Chapter 5:

N/A: Unfortunately, because I'm not verified, the bolds, and italics won't show up, please bear with me, until my application is accepted!

Y'know, if she dressed herself in pretty clothes, don't even mention flowers lowering their heads in shame, drowning fishes, not flapping birds, or the moon; the brothel would pay millions for my face.

Hair flip

...

Ah, sorry, maybe the brothel isn't a good reference.

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Elizabeth wrapped her hands around her waist, sucking in her stomach, as she continued admire her reflection in the lake water, becoming oblivious to the wooden, almost-broken pail, that floated nonchalantly beside her, before a small sigh left her lips.

Darn, this Elizabeth is underrated on her looks.

She cognitively complained, in a frustrated, and perhaps, in a disappointed tone, while she squatted back down, to the sand hearth, continuing to fill her pail with the clear, cold, diamond-like liquid. Her hands gently scraped the flat, soft surface, causing small, radiating ripples to unfurl, as she dragged the pail onto the grey, smooth pebbles, waiting for the water to rush into the pail by itself.

Since Winter was closing in, she dared not to dip her hands into the water, in fear of the temperature, and how'd it freeze them, which may cause them to become agitated, and numb.

Not before long, the pail was swelled to the brim, with cold, icy-crisp, lake water, and as Elizabeth stood up, earnestly dusting off her ragged skirt, she placed the pail, on a rock, beside her. But, of course, hadn't realized that, though she put the pail away from most danger, it was most definitely, accessible by the person, who could turn her dreads into certain reality; Neo, who crawled close enough to the pail, with an unwanted, small hint of curiosity.

Playfulness flickered across his eyes, as his hands reached out towards the strange, wooden cylinder, that stood taller than he was, but alas, this strange creature was far stronger than him.

For a lowly, small poke, filled with interest, would not do the slightest damage, or even make the water inside shake, despite that, Neo felt the power of the galaxy aid him in the beginning, of his miraculous conquest.

Neo retreated his finger, accepting the wordless duel of strength, that ceased to happen from the fat, wooden cylinder, while he narrowed his eyes, preparing for his final, victory-grabbing move;

The.

Push.

Almost instantly, his hands, opened as wide as the sea, made their way to the side of the pail, before he put both of his hands on the wooden surface, almost as if, he was playing a gentle, fun round of, "patty-cake."

But unfortunately, his push hadn't even caused the pail to move, at all, but, Neo was definitely not discouraged; his entire body leaned forwards, channeling his body weight to his arms, letting his push become more enhanced, as he felt a guaranteed triumph wash over him.

"HMMMMMMMMMMPH.."

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Clack, kulm, bwaash, ssswssh...

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"Neo...?"

Elizabeth whispered, with a small peak of curiosity, as she turned around to the resounding, source of the noise, before inevitably seeing her son, staring at her with his arms, still in a pushing position.

"...Neo...Where's the pail?" Lindsey asked, in a bewildered tone, as she put her hands on her hips, while her eyes scanned for the missing pail, before finally catching it broken, in the water.

The slender, smooth slabs of the pail floated on the surface, rising occasionally, with the small, barely-noticeable waves, that softly swept over the rocky shore, while Neo looked at his mother, with a sense of panic flushed over his face.

"Ma..Ma...?"

"Neo..." Elizabeth tilted her head, while a stern look casted itself over her eyes, letting out a small pocket of air, exasperating the, "O", in his name.

"Mama...Neo-....Neo-...Pushed over the pwal, sowry moma." [Mama...Neo-...Neo...Pushed over the pail, sorry mama.]

Neo muffled, through his plum-like tears that slowly became more stout, by the passing moments, as his small, pale-blue eyebrows wrinkled with his quivering lips. He, more or less, was on the brink of bursting into tears.

Ah...

Aha...

Great.

I was too busy analyzing my facial features, that I completely forgot about the pail, and Neo.

How am I going to explain to mother, that her beloved pail is broke, and tattered into shatters?

Elizabeth let out short sigh, bringing her shoulders up as she breathed in, before dropping them, and as the air in her mouth left her, a small smile twinkled it's way up her face.

"Hun, why are you crying?"

"B-Because...Neo broke grandma's pwal..." [B-Because...Neo broke grandma's pail]

Neo whimpered, as he looked, and fumbled with his hands, that laid on his lap, while his face shone with guiltiness, staying in an almost crying-like state, only causing Elizabeth to stare dumbfounded.

She brought a hand from her hips, to slowly cover the side of her head, as she slightly-closed her eyes, while a small, rather creepy giggle enveloped, the once silent plain. That, well, only used to chime with infrequent honks, every now and then, from migrating brown, and white geese.

Crap.

What am I going to do?

I can't scold him, because he did it accidentally...But again, he did break mother's last keepsake from father, after all, he did pass away, few years prior; meaning, this pail is almost invaluable to mother...

Elizabeth opened her mouth, preparing to scold her son, but closed her mouth again, and started to rethink;

Ah...

I...

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Hm...What to do...What to do...

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I KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW.

I'M A FREAKIN' GENIUS.

Since I don't know what to do, I'll just bring Neo to mother, and have him apologize, letting her decide on whether to punish him or not, since it was, technically her thing, that he broke.

Well, it's also because she has more experience with parenting, aha~.

That way, I can apologize to mother, with Neo, and also, I won't accidentally, "parent", Neo wrong.

She nodded her head approvingly, slightly smiling, as her thumb, and pointer finger cupped her chin, before she squatted down on her knees, gazing towards her sulking son, waiting for him to look towards her.

"Neo~...How about this, we take the pail, and go apologize to grandma?" Elizabeth asked in a tender voice, cautious to not accidentally startle him, or make perceive that it was a threat of some sort, after all, children are quite perceptive.

"B-But...What happens if grandma gets angry? Neo doesn't want to make grandma angry." Neo whispered in a low tone, while he sat in his usual sitting position; open legged-ly, as his eyes reverted his gaze back to his mother.

"Mm...Do you think mother will get upset?"

"Yes..."

"Why?"

"Because I broke grandma's pail."

"Why?"

"B-Because...I thought grandma's pail was saying he was stronger than me..."

"Huh-, ahem. Why?"

Neo let out a quiet, "humph", before simply turning around, facing back to Elizabeth, refusing to respond, holding out his hands, asking for Elizabeth to pick him up.

"Then, shall we go?" Elizabeth asked in a teasing tone, while she held Neo in arms, walking down the shore, to pick up the remaining part of the pail, that hadn't been washed away, before walking down the flower-filled plain, towards the mountain.

My Neo's so cutee~.