Youth

#3 - Day Three and the Terrible Toddlers

Above is a little drawing I did of the boys as kids.  From left to right: Seishin, Draka, Laion, Aytsa, Mitzu, Kori.

    "Yes, yes, I'm awake," [Y/n] groaned in response to the standard crying of a child. She wondered how many of them could walk yet; she knew people who'd started walking at 18 months and others that started walking at 24, but some walked much, much later. As for talking, she wondered how many of them could construct and construe speech. Nyais had said they learned in their sleep. Was it like a simulation? Did they remember it? Was the information "downloaded" like a save file? It seemed so strange to her. Imagine being able to learn just by sleeping... if only she could do that.

    Looking at the floor, [Y/n] spotted the book she'd been reading the night before. 'Animal Farm', it was called. It was the only book [Y/n] recognised on the bookshelves so she assumed it'd be an easy read. She had no idea why vampires would want to read Animal Farm of all books, however. It was about the Russian Revolution and the rise of the Soviets. She didn't see why a vampire would care for human history. Maybe it was just morbid curiosity? Or maybe they really did only see it as a psychedelic book about warmongering farmyard animals.

    [Y/n] decided she'd check on the children first before getting their bottles as she wanted to see whether she could bring them through to the living room. She walked down the corridor and pushed the door to their room open. It suddenly became apparent that she'd need to change their cribs to beds as she looked at the young children. Seishin looked up immediately upon seeing [Y/n].

    "Human," he mumbled. 'So they can speak,' [Y/n] thought to herself. "Mitzu's crying," he pouted. [Y/n] walked over to Seishin with a smile.

    "I'll sort it out. My name is [Y/n], by the way," she said gently.

    "[Y/n]?" Seishin echoed. [Y/n] nodded. "[Y/n]..." he repeated her name, before a smile crossed his countenance, though it was strangely smug. [Y/n] also smiled at him (unsurely, but a smile nonetheless) before walking over to Mitzu, who was currently throwing his fists in a toddler rage. She slowly began to rock to crib, however Mitzu's crying wouldn't cease.

    "Are you hungry?" [Y/n] cooed softly. The crying continued. "You want some food?" she continued, hoping maybe the softness of her voice would calm him down. Still, the crying continued. [Y/n] let out an exasperated huff before resorting to her actions from the night before; humming a gentle tune. It was the same tune as the one she'd hummed last time as she supposed young children probably liked familiarity. And, as she had hoped, it worked. Mitzu's eyes grew big again and he began to giggle.

    "Pretty," he giggled, grabbing a lock of [Y/n]'s hair. She very slowly took it from him as he began to pull on it.

    "No," she scolded lightly, "that hurts." Even still, a small smile was on her face, mainly out of triumph from getting the wailing child to be quiet. Though she hadn't expected it as they weren't related to her in the slightest, she was already growing quite fond of the children she'd been placed with. Of course she remained cautious but she began wondering excitedly what sort of people— no, vampires— they'd become. Perhaps, if she did a good job raising them, her last days would be enjoyable. She looked forwards to them being a bit older in hopes that they could grow close and she'd have people to talk to, not just Nyais.

    "I'll be back in just a second," [Y/n] said, subconsciously looking at Seishin when she spoke, who seemed the most intelligent of the six. He nodded in response and [Y/n] couldn't help but feel he was actually permitting her to leave. Did vampires instinctively see themselves superior to humans? It would make sense. Maybe this bond she sought for would be harder to obtain than she first thought.