Incident 6F-5 "Claribel?" a gentle feminine voice urged me. I wake up somewhat and two big hands as soft as that of a newborn clasps my hand. "Mama? Papa? Are you guys playing some kind of a joke on me?" I asked. "No, Claribel, we are not your parents," a rough but kindly masculine voice replied. "Hang on; this should help a little." With the blindfold removed, I could see a tall, dark-haired man with blue eyes and a blond woman with her hair in pigtails. "You're not my mama and papa!!!" I exclaimed as I reach for the button for security, but the man stops me. "Let me go!!! Why are you here?!!" "No, but we know your parents very well," the woman told me. "You can let her go now, Endymion." "Wait a minute, your name is Endymion as in King Endymion of Crystal Tokyo?" I wanted to confirm. King Endymion nods. "Then," I point to the woman, "you must be Neo-Queen Serenity." Serenity nods. "My mama almost kicked your butt at the Time Gate when you were younger." "Yes, your mother almost killed me at first," Serenity agreed, wincing at the memory. "I also saved the world from the destructive fury of Sailor Saturn and stopped Master Pharaoh 90 from bringing about the Silence without having to kill anyone." "My mama says that you're real pretty, Neo-Queen Serenity," I said. "Why, thank you, Claribel," Serenity replied. "King Endymion, my papa said that you and Serenity have been on his case since he threatened some of his employees with termination if their children didn't stop harassing me," I said. "Why is that?" "Claribel, there are rules that say what you can and can't do and your father broke one," Endymion offered. "My papa was trying to help me, King Endymion," I protested. "If Reenie were being made fun of, you and Neo-Queen Serenity would have reacted the same way." "Endymion, Claribel does have a point there," Serenity agreed. "If Reenie were being harassed at school and it got bad enough, I would probably have the Sailor Scouts arrest their parents and put them in jail. Or something like that." "Serenity, Kerwin was not acting as the president of Del Trabajador Enterprises at the time; he was acting as a father," Endymion countered. "Most of the parents don't have the influence and authority that we and Kerwin do, so why should we use ours for a selfish reason like protecting our child from harassment when so many parents can't?" SMACK!!!! Serenity had just slapped Endymion in the face. "Endymion, would you stop being the king of Crystal Tokyo for a minute and listen to me!?!?" Serenity yelled. "Are you telling me that if Reenie were in a fix at school, you wouldn't use your royal authority to help her out?" "What do you mean by 'a fix at school', Serenity?" Endymion asked, still nursing his cheek. "I don't remember having any 'fixes at school'." "Let's say that Reenie got beat up at school because of her rabbit ear hairstyle," Serenity proposed to Endymion. "There has been contention on this matter for quite a while and it's only then that it really came to a head. What would you do?" "I would have the Sailor Scouts find the parents of the assailant, or assailants as the case may be, and bring them in to be punished," Endymion replied. "But, Serenity, that's not the same thing as threatening to fire your workers if their children do not stop harassing your child." "Yes, it is, Endymion," Serenity disagreed. "It's the same action but different circumstances. From what I understood, Claribel's black hair, unusual eyes, and left-handedness were being made fun of, things that cannot be easily hidden or corrected. That's why Kerwin took action and did what he did. If it makes Reenie's career as a student any easier, we can have Reenie let her hair down and go to school that way. But if Reenie is being made fun of because of her red eyes or something that can't be easily changed like that, I would want to put a stop to it in a hurry and if interceding on Reenie's behalf as the queen of Crystal Tokyo is what will do the job effectively, then so be it." "How very eloquent, Serenity," Endymion retorted, "but if you come to the rescue like that too often, Reenie will never learn how to deal with people on her own without our help." "King Endymion, do you realize what being teased by the other kids day after day does to you after a while?" I asked. "Well, let me tell you. The teasing I went through made it harder for me to go to school and get an education like I'm supposed to. It wore away at my self-esteem and brought my grades down. I have thought about committing suicide by poisoning myself as a result of the teasing. My health began to deteriorate and I had to be nursed back to health. My blood pressure skyrocketed and I lost a lot of weight and began having minor heart trouble, symptoms that would normally afflict adults. If that's not enough reason for my papa to have done what he did, I frankly don't know what is. I'm sorry if I'm being rude, but you judging my papa's actions without knowing the whole story behind it just hit me too close to home for me to remain silent." "Uhh . . .," Endymion gulped. "Claribel has been taking beta blockers for the last two years because of the harassment in school, Endymion," Sharon snapped, hands on her hips. "She has?" Endymion asked Sharon. "Yes, she has, Endymion," Sharon replied. "It's time we left, Endymion," Serenity said, "before Reenie tries to rule Crystal Tokyo thinking that we're deceased." With that, Serenity and Endymion leave. Serenity then pops her head back in the room and says, "Sharon, I trust that your daughter will prove to be a formidable foe on my next birthday and that you'll keep Reenie out of the way." "Of course, Serenity, you can trust me," Sharon replied. Serenity smiles and then leaves the room. "How are you doing, Claribel?" "These stitches itch me, Mama," I complained. Kerwin walks in at this point. "It's important that they not be scratched, Claribel," Kerwin said. "So how did you like our surprise?" "Papa, let's just say that it was a stroke . . . against you," I replied flatly. "Papa, Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion are trying to put you out of business. Why are you being so nice to them?" "Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion are NOT trying to put me out of business, Claribel," Kerwin disagreed. "I have a deal with them that they won't shut down Del Trabajador Enterprises if you behave nicely towards Reenie and Reenie likes you. As the vice president of Del Trabajador Enterprises, your duty is to be friends with Reenie so that I can stay in business." "Now wait a minute!!" I objected. Kerwin takes off his sunglasses. "Just what gave you the right to involve me in this deal without my consent? I haven't even met Princess Reenie yet. She may turn out to be totally obnoxious and drive me completely bananas. What if she doesn't like me? Then Del Trabajador Enterprises is in the toilet. And another thing . . ." SMACK!!!! Sharon had just slapped me in the face. "Claribel Mei'ou, you will show us some respect!!!" Sharon shouted. "If it weren't for my need for a replacement and your father's need to escape legal prosecution, you wouldn't be here!!! That's the only reason you exist, Claribel: to replace me as the Guardian of the Time Gate, provide legal protection for your father, and protect Princess Reenie!!!!" I'm shocked. I've always wondered why Sharon went through the trouble of conceiving me, carrying me in her body for nine months, giving birth to me, and taking care of me. Now I know why. "I trust you both know where the door is," I said quietly as I pull the covers over me and turn over on my side away from my parents. Sharon and Kerwin leave the room making sure to close the door behind them quietly. Sharon has said some mean things to me, but this takes the cake. Some nerve my parents have having me in order to assure peace and bury the hatchet. I thought you loved me, Sharon. After all, you carried me in your body for nine months, gave birth to me, and breastfed me. As my eyes water, I could think of nothing but whether or not to take my own life.