Kinu gently led her mother into the room and sat her down on the couch. Surrounding Kiyoko were all of her eldest children, Kinu, Aya, Tatsumi, and Asagiri.
"Mom," Kinu breathed, "Mom, we need to have a talk."
Kiyoko, while annoyed at being away from her duties, was piqued. "Yes, Kinu. What is this about?"
Kinu paused as she worked up the courage, "Mom, this is an intervention. You have a problem. Your addiction is consuming your life."
Aya, Tatsumi, and Asagiri nodded in assent.
"My, wha?" Kiyoko flustered out, clearly off balance, "Trying spice once centuries ago, and having the occasional sake is not an addiction. I made sure that my vices, such as they were, never harmed my pregnancies."
Asagiri sheepishly grimaced, "See mom, that's just the point. You're addicted to pregnancies and having children."
Kiyoko, now bristling, "And what is wrong with wanting a large family?"
Aya laughed, "A large family, perhaps not. But an army? A Legion? A Horde?"
Tatsumi elbowed Aya, "Aya" before he himself sighed. "Uncouth as my elder sister may be, she is right. The sheer volume of new brothers and sisters is becoming concerning. I know you have been raising us the best you can and that Father and Keros make sure we a cared for, but I don't think that was a permission to reproduce continuously."
Asagiri started to tear up, "Mom, we just want to let you know that we're here for you. If there's something going on, we're here to help."
Kiyoko thoroughly annoyed slowly got up to leave, "I don't know what has gotten into you, but this is ridiculous."
Kinu stared directly into her mother, "Mom, since my last birthday, I had to welcome fifty new siblings. Will I have to welcome fifty more by the time of my next birthday?"
Kiyoko waddled out, "I can stop anytime I want to."
Kinu, Tatsumi, and Asagiri sighed.
Aya quipped, "Well, at least there's always birthday cake."
"Mom," Kinu breathed, "Mom, we need to have a talk."
Kiyoko, while annoyed at being away from her duties, was piqued. "Yes, Kinu. What is this about?"
Kinu paused as she worked up the courage, "Mom, this is an intervention. You have a problem. Your addiction is consuming your life."
Aya, Tatsumi, and Asagiri nodded in assent.
"My, wha?" Kiyoko flustered out, clearly off balance, "Trying spice once centuries ago, and having the occasional sake is not an addiction. I made sure that my vices, such as they were, never harmed my pregnancies."
Asagiri sheepishly grimaced, "See mom, that's just the point. You're addicted to pregnancies and having children."
Kiyoko, now bristling, "And what is wrong with wanting a large family?"
Aya laughed, "A large family, perhaps not. But an army? A Legion? A Horde?"
Tatsumi elbowed Aya, "Aya" before he himself sighed. "Uncouth as my elder sister may be, she is right. The sheer volume of new brothers and sisters is becoming concerning. I know you have been raising us the best you can and that Father and Keros make sure we a cared for, but I don't think that was a permission to reproduce continuously."
Asagiri started to tear up, "Mom, we just want to let you know that we're here for you. If there's something going on, we're here to help."
Kiyoko thoroughly annoyed slowly got up to leave, "I don't know what has gotten into you, but this is ridiculous."
Kinu stared directly into her mother, "Mom, since my last birthday, I had to welcome fifty new siblings. Will I have to welcome fifty more by the time of my next birthday?"
Kiyoko waddled out, "I can stop anytime I want to."
Kinu, Tatsumi, and Asagiri sighed.
Aya quipped, "Well, at least there's always birthday cake."
