Chapter 15

Lady Tiamat had her hands full.

After the successful birth of her grandchildren, she returned to visit them, as well as sit in on their check up.

Of course, she brought the best healer she has, the old goat of course, but, she was curious to see Calypso keeping a close eye and writing notes to his examinations. All the children were healthy, that's good. Everyone has aged accordingly with the exception of Toshi's brood. They wanted to stay smaller a while longer to spend more time with their father.

However, there was something that made this check up rather… unnerving.

"I have inspected everyone, but it shames me to say this, that your uncle has another curse on the women." He explained.

"Another curse?" Lady Tiamat demanded. "What do you mean?"

He sighed aloud. "I don't think you were made aware of this, Lady Tiamat, since you rule the earthly realm. However, in the heavenly realm, your uncle has made a rule… female dragons who do not accept his suggestions for mates, pay that price. He limits their ability to breed."

"He can't possibly have that control over them!" she protested. "Sir, please explain yourself…"

The old goat sighed, perhaps he doesn't know how to explain it. However, Calypso was peering at her aunts oddly. "It activates after their first brood," she whispered.

"Calypso?

"Grandmother, take into consideration that Uncle's power derives from oppression of the females and forcing them to choose males that he approves of. If not, the threat that he uses against them is limiting their reproduction. After all, he wouldn't want a rebellion being born under his nose right? It's cruel but affective for him. And those who are born of the heavenly realm, fall under this rule, this law he created. Mother and the others have gone against his wishes, so… it must have triggered after we were born."

Lady Tiamat was silent. She looked to her daughters and found that they were glowing an odd black around their mid section. "She's right," she whispered. In fact, the closer she looked, the more she noticed a count down on their bellies. "Uncle has made it so you can only reproduce once… every thousand years."

The room froze.

Toshi got up and stormed out of the room from learning such a thing. Syrax was quick to rush after them. The children wanted to go, but his eldest son Kota shook his head. He stopped his brother and sister from rushing out after them.

"Mother, how could he do this!?" wept Nuwa.

She froze. Not even she knew. Her uncle is not this powerful, he can't be, and yet… "I don't know…" she whispered. "I'm so sorry this has happened to you…"

"Grandmother," Calypso said gently. "Keep in mind your own words, and in my lessons with Ryomen Sukuna, I know he has said this too. It's a curse, a curse needs a counter to balance itself and exist. Yin and Yang as it were, cause and affect. Meaning…"

"There's a way to break it! But, how?!" demanded Eso.

She shook her head. "One would have to be in great Uncle's mind to determine that. But there is a way to break it… I just don't understand how yet."

The room was silent. However Junpei decreed. "We'll find a way," he simply stated. "We have to, not for our sake either!"

The brothers nodded, so did the wives. Lady Tiamat knew they were all thinking about Toshi, since this would limit him to three children. Nothing more. "Are you aware that Ryomen Sukuna has approached Toshi, to teach him how to make himself become a curse object?" Lady Tiamat asked aloud.

The room froze.

"Sukuna offered WHAT?!" demanded Choso. "How dare he!"

"Choso… calm," Rhea said gently.

"Father, I believe it's Ryomen Sukuna's way of trying to help him. I have been told of what happened, and if this had been delayed, everyone here knows that uncle Toshi would have died that day had he not stepped in." Calypso stated.

However, Lady Tiamat was rather silent, Toshi's children are still here…

"Father told us that," said Kota. "He told us that the moment he learned he won't be a dragon like our uncles and aunts… or us. He doesn't want to become a curse object, however, he is leaving it to mom to decide,"

"Why is he letting her chose?" Lady Tiamat asked.

"Because, dad is aware of something else too. When one becomes a curse object, they may not be the same person they were once before…"

#

"TOSHI!"

She rushed out after him. Syrax didn't need to know that information… she didn't care for it either. What matter was, how was Toshi feeling. "TOSHI!" she called again.

He stopped and turned sharply on his feet. "Why?!" he demanded of her. "If this was suppose to happen… if this is what is to happen… WHY PICK ME!" he demanded.

She froze. "Toshi…"

"I… I can't give you the family you desired so badly… because of this… I only have three children for us to raise… and if something happens to me… Syrax… did you make a mistake in picking me?"

Her heart broke.

He was more upset that he can't fulfill her wish of a large family. He's worried that if something happens between now and when he is to die… she would be alone with three children to rear. He… he wanted to be there for when she can have children again… he wants them to be HIS children.

"Toshi…"

"I know… my brothers will look after you, they will keep you safe and help you with the kids… but it's not the same as me doing it. I don't want this to be a half ass parenting job like what my father did with me!"

"It's not!" she protested. "Toshi… human rearing and dragons rearing children are not the same! You have done FAR more than any other male would have when it came to the children. Do you know, the fact remains is that you, your brothers… you ALL stayed after the children were born. Most male dragons abandon the female, after they devour the young males. They get up and leave the rest to her… Even if someone targets the children, they could care less… Toshi…"

He shook his head. "Despite that, Syrax… I… I feel as if you got cheated in marrying me… choosing me… didn't you?"

She shed tears, but shook her head. "I never regretted my choice, never will" she said gently. She reached out and took his hand. "Toshi… as long as you are with me, that's all that matters. You are here now, you are here for me and our children… just… stay here for as long as you can."

His body became covered in blood. All his eyes opened and shed crimson tears…