avenger3576: I totally agree XD She got all tuckered out lol.
Talking Pumpkin: Oh man, imagine if they just kept appearing getting more and more suggestive with each one. Hela: You have to see our child! Kassaegtha: I've been stalking you for years, stop trying to run from me. Despoina: You never told me about this Lily, but you and I share our soul together! I think Ms. Lily would faint XD
OBSERVER01: I am so glad you liked it :D Been planning Ms. Lily's reunion for some time.
fanficcyberman: Best moms working together? The world cannot handle such wholesome haha. Surely Rat wouldn't do anything so nefarious for strawberries...nawwww... I sent a full reply to you via PMs as usual, but I am so glad you liked the growth/moments I had for everyone. Lily may be confused as to the true relationship of Dorian with these women, but she can tell they are happy. Growth from how we were imo is what makes what we earn so worthwhile, and it's no different for these characters, even Issei :D Work has been crazy busy, but otherwise I have been doing great. I hope the same is true for you my friend :)
Cesar117: I am flattered you like seeing Dorian with more women from DxD, especially those lesser known. I can't say what his ultimate romantic partners will be, but I promise they will be built up and fitting to him :)
October Autumn: Exactly my hope, to show why Dorian was so kind/naïve at the start yet the manners/more positive elements remaining even after all he's been through. Yea...being raised in a more conservative area, it'll be a bit of a shock lol. But in the end, hopefully she can look past that at how happy they are.
Guest1: Thank you so much! And no worry there, the two may be more hesitant for their individual reasons to be as forward, but it is coming. ;)
Okaze: I am so glad you liked it, sweet and fluffy are my favorites XD.
DragonGodZalama: Indeed, we'll be getting back into the main meat of the story soon, just one more chapter after this for the downtime arc. I hope you enjoy all my plans moving forward! :)
chidoriprime: It is surprisingly useful when used for things other than just blowing off clothes LOL. Canon mentioned how it seems to bypass most classifications of magic, so when Issei really puts his mind to it, the skill can be super useful.
Dragonx411: Thank you so much! And no worries, never feel any requirement to make a synopsis, only if you want to :). Oh, I got to go a few times when I was younger, it's a super fun place! :D You too man, wishing you all the best!
GRUndertaker: Which one is the MILF hunter? XD
And with that...ONTO THE SHOW!
"Vaetta, this is…beautiful!"
Dorian could not help compliment as he and the group behind him stepped out onto the roof of the Crossroads Tower. Everywhere they looked, exotic plants of every color, shape and size imaginable were blooming under the rays of the morning sun above. Le Fay, Seekvaira, Kuroka and Irina had accompanied him with each being interested in the Norse plant life that their resident Sacred Gear spirit had been cultivating.
"Making yer own Garden of Eden," Ratatoskr complimented while swinging from flower to flower. "You could get lost in here!"
"Well, there was enough space for a small hedge maze," Iggy beamed with humble pride while motioning to an open section of the roof still relatively untouched. "I planted the seeds, but like to let them grow on their own and not rush things."
"That sounds relaxing," Seekvaira just imagined herself sitting in the center of the maze for some peace and quiet. "And the fauna you've selected aren't like any I've ever seen in the Underworld; just how could you get so many different species to survive in the same enclosure?"
"Ms. Freyja donated a lot. Others came from each of the Nine Realms and even Olympus. But I wanted you all to see this one I've kept secret, over here."
"Iggy with a secret?" Kuroka mused with a grin. "I knew you had it in you, this is quite the secluded getaway you're growing up here. I bet I could scream at the top of my lungs and no one would hear me…"
"Kuroka…" Irina covered her face embarrassed at her lewd connotations. "Where is Koneko? Wasn't she with you Dorian?"
"Well, she was. But…" The Einherjar looked very nervous.
Earlier…
Dorian found himself cornered as a very annoyed-looking Koneko stood with her arms crossed glaring him down. Her ears and twin tails were already out with one of her feet tapping slow and methodically.
"Big sis says you finally accepted her feelings and more," she spoke slow and surely. "Is that right?"
"I have," the Einherjar held his ground despite the aura emanating from her. He didn't know how, but she seemed to have learned that he and Kuroka did more than sleep that night he had been affected by Azazel's raygun. "She was already sleeping in my bed, but…well, now it means more than keeping me healthy. Your sister is far more than she lets on to most people. She's an amazing woman."
"I see," Koneko marched forward, Dorian braced for anything from a punch to the face or a stern scolding he had become accustomed to from overly protective relatives. He was wholly unprepared as she wrapped her arms around him in a tight hug.
"Koneko?"
"Thank you," she whispered quietly. "I hated her for so long thinking that she did what she did for power or selfish reasons. But seeing she did it for me and trying to help our people…she deserves someone to make her really happy, not just for the sake of babies."
"Well, she has voiced her interest in that part still," Dorian tried to lighten the mood, though earned a restrained punch into his arm. "I'll be good to her; you have my word on that."
"See that you keep it," her scary eyes came back. "For that, and if she's focused on you then maybe she'll have less opportunities to embarrass me." Dorian had to hold back a chuckle at that for his own sake.
"Are you coming up?" He motioned to the roof. "Iggy said she wanted to show us something new, plenty of room."
"Would love to, but can't. We're finally making a second attempt to get Issei his familiar. Most of us are heading out to the Familiar Forest for the day. Maybe later."
"I'll hold you to that," Dorian fist-bumped Koneko before she turned to head back down the stairs.
A familiar for Issei, I wonder what that would even be like.
Crossroad Roof Garden…
"That is so sweet she is starting to think of her more as a big sister. Oh, this one is lovely!" Irina sniffed a flower matching her hair that was nearly as tall as she.
"I don't think I've ever seen this one," Le Fay eyed a tall bell-shaped plant carefully covered in purple moss. She had taken to cataloguing all the different plants to see if there were any correlations to those growing in the Roads. "Where did it come from?"
'That is part of why I wanted to bring you here!" Iggy could barely contain her excitement. "That is one of the plants that grew from Dorian's use of Midgard powers while we were in the Dimensional Gap. I was able to pick a few and when I brought them here, they grew that big! There is no plant like this anywhere on Earth or in mother's realm."
"So, Laerad Ragnarök really did create a new species?" Dorian was still barely able to believe what the powers of Midgard's purpose was. At first it merely created a bubble that kept him and Asia alive, but the second time he'd been far stronger and the effects had grown with him. "Yggdrasil has been vague on what Midgard's powers can do; I am almost thinking she's hiding something from us."
"Why would she do that?"
"I don't think she's capable of being nefarious," Dorian chuckled. "But maybe overprotective, I am not sure how to approach the topic with her. But anyway, what is the flower like?"
"It is VERY hungry," she explained while walking around the giant bulb. "It needs almost as much oxygen as the next ten species put together. I wonder why."
"Could it be similar to the more ancient variants of flora?" Seekvaira theorized. "The oxygen density of the planet was much higher several million years ago leading to more than a few species that are long-since extinct. Perhaps it is less a new one and more of a plant that used to be around?"
"I would love to find out if there was a way," Iggy's eyes lit up at the prospect of tending to something that potentially predated the human race. "I think today may be the day they bloom for the first time so I wanted you to see it."
"How long do you think until that happens?"
"Any second, if we set up a few chairs, maybe…"
Iggy's plans for the afternoon were shot as, without warning, the bulb of the closest plant suddenly burst. Rather than opening as was expected, it popped like a balloon releasing spores into the air which being so close she could not avoid breathing in. Letting out the cutest coughs Dorian had ever heard, the young Sacred Gear spirit tried clearing her airways before leaning against a nearby railing.
"Are you okay?" Dorian poured a glass of water from a nearby table and offered it to her. Iggy drank greedily, hands suddenly shaking before allowing it to fall to the ground and shatter against the stone around the nearby pool. "Iggy…Vaetta?"
"Ihm vine."
"…what?" Dorian asked, glancing to the other women who looked concerned over the slurred speech suddenly coming from their friend. "What did you say?"
"I shaid I'm vhine!" Iggy spun around before playfully smacking Dorian on the side of the arm. "That shmell…oh it's shooooo good! Come on everybody, enjoy the day!"
"Is she…?"
"…drunk?" Le Fay started the question with Kuroka finishing it. "Just what was in that plant to act so fast? If you bottled it, we'd make a fortune."
"Iggy, maybe you should sit down…" Dorian tried to gently take her hand only for the daughter of Yggdrasil to throw herself into his arms.
"You're alwhways so proves…profesh…proficcion..."
"Professional?"
"That one," she poked his nose playfully. "I lhove all the time we spend together, but I alwhaysh see Kuroka doing so much that looks fun, and even Rose takes leaps with Thrud. I want to have shome fun! We've been together for eighteen yearsh, I don't want to wait any longer."
"Don't want to wait?" Kuroka was grinning ear to ear as Irina covered her beet-red face. "Sounds like someone is getting impatient but doesn't want to admit it."
"Maybe a good detox spell will help," Le Fay offered, raising her Yggdrasil-staff as the tip started to glow.
"I can have some strong coffee made," Seekvaira was next. "It will help mitigate whatever is going on with you."
"Noooooo," she stomped her foot over and over in an action quite unlike herself. "We need to have fun before the day gets too late! This place is shafe, secure, whee don't hav to worry about anything. I zhaw you and Kurooka the other night. Yoo look at her that way…what about me?"
"You saw?" Dorian asked with complete worry in his voice and color draining from his face at the others listening in. Iggy tilted her head up, scrunching her face in deep thought. "Come on, if we can talk…"
"No more exkuses," Iggy tightened her grip. "Jhust you, me…. hic, and…OH! I know!" She raised her hands suddenly, accidentally throwing Dorian back to the ground. "We need a mhission so it's like the ozhers! Fid me if you can."
Pressing both hands to the ground, the area around the group began to glow a vibrant green with strange magic they recognized as her mastery over plants. Suddenly, the grass rose up high into the sky forming walls all around the Crossroad visitors until they were completely enclosed on all sides. Brambles grew and thickened, obscuring all except directly above them reminding Dorian almost of Jotunheim with its lushness. Finally, after several tension-filled moments, the movement stopped.
"Iggy!?" Dorian called out to no answer. Irina was the first to try pushing past the walls of plants only to be knocked backwards by an unknown force. She was saved from hitting the ground only by Dorian catching her.
"Th-thanks," she shook off the dizziness. "I couldn't push through it!"
"None of us can," Kuroka released even her youkai fire spells but they did nothing but fizzle on contact. Seekvaira unfurled her wings, trying to fly above only to crash into an invisible barrier preventing rising above the walls around them. "She doesn't want us cheating."
"Of choursh not," Iggy's voice boomed around them. "That would take away the fun of a good maze…hic. I'll be in the chenter, my head feels so heavy. If you fhind me, I'll let you out, if you don't…" She paused, groaning a bit as if she hadn't thought it through. "…I won't?"
"Well, at least we know if Iggy ever became an evil genius, she won't be that hard to outsmart."
"That's not very nice Kuroka," Irina tried defending her friend. "I am sure she's trying very hard."
"It's a compliment, I don't think she has the physical capacity to be mean or evil no matter how hard she tries."
"Iggy, can you let us out now? We're sorry we tried to get you to drink coffee," he turned to Seekvaira and nodded in a way to ask her to play along.
"I-indeed," the Agares heiress agreed. "We can make something stronger; would that suffice?"
"Yhour hair is almost like mine," Iggy's voice continued to be heard from all directions. "I shee why he'd like it, it's hish favorite colour. If he looked at you first too…"
"You're not thinking clearly!" Seekvaira was starting to look nervous as it was clear to everyone present who she was talking about. "Your hair is silkier than mine, I saw your how-to video with Thrud the other day."
"You've bheen shpending more time with Dorian, taking some of the work with the new Crossroad recruits, thang you for that. I've been wantig to say that. Irina, you mhade Dhurian so happy in England, he was shooo happy to see you again when we saw you in Rias' study."
"Iggy," Dorian interrupted, seeing where this was heading. "If you're concerned…"
"Consherned? No, I'm so happy!" Her words caused the women to grow confused. "We've met so many kind people since being saved by Lady Freyja and Lord Odin. You've opened your heart to them and they to you. I could never be concerned with that no matter how many fall in love with you."
Dorian looked to Seekvaira and Irina, surprisingly they were not overcome with embarrassment but were touched at her words. Both women were from totally divergent paths, an angel and a devil, yet worked together side by side embodying the point the Crossroads were trying to make. The Einherjar had not been unaware of how close he had started being with the two and enjoying his time immensely, but all the same he didn't want to push or rush things. If there was one thing he had learned from Rossweisse, it was that good things came to those who waited.
"Though, seeing you all together, I want…I want…"
"Thank you, Iggy. Please, let us out of the maze and we can all talk this through. Would you like that?"
Silence.
"Iggy? Vaetta?" Dorian asked several times before suddenly hearing the unmistakable sound of snoring coming over the magical communication that had been left open. "Oh no."
"Passed out already? She can't hold her liquor even when it's spore-based." Kuroka looked up pondering a way out. "So, I guess we're on our own then?"
"What kind of hedge maze is this?" Le Fay looked utterly frustrated. "My detection spells aren't giving a reading; I can't even tell which way is north!"
"And I cannot fly above either," Irina remarked. "There is a barrier of sorts just like with Seekvaira. But if we pick a direction, left or right, and keep going without deviating then we must get out eventually, right?"
"Theoretically," Dorian noticed there were two directions to pick from where they were standing. "But if she thought of ways to prevent cheating, I'd bet good money that she has ways to keep that from working." He looked up at the Nagalfr floating overhead wishing it could help in some way. "She seemed very…"
"Frustrated?" Kuroka answered for him. "I got that vibe too, maybe it's best that you're the one to find her…alone."
"Maybe we can wait for her to sleep it off?"
"If sleeping it off works on magic plant spores," Seekvaira pointed out. "Her ability to grow this maze so quickly from freshly planted seeds is extraordinary."
"She has a knack for that," Dorian admitted while admiring the high walls made of Jotunheim foliage. "The only thing left then is to play her game and reach the center which I'd assume is that." He pointed to a massive towering plant that stretched like a screen over the entire rooftop. It reminded him of the pictures he'd seen of the physical Yggdrasil in Asgard. While it was nothing compared to the universe-sized true body in the Roads, it was a sight to behold nonetheless. "Knowing her, she planted that largest one in the middle as a sort of reward for getting there."
"The roof of the tower is large," the Agares heiress insisted doing the math in her head. "Even if Iggy is not capable of warping space in a confined space, it could take potentially hours to search all at once. That just leaves one course of action."
"We have to split up," Dorian finished the thought for her. "Two directions, so we split into two groups. Once Iggy is back to normal, she can undo the maze to let the others out."
"I'll go with Dorian!" Kuroka dashed to his side, claiming an arm. "I'm quite familiar with her scent after so long in your bed, it's a bit muddied by all the different flowers but I can track better that way."
"I'll take another group," Le Fay volunteered. "Her magic is all over the place, but like a smell it is denser in places which I can track. Who wants to come with?"
Seekvaira and Irina held their ground, the pair glancing towards one another waiting for the other to decide. After nearly a minute, it was painfully obvious neither was willing to take the plunge. Surprisingly, it was Irina that spoke first.
"Rock, Paper, Scissors?"
"That would be an acceptable compromise, winner goes with Dorian's team."
"Rock."
"Paper."
"Scissors…"
"SHOOT!"
The Familiar Forest…
"Been a while since we were last here," Issei remarked while walking beneath the darkened trees of the Familiar Forest. "Hopefully I'll have more like than last time…and almost as much luck as Asia."
The former nun was giggling as Rassei sat on her head hissing at the dozen or so miniature dragons encircling her. Since entering the forest, under Ophis' tutelage, she had succeeded in attracting many smaller drakes to her side who seemed to already be seeing her as a mother. Koneko looked truly impressed despite one of her new children having taken to sleeping on her forehead.
"Rassei will love being a big brother to them all," Asia gushed to the nodding sprite dragon. "Maybe they could sense him and came running?"
"Or they can sense a Heavenly Dragon on you," Rias turned back to Issei with a smirk as she continued walking. "It would explain how they react to Issei," she looked back to see that her Pawn had disappeared beneath the swarm of dragons trying to get closer.
"That Great Red flesh," Kiba pointed out, the group barely paying attention as Issei was screaming trying to get the dragons off him. "Imagine their surprise sensing someone akin to one of their gods."
"Yet none want to contract with me," Issei vented as the dragons finally scattered away from him before returning to flying peacefully around Asia. "I guess I'm more like a god to them than a partner."
"That's why we're here," Rias assured with a tender stroke of his cheek. "You failed the first trip, but this time I am sure we will find a familiar for you. With how strong you are, there aren't any in this forest that would be deadly to you.
"Then which ones would be a good option?" The Pawn considered with a quizzical look on his face. "That Familiar Master last time told me Tiamat was even a potential option."
"No chance there, she's working with Ajuka to police the Rating Games," Koneko reminded him. "I doubt she'd just be hanging out in the middle of this forest between tournaments. Where is that master anyway?"
"He is…indisposed," a voice from the trees alerted them to the presence of a newcomer. "But I can more than suffice."
Rias and her team stopped upon seeing the man. He had dark sunglasses covering his face with brown hair though the shape was difficult to see with the turban wrapped around it. His brown and grey clothes were tattered like he'd been traveling for a long time completely obscuring his body. Only the right hand was visible, his left wrapped in white bandages up to the elbow. They got an odd feeling they'd seen him before, yet he was not ringing any bells despite the five-o'clock shadow on his chin almost reminding them of Azazel.
"You are the new Familiar Master?"
"Not really, but he won't be back for a few days and I know these forests well. I came here ages ago when I was your age, though nothing came of it. I was a bit of a failure back then. Plus, helping the Great Red Dragon Emperor would be quite the feat. Do you have any preferences to look for? Another sprite dragon, perhaps? A hydra, cat, wolf, water nymph, maybe a slime…"
"NO!" Rias, Koneko, Asia and surprisingly even Kiba shouted at the same time causing Issei and the man to jump simultaneously before the Gremory heiress continued. "At least to the last one. Issei will no doubt take to dragonkin quite well, and as long as etiquette is maintained, even water nymphs."
"They aren't like Undines are they," he shivered with fear at the memory of discovering that the supposedly beautiful water spirits who turned out to be overly muscular monsters.
"Well, they are in the same family…" the man sweat-dropped. "But we can find one that fits you that your master will approve. I doubt even the hydras would be dangerous to you now, come with me."
"What is your name?" Rias asked as he turned towards the deepest part of the forest.
"My name is Juzo, just Juzo."
Huh, same name as grandpa, Issei thought as he rushed ahead.
He took the lead without thinking, running up alongside the man with an outstretched hand to shake, however it was ignored, eliciting an annoyed glare from the Red Dragon Emperor. Rias and the others followed behind knowing this was Issei's journey. While they were there to support him, this was one case where it was best for him to lead as finding the familiar that would be his partner depended on his own choices.
"Say, is it true that Tiamat can be a familiar?" He could not help but ask. "The first Familiar Master said so, but we've seen her since then and it doesn't seem like something she'd do."
"Technically it's possible," Juzo replied without turning around. "Though you'd either need to do something for her to owe you a great deal, or owe her something that can't be repaid." Issei felt like he shivered a bit at the last remark. "I wouldn't count on it here. I can show you the deepest part of the forest, the strongest familiars making their home here can be found there. If there is one that can help…I mean one that would be worthy of the Red Dragon Emperor, it would be found there."
"I never much thought of myself one who needs others to be worthy of me," he looked up pondering what that would entail. "I want to be worthy of the women in my harem, that would be enough for me."
"That is…wholesomely simple in its way," Juzo seemed to smile beneath the scarf covering his face. "I miss it when things were so simple." He walked faster, putting himself ahead of them.
"He's weird," Issei announced truthfully to Kiba who had caught up with him.
"He is certainly eccentric," the blonde knight agreed. "But he seems to want to help, I don't sense any malice from him. If anything, I feel at ease near him."
"Don't get too familiar with him or else Xenovia and Tsubaki will get jealous," he could not help but joke despite the now-predictable jab. The two men laughed together as they followed the stranger into the darkening trees of the inner Familiar Forest.
Crossroad Tower Garden…
"Don't look so disappointed," Le Fay comforted Seekvaira as they followed the trail of Iggy's magic through the maze. She was certain that the mood of the young woman had soured the instant she saw Irina's rock defeat her scissors. "There is always next time."
"I am NOT disappointed," she insisted sternly in a tone that caused Le Fay to take a step further back. "Irina is a sweet girl and I do not blame her for my poor luck. Let's just find our way to the center and be done with this. I wish I had even one of my gunpla."
"Those little robo guys? They were so cute," Le Fay admitted with a smile. "I never got into machinery, but had dolls growing up. They're like living ones!"
"If you'd like, I could make you a special one," Seekvaira offered with a smile. "We are colleagues now after all, it would be simple enough, was there a particular style you liked most?" Before the young mage could answer with an enthusiastic yes, her staff suddenly started pulsating with green light, drawing their attention.
"No doubt about it. Iggy had a unique enough magic essence before, but after coming back from the future she is like a beacon. I am guessing it has something to do with merging with the other seeds of Yggdrasil. She definitely came this way."
"Her knowledge has clearly expanded too," Seekvaira brushed her hand over the walls of the hedge maze teeming with life. "I've never seen most of these species."
"Think of it, a clothing store with an attached flower shop," Le Fay giggled at the image in her head. "Iggy could run everyone in the area out of business…you know if she wasn't a big bundle of fluff."
"More to learn from your mage pact?"
"WAY more! Iggy is included in sources of knowledge since she's part of Dorian. I thought I had my hands full with the new things in the Roads, but now there is more even outside it…I may need to formulate a new contract length after these five years are up."
"And just imagine what these species could be capable of. Some of the best cures, remedies and other discoveries came from rare plant life. My mother dabbled, though I could never get into the topic myself."
"I hear Sairaorg's brother is quite into plants, what was his name again…?"
"Magdaran, half-brother, and I have no doubt that should he and Iggy meet that they would talk for hours. Perhaps that can be an idea next time we have dealings with…"
Seekvaira's words were cut off as several round crimson spheres suddenly detached from the nearby wall and flew into her face. She started clawing away at them as vines went after Le Fay trying to separate the women. The very maze itself had come to life, lashing out to slow down the pair.
"No, no, none of that!" Le Fay sniped each one with a quick-fire blast sending them retreating. Having seen too many nature-themed horror movies at night with Irina and Kuroka, only the worst possible outcomes ran through her mind if they got ahold of her. "I'm too young to…huh?"
Rushing to Seekvaira's side, she was initially horrified to see dozens of the red objects overwhelm her with red liquid pooling at the sides. However, that concern turned to confusion as she heard a soft munching sound. When the young devil sat up, her mouth was bright red with an oddly satisfied look on her face.
"They…they're tomatoes!" She realized almost as soon as they jumped that they had not sought to attack her, but try and get her to eat them. To her surprise, they were among the ripest and most delicious tomatoes she had ever tasted. "And the vines…?"
"String beans!?" Le Fay exclaimed upon examining the vines she had severed from the rest. "I should have known; even drunk Iggy would never hurt us. Is she trying to tell us we need to eat healthier!?"
"Especially when my diet is quite nutritious enough as it is," Seekvaira looked more insulted at the insinuation than the actual attack. "Such measures are entirely unnecessary as I get the needed caloric intake every day."
"Well, your dinners always look a bit bland," Le Fay sheepishly mentioned. "Maybe she was leaning yours towards something tastier? I swear, it's like she was born to be a mom. Come on, the magic trail continues this way, I wonder how the others are faring."
Elsewhere in the Maze…
"I am not fat! I am voluptuous and can eat whatever I want!" Kuroka roared as she tore at the wave after wave of living carrots marching towards them. Her group had come to the same theory as the others upon realizing fruits and vegetables were among the attackers surrounding them. "And carrots…I am a nekoshou, not a gyokuto!"
"I just had a few sweets every now and then, I swear!" Irina insisted while hacking away with her swords of light. Dorian's replies were muffled beneath several dozen heads of cabbage currently bouncing atop him until he managed to ignite them with some magic seals. "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," Dorian assured her. "I was hoping that Iggy wouldn't add anything strange to the maze. It looks like my wishes were in vain. Although, these cabbages are quite good," Irina was more than a little worried seeing him take a bite out of one of the attackers.
In the back, Kuroka had dealt with her own foes and was currently stomping on what remained of them. Noticing that Dorian and Irina were now looking at her, she regained her composure with a flip of her hair.
"This way," she winked to Dorian with a curtsy pointing towards the center of three paths. "Iggy hasn't been in either of the two paths, clearly this is the way she meandered in her frustrated state at the extra visitors."
"Extra visitors?" Dorian asked while being on high alert. "But today was supposed to be a day off."
"Iggy did ask for you specifically to join her on the roof, maybe she didn't like the company?"
Dorian recalled back to the young Sacred Gear spirit's invitation to join her on the roof to show something that she would not specify. It was only upon reflection he realized that she had invited only him, but with the others being close enough to overhear her had resulted in them asking to join.
Knowing her, she couldn't turn down others wanting to see the fruits of her labor. But that means this was all meant for me. Vaetta…
"Dorian?"
"Just thinking, Irina," he smiled back at her look of concern. She had always been so kind, up there with Iggy from everyone he knew. "I just hope she's okay, Iggy seemed worried about something. We have to get to the center quickly."
"Worried about seeing you and Kuroka?" Irina's face was red as she recalled what the Sacred Gear spirit had said. "Did she mean…?"
"I…I meant the part before that!" Dorian quickly corrected before the topic lingered on that any longer.
"Oh, about being safe and secure? I suppose that makes sense," Irina looked up as they continued forward. "You both have nightmares about what you saw in the future, couple that with the recent attack in our home and anyone would be uneasy."
"She was probably trying to look tough," Kuroka added next. "But when one is inebriated, you get a bit more honest with yourself. Trust me, I am something of an expert on the topic. Don't tell me you haven't taken a bit of a deeper sip of the sacramental wine?" Irina couldn't make eye contact with her roommate.
"I had hoped she'd feel better with the nightmares," Dorian seemed more at ease around the two than usual, feeling like he could tell them anything. "It's natural to feel uncertain, but I still don't like seeing her that way."
"Then make her feel safe," Kuroka flicked him in the forehead. "A lady likes feeling like she's safe around her man."
Not an awkward conversation at all, is it that simple?
"I've always tried to do just that," Dorian assured them. "Iggy said she originally wanted to just hide in my mind because she liked it there. Even after she started manifesting more, it never seemed to bother her. I'd never let anything happen to her."
"We know that," Irina was surprisingly the one to speak up next. "But maybe she just needs a confirmation…something that lets her know your absolute feelings for her." Dorian and Kuroka both turned at the unexpected advice, the nekoshou looking like she couldn't be prouder. The thought clicked in the Einherjar's head; he knew what his soulmate might be waiting for.
"What are you…?"
"CABBAGES!" Kuroka's warning almost came too late as an entire army of bouncing vegetables came from around the corner. She lashed out with extended claws, slicing them so cleanly that Hecuba would have been impressed. "Her scent is strong here; we have to be close! Go ahead Dorian, we'll handle things here."
"Are you sure?" He asked, not realizing how ridiculous the situation they were standing in was. Irina nodded.
"Go meet Iggy and lift the maze, I was never afraid to eat my vegetables."
"And while they may not be my favorite," Kuroka grinned mischievously at the incoming horde. "I am absolutely famished, if you stay, I'll show you just how much I can swallow in one bite."
Dorian saluted with a smirk as he turned and raced down the path Kuroka had pointed out. The sounds of battle dwindled behind him despite not running so far causing him to guess that was part of preventing cheating by canceling sound beyond a certain radius. Fortunately, the path was now one-way with no further deviations. It was clear that Iggy was close, the plants around him being larger and more colorful than elsewhere in the maze.
Just being near her makes them more alive. That alone tells me she's nearby. Iggy, I'm coming!
Familiar Forest…
"Still finicky, aren't you?" Juzo shook his head as Issei dropped a rampaging hydra in a single shot. "That one isn't right either?"
"Not a fan of all the heads, plus he's clearly not interested," Issei pointed out as the lumbering creature slithered back into the forest without a second glance back. "It just doesn't feel right, ya know?"
"Wood drakes, hydras, dark wolves, imps, cats and even a treant. NOTHING jumps out at you?"
"Can you really picture me with things that terrifying? It'd scare off the kids, and the tree person is more Goldie's thing, not mine. How did the rest of you pick?"
"Mine was to get around and spread fliers in secret more easily," Rias stroked the tiny bat familiar in the palm of her hands. "I found her wounded outside my window and nursed her back to health. Akeno's Oni family just sort of followed her home and she thought they were cute."
"Shiro was with me before I became a devil," Koneko petted the back of her white cat familiar. "She lived with me on the streets and after Rias made me her Rook, she came along."
"Mine just seemed a good fit," Kiba answered humbly looking up at the bird flying above, his companion watching them. "He's a bit old, so I'd never even think of bringing him to a fight. Cat will need one someday as well."
"Choosing a familiar is something to help you grow," Rias explained upon seeing Issei's face contort at the pain of choice. "If we don't find one now, we can another day."
"I am going to find one today," Issei insisted. "With everything happening, that dark future Goldie saw and the Khaos Brigade left…I can't delay."
"Issei, what's wrong?" Rias laid a hand on his shoulder tenderly. "You look shaken."
"I saw some of it," Issei whispered so only she would hear. "When I tried waking him up from that mini-coma he had, I saw some of his nightmares. It was bad, really bad. You know what he said happens to us?" Rias nodded with a downturned expression, the fate of their other-world selves something she didn't want to think on too much.
"We are not them."
"And we won't be! He raised his voice a bit more. "You, Asia, Cat, Ravel, Kiba, Honda, Akeno, Koneko…the whole team! Shit, even Goldie and our other friends, the Crossroads, Old Man Azazel, Ingvild, we have to make sure there is ZERO chance of us becoming that future. I don't know how, but having a super powerful and sexy familiar has to count for something!"
"You can't be indecisive," Juzo looked to be fuming at their conversation, a fact they could tell despite the scarf blocking most of his face. "You are right that you need all the strength you can get if you are to move forward, but it means nothing if you don't pick something!"
"You think I don't know that!" Issei snapped back. Marching past Juzo, he led him further into a clearing nearing a running waterfall hoping it would drown out their words. Motioning to the others to stay back. "I KNOW things are coming, I wouldn't be out here otherwise. But damnit, nothing you've shown us has fit!"
"Things ARE coming," Juzo stuck a finger towards Issei's nose, infuriating the devil Pawn. "And unless you get FAR more power than you have, people will die. Rias will die, Akeno, will die, Asia will die, the girls of your harem will die."
"Akeno isn't in my harem," he corrected Juzo. "Zepar will fight tooth and nail to protect her, count on that."
"She should be," Juzo glared uncaringly. "Him being with her isn't right. You…"
He stopped as Issei, with a look of anger at the insult to Akeno's choice in boyfriends, threw a right hook that Juzo was too slow to dodge. To his shock, his fist passed right through him as if he wasn't even there. The young man barely righted his feet, preventing himself from faceplanting into the dirt.
"Wh…what are you?" Issei took a defensive stance now uncertain as to Juzo's identity. "Why did you take us out here? Did you do something to the familiar master?!"
"I told you why," their guide sounded frustrated. "To find the strongest familiar in the forest for you to claim. And the master is fine, he's on vacation but your getting stronger cannot wait."
"I heard Tiamat was the strongest familiar," Issei jabbed back. "Short of her, I doubt anything else would work against that thing I saw in Goldie's mind."
"Well, she's not here," Juzo threw his arms up towards the glad around them. "You have to settle cause you're not going to find her out in the middle of…"
An eardrum-shattering roar shook leaves from the trees as they looked up, forgetting their quarrel for a moment. A western dragon with an enormous wingspan soared seemingly out of nowhere behind the waterfall kicking up dirt as it circled. Roaring once more, it flew about before landing across from the group staring them down all the while pacing back and forth.
"Tiamat?!" Juzo's mouth dropped open recognizing the features belonging to the arbiter of the Rating Games. "Th-that's not possible, what is she doing here?"
"Are you sure that's her?" Koneko took up a defensive stance. "I thought she was blue; this one is looking a little greener to me."
"Tiamat!" Rias raised a hand while stepping forward. "We did not expect you here, what…!?" The Gremory heiress barely had time to raise a defensive ward as a blast of fire erupted from the dragon's maw.
Strange, she thought as she blocked the attack. Even with the strength my new form affords my body, Tiamat should be stronger than this.
"Hey!" Issei jumped forward, his Balance Breaker armor already surrounding him. "I don't care if you are best buds with Ajuka, nobody tries to hurt Rias!"
BOOST!
Partner, be careful. That may look like Tiamat, but it doesn't feel like her. Trust me, I'd know, the real thing is far more frightening. I think she wants to fight you; I won't show mercy to one impersonating her.
"Sounds good! Everyone, stay back," Issei punched into his palm to hype himself up. "I'll fight her myself. I need to blow off some steam anyway, it's your lucky day Juzo, I got something else to hit!"
Crossroad Tower Garden…
As Dorian cleared the last archway made of foliage, the path behind closed off, sealing him inside. The room became utterly silent with all noise beyond the wall being canceled as before. The blonde man gasped as the center of the maze looked like an absolute paradise in every direction. Even more than the garden when they arrived, statues depicting people they knew including Dorian himself flanked a majestic pond. Hecuba, Zepar, Rossweisse, Thrud, Bennia, they were all there immortalized in immaculately-trimmed hedges. Even the number of butterflies and other insects had grown, all seemingly congregating to the young world tree-to be.
"Vaetta?" Dorian asked as he spotted her sprawled out on a stone bench that he was certain hadn't been there before her maze. "Are you feeling any better?"
She did not respond beyond a soft snoring that he found so cute he could not help but smile. Dorian walked closer and sat beside her, almost on instinct she latched onto him, snuggling up onto his lap with a goofy expression on her face. It was only then Dorian realized the large tree marking the center of the maze was in fact the very one that had started their rooftop adventure.
It grew that quickly? I hope it stays this way for a while, the idea of something blooming fast but living short always felt so…
Iggy suddenly shivered, eyes fluttering behind her lids. Dorian saw a flash of the Trihexa, their connection giving him some insight into her mind. Tenderly, he stroked her hair which seemed to calm her, settling her into a content slumber on his lap.
"I'll always protect you just like you did for me," Dorian whispered. "I want you to feel safe and happy, you've only just started getting used to living in the physical world. I told you I love you and that has never changed. You loved me before anyone else in a way."
Dorian's one-sided speech was halted as he felt something strike his head again and again. Looking up, he realized it had started to rain with tiny drops steadily pelting him and the sleeping Iggy. The soft drizzle quickly turned into an intense shower preventing Dorian from adequately keeping the sleeping woman on his lap dry. He couldn't be sure, but the drops seemed to take on an almost twilight color as they passed through the film-like petals of the unique plant above.
The water is purified passing through that plant? Is it possible it didn't trust us before but now does, or just coincidence it is doing this now?
"Mmmm, just five more minutes," Iggy groaned as the rainfall made continued sleep impossible, her voice sounding clearer and free of the previous drunkenness. "My head is killing me."
"We have time if you call off your vicious vegetables," he couldn't help but quip as she realized her position. "They're totally non-lethal…right?"
"Oh my gosh!" Iggy shot up glancing left and right frantically as if seeking a way out of the embarrassment. "I actually did that? I thought it was just a dream, I mean…I would never insult your dietary choices but you have been eating so much meat and high-calories ever since going to Asgard, and all that peanut butter."
Before her rambling answer could continue, Dorian had already leaned closer and pulled her into a gentle embrace. The unexpected act made her pause only a moment before she returned the gesture squeezing tight.
"I want it to be like this all the time," she finally admitted. "This must be how Rossweisse and Thrud feel, and when I saw the look in Kuroka's eyes."
"You could have told me if it was getting…frustrating," Dorian tried to choose his words carefully. "You've known me longest, if you wanted to…"
"How could I ask that?!" Iggy's face glowed red as she was confronted with the topic that she'd been considering almost since first manifesting a physical body. "I did not want to seem like that is all I cared about."
"All you care about?" Dorian cupped her hands. "You are one of the kindest, most selfless people I know. Just because you want to…" he paused awkwardly, "…take things to the next step, won't change that in the slightest. I didn't know if you wanted to go that far so soon…"
She knows I was with Rossweisse and Thrud already, Kuroka was the straw that broke the camel's back. I should have realized sooner that things would be hard for her especially after she confessed and we kissed.
As if she could read his next thoughts, Iggy leaned in and kissed Dorian passionately just like back during the battle. He did not pull back, wrapping his arms around her barely realizing that the plants seemed to be drawn to them crawling slightly over the pair.
"I'm not sure how this will work," Iggy admitted as she started pulling at his shirt. "Mother had to root herself in the Roads, but if I have a choice, I'd like to have a family with you instead."
"That sounds nice," Dorian replied truthfully while pulling her dress down. With no straps, it was easily done, freeing her breasts and exposing her pale skin to the sun. "It might be a little early to think of that, but having such a large family someday…"
"Our children being siblings with Rossweisse and Thrud's, a-and if anyone else you love is there too." Iggy just imagined a home of their own filled with the sounds of laughter. Seeing how many siblings she herself almost had, it had inflamed a desire within her to make that a reality in a way. "You were so sad after your parents passed, but now you have so many."
"A bigger family than I ever dreamed," he kissed her again before going down to do so again between her breasts. "That doesn't make what happened any less terrible, but still, I can't say enough how lucky I have been since the fire. I don't want you to feel unsafe ever again, and if you are ever feeling frustrated about anything, please talk to me."
The Einherjar gently leaned Iggy back onto the stone bench that was now covered with plants making a natural blanket beneath her. He pulled her dress the rest of the way down revealing she had not been wearing anything beneath it bringing many questions about how she was after materializing. Without thinking on that fact too much, he kissed the base of her neck while one of his hands rubbed just beneath her belly drawing a breathy moan from Iggy followed by a giggle.
"I-I'm worried something may happen," she held back the tickling sensation. "Now that we've gotten this far…"
"It does seem to happen a lot," he had to admit. "If any new enemies interrupt us, I'll go full power instantly to end it quickly."
She laughed again, this time from picturing someone bursting through the foliage only to be faced by Dorian's Breakdown armor. By this point, they were both naked and while she knew every inch of him from their years together, it did not lessen the excitement as he looked at her the same way he did Rossweisse back in Kyoto. She gasped as he slowly entered her keeping the moment tender and sweet. Swaying with Dorian's movements, she bounced beneath him gripping all the tighter with each one. After a few moments, the Einherjar noticed that the plants covering the bench had started to move, growing slowly over the pair almost as if they were extensions of Iggy's will.
"M-my body feels so…" she breathily started before pausing a moment to breathe. "Is this what it's supposed to feel like?" The daughter of Yggdrasil seemed like she could not get enough taking to it as enthusiastically as the other activities she'd discovered were enjoyable with a physical body.
"I hope so," Dorian smiled before leaning in to get better footing to pick up the pace. Iggy's eyes lit up at the action, her vines squeezing his arms and legs as she moved with him. "You've always been there, Vaetta, I should have brought this up sooner."
"What matters is the now, we have all the years a-ahead," she stuttered as she leaned up to wrap her arms around his neck to hold on. Their faces were right up against each other so close they could feel the heat of their breaths. For a moment, Iggy could not maintain her focus, causing her features to flicker between her illusion and the tree-like one they both knew to be her true form. To her continued joy, Dorian's pace and enthusiasm did not waver at the sight of her real body, if anything it caused him to go faster seeing such a rare vision.
"You are beautiful whatever appearance you take."
"B-but you quite like the features I chose, right?" She asked, the growing blush on his face all the answer she needed.
"You know me better than anyone," he brushed a bit of hair from her face as he felt the vines pull a little harder bringing him up into a standing position. He was pleasantly surprised as it became apparent, she wanted to take the lead, the woman he loved feeling like a feather thanks to the strength he had accumulated from his time as an Einherjar.
"I-I'll bring down the maze," she promised with a shy smile. "But, maybe not for a bit longer?" As they had been talking, the rain slowed and eventually stopped causing a soft twinkle in the air to surround the lovers. Unbeknownst to them, that same glowing ambiance had spread beyond just the two, sharing the beauty of that moment with everyone trapped within the maze, though they did not understand its significance just yet.
Familiar Forest…
Issei donned his Balance Breaker armor instantly, knowing it was needed at the bare minimum to contend with a Dragon King like Tiamat. Since their encounter had begun, the elder dragon had not spoken a word, a fact that had unnerved Ddraig who insisted it couldn't be her. After realizing she wouldn't touch down, he grew wings from his back and took off after her. Drawing Ascalon from his gear, he swung at the berserk dragon.
"Shit!" He shouted as his attack missed, Tiamat banking around him buffeting Issei with torrential winds. "Get back here, DRAGON SHOT!" His attack hit home, winging her though she kept on flying. Giving chase, he held Ascalon aloft, channeling its anti-dragon properties into his Dragon Shot. Blast after blast hit, and while they were doing damage, he couldn't help but notice something.
Shouldn't anti-dragon properties be doing WAY more to her? I get she's out of my power gap, but even so this should be hurting her more. Did Tiamat find a way to shield against dragon slaying powers, or…?
"Issei!" Asia called out but held her ground ready to heal if the need came. "I don't like waiting, what if he gets hurt?" The former nun created a bow of pure healing energy and took aim.
"Neither do I, but this is his battle. If he has any hope of making her his familiar, he needs to show the benefit of making a contract with him. If we interfere, it would undermine him or worse make her want to pact with us instead. In any case…I get the feeling that his life is not in danger here."
"Stop running," Issei grunted in frustration at his inability to catch up to his opponent. He could shoot her from afar, but Tiamat was adept at dodging or rolling in a way to minimize the damage. Rolling so she was flying upside down, the dragon fired a fireball straight into Issei. Getting his Rook armor promotion up in time, the damage was negligible but he was amazed at her versatility midflight.
I need to take some pointers. Maybe this!
Issei turned skyward and took off like a rocket higher and higher until he could see the entire forest from a vantage point among the clouds. With Great Red's flesh merging with his body, his vision was much better than before, allowing him to see a confused Tiamat circling below. From his position, she almost looked like she was standing still.
"Look at things from a different perspective," he muttered while angling Ascalon just right. "Like this! Need to think of a good name for this. How about…DRAGON BLADE METEOR!"
Aiming Ascalon down, Issei propelled himself downward. Despite Tiamat's maneuvers, from so high up, the Red Dragon Emperor could correct his course and stay on target regardless of what she attempted. Fireballs struck his armor aimed to slow him down but he endured them. His speed increased faster and faster until finally, he impacted.
"Not bad," Juzo nodded as the impact sent a blast of air and pressure in all directions forcing Kiba to plant his sword to remain standing and flipping up skirts of the girls. For extra security, the devil Knight summoned a wall of Xenovia and Tsubaki knights to protect the others. "He has a chance after all. Pretty cool name too."
"What happened?" Rias rushed forward with the rest upon sensing the battle was over. "Is Tiamat okay, the dragon slaying properties of Ascalon could…"
"No worry, I thought something seemed off. I guess I can sense when something is a dragon now because this clearly wasn't one. Ascalon hurt it I am sure, but not fatally."
"Not a dragon?" Rias finally could see as the dirt cleared that her Pawn was leaning in front of the creature's snout looking it right in the eye.
"Come on, you don't have to keep lying to us. If you aren't bad, we won't fight anymore. Who are you?"
"I…I never had a name."
"So, you're not Tiamat? Why do you look like her?"
"I heard you talking about how much you wanted this Tiamat at your side. Your thoughts were so strong that I could sense them even from my hiding spot in the forest. If I took her form, maybe you would notice me. So few do."
"You certainly caught my attention," Issei massaged his jaw which was still sore from one of her last blasts. "But I'd rather talk to the actual you. Care to show us?"
Koneko took a defensive stance as the massive body of the dragon started to melt. Scales turned to liquid as the being lost all cohesive shape and was reduced to little more than a puddle. After several seconds, the puddle took on a glossy texture like molasses, rising up until it towered over Issei. The face of a woman appeared within, the only somewhat humanoid feature they could make out in the gelatinous mass.
"You're…you're a…?" Issei tried to ask but failed to finish his sentence being so overwhelmed with joy.
"You're a slime!?" Rias blurted out in shock and restrained horror. "But I've never seen or heard of a slime that can talk!"
"I am the only one I know of that can," she answered lamentingly. "All others are little more than wild animals who just try to drop on travels who venture beneath them. I even learned how to split off phantoms of myself to imitate them."
"Phantoms?"
"Smaller extensions of myself, see?" She pointed to the tree line where dozens of puddles slid closer and closer to them. The peerage prepared for a fight before realizing they were just shuffling past them, merging with the greater mass and disappearing.
"Wait, when we were here a few months back and met Rassei, we got jumped by a few slimes that ate our clothes."
"That…was me," she admitted at length. "I cannot control the acidity of my body, but it won't hurt actual skin. I am sorry if the clothes were expensive."
"That wasn't the issue with dissolving them," Asia tried to explain, but it was clear the slime had no concept of modesty.
"Say, you wanna be my familiar?"
"HUH?!" The group's collective jaws hit the ground as Issei just blurted out the question with absolute confidence.
"What? It's perfect, she's a slime, is super strong considering the shots she took from me in the air and she is interested which I can say more than about any other creature you've shown me today. The main reason you didn't like the other ones was due to being basically wild animals that just melted clothes, right?"
"Well, that was the biggest issue," the Gremory heiress had to admit. "I did say this was your task to complete. If she can make sure to watch herself around our clothes back home…I have no objections."
He is trying to improve; his powers have always been unorthodox so why would his familiar be any different?
"I will keep my phantoms in check," the slime promised. "But do familiars not need names? I have never had one." Issei thought hard on it before finally speaking.
"What about Suraiya? It's cute, rolls off the tongue and I don't know anyone else with that name." Issei hoped she wouldn't realize it was very close to the word for slime in Japanese, the first thing that came to mind.
"Suraiya," the slime pondered a moment. "I accept, both the name and status as your familiar Issei Hyoudou, Red Dragon Emperor. I suppose I'll need a more fitting form to be in your home."
The slime swirled and molded before them once again condensing itself down until it now stood barely the same height as Issei. His eyes went wide and a bit of blood dribbled from his nose as he realized the form Suraiya was assuming. After several seconds, the teal-green slime stood before them as a beautiful young woman without any clothes whatsoever.
"I can change my pigment too," she remarked before her skin changed to match that of the women around her. Her hair was long colored a unique swirl of red, pink, yellow and purple that seemed to change anytime she moved. A portion of the top was twirled into a braid almost resembling a tiny drill and even had a single strand of hair sticking out the top that reminded him of Rias.
"Did you take inspiration from us?" Catherine asked, noticing the braid was very similar to her own as she draped her Kuoh Academy jacket over the woman for some modesty.
"That and a few from Issei's surface memories, I can see them if I look hard enough."
"Hey, I have some private thoughts in here!" Issei suddenly realized between her being able to view what Tiamat looked like in his head and now the women he had grown to love, she could see more than he wanted to. "Maybe you can please watch that."
"I will try, thank you. I look forward to seeing your home, the forest has been the only one I've known for so long."
"It was cool we found you, thanks for that Juzo…hey, where did he go?" The peerage glanced around, but the older man who had guided them into the forest was nowhere to be seen. "I knew there was something weird about him. I couldn't touch him, maybe he's a ghost?"
"A ghost?" Rias looked confused. "Why would you say that?"
"Well, when I took a swing at him before, it went right through him…" Issei started to explain as they walked back towards home, the Matriarch Slime following behind them taking in every word they said both to learn more about the world she was walking into and about her master whom she had made a pact with at long last.
Not Far…
"Geez, what I would have given to get a smokin hot slime woman like that as my familiar," Juzo sighed watching from behind a tree. "Ryuutemairu was great and all, but man…"
Unwrapping the bandage on his left arm, he looked on at a dull boosted gear that looked to be part of him yet had no power. The older man sighed in a way to relieve the tension that hadn't left him since he entered Issei's mind back in the Dimensional Gap.
"It's different than the first time, maybe that'll mean something. Not sure how long I can keep this up where Ddraig won't catch me, but I get the feeling I don't have much power left anyway. The longer I can hold on, the more I can do little by little." With that final thought, he faded away taking up his home once more within the psyche of Issei Hyoudou with him being none the wiser. The forest fell into a deep silence at his departure, as if the creatures and trees themselves could sense the presence of one out of his time, or a fragment broken from the greater whole constantly on the edge of disintegrating into dust.
Crossroad Tower Roof…
"So, you have a ritual to let angels have sex without going all darkwing? Then you're in good shape!"
"It's n-not that simple," Irina stuttered, now regretting having brought up the topic as they waited for Dorian to finish helping Iggy. "It's incredibly complex, requires pure thoughts and even then, is not guaranteed to work. I came across it in…my studies, and found pages upon pages of meticulous instructions. Only a handful of angels have been born using this technique since the war ended."
"It's still an option-nya," she flipped her tail for emphasis. "So, it's a lot of work…big deal. Nothing meaningful in life is easy, much as we want it to be, and I know for a fact Dorian-nya wouldn't mind going the extra mile for someone he fancied. Trust someone who knows it from experience. Just talk to him about it."
"Dorian? Why would you think that he is…?" Her attempt at deflection was interrupted as the walls around them began to shake.
As quickly as it had risen, the walls of the enormous maze receded leaving the rooftop as it had been prior to Iggy's outburst. Kuroka and Irina were resting against the side of a wall making small talk about one another. Ever since the plants had ceased coming after them, they'd wandered around for a bit unaware that the entrance to the center had closed preventing following Dorian. With their freedom, the pair started celebrating jumping for joy with one another. Not far, they noticed Seekvaira and Le Fay looking very proud of themselves having located the entrance to the maze just before it came down.
"Simple geometry," Seekvaira boasted with pride. "The magical tracking can only go so far, mix where she'd been with what made sense as to what would lead us out…"
"I thought we were looking for the center, not a way out." Le Fay pointed out, causing Seekvaira to pause in her explanations. "So, I guess we went backwards and…there they are!"
Iggy and Dorian were walking towards them with the maze walls no longer in the way. The pair looked refreshed and happy; all signs of Iggy's drunken-state a thing of the past. In fact, she looked more vibrant than ever with buds and flowers blooming around her as she walked.
"Are you better?" Seekvaira asked with Iggy letting out an affirmative giggle beaming brighter than the sun.
"Thank goodness," Irina ran forward to hug her. "Who knew these plants had such effects on you. We must be careful!"
"We came out ahead though," Kuroka slumped by a large pile of defeated fruits and vegetables next to them nearby. "We got enough dinner for days with all of this. We can…"
The nekoshou froze eyeing Iggy suspiciously. Slinking closer, she pressed herself up against the Sacred Gear spirit sniffing subtly with growing intensity. When she was certain it was no mistake, she let out a loud cry.
"Welcome aboard!" She hugged the young woman in a vibrant hug. "You are now the fourth in a VERY prestigious club, I hope you enjoy your stay."
"There you all are!" Ratatoskr hopped down from above. "When that wall thing popped up, I was worried sick. What's this I hear of you joining a club?" He eyed Iggy with a smirk implying he already knew the answer
"You were worried about me?" Iggy giggled. "You're like a concerned parent, almost…" In her sense of joy and euphoria, she'd nearly let it slip before catching herself with a gasp. "What I mean is, thank you." She prefaced the words with a gentle scratch behind Ratatoskr's ear.
"You CERTAINLY are in a good mood," he gave a thumbs up to Dorian. "I wholeheartedly approve."
He may regret those words when I tell him his relationship to me, Iggy restrained giggling again. Should I tell him? Technically it's something he does in the future, so maybe I shouldn't…yet.
"Let's just say," she chose her words carefully. "That I wouldn't mind being able to bring everyone up here a little more often…"
Love above the tower, new allies found amongst the forest and a weight of uncertainty lifted from the daughter of Yggdrasil's shoulders. The bonds that bind our heroes together grow deeper as they find all the more what they are fighting for to protect the world from the Khaos Brigade and their allies. Next time, the final chapter of the downtime arc begins.
I wanted to thank everyone reading and enjoying for your patience. Work has been so hectic that I've been unable to return to the steadier schedule of posts as I intended. Even with the heavy workload, I still write when I can so that you can enjoy the continuing story. With so many different interactions and stories between the huge cast for Roots, I am even considering making more OVA-like side stories to show moments between the lesser-known characters. Until next time, I hope everyone stays safe, Reads and Reviews...but most of all Enjoys! :D