Chrono X Angel, Book 6: Branching Paths

The Inn of Ill Omen

ChronoXAngel
Book 6: Branching Paths
Written by Reiko Ayanami

Special thanks to Dad, Phyrra Kore, and Sam Kalensky

Dedicated to Steve Harwell
Only Shooting Stars Break The Mold

In the days following the harrowing battle with ABIGAIL WILLIAMS, the team lead by NONAMI ISE has returned to FUMIZAKI once more. Finally reunited at last, both USOKO and KUROKO TACHIBANA are spending every possible moment together, with the former vowing to not leave her sister's side...

On the streets of FUMIZAKI, a strange series of events are being witnessed! Blue glowing spectral birds have been seen committing a variety of petty crimes across the city, for no apparent rhyme or reason, which has MODRED PENDRAGON stumped. But they are only the beginning of a truly sticky situation for the young Leader of GARDNA...

In a matter of days, HYOKA and JUNJI KAGARI will be leaving FUMIZAKI once more, to finally enjoy their long awaited honeymoon, but before that can happen, it would seem LYDIA NEKOMOTO has other plans. Or rather, her yet unborn child...

Part 1: The Inn of Ill Omen

November 7th had started as an evening like any other for Lydia Nekomoto. She had returned home from GARDNA at 5pm sharp and immediately poured herself a tall glass of milk, which she proceeded to pound down in two gulps. The drink had a significantly intoxicating effect on Catgirls, though without any of the negative effects regular alcohol would have on the kitten resting in her now quite large stomach. It simply made her a fair bit looser, slightly tingly, and a bit less bothered by the overall discomfort pregnancy brought about. She was due any day now, and though both Modred and Nonami had firmly insisted she remain at home until the baby came, Lydia was not about to "shirk her responsibilities" as she put it, much to their combined exasperation.

From upstairs she could hear her two older daughters, Carrie and Claire, playing with their toys and causing a minimal ruckus. Well, minimal for them anyway. It comforted Lydia more to hear the two playing loudly, than it did when they were silent. Silent kittens typically meant property damage if their antics were not caught in time. And you were lucky.

As she ambled over to the leather couch where her husband was at present watching baseball, Lydia felt an odd yet all too familiar sensation in her lower half. It started as a brief tingling, followed by a rushing sensation down below. Her golden eyes turned to her husband, and she opened her mouth to say the four words every pregnant mother waits for, whether joyously or not.
"My water just broke."

The drive to GARDNA was a fast, wild ride due in no small part to Mr. Nekomoto panicking far more than his wife. Traffic, of course, was heavy that night. The Nekomotos lived somewhat close to downtown, and so there was still more than a fair bit of rush hour traffic to contend with. Add that in with what seemed to be a wreck several blocks away, and suffice to say their new kitten had certainly picked one hell of a time to join the world. Contractions had begun en route, and while Lydia was certainly not the happiest cat alive right now she was not too worried as they arrived to GARDNA's medical wing. She had been through this twice before now, and was somewhat used to it. She just hoped it would be a quick, if not painless, birth.

72 hours later...

"Congratulations Mrs. Nekomoto!!"

The members of Nonami's team, as well as Modred, and of course Cessily chaperoning the kittens, had gathered in Lydia's hospital room to visit her after the grueling birth of her third child. The little one had been quite stubborn in coming out, and Lydia had been in and out of consciousness for the entire ordeal. Furthering her own bad luck, they had been unable to give her an epidural due to a lack of time early in the procedure. Suffice it to say that Lydia was absolutely miserable, bag-eyed and quite flat-eared. Still, as she held baby Catie in her hands and gently stroked her brown fur, she could not help but to smile and purr.