Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

After brushing Sandora's hair and helping her prepare for the day to come, Vahn accompanied her to the small, private dining room reserved for members of the Royal Family and their guests. There, they found Lily, who, upon seeing Vahn enter alongside Sandora, briefly paused before offering her characteristically radiant smile and saying, "Good morning, Sandora-chan."
Noticing Lily's momentary pause, Sandora's expression softened into a concerned look as she asked, "How are you feeling?"
Since Lily was a little confused by Sandora's question, it was Vahn who explained, "She forgot about my ability to manifest multiple forms at the same time. My other self is busy preparing breakfast, so she was a little surprised by my sudden entrance."
"Ah..."
Though she relaxed a little upon hearing Vahn's words, Sandora still made her way over to Lily's side, a supportive smile on her face as she grabbed the latter's hand and said, "You're looking especially radiant this morning, Lily. I take it things went well between you and Vahn?"
Since Lily looked significantly older and more mature than she had the previous day, Sandora didn't discount the possibility she and Vahn had been away for a very long time. It would explain why Lily was giving off a completely calm and serene aura despite losing an important friend mere 'hours' prior.
Sensing Sandora's concern, Lily's confusion morphed into a very motherly smile as she caressed the young Dragoness's hand and said, "I was given closure and the opportunity to express myself for the first time in my life truly. Vahn..."
Shifting her gaze to Vahn, Lily's expression softened into an indescribably affectionate, almost sultry look as she softly appended, "Vahn-sama is a truly wonderful person..."
As if agreeing with her, the tips of Lily's nine tails flickered contentedly behind her. The movement caught Sandora's eye, who, for the first time, noticed that Lily now had all of her tails.
"Beautiful..."
Amused by Sandora's soft utterance, Lily covered her mouth to stifle a giggle before surprising the comparably petite Dragoness by pulling her into a hug. Sandora's crown and horns ended up poking against her skin, but Lily ignored them as she tenderly embraced her remaining childhood friend and whispered, "Thank you, Sandora...from now on, let's always be together...okay?"
Though she had tensed due to the unexpected contact, Sandora quickly calmed down, returning Lily's embrace as she softly replied, "Of course. After all, we do love the same man..."
Giggling a second time, Lily squeezed Sandora even closer, practically smothering the adorable Dragoness with her fairly large breasts before finally releasing her to remark, "We're going to have a lot of sisters in the future..."
Understanding the implication within Lily's words, a dry chuckle emanated from Sandora's throat before the two of them shifted their gazes to Vahn. He had been watching the scene play out with a compassionate smile on his face, but the moment they turned towards him, he playfully remarked, "Don't worry. I'm pretty confident in my ability to keep the women around me happy."
Punctuating his remark with a wink towards Lily, Vahn managed to elicit a rather prominent blush from the usually calm kitsune. Sandora took notice of this, but before she could pester her childhood-friend-turned-sister for details, the door at the far end of the dining room suddenly opened.
Though he had his customarily confident smile, the large, square-shaped bandage on Izayoi's left cheek ruined his heroic image. It is evident to everyone in the room that he was concealing a bit of swelling, and, based on the gloomy yet abashed aura exuding from Asuka, it wasn't too difficult to imagine she had something to do with it.
Seeing the trio already present in the room, Izayoi raised his hand, saying, "Yo." as the person by the same name ran past him to presumably leap at Vahn. At the very least, that's who everyone assumed until she practically tackled Lily, exclaiming, "Oh my gosh, Lily-chan, you're so fluffy~!!!" with illusory stars glistening in her eyes.
Reacting to Yo's words, Izayoi remarked, "Hold up. You're telling me that premium MILF material is-"
Before Izayoi could finish speaking, Asuka elbowed him, hard, in the ribs. She was equally surprised by Lily's sudden and rather drastic change, but that didn't mean she would overlook her boyfriend referring to another girl as MILF material.
Though he coughed, winced, and held onto his side, Izayoi wasn't even slightingly injured by Asuka's attack. The latter was well aware of this, but she ignored it since it made her feel gratified knowing Izayoi was at least willing to pretend she was powerful and in control...
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Following the arrival of the Problem Children, the group at breakfast and made small talk until the subject of Jin invariably came up. Asuka and Yo had noticed how carefree and vivacious Lily was behaving, so it was only natural that they investigate the cause.
Illustrating how far she had come in regards to accepting Jin's decision, Lily readily revealed the existence of the anime she and Vahn had binge-watched together. That segued into a rather lengthy discussion regarding the true nature of time, and, by the end of it, Vahn had agreed to turn over a copy of Jin's anime to the No Names. It would need to have some of the 'spicier' bits edited out, but watching Jin mature from a naive child into a literal God would go a long way towards helping the other No Names find closure...
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Towards the end of breakfast, Vahn accepted Yo's proposal to come and witness her performance at the Battle of the Creators. Sandora had also cleared out a large portion of her schedule, so, after notifying the palace staff and her brother, she decided to accompany Vahn and spend the rest of the day with Lily.
Since Sandora wasn't intended to show up until the finals, her presence in the VIP region of the stands caused quite a stir. However, the people that drew the most attention were, as could be expected, Vahn and Lily.
Rumors regarding Vahn's and Sandora's engagement had already started to propagate throughout Kouen City. Thus, while many citizens had mixed feelings about seeing their beloved idol sitting next to Vahn, others were curious about the identity of the breathtakingly beautiful kitsune sitting on his opposite side. The collar around her neck led many to believe she was a Slave, but if that had been the case, she wouldn't be sitting on the same throne as their Leader and the most infamous rising star from the East.
Unfortunately for the crowd, Sandora was attending the event as a guest, so while the event organizers did ask her to give a speech, she ultimately declined. Observing the Battle of the Creators alongside Vahn had all but confirmed the rumors circulating throughout the city, but Sandora didn't let it bother her. Instead, she focused on enjoying the day and spending time with two of her most precious and beloved people...
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With her only difficult opponent being a 6m tall suit of armor based on the legend of the Dullahan, Yo had little difficulty securing a spot for the No Names in the Finals. In fact, due to her dominant performance, she was currently the favorite to win the entire event.
Not caring about the opinion of others, Yo broke away from the veritable horde of columnists and reporters waiting for her in order to meet up with Vahn and the rest as quickly as possible. Prolonged use of her Vanargandr transformation had given her a few of Fenrir's quirks, so, as much as she enjoyed receiving praise from Asuka and Lily, the opinion Yo most cared about was Vahn's.
Fortunately, Izayoi and Asuka had gone off to enjoy the festivities. Better still, an alternate version of Vahn had escorted Sandora and Lily back to the palace, so instead of finding a large group of people waiting for her, Yo found a version of Vahn loitering about in the hallway connecting the palace and the coliseum.
As was often the case when she encountered Vahn, Yo accelerated into a sprint before springing several tens of meters to pounce on him. Vahn had long since gotten used to this, so even before Yo started running towards him, he had already spread his arms and squared his feet.
"Vaaaahn~!"
Catching the vaguely Vanargandr-shaped projectile, an affectionate smile developed across Vahn's face as he held Yo close and explained, "I talked with Lily and Sandora. Due to...recent events, the two of them thought we should spend a bit of time together. Thus, for the rest of the evening, you have my divided yet focused attention..."
Punctuating his words, Vahn surprised Yo tremendously with a soft peck on the lips. Her expression completely blanked, and, for a brief moment, she seemed to think she had imagined it as she reached up to touch her lips, asking, "Did you just...?"
Nodding his head, Vahn was prepared to give Yo a second kiss when the petite yet shapely brunette beat him to the punch, arms linking around his neck as she simultaneously kissed his lips and dangled from him. She had waited a long time to be able to kiss Vahn whenever she wanted, so, now that he had initiated it, Yo saw no reason to continue holding back.
Feeling Yo's supple thighs and remarkably powerful legs lock around his waist, the only thing preventing Vahn from smiling wryly was the tongue invading his mouth. Fortunately, he was able to suspend the flow of time around them, so even if Yo completely abandoned her inhibitions, there was no risk of them being walked in upon or exposed.
Sensing the tell-tale fluctuations in space-time, Yo continued clinging to Vahn for the better part of ten minutes before separating from his mouth with a beguiling smile on her face. Lily had already apologized for getting ahead of her, so Yo knew the only thing preventing Vahn from 'ravishing' her was consent. As for why she used ravish to describe the act? It was because Yo had a very animalistic view of sex. She had always envisioned Vahn pushing her down and taking her from behind as she clawed at the ground and panted like a beast. Thus, while increasing the strength in her arms and legs, Yo brought her face closer to Vahn's, her voice radiating a tremendous amount of passion and moisture as she said, "I'm in heat..."
Though he had been looking forward to just walking around and enjoying the festival, Vahn could tell Yo wasn't going to release him that easily. He also didn't want her to, so, without any hesitation whatsoever, he brought his face close enough that their lips grazed against each other as he said, "You're in luck...when it comes to dealing with girls in heat, I'm something of a specialist..."
Punctuating his words, Vahn surprised Yo by grasping her butt and sinking his fingers into her pliant flesh with a spare set of hands. Such an act may have disturbed or alarmed other girls, but, as someone who relished new and unique experiences, the look in Yo's eyes became even more fervent as she willed the Maneki-Neko to dissipate. The only clothes she had on underneath were the scanty garments afforded to her by her Vanargandr transformation: a loincloth and a thin piece of fabric covering her breasts.
Feeling Yo's exposed, indescribably soft cheeks against his palms, Vahn promptly discarded his own clothes. Then, despite the fact they were in a relatively public throughway, he pinned her against the wall and initiated a very long and primal session of lovemaking...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Sandora be thinking, "Mine are bigger...at least in my adult form..."','Izayoi knows when to give his girl face...','Just think, if you were a Patron, you would be able to vote for up to 28 chapters of raw, uncensored erotica (O w O)...')
a (O w O)...')

"This isn't exactly what I had in mind when I asked if you wanted to walk around town."
After indulging themselves for a couple of hours, Vahn and Yo took a nap in the same hallway where they had made love. Afterward, he asked her if she still wanted to go on a date, to which Yo readily agreed.
What Vahn hadn't expected was for Yo to want to walk around with time still frozen. As for her reason, it appeared she had always wanted to feel what it was like to walk around completely naked.
"Doesn't walking around like this feel free and liberating, though? I never really understood why people were so obsessed with things like clothing. I mean, I get that it helps us resist the natural elements, but humans are ultimately just animals. I don't get why so many people are afraid to just 'be' themselves."
Walking with her arms spread wide and an uninhibited smile on her face, Yo was enjoying every moment of her date with Vahn. Others might view her as a pervert, but she honestly didn't care. In her opinion, people were always too concerned about other people, and rarely in a good way. Now, for the first time in her life, Yo felt like there were no more obstacles in her way. She was finally free.
Feeling the need to express herself, Yo began laughing as she performed a series of playful pirouettes and gamboled over to the highest point of a stone bridge. Vahn was following close behind her, so, while enjoying the scene of the frozen river below, Yo leaned over the parapet, her butt and tail swaying from side-to-side as an open invitation. Whether or not Vahn accepted was ultimately up to him, and, as far as Yo was concerned, that was how it should be.
Though he did take a moment to admire the sight of Yo's perfectly pear-shaped bottom, Vahn didn't walk over and insert himself into her. Instead, he stood next to her, a complacent smile on his face as he leaned over the parapet and answered, "I won't deny it...it does feel liberating. Back when I was still living in the world of Danmachi, one of my favorite things to do was spend time with the Xenos. Though I have walked this path willingly, I would be lying if I said my heart didn't yearn for a simpler time..."
Recalling how he would spend hours cuddling with the Almiraj or lazing about and allowing Naho to groom him, a longing smile developed across Vahn's face. He wasn't as far gone as Yo, but he also disliked how society forced responsibilities onto people and forced them to fill specific molds. It was one of the reasons he would spend days on end just playing with Xysteria or cuddling Fenrir. It was just so...easy...so simple.
"Hey, if I jump down, will I fall into the water or remain above it...?"
Sensing Vahn's melancholy, Yo decided a change of scenery was in order. Thus, without waiting for his response, she issued a cheerful, "Yaho~!" as she leaped down onto the water's surface. It felt like landing on a sponge, but it didn't so much as deform when she landed on it.
"Whoa...how weird..."
Jumping down next to Yo, Vahn's expression had returned to normal as he asked, "Want to check it out? So long as we remain in constant contact, I can phase us through pretty much anything."
Fascinated by the notion of being able to stroll beneath the surface of the river, Yo leaped towards Vahn in a manner that compelled him to catch her in a bridal carry. Vahn dutifully did just that, so Yo rewarded him with a kiss on the cheek before raising her fist into the air and shouting, "Let's go~!" in an eager, excited tone.
Feeling Yo's body beginning to heat up, Vahn had a pretty good idea of what she had in mind once they reached the bottom of the river or found a more scenic location. Instead of feeling even remotely put off by this, a wolfish grin developed across his face as he returned her kiss and started their gradual descent to the river's depths...
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"So you never entered one of Vahn's Actualized Worlds or spent time in a Game Board...?"
Though Vahn had expected it to come up, he couldn't help smiling wryly when the subject of Sandora's and Lily's conversation veered towards the specifics of his affiliation with the No Names and the development of their romance. However, instead of intruding upon their conversation, his two selves merely exchanged wry smiles with one another before continuing to give the two childhood friends a massage.
"Nnn...Vahn placed a magical seal on my body that helps to regulate and consolidate spiritual energy. I maintained my adolescent form for a while but chose to enter my third stage of development when everyone decided to enter the Game Board. As for my current form...well..."
Swaying her tails in a fluid motion, Lily's voice and smile gained a sensual undertone as she appended, "I believed my fourth form would help me to seduce a certain someone..."
Noticing Lily shift her attention to the Vahn massaging her back, Sandora briefly exchanged glances with the one being smothered by the kitsune's nine tails. He immediately returned a smile while the version kneading her back and shoulders spontaneously ran his middle and index fingers down the line of her back. A pleasant shiver ran through her body, and though it wasn't visible even in her revealing attire, she had a tiny nub of a dragon tail that twitched in response.
Though he had already gotten over his previous inhibitions, Vahn softly whispered, "Lily has always been a very mature girl. You've made a lot of progress these past couple of weeks, Sandora, but you still have a ways to go before I consider you an adult."
Hearing Vahn's words, Sandora attempted to form a pouty expression, but Vahn prevented it by pressing into one of the more sensitive nerves above her tail. As a result, a surprised yelp escaped her throat before mellowing out into a prolonged "Waaaauuuu~" as her tiny frame became increasingly limp.
Spoiling Vahn's attempt to keep Sandora subdued, Lily issued an amused giggle before adopting a squinting smile as she sonorously replied, "Don't worry, Sandora-chan. It may be a little difficult right now, but once Vahn recognizes your growth, you'll be able to experience a degree of pleasure that makes this massage feel like a gentle breeze..."
"..." x2
Resisting the urge to give Lily's pert yet pillowy bottom a firm smack, the two Vahn's, once again, exchanged glances. Then, at the same time, their fingers began to exude a faint rainbow glow as they softly chorused, "You are severely underestimating the potency of our massage..."
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As they had spent the previous day exploring the city, watching parades, and visiting various stands, Izayoi and Asuka decided to take it easy by visiting one of the Festival's main attractions, the Corridor of Displays, an exhibit showcasing the various artisanal crafts of Salamandra Community and their affiliates.
Though the North Side was known for its abundance of Spirits, the sight of dozens of Tool Spirits, many taking the forms of Floating Lanterns and Candlesticks, was enough to make Asuka's eyes sparkle. One of the tales she had enjoyed the most as a child was a classical story called 'Beauty and the Beast', so she couldn't help comparing herself and Izayoi to the titular main characters. After all, while he may be easy on the eyes, Izayoi was definitely a beast at heart...
Fortunately, Asuka kept her thoughts to herself as she didn't want to ruin the mood. Instead, she allowed Izayoi to escort her, a contented smile on her face as she leaned against him and enjoyed the stone corridor and its many displays.
Unbeknownst to the young couple, their highly ranked [Child of Destiny] Innates were in full sway. As a result, they found themselves pulled along by fate's invisible current until Asuka, specifically, noticed a tiny, luminous figure flying around with a fretful expression on its face.
"Hmm? What's that...?"
Following Asuka's gaze, Izayoi noticed the tiny, humanoid creature flitting about like a vibrant candle. He didn't know the exact species, but he was pretty confident as he answered, "I'm guessing it's either a faerie or some form of house spirit. It's pretty cute."
Standing 4cm tall, the faerie in question was a vaguely humanoid and distinctly feminine creature that flittered about while releasing a vibrant, bright yellow aura. It had fluffy golden hair, simple facial features, and, as far as clothing was concerned, it wore a frilly yellow dress that flared out at the waist, a pointed yellow hat, tiny mittens, and oversized shoes. The only thing it was missing was a pair of wings to denote it, unequivocally, as a faerie.
Though she gave Izayoi a skeptical look when she heard him call the tiny creature cute, Asuka quickly returned her attention to the fretful-looking faerie, asking, "Do you think she's in trouble? Or perhaps she's lost...?"
Shrugging his shoulders, Izayoi replied, "Only one way to find out." before half-dragging-half-escorting Asuka towards the diminutive fae. The latter was a little annoyed by his shameless behavior, but, as she was genuinely curious about the tiny creature, Asuka allowed herself to be pulled along without a fuss.
Unfortunately, the moment they got close to the adorable little fae, Izayoi beat Asuka to the punch, asking, "Hey, chibi, you lost or something? Need help finding your Community...?"
Though she was startled by the sudden appearance of two giants, the fae was intelligent enough to understand Izayoi's words. As a result, it began flailing its mittened hands, shouting, "Rattenfanger~! Rattenfanger~!" over and over again.
"Rotten Finger...?"
Due to the faerie's accent, Asuka couldn't fully comprehend what it was trying to say. Izayoi, however, immediately recognized the word, stating, "Rattenfanger...it's a German word meaning rat catcher. The real question is, is that its name or the name its Community?"
Having learned to speak German and several other languages, Asuka was on the same page as Izayoi as she released his arm, stooped down, and asked, "Are you a member of the Rattenfanger Community? If so, do you need us to help you find them?"
Tilting her head to the side, the tiny faerie pointed to herself, repeating, "Rattenfanger!" in a cheerful yet insistent tone.
Voicing what Asuka was thinking, Izayoi stated, "I'm guessing that means it's her name?"
Though she had the same thought, Asuka felt compelled to say, "It could be both. For now, let's take her with us. We might be able to find someone who recognizes her."
Extending her hands towards the faerie, Asuka gave her best smile in the hopes of coaxing it into her palms. Fortunately, like most faeries, the tiny sprite was sensitive to people's intentions. It could tell that Asuka wanted to help, so, after a moment of hesitation, it promptly leaped into the palms of her hands before adopting a v-shaped smile.
Returning a smile of her own, Asuka rose to her feet before shifting her gaze to Izayoi and asking, "What do you think we should do? Should we try and ask the Salamandra Military Police for help?"
Spreading his arms and shrugging in a carefree manner, Izayoi answered, "Beats me. For all we know, it's someone's Familiar or a newly manifested Spirit without a Community. The Military Police can probably help, but I'm not exactly keen on the idea of going to a station and answering a bunch of questions. Authority figures and I rarely see eye to eye."
Hearing Izayoi mention authority, Asuka's thoughts shifted to Vahn and Sandora. The former seemed to know just about everything, and the latter was the Leader of Salamandra. If anyone could help them find the faerie's home, it was them...
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(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Taking free-spirited to another level...','RIP Lily and Sandora...','Ah, yes, the illustrious Rotten Finger Community...')

While Vahn was busy dealing with Sandora and Lily, Izayoi, Yo, and Asuka were gathered together in a lounge-like room featuring a self-service bar. Since there were no laws to prevent it, Izayoi made himself comfortable behind the bar, his usual smile nowhere to be seen as he mixed drinks for the two girls seated across from him. Though she had never been particularly fond of Jin, Asuka couldn't help feeling a little guilty. It was no secret that she aimed to take over the No Names, so she couldn't shake the feeling she had directly contributed to Jin's gradual breakdown and departure. Breaking Asuka from her reverie, Izaoi placed a scotch glass filled with plum wine in front of her, saying, "Chin up, Oujo. Jin's decision to leave isn't that different from the three of us coming to the Divine Realm. We shouldn't be moping about like a bunch of bereaved babies. Our priority should be making the No Names into the best Community it can be..." Pushing the glass a little closer to Asuka, Izayoi's smile promptly returned as he whispered, "You're in charge now, Leader..." Though she didn't immediately bounce back, Asuka's back straightened in response to Izayoi's words. With Jin's abrupt departure, she was officially in charge of the No Names. Izayoi was their Strategist, and, despite being one of their most powerful members, Yo had refused to accept any official position or title. Thus, while it wouldn't be official until they submitted the request to the Gate Administration, Asuka was the de facto Leader of the No Names. Accepting the previously offered glass, Asuka downed the contents in a single go before slamming it on the counter and exclaiming, "Right! Now isn't the time to be moping around! Let's show that little brat what the No Names could have been if he had a bit of backbone...!" Raising a glass of his own, Izayoi flatly replied, "I'll drink to that." before following Asuka's example and downing the contents in three large swills. He would never admit it, but he was one of the people most impacted by Jin's departure. He viewed the No Names as his younger siblings, so he couldn't help feeling as though he had failed them by letting Jin leave. Fortunately, Izayoi and Asuka weren't alone in their suffering. They had each other to rely on, and though she had deeply rooted affections for Vahn, Yo was there to help and support them. No matter what obstacles they faced in the future, the trio of friends was determined to overcome them together. If only Jin had been willing to do the same... ... .. . In the span of a single evening, Vahn spent the better part of five weeks attending Lily and helping her cope with Jin's departure. The two of them literally binge-watched three of his lives in the form of anime, so while it was a little surreal, Lily was able to obtain a bit of closure by watching Jin overcome his personal demons.&nbsp; Though there were some painful moments where Jin would reminisce about his childhood, they became less frequent in later episodes. By the time he was nearing the end of his third life, a journey spanning well over ten thousand years, the only time he ever talked about his past was as a cautionary tale for his descendants.&nbsp; As ironic as it sounded, Jin ended up parroting many of the things Vahn had attempted to teach him. Age, experience, and wisdom had helped him mature considerably, but the thing that had impacted Jin's life the most was the birth of his first child. The event had drastically changed the way he viewed the world around him, and, by the end of his first life, Jin had followed in Vahn's footsteps by becoming an Emperor in his own right. Watching Jin gradually mature from an unstable, clearly troubled youth into a confident and reliable father drastically impacted Lily's views on his departure. She went from feeling despair and loss to mild annoyance and eventual acceptance as Jin's looks and personality invariably attracted a number of heroine-class beauties. By the end of the first season, Lily was actively rooting for certain girls to end up with Jin. She began viewing him as less of a person she was close to and more as a fictional, or, at the very least, a separate individual living his own life. When he finally confessed to one of the heroines, she literally jumped for joy before subsequently quieting down and becoming meek as the scene developed from a confession to something far more intimate. Though it was probably one of the most inopportune times imaginable, it was during the scene depicting Jin's loss of virginity that Lily gave up her own. She felt incredibly guilty after the fact, but, at the same time, she felt as though a tremendous weight had been removed from her chest. Following their first time together, Lily and Vahn were nearly inseparable for the remainder of their stay in the timeless suite. Lily had been holding herself back for a long time by that point, so, with nothing else standing in her way, she explored her sensuality to the fullest while reveling in Vahn's care and constant attention. If there was anything Lily regretted about her time in the royal suite, it was the fact she had gotten a head start on Yo. The two had promised to give up their first times together if the opportunity presented itself, so she couldn't help feeling at least a little guilty... ... .. . With Vahn informing her that the time for their return had come, Lily spent their final few hours together trying on new clothes. She had spent nearly three of the five weeks wearing little more than lingerie and sleepwear, so it felt a little strange going back to 'normal' clothing. In the end, Lily settled on a lilac-purple blouse that resembled a kimono but functioned more as a crop-top. In other words, it left her shoulders, back, and navel completely exposed. The rest of her outfit wasn't much better as her skirt, matching with her top, barely concealed more than a third of her milky white thighs. It was enchanted to prevent people from sneaking a peek at the contents, but it was still a rather risque garment that left very little to the imagination. To complete her outfit, Lily, somewhat ironically, donned a pair of long, kimono-like sleeves that extended from her biceps and flowed well past the tips of her fingers. As for accessories, she decided upon a flowery hairpin to accent her flowing golden locks and a dark-purple collar with Vahn's name engraved in gold lettering along the interior. Though Vahn had offered her a ring and a pendant, Lily had refused both. She appreciated his concerns, but she wanted something that embodied the notion she had 'given' herself to him. As for why this was important, it was due to the fact she was a Harvest Spirit. They were entities bound to serve and protect, so while the notion of becoming Vahn's bride made her tails twitch excitedly, Lily was content with simply 'being his'. Since Lily was far from the first woman he had collared, Vahn didn't mind it too much. So long as she was happy, he was even more so. Extending his hand toward the breathtakingly beautiful kitsune, Vahn's smile illuminated the entire room, at least from Lily's perspective, as he asked, "Are you ready...?" Returning an affectionate smile of her own, Lily gingerly linked her hand with Vahn's as she sonorously replied, "Where you go, I will follow..." ... .. . Though his super-human regeneration should have prevented it, Izayoi awoke the following morning with a mild hangover. He could barely recall the previous evening's events, so, first and foremost, he looked around to get his bearings. "Well, fuck..." While it wasn't atypical for him to sleep naked, goosebumps developed across Izayoi's body as he noticed the high-brow brunette lying next to him in her birthday suit. If it were just her, he wouldn't be too upset, but lying on the other side of the girl was a chestnut-haired woman wearing a onesie. Reacting to Izayoi's voice, the brunette languidly rose to a sitting position, hair sticking to her face as she lazily observed her surroundings. She had also gotten blackout drunk the previous night, so it took her a moment to recognize the room as the suite afforded to her by Salamandra. After that, her gaze moved to her body before her brain completely stalled... In a vain attempt to deter the coming storm, Izayoi forced a smile as he said, "I know what this looks like, but I don't think it's nearly as bad as it seems..." Ignoring Izayoi's words, Asuka's reached between her naked thighs to check for blood or moisture before shifting her attention to her right. The presence of Yo caused her body to tense, eyes to widen, and pupils to contract, but, as Izayoi had suggested, things weren't nearly as bad as they first appeared. At the very least, there was no evidence of anything irreversible occurring. Shifting her gaze to Izayoi, Asuka mouthed the words, "Get the hell out of here." with a panicked expression on her face.&nbsp; More than willing to get as far away from the coming storm as possible, Izayoi raised his hands in a lazy gesture of surrender before grabbing a pillow to cover his crotch. He wasn't ashamed to be seen naked, but he knew Asuka would give him crap about it if he sauntered around with Yo sleeping nearby. Following Izayoi's departure with her eyes, Asuka's gaze briefly lowered before she quickly shook her head and began to search for her [REquip] System. Then, recalling the existence of her Companion, Abyssinian, she focused her mind and imagined the form she wanted it to take. With Izayoi long gone and a pair of pajamas to conceal her nudity, Asuka went into investigation mode. It nearly awoke Yo, but she removed all the blankets from the bed to inspect them for any evidence of blood or bodily fluids. After that, she searched around the room and under the bed before finding three sets of clothes littering the floor of the adjoining bath. Seeing several empty bottles around the still-filled tub, it wasn't difficult for Asuka to piece together what must have happened the night prior. The three of them must have gotten blackout drunk at the bar before retiring to her room to continue drinking. The only mystery was whether the three of them had taken turns or entered the bath together. As conspicuous as three sets of clothes were, it didn't indicate they had been abandoned at the same time. Deciding to trust in Izayoi, Asuka busied herself with cleaning up until Yo awoke nearly three hours later. Fortunately, she couldn't recall so much as a single detail from the previous night. This might have been a boon if not for Yo immediately coming up with a solution Asuka had overlooked.&nbsp; Curious to know what had transpired, Yo asked her own Companion, the Maneki-neko, for an explanation. Neither it nor the Abyssinian had taken in a single drop of alcohol, so they could easily recollect the events of the previous night. Thus, despite dodging numerous death flags, Izayoi's fate was set in stone when the two Companions reported that the trio had, in fact, entered the bath together. To make matters exponentially worse, at least for Asuka, it was apparently at her insistence... ... .. . (A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Gotta move forward...','That's one hell of a way to speed up the process of acceptance...','This is why you shouldn't drink xD...')

Chapter 2269: Morning After