All Hail, The 9th Prince (Blue Exorcist)

Hatching Plans

        I watch in fascination as the baby fire dragons play. I haven't been able to visit the fire types for three human weeks because apparently dragon moms go in 'over protective' mode for while even after their eggs have hatched. Apparently she almost bit the head off a new worker -I think of all Gehenna heard Bear's 'scolding' (it was more like screaming his head off) at both the new worker and the one that assigned the worker to the mom in the first place. That was the first time I saw Bear mad -furious, really- and I pray for the poor fool who angers him next.

I also don't think the full grown male dragons in the dens across has ever been so quiet, so docile, and for so long during those weeks. Someone had to actually block the mom's sight and scent of the two, or else she would never calm down.

Anyways, the mom and babies' isolation time has finished for a few days, so today I'm finally able to see the new dragons. And they're so cool! There's two boys, one has bright yellow scales with purple markings on his forehead and back, and the other with the same shade of yellow but the markings are grey. The girl is an exact copy of her mom; brown shiny scales but no markings. They're all about the same size right now -aside from the boy with grey markings, he's definitely the smallest- but Bear says that they and especially the girl will hit a big growth spout in the next couple demon months. (That's two years, human time.) Currently, the mom has just come back from hunting, with a dead thing in her great jaws. She drops it on the ground by her kids, who immediately swarm it. The entrance to her den is swiftly closed again.

"Why don't you guys just them the food?" I ask Bear, who is watching beside me.

He seems a bit insulted by my question. "My Prince, why would we do that?"

I shrug. "I dunno. it's just that in Assiah we have zoos and the zoo provides food for the..." I frown my brows. 'What's the word for animals again? Je -no, that's not right...Gah! I can't remember!' I wish Yenzo was here with me. Or someone else that spoke Japanese.

"If we always provide their food for them, then the hatchlings would never learn to hunt and the older ones' instincts would dull. If that happens then they are of no use and would be better off extinct," Bear says firmly. "Rest assured, we have all the mabics properly trained to come right back after hunting."

"Oh." I watch as the smallest one is knocked out of the way by the girl, who is attacking the dead thing's stomach. The other boy isn't making it easier for the first, either. The mom is a few feet away, laying down and seemingly to relax, but I swear she gives me a stink-eye when we lock gazes.

"If I may ask, which mabic are you thinking of choosing? The female or the male with purple markings?"

"I don't know," I admit.

Father still hasn't given his official permission yet, seeing as I haven't done my side of the deal, but I'm getting really close! Father says that I should be ready for my final test (for my flames) in three days, which he warns that will be on a live subject. I don't know who, since it obviously can't be him, and I'm extremely nervous about it. So far I've subjected my flames to food, although I've gotten to the point where I can close my eyes and/or multitask without burning it. Eight times out of ten, anyways.

I've also been making good progress with my fighting. This past human month Father has doubled my physical training, especially every eighth day. Which is usually the day Father has more time on his hands. However, I've already tried to spar with one of the castle's guards and failed twice...The first time I accidentally used my flames...Father wasn't happy about that...

In any case, Bear has been just as eager about me getting my own dragon as me, although sometimes he seems more pleased with himself than excited. He's already expressed how "honoured" he would be if I "allow" him to instruct me on how to properly care for one, and how he'd be "so happy" to "be of more service" and train my dragon for me. That if I accept, my dragon will be "the mightiest of them all."