AN: Hello! Okay, I don't have much to say, so, let me get to the reply and then onto the story!
Reply!
Sango-ish: LOL! I pretty much do live in a box with a bed and a computer. Lol, nah, I don't. I just get bored, and writing is what I do. If I don't update, you'll know something's wrong, cuz I gotta write everyday! Lol, anyways, I'm glad you also liked that the kids' names weren't repeats, cuz I don't like that either. But, Kaede was of course named after her, but that was stated in "Forever in My Heart" lol so I don't need to bring that up again. Yeah, I figured that sentence was weird, I was going to put: Kaede sniffed the aroma of different smells coming from the basket, but for some odd reason I didn't put it!! I was going to, I had it in my head, but it just didn't come out. Well, I hope you like the rest of it!! Love ya too, also in a nonscary sorta way LOL!! Thanks for reading! Please continue to!
Mandi
DISCLAIMER: I don't own Inuyasha, sadly. But, I own the new Kaede, Fumo, Atio, Maki, Nenene, Rei and Kei. HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!! Lol ok, onto the story!
Dinner Announcements
"So, Inuyasha," Miroku started, as he set down his glass of tea. "What was it that you wished to share with us all?"
Kagome flashed a smile at Inuyasha, and he wrapped his arm around her shoulders. Kaede looked up at her parents. She didn't even know what they were going to say tonight.
"Well," Inuyasha started quietly. "We weren't entirely sure until last night. But..."
"We're going to have another baby!" Kagome screamed, her face brightening up with a smile.
Sango and Maki screamed, clapping their hands. Kaede just smiled, and the men congratulated Inuyasha. Conversations started between everyone, and it grew difficult to listen to just one. Kaede didn't speak, so she just continued poked at her food in front of her.
"Kaede?" Nenene asked, looking up at her. "What's wrong?"
"Oh, nothing Nenene," Kaede replied, showing a smile on her face.
"Then why do you look sad?"
Kaede sighed, scooping Nenene into her arms and placing her on her lap. "I'm just thinking about how it would be to have a little brother or a sister in my life. I guess I'm not too thrilled with the idea because my parents are always busy, and I might be the one to take care of him."
"But, wouldn't you like to take care of a baby?"
"I guess I would..." Kaede said. "Because then I get to raise my little sister to be just like you." She tickled her, and Nenene giggled. "Okay, now go play with Kei and Rei."
Nenene nodded, giving Kaede a small hug before she left. Kaede watched her go, still hearing a few conversations rolling around her. She chose to ignore them, and she sighed, looking down at her food again.
"Does it look that tasty?"
She looked up to see Fumo standing next to her, a warm smile on his face. She smiled back, and tried to hide her red cheeks. "Nah, but if I look at it long enough, it just might."
He laughed, "Yeah, it might. So, are you excited about having a sibling?"
Kaede shrugged, "I guess I've thought about having a younger sibling off and on. But I never knew I would actually get one."
He smiled, "Yeah, little siblings can be a pain sometimes." He looked down at the table, and his eyes looked glazed, as if he was lost in a memory. "They can yell, scream, kick, and fight all they want with you. But at the end of the day, and they say goodnight, you just know they still love you, even though they torment you so much."
"That's right," Kaede whispered. "You had a little sister. What was she like?"
His smile grew. "That's right, you don't remember her. Well, you were only five when she died. She was so pure when she was older. But, when she was younger, she was the toughest of the three of us. She would take me down first, because I was tougher than Atio, and all she had to do was look at him, and he'd run away." He laughed at the memories flooding back to him. "She was a great friend, and an amazing little sister."
Kaede twisted her lips, looking down at her lap. "Maybe this won't be such a bad thing after all. I guess I can always have another part of my life used to care for a little sibling."
He smiled, and patted her shoulder. "You'd make an awesome big sister. Nenene already thinks of you as one to her."
Kaede smiled, looking up into his sea green eyes. He was looking back at her, his hand still on her shoulder. Kaede's heart began to pound in her ears, and she tried to keep in control of her breathing.
"Daddy!" Nenene said, her eyes filling with tears. "Look at what Kei did!" She lifted her kimono to show a giant splash of mud.
Fumo reached down to wipe the mud away with his fingers. It didn't come off. He made a face, "I'm sorry, Sweetie. You're going to have to wear your old clothes until I was this one."
Nenene nodded, and turned her red eyes to Kaede. "I'm sorry for getting the dress dirty, Kaede."
Kaede smiled, "Don't worry. It's all right. Go on and change back, okay?"
She nodded, turning around slowly and walking away.
"Kaede," Kagome called from the doorway of the hut. "Let's get our things together. We're staying the night."
--
Kaede had asked to sleep outside. After arguing with her mother for a few minutes, she got the "okay" after Fumo said he would stay outside with her. Kaede tried to tell him he need not stay outside with her, but he simply said, "It would make your mother feel better, and myself feel better. We don't want you to get hurt while you are out here on your own."
Atio and Maki soon followed them, wanting to sleep under the stars for a change. The four made their beds under a tree, just a few feet away from the hut everyone else was sleeping in. With their backs against the soft blankets, and pillows under their heads, they gazed up at the stars, just enjoying the fresh air.
"Man, I love this time era," Kaede commented. "The air is clean, there's no smog or smoke in the air around you, and you can just walk anywhere and see flowers and trees."
"They don't have that in your time?" Maki asked.
"Well, in some places, yes," Kaede replied. "But most of the city, or village, is made out of buildings, and factories that pollute the air."
"That's awful!" Maki exclaimed. "How can they do that?"
"Well, over the years, technology grows, and the clean air shrinks, I guess."
"Good thing I'll be dead before that happens!" Maki said, turning her eyes back to the sky.
Kaede gave a small smile, and gave a quick glance at the hut. It was quiet as her parents, the children, Sango and Miroku lay in there silently asleep. The light of the mood glistened on the doorway, and she could just make out the small form of Nenene, sleeping close to the entry with her face towards her.
A cold rush of the wind flew across the four under the tree. Kaede watched some bits of leaves fall from the tree, and fly over to the doorway. With a howl of wolves from behind her, Kaede watched as the small girl Nenene disappeared. Kaede shot up, the blanket covering her falling onto the ground around her feet. The others looked at her, their brows furrowed.
"Nenene!" Kaede screamed, rushing over to the hut. At the sound of his daughter's name, Fumo jumped up himself and followed her to the hut.
Kaede rushed inside the hut, her heart racing. She could feel her insides twist with fear as she gazed inside. Fumo stood by her side, his expression matching hers.
No one was in the hut.
