Supernatural: Chronicles of the Order 8
Chapter 43: Ravioli Days
(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.)
"Ten! Nine! Eight! Seven! Six! Five! Four! Three! Two!… ONE!"
The sound of the clock striking twelve signaled the end of the old year and into the new one as we were celebrating all over the castle. The sight of fireworks popping off filled the sky as it blended in with the Northern Lights that appeared in its bright colors. It had been a week since our brush with the Christmas party from hell as we were having a ball while the children were up past their bedtime. I was also helping Reiko tend to the younger ones in the nursery as I was mainly busy taking care of Kazuko and Giles, who were fed earlier. We had plenty of fun as we also heard the crashing of the ocean waves near the beach with the northern wind blowing. By the time we finished up, we were ready to go to bed as the new year was already beginning, for we had a lot to do after the day starts.
"The old year is gone," said Reiko as she was putting Samantha and Mary-Rose to bed.
"I know," I said as I scooped Zoran from behind the rocking chair. "Next week will be the birthday of our second set, but one of them still gets into trouble."
"Our little ones have their other siblings, but it'll also mark three years in your furlough."
"I know the feeling, but I still can't do too much after what happened on the Sol-3." I put Zoran to bed as he was still wide awake. "You can't be up forever, you know. Even you need your sleep like the rest of us."
"You can't go and take Mr. Sam away! He's still too wobbly and has to use a cane!"
I heard Carly yelling as I slowly crept out of the nursery to see who was there. I spotted Reuben coming towards me as he was adamant into roping me along for another assessment. Still, those kind of procedures may be getting stale, but I had no other choice but to go to the Order's main headquarters on Valinor for that. I never wanted to be in those, but I was also the Order's resident guinea pig as doing such assessments were a protocol on how my raw power worked, for it was also a bore for me due to what was put there in front of me.
"If you're wanting to assess me, you should do it in the morning," I said.
"This isn't just a normal assessment, Sam," said Reuben.
"No! You can't take Mr. Sam right now!" cried as she stood in front of me.
"We're not taking Sam to the Order's main headquarters right now. We're going to Baratheon in which we're also going to the region of Naphania where its capital of Triesta is seated. It's not only home to the resistance who were glad that Father Warren was gone, but the Pasta Festival has commenced since the religious tyrant's ended."
"So, I'm heading to Baratheon again. It's also nice to see Emperor Vittorio again, but I don't feel like going."
"The Barathite town of Triesta isn't just known for its abundant pasta. It's also known for its medical facilities in which they've been reintroduced after twenty years of dealing with a religious despot like Father Warren."
"I know that you would want me to go to Baratheon for assessment, but I have to decline this one. I have so much to do and I can't be away from my little ones."
"You can see them at any time, Sam. Besides, you keep worrying more and recovering less and you can't just put your mental health on the back burner."
It wasn't long until I felt my knees buckling as I was trying hard to stand up. With my cane in my hand, I was adamant into standing still until I fell onto the floor. Still, I wasn't in fine fettle, but I had no other say than to be carted off to Baratheon. I never wanted to go anywhere as I also did some of the chores that were put in front of me. Even though I had my furlough, I also had to pull my weight and lighten the load so Reiko wouldn't be bogged down by everything else. Getting back up, I walked out of the hallway as I was on my way to my room just to go to sleep. By the time I got upstairs, I was starting to get more exhausted until I fell backwards the moment I ended up rolling to the point of Reiko catching me in time, for she wasn't about to let me off the hook just yet.
"I don't feel like going anywhere right now," I said.
"You can't just be cooped up helping to care for our little ones forever, Sammy," said Reiko.
"I know, but I don't want to be rendered useless even after I gave birth."
"You won't be useless, Sam." said Cynthia as she arrived to collect me. "I'm here to help you anyway in which I already heard about the new arrivals thriving. Still, we had plenty of time throughout the holiday recess to spend with our own families, but you also need to do both the assessment and focus on your mental health. From what I heard, Baratheon has returned to its former glory after twenty years of religious tyranny. Therefore, it wouldn't kill you to go over there and visit something different. As for Triesta itself, it has a vibrant fertile farmland that produces the finest food for the entire planet, including Barathite ham."
I was overwhelmed by everyone's ultimatum as I had no other choice but to go to yet another place of assessment against my wishes. What I didn't expect was that I noticed a flyer on the stairs as I picked it up to see a plate of ravioli with tomato sauce and parmesan cheese on it with the words, "Pastafest," in bold red letters. I was overwhelmed with being roped to going towards Baratheon as I couldn't say no this time, for I had to go to this assessment soon enough…
I entered into the Order of Letters ship as I was sitting in my quarters during most of the trip out of Valinor. I was starting to worry about everything as I was also thinking about my little ones and how they were holding up while I was gone. I was worrying about Kazuko and Giles as they couldn't deal without me helping Reiko taking care of them. All I did was simply weep in my bed as I wanted to return to Skald Island right away. When I started to doze off, I was dreaming about the little ones I carried to term as I noticed them in their bassinet. What I didn't expect was that the yellow-eyed demon from the nightmare I had a few weeks ago coming towards them as he was standing in front of them. I was wanting to stop him as I was pinned to the ceiling in which I helplessly watched him prick his fingers in order to feed my little ones his blood. When he stared at me, he was grinning the most sinister smile that shook me to the core in which he was there to cause me more harm than normal.
"Well, Sam, it seems that if you didn't want my blood, I decided to give it to what you carried in your belly!"
"Leave them alone!" I cried as I was struggling to get free.
"It's too late, Sam. You had your chance, for I have worthy successors to my bloodline where your past self failed to fulfill my goals in the Elder Days!"
"Kazuko! Giles!"
I saw myself catching fire as the ceiling was burning all over the place. The yellow-eyed demon was ready to give my twins his blood as I was helpless to stop them until I woke up in a cold sweat. I was shaking with terror as I wanted to protect my youngest children from that yellow-eyed fiend in which he was watching in my nightmares. I kept weeping as I wanted to protect my babies so badly in which I wanted to go back to Valinor to make sure that they were okay, for I worried about them the most. When Cynthia entered into my quarters, she was concerned about my health as she didn't want me to worry too much. The sight of me weeping uncontrollably worried her as she was eager to calm me down, for the nightmare that I had was a troubling one indeed.
"I have to go back to Skald Island," I sobbed. "I have to protect my babies!"
"Did you have a nightmare?" asked Cynthia.
"It was the same yellow-eyed demon again and he was trying to feed blood to Kazuko and Giles while I caught on fire when I was pinned to the ceiling."
"Is it about Azazel?" I nodded sincerely. "I knew it… His resurrection will be the bane of your golden age in the Ashizoka System in which those nightmares you have are just precursors to what's yet to come. In the Elder Days, Azazel gave his blood to his potential successors in which he came towards them when they were six months of age. He even killed the mothers who made deals with him so he can bring them over to a winner-take-all deathmatch and have only one to do his dirty work."
"I won't let that happen! I have to tell Reiko about it! She needs to know this!"
"No harm will come to your children, Sam," said Jack as he appeared out of nowhere. "The Skalvarg Archipelago is heavily warded against such threats as Azazel. As for the three demons who sought asylum to Skald Island, they are also there to keep the evil at bay, for they were innocent souls who were dragged into Hell in the first place. Two of them are your acolytes due to the imprints of raw power they have."
"I had another nightmare about him. He won't stop tormenting me until I give into him."
"But you won't. I know that Azazel will stop at nothing to be reborn, but there is one saving grace that is there by your side for all eternity and that guardian angel is none other than Lady Reiko. I know of your strong devotion to her and the love you earn in return, Sam. The both of you endured being sheltered over the years until you met as adults and started a family. You and Lady Reiko are the god and goddess of the Ashizoka System and defenders of those in need. What Azazel and his followers want is chaos all over this galaxy. I won't sit on the sidelines and let that happen. I was raised by three wise men in a bunker and their wisdom gave me an edge to be kind and to have empathy."
"Don't forget your wrath," said Cynthia.
"I'm hardly ever wrathful, but I tried to expel the Sage of Time from Heaven once until I changed my mind after the Akrida incident in the Middle Days. The only time I'm wrathful is when I'm in the Grey Havens chastising Kazuo for his strict medical rhetoric. He even did a number by giving me a prostate exam."
"Every man has to have them, even male deities," I said.
"Fair enough, for you also have to maintain your convalescence, you got that?"
I saw Jack leave without a trace as I later fished out the pocketwatch that I had. When I opened it up, I saw the time that reached seven in the morning in which I looked out the window to see that the ship was landing in Barathite airspace. It wasn't long until it reached Triesta as it was in the southern hemisphere of the planet due to it being summer down there. When the ship landed into a clearing, I got up from my bed and slowly hobbled out of my quarters with the cane in my hand. With Cynthia following me to the cargo bay, she noticed me falling onto my knees as she rushed to get a wheelchair in which I sat down in it. The relief of sitting down in the wheelchair was worth it as I later spotted Reuben wheeling me outside to where the plethora of Italian food was cooking in various stands, for I really needed to have a change of scenery instead of being stuck on Skald Island surrounded by winter.
"And we have all the pasta in the world," said Reuben.
"This is different than what I saw here last time," I said.
"Triesta is known to have close ties to the Barathite royal family," said Cynthia. "We might even see Mama Claudia coming and going with all her pantry wares."
"There's a ravioli booth over there." I spot it as I noticed a red, white, and green awning draped above a set of picnic tables. "It seems that everyone is blessed to get what's cooking over there."
"You can do that later, Sam," said Reuben. "But for now, we have an assessment to do."
And so, we left the booths as we were on our way towards a hospital again. I didn't mind it as I would soon be immersed in a medical assessment that would be vital due to my status being the Order's resident guinea pig, for it was necessary for me to endure everything due to the raw power that I had…
Styre was up as he was in a boat catching some fish for the later days. Even though he spotted a few trawlers coming and going with their catch, he had to steer clear as he was still trying to bag one of the huge whoppers that have swam all over the frigid waters in the Skalvarg Archipelago on Valinor. When he got lucky, he saw a blackfin tuna catch at his fishing pole as he reeled it in for good measure. By the time he got it on the boat, he sailed back to the shore where the slug roe home near the lighthouse stood. With the fish in his hands, he made it inside as he noticed Gary cleaning up the kitchen in which he was expecting the catch of the day to be cleaned, gutted, and decapitated just in time for dinner, for it was vital to be getting it while living in asylum and out of Abaddon's crosshairs.
"I got dinner," said Styre as he set the fish on the counter.
"That's good 'cause Maro and Rikken have been doing odd jobs in the Tsubaki District," said Gary.
"This blackfin tuna is a huge whopper, but it's worth it with a few dinners out of it."
"Blackfin tuna is an invasive species in which it originated from Britannicus, but the fishermen don't mind catching them to make some tuna-sal-san on the side."
"Aren't we the invasive species by seeking asylum from Abaddon? She did put us on her shit list, I can tell you that much."
It wasn't long until Gary washed his hands in the sink as he later got to work on gutting the blackfin tuna that Styre caught earlier. With the head and guts removed, the fish was cut and filleted into bits just to keep everyone in the slug roe home fed. When he placed some of the fish fillets into storage bags, he put some of them into the freezer as he used what's left to be put into a pot to be cooked for tonight's dinner. With the counter cleaned up and the knives and cutting board washed and put into the dish drainer, Styre was more than likely to be adding some spices on the side with the fish that was cooking in the pot, but he ended up getting sidetracked when he spotted Akemi coming into the slug roe home unannounced, for she was mainly checking up on everything here.
"It seems that you're cooking enough tuna to make tuna-sal-san here," she said.
"How's it going outside of this archipelago?" asked Gary.
"Liesel's forces have backed off for now, but they're not out of the fight yet. She's biding her time after Dean and his forces stormed her hideout on this planet in which she would fight for another day in this ongoing war between the Order of Letters and the Executive Division."
"And they still want Sam to be the ultimate prize just to jumpstart Project Helios," said Styre. "The queen bitch in lingerie is in for a rude awakening when she finds out that Sam's not up to full strength after he mopped the floor with Sawney Masbath and busted up Project Amaterasu three years prior."
"She already knows because her forces have backed away until the next battle in the upcoming three years. Project Helios is the slowest in the four sections of what's been up there in space. It also happens to be in disrepair in which it sustained damage over the years."
"And they say that absence makes the heart grow fonder," said Gary. "Project Helios may be the last satellite standing, but that doesn't mean that Liesel and her forces will go down without a fight. Even though there's a 'ceasefire,' there are also those in the Executive Division's ranks that will do their dirty work like the Blight or the rest of the Toller Family. There's no break nor end in this war, but we can't back down right now. All we need is to have faith in those who will put an end to it."
The point was clear as the war was at a standstill in which Liesel and her forces were in hiding for now. Still, this was a war that shoud've never happened in the first place as the Executive Division and those in their service have been slipping, for it was running its course the moment it came forth from the start…
I was in an examination room as I was being scanned all over the place. Laying on an examination table, I saw members of the Medical Corps looking at my condition as it was slowly improving due to the fact that I was still on the mend. Still, I was not looking forward to further assessments as I was no stranger to going through the ringer. With Reuben hovering over me, he looked at the vital signs on screen as he noticed an increase in seratonin and less stress on my part. Still, my legs weren't in fine fettle, but they were starting to improve after using my cane to walk with. After the grueling examination, I got up as I later fell off the bed in which I got back up, but my cane wasn't with me at this time. What I also didn't expect was the side effects from the caesarian section started to flare up again as I was starting to feel more pain than normal. I was not doing too well as I wanted to go back to Skald Island after this, for I was also starting to suffer further.
"Come on, let's get you to bed," said Reuben as he helped me up.
"Are there any pain meds I can take?" I asked as I had tears in my eyes.
"There's some generic Tylenol you can take."
"That's good…"
Reuben steered me to a wheelchair as I sat down in it. When he wheeled me out of the examination room, I dozed off in my wheelchair as the pain overwhelmed me. This wasn't the first time I felt intense pain before and it won't be the last as I had my fair share of it, for I wanted it all to end before the day was over…
I woke up in a hospital room as I was sleeping in a bed the moment I saw an intravenous drip inserted into my arm. It was a pain medicine in the saline drip as I was glad that it was relieved for now. Still, I felt happy that I also didn't have any nightmares of Azazel for now as I noticed a tray of food next to the nightstand. The sight of ravioli with pasta sauce and parmesan cheese on top was a feast for the eyes as I also saw some Depression-era bread with garlic butter on top in which it adorned the food nicely. Sadly, I would've moved around, but I was also trapped with the usual catheter that was inserted into my member, which kept me from getting up and using the bathroom. I was trapped in the hospital bed as I later noticed Drusus coming into my room with some more ravioli that was prepared for me, for I never expected to be fed with so much pasta in my life.
"Sorry, I had to get some more," he said as he set all the food, including the previous stuff onto the table that was attached to my bed. "You ought to thank Mama Claudia for wanting to fatten you up after she heard about you giving birth."
"But I wasn't the one who took out Father Warren," I said.
"Reiko had a hand into putting that despot to bed, but some of the locals worship her in which the Barathite Government is considering to ban all religion on this planet after being under the yoke of that overbearing tyrant."
"I wouldn't blame them after what they went through for twenty years."
"For the record, you ought to try the ravioli. It's very good. On your tray, we got the usual regular stuff with pasta sauce and parmesan cheese. Then we got the lobster ravioli, SMGC ravioli, barbecue chicken ravioli, and fried ravioli."
"I'll try the sampler plate after all I went through."
I took a bite of the typical ravioli as I found it to be very good. The taste of the sauce and parmesan cheese on top was a whole new ball game as I started to eat it quickly, not only to fuel my body due to the raw power I had, but to replenish what my little ones had siphoned from me. In a broad sense, I had a ravenous appetite as I ate the first dish and went straight to the lobster ravioli in which I found it to be different than what was mainly put in cans for centuries. I loved the sauce over the lobster ravioli as I even found it to be delectable the moment I ate it all. When I ate at the SMGC ravioli, I tasted it in which I tasted what was put into it complete with a sauce that was out of this world. What was the SMGC in the ravioli? It was the combined taste of spinach, mushroom, garlic, and cheese all rolled into one as it was also the healthiest in the bunch.
"This is really good," I said as I finished my dish.
When I moved onto the barbecue chicken ravioli, I found it to be good, despite the fact that most gourmands would find it disgusting to see what was put into it. The taste of the chicken that was ground and marinated in a spicy barbecue sauce with the rest of it on top had a bit of a Texas flair as I ate it with such gusto. By the time I finished up, I moved onto the fried ravioli as they were drenched with marinara sauce. When I took a bite of one, it was mainly filled with cheese and sausage as I found it to be more appealing the moment I ate it all. I was now full as I laid back in my hospital bed after I ate what was there. Drusus never expected me to chow down on what was there in front of me as he saw me glowing with the raw power that charged me up, but it was only temporary due to what happened to me back on the Sol-3.
"I can't believe you ate the whole thing," he said as he was stunned to see me full.
"I could use some Alka-Seltzer right about now," I said as I was fully content with what I ate.
"Look at you! You know how to eat what's in front of you and not have a massive coronary or blowing up like some fat guy at a fancy restaurant."
"That is so true…"
I later noticed Reuben coming into the room as he noticed the food that was eaten earlier the moment Drusus gathered up the empty plates and went towards the sink to wash them with the dish soap he had in his satchel. When he finished washing the dishes, he grabbed some paper towels as he dried them off while setting them gently on the counter. When Reuben saw the evidence of me eating what wasn't hospital protocol, he was lenient towards me as he wasn't as strict as Kazuo, for he has gotten better at what he was doing.
"I won't get pissy at you because of the fact that the administrator of this hospital had to give away some of the food for the homeless," he said.
"It had to be the war, didn't it?" said Drusus.
"No, those people who received the hospital food ended up being evicted by Father Warren's secret police who later burned their homes for not displaying his picture in them."
"And I know who ended up taking him out," I said as I was thinking about Reiko.
"Reiko was a godsend that ended up killing Father Warren, Sam. If she hadn't shown up, many more people would've been displaced by those religious zealots dressed in prairie dresses and Amish attire."
"And everyone on this planet hated Father Warren," said Drusus. "From what I heard, the bastard was showing off one of his public executions in the colosseum in Etrogarde, only to have Reiko and her group showing up in the nick of time to foil it. I also heard that the guy tried to kill her, but her Nephilim abilities saved her at the last minute by melting the bastard's face off. He died kneeling, but the people who once cheered the public executions have praised her for putting an end to a tyrant who ousted the Castellano Family twenty years ago. It wasn't all when the people here developed a religion in her name, which is known as Reikology. Even though the new Emperor tolerates it, he never liked the regime who used religion to subjugate everyone and exempted the nobles by having them hoarding the choice morsels they had."
"Reiko be praised," I said as I smiled.
It wasn't long until I spotted Reuben examining me as he was checking my vitals as usual. Even though I had pain issues from both the overexertion of my raw power, but from the caesarian section as I was elated that I had that medicine in the intravenous drip in my arm. Still, I was full from the ravioli as I would also be going back home, but not yet. I was about to spend a night in the hospital again due to the assessment that I had, but I was also starting to feel homesick without the presence of my family back on Skald Island. It was very lonely in my hospital room as all I did was nothing but assessment and tests on the raw power that I had, but I was used to it, no matter what was put in front of me.
"Your vitals have improved, but your raw power still hasn't recovered up to full," said Reuben.
"Well, I'm the Order's resident guinea pig after all," I said.
"Don't be like that. If Dean heard you say that, he'd kick your ass in real time."
"It's the truth in a nutshell, but I'm used to it."
"Hey, if the captain noticed you talk bad about yourself, he'd burst in here and toss you out of your bed, catheter and all," said Drusus cautiously. "You may be the resident guinea pig, but that doesn't make you a pushover."
It wasn't long until I heard footsteps approaching in which I didn't want any more visitors for today. Even though I had a full belly, I wasn't about to undergo further humiliation so hastily in which I also started to feel tired after all I went through. Curling up in my blanket, I wanted to fall asleep until I heard the footsteps walking closer to yank it from my bed. I couldn't shake the visitors around my bed as it was all too much, but I tolerated it nonetheless.
"Up and at 'em, Sammy! You can't just sleep it off forever!"
I heard Dean's voice as I saw him standing at the end of my bed. Even though he was care-worn after battling the Executive Division, he also had his reasons to keep me on my toes as he wasn't having it due to my words earlier. I couldn't argue with my older brother as I was also in the doghouse for not doing more, for I also didn't have time for it as well.
"You should be with your unit on Shiganshina!" I yelled.
"Well, you shouldn't be calling yourself the Order's resident guinea pig," said Dean.
"I'm used to it, but I also don't like being trapped in hospital beds."
"Oh, you're coming with me, Sammy!"
I saw Dean attempting to take me out of my hospital bed as I noticed Reuben carefully taking the catheter out of my member. With Drusus getting out a wheelchair, he wheeled it over to the bed as I later saw Reuben remove the intravenous drip from my arm while putting a bandage on it. By the time I was put into the wheelchair, I was out of the hospital room as I was wheeled into the hallway. When we reached the elevator, we took it down to the first floor as we got out of it. When we got towards the cafeteria, we noticed several homeless people eating their fill as they had no home to go to. What I also noticed was that there were a few women in prairie dresses complaining about the hospital staff not showing the picture of Father Warren on the wall as they broke in and threatened to harm them.
"How dare you?!" cried one of the women as she pulled a knife on the hospital administrator who was eating a plate of ravioli. "How could you dishonor the memory of Father Warren and fawn over that Elven bitch who killed him?!"
"Father Warren was garbage and he got what he deserved!" yelled the administrator as she got up from her table. "With the Castellano Family back in power and the stench of a religious tyrant gone, everything is stable again. For the record, if it wasn't for Lady Reiko, there would be no end to Father Warren's tyranny. Instead of following a deranged nitwit, you should be thankful that Emperor Vittorio is helping everyone here instead of the nobles who lived off the fat while the rest of us starved in the slums!"
"You'll be sorry!" yelled another woman in a prairie dress. "There will be hell to pay for not bowing down to the memory of Father Warren! You're a woman, aren't you, Madame Administrator? All women belong in the home with their husbands and children and—"
"—That's enough!" I yelled as I slowly got up from my wheelchair. "You should be thankful that my wife freed everyone here on this planet after what your so-called 'prophet' did by starving everyone in the capital in which the chieftains who lived on its regions have gotten fed up with him and the nobles who gorged themselves on the choice morsels they hoarded. Now, if I were you, I suggest that you leave my wife out of it or else there will be further consequences, is that clear?!"
The women in prairie dresses left the hospital cafeteria as everyone around us were saved from their shrill tactics that were derived by Father Warren's teachings. I couldn't let them besmirch or sullen Reiko's honor as I was adamant into defending her actions. Even though she ended up killing Father Warren accidentally, I had no sympathy for such a man who ruled Baratheon for twenty years and starved those beneath him. In an awkward sense, those who clung to religion have always abused it to no end, but Reikology was different in which it was a sense of awakening for all Barathites who have been fed up with Father Warren's tyranny.
By the time I was wheeled outside to the food booths, I noticed several Barathites rushing towards me as they knelt in prayer in which I was known as the Holy Father in their new religion. My own entourage noticed what was going on as they never expected me to get further fan service, for it was Reiko who liberated an entire planet from the tyranny that was imposed in which it later returned the Castellano Family to power. Still, I didn't mind it as I was also grateful that the people in Baratheon are now thriving and full of life. It was best that everyone became free to make their own choices, tell their own stories, and fulfill their own destinies, for everyone was worthy of freedom in their own way.
"Looks like you got your fan service, but Reiko is the guest of the hour," said Dean.
"I know that I've been made as the Holy Father, but Reiko wouldn't approve of those who would abuse religion in her name," I said.
"Reiko's no slouch in which she often scolds anyone who falls out of line," said Drusus.
"She also told me about how one bishop tried to abuse the religion in her name. She wasn't too happy with him, but she won't tolerate those who would instill fear instead of comfort."
"She was mainly raised by Aya," said Reuben. "She protected her in which she was more of a mother to her than the one who died in childbirth."
"And I'm glad that I have her with me," I said as I smiled.
It wasn't long until we made it towards the booth where the ravioli was made as we sat down at a picnic table. Even though I had my fill of what I ate earlier, I wasn't about to have another round as I noticed Dean and the others getting their fill of ravioli that they ordered. I was eager to have a glass of water as I later noticed Cynthia coming with a plate of ravioli, which was the lobster one, for she was ready to join us just in time for lunch.
"Looks like everyone decided to beat the lunch rush," she said as she sat down at the picnic table.
"Nothing beats the ravioli rush," said Drusus as he took a bite of his food.
"How come Sam hasn't eaten yet?" Cynthia stares at me as I was drinking a glass of water.
"I had a little too much ravioli," I said.
"Just because you ate too much ravioli, doesn't mean that you can't eat any more," said Reuben cautiously. "You have that raw power that you got and you've also gave birth. You may think that we're fattening you up, but your body needs to be replenished just to keep you from falling all over the place. You're also producing milk in order to lighten the load with the feedings that Reiko often provides for."
"There's no rest for you, is there, Sammy?" said Dean as he later noticed the top part of my robe being wet. "Dude, you're leaking. You gonna be okay?"
"Damn it," I said as I was blushing with embarrassment. "It's not what you think!"
WAAAAAHHHHH!
I heard the sound of Kazuko and Giles crying as I noticed Carly and Kanna holding them in their arms. I wheeled to them as I sensed that they were hungry in which I followed them to some of the restrooms near a fountain. When I went to the family restroom, I took no chances as I had no other choice but to feed my little ones without prying eyes. What I also didn't expect was that Reiko was there as she had her reasons to help me with the feedings in which she packed a diaper bag with her, for she couldn't let me do it alone with what I had.
"We came from a room with a red rubber ball to find you," she said as she entered into the family restroom. "Our babies can sense your milk production in which I had to get to you right away."
"You made it just in time," I said as I opened up my robe and exposed my pectorals.
"We're guarding the restroom," said Carly as she was vigilant into protecting me.
"I can hold my own, fusspot." I noticed Reiko handing Kazuko over to me as I felt her latching onto me. "You can't get enough of the colostrum, can you?"
"She was born first, but at least she has the Winchester appetite," said Kanna.
"That is true," said Reiko as she unbuttoned the top part of her dress after she was handed Giles earlier. "Our babies have the same jeweled sigils that Sammy inherited complete with the Half-Elven lineage they share." She feels Giles latching onto her as he began to taste what she gave him. "You had to be hungry a lot, didn't you, my little darling?"
"At least they're fed."
"Don't forget the diaper change!" yelled Carly.
We finished up the feedings as we covered ourselves back up while burping the twins. By the time we were ready to go out of the family restroom, I noticed something encased in the wall as I sensed that something was hidden in there. With the babies gently held in Carly and Kanna's arms we saw the tiled wall glowing as I used my raw power to break it in which I saw a young Draaza girl in stasis. The girl was almost the same age as Gyatso as she was sleeping here for a while. When I opened up the stasis pod, I saw her emerge as she was clutching three dolls in her hands in which they looked like Barbie dolls, but were dressed in DC Comics attire. We never saw her before until she spotted Kanna out in the open, for she was happy to see her for some odd reason.
"Sister!" she yelled as she rushed to hug Kanna. "I thought I would never see you again!"
"Sona?" she said as she stared at the Draaza girl. "How did you get here?"
"Our ship shattered into pieces and some of our people are gone."
"I'm so sorry," said Reiko.
"She's an orphan like me and Kanna," said Carly as she rushed to comfort Sona. "Can we keep her, Mr. Sam?"
It wasn't long until Dean burst into the family restroom as he noticed the wall being broken in it. What he never expected was that Sona was there as she was a calm and gentle girl with a red comb and lavender eyes while dressed in Draaza clothing while holding her three dolls in her hands. It was a real shock that another ward in my care was with me as she was also Kanna's younger sister, for I knew of the bond between siblings very well.
"You got yourself another orphan, Sam," said Dean as he looked at the Sona. "She must've got sidetracked and ended up here on Baratheon."
"She's my sister," said Kanna. "I thought I lost her when our parents put us in stasis."
"At least we found her," I said as I saw Sona crying. "It's very painful to be alone, but at least you have a family, little one."
"Our parents are gone, aren't they?" she asked as she had tears in her eyes.
"I'm afraid so…"
It wasn't long until I found myself in a vision as I saw Azazel standing in front of me. He was ready to strike as he was pricking his fingers to cause a bloodletting just to feed the twins who were grown up as innocent six-year-olds. I was powerless to stop him until I noticed Sona all grown up to stop him in which she was armed with a sword in her hand, for she would stop at nothing to protect them.
"Get away from them, Azazel!" I heard her say as she was there to save the twins.
"Sona of the Winchester Dynasty! It's a shame that I'll have Sam's youngest twins drink from me and acquire the ways and means of serving me!" he said as he grinned.
"Kazuko and Giles are under my protection, along with Jill, Carly, and my sister, Kanna! You won't fulfill your dream by resurrecting yourself because it'll fail in the end!"
I returned to reality as I saw Sona helping the girls tend to the youngest twins. Reiko was blessed to see her with our group as she was happy to have her. Even Dean was elated that the newest ward in my family was there as she was a godsend in disguise. By the time we all left the family restroom, we saw someone who looked like Dean in the distance as he was dressed in a black jacket and grey turtleneck in which he disappeared without a trace afterwards. I never saw him before as I also found that it was Dean's past self in which he was known as the Sage of Time due to his experience of travelling in the past. Still, the new year started with a bang as I was happy that Sona was with a loving family, for she was a revelation into protecting my little ones in the future…
Reiko and the girls were at a picnic table as they were eating their ravioli while the youngest twins were in a stroller. Even Sona was happy to be with everyone as she was eating the ravioli that was in front of her. The taste of it reminded her of how her family served cans of it in desperate times as she couldn't get enough of what was there. Still, she missed her parents as she also regained a sister the moment she saw Kanna eating her own ravioli, which was the SMGC type. Even I watched from the sidelines as I was blessed that Sona was adjusting with everyone. I didn't want to bother the "girls' day out" as it was mainly a private affair until we got home. I didn't mind it as I also had to get back to my group. Walking back to the picnic table, I sipped on my water as I later noticed a plate of ravioli in front of me, for Reuben was persistent on "fattening me up" even after I ate too much food.
"You need to eat a little more, Sam," he said to me.
"I'm still full from what I ate earlier," I said.
"You can't put it off. Besides, if you don't replenish what got sapped from you, you'll end up losing your teeth and hair in the process. Now, are you willing to eat what's in front of you or will you end up going bald for not eating enough to replace what was sapped from you?"
"Okay…, you win…"
I tasted the SMGC ravioli as I couldn't get enough of it. Even though it was "rabbit food" with a parmesan cheese sauce, I loved spinach as it was also good for me the moment I ate the rest of it. Still, I didn't argue with Reuben for the rest of the day as I was with my group trying out the best that was there, for I had a good day after all…
To be continued...