" All men have stars, but they are not the same things for different people. For some, who are travelers, the stars are guides. For others they are no more than little lights in the sky. For others, who are scholars, they are problems... But all these stars are silent. You-You alone will have stars as no one else has them... In one of the stars I shall be living. In one of them I shall be laughing. And so it will be as if all the stars will be laughing when you look at the sky at night..You, only you, will have stars that can laugh! And when your sorrow is comforted (time soothes all sorrows) you will be content that you have known me... You will always be my friend. You will want to laugh with me. And you will sometimes open your window, so, for that pleasure... It will be as if, in place of the stars, I had given you a great number of little bells that knew how to laugh. "

― Antoine de Saint-Exupéry, The Little Prince

(Rouen, France: 2:30 PM)

After working around the mansion, the Kree-Lizard boy spent reading in the library which he took several 20th century books about astronomy and space exploration. In fact, it was his favorite topic every time he read from his home schooling sessions. He closely looked at the pages with pictures of planets in the solar system, stars, nebulae, and other heavenly bodies. The hybrid imagined himself if he could go and visit in those places where he had wanted to be. He kept reading every pages and never noticed someone joined with him in the library. It was his best friend, Jared Coulson who sat next to him and took a history book.

" Mind if I join you in this session, bud? " the half-Lizard curiously asked.

" Sure, Jared, " he nodded and turned to him. " What book is that? "

" It's about the life of Napoleon Bonaparte, " Jared replied. " His biography is pretty interesting to learn. I used to know him as a French stateman and military leader. Surely, I get some full details of his life time. "

" Interesting. "

" How about you? You seem to be engrossed with science books which Madame Danvers has taught you. "

" Well, I'm more interested in outer space since I got used to see the stars before I arrived here. "

" Astronomy and Space Exploration, " Jared snapped his right finger while his left hand was holding a book. " Surely, if you were born a human, you could have been an astronaut or astronomer. You could be one of those people who would set foot on the moon or planet Mars. "

" Oh, right, " he nodded in agreement. " Those would surely interest me. "

" Anyway, we just need to keep on reading before Madame Danvers, Mr. Fernal, or Mr. Greene would notice us, " the half-Lizard reminded and chuckled. " You know, silence please. "

The two hybrid boys spent reading in the rest of the afternoon which they enjoyed learning from the books they had opened and read. Suddenly, a dark haired man entered the room with his girlfriend. Jared and his friend noticed them coming as they closed the books.

" Allen, Karena, is there anything else I can help? " the half-Lizard curiously asked.

" Yeah, we got a situation in Lyon, " Allen answered. " Elder Maria Hill asked us to go in the frontlines once again with Bav-tek's faction. "

" Oui, monsieur Coulson, " his brunette girlfriend added. " We need to get ourselves quickly. "

" Sounds like an infiltration, " he replied, returned the book into the shelves, and turned to his best friend. " Sorry, bud. Duty calls. We need to fly to Lyon and fight back. "

" Sure, that sounds very important, " the boy said. " You may go now, Jared. "

" Sorry to leave you alone, bud. "

" We'll see you soon, " Allen smiled.

" Au revoir! " Karena added.

The boy remained when his friends left for their mission. He finished reading some of his books and checked at the window where he saw his mother at the vegetable garden working.

" Her work is also interesting, " he thought and watched from a distance. " I need to help her out. "

He put the books into the shelves and left at the library. The hybrid boy left the library and headed his way to the stairs. He saw a crowd of children running along with their older sibling and made his way at the ground floor to the garden. Looking around, he noticed his mother-figure harvesting some tomatoes, lettuce, onions, radish, and other vegetables which she gathered and placed them into different baskets.

" Perhaps, you need my help, " the Kree-Lizard called her attention.

" Thanks, Kid, " Carol smiled and wiped her forehead with her red sash. " Surely, I need some manpower here. "

" Sure, mom. So, where are we bringing these baskets? "

" Into the kitchen, of course. "

The Kree-Lizard boy helped his mother in lifting the harvests as Carol followed him from carrying and transferring the baskets from the outside going to the kitchen. They carried them one by one which they were careful in bringing them. The harvested vegetables were meant for their dinner for tonight. The two returned to the garden and brought the remaining basket of onions which the boy was wryly smiling, sneezing, and tearing his both eyes.

" What's wrong, Kid? Did you find the onions making you cry? " the elderly half-Kree woman teased.

" Yes..."

" Why don't you wash your face after carrying them? Surely, you still don't want to smell more. "

" Right. "

Finally, they carefully placed the basket of onions on the table when the other residents were pleased to see all the vegetables for their dinner. They headed back to the garden and started to sweeping the ground before sunset. The yellow and orange clouds meet together along with the sun as the Kree-Lizard hybrid noticed it.

" So, you're still waiting for the stars to come out? " Carol turned to him and asked.

" Yeah, I was wondering if I could use the old telescope which I found in the attic few days ago, " he suggested. " Could it be helping me to see the stars closer? "

" Good point, but I really recommend you to go up, " she smiled and pointed her index finger to the sky.

" Up? How? "

" Kid, I'm no ordinary human being. I can fly into space. "

The boy widened his eyes in shock and never believed in what the elderly woman was saying. He was really anxious if he could fly with her, since he had never gone flying before. Carol raised her eyebrows and paused sweeping, holding her outdoor broomstick.

" Surely, you don't believe me, do you? "

" I...I mean how come? "

" Kid, I'm part-Kree, " she seriously replied. " I may look old, but I'm still powerful and not rusty. "

" Really, mother?! " the boy chuckled in disbelief as Carol levitated her both feet on the ground. He got surprised to see the elderly woman doing it. " W-wait! You're..."

" Even an old dog has remained some tricks! " she grinned and flew up higher.

" Wait, how did you do that?! " he raised his voice.

" It's a long story, Kid..." she grinned and descended.

" Did Mar-Vell help you to train these powers from an accident? "

" Oh yeah, glad you remember that! Anyway, if you wanna go up high to see the stars, I'm gonna help you. " 

" Okay....but...."

" What? "

" I'm afraid of heights..." he nervously said.

" Kid, you're afraid of heights?! " the elderly woman repeated his words and found him ridiculous. " For a tall half lizard guy like you, this is really unthinkable! How come?! "

" I don't know, " he sadly sighed. " I wrote on my essay it's impossible for me to go to space. " 

" Yet, you forgot to write of your altophobia. " 

" It's pretty embarrassing if everyone could read or hear from me. "

" Kid, it's all right, " she replied and gently patted his back. " If you really want to conquer your fear of heights, it's upto you to challenge yourself. But if you want to stay on the ground, you can take the telescope and stargaze. " 

" Okay, " he nodded, but his mind got apprehended and nervously gulped.  

(Later that Evening)

After eating dinner, the Kree-Lizard hybrid spent stargazing using his telescope which pointed at the direction of the twinkling dots in the sky. He focused on the bright blue star and closely looked at it.

" Vega is surely a bright one, " he thought. " But going above the ground to see one, it's very dangerous. I can't fly up there. Should I face my fear of heights for this one? "

The boy became more anxious, but he tried to calm himself down and diverted his thoughts in watching the stars. Suddenly, his mother arrived and saw him stargazing.

" Surely, you're enjoying your wonderful time here, " she called him.

" Yes, mom, " he nodded and turned to her.

" So, are you going to accepting the challenge? "

" What challenge? "

" Going up to sky and see the stars, of course! "

The boy anxiously smiled and began to sweat from what he had heard. For him, he never wanted to go beyond his comfort zone of staying his feet on the ground which he had been in years. But for the sake of his dreams, he had to take the risks of going above. He remained silent and gulped as his mother noticed him.

" Kid? Are you ready? " she asked.

" I d-don't think...." he tremblingly paused as his tail got shaking.

" Do you want to go to space or not? "

" Y-yes....but..." 

" But what?! You're still afraid of heights? "

" Yes..."

Carol heavily sighed and facepalmed which she got challenged to help him conquer his fears. Then, she crossed her both arms, thinking of how to convince her adopted Kree-Lizard son in peril. The elderly woman kept walking to and fro as the boy noticed her action.

" Why? Is there something wrong? " he curiously asked.

" Look, Kid. You want to go to space, " she bluntly answered and raised her right hand in interjection. " But the thing is you're too difficult to handle especially you have altophobia. Tell me, what was the main cause for that fear? "

" It's I'm not used to go higher places, since my early days I had been inside the MTF Containment Cell. Secondly in my trip from Canada to Alaska, I had never tried to climb a mountain. I was thinking I might fall down into the cliff when I did that. "

" Okay, this is your dilemma, but you just need to get out of the box sometimes. It will be risky, but I swear you will gain an experience. "

" What should I do? I'm really scared of what you're doing! "

" I'm your mother, young man. You need to put your trust on me, Understood?! " she stressed her words. One thing, I ask of you is not to look down. "

" W-What?! "

" Oh for Great Pama's Butt, just come with me! I'm helping you follow your wildest dreams! "

The elderly half-Kree woman effortlessly carried the hybrid boy. He widened his eyes in fear and became sweatier than ever. His sharp teeth was grinding and shaking as he put his hands to his mother's arms. Carol sternly glared at him.

" Why don't you close your eyes first, Kid. You're getting too tense. "

" O-okay..." he instantly closed his eyes as Carol slowly ascended while carrying him. 

The boy never realized that he and his mother were ascending into the sky. They were reaching above the troposphere where the gloomy and dark sceneries of Rouen, Paris, and the other nearby villages were seen. He slowly opened his eyes and saw the French evening view from above. At first, he was trembling and eyeing below the ground. He panicked and shook as he was more afraid than earlier.

" MOTHER, PLEASE! LET'S GO DOWN! LET'S GO DOWN! LET'S GO DOWN! " the hybrid boy cried.

" FOR HALA'S SAKE! I SAID DON'T LOOK DOWN! " she angrily yelled in reply which he stopped ranting and became silent. She changed her tone into a calmer one. " Relax, you're with me whenever you fall. Just focus at the view, not looking down, Understood? "

He nodded and gulped as he kept looking at the view while the elderly half-Kree woman was still carrying him and continuing to ascend miles away from the troposphere going to the stratosphere. The air was dry and warmer which they both felt while flying.  The boy was becoming no longer afraid of heights as he diverted his attention to the dark clouds, the stars and to the moon. He started to smile in seeing the wonders of the Earth's atmosphere at night. 

" So, how are you feeling, Kid? " she asked.

" I'm happier than ever, mom! I didn't realize this is the most breathtaking view I have ever seen. "

" You wanna go up? "

" Sure, I'm becoming to get used of this one! "

" So, we're now in the Stratosphere, the ozone layer is around here, " she said. " Next stop, Mesosphere! "

The two went above the second layer of gas when they were approaching to the mesosphere. The shooting stars were seen in this place as the boy got amazed to see them coming. The temperature became cooler than the other layers which they both felt it. Carol turned to him and smiled as she thought of something.

" Go ahead, Kid. Make a wish, you're seeing shooting star, right beside you. "

" You mean a meteor? "

" Yep, when you see one. Start making a wish. "

The boy nodded and looked at the quick shooting star going down. He followed his mother's request and thought of his wishes and dreams to come true.

" Did you wish for something? " Carol asked.

" Yes, " he nodded and smiled. " I hope it will come true soon. "

" Right, I'll ask you later when we return. "

They continued reaching above the mesosphere which they ended up in the thermosphere.It was higher than the other layers where they had gone. The boy was curious why his mother decided not to go farther and higher.

" Why are we stopping here? " he curiously asked.

" Kid, First of, going above the thermosphere is dangerous. I can't let you go there since you can't breathe if you go to space. Secondly, this is the second farthest layer above the earth. This is how far can we go for now. "

" Too bad, I can't see beyond this planet. "

" It's okay, " she smiled. " For me, this is the most ideal place for stargazing at night when I was younger. " 

" Why is that? " he curiously asked.

" Well, it's closer to outer space and you have a clear view of the stars from here. "

The boy smiled and pointed at the summer triangle which he saw the Vega, Altair, and Deneb floating on the sky along with the other stars. The bright cloudy arm of the Milky Way was also seen from this point.

" This is really beautiful, " he commented. " I've never seen anything like it. Thank you, mom. "

" No sweat, Kid. At least, I helped you to fulfill your dream in going to space, but not exactly there yet. Eventually, you will go there soon. "

" Someday, " he nodded in reply. " But seeing the stars makes me happy and forget everything for a while. "

" True, not just that, but they guide our way in going elsewhere at night. Just like those groups of stars over there, " she pointed at the Big and Little Dipper, Cassiopeia, and Draco at her left as the hybrid noticed them.

" They surely do. I see them every night, " he replied. " The Big and Little Dipper. I imagined them as a mother bear and her cub. "

" Nice imagination, you got there, Kid. "

" Back in my days, when I was wandering with Mar-Vell. He actually made a joke about them. "

" I didn't know that serious Kree hero was a funny bone, " Carol said. " Tell me about it. "

" Why does the Big Bear always follow the Little Bear? She keeps an eye on her naughty cub and tells him he's grounded from being stubborn and lazy all year round! "

" Sounds corny, but true, " the elderly half-Kree woman snickered. " I could have heard that from him. "

" Here's another joke from him. Why does your Galaxy call the Milky Way? "

" Do tell, Kid. "

" Humans brought a herd of cows going to space which they spilled the whole milk outside their spacecraft and stretched it in the universe! "

Carol laughed to another joke from her beloved alien friend which the boy shared. She smiled and recalled those days from her past before Mar-Vell ended up as a street beggar joining with her son. This time, she also thought of her earlier years as a US Air Force pilot and as an Avenger.

" You know, Kid, " she broke her silence. " I do really miss flying around and fighting space aliens and bad guys."

" Really? Can you tell me what is your life before I met you? "

" Before I discovered my super abilities, I was once a US Air Force pilot and a NASA Astronaut. I really loved flying airplanes and going to outer space. My late father never wanted me working in a man's job. "

" Why is that? "

" Well, he thought I'm too weak and useless for the job I wanted to experience. Girls don't deserve those kind of jobs. They deserve to be some stay at home housewives and mothers like every man thinks of them. "

" Mom, that sounds unfair and unreasonable to think or say like those things. If I were a father like him, I could allow and support my daughter on the things or her future which she wants to have, " he replied.

" I'm so glad to hear that response from a 682 clone like you, " she smiled. " You sound and think more like a real man than a ravenous monster. I wish most of the men are just like you. "

" It was nothing, mother, " he blushed and smiled back. " I respect women I have met from my journeys and until now. I don't like people disrespecting and belittling them. "

" That's nice to hear from you. " she nodded and changed the topic. " I think it's getting late now. We need to go back."

" Wait, I have to make a wish to those stars, " he said.

" Suit yourself. "

Carol and her son remained at the thermosphere for a while. The boy looked at the stars for the last time and started making his wish. He smiled at the stars when his mother flew away while carrying him. They were returning to the lower gaseous layers and clouds of the Earth's atmosphere. Reaching to the troposphere and the outskirts of Rouen, France, the boy again was amazed to see the view of Paris and the nearby villages.

Finally, they ended up at the balcony where they had first begun leaving for their trip to the sky. Carol carefully brought her son down and aided him to stand up. The two noticed everyone had gone into their slumber which they decided not to make any noises. The elder and the Kree-Lizard boy entered the room and sat on the bed.

" So, did you enjoy the trip to the night sky? " she asked.

" Yes, I like it! " he happily beamed. " It could have been better if we go beyond the atmosphere, but you warned me of going there. It's okay. It's really worth it as my dream came true. Thank you for everything, Mom! "

The boy hugged his mother as she hugged him back and gently kissed his scaly forehead.

" You're welcome, Kid, " she replied. " It's just a beginning to conquer your fear of heights and your possibility of going there by yourself, once you're ready. "

" Oh, do you want me to hear what I have wished for? " he asked.

" Go ahead, do tell. "

" I wish I could meet the Kree Eternal and help me get off with this bondage I have. "

Carol got surprised to what her son had mentioned. It was several months ago when she met the Kree Eternal Methu-Selah in Paris and visited his son here in the mansion. The hybrid noticed her silence and got curious.

" Mom, Is there something wrong about what I have said? "

" No, nothing, Kid! " she wryly smiled and asked. " Tell me, why did you bring this up? "

" Fifty years ago, Mar-Vell told me of that strange, powerful, and long lived being from Hala who travelled across the universe and reached Earth. He is the one who has the three-fourths light soul. Then, Christopher met him as he got saved by the Kree Eternal and unleashed his other powers. Infact, he appeared to me in one of my dreams, " he explained. " Can you tell me where he is now? I have been searching and waiting for him for decades. "

" Honestly Kid, he's still in a mission on his own, like saving people in distress. I think he's in Ethiopia. "

" Can I go there and help me find him? My friend says he's the only one who can cure for my insanity. "

Carol sighed and gently rubbed the boy's back. She thought of Methu-Selah finding of his missing son in years. She wanted to tell the boy of what she learned from the Kree Eternal.

" Kid, he's looking for his son, " she replied. " It's been years which he had been on Earth. Someday, you will meet him and then he will help you get cured. "

" Definitely, I will. Then, I can help him find his missing son in return, " he determinedly spoke. " I know how hard for him in finding for his family. Just like I used to experience in my journeys. Anyway goodnight, Mom! "

" Goodnight and sweet dreams, Kid. "

Carol kissed his forehead and continued rubbing her son's back as he yawned, lied down to sleep, and closed his eyes.

" Kid, you're almost there in finding the truth about yourself and for your future, " she thought. " You will meet your father very soon. He's gonna help you for sure. "