The following day,

"Y-you made this!?" Akio said, looking at a very large, extravagant carriage that was fit for royalty.

Then, behind the coach was another impressive wagon that seemed to fit at least 14 people.

"Yup, would be better if I had more time, but I assume your goddess doesn’t like to wait, right?"

"N-no but—"

"Alright!! I hope you all got your shit! It’s gonna be a minute before we reach the capital!!"

"Yes!!" They all shouted as they put their stuff in.

In the coach were Aphrodite, Ai, Akio, and Rethusa. Kushida was the coachman as she knew where to go. In the wagon were some of the Artemis and Aphrodite Familia, with Cirrus being the coachman.

After everything was stored, they quickly got a move on.

To Akio’s surprise, the ride was smooth as water.

 

They rode for a week, changing who would lead every time they stopped for lunch and the like.

They could see the capital, Nishikyō off in the distance. They could see a large Japanese castle with gold decorations on the roof of it. The wall that surrounded the city was a mix of wood and stone. To Cirrus’s surprise, it was both practical and aesthetically pleasing.

"Well, that’s very eye-catching." Cirrus said.

"Yes," Kushida said. "She is the goddess of the sun."

"Mmm… Would the gold not, you know, melt from the heat?"

"From what Lord Susanoo said, they switch them out with identical ones overnight."

"…Seems like a waste of gold."

They followed the road to the capital, and much like many popular cities, the traffic was horrible.

"Take the right over here. I can get us through the VIP road." Said Kushida. "Oy!! Akio! Do you mind helping out in case my identity isn’t enough?"

"Yeah!" He shouted from the coach.

When they got to the entrance, Kushida didn’t even need to tell them who she was. She also said that the wagon behind them was with them, so they entered the city with ease.

While riding through the city, it was like looking at feudal era Japan with a mix of Buddhism in its design.

"Ohh…so this is the capital." Cirrus said, looking around.

"You can head to my place, it’s in the west area of the city." Akio said, next to Cirrus in the coachman’s seat.

"Hm. I hope your home is big enough for all of us."

"Not to worry, it has plenty of room."

"If you're going to his home, I need to get back," Kushida said. "Lord Susanoo gets anxiety if I am away for too long."

Kushida took off running along the rooftops.

‘Seems she’s going off first to tell Lord Susanoo of my plan, huh? I feel bad not telling Akio, but the fewer people who know, the less likely it is to go wrong.'

"So where is your home?"

"Take a right over there." 

Akio told him where to go, and they eventually made it to a rather good-looking Japanese gated home.

"Wow! You live here!" said Ai.

"It’s rather impressive." said Aphrodite.

"Yes, lots of room to move about." said Artemis.

"I do. We can stay here for today. I’ll be going and reporting to Lady Amaterasu. I will be back in a few hours if she isn’t too busy. Make yourselves at home."

"So shall we—"

"Ai already ran inside Cirrus." said Artemis.

"Yup into her brother's home," said Aphrodite. "Well, I’ll see you all later! I’m going to go shopping!"

She quickly took off with her children.

"Well, we should unpack all of our stuff. Girls get the bags! As for Aphrodite and her Familia just put them in a room and they can get them later!"

"Yes!!" said the few that came.

They all got the stuff and began to take it inside. Cirrus, of course, helped with it as well.

"Hm... well, I guess we should find someone to make us some fine clothing to meet the goddess."

"True we have been wearing our stuff from Orario, so we should get some clothes to match this country." said Nox.

"We should have asked Akio or Kushida if there were any places to buy some new clothes?"

"So we are going clothes shopping then!" Nox said with a smile. "Just like old times!"

"Do you mind if I come?" asked Artemis. "I do have a good eye for detail!"

"Yeah, detail as in you can see far." Nox retorted.

"I… Well, it’s never too late to gain an eye for clothes. I am expecting you to be very informative, Nox."

"Sure thing, but I won’t hold back my criticism, Artemis." Nox said with a smug smirk.

"Alright then!" She held out her hand, and Nox shook it. "It’s a deal then. Oh wait, shouldn’t we get Ai?"

"Sure but I think she’s busy snooping around." Cirrus pointed to the window where they could see Ai looking at everything in detail.

"Seems she really wants to know her brother, huh? Oh well, let's get going before the sun sets!!" Nox dragged Cirrus and Artemis along.

 

Sometime later.

"Is anyone here!" Akio shouted.

"I am!" said Ai, coming down. "All the others went off to buy stuff!"

"And you stayed behind?"

"Well, I wanted to see the house! It is rather... plain? Don’t you have a family?"

"Sorry, but no, I have been busy with work to consider one." He looked a bit solemn.

"Hmm... well you have mother, father, and me! and maybe Ayumu and possibly Aki, but I think? You and she are on good terms, right?"

"More or less. We haven’t talked much to be on good or bad terms."

"I see... But you should have a family! Having only coworkers that just stand around is kinda sad and lonely. Do you at least hang with the other guards?"

"Uhhh… Yes?"

He lied. All the other guards live and breathe in the castle. They spend more time at work than in their own homes.

"…Alright do you wanna spar? You have a training area!"

"Umm…" Akio didn’t want to spar with Ai. He saw how Ai moved. "As much as I would like to, I'd rather not get too beaten up when I take you, beloved, to meet Lady Amaterasu tomorrow."

"Fine…I’ll go look around more!"

Ai went off again while Akio looked as she left.

"…She at least far nicer than Ayaka."

‘It is unfortunate that Lady Amaterasu was busy. I even tried to tell the head guard, but they immediately left to go back to work... Mmm, what is this bad feeling?’

 

Later that night.

"Yo!!! We're back!!" shouted Nox with Cirrus’s Hippolyta mask and some wooden boxes carried by Cirrus with Artemis by his side.

"Where did you guys go!" Ai said.

"We went shopping for some new clothes! We found really nice ones for our meeting!"

"Yes, we picked some excellent clothes for Cirrus." Artemis said.

"Ah, man! I should have come!"

"Maybe after the meeting. I’ll go and put all this stuff away." He goes up the stairs.

"Oh, speaking of the meeting, Akio stated that it will take place tomorrow!"

"Lucky us!"

"Hm? Where is Lady Aphrodite?" Ai said, looking around.

"Ah she’s off having fun; you can hear her from here."

They stayed silent, and they heard faint cheering and celebrations off in the distance.

"Guess we’ll meet up with her eventually."

"Do you mind if we join in?" said Kushida, entering with Susanoo.

"Lord Susanoo!!" Ai ran up to him and hugged him.

"Haha! Ai! You are doing well!" Susanoo glanced at Artemis, and it seemed that was enough for him to understand. "It seems you are really doing well!"

"Would you like to join us for dinner? It would be very nice to eat with you again!" Ai said, giving him her puppy dog eyes.

"Aw, you know I can’t refuse with those eyes. Kushida blindfold."

She wrapped a blindfold around his eyes.

"There you go." she said.

"Thank you, Kushida. You know how dangerous her puppy dog eyes are. Nox as much as I would like to eat dinner, I came here to speak with Cirrus."

"He is upstairs," Artemis said. "Does it have to do with Amaterasu?"

"Yes. Kushida told me what he wanted."

"And are you up for it?"

He smiles broadly.

"Oh yes. I am more than up for it! I can’t wait to see their faces when Cirrus makes his entrance and forcibly puts his foot through the door."

"Of course, you will." Nox said. "With this one here." She puts her hand on Ai’s head. "You become untouchable both politically and physically if this plan goes off on the assumption that Amaterasu is as arrogant as a human king or noble."

"Very much so. She doesn’t like to be caught off guard and is very stubborn. Also a bit greedy."

"Well, then shall we discuss the finer points with Cirrus?" Artemis said.

 

The next day, a horse-drawn carriage came, and everything was magnificent, from the golden and intricate golden of the carriage to the pure white steeds.

Some of the palace guards were with them to escort them.

"Oh she even sent a beautiful carriage!" said Ai, admiring the beautiful white horses and gilded carriage.

"Yes, horses are very well bred." Artemis said, petting them.

"She wanted to make her guests feel welcome, but where are they?" Akio said, waiting for Cirrus and Nox.

Opening the door, came out Cirrus first, draped in a light blue kimono with gold embroidered clouds on it. His hair was swept back on one side.

"You look so handsome!" said Ai, coming up to him. "Art, did you pick them out?"

"I did with Nox’s help. He looks very dashing and noble. Plus it’s not too baggy, so if he needs to run, he can do it!"

Many of the guards who came with the carriage widened their eyes at him but when the next person came out.

"Oh, what about mine?"

Nox came out with a pure white and gold kimono along with a matching hagoromo. Its design and her beauty were only enhanced by Nox’s already unparalleled beauty, leaving one to think a goddess had just appeared before them, but her face was hidden by a veil. An existence so pure that they thought she was being corrupted by the earth with each step she took.

"You’re so pretty!!! I kinda don’t want to touch you or else I might stain you with my hands!"

"Hahaha!! I get that a lot, but maybe this will be better."

In a flash of light, she turned into a bird and landed on Ai’s shoulder.

"!!"

Many of the guards were shocked to see this.

"Don’t worry, it’s her magic!" shouted Akio. "She’s doing it to not get her dress ruined."

"Y-yes, sir!!" They all shouted and nodded in understanding.

"Cirrus do you mind if we leave?"

"Hm, Nox, let’s get going. Ai, Art, I’ll see you both later." Cirrus nods and gets into the carriage.

Ai pats Nox, and she flies in and lands on Cirrus’s shoulder.

"Alright, let’s get going!"

"Yes sir!!!"

They watched them as they rode away.

"…So Ai, shall we go and buy some furniture for our home?"

"Yup!"

"Girls, do you wanna come as well?" Artemis said to her Familia.

"Of course!!"

They went on and on about their day. Not worried about the meeting that will be a turning point for the country.