Disclaimer: I don't own Percy Jackson or Harry Potter.
Consul of the Underworld: End of Disc 1
Chapter Two: DLC - Return to the Land of the Rising Sun
Beta: ShadowofAxios
"Standard full explanation," Alkaid declared with a sigh as she put the letter from Malcolm into the pile needing a reply including the aforementioned full explanation after reading through it. "It seems that'll be the matter of course for all replies to queries about the incident from the Campers of Cabin Six."
"Looks like," Gracie agreed as she looked up from the clipboard where she was keeping track of things. "I'll get started on modifying the template for Malcolm."
"Thank you, Gracie." Alkaid said, offering her young apprentice a smile as she returned to reading through the various letters from the non-Year Rounder Campers asking about what happened to Silena. A deluge of which had come in after word of the event had spread through the Camper community via the Year Rounders who had been in Camp to witness it first hand.
"You are so fortunate that you have an assistant, Alkaid." Chiron said with a smile from across the ping pong table in the Big House where they were both working on the replies to the queries about what the Campers were calling the Silena Incident. "It makes going through tasks like this so much easier."
"It would be far simpler if Campers could use phones or even email." Alkaid commented with a dejected sigh.
"I have little familiarity with such things but yes, I imagine it would." Chiron agreed. "By the way, I believe you were investigating the source of the curse that alerts monsters when Campers use those forms of communication, correct? How is the investigation?"
"I managed to narrow its source down to being a curse cast on Half-bloods by Lamia, but I've made no progress in devising a way to break it. Lamia got really creative when she cast it and it is fiendishly clever in its craft. I'd love to talk shop with her if she wasn't such a loon." A sly grin crossed her face as she looked at the Trainer of Heroes. "Though I confess I am working on an alternative solution."
"Oh? Do tell, please." Chiron said, putting the letter he had been reading into the pile requiring a personalized reply and looking towards Alkaid fully.
"As we know, Lamia's curse does not extend to magical communication. It's why we can I.M. safely as Lady Iris runs the 'network' on magic. It just so happens that some friends of mine back in Wizarding Britain are working on a set of new magical devices that imitates the functionality of a modern smartphone."
Her tone danced with excitement and some pride at how innovative her friends were. They had even taken the initiative to reach out to mundane technological companies for help. Though they hadn't had much luck in that area until Alkaid had stepped in and pointed them in the direction of the Daidouji Conglomerate. With its President being the mistress of the Sorceress Supreme, the Japanese multinational was both more than capable, that is to say magically aware enough, and willing to help.
"If that works out, it will be a complete gamechanger." Chiron gasped in pleasant surprise.
"I know." Alkaid told him with a nod. "However, please don't get your hopes just yet, Chiron. Whilst progress, as far as I've been told, has been good, the earliest we will have a working prototype will be the end of the year. It'll likely take at least a year, maybe more, after that before we can begin rolling out a finished product onto the market."
"I look forward to seeing it when it does."
"Can I get one, Sensei?" Gracie asked, looking at Alkaid expectantly.
"Of course you can, Gracie." Alkaid told her apprentice with a fond roll of her eyes. "I'll make sure to get you a set from the first production run. Only the best for my family."
"You're the best!" The daughter of Hecate said with a happy grin.
"I know I am," Alkaid said in an over the top haughty voice and flipped a lock of her hair over her shoulder, earning laughter from both Gracie and Chiron. "But seriously now, I think that's enough of a break. We still have a mountain of letters to sort through and write replies to, so let's get back to work, shall we?"
"I'm afraid Chiron will have to handle that on his own, Alkaid." Hermes said as the messenger god streaked into the room in a golden blur. "The Olympian Council has a job for you and Pyrrha."
"What kind of mission, Lord Hermes?" Alkaid asked warily. After her last trip had taken her to Hell of all places, she was understandably leery of taking on another mission. Especially when the fallout from the last one wasn't even settled yet.
"We need you two to go to Japan and speak with the Shinto gods." Hermes said with an understanding smile. "It seems the Titans are recruiting youkai into their armies. We need you to convince the gods of Takamagahara to put a stop to it."
"Why is it that it seems like the Titans are making a trend of recruiting allies outside of our mythos?" Alkaid asked with a tired sigh.
"Dunno," Hermes said with a shrug. "You'll have to ask Grandfather that one."
"I think I'll pass." Alkaid said as she stood from her seat. "Is there anything else you can tell me, Lord Hermes?"
"Sadly no," Hermes said with a shake of his head. "Japan is pretty firmly Shinto turf so we keep our distance. But I do recommend you talk to your friend the Sorceress Supreme. Word has it that she's on good terms with the Japanese gods."
"Thanks for the advice, Lord Hermes. I'll do that."
"Good. Then I'll be off. Other messages to deliver and all that." Lord Hermes said with a playful smirk. "See you around, Alkaid. And best of luck!"
With that last parting bit of encouragement, the messenger god ran off in a golden blur.
"Chiron, apologies, it appears that I need to go pack and otherwise prepare for my mission."
"I understand, Alkaid." Chiron said, offering her a smile. "I've got things handled here."
Alkaid eyed the impressively high pile of still unsorted letters dubiously before turning to her apprentice.
"Gracie, stay here and help Chiron would you? He needs it."
"Yes, Sensei!" The daughter of Hecate replied with a playful salute.
"Thank you, Alkaid." Chiron said gratefully.
"Think nothing of it, just helping a colleague out is all." Alkaid said airily as she walked towards the door of the Big House intent on seeking Pyrrha out to inform her about their new mission. "Besides, you're a friend too. What kind of a friend would I be if I didn't offer you what help I could when you needed it?"
"We got the passports?" Pyrrha asked as she was packing her bag for their trip.
"Yes, dear." Alkaid said as she folded a shirt. "They're in my purse."
"Sweet, thanks 'Kaidy."
The two were off to Tomoeda, Japan. Alkaid had reached out to Sakura, as the only Japanese with notable influence she had contact with, she had, like Lord Hermes had suggested, to get her help in arranging a meeting with the Shinto gods. In response, the Sorceress Supreme had happily agreed to not only arrange a meeting with the Shinto gods on Alkaid's behalf, but also offered her own home as a neutral meeting ground.
"Another bag read-" Pyrrha said as she made to lift a tote bag, but paused at the weight of it and shot it a frown.
"What is it?" Alkaid asked, looking over as Pyrrha zipped open the bag and snorted.
"We've got a clever stow away." The redhead commented and Alkaid came over and tried to smother a smattering of giggles at the sight of Mina dressed in a white smock curled up inside the tote bag and shamefully refusing to meet her mothers' eyes.
"While clever sweetie, you still can't come with us." Alkaid said, reaching into the bag and pulling her out, placing the young goddess on her feet.
"It's not fair!" Mina declared, stomping her little feet in a fit, frustrated tears in her eyes as she glared up at her mothers. "I wanna go see Japan too! You said we could go on a family trip soon!"
"We know, love, we know." Alkaid said calmly to the upset goddess, kneeling down to stroke her ashen locks. "But we need you here to look after the others with Mr. D."
"But I wanna see Japan! It's where my anime is from!"
"We'll bring you next time we pay a visit." Pyrrha placated. "But you can't come this time."
"Why not!?" Mina whined, looking like she wanted to stab something.
"Because we're going to meet with the Shinto gods." Alkaid said, looking her daughter firmly in her eyes. "And they could be mean to us. It's part of diplomacy sometimes. If we took you with us would you be able to promise you wouldn't stabbity stab them or whoever they sent to talk to us if they are?"
"I-I-"
"You can't, can you?" Pyrrha said, kneeling down beside Alkaid so she too could look into their daughter's eyes seriously.
"I'd only stabby stab them a little, I promise!" She swore to them in earnest.
"And we can't afford for you to stabby stab any one of them even once, Mina." Alkaid told her daughter apologetically. "It might ruin the talks."
"Do you understand, sweetie?" Pyrrha added.
Mina pouted and looked down at her Mary Janes, refusing to meet her mothers' eyes.
"Yes," she said reluctantly.
"Good," Alkaid said, kissing Mina's forehead. "We promise to make it up to you when we get back, okay?"
"Like how?" Mina asked, looking at Alkaid expectantly. Lips set in a tiny pout and eyes narrowed.
"How about we take you to go kill some gangbangers?" Pyrrha suggested. "We haven't heard from Mr. T with an execution target for you in a while so I'm sure you'll be needing a fix for your murder domain soon."
Mina lit up with happiness at the suggestion and she nodded enthusiastically.
"Then we'll do that when we get back." Alkaid assured her daughter. "Promise."
"I'll string them up by their entrails!" Mina said, giggling and clapping her hands with glee.
"Okay. But in the meantime, why don't you tell us where you put the stuff that was originally in the tote so we can pack it back in and get going?" Pyrrha asked, patting the empty bag that Mina had tried stowing away in for emphasis.
"The Harpy Coop. They promised to watch it for me for more bacon."
Pyrrha shot Alkaid a look. "'Kaidy, what was inside the tote again?"
"Our toiletries." The daughter of Hades said, rubbing the bridge of her nose in irritation. "That and some other bath items like towels and bathrobes. If those winged bitches used our robes…"
"Spider silk, I know." Pyrrha said with a sigh. "Knowing those bird ladies, they'll want to renegotiate the price for handing our stuff back."
Alkaid nodded her agreement. "Just get it back. We don't have time to waste squabbling with them."
"Got it," Pyrrha said as she stood. "Mina, come on, let's go get our stuff back. 'Kaidy, finish checking over the rest of our luggage?"
Alkaid nodded, trying to smother her growing rage. "Count on me."
In the end, it had taken the better part of an hour to convince the blasted Harpies to hand their stuff back. Much as they had feared, the winged cleaning ladies had decided to try to up the price for their return, something that took a good deal of persuasion and threats of violence on Pyrrha's part to get them to budge on. As a result, they'd arrived almost a half hour later at Sakura's manor than they intended.
Alkaid was thus not surprised when instead of finding the Sorceress Supreme waiting to welcome them, she instead found her husband leaning against a tree and looking irritable.
"You're late." The Chinese man said with a frown as he pushed off from the tree and walked towards them.
"Apologies for that, Syaoran." Alkaid said with an apologetic curtsy that Pyrrha, dressed in a skirt today, emulated. "We were delayed by unforeseen circumstances on our end."
"We guessed as much," the sorcerer said with a nod. "Come, let's go find Sakura. When you didn't show up after ten minutes, she and Tomoyo went off to get some rest."
"Rest?" Pyrrha asked, blinking in confusion as they followed after their host as he led them not towards the house but further into the garden that surrounded it.
"Yes, they shouldn't stay on their feet too long in their current condi-" He said, only to cut himself off as they turned around a bend in the cobblestone path they were walking on and caught sight of the gazebo presumably where their two hostesses were supposed to have gone to rest.
Neither of them were inside it though. Instead, Sakura was standing on a patch of grass just off the path offering what sounded like teaching instructions to Tomoyo as the raven haired beauty who was currently wearing a complicated looking dress with a full skirt, removable sleeves that left her shoulders bare, and most importantly a set of full raven wings from the small of her back, flew unsteadily in the air above her. All whilst a stripy, pink and purple balloon with small wings that radiated the Sorceress Supreme's magic floated just below, matching her every move and ready to catch the raven haired businesswoman should she lose control.
"Sakura! Tomoyo!" Syaoran barked. "You two should be resting!"
Alkaid could understand his frustration. Both women were noticeably pregnant. Seeing them doing something as reckless as allowing a clear novice like Tomoyo practice flying in her condition was just reckless!
"I just want my baby girl to feel like she's flying." Tomoyo giggled as she came in for a landing.
"She can wait until she's born for that, Tomoyo! It's not safe!" Syaoran said, rubbing his nose irritably.
As her two lovers bickered, with Syaoran chiding Tomoyo on her recklessness and her countering that just because she and Sakura were pregnant that did not make them invalids, Sakura laughed awkwardly as she stepped towards the Americans to explain things.
"I see congratulations are in order, Sakura?" Alkaid asked wryly, looking down at the Sorceress Supreme's swollen belly.
"Ah, you see, I'm carrying Syaoran's baby, our son. While Tomoyo is carrying my daughter. Syaoran is being overly cautious with us, being a worry wart." Sakura said, scratching her cheek in embarrassment. "I guess I didn't mention it in our correspondences?"
"I'm afraid you did not," Alkaid affirmed.
"Sorry about that. I didn't mean to surprise you. I guess it just didn't come up." The older woman said with an embarrassed chuckle before hastily changing the topic. "Oh! Have you two used that ritual we shared with you yet? The idea of our children being close in age sounds delightful."
The couple blushed brightly at the question and Alkaid shook her head even as she replied, "We're waiting. With the war and all, it's not the right time. Not when the war effort requires all of our focus! Mina can protect herself, but if one of us was pregnant…"
Sakura nodded in understanding. "I understand. Still, if you have any questions about it, let me know. I'll gladly help you two."
"Th-Thank you." The daughter of Hades coughed into her fist, cheeks still dusted. "So I'm surprised Tomoyo possesses magic. As far as I knew, she was mundane."
"Oh, that's rather simple! You see, I've been teaching Tomoyo magic for a bit now as my apprentice. Sadly, she's not very powerful per se, she barely has any magic at all. Yet I have her learning nonetheless and she is developing her own little niche of skills."
"What's her specialty?" Alkaid asked curiously.
"Clothing magic!" Sakura said with a giggle, her voice coming across like twinkling bells. "She can make elaborate outfits with inbuilt magic, like the flying dress she has on now."
"Oh my, how intriguing!" Alkaid said with delight as some ideas came to mind to speak with Tomoyo about later.
"Uh, Sakura, I think you might want to step in." Pyrrha said, cutting into the conversation and pointing behind the woman at her two lovers, whose argument had escalated from a verbal altercation to one that involved the wings of Tomoyo's dress flaring out behind in a clear threat display. One that was matched by Syaoran summoning the jian that was his magical focus.
Sighing, Sakura turned around. She was just in time to see Syaoran attempt to use his magic to conjure ropes of earth to try and restrain Tomoyo, who shot away from the grasping tendrils on her raven wings.
"Tomoyo! Syaoran! Stop!" Sakura ordered, crossing her arms and glaring at her two lovers. "Behave! We have guests."
"Sorry, Sakura-chan!" "Sorry, dear!" The two chastised sorcerers said as they both froze.
Satisfied Sakura, turned back to the Potters.
"Why don't I show you two to your rooms, Alkaid, Pyrrha." She said, pointedly ignoring her lovers as they apologized to each other behind her. "You can rest and refresh yourselves before we talk more about the reason for your visit."
"Sounds like a plan," Pyrrha agreed easily enough.
"Yes, that does sound good." Alkaid agreed. "Though what about Tomoyo and Syaoran?"
"Don't worry about them." Sakura said, as she gently guided them towards the house. "They can rejoin us once they remember how to behave around guests."
Someone's not happy with their significant others. Alkaid thought with an internal wince of sympathy for the Sorceress Supreme's husband and mistress. But quickly dismissed it from her mind. She had enough problems on her plate already, she didn't need to add worries about Sakura's love life to it as well.
Besides, it's none of my business.
With the meeting scheduled for two days after their arrival, Sakura had offered the Potters a tour of Tomoeda town with herself acting as their guide on the next day. That this conveniently gave her an excuse to punish her lovers for their squabbling yesterday by not being around to spend time with was not something that escaped Pyrrha or 'Kaidy's notice, but neither of them were stupid enough to mention it.
"So after I set up my school, the Nadeshiko Academy of Magic, my hometown has become something of a university town centered around it." Sakura explained as she walked with them through the surprisingly mundane looking postmodernist school campus that housed said school of magic.
"Nadeshiko? You named the school after your mother?" Alkaid asked politely as she recalled the details about the Sorceress Supreme's family.
"Yes," Sakura nodded. "Sonomi-san, Tomoyo's mother, suggested it. Since we were all pretty much stumped for good ideas for names at the time, we settled on it. Though, in the end I think it worked out quite well."
"It is certainly a pretty sounding name." Pyrrha agreed. "Though, not going to lie, it sounds like the name for an all girls school."
"I would never discriminate like that!" Sakura said with a vigorous shake of her head. "Though, I do see your point."
"So how is the curriculum run?"
"Why don't I answer that, Sakura-chan?" A very beautiful milky white-skinned woman with long brown hair that was parted down the center and crimson eyes said. "Since I am the Dean of Academics here at the Academy."
"Of course, Kaho-san." Sakura said as she allowed the woman to fall into step with them as they continued their walk.
Pyrrha was gobsmacked and couldn't help but stare at the older woman's legs that just seemed to go on for miles. If her Professors at Hogwarts had looked like this woman, Pyrrha wouldn't have had half the trouble with school as she had.
Unlike her though, 'Kaidy wasn't swayed in the least by the woman's beauty. Instead, she was, much to Pyrrha's relief, focused on what this Kaho had to say about her school. It seemed her inner teacher had reared its head and she was overcome with curiosity about what things were like here at Nadeshiko Academy of Magic.
Gods, she loved her nerd.
"We operate mainly on a master/apprentice system, supplemented by modules covering the foundations and the odd ones on broader, more advanced topics and extracurriculars." Kaho explained. "So we link up our students with prospective masters, usually among our staff, though sometimes we make arrangements for non-staff to serve in this capacity as well. It's through such apprenticeships that our students conduct the majority of their learning."
"And how do you go about linking your students with prospective masters?" Alkaid asked curiously.
"Shall I answer that, dear?" A handsome man with snow white-skin, dark blue hair that had bangs hanging on either side, and large gray eyes underneath his rectangular glasses said as he looked away from a set of windows overlooking a courtyard below.
"Eriol, what are you doing here?" Kaho asked, raising an eyebrow at the man. "Decided to join the meet and greet after all?"
"No, this is merely a happy coincidence. Fai and Kurogane decided to take their class out to the courtyard for some practicals. I'm still observing them." The blue haired man said as he gestured to the courtyard below where a lanky blue eyed blonde and an equally tall but stockier man with red eyes and black hair that was complicatedly spiked up were teaching a group of students.
Okay, seriously. Why are all of them here all pretty and handsome? There's gotta be something in the water. Pyrrha thought as she looked between the three men and the Dean.
"They are doing evasion training?" Alkaid asked curiously as they all moved to stand by the window that the Eriol guy had been looking out of and saw the blonde teacher shoot at a bunch of students with some magical projectiles whilst his colleague assessed the kids' attempts to evade his attacks and offered critique.
"Yes," Eriol said with a nod. "And this is usually how we link our students with their masters as well."
"I don't follow," Alkaid said, offering the man a confused look.
"It's simple really." Eriol said, gesturing below. "What can you tell me about the group of students below?"
Alkaid frowned as she tried to make sense of the training session going on below, clearly missing it even as Pyrrha got it immediately.
"They are all physically inclined." The daughter of war observed. "They're all evading the shots the blonde teacher is shooting at them using their bodies, not their magic."
Eriol nodded. "Exactly. And that's why they're Kurogane's students. He's a magic swordsman, you see. So physical combat is his speciality. Fai is there to pick up where his admittedly limited understanding of magic falls short. They make a potent team and have produced some of our best students."
"I think I get it," Alkaid said with a nod of comprehension. "Those basic lessons Kaho-san mentioned are designed to help students identify their aptitudes and seek out masters among the staff who most match them, who will then teach more advanced lessons like the one going on below."
"Pretty much." The blue haired man said. "I'm Eriol Hiiragizawa by the way, Kaho's husband and Dean of Faculty here at Nadeshiko Academy of Magic. It's a pleasure to meet you, Missus Potter."
"The pleasure is mine, Mister and Missus Hiiragizawa." Alkaid said with real enthusiasm. "You must show me more of this wonderful school of yours! I am honestly fascinated!"
"She wants to start up her own school one day," Pyrrha explained, causing her wife to blush prettily.
"A very noble goal, Missus Potter. One that we will be happy to support." Kaho said with a smile. "But shall we leave Eriol to continue with his observation and proceed to my office? I can answer any questions you might have about the Academy there."
"Yes, please!" Alkaid said with enthusiasm reminiscent of Mina when it was time for dessert.
Something that Pyrrha couldn't help but giggle at. Her wife was utterly adorable when she was being a total nerd.
After spending the better part of the day at the Nadeshiko Academy of Magic satisfying Alkaid's curiosity at how it was run, Sakura had taken them to the next stop on their tour of the magical side of her hometown. This turned out to be Tomoeda's magical marketplace and as much as Alkaid was disappointed at having to leave the Academy, she was honestly equally excited to see what this marketplace was like. She only knew of a few of the magical malls around the US and the occasional European magical shopping street like Diagon Alley and each was radically different from the other, so she couldn't wait to see what made Tomoeda's special!
In terms of layout, Tomoeda was something of a disappointment. It was organized in pretty much the same pattern as a stereotypical Japanese shopping arcade with only the magical wards keeping out those unaware of magic making it different from its mundane counterparts. What set it apart from its magical counterparts however was the sheer diversity of races that walked its streets without even bothering to make an effort to disguise themselves. Yes, both the US magical malls and Diagon Alley boasted non-human clientele as well, but in both those locales, such beings tended to hide their nature behind some disguise or the other. Here in Tomoeda though, no one seemed to bother with that.
That was why no one seemed to so much as bat an eyelid as a serpentine creature with a vaguely arrow shaped head whose body was covered with a golden carapace with an abundance of spikes that shielded purple flesh, and a pair of long tails that ended in stingers reminiscent of scorpions slithered along with a collection of bags slung along its pair of mantid-like arms.
That was not to say that the place was made up entirely by non-humans either, as besides Alkaid, Pyrrha and Sakura there were also plenty of other humans. And not just Japanese either as evidenced by a man leaning against a street corner and smoking a cigarette. With his blond hair and blue eyes, the man with a badly kept beard dressed in a rumpled outfit consisting of a brown trench coat, white shirt, gray pants, and a loose red tie, was clearly a foreigner.
But the inescapable fact was that the majority of the people in the marketplace were non-human. A fact hammered home as Alkaid and her group passed by an undead skeleton creature who was devoid of skin and flesh with tiny dark red glows radiating from inside its empty eye sockets and a dark red orb floating under his ribs that emanated a feeling of dread. It was dressed in an elaborate, jet-black academic gown adorned with golden and violet edges and was holding a golden staff with a design of seven entwined serpents, in the mouths of each of which was a jewel of a different color, and had a grip with a transparent quality like crystal and emitted a bluish white light.
A creature who stopped them with a raised hand.
"Ah, you must be Alkaid Potter." The undead said with a surprisingly human voice.
"Yes, that's who I am." Alkaid said, blinking in confusion at the skeletal being. "How might I help you?"
"Ainz Ooal Gown, Bone Father of Felmid." The creature said, introducing himself. "I just wanted to ask you to do me a favor, Missus Potter."
"What do you want with the girl, Lord Ainz?" Sakura cut in warily, setting alarm bells ringing in Alkaid's head.
She had never heard Sakura be so tense when addressing someone before. Not even that one time she'd tried to convince Angra Mainyu to spare Alkaid's life. Yet here she was practically fidgeting with unease at talking to this mysterious undead? Why!?
"You need not worry, Sakura. I merely wished to ask Missus Potter to pass on my well wishes to the Amanos when she next meets them." Ainz Ooal Gown said, sending a shiver down Alkaid's spine. The undead spoke of the Overgods as if they were his friends! Just who was he!? "And let them know I might have found a solution to their manifestation problem. I still have a few experiments to run, but once they're proven successful, I'll drop by with the results."
"Ah, of course." Alkaid smiled, though perhaps it was a touch stiff from the mention of the Overgods. "I will happily do so."
"My thanks." The Bone Father said with a smile, and how he somehow conveyed that he was smiling without any flesh on his face was beyond Alkaid, before nodding at them in farewell and walking off.
"Sakura, who was that?" Pyrrha asked uneasily.
"An Outsider." Sakura said with a frown. "Essentially an Overgod."
"I thought they couldn't manifest in the mortal plane?" Alkaid asked, alarmed.
"Only Yuki-sama and Yuno-sama have that problem and only in regard to the worlds in our branch of Creation. It's the result of a limit imposed on them because they are its custodians. Other Outsiders can come and go as they please." Sakura explained. "But let's not talk about them and just continue our tour, shall we?"
Alkaid and Pyrrha exchanged a look. If talking about these Outsiders was enough to unsettle Sakura, then it was a topic they better find out about but… It wasn't something they had to do now. There was no point spoiling the mood by pressing their hostess about it.
"Lead the way, Sakura." Alkaid said, offering the older woman an encouraging smile.
Thus their tour continued uneventfully for a while until they passed by what at first glance was an empty lot but which as they stepped past it, revealed itself to be a house shrouded in timespace magic of a confusing and powerful nature that Alkaid itched to unravel. Within the confines of this property, there were a diverse group of creatures having a picnic under the cherry blossom trees which were blooming out of season in the front lawn of the house. A house whose design seemed to merge elements of East and West, was decorated by many moon symbols and had a high wall that surrounded the property.
Three of the gathered beings were a strange cross of human and animal, one of which was a humanoid tapir who was holding multicolored balloons and the other two being a pair of fox humanoids dressed in kimonos that were likely Kitsune. A fourth was a strange black rabbit-like creature with a round blue jewel growing out of its forehead. The rest were wholly human looking but all of whom were giving off an otherworldly nature that easily told otherwise. The first was a young woman with wavy blond hair, pale skin, elfin ears, black eyes and was dressed in a Erotic Lolita outfit. Another was a teenage girl with black spiky hair that was parted to her right side and green eyes who was wearing a black shirt with red tie and a skirt with white boots. Seated across from them were a pretty but visibly shy girl with black hair and brown eyes in an elaborate kimono; and a redhead in a long, puffy, short-sleeved, black Gothic Lolita dress and carrying a blue umbrella decorated with white lace much like her dress. And entertaining them was presumably their host, a man with short black hair with heterochromia with one blue/indigo eye and the other a gold-brown who was dressed in a white kimono. Helping him were a pair of girls, one with long, curly, blue hair tied into pigtails and the other with short, straight, pink hair that had two curls on either side of her head.
"Enjoying the sights?" Sakura asked with a titter. Someone had clearly shaken off the tension from their brief meeting with the Bone Father.
"Yes, Sakura. It's so much, well, more." Alkaid said with approval. She had eyed several shops already she wanted to explore when the talks had ended.
"Well, you're always welcome to visit." Sakura said with a grin. "But for now, why don't I show you a couple shops that I think might catch your interests, Alkaid, Pyrrha?"
"Not sure there's anything here that might be up my alley, but I'm game." Pyrrha said with a shrug.
"Not even a shop selling enchanted weapons? Or one that sells elemental gems you might want to socket into your Celestial Bronze weapon?" Sakura said with a coy grin. "We have those you know."
"You know how to get a girl's attention, that's for sure!"
"Enough talk!" Alkaid said with a giggle. "Let's hit the shops!"
"To the shops!" Sakura echoed, before they both looked at Pyrrha expectantly.
The daughter of war rolled her eyes but obliged them. "Let's go shopping!"
On the day of the meeting with the Shinto gods, Alkaid and Pyrrha were inside the bedroom provided to them by Sakura putting the final touches to their outfits. In the interest of giving a good impression and eliminating the chance of giving offense, the couple had decided to attend the meeting in formal dress. That this gave Alkaid a chance to dress up and see Pyrrha do the same so she could ogle her wife looking all fancy had absolutely nothing to do with the decision. None at all!
Alkaid's choice of dress for the occasion was an elaborate black and purple affair with a sweetheart neckline that nicely cupped her breasts and emphasized them beautifully, and which she had complemented with a bow in her hair, a fabric choker, gloves, and ruffled bands around her upper arms.
"'Kaidy, you sure you didn't pick that outfit so you could cosplay as an idol?" Pyrrha teased.
"I refuse to confirm or deny anything," Alkaid replied coyly even as raked her eyes over her beautiful wife.
Pyrrha was looking wonderful in her short taffeta dress with a sleeveless, halter neckline, a fitted bodice styled with an open back and a skirt that formed a fitted silhouette that ended at mid-thigh. A dress that nicely exposed and brought attention to her well toned back and arms. No, wonderful was an understatement. She looked absolutely delectable and Alkaid couldn't help but lick her lips at the prospect of helping her daughter of war out of that pretty dress at the end of the day and possibly, if they could get over the lingering hangups of the trip to Libido, enjoying the body that it put on such enchanting display.
"'Kaidy, you're drooling." Pyrrha said with a blush.
"Liar," Alkaid said as dabbed at her mouth with a handkerchief anyway which came away perfectly dry.
"Maybe not, but you have that hungry look in your eyes. The one you get when you want to ravish me."
"Can you blame me, Py? That dress suits you."
Pyrrha's blush deepened at the praise even as she replied. "Thank you, 'Kaidy. But hold in those urges of yours. We have a meeting to attend."
"Right." Alkaid said as she took a breath to calm herself down.
She cursed her demigod libido. Honestly! It was rearing its head at the worst times.
Whilst Alkaid was getting herself under control, Pyrrha was checking her watch.
"It's time to go, 'Kaidy. Are you ready?"
Alkaid chanced one last glance at her reflection in the mirror of the room's dressing table and was satisfied that she looked more than presentable.
"Yes," she said as she walked over to her waiting wife who had moved to the door whilst she'd been doing her final once over.
"Then let's go," Pyrrha said, offering Alkaid her arm.
Alkaid just offered her a smile as she obligingly slipped her arm around Pyrrha's and they walked arm in arm to their meeting with the Shinto gods.
Except it turned out the Shinto gods had decided not to show up after all. Something that Alkaid and Pyrrha discovered as they stepped into the meeting room in Sakura's mansion - apparently her mistress Tomoyo occasionally held meetings for her company, the Daidouji Conglomerate, at the house - where the meeting was to be held and found a Kitsune and an immortal, his aura gave him away, instead.
"Ah, Alkaid, it seems that Amaterasu-sama is too busy to attend this meeting in person." Sakura said diplomatically as she welcomed Alkaid and Pyrrha into the room. "Instead, she's sent representatives to speak on her and the Shinto pantheon's behalf. Let me make introductions."
Alkaid was furious at the insult from the Shinto gods. Olympus had sent her and Pyrrha, their official diplomats, to meet with them and they couldn't even send one of their lesser gods? Especially since both of them were heavy hitters and Olympus was at war. Sending them here to Japan and away from the frontlines was a big thing to do, yet instead of recognizing that, they were being snubbed?
She kept her temper in check though and offered the Sorceress Supreme a diplomatic smile as she replied. "Of course."
Smiling back, Sakura quickly introduced Alkaid and Pyrrha to the Shinto representatives before returning the favor.
"And this," Sakura said gesturing to a Kitsune whose human guise took the form of a tall, voluptuous woman with purple hair and a pair of pointy ears of the same color that was dressed in some kind of kimono that was clearly modified to maximize mobility. "Is Nazuna-san, she is a five tailed Kitsune in service of Inari-sama."
"It's a pleasure to meet you, Nazuna-san." Pyrrha said for them.
"Nah, just call me Nazuna." The kitsune said with a wave of her hands after they exchanged bows in greeting. "I know you gaijin have trouble with our customary suffixes so let's keep it simple."
"We thank you for your consideration, Nazuna." Alkaid said with a nod.
At least she appears to have a pleasant personality. Alkaid thought even as her anger once more simmered back up to a boil at the discovery that not only had Amaterasu not come in person, she hadn't even bothered to send one of her servants and instead sent one of those who served her subordinate gods. I wish I could say the same for her superiors.
"And this is her husband, Seta Soujiro-san." Sakura continued, gesturing to a samurai with long dark teal hair which was tied in a ponytail and dressed in a light blue haori with gold diamond patterns, a purplish blue kimono, and a green checkered scarf. "He is a member of Amaterasu-sama's personal guard."
Ok, so maybe I should take back the bit about Amaterasu not sending one of her servants. But still! A guard!? Couldn't she at least have sent a diplomat of some kind?
"Charmed," Alkaid said with a forced smile as she shook the hand the man offered to her.
"It's a pleasure to meet you. You may dispense with formalities with me as well and call me Soujiro." He returned before he moved to shake Pyrrha's hand as well.
"Of course it's a pleasure for you, Soujiro!" Nazuna said with a snort as Sakura guided them all to take seats on opposite sides of the long conference table that dominated the meeting room. "You have a chance to meet two such beautiful women! It would be the highlight of any hotblooded guy's year! Well, as long as they're into women at least."
"Nazuna," Soujiro said as he palmed his face, sounding dismayed.
Alkaid couldn't help but cock an eyebrow at this. These were who the Shinto gods sent as their representatives!? Not only were they not even at least a minor god but they were hardly up to snuff as diplomats either! Could this be even more of a snub!?
"I apologize for my wife, Alkaid, Pyrrha. May I address you as such?"
"Of course, it's only fair." Alkaid allowed with a diplomatic smile, even as Pyrrha nodded her acceptance as well.
"Well, as I was saying, I apologize for Nazuna. She's always like this. It's honestly why I tried to get her to not attend-"
"No can do, Soujiro. Inari-sama wants me to report on what happens today." Nazuna said, wagging a finger in his direction.
Soujiro sighed and nodded. "Yes, and that, Alkaid, Pyrrha is why Nazuna is here."
"And yourself?" Pyrrha asked, surprising Alkaid, though except the widening of her eyes she didn't let it show. "I find it strange that the Shinto pantheon would send a guard as their representative to a meeting like this."
I knew she picked up on the snub but I didn't think she'd say anything. She usually let's me do the talking in these situations.
"Pyrrha has a point there, Soujiro-san." Sakura cut in from her seat at the head of the table and in her role as mediator for the meeting. "When I contacted Amaterasu-sama about this meeting, I was under the impression she'd send at least one of the minor gods of her court."
"She would have if Alkaid and Pyrrha had a god in their team." Soujiro said with a shake of his head. "Takamagahara is all about protocol. It's literally written into the rules that govern its existence or what you'd call the Ancient Laws. Sending a god, even the most minor of local kami, to meet with mortals would be a breach of said protocol."
"Inari-sama told me that Amaterasu-sama was hoping you'd bring your daughter. Then they could've sent a god of their own since she's a goddess and all." Nazuna explained. "But you didn't and they were kinda stuck."
Soujiro nodded. "And so they sent me. I might not be exactly the best non-godly diplomat in the whole court of Takamagahara but I am a member of Amaterasu-sama's retinue and had experience serving as a diplomat for my Daimyo back when I was mortal."
"It was basically the best Amaterasu-sama could manage."
"Unfortunately," Soujiro said with an apologetic bow that his wife emulated. "We nonetheless apologize for the snub."
"Ah, at least they recognize this is a snub." Alkaid said with a wave of her hand, feigning a dismissive air even as her emerald eyes narrowed and she offered the Shinto representatives a smile that was sharper than a knife.
Sakura frowned but nevertheless nodded and pushed things along. "I have to agree that this is rather childish of them. I expected better. Surely they could have come up with some workaround to allow a kami of some standing to serve as your representative."
"We're sorry for this inconvenience but this was honestly the best solution Amaterasu-sama could come up with. As such, we will be acting as the representatives for our kami." Soujiro smiled charmingly.
"Not so fast! That won't do at all!" A voice suddenly filled the room before with a soft crackle and a flash of light, a new woman teleported into the room and walked over to the Shinto side of the table. She had lovely pale skin, chin-length brownish black hair and green eyes and was dressed in a pair of black glasses, stud earrings, and a short necklace, with a white ruffled top, a pencil skirt and a black pinstripe blazer with a high collar.
"Alright, sorry for the wait. I'll be taking over the Shinto side of this little meet-up." She declared with authority and took a seat. "I'm the current incarnation of Izanami, Narukami Marie. Sup."
"Wait, aren't you the weather girl from Fuji TV?" Soujiro asked in shock as the Kitsune's jaw dropped a little.
The suit clad woman turned to them and adjusted her glasses menacingly but in such a manner that it could only be described as an artform. "First off, I'm a meteorologist! I just started out as a weather girl. Haven't been one for years, thanks so much."
"But Izanami-sama-"
"Call me Marie." The primordial goddess of Japan corrected.
"Marie-sama," The man corrected himself. "May I ask why you are intervening in this matter?"
"Yu, Rise and I don't like Kronos. He cut off his father's penis!" Marie said, looking aghast. "Rise and I like Yu's rod where it is, thank you very much! And naturally so does Yu. We're not risking him returning to power and waving that dick slicing scythe of his around."
"That's, um, a good reason?" Pyrrha said, shooting Alkaid a lost look.
For her part, the daughter of Hades was just as lost. There seemed to be a lot of context in that statement that she had no idea about. Like who in the world were Rise and Yu? Lady Marie's mortal lovers?
"That's why you're interfering, Marie-sama?" Sakura asked, cocking an eyebrow at the incarnation of the Japanese protogenoi of creation and death.
"I think it's a very good reason, Sakura-chan." Marie said, crossing her arms and shooting Sakura a look. "Or would you want someone notorious for castrating his own father running around? What if he went after your husband? And you know he is infamous for eating his own children too, right? Want to risk him having developed an appetite and put your little ones at risk? I know I don't,"
Sakura blinked at the retort for a moment before slowly nodding. "Point."
"Good," Marie said with a firm nod, before turning back to Nazuna and Soujiro. "So you two will tell Ama-chan, Yomi-kun, Susa-kun and all the others to stop allowing the Titans to recruit youkai."
Both the Kitsune and the immortal samurai nodded obediently.
"And what about those who have already pledged their service to the Titans?" Alkaid asked.
"Hmm…" Marie hummed thoughtfully, tapping her chin before turning to Nazuna and Soujiro. "Can Takamagahara do anything about that?"
"No," Soujiro said with a shake of his head. "Protocol dictates that since they've pledged their allegiance to a lord outside of the Takamagahara hierarchy they are outside its jurisdiction."
"In that context, we could ask them to deal with them as outsiders but-"
"It wouldn't work." The samurai said, shaking his head at his wife's suggestion. "Too many of the kami will argue that since they're outside of their jurisdiction, they're no longer Takamagahara's problem. Moving against them would be politically unwise."
"I could-"
"Marie-sama, I don't think you should make Amaterasu-sama's life difficult like that." Sakura said, cutting the Japanese protogenoi off. "Especially not when there is a more elegant solution we can employ instead."
"Tch, difficult? I remember how difficult it was when Izanagi and I were making this flipping country. If my hikikomori daughter wants to argue with me, bring it."
"Marie-sama, please!" Sakura insisted. "Do you want to make her upset with the Olympians?"
Marie pouted at that. "Fine~! I just wanted to be thorough, you know. As good as Alkaid-chan and Pyrrha-chan are said to be, they aren't gods. They might miss something."
"Then I'll have my apprentices clean up the leftovers. They are threats to Japan anyway and my apprentices routinely handle those. Will that be acceptable?"
"You are suggesting Pyrrha and I deal with the youkai already pledged to the Titans?" Alkaid cut in to be clear on the part that she and her wife were expected to play in this agreement.
"Yup," Marie said with a nod. "That's okay with you two?"
Alkaid exchanged a look with Pyrrha who nodded.
"Yes, it is."
"Nazuna-san, Soujiro-san?" Sakura asked, looking at the two original Shinto representatives.
"I think the kami of Takamagahara can agree to that." Soujiro said on behalf of the both of them as Nazuna nodded.
"Finally. We're finished!" The goddess sighed and pulled out her phone, fingers flying as she started texting.
"Who ya texting, Marie-sama?" Nazuna asked with a tilt of her head.
"I'm texting Yu and Rise to let them know we're done and I'm on the way," Marie said with a distracted shrug.
"You mentioned them earlier, Marie-sama. Are they your mortal lovers?" Soujiro asked with a smile.
"My husband and our girlfriend actually." Marie corrected before breaking down into an annoyed and distracted ramble as she continued to text away on her phone. "And can I just say that the way that the mortals changed the laws to ban polygamy is just stupid. If not for that then Rise would be our wife as is proper and we wouldn't have to be all secretive about our relationship. Then again, the fact that Rise is an idol and how they aren't supposed to even be in a relationship is also a problem. We would ask her to quit, but she loves her career and we could never ask Rise to give up something she cherishes. Really, the mortals and their laws and conventions just make things so difficult."
"Wait! An idol named Rise?" Nazuna said, her eyes lit up in amazement. "Your girlfriend is Kujikawa Rise, Marie-sama!?"
"Huh? Yeah." The incarnation of Izanami said with a nod. "She's the mother of our twins, Juri-chan and Yuri-chan."
"Well that explains the hiatus she took a couple years back. By the way," Nazuna said, looking at Sakura and Marie in turn and smirking. "What's with powerful Japanese women and being part of triads?"
Sakura blushed cherry red, but Marie sputtered out a response, "S-So? Every powerful woman needs a side piece!"
"If that's true, do the lovely Potters have a little third wheel to have fun with? Or are you considering it now?" The sassy Kitsune asked as she turned her attention to Alkaid and Pyrrha whilst sporting a wide grin.
"No, we're good." "Trust me, we're fine." The couple answered simply enough.
While it was a fun idea to tease her wife about to get her all adorably flustered, Alkaid wouldn't dare do that unless her war muffin broached the topic.
"Back on topic," Alkaid said, trying to steer the conversation back towards a more serious direction. "I am concerned about whether the Shinto pantheon will abide by the terms we agreed on today. We did not include any enforcement mechanisms."
"If Ama-chan doesn't agree," Marie said with a shrug as she continued distractedly texting away on her phone. "I'm not adverse to going up to Takamagahara and reminding her to respect her mother. She's not too old for me to bend her over my knee and give her a good spanking. Hmm… maybe I should bring Yu, Rise and the twins too… I'd bet she'll like to see her father again, and happy to learn that we've reconciled. I can just imagine her shock at discovering how all it took for us to get over our differences was to add another woman to our relationship. She'd probably like seeing her half-sisters too."
"As much as I trust you, Lady Marie-"
"Oh, alright, I swear on your Styx okay?" The Japanese mother goddess said, causing a burst of supernatural thunder to boom and fill the room. "That's good enough for you, Alkaid-chan?"
"Thank you, Lady Marie."
The Japanese protogenoi just waved the thanks away before suddenly squealing in excitement. "Oh! Rise says Yu is cooking dinner! I have got to go! His cooking is to die for! See you all~!"
With that hasty farewell, the mother of the Japanese gods disappeared in a pop and a burst of static.
"Well, that happened." Nazuna said with a tired sigh. "Inari-sama will be tickled pink by my report."
"I'm sure he will." Pyrrha agreed as she too sighed.
"Pardon Marie-sama." Sakura said with a sigh of her own. "She's always like that. Izanami-sama is trying to explore the 'fun side of life', as she describes it, in this incarnation. As a result, she comes across as a little, um, flighty."
Flighty fit the bill quite well, Alkaid thought but said nothing. She was pleased with the outcome of this meeting and would not jeopardize it by saying anything stupid. Instead, she stood, prompting Pyrrha to do the same.
"Sakura, Nazuna, Soujiro, I believe Pyrrha and I have rogue youkai to destroy. As such, if you'll pardon us, we'll take our leave and get started."
This was met with acceptance by the others and Alkaid and Pyrrha filed out of the room.
"Why is it that everytime we go on a diplomatic mission we end up having to go kill something?" Pyrrha asked once they were a safe distance away and wouldn't be overheard.
"It's part of our charm, my love." Alkaid said with a sharp smile.
"I believe I have someone I can send your way as backup." Sakura clapped her hands with a nervous smile as she appeared in a pink flash of light ahead of them.
"Who do you have in mind?" Alkaid asked warily, her gut telling her that she would not like the answer.
Done and done! Thanks to Nameless as always!
And we continue on the diplomatic world tour for our lovely pair. They see the sights, deal with the politics and of course we got Sakura again. With her harem. Alkaid could learn a thing or two from that. XP Anyway! We got a long list of cameos in this chapter that were a blast to find and use.
Nameless: We hope you guys liked us dropping in all the expy cameos of various magical creatures/characters in the Tomoeda market scene. Even linked the Alkaidverse and by extension, the broader Heroineverse into my broader Outsiderverse. Our intention was to play up Tomoeda as a magical nexus/crossroads similar to the Wizarding World but for interdimensional travelers instead of between pantheons like the latter. Do recall that when Sakura first made her appearance in the story via a omake she did so due to a mishap with interdimensional travel magic. Consider this the logical conclusion of her having access to such magic.
It was a fun lead up for just wanting little Alkaid to have a more star theme with her magic at the start. But it really evolved in a pretty sweet and awesome way. I think we delivered it well enough. Hopefully! Plus, all these characters were just fun to include and it gives us a segway to open the world up more for fun omakes and the like if we feel like it.
Nameless: Another group of expy cameos that deserve a mention are, of course, Marie, Yu and Rise from Persona 4. We basically used the fact that in canon Marie is an incarnation of Izanami (one of several and all of which are bosses that need defeating) and ran with it. We think it came out quite well and hope you agree.
Before we go, let me address a question raised by Doktor Winter in his review of the last chapter. He questioned if Alkaid and Pyrrha couldn't handle the matter of Silena being the traitor with "a bit more finesse". They could but that assumes that they were acting rationally when they returned from the Inferno. Remember that the entire series of events regarding this matter was engineered by the Devil, who is incredibly capable at manipulating people. He thus manipulated them into doing things in the way that would create the most chaos. His meeting with Alkaid and Pyrrha was deliberately brief, just enough to let him pass on information to them and to let their anger simmer but not too long that it would cool so that they would act on the matter more rationally. And so that Alkaid's Fatal Flaw of holding grudges is triggered but not long enough for it to transition into a desire to drag out the grudge. Then he dropped them back at Camp at dinner time on purpose because he knows as angry as they were, they would confront Silena immediately and what better time to create maximum chaos than at a meal where all the Campers would be gathered together? We addressed all of this in the chapter, but I guess we didn't make it as clear as we should have.
E4E: You know what to do! Smash that review button and tell us what you love! No flames and peace off my peeps!
