Io seemed to be fitting right in with the group, (to my relief after being so scared of her to start with!), and was busy going around asking everyone questions. I felt kind of bad for her. 398 years old...she must have seen her fair share of friends go on before her. I had always felt sorry for myself never really knowing my mother or father, but imagining seeing my friends dying of old age while I was still "young for my species", I would never be able to handle that! She must be a very strong person...

By the time I had finished that train of thought she was in front of me stooping down (I had forgotten to switch back to being human again) and said, "Hello there, you're Asuka right?" Shyly (as always!) I just nodded. If I'd have been in human form she'd have seen me blush. "Sky told me you were a foxcoon, how did that happen?" "W-well," I started nervously, "my mother was a fox, and father was a raccoon..." "Was?" she asked. I sighed, not because I was really that sad, but more because I hoped she wouldn't ask about the "rest" of my family. "Mother died soon after I was born and Father left when I was four and I haven't seen him since." "Oh," she was a bit taken back, "I'm sorry to hear that." She took a breath as if she was about to ask the next question, the one I dread, but instead she said, "I bet all of these other half-breeds are like family to you then huh? Good to meet you!" She walked away toward Gray who was standing silently like always. I knew for a fact that if I had been in human form my face would be flustered right then. Sure I thought it was nice to have new friends that I could relate with, but family? Would accepting my new friends as my family mean I was trying to replace Alex? I would never want that...but I couldn't help but wonder if this warm feeling I have when I travel with the other half-breeds is what it's like to have a full family. With just Alex and me, I always knew kind of what to expect. But with so many people, things can be unpredictable, new, exciting! Was this family?

Just then I heard something that caught my ear, "Well, Gray doesn't like to talk and he has a hard time forgiving himself," it was Dani. "Oh, and he wasn't born a half-breed." I think I stopped breathing for about a minute. What? How could he have not always been a half-breed? "What?" Dani asked, surprised by everyone's stunned faces. I remembered to breathe again and started, "H-how...?" Ariel interupted, seeing that I was going no where with what I had to say and asked on my behalf, "How is that possible!?"

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Yeah, that was kinda lame. Hope I did good setting you up luffysister! Don't keep us in the dark TOO long kay?