Day 1

"He's just adorable!"

Sienna had gotten used to hearing comments like that only a few minutes after bringing the little one to the deck of the ship. She figured she would hear a lot more of it over the next three days while the ship sailed back to Menagerie. Until then, she was in charge of taking care of a little baby that still didn't have a name.

Said baby was happy to ignore his admirers and focus on playing with the toys. A few had been supplied after rescuing the children so they could entertain themselves on the boat ride. The lizard-tailed boy had been given a stuffed panther and a stuffed gorilla to play with. And Sienna was surprised that in-between moments of gleefully smashing the two figures against each other like a normal infant, the boy also spent many moments simply holding the toys and looking at them. It was a little strange. Almost like the boy was studying them.

Sienna herself was sitting on a chair on the ship's deck, enjoying the breeze and the smell of the sea. A few passersby gave them comments (mostly about the kid), but they were generally alone in the spot. Which was fine for Sienna. She enjoyed the peace that came with the breeze. And so did the kid judging by how quiet he was. Though it might be something she would have to check later.

The peace ended when Ghirah walked toward them.

"Ghira. Any news?"

"Unfortunately, I have nothing to report. We've asked all the kids, and none of them reported a missing sibling. The same goes for all the Mistral agents we have asking around for missing Faunus kids. Some are missing, but none with reptile tails."

That was concerning. If no one came to claim the kid soon, then he wouldn't have anywhere to go. His only option would be a foster home, and Sienna had enough experience with those. She didn't want to have to send him to one.

It also didn't make sense. Based on the little bit of information she knew about the boy, he was a strange breed. His Faunus traits were more numerous than was natural, and that was only from a preliminary examination. She didn't know if there was anything else that was different about him yet. And based on that, one would assume that whoever his parents or caretakers were, they would want him back for his safety.

The only reasons Sienna could think of for why they hadn't come forward yet were that they either didn't want him anymore, or they were dead. Neither option was pleasant.

"In any case, how is the boy?"

Ghira bent down to ruffle the kid's hair a bit. Rather than laugh or be annoyed at the touch, the kid simply looked up at Ghira for a moment. He seemed confused. But then he went right back to playing with the toys in his hands.

"As far as I can tell, he's fine. He hasn't cried or complained since yesterday. He does seem to like the toys."

"That's good," Ghira said as he stood up to leave the boy to his fun. "Since we haven't found his guardians, have you thought of anything to call him?"

"Sir?"

"We can't go the whole week just calling him "boy" or "kid". Even if we do find his parents, I don't think they would mind if we gave him a nickname."

That wasn't a bad idea. And in truth, Sienna would enjoy having something to call him. She just didn't know anything that would fit.

"Any suggestions sir?"

"You've spent the most time with him, Sienna. I'll leave that up to you," Shira said with a smile. "Though I could suggest... Where is he?"

Concerned, Sienna looked down to see that the boy wasn't sitting in his spot anymore. She hadn't even heard him move. She looked around to try and locate him. And her eyes widened when she saw where he was.

He was climbing the railings at the bow of the ship. He was almost at the top one.

"Oh no."

Sienna quickly got up out of her chair and sprinted to the ship's bow. She grabbed the boy right before he could call over the ledge.

Breathing quickly, Sienna grabbed the boy tightly to ensure he didn't go anywhere. The boy didn't seem to mind. If anything, the way he was looking at Sienna with wide eyes made it seem like he was confused as to why she was worried. Which Sienna did not appreciate.

"Ghira, you have a baby. How did you keep her from climbing things?"

find a doll to play with."

Sienna looked back down at the child in her hands. "Any chance he could learn how to copy that personality?"

"Given that he doesn't even look slightly concerned about what just happened, I doubt it."

Sienna was suddenly far less excited about the coming week.

Aside from the boy nearly falling overboard, there was nothing else exciting that happened that day. Sienna still hadn't thought of a nickname to give the boy, but she had found out that he liked applesauce. There wasn't a lot of baby food on board the ship, and Sienna didn't feel comfortable feeding him herself. So after calling Dr. Goki for a minute, they agreed that he would be fine with applesauce until they could get something better for him.

It helped that he liked it. It did not help that his stomach seemed to be as bottomless as the ocean they were traversing.

"Is any of this going to survive the week?"

Sienna rhetorically asked the baby as he ate through the second container of applesauce she had given him. So far, he had asked for thirds each time he had a meal. She was hoping the lateness would settle his appetite, but there was no such luck.

His little cup was empty, and he was waving his spoon around in an obvious desire for more.

"Alright, give me a minute. I need to eat too, you know."

If the boy was able to make any sound, Sienna would have expected him to start whining or crying for her to focus on him. It was a little worrying, and Sienna wasn't sure how to respond if it turned out that the kid was mute. Though she supposed that since she was used to him being quiet, it wouldn't change anything.

Her own meal of microwave leftover pizza was done, so she was able to open another cup of applesauce and hand it to the kid. He happily started to wolf it down.

"Where do you put all of it?" Sienna shook her head as she started eating her dinner. The pizza never tasted as good reheated, but it was enough to keep her energized and awake after taking care of the boy all day. And after the scare earlier, she could use something greasy to relax.

Thankfully, the boy also seemed to have finally hit his limit for the day. His cup was only half eaten, but Sienna could see his eyelids getting heavier to keep up. He was running on fumes now.

Given that Sienna herself was running on fumes now, she saw this as a great opportunity.

"Let's get you to bed."

Picking up the kid from the borrowed high chair, Sienna took him to her room. She wasn't able to find a crib anywhere on the boat, so she was forced to improvise with a large basket. One big enough for the kid to fit inside and stuffed with blankets and a soft pillow. And once Sienna helped the boy get comfortable inside it, she just stood there for a moment to watch him sleep. He had one of his toys from earlier, a stuffed leopard, and was clutching it for extra warmth.

Sienna had to agree with the ladies from earlier. He did look adorable.

But she was also tired, so she didn't stay to admire much longer. She get into her bed, feeling hours of stress wash away as she was finally able to truly relax for a few hours. As she drifted off, Sienna wondered to herself how actual parents managed to do this every day.

Sienna woke up from her slumber when she felt something on her chest. She almost reached for her whip that she left on the side of her bed, but then she felt the weight settling. And when she saw who it was, She relaxed. Only to become confused once again.

The kid was on her bed, above her covers nuzzling his head on her stomach. He had his blanket with him, sticking to the tip of his tail. He looked very cute, and there were worse sights to wake up to, but there was a question to address.

How did he even get on her bed?

She had left him in the crib right before she went to sleep herself. She had seen him fall asleep when she had tucked him in. Unless he had somehow managed to wake up, climb out of the crib, and then climb on top of the bed with her, no explanation made sense to Sienna about how he was there.

"Ah. Uh."

But she was also finding it harder to care the more she watched him move. His little hands were clutching the blankets, and his legs were still kicking a little bit. Almost as if he still wanted to climb closer, but couldn't muster the energy to keep moving.

When she saw the clock, she realized that it was past midnight. It was far past any hour she would be willing to get out of bed and do something. She didn't know if it was a bad idea to let the baby sleep in the bed with her, but it seemed to be what he wanted.

Internally giving up, Sienna reached and took hold of the blanket, wrapping it around the baby. She then lifted his body to stay closer to her. That way she could react quickly if he was in danger of falling off the bed. Resting his head on the other of the bed's blankets, she watched his legs stop moving once he was settled. She saw him relax completely under the covers, even wrapping his tail around his waist.

Which, in her opinion, was absolutely precious.

Day 2

Sienna woke up when a bad smell began to fill her nostrils. She wondered for a moment what it was. But when she opened her eyes and saw the baby sleeping next to her on the bed, she quickly figured it out.

Normally, she would try to avoid waking up the kid if it meant she could relax without worrying about him for a while longer. But she didn't want the smell to linger, so she had no choice but to pick up the groggy baby and take him to the bathroom. And while a sink wasn't the best place to change a diaper, she didn't have many other options. Speaking of which, she was going to need to buy a few new ones later.

But first, she had to get something very important out of the way. She just changed a diaper, so now she needed her coffee.

She took the kid to the kitchen, placed him in a highchair, and got busy preparing both drinks. There was some formula on the boat, so Sienna was able to mix it into some milk for the boy. It was quick to make, so she was able to hand him a bottle while her coffee was being prepared. She was very glad about the portable coffee makers. She never went anywhere without them.

The room she was given also came with a toaster, and it was easy to find some bread. And once the bread was black and the butter was spread, her coffee was ready. it almost felt like a typical morning. Except for the addition of her small guest.

Unfortunately, like many other mornings, her downtime was interrupted by a sudden call on her scroll. Taking it out of her pocket, Sienna read a familiar name.

"I'll be back in a moment," Sienna told the boy as she stood up and walked back into her room. Once she was alone, Sienna picked up.

"Dr. Goki?"

"Good morning Ms. Khan. Forgive me for cutting to the chase, but I was wondering if you were available today?"

Sienna was intriueged. "I don't have any plans at the moment. Why?"

"Well, I was wondering if you would be able to bring the child in today," Dr. Goki explained. "I managed to look through all the patients I had set up ahead of schedule, and I won't have to see anyone until tomorrow. I had mentioned that I could give the boy an examination of his lungs. Just to see if there is any damage to his voice box."

That was fortunate. And Sienna had been wondering about it herself, so it would help to know for sure.

"That could work Dr. Goki. What time can you see us?"

Later...

Sienna had been asked to wait outside the room while the kid went through the tests. Not because they were dangerous or anything like that, but just because it was standard procedure. For something like this, the doctor needed to be alone with his staff to conduct the small operation properly. She knew Dr. Goki and trusted him, so she had nothing to truly worry about.

That didn't stop her from feeling anxious.

She wasn't entirely sure why she was feeling anxious. Dr. Goki had assured her that everything was safe, and she didn't have any reason to not believe him. So her worry was probably more about the boy himself.

She wasn't sure how she would feel if it turned out that he was mute. No, that wasn't the best way to think about it. It wasn't that she would be upset by it, more so worried about him. She knew that if someone didn't come to claim him soon, he was going to end up in the foster system. And as someone who had gone through it herself, she knew that the system wasn't kind to Faunus. She could only imagine the problems a mute Faunus child would go through.

"Ms. Khan?"

"Dr. Goki. How did it go?"

Seeing the concern on his face made Sienna fear the worst.

"I should start by letting you know that he is perfectly healthy. There's no concern there."

Sienna was put a little at ease. But Dr. Goki wasn't finished.

"But I'm afraid that there are more questions left unanswered. Would you please follow me?"

Sienna followed Dr. Goki back into the exam room. The boy was sitting at the table, absentmindedly playing with two of the tongue depressors. He dropped them when he saw Sienna and stuck out his hands in the hopes of a hug. Sienna couldn't help herself and gave him one.

"Ms. Khan, I should get the important news out of the way first. The boy is mute. We scanned his vocal cords, and they are severely underdeveloped," Dr. Goki informed her. "He might be able to make sounds as he gets older. But I'm afraid oral speech will be impossible for him.

She had an answer to her question now. It wasn't the answer she had been hoping for, but she had an answer now. The only thing left to do was figure out what to do with it.

As soon as Dr. Goki finished.

"Ms. Khan, you should also know that the x-rays revealed more than just his lack of vocals."

"What is it?"

Dr. Goki reached for a folder on the counter. And he pulled out one of the x-rays and presented it to Sienna.

"Take a look at the back of his throat."

Sienna didn't know what she was supposed to be looking for. It just looked like a regular x-ray. Except for...

"Do you see it? The back of his throat?"

Sienna had seen her x-rays before. She vaguely knew what a throat was supposed to look like. She didn't think there was supposed to be extra flesh.

Lowering his tone, Dr. Goki whispered to Sienna. "If you want, I can run further tests when we reach land. I don't have any equipment to properly analyze this here."

Sienna was interested. But also cautious.

"Can we guarantee this won't get out?"

"Not from me," Dr. Goki assured. "I run a small practice. Personally, I want to keep it that way."

"I'll have to discuss this with Belladonna. But I am interested."

"Let me know."

Day 3

It had only been three days since Sienna agreed to take care of the kid. And right now, she really wanted to take a warm bath. It wasn't that she hadn't enjoyed his company so far, he was delightful, but she needed a break. She always had to catch him whenever he started to run around, and she still had no idea how he managed to climb and get to all those places. She had just tucked him in for a nap, and she had no idea how long he would be out. She needed to make use of the time she had.

She had her candles lit, her lights turned off, and she had two books to read during her time in the bubble bath. One was a novelization of the Faunus War that focused on a soldier that lived through it, and the other was a collection of baby names that Dr. Goki had let her borrow. She wasn't going to give the kid a name, she was sure he had one. She just wanted to see if he would respond well to any nicknames. Later. If she finished her novel, she'd check out the other book.

For now, the only thing that mattered was how damm good the hot water felt on her skin. She felt her muscles and joints loosen as she let her head rest on the edge of the tub. As much as she enjoyed the kid's presence, she could readily admit that she didn't enjoy having to worry about him 24/7. She had no idea how parents could deal with that sort of stress.

After taking a few minutes to just enjoy the relaxation and warmth, Sienna took her hands out of the tub and picked up the novel. She was at the part when the protagonist was about to enter his first battle. He was marching with his comrades, stepping towards an army of humans that wanted him dead. He was getting closer, closer, and soon he was going to...

Sienna's heart nearly burst out of her chest when she heard a loud sound outside the bathroom. She didn't know what it was, but the volume was enough to get her alert. She immediately stood up out of the tub, covered herself in a robe (that had a knife in its pocket for good measure), and opened the door.

She immediately saw the source of the noise. One of the tables near the sofa had been knocked over, and the vase spilled into the floor. Thankfully it hadn't broken, but there was still the question of why it had fallen over in the first place. She was in the bath, and the kid was...

The kid.

Sienna made a b-line for her room, checking to see if the kid was in the basket. He wasn't.

"Come on."

Was half an hour too much to ask for? Could she not relax even for that little bit?

Sienna checked the rest of the room, but he wasn't there. She went to the kitchen to see if he had snuck out for a snack, but there wasn't so much as a scale on the floor. She had already gone to the living room, so she knew he wasn't there. The only other option was the bathroom.

Sienna went back to check. And the moment she looked inside, she was a small body crawling up the side of the tub.

"No!"

The moment the word left her mouth is the moment the boy managed to crawl over and go into the water. Inside a tub that his entire body fit inside.

"For the love of the Brothers!"

Sienna ran inside the bathroom and looked inside the tub. She was hoping that the kid would have floated back out of the tub already so she could drag him out. But he wasn't doing that.

Instead, he was sitting inside the tub. His tail lay flat behind him, and he was sitting in a bored position like he wasn't even concerned about being submerged in water. In fact, he didn't look bothered by it at all.

Still concerned, Sienna reached into the tub and pulled the boy out of the water. He still didn't look bothered. And when Sienna took a closer look at him, she realized the shocking reason why.

Sienna had never taken a look at the boy's neck. It didn't have any cuts or blood, so it didn't matter before. But now there was something on his neck. There were three lines of open flesh on both sides of his neck, with water now leaking out of them. And when he was properly out of the tub, the fleshed closed itself again. And it didn't even look like they had been open. But Sienna could now make just the faintest trace of the lines.

"How... What?"

Sienna had no idea how to respond to this. She was already told by Dr. Goki that the kid had four Faunus traits. Maybe five if the strangeness in his throat was important. But now there were six?

This... This was starting to become a lot to take in.

But not for the kid. He just seemed happy to be in Sienna's arms. He had his own outstretched, asking for a hug.

And Sienna, wearing nothing but a towel and with wet hair, could do nothing but agree to hug the kid as her head filled with questions. And concerns.

Day 4

"So the boy is really mute?"

"I talked to Dr. Goki about it two days ago. And there is also the incident from yesterday."

"Yes. That."

Ghira was rubbing his tired face in his hands. He was clearly being stressed not just by the drama Adam was causing, but also by the boy. Sienna hadn't told him about the strange way his throat was shaped yet. She still didn't know if it meant anything yet. She was also waiting for Ghira to come to terms with the lack of a voice and apparent gills.

"I think I'm starting to understand why we can't find any relatives," Ghira said with a heavy sigh as he leaned back in his chair.

"Sir?"

"Sienna, if the Red Bloods found a Faunus couple with a child like this, what do you think they would do?"

The same thing that had happened at Amundsen Peak or Hishima Valley. Places settled by Faunus. Which angered the less tolerant humans.

"I hate to say this Sienna. I truly do. But the boy is going to have to go into the foster service if we don't find someone soon. There doesn't seem to be anyone to take care of him."

This was a conversation Sienna had been hoping to avoid. And since she still wanted to, she changed the subject.

"Hopefully we'll find someone. But have you come to a decision on Adam? I know it's been bothering you, sir."

She personally hadn't seen the horn-headed fighter these past few days, but she didn't doubt that he was still being himself. She was hoping the conversation would give him some kind of direction or clarity. Instead, it seemed to just darken his mood.

"Soon enough, I don't think he'll be my responsibility."

"Sir?"

"Soon the council is going to hold a vote to decide who will lead the Fang going forward. Based on my performance, I don't think I'll have a majority."

And there was no telling who would take his place. The council was a bit too secretive for Sienna's liking, not even announcing who the contenders were for the leadership post. No one would know until they announced their decision.

"You don't think Taurus is in the running, do you?"

"No. He's popular among the soldiers, but the council thinks he's too young and too volatile. They don't approve of his easy bloodshed any more than I do. But that doesn't mean they'll be impressed with my... attempts at peace."

Sienna had a feeling that he was right. In truth, even she didn't agree with his stance all the time. She wasn't as much of a blood knight as Adam was, but even she was willing to fight if it meant survival.

"Take care of the boy Sienna," Ghira said with a sigh. "In the coming days, comfort may be harder to come by."

Day 5

This was the last day on the ship. They would reach Menagerie soon.

And once they were on the shores, the kid would be on his own.

A kid that was oblivious to that fact, sleeping against Sienna's chest as she sat on the couch. She had come here to unwind after a quick meeting with Ghira and Adam, and the intensity of the room was enough to sap her energy. They talked through some things, but it was clear that Ghira wouldn't have Taurus's vote in the upcoming election.

Once she had gotten back to the room, Sienna had hoped the kid would still be asleep. But she was pleasantly surprised that he came to her when she sat down. She still didn't know how he managed to climb on the couch and get next to her, but she appreciated his company while she unwinded.

And now, sitting down on the couch, Sienna realized that she was going to miss his company. Sure, the kid was an anomaly she couldn't explain, and there were things about him that simply didn't make sense to her. But he was just a kid. Something that she became increasingly aware of the more time she spent with him.

And thinking about the situation the kid would soon be in inadvertently made Sienna call up memories she had spent her entire adolescent and adult life pushing down. The day she realized her parents weren't coming home. The day she felt the sting of rejection. The days full of jeers and taunts. The first time she had to defend herself.

The only reason that she didn't break down from these memories was the comfort she was feeling of warmth from the baby's small body against her chest.

And it was at that moment that Sienna made a decision. An impulsive, life-changing, and probably irreversible decision.

She called Ghira.

"Ghira. I have a favor to ask."

"What is it?"

"Do you know how to get adoption papers?"

This is where I'm going to stop for now. Sorry that it took so long for a new chapter, but there were things I had to get done.

In any case, the trajectory in this story will be changing now. Sienna is now fully aware of how unique Jira is from the get-go, and therefore, she will be making different choices than in the first draft of the story.

I intend to reveal the mechanics of the kid's throat soon.

Also, the next chapter should be when he gets named. Looking forward to that.

I don't know who told the artist Alex-Kellar, but I am happy to see some art based on the story. it's too large for me to make a cover image, but just look up Alex-Kellar's "The Little New Hope."

So Fanfiction has been weird recently. I no longer get any notifications for story updates or reviews, which has been annoying. But feel free to still leave them, since I enjoy reading them when I can.

Bye!