Time Traveling Hero

Trial of the Past: Attempt 1

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I woke up early in morning, around 6 o'clock, and yawned as I stretched my small arms. I jumped out of the bed, my excitement wearing down the tiredness my body had once felt. I put on my dinosaur slippers and quietly opened my door before sneaking down the hallway, to where my parents were still sleeping. Normally, it would only be one parent. However, this week was special, since she had finally returned.

I opened up the door and was met with two snores, sound asleep. I managed to pull myself up onto the foot of the bed, and watched both of my parents sound asleep. I grinned as I prepared my surprise attack.

"Wake up!!!"

"Oof! What the-!"

I had leapt onto the both of them, laughing. Daddy turned on the lights and squinted as he looked at the culprit. "Haven't I told you not to wake us up like that!?"

"Ugh, what's all the commotion about honey?"

"It's your son, sweetie."

The woman, sleeping on the other side of the bed, lazily opened up one her eyes as she stared at me. I gave her my best grin. "You're here Mommy! Hehe!"

Mommy sat up from the bed, yawning as she stretched out her arms. With skin as dark as mine, brown eyes, and short black hair cut in a spunky way, people said I was the spitting image of her.

Her face lit up when she got done stretching. "There's my little troublemaker! Come here you!" She grabbed me and hugged me tight as I tried to squirm away. "Oh, I missed you so much! You're the only thing that kept me going!"

"Um, what about your amazing husband who has to deal with his antics day and night?"

"Oh, that's a given. Hey, stop trying to squirm away! I need my hugs and kisses from my handsome lil' man!"

I stopped squirming and hugged her back. "I missed you so much Mommy!"

"I missed you even more son!"

Daddy, who was watching the entire thing from the side, just shook his head. "I'll get breakfast ready."

"Such a mister grumpy-pants this morning, aren't you?" Mommy said, pouting in his general direction.

"Grumpy-pants!" I mimicked her action, and Daddy just put a hand up to his head. "Like mother like son, as the saying clearly doesn't go."

He left the room to go downstairs to the kitchen, where breakfast was made. Me and Mommy looked at each other before we both busted out laughing.

"Now then Mr. Troublemaker, just how much did you grow?" she asked after our laughing session.

I leapt off the bed and grinned as I stood proudly. "I grew 3 inches the last time you saw me! I'm 3 feet and 9 inches!"

"Oho, my little man is growing up so fast! At this rate, you'll be taller than me for sure!" She said, nodding in agreement at my well-earned achievement.

She got off the bed and put her slippers on, which matched with mine, before kneeling down in front of me. "I'll be able to stay until after Christmas this time, so we have a week together."

"Really!?"

"Really. So, I'm going to spend every second I can with you, you got it?" she asked, poking me in the c.h.e.s.t before starting her tickle attack.

"Alright, let's join Daddy downstairs. That lil' grumpy-pants is probably feeling lonely right about now." She scooped me up in her arms and carried me downstairs into the kitchen, where Daddy was cooking breakfast.

"Daddy, did you know that Mommy going to stay here for a whole week!?" I asked excitedly as I got up into my chair, waiting for breakfast.

"Oh, is she now? Better make the most of it kiddo, who knows how long she'll be gone afterward."

"I will! Every second of every minute of every hour of every day of every week of every year of every, and um, what's the next one?"

"Decade sweetie."

"Decade! And on and on and on!" I said, swinging back and forth in my chair.

"Alright, breakfast is served! Eggs and bacon for the three of us!" Dad laid out three plates for us, two big ones for him and Mom, and one kid-sized one for me.

"Ah, when was the last time I had something made by you sweetie? Mr. Troublemaker, make sure that you find yourself a nice girl that can cook for you," Mommy said. She often said weird things like that.

"Ew, gross! Girls have cooties!"

"Then what am I then!?"

"Um... Mommy?"

I quickly started to fill my tiny mouth with food as I felt my Mommy's menacing gaze. She really was scary sometimes.

"Relax Cassandra. One day he'll understand the awe-inspiring power of women," Daddy said as he started to eat.

"Oh, what powers might these women have? And do I have them sweetie?" She said menacingly as my Dad gulped.

I stuck my tongue out at him. Girls were gross. The only powers they had were to infect us boys with cooties.

"Well, Cassandra, you have the power to make me lonely at night?"

"Hmph, good answer," she said, satisfied by his vague answer.

"Hey Mom, what does he mean by that?" I asked curiously, tugging on her pajama sleeves.

"Eh!? Um, well, you see, it's a secret!" she said, winking at me. "My handsome lil man isn't ready for such knowledge."

"But I wanna know!" I asked, insistent.

"If you can beat me at our game, I'll tell you."

My eyes sparkled in anticipation. "You mean it!? I've been practicing super hard against Daddy, although he isn't much of a challenge compared to you."

"His honesty is astonishing. I'm not sure whether to punish him or praise him for that statement," Daddy muttered, pushing up his glasses.

"Finished!"

"All done!"

Me and Mommy finished our food at the same time before looking at each other.

"You know what that means?"

"Game Time!"

And the two of us rushed out to the living room, leaving Daddy to deal with the dishes. Mommy started up our game, a racing game with a bunch of iconic characters, and handed me a remote.

"You ready to get schooled, son?"

"Nuh-uh, I'm gonna win!"

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"Oh, I lost again."

It was now almost noon, and me and my Mommy had been playing nonstop. Unluckily for me, I hadn't won a single race or grand prix.

Mommy just laughed. "Sorry kiddo, but you should find a better training partner. The computers would be better than my husband."

"I heard that!" Daddy yelled out from the kitchen. He had started to work on lunch, and was wearing an apron.

"It's true sweetie, you really are bad!"

"Cassandra!"

"I love you!"

I was still lamenting over my loss, pouting. "Oh, I practiced so hard too." Mom noticed my sudden change in mood and smiled warmly at me. That smile was always used to cheer me up.

"Come on Mr. Troublemaker, you have the entire week to play! Now come on, I wanna watch something with you!" She changed the T.V. to another channel and put in a DVD.

"From my business trip, I picked up a ton of anime to watch with you, so let's enjoy it!"

"Why are showing him that crap? I don't mind you watching it, but some of the stuff I've seen is just...!"

"Oh, relax will ya Mr. Grumpy-pants! It's very kid friendly, and I watched it myself before, so I know it's alright!"

She hugged my tight as we laid down and started to watch what she called 'anime'. It was about ninja's and cool stuff like that. She would often bring stuff home like this, and I really enjoyed watching it. It was really funny and cool.

"Hey son?"

Mommy started to stroke my head as she continued to watch. "I'm sorry I can't be around as much as you like. I cherish the time we spend together, so don't you ever forget that. I'll be gone for a re~ally long time after this, so let's try to spend as much time as we can."

I looked up at her, and she gave me a light squeeze. "Mommy...?"

And then she whispered something inaudible before her expression changed back to its carefree norm. "Hmm, that smells delicious! What are you making?"

My little kid mind decided to forget that happened. I couldn't really wrap my head around a.d.u.l.ts yet.

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After spending the rest of the day in close proximity with my mom, I brushed my teeth in the bathroom, yawning as my bedtime was near. I put my dinosaur toothbrush away and walked to my room, where Mom was standing by, waiting.

"There's the man of the hour! Ready to go have happy dreams!?" Neither me or her had gotten dressed, opting to stay in our pajamas all day. She was wearing pink pajamas, with dinosaurs on them, matching my green dinosaur pajama's.

"Tell me a bedtime story?"

She smiled as she scooped me up and carried me into my bed, tucking me into bed. "Oh alright, we can do one I suppose. Now let's see, what story shall I tell you today?"

I waited in anticipation, my excitement trying to drown out my sleepy body. Mommy's stories were always so cool, and they were different every time too.

She snapped her fingers as she decided on a story. "I know, I'll tell you about the dinosaurs again! A new story of course!"

"Dinosaurs! I love dinosaurs!" I exclaimed, happy at this turn of events.

"Now let's see, a group of people managed to end up back into the past, where dinosaurs where still roaming the earth. Roar!" I giggled at her extra sound effects.

"These group of people had a mission you see. Bad people, who were a part of the organization known as the ATF, wanted to steal the dinosaurs from their from families! The good guys, teaming up with the dinosaurs, started their attack against the ATF!"

My eyelids started to grow heavy as I listened to more of the story, and I clutched my dinosaur plush as I started to nod off to sleep.

"With the help of their newfound dinosaur friends, they good guys managed to push ATF back into their own time, saving the dinosaurs once more. It was a tearful goodbye, but the good guys knew that the dinosaurs couldn't be brought with them. And so, the good guys left their friends, and continued on their quest to beat the ATF."

I had already fallen asleep before the story had ended, and my Mommy smiled sweetly at me before kissing me on the forehead.

"Goodnight, my sleeping Troublemaker."

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The next day, I woke up just as early as the last, and was going to surprise my parents again by waking them up, but before I could get off my bed, I heard quiet breathing next to me. I looked over and it was none other than Mommy, who was watching me sleep.

"Why are you here?"

"Fufu, don't you know I can't lose at anything? I let you wake me up yesterday since I was tired, but from now on, I'll always be awake before you! Now get up munchkin, I'll make breakfast, so go brush your teeth."

I pouted at her response. "But Mommy, I really wanted to wake you up!"

"I know sweetheart, but you snooze, you lose!" And with that final statement, she walked downstairs, laughing heartily.

Mommy really is strange sometimes. I put on my slippers and walked down the hall and into the bathroom, where I brushed my teeth while standing on my stool, and vigorously washed my face before walking down the stairs and into the kitchen.

Mommy was wearing the apron Daddy was wearing yesterday, a bright pink one with flower prints. She was busy flipping pancakes, our favorite, and setting them on plates. She decorated each one with a different face, using bananas, strawberries, whipped cream, and other fruit. Her pancakes were the best.

She set out two mini pancakes for me already, so I grabbed the syrup from the cabinet and climbed up to my seat. She was humming the opening to the anime we had watched yesterday while she was cooking, swaying back and forth as she did a little dance. She finished making the last pancake and set them on the table before sitting next to me.

"Ready?" I nodded as we prepared to do our special ritual.

We clapped our hands together and said, "Thank you for the food!" before digging in. Mommy ate one of her pancakes before scanning the area. She frowned as she drank some of her gr.a.p.e juice.

"I didn't notice it yesterday, but how come none of the Christmas decorations are up?"

"Daddy said to wait until you get back to do them," I said happily, swinging my legs in the air. My feet couldn't touch the ground yet, but they will soon, I just know it!

"Aw, how sweet of him! Let's set it up without him," she said mischievously.

"Won't he be mad?"

"It'll be like a surprise! He'll be at work all day, so this should be a good present for him, what do you say?" I nodded in response before continuing to eat my pancakes.

Mommy finished her pancakes first, and she got up from her seat. "You finish eating, and I'll get the decorations from the bas.e.m.e.nt!"

I did as I was told and happily continued to eat my pancakes, humming to myself the tune Mommy was earlier. I finished my pancakes, and right when I finished, Mommy had finished lugging up all the decorations from the bas.e.m.e.nt.

"Whew! Easy as pie! Now then Mr. Troublemaker, what do you want to put up first?"

I walked into the living room, where my mom had brought in all the decorations. I pointed at the tree decorations. "The tree, the tree!"

"Of course, you always liked Christmas trees," Mommy said in agreement. Daddy had already gotten a tree, and it was stationed at the corner of the living room, waiting to be decorated. Mommy pulled out our family decorations, which consisted of many of our homemade trinkets that I had made, along with with souvenirs from Mommy's trips.

I pulled out the lights and tried to wrap them around the tree. "You don't need any help their kiddo?"

I shook my head. "Nope, I can do it!" I couldn't, and somehow managed to get tangled into the Christmas lights.

Mommy just started to laugh. "Are you sure you have it?" My face reddened with embarrassment.

"I thought for sure I could do it," I mumbled to myself. Still chuckling, Mommy walked over to help me.

"It's alright to ask for help sometimes," she said as she started to untangle me from the lights.

"But I really wanted to show how much I've grown up!"

She stopped untangling me and sighed before pressing her warm hands against my cheeks. "I get that, but if it were up to me, you would stay this age forever and ever! Also, it's okay to do things by yourself, but know when to ask for help too, okay? Do you understand?" She moved my head up and down to make me agree with her.

"Good lil' Troublemaker! Now, let's get these lights off you. I don't think you wanna be a tree, do you?" She poked me in side. "Do you, do you, do you, do you, do you, do you!?" With each "do you's" she poked me, and I couldn't help but laugh.

"No, I don't wanna be a tree!" I managed to say between my laughter. She stopped her playful poking and nodded. "Good, I can't condone a son who wants to be a tree!"

She finished unwrapping me from the lights, and with her help, the tree was decorated to the max. The only thing missing was...

I picked up the last decoration, the star, and struck a pose. "I am a star among stars!"

Mommy laughed. "We'll wait until Daddy comes back to put that up. Now, I think we need some music to pump ourselves!" She turned on the nearby speaker and started to play some Christmas music. She smiled as the music started to play. "Yep, much better! Now, let's put up the rest of these decorations!"

We slowly worked our way around the house, dancing and goofing around as we decorated the house. We finished the downstairs before stopping to eat.

"Let's see, what do we have in here," Mommy murmured as she looked in the refrigerator, trying to find something to eat. "Do you want some leftover soup?" she asked as she brought out a pot of soup, looking over at my direction.

"Soup sounds yummy!"

"Alright then, just give me a minute while-" But before she could finish her sentence, her phone started to ring, the ringtone saying something about Mikiru? She frowned as she grabbed it off the counter and answered.

"Yello? Who might this be?" Silence, and she frowned as she listened to the voice. "Okay, give me a sec alright?" She turned toward me. "Sorry, but give me about five minutes okay?" She walked out of earshot as she continued her conversation.

I patiently waited for her return, or at least as long as I could wait. Five minutes were more than up, and I hopped out of my seat and followed to where Mommy had gone. I could soon hear her voice.

"I'm on vacation, like I said. I'm trying to enjoy myself with my child, is that so hard to understand?"

Is it about work? I thought as I crept closer towards her voice. "I don't care, send someone else, anyone else. Send in one of them, or all 12 for all I care." Silence, and then her tone of voice changed.

"Don't you dare bring him up again. He will never know, and if you so much as lay a finger on him so help me God that I'll-!" She suddenly stopped as she turned towards me, her face in shock.

"What was that?" I asked, not fully understanding the details. She quickly hung up the phone and hugged me real tight.

"Sorry sweetie, I just had to take a quick business call is all," she said, showing off that reassuring smile.

"So, you don't have to leave soon?"

She shook her head. "No, not even close to that. If anything, I might skip more work just so I can hang with you lil' man. Now come, I'll make you lunch."

"Okay!"

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"Phew! It's all done!"

We had finished decorating the interior of the house (Daddy had already done the exterior), and we were sitting on the stairs drinking hot chocolate, waiting for Daddy to show up.

"Hmm, nothing beats a nice hot drink on a cold day like today. Who knows, we might even get snow by Christmas!" Mommy said cheerfully, sipping her hot chocolate out of her dinosaur mug.

I was also sipping my hot chocolate out of a matching mug, and was leaning against Mommy. She ruffled up my hair before I decided to ask a question.

"Mommy, what exactly is snow?"

"Oh yeah, I guess you haven't seen it before. Well, it's this fluffy, cold white stuff that falls out of the sky, similar to how rain falls from the sky," she began to explain. "But, the coolest thing about snow is that it sticks around and can get higher and higher, like dirt! You can make a lot of stuff outta snow, so I really hope I'll be able to show you!"

I started to get excited. "Will it really snow here!?"

"Well, according to the weather, probably not, but who knows, the weatherman is usually wrong anyway, so let's just have faith!"

"Have faith?"

"Yep, just have faith in the snow gods!"

"There are snow gods!?"

"There can be. You just have to believe, and it's bound to come true. That's the power of human imagination!"

I stared up at Mommy in amazement. "You're so cool!"

"Tell me that in 10 years, and I'll appreciate it more."

Before I could as why, the door opened up, and Daddy walked in, taking off his coat. "Brr, it's cold! Oh, what are you two troublemakers sitting on the stairs for?"

"Surprise!" I yelled out.

"Huh? What's the surprise..." he trailed off as he noticed the decorations all around the house. "Whoa, you two did this?"

"Yep, we thought it would be a good present for you since you work so hard!" Mommy said, smiling at the shocked Daddy.

"I thought I would never see the day this would happen. I'm so happy I could cry!"

"Does this mean that Daddy's a crybaby?"

"Yep, that's exactly what this means!"

He just shook his head. "Nothing can ruin this moment for me."

"We even saved the star too, so we can do it together!" I added, really wanting to add the star.

"You even did that for me?" He sniffled before rushing us, his arms wide open. "Thank you so much!"

Me and Mommy got wrapped up in his embrace. "Yeah, we get it. Sheesh, if I had known this would've happened, I would've done this a long time ago."

I wriggled my way out of his embrace and went into the living room. "Come on Daddy, let's put it up!"

"Ah, you're right. No time for tears. Although remember, men can cry too!" He yelled out from the stairway.

"Yep, now come on you big baby," Mommy said as she dragged him over to the living room.

I handed him the star. He grabbed it and put it on the tree, completing the decorations.

"Now then, this calls for a commemorative photo!" Mommy got out the camera stand and set a timer for the camera before rushing to our side.

"Now then, say cheese!" She said as her and Daddy scooped me up in their arms.

I decided to play one last prank before the picture went off. I tickled both of them in their side, causing all three of us to laugh right when the photo was taken.

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"Well, it didn't turn out that bad," Daddy said, looking over the photo we had taken.

We had finished eating dinner and were all watching a family movie together on the couch. It was almost over, and we had finished the bowl of popcorn we had popped as well. I was between my parents, snuggled up comfortably. I yawned as the credits started to roll, and both of them looked down at me and laughed.

"Well, looks like someone's tired! Come on, let's take a bath. Me and you both stink pretty bad after rushing around the house all day." Mommy got up from the couch, and I was about to follow suit before Daddy interrupted.

"Hold it. You mean to say you're taking a bath together?"

"Yeah, so?"

"Don't you think he's too old for that?" Daddy said, crossing his arms. "He knows how to take a bath by himself, so let him!"

"Oh? I think the only one having dirty thoughts is you, dear hubby."

He sighed and looked up at Mommy. "What can I say, of course I am! I haven't seen my beautiful wife in so long, so why does he get to have all the attention!?"

"Uh, what's going on Mommy?"

"Nothing you need to worry about sweetie. Daddy is just being Daddy."

"I only act this when I'm around you!"

"Well, come on, let's go take a bath," she said, ignoring his statement. I giggled as I followed behind her. They were so funny.

We managed to make to the bathroom door before Daddy caught up to us. "Wait, seriously, I really do miss you Cassandra."

She smiled at him. "I know that, but you know why I wish to spend so much time with him."

"Yes, but-!"

She just shook her head. "It'll be okay. After all, I'm yours during the night," she said, giving him a sly smile.

"Really, you mean it!?"

"Of course, you just have to open up our door," she said simply.

"Well that's simply enough to, WHAT!" He had finally noticed.

I smiled. "Mommy said we should play a prank on you, so we decided to bar the door using leftover decorations!"

"Oh, look at you, using big boy words! Now come, let's take a bath!"

Daddy's face just look defeated. "You know, you can't sleep either."

"Oh, I'll be sleeping in my lil man's room to get closer to him, so you're outta luck!"

He just sighed. "Yeah, knew it wouldn't be easy. Fine, I'll just be downstairs, watching TV if you need me," and then he left.

Mommy watched him walk back downstairs before shaking his head. "I really do love that man," she murmured, and for a brief second, her face had a somber look to it, but quickly went away as she turned back towards me.

"Now then, let us finally take that bath together!"

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"Ah, this is exactly what I needed!"

We were in the bath together now, and I was leaning back against Mommy as per her request. I did have to admit, that is was really relaxing.

"Hey, don't fall asleep in here. If you do, I'll dunk your head in the water!"

I nodded, trying desperately not to fall asleep. "Here, I'll wash you, so you can hurry up and get out." She proceeded to wash my tired self, and before I knew it, I was squeaky clean. She put a towel around me and ushered me toward the sink, where I brushed my teeth and got dressed into my pajamas.

I looked over back at Mommy, who's slender legs were now sticking out from the top of the tub. She was blowing bubbles under the water, gazing at the wall in front of her. She caught me staring and smiled.

"Hey, why don't we go get Daddy a present tomorrow? Christmas is just in three days you know. Have you thought of anything you want to get him?"

I yawned while shaking my head no. "Well, I'll help you out then. Did you make him something too?"

This time was a nod. I had made him a statue from clay that was supposed to be him and had managed to keep it a secret from him.

"Alright then, we can also go visit Santa while we're out too."

"Won't he be too busy?"

"Hmph, don't worry, he's made sure to have time for you," she said sweetly. "Now go on and get into bed. I'll be there shortly."

Nodding, I walked out the bathroom and dragged my feet across the floor, somehow making it to my bed. I climbed on top of my bed and waited for Mommy to show up.

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3 minutes later, Mommy walked into the room, and was met with her fast-asleep son. She sighed before crawling in bed next to him, being careful not to wake her only son up.

"Love you Mr. Troublemaker. Now sweet dreams, and let's hope tomorrow is just as wonderful as today," she murmured in his ear, before wrapping her arms around him and falling asleep, trying as hard as she could to make the most of her time with her precious son...

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The next day Mommy and I went to the shopping mall nearby to look for a present for Daddy. The mall was filled with Christmas cheer, with many of the stores decorated to the max for the occasion, promoting a variety of sales.

"Um Mommy?" I tugged her hand slightly as we were walking around.

She looked down at me. "What is it my wonderful child?"

"What are getting Daddy?"

She started to cough as she turned away. "Well, let's just say he'll be happy with I got him," she said vaguely.

"What does that mean?"

"Anyway, have you thought about what you want to get?"

I shook my head. "I don't really know what Daddy likes..."

"Well, that's why I'm here. Although, I'm pretty sure that he'll enjoy anything you get him."

"Yes, but I want it to be special!"

Mommy stopped and knelt down in front of me. "Special?"

"Well, he always there for me when you're not, so I wanted to thank him somehow!" I said, my determination showing.

For a brief moment, her eyes turned sad at my statement. She quickly shook her head and grinned. "Yeah, you're right about that, so let's make sure you get the best present for him, alright?"

I grinned in response. "Let's do it!"

Mommy stood back up and raised her fist in the air. "All right! Let's go on a quest to find the best present!!" she exclaimed loudly, causing many of the people around to look at her curiously.

So me and Mommy wandered from store to store, trying to find the best present for Daddy. But by the time lunch came around, we hadn't found a single one.

"Man, how can none of these stores have what we're looking for!?" Mommy said while angrily drinking her soda.

I was also disappointed. I had gotten a corn-dog with some fruit punch, and was munching away at my food.

"I know one place we haven't tried yet," Mommy said, her dark brown eyes blazing with determination. "The video game store, the only thing he loves besides you and me!"

"But Daddy is so bad at video games, so why would he like them?" I asked, confused.

"Your honesty really is amazing. Never change that," she said, finishing her food. "Well, he may be bad at racing and action games, but when it comes to RPG's and strategy games, he has me beat for sure."

I finished my corn dog and set it on my now empty plate. "are pee gee's?"

"No silly, Role Playing Games, or known as RPG's. I guess you're too young to know about them I guess." Mommy stopped and started to think before her face lit up. "That's it! I know the perfect present!"

"Really!?" I asked, excited to hear it.

"Yep, lately hubby has been complaining that he doesn't have enough time to play games, because he always plays with you. So, let's get him a game that he can teach you how to play!"

"Oh! I don't really get it, but if it'll make him happy, then I'll do it!"

"That's the spirit kiddo! Now, let us continue on our quest! Onward!"

"Onward!"

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After getting the game and the system that went along with it, we made our way over to Santa Claus, but to my utter disappointment, he wasn't there.

"Is Santa really that busy?" I asked Mommy. She just stared at the empty chair before sighing.

"We'll come back tomorrow, and he'll be here for sure! Just believe!"

"I'll believe!"

We both started to laugh, and we made our out the shopping mall. It was a cold, clear day, with the sun barely offering any warmth. Mommy had bundled me up, before we left, so I was as warm as a midsummer day.

"Hey, do you wanna go to the park?" Mommy asked after we got into the car.

"The park? Okay, sure!" I said, smiling in agreement.

We made our way toward the park near our house. It had a small pond nearby, so many people skated on it when it froze over during the winter. Besides that, many parents and kids came here to play with one another.

We parked at a nearby parking lot, and Mommy and I made our way toward the park, where many kids were also playing. Mommy scanned the area before kneeling down in front of me. "Do you see any of your friends nearby?"

I looked around, trying to see if there were any, when I saw two that I recognized. "Yep, over there Mommy!" I pointed at the two.

"Alright, then go play with them for a bit. I have to go to the bathroom, so I'll be back soon, okay?"

"Okay!" I said goodbye to Mommy and ran towards my two friends, but not before accidentally running into a pink-haired girl.

"Ouch!" she fell down to the ground, landing on her b.u.t.t.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't see you there." I offered a hand, and she accepted.

"It's my fault for not paying more attention, so please forgive me." She looked to about my age and spoke rather formally.

"Oh, don't worry about that. So long as you don't get me cooties, we're good!" I said grinning. "Anyway, don't feel so bad Pinkie!"

"Pinkie...?"

"Yep, it just feels right, with the pink hair and all. See yah!"

"Oh, see yah?"

I rushed off towards my two friends, being careful not to run into anyone as I left the pink-haired girl.

"Caelus! Heracles! Hey!"

"Hey, can you play with us?"

I nodded in response. "I came here with my Mommy, but she had to go to the bathroom."

Caelus, with the short sandy hair, and Heracles, with his buzz cut and skin slightly lighter than my own. These two are my good friends, and I would never forget about them!

"What were you two playing?" I asked, curious to know.

"This Frisbee here, we were just tossing it around. Do you want to join us?" asked Heracles.

"Yep, let's do it!"

I spent the next two hours with my friends, goofing around and playing pranks on some of the a.d.u.l.ts.

"Mr. Troublemaker!"

I turned away from my friends to my Mommy, who was calling out to me. "Sorry guys, I have to go now. I'll play with you soon!"

"Okay, bye-bye!"

"See you later!"

I ran back toward my Mommy, who ruffled up my small afro. "Did you have fun?"

I nodded in excitement. "Uhuh! I really did! I have so much to tell you!"

She laughed. "Well, we have all of today to talk about it, don't we?"

I told her all about what I did with Caelus and Heracles, especially about the pranks, on the ride home and in the kitchen, where she had started to cook.

"Well, that sounds like quite the fun time you had. I'm sorry I was gone for so long, the bathroom line was quite long," she said, frying up meat in a pan.

"Mmm, what are you making?" I asked, enticed by the smell of food.

"Beef tacos. Did you hide Daddy's present?"

"Yep, it's in a super-duper secret place! Not even you could find it Mommy!"

"Is that a challenge I hear? Fine then, I'll find it before we leave to go see Santa tomorrow!"

The front door clicked open, and I heard Daddy walk in. "I'm home. Mmm, something does smell delicious. Is that tacos I'm smelling?"

"Welcome back sweetie, and yes, you're right about that. Come sit next to this lil troublemaker here, and the food will be done shortly."

"Yes ma'am!" Daddy saluted Mommy before sitting down next to me, rubbing his hands in anticipation.

Mommy started to hum that same tune, dancing quietly as she cooked for three. She made my tacos and set them down before me with her warm smile. "Eat up kiddo!" she said happily.

"What about my plate?"

"You can make your own."

Daddy's face turned sad as he shuffled his way over to the food. "Are you prepared?"

I couldn't hear Mommy's next words, but Daddy seemed a little bit sadder when he came back to sit next to me, his plate filled with six tacos stuffed to the brim.

"Are you okay?" I asked, worry starting to eat away at me.

He gave me some head pats. "I'll be fine kiddo. Nothing a kid like you needs to worry about, okay?"

I could tell something was wrong, but my brain couldn't figure it out, and eventually gave up. I decided to take Daddy's advice and not worry about it.

I happily ate the tacos Mommy made for me, and Mommy sat down next to me with a plate of her own tacos.

"You enjoying yourself my lil man?"

"Mhhm! Especially since you're here Mommy! I wish you could stay forever and ever!"

"I wish so too baby, I wish so too..." She trailed off as she started to eat her taco. Her expression hadn't changed, but it was a strange feeling, one that I didn't understand...

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After eating dinner and watching some more anime with my mom, Mommy and I both took a bath together again, this time finishing at the same time. Wearing matching dinosaur pajamas, we brushed our teeth before retiring back to my room, where she told me another bedtime story.

"Now let's see, what story should I tell this time...?" she pondered this while she was laying down next to me, before she sat up in her excitement.

"I've got it! This story is about the distant future!"

My eyes sparkled in anticipation. "The future!?"

"Yep, the future. Now then, it starts off with the good guys going to the future. They're trying to find a certain person missing from their group, and they were last contacted in the future."

"Is their friend okay?"

"You'll see little one. Now, where was I? Oh right, they went off to find their friend, only for them to realize that it was a trap, and their friend had betrayed them!"

I pulled the covers closer to me, clinging onto them tightly. "And then?"

"Realizing their close friend had betrayed them, the good guys were devastated by the news. Only one, however, still had the resolve to fight. 'I'll bring our friend back, no matter what it takes! That's what friends are for!' said the young one. Encouraged by his words, the good guys managed to fight off the trap set off by their friend!"

My eyelids were once again growing heavy as I was slowly falling asleep. "The trap now thwarted, their once close friend had no words for his betrayal. 'Please, leave me here in the dusty sand dunes, so I may repent,' he begged, trying to make amends."

I was already deep asleep by this point, but Mommy still continued onward toward the end of the story.

"The young one just laughed at his close friend's words. 'I have no wish to leave you here. We all make mistakes, some bigger than others, but that's what makes us human, isn't it?' And with these words, the good guys managed to get their close friend back, and together they went back to their own time."

Mommy sighed as she finished her story. "Maybe one day, you'll find out why, but for now, sleep, and enjoy the time we have..."

And the two fell asleep, with only one day until Christmas.

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Mommy and I woke up later then the previous two days, tired from all our antics from the previous two days. After eating breakfast (Daddy made waffles with tater tots), we set off to the mall once more to visit Santa Claus. We arrived at the mall and hurriedly made our way to where he was, and this time, he was actually there!

"Mommy look, he actually came!" I said, delighted at the outcome.

"I told you, didn't I? Believe, and it will most definitely come true!" she responded before gently guiding me towards the line. "Don't worry, I'll be watching you the entire time, so good luck!"

I nodded and waited in line with other kids, some barely a month old, to being as old as 12. I waited patiently in line as lady elf helped keep the line in order.

"Alright now, make sure you stay in line, and don't cut in front of anyone either!" She had short black hair, and her green eyes were constantly darting around, trying to make sure that everything was in order.

She gazed at me, who had managed to get into the middle of the line while waiting. She smiled and crouched down in front of me.

"Hullo there, what might you be wishing Santa for?" she asked, a smile on her face.

I already knew my answer long before. "I want my Mommy to stay with me, and never have to leave again."

Her green eyes lit up in shock when she heard my request.

"Hey Eris, come on, we have work to do!"

She managed to wipe off the stunned look off her face. "Right sorry sir!" She looked back at me, hesitating, before getting back up and running toward the man who called out her name, profusely apologizing.

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"Um, excuse me, but are the parent of that kid over there?"

Mommy looked at the person who made the sudden inquiry. It was a 15-year-old girl, with short black hair and green eyes. She was indeed pointing toward her son.

"Yes, what about it?"

"Well, I try to ask the kids what their wish is, to help the parents out, yah know? But thing is..." She trailed off as she looked back at the kid who made such a strange, yet simple request.

Worried flashed through Mommy's eyes as she saw the way the girl looked back at her son. "What was his wish?" She was starting to feel anxious.

"In a nutshell, he wishes you would never leave again,"

Those soul-crushing words hit Mommy like a truck. She stumbled backwards before covering her mouth, her eyes watering up at her son's simple request.

"Are you okay ma'am!? Oh crappers, this isn't good at all!"

Mommy held up a hand and shook her head. "No, I am alright. I just... really wish it was anything but that..."

She gazed back at her son, who was almost at the front of the line. He looked back and waved, and it took all of her willpower to make a brave face and wave back. Mommy handed the kind girl her camera.

"Can you take his picture please? I need to sit down for a bit."

"Of course, just leave it to me!"

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After telling Santa my wish, the elf (who I decided to name elf-lady), guided me back to my Mommy.

"Thank you very much elf-lady!"

She gave me a bright smile. "Don't worry, it's part of my job to make sure that wishes get granted!" She winked at me before going back to the other kids in the line.

"Well sweetie, ready to go?" Mommy asked, hugging me tightly.

"I can't go if you're hugging me Mommy!"

"What!? Whadda yah mean you can't!?" She asked, feigning ignorance as she started to tickle me. I laughed from the assault of tickles, wishing that these moments could last forever.

"Alright, I think that's enough of that for today. Let's go home. I'll make you a chocolate cake!"

My eyes lit up in joy. "You mean it!?"

"Of course, anything for my lil' man here!" she said, grabbing my hand tightly. She got up, and I followed suit.

"Cake, cake, I love cake!" I started to sing a merry tune as we made our back to the car. However, when we got outside, something strange was happening.

"Whoa, what is this Mommy!?"

As far as I could see, a blanket of white was covering everything, from the cars, the roads, and even the rooftops. It had also gotten substantially colder too, probably dropping about 10 degrees from this morning.

"It's snow sweetie! But how..."

"This stuff is snow!?" I looked around, amazed at the sight. A white fluffy substance was continuously falling down from the sky, and one landed on top of my nose. "Brr, cold!"

"Let's get back to the car sweetie," Mommy said, starting to pull on my hand. I reluctantly followed her, trying to engrave this beautiful sight into my memory for good.

After Mommy buckled me in, she turned on the car and blasted the heat throughout the vehicle.

"Mommy, can we play in the snow?"

She looked back at me and squeezed my leg. "Sorry, but I'm gonna have to say no this time."

"Huh? But why?"

"We'll play tomorrow, I promise you. The snow will still be here tomorrow, so I'll teach you all the things you can do with snow then, okay?"

I was disappointed, but obediently followed her instructions. We left the shopping mall and were making our way back home through the snow-filled city when Mommy frowned and stopped the car, while leaving the heat on.

"Why did you stop Mommy?" I asked.

Outside, the snow had started to pick up tremendously, with the wind howling across the city. No one else was on the road besides us, which was strange. She unbuckled her seatbelt and turned back around to face me again. "Whatever you do, no matter what you see or hear, do not get out of this car. I mean it. Do you understand?"

"Mommy?"

"Whatever you do, do not get out. I'll be back before you know it," she said, touching my cheek with her warm hands of hers. "I love you son, never forget that, okay?"

And then she was gone, out in the snow. She had left the car on, so I was still warm. I gazed out the window and watched the frost build up on the window. The wind was howling even louder now, and it got to be so loud that it felt as if it had gotten closer.

It was then I noticed the booms. They were quiet at first, but soon the car started to shake as they got closer and closer.

Boom!

That one shook the entire car violently, and I tried to look outside to see what was going on, but the frost and snow had completely blocked off my vision.

BOOM!

It was then that I realized that something was horribly wrong. I quickly unbuckled myself from the car and got out, right when the last boom shook the ground like an earthquake.

BOOOOOM!

The car had suddenly been picked up by the wind and tossed away, flying like a kite in the sky before landing with a crash.

BOOOM!

The car exploded into a massive fireball, but even that quickly froze over, dousing the fire out almost as soon as it came into being.

Then I heard the howling of the wind. No, that wasn't entirely right. It was more like...

I turned around, and a giant beast, towering over even the tallest buildings around, had appeared behind me. I could barely make out its giant figure, the snowstorm blocking out most of my vision. And laying down in front of it was a motionless body, her dark skin jarring against the whiteness of the snow...

"Mo-Mommy?" My body had started to shake from the fear and the cold, as the beast kicked her body towards my direction. It skidded a top the snow like a how one would skid a stone across a lake and slid to stop in front of me.

"Wha-I-I don't-!"

I could only helplessly look at the crumpled body, it being skewed in a way that wasn't even humanly possible. The white snow had started to stain a dark red from the amount of blood she was losing, and her eyes, once filled with warmth and life, had now glazed over. And yet even still, her hand, her broken hand that shouldn't have even been able to move, slowly raised itself up to my face.

"I... thought that... I told you... to stay in the car..." she murmured, her now cold hand reaching my face.

"Mommy," I said, whimpering as I clutched her cold hand.

"Mommy is... sorry, but please..., forgive me..., my little troublemaker…" Tears were streaming down her face, her eyes barely able to focus on me anymore.

The beast roared once more, sending biting winds of cold flying, dropping the already freezing temperature down to an even lower level.

"Mommy..." those were the only the words I was able to stammer out as I watched my mother die in front of me, her cold hand starting to go limp.

"Please God… Allow me this one chance…"

Suddenly the beast smashed its fist down onto the ground, sending off a wave of snow cascading down on top of us.

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Cold.

So, very cold.

I shivered as I managed to get crawl out from the snow I was buried under. I could barely feel anything anymore, but I still gazed around, trying to find her.

I saw a motionless hand sticking out from the snow, and I waded my way over there, trying to dig out her body. When I was done, I looked over at the now freezing body of my mother.

"Why? MOMMY WHY!?" I wailed out, my screams echoing through the empty city.

The moment before the snow enveloped us, she had pushed me out of the way using the last ounce of her strength, letting me avoid the full attack.

"ROAR!!!!"

The beast, still roaming around, had locked eyes on me, it's beady red eyes shining through the snowstorm.

Stop.

The beast started to raise it's fist up in the air again.

Stop it.

"ROOOAAAR!!!!!!"

"I SAID STOP!!!!"

I felt something break inside of me as I screamed out those futile words, believing, praying, hoping that it would work.

If you believe hard enough, anything is possible…

And the beast suddenly stopped, toppling over backwards into the snow, letting out a boom as it fell.

I slowly got to my feet, dr.a.p.ed Mommy over my shoulders, and started to walk.

So cold.

It felt like I couldn't even feel the air nor the snow cascading down onto the city anymore, as if it had come to a complete standstill.

Is this... what dying feels like...?

I had read in a book about someone dying, but I didn't fully understand it myself. My parents called it eternal sleep…

I trudged my way through the snow, desperate to find a place, someplace, any place, that I could go too.

I can't feel anything anymore. Not the cold, not the body I'm carrying, nor the snow I'm wading through.

I saw a bright light in front of me, as if beckoning me to come closer.

I'm going to die. That thought flashed through my head over and over again, and yet my feet still kept on moving forward, toward that light.

I think I read somewhere that there's supposed to be a bright light when you're about to die.

I suddenly collapsed down into the snow, it now being almost taller than me.

I can't get up. That simple realization scared me more than anything. And yet, even when my brain tells me I can't get up, I get up.

Why. Why am I putting myself through this? I'm going to die, that was a given, but why am still struggling?

Could it be...?

I trudged my way forward, falling down at almost every step, and yet still somehow finding the strength to move forward.

I noticed something hot, the only hot thing around, streaming down my face.

Oh, I see now. I gazed back toward the light, now brighter than ever before.

I don't want to die. I don't wanna die, I don't want Mommy to die. I want to spend every second of every minute of every hour of every day of every week of every year of every...!

Decade sweetie.

DIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIEDIE

LIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVELIVE

I wailed out into the cold abyss, trying, falling, getting back up, repeating that endless cycle as I pushed through the snow, it now covering up to my mouth.

And then I fell down once more, except this time it was different.

"Huh...?"

I suddenly found my feet on solid ground instead of the mushy snow I had been wading through.

I gazed at the bright light, coming from a brightly lit door and a sign.

"Hos...pital...?"

I seemed to have reached a hospital of sorts. I walked forward, slowly making my way to the door. The automatic doors opened, and I was met with a blast of heat and a flurry of people and noise.

I could barely keep my eyes open from how bright it was. I continued my way forward, desperate to find someone, anyone, to help me.

"Hey kid, whoa, what the hell!?"

I gazed toward the voice. Ah, I couldn't even see the kind man who noticed me. So tired, so very tired.

"Pl…ease…, save… my… Mom…my,"

And those were my final words before fading to black.

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Shit, what the hell did this kid go through?

I watched as he passed out on the spot, and then turned my gaze toward the woman he had carried for God knows how long.

"She's probably been dead for a while," one of the doctors murmured next to me.

Then a twitch, and her brown eyes opened up, in them fierce determination that only a parent would have for their kid.

"What the fu-!" The doctor nearby almost had a heart attack.

She gripped onto my leg tightly, and her eyes were conveying a message for me. I knelt down and grasped her arm.

"Don't worry, he's in good hands, I promise you," I said reassuringly, and she nodded before she passed out once more.

Did the cold save her from dying? I thought as I issued for both of them to go into emergency surgery. Whatever the case, these two are both lucky to be alive right now.

And on Christmas Day, Cassandra, Hiro's mother, passed away after complications from an otherwise successful surgery. The events surrounding her death, however, remain a mystery to the boy.

As for the boy in question... He didn't wake up until New Years and had no recollection of the past week of the precious time he had spent with his beloved mother.

Ah yes, what a horrible and cruel twist of fate this was indeed...

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Trial of the Past: Attempt 1

Failure