^^ Baby Lion-Turtle ^^

--- Tama Arashi-Kumo ---

The chief of the Okinawa people's, an elderly Chinese Yokai named 'Ten-Tzu', was actually rather enthusiastic, about us having four lion-turtles hatch in his Harbor.

Apparently knowledgeable about the subject, he had giant beds of seaweed constructed, and then soft white sand was poured over them, creating the softest beach I'd ever stood on.

Finally, a single, massive torch was lit at the waterline, as a target for the turtles, and they were buried in the sand, and warmed by hot coals in the seaweed. The steam rose up, from the wet seaweed, and saturated the eggs.

Then, they began to hatch, which was a deafening, yet amazing sight.

The first one to exit its egg flopped around a bit, stuck on its belly, but Sora flipped him over gently, and guided him to the water with his shining hide, having extinguished the torch.

Once in the water, he seemed to instinctually know what to do, and was gone in a matter of moments.

The next three went the same way, and once all four were in the water and gone, Sora relaxed next to me. "Well, that was interesting... I'm honored, for my companion and I to have helped bring such great and glorious beings into the world."

Ten-Tzu nodded his horned skull. "Indeed. An honor above all others, to have assisted the birth of a Genbu, but four? My great-Grandchildren will still look to my shrine with awe, I think." He smirked.

I chuckled. "Indeed. Thank you, Ten-Tzu, for allowing them to make your Harbor their Home."

He bowed slowly. "It was my honor, Prince Kumo, Ryuujin Sora. Would you like to stay for dinner? It is quite late, and we have had a boar on the spit for the past twelve hours."

Takara licked her lips subtly.

I sighed. "Indeed, that would be fantastic. Takara, don't you dare. You ate two days ago, and you know it."

She grumbled at me, and then nuzzled Ting. "You'll sneak me a leg, huh?" She murmured.

Ting laughed, shaking her head. "We can't overfeed you, you know that would make you fat. You have a glorious figure, you should work at keeping it that way." She chided her gently.

Takara hummed. "Fine..."

The chief laughed softly. "Ahh, children. I wish my own were still here."

"You've lost children, chief?" I asked in surprise.

"Lost? No, no, they simply travel the world. And one of them is an adviser in the Opal Emperor's Court. Battle Strategies. He sends me manuscripts, every summer." He shook his head, and led us to the main group of people, who gazed at us warily, but were otherwise perfectly polite.

The humans of our group enjoyed a small, intimate meal with the chief and his wife, a beautiful woman with rather long nails.

We ate the entire boar, amongst ourselves, and then said our goodbyes, leaving towards the Dauntless, which had followed us at a Reasonable Pace.

---

I heard a gasp, in the room next to mine, and sprang up, stealthily darting in, only to freeze when I saw Tiān-Kōng clutching her stomach.

Lon woke up slowly. "Darling?... what's wrong?" She asked sleepily.

"The baby... he woke me up. Kicking again." She grunted back, and leaned into her pillows with a groan.

"It's nine months, tomorrow. Any longer, and it will be dangerous." I sat next to her.

"Mm... I know. I will get Induced in the morning."

"Will you be able to sleep? Or should we do it now, so the child is born in the morning. Even induced, a Dawn Birth is a good omen." I grinned.

She chuckled. "You're a bit greedy for this child, aren't you?"

"Always. Always and forever." I grinned even wider.

"Love?" Yoko peered in.

"Yes darling, the baby is coming. Fetch the Physician and Lee-Kahn, please? And make sure he brings Yi-Sheng." I nodded.

She smiled and darted out.

"Alright, Lon, can you ready up a bucket of water? It doesn't have to be warm, I'll manage that. And towels, yes." I said industriously, removing the silken sheets, and replacing them with cotton quilts and towels, a thick padding that raised the bed six inches.

"You... are much too ready for this." Tiān murmured sleepily.

"I am very ready for this. You can't even imagine how ready I am." I nodded, unable to wipe the grin from my face.

She snorted, and whacked my skull gently. "Dumbass..."

"Hey! Only I get to call him a dumbass!" Yoko towed a sleepy Lee-Kahn in, with Yi-Sheng flying carefully behind.

Lon also returned, and with the Royal Physician in Tow.

I frowned at the sight of him, and then cleared my thoughts of any negativity.

"Finally ready, are we, Princess?" He asked cheerfully.

The Chinese physician she'd brought with her also came in, and conversed with her quietly in Chinese which I was too excited to translate.

He bowed when she spoke sharply, and then stepped over to me. "Prince Kumo, the princess would ask you to name the child before it is born, as is custom for Royal births."

I blinked. "You don't want to name him?" I asked her.

She smiled. "I'll have an input, don't worry."

"Alright... well, they're a mix of Chinese and Japanese... and they will have a Dragon companion... so what about Sui-Ren? The Water Lily? In case it's a Girl?" I asked.

She nodded. "I like it. And for a boy?"

"Mizu-Ryuu. The Water Dragon." I grinned.

She laughed softly. "Perhaps something a bit more presumptuous?" She asked sarcastically.

"More? Okay, then what about Ten-Ryuu, the Dragon of Heaven?" I smirked.

Lee-Kahn chuckled and nodded, pointing at me imperiously.

"As he'll be the Son of Heaven one day, the Dragon of Heaven seems rather appropriate, actually." The Physician said simply.

Tiān chuckled. "Alright, fine. No matter the Gender, Ten-Ryuu. I've made my decision." She said firmly when the physician opened his mouth.

He bowed deeply. "Yes, Princess. As you wish."

I nodded. "Alright, now are you ready?"

"Get it done. Lee-Kahn, please knock me out for the worst of it?" She asked playfully.

Yi-Sheng laid on the bed next to her, and wrapped her stomach with her tail gently. "I shall assist you, my friend." She said quietly, and then closed her eyes, her hide glowing even brighter.

Tiān yelped softly when her water broke with no one but Yi-Sheng interfering, and then relaxed slowly. "Well, then. Now we wait." She sighed and pet Yi-Sheng's head.

Jiāo, who'd apparently been asleep the entire time, raised her head at the scent of Tiān's water. "Hmm? Ahh, it is time? good. My first pet." She said playfully, nuzzling Tiān.

"Hmph. He'll run circles around you, darling." She replied.

"With this bloodline? I don't doubt it."

---

I gently replaced the cold towel on her forehead, helping Yi-Sheng take some of her pain away, but leaving enough sensation that she could push correctly.

"Damn..." the physician sighed.

"What? What's wrong?" I snapped.

"The feet are downwards, Prince, there's nothing I can-"

I shoved him out of the way, and then unceremoniously reached into her, causing her to yelp in surprise at my cold hands, carefully turning the baby around, as I'd been taught. I felt it's hands, bigger than they should've been, and sighed.

I guided it closer to the opening, and then pulled out my arm, now slick with things I didn't want to think about. "Physician, as it has become quiet clear that you are completely useless, you are not needed here."

He flinched. "I, I apologize, but I must be present when the child is born, to declare it royal..."

"I see. Then sit in the corner and keep your mouth closed, or I'll have you executed for your incompetence, which, had I not been present, would have doomed a royal child to death before it was even born." I snapped.

He sat down swiftly.

"Rawr, I am Prince, hear me roar!" Tiān giggled, and Yi-Sheng copied the sound softly.

I smiled at her. "Quiet, you."

Yoko took my place at Tiān's side, speaking with her about inane things, like the color of a peculiar stone she'd bought from a Dutch Sailor.

The child was ready, finally, and slowly began pushing against the opening which was too small for his head, as of yet.

"Oh dear... here comes the hard part, Tiān." I sighed.

"The HARD PART?!?" She yelped.

---

I smiled at the child as I pulled her gently from her mother, as dawn broke. "Ten-Ryuu... welcome to this World." I showed her the sun, before anything else.

The Chinese physician seemed to be able to read my body language well enough to keep himself silent, on the matter of the child's eyes and hands, but the Japanese physician had no such intelligence.

"My Prince, you must-"

"Sit. Down." I said calmly.

He sat back down.

I cut the cord carefully, then nodded to Yi-Sheng, who started glowing again.

I carried her to the small washing stand, gently bathing the blood off of her. "You shall be a beautiful Empress, my child." I said softly, and kissed her forehead, right above her luminescent white eyes, which matched mine.

She giggled softly, and touched the water beneath her. It turned to a pile of pure diamonds and rubies, and I blinked in shock when Lee-Kahn laughed loudly, clearly unsurprised.

I smiled and wrapped her in a green swaddling cloth, and set her on her mother's chest. "And meet your mother, little dragon." I said.

She gazed at Tiān, and then giggled, before finding Yi-Sheng and Jiāo, who loomed over her. She squealed, and they reeled back, but she only struggled to reach for them, giggling happily.

They nuzzled her gently, and she mumbled, falling asleep on Yi-Sheng's nose.

I snorted at her look of surprise and confusion. "That's adorable." I said simply.

"May I ask why you're not concerned with her hands?" Tiān asked quietly.

"Because that's what mine were like. And I was fine by my third birthday. It's a curse of the Kumo Clan. Eyes that see too much, and Hands that bring both Great and Terrible things into the world. Not debilitating in any way, and it isn't bad luck." I shook my head.

Jiāo nodded. "I may not be as good as mother was at such things, but I can tell she's in no danger. Her 'curses', as you call them, are simply traits of your family." She said, and grinned at Yi-Sheng, who was now simply resting with Tiān, allowing the baby to lay on her nose.

The physician blinked, and then the Chinese one stepped forward. "Princess... I must be sure of the child's health..."

"Yi-Sheng?" She asked.

"Very healthy... her heart is very strong, and her lungs are rather dense, which means she will be very healthy, in the coming months at least. There's a little liquid left in her lungs and stomach, but-" the baby hiccuped in her sleep, and suddenly Yi-Sheng's snout was covered in more of the liquid from Tiān's womb.

Jiāo admirably held in her snorts of laughter, and I carefully removed baby Ten-Ryuu from Yi-Sheng's face so she could clean herself off.

"Well... that's taken care of." She said simply.

The physician bowed slowly. "I, of course, respect your diagnosis, but I would like to check myself."

Tiān nodded, and I stepped back, keeping a hand on my knife, just in case.

He checked her lungs, measured her weight and height, (or length, I suppose?) then her heartbeat, and nodded slowly. "I concur with your prognosis... she is very healthy, and her musculature is quite developed, because of her extra time in the womb. A healthy child, Princess." He smiled.

She smiled back. "Thank you."

My physician carefully measured and weighed as well, making careful note of the dimensions of her hands. "Indeed, Healthy, as you have said." He bowed.

"Then report to the Emperor, and tell him I would ask an audience. Let him meet his second Grandchild." I said simply.

He bowed and backed out.

"Who do you hate that man?" Tiān asked softly.

"He's the one who separated Arashi from his mother." Yoko sighed.

"Ahh. I see. Physician, can you dictate a letter for me? I do not think my hands steady enough, as is." She asked.

"Of course, Princess." He sat at the table next to her wardrobe, and spread a scroll of bamboo, then began writing.

"Good. Include, first, the healthy dimensions of the baby, her name, and my health as well."

"Of course..." he said, writing swiftly.

"After that, the personal letter will begin." She nodded.

He nodded and continued, then finally halted. "Alright... and the Letter?"

"Yes... ahem." She cleared her throat.

'Great Opal Emperor. It pleases your Eldest Daughter, Princess Tiān-Kōng, to report to you the successful birth of your first grandchild. She is healthy, and we have named her 'Ten-Ryuu', the Dragon of Heaven. The Dragon's have approved her title, and seem to have taken a liking to her.

Like her father, she has Dragon's Eyes and Artist's Hands, but the dragon's have assured us that these are not Malevolent Curses of any variety, and will assist her in her duties as Empress, one day, far, far away, I hope.

I am well, of course, and dictating this letter through my physician, because my hands are very occupied, holding this bundle of joy. She is not crying, but instead giggling constantly, and seems especially fond of playing with Yi-Sheng's fur, at the moment.

I fear she has already insulted the poor Physician-Dragon, removing the last of the bile from her stomach and lungs... on the dragon's snout. Needless to say, she was very even-tempered, but I worry she will spoil my child, she seems so very happy to be in her presence.

I will rest, now, and send more word upon her awakening. You asked for letters at every major event, and you shall have them.

As of this day, 1/9, Year of the Dragon,
Your loving daughter and Heir,
Tiān-Kōng Qián,
Princess of the Opal Empire
Wife of Prince Tama Arashi-Kumo,
Prince of the Jade Empire.'

"That should do nicely." She nodded.

He bowed, and ended the letter, spreading sand across it to dry the ink, then rolled it up, and carried it out.