When A Lemon Gives You Life

rebirth

A star, twinkling brighter than the Earth's sun, shoots away into the never-ending galaxy. Originating from Earth, then zooming to an unknown land. Somewhere new and far away...

-

Panning down from the dark and sparkling galaxy and down to a clear blue sky accompanied by healthy green grassy fields. Glowing yellow, perhaps as bright as the sun, beams from the blending greens. Opening her blue diamond eyes, she is greeted with someone-or something that resembles a dandelion. "A new friend! Oh, everyone! We've got a new friend! A lemon friend! A lemon friend!" This strange dandelion jumps around in joy and begins calling out to other dandelions, wailing their arms up in the warm air. Jolting to awareness, the sprouted girl sits up in a frantic state of disillusion. Hearing the closing shouts of other specimens, confusion begins to swirl in the mind of the fresh child.

The small child looks around in disarray, hoping there would be a source of reassurance-her white bow hand-band following her movements as she observes. These dandelions chanting the same lines over and over again begin to overwhelm the child's state of mind. Just what happened? Stirring in a wake, she flexes and stretches. In an attempt to rise and run, the child notices how their legs are bound to the ground in vines. Ripping and pulling the vines in a frenzy, the child jumps out of the crevasse they spawned from and begins to sprint on new legs. She's going wherever her legs take her.

-

Sprinting to the nearest hiding place was difficult, but the nearest town was extremely far away. Being born out in the open was frightening. Though, the young child did take notice of the two-leafed cape they wore as they ran. The buildings were literal skyscrapers, being as tall as the sky. The stars were beginning to shine in the night. Suddenly, the aroma of magnificently baked bread began to swirl around the child's senses. She looked down upon their attire; a cute onesie adorned in lemons and ruffles, with a white hairband, almost resembling the leaves of a lemon. Her feet burned with heat, she was running barefoot the entire time. Her pale hair was freely blowing in the settled humid wind and her eyes round and bright. Walking out of the alley she'd entered, she came to face the crowded street full of strange people. A person had a large fish head and physique. A woman with a long snakehead carried a closed basket with baby snakes. The girl looked around more and saw how truly abnormal everyone was. She could hear how everyone was conversing with each other and came into a trance. Catching a few words from their chatting; buck, bread, yummy, and concert. Sneaking to the bread stall, she sees a rooster-man cooking and serving waiting customers bread.

"B-Buck." Reaching her small hands towards the hot bread contained behind a glass barrier. She then turned to the nearby viewers and outstretched a hand. The rooster-man turns around holding fresh bread in a paper boat. "Sorry young lady! You must pay if you wish to have bread! Two doll-" Before he could finish his sentence, the small child climbed over the counter and took the bread in his hands. He looked down at her in disgust and shock as she began to eat the bread peacefully. "How im-PECK-able! You dare steal and eat my bread with no consent? That was for a high-bidding customer!"

She looked up while chewing politely. Holding up for the rooster-man to enjoy some too. He backed away in a hurry and grabbed a whisk. "You dare offer me something truly vile!" The rooster-man began swinging the whisk around in an attempt at scaring the glowing girl away. She sat, swallowed the remaining bread she was chewing, and reeled back a deep breath. Acidic tears began water-falling out of the tear ducts of the child as she wailed loudly. The loud commotion at the bread stall caused many nearby civilians to wander and watch. They began to whisper among themselves as the rooster-man panicked.

Crying out louder, the small child began to hic and sob as if she could compete with a bullhorn. "Poxick, what on Enlightenment did you do?" Poxick turned to the voice, to whom was his worker. "There's this orphan who can't keep her hands to herself, she needs to be taught a lesson!" Poxick shouted as he waved around his whisk. The goose shook his head in disapproval. "Clearly, she is an outsider. There would be no way an orphan would reach a town like this. The girl can't even use her manners!" Poxick continued to complain, possibly hoping to get someone on his side.

The girl looked up with large beady eyes that held edging tears. Her quiet whines caught the attention of the two adults. "Look, she's done crying, fetch her and take her away from my stall as far as you can!" Poor child widened her eyes in horror. She didn't want to go back to the chanting dandelions!

Quickly but carefully climbing down the high counter, the little girl proceeded to run on her tired legs. At least she had gotten bread for herself, but when she approached a water fountain she couldn't help but reflect. Just a couple of steps away from the scary stand. She began to sit and daydream-

Sunflowers! Walking down a bright but long path accompanied by swaying grasses! Making wishes on dandelions to fit in! Cherishing the beautiful dress she was wearing! Jellyfishes standing over her!

Jellyfishes?

Breaking out of her trance, she looked up at the two towering figures. The crowd whispered around her, almost as if they were taunting her for her disobedience. She knew she was being naughty, but she didn't think the big kids would belittle her for eating!

Popping the bubble of imagination, she looks up at what could be a slender, tall blue jellyfish woman and red buff lobsterman. "Small child, what are you doing here?" The young girl looked around. There weren't as many people crawling the streets as there had been before committing a bread crime. Just where did they go? Had she been daydreaming too much again? Reluctantly recalling her previous antics, the child pouted. "Bread. Water!"

Shooting her arms up, the jellyfish woman merely smiled. "Where are you supposed to be?" The young girl looked around once more before shouting, "Home!" Pointing at the brightest star, the three looked up at the night sky. It twinkled as if it yearned for her touch when she reached for it. "Okay...What's your name, dear?" Looking down at the onesie she wore, the girl puffed her cheeks.

Giving herself a new name would probably help her get along with the older kids, and maybe even be more optimistic! "I'm a lemon lily sweetie!" The pure lemon chirped from memory. "Lemilia Sweetie?" The child nodded in confirmation. "I'm Jellicious, maybe you would like to see me perform?"

Pressing her lips into a thin line and mimicking a "blank and undefeatable" face, she looked up at the slender woman. "Why?" Merely chuckling, the woman backed away and held her soft expression. Inspecting her attire, Lemilia noticed how she wore a purple jellyfish-looking cocktail dress that poofed out. The fading translucent hems made her seem like a ghost! With strips of fabric imitating that of a jellyfish's tentacles. The longer end of her dress resembled a manta ray that glowed in the presence of the bioluminescent ocean. Her bangs were fused as one solid piece of hair-but her hair was made of tentacles!

"I need a cute cheerleader." Blushing, Lemilia slapped her hands onto her cheeks to cool them down. Reverting to a "blank and undefeatable" face, Lemilia took a long pause.

-

Lemilia soon found herself standing in front of the large building that belonged to the jellyfish woman. There, the young lemon child looks up in awe. The building was as tall as the sky, with a big dome at the tippy top of the estate. Due to the dark midnight sky, the light effects emitting from the bulbs of the walls made it look like a giant swimming jellyfish. Those stars behind the building accompanying the pitch darkness made the tower seem to be located in the abyss of an ocean realm. With her mouth hanging open, the jellyfish woman merely giggled at the sight of the gawking child.

"This is just the outside. You seem impressed with what I have accomplished. If it looks so cool on the exterior, don't you think you should take a peek inside?" Jellicious softly pointed at the landscape. Lemilia slowly turned her shocked expression towards the female adult. Nodding ever so slowly, the two traveled towards the doors of the establishment.

Opening the doors to face the interior of the building, Lemilia could only wow at the decorations and the design of her surroundings. It was glowing like a disco party but much calmer and prettier! The child hopped, ran, and giggled around as she inspected everything visible and reachable near her yellow figure. The jellyfish woman warmly smiled at the wholesome sight of the lemon sprinting to look at many more cool things. "The popsicles glow! The floor glows when steppy step! The lights sparkly! The jellyfishes look like bunnies!" Lemilia fell to the ground in a heap as she became exhausted from examining everything in her sight.

"Lemilia sweetie, you'll have to get up if you want to practice cheering me on." Lemilia then suddenly sat up. But a leaf actually sprouted from her head as stars filled her eyes. "Oh, what does that mean?" The lemon child stood up to her feet as she swayed her body to wave the leaf around. "I'm growing!" Lemilia jumped in joy as she circled her reflection and watched her leaf dance lightly. Walking backward, the lemon child reached up to touch the leaf. Before she could touch a vein, she bumped into Jellicious! Looking in front of her, there stood the said person, so who could be standing behind her?

"Uh, hey." Lemilia looked up and saw another very blue person. "Hi!" The small child gave a genuine bright smile. Though, this newcomer seemed to ignore her and walked straight to Jellicious. "Why?" Lemilia quietly muttered to herself as her mood just went downhill. They were talking about "adult things." What else could they talk about that wasn't childish? Lemilia sat on the floor once more and began poking at her reflection on the ground. She could see her colors begin to swirl as she began to daydream.

Tears streamed down her chubby face. Blue and red lights sprayed the background of her fielding surroundings. The new blue guy was standing beside her. She could see how she hopped off some high platform and ran away in her cupcake skirt and frills.

The green headband swayed with her two leaves sprouting out of her scalp. Black ooze engulfed her small running figure and morphed into people laughing and mocking her. Her shrinking body shivered as the shadows ripped her yellow lemon heart into pieces. She noticed how the pieces couldn't fit together when she tried to heal her heart.

Lemilia returned to reality when she saw Jellicious waving her hand in front of her face. "Enlightenment to Lemilia! Enlightenment to Lemilia?" Lemilia took Jellicious' hand and propped herself up from the shiny ground. "Dreamy..." Jellicious gave her that signature warm smile and led the lemon and blue guy down a very shiny hall.

"Who's lemon you're harboring up right here?" The blue guy spewed as he narrowed his eyes. Lemilia began to absorb his attributes and characteristics. Smooth dark blue hair, pale blue skin, green eyes, and looked pretty casual.....though his demeanor and aura told a different story away from his handsome face. The lemon child squinted her eyes, as if she was a detective, solving a puzzle. Stars lit up her eyes and heat rushed to her face. Lemilia was able to make a connection! This boy looked like a blueberry!

"Jellicious, are you going to keep ignoring me? And you," Blueberry boy cranked his head at Lemilia as she was caught in surprise. "Stop staring at me." They continued to walk the hall in silence. But in the child's head, everything felt too heavy to even breathe normally. Coming up with a harmless idea that would rock up everyone's mood, Lemilia puffed her cheeks in perseverance.

Lemilia stopped dead in her tracks, immediately catching the attention of the two adults. "Lemilia? Is there-" Lemilia sprinted down the hall at the speed of light. She reached the next set of big doors and squatted down. Inhaling a big deep breath, Lemilia shouted, "Jellious is the best! We win, we win, we win! Yeah! We win trophez!" Lemilia pumped up her arms in the air as she jumped up with determination.

Jellicious and blueberry both caught up to her antics and let out relieved sighs. "I thought something scared you or you just wanted to get competitive." Jellicious laughed out. Blueberry scowled at Lemilia, but that didn't persuade her to back down from her peak. "Blueberry is a baddie! Blueberry is a booming boost! Yeah!" Lemilia pumped up again, blueberry turned his head away, but the two girls could see his skin flushing with color. Jellicious chuckled, making Lemilia tilt her head with a pure smile.

"What's your name blueberry?" Her eyes beamed with curiosity. The leaf adds to her overall cuteness. "Blueber." Lemilia backed up in shock. "Blueber equals blueberry." Loudly whispering, Blueber light laughed, making the lemon child feel accomplished. "Maybe I would help out after all." Lemilia reverted back to her confused face.

-

"Am I pretty?" Lemilia stepped up onto the small stage as she twirled around in her new outfit. "Yes, yes! You are very pretty!" Jellicious held a hand to her mouth to cover her contagious laugh. Blueber only nodded his head, his small smile adding to his own complexion. With a green headband, a puffy blue top with puffy sleeves, a primary red band around her waist, accompanying a bright yellow and white cupcake skirt adorned in lemon slice designs. Her white ankle-high socks compliment her now-covered feet inside teal-colored Mary Janes. "This is how my little cheerleader should look on the day of the competition!" Jellicious praised with full honesty. Lemilia flushed in red as she swayed around, almost as if she was trying to shake out the red.

"Does she have some choreography or something?" Lemilia pressed her lips together, furrowing her brows. "No, I picked her up from the town center festival. She was sitting at a fountain all by herself and-"

"You picked up a random kid and labeled her as your new cheerleader? Don't you realize how much this would affect both of us? Nobody would ever want us in their society!" Blueber scolded as he stood up to his full height. Lemilia wanted to shrink down from his sheer hostility, but she instead kept her arms close. "There's nothing more infuriating than seeing you do things just to stand out!" Jellicious retorted back by saying, "Fitting in may be your sense of belonging, but being unique is mine!" Lemilia understood, they had different loyalties. But then she also didn't understand why they would argue over such a childish thing.

"I only picked up after you because no one wanted me as their partner! I made the decision to step in your path since I felt left out and you accepted!" Blueber sweated out his words. Lemilia could see the droplets streaming down his pores and disappearing after they escaped his body. People sweat after getting angry this fast? "Did you ask for her consent when you found her? Did you even stop to think that she also has something to do? How do you know if she wants to fit in or not? Did you contemplate what her destiny was really supposed to be?" Blueber stopped as he tried to catch his breath. Jellicious seemed to have forgotten how to breathe. "So....you didn't." Jellicious dropped down to her knees and covered her face while hunching her back.

"I should've told you this even if everything was so obvious." Blueber looked down at the jellyfish that was slumped over. "Singing was my previous destiny before I arrived. But my one true love died before I could suffice it." Jellicious looked up with strange tears in her eyes, they almost looked jelly-like. It was silent for a moment. No one dared to move in the presence of tensity. "Your destiny was....love?" Blueber muttered as he moved closer to the crying woman. "I was supposed to make him follow the right path. We were already lovers in our past lives. But when he was taken away from me, I am now damned to stay here forever." Blueber kneeled down to lift up her teary face. "He was supposed to follow my voice until he fulfilled his destiny. I would sing even when he was in his darkest times. Those wretched gods just had to tamper with my fate." Lemilia sat down to watch.

The two stood up holding hands and staring into one another's eyes. "You know, this place, this world...it's said to be a universe of redemption if you didn't achieve your destiny in your world. We also tend to find a sense of belonging and self-exploration." Jellicious looked at his blue neck, noticing how a small glowing lemon with a star emptying the middle of it pulsed. Jellicious turned her head to Lemilia, who was watching the whole ordeal. "A sense of belonging and self-exploration..."

The by-standing lemon child tilted her head. "My previous destiny was to follow someone you know. I still do it even now." Jellicious returned her attention to Blueber. "Lustre?" Blueber smiled as tears welled up in his eyes. "Jennsia." Lemilia watched as they hugged. Another leaf sprouted from Lemilia's head. They drooped down to cover her eyes as the two adults leaned in towards each other.

They parted from each other's embrace as the two leaves slowly uncovered Lemilia's unwavering eyes. Jellicious giggled as Blueber turned to face the child sitting on the stage alone. His face heated up as he just realized the exposure he gave to the child. The two leaves on her head turned into an X and went down her face. "I am not here!" Lemilia said as she shot out her arms with her fists balled into thumbs up. Blueber felt his soul leave his body.

-

The stage was immaculate. Everything was clearly planned out exquisitely. There seemed to be nothing more perfect than the sight in front of the three. Lights streamed through the glossy glass-looking sets and the curtains were sparkling like the lemon glitter on Lemilia's skirt. Speaking of the lemon, she fixed a large smile on her face as she ogled at the amazing stage. "Water!" The two tall adults nodded as they descended the hilltop. When they reached the stage they could see all of the individual decorations fused with the stage itself. There seemed to be nothing that could compete with the dazzling stage!

Or so they thought. A bright pink light was seen within the peripheral of their views and they shifted their attention to another dazzling stage. The glitter seemed to brighten the stage just like a glitter bomb. Smoke fumed out of the curtains as they gathered aside and bright lights beamed. A silhouette walked toward the front of the stage. The click-clacking of heels being the only noise being made. When the unknown person forcefully cleared away the smoke around their body. "Step 1 cleared! I need my eye black to finish my look!" The hot pink-colored body mass waved her arm around like a person saying hello.

"Who is that?" Lemilia peered up at her guardians. They both seemed nervous upon the introduction of this newcomer. "That's CherryGrante. Her and her little cherry bombs are going down beneath the boot." Blueber spat laced with venom. It verified that he very much disliked this "CherryGrante'' person. "That's her stage name. I really can't believe she's actively trying to compete with me." Jellicious shook her head. "I wanna put candy in her clicky-clacks." Jellicious was amused with Lemilia's idea but quickly frowned. "Sabotaging is against the rules, so she can't fill my speakers up with sauce." Question marks left Lemilia's mind. Embarking on a destiny of finding out what that means! "There's nothing much we can do besides winning against her forces." Blueber sighed. He turned to walk away, leaving the two girls with their own spaces.

Jellicious and Lemilia stood on the stage platform itself. Blueber pushed a lever and the circular rising platform amazed the youngest. Tapestry was aligned along the sides of the platform, giving it a water fountain look. It almost looked like jellyfish tentacles if seen differently. Quietly wowing at the advanced technology, a pink light shimmered in the highlights of her eyes. Uprising CherryGrante on her own platform, with glowing dragonflies emitting from the open hole at the bottom. "Check 1, 2, 3! Check!" CherryGrante spoke into her pink rhinestone-covered microphone. "She's back!" Lemilia pointed to the pinker than pink woman. CherryGrante noticed the gaze she followed.

"Oh? I didn't think you would also choose this spot to sing." CherryGrante blew a bubble of gum after she said that. Jellicious narrowed her eyes, Lemilia doing the opposite. "My glowing stage is quite easy to pick out from the rest. You purposely chose this spot here just to pester me. What devious plan have you set up this time?" Jellicious angled her body. Lemilia was growing nervous with the uprooting severity between the two girls. "Nothing much, just wanted to say hello." CherryGrante signaled to be lowered down. The backstage man pulled up the lever and she was striding with the platform. "Before I forget, I also wanted to say that your songs are gonna go down the drain."

CherryGrante winked. Jellicious frowned and turned away from the rockstar. "Don't listen to anything she says Lemilia. You're too sweet for her and this world. She's too sour for any of us to handle." Lemilia looked up at the talking jellyfish. Blueber hurried next to them and seemed to have reassured his spouse.

"How about you go run along and sit on the podium? The pedestal shouldn't be too high up for you now." Lemilia smiled, agreeing with Jellicious' scheme. "I give a lot lemons and glitter to peoples!" The lovers awed at the sight of a happy lemon. "You know, lemons are usually very mean and toxic towards others. I think you just got lucky with raising a pure one."

Jellicious blushed with Blueber's saying. Her blush quickly disappeared when she broke to him; "That's why I took her. She stands out in the crowd too much and has already caused unintentional problems. She and her kind may not belong in this world much longer." Lemilia peered up at them one last time before racing off to hang out on the podium. She could see how the adults were talking solemnly about something. Maybe they were sad with how CherryGrante may take first place after all? CherryGrante felt like she was such a stuck-up person anyways.

Swinging her legs forward and back, she awaited the one-man show. Though, it might be two if CherryGrante decided to synchronize her song with Team Jellicious. Nothing felt more infuriating than the sheer thought of that happening. Lemilia waited a few minutes, understanding that sometimes, singers needed some along-time to get prepared for the big show.

But then she was brought out of her trance when she saw flashing pink lights and smoke emitting from the Cherry Stage. Lemilia had then just noticed how there was a crowd beginning to gather around the stage and sitting on the bleachers. "A lemon? Why are they here? Did any of you tell them about this event? I don't want to deal with those crooks." Lemilia turned around and saw the passing people mutter about her presence. Waving hello to the townspeople, they only retracted in disgust for a reply. Confused, Lemilia fixed her gaze on the blue stage.

When was Jellicious going to come out? CherryGrante was starting her introduction choreography while the jellyfish stayed hidden behind the dark curtains abyss! Swinging her legs faster and with more force, Lemilia puffed her cheeks in irritation. The people dissing and mocking her right behind her own ears made her feel disgusted with herself. She wanted to shrink down and disappear.

Just as she was about to, blue glitter and lights emitted from the awaiting stage. Holograms of sea creatures roared out. A giant whale and some dolphins screamed out their melodic calls. The lemon child could see from far away that CherryGrante was beginning to widen her smirk as she occasionally glanced at the jelly stage. Lemilia contorted her soft and chubby face to one of concern and fear.

Jellicious began her graceful introductory choreography. Her dancing movements were similar to that of water. Slow and flowing. She could compete with a trained and experienced prima ballerina. Her long dress flowed in the blowing wind, nearly designed like a jellyfish itself. Shaped like an upside-down morning glory, the fabric glowed in the dark as a true jellyfish would. Lemilia never noticed before, she had a jelly-like veil attached to a crown on top of her head. It looked like it was part of her tentacle hairs. This time, her veil has been styled to look like a sun hat.

CherryGrante on the other hand wore bright pink steampunk clothing. Her long hair twisted into two buns and two ponytails extruding out their centers. Something the two singers shared were the opposing colored glamoured microphones in their hands. CherryGrante gave one last victorious ego look to Jellicious, who looked back. Giving a narcissistic smirk and she began to sing her first verse. Jellicious grimaced but quickly replaced it with a look of deception. This caught CherryGrante off-guard, though she picked up after herself. Lemilia felt a deep pit grow inside of her stomach and gut. Something felt like it was going to go wrong. Since she was too busy looking at the two competing stars, she couldn't figure out the cause and what was foretold.

"Who do you think is gonna win, little lemon?" Lemilia felt her soul disintegrate as she let out a very loud yelp. She sighed in relief when she saw it was just Blueber. "I almost die because you lave talk!" Blueber raised an eyebrow. "Love talking?" Blueber shook his head in amusement. "If there is one person I would talk to, it would be the one I love the most." Lemilia followed his gaze, trailing to Jellicious, and lightly smiled. "Marry." Blueber choked on his drink as he tried to regain his comings. "W-What?" Lemilia turned half of her attention to him. "Marry, or I will." Blueber stared at the child in sheer shock.

Guitars began to be strummed from the pink side of the competition. The two returned their eyes to the two bright stages. CherryGrante appeared to have finished her introductory opening. Lemilia could see sweat streaming down Blueber's skin like tears. Drums were being beaten pretty hard at the pink side and the blue side seemed to be slacking behind.

"Will she win?" Lemilia peered up at the only other person she deeply knew. Blueber didn't reply. Gazing back to the two glowing stages standing out in the middle of the night, the small child sighed. The feeling in her abdomen only grew worse. The stars twinkled in the sky, pulsing when the glowing child looked up at them. They talked about destiny, what's mine? Tilting her head, she made a sad face as she felt a heavy feeling in her chest. She could still hear people talking about her existence.

Jellicious picked back up the pace as a sparkly magical noise emitted from the speakers. It didn't make sense how such an ethereal sound could be created with this fresh technology. Jellicious had also finished her opening piece.

Who would step up first and gain the head-start to winning points? The crowd wavered in their seats and places in anticipation. They clearly had an understanding of what was going on and the guidelines of this timeline and show. CherryGrante beat it to the punch when she yelled into her punky microphone with all her might. The lemon symbols on the two blue personifications began to faintly pulse.

Jellicious inhaled a deep breath and began singing her heart out. This was her first song, CherryGrante seized her yelling and began to rock out actual words. Lemilia attempted to block out the music. The colors swirling, the music seeping through her blockage of noise. The loud chattering of the crowd behind her.

The singing in the background made the place around her seem ethereal. The black ooze slid down the sky as she stood in a grassy field. Sunflowers as tall as the buildings she saw in the town she caused problems in. Her frilly dress flowed in the wind as she tried to look up at her leafy head.

But upon trying to count her sprouting leaves, she saw the black ooze in front of her face. Morphing into that of a featureless human head, the black ooze seemed to have been smiling at her. With her eyes widening in utter fear, Lemilia found herself unable to move.

Everything felt as if she was remembering a very bad memory. The ooze reached out with two arms hanging for her to embrace it. Lemilia could see from the bottom of her skyward-facing head, Jellicious, Blueber, and CherryGrante specifically standing there. Out in the field, watching her suffer from afar. The lemon child opened her mouth, uttering incoherent versions of their names.

She blinked back to her universe when the two singing stars versed in a heated music battle. "Women are crazy powerful." Blueber chuckled as more sweat trickled down his abnormal body. He turned his attention to Lemilia, who was quietly letting out sniffles and sobs. Panicking, Blueber froze in his position and a million thoughts zoomed through his blueberry brain. Lemilia helped herself off the podium and proceeded to run away. Blueber was processing what just happened. He then realized what the child was doing and scrambled after her.

Did people not like her? What exactly did she do besides eat bread and sit by water? She had heard everything they said. Even if she could look down at them from the podium while they were sitting on the bleachers, those words still reached her ears. They hurt more than if the whisk had hit her earlier that day.

"Lemons are the sour ones around here!

"Does anyone know if this child has any restraints?"

"No way they let a kid here by themselves, let alone a darn lemon!"

"Isn't that the rebel who stole bread without paying? Disgusting!"

"Hah! Wanna bet how toxic that lemon is if we befriend them?"

"Ew....She has leaves coming out of her urine-colored head."

Lemilia felt like she could understand everything everyone was saying. She understood those sentences were meant for her. Though, she couldn't understand why they were
so mean and uncalled for.

The deep pit within her stomach grew worse. Lemilia came to a long gray and dull hallway with beaming overhead lights. Stopping suddenly and dropping down, the lemon child clutched her aggravated abdomen. Droplets of tears fell down her face as she shifted her expression to one of pain.

Footsteps followed the path Lemilia had previously trailed. Blueber had caught up to the speedy child. Glancing at him from beneath her legs, Blueber looked very distressed. Black ooze sunk down from the corners of the walls, sliding down the pillars and onto the hard, cold ground. Blueber widened his eyes in a frenzy, noticing how the ooze was beginning to swirl around her frail body. Tar-looking substances began to circle her shivering body heavily. Lemilia could see out of the pockets of the holes in the ooze that Blueber was stretching out his hand.

The ooze completely engulfed her body and took her down into the ground. Blueber skidded to a stop when he looked at the previous place Lemilia was over. There was no trace of her on the ground beside the drying tear marks and seeping mystery slime.

-

Lemilia felt some of her stomach pain fade, but it was still hurtful enough that she limped. In an unknown abyss, where the ground mirrored her body exceptionally. Observing her whereabouts, Lemilia grew a mixed feeling of emotions; awe, confusion, fear, and deja vu.

Dropping down to her knees, she clutched her belly once more as the growing pain escalated, nearly paralyzing her. Tears streamed down, blending with the ground's surface when they left the warmth of her skin. Hearing something blub behind her hunched body, Lemilia closed her eyes, waiting for something to happen. Wet footsteps followed up next to her side.

The lemon child gave one glance at the strange entity. "Owie....." Lemilia saw from the corner of her eye when she muttered her breaking point, the creature raised an unidentifiable arm over her back. The ooze simply slid off her spine when tar-like droplets fell off from its limb. Feeling something similar to a hand press against her back, Lemilia looked over to the kneeling entity.

The pale yellow skin of the lemon child glowed brighter, just what exactly was this person doing to her? Lemilia felt her pain fade away like a wave of serenity. Sitting upright, she saw a yellow orb floating within the grasp of the entity.

"You.....wish......to.....live....in....peace.....and.....make.....those........happy...." The strange entity bubbled out full coherent words in a distorted voice. Lemilia wiped her tears away and stared at the glowing fixation. "Your pain came from your want to fit in.......your destiny is to help great figures unite....." The glowing orb seemed to speak for the strange entity. Nothing else was in the strange abyss beside them.

"What.....What that?" Lemilia pointed at the strange orb, which most likely came out of her back when the slime thing eased her pains. "I am your destiny. You have a fate to settle and return to your homeworld." The orb floated to her face. Glowing yellow like her skin, her water-colored eyes stared into the void of destiny. "Maybe hug? Maybe...." Scooting over to the lonely and forgotten entity, Lemilia tilted her head to inspect the stranger.

"I.....want........love....." Lemilia pulled herself together and made a determined-thinking face. A light bulb went off her head as her two leaves shot up straight. The yellow orb between them pulsed brighter and brighter, as if it was breathing. The two body masses within the abyss looked at the glowing fixation.

Suddenly, the glowing orb dispersed into thousands of yellow glitter particles. Waves of yellow cleared the abyss, a field of swaying grasses and sunflowers came into view. The joyful blue sky peaking overhead.

The nearby sparkles swirled around the two bodies. Lemilia grew a new leaf on top of her head, her cupcake skirt turning to that of a below-knee-length pale yellow skirt. Her green leafy-bow headband transformed into two red ribbons in her two low buns. Her shirt changed from a drinking blue to a virgin pure white and adorning white sleeves. Two lemon slices become the shoulder sleeves of her arms, dangling from her pits.

Lemilia looked over to the once black-tarred person. She noticed how they were a grayed person, with black fading into them from the top of their head, hands, and feet. They were just a little taller than her. "Hi! I'm a lemon lily sweetie!" The uncovered person looked at her with a warm smile. "Lemons were sour when humans made them. But you are too much of a sweet one." Lemilia bloomed with happiness. "I'm Tartarus. I used to live there, but after meeting you, I have a new destiny." A leaf sprouted from Lemilia's headband-less scalp. The four leaves danced in the wind.

"Sometimes, fitting in is to stand out. You found your sense of belonging by being unique." Tartarus squared his smile. "Lemilia!" Hearing three people shout her name, the perfectly tuned voices made her think straight to those three people. "Jellious! Blueberry! CherryGreat!" Lemilia jumped from her position and ran to her fellow friends. "Where were you?" Lemilia stopped to ponder for a moment. "I made a new friend! I found destiny!" The glowing child ran around in circles, noting that the three adults gasped.

"You know what your destiny is?" Jellicious kneeled down to the child's height. The lemon nodded in confirmation. Recalling what Tartarus said to her, "I am to be cool to be one you!" Jellicious reeled back in confusion. "She means that she found a sense of belonging by uniting you three. Those leaves on her head and symbols on your necks prove it." Tartarus explained as he followed up with the lemon child. The three looked at each other's necks, noticing the glowing lemon symbol that had a star emptying the middle.

Another leaf sprouted from Lemilia's head, officially counting five leaves jiggling together. "With your unity, you would be able to make people happier. Lemilia wouldn't be able to do so with the reputation lemons have right now." Blueber crouched to face Lemilia as Tartarus continued to explain her situation. "She made you guys remember your destinies, pulled you onto the right path away from your deep darkness, and proved herself worthy of being the soul of a human." CherryGrante took off her futuristic sunglasses. Everyone was still in their performance clothes.

"It's time for her to go." Lemilia stopped smiling as she looked at Tartarus. Everything seemed like it was going by too fast. There were no pinpoints of how CherryGrante and Jellicious stopped fighting and became friends! "Can I bread?" Blueber, Tartarus, and CherryGrante looked down at her in dumbfounded confusion. "She means that she wants to see the bread seller Poxick." Jellicious laughed as she holstered up the lemon child.

"And say sorry dandelions!" Then everyone was truly confused. "You came from the flower field even though you are a lemon? Lemilia nodded, not knowing what that was supposed to mean. "Her star probably fell into the flower field since it looked like her star didn't have enough life-year energy. She looks too young to even reach the fruit fields." Tartarus pointed out.

Lemilia looked at the blue and pink gals, wondering how on Enlightenment they were able to befriend each other. "Your disappearance brought us together because Cherry said you were too cute to lose. She liked your punked-up energy at the show." Jellicious cupped her hands together.

"We realized how many things we had in common after trying to search for you....so..." They both pulled out halves of a trophy. "Ta-da!~" CherryGrante showed off the trophy they won. "The trophies fit together like a puzzle! Just like how we were brought together by you!" CherryGrante pointed to the snapped dangling yellow ribbon hanging off to the sides.

Lemilia ogled at the shininess of the prize. Locking her eyes to feast on the ring on Jellicious' left ring finger, she gasped in surprise. "Marry!" Blueber relaxed on Jellicious. "You encouraged me to do it kiddo." Blueber flipped a coin up into the air and caught it like a pro. Lemilia summoned rings with her magical fixations and placed them on everyone's right ring finger. They all awed at her and compared designs.

"How did you do that?" CherryGrante asked, amazed that she saw magic in action. "I dunno!" The ripe lemon child innocently hopped in place when she replied. Tartarus was about to explain once more about the strange and new discoveries until Blueber suffocated him with his jacket. "She reached ultimate serenity; Enlightenment on the planet Enlightenment." The simple sentence still didn't satisfy the vast curiosity. Tartarus removed the torture device and took in wonderful deep breaths of fresh oxygen.

"I pulled out the orb that was restricting her limitations of creativity and destiny-power. So now she can summon anything harmless enough upon her own will." Tartarus glared at Blueber, who only shrugged his shoulders in response.

"What about those leaves that keep spawning from her hair?" CherryGrante pointed to the dancing leaves on top of Lemilia's head. "They represent the people she was destined to unite, those she had found and united in that moment." They all smiled as soon as the words left Tartarus' lips.

Lemilia felt extremely proud of herself, now knowing what she was going to do next.

-

"Sorry!" Lemilia slammed down a large bag of coins on the counter she climbed on in her beginnings. Along with a basket full of freshly baked Hen-brand loaves of bread. Poxick's beak would've touched the ground if he had liability insurance. Sprinting off with the four fellowmen riding in a carriage, Lemilia reached the dandelion field, which had more sunflowers swaying.

A dandelion popped up from the ground, which more sprouted in the following. Lemilia noticed how her glow became brighter, signaling that her time was almost up. "Sorry!" Lemilia threw around various love petals. The dandelions cheered in joy as the petals reminded them of their destinies.

"She gladly accepted how she is her own person in this world. Being one with the crowd yet standing out." Jellicious relaxed out. "You know, a sense of belonging may not always be to fit in." Blueber flicked his spouse's covered forehead, which did nothing effectively.

Quickly dropping the basket that was previously full of petals, Lemilia ran towards the nearby path that was open to life stars. Her skin glowed like the time she had left in the universe. "Bye!" Jellicious, Blueber, CherryGrante, and Tartarus waved back goodbye as they solemnly glanced at the lovely child. The dandelions stopped gathering the petals and happily waved goodbye to the lemon, knowing that she would fulfill the soul of another child. Lemilia hesitated from running back to them but proceeded to follow her destiny.

She was now ready to give purpose and humanity to another child, another person. The sunflowers bloomed in her wake as she walked down the path of rebirth. Saddened that she would be leaving loving fellows behind, Lemilia would be sure to cherish every moment and give her new life the best of the best. "I'm a new lemon friend! I'm a lemon lily sweetie!" Lemilia shouted as she brightly smiled and slowly walked towards her destiny. Everyone else watched and waved back. She had been born, lived, and now, she is a lemon giving life.

Transforming into a bright star, with light that could compete with the Earth's sun, the star zoomed into the sky and into the galaxy, returning to where it originated. Shimmering when panning up to the galaxy, pulsing when one would look at it.