Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 8

Chapter 19: That Which Is Grounded

(DISCLAIMER: No, I don't own Supernatural because it belongs to Eric Kripke and Warner Bros. So, enjoy the show! Rated M for graphic violence, adult content, and adult language.)

It had been six days since my visit to Ifalna as I was back home on Skald Island on Valinor. Even though I was using a wheelchair I was receiving letters from those who came to visit on the newly discovered planet in which I noticed that Marnathi returned to work instead of pressing charges against Ilaria. With Dean returning to his unit on Shiganshina and Reuben back at work in the Medical Corps, I was mainly busy knitting as I kept on task while in convalescence. I didn't mind it as I was in the sitting room crafting what I was making. The sight of booties being knitted was a sign that someone was expecting and I took the full brunt of being with child. I was shocked, but aware of what I was carrying as it was also a means to keep me from going back on the field. By the time I saw Reiko entering, she had a tray of muffins in her hands as she gave them to me, for I was not only eating just to keep my strength, but I was eating for three this time.

"I take it that you're getting the hang of this," she said to me.

"Normally, it would be you with child, but me?" I said.

"Jack had his reasons in which he later apologized for doing so, but he did it so that you would stay put while you recovered from overexerting your raw power to shut down Project Amaterasu."

"I know…" I grab a muffin as I took a bite of it. "This is good, but sadly, I spent my days rushing to the bathroom to vomit in."

"You had a bout of morning sickness, didn't you?" I nodded. "Just try not to do too much, Sammy. Besides, it's high time that you stayed put while you recover further, even if you're with child."

I finished up my muffin as later clutched at the lower part of my stomach. The two small passengers inside of me saved my life as they were the main reason to keep me grounded in order to recover from what happened to me two years ago. When I grabbed another muffin, I was ready to eat it until I felt a bit of nausea creeping up on me. When I put down the muffin, I left the sitting room as I wheeled myself to the stairs in which I slowly walked up there to where the bathroom was. By the time I reached it, I lifted the toilet seat up as I began to vomit up what I ate earlier. It was hell for me as it was hard to get used to the morning sickness in which Reiko had it during her first three pregnancies. By the time I finished up, I flushed the toilet and put the seat down while I went towards the sink. Using the mouthwash, I tasted the minty freshness of it instead of the lingering vomit as I gargled and spat in the sink. When I finished up, I left the bathroom as I went towards my room as I laid down on the bed while clutching at my stomach. The two small passengers that I carried were doing a number on me as I tried not to do too much for today.

"You two aren't letting me off the hook, are you?" I said as I sighed.

I covered myself in the blankets as I heard the howl of the northern wind from outside. The condition that I had ended up getting an upgrade from bad to worse as I was not only recovering from the battle to destroy Project Amaterasu two years ago, but was also carrying the unborn packages that mine and Reiko's blood in their veins. Normally, it was natural for the woman to carry a pregnancy to term, but it was very unnatural for me in general due to my status as a man. Still, my body wasn't used to carrying children in which I was due for another examination from the Medical Corps later on. I didn't mind their meddling in which it was better than being under the torment of Maro all the live long, for it was pure bliss being in bed for now…

Drusus arrived at the harbor on Skald Island as he was mainly called here by the Order's higher-ups to help out with what I was going through. Even though he was there during the autumnal feast on Cordell Island, he also had his fair share of dealing with drowners that nearly ravaged it, only to have the nest obliterated by my raw power. When he got to the castle, he was seeing Mason bringing out some of his onggi that contained the usual ingredients that were sacred to the Farragut Clan. It was a long day indeed as he entered into the main hall and noticed Reiko bringing out some breakfast to the servants and the others. The sight of rolled pancakes with vanilla skyr and blackberry syrup was tempting as Drusus was starting to get hungry. Even though he was out of the fort on Gehenna, he was no stranger into seeing food served for everyone as he sat down and got his breakfast, for he couldn't resist any longer.

"This is the first meal that doesn't consist of uttapam," he said as he took a bite of his food.

"I take it that Sadie allowed you to come here to Valinor," said Deejatra as she was feeding Danae.

"I came here under her orders so I could help Sam. The last time I saw him, he and Lady Reiko were there at the fort on Gehenna, which is now known as Paradigm Castle due to the dome that covers it from the freezing cold."

"Hello, Drusus," said Reiko. "It seems that you came here to help out Sammy."

"The Order wanted me to help out after what happened on the Sol-3 on Westeros. From what I also heard that Sam wasn't doing too well after that fiasco that Seto concocted up last month. Even though she backed off, the ones who followed still force him to use his raw power against his wishes and jeopardizing his health."

"Sammy's resting right now. This morning, he had a bad case of nausea in which he had to rest up for the whole day."

"Being out near the harbor can do that to such a man."

"Make way!"

Reiko noticed a familiar face coming into the castle's main hall as he was there for a large reason. It was Minara as he was dressed in northern garb due to the chill in the weather outside. Even Mason and the others were aware of his presence as he was not only an Elder of the Order, but a member of the Medical Corps as well. Unbeknownst to everyone was that Minara was going upstairs as he was aware of my condition in which he had to know of my unmentionable problem eventually.

"What's Lord Minara doing here?" asked Drusus out of curiosity.

"From what I heard from Lady Shion and the others, Minara's been on edge ever since the destruction of Project Amaterasu two years ago," said Mason. "He's even bearing a grudge against the Blight."

"Who are the Blight?"

"The Blight are known as the Executive Division's attack dogs. They even target hospitals and clinics like the one that was bombed on Lannister. They even tried to kill Reuben and some of the members of the Medical Corps."

"I bet that Lord Minara has personal business, doesn't he?"

"Personal business was his least favorite specialty in which he doesn't wanna talk about the birth of Sayoko last year."

"Who is Sayoko?"

"Sayoko is his youngest daughter whose mother suffered horribly at the hands of Tobias Wetzel. The bastard raped her, but the baby she carried never made it. Years later, she lived on Essos in the town of Lillium and worked in a factory, only to find out that her rapist led a group of soulless dolls there to destroy it, but were defeated by Sam's raw power and those who fought alongside him. The Second Galvanic Uprising has taken a toll on everything in which Minara even saw his first wife and father-in-law executed in front of him in which he swore revenge against Julilla Paxton. The thirst for vengeance nearly caused him to go down a dark path, but Sam defeated the general and shut down Project Ra. As for Mizuwa, Minara married her and continued his efforts to aid those in need, but the baby they crafted ended up in a man instead of a woman. After I received correspondence from his previous family that he endured the usual symptoms of morning sickness, food cravings, and plenty of mood swings, his outlook improved in which he became more tentative to everyone. Thankfully, he had a caesarian section to deliver Sayoko in which both he and Mizuwa were glad that she was there."

"I've heard of what happens to the men who live on Claudius under the cerulean moon in which the gods play the worst prank on men who are forced to endure pregnancy as punishment for not adhering to the needs of their wives. Let's just say that there's always a role reversal on the horizon."

Drusus was no stranger into reading about the many lores that came with the presence of other planets as he also viewed male pregnancy as a cruel prank to keep all men in line. Still, there was no judgment here as the factor of what was yet to come would soon come to pass as the results were still in the air, for there were a lot of reasons why men also have to bear some of the responsibilities when it came to family…

I woke up as I was still feeling unwell from the bout of morning sickness earlier. The factor of me bearing the children that Reiko and I created was a basic shock to me as I couldn't stop thinking about it. Even though it was a means to force me to remain grounded just to recover from the battle against Sawney Masbath two years ago, I had no further complaints in which Jack had a plan into transferring the two small passengers out of Reiko and into my own body. Therefore, I was glad to have them as I also didn't have to deal with Maro in which I enjoyed the reprieve that prevented a breakdown at the last minute. When I sat up in my bed, I heard footsteps approaching as I saw the door open up in which I spotted Minara coming in here with his medical bag in his hands, for he was there to verify of what was going on so far.

"Long time, no see, Sam," I heard him say to me.

"I take it that you recovered from your pregnancy in my absence," I said.

"It wasn't fun, but when I saw Sayoko out and healthy, I felt relieved that it was over."

"If only I lingered a little instead of being trapped in the furlough from hell."

"I heard from Reuben that you're in the same boat as I was when we parted ways on Shiganshina two years ago." I noticed Minara open up his medical bag as he got out a portable medical device with a screen attached to it. "He told me about what you bear in which it was useful in a way so you won't be put on the field due to your condition."

"And yet I'm about to be a laughingstock to what I bear, but at the same time, it's a reprieve to prevent Maro from nabbing me for no reason but to force me to use my raw power."

"Just because you have a reprieve from that demon, doesn't mean that he can't resume his attacks on you. I know his tricks very well, Sam, but he won't stop until you resume your duty in the Order while in a very frail condition after the battle against Sawney Masbath two years ago. Now, if you don't mind, let's have a look at you."

I laid down as I saw Minara open up my robes and exposed my chest and stomach the moment in which I was about to endure another intrusive examination. With a cold gel spread on my stomach, I felt a smooth scanner touch it in which I remained still the moment I saw Minara looking at the screen directly. The sight of the Half-Elven twin fetuses with jeweled sigils on their foreheads were very small as Minara noticed them to be in a womb that was crafted from my raw power so they wouldn't get caught in the intestines before birth. Still, I had a reason to be grounded here as I also had to focus on my recovery after all that I went through in the past two years, for I also had to stay put anyway.

"Your crafted womb must have adjusted to the packages that you acquired," said Minara.

"It wasn't by choice, but I'll manage," I said.

"Subject's fetuses are two weeks old and thriving despite the fact that they have been transferred from one womb to another."

"And they were put there for a reason."

"And from what I heard, you had a bad case of morning sickness in which you felt the full brunt of it. Therefore, you should at least rest a little more before you do anything."

"Ever since my convalescence was interrupted by the likes of Seto and Maro, I haven't gotten a moment's peace in which I ended up getting attacked for it. I even have Miriam attacking me for not being out on the field in which I have no choice but to piss on cue."

"Well, you're not going out there in your condition in which those small passengers that you have are very delicate in which you're also eating for three this time. Trust me, you're not the only who went through pregnancy hell in which I would be much obliged to carry what Mizuwa puts in front of me due to the condition that she has."

"She has Tabata Syndrome, doesn't she?" Minara nods sincerely. "I've heard of it before in which it leaves any woman to the point of being infertile. It's sad that a woman like her suffers from it, but I hope to the gods that there will be a cure for it in the future."

Minara remembered the anguish from Mizuwa as he never forgot about how she suffered a miscarriage to the point of being infertile. Still, I felt compassion for him as he was willing to carry the future burden within him, for he had a lot more to go when it came to his duties as both an Elder of the Order and a member of the Medical Corps. By the time he turned off the portable ultrasound machine, he grabbed a towel to wipe away the gel from my stomach as he put it away in his medical bag. When I sat up, I felt at my stomach as I was blessed to carry the twins inside of me. Even Minara noticed me beginning to develop a hint of maternal instinct that was often seen in women the moment I smiled with such grandeur, for I had a reason to stay put in my convalescence after all.

"You may be carrying twins, but you should also be careful in your condition," he said to me.

"And I will," I said. "I can't be up and around anyway because of what I went through in the past two years."

"I'll be back to check up on you, but I'm needed elsewhere in the chieftain's castle in which he has to have another colonoscopy on the horizon."

I saw Minara leave as I was alone in my room. Still, I was feeling the pinch of carrying the newest set of twins inside of me as it was a good thing to keep me staying put in my convalescence. I was both scared and elated at the same time as I couldn't help but think about the small passengers that I carried, for they were the reasons just to keep me away from the field for now…

Later on in the afternoon, I woke up again as I heard footsteps approaching. Sitting up in my bed again, I saw the door open as I saw Drusus with a tray of food in his hands in which it was something that was straight out of the Great Depression cookbook. The sight of a Depression-era soup with some crackers was something that I never expected before as I saw Drusus give me the tray of food in order to eat it, for it was a huge reprieve from having morning sickness so far.

"For dinner tonight, it's navy bean soup with crackers," he said.

"It's good," I said as I took a bite of my food. "The Barathite ham did wonders to it."

"Navy bean soup has its roots in the time of the Great Depression in which most people on Earth had to struggle with rations all the live long and navy bean soup is one of the meals that most people lived off of. Other foods included meat loaf, peanut butter bread, baked beans, beanie-weenies, chipped beef on toast, Hoover stew, leftover potato cakes, sponge cake, chocolate cream pie, frozen fruit salad, potato soup, dandelion greens with bacon, dandelion salad, cabbage soup, wacky chocolate cake, poor man's cake, cornbread, Depression-era bread, rice pudding, and water pie. All of those were beneficial for those who suffered from the Great Depression and directly into the 2020's when the Red Plague hit and that was when everyone resorted to panic hoarding of all essential stuff, including toilet paper."

"You know how to make what you craft, don't you?"

"I have to make what's there, don't I?"

I continued to eat at the navy bean soup as I didn't have any problems at all with it. With the crackers adding to the meal, I ate them as I didn't mind them one bit. By the time I finished up my meal, I saw the door closing as Drusus rushed to it in which it was shut tight. When I got up, I saw Maro right behind Drusus as he knocked him out unconscious in which he wasn't done with me yet. I had a gut feeling that something was wrong as I heard an ancient rock song that was known in the time of the Elder Days. The sound of Asia's "Heat of the Moment" blared all over the room as I was stunned in which Maro was ready to whisk me away to some unknown location, for he was still dead-set on forcing me to use my raw power once again.

"Time to go, Sam," he said as he whisked me away.

Reiko was busy taking care of things as she was making sure that the children got their fair share of food. The sight of navy bean soup with crackers was a good one as everyone ate at it in which Reiko was happy that Drusus was there to do the cooking. When she noticed that something was wrong, she feared the worst as she left out of the main hall and went upstairs to where our room was. Even Deejatra noticed that something wasn't right as she gently put Danae in her little bassinet in the sitting room and rushed to where Reiko was. Both of them noticed that Drusus was knocked unconscious as there was also a sulphur trail on the floor. What they didn't expect was that Nibori arrived as she saw the evidence of Maro's meddling in which she was aware of what he did during the Cordell Island incident, for he wasn't finished with his constant egging yet.

"Looks like Maro wasn't letting bygones be bygones," she said as she saw the sulphur trail.

"He's taken Sammy," said Reiko.

"Maro has gone too far this time," said Deejatra as she was aware of his meddling.

It wasn't long until Drusus woke up as he noticed me gone. When he sat up, he was touching at the comb on his head as he felt blood coming from where Maro attacked him earlier. Deejatra was not too happy with him as she got out a first aid kit to clean the wound on his head. By the time she finished cleaning it, she placed a bandage on his head as she was also grateful that he wasn't either killed or possessed like their late mother, for she always had a personal loathing for demons altogether.

"You took a turn for the worse, little brother," she said to Drusus.

"The door was stuck and there was also that old song called 'Heat of the Moment' playing before some guy clocked me and made off with Sam," he said.

"'Heat of the Moment?'" said Nibori. "That song was played over and over again in Mystery Spot, but our usual emo hipster used it to take his target somewhere."

"He better not harm Sammy," said Reiko. "He's been resorting to bullying him ever since Sammy went into convalescence two years ago."

Nibori got out a crystal on a string as she dangled it over the sulphur trail on the floor. When she saw it glowing, she got out a crystal ball from her hip holster as she got a glimpse of what it showed in which it was an island with a volcano on screen, for it was a place of dread so far.

"And we have our location where Maro took Sam," she said.

"I know that place," said Deejatra. "It's called Fury Island and it's located in the southern hemisphere of Shiganshina. The captain told me of how the place was inhospitable due to the molten surface surrounding the volcano on it."

"There's also the lore of a monster that lurks on the island in which if an innocent life is harmed, then it will rise and smite the one who instigates the harm."

"Sammy…," said Reiko as she was worried about my safety. "We need to get there to Shiganshina. I can use my Nephilim power to get there."

"I'm coming with you," said Drusus.

"Sorry, but it's too dangerous, little brother," said Deejatra. "We'll come back with Sam and settle a score with Maro."

Drusus didn't say another word as he gave Reiko and the others the thumbs-up. The battle to get me back was ready to go as Reiko refused to let me be forced by Maro's whim and trickery, for she didn't want me to fall victim to his toxic machinations, especially when I was also with child as well…

I found myself on a beach that had little sand on it as I saw the ocean waves crashing near it. The place itself was mostly rock instead of sand as it was also located on Shiganshina due to the atmosphere that was common during my short stay at the time. What I expected the most was that Maro was standing there as he was not having it in which he had a better way for me to regain the rest of my raw power after my tussle with Sawney Masbath two years ago. My surroundings were grim as I felt the heat emanating from the volcano that was in the middle of the island in which I was about to be forced to do something against my wishes again, for I wasn't prepared to be doing it right now.

"It seems that you know the surroundings very well, Sam," said Maro as he was standing in front of me. "This may not be one of the smaller islands in the Skalvarg Archipelago on Valinor, but this is an island on a planet that you know too well."

"We're on Shiganshina," I said.

"And you just received a copy of the home game. Therefore, there's a task that must be done in order to help amp up the raw power that you have."

"You know that I'm not in fine fettle ever since Seto instigated into my setback, only to back off."

"You're in fine fettle because of the fact that there is a key near the volcano in which those who sailed here have either died or fled with their sea tails between their legs."

I saw something near the volcano as it was an altar that had a key placed on a pedestal in the middle of a ground filled with lava in the cracks. Maro was ready to pounce as he refused to give up on forcing me to use my raw power again in which he was also wanting me to go and retrieve the key, for he wasn't having it right now.

"That key is a powerful one in that pedestal in the center of lava," he said.

"And you're wanting me to get it for you," I said as I glared at my tormentor.

"That is correct, but the key is meant for one person alone."

"I bet that you want that key for something in particular."

"The one person worthy to get the key is you, Sam. You have that raw power that is in dire need of charging, so I suggest that you go there and get it."

I didn't say another word as I slowly walked over to the ground surrounded by lava in the cracks. Even though I was without my wheelchair, I had to be careful as I felt the heat coming from the cracked ground on my bare feet. To my surprise, I didn't feel my feet burning as I continued to walk towards the pedestal to where the key was. By the time I reached the pedestal, I picked up the key as I noticed it to be a peculiar one in which I saw an image of a rat etched into it in gold surrounded by a garnet that was decorated within it. The surge of power from the key made me feel more inclined as I began to walk faster in the cracked ground and straight back to Maro, who was waiting for me to return.

With the heat giving me more trouble, I made it back to the sandy beach as I was glad to dip my feet into the salty ocean water after getting the key that gave me more power in my legs. When I saw Maro waiting for me, he was elated that he accomplished what he set out for and that was for me to have my raw power restored one slow step at a time. What he didn't expect was that a mysterious monster crept out of one of the volcano-made caves as it looked gangly as if it came out of a sci-fi horror movie. The sight of it was more like body horror as it had claws on one of its hands, for it was there on this island for a reason.

"It seems that you have one of the twenty-four zodiac keys and the one in your hand came from the Solar System Zodiac," said Maro. "The rat key with a garnet stone with gold on it is the start of getting back in the game in which this quest would even put the Tablet Trials to shame."

"I got you your key, so I suggest that you take me home," I said.

"No, you're not going home, Sam. You're taking this task to find the keys so you can get your raw power back a lot quicker than that shitty furlough."

Without warning, I saw the monster from the volcano-made cave rush towards Maro as it was growling with a heaping form of menace on its mind. He never saw it coming as he wasn't too thrilled to see such a monster emerge from the island as it glared at him for some odd reason. Even I stared at the monster as it noticed me staying still and not moving the moment it leaped forward and sniffed me out of the blue. It knew that something was off as it smelled the aura of innocence that dwelled within me as it sensed the unborn passengers that I had inside of me. When I saw it turn around, it was glaring at Maro as it was growling harshly towards him in which he wasn't about to go down without a fight, for he never expected to go toe-to-toe with the body horror mess that was in front of him…

Reiko led the way as she was on Shiganshina where Fury Island was. With Deejatra and Nibori in tow, they saw the place covered with lava that was cooled with time over the years as they wouldn't stop until I was safe from harm. The place itself was different than what she saw in the Dabb Mountains and in Zavrath as everyone was seeing the place filled with lava that cooled with time over the centuries. They never saw anything like it as was a place that hasn't been explored in a long time, for there was a hint of lore on the island as well.

"So, this is Fury Island," said Nibori as she saw the volcano in the distance. "This place must've been off limits to those who tried and failed to get what they wanted."

"What's over there?" asked Reiko.

"According to the annals of Shigan lore, there's a key that is part of the Twin Zodiacs that hasn't been acquired due to the heat from the volcano," said Deejatra. "It's been said that the key hasn't left its pedestal due to—"

Without warning, everyone heard Maro screaming in the distance as they ran towards the beach where the monster was. They never saw anything like it as they spotted it itching to attack the meddling demon that took me away out of Skald Island. What they didn't expect was that Maro himself was injured with claw marks on his body where the monster attacked him. It wasn't long until Reiko spotted me unharmed with the rat key in my hand in which she was happy that I was safe, but not without dealing with the monster that was causing havoc all over the island. With Deejatra and Nibori armed with their own weapons, they shot at it as it was stunned by the attacks. The sting from the silver bullets of Deejatra's sniper rifle caused the monster to corrode as it was staggered towards the ocean in which it touched the water that crashed near the beach. The wave of water rushed over the monster as it began to melt further in which it was slowly dying. It wasn't long until I walked towards it as it changed into a ghost of a nun who was killed here on this island, for she was in dire need of being sent to rest soon enough.

"You have the rat key," I heard the ghost say as she was starting to fade away. "I knew that the one with raw power would find it eventually."

"As I recall, you attacked Maro because he forced me to take that task against my wishes, didn't you?" I said. "You also sensed what I bore inside of me. That is why you attacked him."

"I was a servant of God who was condemned by those who accused me of heresy and framed me for the deaths of some of the Draaza folk who lived side by side with the humans here. They were innocent and yet those who wore red robes continue to cull them from the galaxy as if they were nothing but trash."

"You also sensed the unborn inside of me. That's why Maro got his ass handed to him."

"All innocent life is sacred, My Lord. It is sacred from the time of birth to the time of death. As for the key in your hand, it is meant for you to unlock a much higher purpose at hand, for it will be eternally worth it…"

I saw the ghost fade away as I prayed for its entry to the Grey Havens. When I saw Maro all mangled up, he was in bad shape as Deejatra looked at him with disdain for his actions, but recanted just to tend to his wounds with the first aid kit that she had. The sight of claw marks on his body were a mess as Deejatra began to remove his shirt and jacket to clean up his wounds. When she finished up, she bandaged him up as she saw him to be in bad shape despite the fact that he was a demon who was dead-set on bringing me back into the field against the wishes of the Order's higher-ups. Still, he had it coming for taking me against my wishes as he was also defeated by a vengeful ghost who had a knack for attacking anyone who harmed the innocent. Still, I may have borne a grudge against him, but I felt pity for him due to the injuries he sustained. When I saw Deejatra steer him to one of the cool rocks, she walked towards me as she was aware of what I went through. Even Reiko and Nibori were thankful that I was safe as I was holding the rat key in my hand, for there was a much greater purpose that was waiting for me after I destroy Project Helios and put an end to the war that the Executive Division started.

"You got the rat key," said Nibori.

"I got it, but I don't know what to do with it in which it's part of the set of Zodiac keys," I said.

"That key is vital and is eager to unlock what is meant to the god and goddess of the Ashizoka System," said Deejatra. "This is one of the keys that can open up a passage to the kingdom in the center."

"The kingdom in the center?" said Reiko.

"For centuries, the central part of the Ashizoka System remained a vast wasteland until the one with raw power revitalized some of them: Bhunivelze, Benezia, Erebor, Crixus, Gannicus, Meereen, Tenebrae, and Ifalna. The rest are yet to be unlocked and brought to life in which they lead to the golden age as promised."

"We can worry about this later," I said. "Right now, we should all go home as soon as possible."

I used my raw power to transport everyone, including Maro, out of Shiganshina and back to Skald Island on Valinor. After enduring a trial by fire in the form of walking on the ground with cracked lava, I was ready to call it a day as I wanted to go back and rest, for I was worn out from all that trouble on the sly…

I was in the bathroom as I was taking a shower in which I was calling it a day. Even though I was recovering, the boost from the rat key gave me an edge, but it exhausted me to no end as I was barred from doing everything else that day. By the time I was ready to finish up, I heard the toilet flushing as the water from the shower scalded me the moment I was rinsing myself and later turning off the faucet. When I stepped out of the shower and wrapped a towel around my waist, I saw Reiko washing her hands after relieving herself earlier, for I didn't hear her come into the bathroom until now.

"I'm terribly sorry about this, but I had to tinkle," she said as she blushed.

"Don't worry about it," I said. "As long as I'm not all the way parboiled, I'm fine."

"I'm so sorry that I ended up scalding your father, my little darlings." I see Reiko place her hands on my stomach as she felt the tiny pulsations inside. "Please, don't be worried…"

"They're too small to notice right now, so there's no need to apologize."

It wasn't long until I felt my knees buckling as I noticed Reiko guiding me to the bed in which I noticed fresh nightclothes on the bed. When I sat down, I put on my clothes as I was getting ready to go to bed. I was tired from my ordeal as I curled up in the blankets with Reiko sliding next to me. We both snuggled together as we huddled up in the blankets while the northern wind howled from outside. We didn't mind it as we had so much that went on, for we had so much that went on today in which we finally called it a day, for it was already too much…

The next morning, Maro was in the infirmary wing as he was was still reeling from the attack from the monster on Fury Island earlier. Even though he had that infernal collar around his neck, he was still not too happy with his own predicament as he was not only trapped in a hospital bed, but there was a Devil's Trap on the ceiling. What he also didn't expect was that Seto arrived as she wasn't too thrilled to see him mangled up in bed after he pulled a trick to force me to use my raw power again, for she wanted to punch him for his frequent interference in my convalescence.

"There's a good look for you," she said as she saw the bandages all over him. "You look like more like an emo mummy than a hipster."

"And once again, I'm stuck with a Devil's Trap over my bed," said Maro.

"You sure got your ass handed to you after what happened earlier. You forced Sam to use his raw power again in which you're not about to be let off the hook for your constant lectures about toxic masculinity."

"I only did it so that Sam can recover a small fraction of the raw power that was exhausted after two years of therapy that's weaker than cat piss. I forced him to retrieve one of the Zodiac Keys in which he found the rat key on Fury Island, which is located on Shiganshina."

"The power stemming from that key only gave a small boost like a little kid getting hopped up on eating a large bag of Skittles. There's a rush, but after that, it's back to the old drawing board with the exhaustion that plagues him to no end."

"It wasn't all when I had a monster attacking me in which it nearly tore me apart. What's even worse is that Sam is also pregnant after hearing Lady Reiko telling me off for taking him away in the first place."

Seto was shocked to hear the news about my unmentionable problem as she wasn't too happy with me for carrying the two tiny passengers inside of me. For centuries, women were the ones who were pregnant while the men had the spare parts to craft the new life within them. Clenching her fist, she was ready to let me have it as she viewed men carrying pregnancies to term an abomination, for it was the women who were tasked to bear the babies to term in the first place.

"That no-good, frail, BIG GIANT BABY!" she yelled. "He has no right to violate the sanctity of womanhood like that!"

"From what I heard was that Jack Kline transferred the unborn from Lady Reiko's womb into Sam's body as a way to keep him from doing any more field work," said Maro.

"I'll kick his ass for this!"

"You will not do anything to him, Lady Seto," said Jack as he appeared out of nowhere. "Sam's safe for now, but as for Maro kidnapping him to get one of the Zodiac Keys, he will stay put in his hospital room for now."

"Oh, great; I get chastised by Lucifer Junior," said Maro.

"You may have forced Sam to get the rat key, but he will remain committed to his recovery without the constant interruptions, is that clear?"

Maro didn't say another word as he laid in his hospital bed. As for Seto, on the other hand, she left the hospital room as she had Jack following her in which they spotted me coming out of the bathroom after having another bout of morning sickness. Still, Seto wanted to clock me for being pregnant, but Jack refused to let her do so as she stayed her hand. When I left towards the sitting room, I was slowly walking as the boost from yesterday wore off and was forced to return to the wheelchair in which I found it next to a bench. I got used to it as it was more of a safety blanket for me so I wouldn't fall while walking, for I had so much that was all over me so far.

"I take it that you have a bun in the oven," said Seto.

"It's complicated, but I'll manage," I said.

"As I recall, it's the women who endure pregnancy and childbirth, not the men unless you watched that Red Dwarf episode where Lister makes love to himself while drunk."

"I'm not the only who's dealing with this, for Minara also had to deal with it, even when he helped to free the Draaza prisoners in the Spillway on Shiganshina from the clutches of the Red Inquisition. There's even the dangers of Tabata Syndrome that has become a canker to women that causes miscarriages to the point of infertility." I felt at my stomach as I was touching at the life that was growing inside of me. "Not all women should carry the burden of childbirth because of a malady that causes infertility. As a man, I should also be inclined to carry the burden I have in which I care about my babies."

"You're starting to feel a woman's pain, Sam," said Jack. "It also seems that as soon as the new set of twins grow within you, the better you're grounded so you won't be forced to go back on the field for a while."

It wasn't long until I wheeled myself back into the bathroom and began to vomit in the toilet again in which I was dreading the curse of the morning sickness that plagued me. It was a grueling process, but I had to deal with it as I kept vomiting until I stopped the moment I flushed the toilet and slowly got up to the sink. The sight of mouthwash was a godsend as I used some of it to gargle with just to get rid of the vomit taste in my mouth. When I rinsed out my mouth, I sat down in my wheelchair as I left the bathroom in which I later spotted an Order of Letters ship approaching from outside. Still, it wasn't my lucky day, but I had to deal with what was about to happen next, for I was in for one hell of a furlough that could keep me there until I recovered to full…

To be continued...