Happy new year, my readers. I hope above all, that we make it through this year as well. 2020 was a bit irritating, but, we made it. That said, I also hope to continue my writing, to provide a little amusement for all those who happen upon my work.

Now lets deal with more... (sigh) politics.

Chapter 15

(Kodori)

"Getting along a little better then?" I asked Weine as she (as always) very carefully helped me wash the children.

Dinner had been a very quiet thing, with only myself, Weine, Shinkage, Hagane (not eating of course, but present), the children and Sir Skitters. I noticed a few things though. First, Shinkage was wearing one of Weine's old robes. Considering her nice dress had been cut to bits, she had to wear something. Second however, was Weine sitting across from me, and next to Shinkage. This was surprising, since she would always sit as far away as was polite.

"I still feel a little nervous..." Weine admitted, giving Kei and slow, shoulder deep, dunk in the water, "Splash splash." She giggled as Kei's two tails and little feet got water everywhere, "But, I feel like... she's more... um..."

"It's okay." I said, covering Yumi's eyes with my hand, then sprinkling water over her hair, "Almost done..." I said to her as she started to fuss a little, "So long as you are starting to feel a little more comfortable with her around. I know they are different, but they are still good people."

"Yes, that's it I think." Weine stood up, then rubbed her nose on Kei's getting a happy squeak, "She's a good person. Just different. Now what kind of towel did you want? Blue? Red?"

"Kodori?" Shinkage tapped on the door to the nursery once before entering, "You wanted to talk?" She was speaking quietly, since it was 'before bed feeding time', and they were almost all sleeping now (finally...)

"Come sit." I said motioning with a tail at Haruhime's chair, "No problems? Is your body okay?"

She sat, then nodded, "Like you, it seems I will go through a lot of clothing as I fight." She held up her arm, the one that had been 'cut', "I felt the blade, both times, but it was more of a pressure, than a pain. A fingernail instead of a fingertip, but just as harmless otherwise."

"Your body was supposed to hold Ophis's power. If it were weak, it would have failed. It if were frail, it would have exploded." I smiled, "It's good you aren't hurt, but maybe we should keep just how tough you are a secret."

"I understand. That said, I am really curious now at how tough I am. I've yet to shed a drop of blood so far, and aside from a few growing pains, like when I was working with you in the pool, I've hardly felt discomfort." She frowned.

"Your body may have certain conditions required to harm it. A magic weapon? A special spell? Significantly more force? I don't want to even suggest that you try and find out for yourself, but..." I felt Tatsuo lose interest in trying to get milk from me, so I moved him away and put him over my shoulder to rub his back, "If you want to find out for yourself, before someone finds out for you..." I trailed off.

"It might be wise. If I ever want to become a real combatant here, I will need to know my limits. That said, and having millennia of experience feeling the pains of people I lived with, I do not actually want to feel pain." Shinkage grumbled, "And I wouldn't want to ask for your help, or anyone really, on trying to hurt me on purpose."

Tatsuo burped (gurgled with purpose), and hugged my shoulder while the Shinkage and I fell silent. Then an idea occurred to me, "We also don't know if any of my medicines would work on you. Maybe we should start there. If we can find something to numb the pain of trying to see if say, a stubbed toe or paper cut would work on you... Oh, that's another thing... just a moment. Fen-chan?"

I stood and called for the Demon Fox. The hulking fox seeming to appear from my shadow, as much as from my tails. His happily smiling face followed me as I put Tatsuo into the crib with his siblings to cuddle. Without needing to be told, he walked through the bars of the crib, very carefully stepped around the children, and lay down around them. I made sure to give him a really good ear scratch for being such a good foxxo.

Shinkage watched with an amused expression, then a puzzled one when I picked her up, brought her to my chair, and sat her on my knee, "Hmm?"

"Just a moment." I held her in place, and put my ear to her back, "Still have a heartbeat." I put a finger to her throat, "Pulse too."

"I eat, and use the washroom normally as well." She said, "We did this already."

"I know. Just making sure." I turned my body a little, and tilted her head so I could look into her ear, "Okay..." Yes, her ear needed a little cleaning. I turned her to face me, touching her bottom eyelid, "Good good." Yup, tear duct works... "And..." I ran a hand through her hair, the feeling almost like Hestia's, all soft and silky, "Aha. Good." I showed her a couple strands of hair that had come off her.

"And what does this tell you?" She asked, sounding curious, "Aside from my inevitable baldness, how ever many years from now."

"Your body, however strong and tough it is, is growing. Or at least, is performing the things a normal body does." I took hold of her hand, giving her fingernails a look, "This means you have stuff like a metabolism."

"Yay?"

"Yay indeed." I got her sitting properly again, her back to me, and I got a brush, "This means my potions will at least have a chance to work at all." I carefully started to brush her hair. "Hagane, at least, the first version, had a lot of things that 'copied' life. A heart for energy, a self repair function, eyes, ears, etc etc. But it needed direct control to work."

"I had to think about it, yes. Eventually, it became natural." She tilted her head just a little, "That feels almost as good as a headpat."

I smiled, "Well, normally, it's the other way around. You do it without thinking, and can learn to change it by thinking about it. Holding your breath, or breathing slowly is an easy example." Sadly, she didn't have very long hair, and I ran out of tangles to fix very quickly. "I'll make a few things of varying strength, and we can try it later." Unable to resist, I gave her a hug, then picked her up and put her back on the floor again, "Don't even think of trying to hurt yourself, before knowing we can heal you first."

She nodded, giving me a small smile, "I am already missing Asia. Thank you."

"Oh, did you want me to make you a different dress or something? Care for armour?"

"No frills." She replied, "And simple to put on. I'd rather not get tangled up in a silly arm sleeve or something... again..."

"Very well. Lots to do tomorrow, get a good sleep."

(Hestia)

Evenings at a Donatus for Hestia usually went as such: Leave the giant meeting room, breath a sigh of relief, politely attack the buffet table, socialize.

She got to the second step, and needed to be held up by Hephaestus and Takemikazuchi as she seemed to lose the will to continue on. However, after a moment of support, she stood as tall as she could, and said, "That sucked."

"Well, I think you did really well there. How's it feel to be important?" Hephaestus asked with a laugh, "Come on, the food will make you feel better."

"I'm quite impressed by how well Kodori guessed all those questions." Astraea said as they got closer to the long buffet table.

The room itself was more like a ball room or theatre, with a second floor balcony. They had, as usual, waited until everyone had left the grand meeting room, just to sit down a little longer, and avoid some of the rush for the food. Above them, on the second floor, they could see Dain Cecht and a few of his overly shiny groupies, as well as Freya and a few others who had asked certain questions.

"It wasn't really guesswork." Hestia sighed, picking up a little plate and walking along the table, "Remember when Dain Cecht asked that one question?"

"Of course." Takemikazuchi said, "Hm, they've added rice pudding this time. Shame I can't bring some home..."

"I read that word for word. His name really was in that reply." Hestia grumbled, "Just ask her to make some instead."

"Hey guys!" Loki, exceptionally cheerful, and Demeter, mildly vacant looking (but still smiling a sunflower kind of smile) approached them from one of the many round tables, looking like they were coming for seconds at the buffet, "Lookin' a little tired there."

Surprising everyone, Hestia didn't instantly get into a spat with Loki. Instead she said, "I don't know how you do this, Loki."

"Eh, I usually just watch. I like watching." Loki grinned.

"Thanks for the support though." Hestia admitted, just too tired to try confront Loki, "I just hope I don't get any more stupid questions."

"Speaking of, those were really nasty replies. I mean, I know she's a tough cookie, but them's fightin' words." Loki laughed, "Did you see the look on Freya's face? Went almost as red as your hair." She gave Hephaestus a little nudge in the ribs.

"I just hope the fighting stops." Demeter said, "Hmm, the cook is different this time..." She was eyeing a slice of fancy looking bread critically, "And they didn't mill the flour properly." She still put butter on it though.

"I believe the reason Kodori-san was so bold with her replies, is to find out who our enemies are." Takemikazuchi said quietly.

Plates filled, they returned to Loki's table, "How many did you spot?" Astraea asked, her plate filled with the more healthy things at the table, instead of the sweet or salty stuff that Hestia favoured.

"Huh? You were counting?" Hestia asked.

"Yes. Your child was quite serious when she said 'the right shield'. Or in this case, the right eyes. My task was to watch for reactions to her replies. And, to return to your question Astraea-san, far too many." He shook his head, though, it might have been at the rice pudding and not the upcoming adversity, "Jealousy, I think, is the key cause for it though. Not just because they support Freya."

"Well of course!" Loki laughed, "Come on, think about it, you even said it yourself."

Hestia looked a bit clueless, while Astraea, Hephaestus and Takemikazuchi nodded, "No fair." She pouted.

"You are a small alliance, with two really strong children." Demeter said, putting her slice of bread down with a sad little sigh.

"If I hadn't been watching, and listening to what I was told about it all," Hephaestus started, taking a sip of juice, "I'd say impossibly strong. But not everyone knows how, or why, so they assume you're getting around the rules somehow."

"Stupid Hermes." Hestia grumbled, "Though... even though he did all that, I'm at least a little thankful it helped them get so strong."

"Hey now, it wasn't just that. Most children would break if you put them through the same things. You really lucked out." Loki gave Hestia a poke, of course 'missing' her shoulder and making Hestia's divine assets wobble a little. "Hey..." She poked her again.

This time Hestia grr'ed at Loki, "She also came up with a way to keep me from losing balance when hopeless lechers like you try and get too grabby."

"Are you callin' me... huh?" Loki, expecting a dig at her nearly flat chest used her reflexive reply, then stopped, "Wow."

"Don't worry tiny." Hephaestus gave Hestia a pat on the back, "We're here to help. Just keep your head up."

Astraea, who had been trusted with the leather folder and all its contents, gave it a pat and said, "And with the support of the children under our care, we will make it through."

"Thanks guys." Hestia sighed, "Yes, even you Loki."

"Aww shucks." Loki laughed, "Gonna make me blush."

(Dungeon, late evening, floor eighteen.)

"Well, that was a little more exciting than I wanted... ow ow ow!" Maki sucked in air as Lilly tied a bandage over Maki's upper arm.

"Lilly said to keep still." Lilly admonished, "The bandage is medicated to stop the bleeding. But it will sting if you poke it!"

"We seem to have bad luck with flying swords." Asuka said, carefully applying a potion pill to Kaede's long rabbit ear, "Now hold still..."

"I'm sorry, Kaede-chan. Because of my inattention..." Momiji looked a little grief stricken at her friend's injury, "But I do believe we are at our limit, for how useful we can be."

"Yeah, it was a bit of bad luck." Aisha nodded, her nice form fitting leather armour scratched in a few places, mildly scorched in others, showed that even she didn't get out of the last encounter for the day unharmed.

"With the recent troubles, we should have expected a hive of them. Especially near a pantry." Bell said, "But, we actually found a pantry! I didn't know there was one there."

"Might be new." Welf shrugged, "Delly? You still alive over there?"

"nope... sleeping now." Delly mumbled, "look like metal, cut like metal, but not conductive like metal..."

"We didn't know that either." Ouka said.

"At least you'll know for next time." Chigusa nodded, "There there..." She put a blanket over Delly.

"Rookie mistake though, using all your magic for a gamble." Aisha said, "Though, you're right, if it had worked, we wouldn't have had to fight at all."

They nodded, except Delly, who was now snoring.

The encounter that caused them to call it for the night went a little like this... In an effort to do something useful, you know, as they were supposed to under the rules of the 'mandatory dungeon quest' they were on, they were trying to update not just their own maps, but those they'd gotten from the guild, for the nineteenth and twentieth floors. It was already a twisting labyrinth or roots and rock, with a wide diversity of monsters. Mostly insects, like flying swords and tunnelling beetles, but also giant boars and bugbears.

They were doing well, taking each encounter slowly, letting their rookies try and bring down solo monsters the others had singled out for them. Basically like putting a fish into a barrel. However, down one tunnel that was not on their own map, but on the guild one, they caught the scent of a pantry. An odd place in the dungeon, these were basically places where monsters who had lived long enough to get hungry, and didn't just eat other monsters (or adventurers) for food. Usually, they had a pillar of stone, from floor to ceiling, that had a strange sap-like liquid running down it. Other places had vines that dripped sap, or grew small fruits. The guild ALWAYS advised caution when approaching a pantry, since it could have any number of monsters in it.

Well, since the dungeon had gone haywire, this part of the floor hadn't been cleared in quite some time. That meant that not only did the monsters live long enough to get hungry, they lived long enough to breed. While weaker with every generation, it still meant more monsters in a small area.

The encounter started with Delly saying, "Oh, we just burn their wings off, right? Lemme just..." It had been a rookie mistake to use up all her power trying to burn the pile of rock the flying swords had made for a next. BUT, it had grounded an awful lot of them. Not a total loss, it had still made Delly mostly useless as a spell caster for the fight.

It had also been only one of several nests. Thankfully, there were only sword bugs in that pantry. With the use of Bell's firebolt, Maki's spell sword, and the careful work of the forward fighters, they'd cleared the room. However, there were more than a few injuries, mostly small cuts, bite marks etc, and the party had to work a little harder to protect the rookies as they kept their backs to a wall and stayed out of the way.

Kaede's poor ear wasn't the act of a flying sword, but of the first nest exploding outward as Delly's lightning bolt cooked everything inside. Thankfully, with a little care, it wouldn't leave a notch in her ear. Maki's wound HAD been from flying sword however, but it was actually from after the cleanup, on the way back.

"All agreed then?" Bell asked after everyone had made sure they were patched up.

"Yes. I think we should send them back up." Mikoto nodded, "Worry not, you've all done very well."

"We even did some gathering." Haruhime smiled, "The guild will pay well for the plants and crystals."

"And that is before the magic stone." Lilly smiled, "Lilly wonders if we wait, or send them back now?"

Maki looked at the other rookies, then the veterans, and said, "Not going to insist we stay the night?"

"Heh." Aisha smiled, "Well, I'm not captain. I would insist if I were though."

"It would be better to wait until morning." Bell said, looking at the Delly shaped wrinkle in the blanket next to Chigusa, "It will make the trip back that much safer."

"Bell-san is kind." Momiji bowed slightly, "How are we getting back up?"

"That will be a surprise. Think they're ready?" Welf asked, "I mean..."

"Miss Kodori said it would be okay." Bell smiled, "We'll keep watch in the usual shifts. Miss Lilly? Miss Chigusa? Could you put what we're sending up together before you turn in?"

The two supporters nodded, "Um, not to sound ungrateful." Kaede started, "I mean, this has been a heck of a fun day, but..."

"Oh, we have more work to do, You four can divide what the guild pays you up evenly among yourselves." Aisha grinned, "It's small change compared to what we should be bringing back with us when we come back."

"Really?" Kaede blinked in surprise, "I um... wow."

Considering they were both only average level one adventurers, just the magic stone alone would amount to more than they had made in the short time they'd been in the city. But the gathering quests too?

"Ko-san told us to encourage you to work with us, provided you did well." Haruhime said, "And we think you did well."

The veterans all nodded with her. "We thank you for your generosity, none the less." Momiji said formally, "We will be sure to visit and thank Kodori-sama for her thoughtfulness."

"Actually, we were supposed to tell you to visit anyhow. Probably has more work for you to do." Welf grinned, "And maybe get measurements so she can make you better stuff to wear."

"Bell?" Maki woke up suddenly, and found herself looking into the eyes of a very puffy looking rabbit, with a unicorn horn on its head about as long as her hand. It looked like it was just sniffing at her, but the 'intrusion' of someone into her sleeping space shocked her into nearly full alertness and she was already reaching for her sword.

"Ah..." Bell's voice said from someplace behind her, "Sorry, she's just curious." There was a pause, "Mr. Lido, I thought you told them not to play tricks on the new members."

Sitting up slowly, eyes still firmly on the bunny, but hand now away from her sword, Maki kept listening, "Eh heh, well, you know how it is." The voice was cheerful, but strange, with odd hitches at the end of each word.

"EEK!" Momiji yelped in surprise. Maki turned and spotted a truly massive hellhound, bigger than even Shinkage, standing next to where Momiji and Kaede were sleeping. The mini-miko and the bunny were now tangled up in blankets and sleeping rolls, as they both panicked and tried to get ready.

"See? This is why." Bell sighed, looking at the big doggo, who looked back with what could only be called 'indifference'.

Maki looked back at the big needle rabbit, and attempted to give it a pat on the head. The reply was very similar to Chime's 'friendly headbutt/face rub', "The Xenos." Maki mumbled, "Kodori told me about you guys. Didn't expect to wake up with one looking at me though."

Aisha chuckled, "Well, I give you full marks for not panicking. Not sure how to judge this one though." Aisha looked down at Delly, who had wrapped her arms around a small Hard Armoured. "Come on you, wake up." She gave Delly's rear a nudge with her boot, "Lido, looking good."

"Big Aisha!" Lido replied, "Good to see you are still alive."

It took a little while to calm down and untangle the newcomers to the 'ones in the know' about the Xenos. But after they'd gotten their breathing back under control, and were told a little about the situation, they were oddly fine with the idea that 'monsters' weren't always the 'enemy'.

Delly, after finally opening her eyes and seeing she was holding a monster as a pillow, simply said, "Thank you." And gave it's armadillo head a pat, getting her hand into a spot just under the armored ridge over its head and scratching, "Oh, no problem."

Everyone else however looked at her in amazement, except Maki, who laughed, "You can speak to him?" Lido asked.

Maki seemed to clue in that there were other shapes in their little encampment, then turned to look at Lido, "Hmm? Yeah, it's... ohhhhh you're Lido!" Again, more looks of shock, "What? I spent time in Kodori's head, and she told me ALL the stories."

"Two out of four. I'm a little disappointed." Lido sighed, "But yeah! We're your escort back up. Oh, suppose I should introduce myself formally?"

"Manners are important." Mikoto nodded, giving the big hellhound a Karate Chop of Justice, but then a pat on the neck.

"Well, I'm Lido. Sort of the leader of the 'Xenos'." He stuck out his hand in a Thumb's up, "Hope we get along."

Still a little nervous, though petting the big needle rabbit to calm her down, Kaede and Momiji introduced themselves as well. "This... Why haven't we heard of this before?" Kaede asked.

"Cause it's a secret, duh." Welf laughed, "We were really surprised too, but we gotta ask that you guys keep it quiet too."

"Yes. We know it's a little sudden, but, we're still trying to take things slowly. There are other adventurers who know, but the people still won't accept them." Bell said, "With the recent troubles, we may have lost ground with the people too..."

"Bah! Don't lose hope Bell!" Lido laughed, "With you on our side, the dream will happen one day!"

"We should everything packed away." Aisha said, "You guys can get familiar on the way back up." Already the Amazon was helping Lilly, Chigusa and Haruhime pack things into the massive bag of hers.

"Lilly thinks you should go too. The longer you are out here, the more chance someone will spot you." Lilly separated a couple of smaller leather bags from her pack, "Use this to carry your own sleeping supplies up, and here are the loot items and crystals."

Even Lido helped them pack up, his big clawed hands quite dexterous for someone so odd looking. The rookies were getting quite the impression that he, and the other three monsters, they were 'different' but just as much 'people' as they were. After packing up, each group waved to each other, and they went their different ways. Well, almost.

"Your son is doing well, up above." Chigusa said to the big hellhound. The reply was a sad little 'grumph' noise, and a careful lick on her cheek, "I'll keep checking in on him." Followed by a modest little ear scratch, "Take care of yourself too."

This time the reply was a very distinct up and down nod of its head, before the hellhound turned and joined the others.

(Kodori)

"Bleeeeb?"

"Blup."

"Buuuubububub?"

"Blup!"

I was watching Chie and Jiru have a conversation. With the help of Weine and Shinkage, we were getting the 'solid' part of the children's breakfast done, when Chie had noticed Jiru. The best patch of moss was in his spot near the dinner table, (since he was family, and thus deserved a place near us as we ate), and made a noise at him. This devolved into a back and forth sparring match of silly noises that all started with the letter B.

Chie however ended the conversation with "Burp!" and I had to quickly clean her mouth before a bit of rejected breakfast got all over Jiru.

"Jiru is also the most popular patch of moss it seems." Shinkage said, before turning to Yuki and asking seriously, "Are you sure you're done?"

Yuki replied by flailing a hand at the spoon Shinkage was holding and making a grumpy face. Yumi, in the seat next to her, made grabby hands at the spoon.

"Very well." Shinkage redirected said spoon to Yumi.

"What are you doing today, Kodori?" Weine asked, dabbing Kei's mouth with a cloth, "But you should eat your vegetables..." She pouted at them.

"Well, today I have to visit the artisan's quarter, the farms, Ganesha's home, and the Hephaestus Workshops. Oh, and the Hostess of Fertility. However, I can't really take the children out this time, since it will be very noisy in some places."

"Hrm, then how will we protect them? I am confident in my ability to handle ruffians like the ones from yesterday, however..." Shinkage looked to Yuki, who was now making the grabby hands at the spoon, since her twin was getting food now instead of her, "Hm, sibling rivalry? I am very familiar with this."

"Fen-chan," The giant foxxo appeared from my tails, silly smile and flailing tail at the ready, "Will be here as well. But, I'll also be taking the children with me, so to speak. Ganesha will have some guards here as well."

"Ah, misdirection." Shinkage nodded.

"Weine? Did you want to come with me? See some more of the city?"

"But, what about feeding time? No one should skip a meal! Especially little children." Weine asked with the same kitten ferocity as Asia.

This of course meant I just had to give her a headpat, "The trip to the artisan quarter will be first, and then you can come home with Maki, Delly and our two new friends from Soma Familia." I'd gotten the call just as I was starting to settle in for the night, and they would be coming up through our warehouse in the artisan quarter.

"Oh! That's okay then." Weine smiled, "I'll go get ready!"

Shinkage and I watched her vanish out of the kitchen, "Seems you already have someone to remind you about meal time and sleeping, here in this world."

"She's kind of like... everyone's daughter, here in this house. Think you'll be okay?" I asked, eyeing the mostly empty cup of vegetable mush, "Hm..."

"We will keep our home safe." She said, "Though, don't be too long, if they try and turn the water off again, I'm too short to turn it back on myself."

"Noted."

(Hestia)

"You know... These beds aren't as comfortable as they used to be." Hestia said as she looked up at the ceiling of the nice room she was in.

During a Donatis, at least, the ones that lasted more than a single day, the Gods were housed in nice accommodations one floor below the meeting hall. Even the Gods who lived in the tower were housed here, mostly to make sure no one was late in returning to the grand meeting hall. For most, it was just a small comfortable room with a single extra fluffy bed. There was a single wardrobe to hang clothes, but otherwise there was nothing else. For those of 'less status' or, who wanted to have a little 'chat' with another God after hours, there were double rooms as well. But all those rooms had was an extra bed.

Astraea, Hestia's roommate for the night, laughed quietly, "That's because your bed at home is much nicer. It speaks well of your Familia."

"I still want to roll over though." Hestia continued on as if she hadn't heard Astraea.

"And miss breakfast?" Astraea, who was much more of a morning person than Hestia, was already dressed, "And let your Familia's hard work go to waste by not showing up at the meeting and supporting them from here?"

"Blurg... fine..."

The atmosphere in the meeting hall was less... excited. That was normal. Most Gods wanted to go back to doing what ever it was they enjoyed doing. Others weren't morning people, and were being forced to mingle with people who were. And others still were just grumpy things hadn't gone their way.

The ones who still wanted to be here were usually the poorer Familia. The food was (usually) top class, the beds were super comfortable, and they got to basically take a small vacation from being a low ranked Familia. The rest of the ones who were still looking forward to the big meeting were either waiting for the Nicknaming, or in a rare case for a Donatis, wondering just how this odd spat between a top class Familia and a nearly minuscule one was going to turn out. Usually, it never got as far as this. The larger Familia would usually win by making the smaller submit in some way, or even drive them from the city.

But no, not this time. This time, it was an alliance of three Familia, who totalled just shy of a dozen members, against the Top Familia in Orario. And it was clear that 'submit' simply wasn't going to happen.

So most of the excited Gods were really just here to see exactly how this carriage would crash, and hope they didn't get hit by any of the debris.

"I think we're all here, Lord Ouranos." Royman said, looking like he was one of the 'morning people'. That, or he had just gotten a small gift of tea from Eina, courtesy of the Best Patch of Moss (inc).

Ouranos, looking at the room through his magic screen, nodded, "Very well. I believe today, we will start with the Nicknaming. While we still have business to conduct, I would like to lift everyone's spirits just a little, before we start to lose focus."

Ouranos hadn't kept his place as the 'Ruler' of Orario just because he could sit in a chair for a thousand years and keep the dungeon calm. No, he knew how to read a room. And, since he didn't have a gift of tea from the Best Patch of Moss (inc), he had to settle for a little 'carrot' before the 'stick' that the rest of the meeting would likely be.

(The rookie team)

The four rookies were led to a secluded edge of the eighteenth floor. It was one of the few places where the trees cast shadows over the outer wall of the floor, giving it a faint air of secrecy. This of course was by design, since it was one of the hidden entrances to Knossos, the 'man made dungeon'. Just knowing it was there wasn't enough though. One needed a key.

"Ooooo-KAY!" Lido exclaimed excitedly, going through a couple of the pouches on his belt. Even though he was a nearly two metre tall lizard man, he was dressed like a real adventurer. "Gotta ask you ladies, can you see in the dark? The first bit of the tunnels here have no lights."

Maki raised a hand, while the other three shook their heads. "Don't worry, I got it covered." Maki added as Lido took out small torch from a belt loop, "See?" She held up a hand, and a small purple flame 'foof'ed into existence.

"Ohh, neat." Lido said, "You adventurers, full of surprises!" He took out a small stone pyramid from a pouch and held it towards the wall.

With a mirage-like shimmer, a neatly carved tunnel opened up in front of them. As soon as it had, the big hellhound started nudging the rookies towards the yawning portal, while the mini-armoured and needle rabbit rolled/hopped ahead of them. Taking the hint, they quickly made their way inside, with Lido in the rear, the light of the eighteenth floor vanishing as he entered.

"Wow... Kodori's memory of this place does not match the real thing." Delly said quietly, "Maki? A little brighter? Please?"

"Sure." Maki's foxfire got brighter, the colour starting to become more red than blue, "Best I can do, but.. um... Can you hold this? Lower your head for a second."

Maki turned to Lido, who lowered his horned head, "Sure. Careful though, I keep those sharp."

Maki nodded, and floated the foxfire over to one of his horns. With a weird kind of magnetic wobble, it 'stuck' there, floating a little over his horn, and keeping the 'light' as high as possible. "There. Just don't get too far from us, or it will go out."

"Huh, kind of itches." One of Lido's eyes looked up at the red/purple flame, "So, I was told to give you guys a bit of a tour. But also not to take too long. So!" He took the middle spot in the group, with the two smaller monsters in front and the hellhound behind, "Little Bell wanted me to start with a bit of a... um... 'Truth'. Yeah, that's what we'll call it." He pointed upwards, "We are monsters, but, we are also pretty smart. We don't just attack things because it's what mother wants us to do."

"The dungeon?" Kaede asked.

"Yeah, Mother." Lido nodded, "So, if you see a monster, don't worry about it, and just fight it like normal." He shook his head, "Little Bell had his doubts about this, after he first met Little Weine, then the rest of us."

"He didn't want to become a murderer..." Maki nodded, "Big sister told us about that. But also about..."

"The black Minotaur." Delly shivered.

"Yeah..." Lido sighed, "What's the saying? The other side of the coin?" The four rookies nodded, "Well, there are a few of us who don't have the same dream. I mean, people up there are like that too, right?"

"If there are two people, they are a couple, if there are three, one will try and sell something to the others, or kill one for what the other has." Kaede shook her head.

"Well, we aren't that bad." Lido said, "But there are a couple who don't care for seeing the world above. He's one of them. Has a grudge to settle with Little Bell." He shrugged, "That said, the dungeon hates us 'xenos' as much as you adventurers, so you'll know if you spot one of us. Besides! Most of you stamp around and make so much noise, we can hide before you see us anyhow." He laughed, the sound echoing off the tunnel walls. "Oh, almost to the first room. It's all uphill from here!"

(Kodori)

My preparations for the day were a little more complicated than yesterday. First, I had to help Shinkage and Fen-chan get the living room set up for the children to play. I didn't plan on being gone longer than a couple hours, long enough to pick up the Rookie Team, and return, then go about the rest of my errands.

Then, I had to created seven foxes, and make them look like my children. It was still something I wasn't very good at, but, they just had to be 'solid' enough to fool casual inspection. They would 'sleep' inside the mobile crib for the most part. It was my hope that it would keep anyone who wanted to target them focused on me, and not the Manor.

From there, it was just getting into my nice Fenrir coat, and making sure Weine had put on her tiara properly.

Weine and I made our way to the artisan quarter, the mobile crib's wheels squeaking slightly, the city around us awake and alive around us. About half way there, the dragon girl's excitement finally got to me, and I struck up a conversation.

"Excited to see your friends?" I asked Weine as she walked with that energetic step of someone with boundless energy, "It will be a surprise for whoever is escorting them."

"Very much so." Weine said with a rapid 'nodnod' of her head, "We talk often with the Occulus, but seeing them is so much better! I can get hugs!"

"Aww, we don't give you enough?" I teased.

She turned to face me, face serious (as serious as a teenage girl's face could get at least) "Hugs are serious business!" She pouted at me, "With everyone in the dungeon, and Lady Hestia, Lady Astraea and Lord Takemikazuchi away, there aren't as many people to hug."

"I had no idea." I said, just as serious, starting to walk again, but this time having some of my tails try and visit her, "When I return for the day, I will try and do something about that."

"Yay!" Cheerfulness returned, she picked out a pair of my tails and got close enough to me to wrap them around her shoulder and hip, "I really missed your tails, you have so many now!"

"They are very useful, but always need brushing." I hmm'ed, feeling that distinct feeling of 'eyes' on my back. "They missed you too. Everyone really..." I sighed, feeling that my day was about to get (more) complicated.

We were now at the edge of the warehouse area near the 'artisan' district. The district itself was a mostly open area, with small and medium sized, single floor buildings. For the most part, they were pretty low quality structures, but, when you worked with things like fire or dangerous chemicals, you occasionally had to rebuild. The simple and cheap design was made for pure functionality, and to fall apart easily so your neighbour wouldn't ALSO suddenly have a fire on their hands when you inevitably screwed something up. There were also other things here as well, that no one wanted anywhere near the general population. Like a tannery. That kind of workshop was usually near the far wall of the district, because the term 'smell that can peel paint' was a near literal thing. Around it, and built much tougher, and mostly out of things like stone, and not wood, were the warehouses. Not to be confused with the warehouse area near the Soma Familia, which catered to merchants and farmers for the most part, these were for material storage. Wood, stone, metals.

"Isn't it this way?" Weine asked as I took a deliberate wrong turn, that led us a little deeper into the warehouse area than we needed to go.

"Yes." I said, "But this way is a little darker, with fewer places to run and hide." I explained with my very best Akeno smile, "Because some bad people are trying to follow us," I raised my voice a little, "Aren't they?"

I turned around, and looked up at a rooftop. With that same Akeno smile, I met eyes with someone who was aiming a bow at my back. With a mild hardening of my expression, I turned my gaze from 'mildly amused' to 'bloodthirsty' for just an instant.

The man lost his nerve, and the grip on the arrow. With a muttered curse, he hastily took knocked another arrow. In the mean time, I turned fully, the tails hugging Weine tugging her behind me, while I swept a hand out to deflect the arrow into the stone of the street. The power and speed of the bow and the chip of stone it took out of the cobblestone put this one into the level two area of strength.

Playing up the 'taking the children out' part of my diversion, one of my illusions squeaked unhappily, like it didn't want to be woken up from its nap. "Ara? You are interrupting nap time." I said, "I hope you and your friends have a good reason for this." More people popped up from behind chimneys, over the crests of the rooftops, from behind buildings at ground level, and at either end of the street.

Nearly two dozen in all, with no identifying Familia insignia, with a mix of swords, bows and wands, it reminded me of that time Apollo Familia forced Bell and I to fight in a war game.

"You really shouldn't be bothering me." I said with a sad face, "Or my children. They need their sleep you see, and a fight would wake them up. I would be very... disappointed if I had to get them back to sleep again."

"Kodori..." Weine whispered from behind me, "There's more over here too... I don't wanna fight..."

One of the men laughed, encouraging the others chuckle along with him. "Don't worry." I said cheerfully, "You can just stay there. I will keep everyone safe." I looked at the leader, or at least, the one brave enough to laugh first, "This is however my last warning. Please go away. We have such a busy day ahead of us."

NOTES!

And so the knives start to come out, and the riff raff tread on the lawn. I hope everyone is following along okay, and that I'm not getting too dry with all the politics.

Of course, this is why I set up the next chapter to be much more exciting. :)

Five days, etc etc.

Daeore on Ko-fi, if you want to toss a coin to your writer.

Daeore on Inkitt, if you want to read my book 'Were Too?'