CHAPTER XII
Showdown at Liaozhong
The eight armored combatants charged at each other, weapons directed at eachother's hearts. Shiro pointed his spear at Zhang Liao and his pike, Blue Fox's blade pointed at Xiahou Dun and a blade of his own, Kori aimed her rapier towards Zhang He, who aimed his sword at her heart. Xiahou Dun stabbed at Blue Fox, who maneuvered Shadow to the right and slashed Dun's hip, which knocked him off. Zhang Liao swung his pike above his head and slashed fatally at Shiro. Shiro grabbed tightly upon Storm's reign and pulled around Zhang Liao and stabbed the back of Zhang Liao's armor, and forced him off his horse. Xu Chu wielded a mighty axe, and Aka removed his large blade from his back. The two charged at eachother vigorously. Xu Chu swung his axe at Aka, who blocked but was knocked off. He swung himself back and landed on his spine. He rolled backwards and cut down Xu Chu's horse, bringing the warrior down. Zhang He dodged a fatal blow from Kori's rapier, and slashed at her. She dodged and fell hard onto the ground, rolling across the rocks. Blue Fox looked back and saw her rolling on the rocks.
"Kori!" shouted Blue Fox.
Xiahou Dun smirked and saw Blue Fox distracted. Blue Fox rode towards Kori, and Xiahou Dun ran in front and slashed Blue Fox off. Zhang He looked maniacally at Kori and ran to her. He lifted her by her hair, and she forced herself up. Kori reached into the back plate of her armored skirt and pulled out a knife, and stabbed blindly at Zhang He. She managed to cut across Zhang He's side, Zhang He winced and threw her to the ground.
"Hideous worm!" said Zhang He narcissistically. "You will die by the hands of Zhang He!"
Zhang He grabbed his sword to approach Kori, but when he looked behind him he saw a golden horse riding at him. He jumped out of the way and Shiro missed the trample. He grabbed Kori and brought her onto Storm.
Blue Fox ran at Xiahou Dun, who tried to slit Blue Fox's throat. Blue Fox ducked around it and cut Xiahou Dun's stomach. Xiahou Dun spun around and got Blue Fox's back. He ran forward and turned around, facing Xiahou Dun. Dun charged again and went for Blue Fox's legs. He slashed, but missed, so he went for a legswipe. Blue Fox stabbed at the ground and halted the attack, then kicked the blade away. He cut across Xiahou Dun's stomach, and Dun backed away nervously.
Xu Chu hacked his axe repeatedly at Aka, who continued his blocking. Xu Chu slashed down upon Aka, who went leftward and slashed Xu Chu's back. Aka went onto the offensive, his eyes glowed with a burn.
"Hah! WRETCH! You challenge a god with an expected victory?! I pity you!" mocked Aka.
Aka made a slash to the left. Xu Chu backed away, with his axe in the air. Aka quickly stabbed the axe hard and knocked it away, and smirked.
Blue Fox backed away from Xiahou Dun and ran towards Aka. He saw Shiro and Kori get into a village home, minutes ago. As he made it to Aka, he hit his back, signalling to follow him. Aka narrowed his eyes but followed them around the corner and into the same house.
"What are they doing here?!" said Shiro.
Blue Fox looked worryingly at Kori, who was in a bit of bad shape. He then looked back at Shiro and Aka.
"Easy...Zhuge Liang said it was a logical and strategic point to take." Said Blue Fox. "Cao Cao obviously must have seen this. He ordered his men to immediately take this city, and the city evacuated for a little while. Cao Cao figured they'd send me, knowing that this is my home town. He didn't know you'd be with me, luckily you were."
"Yeah, who knows how many you could take before you lost." Said Aka, jokingly.
"Why aren't they pursuing us?" asked Shiro.
"They want us to come out for ourselves." Said Blue Fox, standing up. "And I have no problem with that."
Kori stood up, and said, "Neither do I."
Shiro stood up, and said, "I'm ready."
Aka did the same thing, they left outside and grabbed hold of their weapons.
Shiro ran towards Zhang Liao.
"I owe you for last time." Said Shiro.
"Good, bring it on." Said Zhang Liao.
Shiro ran at Zhang Liao and went for the right side of him. Zhang Liao blocked, and Shiro spun quickly around and slashed Zhang Liao's other side.
Blue Fox allowed Xiahou Dun to grab his weapon, and they charged at eachother. They passed eachother and their blades engaged. They both spun around and got into a weapon lock.
Kori grabbed her rapier, and her buckler was on tight. Zhang He furiously stabbed at her, but Kori managed to block. She spun around a stab and cut his arm. The wound opened and blood trickled down his shoulder.
Aka jumped high into the air and slashed harshly at Xu Chu, who jumped out of the way. Xu Chu lunged back forward to slash Aka's back, but Aka rolled over and dodged. They got up quickly and started pushing eachother back and forth.
Blue Fox pressed hard, and a dark aura surrounded The Reaper. It pressed the Kirin Fang back and Blue Fox spun around and cut across Xiahou Dun's gut. He quickly kicked Dun down to the ground, and took an arrow out of his quiver. He thrusted the arrow into Dun's shoulder-blade.
"I won't kill you this time, next time I might. So if you wish to die, fight me again." Said Blue Fox.
Shiro jumped up and slashed quickly at Zhang Liao, who tightly grabbed his blade with both hands and blocked. Shiro landed and continued the strike. He quickly released his right hand from the blade and took his sword from his waist. He cut across Zhang Liao's stomache, cutting him down, and let him retreat.
Xiahou Dun and Zhang Liao had both retreated, and the two free warriors were about to aid their comrades, until a mounted warrior broke broke through some wooden housing. It was a large man, with a heavy halberd. The halberd's pole was blue with a golden dragon encircling down the pole. The blade at the end of it had two, deadly , steel sharp sides. It was a warrior as fierce as Lu Bu.
The warrior's armor was light, however. It was iron padding leading down to his waist, and some shin armor. The warrior's hair was let out. It was black and reached the middle of his neck.
"I AM LORD KUAN JIN OF LIAOKUANG!" roared the warrior. "AOI KITSUNE, I HAVE COME FOR YOUR HEAD!"
Blue Fox and Shiro nodded at eachother, and engaged the warrior.
"I am Aoi Kitsune, the Black Dragon! Has Cao Cao sent you?"
"Vermin! How dare you see me as an equal!" said Kuan Jin. "You are no dragon! And I serve no man! Now prepare yourself for death!"
"What do you want? Why do you attack us?" said Shiro.
"You have slaughtered my family, who were on the verge of domination of this damned world!" said Kuan Jin, furiously. "The Shinek Relic is gone now! Bastards, you will die!"
Blue Fox blinked. He had ensured that there could be no survivors in the Shinek Relic campaign...mainly the Kuan family. The Kuan family led a cult called the Black Fang, which tried to posess a magic relic called the Shinek Relic, that could very well take down army after army.
Flashback
"Slaughter them now, or they will return!" shouted Blue Fox.
Two Kuan family warlords arose from the ashes in the crimson fire, and ambushed Aka. Blue Fox and Shiro assisted and managed to weaken them. One had a two-pronged blade, capable of cutting through iron like butter. The other had a voulge, a blade with two ends that faced different directions.
Aka swung his great blade at the first warlord, who blocked it with his own. Blue Fox took the oppurtunity and shot him down with several archers, and his own bow. Shiro defended himself againts the other Kuan lord, and Kori appeared from behind and cut down the warrior.
"Is that all of them?!" shouted Blue Fox.
"It should be all in this area!" replied Shiro.
"Alright! Let's get the relic!" said Aka.
They all left...but among the ashes of the burning town was a Kuam family toddler...left behind among his fallen family.
"To think that one of them had survived," thought Blue Fox. "You should have died with the rest of the pigs."
Kuan Jin furiously charged at them, and slashed at Blue Fox. Blue Fox jumped out of the way, and Shiro threw his spear into Kuan Jin's steed, bringing it down. Shiro ran and retrieved his spear, and returned to Blue Fox's side.
Kuan Jin stood up, laughing maniacally.
"Is that all you got?! The Great Blue Fox, huh? Turns out he would be lucky if he could kill a mere bug!" said Kuan Jin.
Shiro Inazuma jumped up from behind Kuan Jin, but Jin rolled to the right and uppercut across Shiro's ribcage. Blue Fox ran at Jin, but he grabbed his halberd and hacked at Blue Fox who dodged. Blue Fox jumped to the side and lunged at Kuan Jin, cutting his side. Jin managed to dodge an attack from Shiro, and kick him away. The two attacked in an V formation, closing in from both sides. Kuan Jin ran to them and hacked his blade at Blue Fox, which cut across Blue Fox's chest. Jin then thrusted the blade behind him, and broke through Shiro's armor, piercing lightly into his skin. Jin thrusted the halberd over his shoulder and threwShiro hard into several pots and barrels, and into the ground.
Kori pushed Zhang He away and stepped back. She saw Shiro thrusted into the floor.
"Shiro!" cried Kori. She tried to run to him, but Zhang He pulled her back by her hair. He put his sword to the struggling woman's neck.
"Vermin! I will kill you for your deeds!"
Blue Fox saw her about to be killed. He took his bow and an arrow from his quiver, and pointed it at them. Kuan Jin ran at Blue Fox. Blue Fox saw him coming, but ignored it. He aimed and fired, and the arrow made its way towards them. Zhang He saw it coming and tried to get away from it, but it shot him just a half a foot from his heart, into the shoulder.
Kuan Jin thrusted his halberd into Blue Fox's stomache. It pierced deep into his stomach, but didn't get his lungs. Jin pulled the blade back...everything was silent in Kori's mind.
Aka managed to defeat Xu Chu, who retreated. Kori ran to Blue Fox quickly. Kuan Jin smiled with no remourse whatsoever. He was even going to strike Kori down with him. But a spear pierced his back, and he shrieked in pain. He pulled it out, and looked behind him. Shiro was waiting there. Kuan Jin dropped the blade and charged Shiro, but was shoulder-tackled by Aka.
"It's true...cut off the head, and the body falls," said Aka. "But the body remains, and so do we."
Blood was puddling from Aoi Kitsune. Kori ran to his side and held his face.
"Oh my god! Aoi! Please hang on! Aoi!" said Kori, crying. "Please...you left once...don't leave again!"
Blue Fox smiled at her.
"Kori..." coughed Blue Fox. "If...if you knew me so well...you'd know that I wou...would never be killed by a Kuan..."
Kori hugged him tightly.
Shiro used his sword to rapidly attack the monstrous warrior. Aka took his behind to distract him. Kuan Jin quickly slashed backwards, and Aka held onto the blade. Jin tried to get it back, but Shiro stabbed his stomach.
"AGGGHH!!!" shouted Kuan Jin. He broke away and left his halberd, runnning. "I'll be back! I swear on the graves of my family, I will!"
Shiro and Aka put their weapons away, and slowly approached Kori, but did not fully. Aoi was tightly in her arms.
"We should get him back to camp." Said Shiro. "He'll be safe there."
Several swordsman came out from all sides, ready for battle. Aka stood up, and looked at all of them, grabbing his large blade tightly.
"IDIOTS! YOU THINK YOU CAN WIN?!" roared Aka. "WE TOOK ALL OF YOUR GENERALS AND WON, AND YOU THINK YOU CAN WIN?! I AM AKA USAGI, THE GOD OF BATTLE!"
The soldiers stopped, and looked at each other's panic-filled faces, and retreated.
When Kori got up, she and Shiro put Aoi's arm's on their shoulders, and lifted him up. They got Aoi onto the front of his horse, and Kori got on back and held Shadow's reigns, and set off for the camp.
Shiro and Aka found the city people, and ensured that they were safe then, and Blue Fox saved their city. They all set off back to the Shu camp.
"Damn!" said Cao Cao, as he pounded his fist onto the table. "How could we lose such a battle?!"
"He was not alone, he had powerful allies with him." Said Zhang Liao.
"This is no excuse, carelessness brought this burden upon us. It will not happen again!"
A few days later, Aoi recovered. He layed down quietly in his cot, in his tent at the Shu camp. It was about 11 pm, and many had gone to sleep. Shiro and Aka were sparring outside. Kori walked into Blue Fox's tent, and he looked at her.
"Aoi...I..." begun Kori. She rubbed her arm nevously.
Aoi sat up.
"Are you okay? Are you still hurt from the battle?" asked Aoi.
"Aoi...I'm fine...but...I'm..."
Aoi looked confusingly at her, waiting for her to finish.
"You're...what?" asked Aoi.
"I'm...pregnant..."
Aoi stared at her...it was quiet for a few minutes.
"What?"
Kori slowly nodded, and said, "I'm pregnant...I'm going to have a baby..."
Aoi couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Who's?!" asked Aoi.
Kori looked at the floor, and back at Aoi, and said, "...yours..."
Showdown at Liaozhong
The eight armored combatants charged at each other, weapons directed at eachother's hearts. Shiro pointed his spear at Zhang Liao and his pike, Blue Fox's blade pointed at Xiahou Dun and a blade of his own, Kori aimed her rapier towards Zhang He, who aimed his sword at her heart. Xiahou Dun stabbed at Blue Fox, who maneuvered Shadow to the right and slashed Dun's hip, which knocked him off. Zhang Liao swung his pike above his head and slashed fatally at Shiro. Shiro grabbed tightly upon Storm's reign and pulled around Zhang Liao and stabbed the back of Zhang Liao's armor, and forced him off his horse. Xu Chu wielded a mighty axe, and Aka removed his large blade from his back. The two charged at eachother vigorously. Xu Chu swung his axe at Aka, who blocked but was knocked off. He swung himself back and landed on his spine. He rolled backwards and cut down Xu Chu's horse, bringing the warrior down. Zhang He dodged a fatal blow from Kori's rapier, and slashed at her. She dodged and fell hard onto the ground, rolling across the rocks. Blue Fox looked back and saw her rolling on the rocks.
"Kori!" shouted Blue Fox.
Xiahou Dun smirked and saw Blue Fox distracted. Blue Fox rode towards Kori, and Xiahou Dun ran in front and slashed Blue Fox off. Zhang He looked maniacally at Kori and ran to her. He lifted her by her hair, and she forced herself up. Kori reached into the back plate of her armored skirt and pulled out a knife, and stabbed blindly at Zhang He. She managed to cut across Zhang He's side, Zhang He winced and threw her to the ground.
"Hideous worm!" said Zhang He narcissistically. "You will die by the hands of Zhang He!"
Zhang He grabbed his sword to approach Kori, but when he looked behind him he saw a golden horse riding at him. He jumped out of the way and Shiro missed the trample. He grabbed Kori and brought her onto Storm.
Blue Fox ran at Xiahou Dun, who tried to slit Blue Fox's throat. Blue Fox ducked around it and cut Xiahou Dun's stomach. Xiahou Dun spun around and got Blue Fox's back. He ran forward and turned around, facing Xiahou Dun. Dun charged again and went for Blue Fox's legs. He slashed, but missed, so he went for a legswipe. Blue Fox stabbed at the ground and halted the attack, then kicked the blade away. He cut across Xiahou Dun's stomach, and Dun backed away nervously.
Xu Chu hacked his axe repeatedly at Aka, who continued his blocking. Xu Chu slashed down upon Aka, who went leftward and slashed Xu Chu's back. Aka went onto the offensive, his eyes glowed with a burn.
"Hah! WRETCH! You challenge a god with an expected victory?! I pity you!" mocked Aka.
Aka made a slash to the left. Xu Chu backed away, with his axe in the air. Aka quickly stabbed the axe hard and knocked it away, and smirked.
Blue Fox backed away from Xiahou Dun and ran towards Aka. He saw Shiro and Kori get into a village home, minutes ago. As he made it to Aka, he hit his back, signalling to follow him. Aka narrowed his eyes but followed them around the corner and into the same house.
"What are they doing here?!" said Shiro.
Blue Fox looked worryingly at Kori, who was in a bit of bad shape. He then looked back at Shiro and Aka.
"Easy...Zhuge Liang said it was a logical and strategic point to take." Said Blue Fox. "Cao Cao obviously must have seen this. He ordered his men to immediately take this city, and the city evacuated for a little while. Cao Cao figured they'd send me, knowing that this is my home town. He didn't know you'd be with me, luckily you were."
"Yeah, who knows how many you could take before you lost." Said Aka, jokingly.
"Why aren't they pursuing us?" asked Shiro.
"They want us to come out for ourselves." Said Blue Fox, standing up. "And I have no problem with that."
Kori stood up, and said, "Neither do I."
Shiro stood up, and said, "I'm ready."
Aka did the same thing, they left outside and grabbed hold of their weapons.
Shiro ran towards Zhang Liao.
"I owe you for last time." Said Shiro.
"Good, bring it on." Said Zhang Liao.
Shiro ran at Zhang Liao and went for the right side of him. Zhang Liao blocked, and Shiro spun quickly around and slashed Zhang Liao's other side.
Blue Fox allowed Xiahou Dun to grab his weapon, and they charged at eachother. They passed eachother and their blades engaged. They both spun around and got into a weapon lock.
Kori grabbed her rapier, and her buckler was on tight. Zhang He furiously stabbed at her, but Kori managed to block. She spun around a stab and cut his arm. The wound opened and blood trickled down his shoulder.
Aka jumped high into the air and slashed harshly at Xu Chu, who jumped out of the way. Xu Chu lunged back forward to slash Aka's back, but Aka rolled over and dodged. They got up quickly and started pushing eachother back and forth.
Blue Fox pressed hard, and a dark aura surrounded The Reaper. It pressed the Kirin Fang back and Blue Fox spun around and cut across Xiahou Dun's gut. He quickly kicked Dun down to the ground, and took an arrow out of his quiver. He thrusted the arrow into Dun's shoulder-blade.
"I won't kill you this time, next time I might. So if you wish to die, fight me again." Said Blue Fox.
Shiro jumped up and slashed quickly at Zhang Liao, who tightly grabbed his blade with both hands and blocked. Shiro landed and continued the strike. He quickly released his right hand from the blade and took his sword from his waist. He cut across Zhang Liao's stomache, cutting him down, and let him retreat.
Xiahou Dun and Zhang Liao had both retreated, and the two free warriors were about to aid their comrades, until a mounted warrior broke broke through some wooden housing. It was a large man, with a heavy halberd. The halberd's pole was blue with a golden dragon encircling down the pole. The blade at the end of it had two, deadly , steel sharp sides. It was a warrior as fierce as Lu Bu.
The warrior's armor was light, however. It was iron padding leading down to his waist, and some shin armor. The warrior's hair was let out. It was black and reached the middle of his neck.
"I AM LORD KUAN JIN OF LIAOKUANG!" roared the warrior. "AOI KITSUNE, I HAVE COME FOR YOUR HEAD!"
Blue Fox and Shiro nodded at eachother, and engaged the warrior.
"I am Aoi Kitsune, the Black Dragon! Has Cao Cao sent you?"
"Vermin! How dare you see me as an equal!" said Kuan Jin. "You are no dragon! And I serve no man! Now prepare yourself for death!"
"What do you want? Why do you attack us?" said Shiro.
"You have slaughtered my family, who were on the verge of domination of this damned world!" said Kuan Jin, furiously. "The Shinek Relic is gone now! Bastards, you will die!"
Blue Fox blinked. He had ensured that there could be no survivors in the Shinek Relic campaign...mainly the Kuan family. The Kuan family led a cult called the Black Fang, which tried to posess a magic relic called the Shinek Relic, that could very well take down army after army.
Flashback
"Slaughter them now, or they will return!" shouted Blue Fox.
Two Kuan family warlords arose from the ashes in the crimson fire, and ambushed Aka. Blue Fox and Shiro assisted and managed to weaken them. One had a two-pronged blade, capable of cutting through iron like butter. The other had a voulge, a blade with two ends that faced different directions.
Aka swung his great blade at the first warlord, who blocked it with his own. Blue Fox took the oppurtunity and shot him down with several archers, and his own bow. Shiro defended himself againts the other Kuan lord, and Kori appeared from behind and cut down the warrior.
"Is that all of them?!" shouted Blue Fox.
"It should be all in this area!" replied Shiro.
"Alright! Let's get the relic!" said Aka.
They all left...but among the ashes of the burning town was a Kuam family toddler...left behind among his fallen family.
"To think that one of them had survived," thought Blue Fox. "You should have died with the rest of the pigs."
Kuan Jin furiously charged at them, and slashed at Blue Fox. Blue Fox jumped out of the way, and Shiro threw his spear into Kuan Jin's steed, bringing it down. Shiro ran and retrieved his spear, and returned to Blue Fox's side.
Kuan Jin stood up, laughing maniacally.
"Is that all you got?! The Great Blue Fox, huh? Turns out he would be lucky if he could kill a mere bug!" said Kuan Jin.
Shiro Inazuma jumped up from behind Kuan Jin, but Jin rolled to the right and uppercut across Shiro's ribcage. Blue Fox ran at Jin, but he grabbed his halberd and hacked at Blue Fox who dodged. Blue Fox jumped to the side and lunged at Kuan Jin, cutting his side. Jin managed to dodge an attack from Shiro, and kick him away. The two attacked in an V formation, closing in from both sides. Kuan Jin ran to them and hacked his blade at Blue Fox, which cut across Blue Fox's chest. Jin then thrusted the blade behind him, and broke through Shiro's armor, piercing lightly into his skin. Jin thrusted the halberd over his shoulder and threwShiro hard into several pots and barrels, and into the ground.
Kori pushed Zhang He away and stepped back. She saw Shiro thrusted into the floor.
"Shiro!" cried Kori. She tried to run to him, but Zhang He pulled her back by her hair. He put his sword to the struggling woman's neck.
"Vermin! I will kill you for your deeds!"
Blue Fox saw her about to be killed. He took his bow and an arrow from his quiver, and pointed it at them. Kuan Jin ran at Blue Fox. Blue Fox saw him coming, but ignored it. He aimed and fired, and the arrow made its way towards them. Zhang He saw it coming and tried to get away from it, but it shot him just a half a foot from his heart, into the shoulder.
Kuan Jin thrusted his halberd into Blue Fox's stomache. It pierced deep into his stomach, but didn't get his lungs. Jin pulled the blade back...everything was silent in Kori's mind.
Aka managed to defeat Xu Chu, who retreated. Kori ran to Blue Fox quickly. Kuan Jin smiled with no remourse whatsoever. He was even going to strike Kori down with him. But a spear pierced his back, and he shrieked in pain. He pulled it out, and looked behind him. Shiro was waiting there. Kuan Jin dropped the blade and charged Shiro, but was shoulder-tackled by Aka.
"It's true...cut off the head, and the body falls," said Aka. "But the body remains, and so do we."
Blood was puddling from Aoi Kitsune. Kori ran to his side and held his face.
"Oh my god! Aoi! Please hang on! Aoi!" said Kori, crying. "Please...you left once...don't leave again!"
Blue Fox smiled at her.
"Kori..." coughed Blue Fox. "If...if you knew me so well...you'd know that I wou...would never be killed by a Kuan..."
Kori hugged him tightly.
Shiro used his sword to rapidly attack the monstrous warrior. Aka took his behind to distract him. Kuan Jin quickly slashed backwards, and Aka held onto the blade. Jin tried to get it back, but Shiro stabbed his stomach.
"AGGGHH!!!" shouted Kuan Jin. He broke away and left his halberd, runnning. "I'll be back! I swear on the graves of my family, I will!"
Shiro and Aka put their weapons away, and slowly approached Kori, but did not fully. Aoi was tightly in her arms.
"We should get him back to camp." Said Shiro. "He'll be safe there."
Several swordsman came out from all sides, ready for battle. Aka stood up, and looked at all of them, grabbing his large blade tightly.
"IDIOTS! YOU THINK YOU CAN WIN?!" roared Aka. "WE TOOK ALL OF YOUR GENERALS AND WON, AND YOU THINK YOU CAN WIN?! I AM AKA USAGI, THE GOD OF BATTLE!"
The soldiers stopped, and looked at each other's panic-filled faces, and retreated.
When Kori got up, she and Shiro put Aoi's arm's on their shoulders, and lifted him up. They got Aoi onto the front of his horse, and Kori got on back and held Shadow's reigns, and set off for the camp.
Shiro and Aka found the city people, and ensured that they were safe then, and Blue Fox saved their city. They all set off back to the Shu camp.
"Damn!" said Cao Cao, as he pounded his fist onto the table. "How could we lose such a battle?!"
"He was not alone, he had powerful allies with him." Said Zhang Liao.
"This is no excuse, carelessness brought this burden upon us. It will not happen again!"
A few days later, Aoi recovered. He layed down quietly in his cot, in his tent at the Shu camp. It was about 11 pm, and many had gone to sleep. Shiro and Aka were sparring outside. Kori walked into Blue Fox's tent, and he looked at her.
"Aoi...I..." begun Kori. She rubbed her arm nevously.
Aoi sat up.
"Are you okay? Are you still hurt from the battle?" asked Aoi.
"Aoi...I'm fine...but...I'm..."
Aoi looked confusingly at her, waiting for her to finish.
"You're...what?" asked Aoi.
"I'm...pregnant..."
Aoi stared at her...it was quiet for a few minutes.
"What?"
Kori slowly nodded, and said, "I'm pregnant...I'm going to have a baby..."
Aoi couldn't believe what he was hearing.
"Who's?!" asked Aoi.
Kori looked at the floor, and back at Aoi, and said, "...yours..."