Thirty-One Minutes Later, on the Road...
...The ride... Was very quiet... And, somewhat, awkward. Even when music from the radio is playing, it still felt awkward to the twenty-eight year-old woman.
Hitomi, while driving, would look over in her rearview mirror, seeing her son had fallen asleep... Leaving Sierra, sitting behind Shōta, to lean against the seatbelt and look outside, with the window rolled down.
...As her brother informed her, before driving to their family's home, Hitomi can clearly see how much the fourteen year-old looked nauseous from riding in the car. The classic sign of Motion Sickness. While it shouldn't be good, because she already puked up her meal on the train, she has nothing in her stomach to try and come out, if her nausea grew worse.
...Still, Hitomi's heart clenched when seeing the clear sign of agony her niece is going through from her Motion Sickness. Though, with the window rolled down and having the wind blow into her face, it did helped her with her fatigue, uneasiness and dizziness.
"Is the spare sleeping bag still there, Mimi?" Shōta asked, looking out of the window and resting his cheek on his fist, resting his elbow against the window.
She rolled her eyes at her brother's question.
'As if he needed to ask that.' "Still there, since the last time you came over." She answered. "It's a wonder that Okāsan, Otōsan, or even Ojīchan didn't find any bugs or holes into the sleeping bag, from the few times they would wash it."
In response, Shōta rolled his eyes to his sister's comment about one of his spare sleeping bags he keeps at their family's house.
"Mom would have me spray it down with bug repellent, both inside and out, before rolling it up and putting it away." He said.
Hitomi smirked at his answer.
"Of course she did," she said. "...I still don't see why you don't choose to sleep in the bed that's been prepared for you, and why you insist on sleeping in some old sleeping bag. I mean, it doesn't even have enough cotton to cushion your head and it's gotta be a bit Claustrophobic for you."
The thirty-one year-old simply shrugged his shoulders.
"I just like how it completely covers me," he replied. "And at least I know that it, let alone nobody, can try and smother my face with it."
His sister glared ahead on the dirt-road, following the trail straight into the woods.
"But it does leave you vulnerable, by trapping you inside of it and having to zip it open to get out." She muttered under her breath, though knowing he'll still be able to hear.
While behind them, Sierra stared at the two adults, somewhat intrigued on how they interact with each other.
'Mom did tell me that he had siblings... I never thought I would, at this very moment, finally get to meet family from his blood.'
Her stomach let out a low grumble, making her wince in silence from it's growling... She knows that it wasn't because of hunger.
She swallowed past the lump in her throat, as she leaned her face a bit further out of her car-door's windowsill, breathing in to the wind blowing more into her face.
...
...
...She soon realized, as she focused more on the scent that the wind blows against her, that she detect the faint scent of cows, sheep, chickens and horses.
Her eyes opened, as she lifted her head and stared at the trees moving past them... Above her head, she hears birds, squirrels, chipmunks and a few other woodland animals talking.
...And, to her complete surprise, they're all talking about her.
"Is that her?"
"It must be her!"
"Rajnish (Lord of the Night) must've known she would be arriving; his young had to use his Quirk to prevent him from leaving his territory, and to have his own younglings to assist him into dragging him back to their den."
"...The rumors are true... The Cast Young is his Pack!"
"She belongs! The Cast Young does belong to Kin!"
"Cast Young will no longer be alone! Cast Young will no longer Be Cast Young!"
She blushed at their words, as many of them greet her. Some of which, even tried to run alongside the dark-green Jeep Cherokee, despite knowing they won't be able to keep up with it, before they would give up and spread the word of her arrival.
So badly, she wanted to call out to them, in the Tongue of the Animal. So badly, she wanted to thank them for welcoming her into their home.
...
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...
...
...So badly, she wanted to get out of the car and morph into an animal. To run straight into the woods, and carry the scent of the earth and plants surrounding her.
...
...
...
...
...
...To truly be embraced by Nature, itself, and to truly feel welcomed to this new area that she and her family are driving through in order to reach their family gathering.
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...
...
...When the ground got a bit uneven, it reminded Sierra where she's in and her body, once again, let out another groan of protest from the movement.
She rest her head against the window sill, refocusing on breathing through the wind to calm her upset stomach.
...
...
...Then, without warning, the music to the radio stopped... Being replaced by the sound of a phone ringing.
...
...
...
...The response to the sound, startled the fourteen year-old.
"Mom's calling."
Shōta looked over to his left to see his daughter, who kept looking out of the window, but the clear shock written on her face told him that she was panicking.
He leaned forward and laid a hand on her left-knee, getting her to look at him and gave her a small, reassuring smile on his face.
"It'll be okay," he said. "...She's probably calling, wondering why it's taking so long for us to get there... She's very eager to meet you, just like the rest of the family."
Hitomi looked into the rearview mirrors, beaming up at her shy niece.
"You may not know this, but when it comes to her grandkids, your grandma becomes a full-blown mama bear and will smother you with so much love, you'll pass out from just feeling how much she loves you."
"You're telling me." To her left, Sierra saw Hitoshi waking up, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "You better answer the call, or she'll probably end up driving towards us and will snatch her right out of the car."
Smirking at her son's words, Hitomi pressed the phone button on the screen of her radio, stopping the ringing and starting the call with her mother.
"Hey, Mama! How's everythi-"
"What's taking you so long?!"
Sierra immediately jumped from the yelling, unintentionally hitting her head at the back of her seat and letting out a yelp, which left her covering her mouth to quiet her coughing.
Also surprised by the voice calling them, which wasn't their mother's voice but the voice of one of their brother, both glared at the blank screen.
"Shōya (First Night), what the hell?!" Hitomi yelled. "Why are you calling on Mom's phone? On top of that, why are you yelling?!"
"Well, if you must know, Shōma (Reaching for Truth) and Makkuro (Pitch Black) are keeping Mom from driving off and meeting you guys, while Dad is checking on Pepper in the stables! That horse had been restless for days and, according to the vet, she's going to be giving birth at any day! Now, if there's nothing more to say, when are you getting here?!"
The fourteen year-old slightly curled in on herself, nervously looking between her annoyed father and angry aunt arguing with the person calling them, while Hitoshi, after unbuckling his seatbelt, scooted over to sit next to her and pull her against him.
"Don't worry," he whispered. "This is normal. They're always at each other's throat."
"First off, stop yelling. We can all hear you, and it's getting Sierra worked up." Shōta growled out. "And second, we're about ten minutes from the house. So, you can give Mom the news and calm down. The house needs to not be hostile, or else it'll make her sicker than she already is."
"Hold up... She's sick?!"
Sierra flinched at the raised tone in Shōya's voice, trembling in Hitoshi's hold.
The purple-haired teen glared at the screen.
"Uncle Ōya (Big Arrow), cut it out." He sneered, moving his hands to cover his cousin's ears. "If you won't stop being an ass and want to argue about this, during the rest of our drive there, then switch with Uncle Ōma (Yellow) to deal with Grandma and tell her that we'll be there in a few minutes. Otherwise, hang up and deal with her rants, while your nephews and your sons try to figure out why you're yelling."
Silence was met for the four Aizawa Family, as they heard faint noises of voices being heard through the speakers.
Then, a groan of irritation came through.
"Just hurry up, and get here."
A clicking sound followed suit and the music came back on.
Both Shōta and Hitomi let out deep sigh of relief. Clearly, that conversation was very stressful to them, just as much as it was to Sierra.
Said girl, who pulled away from Hitoshi, cocked her head to the side.
'They all have anger in their voices towards each other... Why do they sound as if they hate one another?'
Seeing the confusion on her face, Hitoshi let out a tiring sigh.
"It's probably best to tell you right now, Cuz." He whispered, not wanting either his mother or uncle to hear them. "...Mom and Uncle Shō don't get along with Uncle Ōya."
That was something she didn't want to hear.
Slowly, she moved her lips and used sign language.
Why? Did something happened?
Being able to lip read and silently taking notes to memorize the sign language she used, Hitoshi caught on to what she asked.
...
...He shook his head.
"It's best you ask Uncle Shō that, when we head home."
Knowing it was best to drop it and follow his advice, Sierra nodded her head and went back to leaning against her door to breathe in the wind.
By the time they came to a stop, she was all but dozing off until she heard horses whinnying and galloping though the grass.
...
...Excitement coursed though her body the instant she laid eyes on them, as her heart raced from the thought of running out and interacting with the horses.
She smiled big, as she heard them call out to her, beckoning her to come to them and meet her.
...
...
...However, despite wanting to go meet the magnificent creatures, she remained next to the car, as she got out of the vehicle.
Her eyes widened at the house before her.
It looks like a traditional three story Minka housing that originated in the feudal era. It was all brown, with a few windows at the front and the sides. The roof appears to be made of brown-straws and reeds, but her nose could also detect the scent of cement and tiles.
To the far right of the house, on the other-side of a white-fence, a big, red barn... She hears heavy panting, and distressful whinnying of a horse from inside.
...She, also, smells something that would best be compared to as heavy rain.
"Is that them?!"
"Yeah, Mom, it's them. I see Hitomi's car. So, settle down, or they won't come in, because how hyper you're being."
"Ōya, please don't fight. And aren't you excited on meeting our niece, for the first time in fourteen years?!"
"Wait? You're not happy to see her?! Are you still trying to fight with your brother, again, Shōya?!"
"...Why are they yelling, when we have children in the house?"
From within the house, Sierra heard voices... She stepped back to take shelter behind Hitomi's car, feeling her anxiety starting to build up.
'...They're fighting... Because of me,' she thought. 'And now, I'm causing them to argue amongst each other.'
Also hearing the arguing going on in the house, Shōta and Hitomi both groaned.
"So much for a happy, family reunion. Huh?" Hitomi said to her brother,a disappointing sigh escaping her lungs.
Her older-brother didn't look that much surprised, though he didn't look in the least pleased on hearing Shōya, no doubt, stirring up trouble.
"When it comes to Ōya, there's never a moment that he doesn't try to cause mayhem."
Looking over his shoulders, he sees Hitoshi going over to Sierra from behind the car, silently comforting her and reassuring her that it was something normal that goes on during their family gathering.
*Crash!*
"BOYS! What did I say about using your Quirks in the house?!"
"Ōya, don't yell at them!"
Hitomi turned to her brother, giving him her irritated look, before running to the front of the house, going on ahead of them.
Knowing that she'll be needing his help, he went to the two teenagers.
He kneeled in front of his daughter... He gave her a solemn, somewhat sad look.
"Sorry about this, Honey." He apologized, embarrassed by one of his brothers and mother making her unable to handle the yelling from within the house. "Your aunt and I are going to go inside and get everybody to settle down. Will you be alright to wait out here, with Hitoshi?"
Not needing any reason to object, the girl nodded her head.
Letting out a small-sigh, he gently pulled her into a quick hug, before getting to his feet.
He turned to the purple-haired teenager.
"Make sure she doesn't push herself," he said.
Hitoshi nodded his head and the two watch him run into the house... Only, it only got quiet for about twenty seconds, before more yelling could be heard.
"You're making her wait outside?! Why didn't you bring her in?!"
"Again, why are we yelling? We have children in the house."
"Mom, please, calm down! We'll bring her in! We just need everybody to calm down, and-"
"Who says we're not calmed down?!"
"...This is gonna take a while..."
Again, feeling somewhat responsible and feeling more anxious, Sierra kneeled to the ground.
Hitoshi kneeled right beside her, as her arms wrapped itself around her stomach.
He wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Still not feeling well?" He asked.
...She slowly nodded her head... Then, brought her hands up and formed one sign language, as he read her lips.
...I'm sorry...
He didn't expect to have her apologizing for something she didn't do, and it puzzled him.
"Why are you sorry? You didn't do anything."
She went to make more sign language and to move her lips, only to stop and to pull her phone out and quickly typed up words on her phone.
'I need to remember to ask Hito for his number, and add it to my contact list.'
It took nearly two minutes for her to write her message and held it up for him to read... He couldn't believe what he's reading.
I'm the reason everyone is fighting. I knw that I caused this 2 happen; my cousins from my mother's family would always tell me that I cause problems within their home, n how my presence make everybody stress n argue, whenever they talk about my Mom. I even hear them telling my siblings 2 stop bringing me over, when it's clear that I'm not family in their eyes n that Grandma renounced me as blood at Mom's Funeral n Memorial when I was almost 5 yrs old.
...
...
...
...Reading that message, Hitoshi was appalled and disgusted that her mother's family made her think she's a problem to something that isn't even her fault... And now, reading what her own grandmother did at her own mother's funeral and memorial, he now sees why his uncle wasn't worried that they would try and be part of her life.
'That fucking Bitch! She's her granddaughter, the last child of her own daughter, and she turned her own back on Ra Ra when she was just an innocent child! She was still just a baby, who was beaten and sold to villains who makes her go through pain through her childhood, and she still chose to abandon her! And now, to make it worse, she basically had the rest of the family to shun her!'
Immediately, he clicked on the top bar and typed up his phone number, having her phone to send the message to his phone, so he could show the others what she just written to him, before deleting the message and handing the phone back to his cousin.
"Cuz, I'm going to make this straight... This isn't your fault. -She went to type up an argument, but he put his hand on her phone, stopping her from typing.- I'm telling you the truth, Ra Ra. They're not arguing because of you."
Sierra can hear him speaking to her honestly, though she still feels as if he's trying to cover up the fact that her coming to meet them is the true source of the stress.
She pointed a finger at herself, then at the house, where the yelling continued on.
Getting what she was trying to say, Hitoshi shook his head.
"They really want to meet you, even our cold-hearted Uncle Ōya is excited to finally see you." He pressed on. "Believe it or not, Cuz, when Uncle Shō told them about you, from what Mom told me, he argued with Uncle Shō to stop hogging you for himself and to let you meet the rest of the family. -She cocked her head to the side. Clear confusion can be seen on her face.- Yeah, I know, it's hard to believe from how angry and demanding he is. And, because of his temper, it makes it harder for everybody to see he really does care about the family."
Again, she looked over to stare at the house, still hearing voices, but no longer screaming at the top of their lungs. Then, she pulled at her phone and typed up a question.
If he does care, then why do they say he wants to pick another fight with Dad?
Hitoshi rubbed the back of his head, uncertain on what to say about that.
"Honestly, I don't know." He answered. "I mean, I know why they argue, but I don't know why he keeps edging Uncle Shō to fight him, every time they see each other. -He gave her a small-smile.- To be honest, when I was little, I thought it was because it was a thing twins and/or triplets do."
His words caught Sierra completely off guard.
'A twin or triplet thing?'
Realizing he just gave away a certain surprise, which wasn't really much of a surprise to be made but would be something interesting to see for herself, the fifteen year-old decided to let her in on the news.
"You obviously never knew this and would never believe this, but Uncle Ōya, Uncle Shō and Uncle Ōma... They're triplets*."
...
...
...Yep, he was right, she wouldn't believe it, herself, if he hadn't told her and wasn't part of the Aizawa Family, himself.
At the white-fence, the fifteen horses that followed the car from the other-side of the fence called out to the two teenagers.
Again, Sierra's heart thumped with excitement when she looked over and saw the horses, all calling out to her.
"Cast Young! Come here!"
"We wish to greet you, Cast Young!"
"Little Foal, do come to us!"
"Hitoshi, please bring her over!"
"Please, Little One, come here! Come to us, Cast Young!"
She looked to her cousin and typed up a message.
They want me to go to them... Can we please go see them?
He can tell, from the look in her eyes, that she really wanted to go see them. And, because he wanted to see his horse, Lavender, just as much as his cousin wants to meet the horses his family own, he isn't going to object to her request... Except, he had one condition.
"So long as you don't morph into an animal, we can go see them." He replied, pulling the both of them to their feet.
Nodding her head in agreement and putting her phone away, the two walked towards the fence, where they went to the gate to allow them to enter the field.
The instant they see the two teens coming their way, the horses followed them to the gate, before they stayed a few feet away from the gate to let them pass through.
Only when they closed the gate and slowly went to them, that they allowed themselves to corral around them.
Sierra smiled at the herd that greeted her, nuzzling their soft muzzles and faces against her own and tickling her neck with their gentle nipping.
Hitoshi, who went to his dark-brown Misaki horse, Lavender, smiled at the fifteen horses greeting his cousin, very much surprised that they all taken an immediate liking to her. Even his own horse, who isn't much for affection towards anybody except for Hitoshi, Shōta and Hiromasa, chose to give him just enough attention to acknowledge his presence before pushing her way to stand behind the fourteen year-old, resting her head over Sierra's right-shoulder.
He didn't feel too bad that his horse chose to pay attention to his younger-cousin over himself. Seeing her being happy and distracted by the arguing and yelling from inside the household, along with not being a part of the madness, made him very happy.
"Whinnying! *Snort!* Whinnying!"
Most of the horses, hearing the distressful cry, pulled away from Sierra and all lifted their heads to the direction, which was coming from inside the barn.
Remaining beside her, Lavender turned her blue-eye to stare at the girl. With her ears slightly pulled back, Sierra can see the slight stress on her face.
"Our Head Mare, Pepper, is expecting a foal." She told the girl.
Sierra's eyes widened at the news. Excitement and happiness can be seen in her gaze, but it quickly turn to concern when she sees the other horses getting a bit anxious as Pepper's cry from the barn grew more.
Within the herd, a pure-black stallion trotted over to the two gates that separated them from getting to the barn. With each cry the horse inside the barn made, he would reply with a whinny back, stomping his hoof into the grass and walking back and forth in front of the gate.
Sierra turned to Hitoshi, pointing a finger at the barn.
He get what she was trying to say to him.
"Uncle Shō's horse, Pepper, is due to give birth any day now." He replied. "As Uncle Ōya told us in the car, Gramps is with her right now."
She sniffed the air a couple of times, smelling the strong sense of horse, grass, dirt, wood... Then, she smelled what could best be described as heavy rain.
...Besides herself and Hitoshi, and the family inside the household... She doesn't smell any other human-scent nearby.
With worry, she ran towards the gate, much to Hitoshi's shock, as she came beside the anxious and stressed black-stallion.
She gently tapped him on his neck, getting his attention for a moment.
In response, the horse gently pushed his face into her neck, before stomping his hoof and pulling away when another cry left the barn and he, too, let out a cry of distress.
"My mate! My mate!" He screams, whinnying in the wind. "She's all alone! She needs help! My human left her, alone! -He turned to Sierra, gently resting his face to her chest.- Please, Cast Young, help my mate! Help our foal!"
Not needing a second thought, Sierra pulled away and vault herself over the gate, heading for the door to the barn.
"Cuz! Wait!" Hitoshi yelled, running and pushing himself to get over the fence, too, and going into the barn.
Once they were inside, both were surprised on how dark the barn was, with the exception of a light coming from one of the stalls in the middle... Where, to their best guess, the crying of a distress horse could be heard.
"Gramps?!" Hitoshi called out.
Nobody responded to his voice, except for the distressed horse that stuck her head out for a moment before turning away.
Unable to smell any other humans, Sierra grabbed for her cousin's hand and guided them to the door.
...
...
...There, they found a roan-colored Yonaguni horse, circling within her stall, panting heavily, whinnying as loud as she could.
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...
...Sierra's heart clenched at her cries.
"Help me! Please! Help me! I'm all alone! I'm scared! Pain! Pain! Pain! It's too much! I don't want my foal to die! Please, help me! I can't deal with this pain, on my own!"
Knowing she'll end up getting hurt, the fourteen year-old opened the stall and entered Pepper's stall.
Out of concern, Hitoshi went to grab her, but was too slow and watches as the small teenager went to the anxious Pepper.
...
...
...
...And, to his shock, watches as she wraps her arms around the panting, scared horse, rubbing her head against the mammal's neck, forcing herself to make panting, rumbling, snort sounds that a horse would make.
The Yonaguni horse stared down at the girl, a human-foal she never met, embracing her and letting out comforting sounds in her language to help her with her nerves.
"It's okay..." She gently shushed, forcing herself to make horse sounds, despite the protest in her throat. "You're not alone. You won't be alone. It's scary, but you won't be alone. We won't leave you alone. I promise. I promise. You won't go through this, alone."
Pepper's ears, while still folded to show her discomfort, slightly lowered at the side of her head. Her tail, still swishing, slowly went in a more calming manner. Her snorts, while still panting, wasn't hostile.
The pain in her stomach continued to spread... Then, a large splash of water left her nether region, forming a wet puddle between her legs.
...
...
...
...The sound, feeling and smell, scared her even more. Even to try and stand on her hind-legs.
"My foal! My foal!" She whinnied, stomping her front-hooves to the ground, almost stepping on Sierra's feet. "It's time! My foal is coming! It's time! The pain won't leave! It hurts! HURTS!"
...
...
...In response to her cry, Sierra pulled back to raise both her hands on both side of the horse's face, gently pulling her head down to rest her forehead against Pepper's own forehead.
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...
...
...
...There, before Hitoshi's eyes, his cousin forced herself to morph into a 3'6", seal-brown Tokara horse. Resting her head on top of Pepper's whither, gently nipping against the part of the horse's back to help ease her.
Of course, the purple-haired teen was worried to see she had morphed, but, watching as Pepper seemed to had calmed down, resting her own head on Sierra's back, still stomping her back-leg and panting, but not posing any threat to his cousin, he didn't say anything.
Then, he watches the two horses, slowly but steadily, folded their legs and laying on the ground of hay. Both remained having their heads resting against each other's backs, with Sierra gently slowly and gently nuzzling Pepper's stomach, letting out a few low mumbles... Ignoring the pressure of Pepper's head pressing on her scars and burns underneath the small-fur on her entire hide.
Seeing that she was taking care of calming Pepper down, Hitoshi didn't have the slightest clue on what he should do; this was the first time he found himself witnessing a horse giving birth, and never was taught on what to do to help his family's animals to stay calm.
As if she senses his confusion, Sierra let out a low whinny and had her tail slap against the bucket that rested against the wall of the stall.
At first, Hitoshi didn't get what she wanted him to do.
Then, on the second time, she slapped the bucket, purposely making it fall to the ground, she showed him that it was empty. And, because there was a bail of hay in the feeding trough within the stall and realizing that there was no source of water, anywhere, did it click to the fifteen year-old that Pepper doesn't have any water and may need some.
Seeing the task his cousin was giving him to do, as he slowly let himself into the stall and grabbed for the bucket, Hitoshi immediately ran to go get some water.
'Of all the day for Ra Ra to be left alone, it has to be when Gramps chooses to leave an expecting horse to give birth, by herself, in the barn! Damn it, Old Man! You know how much Grandpa Hiro gets, when the animals aren't being attended! What in the living hell would have you leave Pepper, by herself?!'
Within the Aizawa Household; in the Kitchen...
"If you would stop being an asshole for one minute, I'll gladly let you tell you my reasons for keeping her existence a secret." Shōta growled out, his eyes glowing red and his hair raising, keeping his brother's Quirk at bay.
In front of him, his older-triplet brother, Shōya, glared back at him... If not for his hair being blackish-brown, pale-white skin and Cardinal-red eyes, he would be feeling as if he's looking himself in the mirror.
The moment he and Hitomi came into the house, they found Makkuro had moved the younger boys to the backyard, wanting to keep them away from hearing the argument amongst their uncles and father, and distracting them by using his Quirk, Black Dust, to entertain them. Which left Shōma, the youngest triplet, an exact replica of Shōta, only a few inches shorter, to try and be the voice of reason to get both his oldest-triplet brother and their mother to calm down.
Watching the whole scene play at the back of the room, Yami, their nephew, leaned against the doorframe that leads to the outside of the backyard. As an Aizawa, he has black-hair, with black-eyes and grey-pale skin. Clearly, he chose to stay within the house to keep watch but to stay out of the conflict going on, instead of assisting his father and younger-cousins to distract the four youngest boys.
Shōya glared him down, being a couple inches taller than Shōta.
"And just what kind of reason do you have, for not telling us you became a parent at eighteen years old, after fucking with a sixteen year-old at the age of seventeen?"
He earned himself a smack in the face by their mother, Sumire (Violet) Aizawa. Her dark-purple eyes glared angrily at her second child. Her greyish-brown hair, in a small ponytail, slightly rising from the small of her back.
"Ōya! Language!" She scolded. "You know how your father, grandfather and I feel, when using that word in this house!"
Standing beside Hitomi, Shōma leaned in and whispered into her ear.
"I'm glad that we agreed to not have our spouses be here until the next gathering, even though that they want to meet our niece. This argument would've escalated into a full on brawl, if they get themselves involved in the conversation."
Hitomi nodded her head, agreeing with her older-brother, before focusing back on the conversation.
"I didn't come all the way out here, bring my daughter, your niece, to meet you all, just so you can give me a lecture on my past and, for the hell of it, cause a fight to get a reaction out of her." Shōta growled, allowing his capture weapon, which he wore underneath his long-sleeve shirt, to slowly rise and coil around his neck. "Also, just a reminder, you didn't make it a big deal, when Hitomi got pregnant at fourteen."
Shōya folded his arms over his chest.
"She and her boyfriend, at that time, didn't keep it a secret about their relationship and took responsibility on raising Hitoshi, even before they got married." He countered. "Also, you should know that I wouldn't do something that would cause any harm to my niece. -He sneered.- Unlike you, I actually know how to control myself. Which, also, includes, knowing how to keep it in my pants. Let alone, not to hide the fact that I had an illegitimate chil-"
...
...
...
...Shōta sent a punch, square across Shōya's face, before pinning him against the wall, having a hand clenching at his neck and shoving the arm of his other-hand across his stomach... The red in his eyes, triggered by his Quirk, made the anger much more deeper.
"...Are you calling my child, a bastard child?"
Shōya simply glared back at his brother, coughing from the tightening hand at his throat, before smirking down at his younger-triplet brother.
"I'm only stating what the eyes of the law labels her as," he chuckled. "Even if she lived with a guardian that you and your fiancée appointed to being her godparent, it doesn't change the fact that you two couldn't wait until you're married to have her. And just so you know, because you chose to not tell anybody of her existence, it kinda points more to the possibility that you're embarrassed of her and see her as a bas-"
Again, Shōta punched him. This time, in the gut.
Their mother yelled at them to stop, but both ignored her.
He leaned in towards his oldest-triplet brother.
"Say one more word about Cici, or my daughter, and I'll-!"
A hand rested itself on his right-shoulder and, instantly, his Quirk suddenly stopped activating.
Both boys turned to who the hand belonged to... Both seeing the stern face of their father, Ichiyuu Aizawa.
Short, raven-black hair, with some lining of grey in the mixture, Crimson-red eyes and grey-pale skin, standing over four inches taller than his eldest triplet son and, seeming like some form of tradition, wearing all black.
...There was no doubt, in anybody's mind, he's a very, intimidating male and no one is to try and challenge him.
"...Let him go, Shō."
He didn't want to... But, as their fifty-four year-old father told him to do, Shōta pulled away from Shōya and released him from the wall.
Even when they pulled away from each other, the two brothers continued to glare at each other.
Ichiyuu glared at the two, keeping a hand on both of his sons to prevent them from using their Quirks on each other, thanks to his own Quirk.
"Are you two every going to stop fighting?"
"Hard to say, Otōsan." Shōya answered, keeping his eyes on his brother. "I doubt that we'll ever stop fighting, if Shō would stop doing stupid things that could hurt the family. Like, I don't know, keeping a secret that he had a child for over fourteen years!"
Shōta sneered at his brother.
"I wasn't trying to keep her a secret," he seethed. "I was going to present her to the family, when I would introduce her mother as my fiancée and her children as my soon-to-be step children, when Cindy would become eighteen."
Shōya chuckled darkly at his words.
"And look where that decision got you to, Little Brother." He mocked. "Not only did we never knew another Aizawa was born until Hibiki's (Echo) birth, but we have to hear it, fourteen years later, after Zashi blurted out, to the entire world, that she's really an Aizawa! -His hands clenched into fists... Pure hatred can be seen in his eyes, but it wasn't towards his brother or Sierra.- ...And, out of all the possibilities, she has to be your child!"
...
...
Shōta yelled, moving to grab Shōya. To punch him, to pin him back to the wall... He wanted to hurt his brother, if his father and youngest-triplet brother didn't prevent him from letting him at Shōya.
...
...
...
...Yet, Hitomi, feeling just as angry at hope older-brother's words, went over and delivered a hard smack across good cheek.
Their mother, with tears in her eyes, remained in her spot... She isn't happy with how their gathering is taking a terrible turn, and on the day she gets to meet her granddaughter.
"How could you say something like that?!" Hitomi yelled. "She didn't do anything wrong to you! You don't know anything about her, and yet, you dare try and judge her and decide she isn't fit to become part of our family?! For God's sakes, Ōya, she's your niece!"
"I know that, Imōto! And I'm not judging her! Hell, I'm not saying that that I don't accept as my niece, when I'm just excited as everybody else to meet her!" He yelled back, ignoring the pain pulsing from his left-cheek. "The issue is, she isn't just my niece... She's one of my Missing Children Cases!"
Back at the Stables...
"Ra Ra, I see the head coming out!" Hitoshi, taking good place beside his cousin to gently wipe a cool rag over Pepper's face, informed, seeing a small-head, still within the birthing sack, coming out of his uncle's horse.
Remaining beside the panting horse, Sierra let out a few grunts. While doing so, she moved her head to rest underneath Pepper's head, raising it in the air to help her be able to breathe better than if she were to lay it to the ground.
Hitoshi was certain, as he watches the foal, slowly but steadily, being pushed out of Pepper's body, it was both the most disgusting and disturbing... Yet, at the same time, the most precious and beautiful thing he ever witnessed.
...And, when the baby finally left it's mother body, it moved and kicked it's way out of the sack was in... Revealing itself, as a pure-black Colt.
The baby let out a little whinny, his body slightly swaying to remain sitting up, calling out for his mother.
In response, as Sierra pulled away from Pepper, the new mother slightly turned her body to see her new born baby.
...
...She was immediately in love with her child...
...
...
...However, something was wrong...
...
...
...
...
...She has the urge to push... Again.
Her distressful whinnying startled Hitoshi, resulting him to get to his feet.
"Pepper!" He cried, watching the roan-colored Yonaguni horse getting herself hallway to her feet, only for Sierra to quickly get to hers and force the new mother to lay back down.
The Colt tried to get to his feet, only to fall on his side, in his attempt to get to his mother.
Panting alongside Pepper, Sierra turned to her cousin and swished her tail to the foal, hitting the bucket and rag.
He didn't get what she wanted him to do... Until, to his fear, when she whinnied, she forced out a word.
"Clean!" Her voice, hoarse and sounding winded, still strong enough to tell the fifteen year-old how serious the task she was giving him to being.
Of course, her forcing herself to talk, when her voice isn't completely healed up, left her coughing.
He wanted to go and help her, but the concern in her eyes for the Colt told him that she needed his attention on somebody else than herself.
...
...
...He knew that he has to do what she told him... For the sake of Pepper, and her foal.
...
...
...He didn't take notice of a large figure standing behind the door of the stall. Watching the two taking care of the mother horse and her baby. More to Sierra than Hitoshi, as the fourteen year-old aids Pepper on delivering her second foal.
Back inside the Aizawa Household...
Shōta's olive-grey eyes felt as if they were going to pop right out of his eye sockets, from how wide he was opening them.
All eyes were wide from the shocking claim Shōya just announced, as the eldest triplet glared at his brother.
He didn't show any satisfaction to what he was going to inform his family on how their family member became part of his Missing Children Cases.
"That night, when you called off, because you were mourning the loss of your classmate, Oboro Shirakumo." He reminded. "I was out on patrol with my friend, when we gotten word of an abandoned apartment complex being set on fire. When we got there, the front of the building was already burnt away and firefighter were already putting out most of it... That was when I heard a heartbeat, coming from the building... I'll never forget that day... What I saw..."
Flashback: Ten Years Ago...
"We need water over here!" One of the firefighter hollered out, seeing some of the wood from the right-side of the building was starting to collapse.
"Check Mate, secure that side!" The head of the fireman ordered, focusing his attention on putting out the fire that was starting to each away to the back of the building. "Sandy, try to drop some sand at the top, to help suffocate the fire!"
The two heroes, Check Mate and Sandy, did as the fireman instructed them to do.
Pulling out a couple of chess pieces, two pawns and two rooks, and a few checker pieces, Check Mate tossed them to where he, too, saw where part of the building was giving way.
The two pawn went exactly where the support beams were located, about to give way, and both grew to being the exact height as the support beams, taking over and keeping the right-side of the building up. The two rooks, in between the two pawns, each stood beside a door. Both had the checker pieces on top of them, before part of the building came down, catching wood, cement and steel.
...Whether they know for certain or not, they needed to be certain that there was nobody within the building. And, should there be anybody, the checker and chess pieces will held firm and prevent any debris from coming down on them.
Sandy, seeing his comrade taking care of his end, raised his hand towards the fire above them and summoned dust and sand within their surroundings above the flames and smoke. A dust cloud appeared, before it rained down sand on top of the fire. Since there are more dust than sand, even with the debris becoming sand-like, the process on suffocating the fire was very time consuming.
Even when the firemen brought out bags of salts and sands to help, he knew that it was going to be a while, before the fire would be tamed and the water can finally put it out.
At the sidelines, Shōya and his friend, Sōta (Smoothly; Thick/Big), both watch the firemen and some of the heroes try to put the fire out.
...The twenty-one year-old Aizawa glared at the burning building.
Sōta turned to his friend, seeing the concentration and somewhat disturbed look on Shōya's face.
"Something wrong?" He asked.
Shōya turned to his friend.
"The way this building was set on fire," he answered. "This building was scheduled to be demolished within a few weeks, before New Years. And, because of the poor condition of the building, all electricity had been cut off from the apartment complex."
It took a moment to get what his friend was saying, but Sōta was getting what Shōya was saying.
"You think somebody, deliberately, set this building on fire? -His friend nodded his head.- But why this building, when it's been scheduled to be destroyed? It's possible that a bunch of kids could've started the fire. There's nothing dangerous or suspicious about this building, that somebody would set it on fire, on purpose."
"...Perhaps... Or, maybe, they choose this building, to destroy or conceal something."
Shōya's words brought dread to Sōta, not having the slightest idea on what the mystery arsonist wanted to destroy and/or conceal.
"It's starting to come down!" One of the firefighters called out, alerting his men and the heroes of the growing condition of the apartment complex.
"Check Mate, you need to prompt some of those pieces of yours!" Sandy informed, still focusing on his task on dropping the sand over the fire. "We can't afford to have the building come down on them!"
The Game Piece Hero nodded in acknowledgement, pulling out some cards and a few dices from his pocket, before tossing them nearby where the firemen are still putting out the fire, preparing the game pieces to catch as much of the debris as possible, before it begins to collapse.
Through all the chaos and confusion, Shōya was using his strong hearing to hear for any sign of life coming from the building.
Because the roaring of the flames, creaks of the wood and dropping of cement and metal, even a few sparks of electricity coming out from some of the wirings, it was pretty hard for him to tell if there was any humans inside of the building. Even the sound of the firemen yelling and the beating of multiple hearts around him, was already throwing him off.
...
...
...Then...
...
...
...
...
...
...
*...Thump-Thump...*
His eyes widened in horror.
He ran to the firefighters.
"There's somebody inside!" He yelled, covering his face from the intense heat building in the air.
The head of the firemen turned to the Aizawa, his own eyes wide in disbelief.
"Are you certain?!" He hollered, the roaring of the flames growing louder.
Shōya nodded his head... His hearing, while straining, continued to hear the faint beating of a heart within the fire.
...
...
...
...Then, part of the roof came down.
"GET BACK!" The head fireman yelled, temporarily stopping the water so he didn't hit anybody with it, when they all pulled back from the apartment complex starting to come down.
...
...
...
...
...
...
"...H~...Elp..."
Shōya's heart froze... Then, he took off running towards the burning building, towards the fire that burnt away one of the doors.
"Ōya!" Sōta called out.
"STOP! Don't go in there!" Sandy called out, almost dropping his sand.
...
...
...Nobody within the area were prepared for what Shōya Aizawa responded to their call.
"THERE'S A CHILD INSIDE!"
...
...He ran straight through the fire, jumping through the flames, before parts of building started to come crashing down.
Sōta, activating his Quirk, went over to some of the bags of salt and sand... Just one touch, and he got himself a hand full of wet sand and started tossing it at the flames that his friend ran through.
"Everyone!" The head of the fireman called out. "We need to contain it, now! Check Mate, hold off on the debris, as long as you can, to allow Night Wind to escape! And somebody, get an ambulance out here, right now! Night Wind and that child could be seriously hurt!"
...
...
...Shōya was certain, without a doubt, that he was going to be cooked... However, he couldn't not do anything, and let that poor child die in such an awful, terrifying manner.
He had his arm covering his face, coughing when he inhaled some of the smoke, as he desperately looked for the child.
"Hey, Kid!" He called out, jumping back when some of the flames shot up. "Where are you?!"
His own heart, beating against his eardrums, made it hard to focus on the smaller heartbeat he barely heard through the flames.
...He didn't get a reply... He tried again.
"Come on, Kid! Don't you give up!" He yelled, walking down the hallway. "I'm going to get you out of here! I swear on my life! But you need to call out! I need to find you! So, please, talk!"
...
...
...A small-whimper, coming from the last door of the apartment, red and charred, was all he got to inform him where the child is.
He smiled.
"I found you!" He yelled, then went to kick the door down.
...
...It took him four kicks, when it finally came down.
...
...
...
...
...Nothing would be able to prepare him, for what he found in the room.
...
...
...In the center of the room, with fire circling around it... A child.
She laid still on the ground, curled tight in a ball. She wore nothing, but burnt remains of her shorts.
...He could barely pick up her breathing, that has a slight shaking in her intake for breath... And, seeing the struggling rise and fall off her side... The worst of it all... Seeing the blood, bruises and burns, visible from underneath her messy hair...
He realized that she's in desperate need of medical assistance.
Without a second thought, he went to her side, ignoring the flames that touched his skin from underneath his hero suit, kneeling beside the toddler.
"Kid!" He called out, gently laying a hand on her shoulder.
...
...
...He pulled back, when he felt something hard underneath her hair.
...
...
...He saw red when, after pushing her hair aside, a thick chain wrapped around her neck. And, underneath her body, after pulling at the chain to find where it ends, he found it shackled beneath her... A lock keeps the chain around her neck.
He then noticed burnt ropes, also beneath her body. Around her ankles and wrists, he sees some of the burns on the skin. There are even some rope imprinting on the skin, with a hint of painful blisters... Covering her mouth, a muzzle-like mask... Or, at least, what was left of it; a massive hole, burnt for the fire, revealed her slightly burned mouth and cheeks.
...He nearly vomited, when he saw the sight of her back... No skin, at all...!
...He sees nothing, but exposed muscles... There was a slight hint of her spine, slightly exposed...
Shōya let out a curse, coughing at the heat and smoke entering his lungs.
Quickly, he reached into his pocket and pulled out a lock pick and started fiddling with the mechanism of the lock.
...In just fifteen seconds, the lock released it's grip... The instant he pulled it off, the large chain uncoiled itself from the girl and dropped like a sack of potatoes.
After putting away the lock pick, he gently sank his arms underneath the girl's body and pulled her against his chest.
...
...
...
...He didn't prepare himself for a scream that sounded like nails on a chalkboard, when the toddler let out an agonizing screech. If not for the blood and burns, her scream, alone, is enough to tell the twenty-one year-old that she's in a colossus amount of pain.
Shōya's heart went out to the poor child he held in his arms. He gently laid his forehead against her own.
"...I'm sorry," he whispered to her. "I'm so sorry..."
He got to his feet and, pushing her face against the crook of his neck, he pushed himself to run out the way he came in and made a beeline towards the exit.
...
...
...
...He narrowly got out in time, before the roof of the apartment came down and covered the entrance.
Shōya ended up collapsing before Sōta and the firemen, gasping for breath... His grip on the whimpering child, remained strong.
"Ōya!" Sōta cried out, kneeling beside his friend.
It took barely a nanosecond for him to see the child in Shōya's arms.
The eldest Aizawa Triplet lifted his gaze to the people around him... His eyes showing great anger, and terror.
"Help her!" Shōya yelled, struggling to get back on his feet and handing the toddler to the head of the firefighter. "Hurry!"
Ambulance arrived, in just a few minutes, when they can finally hand over the injured toddler to them.
...Then, the instant they placed her on the gurney and she was under the white-light inside of the ambulance, one of the staff members made a startling announcement... One that nobody would've expected to hear.
"Oh my god!" She yelled. "Somebody, contact the police and get them to the hospital! This is the child that was reported to being kidnapped, on the Amber Alert! It's Sierra Arashi!"
End of Flashback...
"I went with the ambulance to the hospital, to give out a description to the cops on how I founded her, and for the doctors to check me over for injuries and/or damage to my lungs from inhaling smoke... Unfortunately, I wasn't able to see her and was force to return to my Agency, to inform them that the missing child I was sent to look for had been founded. A few months later, I learnt that she was steadily recovering and in the care of her godmother... I never would've guessed I ended up saving the life of the niece I never knew I had, until now."
Nobody within the group could utter a word.
His mother and sister, both were sobbing their eyes out. Shōma, the youngest triplet, also couldn't control his crying. Yami has his back turned, leaning against the doorframe, covering his face with a hand.
Ichiyuu... Bowed his head... Sitting at the edge of his eyes, tears he refuse to let fall.
...And then, there was Shōta.
...
...
...
...He looked as if somebody just ripped his heart out, straight from his chest, stomped it to the ground and is stuffing what's left of his heart down his throat.
...
...
...He felt sick... And disgusted.
In Shōya's eyes, the Cardinal-red color of his iris flashed him what he felt, all those years ago, with the combination of sorrow and anger he has towards his younger brother.
"You did stupid things in the past, Shō. Things you try to keep secretly from us, even from your own friends... But, this...? Your own child...? This is something I can't forgive you, so easily."
...
...
...Shōta knew he was right to do so... And in his mind, Shōya has every right to not forgive him.
And yes, while his older-brother does have a serious temper, his anger always have reason to be pissed off. Which includes, purposely, picking a fight with his siblings, when he learns they did something bad that makes his blood boil.
...Still, he hated that his brother was blaming him, for his daughter's misfortune, ten years ago.
"I didn't know," he growled out. "...I thought she, Cici and her kids were already dead, from Eruption causing magnitudes within the city and destroying buildings."
"And, if you had came on patrol with me and Sōta that night, instead of mourning over Oboro's death with Zashi and Nemu, you would've learnt that the information you were given was false!" Shōya replied, folding his arms over his chest. "And yes, your fiancée would still had died, but you would've found your daughter and brought her home to us!"
"And then what?!" Shōta yelled back. "You wouldn't be a major asshole, that you are right now, if I had came that night and brought her home?! Because, news flash, Ōya, it's not too difficult to stop being an ass! Or, perhaps, if she didn't end up living with the Midoriyas, her god-brother would've been six feet in the fucking ground, from committing suicide!"
...
...Neither of the brothers expected it to happen... When a foot slammed to the floor and high-screeching scream drilled in their ears, causing them to fall to the floor and covering their ears with their hands.
The others had their ears covered, long before the screech came... Coming from Shōma.
Once they were on the ground, the youngest-triplet stopped screaming... He had just about enough with the arguing, and nobody could blame him for stepping in and almost making the windows shatter from using his Quirk.
He was slightly gasping for breath, more towards keeping his emotions in tack and not break down like his mother and sister, than running out of breath.
"Will you two knock it off?!" He yelled, walking over and standing beside Ichiyuu. "We didn't plan this gathering, just for you two to badmouth each other on who's a terrible brother or father! I didn't come here, with my two sons, so that you two can fight and cause distress within this household! We all came here, to greet and welcome our long-lost niece and granddaughter! Who can't even come in, because of all this stress you two caused!"
The two winced at their youngest-triplet brother's yelling, still dealing with the ringing and aches going on in their ears, as they looked to one another, kneeling on the ground.
They still have anger in their eyes towards each other... Yet, behind the anger, a slight sign of guilt call be noticed in their iris'.
"Ōma is right," their father said. "Yes, what Shō did was wrong, but that doesn't mean you were in the right to put the blame on him for what happened to Sierra, Ōya. And yes, this is a matter that we'll talk about, but not right now. What we should be doing, is finally meet our little winner of the Sports Festival and welcome her into our family. And it's best we do so now, than later, before your grandfather decides to hunt her down and lock her in his lair."
"Actually, he already did that." Yami replied, speaking out for the first time, gaining the family's attention. "He went to the barn, and found Sierra Hitoshi tending to Pepper. -He sent a small-glare at his grandfather, his black-eyes glowing red, a sign that he's using his Quirk.- You left her, just when her water broke, and had her calling out for help... She just gave birth to two foals, and soon after, Grandfather Hiro took Sierra to his room to rest."
...Immediately, Hitomi and Sumire screamed to the response.
"SHE'S INSIDE THE HOUSE?!"
Upstairs, in Hirosama's Bedroom...
The room is the size of a living room. It's dark, because the windows are tinted and the curtains are pulled shut.
In the middle of the floor, a thick heavy blanket laid out... On top of it, with a faux-fur blanket over it, a black-bear that's, actually, a polar bear with black-fur*. Though, if seen carefully, anybody would notice some greying mixed in with the black of its fur, signaling the classic sign of aging.
...
...
...
...Underneath the white faux-fur, resting against the black-polar bear... A feverish, but nearly sleeping, human, Sierra Aizawa.
The mammal watches over the girl that rest on his right-arm as a pillow, burying her face against the fur on his chest. He nuzzles her head with his nose, as his paws encircled around her body, being mindful that his claws don't scratch her and doesn't touch her back.
Her legs, with her shoes off, slightly kicked out of reflex, jolting her body slightly, as if trying to force her to wake up.
The bear made a low-moaning sound, slightly panting against her hair, before rubbing her face with his own.
"SHE'S INSIDE THE HOUSE?!"
His ears twitched from the yelling downstairs, glaring at the floor, as the girl jumped out of her near sleep from the voice. Panic and drowsiness can be seen in her greenish-grey eyes, her breathing coming into slight panting from her fever spiking up from pushing herself to helping Pepper with her birth.
In response, the bear laid his massive paw on the back of her head, gently pushing her back down to his chest.
She quivered against the animals' body, as the mammal used his fangs to pull the blanket over her shivering form. Her sweater and turtleneck, replaced with a larger white-shirt that covers almost her whole body, like a nightgown.
He nuzzles her head, again, calming her with his gentle voice and warming comfort.
"Rest... You are safe here. You are embraced here... You are welcomed here... My great-granddaughter."
Sleep was pulling at her... Only for her body to shake itself, when the stomping of footsteps echoed through the floor... Coming their way.
Again, she tried to sit up, but the black-polar bear curled his body around her smaller-form.
He gently urged her to rest her head between his neck and his shoulder.
"You are loved here. You will not be turned away... You... Are... MINE...!"
Hearing him claim her as his... In the ways of the animal, claiming her as his blood... His family... It eased part of the fear in her heart.
...Though, nothing could compare to being engulfed in his scent... Being marked by the scent the family carries and blends within the household, truly gives her hope that she does belong.
...That she is family.
TBC
*: At first, I was going to have Shōta be a twin to the eldest brother of the family... But then, after watching one of the episodes of Detective Conan: Case Closed (A great Anime, that's still making new episodes since the 90's; you should watch it!), which involved a father (A soon-to-be father-in-law to Serena's sister) being murdered by one of his triplet sons... I thought it would make the story a bit more interesting... Plus, seeing them having different personalities to each other, would probably make his personality a bit more reasonable.
*: I looked up online... And, I just learned that polar bears are, actually, black. Apparently, their fur is translucent, and only appears white because it reflects visible light... I know, I'm just as shock to that discovery... Still, imagine a polar bear having black-fur, instead of white... Crazy...
Also, sorry that it took a while for me to update the story... I got hooked up on Fairy Tail... That, and work is driving us through the roof. Hopefully, it'll all simmer down and let our minds recover from inhaling all the carbon dioxide from wearing masks all the time.
Hope everyone is doing okay, during these stressful times.
R&R