Chapter Twenty Nine: Our Son
Hikari's thoughts were a jumbled and incoherent mess as I desperately searched for the cause of her emotional distress amongst her memories. "Hikari?" I asked with concern as my body materialized in the space before her. She was kneeling in the sand with her knees tucked to her chest. Hikari lifted her head from the crevice in her arms to meet my eyes for a moment. She opened her mouth to say something but a sob wracked through her and she hid her face once more. I kneeled down and the sand sunk under my weight as I gently pulled at her arms. Hikari shrank away from me and I let my hands fall away from her. "Hikari what is wrong?" I asked. She started to mumble from the shelter of her arms and I leaned in to hear her. "Hikari?" I asked again. When she didn't acknowledge me I grew slightly impatient and forced her head up. I held both of her cheeks in my hands and wiped her tears with my thumbs.
"Why are you crying? What has happened?" I asked in anger as I took in her swollen eyes and flushed face. "Ignis." She bawled as tears once again flowed down her cheeks. "Hikari what happened?" I asked again, once more trying to gleam any hint of her distress from her thoughts. "What is impossible?" I asked her. "What can't be true?" I asked in confusion. Hikari threw herself into my arms and fisted her small hands into my robe as she used me as a giant box of Kleenex* tissues. I sighed and sat down as she cried in my arms and I consoled her. For nearly an hour she cried, the tears drying before they hit my robes, and I remained silent while her mind cleared and the sobs that wracked her small shoulders subsided into sniffles. "Hikari?" I asked. She shook her head and buried her face into my neck. "You need to tell me what happened." I said gently while stroking her short hair. Hikari reached for my hand and curled her fingers around my wrist. She placed my hand against her stomach and refused to let go. "Hikari what are you…" my voice trailed off as I sensed something stir below my hand.
"Is it true?" she croaked, her throat raw from so much crying. I pushed her backward and she supported herself on one hand as I placed both of mine on her stomach. I cursed silently as I yanked up her shirt and pressed my hands as well as my power into her. She inhaled sharply at the intrusion of my power but stayed still while I searched. I didn't search slowly like the numerous times before, so my energy made Hikari increasingly uncomfortable. I disregarded my wife's discomfort as my power shot straight through the center of her body. My mind sought and searched each cell within her and I became increasingly impatient at the slow pace even though it had been only a few seconds.
I felt the muscles in Hikari's stomach tighten as the tension within her body increased. Then I felt something defy my power. It was small, nearly imperceptible, and it responded negatively to my impatience. I found it. It was small, a dot, and the earliest and most miniscule stage in any creature's life. I reeled in my power and touched the small life form with my thoughts, careful not to damage the forming mind. A brief response, as if in acknowledgement, and then it faded quickly. I sent a pulse of my power just to make sure I wasn't hallucinating. I lowered my head and placed my ear against her stomach. "Well?" she asked with worry. I took a moment to respond, for I was so absorbed within this moment that I forgot everything.
Something seemed to shift within me, as if my heart was trying to make room to absorb the onslaught of emotion that I felt. It was amazing, this transcending joy that took my mind onto another plane of existence. I reached for one of her hands and twined my fingers through hers and placed our joined hands on her stomach beside my head. "I sense life within you Hikari. A new life, a small one deep inside." I whispered. I felt the weight of the fresh tears that fell from Hikari's eyes plop down on my hair. I squeezed her hand within my own. "Our child, my son." I whispered as the joy I felt resounded through me.
Ok so the rest of that night was kind of a blur, except for that moment on the beach. Nothing could mar the perfection and clarity of that memory for me. But other than that I can't recall much of anything else. I remember we stayed on the beach locked in a most uncomfortable position on my part, my lower back is still complaining. I remember crying so much that I must have exhausted myself into sleep because as I woke up in my bed I took in my surroundings. Ignis and I were cocooned inside of my blankets with random assortments of pillows around us. My back was to Ignis's chest, my head resting in the crook of his arm while his other arm was laid protectively over my middle. I stretched like a well-rested cat and adjusted my position into the blankets till the back of my head rested against his shoulder. After adjusting my head on my improvised pillow I relaxed once more and closed my eyes. Later on I woke up in the same position and I raised my hand to cover a deep yawn. I stopped with my mouth half way open when I saw that I was wearing a pair of my gardening gloves still brown with soil. I peeked under the blankets to see my clothes from yesterday were still on as well. "I felt it would be a bad idea to wake you in the state you were in. I feared you would break down into tears again once you woke." Ignis explained while pulling me closer to him.
My mind did a double take of all the events and the fact that I had a tiny little human thing inside of me hit home. "Ignis were going to have a baby!" I yelled in excitement. "There is the woman I fell in love with." He responded while kissing the base of my neck. I halfheartedly shoved his head away while a blush still lingered on my cheeks. "Flattery will get you nowhere." I chided. "I find that with you flattery gets me everywhere and back." Ignis said wistfully. I rolled my eyes and moved to sit up. Ignis's arm remained firmly in place as he moved to sit up with me and rested his chin on my shoulder. I felt the heat of his breath tickle my skin as he rubbed his hand over my stomach. "Are you sure you are feeling well?" he asked with concern. I patted his hand reassuringly. "I feel great actually; it must be your loving that keeps me going. Now if you don't let me go, I guarantee I won't smell too pleasant for the next few hours." I said. Ignis relinquished me and I headed over to the bathroom to take a shower. "Careful on the wet tile it's slippery." He warned. I poked my head out the door with my blouse halfway over my head. "You can always catch me." I teased. He smiled at me and I closed the door.
A small part of my mind took note of the unusual nature of his concern. I know it sounds weird, Ignis is always concerned about something, but he's never bothered to take the many "hazards" of wet tile into consideration with me. I shrugged the pesky thought away and filed it in my brain as unimportant. But little did I know that it was going to get a lot worse. After about fifteen minutes of scraping beach sand out of my hair and toes I stepped out of the shower and dried off. After another ten minutes of dressing and primping I looked in the mirror and my reflection stared out at me. With damp and tousled brown hair and flushed cheeks I felt a little like myself again. I readjusted my shirt and my fingers lingered on my stomach as I thought of what rested within me. Smiling like a little girl who just found a new toy I walked out the bathroom and closed the door behind me. I turned around and my nose smacked straight into Ignis's chest. I stepped back and rubbed my abused nose. "Um, hi there?" I asked in confusion. "Are you well?" he asked me once more. I blinked at him while still rubbing my nose. "Um, yes?" I answered. "Good, I need to go now. Take care and be safe." Ignis said while ducking down and pressing a soft kiss to my forehead. He then disappeared and left me there with my confusion.
I snapped out of my reverie when I heard Lemon bellowing impatiently from the barn as she awaited her very late breakfast. I stumbled toward the doorway as my mind tried to comprehend my husband's odd behavior. I walked into the barn to meet a host of hunger crazed livestock crowding around me. I pushed and shoved my way through them to reach the fodder and had to yank my shirt out of one to many hungry mouths. As I passed out their food I groomed and greeted my animals as they ate contentedly back in their stalls. I rummaged in my rucksack and pulled out a bucket as I bent down on my knees and placed it under Lemon first. Lemon mooed in minor annoyance as I disturbed her ever so important task of chewing. I quickly milked the beast and stood up from the ground while brushing straw off my pants. I bent down and placed one hand on the bucket handle and pulled upward.
The weight of a full bucket that my body was well used to after three years of caring for dairy cows suddenly shot up into the air as if I had given to much effort in lifting. The contents of the bucket spilled halfway out as it dropped from my hand as suddenly as it lifted up and it miraculously landed on its bade. However, the loud noise startled Lemon and she kicked the bucket over while shuffling nervously from hoof to hoof. I groaned and reached for an old rag that hung on the wall and wiped off Lemon's legs as well as my own. I was well and officially irritated at that point and I grabbed a clean bucket and headed to the next cow. Apple moved to make room for me as I headed into her stall and bent down on the ground. I once again filled the bucket and this time I carefully lifted the bucket, no spills and no scared cows. Taking that as all the encouragement I needed I quickly headed to the back of the barn and reached up on one of the shelves for an empty milk container.
I braced my feet against the ground as I grasped the container on both ends and slowly pulled it forward across the shelf. As it lost the shelf's support and fell into my grasp I stepped back waiting for my arms to register the weight and my muscles to automatically respond and strain to keep the container above my head and slowly lower it to the ground. As the rounded edge fell off the wood I readied myself. The container was unexpectedly light and it fell all too easily into my hands. I stumbled back as I put the container on the ground and stared at it for a moment. Suspicious, I turned it bottoms up and read the engraved information on the bottom. The container itself weight twenty three pounds, not super heavy but heavy enough to want to be careful when lifting it over your head. I picked the container back up and tested its weight. My mind was already boggled by this so I went back to the shelf and pulled down another container. It felt exactly the same as the first.
With my boggled mind in tow I dragged the two containers through the barn and headed back to the stalls. Once I finished filling the milk containers to the rim I sealed them and carried them outside and lined them up by the doorway. After that I headed toward the coop and gathered eggs, having no strange occurrences like in the barn. I took a deep breath and smiled as I headed back outside, feeling the sun warm my skin. When I opened my eyes in search of my milk containers I found nothing. Shocked, I went over and investigated the area where I last saw them as well as the barn. I let my animals out of their shelters and searched my fields. I groaned and wiped the perspiration from my forehead. My eyes settled on my shipping bin adjacent to the bell I used to call my animals back into their shelters and my and a thought nagged at my mind. I walked over to the shipping bin and hesitantly lifted the lid. "Blast it Hikari why are you so scared?" I said. I opened the bin and my mouth fell open in surprise. "No way." I mumbled. All of my containers were lined up neatly inside the bin and waiting to be shipped. I stepped back from the bin and looked around, officially spooked.
"BOO!" I heard someone shout. With a yelp I lifted my watering can out of my rucksack and whirled around to clobber the owner of the voice. "Wait Hikari it's me, it's me!" Julius screeched as he raised both arms to ward off my attack. I lowered the watering can and laid a hand on my chest. "Goddess Julius, why did you sneak up on me like that?" I asked in anger. Julius slowly lowered his arms and his eyes narrowed in suspicion. "I've never been able to scare you like that before, what has you so spooked all of a sudden?" he asked me. I shuffled over to him and grabbed his arm. "What?" he asked me. I pointed to my bin and shoved him toward it. Julius peered inside and turned back to me, his eyebrows creased in confusion. "It's just milk Hikari, you ship it every day." He said. "That's the thing Julius; I wasn't the one who put them in there!" I said. He raised one purple eyebrow. "Did Lemon decide to give you a helping hand?" he asked me. I smacked his arm. "I'm serious; when I came out of the coop they were just… in there." I said.
Julius smoothed his wrinkled sleeve where I hit him and frowned at me. "Not that the milk mystery isn't fascinating and all, but I believe we have something more important to discuss." He said. "Huh?" I asked. Julius's eyes narrowed in anger as he spoke. "Hello? Are you daft woman? Last night we all found out your pregnant and then you run out if the clinic in tears into the night and we can't find you. That doesn't seem worthy of conversation?" he asked. "But I…" I mumbled. "What I'm trying to ask is whether you are you OK?" Julius asked. "Oh… yeah I'm fine, why wouldn't I be?" I asked in mild confusion. Julius smacked his forehead and gave an exaggerated sigh. "What am I going to do with you?" he asked irritably. I quickly searched for a way to alleviate his anger toward me. "Perhaps you could help me pick out some baby clothes?" I suggested and immediately regretted it. Julius squealed and hugged me. "Hehehe… yay…" I forced out. "And of course you are going to let me plan the baby shower right?" he asked sweetly. "Whoa, who said anything about a baby shower?" I asked in surprise.
"I just thought of it, you'd love one wouldn't you?" Julius asked with acid sweetness. "S - Sure." I stuttered. Julius hugged me again, hard. "I'll see you later Hikari!" He called menacingly while strutting down the road back toward the Garmon Mines. I gulped and quickly shut my shipping bin and scurried back to my fields to water them. Later that night Ignis and I lied down on the couch while watching a marathon of the Sprite Rangers. Ignis seemed to find the show amusing but I paid little attention since I was practically sitting on his lap like a child. We were half way up right on the couch while I leaned into him and his arm was wrapped securely around me. "Ignis?" I asked. "Hmm?" he responded while slowly dragging his eyes away from the television to gaze at me. "We're going to have a baby." I whispered. Ignis absently rubbed his fingers over my stomach. "That is the seventh time you've said that, not counting the times I've heard you say it in your mind." He mused. I shifted on the couch to get more comfortable. "I know, but the more I say it the better it sounds." I mumbled in embarrassment.
Ignis adjusted his position on the couch and I was forced to scoot closer to him in order to stay comfortable. Ignis leaned in and pressed his lips at the dip in my shoulder. I gasped in surprise and tried to squirm away from him. "You know not to do that, I hate being ticklish." I snapped at him. He raised his head and whispered in my ear. "Have I told you how much I love you?" he asked me. I shivered when I felt his breath on my ear and gooseflesh popped up along the skin of my neck. "I know you do." I answered him. I felt his smile as he pressed his lips to the base of my jaw. "But you probably won't feel that way when I'm as big as a house." I told him. He chuckled low in his throat that fizzed all the synapse and neurons in my brain. "On the contrary, I believe that is when you will be your most beautiful." He said, his words sounding like a purr over my ears. "Um…" I gulped, my mouth going dry. "You're only saying that because I'm carrying your child." I muttered. I felt his hips pressed into my lower back as he hugged me tightly and pressed a hand to my stomach. "Wrong again." Ignis said. "How so?" I asked. Even though my back was to him, I could tell his eyes must have glowed with the cozy warmth of a sleepy fire.
"He is not my child." Ignis said. "Are you sure about that?" I asked. "Shut up, what I'm saying is that he is not just mine, he is our child." He said. I felt my eyes prick at the corners and I quickly blinked them away. My husband is stupid in a sense and a bit of a klutz when it comes to behaving like a human. But, I will say this; the idiot sure knew what to say to pluck my heart strings. I turned around in his embrace and pressed my lips against his while I felt his aura chase away the chill that had settled on my skin. "Ours." I agreed. The next morning I woke to birds chirping outside of my window and I made a mental note to move the bird feeders to another tree. With a groan I climbed out of bed and started my day. Since the incident with the milk nothing else has happened, and just when I let my guard down and stopped dwelling on the phantom milk man I was surprised once more. When I returned from tending my crops in the field farthest from my house I returned to find my ready to harvest buckwheat gone. The fields were empty, not a root, leaf, or stalk was left. I looked around and discovered the soil had been carefully replaced and ready for new seeds to be sown.
I marched over to my shipping bin and lifted the lid, the buckwheat laid in the bottom in neat bundles ready for shipping. I fell backward onto the ground and scooted back from the wooden crate. "LEMON!" I screeched. The cow trotted up to my side and sniffed around the bin. After a lengthy search Lemon returned to me with a puzzled expression. "Something weird is going on here." I told the cow. Lemon simply nudged my arm and walked back into the herd. I stood on shaky legs and carefully avoided the bin for the rest of the day. Later that night I tried to bring up the past weeks strange events with them but he simply told me not to worry about it and that he was watching. So for another week I let it go, saying to my mind that it was all in my head when eggs magically appeared in the bin and cows were suddenly fed and ready to roam in my fields. Or when my crops were all wet from last nights "rain" even though the pasture where my animals grazed were dry and firm under my boots.
When I headed back into my house that night, not exhausted from a day of barely any hard work, I plopped down into my bed and forced myself to sleep. The next morning I slammed my fist down on my alarm clock so hard that I was sure it now needed replacing. I stepped over my cat Iris who was sprawled out on the floor and crawled into the shower. Once I dressed I rubbed my sleepy eyes and headed back into the bathroom. I opened my medicine cabinet and grabbed my toothbrush. I smeared some toothpaste on it and placed the tube back in the cabinet and the brush in my mouth before closing the cabinet. You know when someone walks by a mirror in a horror movie and someone else is reflected in it? Well that is what happened when I closed the cabinet and Ignis was reflected in the mirror. I jumped in fright and rammed the toothbrush into the back of my throat and nearly choked. You may think I would be delighted to see my husband; hell anyone would be ecstatic to have such an otherworldly piece of arm candy as a spouse. But to my sleepy eyes and fuzzy mind at six twenty three in the morning he looked like a great hulking brute. A pretty brute, but a brute none the less.
"Ignis!" I choked out while spitting toothpaste into the sink. "What the hell?" I yelled while rubbing my now sore throat. "I know that I am no expert in human ways, but I believe that that is not the proper way to brush your teeth." Ignis said. "Oh really?" I asked sarcastically. "Follow me." He said while disappearing to some other part of the house. I stepped out of the bathroom. I stomped out into the living room to seem him standing calmly in front of the couch. "Have a seat." He said while gesturing to the couch. I took my time walking over to the couch and sitting down, and by his irritated glare I could see he was quickly becoming impatient. I sat down and leaned back into the cushions. "Well?" I asked. Ignis sat opposite of me. "We need to discuss the work ethic of your ranch." He said. "Work ethic?" I repeated. He nodded. "In your present condition you cannot do the type of laborious work you normally do everyday." Ignis explained. "I see." I replied. "You must be careful." He added. "Exactly what is it I am not supposed to do?" I asked while humoring him.
"No heavy lifting, no excessive movements of the arms or legs, no bending over for long periods of time, no running, no riding of any of your animals…" Ignis stopped reciting his mental list of do's and don'ts, mostly don'ts, when he caught me smiling. "And what do you find so amusing? I will have you know that I am quite serious." He said angrily. I shrugged. "I know you are that's why it's so funny." I replied. Ignis moved faster than I could blink, because one moment he was sitting across from me on the opposite side of the couch and the next he had me pinned between his arms while hovering above me with my back on the cushions. Ignis leaned in close till his face hovered over mine and he shoved one hand up my shirt to press against my stomach. "You've developed a habit of doing that." I said. His red eyes blazed like an inferno and his words were short and clipped with anger. "What you must understand is that is that you are carrying another life within you Hikari, the only other life that I value as much as yours." He said.
"So it was you doing all those creepy things on my ranch and moving my produce around!" I exclaimed. "Who else could it have been? You can be so dense sometimes." He said irritably. "Takes a fool to know a fool." I snapped. "Enough!" He yelled. "Now hold it there mister. You may be the Harvest King and you are my husband, but I am your wife. I have a say my life and I will not be ordered about just because you are paranoid. I understand where you are coming from but I think I can judge for myself what can and cannot endanger our baby." I explained. "The child is more fragile than you think." He said. I rolled my eyes. "For goodness sake Ignis, his father is a deity for crying out loud. I think he is stronger than you give him credit for. Besides, it's not like I'm going to lift weights while carrying the bulging baby boy in my belly now am I?" I asked. "That is just the thing Hikari, the babe is part of me but only half, the other half comes from you. I know not which he will take after the most. If he is like you, then my power will overwhelm the cells in his body. It could even kill him if he, or the thing which he is living in, is put under too much stress." Ignis explained while pressing his hand harder against my stomach.
"The circumstances being as they were, he should not even exist right now. He is truly a miracle of nature Hikari, and miracles are easily torn apart and trampled into dust. I will not have my son die before he can experience the world." Ignis said. "Ignis you don't understand that hard labor is my livelihood, everything you said that I can't do are things that I always do." I explained. "Then turn always into never." He replied. "Now you are just being unreasonable." I protested. "I am well within reason to demand this of you. Our child could be in danger and I seek to avoid that, why do you not leap at the chance to preserve what we have created?" Ignis asked. Talk about piling on the guilt and peer pressure. I bit my lip and slid my gaze away from his. "But my animals need me…" I mumbled. "I will take care of everything Hikari, your animals and your crops. All you have to do is rest, be careful, and above all. No. Hard. Work." He ordered. I then knew I had lost the argument. "Jeez this kid is high maintenance." I grumbled, not really complaining. "Just like his mother." Ignis responded and I punched him in the gut. "And so says the man who can't go a day without being a doting father to be and checking up on me." I said evilly. I saw his tan skin flush ever so slightly in embarrassment as he pulled me up. "I always knew being pregnant would be boring." I grumbled. "How so?" he asked. "With your ban on me working my ranch, I will have nothing to do from dawn until dusk." I complained. "We could always keep the bed sheets warm." Ignis suggested mischievously. "No." I said while getting up to make breakfast.
While rummaging around in my fridge for some eggs Ignis came up behind me and reached in for the apples I kept on the higher shelf in the fridge. "Can't I just do a little work?" I asked feebly. "No." he answered while closing the fridge for me. "Why can't I ride my animals?" I asked. Ignis sat at the table and bit into the apple's shiny red surface, the aroma filling the room. "Because all the jostling from a moving animal is not the best thing for a developing fetus." Ignis explained. "It would only pose a threat if I were heavily pregnant." I countered. He paused halfway in a bite and contemplated my words for a moment. "Once you feel the child moving then I want you to not ride anymore." He said. I agreed to the compromise and sat down beside him, wondering what to do now. "I am dead serious Ignis. This island isn't known for its attractions and entertainment now is it? If I don't have something to occupy my time then I am going to bug you all day. Every day." I told him. Ignis shrugged absently. "I don't mind spending time with you." He said. I raised one eyebrow. "Because I am the one always entertaining you." I said while my eyes lingered on the finger he used to wipe juice from his lips. "In more ways than one." I taunted. Ignis's eyes lit in amusement at my playful humor and he finished his apple.
Ignis held the apple core in his hand and closed it, when he opened it again it was gone. "Where do those always go?" I asked curiously. "I distribute the nutrients and particles in your fields where you animals graze a few inches below the ground." "So you're to blame for the sapling growing behind my barn." I said accusingly. Ignis shrugged. "One can never have too many apple trees." He said. "I have an entire orchard of apple trees I planted especially for you." I countered. When he didn't answer I drummed my fingers on the table till an idea struck me. "I could volunteer down at the clinic!" I exclaimed. "And how would that help anything?" he asked. I rolled my eyes. "Where better to be when I am pregnant and all of a sudden it's time for the baby to come? Besides I bet I could babysit Van as well and get head start on the whole parenting thing." I said. "You are already qualified to be a parent; I see no reason to stay at the clinic during the day." He protested. I smiled in amusement. "You're just saying that because you won't be able to show up at the clinic unless you're disguised." I replied.
"I hate masking myself as a human." He said bitterly. "Aw what's wrong Ignis? You can't spend more time with me?" I teased. Ignis's eyes showed no humor when he answered. "I see you rarely enough as it is, so what if I have a problem with not being able to see you whenever I want to?" he asked. I lowered my eyes to my hands, feeling guilty for not taking him seriously. "Rarely? You spend the night and most of the afternoon three times a week." I answered. "That's enough for you?" he asked me. "No!" I said a little too quickly. My head snapped up to see his normally calm face transformed by surprise from my outburst. I felt the blush rise up to my cheeks in embarrassment and I nearly tripped over my chair to make it to my kitchen. I started rummaging around in my cabinets for no apparent reason other than to distract myself. "I had no idea you were so… enthusiastic about the subject." He commented. I gulped and felt my cheeks go hotter. "W-well it's not like I always want to see you, your so annoying and all. Eating my food and hogging the blankets. Not to mention all the times you grab me and…" I swallowed my tongue as I realized where my words were going and I immediately wanted to find the largest rock outside and crawl under it. "Grabbing you and…?" he asked me from the table. "Uh… and hugging me?" I said sheepishly. "So you don't care for the times when I embrace you?" he asked, feigning offense. "N-no not that I don't care for it, I like it very much actually, what I mean to say is…" I wanted to bash my head into the cabinet. Ignis laughed from the table, the sound filling my house with a warm atmosphere. "Admit it Hikari, you long for my companionship as much as I do yours." Ignis said smugly.
I grabbed a can of beans from the cabinet and threw it at him. Ignis caught it without any apparent effort and placed it on the table. "If you were a gentleman you'd let me hit you once in a while." I grumbled. "You've hit me with an apple and a rock, neither are pleasant memories for me. Besides, if you were a lady you wouldn't be throwing objects at your husband. You and I both know that you are no well-mannered lady." He said with contempt. "Screw you." I snapped. Ignis stood up and walked toward me, taking my chin in his large hand. "Be that as it may, I never wanted a soft and polite spoken woman who behaved as if she walked on eggshells. No I would much rather kiss your lips, even if they say things that are most unbecoming." He said before doing exactly as he said and turning my mind to mush with a kiss. Ok now wait a minute, why does everything in our relationship drift back into the perverted category? Oh well, I'll explain later. After a heated moment he broke the kiss and pulled me away from the counter which I had leaned against for support when my legs started shaking. "Ok fine. So I miss you from time to time, it's not going to stop me from working at the clinic." I said breathlessly. Ignis smiled and kissed me again. "That does not mean that I can't make you late every single day you go." He said evilly.
"No, no, no!" Irene reprimanded me and smacked my hand with a wooden spoon she was using to stir a pot of some strange goop in the kitchen of the clinic. "You grind the root and herbs three times counter clockwise, two counter clockwise, and then tap the pestle against the mortar to make sure you've not missed any!" she instructed before turning back to her witch's brew on the stove. I rubbed my sore hand which has been thoroughly abused by her witchy wooden spoon many times already before picking the pestle and mortar back up and chanting her instructions in my mind. When I went four times counter clockwise instead Irene screeched and raised the wooden spoon over her head, green gunk hanging off the end. I screeched and dodged her wrathful attempt to strike my hand. "Irene stop bullying Hikari!" Anissa chided while walking into the room. I quickly took refuge behind Anissa. "She isn't grinding the medicine right!" Irene retorted. Just to spite her, I came out from behind Anissa and blatantly turned the pestle six times counter clockwise. Irene howled in rage while Anissa laughed as I fled the room. "Van needs to be put down for his nap!" Anissa yelled from downstairs as I sought refuge from Irene. "On it!" I called back, knowing that Irene would not come barreling into the room that her great nephew was playing in in order to punish me. I stepped into the upstairs apartment and spotted Van playing with letter blocks on the carpet beside his crib.
Van had grown considerably, his once sparse black hair had grown into thick locks as dark as his fathers and his eyes were the same dark brown as his mothers. "Van it's me!" I called merrily from the doorway. The toddler raised intelligent brown eyes to me and he quickly returned his attention to his toys, deciding I was less important. "It's time for your nap mister." I told him while marching across the room to get him. Van evaded me by crawling under his crib and out of my reach. I lifted the crib and placed it to the side. I snatched him before he could escape and placed him in his crib and quickly raising the bar so he couldn't escape. I had now become the smart little brat's warden in place of his parents, because the smart little thing kept finding ways to outwit his parents and they were running on willpower alone. One thing the rascal hadn't expected was that when I was younger I was an escapee as well, running from the wooden bars of my crib to go on whatever little adventures suited my fancy. Van crossed his small arms and glared up at me as I shoved a yellow binky into his mouth. "Face it kid, you've met your match." I told him. "A blessing from the Goddess herself." Jin said from the doorway. I turned in fright. "I didn't hear you come in." I said. Jin laughed and began placing Van's many toys in his toy chest.
"Oh and not a blessing from the Goddess." I said. Jin stopped with a stuffed bear with stitches colored on it with marker. "What?" he asked in mild confusion. "You never know, it could be someone else that sent me here." I said while smiling. "And who would that be?" he asked in amusement while placing the rest of the toys in the chest and closing the lid. "Well if it wasn't for the Harvest King I wouldn't be trying to avoid him by being here right now. So you should actually be thanking the Harvest King." I explained. Jin raised one black eyebrow from his silver glasses. "Are you alright Hikari? Up here I mean." Jin said while tapping the side of his head with one finger. I rolled my eyes. "Yep." I said while patting his shoulder and heading down the stairs. "Hi-yah!" Irene yelled as I opened the door and her wooden spoon descended upon my bruised hand. "OW, damn you woman, I'm not going to have movement in my fingers if you keep this up!" I yelled. "Language Hikari." Anissa yelled from the other room. Irene smacked my hand with the spoon again for my cursing. I snatched the spoon from her and returned the gesture. Irene only laughed as she turned away and headed back to the kitchen. I groaned to myself, this was going to be a long pregnancy.
And so a month past, oh well excuse me for not telling you the intimate details of the next four weeks of my life, but frankly its dull and boring and I don't feel like talking about it! Anyway, about a month passed and autumn really set in. The trees in my orchard had long since turned into rich shades of copper and orange, and were now beginning to litter my field as well as my front porch with many leaves. Ignis became more irritable with each passing day as he was left with my animals whom required constant attention to avoid any mischief and as well as my constant hours of working at the clinic. Even though he was up on his mountain, Ignis had to make sure my animals stayed put, that they were fed, and not to mention keeping the balance of nature and yada yada. So to put it simply, the few times I did see him were short and angry. I understood the cause of his irritation and I was becoming increasingly unhappy with the lack of quality time with my husband. On a particularly cold autumn day I was busy helping Anissa tidy up the beds in the clinic when nature called and I quickly rushed to the bathroom. After washing my hands I walked past the full length mirror that leaned against the wall and paused when I noticed something rather strange. I turned to face the mirror and I examined myself more closely. I frowned when I saw nothing strange in my appraisal and I turned to leave the bathroom when again my reflection caught my eye.
I turned in a half circle and the odd shape of my clothing appeared, disappeared, and reappeared in the process. Huffing in frustration I turned to my side and I felt my heart skip a beat. It was barely noticeable with my thick sweater that Jin insisted I wear despite my increased body temperature as of late. I lifted the itchy garment to reveal the pale surface of my belly and I tentatively placed a hand on my skin. I pressed down and snatched my hand away when my fingers met a hard surface below my skin. Even through my confusion something else shifted inside me. I had known the entire time that I was pregnant but it seemed only Ignis could sense it, and I vaguely through his thoughts. But now I had proof, undeniable beautiful proof that my baby was inside of me. Ignis's child is growing inside of me. I thought with wonder, an actual god's child was alive and growing inside me! I leaned against the wall as I let the awe consume my mind and I indulged in my happy realization for a few blissful moments. Then a blush crept up my cheeks when I heard Ignis's deep voice in my thoughts. Remember what I told you Hikari? Not just my child, ours. He said as I felt an invisible hand brush my cheek. "Ours." I agreed out loud while placing a hand on my cheek. "Hikari! These pillows aren't going to fluff themselves!" Anissa yelled from outside the bathroom. "Pipe down I'm coming!" I called, the moment broken as I shoved my sweater back down and headed out of the bathroom.
"How is this possible?" I asked him for the third time. We both stared at my exposed belly and the gentle bulge that showed from it. "I thought women aren't supposed to look pregnant till like… three months? Four? Either way this is way too early." Ignis placed a warm hand on my stomach and probed with his power for a moment before removing his hand and rubbing his chin in thought. "It is most unusual, but the child seems to be growing at an alarming rate." He said. My mind went haywire with so many theories to explain the rapidly growing babe within me, none of them logical or quite sane. "What if he is a mutant baby? Like one of those guys from X-men? Or maybe were in an alternate universe and he's growing real fast like that one chick and her vampire husband from Twinlight*?" I asked and thoroughly confused my husband. "You think I'm a vampire?" he asked incredulously. "He's not just any vampire! A sexually frustrated, hair gel using, has acting skills like he is severely constipated, freaking fairy boy vampire that's who!" I ranted, quickly fizzing what few brain cells I had. "Would you please shut up?" Ignis asked me. "Sorry." I mumbled. Ignis sighed heavily and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. "I've never heard of a child growing this rapidly, although in our case it seems to be different." Ignis said while placing a hand on my stomach. "Well of course, our case is the only like it." I replied. When he didn't respond a doubt crept into my mind. "Right?" I asked.
Ignis smiled sheepishly before answering. "There have been very few others like us, more times lust than love…" he said. "You have lots of both, dearest hubby of mine." I said. He ignored my taunt and continued. "Female deities can bear children, as the Goddess told you. But the children who live…" "Live?" I asked fearfully while interrupting him. "Minor goddesses have had children full term; they grow at the same pace as a child conceived between two humans." Ignis explained. "So how is this any different? You're a god and I am a human and we are having a baby. So why is he growing as fast as mold on expired bread?" I asked. "Did you just compare our son to a fungus?" Ignis asked in disgust. I rolled my eyes. "Just answer the question." I ordered. Ignis scratched his throat nervously. "For us it is the other way around." He muttered. "Huh?" I asked. "The goddess's were the ones bearing the children. In our case it was I who impregnated you." He explained. Both of our cheeks were a light rosy shade as we looked into each other's eyes. "Oh." Was all I could say? "For Goddess's sake when are we going to stop with this whole newlywed embarrassing moment's thing? It's bad enough I'm still able to blush at the mention of perverted actions but I have no shame in actually doing them!" I ranted.
Ignis looked at me, eyes wide and speechless. A felt my ears drum with my accelerated heart beat and I went dizzy with all the blood that rushed to my face. "Aaaah!" I screamed in embarrassment while hiding my face with my hands. "I'm having a baby and I'm not mature enough to not get embarrassed over these things?" I groaned out. Ignis reached out and pulled my hands away and held them out to my side. "You… are not…" he grumbled and cleared his throat. "You are not the only one who gets embarrassed." He admitted as I took in the biggest blush I had yet to see on his face. "You are so…" "Don't you dare?" He warned me. "Cute." I finished. Ignis smacked me in the forehead as punishment as I chanted 'cute' over and over again.
"Hikari… are you sure when Irene told you were expecting was when you found out you were pregnant?" Anissa asked me as I squatted slowly on the ground to pick up a baby bottle I had dropped. "Hmm?" I asked while slowly standing up, my rapidly rounding stomach standing in my way. "Well just think about it. You came to the clinic around… early autumn?" Anissa asked me. "Where I come from we call it August." I replied. "Well on this island missy the season is the most important." She snapped. "I know." I replied. "So… what month would it be now?" Anissa asked me sheepishly. I hid my smile while I answered her. "It would be November 2nd I believe." I replied while turning the islands calendar and the world calendar over in my head. "It's been four months Hikari, and you look like you're in your second trimester." Anissa said while handing me a can of powdered baby formula. "Yeah and it sucks." I replied while scooping in the formula, filling it with water from the sink, and stirring up the smelly mixture. "You know he hates this stuff, so why make him eat it?" I asked. Anissa took the bottle from me and twisted on the lid. "Because it is healthy for him." She answered while walking out of the kitchen and upstairs to the waiting Van.
I sighed and leaned back against the counter, my head spinning from the lack of food in my stomach. Along with the belly came the morning sickness and irritability that came with pregnancy. Lately whenever I spoke to Ignis I had something to complain about. If the house wasn't clean enough I nagged, even though it was my job to clean it. Our conversations basically consisted of me saying my feet hurt, I was tired, my back ached, it was too cold, it was too hot, or I was hungry. Ignis, on the other hand, was annoyingly sympathetic and took all of my nagging in mostly silent stride. So after the first week of pregnancy related symptoms Ignis learned to stop asking how I was feeling. "So what I'm asking is why are you looking so pregnant?" Anissa asked while continuing our interrupted conversation. "Maybe it's because I am pregnant?" I asked. I replied. "I'm serious Hikari, what if you are having twins?" she asked. I heard Ignis scoff in my mind. "I'm sure that there is only one baby in here." I said while rubbing my stomach. "When was the last time you had a checkup with Jin?" Anissa asked me. "Uh…" I said. You see when your husband can literally sense the condition of your unborn kid with just a brief glance of his mind, a checkup with the local doctor was hardly necessary.
"Don't worry Anissa, King and I have it handled." I answered. "Hikari prenatal care is very important and regular checkups with your doctor." Anissa scolded. "Well if prenatal care implied vitamins and healthy eating, King hasn't been letting me eat anything but. At least when I am able to keep anything down." I said. "But you haven't been seeing Jin have you?" she asked. "That's because Jin isn't just my doctor, he is everyone's doctor. That's the only reason you and Irene found out that I was trying to have a baby, remember?" I asked accusingly. Anissa shrugged. "That is of little importance, what is important is if your kid is healthy or not." She said. "Anissa, I'm going to say this once, and as my friend you will respect my decision. I have little privacy on this island as it is. My relationship with my husband has been the gossip of this town for almost a year now and I will not have my pregnancy become the new change of topic. Got it?" I asked. "Oh fine." She scowled while huffing her way out of the room. "You could be a little nicer when it comes to telling people off." Jin observed from the doorway. "But then it wouldn't be telling someone off." I replied. "She'll cool off in time." I said. Jin nodded and turned to leave the room. "Oh and one more thing." Jin said from the doorway. "What?" I asked. "Julius will be stopping by at three." He said. I looked up at the clock above the fridge. It was two fifty four. "You tell me this now?" I asked angrily while rushing out of the kitchen and behind the front counter to retrieve my rucksack.
I grabbed the bag and made my way around me counter but stopped dead in my tracks when a bout of nausea sent my head spinning. "Hikari!" Julius called merrily from the clinic doorway as he made his way inside. "Go away; your cheery attitude is making me sick." I groaned out as my head swam and I swayed on my feet. Julius steadied me with his hand and led me to a bench to sit on. "I see you're feeling well." He said brightly. I raised my head to glare at him but the bright colors of his hair made me dizzy to look at and I lowered my head into my hands again. "What do you want?" I groaned. "I'm here to tell you about your baby shower!" he said. "Please not at my house." I begged him. Julius patted my hand reassuringly. "We are going to have it at my house." He said. "Why?" I asked. "Because my house it the most tastefully decorated one on the island!" he exclaimed. "And mine is the largest, I fail to see the point in all this." I replied. "The point is that I have everything ready for tomorrow and all you need to do is show up." He explained. "Fine, King and I will be there at three." I said while slowly getting up. Julius cleared his throat and I turned around. "What?" I asked. "Your husband is not allowed to come." Julius said. "Why?" I asked while ignoring Ignis's mental phew.
"It's a baby shower, no men allowed." He said. "But you're a man." I said. "Yes but I am an acceptation because it's going to be at my house." Julius explained. "Oh." I said before leaving the room. "Remember to be there tomorrow at three!" Julius called as the door shut behind me. Later that night I had a mental argument with Ignis as I readied myself for bed. I don't see why I have to suffer through this alone. I complained. You remember what your… strange friend said, no men allowed. Ignis replied. I don't want to go. I whined. Too bad, because I will not be the one to defend you from that purple creatures wrath. Ignis said threateningly. You're sleeping on the couch tonight. I snapped. I'll sneak in once you fall asleep. Ignis said before ending the argument and receding from my mind.
The next day I wore the least hideous of all my maternity clothes that Julius made for me without my permission. A white top with small pink flowers that hugged my stomach and in no way hid my condition along with a pair of soft pink pants that I hated the instant I saw them. "Dress nice." Julius had warned when he called me earlier that day. Ignis had insisted walking me to Flute Fields since I was forbidden from riding Lemon or any of my other animals. He disguised himself as a human and I must say it was quite amusing to see him in a red turtleneck and earmuffs to ward off the cold. "Have fun." He taunted before dropping me off on Julius's doorstep and disappearing. I knocked on the door and awaited my doom. Julius opened the door and yanked me inside. "Look whose here everyone!" Julius called. All the females of Castanet filled the house and it nearly burst at the seams. Renee guided me to my seat as Yolanda called a greeting from the kitchen. I took in the overly decorated house with contempt. "Um Julius?" I asked him as he sat next to me in a white chair. "You do know that I am having a boy right?" I asked.
"Anissa said you haven't been to see Jin for an ultrasound even once, so how do you know if it's a boy or a girl?" he asked. "Get over it Anissa!" I called to her from across the room. Anissa rolled her eyes and went about arranging presents on a nearby table. You see ladies and gents; Julius had plastered his house in all different shades of pink for the baby shower. Most of the decorations were roses, but all pink. Pink streamers, pink chair cushions, pink curtains, pink party favors and place mats, pink dishes and beverages, and pink cake that sat in the middle of the dining room table. "Blue is such a dull color anyway, I think pink says 'baby' more than blue if you ask me." He said while absently adjusting the pleats of his coat. "And who asked you?" I asked. Before I could get an answer out of him, Yolanda brought out the last of the food and set it on the table in the dining room. "Time to eat everyone!" she called as Julius towed me toward the table. I was forced into a chair as everyone else took their seats. Julius and Candace sat across from me as well as a sour faced Luna while Renee, Cathy, Selena, Anissa, and Yolanda crowded around me and argued over seats. As Yolanda passed around the first dish Luna called me from across the table. "So what are you going to name her?" Luna asked.
"The baby is a boy." I replied. "But Anissa said…" Luna began before I cut her off. "A boy." I growled. Anissa didn't say anything as she passed a bowl of fruit salad around the table. When the sweet aroma hit my nose I scooped half the bowl on my plate before passing it down the table. "But the answer is no, I haven't thought of one yet." I answered before picking up a grape from my plate and popping it in my mouth. I realized that I was ravenous and started eating with barely concealed gusto. "Well then let's make that the first game of the evening!" Candace suggested. "How about Kevin?" Anissa suggested. I pretended to gag and she pouted into her plate. "Alex?" Luna asked. I shook my head. "Nicholas!" Julius exclaimed. "No." I answered between bites of food and Julius deflated. "Chase!" Maya chimed in. "I'm not naming my son after your boyfriend." I answered. "Marcus?" Cathy asked. "It doesn't roll off the tongue." I replied. "Thomas!" Selena suggested. "No, it makes me think of Tom and Jerry." I said while asking Anissa to pass the fruit salad so I could refill my plate. After many more suggestions and many more rejections on my part everyone gave up. "Then what do you have in mind?" Luna asked in exasperation. I paused with an orange slice hovering in my mouth. "I've always liked the letter G." I murmured. "You want to name him G?" Julius asked, puzzled. "No, something that starts with G." I replied. "Gary!" "Gerard!" and the game started once more till we finished eating. After a few more weird games including something with diapers and different kinds of chocolate we sat down as the mountain of bright pink presents were shoveled into my hands. "Open this one first!" Luna insisted as a silver present with a soft pink bow was shoved into my face. I took the small box and ripped the carefully tied bow off the present.
I pulled out a small baby sized pillow with a red rose sewn into the front. "It's adorable." I said while placing the pillow on the table behind me. For the next half hour the paper pile on the floor steadily grew into a mountain and the table was littered with gifts, mostly pink gifts. Three more presents were left and I grabbed the smallest one off the table. It read the tag from under the ribbon and saw the Julius's flowing script written on the paper. "I wonder what it is." I said with a smile while lifting the lid off the box. I lifted out a pair of dark red footy pajamas made of soft cotton. "Finally something a boy can wear!" I exclaimed while folding the pajamas and placing them back in the box. Maya handed me her gift which was a badly wrapped book of baby formula recipes. "I'll be sure to use it." I told her while promising myself to bury it on my bookshelf. The last present was a long slender box wrapped in light purple paper from Selena. The exotic woman crossed her arms and stared across the room as if she as too good to watch me open her gift. I smiled in amusement as I thought of what it would be as I lifted the lid. My eyes widened and I pressed a hand to my lips as I saw the gift.
Inside was a small wooden rattle, hand crafted and resting between folds of white paper. I picked the small rattle up from the box and held it in the light. Small animals were carved in a parade line around the round ball. I saw a small black cow as well as a smaller brown one fallowing it as well as sheep, horses, and even a duck. Along the handle were tiny, hand painted apples, all different shades of red. "Selena…" I mumbled. "I didn't make it, Luke did. He kept trying to carve flames and stupid things like that into it so I had to watch him like a hawk. But like I said, he just made what I told him to so it's not like I personally saw to it that you would…!" I leapt up from my chair and flung my arms around the dancer's neck. "It's the best present ever!" I said while cutting off her air. Selena pulled away from me and caught her breath. "Glad… you like it." She said breathlessly. "Thank you!" I yelled while hugging her again. "N-no big deal." Selena stammered. Unknown to me, everyone in the room smiled when they saw a small smile and blush on Selena's face.
I greeted my wife through telepathy later that evening when she returned to her home after the shower. I still didn't understand why they called it a baby shower, but Hikari only rolled her eyes when I had asked her to explain it. Because of her pregnancy I did not allow Hikari to visit me on my mountaintop because of the freezing climate, so if I wanted to see her I had to go to her more often than usual. That night I mentally prepared the mood swings I had gotten used to as a side effect of her condition and I scattered my being and reassembled it in her house. Hikari didn't turn to greet me as she sat at her dining room table, presents strewn across the table as she gazed down at something in her hands. "I assume everything went well?" I asked while walked toward her. When she still didn't answer I leaned over her head and peeked at the small object she held. "What is that?" I asked. "It's a rattle." She answered while shaking it. I took the strange object from her hand and examined the carvings. "Apples." I observed. Hikari nodded and stared at the rattle dreamily. "What is it for?" I asked while handing it back to her. "Babies like to shake them." She replied while stroking its smooth wooden surface and placing it on her bookshelf for safe keeping. "I've been meaning to ask you when you predict the baby will be born." She said while turning toward me.
"I cannot say, the child seems to growing even faster with each passing day, as your companion Anna said…" "Anissa." She corrected. "Anissa… as she said you look as if your about six months pregnant." I explained. "Can you at least guess?" Hikari pleaded. I frowned as I thought for a moment. "A month, maybe two?" It's hard to say." I replied. "A month?" she asked in surprise. "Or two." I added. "Why so soon? Maybe our baby really is a mutant." She said worriedly. I rolled my eyes and sat down at the table and began going through her gifts. I smiled as I picked up the small human red night ware that her strange friend had given her. "Why is everything else pink?" I asked while looking past the pajamas and at the rest of the gifts. "Everyone is convinced that he is a she." Hikari answered while taking the pajamas from me and folding them neatly before placing them in her dresser across the room. "The child is male." I said in confusion. "Well no one else seems to think that." She grumbled while taking off her boots. "How dare they doubt me?" I said angrily. "They don't know that you are a god, Ignis, so they will only be convinced if Jin gives me an ultrasound." Hikari explained. "But I can't do that because Jin is a doctor and won't as easily accept that I am so big just because of some weight I've put on. An ultrasound will prove that our baby is… unique and I don't want any noses poking their way into my business any more than they already do." She said while struggling to pull her boots off over her large girth.
I flicked my hand and her boots as well as her socks slid off and onto the floor. "Thanks." She said while flopping back onto the bed. I heard her grunt in pain and I was instantly at her side. "Is your back hurting again?" I asked. Hikari shook her head and grabbed my hand, placing it on her stomach. "He's kicking again." She said with a smile. I felt a small movement under my hand from the struggling babe. "It seems he wants out sooner than I thought." Hikari laughed. He kicked again and Hikari grunted once more in pain. "Is he ok?" she asked. I nodded. "He is just uncomfortable." I answered. "Well you tell him I'm sorry, but his mom needs to sleep." She mumbled. I went along with her humor and leaned in close to her stomach. "Sorry." I whispered. The child immediately stopped struggling and I felt his feeble energy relax. "I think he likes the sound of your voice." Hikari observed with a smile. "Really?" I asked. She nodded. "Say something else." She encouraged. Feeling slightly foolish, I leaned forward again and whispered low enough that Hikari couldn't hear. "Your mother is crazy." I said. Hikari smacked the back of my head. "I can hear your thoughts mister." She complained. I smiled and sat up. "That reminds me, I need have Luke build a cradle for him." She said. "Be sure to do that." I replied. "You said something about the letter G, right?" I asked. Hikari nodded. "I think that would be a good name, whatever one I come up with. Why, do you have one in mind?" she asked. I shrugged. "If I think of a suitable name then I will be sure to tell you." I replied before standing up. "You're not staying?" she asked. I shook my head. "I need to guide the snow storm coming in from the northeast, but I will tomorrow night, I promise." Hikari pursed her lips but otherwise didn't complain. "Good night Ignis."
Fort the next month Hikari's pregnancy symptoms miraculously disappeared and her stomach grew significantly as well. One week I caught her outside, bundled in layers of clothes, and heading toward her barn. "And just what do you think you are doing?" I asked her. She turned around and I met her guilty eyes. "I wasn't going to do any farm work I just…" she trailed off while kicking snow up with the tip of her boot. "Just what?" I asked her accusingly. "Come on Ignis, I've barely seen my animals for the past five months! I miss them." She complained. I sighed and grabbed her hand in mine, leading her toward the barn. She took off her earmuffs as she stepped into the warm barn and I shut the door against the outside cold. I turned when I heard a loud moo from one of her cows as Hikari headed toward Lemon. The cow started thrashing in her closed stall as she saw Hikari getting closer. My wife moved as quickly as her swelling stomach would allow her, it turns out it wasn't very fast. I caught up to her and placed a cautious arm on her shoulder. "Hikari, I don't think you should get too close to Lemon when she is like that." I warned her. Hikari rolled her eyes. "She's not a threat to me or Gerard." Hikari said, trying the name out. I raised one eyebrow. "Gerard?" I repeated. "Yeah, you don't like it?" she asked. "It doesn't exactly roll off the tongue, does it?" I asked. She frowned. "Not exactly." She agreed before shrugging my hand off and heading over to a very excited Lemon.
Lemon strained her neck out as Hikari reached a hand into her stall and scratched her large head. "Easy girl, I can't balance with all that moving you're doing." Hikari said. Lemon pressed her large black nose to Hikari's stomach and mooed happily and calmed down. "Told you." Hikari said smugly while reaching in with both hands and proceeded to pet Lemon like an attention loving cat. "How about Gunther?" she asked me. "Gunther?" I sneered as the name passed my lips. "No? Well how about Gabriel?" she asked. I thought for a moment. "Gabriel has a nice ring to it, but I am not sure it suites the son of the Harvest King." I answered. "Always the proud one aren't you?" she asked. I smiled but didn't reply. Much to Lemon's disappointment Hikari moved on to her goat, Grape. "I'll keep thinking of names I guess." She sighed while moving on to the next animal. "Holy cow!" she screeched as she caught sight of Peach. "Is that really the stubborn brown calf I chased out of my fields all day?" she asked in surprise. Peach mooed indignantly. "She has grown since you last saw her." I explained. "Well duh." Hikari said while carefully petting Peach's head. The cow wasn't as eager as the rest for Hikari's attention. "Looks like I've got some animal to human bonding to do with this one." Hikari mused. "Ignis you know what's going to happen the day this baby is born right?" she asked. I raised one eyebrow. "Would you care to enlighten me?" I asked. "I am coming back out here and reclaiming my ranch. Which means you will be babysitting." She said. "I do that with you already." I answered and laughed when Hikari stuck her tongue out at me.
I waddled into my house a little late that night, having stayed after hours in the clinic to help Anissa with Van. I pulled off my gloves and rubbed my cold cheeks to get the feeling back in them. Kicking off my boots, I headed into the bathroom for a warm bath. Once I unthawed I put on my warmest pajamas and a pair of fuzzy socks I bought from Luna a while back before waddling over to my bed. I picked up my pen to X out today on my calendar. December 5th now had a pretty black X scribbled on its decorated panel for my seasonal calendar? Yawning, I placed the pen back on my nightstand and rolled into my bed, easing onto my side so I wouldn't cause the little bugger in me to kick in protest and keep me up for the rest of the night. I rested my head on my pillow and pulled the comforter up to my chin, tucking the sides under my body to ward off the cold air. I jumped when I felt something touch my stomach. It was gentle and barely noticeable except that it came from inside me. I reached a hand down to cup my stomach. That was weird; all the kid ever did was kick when he moved, and something I was beginning to think he got from his father. What is that? Ignis asked me. Nothing, the baby just moved again, that's all. I replied. Alright then, get some rest, sleep well Hikari. He said before backing out of my mind so I could fall asleep. I patted my stomach again and lay back down, snuggling into my blankets for warmth.
I held my arms aloft, gathering my energy as I focused on the elements. I summoned wind to push the clouds farther inland, I hid the sun from the islands view with the storm that was rapidly approaching, and lastly I cast my power into the storms heart and tore open the sky to allow snow to fall. It fell quickly, creating a soft white blanket that covered the island in its cold embrace. I lowered my arms and opened my eyes, bringing my mind back to my vessel. Below me the clouds obscured the view of the land below, but the sun was mine alone for a time to enjoy, and I raised my head, basking in the energy it gave me. I felt Hikari's dreams begin to slip into her waking thoughts. I greeted her sleepy mind gently and allowed her to wake at her own pace. Hikari was slow to wake, and when she did I sensed a slight twinge of discomfort through our connection. Hikari? I asked with concern. I'm alright, I just feel funny is all. She answered. Funny? I asked. I don't know, it's a little hard to get up, like my legs are heavy or something. She said. That is strange, perhaps you slept awkwardly and… a piercing scream shattered my train of thought and set me staggering as I clutched my head. The mental cry was filled with pain as it reverberated through my mind. I focused my attention past the screams and located their source. The cry was coming from my unborn son, he was somehow screaming through our connection and Hikari's panic induced cries soon joined his within my mind.
I sent my being whirling through space, only half reassembled as I took in my wife's condition. She lay in her bed with the blankets thrown to the floor. Blood stained her pajama bottoms as well as the white sheets of her bed as she wailed in pain. "Ignis!" she called breathlessly as I bent down and placed a hand on her head. "Ignis… the baby… Ah!" she grimaced in pain while clutching her stomach. "We need to get to… Jin, hurry Ignis!" she gasped as another contraction seized her body. I quickly moved to the end of the bed and pulled her toward me, ripping her bottoms off and bracing her legs against the bed posts. "What are you doing you fool?" she screeched while writhing in pain. "There is no time, you have lost much blood and are in no condition to be moved. Now be still and do as I say." I ordered while casting my power out and grasping the child's small form with my energy. "Ignis!" she pleaded. "There is no time Hikari, now do as I say and PUSH!" I yelled while forcing her body to do as I ordered. Hikari screamed in pain and her heart beat frantically, pain lancing through her and through our connection. I groaned under the onslaught and held my hands between her legs. "Keep pushing Hikari, the child is crowning." I encouraged while trying the keep my son safe in his passage into this world. "Goddess Ignis! I can't take this much longer!" she screamed while pushing again. I quickly opened my thoughts to her in order to bear some of the pain with her. It was like she was being torn in two, twisted, and torn again as the contractions escalated and Hikari kept pushing. Her heartbeat was a loud drum in my mind as well as the mental wailing of the child.
Two heartbeats, two breaths, and two piercing screams that tore at the seams of my thoughts. "Push Hikari, once more!" I yelled. Hikari screamed and used her last ounce of energy to push. Her back arched along with her scream as she rose slightly off the bed. She gasped for breath and fell backward, silence. The screaming ceased as the babe landed in my hands in a bloody mess. I quickly cut him away from his mother and cleaned him off while Hikari lied unconscious on the bed. I wrapped him in a blue blanket that I formed with my power and held him carefully in my arms. He was small, red, and none too pleased from the ordeal he had to endure. He strained within the confines of his blanket before settling down, not crying once. I smoothed down the locks of thin red hair on his head. "Ignis." Hikari gasped, now conscious and gazing at me. I quickly rushed to her side and knelt before her. Hikari tried to lift her hand and reach for the babe, but it fell back weakly against the mattress. I placed the child beside her head and Hikari turned to gaze at her son.
"My precious… little boy." She crooned while fighting to keep her eyes open. I watched her in silence, absorbing the scene before me. "Ignis?" Hikari asked me. "Yes?" I answered. "I thought babies… cried when they were born." She whispered. "It is strange, but he does not." I answered while glancing back at my son. My eyebrows lowered in concern as I examined him more closely. "Ignis? What's wrong?" she asked. I placed my hand over the child and snatched it back in shock. He wasn't crying because his heartbeat was slowing, his breathing feint. I felt his fragile energies receding fast. "Ignis?" she repeated. No, no, no! It could not be! My son, my only child was fading. I sat beside my wife and newborn son, shocked into silence. "Ignis you're scaring me." Hikari said worriedly. I reached for him slowly and took him in my hands as gently as if he were made of glass. I looked into his small face, it was as if he were sleeping, only he remained ominously still. "Ignis? Give him back now." She said with a smile while holding her small hands out. I cast my mind out to his and met with a small conscious, one that didn't understand what was happening but felt extremely tired. No energy for moving, for breathing, it seemed to tell me. No energy. "Ignis? Why isn't he moving? Ignis?" she asked in terror. I rose from the floor and held the babe in my arms. Hikari clutched at my robes weakly to keep me in place. "Where are you going?" she asked with worry. I ran from her and out of the room toward the front door. "Ignis? Come back! Bring him back! IGNIS?" Hikari screeched, unable to move from her bed, too tired to rush after me and the rapidly fading child I held in my arms. I am the Harvest King, was I too weak to save one child? Of all creatures in this world why did it have to be my son? Why should Hikari have to struggle so hard to have a child to love, why should we have to lose it? I heard a sinister laugh resound through the energy plane, making every living creature shudder with its malice. You will not have my son, you heartless bastard! Do you hear me? You will not have him!
Ohohohohoho! What will happen next?.
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Madame Joker