Chapter Ten

When he'd finally mustered the courage to return, Genesis found that Angeal had put all the toys away. "Oh, we're done with our little rattle game?" he asked sarcastically. "But it was such an intellectual pursuit!"

Angeal shot him a dismissive glance, but said to Yukki, "Look, Genesis is here!" Waving his hand slowly and in an exaggerated fashion for the baby's benefit, he continued, "Hello, Genesis."

A strange gurgling and a feeble wave, aided by Angeal, greeted the none-too-impressed Genesis. "Do you have any idea how absurd it is to see a grown man goo-goo and gaa-gaa like that?" he asked.

"Well, you have to do that...you're teaching the baby how to greet people. And the rattle game -- that clearly annoyed you so much -- was to associate names with objects, and so she can practice grasping things. Plus, she gets to see what happens...you know, cause and effect...when she hits it, it makes noise, etc."

Genesis stared at his friend disdainfully. "You mean, you have to teach those stupid babies all of that crap? They don't just know?"

Angeal frowned at his friend. "Actually," he told him, "babies aren't stupid at all. Babies as young as eight months old have far more brain ability than adults."

Genesis raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"Well, a baby is born with about a hundred billion neurons, which, at least as far as we know, is all that we get. By eight months old, babies can form as many as one thousand trillion synapses. Since these are on a 'use or lose' basis, we lose about half of them by time we reach ten years old."

Genesis' face wrinkled in disgust. "Are you telling me that obnoxious, whining thing who shits in her pants and drools all over the place is smarter than me?"

Angeal shrugged. "I'm not saying that, I'm just saying that those are the numbers."

"Great...well, thanks for that...I guess next time I need some mental stimulation I'll start drooling and blubbering and smashing toys. Oh, and, of course, shitting in my underpants...then maybe I'll be a genius according to you..."

Angeal stared at his friend and sighed. "I'm amazed," he said, "absolutely amazed that you managed to find a woman you didn't scare when you started talking about kids."

Genesis frowned. "Rae has good sense when it comes to kids. She's just like me."

Rolling his eyes, Angeal thought it best not to comment.

Genesis continued, oblivious to his friend, by loosing a sigh. "I really wish she was here now...but, then, it's probably just as well...she shouldn't have to suffer through this torture along with me."

"Yes, quite," Angeal agreed. As bad as it was listening to Genesis' comments, he dreaded to think what it would be like if he had to put up with two adults who were afraid of kids.

"And, anyway, she's probably having a great time," the redhead was continuing. "Hiking through the wilderness, enjoying the quiet and serenity of nature, oblivious to the awful surprise that awaits her when she returns."

"Well, her trip doesn't end for a few days yet," Angeal comforted his friend. "Hopefully we'll have this all straightened out before she gets back."

"I hope so," Genesis sighed.