Well, here it is! Chapter 8! Yeah! Well, I got nothing else to say read and enjoy! Oh, and don't forget to review.
Ch. 8 A Random Tale About a Knife
A few days after their talk at the hot spring bathes Rin went to see Rei. Rin was worried because she hadn't seen the older girl since then and she'd become afraid she'd done something wrong. When she looked inside, the room was empty but Rin went in to make sure. After she assured herself that Rei was not in her room Rin went to leave. As she turned to go down the hall Rin noticed an odd item resting on the hallway floor. It looked like a long, thin, white stick. When Rin picked it up a metal thing appeared at one end. She was fascinated and decided to take it with her. She wanted to try it out.
"Miss Ayanami! Miss Ayanami" I heard Eto's voice call.
Hold on a second Kaworu let me see what this is about.
Okay.
"What's wrong?"
"It's Lady Ririko. She's looking for you again. You'd better hurry up and go see her I think she's mad."
"Right."
Sorry. Something just came up. We'll have to continue this discussion later.
I rose to my feet and hurried inside. I had learned that it was not good to keep Lady Ririko waiting, especially if she was mad.
When I finally returned to my room later that evening I discovered that my knife was gone. I looked everywhere but it was in vain. My knife was nowhere to be found.
Late the next morning Sesshomaru was taking his first unassisted walk since the fight with Naraku. He turned the corner and came across Rin playing with a short white stick. As he watched she used it to cut a rock in two as if it were made of butter. What? Sesshomaru blinked several times to see if what he'd seen was real. Rin had cut a rock in two? Sesshomaru watched in utter amazement as she did it again. "Rin let me see it." He demanded.
Rin turned and looked at him with a huge smile on her face. "Hello Lord Sesshomaru. Feel better?" She asked happily.
Sesshomaru couldn't help it. She was so sweet and happy all the time. The hint of a smile crossed his face. "Yes. I'm feeling much better now." He told her.
"Rin is glad to hear that." Rin said.
"Can I see that?" Sesshomaru asked again, pointing at the knife.
"Sure!" Rin exclaimed.
Sesshomaru took it from Rin's out stretched hands and examined it. It was short and narrow with a fine blade at one end. Sesshomaru quickly saw that by pressing a small silver circle on the side he could cause the blade to extend or retract. What was with that infernal buzzing? Sesshomaru wondered. Every time the blade was out he could here this maddening buzzing in his ears. Sesshomaru held it to his ear and the sound became instantly louder. It was coming from the blade. The blade was actually vibrating. Weird. "Rin where did you get this?"
"Rin found it outside Miss Rei's room yesterday." Rin explained.
"Interesting." Sesshomaru muttered.
Sesshomaru got the funny feeling this strange knife belong to Rei although where and how she'd gotten it was a mystery. He'd have to talk to her about it. Sesshomaru turned to leave but felt a hand tug on his sleeve. "Can Rin have it back?"
No. He couldn't give it back. Sesshomaru wasn't positive but he believed that the vibration was what gave it its power. If that was true this was very dangerous. Not something to be in the hands in a young child. "No."
Rin made a pained, pleading face at Sesshomaru's rejection. Sesshomaru hated that look on her face. It made him feel . . . guilty . . . for not letting her have it. Still he forced himself to block out her face and turned around to leave. "Meanie!" He heard Rin shout at him from behind.
Sesshomaru smirked. If only she knew. Sesshomaru made his way inside and went to find Rei. However she was being forced to sew a torn kimono for his mother making discussing the knife with her impossible. Sesshomaru paused outside the door listen to his mother criticize Rei's stitches for a minute before he left.
I made my way slowly back to my room to the backdrop of the evening sky. My hands ached from being forced to sew for so many hours and my fingers tips felt raw from the number of times I stuck myself. Oh, course that had to be the assignment Lady Ririko gave me. She seemed to relish making me sew ever since she'd learned I couldn't. Yes, she yelled quite a lot at me whenever I bled on the kimono. I yawned and rubbed my tired eyes. I was ready for sleep. Forget the late dinner tonight I was too exhausted to stay awake that long. I slid open my door and dragged myself inside, making a b-line for my bed. As I neared I found myself confused, my bed seemed to have changed somehow. At first I thought it was me but then I made out Rin's sleeping from there. What was she doing in my room? I was too tried to worry about that now. I lay down next to her and closed her eyes. "What time is it?" Rin asked.
"Late Rin. Go to sleep."
"Miss Rei?"
"Yes, Rin?"
"You mad at Rin."
"No. I'm not mad at you Rin."
"That's good to hear."
Rin fell silent and I heard her breathing even out as she drifted off to sleep. I felt my own eyes growing heavy and I closed my eyes to sleep.
I awoke to the bright morning sun streaming through the wall. Ugg, I was really going to work on getting that medicine soon. I rolled over away from the sun and landed right on top of something soft and squishy. Rin squealed in surprise and I sat bolt upright. My first coherent thought was; what's Rin doing in my room? Slowly last night came back to me. I had stumbled into my room late to fin Rin sleeping in my bed. I rubbed my eyes and stretched. "Gomen, Rin." I apologized.
I got to my feet and then helped Rin to do the same. "Do you want to go back to your room?" I asked her.
Rin shook her head. "No, Rin wants to stay with Miss Rei."
I had to smile at her honesty. Rin was such a sweet girl. Still I didn't think it was such a good idea if she stayed with me. Lady Ririko might do something to her. I could handle what she dished out but I wasn't so confident about Rin's ability to do the same. I would let Rin stay for now though. I actually kind of liked her company. I got dressed and had Rin help me rebraid my hair. Then I decided to take Rin to her room to get her changed.
As we were making our way there Sesshomaru cornered us. "Rei, we need to talk. Rin go to your room."
Rin looked displeased by being sent away so sharply but she continued quietly down the hall. Sesshomaru commanded I come with him. He led to an empty room a few doors down and shut the door. He began to search for something in his robes. When after several minutes he couldn't find it he began to get mad. "Where the hell is it?" I heard him snap.
"Where's what?"
"It was a small white knife. I thought it was yours."
"Yes, I think that was mine."
So that's what had happened to it. I must have dropped it and Sesshomaru had found it. Now it appeared Sesshomaru had dropped it too. "I must have dropped it." Sesshomau grumbled.
"Then we'll have to look for it." I replied calmly.
"Yes. We will."
I was told to return to Rin and act like nothing was wrong. Sesshomaru said that we would look for the knife later. With those arrangements made I was dismissed and sent away. I found Rin waiting for me in her room when I get there. "What did Miss Rei and Lord Sesshomaru talk about?" She asked.
"Oh, nothing. Just boring adult stuff you wouldn't be interested in."
"Oh." Rin said sounding disappointed.
I could tell she wanted an explanation but I thought it was best if I didn't tell her. I realized that I had sounded exactly like a parent lying to a child about stuff they didn't want to tell them. I was becoming a lying adult now. I found one of Rin's clean kimonos's and helped her put it on. As I was straightening her obi, Eto came in to find me. "Miss Rei Lady Ririko wants to see you."
Oh, dear. I thought. She really wasn't going to lay off on me, was she? I sighed unhappily and told her "I'll be there in a minute."
I finished what I was doing and went to see Lady Ririko. She was waiting for me as she normally was, in her room. "You took your time." She snapped when I arrived.
I bowed deeply to her. "Gomen."
"Pitiful human." She muttered. "You're always so slow and lazy."
I disagreed with her assessment. I could come up with many examples of people who weren't lazy and slow. I kept my mouth shut tough, because in the mood she was in Lady Ririko was liable to get even nastier. At least I had one small edge on her, she still didn't know about my sensitivity to light. I could only imagine the horrors she would come up with if she found out. "So what shall I have you do today?"
I waited silently trying to look as modest as possible while I waited for her task of the day. "I want you to work laundry today." She said after a long pause.
I could tell the pause was supposed to agonizing but it wasn't as distressing for me as it was supposed to be. Still the laundry was a relatively easy job to do so I wasn't going to complain or let her know that. I bowed humbly as I could and left for the laundry rooms.
The laundry rooms where probably the largest room in the house. They contained several humongous metal cauldrons over large fires. In them they were filled with water and the dirty laundry was put inside. The dirty laundry was them stirred and scrubbed over and over until they were clean.
When I opened the doors a blast of hot air hit me in the face. The fires were going already. I stepped inside the steam filled rooms. "Joining us today, Rei?" A voice asked.
I turned to see Misha one of the regular laundry women looking at me. "Yes. I am."
Misha smiled gratefully. The laundry rooms were always busy and any extra help was always appreciative. "Could you start by stoking the fire under cauldron 8?" She asked me.
"Sure. I will." I promised her.
I made my way though the room past all the boiling cauldron s to the last one ably known as cauldron 8. I leaned down to look at the fire beneath it. It was starting to get low. I grabbed some logs and stuffed then under. Then I blew air over and the fire slowly began to build. I pocked it a couple of times to be sure it would last and went to find Misha. Instead I bumped into Nedelko. "Well, it appears little Ayanami is joining us today." She jeered mockingly.
"Yes, I am."
"Nice to see you're doing honest work today." She said in air of superiority.
I had no reply for her. Nedelko was a lot like Asuka. She wanted the best and was jealous of anyone who had better then her. Right now I was the person who had better. So I was naturally the target of her anger and pain. I found the best was to handle that situation was to keep my moth shut and stay out of her way. That wasn't always possible, especially when I was working in the laundry with her. "Just don't forget what we talked about last time, how you're like everyone else here. You're not special anymore."
"Yes. I remember."
Of course, she wasn't the only one. Many of the servants here were jealous of me for being protected by the great inu lord himself. I knew that. I turned and went around the cauldrons to the other side to find Misha. "What should I do now?" I asked her.
Before she could ask Nedelko appeared and said "Why don't you cut up more wood for us?"
Cutting the wood was the worst part of laundry. There were huge pieces of wood in the back of the room and they had to cut in order to be used. Since the room was stifling hot cutting wood was exhausting. I was about to protest when Akaya one of the other laundry women spoke up. "Nedelko, don't make Ayanami do it alone. We can do it together."
"Well, I just thought it would be easier if one person did it instead of all of taking shifts at it." Nedelko insisted.
"That would be too hard on whoever was assigned to woodcutting."
"I guess." Nedelko said optimistically with a shrug.
That was the end of that conversation. However it would not be the end of the war. We went silently back to work. I began to sort through all the dirty laundry to be washed. As I lifted a white kimono to put in one of the cauldron beside me I saw my plug suit lying on top of the pile. So that's where it'd gone. I quickly tried to cover it under some other stuff so no one else would see it but to my horror Ayane came over to get some clothes and took it with her. I groaned and tried to make myself look busy so I would be occupied when it was discovered. That most unwanted event occurred minutes later; as Ayane was putting the stuff she'd taken in one of the cauldrons. "What in the world . . ." I heard her mutter in surprise.
I kept my back turned pretending not to have heard. Several other women however gathered around to look at it. "Wow." I heard Misha exclaim, "What is it made of?"
"It feels all slick and weird . . ." complained Nedelko
"Look it even stretches!" Misha said in awe.
Oh, course it did. The plug suit was supposed to able to stretch to be able to fit the pilot. Then once it was fit it needed to able to move with the pilot when we did. Flexibility was a must. Of course none of this was said out loud, only in my head. I kept myself hunkered over, scrubbing a kimono and pretending not to notice what was going on. "Rei, come look at this." Misha called.
I went reluctantly. I naturally didn't have any interest in seeing my plug suit now. Unlike them it wasn't anything new, of course they weren't from the future like me. I guess I should give them a brake. "Isn't it fascinating?" She asked.
I feigned interest but my lack of it was visible. "Why aren't you mystified by it?" Ayane asked when she caught on.
"It doesn't seem all that interesting to me."
"Why not?" She demanded.
I shrugged. "I'm just not impressed."
"You've seen this before, haven't you?" She asked suspiciously.
"No."
Okay so I was getting better at this lying thing. It was almost scary how one can adapt to new things we've never seen before. "Than how can you be so nonchalant?"
"I can."
"Forget it. She just plain strange." Commented Nedelko.
That was me; strange quite little Rei. I turned and went back to dumping clothes into my cauldron and stirring. Nedelko got settled at the one next to me. As she was gathering up clothes to put in her cauldron I heard her say, "Hey Misha? Did you see the cook's son was giving Rei the eye the other night? Shame he has to like the eccentric ones like her."
"Seki was really, you know, looking at her?"
"Would I lie? I think he's got a thing for her blue hair and red eyes."
Did everyone have to obsess over my hair and eyes? Sure they weren't normal but there was a reason they looked like they did. The funny thing was my hair and eyes had nothing to do with my angel's blood. It was all about my albinism. Then again my brethren did have eyes that were some shade of red or dark pink. So maybe it wasn't all the fault of the fact I was albino. That's it! I was really going to have to look into changing my form like my cousins were able to so I could have black hair and brown eyes like everyone else. Maybe that would solve all my problems.
"Wow. Rei! Are you going to talk to him?"
"Who?"
"You know the guy who was serving food the other day to you guys. Golden eyes."
Oh, yes. Now I remembered him. He was slightly on the short side although not terribly so. He seemed like a nice person. He'd had golden eyes and demon markings on his face and arms but his hair was black like everyone else's. I figured he must have some distant demon ancestry, which was probably why he and his family worked here. "So are you going to talk to him?" Misha asked again.
"Why?"
Was there a reason to talk to him just because they claimed he been looking at me? I was so confused. Clearly I was missing here. "Yes, silly. If you don't talk to him how are you ever supposed to get to know him?"
"Why should I have a relationship with him?"
It was obvious I was not catching on. It was times like these that I began to wonder what I had missed by living the life I had. Who knew, if things had been different I understand these types of things. Maybe. Wait a minute; I seemed to recall something about having real relationships and connections with others as part of my goals when I left Instrumentality. Lalalalalalala. Not listening. "Because if you don't how is ever supposed to get to know you. If something does develop he'd be perfect since he's the cook's son. He'll have a lot of job security."
"Marriage?"
"Rei you're so dense were you raised in a closet?" Nedelko exclaimed.
"Something like that."
Despite my calm reaction Nedelko's words stung. I knew I didn't know everything but I was trying my best to. She could at least give me a break. Thankfully Misha was more understanding. "No. Not marriage Rei, just, friendship. You know like boy-friend girl friend."
"Oh, I see."
I think I was getting it now, one could only hope. So the reason to talk to someone who was eyeing you was to form friendship with him or her . . . Okay. Still I think I understood the concept. Form connections, remove loneliness and find ones place. "Don't mind Nedelko." Misha whispered to me one Nedelko had gone. "She's probably jealous of you. She's been having problems with someone she thinks likes her."
"Who?" I asked, mostly out of idol curiosity.
"Wasuki the stable boy."
I had to grin back this time. Wasuki had been the guy who taken Aun back the day we arrived her. He was also ¾ demon from what I'd heard. I had to wonder what a relationship between them would be like. That's why I had grinned. Still I wished her luck silently. I didn't have any hard feelings against her or anything.
That evening I met with Sesshomaru again to discuss my missing knife. I wasn't quite sure why he wanted to see me exactly. Still I went, if only to hear what he had to say. "Well? He asked as I came in.
I closed the door behind me and shook my head. "No."
I heard Sesshomaru make a tsk sound. I gathered from this that his luck had been the same. "I've questioned everyone who had access to my room and no one remembers seeing it."
"You could have dropped it somewhere else. Ask around."
"I heard Sesshomaru mutter something about, "You could be right . . . ."
It had to be somewhere, which meant someone must know of its location. I was counting on someone admitting to knowing where it was. "Anything else?" I asked him.
"Do something fun with Rin. You need a break and she's still a child."
"Yes . . ."
I almost said, yes sir but I had to stop myself. There was something in his voice that sounded so stiff and formal. Old habits do die hard after all. "Rei, you don't have to be so stiff around me you know."
"I'll try . . ."
Sesshomaru shook his head. I imagined he thought I was strange or annoying. Something along those lines. I'd have to do something about that. I intended to not always be thought of a robot. "I'll see you tomorrow, Rei. Good luck."
With that I was dismissed. I bowed and left for my room.
The next day Lady Ririko told me I had a day off. I found this highly unusual but I naturally accepted without complaint. I went to find Rin. She was playing outside in a bunch of soft white stuff. I blinked as I watched her confused as to what she was playing with. Rin noticed and came towards me smiling. "Miss Rei like snow?" She asked happily.
Snow? After a moment it came back to me. Snow was frozen water that came from the sky . . . during winter. I had never seen snow or winter before. Both had been eliminated by second impact. This world had never seen that destruction. It still had winter. I looked around taking in this new scene. It looked like . . . fun. "I don't know. I'm never seen snow before.
Rin eyes grew big in shock. "Never seen snow?" She exclaimed in horror.
I shook my head. Rin seized my hand and pulled my outside as fast as she could. I looked up and several large flakes fell on my face. Cold. Yet it was pretty. Smack. A ball of cold snow hit me in the black. I turned around to see Rin ginning mischievously. I reached down a quickly formed a rough ball shaped clump of snow. It was extremely crude but good enough. I hit Rin with it and she squealed. We both began forming new ones but Rin was done first. She hit me hard and I slipped falling to the ground. Rin laughed and I threw what I had at her. She laughed and began to make another. She wasn't getting me again I vowed. Rin saw what I was doing and took off to hide. I went after her.
Soon were engaged in the snowball war of the century. I was probably the worst snowball former in the history of the universe but that didn't matter. This was all about fun. Ducking, running, forming new ones, round and round we went. I was amazed at how mush fun I was having. I had barely noticed the cold or how wet I had become. I don't think Rin had either. Suddenly a snowball hit me right in the back of my head. Burrrr. That was cold. I turned to see that Sesshomaru was standing there with a half smirk on his face. "I see you follow orders well." He said.
I shrugged. "I try. So why are you here?
"Making sure you guys are enjoying yourselves."
I scoffed. So my gut instinct was right. He wasn't big on fun or snow. He was being like a parent checking up on their kid. Like I needed that anymore; I was nearly nineteen.
I spotted Rin coming and hurried to make a snow ball for defense. To my surprise Sesshomaru knelt down next to me and began to make a snowball in his hands. "Let's get her." He whispered.
I was so shocked all I could do was gape at him. He wanted to have fun? "Come on." He urged.
We each went around on either side. We waited patiently until she was in the perfect spot then attacked. Rin laughed and screamed all at once and I found myself laughing too. This was the best. Rin grabbed two handfuls of snow and retaliated by throwing it in our faces. Sesshomaru sputtered and stumbled back landing on his butt. I ducked and began forming another snowball. I wasn't going easy on her. Before I could however, Sesshomaru was coming back at me. We tossed our snowballs at each other only to both get pasted by Rin.
Several hours later it was getting dark and there had been quite a few frantic servants coming to tell Sesshomaru that Lady Ririko was looking for him. I heard her high pitched shrieking voice calling his name a number of times. Reluctantly Sesshomaru made his way towards the door as he opened it I could hear Lady Ririko shout, "Sesshomaru! Where have you been? You have duties to attend to. Pay attention when I'm talking to you . . ."
The door closed and her voice was cut off. I was still in a state of shock that Sesshomaru came out and joined us like that. I had seen him laugh. Yes, Sesshomaru had actually laughed. I couldn't believe I had seen that side of him.
I glanced down at Rin in time to see a glob of snowfall of her hair. She glanced up at me with a sad expression. "Come on Rin. Let's go get warmed up." I suggested.
Rin nodded eagerly. I think she liked my idea. I took her hand and the two of us went back to her room. There we sipped bowls of ramen and drank cups of hot tea. It was relaxing and it felt good to sit there. "Miss Rei liked snow?" Rin asked.
I nodded as I remembered the conversation that had begun this day. "Yes, it was the best." I told her.
Rin smiled happily. "Rin glad she made Miss Rei happy."
"What about you, Rin. Did you have fun?"
"Yes!" Rin exclaimed. "Rin thought it great fun!"
I had to smile at Rin's constant enthusiasm. It was really contagious. I think it could make anyone feel happy. Rin sat back against me and waved her feet. She hummed softy, a simple children's tune but it was catchy. Soon I was humming and nodding along with her.
Suddenly I heard a soft knocking on the door and Eto appeared. "Rei? Am I interrupting?"
"No. What do you want?"
"I have a note I was asked to give you." She said softly.
I held out my hand and she gave it to me. I unrolled it in my lap. On it in uneven script was written a short message.
Miss AyanamiI would like to speak to you. Meet me in the kitchens this evening.
Seki
I read it twice to make sure I understood it correctly. An invitation to meet Seki? I saw no problem in accepting it. I found a quill and wrote my reply in my own mechanical script.
I'll be there.
I handed it back to Eto and she bowed before leaving. I glanced over and caught my reflection in the mirror. Needless to say I was not pleased with what I saw. I looked like a mess. Most of my hair was no longer in its braid. It hung in loose tangles falling out in different directions. My kimono was soaked all the way though and hung like a limp rag from my body. I looked like a disaster. I pulled hopelessly at my hair hoping it would magically return to looking nice. It didn't work. Well, clearly I was going to have to get cleaned up. "Miss Rei leaving?" Rin asked.
"Yes. I have to go." I told her.
"Miss Rei has a date?" She asked me.
I considered her question a moment before I answered. "Yes, I guess I do."
"Bye! Rin wishes you luck!" Rin told me.
"Thanks!"
I returned to my room and with Eto's help I got dressed in a new kimono and redid the braid in my hair. It was amazing how doing just that affected my image. I looked a lot better already. I applied some simple make-up and did one last check in the mirror. I was good to go. I thanked Eto profusely and left for the kitchens. I arrived there uninterrupted in a few moments. I looked around but Seki wasn't there. I felt a hand on my shoulder. "Come in with me."
I followed Seki through the door and into the kitchen. "I wanted to see you Ayanami. I glad you came." He said once we were safely inside.
"Why?"
"You always looked lonely and I thought you could use someone to talk to."
He was offering me a chance at friendship. I liked the thought of having someone else to talk to. I placed my hand in his. "Yes, I'd appreciate that."
He smiled back at me and pulled something from his robes. "Here. Take a look at this. You're into strange things right? I think you'd find it to be interesting."
I was surprised when my missing knife was placed in my hand. After all that I had gotten it back. "Where did you get it?"
"I got it from one of the maids. She found it in the hall a couple days ago."
"Can I have it?"
It was strange that I was asking for my own knife back but there was no other way to do it. I saw him hesitate for a moment but he shrugged in the end. "Sure. I've got no use for it."
I slid it in my obi where it was supposed to be. I felt better having it back. "Thank-you."
"No problem."
I heard noises and turned to look at where it was coming from. Seki looked too and I noticed he was unhappy. "Quick gets in the cabinets."
I slipped in silently behind the cooking pots in the cabinet. I held my breath as I heard a pair of voices enter. I rested my eyes and listened trying to hear what they were saying. "Rei? Can you hear me?" Asked Kaworu's voice.
"Yes. I can hear you loud and clear, Kaworu."
"Something wrong you sound tense."
"You know me. There's always something up with me."
"True. You do have a knack for being in the middle of things."
"So, you were saying something last time about Zeruel before we were interrupted."
"Ah, yes. I remember now. Have you seen cousin Zeruel? Is he with you?"
"No why?"
"When the three of you three were fighting your combined A.T. fields were strong enough to open a hole through space in time. You were pulled though the hole along with Zeruel, which ended with you being stuck where you are. We assumed he had ended up with you but clearly not."
I sent my senses out feeling for any hint of my missing cousin. There was none. I couldn't feel any of the familiar resonance that I felt when my cousins were near. He was not here. "He's somewhere else." I reported back.
"I see. We'll have to spread our search out and continue looking for him."
"I'm sorry I had to give you such bad news."
"It's okay. We're not afraid of hard work around here."
"Tell me, what have you guys been doing since I was gone. Have you managed to get back inside Nerv yet?"
"No, you did a number on that place Rei. None of us have found a way inside yet. Of course it doesn't help that most of the survivors don't want to go near the place. I think there're a lot of bad memories of it going around."
I nodded. "You'll find a way in soon. I don't remember completely destroying it."
"You sure? It starting to look like Nerv was completely totaled."
"No. I don't remember destroying it only giving it some damage."
"If you say so . . . Rei? I've got another question for you."
"Yes?"
"During Instrumentality did you leave something down there, something made of angel and human? There's something down there. It makes our senses tingle whenever we go down there."
"It's possible but I don't remember doing anything like that. I know I tried to absorb everything. If Nerv still had any of the remains of Units Zero or Three left I might have been unable to do so because they were too incomplete and instead left them completed down there."
I felt Kaworu respond with the equivalent of a nod in agreement. "Your explanation sounds quite possible."
"So any other interesting news to tell me?"
Kaworu paused for a minute before I felt him begin to smile. "Yes, I believe I've got something that you'll find interesting. Asuka's pregnant."
"What? Asuka?"
"Yep. It's the truth. Asuka's going to be a mother."
"I assume Shinji's the father, right?"
Shinji's name was the only one that made sense to me. After all he had chosen her to come back with. Of all the people he'd wanted her. "Correct again."
"I thought so. Well, tell her congratulations for me. I sure she's scared senseless even if she won't admit it."
"True again but you haven't heard the best part."
"There's more?"
"Yep. Asuka's trying to hook up Kensuke with Arael."
"What?"
"I'm being serious. She and Hikari seem to think that the last of the stooges needs to settle down so they can keep their men under control and out of trouble."
I started laughing. "Good luck with that, still it's almost oddly appropriate the worlds biggest war geek with the weapon of war."
"Agreed the irony is great isn't it?"
"What about you? Have you gotten a girlfriend?"
"Nope."
"I see. We're going to do something about that."
"What? I don't think so . . ."
"Yes we will."
"Rei? You okay in there?"
I opened my eyes to see Seki looking at me. I smiled and nodded at him. Seki held out his hand and helped me out. I realized that I had missed the conversation that had taken place. I hoped it hadn't been important. I thanked Seki for the knife and left quickly. As I closed the door behind me I thought I saw him smile. When I got back to my room Haruka was waiting for me with some interesting news. Inu Yasha, Kagome, Sango, Miroku and Shippo had left Kaede's hut yesterday and would be here in a little over a week.
Okay what was with the laughing Sesshomaru and will you see more? maybe only I know and I'm not telling. Incase you hadn't noticed I tried putting breaks in my chapter . I still don't like them so if someone knows a different way to do so please let me know. Well, until next time . . .