Some days later on Daedalus Street.

“So that’s the plan.” Said Loki. “Split up and start combing Daedalus’ Street.”

“All of you have your flares?” said Artemis.

All of her Familia nodded.

“Good. Each one of you will join one of Loki’s groups. If you see anything odd, go find help.”

“Yes!” The Artemis Familia said in unison.

“Now go!" Loki commanded. "I already have all the men to look down into the sewers. We’ll meet back here at this Town Square, got it!” she said, trying to be as respectable and commanding as Artemis.

Her children nodded as they left.

“… Why can’t I be more commanding like you?” Loki asked Artemis.

“I had practice.”

 

Walking down a street in Daedalus.

“Hmm… this place is always so damn hard to read.” Said Ai scratching her head.

“W-were aren’t lost are we?” Lefiya asked.

“No, I left a marker back there. With it, I can lead us back, but if not, we can always go by a rooftop- “Ai then looked up.

Coming down was a black-haired elf.

“Ah Lefiya, it’s good I found you so fast.”

“Filvis! What are you doing here!?”

“Lord Dionysus had commanded me to help in your efforts. I know I may not compare to the Flashing Saint, but—"

“Sure, come along,” Ai said so quickly. “Let's get along.” She said, extending her hand.

“… Sorry, but I have no intention of befriending you.” She said, bowing.

The air seemed to have silent and as cold as ice.

“Fine then,” Ai said as she walked over to her. “Then tell me something?”

“… Go on.”

“Is there someone you like?” Ai said with a grin on her face.

“W-w-w-what!?!? That’s not something you say to someone who you just—"

“What better way to know one another? Isn’t that right?”

“Yeah!” said Tiona. “Besides, you're blushing, so that means you are in love!”

Filvis turned her head.

“Y-y-you see, I know little about that kind of stuff…”

“Sorry, all of our oldest friends have someone and now she’s actually thinking about it for once.” Said Tione.

“C-could it be your loved one is Lord Dionysus!!” shouted Lefiya.

“Oh~ a god huh!” said Ai and Tiona.

“Wh-what about all of you then!? Huh!?” Filvis pointed her finger at them all.

“I-I really don’t have someone…. but I have someone I admire though…” said Lefiya sheepishly.

“You know who my heart yearns for.” Said Tione.

“You like Raul right Aki?” said Elfy.

“Not a chance.” Said Aki. “But what about you Ai?”

“Really?” she said, lifting her left hand.

They all realized out of all of them, Ai was the most mature of the bunch.

“W-what about you!” Filvis looked at Lina, a human girl with long, braided, black hair and glasses.

“Huh!? m-me!?” Lina's face blustered up. “Um…w-well…I um…like…B…Bete.”

All their faces were surprised and blushing.

“Huuuuuuuh!?” they all shouted.

“Bete!?” said Tione, shocked.

“Y-you’re kidding right!?” Aki said with speculation.

“Talk about bad taste.” Said Tiona.

“I highly suggest you reconsider.” Said Filvis.

“Now, now.” Said Ai. “Don’t judge her. Bete is a fine man! A bit prideful, but I’m sure she sees something in him you all don’t. Isn’t that right, Lina.” Ai looked at her with a warm smile.

“Y-yes! He is so gallant and is really nice deep down! I understand it won’t be easy, but…” she made a sweet innocent smile. “Even so, my goal is to one day become strong enough to save Bete in a pinch.”

They all made faces that all said ‘Understandable’.

“Aww! It’s like me!” Ai said proudly.

“I-It is?” Lina said, surprised.

“Sure, how did you think I went up 4 levels in 4 years?”

“Waaaaah…” they all said.

“S-so, how long have you known him?” asked Lefiya.

“Since we were 7, I saw him once in the dungeon and we and several other rookie adventures were resting, but I didn’t get to really know him until he helped me get back home!”

“So, your childhood friends?” said Tiona.

“More or less, but yeah.”

“Ahhh~♥ how romantic! To marry your childhood friend! I wished I was the captain's childhood friend!” said Tione. “So when did you two become a couple!” she said with a lot of enthusiasm coming up to Ai.

“Hmm… it’s a bit hard to tell? I think it was when I kissed him when we were returning from Telskyura or when we went on a date for the Goddesses Festival, but it was ruined by Evilus… But I’m sure when we spent the night together on the 50th floor we would be together for a long time!”

“U-um by spending the night… y-you don’t mean…” said Lina.

Ai simply made a smug grin. She put her hands to her hips and puffed up her chest in superiority.

“Do you really wanna know? I can tell you, but you would have to keep it between us, alright?”

All of them nod their heads in curiosity.

“I wish to know!” Tione said, coming in close to her and soon enough all of them did.

“Well, after helping Cirrus reach the 49th floor so he could solo the Balor, we went to the 50th floor to rest. We rested for a while and he took watch first. When I heard the crackle of the fire, I woke up. I went out to see Cirrus sleeping, and the fire was slowly dying out, so I dragged him into the tent for warmth. He woke up from being dragged, but soon went to sleep again. At first, it was just to keep warm and nothing else b-but um…” Ai got shy and red. “W-well, I found it hard not to snuggle closer to him, to feel the warm breath on my face and the subtlety of his muscles underneath his clothes, the beat of his heart, and his crisp smell of early spring…”

They could see Ai slowly drool, her tail began to wag and her ears perked up.

“U-um Ms. Ai?” said Lefiya, blushing.

“Ah~ by that point I couldn’t help myself. I felt a fire burn inside me and I wanted to taste him. I kissed him and the taste of the soup we made filled me. The fire grew hotter, and it spread throughout me. Ahhh~~ the texture of his lips and stimulation of taking him in overwhelmed me and I lost grip on him then he pinned me down.”

All of their faces were red, and they were listening in on her every word.

“U-um Mrs. Ai I think that’s—”

Ai didn’t hear Lefiya trying to stop her. Ai was to engrossed in that memory that soaked into her flesh.

“A feeling of terror and hope filled me, but with each kiss, he gave to my body the less I felt them as he started off by kissing my neck, then slowly made his way down, removing my clothes and I, him." She moved her hands down her body then stopped at her abdomen. "He then removed my panties and licked down there, and it baptized me in euphoria." Her eyes began to glaze from lost of thought. "A pleasure, so foreign and addicting that my body was trembling from it but Cirrus." She moved her hands and clasped together in prayer. "He grabbed my hands and assured me it was fine, and I enjoyed it. But that wasn’t enough he looked up at me with his polished emerald eyes that had the same emotion I was feeling, an intense burning passion." She unclasped them and touched her chest. "He was watching my breasts go up and down from my heavy breathing, he removed his last remaining piece of clothing and when I saw him, I instinctively opened my arms and legs and said his name, inviting him to feast on the Renard, Shirakusa Ai.”

Ai remained quiet for a bit as she remembers that night. Even to this day Ai holds that moment dearly and made sure to guard it as she aged to always go back and remember the day she and Cirrus became lovers.

“T-then what?” said Ais curiously, wanting to hear more.

“We became one." She put her right hand over her heart, smiling so warmly it radiated a love so infectious none could look away. "The burning passion was burning ever so bright and hot that we indulged our emotions and satisfied ourselves. The feeling of each other’s flesh upon each other only wanted us to keep going. I don’t remember how long we went, but I felt whole… as if I had satiated a hunger I never knew I had until that day. A drug named Cirrus Zephyr, injected into my veins, filling it with such pleasure I grew drunk on it.” She looked back at them to see their faces were red and streaming. “Sorry, it seems it was a bit too much for you all.”

“N-not at all!!” shouted Tione, drinking every last word that left her lips.

“Y-yes!” said Aki, blushing as red as a strawberry. “It was, um, very enlightening!”

“Hm! Hm!” the rest nodded, wishing they could hear more.

“I see…" She reorganizes herself and wiping the drool from her mouth. "Well, if a day like that happens to you all, I hope your use the Birth Control Pills, so you won’t get pregnant.” Ai then wrote some things and handed the notes to them. “You all probably won’t need to use them, but you can’t be too safe!”

Tione quickly took that paper.

"Thank you very much!!" Tione said, very grateful for her.

"S-so um..." Filvis said, calming down. "You and... him must truly love one another?"

"We very much do. After that night... We spent many more knowing one another. The sex was nice but there was something even better then that."

 

Down in the sewers.

“… That’s a big creepy-ass door.” Said Cirrus.

“It sure as hell wasn’t here last time I came down here with Loki.” Said Bete.

“Or maybe… it showed up to challenge us.” Said Finn.

“Hmm…” Cirrus said, walking up and touching it. “… This is Orichalcum.”

“W-what!?” they all said.

“… Bete, go get everyone else.” Said Finn.

“Here.” Cirrus tosses him his flare. “Just shoot it into the sky.”

“Got it.”

He quickly leaves to the surface.

“… Say you think they are mad if I just steal this door from them, right?” Cirrus said, looking at Finn and the others.

 

Somewhere under Orario.

“They’re at the front door.” Said Barca.

“So soon, are they going to come in?” said Thanatos.

“Hmm… they are waiting at the entrance… and I don’t like the eyes Uncrowned is making at my doors.”

“He’s probably thinking of yanking them off and making them into weapons!” said Valletta. “Oy! tell those Sprites to be ready in case they enter!” she said shouting at Revis.

“I will inform them battle is on the horizon.” Revis said going to inform them.

“Try not to damage my dungeon too much, unless you wish to help in its construction.” Said Barca, looking at them with dead-tired eyes. “The Knossos wasn’t built over a thousand years just so your friends can break it.”