Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.4] Quest 378- Best Condition

Having made it before Artemis, Ai was that much closer to getting the title that Artemis swiped from her.

“If I am first then if I beat you, I will be your first wife, right?" Ai said, elated that she was so close to winning.

“Of course.” Elysium nods. “I did say that. Charon, you may deliver the souls you have. You may either rest or return to work.”

“Thank you, Father.” Charon bows. “I wish you luck, mother.”

Charon turned and took their leave.

Ai watched as they climbed up the stairs in the far back at the entrance to the throne room.

She looks back at Elysium as he walks around his desk.

“By my duty, I accept your request. But it will not be to my liking until you have fully rested and gained your full strength. Any injuries or afflictions that cause a detriment to you will be alleviated to allow you to fight in your best condition. Proanthos, could you show her to her room?”

“Very well, Elysium.” Proanthos nods, putting down some paperwork. “Follow me.”

“W-wait! When will you come?”

"In a few minutes, I have a bit of work to finish.” A warm smile grows on Elysium’s face.

His smile was enough for Ai to know he would come.

Bringing Ai to the room, Proanthos took her leave.

“Should you need anything simply call out to me, and I will come to assist. Now if you will excuse me.”

"Ah, thank you Proanthos!”

“Not at all.” She nodded.

“Is there a bath?”

“There is. Put your stuff down and we can go.”

Ai put her stuff down and followed Proanthos.

Walking through the hallway, Ai couldn’t help but notice how empty it looked.

“Hmm, the walls need some decoration.”

"Yes, it is something that needs remedy, but it is not at the top of the list of priorities."

A minute or two later, they stand before a rather large Roman gate with Roman columns.

"Here we are. In here are the baths. Enjoy them. Lord Elysium shall be on his way in a short bit.”

“Alright!” Ai heads in. “Thank you, Pro!” She waved goodbye.

“…Pro? Hm, I guess my name does lend itself to being easily shortened.”

“Does Cirrus call you Pro?”

“Most times. Many of the spirits here call me that. By the way, Elysium does have a rather nice little pet name.”

“What is it?”

"Elly, of course.”

“Elly… Hm!” Ai smiled brightly. “It’s a nice pet name!”

“Yes. Certainly better than Zep-Zep.”

“Aw~ You don’t like that name Art gave him?”

“I find it cute, but it lacked a sort of... shall we say allure?”

“Allure?”

“Yes. It’s not a pet name one would say in bed with their loved one.”

“You didn’t listen in to our private time, did you?”

'I shouldn’t tell her that I, Hecton, and Fafnir can sense when Cirrus wishes to be alone with his wives.’

“Not at all. Me, Hecton, and Fafnir would seldom times ponder on shortened names for Cirrus.”

“And?”

“Zep-Zep was the best one.” Proanthos took her leave. “Enjoy the bath; Elly should be finished soon.”

Ai went on inside, and she could already feel the low heat of the bath.

She took off her clothes and placed them neatly in the basket, washed her body, and entered the bath.

“Hmm… baths are always great!” The bath in question was a thermae. Green, cloud-like flowers were sprinkled around, along with tangerines. “What are these flowers called? I am sure these were the flowers that sprouted from where Cirrus walked."

“They are called Elysium’s.” Elysium entered with only a towel. His body is already clean from his power.

“Cirrus!” Ai gets up with nothing covering her.

“It’s been many weeks. Well in my domain anyway.” He steps into the large bath. “I’ve missed your voice and cheery demeanor.”

“Is that really all you missed?” She said, slowly walking up to him with a sultry voice.

“Of course not.” He walks up and wraps his arms around her waist. He pulls her in and gently kisses her forehead. “I missed everything about you.” He leans a bit back. He runs his head across her body, holding her face and hands gently. “Everything from your glossy white hair to your pretty purple eyes and even rough hands.”

“You shouldn’t call a girl she has rough hands.”

“Then what are you going to do about it?”

Her eyes narrowed as an impish grin grew across her face.

Four hours later.

They return to a room where Elysium quickly made.

“So you said these flowers are called Elysium's? Did you get them because they have your name?” said Ai, holding one in her hand while under Elysium’s arm in bed.

“They were made out of me, well my ichor but I think the name suits them.” He strokes her hair as he rests his head on a pillow. "Do you not like them? I think I made them pretty lovely and interesting.”

"Well," she says as she approaches Elysium. “They’re not bad, but they have no scent."

“They do; they smell like petrichor; it’s just that they were overpowered by stronger smells.”

“Say, can I ask what gender Charon is?" Ai was curious as to what they were; they had an androgynous look to them.

“They are who they are. If Charon hasn’t picked what they want to be called, then that is that.”

"Well, you made a very handsome or beautiful child, but I bet it wasn’t 10 hours of labor hard or painful, right?”

“…No. But say, Ai.”

“What is it?” She looks at him.

“… I’m sorry for what I did to you and everyone. Genuinely. For me to not tell you of my ailments and then to just up and leave without saying anything, then die, and then coming back to just leave again is a real dick move.”

“Artemis told me about what you went through.” She runs her hands across his chest. “Black veins were as prevalent as your scars. Everything was a labor for you; even getting up was a task that made you reliant on Hecton. I couldn’t imagine the face she made when she saw you in that state.” She rests her head on his chest. “For the other things, I understood a little from Olympia. Plus, this makes up a bit for it.”

“Artemis really surprised me; I didn’t think she would sneak in with an invisibility cloak, and once again, sorry.”

"Say, can you still... you know?” She said, glancing down at his lower torso.

“What? Have a child?”

“Well…” she rolled over onto his chest, pressing his with hers. “Yeah. Maybe one day I want another one."

“Then I would be able to.” He rubs her lightly sweaty back softly. “This is the body I was raised with and fought with, the body that has felt several of your headbutts, cooking, kisses, touches, and softness.”

He softly brushed her hair back over her ear, looking into her eyes.

“That’s good.” She reached over and gently touched the right side of his face. “I do miss the scars, though; they made you more manlier and dangerous.”

“If that is what you want,"

Ai could see scars begin to form and appear in the same places Elysium had them before his ascension.

“Ooh! That’s pretty cool!”

“Does it make it more familiar?”

“It does.” She gently traces her fingers across his body. “What else can you do?”

“Like what?”

“Like…” She bobs her head left and right thinking. “I don’t know. Can you even turn to a girl?”

"For you, I will.”

“Wait what—!?”

Before Ai she saw Elysium’s form slowly growing more feminine, the scars faded, and he had flawless snow-white skin. His chest grew to even be around her own breast size, if not slightly bigger. His silver pupils returned to normal along with a light blush and smile that gave Elysium a loving, almost wholesome air.

“So?” Elysium spoke with a more feminine voice that could rival Freya’s. “What do you think?”

“Uhh…”

“To be honest, I do not feel comfortable in this form.” He moved his arms around. “It’s odd having arms this thin.” He then pats his breasts. “Oh? These are pretty nice; they are a bit heavy on the shoulders, though. Hm. Now I remember why I didn’t use this form—too much of a—"

Rustle!

Ai got on top of him.

Elysium looked to see Ai’s eyes looking at him with a lustful gaze. She could see his resemblance to Hera and his mother. Yet he had an ephemeral, picturesque visage. He looked pure, untainted by the world.

Elysium gave off the same vibe as Artemis did when they first laid together, which was yet more enticing to her.

“Oh?” Elysium smirked mischievously. “You have that wild look in your eyes.” Elysium gently brushed Ai’s face with his slender, soft, delicate fingers. “Did I entice you? I’m a bit saddened that you found this form more attractive.”

Elysium knew what he is doing. His experiences from his mortal life gave him more than enough knowhow to entice Ai, Artemis, Malion, and Ryuu. Even more so now being a god of fertility.

“N-no—I um—N-uh…” Ai had a concerned and worried look, thinking she had hurt Elysium’s feelings.

“I’m playing around, Ai.” Elysium patted her cheek, enjoying the expression she made. “To think I would be this more attractive is worth noting.”

“S-so… Are you okay?”

“What do you mean? Okay?” He rose an eyebrow.

"Like, do you feel uncomfortable or..." Her eyes began to dart away from Elysium's.

“Somewhat, it’s like my skin doesn’t feel right. But I have no problem with it beyond that.”

“Really?”

“Yes. As a god, I and every other god exist outside the constraints of human biology and societal norms. Emphasizing the idea that our identity and essence transcend human concepts of gender and that we can exist and present ourselves in whatever form we choose.”

It took a while for Elysium to grasp that concept. Once he did he understood why some of the gods he thought were male from their mythology were the opposite gender.

“Ooh…” Ai understood him clearly. “So… Artemis could have a man’s body if that is what she felt like she wanted to express."

“I say that, but gods like Artemis must die first, and when they are reborn, they can change their gender at least. I am, shall we say, a different breed from them, built differently if you will.”

They picked who they would look, felt and liked at the time. The outlier here is Hephaestus who seemed to always have that deformity. The other one is Odin but it was self-inflicted. Elysium hypothesized that it is just who they are as "Hephaestus" to have a deformity.

“Oh…” Ai got off Elysium and lay next to him. "... That's interesting."

Ai's voice sounded less enthusiastic.

"Sorry, did I spoil the mood?” Elysium said, turning over and looking at Ai.

“Well… I don’t wanna continue if you don’t feel comfortable.”

“Aw~” Elysium stretched his hand and gently placed his hand on her warm cheek. “I was looking forward to this a little.”

“R-really?” Ai looked him dead in the eyes.

“Of course, it’s not every day I could taste the fruits of pleasure you, Artemis, Malion, and Ryuu taste every so often. It’ll be a new experience, and experiences are precious to a god.”

He wasn't. Elysium was a man in heart and mind. He just wanted to make Ai happy so if he had to be a women for a few hours then he can bite the bullet for her. Though he was curious how a female body would feel during intimacy.

Gulp!

Ai got back in the mood and got on top of him again. She was holding herself back from her now gender-bent love.

“C-can I lead?” Ai said it with a near-feverish expression. "I wanna lead."

A great and mighty thirst, a need to take in the pure flower that was Elysium that lay under her.

“I am not used to having a woman’s body. I trust you won’t take advantage of me, right?”

Elysium's planned nervous expression only made Ai want him even more.

“I.” Ai inched closer to his face, her lips a breath away from Elysium's. “Promise.”

Elysium wrapped his fingers around her head.

“I would like to feel that, even if I am a bit scared of what this experience will bring me.”

“Don’t worry.” She inched closer again, her lips were just an inch away. Their chests met and pressed against one another tightly. “I will be gentle.”

A lie. Even without being able to know when a mortal tells a lie Elysium knew that Ai will be anything but gentle.

"Ai, you shouldn’t lie.” Elysium made an impish smirk, trying to copy Freya. "I'll make sure to punish you accordingly."

“I forgot you can—Mmph!?”

Elysium stole her lips. He will not let Ai steal his lips again.

He leaned back and licked his lips.

“Look at that; I was the one who stole your lips♪” He joyfully said. "What are you gonna do about it?" She lightly opened her mouth where she showed a piece of candy moving around his mouth. "The next kiss will taste far sweeter."

“!?” Ai's reason crumbled faster than a house of cards during a earthquake.

The act of passion resumed.

Out in the wilderness around Orario.

“!!” Artemis feels something is amiss. She turned her head left and right, her eyes dart trying to find something.

“What’s wrong, Mom?” Callisto said, noticing her mother behavior.

“…Nothing." She settles down a bit. "I just felt something was off for a second.” She returned her attention to her daughter.

“Come and eat, mom. You spent the whole day yesterday finishing the conversions.”

Before the mother and daughter was the elk they hunted, perfectly processed for them to cook and seasoned. The smell wafts through the air.

"Ah, that’s right. You are my only child left—No there is still Haku but he is doing his own thing. Hm." She takes a second for herself to really process her situation. It has been a very long time since she had this little in her Familia. "It’s an odd feeling no longer having so many responsibilities.”

“And how is it?”

“It’s nice. Now I can really spend as much time with you as I can.” She brought Callisto in close her arms wrapped around Callisto in a warm, motherly embrace.

“Hehe!" Callisto snuggles in closer into her mothers embrace. "Thanks, mom!”

“Yes…" Artemis rests her head against Callisto's. A sly smirk appears on her face. "So now I can really drill my archery into you.”

“W-why!?" Callisto turned to face her mother. "I want to keep improving my spearmanship!”

“Think of it this way. A spear is just a really big and long arrow!”

“Well..." She couldn't find fault in her logic. "You’re not wrong.”

“Come now, even your father used my training to improve his aim!”

“Really!!”

“Yup! I drilled it into him day and night."

"Say, Mom, how did you and Dad get together? Nox said you were a virgin goddess or something."

'That damn Nox!!! I’ll pluck her feathers!!!’

“Well… Sweetie it is a long story, but do you see the moon?”

Artemis points to the moon.

“Yeah.” Callisto looks up at it. “What about it?”

“Your father was the one to have cracked it.”

“…What?” She looked back at her mother. “R-really?”

“Really.” She nods her head. “He cracked the moon, and from there... well, one thing led to another, and we got married!”

"Dad cracked the moon."

“Yes.”

“Really?”

“Yup!”

Callisto looked at the moon, and her face lit up.

“Ooooh!! Cool!! I wanna do it—”

“No,” Artemis said firmly. “As your mother and goddess of the moon, I must insist that you NEVER do that! Got it!”

Callisto could see the seriousness in her face and tone.

“Y-yes mom!”

"But... I am surprised you didn't know this. Did you never ask? Or did no one mention it?"

"It never came up."

"Huh? I guess time does fade deeds away."