ZT: Hi everyone! Guess whose back with another Oscaf side story?!

Kuja: And guess whose back as her slave-muse? Zipora honestly when are you going to let me go?

ZT: When I think of a better muse.

Kuja: What ever happened to your original muses?

ZT: No one would get them in here.

Kuja: Great…

ZT: Anyway, I hadn't planned on updating for a few days but-well this popped in my head and won't leave, so I wrote it while it was still fresh in my mind. I don't own Sailor Moon or FF9. Enjoy!

Of Silver Crystals and Feathers: Questions

Genomes were complex creatures with a vast expanse of knowledge. They could sit and recite Lord Avon's works from memory, or explain how the mechanics of a clock worked as if telling someone how to make a sandwich. However, for their knowledge or such complex things, those that were raised on Terra, an artificial world full of dangers that kept them from exploring beyond the boundaries of Bran Bal; the simple things were often missed or never learned.

Chibi was the last genome ever created. A four year old with a four-year-old's mentality, she was always finding something new to discover. She learned that she didn't like bees, but loved the honey they created. And although honey was made with flowers, they did not taste as sweet as the golden delight, despite how nice they smelled. She learned that it was hard to walk in a black mage's shoes since they were too big for her, and that laughter was her favorite sound. Ice was cold, but snow was fun, especially when she wore Serenity's long coat to keep her warm. Serenity's "liquid chocolate drink" was very tasty, especially when she put the fluffy white things it in. And Serenity had the very best stories! Some were about magical kingdoms, others were about far off worlds…They were fun to listen to inside, warmed by the chocolate drink and Serenity's coat, as they watched the snow fall just beyond the window. She learned she liked Serenity a lot. But there was one thing concerning Serenity that Chibi didn't know, and no matter how much she looked, she couldn't seem to find the answer…

One day, the little genome decided it was time to go to the grown ups for the answer. Skipping through the black mage village, she made her way to a little gate and opened it. Walking into a small shack, she was greeted by the loud "Kweh!" of Bobby Corwin as he spotted her from his nest. Hearing the noise, his two owners, Mr. 111 and Mr. 33, turned to see the little new comer.

"Hello Chibi," Mr. 111 greeted cheerfully.

"Come to help us with Bobby Corwin?" Mr. 33 asked.

Chibi shook her head, "Not today, I actually have a question I was hoping you could answer."

"Well, we shall certainly do our best. What is your question?" Mr. 33 asked.

Chibi fidgeted slightly, looking down at the hem of her blue skirt, "Lord Kuja and Lady Serenity are going to have a baby…right?"

"Yes, they expect it to arrive in a few months from what I hear..." Mr. 33 replied.

The little genome fidgeted with her skirt a little more before looking up at the two black mages, "What is a baby? I don't think we had any on Terra…"

"I'm sure you did," Mr. 111 replied, gentle affection in his voice for the little girl, "And you have seen a baby too." He patted the chocobo-chick's head, "Bobby Corwin here is a baby after all."

Chibi blinked, "But, why would they be so excited then? Serenity isn't very fond of Chocobos…"

The black mages faltered, before Mr. 33 tried to explain, "W-what Mr. 111 meant was that a baby is a very young creature, just as it comes into the world for the very first time. You were a baby at one point, as were all the genomes and Serenity."

"So…Kuja and Serenity are going to have a little genome to take care of?" Chibi clarified.

"I suppose so…" Mr. 111 replied slowly, not really sure himself if the child would be a genome, part of the race Serenity was, or something in between.

"Well, where are they getting it from?" The two black mages looked at Chibi in confusion before she continued, "The baby. If it takes so many months to get here, where is it coming from? We have a moogles, so shouldn't the delivery be fast?"

The two mages looked at each other, neither having the slightest clue how to answer the question of the little genome. Finally, Mr. 111 came up with a solution, "You know what? I'm sure Serenity and Kuja would know more about this, being the ones going to have a baby after all…Why not ask them? I hear they're over at the inn at the moment."

Chibi thought about this for a moment before nodding, "I see your point. Thank you for the help!" As she skipped out the door, the two mages glanced at Bobby Corwin, then back at each other, "Where do babies come from?"

"Lady Serenity!" The former sailor scout looked up from her book as one of her favorite genomes entered the inn. Many of the residents of Black Mage Village didn't know what to do with the little one. The genome's found her curiosity to be a handful and very annoying…especially that one time she started eating the chrysanthemums in Mikoto's garden. The black mages found her to be very interesting, but having the innocence of a child themselves (plus the fact that they were younger than the four year old), they didn't know most of the answers to her questions. Serenity, on the other hand, thought she was darling. Her bright eyes and adventurous nature reminded the blond of the other children she had come across in her lifetime, especially the little ones on earth, making her more excited for the coming of her own child each time she saw little Chibi.

Chibi bound up to Serenity sitting promptly at her feet. The blond smiled and put her book down, knowing this as the signal that the little genome had a question she wanted the older woman to answer. "What is it Chibi?" she asked.

"Well, I had a question and went to ask Mr. 111 and Mr. 33 about it. They gave me the answer, but then another one came up and they said I should ask you and Lord Kuja about it," the little genome answered in one breath, to the amusement of the former scout.

"Lord Kuja", who happened to be making notes on his research at a table nearby, glanced up a moment after hearing the little girl speak before returning to his notes, keeping an ear on his wife's conversation with the child should his input be needed.

"Ok, what is it you want to know?" Serenity asked.

"If babies take a long time to get here….where do they come from?" Kuja decided a walk would be a nice way to clear his head at that point.

Serenity blinked as the words registered in her head. She knew she'd have to answer this question sooner or later, but she was expecting to have to answer it for her own child…in a few years! "Um…" she glanced around for any cue as to where to begin, and noticed her husband attempting to escape. He was going to leave her to answer this on her own? Nope, not in her books. "Well I'm sure Lord Kuja could give you a good answer. He is the smart one after all," she winked at the little girl, causing her to giggle and her silver mate to stop in his tracks.

Kuja turned to face them, and Serenity could have sworn he powdered his face again with how pale he was. "Oh but my dear…I'm afraid she is a young genome; my scientific answer might be a little too complex for her. Surely one who has experience with youths, such as yourself, would do a better job at explaining such things than I would."

"Nonsense," Serenity replied, waving him off, "You would do a grand job at explaining these things. Besides, you know my experiences with children are less than wonderful. Take my 'friendship' with Eiko for example…"

The genome had to admit, he couldn't argue with her on that point…He opened his mouth to speak, but closed it not a moment after. He repeated this a few more times before he realized what the answer was: wing it. "Why children take so long to come because they come…from the stars."

Chibi looked confused, "The stars?"

Serenity caught on to what Kuja was doing and took it in stride, "Of course dear. See, every person has a bit of star light in them. When two people love each other enough, they, well…Kuja?"

"The lovers combine their star light to call to a new star, which is their baby. And coming from the stars takes a long time…so that's why we have to wait months for the baby," Kuja answered. To Mikoto, who had entered the room right about at the start of the explanation, it was very ridiculous unless they were talking about star seeds. But, considering it was a four year old they were talking to and she never brought up reproduction with the other genomes until they were older, she decided to let it slide for now.

"But how does the baby know where to go?" Chibi asked.

The silver genome tried to think of an answer, but Serenity beat him to it. "Why, the mommy calls to it, sweety. The combined light grows in the mommy's tummy, and works as a guide until the light gets there."

Chibi looked up at Serenity with huge round eyes, "Is that why your tummy has been growing?"

The blond laughed, "Sure."

"Ok, that's what I wanted to know." Chibi jumped up, "Tell the baby to come here soon! I can't wait to meet it!" With that, she ran past Kuja and out the door.

As soon as she left, both husband and wife heaved deep sighs of relief. "And to think…" Kuja sighed, rubbing his temples, "We'll have to give that explanation again once our own child asks."

Serenity shook her head, "Hope you wrote it down, love."

He looked up at her in shock, "Why do I have to tell her?"

"Because…" Serenity walked towards the room with the bunk beds, "The pink little 'Kupo' chirping creature with the orange pompom at the Iifa tree says that you owe me a huge favor. That's what I'm cashing it in as."

Love it? Hate it? Review it! Till next time!