Starlight Dream

Chapter 45

"So adorable!" Aiko said, cooing. She laughed as she played with little Seina's baby feet.

"Yeah, quite the little cutie, isn't she?" Seina said, kissing her baby sister on the forehead. "Isn't that right, Seina?"

"But she needs a nickname. Otherwise, it'll get confusing," Aiko said, considering. The older Seina nodded in agreement, having similar thoughts. "How about Seiko?"

"Do you like Seiko, Seina?" Seina said, bending down to her sister's level. In response, her little sister laughed and smiled. "It's settled. We can call you Seiko!"

"Thank goodness! I didn't want to deal with that confusion!" Colten said from his perch on his partner's head.

"Yeah, what were your parents thinking?" Aiko said, her tone going more somber. "How could they think they could just replace you, anyway? I'm sorry about what happened, Seina. They shouldn't have done that to you."

Seina's voice tightened in her throat, fighting back a sob. "Thanks."

"Poor thing." Aiko hugged her best friend, allowing her to cry on her shoulder. She passed Seina a tissue, which she accepted with a grateful nod.

"It makes no sense! Do they have no heart at all?" Seina said, blowing her nose clean. Try as she might, she kept returning to the moment of their second betrayal. Every recollection caused the same amount of pain, never lessening.

"It's the vampires. They drove many people to commit awful, monstrous acts to survive. The vampires gave us bad lessons. They said the weak and sentimental don't deserve life." Aiko's expression hardened, her recollections just as dark. They'd both seen people commit terrible sins for the sake of surviving another day.

"But you saved us all, Seina. You created a new future for everyone."

"Too bad we might not have one," Seina said, remembering what Kyoko had told them about the Devil Princess's plans.

"You can handle it." Like always, Aiko had supreme confidence in her friend. "You'll kick their butts, no problem!"

But Seina had seen the Devil Princesses' power for herself, knowing what they faced. Not wanting to contradict her friend, she just smiled and nodded.

"Sorry Aiko, but I think it'd be best if you stayed here during our mission to Starlight Dream. To protect little Seiko at least."

"And thank goodness!" Aiko replied. "I like my life, thank you. I'd just get in the way!"

Typical Aiko, but it earned a well-deserved smile. They shared a laugh and talked as they played with Seiko. Seina wanted to spend her last remaining hours with her sister.

"Uh, do you smell that?" Colten said, wrinkling his tiny nose.

"Oops, seems like Seiko needs changing," Seina said, already getting the baby supplies and a new diaper. While a new skill, Seina proved an adept learner in baby care.

"Are they always like this?" Colten asked, wincing as her sister played with his ears again. To her, the fairy seemed like a living plushy, much to his consternation.

"Only for a couple of years," Aiko said. "I bet she'll be walking in no time!"

"Huh," Colten replied.

"But you'll be her stuffed toy, right?" Seina smiled in amusement at her partner's obvious discomfort as her sister started sucking on Colten's ear.

"I suppose," Colten said, resigned.

"I'll take good care of her while you're gone!" Aiko said.

"You're the best friend ever!" Seina said, giving her friend an impromptu hug. They talked about nothing in particular and got little Seiko to sleep when she got fussy.