Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

It didn't take long for the response to reach them, stating the Ganesha Familia's acceptance of Rufina as their responsibility. The moment he learned that Rufina was a Level 4 with an affinity for taming, Ganesha had been prepared to run the distance all the way from the Eastern side of the City to come and pick her up. It took the combined efforts of Shakti and several other Executives to catch him, tying him to a chair with several lumps on his head as they patiently awaited the arrival of their new member.As she didn't really have any personal belongings to prepare, Rufina was ready to go soon after the return message arrived. Since Terra had insisted, Vahn rode on her back with Rufina and Fenrir in tow, the latter of which was happily sitting in his lap. Rufina often cast glances toward Fenrir, curious about her relationship with Vahn since they seemed almost inseparable. She always seemed to be at his side, rarely speaking unless it was to Vahn himself. Even with her lack of memories, Rufina could tell that Fenrir wasn't really 'normal' as, though there were several species that seemed to have furry ears and a tail, she was the only one that had paws for hands and feet...After a relatively short flight, Terra landed on the left side of the Ganesha Familia residence, a massive bust of Ganesha himself appropriately known as 'I am Ganesha'. Though it reeked of vanity, Ganesha himself was one of the most amiable and approachable gods in the entire City. There was a seemingly never-ended banquet going on that accepted almost anyone as long as they hadn't been blacklisted for causing a scene. People could just walk in off the street, enjoy the lively and festive atmosphere that seemed to permeate from the massive bust. The food and drink may not have been the highest quality, but it tasted good when you were in the company of friends and like-minded individuals.Terra's presence caused a bit of a stir but, as they had been expecting the arrival, members of the Ganesha Familia quickly ran forward to receive them. Shakti was amongst their numbers, giving an appraising look at Terra before turning her attention to Rufina. Her first impression was, like many of the other Executives present, that Rufina was definitely a 'natural'. Even without testing her abilities, she had a 'pure' aura with a wild feeling that carefree and 'wild' feeling coming off of her. Generally, those suited to become [Tamer]s had a similar aura so Shakti believed Rufina would make a fine addition to their numbers. It also helped that she was supposedly around Level 4 in strength, meaning she would be within the top five of the Familia based on strength alone...Rufina was evaluating everyone that was looking at her, feeling much the same as them since her instincts told her these were good people. Though some of them were staring at her with 'annoying' gazes, Rufina didn't blame them much since she was apparently supposed to be a beautiful woman. She didn't really have any interest in the majority of them, but the azure-haired woman caught her eye. Rufina, noticing the appreciative smile on Shakti's face, returned one of her own with a polite nod that seemed appropriate for the occasion. It was very obvious she was the person in charge since the rest of the members seemed to 'orbit' around her instead of trying to stand out on their own.Vahn accepted Shakti's offer for a handshake, saying, "Sorry for any inconveniences this may cause you and the rest of the Ganesha Familia, Shakti. This just seemed like the best place for Rufina to have a chance at rebuilding her life..." Shakti gave a curt nod, feeling the strength in Vahn's grip as she raised one of her brows, saying, "You've gotten much stronger...and don't worry about Rufina, we'll take care of her. It should be the Ganesha Familia thanking you for bringing us a talented new member. I'll personally see to it that she is treated well and let you know if anything happens that you need to be aware of."Shakti had already been informed of Rufina's 'condition', much like the rest of the Executives, so it had been decided that she would become Shakti's protege while acclimating to life on the surface. Amnesia was a very tricky thing to deal with and it would greatly tarnish the reputation of the Ganesha Familia if Rufina ended up getting manipulated and harmed in the process of her recovery. Until she was fit to take care of herself, Rufina would be shadowing Shakti to learn as much about the City and the profession of Taming as possible.Having Shaki's guarantee, Vahn smiled widely and said, "Thank you, Shaki. I look forward to the cooperation between our two Familias in the future. Is Ganesha present? There were a few things I had in mind for public events that I think he would find interesting." Hearing Vahn mention Ganesha, Shaki released a loud sigh while the other members of the Ganesha Familia began to laugh. Vahn raised his brow in curiosity as Shaki shook her head and said, "Follow me. I'll take you to him. Loki-sama actually asked that you be present for Rufina's induction ceremony so you can talk about it during that time."Since Vahn needed to check and see if there were any abnormalities with Rufina's status board, it was already decided that he would be there when she received the Falna. The only people that would be privy to her details would be Ganesha, Shakti, and the core members of the Alliance that needed to be kept in the loop. Rufina's 'flow' was slightly different than a human's, so there was a very high probability that she was actually more of a Human-Creature hybrid, or at the very least a modified/mutated human. This could have several different implications and Vahn was inarguably the most qualified physician to deal with any problems that may arise.Terra assumed her human form, drawing a lot of attention to herself as she asked, "Master, do you want me to stay back or did you plan on returning on your own?" Vahn tilted his head, thinking about things for a moment before saying, "I'll come back on my own since I'm not sure how long this will take. Don't worry, I'm certain everything will be over with before dinner. Tell the others I'm looking forward to the celebration..." Vahn sent Terra a wink, earning a light chuckle from the humanoid True Dragon as she stepped into the void in a flash of light. Everyone just stared blankly at the spot she had been standing previously while Vahn gestured to Shakti, "Let's go. I don't want to keep everyone waiting for too long..."Broken from her stupor, Shakti gave Vahn a curious glance before nodding her head, indicating for them to follow as she said, "I imagine there are plenty of things you have to tend to now that you've returned. Rumors have it that Hephaestus-sama and Loki-sama are due any day now...?" Vahn smiled widely, nodding his head as he said, "Yes, I'm really looking forward to it. Just thinking about becoming a father makes me feel both giddy and proud at the same time..." Several people present slightly exasperated looks, some tinged with a bit of envy but not enough to take note of. The vast majority of men would jump at the opportunity to win over any of the girls that had been drawn to Vahn so it wasn't uncommon for a touch of green to stain the auras of the people he interacted with.After walking for a few minutes, during which time most of the Executive members broke off to handle their own affairs, Vahn entered a room with Shakti and Rufina. When he saw Ganesha tied up to a chair with a 'sad' look on his masked face, Vahn nearly burst out laughing but instead just raised his hand and said, "Yo, Ganesha, long time no see~." Ganesha, as if his earlier melancholy had been an illusion, jumped up with the chair still attached to him and said, "Ah, Vahn Mason, it's good to see you! You'll have to forgive me for not coming to greet you myself, gaaaaaaaaaahahahahaha~!"Shakti undid the bindings holding the chair to Ganesha, shaking her head in exasperation all the while. When he was finally free, Ganesha struck a pose as if to show off his muscles, shouting, "Yosh! What a liberating experience, gaaahahahahaha~!" Then, as if on a tempo only he understood, Ganesha took on a serious look as he approached Vahn, grasping hands and asking plainly, "So, when are you going to accept my Shakti as one of your girls? I'm afraid she might never find a-" Before Ganesha was able to finish, Shakti knocked him on the back of his head hard enough to send him crashing into the ground. Vahn felt like he could see an illusory 'tick' mark on Shakti's head as her fist shook with a bit of steam coming off of it.Vahn scratched the back of his head, giving the blushing Shakti a wry smile that made her avert her eyes as she said, "Don't take this fool's words seriously, Vahn..." As if he had never been punched, Ganesha bolted up in an instant and 'reproached' Shakti by saying, "Hey now, that's no way to talk about your god, Shakti! I'm just worried about you, after all, you're already thirty-" This time, Shaki didn't seem to hold back as she slapped Ganesha hard enough to make him spin around several times while drawing a perfect arc through the air. The blush on her face turned completely crimson as she said, "I told you not to talk about my age so casually! Aren't elephants supposed to have good memories!?"At this point, Rufina was standing very close to Vahn, poking his side as she asked, "Is this really the best place for me? I'm starting to reconsider my options..." Vahn had been blankly staring at the proceedings but Rufina's question had been the last straw as he had to cover his mouth to avoid laughing. Shakti, as if reminded of his presence, turned toward him with a glare on her face that made Vahn immediately put on a poker face and say, "You're still a very beautiful and youthful woman, Shakti. I'm certain you'll-" Noticing the glare on Shakti's face turning icy, Vahn swallowed his words and just averted his eyes away without completing his thought. Realizing he was dropping the matter, Shaki gave a curt nod before digging Ganesha out of the wall he had been embedded into...Rufina ended up having to expose her back, something which she wasn't too fond of but accepted as 'necessary' since the blessing seemed very useful. She didn't know why, but part of her had an aversion towards men and the only exception to this seemed to be Vahn himself. Unsure of if it had anything to do with her past, Rufina kept the matter to herself for the time being and just did her best to not mind the rather rough finger tracing an emblem on her back. Ganesha was very practiced in the procedure, having cycled through thousands of members in his time in the mortal world, so the entire thing only took twenty minutes.Vahn, with permission from Rufina, then checked her Status Board while Ganesha and Shaki watched on in interest. They had heard he had the ability to read the ancient language of the gods even better than most of the gods themselves. Seeing it in person was very interesting and, though he typically was very whimsical, even Ganesha took on a very serious appearance as he watched Vahn cycle through the information on Rufina's back. He could see the information shuffle around in a manner beyond his comprehension so it wasn't difficult to believe the claim now that he had verified it with his own eyes. Though the Ganesha Familia had already joined the Alliance, on the grounds of mutual cooperation during the bi-annual events, it was only now that he truly believed his decision to be the correct one...----------------------------------------------------------------------------------[[STATUS]]Name: Rufina VermillionRace: Human, Creature(partially-awakened)LV. 4POW: (C616)END: (S946)DEX: (D563)AGI: (C602)MAG: (H117)Skills: [Voice of the World: H](Innate), [Indominus:D](Innate), [Piercing Thrust:S], [Command Howl:B], [Rallying Spirit:B], [Crushing Strike:C], [Nature Armament:D]Magic: [Flame Enchant:B]Development Abilities: [Master Hunter:H], [Abnorma Status Resistance:A], [Swordsman:A], [Tamer:C], [Acrobatics:(sealed), [Tracking:(sealed), [Fist Strike:(sealed)][Piercing Thrust]Rank: SUse: Allows the user to ignore a large portion of the target's defenses.Passive Trigger[Command Howl]Rank: BUse: Allows the user's voice to be heard by allies even during chaotic moments. Greatly increases the distance the user's voice travels.Active Trigger[Rallying Spirit]Rank: BUse: When fighting in a group, enhances the parameters of everyone allied to the user for a short period of time.Active Trigger[Crushing Strike]Rank: CUse: Overhead strikes with greatswords have a greater chance of dealing critical hits.Passive Trigger[Nature Armament]Rank: DUse: Allows the user to create nature weapons by consuming a large amount of mana. Capabilities of the weapon depending on the emotional state of the user and the amount of mana consumed.Active Trigger[Flame Enchant]Rank: BUse: Coats weapons and armor with flame elemental energies, greatly enhancing damage potential and causing burn status effect on enemies.Chant: Burn, Consume, Turn To Ashes! Flame Enchant~![Master Hunter]Rank: HUse: Greatly enhances abilities against monsters the user has fought and gained exilia from. The greater the number of enemies the user has slain, the more fearful monsters of that type become.[Tamer]Rank: CUse: Increases the odds of successfully taming monsters and other creatures of low intelligence.----------------------------------------------------------------------------------When Vahn saw that Rufina had two Innates, both already awakened, he experienced a long pause in his train of thoughts before saying, "You have two rare skills and, judging from the names, I believe one allows you to communicate with monsters while the other makes you a lot more durable than normal. Your Endurance is much higher than all of your other parameters as well and it seems you're quite capable with a sword..." Since he was her god now, Vahn handed over Rufina's Status Sheet for him to read, not really understanding Ganesha's take on things since it was hard to read his expression through the elephant mask covering his face.Rufina had the copy Vahn had given her, reading through all of her information with raised brows like she was looking at something pertaining to someone other than herself. She didn't really know if Level 4 was impressive but, based on the reactions of Vahn and Shakti, Rufina felt a small amount of pride well up inside of her chest as a small smile appeared on her face. Though she didn't care that much, it was far more preferable to already have a strong body than having to start from scratch. The rare skills Vahn mentioned seemed very useful, especially the one that made her body tougher than normal since getting injured wasn't a pleasant thought.Shakti also perused Rufina's information, already planning how she would help train her in the future, though only if the person in question had any interest in it. As an amnesiac, it was more important that she adapt to normal life since training was something that could be done later, especially with such a strong base. Just knowing she had a rare skill associated with taming, including the [Tamer] Development Ability, gave Rufina an advantage over most people. Even she didn't have a rare skill related to taming so it might even be possible to groom Rufina as her successor. That might give her an opportunity to actually pursue a love life since she wouldn't have to constantly attend to Ganesha anymore...After a few minutes had passed, Ganesha seemed to break from his reverie as he shouted, "Graaaahahahahaha, it seems we really benefitted this time around! Welcome to my Familia, Rufina, it's a pleasure to have you! As you're undoubtedly aware..." Ganesha jumped back, striking a flamboyant pose as he shouted, "I AM GANESHA~!" For several seconds after that, there was absolute silence until Rufina awkwardly said, "Ah, thanks for having me...?" As if given permission to move, Ganesha stood with arms akimbo and began laughing boisterously as he said, "Such a well-mannered girl. Maybe you'll be teaching my Shakti a thing or two about being a good woman! Gaaaahahahahahahaha~!"The illusory tick mark appeared on Shakti's head again as she looked toward Ganesha with eyes that could freeze over a volcano. It didn't do anything to quell Ganesha's laughter, however, as he continued to release an aura of 'I'm oblivious to everything, after all, I AM GANESHA!'. Deciding to spare Ganesha, at least for the time being, Shakti took a deep breath and said, "For the time being, you'll share one of the Executive suites with me. If you need clothing and other essential items, we can go shopping for them later. I'll help you get accustomed to how to behave in public and show you some of the more interesting shops I frequent."At this point, Vahn palmed his hand with a fist before pulling out several platinum cards, handing them over to a stunned Shakti as he said, "Since Rufina was a responsibility that I bestowed upon you, I'll cover her basic living expenses until she is capable of sustaining herself. This should be enough for a few months but you can always send me a message through the network if more is required..." Shakti blankly stared at the cards, totaling more than 3,000,000V in value as she contemplated Vahn's words. Part of her wanted to retort that 3MV was more than enough for several years, much less a few months...it was this moment that made Shakti realize that Vahn's sensibilities were more than a little different from normal people. It was good that Rufina ended up under her charge or she might have been led astray by the mentally skewed youth...Unaware of Shakti's thoughts, Vahn gave her aura a curious look before shaking his head slightly and deciding not to inquire. They then spent a few minutes arranging Rufina's affairs and getting her situated in her new room, which Vahn was allowed access to. It was much smaller than some of the rooms at the Manor but it was easily enough for two people to live in. Shakti was the Captain of the Ganesha Familia but she stayed in the same Executive quarters as everyone else, even though Ganesha had prepared a larger room for her use. She had a frugal nature and preferred practicality over extravagance, however, so it had gone unused after the previous Captain stepped down. It was a secret to everyone that the main reason she avoided it was the fact that there were several portraits of Ganesha inside and even the bathroom faucet was a miniature golden Ganesha head with the water coming from the elephant trunk of his mask...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'GAAAAANEEEEEESHAAAAAA!','Rufina's OP Status','Poor Shakti...')(A/N: One more chapter coming later, though it will probably be a few hours (*o*)~!)https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

After getting Rufina situated, Vahn parted ways with the group and reunited with Fenrir, who had been patiently waiting outside keeping guard. She immediately jumped up the moment he came out of the room, trotting over to Vahn who began stroking her head as he said, "Okay, looks like everything here has been taken care of, at least for the time being. Let's enjoy some fresh air and make our way back to the Manor..." Fenrir had her eyes squinted, enjoying her Master's caress as she nodded with an 'Nn' sound. Vahn noticed she had been very quiet for the last few days and began wondering what was on her mind. Knowing she would tell him if something was actually bothering her, Vahn picked Fenrir up and let her ride piggyback as they made their way out into the fading light of the late afternoon...Though it wasn't really that fast, Vahn could maintain a slow and steady flight through the sky by combining his ability to levitate with some basic air manipulation. He could keep the wind at bay with his own domain while beating away the cold air with his [Heart of the Eternal Flame]. Fenrir was actually more fond of the cold but she enjoyed the warmth of her Master's body and aura, something she had professed to him. Ever since she came back from the orb, she had been a little more clingy than normal while simultaneously being a lot more reserved. She rarely had any outbursts and spent more time observing what was going on around her than doing anything in particular.While lazily making their way through the sky, Vahn asked, "So, anything you want to do now that we're back on the surface, Fenrir? You've already gotten very strong so it might be a good idea to take a break and enjoy surface life for a while..." Fenrir had been nuzzled into his collar, quietly sniffing his hair but she still answered, saying, "Fenrir will keep training to become even stronger. Eva said there is no limit to growth and assuming you are the strongest leads to stagnation. Until there are no more threats, Fenrir will keep getting stronger and stronger. Master should focus on his children for now...Fenrir will wait..."Vahn slowed down until they had come to a stop, hovering a few hundred meters above the City below. He realized that Fenrir seemed to be trying to spend as much time with him as possible since he will become very busy after the children are born, especially the Vanir. There were several other things he needed deal with so he wouldn't have nearly as much time to spend with her in the future. Vahn hadn't thought about it previously but Fenrir seemed to have picked up on that fact through her observation. She was surprisingly considerate, but Vahn felt a little lonely thinking they couldn't be together as much...After thinking it over for a bit, Vahn raised his head and said, "Fenrir, it's okay to be a little selfish at times, even after the children are born. If you ever feel lonely, I can always make time for you...after all, you're one of my most important companions and I can't really imagine life without you anymore. Perhaps that is my own selfishness...but I'm pretty reliant on you, now that I think about it." Fenrir released a rare chuckle, tightening her grip around his neck as she said, "Fenrir likes when Master relies on her...it makes Fenrir feel 'full' inside..." At the end of her words, Fenrir lightly licked his shoulder, causing Vahn to make a small smile before continuing towards the Hearth Manor...It took close to half an hour, as they were going at a pretty leisurely pace, but Vahn landed atop the Hearth Manor with more than enough time before dinner. He could sense that everyone had already gathered, even Terra and Risna. Thomas and Aina had already moved into a small live-in shop next to the Hostess of Fertility, but Risna had ended up staying at the Manor even after her parents moved out. Vahn hadn't really seen her much since she initially moved in but her aura was the only one that was seemingly out of place.Vahn was a little surprised by the number of goddesses present, who took up nearly half the large table they used for dining. There was Hephaestus, Loki, Hestia, Anubis, Epona, and Juno, all sitting in the area surrounding where he would be sitting for the meal. The only 'break' in their ranks was Eina, who was going to be sitting to his left while Hephaestus sat on his right. Eina must have been waiting to break the news to him personally, even though she knew he was already aware. Even at a distance, Vahn could sense the budding life form inside her belly and it made him smile widely as he set Fenrir down and said, "Let's go, everyone is waiting for us..."Arriving in the dining room immediately caused a shift in the tensions as the mood immediately become joyous. Tina and Lili, unable to resist the urge, tackled Vahn almost instantly, the former sending a chill down his spine as she tripped on Lili and almost faceplanted into his lower body. Vahn scooped her up in his arms with a cold sweat running down his back as Tina sheepishly laughed. Vahn carried the two girls forward, noticing that Tina had grown a little more while he was away while Lili hadn't changed much at all. She felt a little heavier, likely a result of her increased muscle density, but Vahn didn't think she would be happy if he commented on it...Vahn spent the better part of ten minutes just greeting everyone, sharing hugs, kisses, and a few affectionate words. It started off with the 'youth' troupe, consisting of Tina, Lili, and Shizune before moving on to Milan, who greeting him with a gentle smile, and Chloe, play biting his ear and saying a few words that made his heart itch. Arnya, looked decidedly plumper than in the past, followed soon after while supporting her round stomach with an affectionate look on her face. Aki was close behind, in much the same state as Arnya, but with her hair down in loose curls compared to the straight hair she had in the past. She was looking very motherly whereas Arnya looked like she might bounce back the moment she gave birth...Lunoire's hair had increased in length slightly but she had put it up in a loose ponytail and was wearing a comfortable green dress. She rested her head in the nook of his neck, embracing him tightly as she said, "Welcome home, Vahn..." in a low voice. Ryuu was right behind Lunoire, wearing loose creme-colored clothing that had green and pink flower motifs sewn into it. She was looking far more radiant than in the past and had a slight bulge in her stomach with a loving smile on her face. Syr, as if to complete the set, came after Lunoire, initiating a rather bold kiss that caused the auras of several girls to flare up. When she pulled away, there was a light blush on her face as she began to laugh in a mischevious manner.Vahn shook his head with a wry smile on his face, following Syr's retreat with his eyes before turning to Preasia, who had a very startling appearance. She was wearing a sweater-dress that matched the color of her hair while every visible part of her skin, excluding her face, hands, and feet, were covered in a platinum blond fur with a slightly golden hue to it. It was much denser than in the past and had caught Vahn off guard for a moment before he smiled and gave her a tight hug, marveling at her softness as she giggled in his arms and kissed his cheek. She had apparently fully embraced her transformation and seemed comfortable with the changes her body had experienced...After Preasia trotted off to share a hug with Fenrir, Risna surprisingly stepped forward with a bashful expression on her face as she extended her hand, saying, "W-welcome b-back, Vahn..." Vahn smiled, ruffling her instead of shaking her hand, causing her to blush and bite her bottom lip before retreating away with a 'hmph' sound. Naaza was right behind her, already showing a light blush on her face as her tail wagged back and forth slowly. Vahn smiled, pulling the reserved Chienthrope girl into his embrace and gently stroking her long brown hair. Naaza's tail waggled a bit more forcibly as she smiled and said, "Welcome home..." while absentmindedly sniffing his neck.Right after Naaza stepped off to the side, Vahn's eyes widened because a 'glowing' Tsubaki appeared in front of him, wearing a black colored yukata with red accents very loosely around her body. Her hair was pinned up with two red needles with golden tassels hanging off the end and she had the most motherly look Vahn had ever seen on a woman up until now. Around the same time that his eyes wandered to her rather round belly, Tsubaki stepped forward and pulled him into her embrace, nestling him tightly against her plump breasts as she said, "You did well to come back, Vahn. Welcome home..." Tsubaki kissed the top of his head, cradling him for several long seconds while rocking from side-to-side very gently.Vahn was in a daze by the time Tsubaki released him, feeling slightly drunk off her scent before immediately calming down when Riveria walked up. She wasn't very far into her pregnancy but Vahn could see a slight bulge on her belly that was adorned with the [Sage Aldrnari's Blessing]. There was a blush touching her cheeks as Riveria hesitantly hugged him, trembling for a few seconds before finally calming down. She took a deep breath, releasing a hot sigh against his neck as she muttered, "We have a lot to talk about later...fuuu..." Vahn nodded his head, understanding there must be a lot on Riveria's mind after Terra returned a few weeks ago. There was also the data about the [Sage Aldrnari's Blessing], which seemed to still be affecting her body and causing her 'discomfort'...Before he was able to let his mind wander, Emiru and Maemi both stepped forward, kissing each of his cheeks while pressing their soft bodies against his. Vahn grabbed both of their waists, pulling them close to him with enough force to pick the girls up off the ground. They giggled in response, nuzzling against his neck and collar as if trying to mark their scent on him. When he let them go, Vahn was a little surprised with Haruhime walked up, laughing in an elegant manner before giving him a gentle embrace. Shirohime was on top of her head and took the opportunity to lean forward, affectionately licking Vahn's face as she muttered, "You can't neglect us later..." in a tiny voice.Vahn laughed at Shiro's antics before casting a curious glance at Mikoto, who immediately averted her eyes with a blush. She wasn't really good at showing public displays of affection and wasn't as 'shameless' as Haruhime to jump on the bandwagon with everyone else. This left a window for Hestia to step forward, leaping into Vahn's arms with enough force to make him step back to support her. She unashamedly initiated a kiss that was considerately more passionate than Syr's 'playful' gesture earlier. By the time Hestia let him go, Vahn's mouth was practically covered in saliva as Hestia laughed with a vibrant smile on her face and said, "Welcome home~."Anubis stepped forward, giggling as she used a handkerchief to wipe away the excess saliva before giving Vahn a kiss of her own, decidedly more tame than Hestia's but still full of emotion. Like Naaza, her tail was waggling from side-to-side and she made no attempts to hide the fact that she was taking in his scent. When Anubis parted from him, she whispered, "I'm looking forward to resuming our walks, Master...I know Nanu is looking forward to it as well." Giving him one last kiss, Anubis slowly turned away, allowing her bushy tail to brush up against him as she languidly walked away with a willowy swaying of the waist.With Anubis' departure, that left Loki and Hephaestus, flanking a blushing Eina who had a lovely smile on her face. She walked forward, laughing slightly as she said, "Well, it was supposed to be a surprise for you but it looked like I was the one to get a small surprise..." Eina sent a playful look to Hestia, causing the diminutive goddess to laugh in an awkward manner with a deep blush on her face. When everyone started laughing at her, Hestia released a 'gnuuuuu' sound with moisture building up in her eyes as she bit her bottom lip. Even Vahn produced a small smile but directed his gaze towards Eina as he pulled her into a gentle embrace, stroking her back as he said, "Eina, thank you..." in a voice filled with deep emotions.Eina brought her hand up, caressing the side of Vahn's face with tears beginning to build up in her own eyes. Her smile continued to grow until she nearly laughed out, barely stifling it as she said, "You silly boy...I'm supposed to be the one thanking you..." Following her words, Eina gave Vahn a rare kiss without minding the fact they were surrounded by people, including her own younger sister. She was full of hard to describe emotions and didn't know whether to laugh or cry so she settled for a mix between the two as pearl-like tears fell from the corners of her eyes. Eina truly felt blessed with her current lifestyle because children had been a hope she could hardly imagine in the past, at least having any of her own...Risna watched as her big sister was embraced by Vahn, feeling somewhat bitter in her heart at their intimate display. She had been very excited for her sister after it became known she was pregnant but, seeing her like this with Vahn, made Risna feel lonely. Outside of her books, she had never really cared about matters of love but there was just something about watching her own kin experience happiness that made her feel like she had been missing out on something. Just a bit, Risna wished she could be the one being embraced by Vahn's powerful arms, enjoying the warmth coming from his body and the scent wafting from his chest, which seemed to be popular with many of the other girls...When he finally parted with Eina, several minutes had passed and it wasn't until Juno, who was watching everything happen, made a comment about young love. Eina had a blush on her face, giggling as she moved a few strands of hair behind her pointed ears and gave Vahn one last look before standing to the side. Hephaestus followed soon after, looking like she was due to give birth any day if her appearance was any indicator. Vahn affectionately rubbed her stomach, surprised to feel a 'kick' against his palm soon after. Hephaestus laughed, giving him a quick peck on the lips as she lovingly mused, "It seems our daughters are lively and eager to meet you...Vahn, thank you for coming back early. I didn't realize how much it bothered me that you weren't here until I heard you returned..." Hephaestus continued to give him more kisses in between her words as her aura started to cling to him, almost possessively.Loki, perhaps growing impatient, pinched Hephaestus' butt and said, "Don't get too carried away. This has already been going on for nearly half an hour and my legs are starting to hurt~." Hephaestus sent Loki a look filled with blame before laughing it away and commenting, "Loki has missed you too~." With one final kiss, Hephaestus took a deep breath and sighed before standing off to the side. Loki followed her with eyes slightly parted before walking up to Vahn and burying her face into his chest, almost like she was headbutting him. Vahn loosely embraced her body as Loki murmured, "It's good that you're here, Vahn...it makes me feel very relieved knowing you're here instead of wandering around in the Dungeon..."Vahn slowly nodded his head, stroking Loki's back as he said, "This is where I need to be...I wouldn't trade these moments for anything..." Loki smiled, tracing her hands around his sides in a playful manner before biting his bottom lip with a sensual smile that didn't suit a pregnant woman. When she saw his reaction, Loki laughed mischievously before whispering, "There is a lot to talk about but let's enjoy the rest of the evening..." Loki then moved away, accepting Juno's assistance as she took her spot on the thick cushion next to where Eina had been sitting. The only person he hadn't hugged, with the exceptions of Juno and Epona, was Terra, who stayed seated and just smiled marginally wider when Vahn looked over at her.With the reunion greetings taken care of, Vahn took his place between Eina and Hephaestus as the celebratory banquet began. For what felt like the first time in months, Vahn's lap remained free throughout the course of the meal and he spent the majority of his time just asking what everyone had been up to while helping Hephaestus and Eina with everything. The two girls laughed at his concern but still accepted it nonetheless, earning a few playful gripes and complaints from Loki. Fenrir seemed to be catching up with Preasia, hugging the sheep girl from behind while the latter blushed and ate her meal mostly in silence. Lili and Naaza made conversation with Riveria and Terra while Chloe teased Shizune with a pair of chopsticks, snatching the food from the smaller girl's pair, calling it training. Overall, it was a very lively meal and, though he had heard it from most of the girls already, Vahn couldn't help but comment, ("I'm home...") in the back of his mind...(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Fenrir is a good girl (TT,...,TT)','Reunion, Embrace, Affection','Home is where the heart is...')https://bit.ly/2XBzAYu &lt;-(p.atreon link)paypal.me/EinlionDiscord Invite: https://discord.gg/Jwa8PKh

Chapter 658: Getting Situated