Up to the Future

*huff* *puff**huff* *puff* *huff*

Aaaah!

Whoa, sorry there, Old Timer. Are you okay?

N-No... I'm fine.

H-Hang on! You're covered in scratches and bruises. You're not fine at all!

Those aren't the kind of injuries you get from just falling over either.

Please forgive me. You have to take this!

Wha?! Stop! I'm not gonna take anything if you just push it on me like that.

Ah, hey! Come back! Old Timer, where are you going?

What was all that about? Whatever it was, it looked pretty serious.

What did he give you?

I dunno. It's kinda all soft and squidgy. And wriggly?

Baaa.

That's right, "baaa," just like a baby or something...

Ohhhhhh nooooooo! It's a baby! A human baby!

What?! A real baby? Why?

How am I suppose to know?! I'm freaking out! What should I do?

Baaa. Guuu...

Ah, oh... No please, don't touch those... Ahaha, that tickles, stop!

Beeeh....

Oh, this is bad.

Huh?

WAAAAAAAAA! BAAA *hiccup* BWAAAAAA!

Whoawhoawhoa! Why'd it start crying? Ohohohoh, what should I, you'll be okay, there, there.

WHAAAAAA *sniff* BWAAAAAAAAA!

Aldo, what should we do?! It just won't stop!

I bet it's hungry. I know I get pretty grumpy if I haven't eaten too.

Right! But we don't have anything for it to eat though!

I think from the size of it, it probably still only drinks milk.

Milk? You mean like...

Hey, Aldo! What are you staring at, huh?! Don't be getting any funny ideas!

I was looking at the baby! Anyway, let's try and find a place that sells baby milk.

Whaaaaaa! Gwaaaaaa!

Oh boy, I can see why everyone says motherhood is really tough now.

Hey! Do you have any baby milk in here?

Waaaaaargh!

Baby milk? I can make that up for you no problem. Parenting ain't half challenging, huh? Haha.

Just wait right there, okay?

There you are. One baby milk, made to order. It's still a little warm so be careful when they drink it, okay?

O-Okay. Thanks!

Hear that, Myrus? Give it the milk a little bit at a time.

L-Like this?

*nomnomnom*

Whoa! It's drinking so fast! Heheh, it's actually kinda cute.

It must have been really hungry. Hopefully it'll calm down now.

Just when you think you've seen it all. A beast raising a human child.

N-No, you got it all wrong! Some guy just suddenly gave it to me before we came in here.

Sounds like you've had a heck of a day.

You can say that again. This thing cries like there's no tomorrow. It was starting to really get to me...

Baaa... Wha *cough* Wha wooo.

Oh I... I didn't mean it was your fault or anything. That's what babies do, I guess.

Aldo, we've fed it now and everything. Can we relax now?

Yeah, I think the little guy will be fine for now. We should put it down to sleep somewhere. Feinne used to cry all the time as well when she was a baby. It was usually just easiest to let her sleep for a while.

Okay, but how do we do that?

Hmm, maybe we can use the same technique that me and Gramps used to use on Feinne. I bet we can find someone selling it in town somewhere.

Hey, do you have any "Slumber Scent"?

What's Slumber Scent?

We do indeed. Did you know that Slumber Scent is made from Slumber Cotton? It works wonders for those who ordinarily struggle to get to sleep. A must for any parents with babies that are unruly sleepers.

I didn't realize it was made from Slumber Cotton. Feinne would always go straight to sleep when we used this.

Great. So if we use this, the baby will go to sleep, right? Right?!

Baaa... Whaa! WHAWAWAWA!

What?! What's the matter this time? Don't you like the smell of Slumber Scent? It does kinda smell a bit off, I gotta admit.

Phew! That smell can only mean one thing. It's diaper changing time.

So that's what that smell is! Oh, it just one thing after the other!

If you would like, I can prepare a baby basket for you?

Thanks, that's be great.

Okay, Myrus. Are you watching? First you take this bit off, like this. Then...

Phew! Looks like it's finally drifted off to sleep.

Good work, Myrus. Now we can take a break and relax a little.

*snore*

Heh, look at it, fast asleep. Not a single care for all our hard work.

But you can't get angry at a cute face like, right? I get it.

Heheh, Aldo, you've got a real "older brother" feel going for you now!

Haha. Well, you know, I did used to look after Feinne and everything.

Something about looking at this little thing's adorable face makes me want to protect it, no matter what. I feel like a baby is a gift from the future. We have to raise them right and then give them back when they're ready.

I think you might be right there. I hope this kid gets raised right too.

Umm... Also, this is kinda hard to say. But, Myrus, you've got something on your clothes.

Hm? Where?

There, on your sleeve. It's the baby's...

Wha?! Ahhh! I must of gotten it on me when I was changing it's diaper! Ewww! I gotta go wash this off straightaway! Just wait here!

Haha, bit of an overreaction. Well, guess I'll get some rest too.

*snore*

Now I think about it, I feeling really tired actually...

...ldo! Aldo! Wake up already! Come on!

Whoa! I was asleep?

The baby, Aldo. The baby's gone missing!

What?! Why?! How?! Whoa, I'm still pretty groggy... Hang on. This isn't Slumber Scent! This is sleeping medicine. Did someone drug me?

But why would somebody do that?! You don't think that merchant lady planned to kidnap the baby, do you?

I don't know. But I've got a bad feeling about this. Let's find the kid!

*pant* *pant* Damn it! Can't find them anywhere.

Aldo! There you are. Any luck?

Nothing. How about you?

Yeah...

Hey. Wait a second. Is that the...

It is! That's the old timer than forced the baby on us!

Oh, why it's you two from earlier I...

Old Timer! There's like a whole bunch of things I wanna ask you, but right now's not the time! Your baby was kidnapped!

I'm so sorry! If only I had been more careful.

Please, don't be so hard on yourselves! I'm the one who force the child on you without word or notice.

You have my apologies for getting you involved in my family's inheritance feud.

Inheritance feud?

Yes. I am of a family of nobility, this baby is my grandchild.

However, it breaks my heart, but my son's wife died soon after giving birth. My son remarried after a time, but he was next to depart this world as he lost his life in battle.

......

His widowed wife and her family made an attempt to take over my legacy. There was just one obstacle for them. This child.

You don't mean, they tried to... So that's why you were covered in injuries running around.

That's just sooooo stupid! That kid has nothing to do with all this! What kind of person would try and do that to a baby?

The most evil and unmoral kind is who. They don't care who get's hurt so long as they benefit from it somehow. I'm so sorry to have gotten you involved in my affairs. I just thought the baby would be safe in the hands of a strong beast.

I think I know where they would have taken the child. I will try and return it to safety somehow on my own. Thank you.

Old Timer, wait! Babies are a gift from the future. And trying to "get rid" of one just for some money is unforgivable! I'm coming with you. We have to save that kid!

Right! I don't care what the reason is, I can't just stand back while somebody tries to do something like this!

I think meeting you two must have been fate. Or perhaps I am just one lucky man.

I think they should be lurking around Serena Coast. Please let us not be too late!

There! Those are the fiends!

Just wait right there! I'm not letting you kill that child!

So you came after us. I knew you were persistent, you rotten, noble codger!

The merchant lady who sold us Slumber Scent. And the barkeep from the tavern... They were both in on this?!

When I heard someone forced the baby on you, I realized straightaway who's it was.

But you really are quite stupid aren't you, getting fooled as easily as that. It's laughable!

And once this old man and his kid eat the dirt, we'll inherit everything. We'll be filthy rich! Hey, you two. This is family business. You just keep you noses out where they don't belong!

Family?! What would crooks like you know about family?

I don't care what you're fighting about. That baby has nothing to do with it!

Ohhh! I can't take it anymore! If you're so insistent about deciding on an heir, let's do it the beast way!

The beast way? Just what are you going to do?

It's obvious, isn't it? The way we beasts decide on most things. With a head on fight and see who's strongest!

Haha, I like it, it's simple but effective. Okay, I'm right behind you!

Hah! Think I'm going to let a savage beast tell me what to do? Here, play nicely with my pets!

Go on my pretties, turn all of them into mince meat! Just making sure there's nothing left of them when you're done!

Well! Then I'll turn you into powdered meat! That's a thing, right, Aldo?

Well whatever, it's go time!

My pretty monsters! How could you?!

It's over. Just give us back the kid now.

We've come this far, even if I can just get rid of the kid!

Hold it right there!

We were alerted to a commotion in this area and came to see what it was about. I must say I was not expecting this! I do hope you know the punishment for infanticide is more than a day or two in the stockades!

No, I wasn't goi...

And training monsters to harm other people! You're surrounded. Give yourselves in peacefully and nobody will be harmed.

I can never thank you two enough.

Don't worry about it! All that matters is that your grandkid is safe and sound.

Bwaaaaaa! Wagaaaaaa!

Aww, there, there! That must have been so scary. Everything's okay now. There, there.

Sleep, sleep, my love. Let the cloud of sleep wrap you ever so gently.

Now come, come sweet silent dreams. Sway, sway softly in the winds of slumber.

What song is that?

It's one that beast parents sing to their children.

It's really nice. I think that baby likes it too.

I've gotten kinda attached to that cute lil' face, but I guess this is goodbye. It was short but sweet little one.

I don't know what I would have done without you, wonderful and kind beast lady.

Ma... Mama... Mama!

What! Nononono! I'm not your m...

I... You just grow up big and strong, okay? You have a future to build, you know!