Chapter 44

"I wonder how dad is doing… same with father…"

Botan was staring out of his bedroom window, thinking of his parents. It's been three months since he last saw his father, but still he wondered if everything was okay. A gently knock came upon his door. "Come in,"

He didn't bother to turn to see who it was, he kept looking out his window. "My goodness, you grew…"

He tore away from the window. "GRANDPA!" he cheered and rushed to meet Death. The two embraced as Botan smiled. "I didn't think you were here… does that mean…"

"No, your father is still at the banquet, he can't leave yet."

He felt his heart sink a little. "Oh… I miss him you know… and dad… but dad is in him…" he said awkwardly.

Death however smiled. "All the more reason to come. I can take you to visit him, I just need to find your aunt…"

"She's at school right now."

"Ah, is that so, very well. I will go pick her up then!"

Botan froze. He didn't think Death would do such a thing in plain sight. "Uh, perhaps it would be best if I went to pick her up?" he suggested.

"Oh it's no trouble at all! I'll be right back!" He vanished in a burst of black fire. Botan waited ten minutes before he turned with auntie Zenko who appeared rather surprised.

"Whoa…" she whispered.

"Whoa what?"

She giggled a little but turned to Death with great admiration. "I never knew you could do that!"

He was curious now, Death was smiling from ear to ear. "Mortals can be so troublesome to say the least. I didn't appreciate how he spoke to me…"

"Oh dear God…" whispered Botan.

"I didn't do anything serious!"

"It's true, he just got the teacher that doesn't take any excuse from anyone. He nearly refused to let me leave until Death had a little heart to heart apparently… what did you tell him?"

He smiled. "That he would be dead in the next five years if he didn't stop smoking and cut out the fatty foods he has been eating. After all, it's how his father died and that was merely two years ago, I said to him his father's death was a message to him, but he didn't get it…"

Suddenly Zenko was stunned. "He believed you?!"

"After I gave him the exact day, time, the doctor in the room and cause of death of his father to him!"

Botan knew not to push the subject any father. "So, we're going to see dad?" he asked.

"Big brother!?" Zenko asked with a stunned tone.

"Indeed, take my hand…" The two reached for a hand, when they were suddenly transported. They arrived in a very fancy living area, it was worthy of a mansion or a King's throne room. "Welcome to Gaia's sanctuary!"

"Gaia? As in the Titan of earth?"

"We call her a goddess since she believe Titan makes her sound like she's fat." He explained. "We honor her choice in the matter,"

Zenko rushed all over the room, but there was no sign of him. "Where's big brother?"

Botan looked about, his father was nowhere to be seen. "Is she keeping him in this room?"

"Sort of, this is where he comes to eat, he has another area to rest, but if I am not mistaken, Gaia has him on a strict schedule, he is probably having his bath."

"Bath?" The two asked curiously.

He nodded proudly. "Gaia's legions have been taking excellent care of him, I asked her to do so as a favor for me. She has come to like your brother! In fact, she nearly adores him as much as I do!"

There was a burst of green fire.

Botan paused as his father appeared and was being assisted by a lavishing woman in a black dress. "Easy now, that was a lot for you today I know…"

His father appeared tired and winded, he was helped to his seat where he caught his breath. "Oh God, this is getting hard to do… I can't even walk that far!" he protested.

"BIG BROTHER!" Zenko rushed to him.

Botan hung back as his father was taken aback by the surprise. "Little sis!" he cheered and held her on his right side. "When did you get here?!"

"Just now, look, Botan is here too!"

Bad peered up and saw him. Botan smiled and nodded to his father, but couldn't ignore how much he had changed. His father's stomach was all black, and looked like scales, the black markings were thicker on his arms and he appeared to have a dragon head on his shoulder. "Whoa… dad you got big!" he snickered.

His father smirked as he gently patted his stomach. "Kids grow, what the hell did you think would happen?" he laughed. "But damn, don't ever make the same mistake I did! Got it!"

"I have no intention on having that many kids at once." Botan said and giggled. "You holding out okay?"

"Tired… but… I got a reliable source telling me that you have been taking care of things back home…"

Botan smirked. "Yeah, I handled the Metal Knight situation. I placed a curse on him, the shadow of decay, so the more he kills, the more his body will decay away. HOWEVER, if he saves people and he saves more than he killed, the curse will cancel out."

"Ah, you have learned well and quickly!" Death said with glee.

His father was stunned. "Since when…"

"My powers are not fully opened up yet, I know, but I went with one strong enough to get the point across and within my reasoning."

"Smart boy," said Gaia. But she paused. "Wait, is this…"

His father smirked and nodded. "Botan, this is Gaia, goddess of the earth. Gaia, my first born son…" he paused as his belly jostled in protest. "Sorry! OUR first born son, Botan."

Gaia approached him oddly, she looked at his face with utter amazement. "He does look like you… but his features are drastically different…"

"That's my other dad… who is in my father right now…"

She paused once more. "Oh yes, Death mentioned that… The son of the Crimson plague, correct?"

"He's not a vampire anymore, but a shadow lord… and yes, he is rather lodged in the belly of the King for the time being. He needed to assist keeping the children fed and ensured they didn't take too much for their own sake. It was a necessary absorption…" Death explained casually.

"Easy for you to say!" he protested. "I had to take him in when he put on a shit ton of weight, add it to me as I was still having kids!"

Gaia however appeared to have no sympathy for him. "It was a necessary step to occur. Your poor children would have fought over nourishment and power if it weren't for him"

He sneered at the notion. "I ain't having more than one kid at a time again!" he protested. His hands though oddly caressed his belly, auntie Zenko followed as she began to rub his belly too.

"You're so squishy big bro!"

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered.

Death snickered. "You two can visit for a while, I'll come back and pick you up later okay? Don't be too hard on your big brother… or your father" Death said with a smirk. "I'll return in a few hours. Gaia, thank you" he said and bowed graciously.

She nodded as he vanished. "Young Botan, may I speak with you?" she asked.

He nodded as he excused himself from the room. When the door closed, he turned to face Gaia, who was now staring at him with wide eyes. "You really are their child…" she whispered. Her hands gently cupped the sides of his face as she stared deeper into his eyes. "What a beautiful thing…"

He was weirded out at this point. "Thank you?" he said with great uncertainty, but she realized what she was doing and pulled away. "I am so sorry about that…"

"It's okay, I don't mind… Thank you, very much for taking care of my parents and my soon to be born siblings… I was really worried about them."

Gaia offered a sincere smile. "Your father is a fascinating demi god. There hasn't been one like him before, he also treated those who tended to him well…" She paused and laughed a little. "Would you believe my legions are fighting over who gets to take care of him next? They all want to tend to him!"

Botan smirked a little. "Despite father being rather brash and immature… I know his heart is always in the right place." He said.

She nodded her head in agreement. "I shall not keep you from him. Spend time with your parents." She said, Gaia excused herself and vanished in a burst of green fire.

Botan went back into the room and smiled as he found his father and aunt Zenko, passed out asleep nestled up against each other. Botan took the other side and did the same thing, but jumped as his father's arm came down over him in a gentle embrace. He looked up and saw his father was awake. "I just had a nap, like hell I am going to sleep again."

Botan smirked as he stayed in place. "I missed you dad…"

"I missed you too bud… when this is all said and done, we are going to have some wicked family time!" he decreed. "Oh, I also got to duel another demi god…"

"How did that come about?"

His father sighed and said all he did was be polite to the creatures tending to his needs, they in returned went out of their way to ensure he had everything needed and was waited on hand and food. "The other demi gods weren't since they never treated them nicely. Hell the one who I am going to beat the UNHOLY HELL out of, slapped and swatted fairies around like they were bugs! I cannot wait to punch his stupid face in!"

Then his stomach quivered. "I get my shot in first!" he yelled at his belly.

A low murmur came from it, Botan smirked knowing it was his dad arguing with father again. Despite it appearing to be one sided, he couldn't help but snicker when they do such a thing like this. After all, no one knows what his dad is saying!