The Hatchening
It happened at exactly 3:47 a.m.
The estate slept peacefully. Crickets chirped. A cool breeze drifted through silk-curtained halls.
And then:
CRACK.
RUMBLE.
FWOOOOOSH.
From the nursery came a pillar of smoke, a flare of red light, and the unmistakable sound of something hissing not out of fear, but enthusiasm.
The egg had hatched.
Meet: Kaboom
Out of the shattered crimson shell waddled a creature about the size of a fat kitten—sleek, red-scaled, with tiny wings, stubby horns, and fire leaking from its nostrils like a toddler with spicy allergies.
It blinked.
It saw Yong-Su.
And it imprinted instantly.
"Kaboom?" Yong-Su whispered hopefully.
The creature sneezed—and the cradle caught fire.
"YESSSS," he whispered louder.
Tao-Tao Reacts Appropriately
Tao-Tao, perched dutifully on the window sill, witnessed this unholy birthing ritual and immediately fell backward off the ledge with a honk so shrill it cracked a nearby teacup.
Later, he would deny fainting.
Witnesses say otherwise.
Fen Wakes Up to Hell
Fen, who had finally managed two consecutive hours of sleep, jolted awake to the scent of smoke and the sound of gleeful baby laughter mixed with wymling cackling.
She burst into the nursery to find:
The cradle on fire
The wymling dancing in the embers
The Young Master trying to fit goggles on it
Tao-Tao hiding under the laundry basket
A new wall scorched black
A banner Yong-Su made that read: "WELCOME KABOOM"
She didn't scream.
She just walked out, grabbed a shovel, and began digging behind the storage shed.
Yong-Su's Parental Goals: Achieved
For most toddlers, a new pet meant cuddles.
For Yong-Su, it meant:
Training
Harnesses
Heat-resistant armor plating
Possibly strapping mini-cannons to its sides
He immediately sketched up:
Project Blaze Saddle Mk I™
Flameproof leather (pending)
Stabilization belt (old curtain ropes)
Fire extinguisher talisman (maybe...?)
Meanwhile, Kaboom ran around gleefully setting grass on fire. It tried to bite Tao-Tao once. The goose retaliated by pecking it square on the snout.
A mutual understanding was formed: No biting, no honking near flames.
Emergency Family Meeting
Mother:
"He has a dragon."
Father:
"A tiny dragon."
Mother:
"It burned the prayer mat."
Father:
"Maybe it cleanses it spiritually?"
Mother:
"It tried to eat the ancestor tablet."
Father:"…okay yes, maybe we panic a little."
Fen's Bunker Project: Phase One
Behind the estate, Fen's hands worked furiously.
She had dug a shallow pit, reinforced it with fireproof bricks stolen from the kitchen, and labeled it:
"FEN'S FIREPROOF RETREAT. ENTRY DENIED TO FLAMING ENTITIES."
She placed offerings at the edge:
One pastry
One rolled-up resignation scroll
One tiny statue of Tao-Tao for luck
Nighttime Notes – Baby Genius Log
Kaboom: Highly flammable. Requires obedience training. Possibly food-motivated.
Tao-Tao: Still loyal. Currently wary.
Goose-fire coordination: potential if trauma therapy succeeds
Diaper fireproofing: urgent priority
Fen: digging something. Investigate later.
Next phase: Wymling-mounted flare deployment.
That night, Yong-Su lay curled beside a snoring, smoke-belching dragon baby, smiling like a boy who just got his first tank for his birthday.
He whispered:
"Soon… I'll set the skies on fire."
Kaboom burped.
The rug caught fire again.
Tao-Tao honked in the distance.