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"What am I doing?" Bani mumbled to herself for the fifth time that hour. She'd felt restless, lately, as if she couldn't just sit down and relax- and had pushed away work in favor of stretching her legs. Walking was a good way to sort out her thoughts.

And now, she was lost.

/How did this even happen?/ she thought exasperatedly, and turned around a corner that looked the same as every other, /This is the last time I try thinking and walking at the same time./

Idly, she wondered if she should ask for directions. Bani paused and took a glance around at a strangely empty street- though she supposed it wasn't surprising, at such an early hour. She sighed.
"This," she said to herself, turning around again, "This is worse than the time I...-"

Her voice trailed away into a mumble as she tried to get bearing on her surroundings. Buildings, buildings, and more buildings... and suddenly, she was standing face to face with a giant, antiquated looking establishment; she wasn't sure if it was a house or a hotel, or who it could really belong to. Strange, she'd never noticed it before...

"I wonder," she said, and walked towards the entrance of the HQ, unable to explain why it seemed such a good idea.
"They can probably tell me where I am...

Omi was inside, sitting curled on the couch with a bundle resting gently in her arms. She had felt like getting out of the house, and now that she'd been cleared to do so, she had been more than grateful for the chance to leave. Youko had offered to watch the baby for her, but she wanted him with her. It defied explanation, and even though she'd tried to, it wasn't anything more than 'I need him here'.

She knew that others had viewed the baby with scrutiny... or even repulsion. Raven, for certain, was likely going to make certain that she never had kids. EVER. Sighing, she watched the tiny tentacle wrap itself around her wrist idly as the boy latched onto her hand and started sucking on a finger. "I think you're beautiful," she murmured, smiling softly. She would always think that, even if others didn't. "And don't you ever forget that." Omi felt badly just referring to him as 'the baby', but a name hadn't been forthcoming in her mind just yet. Remembering the fact that she would have to find a guardian for him soon, it felt almost wrong to give him that... and she had chosen instead to let that guardian name him, like Youko had with her.

"Hello?" she said from the doorway, peeking inside, "Is anyone here?"

/So let's just waltz inside uninvited, why don't we?/ she thought, feeling a bit embarrassed at randomly coming in. But there didn't seem to be anyone around, and the entrance was unlocked. It couldn't have been someone's home...

Maybe it was a group center? She shrugged a little to herself, looking around for a counter or someone to ask. Her eyes eventually settled on a woman curled on the couch, holding something.

"Excuse me," she called out, walking closer.

"Hello?" Omi tried to turn, only getting as far as craning her neck back to peer over the back of the couch. "Can I help... you?" She blinked then. She knew this person... from where? Her mind raced back over the past few months and settled on a time when the leaves had changed and cold weather was creeping in. "Oh! I remember you.. from Durem. We were shopping." Now if she could just remember the NAME.

Her weakness. Names.

Durem? Shopping? When had she gone to Durem? It must have been awhile ago because--

"Oh!" Bani said, surprised that this woman was here of all places- and that she looked a little... different.
"That's right... I'm amazed you remember," she said, and sheepishly smiled, rubbing the back of her neck. Bani wasn't exactly great for her memory, either, especially not acquaintances.

"You look... different," she walked around to sit on the couch, "I didn't recognize you at first."
She tried to remember what this woman's name was, but was drawing up a blank. That was bad... wait- was she holding a baby? She glanced down at the bundle in the woman's arms, and, upon spying a tentacle, quickly looked away.

/Don't ask. Just- don't./

Upon seeing the look, Omi looked defeated. She'd grown accustomed to it, but still, it stung. "Sorry," she murmured, bringing a blanket to rest over the baby's lower half. He didn't like it much, but it was becoming a necessary evil. "I'm sorry, but I don't remember your name, that trip was so long ago. I hope you don't think me rude. I'm Gingitsune Nozomi... Omi."

She brought one slender finger to brush against the boy's lips, triggering the 'FEED ME!' reaction that was typical of all newborns, regardless of if they were hungry or not. It stopped his fussing, at least, and took his mind off the fact that there was now something covering him up.

"Oh, not at all," she said, suddenly feeling a bit bad when Omi's tone shifted, "I'm Baniru. Er, Bani for short."

She was quiet for a moment, watching her cradle the little... she supposed it was a baby... fish baby, or... she shook her head, thinking of the time in Durem. That's right... wasn't Omi pregnant back then?

"Is this your... son?" Bani asked, unsure of what it really was, or what gender.

Omi nodded, the smile coming back as she watched the baby coo softly in her arms. "He is. He doesn't have a name yet, however. I suppose his guardian will give him that."

Now she knew why Sati had been so sad when she spoke of handing over Addie to someone else. Omi wasn't sure how she was going to handle that particular hurdle, but it would have to come at some point. It's best for him, she told herself. And that's all she needed to know. Without that, he would likely just fade away, and there was no way she was going to allow that.