[75.1] Learning to Walk

I clapped with a wide smile, "That's it! You can do it!!"

Zephyr held onto the chair, his face turning red from the effort. His tiny legs shook as he tried to keep standing.

Asmonious smiled, "You're doing great."

Lene cheered beside me, "You can do it!"

Lovi punched the air, "Yes! Keep fighting!!"

Atta nodded furiously with a fighting spirit reflecting in her eyes.

Even Rose was behind her column silently clapping for him.

Zephyr pressed his lips together and took one step forward, with the utmost concentration he let go of the chair and took another step.

Cheers erupted around him as his arms waved to keep him upright.

Hearing our cheers, he grinned brightly. As soon as he did, he wobbled. Gasps came over the observers as he flailed until finally falling onto his butt.

He burst out wailing, reaching out for me.

"Awww, my little baby." I picked him up and rocked him, "Don't cry. You did very well."

He continued to cry until he managed to put my hair into his mouth. I watched him suck on it with tears still welling up in his eyes.

"Zephyr. Don't eat my hair. That's gross." I pulled it out and hearing his wails start again, I gave him my finger to chew on. I frowned, "Such a crybaby."

Astra woke up from her sleep and started rolling on the ground. She managed to turn over and crawled to me. She started slapping my leg so I picked her up.

"Astra. When are you going to start standing up? Your brother is leaving you behind."

"Brrrrrrrrrr-" 

She blew bubbles at me as if it was a normal response.

After calming down, Zephyr started fidgeting and trying to escape my arms. Used to his behavior, I put him down and watched him pull himself back on the chair.

Lovi gave him a look of admiration, "He doesn't give up."

I smiled proudly, "He certainly doesn't."

He used the chair to walk over to Asmonious and started cooing at him. Asmonious smiled and took his hands, "Do you want help?"

Supporting his arms, Asmonious helped Zephyr walk. Zephyr burst out into rambunctious giggles as he led Asmonious around the courtyard.

*Slap slap slap*

I looked down at Astra who was slapping me for attention.

I smiled at her expectant face, "You want to try that too?"

She held out her arms to me. I picked her up and placed her tiny feet on top of mine. As I supported her, I started walking with her feet moving with mine.

She burst out laughing as we walked together.

I smiled at Astra, "What do you think? Should we chase your brother?"

"Bababa!"

We started "running" after Zephyr who started screaming once he saw both of our determined looks.

Asmonious laughed, "She's catching up."

With intense concentration, he worked hard to move fast.

After the twins grew tired from the chase, I gave them both a bottle and rocked them to sleep. When I noticed their eyes were closed, I went to lay them down on the bassinet. However, they burst out crying as soon as their backs touched the bedding.

I frowned and went to my rocking chair where the twins lay against me. I mumbled sleepily, "Clingy babies…"

I took a deep breath, smelling the calming aroma from the tops of their heads.

I felt myself falling asleep, "I'm so lucky…"

As my eyes closed, I drifted off to sleep…

Until I heard the giggles of two infants.

I opened my eyes and found myself overlooking a familiar lake.

I looked down in my arms to see two pairs of red jeweled eyes staring back at me.

I smiled at them, "You brought me back here again?"

Then wouldn't that mean-

"-Reika!!!"

As I turned around, I saw Cyrus perched on the railing of the gazebo staring at me with a look of elation and disbelief.

He ran down the steps and embraced me tightly. As he hugged me, I heard him whisper softly, "I've been waiting so long to see you again…"

My eyes slowly closed as I felt his familiar warmth and calming smell…

Wait.

Smell?

What a powerful dream.

"This is refreshing." I let out a sigh, "It's been so long since I've had a dream like this… Maybe a year or two."

He pulled away in surprise, "It's only been a week for me."

"Really?"

"Reika." He looked into my eyes with a serious expression, "Listen. I don't think this is a normal dream."

I furrowed my brow, "What do you mean? What else can it possibly be?"

"I… I don't know. It doesn't make sense to me either, but… When I touch you-" He reached out and pushed back a strand of hair, "I feel like I'm actually touching you."

I pursed my lips, "That's true… I feel it too. I can even smell you. It doesn't make sense since I accidentally got stuck in the past, but you are in the future. So how can we be together in a dream?"

He tapped his chin as he thought, "I don't know… I feel like we are in an illusion, but it's not quite an illusion. Actually, it reminds me of that time when I first encountered-"

He froze and looked at the twins, "Astra."

She heard her name and turned to her with a twinkling grin. As she held out her arms to him, he took her from me.

"It's just like the time Astra brought us into that dream world."

My eyes widened, "You mean… This is all possible because of the twins? How?!"

Astra reached out to tug on Cyrus's hair. He allowed her to do so with a calm expression, "I don't know. I've never heard of this magic before…"

"Oh! Maybe you could find Astra and ask?"

"How do I find her?"

"She should be-" I paused and thought, "I… I actually don't know where she is. Maybe Zephyr would know?"

At the sound of his name, Zephyr looked up at me with large eyes.

I booped him on the nose, "Not the current you, the future you."

Cyrus looked between him and Astra, "So these twins are actually them?"

I nodded with a soft smile, "Yeah… They are pretty cute, aren't they?"

Seeing Cyrus look at him, Zephyr bashfully covered his face in my chest. Then, he slowly peeked to see if Cyrus was still looking at him. Seeing that he was, he let out a small giggle and continued his game of peekaboo.

Cyrus chuckled at him then looked up at me with a flirtatious look, "You look so beautiful…"

I flushed in embarrassment, "Where did that come from?"

"It's just that you look so natural as a mother… It makes me-" He paused then glanced at me with a hint of hesitance as if afraid of my reaction.

I nodded him on, "It's okay. Say it."

"-It makes me want to see you holding our baby."

I felt my cheeks redden in embarrassment, "W-Well I guess there's only one way to find out."

His eyes widened, "D-Did you just say-"

I averted my gaze feeling my face growing hot. I jokingly added, "We already had two children out of wedlock. What's another one?"

"Reika!" He quickly embraced me and the twins, kissing the top of my head, "Why not have more than one?"

I laughed, "Well, technically we have seven children already. Asmonious, Rose, Atta, Lene, Lovi, Astra, and Zephyr…"

"Haaaah… Your father is going to kill me…"

"But… Cyrus…" I looked up at him with tears gathering at the corner of my eyes, "I don't think… I don't think I will ever make it back to you. I don't even know how I went back in time."

"Don't say that." He reached out to wipe the corner of my eye, "We will figure it out."

"But what if I die before I make it to then? It's already been over 10 years since I've come back in time! I'm practically a grandmother!"

He looked confused, "A grandmother? You haven't aged at all though?"

Now it was my turn to be surprised, "Are you just saying that to impress me?"

"No, I-"

"Wait!! You can see my face!? Like features and all?!"

He nodded in confusion, "Yes. I can."

"It's not blurry?!"

"No…" His words trailed off as he tried to think of the correct wording, "But you… You look different."

I let out a somber sigh, "So I do look older…"

"No! No… You look… It's hard to explain." He pursed his lips, "Can't you see yourself?"

I shook my head, "No. No one can see me either. My face is blurred and my name can't even be understood. I don't even bother looking in a mirror anymore because there's only a blinding light looking back at me."

"That's… Odd…"

I let out a heavy sigh, "Maybe you can also find the Swordmaster to ask her… Maybe she has some ideas."

"That may be hard. She's been missing since your… Well." He laughed awkwardly, "She hasn't shown her face to me since I last fought her."

I scoffed, "Good. She should be hiding after what she did to Marx- Wait! What happened to Marx?!"

He shrugged, "No one knows…"

I groaned and lowered my head, "Why did I ever run away…"

Zephyr reached out to slap my face and coo as if it would cheer me up.

I slowly raised my eyes to look at Cyrus, "And… Zephyr? How is he? Is he okay?"

Cyrus nodded, "Yes. Don't worry… He's been depressed, but Hazel and I are taking care of him. He actually hasn't left your bedside since we brought you back."

I smiled softly, "I owe him a big apology when I return…"

Zephyr squeezed my nose, making me laugh.

"Dada!" Astra reached out to tug on Cyrus's hair, "Dada Dada!"

My mouth dropped, "D-Did she just call you Dada?!"

Cyrus laughed and nuzzled his nose against her, "That's right. I'm your Dada."

I pouted, puffing my cheeks, "That's not fair. She hasn't said Mama yet."

He hugged her while smiling mischievously at me, "Guess I'm the favorite."

I glared at him, "But I'm the one taking care of the dirty diapers!!!"

"Eh? You really are?"

I averted my gaze, "Well… Asmonious is."

"Asmonious?" His mood dropped, "Who is that?"

My eyes lit up in enlightenment. I turned to him and nearly shouted, "Wait! What happened to Moni-"

I was suddenly thrown back and woke up with the sensation of crashing into my body. As I tried to catch my breath, I looked down and saw Zephyr chewing on one hand while his other was entwined in Astra's small hand who was sleeping soundly. Once again, her hand was on my forehead.