"A cousin from the Cloud Village, huh?" Emi asked Ryuu as she prepared lunch for herself, husband and son.
"Yeah, it'll just be for a little while. May be short, may be long." Ryuu said and took a sip of water from the cup in his hand.
Emi nodded and smiled softly. "So, was she close with you? Is that why she wants to come up and visit you?"
Ryuu shrugged. "I was seventeen the last time I saw her. She was only two at the time." He chuckled and turned to smile at Emi.
Emi smiled at her husband before sighing. "So she wants to get to know you better, how cute." she laughed lightly before turning back to the stove. She poured the soup into three bowls and sat them on the table. "Tonoko! Lunch is ready!" Emi called as she sat down. She glanced to Ryuu and smiled. "Does he know yet?" She asked as she took a sip of her soup.
Ryuu shook his head as Tonoko, their son who looked an awful lot like his father, came running into the kitchen and slid into the wooden chair. Without a moment to think, or thank his mother, he scooped up the spoon and started to slurp the soup down. "Man, I was about ready to eat a cow!" Tonoko said between slurps.
"Slow down before you choke." Ryuu said and sat down between his wife and child.
Emi laughed lightly as she looked at their son. "Tonoko. Your father and I have some news for you. At some point today, a cousin of your dads is going to be staying with us for a while. I want you to treat her with the same respect you give us, alright sweetie?"
"Yeah!" Tonoko manage to say as he swallowed back the soup. He placed the spoon down and clasped his hands together while laughing somewhat evilly. "I will definitely treat him with respect! Say, does he get scared easily?"
Ryuu chuckled. "Female, son."
Tonoko froze for a moment. "Female?"
Ryuu nodded. "She'll be staying for a while, but we don't know how long."
Tonoko sighed. "You should get a male cousin to come over sometime. I've only met one male cousin - Koru - and that was two years ago."
Ryuu shrugged. "Sorry there, bud." He reached out to ruffle his hair.
Emi smiled softly. "I'm sure you'll get along with her." Emi reached for her spoon again when there came a few knocks to the front door.
Emi made her way to the door and opened it to see a female. She had neck length yellow spikey hair with black tips. She had deep green eyes and lastly, she wore the Inabikari clan crest around her neck.
The girl smiled when she caught sight of Emi's identical necklace. "So I do have the right house! You must be Emi! Right?"
Emi smiled gently and moved aside. " Naomi, it's nice to finally meet you, come in."
Naomi smiled and bowed in respect before walking in with her backpack on her back. She took off her shoes and set them neatly to the side.
"Let me take that for you." Emi said as she took Naomi's bag and set it by the door. "We'll show you around after, but first I'll take you to the others."
Naomi smiled gently and followed Emi to the kitchen where the boys were finishing up their soup.
"Ryuu!" Naomi grinned. She held out her hand to him as she eyed him closely.
Ryuu's eyes widened slightly and he let out a laugh of disbelief. "Naomi?" Ryuu stood slowly. "Have you ever grown. I remember you as a young toothy toddler!" Ryuu reached out his arms and wrapped them around her shoulder.
Tonoko's eyebrow rose slowly. "Female and way older." He sighed and stood up, smiling now. "Nice to meet you, cuz."
Naomi moved from Ryuu's arms to look at Tonoko. She smiled brightly and wrapped her arms around him. "Oh you're so cute!" She grinned, still suffocating Tonoko in her arms, she looked to Ryuu. "Why didn't I come sooner? Your wife is so beautiful and your son is so cute!"
Emi laughed gently as she moved to stand beside Ryuu. Ryuu gently wrapped his arm around Emi's shoulder and laughed lightly. Tonoko held in a groan and tried to politely push Naomi away to no avail. He let out an exasperated muffled sigh in defeat and gave up.
"I do know how to pick them, don't I?" Ryuu chuckled and glanced at Emi. Fact was, it had actually been their parents that had placed them together.
"Oh please." Emi laughed as she lightly hit Ryuu's chest. "We were betrothed at a young age." She smirked.
Naomi smiled. "Its so cute though." She finally released Tonoko to face Ryuu and Emi. "It's so nice to finally meet you and your family. Marrying Emi made the whole clan so much stronger - er... I guess it's technically Tonoko that makes it stonger." She giggled as she ruffled the boys hair.
Tonoko sighed. "Yeah, yeah. I've heard it a million times." He ran his hand through his hair. "Sometimes I feel as if I were born as some troupe for both clans..."
Ryuu closed his eyes and sighed. "Tonoko, do we have to have the same talk over?"
Tonoko laughed nervously and turned to look at Ryuu. He shook his head. "No, I'm really okay."
"And I will bring your mother into it this time." Ryuu added.
Tonoko's eyes widened and he held his arms out in protest. "No, that's really just fine."
Emi smirked. "You never talk to me, Tonoko.."
Naomi chuckled. "I have a brother of your age, Tonoko, you're so alike!"
"There you go, Dad. Why don't you put your talks into actions and give me a brother. I'd be out of your hair a lot more." Tonoko said then laughed.
Emi's eyes widened slightly in shock at her son. "T-Tonoko... I don't think you realize what you're asking for..."
Tonoko shrugged. "From what Dad says, you two are more than enough cap-" Tonoko's words were cut of when a surge of electricity shot through his body, causing him to yelp. Ryuu and Tonoko shared a short staring contest to which Tonoko lost.
Ryuu cleared his throat and turned to smile at Naomi. "I hope you have lots of fun." He said. Then murmured under his breath, "And lasting energy."
Naomi waved Ryuu off with a smile. "My brother is just like him. I'm used to it."
Emi looked from Tonoko to Ryuu. "What do you tell our son?" She whispered, raising an eyebrow.
Ryuu shook his head and glanced at his son and cousin making conversation. He turned back to Emi and whispered in reply, "I'll tell you later." He chuckled.
Emi sighed but smiled, whispering back," Why do I have a feeling that in the end we will have to have another child?"
Ryuu shrugged. "Well.. I'm game." He smirked.
Emi blushed faintly. "S-Seriously? You think we could handle another child?" She laughed.
Ryuu smiled softly. "I'm willing to try." He whispered.
Emi sighed and thought for a moment. "Well... We do have the space and money for it... Question is if my body can take it." She smirked. "I don't wanna mess up this thin frame of mine."
Ryuu shrugged. "You'll always be my beautiful Emi." He whispered and brushed his hand against hers.
"Dad?" Tonoko called. "Dad?"
Ryuu snapped his attention back to his son. "Yes?"
"Is it alright if I go train? Okimi and Chrone were planning on doing extra training today."
Ryuu nodded. "Not too late."
Tonoko nodded. He turned back to Naomi. "It was nice to meet you, I'll see you around." He smiled before running off.
Naomi smiled gently. "He doesn't look like much, but I'm sure his powers are unbelievable."
Emi nodded. "He's very skilled, just like Ryuu was at his age." She smiled up at Ryuu before looking at Naomi again. "However I do feel bad for him. He believes we only had him to make the clans proud."
Naomi frowned. "That's horrible."
Emi shrugged. "I think the only thing that would change his mind is if Ryuu and I had another child."
"You should anyway." Naomi smiled. "You seem like great parents, and I'm sure Tonoko feels lonely."
Emi chuckled and looked to Ryuu. "However, if we got him a sister instead, hed probably be mad at us." She laughed.
Ryuu chuckled. "I think if we ended up having a daughter, Tonoko might change his mind once he sees her." Ryuu smiled. "Even though I don't know what it's like to have a sister, I know the feeling of wanting to protect." Ryuu moved his arm around Emi's waist and smiled at her.
Emi smiled softly. Naomi grinned and clapped her hands together. "Then its decided! You two will have another child. It will bring you two closer, happiness to the clans, and joy to Tonoko!"
Emi blinked a few times in surprise. "Y-You're deciding for us?"
Naomi grinned and nodded.
"You know, you use to be extremely shy." Ryuu said.
Naomi shrugged. "I was two then." She shook her head. "You'll tell Tonoko of this news tonight, right?" She smiled.
"W-Well ah..." Emi looked up at Ryuu with a questioning gaze.
Ryuu chuckled and shook his head. "That's a personal matter." He murmured and rubbed his temples lightly.
"Oh come on!" Naomi laughed. "Gives you guys something to look forward to in bed! Your goal is to get pregnant again!"
Emi's eyes widened as her face turned bright red. "Y-You really speak your mind... D-don't you?"
Naomi grinned and nodded.
"Definitely wasn't expecting a conversation like this with a cousin I met when she was two- how about a tour of the place?" Ryuu asked and waved towards the kitchen exit.
Naomi smirked and linked her arm with Ryuu's. "Sounds great! But I'm not gonna stop being on your case about this." She giggled.
Emi sighed and laughed as she started to clean up from lunch.
Ryuu directed Naomi around the house until they reached one of the three spare bedrooms in the house. "You can use this room while the reside here for the time being." Ryuu said and stepped back, allowing Naomi in.
Naomi smiled as she looked around the room. "It's very nice, Ryuu. I hope I'm not intruding by staying here, I mean, besides butting into your love life." She smirked.
Ryuu sighed. "Yeah, just a bit private." He smiled awkwardly and cleared his throat. "So, what's the real reason you've come?" Ryuu asked and stepped into the room, closing the room slightly.
Naomi's eyes widened momentarily before she laughed nervously. "Nothing. Is it wrong that I wanted to properly meet the side of my clan that became the strongest in the last fourteen years?"
Ryuu shook his head. "When I read the letter, there was nothing mentioned about my son or wife."
"I-It's given..." She stated. "All of the clan knows of your marriage with Emi, and then the fact of your son." She said, turning her gaze from his.
"I need a response ASAP?" Ryuu quoted from the letter. "Seems a bit too urgent for just wanting to meet my family."
Naomi shook her head. "Y-You sound like my father... Why does everything have to be questions? I just wanted to meet your family! If you don't want me here, say so..."
Ryuu eyed her carefully before sighing. "Sorry." He said after a moment. "So much has happened that I'm on edge." He shrugged then chuckled lightly. "Just protecting my family as much as I can."
Naomi let out a breath. "I understand, Ryuu, but I assure you I'm no danger to any of you..." there was a slight stress on the last word as she eyed Ryuu.
"The Inabikari clan is a close clan. We have a special bond that not too many others clans have. To serve, to protect...help... If there is anything you need or want to talk about, let me know." He paused. "Alright?"
Naomi let out a breath before turning to the door. "Does Emi need help with anything? Id like to help out, it's the least I can do for you guys." She gave a smile to Ryuu.
"She's probably finished cleaning up lunch, but you could ask if she needs anything."
Naomi nodded and headed downstairs.
