His heart beat quickly in excitement, and he almost jumped up. He whipped his head to the door and ran outside. He immediately went looking for his girlfriend.
He did not forget about his promise that they’d be together when his sister hatched!
He saw Athie first. The little boy was reading a scroll about human history or something in one of the armchairs. "Where’s your aunt?"
"Garden," he said with that flat expression on his face. Finn didn’t even take another second before he disappeared and went to the gardens. He saw Syl holding a basket, carefully trimming a few leaves from several plants they had there.
"SYL!" he yelled, running to her. Without a word, he kneeled down and lifted her up, carrying her on his shoulder. She gasped, dropping her basket, though she managed to cast a spell so it landed gracefully to the ground.
"Finn? What is going on?" she asked, a little befuddled as she was carried to the house. Athie, even if his face didn’t show it, got curious too, so he ended up following the couple.
"It’s hatching!" was all Finn could say.
After carefully putting her down when they reached his room, he immediately sat down in front of the perfectly spherical egg, which was now about as large as two basketballs combined. It was glowing, much more than before, and magic surrounded it.
Finn couldn’t see it clearly, but he could feel something brewing around him. The two mages could see the whirlwind of essence— a lot of which was taken from the cores around—enveloping the egg, absorbed by it.
Syl’s eyebrows rose in understanding, sitting next to Finn. He smiled and held her hand, intertwining their hands together. "It really is hatching, right?" he asked, just to be sure.
Syl nodded, resting her head on his shoulder, and they waited patiently together.
Every day, she checked on the egg and had witnessed its growth. She was also there when it was found. She was almost as invested into this as Finn was.
Athie was there too, sitting next to his aunt. Whenever she checked on the egg, Athie was usually there too, and he was quite curious about what would come out.
It took about half an hour of glowing and absorption before the first crack appeared. It began at the very top of the egg, slowly expanding, crawling to different sides, until parts of the shell—which looked like thin gems when detached—slowly gave way.
Their eyes widened a bit when they saw pink...luminescent pink hair, and then a cute human face. Very adorable.
More and more of the shell fell, and Finn seemed to realize something. He turned his head to Athie, who was watching closely with a curious look on his face!
"!!!!"
He immediately covered the boy’s eyes and carried him to the door. "That is not for your eyes!"
Syl laughed and pushed him out, too. "Ask Ranran to make toddler girl’s clothing."
"Ah, yes, of course," Finn said, leaving the girls behind. He knew Syl would handle it well.
It didn’t take long for Ranran to arrive, and she entered the room too, while the boys were outside, waiting.
Finn said something like "Was this how dads feel like while waiting outside the operating room when their wives give birth..." though no one really understood his reference.
To be honest, Finn wouldn’t be surprised if a bird or a snake or even a gecko came out. It was his sister, regardless of form, so he was prepared for the oddest of situations.
Was it weird that he was shocked that she came out human , instead? It was then that Finn realized he was more open-minded than he thought!
"How curious..." a small, though flat, voice sounded next to him.
Finn gave the boy a look and realized he was staring at the door. His expression was stoic, but his pupils were dilated and curious. Finn thought for a while before sighing.
He kneeled down and patted the boy’s head. "Are you going to befriend my sister?" he said. "You better be nice to her."
On the other side of the door, the two females walked closer to the cracking egg, which by now was two-thirds down.
Although the shell was mostly open, they were still waiting for the blinding glow to end before making a move, just in case.
It was really a human toddler, about three or four years old in appearance. She was a very adorable girl with short pink hair, soft skin, and chubby cheeks that people would want to bite.
The essence soon calmed, and Ranran stepped forward to take the baby, while Syl couldn’t help but poke her cheeks.
The baby girl opened her eyes, revealing lovely pink eyes as well. And Syl realized that they...exuded intelligence.
Their eyes met.
"Seel pwetty..." the baby said. Syl’s eyebrows rose, surprised that she knew her name, before chuckling lightly.
"The baby is prettier," she said, gently patting her head. So soft.
Finn and Athie were allowed in a couple of minutes later. Athie followed him and, somehow, Pang was there too.
By this time, cushions were already set up, courtesy of Ranran, and Syl was sitting leisurely on one, with the new toddler sitting comfortably in her arms, her little arms wrapped around the elf’s neck.
The sight alone made Finn’s heart warm. However, when the baby turned her head, the first person she saw was Athie.
She pointed at him with those chonky fingers. "...Handsum."
"..."
Finn’s eyes twitched, looking at the ceiling as if he could get the answer there.
Help! My baby sister is a beauty lover!
He shook his head and walked over, sitting across from them. He slowly raised his arm and gently touched the kid’s head. It was so...small. It really fired up the protectiveness in people.
"So you are my sister, huh?"
"Hmn," unexpectedly, the toddler nodded . "Bwothew looks awight.
"Mow handsum than dad," she stated, as if very sure of her judgment.
Her words, however, just rang in his ears.
"..."
Wait, what ?