"Identify yourselves!" the bespectacled young woman once more commanded. The enormous black gate behind her adding a lot of gravitas to her words. Tiamat though paid her little heed…

"Aaa? A! Aa-aa!"

Jeanne valiantly fought the urge to sigh.

"W-what? Speak normally Madam! I don't understand you!" demanded the blonde girl, with not an inconsiderable amount of surprise in her voice. Jeanne turned towards the newcomer and— she hummed in thought, technically wouldn't it be her and Tiamat who were the newcomer— she tilted her head from side to side, not important! Still…

As she peered at the blonde, she fought the urge to pout. And failed miserably her cheeks puffing up in irritation and she stomped her foot to the ground, kicking some dirt up as a result. Why was Tiamama even considering her, they already had a perfectly serviceable blonde in her Lord's harem. Namely her!

It was the tits, wasn't it? Big fat tears started trailing down Jeanne's cheeks as she compared her figure to that of the pink eyed beauty who wore overly tight clothes. The stranger, seeing Jeanne's state recoiled back some.

"Are-are you okay there, Miss?" asked the girl before her gaze turned towards Tiamat and determination shone from her eyes. "This woman hasn't taken you captive now has she?" she questioned and taking her silence as an answer she nodded. Her mouth setting into a flat line as thin black wings erupted out of her back. "She has, hasn't she? Don't worry, we will free you!" she declared and took a step forward.

'Boing'

The girl's well-endowed chest heaved up and down with her movement and Jeanne's soul shattered like glass. "B-boing?" she questioned before her eyes lost their light and a small thin white vapor escaped her mouth, starting to rise upwards.

"Miss!"

The shout came as if from far, far away.

"There's no time, let's go!" shouted the blonde woman.

"Yes my king!"

"As you command!"

She could hear more people speaking, probably the people who were with the girl. Ah, she could see a light, her Lord was probably calling her to him, all she had to do was reach out and—

"You will do."

The sound of the new, yet strangely familiar voice snapped Jeanne's soul back into her body so fast that she almost lost her balance, barely managing to avoid landing on her butt.

Her eyes narrowing into thin slits, she started to turn her head to the side. The assembled peerage, who mere instants ago had started to charge halted on their tracks and shivered as a foul wind permeated the area and the howls of distant wolves could be heard. Slowly, oh so slowly, Jeanne turned her neck, and with each inch a cracking sound could be heard akin to the sounds made by trying to move a stiff cadaver.

"You can speak?" Jeanne hissed.

Tiamat, momentarily turning her unconcerned gaze away from the devil peerage infront of her, as well as the ominous obsidian gate behind them, upon which the carved skull of a goat could be seen, in its empty eye-sockets eldritch flames blazing. And looked upon the reincarnation of the saint of France.

To the woman's emotionally charged question there could only be one answer. "Of course." She said, her eyes glimmering.

"Ah. I see, I see." Jeanne said with a nod and a smile. "Of course, why did I think otherwise." She said and closed her eyes, an angelic smile spreading across her lips which made the bewildered devils falter, especially the males of the group, in whose eyes hearts started to form at the almost holy sight.

The blonde woman's eyes snapped open and she snarled, and with a leap almost too fast for mortal eyes to follow headed for Tiamat. Her hands in front of her, seeking the woman's throat.

"Why didn't you do so sooner then? AArghhh!"

Unfortunately for Jeanne, her effort was doomed from the start. Their hilarious difference in power playing a role, of course. But more importantly…

Tiamat smirked and held out a hand.

Jeanne was short.

"Stop holding me back you coward! Aaah!" the blonde let out expletive after expletive as she kept swinging her hands this and that way, her fists seeking and failing to reach Tiamat.

"My King?" a bewildered, black-haired young man leaned close to the wide-eyed blonde woman.

"Yes, Alivian?" questioned the distracted girl.

"W-what should we do?"

Seekvaira Agares, heiress of the Agares clan opened and closed her mouth, her fabled intellect, failing her for the first time in the sight of…whatever this was. She thought for a few more moments before she nodded, seemingly coming to a decision and turned towards her Queen.

She shrugged.

Huffing and puffing, with beads of sweat forming on her brow, Jeanne paused to catch her breath. Glaring still at the tall dragonic woman.

Said woman, seemingly satisfied, removed her hand from the girl's head and leaned in close. And as a further insult to injury her long twin pale bangs, hanging loosely by the sides of her face, smacked Jeanne gently in the face, followed a moment later by the ancient milf's hands exploding forward and wrapping the spirited girl in a gentle hug, pressing her face deep into Tiamat's generous cleavage.

"As for why I didn't speak before?" she said, her mouth closing in to the incessant girl's ear, whose eyes were closed and she was mumbling incoherently from within her marshmallow hell. "Our, Lord," she said with mirth in her tone, as if she was privy to some inside joke. "Likes it, but more importantly? It was funny." she said with a soft titter.

Jeanne's eyes snapped open, and like an angry corgi she started struggling with all her might against the iron grip holding her, despite in the depths of her heart knowing the futility of it, while Tiamat simply hummed and patted her head.

Finally, Seekvaira could take this no longer.

Frankly, it was weird, unusual and she didn't like it! The…whatever this was, reminded her too much of Rias' group and their antics, if what she had heard through the rumor mill and Sairaorg was true. And she wouldn't let herself get dragged into any such weirdness, thank you very much!

"Release the girl evil-doer!" she commanded. For if nothing else, it was clear that the young, human? Most likely, yes. The young blonde at any rate was following the strange horned woman unwillingly. And stealth mission or not. Saving an innocent took precedence.

Now granted, if it was a critical mission upon which the future of the underworld depended, she would have let things be, no matter how much it may have weighed on her soul later on. But for a simple scouting mission? They could always return later. It wasn't like Hades and his misbegotten ilk would suddenly pick up shop and settle elsewhere.

"Oh, right. You." The white-haired woman turned towards her, and if Seekvaira's suspicions were correct, she had some kind of relation to dragons. Hey, after hanging around so many battle maniacs and her own training, she could at least recognize that the woman's aura had a peculiar 'scent'! She dearly hoped it wasn't so, for dragons were nearly always a…pain in the ass. "I'll be with you in a moment dear~" she said and much to the shock, and horror of her and her peerage. Seemingly swallowed the little blonde within her. The girl sinking into the rippling flesh and vanishing from view.

Ignoring her Queen's gulp, Seekvaira scowled and settled into her battle stance once more. If they couldn't save the girl, they could at least avenge her. Such callousness could not be ignored. Whoever she was she had to be stopped here and now. Or else she very well might make her way towards the underworld and attack innocent civilians.

"Attack! Formation bravo!" she shouted and like a well-oiled machine, her peerage, all those boys and girls who had entrusted their future to her, fell in line with nary a sound or a second's hesitation. She filled her body to the brim with magical energy and kicked her legs backwards, an explosion forming between the soles of her high boots and the ground, propelling her forwards, towards the placid monster like a meteorite.

Her peerage was right behind her, at least if her instincts and magical senses were correct. A small smile threatened to break across her face. This was the result of all of the hard training her friends had undergone alongside her. And together they would use this strength to protect the future of devil-kind, and of giant robots!

She hastily shook her head, ignoring the sensation of her cheeks burning, focusing instead back on the woman whom she was rapidly closing in on. The woman who had barely moved an inch and whose only reaction to their charge was a lackadaisical blink. Good. They had this in the bag the—

A wave of power erupted from the white-haired beauty making Seekvaira stumble and skid to a stop barely an arm's length away from the woman. She swallowed heavily and fought to stay on her feet, her knees shaking from the exertion. For the amount of power the monster in front of her was casually filling the air with was insane! It reminded her of the time she had been together with Rias, and at her urging her brother, Lucifer-sama had showed off a bit.

But if she was struggling…

Whimpering, and fighting for every inch of movement, she partially turned her head, enough to gaze behind her even as the suffocating pressure caused spots to dance in her eyes and the corners of her vision to dim, while a white ringing noise filled her ears. She cursed, inwardly, for her mouth refused to cooperate.

Her peerage. Her pride and joy. Her friends! They were either on their knees or lying flat on the ground, their eyes shining with anger as they gazed at her or rather the monster doing all this and tried to come to her aid.

"M-My K-king!" a small gasp of astonishment escaped her lips. For her Queen, so much weaker than her but still burning with willpower started to inch closer. She smiled. Oh Aliavian, ever so headstrong.

Unfortunately it didn't last long, for the monster holding them in place moved at last.

With a monumental effort she faced forward again and could only wish that she didn't. For the thin white ribbon's covering the woman twitched and then started to move, and a lot of things started to click in the young genius' mind, especially with how the thin strips of cloth started to twist and darken. Namely, those weren't pieces of clothing at all, rather they were the woman's own power made manifest.

Her eyes widened and as the dark tendrils raced towards her, the desperation filling every inch of her body granted her a last burst of strength. And with a pained gasp, the very effort of moving her hand under this pressure causing tremors to race up her limb and ominous cracks to echo from within said limb, her hand thankfully managed to reach an almost invisible thin pocket on her thigh and tap the engraved tiny bit of paper within. With a quick pulse of magic, she activated the last option, prepared a long time ago and one she'd hopped to never have to use, but quite ready to do so if the need ever arose.

"Mmmy 'ing!" she could hear her Queen's desperate thrashing behind her and a bittersweet smile formed on her lips, even as a lone tear started to trail down her cheek.

"Goodbye." She managed to utter, and with a red flash the emergency teleport she had inscribed, at great cost, into the clothes of her friends, and unbeknownst to them, into their very pieces as well, activated. Whisking them away to safety.

They would no doubt hate her for this, but if it meant that they lived then it was a small price to pay.

The monster masquerading as a woman in front of her merely blinked before shrugging, as if she didn't care one bit for Seekvaira's last act of defiance. No, she supposed she wouldn't. The tendrils fell upon her and she closed her eyes, waiting for the end.

Only it didn't come.

Instead…

A startled gasp left her lips, and it had little to do with the abating waves of pressure, allowing her to move somewhat freely once more.

"S-stop!" she squirmed in place, cheeks coloring crimson and short panting gasps escaping her mouth as the tendrils whom she thought would be her end were…were… "This is i-i-indesceeee—" a long deep moan left her throat as the tentacles started caressing, teasing and exploring every inch of her.

Still, she would not give up! She was the heiress of Agares and would not fall to something so banal as t-t-thi—

The tentacles thrust, entering her and making her gasp, whether in pleasure or in pain she knew not, going cross-eyed due to the sensations all over her body, her tongue hanging out of her skull. A fact which the tentacles squirming all over her were quick to notice and take advantage off, a few of them, some thin, some less so slithering up to her parted mouth and sliding in with hard, vigorous pulsing motions.

It didn't take much longer, especially not with how a pair of tentacles with suction like orifices chose to attach themselves to her breasts until the previously virgin beauty climaxed, screaming loudly, her whole body twitching in pleasure and something clicked within her mind and her soul.

Slowly, in an almost loving manner, the tentacles started lowering the girl towards the ground. Beginning to withdraw and leaving behind a thoroughly naked and quite flushed girl covered in fluids. A girl whose expression was quite unlike her usual one, for where the famed heiress usually wore a stone-cold mask of indifference a dopey smile could be seen as a pair of unfocused glazed eyes blinked.

Seekvaira's brain was firing in a thousand different directions as her mind greedily devoured the new data which she was given courtesy of…of her bond. She blushed all the way to her collarbone. She felt like hiding her face behind her palms and screaming. How could she have been so blind! Now it all made sense!

'It's ok, dear.' a voice spoke straight into her mind, startling her and making her look up. An open palm was hovering in front of her face, following it upwards her eyes landed on…on Tiamat! Lucifer's balls, they really had no chance, did they. The smiling woman being the origin of the mental voice.

Snorting she shook her head and grasped the proffered arm, smiling as it lifted her to her feet and begun pulling her inside Tiamat, it was time to meet her Lord, although. Seekvaira's lips curled in a grimace of distaste.

"Wryyy!"

Did that child have to scream so loudly over their bond, she wasn't even sure what it was she'd done to offend her so.

x

xxx

x

"Oh shit, oh shit! Sorry, pardon, coming through, sorry, no scratches for you Cerbie, I'm busy, oh don't give me that look, later, ok? Great! Now let me throughhh!" her piece said, the young girl all but barreled through the various workers, many a skeleton giving her an offended glare at her rough manner. But she payed little attention to their indignant glares, instead keeping up her pace even as the enormous red furred three headed puppy, let no one else say otherwise! Cerbie had a golden heart! Jumped out of the way of her mad dash with a panicked yelp.

She would make it up to him later, a couple of his favorite treats ought to do the trick. The Prince had shown her his weak spot, just behind his ears…

Slamming into and blasting open the majestic gates of the underworld, mostly thanks to sheer momentum and less so due to her inherent strength. She almost lost her balance, but she was not a high glass reaper for nothing! Hastily performing a majestic pirouette, she bled of most of the excess momentum and stabilized herself, for the most part, as she appeared in the surface of the underworld, her eyes immediately zeroing in upon the intruders making all this commotion.

"Aha! Prepare to be smited evil-doe—eek!"

Unfortunately, due to her remaining momentum the purple-haired young girl missed the patch of…juices on the floor next to the blonde and the cute tall woman.

"W-w-wah!" causing her to slip and barrel over the naked blonde girl who'd been holding the horned woman's hand. Barely catching a glimpse of some kind of dark bandage wrapped around their arms before landing in a tangle of limbs.

"Get off me."

Blinking, the girl took stock of her surroundings and found herself on top of the unamused blonde, pining her to the ground, her arms snaking around the naked girl's own. A noise like that of a kettle begun to sound and the young girl's golden eyes turned to dancing swirls as red begun creeping up her neck.

With a sound akin to a cannonball, she all but blasted herself backwards, landing on her feet and immediately giving a deep bow.

"I'm s-sorry!" she squeaked. "Please forgive my stumble, it was not my intention to…to…" she said and halted, for as the blonde stood up with a flip she made look ridiculously easy, the young reaper's eyes couldn't help but be drawn downwards, towards her exposed mound. Her glistening mound.

If her cheeks felt hot before, they were on fire now.

She was a pervert! A degenerate! Although that sinful body—

Standing up, she desperately shook her head, so as to clear the bad thoughts away, what was she thinking! These were invaders, bad people! The reaper sunk into a combat stance, summoning her small scythe, don't listen to the other reapers, it wasn't about the size but how you used it! And prepared herself for combat.

"Halt right there evil-doers! You trespass upon the domain of Lord Hades and I, Bennia Orcus, the best reaper shall…shall…" it was only then that the pink-haired girl finally bothered to use her senses, or rather listen to what they had been screaming at her all this time. Sensing the all but stifling power radiating outwards from the tall woman in front of her, she let out a whimper.

Tiamat, for her part. Looking at the adorable youth in front of her, what with her little white hood over her pink dress, or should it be robe, she wondered? The girl was greek after all, but they called it something different right? 'Hitonas' or somesuch? Although…casting a critical glance at the suddenly self-conscious youth from the top of her hood, to the black gold trimmed stockings masquerading as gloves and stretching all the way to her biceps. Tiamat was forced to conclude that her clothes bared little resemblance to what she remembered the overly excited thunder boy and his brothers wearing. Or rather, in the lad's case didn't, what with how often he was quick to discard his robes to try and get into the pants of anything with a hole. The dragon goddess sighed, seriously that boy…

"H-hey, don't ignore me!" shouted the youth, drawing her attention once again even as her newest daughter came to stand by her side. Dusting the last bits of dirt off her form. "I-I have a scythe and I'm not afraid to use it!" she threatened and shook the weapon meaningfully at her.

Tiamat fought the urge to coo. For it was just as cute as the girl itself, a dark long metal bar, upon which and near its crown a set of dark grey circular rings, could be seen, topped but an inch higher up by a golden band which was itself overshadowed by a set of gleaming bone like spurs and upon which the blade was settled. The curved blade emblazoned with blazing golden letters, to her sight at least. And where a cute pink decorative skull could be found.

A smile broke upon the goddess' lips, a small cute scythe for a small cutie. It suited her.

"H-hey! You just thought of something insulting and not t-true at all! I just know it!"

This time she did coo.

Bennia's cheeks lit up.

"W-wah-wah-wah!" the sheer beauty of the statuesque woman coupled with the loving tones in her voice, her warm smile and her very power seeking to gently cuddle Bennia, hitting something deep within the young girl's soul. Dredging up half-forgotten memories, hazy and almost translucent due to time. Memories of when she was very small, and warm hands were cradling her lovingly, rocking her in place while a half forgotten song could be heard echoing around the shaded room, the half-forgotten woman giving her a love filled smile. An unbidden tear rolled down her cheek and her limbs trembled, the glow emanating from the pink skull embedded in her scythe subsiding.

With soft steps, the woman approached, but Bennia cared little. "Hush child, don't cry." She said and scooped her up. Bennia let out a shuddering breath. Closing her eyes and wrapping her arms as much as she could around the stranger's torso. Seeking more of that warmth.

A soft hand patted her gently on the head, making her sniffle and look up at the smiling face.

"Now little one, I will give you all the hugs that you like, but," the dragoness pointed with her finger right behind Bennia. "That way leads to the pipsqueak's domain, yes? It has been a while since I've last seen him."

The tiny reaper, sniffed once more and cocked her head uncomprehendingly. "Eh? Pipsqueak?"

Tiamat rolled her eyes. "Hades. I believe that's what you know him by?"

Bennia, still trapped within that magnificent bosom let out a gasp. That…that was so inappropriate. And…and… She found it hard to really care. After all, the saying known to perverts the multiverse over applied perfectly here. World cold and harsh, tiddy soft and warm.

So, the pink-haired reaper barely responded as the statuesque beauty started moving in the direction of the wide-open gates behind her. Paying little attention to the snarling Cerbie, who was quick to start whimpering with but a look from Tiamat's cross like eyes, nor noticing that the still naked blonde was trailing after them. Although she did notice when with but a gesture from Tiamat, her ribbons shot out, wrapping around the girl and transforming into a set of high-quality clothes.

x

xxx

x

"Next."

His voice echoed through the well-lit chamber, the eldritch flames burning bright, bidding the next soul to be judged forward. The line of the dead was a thing most curious to those who saw it for the first time, for upon first glance the line of translucent, formless souls hovering in a row over the plush red carpet seemed to end at the feet of the red pool, but then they didn't, seemingly stretching on to eternity. As for the blood red pool? It was, in truth merely an eddy, connecting to the great river Styx flowing outside and carrying each new soul to its final judgment and subsequent resting place.

A soul floated forth, coming to a stop a distance the span of a mortal man's height, waiting reverently within the golden circle upon whose edges ancient scripts were inscribed. In fact, it hovered right above the painted bleached skull upon whose sides the laurel wreath of victory could be seen. The soul was a tiny feeble thing, but then again most modern mortals were.

Under his unyielding ruby stare, it started to quiver and then speak, in that peculiar manner which all souls do and which most living are unable to hear.

Peering into the hovering wisp's very essence his hard-set mouth softened just a tad, his black beard, splitting in two and shaped in a manner somewhat similar to the spear of destiny, twitching in tandem with the movement.

"Hmf, indeed." He said, and if his tone was a touch softer no one dared mention it to the lord of the dead. For siting behind his massive desk, tall and with shoulders about as wide as his son was tall, clad in a scarlet tunic, half wrapped around his torso and overlayed with a line of white gleaming cloth which helped steady the pale pauldron covering his right shoulder fashioned after the skull of some animal, and which coupled with the golden tiara wrapping round his midnight like hair, forged out of unalloyed gold and akin to the shape of olive leaves, the god of the underworld cut an imposing figure.

"Very well then." He said with his…warmer tone —Hades didn't do kind, such words spoken only at the speaker's peril. "Elysium then." He said and with a gesture of his massive forearm the shade vanished. Off to their final resting place. The hall of heroes most fitting for one who had displayed such bravery. It was hearkening to know indeed that some spark of greatness remained amongst the modern descendants of his people, and mortals in general.

"Next. Ah." Lips curling downward and eyes narrowing, Hades eyed the quivering soul. This one on the other hand… Well, a staggering number of mortals thought themselves to be immortal and untouchable, the…how had his idiot of a son put it? The top hen? Fattest cat? No, something to do with lions at any rate. Although what did lions have to do with it. Blast it, blood and darkness. What would his irritating offspring think of next?

Letting out an irritated grumble, he put Zagreus out of his mind for now. Focusing back on the terrified shade, which continued to blabber, beg really, and which he continued to listen, much as he didn't want to. He was a god after all, multitasking was nothing special.

"Hmf, I think not. Tartarus, clearly." Dejected, yet knowing that his ruling was just, as it always was, the shade vanished. Shifting through shade and space to its final destination.

"Ne—" he started to speak yet a nagging feeling at the edge of his consciousness, an almost familiar warmth and the sound of distant waves causing goosebumps along his dark grey skin halted his tongue. His dark bushy eyebrows furrowed. What was this?

He had little time to ponder the matter for less than a few mortal heartbeats later the wall behind the pool fed by river Styx, burst open. Hades' eye developed a tick at the pointless display of power, his mind already starting to tally up the costs and expenses, in both material and obol, that it would take to repair this, this…obscenity!

Already his mouth parted, the scathing words ready to berate his fool of a son baying to jump out of his tongue. But with a blink he paused. Zagreus after all, was up above in the surface, in a…date of all things with Megaera and Thanatos. And if their words held any semblance of honesty, which regarding his two enforcers he was certain they did, his son…less so. Well they wouldn't cut their vacation short just so Zagreus could pull yet another expensive 'prank'.

So no, it couldn't be his heir.

And as the leading, clearly female figure, even if the clouds of vapor and debris still obscured her form, stepped through the wall proper, blighting his blessed halls with her nauseating power, he very much doubted it was Zagreus. He dispersed the shivering procession of souls awaiting judgment with a flick of his finger. No need to drag the blessed dead into this, after all. Whatever their actions, ill or good, they deserved better than to be snuffed out in a clash between gods. For the power washing over his skin, the taste of distant ichors with the power of ages coursing through it. All but assured Hades that this was indeed a god.

In fact, the energy slamming into him and making the very bricks of his house tremble carried the hint of familiarity with it. Curious for he remembered no still living or free god whose power carried within it the soothing lullaby of the sea. The gentle pulsing waves wanting to cradle him in their embrace and swallow him in an eternal sleep. He grunted, dispelling the comforting illusion beckoning him closer. But a soft chortle did escape his lips. He would like to see his brat of a brother face this newcomer. Heh, 'king of the seas' indeed. It would be a sight most amusing watching him scamper and run to either him or most probably his…other brother. The one whose actual head resided between his legs.

The figure cleared the smoke, coming into view proper.

"Ah."

Thankfully no one was around anymore to hear the honest surprise in his tone, having teleported all of the servants away along with the souls. But even if they had been…Well, he did believe he could excuse himself this small lapse in decorum. After all it was not every day you came face to face with a familiar face long thought gone. And a loved one at th—

"It is indeed you, pipsqueak!" At mother Tiamat's excitement filled shout Hades could do only one thing.

"Don't call me that! Dammit woman," he said, his voice already growing much softer without conscious thought. Tis not every day that you come face to face with the, adopted, mother you long thought lost. "How many times do I have to tell you?" he grumbled, sounding eerily reminiscent of his son when he, whined to him.

"My little would-be ruler of the Dead is all grown up. I'm so proud." The white-haired goddess said with a soft smile, the sight of which slammed like a sledgehammer into Hades' heart, making him grunt.

Turning that grunt into a cough, so as to buy time, his eyes fell on the blonde mortal by her side and…he sniffed the air. Yes, that was a blasted devil alright. His brows furrowed as he caught sight of the bat's clothes. At first glance they seemed normal yet a deeper look revealed them to be newly made and radiating that same, almost nauseating stench which clung to the edges of Tiamat's long thin rectangular tendrils which served as her risqué dress.

Speaking of that dress, his eyes were drawn in the middle and he blinked, was that…Bennia? A second glance revealed that yes, stoned out of her mind, mumbling incoherently in glee and held steadfast between the ancient goddess' bosom with one hand was none other than one of his most promising reapers.

The god of the underworld fought hard against the urge to twitch. Why did all of his most promising employees end up weird? Was it Zagreus' fault? It probably was…

With a valiant effort of will he set aside all that. "Why are you here." He asked in a quiet melancholic tone. "Your presence was sorely missed in ages past yet now, while thankful for your return and apparent safety, you are not needed great mother." He said and even though he could see that the woman's soft smile warbled at his words he plowed on. "Of course, you are most welcome to stay, if you so desire. But…" he shrugged.

He pretended that her sniffle did not tear at his heart. Nor did he come right out and ask what had happened in ages past. He had his suspicions, of course. His…colleagues and her kin more specifically. But there was little need to blacken the day any more than his harsh, and yet necessary words already did. He was glad to see her, truly, but this was unfortunately not the time for a reunion. Such things had to be scheduled properly you see.

"I-I…just wanted to see you." She said with another soul wrenching sniffle, with the till now silent, glasses wearing blonde by her side rushing to hug her.

A bone-weary sigh left his lips, he wasn't good with such mushy stuff. Never was if he was honest with himself. This was more up the brat's alley, or Nyx's, or his beautiful wife's… Another cough left his lips as old memories rushed to the fore. Memories of some of his beloved's…tendencies, so mayhaps. A reunion between the two wouldn't be the best of ideas.

His eyes fell on the little devil glaring defiantly at him and then at the little reaper who still refused to abandon her spot.

Maybe not Nyx either, after all, both of them liked to become mother hens to lost children, adopting them as their own. A meeting between two 'great mothers'…He shuddered and some meters in front of him, Tiamat's eyes narrowed as if she could tell, or suspected the direction of his thoughts. A chilling hiss leaving her lips as she hugged the two girls tighter and glared around her with suspicion.

Disturbingly enough, her eyes landed on the spot which Nyx often liked to frequent and which was now, thankfully, empty. Although…Hades blanched. The shadows there did seem to thicken momentarily and he could swear upon Styx that distant stars seemed to glimmer within for but a moment.

He loudly harrumphed. "A-anyway." Tiamat blinked and turned back towards him, a sunny smile once more spreading across her lips and dispelling much of the gloomy atmosphere. "My apologies for the cold reception, great mother. But you've come at an…inopportune time." He said with a grunt, trying to convey as much of his feelings as he could without outright stating them.

Closing the distance, the woman raised a hand and with her palm cupped his cheek.

"It's ok, dear. I know you've always been a tad… moody. And a workaholic to boot." She said and for the first time in millennia, Hades, the ruler of the underworld. Blushed.

"I'm not, moody! I'm gruff, and distinguished!" he groused. Not even bothering to refute the second part, someone had to do the work in this blasted family. And Tiamat, with the patient smile of mothers the world over, merely nodded, clearly humoring him as she stepped back.

He crossed his arms. "In any case, you are welcome to return later, there's is someone I suspect you would love to meet, namely your grandchild." He said knowing the result of his words. And indeed, the megawatt smile threatening to split the woman's face in half was about what he expected…And the excited squee too. Left unsaid was that Nyx and Persephone would be there too…

Seeing the rapidly dimming smile on Tiamat's face, Hades, once again proved why he inherited the brain amidst his brothers.

"But until that time, know that you've been missed dearly, despite how much my brothers would deny it."

At the mention of the two, the woman forgot all about…them. Just as easily distracted as back then.

"Little sparky and teardrop? How are they?" she asked all but jumping with joy, her eyes sparkling. Her sheer excitement causing her…assets to move this and that way, and thus making the still attached reaper let out a whine of complaint, making Tiamat startle before stopping with a sheepish smile, and raising a hand to pat the girl.

Hades bit his cheek to stop from laughing. He hadn't heard those nicknames in ages.

"The same idiots as back then." He said with an eyeroll and a scoff.

Tiamat let out a fond sigh as she tilted her head from side to side. "Oh Hades, I told you that you shouldn't fight with your brothers. They mean well they're just…special."

More like a special brand of idiots he thought with a snort.

"Besides, still holding a grudge over that is unhealthy." The woman continued, her maternal powers allowing her to jump to the heart of the matter. "Isn't it time you forgave them?"

Hades' eyes glowered and his desk croaked under his clenched fist. "I'll let it go when they let it go." He hissed.

Tiamat rolled her eyes. "And they'll let it go when you do." She said with a sigh, pinching her nose.

Even though it was just a passive mention of the two pair of smoothbrains which he, unfortunately, shared ichor with, his godly senses still located the two in the overworld. He opened his mouth to reply before taking in the images fed by his powers and pausing. Tiamat tilted her head to the side in curiosity while an evil idea bloomed in his heart and Hades had to fight back the urge to cackle like a villain.

He didn't want to get spanked again. Knowing his luck, the brat would walk right in on that, and he already was a disrespectful little shit.

In any case, the blue haired cretin currently surfing in Hawai was of little interest, Mr. Thundercock on the other hand…

"Why don't we continue this in another date, mother?" he replied smoothly and with a small smile on his lips. The nearly forgotten act requiring he expend vast amounts of power to scan the depths of his memory in order to remember how to convincingly perform it. Memories which he had long discarded in the deepest depths of his psyche as unneeded after Tiamat's and soon after Persephone's loss.

Thankfully he was always the better actor of the three, and the one most likely to convince Tiamat of his bull, even when she suspected that something was rotten. As she clearly did now, if the suspicious squinting of her shining eyes were any indication.

"As I said, I want to welcome you back properly, and the preparations for a proper feast will take a while. But in the meantime, why not visit the other two dimwits, and Olympus for that matter?"

Happiness emanated from the woman in front of him at his words and he knew he just hit the jackpot, as the mortals were fond of saying these days.

"That would be splendid, oh I can't wait to see how little Hera, Demeter and all the rest have grown up. I bet you are all a giant loving family." Hades wisely kept his mouth shut, opting instead to thrust forth a meaty palm. A golden circular portal sparking to life but a few feet away from Tiamat.

"I thought you would like to see, 'little sparky' first." Hades said, his beard twitching. Seeing her hesitate and her warbling lip, he rolled his eyes and with a sigh, he pushed back his massive throne and with a few quick strides came close to the woman. Tiamat for her part, in a well-practiced move shifted Bennia to her back, the little girl's hands instinctively wrapping around the goddess neck. Before stepping forward and all but hugging the stuffing out of him, or at least trying too. He grunted as his massive palms gently wrapped around the woman's torso, the hug felt…nice. "I'll be alright, mother." He said and the little reaper, startled at the unfamiliar sensation pulled her head out of the the clouds.

"Eh? Eh! Eeeeeh?!"

Hades ignored the child as he let go of Tiamat and stepped back. "No need to worry. Now go." He said and took another step backwards. Intentionally turning his back to the woman. Knowing from firsthand experience that if he did not she would find a hundred and one excuses to stay around for quite a while more.

Sniffing, and hesitating for a few seconds, Tiamat stepped through the portal.

Feeling it snap shut behind him, only then did Hades allow his shoulders to relax and the tension to leave his frame. Taking his seat once more and with another divinity fueled gesture re-summoning his shades and servants both, preparing to resume his endless task.

His hand, mere inches from a stack of paper freezing, the ruler of the underworld gazed back to where Tiamat had been but a few moments ago, ignoring the shades shivering under his stare. He flared his power, searching, scanning.

"Blood and darkness!" he spat. She had taken Bennia with her!

Sighing he chose to do the one thing he could do in this situation.

"Next."

After all, the primordial goddess adopting strays was nothing new in the grand scheme of things…

x

xxx

x

"Oh, I don't know." The beautiful redhead said, fluttering her eyelashes in a bashful manner, radiating innocence. "Isn't this all a bit too fast?" She asked yet made no move to distance herself.

If anything, the redhead stared deep into her own pale eyes and let the soft currents of the pool gently bring her closer.

The silver-haired beauty's eyes flickered down for just a moment, stealthily glancing at the beautiful orbs filled with hopes and dreams, and which like the icebergs that sunk the Titanic showed only the barest hint above the steaming surface. Hinting at the tantalizing secrets hiding below. It would seem though that the girl had caught her staring, for with a smirk she crossed her arms, pushing her breasts up, and drawing the pale-eyed beauty's gaze back down, sadly her nipples remained just below the surface.

"Oh my! I slipped!" cried the redhead, as she bumped into her, as if due to an accident. Feeling the soft, deliciously sinful body mashing into her own, she found that she didn't mind not one bit if more such 'accidents' took place. Also, heh. She still got it! It sounded like a bad idea her perfect ass!

"Well, let me help you then, my dear," she purred and her hand begun to climb up the woman's back, drawing a delighted gasp out of her lips and she, with her eyes growing half lidded, leaned in close. Preparing to seal the deal—

"Sparky? Where are you?" out of nowhere, a miasma of power all but slammed into the room, filling it to the brim with the revolting feeling of order and good manners. And that voice, where—

A portal formed right at the edge of the pool, making the girl in her arms scream and scramble backwards. The nymph she had spent the better part of an hour wooing jumping out of the waters with a mighty kick and transforming into a cat, racing for safety.

She cursed and spun around, her mood turning foul and small arcs of lightning raced up her limbs. Preparing to show the fool what…what…oh crap.

A loud gulp could be heard all over the suddenly quiet pool, only the sounds of running water breaking it.

Tiamat stared with a raised eyebrow. "H-hey, m-mum. How have you been?" she asked and sweat started running down her back, which had little to do with the temperature of the water surrounding her. "L-Looking good there, ravishing eve—" her mouth run ahead of her brain and as she realized what she just said, her already alabaster like skin paled even further.

A second eyebrow joined the first as the primordial mother crossed her arms, and nodded. The golden portal swirling to a close behind her casting her in a particularly ominous glow.

"I see that you still haven't taken your mind out of the gutter. Very well, I do believe I can help you, dear." She said with a dangerous smirk, and the naked goddess feeling a chill racing down her back, started slowly edging backwards. "After all, you've even shifted into the proper form."

Zeus, had no idea what the hell Tiamat was talking about, nor where she suddenly sprung up from, or who the little brats with her were for that matter.

"W-wait! Let's talk about this!"

But she knew one thing, no way in hell did she want to find out.

Unfortunately for the thunderer. Tiamat had other plans.

The till now innocently swaying ribbons covering the woman's modesty, sprang into action. Exploding towards her like a rocket and starting to shift.

"Nope!" she cried and started swimming with gusto, heading in the opposite direction. After all, even though Tiamat appearing all of a sudden had filled her with such pants shitting terror that she forgot to change back, the sight of the incoming appendages was enough to motivate her.

She had seen enough hentai to know where this was going!

Sadly, the ribbons were faster.

"No~ah~ yamete kuda~stop~! That doesn't go theeeere!"

x

xxx

x


Yes, that is Hades from the eponymous game, no I don't care that it ain't "canon". To be quite honest...fuck canon. It leaves much to be desired.

The world of Dxd and the characters within have a tremendous amount of potential, which sadly, is squandered, for the most part.

On another note, Zeus, I think, wont look at "seafood" the same way for quite a while yet.