Queen Haruhi was sitting on her golden throne in the middle of her Glamorous Halls, surrounded by her royal household. To her right and left, two of her noble gryphon guardians were lying.

Tapping her golden sun scepter against the armrest of her throne, the Goddess of the Sun had a thoughtful expression on her face. All of her servants knew that their queen was brooding over something, but they did not dare to address her directly.

Behind her, a handsome godling with white wings, a white toga and a golden helmet was standing. "Mother, what ails you?" he finally asked.

"Isn't it obvious, Ucuri?" Haruhi sighed. "That mortal roaming our hallowed halls, of course! I know she is Ami's younger self... but that makes it even worse! Meddling with time is a bothersome affair, that's why I chained Setsuna to the Boat of Time!"

"Please, explain... why don't you just order her to send young AMi back into the past?" Ucuri asked.

"Because they don't really have violated one of the book's laws, dear son," she sighed. "And even though I am the queen... I still have to follow the book as well." She furrowed her brow. "If only I knew what they are up to..."

"Mother, leave it to me!" the young godling proclaimed. "I shall make sure their tongues are loosened in my presence..."

Haruhi sighed again. "Dear Ucuri, please forgive me to say this, but you aren't really the right one for this task."

Ucuri blinked in confusion. He couldn't understand why his mother wouldn't allow him to take care of things. After all, he was certain that EVERYONE would tell him what he needed to know, as soon as he'd show his brilliant appearance in front of them. Even back at the academy, every student always made way when he approaches... although he didn't know that this was just because nobody wanted to get close to the arrogant demigod...

Still, what would you expect from a young boy who grew up without a father... and a mother like Haruhi? Unlike the other godlings, Ucuri wasn't born in the 'traditional' sense... Haruhi never was pregnant with him, she just used her godly powers to create him out of herself.

Finally, a smirk appeared on her face. "I know someone who seems innocent enough that they wouldn't expect her to be a spy of mine... MIKURU!"

Almost at once, a slender shape came flying into the room, with wildly fluttering wings. It was another gryphon, but smaller than the two that were lying next to the throne. This one was a female, with red feathers on her avian front half and golden fur on her feline back half.

"Y-you called for me, my queen?" the little gryphon squeaked as she landed and bowed her head in front of Haruhi.

"Mikuru-chan, I have a little job for you," Haruhi smirked. "You heard that a teenage version of Ami is visiting our citadel, right? She's a visitor from the past, and I want her to feel welcome, so I hereby appoint you to be her personal guardian and servant... if she needs anything, bring it to her. I want to assure her only the most pleasant memories of this place. Do you understand?"

"Of... of course, my queen!" Mikuru quickly said. "Her wish will be my command... when do I start?"

"Right now," Haruhi said. "Make sure that she stays in the most luxurious bed chamber of Alveran... except for my own, of course!"

"As you command, my queen!" Mikuru bowed her head again and turned around to leave.

"One more thing, Mikuru-chan..." Haruhi smirked. "I expect a full report on how she is doing twice a day, understood?"

"Yes, my queen!" the female gryphon nodded and flew out of the room.

Haruhi leaned back in her throne, satisfied with herself. "Now Mikuru will tell us everything she is doing... and, naive as she is, she won't even know that she is working as my little spy." She giggled.

One of the two gryphons looked at his queen with a deep frown. "Haruhi... do you always have to use poor Asahina-san for your schemes?" he grumbled.

"Be quiet, Kyon!" Haruhi commanded. "Or I will have to punish you! And why do you keep on calling her 'Asahina-san'? Here at Alveran, family names mean nothing... besides, you're even a higher rank among the gryphon squad than she is. Just call her 'soldier' or 'Private Mikuru', got it?"

The male gryphon laid his head on the floor and covered his ears with a groan. "Haruhi is in one of her moods again, Itsuki..."

The other gryphon, who had a perpetual smile on his face, replied: "Just bear with it, Kyon! You don't want to anger the goddess of the sun, do you?"

"That's right, Kyon!" Haruhi smirked. "You better do what I say... and now, Kyon... massage my shoulders!"

"But..." Kyon protested.

"THAT'S AN ORDER!" she shouted.

Kyon sighed. "Yes, Haruhi..."

"Yes, WHAT?"

The male gryphon groaned. "Yes... my queen!"


Ami bit into one a muffin when she and Nandus came back out of Makoto's Arboretum. "She's still the best cook I know," she mumbled.

Nandus grinned. "Well, Kasumi-sama is getting pretty close... you have to try her cinnamon rolls some time."

"Sounds good," Ami smiled. "But now..." She yawned. "I'm getting pretty tired... can we postpone the rest of the tour to tomorrow? I'm getting pretty tired..."

Nandus smacked his forehead in embarrassment. "I'm such an idiot... I should have remembered that mortals have to sleep."

Ami stared. "Does that mean that nowadays... I never sleep?"

Nandus grinned. "Well, my mother still likes to take a nice nap every now and then, but she, as well as the other goddesses, actually don't have to sleep. Same goes for me and the other godlings too, of course... we don't get tired, you know?"

"I... don't know if I could get used to that," Ami muttered.

"Trust me, you will... in time. But now, where shall I quarter you...?"

Suddenly, a small blur of fur and feathers came fluttering down the corridor and landed on their floating platform. "Um... are you the mortal, past self of Ami, Goddess of Wisdom and Magic?"

"Um... yeah, I guess I am," Ami nodded.

The gryphon lowered her head. "My lady, I am at your service! My name is Mikuru, and Queen Haruhi has assigned me to be your personal servant during your stay at Alveran."

"S-servant? No, that won't be necessary..." Ami protested.

"Please, my lady, I insist!" Mikuru pleaded.

"You better accept, Ami," Nandus said. "If you send Mikuru back, Haruhi will probably punish her for not carrying out her task. Still, I'm curious... it's not like Haruhi to treat any mortal like a guest... even someone who will become a goddess in the future."

Ami sighed. "Well, if you say so... okay, Mikuru, I accept."

"I am glad," the female gryphon smiled. "Now, what can I do for you?"

"Well... after today's tour, I've become pretty tired, so could you arrange some place where I could stay for the night?"

"Of course, my lady!" Mikuru nodded. "If you come this way, the most comfortable and luxurious beds are in Minako's Tent of Love..."

"Please, just call me Ami..." She then turned to Nandus. "Minako's Tent of Love? Sounds like the name of a cheap brothel to me..."

Nandus laughed. "Well, that's what my mother said as well the first time she heard that name. And, to be honest, that's what it looks like at times. Aunt Minako always makes sure that the souls in her paradise will feel the greatest pleasures the afterlife can offer... needless to say that, she being the Goddess of Love, this includes..."

"Lots of sex?" Ami assumed. "You want me... to sleep in a tent... where countless souls have had... sex?"

"Please don't get the wrong picture of Aunt Minako," Nandus said. "While she certainly enjoys the pleasurable aspects of her job, she also is a very romantic goddess, and not everything that happens in her tent involves carnal lust. Sometimes, if a couple of beloved ones has died, she not only rejuvenates their souls, but she also makes sure that they will never be separated from each other. Her huge tent has several openings that lead to the most romantic places you can imagine... and sometimes, the couples just sit there, and look at each other with dreamy smiles on their faces... and sometimes, they head over into Kasumi-sama's paradise, where they can enjoy the happy life of a family... well, afterlife..."

"Aren't the souls just floating lights?" Ami wondered.

"Not in every paradise," Nandus explained. "In Kasumi's and Minako's domains, they pretty much look like young versions of their mortal selves, while in Michiru's domain, they took on an aquatic appearance. And in Lilith's paradise, where the hunt never ends, they mostly become predatory animals."

"I think I've heard enough for today..." Ami mumbled sleepily. "Can I trust Minako that she won't put me into a bed that has shortly before been used for sexual activities?"

"I will tell Minako-sama of your special request," Mikuru said. "If you would come this way..."