Dear Diary,

My sweet little friend, today I turned 16, found out that my mama and baba are engaged, and became the big sister to four adorable little siblings. I love them all with all my heart. I was able to banish the memory of my chrysanthemum's death long enough for me to focus on delivering my baby sisters and brother. However, I have a strange feeling. Like someone is watching me. I can't go to the others. They'll think I'm crazy. After all, when I came back from my walk and meeting Naoko, Tigress was broken in the hall of heroes crying because she thought I killed myself. I was "grounded" for the past 8 days for dashing off like I did. They can't really ground me. I have been doing my own thing for so long, that it doesn't do much good. Even Yeye Shifu told baba that when he grounded me. I'm ungrounded now because I was busy preparing for my siblings' births. I'll go into more depth of earlier today, my dear friend. It is almost midnight. I'll check on my new baby brother and sisters before I tell you what happened. It may take me a while. So grab a seat, lol.

"Mei Xiang! Wake up! Mama! Mommy! Ma!" I heard voices range from little infant to my age waking me up. I cracked open my turquoise eyes to see all of my children on my bed with Bingwen and Cobra standing right behind them. Seeing that I was awake, they all shouted, "Happy Birthday!" Then they jumped out the window and ran home. I rolled my eyes laughing and got out of bed. I walked to my door only to be knocked down by a furry monkey with a green snake, tiny bug, and large avian. They grinned sheepishly as I wriggled out from under them. "You guys, is there any particular reason why I can't walk from my room to the kitchen this morning?" Auntie Viper spoke up. "Well, sweetie, your dad is making you a special breakfast and we wanted to escort you down there." I smiled and jumped on Crane's back. "Ok, escort me away then." The other three ran ahead and by Yeye Shifu whose eyes widened before shaking his head muttering something about kids these days.

The kitchen smelled really good when we walked in there. Mama was already in her chair and she smiled when she saw me on Uncle Crane's back. "Happy Birthday, Mei." Po and Tigress chorused as I slid from Uncle Crane's back and into my chair. I smiled and grinned even bigger when Baba put my bowl down. My breakfast was bean buns, honeyed rice tofu, Chicken Secret Ingredient Noodle Soup, and vegetables. Everyone else soon joined us and Tigress gave me her gift. Viper passed me hers and Crane's. Monkey and Mantis gave me a big bag of money. I was happy with their gift. You could tell. Master Shifu told me that his was going to be late. I just nodded. "Open them, Mei Xiang!" Viper squealed. I opened Baba's and Ma's. It was a new diary since you, my dear are almost full. It had a lock and was pink with a small dainty key. Viper and Crane got me a beautiful red choker with a blood red ruby on it and a calligraphy for beginners kit. I smiled and thanked them for all the wonderful gifts. Master Shifu nodded and stepped out.

Tigress was on her third bowl of soup when it happened. I looked up from my vegetables and the boys were on their feet. Ma was panting and gasping really hard. "What's wrong, sister?" Viper asked. The happy atmosphere tensed up as Viper slithered over to check on Ma. "Mei Xiang, it's time!" she gasped. I jumped from my chair and practically leaped over the table to Tigress. I helped her stand up and Po swept her up bridal style to carry her to her room. "Uncle Crane, I need you to get Mei Mei, Naomi, and Owlet." He nodded and flew off. "Mantis, I need you and Monkey to get Shifu and then grab that long crib we had in storage and put it outside Tigress's room." They both nodded and scampered off.

Within a few short hours, Mei Mei and Naomi arrived. I greeted them warmly outside Tigress's room. "She is in labor, so I need us to be as calm as possible. Naomi, I want you to try to remember all that I taught you. Mei Mei is a mother too and I was trained to do this, so don't be afraid to ask for help." Naomi nodded. We walked in. I walked over to crouch next to my mom's head. "Mama, Mei Mei and Naomi are here. Now I am going to tell you what is going to happen. Mei Mei is going to clean and dress your baby and Naomi is going to check the baby over. When Owlet is done helping Mr. Ping, she will be trying to keep you comfortable. I will be doing all the nasty work. All you have to do is do what we say and just be calm." She nodded and sucked in a shuddering breath as another contraction rocked her abdomen. Viper slithered herself around Tigress's middle and the table. Owlet came in and Po just about bursts through the door. "Hey is she OK!?" I turned around and eyed him sternly. "Baba, Ma needs to focus and that can't happen if you're in here. Go hang out with Waigong and Yeye." He nodded and asked us to let him know as soon as anything happens whether to Tigress or the baby. Mei Mei took over at that point. "Po, you'll know, now let us women get to work alright?" He nodded again and left the room only to start pacing the hallway. Tigress rolled her eyes.

I noticed that my adopted mother was staring blankly at the window. "Ma! You need to focus!" I shouted her name next to her ear. My lithe black and white striped form was crouched next to her head, shaking her violently. Tigress shrieked in pain and Owlet fluttered over to fan her face. I nodded my approvingly and sat at the stool. Mei Mei got the towels ready and a blanket. Naomi got the medical supplies ready. "Now Mom, this is going to hurt, but I need you to be hardcore for me." Viper hissed from her spot around Ma's middle. "I don't think it's going to be one baby, maybe there is another one." I became very curious as to what Auntie Viper was talking about. I pulled a small white glove on and reached my paw into my mother;s womb. I could feel the fetus in there. Then there was another. And another. And another. I knew that she was too big to be having just one cub. I jerked my head for the girls to come here. "She is having three more. So we need to get some more stuff ready." They nodded and got that ready. I withdrew my paw and repositioned myself between my mother's legs on the stool. "On the count of three, Tigress, Push really hard!" We all ordered. 1.2.3. PUSH! She pushed and strained. aFter ten minutes a little tiger head was coming out. "Here's one." I gently eased my hands under the baby and pulled softly to help release him/her. It was a girl. She was loud too! I passed her off. "It's a girl, Ma." I flicked my tail to signal Owlet to bring the crib in. We redid the pushing process. "Mama, Great Grandpa Shifu is waiting at the noodle shop with Great Grandpa Ping and the others," Owlet told whispered in my ear. I nodded softly as I refocused my eyes on my mom's nether regions. A small shape with its umbilical cord wound tightly around its neck slithered into Mei Xiang's paws. My face grew somber and I let a soft whimper escape from my mouth. Tigress asked, "What's wrong?" Viper slithered up to her face and gently stroked her head with her tail tip. "This next one is dead. Mei Xiang is going to try something she has heard of people doing during delivery, but she has never tried it." Ma started to cry in grief and I felt a renewed determination to save her. Naomi came over and hugged her grandmother. I closed my eyes and formed the golden chi ball. Then I merged it into the baby. I pressed her heart and pumped it. It was very quiet for the next few moments, save for the baby in the crib softly whimpering every now and then. A noise broke the dead silence. It was a cry and the still form started to jerk and move uncontrollably. I snapped open my eyes and cleared the baby's mouth, nose, and lungs. Crooning softly to soothe the agitated infant, I handed the baby to Mei Mei. Then I crouched next to Ma's head and chuffed affectionately. She did it back. "She is going to be fine now." Tigress smiled gratefully at that. I returned to my stool and checked on the others progress. The next one just slipped into my hands and I barely caught her in time. Owlet shook Ma awake frantically. "Mama, Grandma is fading rather quickly." I nodded calmly. Naomi leaned over with the third girl and showed me her eyes. "Ma, she is blind. I don't know what may have caused it." I did. "Naomi, she was carrying her babies while she was sick. So I wouldn't have been surprised if one of them was at least affected." She nodded and laid her down in the crib. I quickly got to work on seeing if that was all or not. There was one more to bring into this world. I started to push slightly on Tigress's womb to help her bring this last one. "Congratulations, Ma! You have three daughters and one son!" Ma passed out after that. We all got Tigress cleaned up and the bed. I turned towards my fellow midwives. "Thank you so much for being so calm. This was my first time doing it with a stillborn. I really appreciate your help. Now we can go get the others and let them know and I'll sit with my mother. She should have her daughter here to introduce her to them." They all nodded and left. I leaned over and brushed a soft kiss on my babies head as they passed by. Auntie Viper touched my cheek with her tail tip before shutting the door. I came over and sat on my stool next to my mom. Looking over the crib, I hummed a lullaby to my new sisters and brother.

It was nightfall when Ma woke up. Tigress was in a cold sweat with tears streaming down her eyes. "Shush, it's okay." I soothed as I reached over and wiped her tears away. "What happened?" Tigress explained to me her nightmare and I understood all too well. "I've had dreams like those before too. When I was hurt remember? You would always be right there for when I woke up from one. You would hold me and tell me that everything was going to be alright. That made my nightmares go away." I sat down next to her on her bed and wrapped my arms around her and told her something that I told another person close to my heart when she was frightened. It was Chun Hua. They were both sick when I told her this. "I'll love you forever. I'll like you for always. In my heart, you shall be forever and for always."

I reached over and rolled the crib to the side of the bed. Reaching in, I lifted up the first born baby. We swaddled her in a pink blanket. "Here is the first born." Tigress took her and cuddled her close. "Her name will be Zinnia in honor of Ming Hua and Chun Hua." Tears filled my eyes briefly at the mention of my dead daughter and twin. I turned quickly and lifted up the baby that I brought back to life. She was swaddled in a yellow blanket. Tigress's eyes couldn't seem to stop taking her in. "This one will be named Flicka because she is lucky to have a big sister like you." I blushed under my fur. Seeing that it was my blind sister's turn to be introduced I cuddled her to my heart and purred comfortingly. This one was in a light purple blanket. "Ma, this one is the third born daughter. She is also blind." This one became dear to me and she has a special place in my heart. Tigress also gently took her from me. Tigress gave her the name Wren since when she cries, she sounds like a little songbird. I cradled my brother and placed him in my mom's lap. He was in a red blanket. "This is your son, ma." Tigress gently stroked his head. "Minzhe. That will be his name." I just nodded.

There was a soft knock at the door and Po popped his head in. "Is she awake? If so, y'all want some yummy Secret Ingredient Soup? My dads are both over we all want to see your beautiful gifts, Tigress after you have been fed." So we had soup and everyone came in to admire my new brother and sisters. My family came over to see them. Wolfess was still too little to really care, but I did enjoy getting to see her again. I stepped out to cuddle with my children and to catch up with Cobra and Bingwen. Yeye Shifu snuck into Tigress's room with Po and he finished getting my gift from him ready. "Mei Xiang, Happy Birthday." I looked up from sitting down and Shifu was holding a big portrait. Everyone gathered behind me to look. It was a family portrait. My new siblings were in it and just everyone was. I smiled and cried a little as I hugged Shifu tightly. "Mei Xiang," I looked over at Baba and Ma. "We are going to get married, sweetie." Everyone cheered and I launched myself into their arms.

So, Diary, I told you that it was going to be a while. I need to try to go to bed now. So goodnight my dear friend. I will see you tomorrow. I still can't shake that feeling of being watched. I guess sleep won't come easy tonight.