Endless Path : Infinite Cosmos

"It's pretty rare for you to come to me first. Are you feeling guilty about what happened with Sala?"
Adopting a faint smile, Vahn replied, "Something like that..." as he reached up to caress Shiroyasha's neck and chin. She gave him a slight prick with her horns, but that didn't discourage him from tracing the line of her neck and collarbone as he added, "Though the situation has changed since our last meeting, I've more or less concluded my business with the North and South Sides. All that remains is collecting Sun Authorities, supplanting a few discordant deities, and ensuring our allies are well-protected during my ascension..."
As the current Laws of the Little Garden prohibited residents of the 1-3-Digit Gates from interacting 'directly' with people outside, Vahn needed to ensure his enemies wouldn't be able to strike in the brief period where he was pushing for the peak of the Little Garden. He could leave an 'Avatara' behind in the form of a Template, but, as Wu and others had shown, they didn't inherit the 'tenacity' afforded to him by his unique constitution and Innates. He could grant them power 'identical' to his own, but they would still lose against the more famous/infamous Gods.
Understanding Vahn's concerns, Shiroyasha exhaled a sigh before softly muttering, "I suppose it's about time I introduce you to an old...'friend' of mine. You know the one..."
As there were actually a few people that came to mind, Vahn muttered, "I'm assuming you're referring to Queen Halloween, but I'm unsure as the two of you aren't exactly friends..."
Rolling her eyes, Shiroyasha replied, "She has in her possession the Aries, Virgo, Sagittarius, and Capricorn Authorities. If you can 'convince' her to join us, we will have eighteen of the twenty-five Sun Authorities. Nineteen if you decide to stop dallying and obtain the Ophiuchus Authority..."
"Right..."
Though he hadn't forgotten about his promise to Leticia, Vahn had placed her 'liberation' on hold at her request. She was currently in the process of gaining the power to free her sister while simultaneously helping care for the various children residing in the Sage Dragon's Hearth.
"If I took action directly, everything could be resolved in one fell swoop. However, Leticia, her sister, and the vampire race would become indebted to me in a way I'm not entirely comfortable with..."
Exhaling a slightly exasperated sigh, Shiroyasha adopted a mock deadpan as she remarked, "This would be a lot easier if you weren't so sentimental. I understand your desire to have people choose their own paths, but that doesn't mean you have to course-correct to give them time..."
Shrugging his shoulders, Vahn replied, "I still have 722 days to complete my current objectives. Besides, if you and Queen Halloween agree to work together, we don't even need the Ophiuchus Authority. Setting it aside, for the time being, hurts no one."
Feeling a little annoyed, Shiroyasha poked Vahn with the tip of her horns as she grumbled, "You're being unreasonable...while I do trust you, asking me to lend you multiple Sun Authorities places me in a difficult situation..."
Squeezing the pouty Sun Goddess's body, Vahn casually replied, "Then let's not worry about it. I told you before, but obtaining a majority of Sun Authorities is optional. I trust you not to betray me and side with the other Gods once I start taking action, so not having them doesn't really change anything."
Since he only needed a majority of Sun Authorities to prevent the Gods from abandoning the current Little Garden and creating a new one, Vahn didn't actually require them. Shiroyasha currently possessed fourteen, so unless she suddenly decided to betray him, he didn't have to worry about the Big Three attempting to flee once he began aiming for their thrones.
Instead of feeling relieved by Vahn's words, Shiroyasha's brows furrowed as she gave him another firm prick with her horns. She didn't like that he was basically saying he didn't need her help to achieve his goal, so, after jabbing him hard enough to draw blood, she turned around and straddled his lap before leaning forward to lap up the crimson liquid.
Realizing he had inadvertently upset her, Vahn allowed Shiroyasha to do as she pleased while habitually massaging her butt. He was tempted to point out that making concessions for her was functionally the same as making 'detours' for others but promptly decided against it. Instead, he waited until she was finished drawing his blood before muttering, "Tell me what you want, and I'll do my best to make it a reality..."
Licking the blood from her lips, Shiroyasha took a moment to look Vahn in the eyes before narrowing her own and answering, "You know damn well what I want. An enormous harem, revenge against those who harmed my friends, and changes to the current system. Beyond that..."
Linking her hands around Vahn's neck and shoulders, Shiroyasha licked her lips a second time before playfully appending, "Unequip your pants, and I might just scream the rest..."
Punctuating her words, Shiroyasha silenced any potential responses with a kiss. She was feeling a little frustrated after Vahn's earlier remarks, so she intended to have him relieve her stress before they returned to their original conversation. As for Queen Halloween, Indra, and everyone else she needed to arrange meetings with, they could wait. After all, it wasn't like Vahn 'needed' their cooperation...
...
..
.
After pacifying Xysteria with a significant amount of belly rubs, Vahn had her explain 'exactly' what she had in mind for her colonists.
Contrasting Vahn's initial expectations, the 'insects' Xysteria had in mind weren't actual insects. Xysteria simply hadn't known the appropriate word for what she was attempting to describe: automatons.
Not wanting them to succumb to thirst, starvation, and the influence of her power, Xysteria intended to populate both the interior and the area around her 'nest' with purely mechanical lifeforms. Those inhabiting the interior would be known as Guardians, beings tasked with observing and cataloging the various creatures produced by her power. Those occupying the surface would be known as Keepers, predominately humanoid robots that would tend to the surrounding forests and establish infrastructure to accommodate people from the outside.
Using a bit of clay, Xysteria was able to give Vahn a pretty good idea of what she had in mind for both groups. The Guardians would be outfitted with enhanced sensors, borderline indestructible armor, various types of excavation equipment, and armaments capable of incinerating just about any form of biological life. They needed to be able to deal with outbreaks such as the mushrooms that had nearly overtaken one of Gaia's textures, so their incinerators weren't mere lasers; they were molecular disruption devices that forcefully separated electrons, converting virtually all other molecules into an inert form of atomized ash.
Contrasting the rather fierce-looking Guardians, the Keepers were made to be a lot more unassuming. The 'males' of the species had tanned skin and dark hair that vaguely resembled younger, child-like versions of Vahn. As for their female counterparts, they unsurprisingly ended up resembling Xysteria. However, instead of four arms, white fur, and multiple tails, they only possessed two arms and a single tail, ensuring they would always be 'lesser' in terms of adorableness and appeal.
Understanding there was a chance that creatures could escape her nest and run rampant on the surface, Xysteria decided to outfit male Keepers with a lesser variant of the 'Incinerator,' one that specialized in eliminating single targets. As for the females, they were to be blessed with enhanced senses, incredible strength, and the ability to discern creatures adversely affected by Xysteria's power.
Though he didn't mind the existence of a race of child-like automatons that vaguely resembled him, Vahn made a few tweaks before finalizing Xysteria's first experimental population. He gave the males pointed ears and bestowed both Guardians and Keepers with the ability to 'hibernate' for extended periods. It could be anywhere between a few hundred to a few thousand years before outsiders showed up on their island, so being able to 'sleep' for years would be a boon in their exceptionally long lives. After all, unless they were damaged beyond repair, they were effectively immortal.
With the designs largely finalized, Vahn acquiesced to Xysteria's demand to give the males an 'affinity with all things fluffy' before creating a total of twenty males and females to populate the surface. Xysteria was still in the process of excavating her nest, so he didn't want to overburden her with having to look after hundreds of people when she still depended on others to care for herself.
As each Keeper was given form through a combination of her and Vahn's power, Xysteria became increasingly excited. If Vahn hadn't warned her about inadvertently destroying them, she would have pounced upon and cuddled each and every one of them. Instead, she waited until all twenty had been formed before tentatively approaching and examining them up close.
Though she was a little bothered by their blank, ostensibly emotionless expressions, Xysteria took the time to nuzzle and mark each of the male Keepers. She eventually did the same with the females, but only after a lengthy explanation on imprinting and a bit of 'encouragement' from Vahn. When she was finished, they worked together to come up with names for each of them before commencing the long process of 'programming' them via demonstration and verbal instruction.
...
..
.
Seeing Xysteria's reaction to her 'children' from the perspective of his other self, Vahn couldn't help smiling. This was immediately noticed by Black Rabbit, who, after breastfeeding their six children, was enjoying some much-deserved cuddles.
Narrowing her eyes into an affectionate smile, Black Rabbit playfully inquired, "What's got you in such a good mood~?"
Returning an affectionate smile of his own, Vahn replied, "I'm watching Xysteria take her first significant steps toward maturing as a Primordial Deity. She now has a small population to supervise, one that isn't entirely comprised of other versions of herself."
Though she had only met and interacted with Xysteria a few times, Black Rabbit couldn't help feeling happy for the inordinately cute yet aggressive ball of fluff, responding, "Wow, that really is a major step forward for her. I hope everything turns out well."
Nodding his head, Vahn, somewhat shamelessly, replied, "I'll make sure it does. I've been anticipating this kind of development for a long time, so I won't let things fall through before Xysteria learns a lesson or two..."
"Mmm...how reassuring..."
Since she didn't want her cuddle session to become a discussion about Xysteria and her development, Black Rabbit ended the conversation by resting her head against Vahn's chest and nuzzling against him. His scent caused her body to feel hot, but it was nowhere near as 'agonizing' as it was before her pregnancy.
Understanding Black Rabbit's intentions, Vahn promptly left the matter of Xysteria to his other self, planting a kiss on the pink-haired beauty's head before squeezing her tightly. It was only a matter of time before someone came along to 'interrupt' them, so he didn't mind spending the moment in peaceful serenity. Things were going to get pretty busy in the weeks and months to come, so it was important to savor each and every moment he had with his loved ones...
Feeling Vahn's warmth fill her body, suppressing the heat radiating from her abdomen, an exceptionally contented smile developed across Black Rabbit's face. She wouldn't mind if he wanted to have sex, far from it, but, after becoming a mother to six seemingly insatiable kittens, she had come to realize just how precious moments of peace and quiet could be...
...
..
.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Shiroyasha showing her Tsundere side...','Akihito Tsukushi would like to know my location...','Every mother in the multiverse just nodded their heads in agreement xD...')

Though he was trying to limit his number of manifestations, Vahn created a fifth to pay a visit to Draco Greif, apprising him of the situation with Sala. He also gave the retiring Griffin a warning about Yvonne but promised the Empire wouldn't just stand by if she attempted to conquer the South using more 'forceful' methods.
After hearing Vahn's account till the end, Draco Greif understood that the former was aware of the meeting between himself and the Leaders of the Draco Greif Alliance. However, instead of expressing offense at the notion that Vahn was spying on them, Draco Greif remained calm and composed as he replied, "Then it appears that Laulau Pantera, Leader of Five-Claws, will be the next Floor Master. Does the Aldrnari Empire have any counsel they wish to provide on this matter...?"
Shaking his head, Vahn answered, "The internal affairs of the Draco Greif Alliance are their own to manage. I've already inconvenienced you greatly by intervening in the matter between Sala and her sister. Instead of telling you what to do, I'm more inclined to ask if there's anything the Empire can do to help ease the transition."
"Hmmm..."
Understanding that Vahn wasn't simply being polite, Draco Greif closed his eyes and carefully considered his response. Vahn was known to make the impossible a reality, and there seemed to be no limits to the Empire's resources and capabilities. Thus, the next few words that came out of his mouth could genuinely shape the future of the Draco Greif Alliance.
Not wanting to disturb Draco Greif's thoughts, Vahn manifested an ornate jade teapot and served himself a cup of aromatic jasmine tea. This version of himself existed for the singular purpose of this discussion, so he wasn't in any particular hurry.
After deliberating for several minutes, Draco Greif adopted a noticeably wry smile and asked, "Do you mind if I call for the Leader of Five-Claws? As the next Floor Master and Leader of the Draco Greif Alliance, I believe she should be present."
Though Draco Greif's words raised a number of flags, Vahn didn't hesitate to respond, "Sure, I don't see why not? If the Draco Greif Alliance and the Aldrnari Empire are going to be allies in the future, it's only natural that we meet at some point."
Nodding his head, Draco Greif responded with a curt, "Indeed," before using his Authority as Floor Master to send a telepathic communique to Laulau. She was busy dealing with a few drunken brawls that had broken out during the impromptu celebration but immediately dropped what she was doing when she heard the reason for her summoning...
Bursting into the conference room a few minutes later, Laulau's luminous golden eyes briefly focused on Vahn before she turned to Draco Greif, cupping her hands and bowing as a sign of respect as she said, "Laulau Pantera, reporting as ordered..."
Getting straight to the point, Draco Greif revealed, "Due to circumstances related to her family, Sala Doldrake's candidacy for Floor Master has been revoked. As such, you, Laulau Pantera, have been designated as the sole nominee for the positions of Floor Master and future Leader of the Draco Greif Alliance. I trust you have no objections?"
Cupping her hands together a second time, this time with enough force to generate a small shockwave, Laulau's fur-covered ears twitched excitedly as she loudly exclaimed, "It would be my honor!"
Though he nodded his head in approval, Draco Greif took a bit of the wind out of Laulau's sails, adding, "I'm confident you'll lead the Alliance into an era of prosperity. To that end, I have invited you here to participate in the discussion related to our...'cooperation' with the Aldrnari Empire..."
Furrowing her brows, Laulau directed a sidelong gaze toward Vahn as she asked, "Has the Aldrnari Empire requested something of us...?"
Catching the spirited warrior princess somewhat off guard, Draco Greif replied, "Quite the opposite. However, as I do not wish to put words into his mouth, the Sage Dragon Emperor can speak for himself."
Setting aside his cup of tea, Vahn offered a cordial smile as he explained, "As compensation for the troubles my actions have wrought, I was asking your Leader if there is anything I, or the Aldrnari Empire, could do to make the forthcoming transition smoother. I have technically robbed you of one of your most powerful allies, so it's only natural that I compensate you for the loss."
Understanding that Vahn was referring to Sala, Laulau crossed her arms in defiance, retorting, "Sala might have been strong, but the Alliance existed before and will endure after her. Do not look down on us. We are not some helpless throng that needs your guidance and protection..."
"Laulau..."
Though he had somewhat anticipated Laulau's brazenness, Draco Greif couldn't help covering his face with his taloned hand. He knew she didn't trust Vahn, but her words undermined both the long and short-term future of the Alliance. If Vahn was half as bad as she believed him to be, such an overt slight could have resulted in their complete and total destruction...
Fortunately for the many inhabitants of Under and Overwood, Vahn just smiled in response to Laulau's words, responding, "If that's the way you feel, I have nothing more to say on the matter. Just know that the Aldrnari Empire does not turn its back on its allies. If there comes a time when the Draco Greif Alliance is in need, do not hesitate to seek us out. Pride at the expense of your peoples' lives is hubris."
Finished with what he had to say, Vahn rose to his feet, dusted himself off, and offered a curt nod toward Draco Greif as he said, "If you need to contact me during the festival, a version of me can be found at the side of One-Horn's Leader, Merry. After that, the best way to contact me would presumably be through the Leader of Six-Scars, Garol Gundark."
Having risen at the same time as Vahn, Draco Greif offered a respectful nod of his own as he replied, "I'll be sure to keep that in mind. Farewell, Vahn Aldrnari Mason."
As the corners of his smile curled upward, Vahn faded from existence like grains of sand being blown by the wind. The moment he had disappeared completely, the atmosphere within the room became oppressive as Draco Greif directed a fierce glare at Laulau, stating, "Though I have no intention of retracting your nomination, know I am disappointed with your handling of this matter. Had he the mind to, the Sage Dragon Emperor could stamp out our entire Alliance on a whim. We are beyond fortunate he didn't take your careless words to heart..."
Cowed by the oppressive aura exuding from Draco Greif like a powerful gravitational force, Laulau appeared to shrink into herself, timidly pressing the tips of her index fingers together as she meekly replied, "I didn't want to appear weak in front of the Leader of a foreign Community..."
Exhaling a profound and exasperated sigh, Draco Greif retracted his aura and plopped down into a seated position. He empathized with Laulau's need to appear strong, but there was a time and a place for everything. The resources of the Aldrnari Empire could bolster their entire Alliance to new heights, but Laulau had effectively set fire to the bridge without even thinking about the consequences. Had Vahn been less magnanimous, her actions may have burned it down entirely.
Shaking his head, Draco Greif forced himself to regain his calm, advising, "I won't tell you to apologize. However, it would be wise of you to make a concerted effort to befriend the Leaders of One-Horn and Six-Claws. You are entitled to govern the Alliance as you see fit, but a representative who ignores the will of the people will invariably become a tyrant..."
Hanging her head, Laulau silently reflected on Draco Greif's words and her actions. With the benefit of hindsight, she realized that rejecting Vahn's offer outright probably wasn't the smartest thing she could have done. After all, it wasn't like he was asking anything of them. Rather, he effectively gave them a blank check and invited them to fill in the blanks. She could have asked for all kinds of resources, yet she just ripped it up on principle...
Realizing her mistake, Laulau abruptly took a knee, her right fist touching the ground as she lowered her head and stated, "I'm not sure how, but I'll make this right. You have my word."
Exhaling a slightly softer sigh, Draco Greif adopted an uncannily human smile as he replied, "It's okay to make mistakes, Laulau. So long as you learn from them, you will continue to move forward as both a person and a leader. Now, away with you. I'm certain there are better ways you could be spending your time. Leave me to my rest."
Without another word, Laulau promptly cupped her hands together before backing out of the chamber and rushing to Underwood. She was tempted to track down Vahn and apologize for her carelessness but didn't want to intrude upon his and Merry's time together. Instead, she locked onto the scent of Garol Gundark, leaping from the boughs of the Great Water Tree with the resolve to become a proper leader for her people...
...
..
.
"Oh no...it's spilling out..."
Though Vahn had insisted they take several breaks, Merry had thoroughly demonstrated that it wasn't just her language lacking in decency. She was a veritable nymphomaniac, and due to her inordinately prolonged chastity, there were countless things she was eager to try.
Watching the petite beauty scoop up his semen and try to force it back inside her, Vahn couldn't help smiling wryly as he said, "I can always fill you up later. For now, we should get ourselves cleaned up and grab a bite to eat outside. Festivals shouldn't be spent idling about indoors."
Adopting a pouty expression, Merry attempted to guilt Vahn into staying inside by tearing up and asking, "Do we have to? The outside world sucks, and I don't like being around other people. They all stare at me with lewd gazes like they want to tear off my dress and **** me in the middle of the street..."
A stark contrast to the teary-eyed expression she had at the start of her argument, a ruddy hue spread through Merry's cheeks as she imagined Vahn being the one to push her down. The thought, alone, was enough to make her feel embarrassed, but she would be lying if she said it wasn't as exciting...
Overwhelmed by her overactive imagination, Merry stared into space for a few moments until a thin line of silvery blood trickled from her left nostril. Merry immediately noticed this, quickly wiping away the evidence before adopting an innocent smile as she looked at Vahn and asked, "What were we talking about?"
With Loi-chan enthusiastically narrating Merry's libidinous thoughts, Vahn made a mental note not to inform her of his ability to separate from the Axes of Time, Space, and Reality. He didn't mind doing it in public, but he didn't want to encourage her 'bad' behavior. Merry was clearly a little unstable, so he offered a smoldering smile and replied, "We were talking about going out on a date. I want everyone in Underwood to know we're together, so I was hoping to show you off while you show me around. If you would prefer to keep our relationship a secret, however, I don't mind staying inside..."
Though she was more than a little tempted by Vahn's final few words, the chance to display her relationship in public was enough to convince Merry to go out. Thus, with a rather substantial volume of semen dripping down her legs and thighs, she hopped out of bed and ran to the bath, shouting, "Hurry along, darling~! We musn't keep the peasantry waiting~" in a sing-song tone.
...
..
.
(A/N: Alternate Titles: 'Vahn has all the time in the world...','More muscle than brain...','Someone bonk this damned Unicorn...')

Having wrapped things up in the North, Vahn's manifestations decreased to a meager three. There were usually around nine of him walking around at any given time, so his mind felt sharper and more focused than usual as he watched various versions of Xysteria dig an enormous cavity in Silva's outermost Layer.
Without any external prompting, Krona, Silva, and Xysteria had concluded that it was 'safer' for the forthcoming residents of their world if the latter's chaotic influence was contained to a single location. However, as neither Silva nor Krona wanted to completely isolate their sister's creations, they arranged for Xysteria's 'nest' to be located on the Surface.
Though it took a considerable amount of time and restructuring, Silva was able to shift around her Continents so that Xysteria would have a circular island, roughly 800,000km2, to do with as she pleased.
Of her own volition, Xysteria concluded that it would be better if she dug down instead of letting her creations roam freely within the island's basin. A colossal mountain range encircled the entire island, but Xysteria didn't believe that would be enough to prevent her 'children' from escaping. She also wanted explorers and adventurers to be able to visit in the future, so her solution was to bore a massive hole, nearly 700km in diameter, before asking Krona to place a temporal barrier over it as a type of lid.
While he didn't entirely agree with the trio's intentions, Vahn permitted his children to do as they pleased. Their solution reminded him of quite a few anime with massive dungeons, sky-piercing towers, and abyss labyrinths, so he simply concluded this was the natural progression of things. At the very least, it was the path that Krona, Silva, and Xysteria had decided for themselves.
Breaking Vahn from his reverie, Xysteria 'prime' used one of her ruby-red talons to prick the base of his chin as she petitioned, "Papa, want to make something with Xysteria?"
Raising his brows, Vahn calmly asked, "What did you have in mind?" with a faint yet perceptibly wry smile.
Sensing the subtle change in her father's mood, Xysteria's oversized ears drooped pitifully as she shrank within his lap and muttered, "Nevermind..." in a sulky tone.
Before Xysteria could fully retract into her 'ball form,' Vahn wrapped his arms around her and buried the lower half of his face into the inordinately thick fur atop her head. Her body was incredibly warm, almost hot to the touch, and her coat had an aroma most people would compare to freshly-baked bread. She could change it at will, but, as she liked being cuddled quite a bit, Xysteria, much like Fenrir, put a lot of effort into ensuring she was as fluffy and pleasant to hold as possible.
Though she didn't immediately relax, Xysteria eventually unfurled her tails and became lax in Vahn's embrace. A minute or two later, she appeared to be 'melting' within his arms, as, even when he wasn't making a concerted effort, Vahn was very proficient in the art of petting.
"Funyaaaaaa~."
Playing off the audio cue, Vahn exhaled a light chuckle before squeezing the semi-amorphous ball of fluff firmly and inquiring, "Now, tell me...what did you want to make?"
Becoming discernibly more solid, Xysteria hesitated for several seconds before answering, "Xysteria wants to make people..."
"Hmmm..."
Though he didn't think Xysteria was at a point where she could oversee a group of people, Vahn didn't immediately refuse her request. Instead, he absentmindedly fluffed up the hair around her ears and caressed the base of her chin as he considered various possibilities.
To get a clearer understanding of Xysteria's actual request, Vahn paused for a moment, asking, "What kind of people? Humans? Therianthropes...?"
Without any hesitation whatsoever, Xysteria raised two of her arms and shouted, "Bug people...!" in an enthusiastic tone. This left Vahn more than a little speechless, not because he had anything against Insectoids, but because insects were Xysteria's favorite food...
Smiling wryly, Vahn couldn't help asking, "You're not planning to eat them, are you...?"
Tilting her head to the side, Xysteria didn't immediately respond to Vahn's question. When she did, he felt somewhat guilty as she curiously inquired, "Why would Xysteria eat them? Did they do something bad...?"
Instead of answering the adorable fluffball's questions, Vahn changed the topic to something more pertinent, asking, "Have you thought about what you want them to do? Creating people from scratch isn't particularly hard, but ensuring their survival can be challenging. Without knowledge, power, and purpose, they will need constant protection and guidance..."
"Muuuu..."
Feeling a little annoyed, Xysteria began to flex her claws open and closed. She had been spying on the various communities Vahn brought back from the Actualized World of Runeterra. Their culture and society caused her to feel things she typically only felt around her Papa, so she really wanted to have a 'people' of her own, not just monsters and copies of herself...
Saving Vahn the trouble of having to pry directly into his daughter's mind, Loi-chan materialized out of thin air, her form identical to Xysteria as she leaned against his back and whispered into his ear. Her words caused the smile on his face to cramp, but it returned to normal a few moments later as he asked, "Have you been feeling lonely...?"
Nodding her head, Xysteria admitted, "It's lonely without Papa. Xysteria tries to keep herself busy, but she's only good at breaking things. Brother Krona and sister Silva are very nice, but Xysteria knows...she knows she is only causing them trouble..."
Though she didn't appear sad as she was speaking, Vahn could sense the deeply rooted melancholy within Xysteria's heart. Her aura was a pleasant shade of gold, reminiscent of sunlight, but he had learned long ago that a person's aura wasn't a true reflection of their mental or emotional state. It might sound paradoxical, but it was more than possible for someone to be outwardly happy despite harboring profound sadness.
Shaking his head, Vahn wrapped his arms snugly around Xysteria's body, whispering, "Krona and Silva would never say that. You also aren't going out of your way to cause trouble, so you're innocent of any wrongdoing..."
"Mmm..."
As Vahn's warmth permeated her body, a faint smile naturally developed across Xysteria's face. She always felt the most 'complete' when he held her close like this. She didn't know if her feelings were the same as those between Krona and Silva, but she believed they were similar. If she didn't know it would burden him, she would want them to stay together forever...
Smiling affectionately, Vahn reached up to place his hand at the center of Xysteria's chest. She was a little surprised by his actions but offered no meaningful resistance even as his hand sank into her, disappearing up to the wrist. Her trust in him was so great that, even if he were to tell her the sky was purple and that the ocean was filled with caustic acid, she would accept it as the gospel truth.
Despite Xysteria's inordinately fluffy, four-armed, five-tailed, seemingly mammalian appearance, she was still the daughter of two True Dragons. The veins running through her body had a crystalline appearance, and the trio of hearts pumping rainbow-hued blood through her body had enough energy within them to destroy the arm of a galaxy if unleashed all at once.
After ensuring there wouldn't be any issues, Vahn removed his hand from Xysteria's chest, revealing a visibly pulsating crystal roughly the size of a plum. Upon seeing it, Xysteria couldn't help feeling confused, an anxious frown marring her face as she poked the crystal and questioned, "Are you taking a piece of Xysteria...?"
As it would have been understandable if Xysteria had freaked out, Vahn couldn't help exhaling a chuckle before answering, "Don't worry. I left a piece of myself where your heart used to be. Now, even when I'm away, you'll always have a piece of me with you..."
Blinking in surprise, Xysteria ignored everything else, using two of her hands to pry her chest open. It was an extremely gruesome sight, but the blood-stained fluffball didn't even flinch as she verified there was a near-identical gem where her heart used to be. The only difference was that it emitted an energy signature identical to her Papa's.
Realizing she would always have a piece of Vahn inside of her, a nearly crimson hue colored Xysteria's face as she used her bloody talons and paws to clutch and massage her cheeks. Her actions caused her usually white fur to become stained with blood, but Vahn quickly cleaned her up while also healing the rather ghastly hole in her chest. Then, as Xysteria watched him with unblinking eyes, he absorbed her crystalline heart into his palm, allowing the luminance to show through his skin as he directed it to the center of his being.
Unable to contain herself, Xysteria slipped under the nearly indestructible fabric of Vahn's tunic, eagerly pressing her head and ear to his chest. She couldn't distinguish between his heartbeat and the tiny pulsations coming from her crystal, but the notion there was now a piece of her inside of him caused her to feel fuzzy.
Without thinking, Xysteria began to 'nuzzle' against Vahn with a lot more force than usual. Since he let his guard down around his children, it didn't take long for one of her horns to pierce his body, creating a rather vicious gash that became the subsequent focus of Xysteria's nuzzling.
Though he was briefly taken aback by Xysteria's reaction, Vahn stopped Xysteria's apparent attempt to burrow into him by grabbing her scruff and phasing her through the fabric of his tunic.
"Ah..."
Seeing the wry smile on Vahn's face, Xysteria realized she had crossed a line she shouldn't. However, before she could think to form the words for an apology, Vahn dematerialized the excess blood from her face and fur coat as he mused, "I understand you're excited, but you're going to make your other-selves jealous if you burrow inside of me..."
Though she was momentarily confused by Vahn's words, Xysteria quickly understood when he turned her around and showed her the thousands of reflective eyes staring at them from a distance. She was the 'original' that dictated the actions of her offshoots, but she didn't have absolute control over them. She was more like a queen ant, so it wasn't out of the ordinary for versions of her to break off and even rebel against her self-comprised colony.
Disregarding the fact Vahn was still holding her up by the scruff, Xysteria spread her four arms in a threatening posture and hissed. Some versions of herself were 'very' powerful, but they had no hope of defeating her in battle. If they got close or tried to attack her, she could directly reabsorb them back into her body, so her hissing was generally enough to daunt all but her most obstinant offshoots.
With most of the eyes turning away from her, Xysteria ignored the rest as she turned to Vahn and asked, "Can we go somewhere else?" without her usual inflection. Vahn immediately noticed this but decided not to inquire as he replied, "Of course," before teleporting them to a small cottage he had materialized in the mountains.
As it was her first time in the cottage, Xysteria took a moment to take in her surroundings before asking, "Will this be where you stay during your visits?"
Though he had initially intended the cottage to be a temporary dwelling, Vahn nodded his head and replied, "Sure, why not?"
Returning a nod of her own, Xysteria momentarily liberated herself from Vahn's hold and began crawling around the floor, walls, and ceiling. She was using the scent glands within her tails to mark virtually every surface, so it wasn't long before a heavy aroma similar to freshly baked bread and pheromones permeated the entire residence.
Satisfied with her results, Xysteria crawled back over to Vahn, climbing onto his lap before circling around a few times like a cat attempting to get comfortable. However, instead of curling up like she was going to take a nap, she eventually turned belly up, using two of her paws to conceal her breasts and the other two to rub her abdomen as she demanded, "Rub my belly..." in a serious, almost commanding tone.
...
..
.

Chapter 2318: Steps, Both Large and Small