[Keeno POV]

It’s been almost two weeks since the Vanir Dead Zone was dealt with, and we haven’t really been able to do much.  A few days after we left the capital, we made it to a small city to rest for the night, only to get stuck there due to storms so bad it would make hurricanes and tornados look like a light breeze.  Thankfully the city had a barrier that prevented too much damage, but it’s practically impossible to travel.  During this time, we haven’t done much.  Pram has been doing her best to learn to understand Huginn and Muninn with Freya joining in.  I’d been bored out of my mind, so I started up on my poetry again, though when Ama noticed, she bugged me constantly until I read it to her.  I also learned about some of her god friends, though when they left Ama’s place, they were still arguing about which one of them would be the one to adopt Red.

 

I was ready for another boring day of sitting in the inn room waiting out the storm that was getting even worse, if the sounds that kept me up all night were any indication.  What surprised me when I woke up from one of my brief escapades into the land of dreams, I woke up with no sound of rain or thunder.  Just nice, warm sunlight, and an even nicer view of a certain kitsune goddess.

 

“Well, didn’t think it was this time already, not that I’m complaining.”

 

{You’re usually so good about keeping track of time like that, Keeno.  What happened?}

 

“When all the days look the same, they all just blend together.  Especially these last days.”

 

{That shouldn’t be the case much longer.  The storm gods are about done having fun.}

 

“Did Fu and Moco tell you that?”

 

{Yeah.  They sent over a letter saying so.  The letter also said that they’ll be busy doing something today, so they reserved time next Solar Convergence to meet you in person.}

 

“So, it’s me and you all alone today?”

 

{Yep.  Just me.  And.  You.}

 

Ama reached over, wrapped her arms around my neck, and pulled me into a kiss.  We lost each other in the kiss for some time before breaking apart, a silver string still connecting our lips.  Ama smiled at me in her usual seductive way.

 

{Hehe.  Keeno, shall we?}

 

“As much as I’d love to, Ama, and trust me, I’m doing my best from just pushing you down here and now, there’s something I’d like to do before we lose ourselves.”

 

{Booo!  You can’t just get me like this and then stop!}

 

“Hey!  I should be the one saying that to you!  You initiated it this time!”

 

{…So, what is it that you wanted to do?}

 

“Don’t think I’m gonna just forget this, Ama.  But anyway, I wanted to see if we could go somewhere.  I’ve been holding off for a long time now, but knowing that Phobos, Fu, and Moco are able to come and go, I wanted to see if we could go on an actual date.  Not saying that I don’t love our alone time together, but I want to see more than the usual endless looking planes here.”

 

{…Come to think of it, it has been a long time since I’ve changed the way it looks here, but I see where you’re coming from…And now that I’m in this situation, I’ve kind of forgotten all the different date plans I’ve made until now…If you let me know in advance I could have planned better.}

 

“Sorry.  If I didn’t get the sudden urge to go out when I saw you today, I would have said something.”

 

We sat there in silence for a few minutes with apologetic faces.

 

“…”

 

{…}

 

“Pfft.”

 

{Ahahahaha.}

 

We both collapsed backward as we started laughing.  This fit lasted another several minutes until I was out of breath.

 

“We’re so bad at stuff like this, aren’t we?”

 

{Yeah.  We can sit here and do so many things with each other and it’s no problem, but when it comes to the idea of going out on a date, then we both get thrown off.  It’s honestly kind of hilarious to me.}

 

“Same.”

 

Ama then sat up again.

 

{So, is it really a date you want, or just a change of scenery?  I can do either.}

 

“Hmm.  I think this time is just a change of scenery.  Though I’d like to go out and see more of the Divine Domain at some point soonish.  If not today, then maybe the Solar Convergence after the meeting with Fu and Moco?”

 

{I can do that.  I’ll even write down plans that we’ll be able to do in just a day instead of just trust I’ll remember them.}

 

“Ok, but I’ll need to know if I need to dress up or not.”

 

{I think your Vanir clothes will be perfect.  I mean, anything you wear is perfect, but I really like seeing you in a suit like that.  It just does something that makes you almost more irresistible than normal.}

 

“Oh?  Well, that’s news to me.”

 

{Really?  I thought I made that very clear.}

 

“It’s one thing to hear you say that it’s another to see the expression you make when saying it.  I mean, your pupils looked like hearts for a second there, and it was…no, calm down Keeno.  There’s time for that later.”

 

{Or…you could just let loose.}

 

“Ama, remodeling first.”

 

{Oh right.  So, any ideas?}

 

“Depends, what can this place change into?”

 

{Anything I want.  Some things are a bit harder than others, but only in the meaning that they’ll look a little fake.  Like moons or stars, I can at best make those look like an OK painting in the sky unless it naturally becomes night, but at that point you wouldn’t be here to see.}

 

“Hmmm.  How do you feel about a beach?”

 

{I can do that.  Want realistic sand, or sand that looks and feels like it, but doesn’t get everywhere?}

 

“Why is that even a question?”

 

{Good point, I don’t even know why I asked.  Now, watch and learn, Keeno.}

 

Ama then clapped her hands together and it felt like all existence started to rumble.  I looked down at my feet and the grassy landscape started to be replaced with beautiful, silky feeling black sand.  In the distance a giant geyser exploded from the ground and filled a vast majority of the space in front of us so quickly that it was mind boggling.  As the world completely changed in front of me, I was speechless.

 

{Hehehe.  This is the first time you’re seeing me do something like this, right?  You know that one day you’ll be able to do it too.}

 

“I mean…even if I know that it still is amazing actually seeing it happen.”

 

{Oh?  How amazing is it?}

 

“Indescribably.”

 

{Oh Keeno, you truly have no idea just how much I can do, do you?  Like, the true grasp of just how much power we have.}

 

“Theoretically, I do, but still…no, enough of that.  Once this is done, want to swim with me?”

 

{I’d love to.}

 

We watched as the area in front of us turned from a sandy desert with a giant geyser in the distance to a beautiful shimmering ocean in only several minutes.

 

“Ama…you said I’ll be able to do this one day too, right?  How?”

 

{Gods have absolute power to make their homes look however they please.  No matter their Authority.  And before you ask, the reason it was a plane for so long here was just because I didn’t really care to change it for a good long time.  Though now that I think about it, an endless sea of wheat would have looked pretty.  I’ve always liked those.}

 

“I see…Well, think the water is done yet?”

 

{Oh yes.  And the best thing, no creatures in there to threaten you, unlike what lives in the waters of the world below.}

 

“Do I even want to know?”

 

{Not at the moment.  Let’s just say, it was and still is a miracle that the bridge the mortals made crossing over to the other continent you’re on has remained standing in near perfect condition.}

 

“…”

 

There were many things I wanted to ask at that moment, but all my thoughts vanished when Ama walked into the water while wearing nothing.  She looked back at me over her shoulder and smirked while waving her hips seductively as her tails shook in a hypnotizing manner.

 

“You sly fox…time to teach you not to rile me up this much when I’m here.”

 

I shed my clothes and followed Ama into the water.

 

Chaos Realm:

Astraea: …Can we go to a place like that?

Order: But we just got back, my little one.

Astraea: But it looks so pretty.

Order: …Let’s ask your father.

We can.  I’ve been wanting to get out myself for a while now, so if it’s something Astraea wants, then by all means let’s do it.

Order: A perfectly reasonable argument.

Astraea: YATTA!!!

…

Order: Where did you learn that?

Astraea: Those funny books that Miss Atmos got from Miss Luna.  Though I didn’t understand them, why would someone write a book backwards?

You’re supposed to read it the other way around.

Astraea: …Oh.

Hehe.

Order: Cute.

*Both Order and Payto proceed to headpat Astraea*