(#What It Means To Be A Mother): The Way To Everglaster

As Tokyo and I made our way to a pebble-made path we passed by a crest gate entwined with vines on top of moss with little butter flowers. And just across was a farm with all sorts of cows, horses, chickens including a dog. It truly did feel as though I traveled back 

in time. Somewhere inside of me felt fuzzy and happy, as if… I haven't felt this way in a long time.

"We're almost there! Oh, I'm so excited to show you EVERYWHERE!" Tokyo said with enthusiasm.

"And, I hope that everyone is just as welcoming as you." I replied.

About 17 minutes later we arrived at a big castle-like gate that was guarded by guards with shiny fine silver with trims of gold coloring. They had their swords standing down with one hand on top of the pommel, and on the other hand, holding on a shield. The guard on the right had a crest of a hydrangea and the other had a crest of a woman's face.

Tojo you skipped, entering through the gate yesterday before my foot could even step at the wood-made ground surrounding the gate the guards stopped me in my tracks.

"Ma'am, for security reasons I'm gonna have to see your cymtin card or even a pass registering you to this part of the land." The hydrangea guard implied.

I was confused and did not know what he asked of me. "A Cymtin? Is that like an identification card?"

The guard looked at me as though I was pulling their leg.

"Okay. Look here, ma'am. Just because you're a woman and all, you can't act this dumb and think you can fool us. Even a 2-year-old knows what a Cymtin card is regardless of race and country."

"Then how do I get one?"

The guards both looked at each other then the guard with the lady on its shield kneeled in front of Tokyo.

"Hey Toto, where did you pick her up from?"

Tokyo looked at me, taking a moment to answer the guards.

"She's a traveler for the Capital of Gyphrer, she is said to be a redemptive knight of the previous king."

The guards looked astonished. Immediately they went back to their formation with a salute.

"Forgive us, ma'am, if you had told us from the beginning we would have never shown such discourtesy. I welcome you to the Everglaster Kingdom and Cap Counter Town under the provision of the ruler of Flownzque (flown-s-Q), King Capardio De Volderake."

I was confused but followed Tokyo's lead.

"Need not be so troubled, I come with fatigue and need rest."

The hydrangea knight then replied, "Ma'am, there is plenty of room and food to share, please we insist that you stay."

Tokyo and I passed the guards and just as we were about to enter the heart of the town, I grabbed Tokyo and hid in the nearest alley.

"Tokyo, you are sweet and kind but I must tell you now that I am not familiar with world culture."

Tokyo's eyes then gleamed and his hands then pointed at me.

" I knew you weren't from here! You were just way too suspicious. Why did you lie to me? Do you know just how bad of a lie you are?"

"Tokyo, you must understand that my circumstances aren't normal, you can't just expect me to say 'Oh me! Yeah, I'm actually from a different world', that's just gonna turn me into a suspect or even a guinea pig for a mad scientist."

"Fair point."

"Thank you for your help but you have to fill me in."

Tokyo looked at me and then smiled. " I don't need to, I can just show you." 

I looked at him like he was crazy. "How?"

"Well~ Every year a group of people come to the town's festival and perform a show for the kids explaining everything before they enter school."

"Great! Where is it held?" I asked with enthusiasm.

"The cathedral." 

"H-huh… the cathedral…" I said as my voice grew dimmer and quieter.

Tokyo looked at me with concern, " Is there a problem?"

I looked at him quickly and showed a smile. "Huh, what– oh no! I'm fine… I… I just thought I remembered something about cathedrals back at home."

"Oh, Okay!"

I held his hand to reassure him that I was fine and said, "Let us get to the town square, shall we good sir?"

In my stomach, I couldn't quite get that sick feeling out, as though I had a bad connection with cathedrals and somehow tied to a deep dark place in my mind.

We walked past the busy sites and crowds of people getting ready for tomorrow's festival. It looks amazing and so uplifting, that I have no other words to describe it. 

But what I didn't know was that past all the beauty and glorious things there was a section of town that was still suffering and poor. This very site made me remember that no matter where you are, they're always someone in a difficult situation… always.

"I know that my part of town looks dangerous, but it's not if you don't cause trouble." Tokyo continues, as he seems a little disheartened "This is called the slumps, where all the misfortunate are thrown and all the burdens are born."

To hear a child say that to me was very depressing, it could have made anyone wonder 'What did this child have to go through to sound like this'. And little did I discover, he had to learn the real side to reality if he wanted to continue to help his sickly mother.

#4- What it means to be a child

"Honey, you are but a baby." An old voice slowly whispers near my ear.

"But grandma I don't want to be! Children can't help with anything!" A young girl replies

"Ha ha ha" a crackling yet tender laugh that made me feel warm.

"A child can do everything an adult can't do and an adult can do everything a child can't do, but what makes them so different is the capability they have."

"Really, what is it? What is it!" The young child eagerly imploded.

"A child can adapt very quickly and grow very fast, but an adult has difficulty adapting and cannot grow no more than a rock walking. But the biggest help a child can give unintentionally is love." The old euphonious voice said.

"But that's nothing… I want to do more for you grandma, you're sick!" the young voice cried in great sorrow.

"Now, now, don't shout and be upset young one, you are doing plenty. Plus the best thing a child can give is love because all they do is lovable and all they are is love. And if a child never does so then they are hurt and we adults and your children must help. Okay?" The voice then had a faint image of pale peach human skin with rosy pink cheeks and wrinkles that seemed soft yet defined, along with thin crepe pink colored lips, smiling.

" 'kay!" The child gladly replied

When the memory came to a close I came back to my senses and touched my cheek to see what was trickling down to my chin. 

"T-tears?" I mumbled to myself

The tears felt cold and empty but for some reason, my chest slowly began to ache as though the pain was mine… was the pain mine or was it the pain of the girl I once called me in the mirror of my parents' house?

I quickly wiped the remaining liquid on my face and under my eyelid.

"We're here!" Tokyo said, presenting a run-down house as tall as a shed but as big as an average living room merged with a dining room.

"Shall we?" As I extended my hand to hold his.

Tokyo's face lit up a little as he saw I did not judge him or ask any questions of his parents. Then he grasped my hand and scurried us into the house.

When the door opened I saw partials of dust floating near the sun's ray reflecting out of the window. And near the window there was a floating shelf with a vase full of dead flowers; the same flowers we held in our hands.

We walked in and I closed the door behind me as Tokyo quickly ran up to the shelf setting down the flowers gently on it then carried the vase down to the floor. Tokyo started to hum a sweet symphony as 

while changing the flowers and setting the vase back in place. And I just sat there and threw out the old flowers.

"All done!" Tokyo said with great joy.

"All done," I said in response.

Cough cough. I flinch, turning around behind me to a big dirty white curtain placed on the rigid shamrock green canopy bed.

"Who's there?" I said aggressively, holding out one hand to slowly tug Tokyo behind me.

However, Tokyo gently brushed my hand and said in a soft wavering voice, "That's my mama, it's okay…"

I quickly placed my guard down to not scare the women. I mean if you look at it, it should be her saying who's there.

Tokyo approached the bed as I followed behind him at a good enough distance to give them space.

"Hi Mama, are you up?" Tokyo's tone changed and sounded like a father taking care of their sickly child.

"M-my cough cough cough dear, are you there." The woman then desperately reached out her hand to touch her son's warm light burgundy mix with amaranth color cheeks but ended up touching his forehead, gliding down to touch his ever-so-sweet cheeks.

"Oh, my baby. Im so sorry you have to cough s-see me like this. Im so sor-ry that I can't cough cough cough provide for your needs." Then tears slowly started to trickle down her face and her complexion seemed pale, but… as much as it hurt, I should stop thinking about how beautiful she was. 'Imagin if she was healthy' I wondered to myself, and it went on and on until I said 'Imagine if they were both healthy fine, and happy?' all I could do was think 'What if'.

"What if I could do something"

Tokyo seemed already used to this, as if she says this every time she greets him.

"It's okay mama, you're sick, and sick people should rest to be healthy. Plus I brought you new flowers" his voice started to cheer up, "and I brought a friend with me, a knight, named Alice Knight who came from a faraway place."

Tokyo then grabbed my hand dragged me near his mother and told me to kneel so she could feel me. 

"Wh-what? Tokyo, you be- cough cough better not to bring strangers!"

"B-but Mama, she helped me pick flowers for you and walked me home…" 

The woman seemed concerned but didn't want to make Tokyo upset, so she slowly turned her head toward my direction and then squinted her eyes trying to see me better, as if her vision was not refined.

"A girl?" she said in a soothing curious manner.

"Yes, ma'am," I replied.

"Hmmm… you seem very different from a knight if I do say so myself." She chuckled.

I smiled and said, "Well I am new to this whole ordeal."

"As it seems," she said as she started reaching for my face, hesitant to see if I would refuse.

I grabbed her hand and she flinched.

"Allow me," I told her in reassurance.

I swiftly placed her cold fragile hand on my rosy cheeks as she had placed on her son.

Her middle and index finger traced my nose bridge then went up and traced my eyes. It was obvious that she wasn't blind but at the same time, you could tell her eyes couldn't see.

She placed her hand behind my head and whispered in my ear saying, "I can tell that you're a fighter. Im not strong, but I can tell and see that you're both kind and fierce, so please protect my child."

I pulled my head away from her and took a look at her face. It looked as though somebody had stripped her pride. You could hear the desperate requests screaming for someone to hear, but for the most part, I saw a loving mother's difficulty letting go of her child so he doesn't feel the hurt and loneliness of a sickly mother fading into the arms of Blessing.

I whispered back, "Ma'am… I will always look after this child, even if you haven't asked me to, so don't stress any longer; try to rest."

She cried silently with a smile on her face that brought back warmth and color. "Cough cough, thank you, thank you so much. Maybe now I can rest with ease."

After that short talk me a Tokyo cooked dinner and we all at together. And since there was only one bed we all slept on the same bed as the mother told us a bed time story.

I was happy to see her and Tokyo feeling better including the fact that his mother like me so quickly, but it felt so weird to have her trust so easily.

…it made me feel really fuzzy inside.

…this is truly what it means to be a mother.