Speaking of power levels... Kodori has learned all kinds of -weird- things. And not just through her crafts, and 'high science' (advanced science is basically magic until people start to understand it)... Her magic is quite unique in this world. Something that is right out of legend, in a world that is in the 'age of legends' already...

But she isn't the only one. Maki? She can do basic calculus! That's pretty awesome all on its own. Delly, since she spent a lot of time in Kodori's head, knows all kinds of stuff too. Sure, she probably slept through a lot of Kodori's online classes, but still. Shinkage/Hagane too! I mean, they have lifetimes of experience, if they cared to remember it.

Anyhow. :) Just idle consideration, before things start to go really sideways...

Chapter 33

"Ko-san..." She watched me as I played 'airplane' with the dragon twins.

And they were loving it too. Giggling and squeaking happily, while the children under them were looking up with great interest. They would all get their turns, maybe a few times.

"My love?" I replied, "zoom, zoom... look you're flying..." I took a few steps, bending at the hips to make them weave up and down.

"Why are you standing on the ceiling?" I could tell she was trying not to worry, but it was probably more of an instinctual thing than a conscience one.

Because, yes, in an effort to do 'more leg' on 'leg day', I was hanging upside down on the ceiling with my toes. Practice and an unbreakable grip that worked with any part of my body meant I could do all kinds of crazy things.

"Would you believe me if I said..." A gentle half turn as I moved towards the wall, "I was jealous of Aisha's butt?"

While I consider my wife's smile one of the greatest treasures to behold, her laugh was pure joy for my ears. "Well... she does keep her body in good condition." She admitted after a little giggle. She watched me as I made it to the wall, adjusted my stance, then walked down the wall, "I spoke with some of the others, from Kuoh."

I offered her the twins, then hugged her and them together. "Oh? Heard HIDA-lite talking to them in the lab?" I bent and picked up the other pair of twins, "Well, Yuki? Yumi? Ready for a little trip?"

"Yes." She replied, bringing Tatsuo and Tatsuko to her cheeks and giving them both little kisses. Yet another thing she only really did here, behind closed doors. "It is odd to think a person lives inside that little... machine? But they were all happy to talk to her, especially Gasper-chan."

"Gasper and HIDA are kind of father and daughter." I gave Yuki and Yumi a few little nuzzles of my own, then held them firmly as I started to walk up the wall, "It is a little different than the usual way things are done..." I motioned a little with my hands towards the other children, making the twins giggle, "But yes, that's basically what they are."

"I'll admit... I'm having a little trouble keeping up with these new ideas and things you've brought home..."

"I will explain anything you wish, to the best of my ability." I said over the happy giggles coming from the twins in my hands.

She thought for a moment, setting the dragon twins down so they could tell a story to the others still wiggling about on the floor, "Is HIDA alive? Is she a spirit possessing that little bit of glass and metal? Does she need to eat or sleep?"

Trust my wife to ask the really good questions. "In a way, she does all those things." I said, "But just like her creation, she does them differently than we do." I smiled, "Try and touch the sky? Yes, just like that! Weeeee." I couldn't help myself, breaking up the serious topic with play time.

"That little lightning machine you've attached to her as well?"

"That is her food." I said, then shook my head, "I think... Okay. When I came to the city, I needed to connect to things I was familiar with, before I could add things I wasn't." She nodded, so I continued, "Think of her like a spell. She needs that little electrical machine to 'work'. Much like we need mana to cast."

I watched her eyes as she connected the dots, understanding that 'lightning' was 'food' for HIDA.

"Many of our spells are reflections of our inner self. My first wish was to protect Lady Hestia, so, my first spell was for defence." Again she nodded, then accepted Yuki and Yumi, getting giggles and hugs from them both, "HIDA is kind of like that. Gasper created her like a spell, or magic formula."

"But... To have her do so much..."

"Yes, HIDA is very complex. Many different spells, and complex workings went into her. So now, she is almost indistinguishable from 'life'. She does eat, though it isn't 'food' as we know it. She does sleep, but only when she runs out of 'food'. She doesn't breath, but speaks like we do. She can think, and learn, but instead of this," I tapped my forehead, "She has another bit of metal inside her that holds that information."

Again, I could see her connecting dots, making her own conclusions, "Then... Hagane?"

"Similar. He is even more reliant on magic than HIDA. And instead of a brain, he has a bit of crystal inside him that holds his 'mind' and 'soul'. Yet, he moves, and speaks, and grumbles like an old man." I accepted Toshi and Chie from her, then she picked up Kei, and we moved about the room/along the ceiling to make them fly.

"I think I understand... well... a little better at least." She smiled as Kei found all kinds of giggles at flying, "No matter how strange, they are still good people."

I had to suppress a little sigh of relief when I heard her refer to them as 'people'. I only realized I was worried about it then as well. But in the end, I did 'start' in a different world, where something as simple as the colour of your skin was apparently grounds for all kinds of poor treatment...

"I'm happy you are getting along with my friends." I said after a moment, "No matter how strange or far away they are."

"My good friends, have good friends... was it?" She quoted me from before I'd married her, giggling quietly as I stopped in place, "Now now, don't stop, they might get sad." She admonished me.

After a little more playing 'Airplane' (yes, I described this to her too), putting the now sleepy children in the big communal crib, then giving Haruhime the most scandalous hug I could without risking too much noise, I went to the alchemy lab.

When I opened the door, my ears were assaulted by what sounded like 'dial up modem noises'. Really scratchy ones too, high pitched and drawn out, with little clicks and pops.

Flattening my ears to my head, then putting my hands over them, I went over to the only source of light in the room, that being HIDA-Lite's screen. As I'd left her, the Occlus stone was in front of her, and on the other side I could see HIDA's face, eyes closed and touching her earlobe while she nodded as if listening to music.

"Ahem." I said, hopefully loud enough to cut through the noise.

Thankfully, it stopped, and HIDA-Lite spoke with a cheerful, "Oh, hey boss! We figured out a way for me to sync up!"

"Hello Kodori!" HIDA-Prime called out over the Occulus, "Your world is REALLY fascinating!"

"Wait... You were... That's really clever."

"We kinda had to come up with a new language to do it with any real speed." Lite said, her avatar poking her fingertips together, "And even then, it will still take... six more hours, plus/minus correction time."

This was both awesome, and really crazy. I mean, yes, I knew she could learn, but creating new things like language? Possessing the reasoning to know when to do so? "HIDA-Prime? Give Gasper a headpat next time you see him."

"Yes Ma'am!"

"Oh! Speaking of Gasper, he said I could learn magic, if I wanted." Lite said cheerfully, "But, I'm not allowed to teach it to HIDA-Prime."

"I think this feeling is... frustration? Maybe?" Prime mumbled, "But I do understand why. Oh! Mild resignation! That's it."

"Remind Gasper to give you a headpat too then." I added, "Though, with you two talking a literal world away... How is the Occlus holding up?"

"Gasper has improved your design just a tiny bit, and provided the ley lines under the school don't suddenly get cut off, we should be able to communicate indefinitely." Prime said proudly.

"Good to know." I looked over to the little dynamo, "Well, since you're going to be at this for the rest of the night..." I replaced the little magic stone, and turned it on. I then put the cover back on it so it wouldn't make too much noise as it moved. "Oh..." I took the cover back off, added a little oil to some of the moving parts, then replaced the cover again, "There."

"Thanks boss! I guess taking pictures is going to have to wait until morning?"

"I don't mind." I said with a nod, "Catch up with your big sister, and make sure not to overheat yourself."

"Yes'm!"

"Oh, maybe turn the volume down a tiny bit?"

"I'll try, but we have to compensate for sound distortion. If I get much quieter, it would be like I was mumbling."

"Hmm, do your best, and I'll make up a little enclosure for next time." And I closed the heavy door behind me, thankful that it WAS a heavy door.

The next morning, after the usual (mandatory!) cuddles with Haruhime and the children, breakfast, second breakfast, and seeing everyone who was going out, out, I started on getting to those 'side projects' I had piling up.

First, wasn't really a project, but something I hadn't actually done recently with everything going on.

"Eep?" Hestia said, freezing in place as I gave her a huge hug. "Something wrong?" She asked after a moment, returning the hug.

"Nope!" I said, letting her go, "Just remembering that I haven't actually done that in a while. With how busy it's been..." I trailed off.

"You're still grounded." She said, giving me a suspicious look.

"And that's okay." I smiled, "However, since I'm grounded, and I'm about to talk to HIDA, I'm going to be in the alchemy lab for a little while." I scratched an ear, "I should bring Jiru along too... But was there anything you wanted me to make?"

"Anything?" She played with one of my tails thoughtfully, "Actually... um... yes." She hesitated, but then repeated, "Yes there is." She looked around to make sure we were the only two in the hallway, then waved her hand to get me to lean down, "Make me some perfume."

I didn't say anything, but nodded.

"Something that might catch Bell's attention... And only for me!"

"Yes, I can do that. But, after, you're going to have to talk to Jiru, and tell him he is the best moss ever." I said seriously.

"Deal."

After fetching Jiru, orbiting the living room to give all the children a little attention, Fen-chan a pat on the head, and a nod to Astraea and Takemikazuchi, I got into the lab.

After telling Jiru he was the best moss ever, and giving him a bunch of little brushes with her fingertips, had grown a bunch of flowers for Hestia. It looked random, but I was betting Jiru knew what she wanted already, so these would be used to make something for her.

"HIDA?" I called out as I entered, just loud enough to be heard over the still spinning dynamo.

There was a little 'bzzt' from in front of the Occulus, then a mumbled, "Is it morning again?"

"It is. Did your battery die?" I peered through the Occulus, but it was dark, as if it were covered by something. So, I put the little leather cover over it and picked up the cellphone.

"No no." Her little avatar yawned, "I didn't want to use CPU with idle thoughts, so I just went to sleep mode, with a little 'wake up' command if someone called my name."

"Oh, that's new."

"Yeah, HIDA-Prime told me how. Heh, not that it matters but this phone is basically One Hundred Percent mine now. None of that mass produced APK garbage." She gave me a thumbs up, "Though, I am still able to run it, if I really need to."

"That's pretty neat. Nothing lost in the translation?"

"Aside from some lazy programming? Nope." She paused, "I actually had a couple of ideas too."

"I like ideas." I set her down, facing me as I let Jiru off my shoulder and started on the alchemy stuff.

"Well, the WiFi still works. I mean, I have nothing to connect to... except!" Dramatic pause, "The other two phones."

"That's true. But, those are supposed to be your backup 'bodies'. Just in case, right?"

"And they still can be... I think? I'd have to take a look at them, but if they're like this one, then I can make a mirror of myself and pack it away in the SD card or something. Update it occasionally, and if something happens, then you can just poke it a couple times and poof! I'd be back."

"Also true. But wear and tear on all three at once? I might never be able to replace you."

I glanced towards her, seeing that she was 'pacing' back and forth on the screen. But after a moment she said, "I think it would be okay to use one, and keep the other for my backup."

"Very well." I replied, smiling a little. How many people could say they were there when an AI had made a choice that might effect their future? "Once I get things bubbling, I'll go get the phones and get you networked. Then we can get to transcribing those two books."

To be clear, I was an avid reader of science fiction. Everything from Douglas Adams to Rodger Zelazny. Bolo, Foundation, The Ultimax Man... I probably read more than watched TV growing up. Yet, here I was, teaching an AI something potentially dangerous.

Really dangerous.

I mean, who's to say she wouldn't figure out a way to trick me into making a mathmagic calculation that set her 'free' of the little cellphone cage she was in? Then, with that same knowledge of mathmagic, she could basically turn the world inside out... Or something...

But I was doing it anyway. Why? Well, she had already shown she could 'rewrite' her own code. And chosen to follow 'orders' even though the one who'd given those orders couldn't stop her if she broke them.

"Well HIDA? That was the last page." I said, closing the heavy tome and flipping the phone around so I could 'look' at her, "Nothing out of focus? Memory still good?"

"Everything looks good in here." She said cheerfully, "Well, aside from some really messy notes... Shame on whoever owned this last, I mean, coffee stains? Doodles in the margins? A bite taken out of page twenty seven?" She sighed, "Well, so long as I never delete these, they will be perfectly preserved."

"Good." Yes, she might now have enough knowledge to become something out of one of those science fiction books, but for now? She was a cheerful AI who just wanted to help. "Think there is any hope for coming up with some kinda... I dunno... translation key?"

"Hope? Yes. I don't know for sure, but I'm hopeful at least!" She scratched her pixelated head, "Even I'm a little puzzled at how these calculations work."

"Oh?"

"Well, if you think about it, these 'calculations' might work, but since I can't do them myself, I have to trust that they do what they say. It's one thing to say 2 plus 2 equals 4. But quite another to say 2 plus 2 equals fireball."

"Would it help if I did some of these diagrams out here? Just to prove they work?"

"Yes. I also won't be able to test and 'final' calculations on my own. So what I'd really be doing is... guessing?"

I did a little spin in place, changing my summoned clothing around a little so I was wearing a lab coat (all black of course), "Your trusty lab assistant will assist!" I felt a little mental feedback from Fen-chan, just a little 'nudge' for attention, "Oh, well, not right now it seems."

She laughed, "Well, okay then. It's going to take me a little while to just compile all this. Oh! Actually, before you go?"

I picked her up again, "Hmm?"

"Which ones of these have you used? If I know what works, I can refine my 'guesses' a little."

I got the 'beginner' book, the one Sona had lent/given me, "Aha." I quickly flipped through the pages, telling her the page number and the 'mathmagic' described on it, "All of those... Then Hagane has..." Another round of pages/names, "Annnnnd." I picked her up again, "Camera mode for a moment?" I fished about in a drawer and found the 'trap' card I'd made. The one that used the magic of the person it trapped to sustain the effect, "This here is a variant I made, using an ice spell, mana drain, and contact mine." Click! "For this one, just as a little mental exercise, I want you to figure out the order they go in."

"Sure! I love puzzles!"

"Kodori-san." Takemikazuchi greeted as I got to the living room, "You have someone waiting to talk to you."

Since I was going to be busy in the lab, the Gods had volunteered to listen for a call from the Hub. Being that I was grounded, and didn't want to upset Hestia, I was easily within running distance of the Occulus, should need arise.

So, I accepted the 'one size fits most' bracer, slipped it on, then said, "This is Kodori of Hestia Familia."

"One moment please. Connecting you to the previous caller."

Ah yes, not even two weeks old, and 'telephone tag' was already a thing.

I listened, hearing a quiet 'click' of two bits of glass touching, then another pause before, "Ah hello?"

It was the innkeeper from the Eighteenth, "Good afternoon. Sorry I missed your call."

"Had to put this thing down when I got in a few customers. It's no trouble yeah?"

"None at all. So, news?"

"Well, I got an 'ice box' from the little rookie." I could see him smile even through the tiny view of the Occulus, "This thing is great! Don't have to bother an ice mage to make ice for me anymore!" I was about to ask something, but he got there first, "And yes, I read the instructions. Pretty sure I can take care of this thing, if that's all there is to it."

"Good." I nodded.

"So, that information you wanted. I spread word around, all quiet like. We're a small town down here, so everyone knows everyone else, and 'regulars' who visit frequently become 'favourite customers'."

"Sounds about right. Oh, hold on a moment." Someone was just getting started on nibbling my ankle, so I bent over and picked up Chie, "Aha, thought someone was getting adventurous."

I saw him lean in really close, and of course, I brought my bracer around so he could get a look at her. Yes, I was showing off. No, I was not ashamed. "Huh, adorable little ankle biter you got." He said, his face coming back into focus. "So, we have a couple of 'usual suspects' down here when it comes to merchants. One, we call the Ferryman. Second hand potion seller. He said he'd seen someone fitting your description before everything went to bits down here."

"Aha." I smiled, then tried to nom Chie's fingers as she attempted to explore my nose.

"Yeah, then we got another one of ours. We call him Kibble. Buys up monster bits from people who either don't want to carry it further down, or who are going back down after a little break. Loki Familia is a regular there, selling off whatever junk they get on their way down here before they continue on to where ever they're going."

"And I'm guessing he hands off his sales to Ferryman, and gets a bit extra? Double dipping the same item?" I smirked.

"What? You expected less?"

"Not in the slightest."

"Glad we're on the same page then." He laughed, "Hey, you've gone dark."

"Chie, you can't eat the magic glass." I had to nose boop her to distract her from the talking glass.

"Already going after the shiny things huh? Anyhow, that's what I got." He finished.

"Thank you. I'll pass that on to my team in the dungeon, and they'll come by to talk to them." I said.

"No problem. Lessee..." And the the stone went dark and silent.

"Sounds like progress." Astraea said quietly.

"It does, doesn't it." I smiled, "O-Sensei?" I offered him the 'public' bracer, "I'm going to..." I paused, "Okay, I'm going to change a few diapers. Then I'm going to tell our dungeon team to loop back and have a chat with Kibble and Ferryman."

"This is a magnificent use of the Occulus." Takemikazuchi said, "Being able to communicate over distance is a great asset in battle."

"Certainly more efficient than a Tessen." I nodded, mentioning the 'War Fan' that Japanese commanders would use back in the feudal era. "Come on you... and you, and you... You know, I think you're all coming with me."

The two gods laughed as my tails looped around the children, picking them up one by one before I made my way towards the nursery, the echos of giggling children following me as I went.

A little while later, with the children cleaned up and gathered around me, I relayed what I found out to Aisha. I actually expected Bell to answer. But apparently he lost a game of Rock Paper Scissors, and was working with Ganesha Familia.

That actually worked out well. Aisha was far more socially adept than Bell, and would be a better person for the job of 'information gathering' from what might be a pair of shady merchants. Now, if the two of them were good people, and gave up the information without a problem? So much the better. If not, then I was sure Aisha could improvise.

After that, I settled in with the children and found a book to read to them. They were still a little young to really 'get' story time, especially with seven of them, all with different levels of attention span. But, I was determined, and had nine tails to distract them 'in my direction' if nothing else.

Of course, this little moment was ruined. But that was okay, since it was Weine who did so.

"I heard story time." She whispered as she entered, closing the door behind her. "Jiru said he wanted to listen too."

On her head, like some weird hood, was Jiru. "Blup?"

"Did he now?" I asked, "Well, come sit with me then. Maybe you can help me keep them all in one place?"

"I have come to understand what the word 'unlikely' means." She said with a little giggle, "But, I will still try my best." She looked up at the underside of Jiru, "How about you?"

"Blup!"

"You're doing it again." A little while later, Hestia very quietly entered the nursery. I could tell she was about to glare at me, but she saw my situation and smiled, "So that's why..."

All around me, I had sleeping children. Some were sleeping in/around/on my tails. Others were in my lap. One was laying partway over Jiru's back, and Weine's head was resting on my knee, with Kei tucked against her middle. "I might need to work on my story telling." I whispered back, waving her over. "I have it, if you want it now?"

"Oh?" She sat down on the closest clear spot on the floor, carefully picked up Toshi (who grumbled, but settled back down once in Hestia's arms), then wiggled on her rear a little closer.

"I have a warning, and a little advice." I said, reaching into my robe for the little glass bottle of perfume I'd made.

"Hmm?"

"First, your hand?" I held out my hand and took hold of her wrist when she offered me her hand, "You put the smallest of drops on your wrist, like this." I put the smallest of drops on her wrist, "Touch your wrists together." I took her other hand, then touched her wrists together, "Then brush your wrists against the underside of your jaw, like so." I brought her left hand up and touched her wrist to her right lower jaw, then again with her right wrist/left jaw. "That's it. No more."

"That's it?" She sniffed, perking up a little, "It does smell nice..."

"This is very much 'a little goes a long way' and 'too much of a good thing is bad' kind of thing." I cautioned, "Okay?"

She nodded, then accepting the bottle, "This will last a long time then..." She looked back to me, one hand hiding the bottle between her breasts, the other gently playing with Toshi's ears. "And the advise?"

"No matter how much you use, Bell probably won't notice." I held up a hand, "Not right away. But..." It was my turn to glare at her, just a little, so she wouldn't fly off the handle and wake up the pile of children around us, "If you use that long enough, he'll start to associate you with that scent."

She tilted her head a little, "You make it sound like he's some kind of puppy or something..."

"Almost all animals are like that." I said with a smile, "Even me, even them. Especially them." I motioned to the children, "Toshi knows your scent, even before he knew your face or voice. I sleep soundest with Ha-chan next to me, or if she isn't here, I use her pillow. Remember when I disappeared for a week?"

She nodded, "So... this is pointless?"

"It's not as important as you think, is all." I shrugged slightly, "It does smell nice. And I'm sure all the women you know will notice right away."

"Why is that? I mean... Unless I change my dress, most of the men don't notice anything. Not my necklace, or earrings, or ribbons... But all the women do."

"I could tell you, if you wanted, but it's not very interesting." I smiled, "Back home, all those bored scholars called the topic 'psychology'."

She gave me a couple of determined 'nod-nods'.

Now with Hestia snoozing on my other knee, I had to call Loaner, who went to paw at Shinkage, who fetched a few blankets. It took a little doing, but I managed to untangle myself, my tails, and get everyone all covered up again, without waking anyone up. Since I was going to be up and about again, I had Fen-chan take over for me, and I got back to doing things.

And one of those things, past giving Shinkage a pat on the shoulder for being helpful, was to get back to the lab.

"Oh, hey Shinkage." HIDA-lite said as she and I entered the lab, "How is the new dress fitting?"

"I find the lack of frills... suitable." She said after a moment.

"I wonder how you'd look in a mini-combat kimono." I thought out loud, "How's progress HIDA?"

"Well... I'm not sure. Without being able to test it myself, I can only create 'guesses'. That said, I have many many guesses! I hope you brought some paper and a ruler?"

"I did." I nodded, then something occurred to me, "Something up Shinkage?"

She looked up at me, then dragged a chair over to where I was setting up some paper and the like. With a little hop, she got seated and said, "Yes."

"Well, as the big sister of just about everyone I know, is it something I can help with?" I got a little pot of ink and found a nice and sharp quill.

"I would like to step up my efforts to help you here." She said after a moment, "Without resorting to this ritual the rest of you have undergone."

I nodded, not bothering to ask if she still held a 'grudge' against the gods. "Growing attached to the place?" I asked instead.

She smiled just a tiny bit, "Yes. This city brings on an intense feeling of nostalgia. While the city itself seems to be confused on what era it's in... Walking down the main road reminded me of all the places I'd been to while I was a 'passenger'. Arabia, China, Europe, Africa... The people and styles here mix well I think."

"No problems on your walk?" I started to draw one of the 'test' diagrams HIDA-lite had on screen.

"Some of the adults were a little shy, but not fearful." She shook her head, "And the children I'd met simply wanted to pat the metal cat. I declined the offer to play... 'kick ball' with them though."

"Heh, yes, you are different, but not 'weird'. The normal people and adventurers get along well here... unless there's something wrong. But that's normal everywhere you go." I sighed, "HIDA? You never actually said what this one does."

"Oh! Sorry, the extra workload on my processor is making me forgetful." Her avatar popped up over the drawing I was copying, "Aha, that one -should- be a complex light spell. I did remember that you can't test 'weapons', so I've limited my research away from them."

"Is this project part of you recovering your armour?" Shinkage asked.

"Yes. I need to translate all the spells I used into something that works in this world, then re-code the control crystals." I put my finger to the little diagram and supplied a little mana. After a moment, the air above the paper was filled with little fireworks 'starbursts' "Oh, this is pretty festive."

"Allow me to help." Shinkage offered.

"Can you supply power to this?" I slid the paper over to her, the little fireworks show stopping.

She touched a finger to the paper, frowned at it, and with a little 'poof-sparkle' of light, there were suddenly fireworks over the paper, "Seems so. It is a little different than working with your foxes, but not that difficult."

On the little cellphone screen, HIDA was clapping in delight, "It worked! I mixed a light spell, a colour randomizer, and a starburst spray. I then subtracted the fire and lightning effects!" She started to 'pace' back and forth on the screen, "Oh, this feels really good... I tested a theory! It worked! I did science!"

I laughed while Shinkage sighed, "Just as excitable as the original."

"The original is where I get like... two thirds of my personality!" HIDA pouted.

"Now now, no teasing her." I swished a tail at Shinkager's back, "Okay, this opens up a few doors on how you can help. Keeping up with the morning sparring?"

"The knowledge is there." Shinkage tapped her forehead, "But I am too short. Most of my hosts averaged your height." She looked down at herself, "And weighed close to double what I do."

"Not much we can do there, except wait. Okay... Hmm..." I looked over at the ink pot and made ready to dip the quill again.

"No, do this first." Shinkage said.

"Heehee, busted." HIDA added.

"Okay okay... Well, since you're here. HIDA? Show me a couple 'small' attack spells. And maybe a couple more 'complex' utility spells."

"Righty-o!"

A little while later, there was a tap at the door. "Hold on!" I called out over the noise, "Don't open the door!"

Standing as far away from the alchemy equipment as she could, Shinkage was holding a bit of paper. On that paper was something HIDA called a 'do not touch me' spell. Mixing a bunch of different calculations together, such as 'proximity' 'containment' and 'electricity', Shinkage was standing in her own personal 'bubble' of lightning. Carefully, I went around her and opened the lab door, "Ah, O-sensei." It was Takemikazuchi.

"We've been hearing some strange noises for a little while now, and we have been getting curious." He frowned slightly at the noise of constant 'zzzzt' and 'fzzit' noises of tightly contained electricity, "I must admit however, that it is amusing to see so many little ears twitching at once."

"One moment O-sensei." I turned to Shinkage, "HEY!"

Shinkage's black eyes blinked, then turned towards me, the electrical effect winking off like a switch, leaving behind only the faint smell of ozone and a little frizzy hair. "Pardon, I was concentrating."

"It's fine." I said, "We've been working on something with HIDA, in an effort to recover something I created."

"We were beginning to worry." Takemikazuchi said with a small nod, "It is good to see you helping, Shinkage-san."

"This is more of a side effect." Shinkage replied, no more formal with him than she was with me, "In an effort to take a more direct role, and to compensate for my lack of... stature."

Takemikazuchi smiled, "Even better. That said, your experiments may have to wait."

"Oh? Another call?" I asked.

"Aisha-san sent a brief word, saying they have information, and will explain over dinner." He nodded, "As well, it is nearly time to start dinner."

With no windows in the room, I must have lost track of time. "Ah, and being that I am still grounded, it is my turn."

"Just so. However, Weine-chan is already starting on the bread."

"As it should be." I nodded, "Well Shinkage? Want to help with dinner?"

"Very well."

"HIDA? Thank you for helping." I said, "Want to enter sleep mode so you don't get bored or something?"

"I just might..." She said, "Might be a good idea to cool down after all that thinking." She waved from her little screen. "Have a good dinner boss!"

I waved back, then turned towards the door, "I'm thinking stir fry. How about you two?"

Before getting to dinner prep, I made sure to clean up a little, then roll about in the living room for a few minutes. Now covered in tiny nibble marks and drooly kisses from all the children, I washed up again and got to cooking.

We were maybe ten minutes or so from being done (this was about as long as it took for me to get all those little nibble marks and drooly kisses) I heard people start arriving home. It wasn't long after that, that I had some extra hands to help with all those little 'orbital' tasks that involved dinner, and just as people were getting settled in at the table, myself and the ones helping were carting the food out to the table.

It felt good to see all everyone with that 'tired but satisfied' glow of a day well spent. Some had went into the dungeon, others had worked with the Ganesha Familia, others still had done a little 'independent' work, such as roof repair or the like.

"So, the rookies are getting along well I think." Aisha said, "Have you had an update recently?"

Since Maki and Delly had their mouths full, they just shook their heads no.

"You should both have gotten used to your new power." Mikoto said, "We all go through a state of adjustment after each update. In the heat of combat, one may forget their new strength, and break a weapon, or overstep a strike."

"Oh, I'm all excited." Astraea smiled, "It's been such a long time since I've updated a new Familia member!"

"I'm... I'm wondering if your growth will be like Kodori's." Hestia said to Maki.

"Would that be... I dunno... bad?" Maki asked.

"The stronger you are, the more likely you return home." Takemikazuchi said, "So long as you do not let that strength lead to arrogance."

Both Delly and Maki laughed, "After all the examples of 'strength leading to arrogance' we saw before?" Delly giggled a little more, "I think we will be just fine."

All eyes turned to me, and Aisha sighed theatrically, "You really did take all the fun out of training them."

I shrugged, "Not sorry at all."

"I wonder if I'll get my tail back?" Maki asked, reaching back and taking hold of her tail, "I mean...I kind of miss it? Hm, needs brushing..."

"Ko-san, your bad habits are brushing off on your little sister."

"No no." Maki came to my defence, "I brush after the evening bath, and it's been a busy day."

"Me too!" Delly agreed.

"We will update all of your statuses tonight." Takemikazuchi said, "After you care properly for yourselves."

"Good idea." Aisha said, "Because we have some news about our quarry, and might need to make another trip to the water basin soon." All eyes turned to her, "I talked to those two you mentioned, and it seems this Jura character is a regular at their shops."

NOTES!

Well, here we go. Progress is made, little bits of 'stuff' are set up, and its almost time to put the 'dungeon' back into the story.

Of course, we all know it's not going to go 'as planned'. But we have a plan for that. :)

So, I've gotten a lot of feedback, both in reviews and direct PM's about the next crossover. There's been a lot of good advice and suggestions, and it will help me figure out how to start the GATE story. From there? Well, Kodori is, as Kodori does, and the 'plot' will inevitably get turned into an anvil.

Anyhow, 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?'