Unsure whether to be impressed or flabbergasted, Ares found a middle ground somewhere in between after hearing from Enyo what her sister was thinking. He'd been unsure about whether to go through with the tongue mark at the time, it was basically pseudo 'on the face' and went against everything he said to Enyo, but because it was Bellona asking he gave her some slight leeway. He assumed she'd be less psychotic than her sister but it turns out she had it in her as well! Legion women were scary... Still, what was done was done and Ares wasn't going to undo it unless Bellona regretted her decision for whatever reason. It's not like he didn't appreciate the thought behind it but Blo Blo really didn't have to go that far... There was seriously a switch inside that woman that, when flipped, couldn't be un-flipped. If she ever made a choice regarding Ares he could be damn sure she'd see it through to the bitter end and it was that mentality that reassured Ares she really wanted this. She had done it for him, sure, but she wouldn't have gone through with it, let alone suggest it, if it wasn't her own intention. Ares himself probably couldn't convince her not to do it so this was just how it was going to be. He was going to go and check on her but opted not to in the end as she would be ok by herself for a little while and getting over the embarrassment was something better done on her own. When Ares started plating dinner, and picked up Sandy's pie from Shu, he'd go say hello and make sure she was over the shame and good to eat. it's not like the rest of the conversation here was mandatory participation or anything, Enyo was mostly just going to be going on about her opinion of the other women Ares met one by one. Sandy would likely also contribute and, while Bellona's opinion would be interesting too, Enyo could just fill in for her sister and relay her thoughts to Ares as she already knew them. It's not that Bellona found time to discuss it with Enyo or anything but that Enyo knew her sister well enough to roughly interpret how she viewed the prospective partners. Of course Bellona was capable of throwing curveballs, the entire mark situation not even ten seconds ago was proof of that, but the basic level of thought should be possible to predict. It was less like nobody understood what she thought and more like her thoughts were clear but her actions as a result of those thoughts were occasionally unpredictable.
Ares' goofy smile, as a result of his lovable wife's antics, aside, Enyo moved the conversation along and got down to serious business. She was the final arbiter when it came to newcomers of the harem and potential partners and she had some things to say about each of Ares' encounters. "Let's start with Havannah..." Ares crossed his legs and folded his arms, leaning forward to listen intently to Enyo's sagely wisdom. "She has a nice butt." Ares wasn't sure why he bothered. Enyo was right, Havannah did have a very nice, large rear, and her thighs were to die for, but surely there was more important criteria!? This stuff should be an added bonus, not the prime directive for analysis! "It's very curvy and probably better than mine. I'm a bit jealous but I also want to eat it up so she gets a pass."
"No no, wait a minute... I mean, I'm glad she's getting your recognition, but don't you think you should be a bit more objective about... Anything else?!" Sex appeal was not the only consideration that needed to be made! It was interesting that Enyo felt genuine sex appeal towards another harem member, she would touch up anyone and everyone but this was the first time she was prioritising another woman's looks over everything else, but Ares felt like they were getting off track!
Enyo shrugged. "I mean it. I find that cat very attractive. I really want to pull her tail, spank her, and assert dominance. I feel like Havannah is going to be feisty and I like a challenge. In terms of compatibility, she'll see me as a rival. She has her pride as a fundamental champion and will question my position as harem leader, whether I deserve and have the strength to lord over others, and so I look forward to putting her in her place and solidifying my position as mate supreme. I feel like she's the obstacle I need to climb over, both in and outside of the bedroom, to make my position untouchable and that kind of excites me." Enyo's smile looked mighty dangerous right now... "I'm not against a woman who struggles, it just makes breaking them in all the more enjoyable. The moment I have her pinned down after a long fight, and we're sweating like animals, I'll teach her what it means to be subservient..."
"Ok, let's keep it PG." Ares had to interrupt otherwise Enyo was really going to start laying down her superiority complex fantasies of tying up Havannah and acting like a dom. Not that Ares didn't get it, Enyo's understanding of Havannah was based on his own memories and he felt something similar. Havannah brought out primal urges in people to want to tangle with her like she was some kind of wild beast. Taming the untamable was what she passively inspired in others and so if Ares felt that sort of lust towards her then Enyo was inevitably also going to feel it. Ares liked it but didn't have any specific preference for it but Enyo... She was still the lawful enforcer and that enforcer personality of hers seemed to have met its match with Havanah. Havanah was a fundamental champion, a woman strong enough to put even Enyo on the ropes if she was careless. She couldn't just assert her status and get away with it like she did with Bellona or Sandy, for instance. She was going to have to brawl with Havanah to get her to listen and be obedient. Ares could already picturing Havanah demanding to be the head of the harem as she was his 'strongest mate' and Enyo would not be having any of that. She had her work cut out for her but Enyo was the kind of person who seemed to like a bit of defiance here and there, she was engaged to Ares after all. It circled back to Legion women liking their revenant mutts to be a bot dangerous or on the wild side and Havanah was similar in that regard. Enyo was going to put a leash on Havanah at some point and dog walk her, that was her goal. Havanah could be 'number two' on the strength list if she wanted, just so long as she remembered who it was she knelt down on the floor and acted like a portable throne to sit on for. Enyo was dead set on competing with a fundamental champion but, maybe, just maybe, if she put forth her best effort, she might be able to do it. When it came to anything involving Ares her power became quite frightening so Havanah was in for the shock of al lifetime when she came head to head with this maniac devotee. Cultists were dangerous because of their fanaticism and motivation and Enyo was perhaps the most lunatic offender out there. Havanah might wind up being Enyo's favourite chew toy.
"What can I say, the cat's got my tongue. She better keep good hold of it, though, or else it might slip and end up inside her... Ahem." Though Aejaz, Allie, and Trixie were having their own conversation off to the side it was probably better to still not talk so brazenly around them as it was a bit inappropriate. Enyo had gotten a teensy bit carried away there but she really did have good vibes regarding Havanah so that was a positive at least. "She seems to hold affection for you. It comes from a weird place, an obsession with strength, but it's not false or misunderstood. I can see she wasn't making her decision lightly and that you got her really riled up towards the end so I have no problems with her. It will be reassuring to have another fundamental champion amongst our ranks too, that kind of backing is important in its own way and we become that much more fearsome in the eyes of others with someone like her on board. She contributes to the harem in her own way and has strong feelings towards you so she gets a pass in my book. As for Bellona... She'll probably not get on too well with her, their types seem really at odds. They won't argue or anything but it's not like I'm expecting them to hang out often or talk much, Havanah is overly competitive as far as I can tell and Bellona doesn't really operate at that kind of intensity. It's not her speed. Still, it's not like Bellona would have any real reason to hate her or anything and she's long since understood this is a harem, not a playground. She'd just shrug and say 'go for it', basically. No preference but also no distaste is a good way to sum it up." Ares nodded along as he understood where she was coming from before looking over at Sandy.
"Me? I like her style I guess? Her anklet is really eye catching. Also I think I could see myself hanging out with her and just drinking beers and eating snacks all day long..." It came back to food with this one without fail! She was probably right though, Ares could envision Sandy and Havanah lazing about, slouching off a couch in loose clothing, and sipping on drinks while beer cans were lying about everywhere. Sandy was a cleaner, or perhaps 'neater' was the more accurate term, person than Havanah but she could easily get swept up in the mood and go along with it. Ares was going to have to feed these two like a housewife at some point but it seemed fun in its own way and he didn't mind. "Also she's strong so I'll want to scrap with her here and there. I think she'd feel the same so we're quite similar in that regard." Ares agreed. They weren't identical but there were some points on which they'd agree strongly and personality traits that were shared between them. Havanah seemed like a louder, carefree Sandy who just did whatever she wanted and had more potential for sudden outbursts. Havanah was a feral rhino!
"Next is Ayane Ensemble, strongest woman in the world..." Conflicted, Enyo scratched her chin and really thought about this one. "I don't think I understand this woman. She's definitely quite ditzy, that's the impression I get, and there's nothing wrong with that... But what's her deal? I have her pegged as an intensely loyal, to a fault, type but I don't get much beyond that because it feels like she's really holding herself back. I can't really say I get what's going on with her and I think you're clone is going to have spend more time with her before I can come to any kind of conclusion. She seems stifled by something and there were small blips of her real self but really nowhere enough to judge. I don't feel a competitive spark in her, like I do with Havanah, but she is definitely strong... Everything about her feels well hidden, like she's been keeping secrets for years and has experience. I want to see the real her as I think she's the woman I understand the least so far."
"She said she'll be coming back more often so I'll keep an eye out with the clone." Once again, as if Enyo had read his mind, Ares' thoughts were in sync with hers. Ayane was an oddity but one Ares felt strangely drawn towards. She felt like a wall, behind which was a bomb of colours. If he knocked on the wall long enough he would poked through and unleash a torrent that was bursting at the seams and ready and waiting to show itself. Perhaps it was related to her magic? Dominus mentioned she 'changed' as the rhythm in her heart did but Ares wasn't going to speculate baselessly and would rather just keep prodding at the outskirts of his relevancy to her for now... Though she really was a bit of a klutz. She had that 'I have an innocent blank look while I say and do the silliest thing imaginable' type of character Ares had read about in Aejaz' books he borrowed way back. Ares thought such a person couldn't possibly exist in real life and yet he'd already met her! And this was all why she still felt reluctant to speak because of her home planets strict rules, if she were allowed to speak openly she might be even more of a ditzy person than Ares realised...
"What about the Davey Do issue?" Sandy raised a very valid point...
"I'm still considering it but maybe it would be better if I accept? I get the feeling Ayane's home planet and ruling council aren't doing her any favours whatsoever so I'd be killing multiple birds with one stone... Helping Davey, getting in his good books, and freeing Ayane from her constraints... Though whether she'd appreciate it or not I don't know. I'll have to speak to her and Davey a bit more to decide whether I should involve myself or not..."
"Yeah, makes sense. I'll reserve judgement on Ayane too because she seems like a wild card." Sandy, Ares, and Enyo all had little to say about Ayane so it was better to revisit this topic later. Enyo assumed Bellona would feel the same so next up was... Not who Ares expected. If it were going in order then Mimi was next and Kya was last... but he'd forgotten there was a fifth element hiding in the wings!
"Sanity." Enyo's one word was cutting and broke Ares' feeble mind.
"What?" Ares needed to make sure he heard right... "Sanity? As in the fundamental champion of the mind? That Sanity?!"
"Well, Insanity to be more specific, but I imagine the two are a package deal so yes."
"No no no, it definitely didn't seem that way to me?"
"Really? I thought it was clear as day?" Enyo looked over at Sandy who nodded with a confused look in her eyes, as if she was wondering how Ares managed to miss something so obvious. "Even Bellona noticed it right? When I said five she didn't show any sign of disagreeing with me so she agrees."
"..." Ares couldn't find the right words for this unexpected development. He still didn't buy it! Either women were extremely keen eyed when it came to this sort of thing or Ares was blind but, either way, he completely missed out on whatever cues he was supposed to have seen. The chances of all three of his partners misinterpreting it was pretty low... But this was still hard to stomach! Hell Ares didn't even see Sanity that way to begin with! Also, another fundamental champion as a partner!? Was Ares running a collectathon!?
"Not a wife though I don't think. I was wondering if she'd be ambivalence, there are two of her after all so the contrast between her and Insanity would have made sense, but I don't think that's right either. I think Insanity is Sanity's inner ego and so they're basically the same person, split into two, not two different people. Though they act different they are fundamentally the same and think the same. Insanity might have been more aggressive towards you than real Sanity but those were probably her inner thoughts. Sharing you with Havanah, or stealing you from her, might be a bit far fetched, so Insanity was going a bit overboard, but the underlying premise and context is that she's interested to some degree right? Insanity was merely spilling Sanity's inner thoughts so you should keep an eye out for her. Not that I'm particularly keen on her myself but it's not about me right? if you end up liking her, and she ends up liking you, then that's what matters. To me she's a hard nut to crack. It will be hard to get her to openly admit her feelings in any way as her stoicism seems unflinching. I prefer Insanity, actually, because she'll say what's on her mind and declare her love proudly. Sanity is a stone that will never bleed so not my cup of tea. Still, as a concubine, if things do end up that way, I'm sure you can make her crack in private. You have a knack for melting hearts, and you'll only have gotten better by the time you start interacting with her, so who knows. I won't see it though, Sanity will make sure nobody else other than you ever sees any kind of vulnerability. She'd sooner die I think."
"Yeah, I see what you're saying, but I really don't think I felt that way about her at all..." Ares disagreed for once because his interest in her was as a fellow fundamental champion and nothing romantic. Never say never, of course, but how things would transpire between them for their relationship to change to that degree... Well it would definitely involve Insanity because Ares didn't see Sanity trying to push any boundaries herself...
Sandy threw her opinion into the ring for good measure too. "I also don't know if I'd get along with her, mostly because I don't think she'd like me much. She's a fundamental champion, though, and strong, so I'd still respect her regardless. If she'd let me spar with her at least I think we could find something to talk about from time to time so I'm less 'opposed' to her than sister Enyo is..."
Squeal!
Enyo once again leapt on another woman and hugged Sandy who called her sister for the first time. Enyo was having the time of her life lately... After some affectionate rhino nuzzling, she threw in Bellona's opinion too. "Bellona might not love her, necessarily, but I do think she'd appreciate a quieter and sterner woman to be around. Sanity might not be easy to talk to be she'd be easy to live side by side with as she doesn't seem like the type to interfere in other's business if they aren't interfering in hers. Bellona would also be fond of Insanity as she's the right blend of chaos and fun without being overly serious or, like Havanah, competitive. Insanity is impish, and sort of like Candy in a way, so Bellona will view the combination of Sanity and Insanity favourably overall I think. Also, again, a fundamental champion in our ranks is always a good thing, even if only as a concubine."
"Right..." Ares hadn't wrapped his head around Sanity yet but that was for the future him to worry about... "Mimi... Is interesting, right?"
"A hidden gem and an excellent choice." Enyo's commentary had no breaks. "Even just as a blacksmith alone she provides the harem with something it doesn't already have and that's invaluable... Think of all the lewd clothes she can make!"
"Not what I meant but yes that too."
"Of course gearing the harem is an important duty, in and out of the bedroom, so she'll fit right in. She's a bit cheeky and has that 'little sister' feel down perfectly. Her reaction when you won her over was worth replaying a thousand times, nothing like turning some good old arrogance on its head every now and then. Also, a shade partner is interesting. I wonder how soft her skin is? She has some real charm so I can't wait to taste her too. She's got the looks, the talent as a cultivator, the feelings for you, and a personality that might bring a bit of extra liveliness to the harem so I'm in. No complaints, no notes, all round excellent choice. I think Bellona will have a great time with her too and they might spend a lot of time pranking each other with their magics. A good friend she'll be for most of the family because she's easy to get along with. She can be serious at times too so won't be excessively annoying even to people who aren't fond of her sneakiness. Great pickup!" Enyo gave Ares a thumbs up and gave the floor to Sandy.
"Yeah bit too energetic for me but I don't mind her. I'd rather she not prank me, that seems like a hassle, but I can live with it. Also the equipment she can make, if that robe you're wearing is any indication, will be reassuring to carry into battles. I don't like relying on external help if I can avoid it but if we have a dedicated blacksmith, and someone so damn good at it, then even I would buckle and accept some armor at least if nothing else. She might even be able to design something for my elemental constitution so, yeah, having her around would be pretty neat... And the clothes thing too... I like what she's wearing..."
"Kya!" Enyo jumped into the last 'contender' as soon as Sandy stopped speaking. It seemed Ares was right on the money, Enyo liked this one... "Yes yes yes yes! Everything yes! No matter what, make sure this one is putty in your hands! Definitely wife material! Nothing but good feelings about her! She's all kinds of cute, I sense a fierce loyalty in her that's quiet but rivals even the likes of min, she'll be a brilliant addition to the family, having an assassin / scout is good for obvious reasons, she can also make gadgets and fix up tech so helpful in that regard too, she's good looking and I want to bully her..."
One of those statements is not like the other!... Though I do agree, Kya is a very bully-able bird... Kya, not in terms of appearance necessarily, was definitely the cutest partner Ares was working on right now. She spoke quietly, became shy easy and was more embarrassed by her own actions and words than Bellona was, she was somewhat tiny in stature, her wings were adorable and gave away her true feelings more often than not, and she had a sort of charm that made people want to pinch her cheek to see her turn her face in shame. Bullying her in the bedroom would no doubt be very satisfying and Ares might actually have to fight Enyo to get to Kya first... Kya seemed like the type to hide in the background and make sure everything was working, every wheel was slick and turning as it should, and every gear was in place without anyone being knowledgeable about her involvement. That kind of commitment to the harem was something Enyo would kill for and she'd probably found her own personal favourite harem member yet. Even if Ares was milquetoast towards Kya, he wasn't but if he was, Enyo would still probably try and recommend her and convince Ares to at least have a trial period with her. Kya, to Enyo, was a big win for the harem as a whole. If ever there was going to be a wife who was loved by all, it would be Kya. This sweet little birdy was impossible to hate and a real hard worker.
"You've outdone yourself with Kya, bring her home." Enyo's final words were thus and made clear Kya was already part of the harem in her eyes, no need for further deliberation whatsoever.
"Mhm, I think so too. She's a good girl, the kind you want to protect and make happy instinctually. I feel a deep urge to mother her and give her pets..." Sandy admitted. She couldn't help it, the bird was just too adorable. The way she opened up to Ares was especially heartwarming as it reminded her of herself finding solace in talking to Ares.
"Bellona will appreciate having someone else who is as selfless as she is, someone willing to leap, not just step, outside of their comfort zone for the ones they care about. Again, Kya is un-hate-able. I don't care how, make it happen. Give her a warm home and tell her we'll all be waiting for her."
Ares obviously couldn't come on that strong, he'd scare Kya off if anything! Still, he understood his marching orders and would follow through on them. He'd gotten positive reception to every 'candidate' and knew what he needed to do now. Most of it boiled down to spending more time with them, via the clone, and then waiting for the right time to strike! Real Ares might not see any of these five again for a while but he would work alongside his clone to soften them up and pounce for the kill later!... Though he still wasn't sure about Sanity... Ah well, whatever, he could worry about that some other time. For now, it was time to eat! Shu's pie was probably nearly done so Ares going to head out and pick it up... And then deal with Bellona hiding away in her shell like a silly little crab... Though he might bully her a bit first... It was her own fault! Ares liked cute things and if his wife was being cute he had no choice but to bully her a bit! It was the unwritten rules of being a man!