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420 – Out with the Baby Girl – I

  A lovely spring day.

  John walked along the Tokyo streets while pushing Aurora in a stroller.

  It was surprisingly peaceful. Since it was early in the morning, there weren't many people around.

  John appreciated that, since it gave him time to think and reflect while spending time with his baby daughter.

  Although the world online seemed a bit hectic, in reality, it was perfectly peaceful. Especially compared to the chaotic Three Realms.

  John smiled at that thought and looked at Aurora.

  Sensing her father gaze at her, Aurora looked up and babbled. "Baba!"

  John chuckled and poked her nose. "That's right. It's your papa."

  Aurora giggled and stared with innocent wide eyes.

  John couldn't help but smile back.

  Although Meggie looked like Yue and John, she definitely took more after Yue than John.

  At least in terms of appearance. In terms of personality, John was fairly sure his second youngest daughter had unfortunately taken after him, considering her gamer habits and general otaku vibes...

  But in any case, Aurora was different from her big sister. Unlike Meggie, Aurora liked like a proper mix of Yue and John's features. And that had become even more apparent as Aurora began to grow up.

  John shook his head slightly, still in disbelief that Aurora and this life was real.

  A cute baby girl with blonde hair just like John. But her eyes were the same beautiful jade green hue as Yue's. Then there were her facial features. Although still pudgy since she was a baby, Aurora definitely had Yue's delicate nose and lips. But her cheeks and ears were like John's, slightly sharp and strong.

  It was still strange for John to think that this cute little baby girl was actually his and Yue's.

  Not to say his other daughters weren't important or lesser.

  Alphy, Betty, and Meggie were all very near and dear to his heart. But they had also been 'grown up' from the start, born essentially as toddlers or older in physical and mental age.

  Not Aurora.

  John's youngest daughter was born from flesh and blood, the result of lovemaking and a dance as old as time.

  Although Aurora was still a bit odd... definitely a bit too perceptive and keenly aware to just be an ordinary baby girl. Anyway, although odd, she was still definitely a baby.

  And that was a novel experience for John. In his long, long eternal life, he'd never raised a child from birth. A proper child, at least. He'd raised children... after all, Xuan and Wu were his adopted daughters as well. But a baby, his baby... it was still sinking in, despite months already passing.

  "Baba!"

  John blinked and realized that he had stopped walking after Aurora called out to him. He chuckled and said, "Sorry, Rory." He smiled and started walking again.

  Aurora giggled and started babbling, almost like she was trying to have a conversation with her father.

  John just smiled and nodded, occasionally reaching down to pat his daughter's head. Whenever he did, Aurora giggled and leaned into his hand.

  It was nice.

  Small and touching warm moments like this with his family were what made all the chaos from crossing over to Earth worth it. And though there was Project MirAIs and all the mayhem that came with running Myth Inc., John wouldn't change what happened for the world.

  A warm spring breeze blew past. Aurora shivered.

  Seeing that, John frowned and unbuttoned his dress shirt, draping it around Aurora like a bnket. "Here, Rory."

  Aurora smiled and snuggled against the dress shirt.

  John smiled at that. Babies really were the sweetest thing in the world. He had always enjoyed spending time with his daughters, but there was something special about being there for Aurora. For this precious little life.

  "Baba!" Aurora pointed in the distance.

  John hummed and followed where his baby daughter was pointing. "What do you see, Rory?"

  There didn't seem to be anything out of the ordinary at first.

  But as John kept staring, he saw a strange sight.

  There was an old man standing in front of a building, thoughtfully stroking his long white beard.

  "...Father-in-w?" John subconsciously spoke when he saw the old man.

  The old man wasn't wearing any fancy flowing robes that would make him stand out. In fact, he was fairly sharp, wearing a clean tailored suit and scks. But that was exactly why he stuck out considering he had a long flowing white beard just like someone out of an ancient Chinese drama.

  John blinked. Then he blinked more when he saw that the shop the old man was standing in front of was the CapsuMon Center.

  Aurora looked up and tilted her head. "Baba?"

  John chuckled. "Looks like we found your grandpa today, Rory."

  "Gapa?"

  John smiled and walked over, pushing Aurora in her stroller. As he did, he waved and said, "Long time no see, Father-in-w."

  "Hm?" The old man, Yudi, looked over. When he saw Aurora, his cold and stern expression dissolved into a sappy smile. "Well if it isn't this one's Son-in-w and granddaughter." He smiled and knelt down to wave at Aurora. "Hello, little one."

  John stopped beside Yudi and said, "Have you been well? Yue's been a bit worried about you since you haven't been visiting."

  Yudi gently reached out to Aurora, letting her grab and examine his fingers. As he did that, Yudi said, "This one- Ahem. 'I' have been fine." He looked up at John and said, "Your homend is quite the entertaining realm, Son-in-w. There was an... adjustment period, but I've found a great many friends and followers here, hohoho."

  John hummed and gave Yudi a once over again before saying, "I can see that."

  Although Yudi's attire was mostly formal, what with his suit and all, there were a few spots of color. He was wearing a Project MirAIs themed watch, a CapsuMon pendant with the familiar red and white capsule, and some other tiny bits of otaku gear.

  "I guess you don't need any money from us then?"

  Yudi chuckled. "I receive more than enough red envelopes from my followers when I py the Jade Emperor on the global web." He paused. "Though I have yet to meet the immortal that spun such an eborate web... I would be curious to speak with such a grandmaster of mental manipution and emotional turmoil."

  "...Good luck with that."

  "Hm?"

  "Nothing." John chuckled and looked down at Aurora.

  Aurora was having fun now pying with Yudi's beard, watching with wide-eyed fascination at the flowing white hair.

  John thought it was cute.

  Yudi seemed to think so as well, since the esteemed Jade Emperor simply knelt there and let Aurora do it.

  John smiled, enjoying the mundane scene for a bit. But then he said, "So what brought you here, Father-in-w?" He looked at the CapsuMon shop and said, "I know you're fond of creatures, but I think this is a bit childish for you, isn't it?"

  Yudi paused and then nodded. "Ah, yes." He gently pulled Aurora's fingers away from his beard and stood up. "I had yet to give my older granddaughter a proper gift for entering her new academy, so I had come to choose one for her. I remembered her discussing about this 'CapsuMon' the st time we met, so I sought it out to purchase her gifts."

  "...You're really spoiling Meggie, huh?"

  Yudi stroked his beard and ughed. "Well, this one has not been the best grandfather, so this one is doing his best now."

  John shook his head. But as he did, he couldn't help but smile.

  For the cold, ruthless, and almost manic Jade Emperor to turn into this doting grandfather...

  Earth truly was amazing. John couldn't help but think that every day. Though, he still wished at times that he had managed to get back to 'his' Earth instead of this one... but then he wouldn't be able to use his powers like this, so it was fine.

  A soft rumble echoed. Aurora flinched and then started tearing up, holding her belly. "Baba..."

  John blinked and then patted Aurora's head. "Sorry, Rory. You must be hungry now. Here you go." He picked up Aurora and pulled out a bottle from his side bag that Yue had prepared st night. Holding it up for Aurora, he fed her while looking at Yudi.

  Yudi smiled, his eyes softening as he looked at John.

  "What is it, Father-in-w?"

  Yudi sighed. "Nothing. Just... I suppose my daughter had the right of it. You truly were good to her. And for her."

  John let out a sheepish smile. "Well. In the long run. I think you were probably right on the money when I first met Yue..."

  Yudi chuckled.

  John smiled.

  "In any case." Yudi grabbed the stroller. "Come spend some time with this one. As you said, it's been a while. And this one would like to spend time with his youngest granddaughter as well."

  "Of course, Father-in-w." John smiled and walked after Yudi as the old man walked into the CapsuMon center.

  Yudi smiled back. "Now, would you kindly tell this one what his oldest granddaughter enjoys?"

  "Well, Meggie HAS been getting into opening CapsuMon cards..."

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