A Nine-Year-Old's Worries
520


He hated lying. There was always just something about it that made his chest heavy, and almost always he was just sure that his mom and dad knew exactly when he was lying. So being a senshi just made his life a bit more...complicated. In a way. Sneaking out was just not something his parents would allow, whether it was for a good cause or not--he was only nine, so that made sense--and so he really didn't have a choice.

Right?

Clifford rolled toward the foot of his bed, a groan escaping him as a went. The sun was setting that much faster, his homework was done and dinner was just about to be had. Then after dinner he would once again be faced with the choice of either staying in or lying to his parents by sneaking out...

Was it even really lying, though, if he didn't say anything to them? Technically not, right? It wasn't like they were going to ask him in the morning what he'd been up to. He was nine, and nine-year-olds slept at night! They had no reason to ask, right?!

"Think, Cliff! Your teachers all say you're smart! You can do this!" he cried, then proceeded to slide off his bed like honey down the side of a glass.

Nothing was working, and it seemed his young mind couldn't reconcile the situation. On the one hand he didn't have to lie. He didn't have to sneak out or do anything with his powers. No one was forcing him to go out and do anything dangerous or risk his life for any reason whatsoever. But on the other...

How could he not?

How could he not do anything about having been granted powers at all? Every hero in every story he'd ever read did something meaningful with their powers and/or abilities. Even if all he could do was summon a bush, for all he knew it could really help someone out in the future if he kept it up. He just felt as though there was so much more he could do if he kept on training and doing his best as a senshi, even if it meant he had to tell a lie every so often.

So that made at least understandable, right?

He frowned at the thought, and just then heard his mother's footsteps coming up the stairs. It was quickly followed up with a rap on his door before she opened it and smiled at him with that usual smile of hers. The one that just seemed to know everything that was going on but that she was just keeping quiet until he said something first. He couldn't even smile back, considering his current thoughts. Instead he looked up at her almost blankly and waited for her to say something first.

"Dinner, kid, let's go."

He didn't even have to think about it. He got up and did as he was told, even offering up a small smile to perhaps ease his nerves about finally making his decision for later. He was going out...and he could make his apologies later.