonsense. Context matters, doesn’t it?
Pyro: ….yes it does.
Pyro: …and, all of the kids here are anything but pure, so I can understand where she must have been coming from…
Calcite: We’re not asking for any special treatment. If Citrine becomes aggressive for no good reason, if she ever becomes the aggressor, we’ll pull her out of here so fast even our heads would spin. We’re just asking for a chance.
Pyro: ….Alright. Alright.
Nova: Oh, thank the Watcher!
Calcite: Thank you, Mr. Blast. We appreciate this.
Pyro: It’ll be on a trial basis. I suggest that for any of my students anyway; it can be a big leap from public school to what is essentially homeschooling. We’ll see if she and Peppermint fit in and go from there.
Calcite: How soon can they start?
Pyro: As soon as Monday, if you’d like. I follow the same curriculum as the public system, so they shouldn’t be behind at all.
Nova: Thank you. We’ll be sure they’re on their best behavior for it.
Pyro: *chuckle* I look forward to it. Here, let’s get the paperwork sorted out…
Some time later…
Nova: Well, that went well!
Calcite: Yeah, it did….
Nova: Babe?
Calcite: …d’you mind if we make a stop before we go home?
Nova: Of course not. Where to?
Calcite: It’s…not far.
Nova: Ah. I can wait here for you?
Calcite: No, it’s okay. I just…wanted to say hi, I guess. Been a while.
Nova: It has.
Calcite: …I…never told you this, but…when I saw her again, I…offered her my body. To…share, I guess.
Nova: ….Did she take you up on the offer?
Calcite: No. She refused.
Calcite: I know…it was stupid of me. We had our whole lives ahead of us and I was willing to just…
Nova: You were trying to save your twin. Babe, I get it. In your shoes, I’d have offered the same thing.
Calcite: I’m sorry. I should have told you sooner.
Nova: What matters is…it didn’t happen. You’re here. ….I’m…
Calcite: I know.
Nova: Don’t do that again. Don’t…don’t leave without saying goodbye, alright? I just.
Calcite: I’m not going anywhere, babe. I wasn’t thinking of that, of leaving you. …honestly I wasn’t thinking at all.
Nova: *snort* You do that sometimes!
Nova: …you know…you and Amber…you’re more alike than I think you realize, babe.
Calcite: She is my twin. ….though I get the feeling you’re not saying that like it’s a good thing.
Nova: Hm, nah.
Nova: It’s good and bad. Take it as it comes….and, for the record?
Calcite: Yeah?
Nova: I’m not letting you out of my sight for a week.
Calcite: *laugh: Fair.
Candy Corn: You’re going to a new school!
Peppermint: Yep! Uncle Cal and Uncle Nova went to talk to the principal. It’s supposed to be this new, small place over by the river. Bet it’s neat.
Peppermint: I wonder who else is going…
Citrine: We’ll find out soon enough! And hup–
Ocean: Hey! Don’t throw the ball at my head!
Citrine: Sorry!
Citrine: ….I’m gonna miss you guys.
Rose: Oh, come on, Cit! It’s not like you’re moving to Komorebi or anything! We can still hang out at the park and here and stuff.
Candy: Yeah! We’re all still friends. Why would you miss us?
Citrine: It just…it won’t be the same, you know? We’re not gonna see each other every day, and…well, it’s weird!
Rose: It is, but…
Rose: We’re still gonna be friends, Cit.
Peppermint: Yeah, come on! Like anything’d ever break us five apart!
Oceana: Speak for yourself!
Oceana: I have to go to Sulani for the whole summer!
Candy Corn: Poor you, getting a beach vacation for the whole summer!
*everyone laughs*
Oceana: Seriously, Citrine. We’ll still hang out and stuff. You’re not gonna have to miss us.
Rose: Yeah! Who else are we gonna hang out with, Basil?
Peppermint: No way!
Rose: Kidding, kidding! He’s not even going to school anymore, either. His Dad pulled him out when your Dad pulled you out.
Peppermint: Huh…I thought with us gone he’d stay.
Rose: Nah, he was out faster than lightning!
Candy Corn: And I do not miss him one bit!
Citrine: Well, at least you guys won’t have to put up with him anymore! I sure hope there’s not another Basil at this new school, too.
Oceana: Eh, just punch him out, too.
Citrine: No, thank you! My punching days are over!
Oceana: You say that now, but if someone goes after Pep again…
Citrine: ….sometimes I hate it when you’re right.
Oceana: Yeah, but you love me!
Rose: Which makes us nuttier than pecan pie. Now shush so we can play already!
Citrine: It’s how small?!
Calcite: A class of six. There’s three more kids there right now, so you two make five.
Peppermint: Wow….I didn’t know classes could be that small!
Peppermint: Do you know who the other kids are?
Nova: Ah, no. But you can meet them on Monday, when you get started.
Citrine: That fast? Wow…
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