Fourth month

Frustration had reached another level within her. But she knew she could whimper, or wail, or cry: nobody could ease her boredom. She wanted to learn so desperately. Language was getting easier to her, and she started getting the subject of their conversations. But it wasn't enough, she wanted more of them, more of Nawaki's nursery rhythms. She was tired of Kira Kira Boshi, which was apparently this country's version of Twinkle Twinkle little star and Aka Tombo which was about a red dragonfly if shecould rely on the boy's doodles. He seemed to sing the last one because they were in Autumn. Good to know the season worked the same here.

It was getting cold actually, so her mother had wrapped several pieces of clothing around me so she wouldn't get cold. The fabric was rough against her baby skin, giving her serious rashes. After a few days of this treatment, and both her parents trying to understand what was causing me all this skin affection, the only thing she could try to grab was the guilty blanket and showing it to them and put her tiny hand on the concerned bodypart. At one point, a light of understanding shone into my father's eyes.

He told her something with a soft voice. She couldn't figure out his tone. Was it cautious or astonished? Seeing that she didn't answer what he was saying, he blinked and repeated slowly, separating all the words neatly. Unfortunately, she didn't figure out what he was saying, apart that her name had been thrown into the mix. It seemed like a question, but she couldn't understand it. She deadpanned, which seem to amuse her father greatly.

Then he called her mother for help, apparently telling her about Honoka's finding between the rash and the blanket. Suki came near the bed, and called the baby's name. Honoka blinked, then understood they wouldn't understand nor leave if she didn't do her part again. She curled one palm in the blanket, quite unable to pinch it with the first three fingers, and put her other hand on one of the rash, curving her fingers into a claw-shaped form to show it was itching.

She sighed when Suki seemed to understand. She started saying stuff too fast with too much syllables inside for her to understand. Well the gist of it was surely: "you're so smart my girl, I love you!", or something akin.

Right after that her father gave her another blanket which wasn't hurting her anymore, and she could finally sleep and move around freely.

Something shifted in their home the next days. Her parents would put objects in front of her, mostly big objects, and say a word. She would nod when she understood it. Unfortunately, her mouth was still untrain at this point. She had managed to ease the wax-like smile into a charming grin and cute giggles which made her mother proud in society (what was with all these people caressing her face and trying to make her laugh anyway?). But speaking was impossible. Oh, she could modulate her voice, making it soft or loud, and imitate some sounds, but just the vowels a and e. It was quite limited; don't you think? She was quite sure a language with bubbles and farting noises could be invented.

So, both her parents, and of course the smart Nawaki had decided to teach her words, even though she couldn't actually repeat them yet. Even Nawaki's friends and the adult with them had given a try and were amused and/or impressed by her feat.

The "game" had started like this. They had given her a set of coloured cubes at one point, and she had thought of making her teeth on them when they would be close to piercing her gums. There was a red one, a blue one, a green one and a yellow one. Well, after a few trials, she was able to show the right colour. Akai was "red", aoi meant "blue", ki was yellow and midori was "green". Right and rippou might quite be "cube", and doko must have meant "where". So when she was hearing the question: "Honoka, where is the [insert colour here] cube?", she would show it with her hand. Which lead to learn migi and hidari, "right" and "left".

Although she felt like a show dog who was taught tricks, she was learning, and that was the most important. Boredom was being over.

She couldn't move from her spot yet. I could roll from the back to the belly and lift herself up a few minutes on her forearms before falling back in the covers. She was getting to the point where she could move. The best she could do at the moment was rolling on the side and almost falling from the bed. It had given Nawaki quite a fright, actually. He was so innocent she took a lot of pleasure in tormenting the boy.

Right and she could also wiggle arms and legs in the air separately when she was on the back, and when she was on her belly. What an impressive feat! She wanted to get away from this room so much…

Actually she was quite sure she was faring better than a normal baby because she had the mentality to train.

The objects for example: before she could only curl her palm around one and hit it on everything around. The only way to take it so her mouth was to seize it with both hands and bring it to her. But now she could turn her wrists and do that one handed. IT seemed like nothing, but little gestures such as this one require a finesse she had long forgotten. It seems so easy, so instinctive when you're an adult, when in reality it's a very hard feat to accomplish.

Same thing about moving around. She hadn't the muscles yet to hold her body, but she had the discipline of an adult and she would regularly get on her forearms and knees and try moving around. At one point she'll be able to crawl, she was quite sure of it.

Speaking of training, she was wondering what the kids were doing in the garden. They would always take turns to watch her, and she knew she tried to remain mostly awake when it was Nawaki's turn, leaving the feeding, cleaning and pooping to the other ungrateful and underserving brats. Well less undeserving now that they were trying to get her to do new interesting things as well. But between Nawaki, Haruka and Kazehaya, she preferred the first boy. Everyone could play favourites, right?

Anyway, she had managed to get them to take a look at the garden when they were in it, lifting her arms to them to get carried where she wanted.

Only to see the kids fighting one another in the garden!

What the… Were they insane! And the lady who was just looking at them, giving some comments and watching them fight! What was this place! You take some kids, put them some sports clothes and protections and let them hit one another? What were these people thinking! They didn't even seem shocked to fight each other, a bit amused maybe. To her point of view, it looked like an assignment more than a real way to have an argument.

Where had she been reborn?

She had decided to watch them fight again and again. They had technique, she noted. And they were learning a lot. Kick, block, fist, block, jump… They were even fighting with blades and everything. They were training these kids to fight, honing them like weapons. For what purpose? She had so many questions and no answers.

And if they were trained for battle as they were 10 or 11, will she be as well?