Cause for Concern

[Aysa]

Now that things had settled down, Aysa was going to check on her Auntie Shizune. the last time she saw her was when Rin had come and was being really mean to her and Saya! She was really worried so she was going to check on her! it took a moment of time to find her, but when she did, Aysa went into the room and closed th e door behind her. Luckily for her, Shizune was all alone and she could have some time with her. Little Aysa climbed up on the bed and just sat there, looking at her aunt. The young girl tilted her head to the side. Why was Shizune in bed? Was she not feeling well? That would explain why she was still in bed!

Or maybe.. Maybe that mean lady hurt her?! Aysa gasped and covered her mouth. No, that couldn't be it! Not her Auntie! She was like, super strong! Aysa then crawled up a little so she was at the head of the bed and started to inspect Shizune. Nope! No bruises or anything! Phew! That much was a relief! Still, she couldn't quite figure out what was going on here? Was she sleepy still? How could she?! It's like, daytime or lunch even! By now, she would be up and running!

"Auntie Shi, are you okay? That mean lady didn't hurt you, did she?!

[Future Shizune]

Upon hearing the voice of her niece, Shizune opened her eyes and turned her head and looked at her. It was truly the one person she was hoping to avoid seeing. She wouldn't be able to avoid her even if she wanted to. She smiled before grabbing her and laying her on her chest. Shizune wrapped her arms around Aysa and held on to her. How could she tell her what she had to but couldn't because it would break her heart. She was so weak, she could barely keep her arms around the little one.

"She didn't hurt me to much, I'm...i'm just not feeling to well sweetheart. Auntie Shi is very...very sick."

She couldn't believe that she lasted this long, her heartbeat was all over the place, she has to get back home but she doesn't want to rush Saya and Aysa back home so quickly. They were enjoying themselves, She may have to leave them here, and send Ryoko back for them. She felt so awful for not being able to spend much time with her family. Aside from Shiori and her present era self, she's been avoiding everyone so they don't ask questions.

"Aysane, I want you to know that I love you very much. You mean the world to me...promise me you'll never ever forget how much I love you!"

She had to fight back so many emotions. She loved Aysa as if she was her own daughter. She was just like Megumi was at her age but even cuter. She was the best niece anyone could ever truly ask for an very fun to be around. It upset her that she wouldn't be here to watch her grow into a beautiful woman. She sat up slowly and hugged on to Aysa as tightly as she could and kissed her forehead.

"Please find and bring me your Auntie Ryoko, I need to talk to her."

[Aysa]

Aysa blinked a little as she was hugged by her Aunt and huggled onto her. Oh no.. she's sick?! Why was she sick? Why couldn't anyone help her get better? Her eyes began to water and she hugged onto Shizune a bit more, not wanting to let go. It wasn't fair! She didn't want anything to happen to her! Who was going to take them places or do fun stuff? She couldn't help but to cry. It just wasn't fair!

"Why can't anyone make you better auntie Shi? Can't the doctors or someone make you not sick anymore??"

Sometimes being a child was a blessing and a curse at times from not understanding how grown up things work. Even though she was requested to get her Aunt Ryoko, she didn't want to leave Shizune. What if something happened to her while she was gone?? The longer she stayed, the more harder it became to get away from her.

"Okay, Auntie Shi.. I promise..

Eventually, she did get off of the bed and to the door. As she opened the door, she looked back to Shizune and sniffled again. Once the door was open, she walked out and started to look for her Auntie Ryoko. However, halfway through the search, she just stopped and cried some more. Hoe could she not?! Her favorite Auntie was really sick!

[Shiori Onigata]

Peeking her head out of her room, Shiori saw the Aysa crying. What could have upset her so much that it brought her to tears. Shiori slid open the door and exited her room and walked toward the little one. She dropped down onto her knees and quickly picked up the little one and gave her a big big huggle. She rubbed her back before standing up. It didn't take her long to figure out why she was so upset. She must have found out about Shizune being sick. She knew how the young one felt, Shizune was her big sister and she was going to lose her too. Granted she didn't always like the one from the future, but it was still her sister.

There had to be a way to save her but how could she find out if she couldn't tell anyone about Shizune's condition? Perhaps seals could ease her pain. The one person who would know she can't tell. She would have to try it on her own to try to save her sister's life. She wouldn't want her nieces growing up with out her. It was hard enough on Shizune to grow up without her parents, and she wouldn't want Saya and Aysa to go through something like that. It wasn't fair to them and it wasn't fair for Shizune to just give up and accept death. The Onigata sister's are not quitters.

What truly amazes her about this poison how long she had been able to fight it off, usually poisons move through the blood stream quickly. Perhaps she wasn't so much of a quitter at all. She's been fighting it for five years according to Saya but all the fighting has been wearing her down to now where she can barely get out of bed and do anything with the family.

"Aysa your Auntie Shiori doesn't like seeing you sad. You love Shizune as much as I do, maybe even more. She's like your favorite person. I'm going to do what I can to help make her feel better, even if she doesn't want me to. I want you to be brave and cheer Shizune on as she continues to fight and get better. It won't be an easy thing to do, but I know with you cheering her on, she can and will get better! So you wipe those tears and you leave everything to Shiori...okay?"

Seals were the answer to helping Shizune, even if she couldn't completely rid her body of the poison. All Kusanagi females store reishi within their bodies and that meant Shizune did as well and based on how strong she was, she had quite a bit to spare. Eventually the seal would wear off because of how much reishi she has within her. Shiori could reapply it and perhaps keep her living longer. If such a seal were to ever wear off completely her heart wouldn't handle the working on its own anymore and she would die.

It's risky and Shizune is stubborn but it will work. She would have to talk to both the present and future Emi's. The present Emi-mi has knowledge much like Shiori herself in terms of medical kido and the future old lady Emi-mi could come and go as she pleased. She could always come back and get Shiori and take her into the future so she could reapply the seal whenever Shizune's condition worsened.

Shiori put Aysa down and wiped away her tears. She was so wrapped up in all of her thoughts, she truly for got that she was holding on to her.

"No more tears Aysa, Shiori is going to save her!"

Shiori stood up and gave the little one her mother's infamous and timeless peace sign while laughing.

[Aysa]

When she was picked but by Shiori, Aysa just clung to her and kept on crying for a while. She couldn't help but to feel sad for Shi. It was her favorite Auntie, after all! Though, there sounded like there was some kind of hope. Shiori must know of a way to save Shizune! Once her tears were wiped away and sat back down on her feet, her eyes got all big ad googly like Azumi's would whenever she saw anything cute. She would have to be brave her her Auntie. Well, not just for her but for the rest of her family as well! She could do it!

"You.. You promise, Auntie 'Ori? You can really make her feel better?

Just the thought of her Auntie feeling better and being able to play with her and her cousins like she used to do! It totally cheered her up! Oh, and she was about to forget that she was suppose to get someone.. She got so upset with finding out she totally forgot. For a moment, the little one seemed to be spacing out. Who was it that Shizune told her to go find? Ryo.. No.. Not her dad. She probably didn't want him to find out. Then, she remembered and had one of those cute "aha!" moments by hitting one open hand with her tiny fist.

"Auntie 'Ori, do you know where Auntie Ryoko is at? I was asked to bring her to Auntie Shi's room."

[Little Emi]

Emi was in her room, studying some new Kido books that were given to her as presents. They were about various ways Barrier Kido and Bakudo were used in both an offensive and defensive manner. She then pushed up her glasses just a little as she flipped through the pages, writing down things that interest her. After all, with her family's luck, these barriers, seals, and whatnot would prove very useful in any upcoming battle. One must be prepared, after all! Many thought of her as a bookworm but she didn't care. This was her passion other than studying medical kido.

As time passed by, something caught her attention. Most of the time, Emi would be too focused on what she was reading and notice what was going on around her, but this caused her to put a bookmark to hold her place. She then stood up from where she was sitting with a stretch. She had been sitting down for waaay to long and it actually felt nice to be up. What caught her attention was a surge of Reiatsu and honestly, she was quite surprised it didn't cause a commotion. She then takes off her glasses and places them where they wouldn't get broken. The woman then left her room to search for any signs of life in the Mansion. After all, who wouldn't like to sleep in?

After a few twists and turns, she arrived to a hallway that had two occupants. Even though some distance away, she could make out who the Reiatsu of the two individuals belonged to. One was Shiori and the other was her future daughter. That was still taking some used to. To think in the future, she actually got married to a man. It did make sense in the sense that Ami was never born in that timeline and therefore the two never really met. Regardless, she loves little Aysa with every fiber of her being. Though, with Shiori being in the hallway, how could she have not sense that surge? Perhaps it was because she was in such deep conversation with Aysa about something. That would have to wait until later. Emi finally walked up to the two and gave a small wave as a greeting before speaking.

"I hope I'm not interrupting, but Shiori, I do have a question for you. Did you just notice a rather strong surge or Reiatsu just now?"

[Shiori Onigata]

Upon being asked if she's seen Ryoko. Shiori shook her head from side to side. She hasn't seen Ryoko in quite some time. In fact Shiori hasn't seen her since she called Shizune out on her ailment. She gave Aysa one last hug before placing her down onto the ground. Shiori knelt down to her level and rubbed the little one's head before giggling.

"Don't you worry about Ryoko, Shiori will find her for you. I know Saya is up and around here somewhere, maybe in the backyard training. Why don't you go give her a big hug for me and maybe later, Auntie Shiori and Emi will take you two shopping...maybe. The last trip was cancelled but we'll definitely go this time. Unless something catastrophic happens...but I hope not, Shiori needs to spoil you two before you go home! Now run along and go play before long it'll be nap time."

Shiori smiled before gently pushing Aysa onto go find Saya. She stood up slowly before turning her attention to Emi-mi. Her happy expression changed to a more serious one. The spiritual pressure she felt...even here was weird. It was so weak and then grew into something even stronger, but she didn't feel threatened by it. Then again, she hardly felt threatened by anything, except maybe her daddy but he would never hurt any of them.

"It's massive Emi-mi but it isn't something I'm worried about. For a moment it was so raw and ridiculously powerful but now it's stabilized to the point where Shiori can barely feel it. It's something I want to check out but it'll have to wait. Emi-mi, Shiori needs your help. Aside from mommy and Auntie Hinako, we can save magical future sister Shizune from whatever it is that is killing her."

Placing one hand on her hip, she glanced toward the door of the room in which future Shizune was staying, she was fighting so hard to live, it was like she could feel her pain. It was a weird bond thingy but she knew that with the two of them, they could do it. What she planned to do was unheard of and if her mother knew she would never allow it because it's so risky. All the reishi Kusanagi women stored within them could easily kill them if it was focused on the heart, but if it worked and they only used some of it, Shizune could in fact use it as a life force of sorts.

"It's risky and my mom will yell at me afterwards, but I can't let her die, Saya and Aysa need her. It isn't fair that they have to grow up without her around. It was unfair for Shizune to lose her parents too. I don't want my nieces growing up with out her. The old lady version of Auntie Yuri would be devastated and so would The future Emi-mi. Emi-mi, I will owe you big time if you agree to help me."