Keiko's Tragic Delivery

Keiko sniffled while she gently wiped her tears away. She took a few deep breaths before looking at herself in the bathroom mirror. As she did, her eyes unconsciously fell on her swollen belly, which she soon placed a hand on.

She was currently pregnant with twins.

It was supposed to be a happy time. An exciting time. A time where she and her husband would finally welcome two innocent lives into the world. But alas, things were not quite that simple. They never were, not when it came to her family.

A few months ago, Keiko had learned some incredibly unfortunate news. Her distant ancestor, the evil shaman known only as Hao Asakura, was attempting to be reincarnated. And this time around, he had insisted on using his own lineage to rebirth him. And so, with no other body to turn to, his soul now inhabited one of the unborn infants within her womb.

Keiko knew this for her father had divined it. He had even redone the divination multiple times, just to be sure, but every time the answer was the same. Hao would soon be reborn, and it would be of the older shaman's own daughter.

Everyone in the family immediately understood the danger that Hao posed to them, and they all agreed on what must be done. It was tragic, but the babies would have to be killed as soon as they were born. Both of them. It would simply be too dangerous to let Hao live, and since the babies would be identical twins, it would be impossible to determine which one was the ancient shaman reborn. Therefore, they would both have to die, simply as a matter of precaution.

Keiko had accepted this plan herself many months back. She had grown up listening to many terrifying stories about Hao and the threat that he posed not only to shaman society but the world as a whole. She knew that she couldn't let him live. Even if it was the body of her own child. It was simply her responsibility to put a stop to him before he could cause any trouble.

But still, after months of enduring this pregnancy, her resolve had softened. It was incredibly difficult, growing two babies within her womb, all while knowing that they would never get the chance to live. That she would never get the chance to be their mother, even though that's all she really wanted.

As her due date approached, Keiko could feel regret creeping up within her. She wished that her family didn't have to go through with this. She wished that she could simply birth her children and raise them as her own. Even if one of them was Hao, maybe it wouldn't be so bad. Maybe she could raise him to be good…

Keiko soon sighed and shook her head. She knew that she was just dreaming. If it were possible to change Hao's way of life, someone would have done it ages ago. Now, he was nothing more than a demon, crawling his way back to life on earth.

Still, Keiko grieved for her other child. The one that would have to die purely because of association. It had committed no sin, and yet it would die all the same. The second it breathed life, no less.

Keiko sighed again as she looked herself over in the mirror. She made sure to rub any remaining tears from her eyes. She didn't want anyone to know that she had been crying. This was how she dealt with the pain and the guilt. By sneaking off into a private place and letting her rampaging hormones overwhelm her for a few minutes.

Once she was satisfied, Keiko exited the bathroom and returned to the office where she worked as a clerk. As she walked, she kept one hand on her back in order to support her large belly. That was another tragedy in all of this. Keiko had to endure all of the negative aspects of this pregnancy right up until she was full-term, and yet she would not be rewarded with anything at the end of it. No babies to hold. Just an empty feeling of loss.

Her coworkers smiled at her while she returned to her desk. They were naturally excited for her. Happy to see her start this new chapter of her life. Happy to see her be blessed with two beautiful children. Oh, if only they knew the truth. But they couldn't know. No one could know. Keiko simply planned to tell them that the babies had died during the birthing. Maybe then they could all share in her suffering.

As she sat down at her desk and returned to work, she was soon distracted by the movements of the babies within her. This part was always painful as well. To feel her children move. To know that they were alive and desired to live and breath outside of her womb. Honestly, Keiko wished that she could keep them in there forever. Maybe then they wouldn't have to face the inevitable threat that loomed in the outside world.

It wasn't fair, she thought. Why did this have to happen to her? Why had Hao chosen to be reborn as her child? Why did she have to be an Asakura? Why did she have to be pregnant before the next Shaman Fight?

But Keiko soon digressed. She had asked herself these questions many times, and yet she had never found the answers.

Keiko returned home to the comforting arms of her husband that night. Out of everyone in her family, she felt like Mikihisa understood her feelings the best. He respected the wishes of her family of course, but she honestly wondered if he held regrets too. She knew that he would give anything to have two happy and healthy babies born to them, but it was impossible. They had both accepted this outcome long ago, no matter how much they regretted it now.

As Keiko lay in her bed, she unconsciously rubbed her belly as she felt her babies gently kick her. She didn't intend to do this. She never wanted to grow attached, but she couldn't help it. It was just a natural reaction. She wanted to enjoy this pregnancy. She wanted to act like a mother. But it would all be pointless in the end. Still, she managed to take the solace in the fact that would always have this experience. Even if her children were to die, they were still alive within her right now, and she could provide them some tender love and attention, no matter how temporary it all was.

But those peaceful thoughts couldn't last forever. A few days later, Keiko's water broke just as she was leaving work. Her coworkers had quickly swarmed around her, trying to offer their help and encouraging her to go to the hospital. Keiko just assured them that she was fine and turned them all away. None of them knew that she wasn't planning on going to the hospital. She never had been.

Instead, Keiko took a short bus ride back to her home. There, she announced that she was in labor, and her family quickly set to work. Her parents prepared towels and blankets while Mikihisa stayed by her side, keeping her calm as the painful contractions began. She managed to change into a white robe before returning to their family room, which had been cleared away except for a small mat on the floor. Here, she lay down and tried to get comfortable beneath the blanket.

She knew that she had a long labor ahead of her, but she was thankful for it. She didn't care how painful it was. She honestly didn't want her labor to end. For as soon as it did…well, she didn't even want to think about that.

Keiko spent the evening grunting, moaning, panting, squatting, doing anything she could to endure her contractions. They naturally came in waves, assaulting her midsection, waist, and crotch all at once. She clenched her teeth, feeling the dilation start to begin. It was painful, but it felt good too. Like her body was doing exactly what it needed to do.

Mikihisa was by her side the entire time, holding her hand and making sure that she was comfortable. Her mother helped as well, dabbing her sweaty forehead with a cool cloth and giving her clear instructions.

As she took several deep breaths, Keiko glanced at her father. She wanted to ask. To beg. To plead for the first time. To tell him to reconsider. To abandon this murderous plan and let the babies live. But she didn't speak a word, for all she found in her father's eyes was resolution. A will to see this through to the end. He would not change his mind.

Somewhere in that look, Keiko found her own resolve. She frowned as she reminded herself that she had agreed to this as well. That her father didn't wish for it, but it had to be done. It was the only way to stop Hao, and now she had to see it through.

Keiko continued to endure her contractions as evening turned to night. Her mother checked her dilation and estimated that the babies would likely be born sometime in the early morning. She urged Keiko to try and get some rest, as things would only get more difficult from here. It wasn't easy, but Keiko did manage to lie down and slip into small bits of sleep in-between her contractions. It helped that she felt utterly exhausted from her labor.

As she drifted in and out of sleep, she managed to catch snippets of her family's conversation. Her mother mentioned that she felt bad for Keiko, for if she were in a hospital, she could at least be administered medicine to ease some of her pain. Keiko didn't care. The pains of her contractions hardly mattered compared to the pain of her heartbreak. She would gladly endure thousands of contractions if it meant that her children could live.

Her father was still resolute. He was somber, but strict. He insisted that the babies had to die. Hao was just too dangerous. Even if Keiko had chosen to have an abortion early on, Hao likely would have just inhabited someone else's womb. But now, this was their chance. If they killed Hao here, there wouldn't be enough time for him to attempt reincarnation again. Not if he wanted to participate in the Shaman Fight, at least.

Her parents offered Mikihisa their sympathy, as well as their thanks. Mikihisa simply accepted it, but argued that it was harder for Keiko than himself. He was absolutely right. Even when Keiko felt resolute, she still didn't feel like she was sure. She just couldn't shake her natural instincts as a mother. That this was all wrong. Terribly and horribly wrong.

Keiko awoke as a painful contraction tore through her. She didn't need to be told how close she was getting. She could already feel that the time was near. Her mother and husband continued to support her as she breathed through the pain. She could feel her dilation continuing. She was opening wider than ever before.

Kino eventually checked her progress again, and announced that Keiko had dilated the full ten centimeters. Soon, she would need to start pushing. It was at this point that Yohmei instructed everyone to step away from Keiko's side. Mikihisa tried to argue, but her father insisted that she would have to do this alone. After Hao would be born, he would only be able to guarantee the safety of one other person while he did the terrible deed, and that person had to be Keiko. Nobody was happy with this outcome, but they soon accepted it, stepping away while Keiko labored alone.

She clenched her teeth while sweat formed on her forehead. The pain had become more intense than anything before. She felt her body clench up again and again, trying to force the first of her babies out.

Around midnight, she felt the first child descend down her birth canal. With wide eyes, she knew that it was time to push. She soon sat up, casting her blankets aside as she started to bear down. She spread her legs open wide as she felt the first baby's head surface into the world.

"You're crowning," Kino muttered from off to the side. She may have been blind, but she could still sense what was going on. Even from afar, she was making sure to carefully monitor Keiko's progress. Everyone in the room simply tensed up.

Keiko gave a sharp gasp as she pushed, feeling herself stretch open as the baby's head passed through. The pain was terrible. Excruciating. But it felt good too. Like it was all natural. That this was the way that things were supposed to be. She was supposed to be here, giving her baby life. Not taking it away.

A few tears spilled down her cheeks as she continued to push. She wished that Mikihisa were by her side, holding her hand. She didn't want to do this alone, but her father had commanded it, and so she had no choice.

"Ahhh, oh!" she cried, leaning forward even more as the child continued to slide out of her. She grabbed at her blankets, twisting them violently for support. She wished that someone were in-between her legs, catching her child for her. But alas, it had to enter the world on its own.

A few minutes after midnight, Keiko could feel things reaching their end. The child was more than halfway out of her now. All it would take was one last big push to set it free. Squeezing her eyes shut, she bore down for the final time. "Rrrraaaaaahhh!"

It was done. The baby fully slid out of her, safely landing on the mat below. A few more tears spilled out of Keiko's eyes as she fell backward, letting her exhaustion take over.

However, she shot back up as soon as she heard the first cries of her child. They were tiny, innocent cries. She glanced at the foot of her bed, where the baby rested, still attached by its umbilical cord. It was small, with dark hair. He was covered in some sort of fluid from head to toe. Much like his mother, tears spilled out of his eyes.

He was perfect.

Keiko's natural instincts were telling her to reach over and scoop her child into her arms. To hold him close and quiet his cries. It was all that she wanted. To comfort him and feel his tender touch.

But she knew that she couldn't. So she just sat there, feeling stunned and conflicted, while her baby continued to wriggle around.

A second later, Yohmei sprang into action just as planned. Keiko felt her heart sink as she watched him summon numerous tiny leaf spirits and jumped into the air over her bed. "Shikigami, kill the child!" he yelled.

Keiko froze, not knowing what to do. A part of her wanted to jump in the way of her child's threat, but in the end, she just sat there, awaiting the inevitable.

However, what happened next took everyone by surprise. The baby simply opened his eyes, and whispered something in a dark and menacing tone.

So weak…

In an instant, all of the Shikigami were burned to ashes. A small Spirit of Fire manifested from the tiny body, and assaulting Yohmei with flames. Mikihisa ended up jumping to his side, trying to aid him, but he ended up getting burned too.

Keiko tried to sit up some more as she screamed. "Mikihisa!"

"Be careful, Keiko!" he warned her. "It's Hao!"

Yes, they all knew it. This child was certainly Hao reincarnated. The one that they had all been fearful of bringing into the world. The one that they had planned to dispose of. However, it seemed that Hao had no intentions of being killed tonight.

Mikihisa tried to attack the Spirit of Fire, but it disappeared. A second later, it reappeared, holding the newborn in its arms. Apparently, it had burned away his umbilical cord, and the baby was now free to move as it pleased. Before long, a dark and chilling voice rang out through everyone's minds.

Ha ha, you can't catch Spirit of Fire. It uses oxygen as its medium. It's everywhere. Of course, it was no easy feat to reincarnate with a spirit ally. After all the pains I endured acquiring Spirit of Fire, it had to be reduced to its base essence. Such a pity, ha ha ha…

Everyone gasped. Not only was the baby capable of defending itself, it seemed to be fully sentient as well.

"This voice in my mind," Keiko whispered as she clasped her hands over her mouth. "So this…is Hao Asakura, the great Onmyoji."

The Spirit of Fire soon lifted the infant into the air, as if he were some sort of holy deity. Yes, I am Hao he assured them. The baby then smirked a bit. I must thank you for the hard work on the delivery, Keiko…

Keiko glared, feeling herself growing angry. Suddenly, she understood. This was not her child. Her child would have been some harmless innocent, but Hao's reincarnation had stolen that child's life away before it even had a chance to live. This was all Hao's fault. And now, he was taunting her for being foolish enough to give him life.

"You devil!" she cursed. She wanted to say more, but her mother soon stopped her.

"Stay calm. You still have another child inside of you. You don't want to risk losing it now."

The baby in the air simply laughed. Heh heh, she's right. That's my precious other half in there. I waited so long for this body, and it's a twin. Perhaps this is one of the trials I must endure in this reincarnation. I'm certain that my other half…will one day choose the path of the king as well. But I will recover it and become whole. The world will shake before my power! But for now, take good care of him.

Keiko just blinked, feeling confused. She expected Hao to be this complete and utter monster, but in this moment, he almost sounded sincere. As if he had grown fond of his twin, even though Hao didn't belong in this body at all.

Unfortunately, there was no further time for discussion, for Hao and the Spirit of Fire soon surrounded themselves with flames and disappeared from sight. The only thing they left behind was one final haunting laugh.

The room went silent after that. Nobody knew what to say. Nobody knew what to do. The birthing and subsequent attack had felt so abrupt. Yohmei and Mikihisa slowly picked themselves up off of the ground, running their hands over their injuries. Keiko wished to inquire if they were all right, but she had other, more pressing issues.

She grabbed at her belly as she felt another strong contraction tear though her. With wide eyes, she realized that it was time for the second child to be born. The innocent life that wasn't Hao.

This time, everyone flocked to her side. Now that the danger had passed, there was no reason to stay away from her. Mikihisa held her hand, trying to comfort her as she gasped for air. Kino moved in-between her legs, checking the progress of the second delivery. Yohmei just stood off to the side, still looking stunned and trying to process what had happened.

Keiko didn't blame him. She felt stunned too. But her second child was calling for her to take action, and so she did.

Similar to the first time, she felt the baby's head surface out of her. Things were easier this time though. Her opening was already used to be stretched open thanks to Hao's delivery. Keiko still had to push, and it was still painful of course, but things seemed to move along much quicker than before. It wasn't long before the baby's head and shoulders were completely out.

"One more push, Keiko," her mother instructed her.

Keiko nodded before clenching her teeth and baring down. "Rrrrrraaaaahhh!" she gasped.

For the second time, Keiko felt her child slide out of her, but this time it was into Kino's welcoming arms. The room went silent after that, save for the soft sound of Keiko's panting. That is, until the child released its first tiny cry into the air.

Keiko sat up, trying to glance at the child in her mother's arms. He looked completely identical to the first child, small and with a dark tuft of hair. His face contorted as he continued to bawl.

"My son," Keiko breathed. "He can live." She then paused, before turning to her father. "He can live, yes?"

Yohmei just remained silent, looking both tired and ashamed. Eventually, he gave a small nod.

A few more tears slipped out of Keiko's eyes as she smiled. Wasting no time, Kino proceeded to cut the cord and wash the child in warm water before finally wrapping him in a blanket. She then brought the baby to Keiko, who gratefully accepted him into her arms.

"Oh," she whimpered, feeling the gentle touch of her baby for the first time. She smiled again, and almost laughed, as she carefully ran her fingers through his hair. She couldn't believe how happy she was. How relieved. In the end, she had gotten her wish. She actually had been gifted with a sweet, healthy child.

"We have a son," she said, beaming at her husband.

Mikihisa just smiled as he rubbed her back. She could tell that he was happy too, but she knew that his mind was elsewhere. There was no doubt that he was still thinking about the encounter with Hao, and all that that entailed.

But Keiko didn't care. She wasn't going to let such dark thoughts cloud her mind. Not when she had this tiny bundle of joy in her arms. Honestly, this was the happiest moment of her life.

The baby continued to cry, but Keiko just shushed him, pulling him close to her heart.

"Welcome to the world, my little Yoh."

I've always found this pregnancy and delivery to be very interesting. The thought of being a mother to an ancient ancestor of yours? And one who is fully sentient too? And you yourself are a first time mother trying to process all of this? It's all just so fascinating, so I wanted to try and get a glimpse into Keiko's mind here :)