Chapter 7: A Party To Remember

Miori was enjoying the sights at Ueno Park during her one week leave from work. Her womb is huge now and she had a bit difficulty when it comes to getting up from a

sleeping position. " I used to enjoy my aerobics in the morning now I can't," she groaned. The baby's weight is giving a strain to her back muscles.

"You are a heavy one," she patted her womb. " I predict that you will be like your father, eating a lot," she chuckled.

Bryan just came back with some ice creams " Here you go," he handed an ice cream to Miori.

They found a bench nearby and sat down, she took a lick and look up through the glass cover high above her.

She could see clouds of ash and smoke floating slowly across the brown sky.

"What did we do to deserve this?" she thought sadly. Miori then daydream about the past, she could barely remember playing in the bright sun and running with her

hands outstretched in the field. She would laugh when she was doing this without a care in the world. When she was too tired she would lay down on the soft grass smelling

the fresh sweet air mixed with the smell of cherry blossoms during her childhood days. Now the sun is nothing but a dim light bringing no warmth or joy.

The earth was brown and barren and the cherry blossom trees are all save those that are protected in Ueno Park have died.

She could feel a tinge of sorrow in her heart, "Bryan have you ever dreamed that one day that we will be able to get our blue sky back," she said still looking up.

" Yes I have," he said slowly, "I dreamed that one day we could walk freely without glass domes above our heads to protect us and see our land green again," he

said following her gaze. "Sometimes I wonder why we always push ourselves too far until we forget to look after our planet. Did we purposely give in to our desires

and forsake the warnings Mother Nature has given us?" she questioned looking at him.

"What all I know Miori we could only learn from our mistakes once we have suffered from it," he answered looking into her eyes. " I may not be correct but

I believed that we always take things for granted and this is the price to pay," he waved his hand around. " I think so too," she agreed.

"Will we ever have our old Earth back?" she asked. " I am not sure but I know someday that we will come back to restore it… someday," said Bryan half-heartedly.

Finishing their ice cream they were just about to leave when Miori felt a sharp pain in her womb causing her to buckle. She reached out her had to grasp Bryan's shoulder

for support. " Miori is the baby coming out?" she nodded gasping in pain. "Stay here I'll go get help," he sat her on the bench and ran to find a passer by.

He came back in a few minutes with a stranger who agreed to take her to the hospital. Both men half carried her to the car parked nearby.

Miori cried in pain and Bryan was getting anxious, holding her hand he asked her to breath deeply. Then he noticed something strange.

"Oh my god! She is bleeding," said Bryan in horror as blood flowed down between Miori's legs.

"Get some tissues in the compartment and don't worry it's just her uterus expanding to make room for the baby the come out," the stranger said.

"Can you go faster?" Bryan said his panic rising. "No problem," said the man and he activated the flying mechanism on the car.

He zoomed among the tall buildings dodging on coming cars that are honking furiously at them.

" NOT THAT FAST! " cried Bryan clutching the backseat in fright at the stranger's reckless driving and in two minutes time they arrived at the hospital

The driver landed his car in front of the main entrance. Bryan rushed out and shouted for help, immediately two hospital staff

came pushing a stretcher that hovered at hip level. Bryan carried Miori to the stretcher and laid her down as the stretcher hovered lower.

The staff then took her to the emergency ward. Bryan was pacing back and forth outside the ward like a worried husband, "Ok Bryan nothing to worry about

Miori is going to be fine," he said to himself then she could hear her crying in pain. He rushed into the room but one of the staff prevented him from going in.

"Please sir, your wife will be fine. She is only having some spasm of pain that will pass once the baby is born. Now sit down," he ushered Bryan to the seat outside the ward.

" Breathe and now push, " the doctor instructed and panting Miori give a heave. Her face is red with effort, " Okay it's nearly out I can see the head," he said and

put his hands below the head to catch the baby when it comes out, "One last time, give a big push," he told her.

"Arrrgggghhh!" she cried giving a great push and could feel the baby slide out.

"Congratulations you have a son!" the doctor cried and carried the baby to the nurse to have it washed. It was wailing at the top of its lungs.

After washing the blood away the nurse wrapped it with a bundle of white cloth and handed the baby boy to Miori.

Tears of joy streamed down her cheeks as she hugged it closely to her breast. Suddenly the door burst open and Bryan came rushing into the room.

The staff failed to restrain him from coming in, "Miori is everything alright?" he asked then he saw Miori smiling holding a bundle of cloth in her hands.

He grinned, " Congratulations," and moved to sit beside her. The baby tired from wailing fell asleep in her arms.

"He's beautiful, had you name him yet?" said Bryan lifting part of the cloth that covered the baby's pink face.

"Yes, I shall call him Hibiki," said Miori proudly. Looking up she could feel Hiroki was smiling down at her.

"Aww he is soooo cute!" Sarah exclaimed looking at Hibiki in his cot, "Where is that digital camera," she strode of to find it.

" Now, now no flashes. He is not even a month old and I don't want you to frighten him," said Miori protectively. " Oh don't worry it has a built-in video recording," said Sarah.

Hibiki was looking around with wide brown eyes. Bryan chuckled " Curious little fellow is he," sitting beside Hibiki waving a soft toy in front of him.

Hibiki paid little attention to it and went off to sleep. Miori stared tenderly at her son, for the past week she had been very happy.

During her stay at the hospital the Tokai's decided to throw in a small party and surprised her yesterday evening when she was discharged from the hospital.

" Surprise!" they shouted as she entered through the door at Tokai's house.

" Hello Miori it's been a long time," said a familiar voice. " Mary Vivian?" she turned to see her friend standing beside the door.

A little girl stood beside her " Mommy who's that?" she asked but Mary didn't answer. Overcome with emotion her eyes watered and she hugged Miori," I missed you," she said.

"I missed you too," said Miori patting her back. Getting impatient with the greeting the little girl tugged at Mary's skirt.

"Oh yes this is Magno my daughter and Magno this is Miori my old school friend," she said bringing Magno towards Miori.

"What a pretty girl," smiled Miori looking down at the blond haired girl and Magno blushed.

"How old is she?" asked Miori patting the giggling Magno on the head.

"She is 7 years old," said Mary. Magno tugged at her mothers skirt asking her to bend down to whisper into her ear. "Magno says that she has something for you," Mary told Miori.

" What is it Magno?" she asked bending down to the girls height. Magno shyly took out a beautifully made card hidden behind her and gave it to Miori.

" To Miori with best wishes and good health to you and your baby," she read it aloud.

"Thank you, do you want to see Hibiki?" Miori said pointing at the carriage, she nodded and Miori gave way. Magno peered into the carriage and giggled.

" He doesn't do much now does he? " she asked looking up at Miori."No he is still young and needs a lot of sleep to be strong," said Miori. "Oh," said Magno cocking her head.

How could something smaller than her sleep whole day she wondered. " Magno go and play with uncle Jin now while I and Miori talk, " said Mary ushering Magno away.

She happily skipped into the living room to find Jin.

" Well? " asked Mary. " Well what? " said Miori with her eye browns raised. " How is Hiroki? " said Mary. "He- he died in a freak accident, " she said sadly.

"Oh god! I'm so sorry," she reach out her hand and touch her shoulder tenderly. " No, It's OK," said Miori giving a weak smile.

" Let's not talk of things that are in the past," she said shaking her head. "Yes let's not besides we have a party to enjoy," added Mary.

The party went on till nearly late into the night, everyone now had gone home congratulating and wishing Miori well before they left. Miori sighted for it had been a long tiring day.

Baby cards decorated the tables and some presents were stacked up in the corner waiting to be opened. " That is one fine baby you have there, " said Shojo as Miori

pulled the covers in the cot making sure Hibiki is kept warm, Yuriko nodded in agreement beside him.

" We have something for him," said Shojo and reached into his pocket. He took out something that is attached to a chain and handed it to Miori, " This is a digital locket," he began.

" It can store about 50 terabytes of memory enough to last for a lifetime and can be read by any computer," he said. Miori was speechless and held the locket onto her breast.

" Thank you, how could I ever repay you?" said Miori. " No need child. We are a family, " Yuriko smiled.

The next day Miori reported a little late for work at the Tokyo Research Institute. Alexis and Sarah were already there.

She is a bit behind time because of her pregnancy and now she is looking forward to hear the research report.

"Hello Miori did you remember me?" asked Kagami offering his hand for a shake." Yes Mr.Kagami, " she answered shaking his hand. "How is the progress so far?" she asked.

" Well we have managed to decode about 20% of the structure for the Pexis energy source," said Kagami.

" The progress is faster than we anticipated and we are able to finish about 11 months time" he said proudly.

The news had raised her confidence and she worked through the morning till nearly late at night in the research area where the Pexis is kept.

Miori was standing on the walkway that spanned across the research area the 30 feet above the Pexis. She typing in some notes into her laptop

while keeping an eye on the Pexis. The Pexis's blue light pulsing calmly revealing no danger and Miori wondered if it is asleep since it rarely talked to her since it mentioned the cult.

Nobody is in the research room this late except Alexis for they had some unfinished work left.

Miori was going to call in for the day when suddenly the blue light from the Pexis pulsed in warning.

Miori tensed ready for some unknown danger. Looking around she found nothing but Alexis standing beside her busying himself with the equipment.

Then he suddenly stopped for he to notice the Pexis strange behavior. "Alexis what is wrong?" she asked. " I don't know," he frowned then continued on with his work.

Miori regarded him for a moment for there is something unusual about his tone.

"Is he hiding something from me?" she thought and took a step towards him. This time the Pexis shone even brighter.

She looked at it curiously then she felt a sharp pain at her back, she tried to scream but no sound came out.

Getting dizzy and her vision dimming her head swam as Alexis spun her around. Smirking he pushed Miori over the railing. She fell down…down into the Pexis.

Her last thought was, "Why?" then she knew no more.