[Anakitty Autumn - Level 4]
Spoiler: Anakitty Autumn
A sigh escaped the cat-kin's lips as she watched Tiona march their intrepid Commander into her abode.
"Whew, I didn't think that would work." Narvi Roll spoke as they settled down into their chairs around the campfire, "Tanya-sama has been working herself far too hard these past few weeks. She hasn't even gone up to the surface!"
Spoiler: Narvi Roll
Raul Nord ran a hand over his face before he scrubbed it through his hair. "Come on, we should all know how Tanya-sama is by now; if she doesn't have someone to manage her, she'll work until she drops. It's just how she is. Besides, she isn't wrong in staying down here; Tanya-sama is worth a whole party of Level 5s, so if the Dungeon has a problem with us staying down here, then she'll be the best one to handle it."
"Yes, this is true, however, I do wish that she would rely on us more." Cruz Bussel, the Loki familia's newest Level 5 spoke up, "She's... making progress, letting us take up more responsibility with the wagon trains, but she's still trying to handle everything herself. She's not the only one who feels responsible for the failure on the 50th Floor."
Spoiler: Cruz Bussel
Anakitty winced and felt her tail curl at the thought of the aftermath of that battle. She found the severed, chewed up hand of her best friend outside of her party- a half-elf Level 3 by the name of Sevina- out on the battlefield and was relieved to find that she had survived; the woman rushing out to embrace Anakitty the moment she heard that they had returned.
There was some tension between Cruz and the rest of the old party that used to consist of herself, Raul, Narvi, Cruz, and Alicia; if she was being honest, it had always been there- the cheinthrope man felt that he didn't belong in 'Raul's Budding Harem' since the very beginning. Which sort of hurt because while everyone liked Raul, not everyone liked Raul. He was a good man, capable if a bit unconfident, and while the battle against the Corrupted Spirit and the chase through the maze-like tunnels of the 51st Floor and beyond had toughened him up a bit, he was still far from Anakitty's ideal dating material.
Regardless, that tension had now been further increased with his Rank Up and their differing experiences in the two groups separate battles; Ana, Alicia, Narvi, and Raul had attended but they were just the glorified baggage handlers for the Executives while Cruz was eventually the sole Level 4 from the Loki familia on the front lines of a massive battle.
Raul made the mistake of admitting that he was jealous of Cruz's contributions and wishing that he'd been there, and the cheinthrope beat him so badly that they needed a High Potion to get Raul back up on his feet.
"I don't know if I'd have wanted you there, Raul. You've always been too soft, indecisive. Chances are you probably would have gotten yourself or other people killed with your inability. If anything, I'm glad you weren't there at all; someone like you wouldn't have been able to handle it. However, if you do someday decide that you're tired of being everyone else's bagman, you better do it fast and do it right; the kind of fuck up that led to our losses won't be tolerated in the future, I think. So chew on that while you think about how jealous you are about not being there to experience that special slice of hell."
Anakitty couldn't blame Cruz for the way he acted, he had his own reasons for being angry; according to him more than a few people died because he wasn't good enough to save them. Some part of him was angry that Tanya knew that they couldn't hack it and sent them to their deaths anyway - because that's what good commanders do- because it needed to be done to slow the advance down long enough for Action Group 2-1 to find the Tamer and track him down.
Still, Cruz found a way to rationalize the losses sustained and after a week of near isolation concluded that Tanya von Degurechaff did far more than any of them could have ever hoped for.
"She took a no-win situation and made it a victory. Many of us died, but most of us didn't. She... didn't spend their lives carelessly or without need. Tanya-sama brought as many of us home as she could- made the best out of a bad situation. Blaming her isn't going to solve anything."
The cat-kin took a deep breath and looked across the campfire. "Cruz, what does Tanya-sama have on the agenda for us? Just because she isn't here doesn't mean there isn't work that needs to get done."
"We have a four-hour rotation at the Colosseum." The cheinthrope man spoke firmly, "Since Tanya-sama won't be there to keep everyone fresh well taken five additional members to lengthen the rest rotations and increase the number of potions we bring by 30%."
Cruz stood up and began calling off names from a clipboard. "Kevin, Sussel, Bozmin, Carol, Damien, Haily, Tomas, Jackie. You're the initial rotation, get kitted up, and meet at the stairway. Mommar, Yelsha, Bargo, Remi, Kealy, Esteban, Willis, Umie, Sachiko. You're the second rotation, the same goes for you. Anakitty, Narvi, and Gullar-san of the Hephaestos familia; you're with me as part of the Interdiction team. Travis, you're our Supporter; make sure we have 30% additional."
The camp broke into activity, but it was quiet on account for Tanya who'd finally used her bed instead of sleeping in her fold-out chair in front of the campfire with a report in her lap.
For the first time in three days.
Anakitty walked over to the equipment wagon where she get her 'gear' and began suiting up. It was funny all of the little terms that Tanya introduced into their lives that slipped their way into everyone's vernacular; "kit", "gear", and many others. It was also interesting to note just how different everyone looked as well; gone were the days of individual expression and freedom- now it was full armor for everyone.
Tanya didn't care that you wanted to show off your breasts to all the cute boys- if you were going to go down into hell with her, then you better be properly equipped.
The fact that they had a glut of Goliath Hide meant that everyone had treated cuirasses, forearm guards, thigh and shin guards at the bare minimum- which was sort of funny to think about; it was like being a fresh Level 1 again, back when she didn't have a high Endurance stat to keep her protected from the dangers of the Dungeon.
When had she given up her Dungeon leathers and chainmail for knee-high boots, thigh-high stockings, and a cute sleeveless dress mini-skirt combo to show off her figure? Sure, they weren't made from regular materials, and probably provided better protection than even her Level 1 gear did, but when had she gotten sucked into the fashion lifestyle of a High-Class Adventurer and eschewed her sense of self-preservation in favor of looking as cute as possible?
Had she truly gotten so conceited as to believe that there was nothing that the Dungeon had that could touch her?
Anakitty strapped her Nosteel katana and the Nosteel shortsword to her other side before tucking her twin Hihiirokane backup knives into her boots as a small smile quirked at her lips.
"Always have a backup weapon. Then have a backup weapon for your backup weapon. My recommendation is to have at least two, one on each side so that in case you aren't able to use one arm for whatever reason, you always have a weapon within reach."
A giggle escaped her lips as she walked over to the Tiny Home she shared with the other Level 4s and grabbed her pack to go through one last check.
"If you aren't carrying a pack with extra supplies, then you are wrong. If you're leaving safety, then you best be correct."
As she waited for the last of the members for their farming rotation to arrive she began going down her team and checking them over- testing tightness on their equipment, spot-checking their pouches, and quizzing them on the movements of the monsters they were about to face. Idly, she wondered if she should write a small book with all of the interesting quotes that could be attributed to Tanya von Degurechaff.
She might be leaving the familia soon, but no one would argue that she didn't make positive changes in her passing.
[Tanya von Degurechaff]
"Alright, Alpha Train, you are clear to cross. Bravo Train, we'll see you back up on the surface in a few days. Good luck and God Speed."
Tanya watched as their last rotation made its way across the Colosseum.
Four more days and they would be done; the wagons that were in the Alpha Train were the last of what they needed to purchase the Panacea, and Tanya placed an extra eight of their more experienced guards on them- enough for two more Guard Teams- to make sure that they made it back up to the surface safely with the loot.
The haul that the Bravo and Charlie wagon trains would bring up with them would constitute the payment for their hard efforts. Easily upwards of 500 Million valis that would be split 80 ways- about six and a quarter Million each- would be their rewards for partaking in this strenuous endeavor. In Tanya's opinion it wasn't enough, but considering their proceeds from the expedition and the large amounts of Goliath Hide they brought to the surface, they would be rolling in more money than any non-Level 5 could ever hope to earn.
Some of that money would be spent in Melen as Loki-sama was planning on having a beach trip to celebrate the success of the expedition and the healing of her kiddies. Tanya, of course, wasn't invited because Loki wanted to be petty, but if Tanya really wanted to she could fly down to Melen and spend time with everyone anyways.
However, she was going to be incredibly busy in the future, and one of those reasons was because she needed to find a new familia, a smaller one, with a Divine that would allow Tanya to run roughshod all over them and run the familia how Tanya believed a familia should be run. This wasn't a military, but there were certain structures that a company and a military provided that could easily be translated over into an Adventurer environment.
Rankings within the familia to denote who was higher in the totem pole than who without one's Level being the only qualifier. Organizational sections within the familia - HR, PR, Logistics, Training, Supporter Corps, the Armorers, and of course the Exploration Corps. Of course, once the new familia was inundated with wealth, then a Home Guard would be established that ensconced security of the familia grounds as well as the housekeeping staff, kitchens, and groundskeeping.
She was going to steer clear of the more military ranks of her past life and make them more generic- Pioneer, Journeyman, Master, Grandmaster, Navigator, Wagoneer- with a 3rd Class, 2nd Class, and 1st Class designations to differentiate within the various positions and classes.
Tanya had a rough outline for now, but once she got her feet back up on the surface and had more time to devote to it, then she think about it more.
Oh! Armbands are popular, and everyone loves displaying their achievements; men took great risks to earn cloth ribbons and pot-metal medals after all. An armband that displayed the familia crest prominently, displayed the wearer's Level, their Rank, and what Section they were, plus whatever their lowest floor achieved was. They would have to be discreet, only something that those within the familia would be able to recognize; she wouldn't want to give any additional information away... so differentiating out who was a mage and who was a healer would be right out, at least until Evilus was eradicated. Leather armbands for wear in the Dungeon, and cloth armbands for those who wanted to at least color-match with their outfits; the primary colors at least-
Tanya was almost startled when a hand wrapped over her own and stopped the quick scratching on ink onto paper. She looked up and found herself staring into Riveria's beautiful green eyes. "I think you have finished writing, for the time being, Tanya-chan. Why not take a turn in the Colosseum and clear your mind?"
The young teen blinked but nodded as she blew on the pages to dry the ink before capping her pen, sealing her travel inkwell, and putting them into the pouches of her Mark-III Tactical Harness. "I think you're right, Riveria. I'll take my turn."
Tanya unlimbered Blutied and lifted off into the air, "Raul! Get ready, we're going into the thick of it- pay attention and watch my back!"
The Doubles Training was surprisingly popular with the Level 4s looking to push themselves to their very limits, and it was also incredibly practical; fighting with a partner meant that you had to be aware of one's self and partner at all times. The Level 4 held his hand up as Tanya flew by and she grabbed him while another Level 3 dashed out from the bridge to take his place.
"This is gonna be a hot drop, Raul. You're going to have to fight your way to me on the other side of the platform. You'll have 60 seconds to do so or else I'm 'dead'. Once you get your way to me, we'll fight our way back and forth across the platform for three laps. Then we'll rotate out. Go it?"
The trepidation was clear on his face, but he clenched his ass cheeks and firmed his resolve as Tanya tossed him to the edge of the platform and observed him for a few seconds before flying over to the other side where she began to slaughter monsters waiting for him to arrive.
She made sure to relish in the pulse-pounding adrenaline of the fight because once she was zeroed out she would be stuck fighting Goblins and Kobolds again. Now wasn't that going to be grand?
The only thing of note that happened in the last four days down in the Colosseum was the passing of the Freya familia as they went on their scheduled expedition that had been pushed back thanks to Finn's quick rescheduling. Thanks to most of the housing being Tiny Homes, Tanya was able to maneuver the majority of the encampment into the 10-meter wide bridge while only taking up enough space on the island for cooking and bathing needs.
Alfrigg Gulliver, the Pallum Executive was very happy to see the cooperation between himself and Tanya; the Loki familia of old would have told them to piss off and settle at the next Safe Point, but there was enough grudging respect between the two camps to share the island. As the Loki camp had been down here for over a month, and the Freya familia did indeed have their expedition scheduled, Tanya only thought it right to cede most of the island over; the Freya members who had their own Tiny Homes followed Tanya's example and parked their wagons on the bridge leading out.
It annoyed Tanya to find out that Alfrigg's brothers were less than respectable- rude, insufferable perverts- and she patted his shoulder. The man sighed with a grin. "I can't choose my family, but I wouldn't trade those idiots for anyone else."
Thankfully, the Freya contingent on the island knew how to keep the mouthy rascals in check, so they didn't do something foolish like an attempt to spy on Tanya and Riveria when they were bathing in the waters; if anything, the Freya women ended up joining them and Tanya felt guilty at the feast her eyes had experienced. Her modesty had been stripped away from Salaryman's Japanese hands long ago, but she still didn't believe she should be bathing with all of these women!
The Freya contingent rested there for a whole day, and Alfrigg was invited by Tanya to watch their final loot-run and training session with the Loki contingent before they packed up and returned to the surface. The cat-kin, Alan Frommel, ended up attending as well, and Tanya found out that he was the Freya familia's Bete Loga- the man was crass and rude, but he didn't try to hide anything and was upfront with any critiques he had.
Yes, he was just like Bete Loga, but she had a feeling that his motivation was different.
Tanya had been going through some calculative magic lessons with Riveria in her wagon when Alfrigg stopped by to bid them farewell; Tanya had been in her nightgown, which was very conservative in her opinion, and from his position in the door he could see Riveria Ljos Alf in her nightgown laying on Tanya's bed with a charcoal pencil in hand and parchment in her lap. The blonde tracked his eyes and saw that the grown had ridden high up on the elf princess' thighs and subtly moved her body in the way to block his line of sight.
The man blushed profusely but they exchanged the parting pleasantries before the Freya familia continued on to the Lower Floors.
She hoped that he didn't misunderstand something, that would be just awful.
The next morning, the Loki familia broke camp and began their return to the surface.
It took three days for the final tallies to come in from the sales with the Guild, and in 35 days, the now-named "Perpetual Expedition" had earned 4.6 Billion valis after taxes and tithes. It would have been over 5 Billion had the prices for cores and drop items not dipped, but that was something Tanya anticipated and accepted.
To assure the markets that such price dips would not occur again, the Guild put in regulations that forbade future expeditions from staying in one place for too long; the wording was flimsy in Tanya's opinion, but considering this was a Guild with no real power, it sort of made sense for them to leave wriggle room in the language.
If anything, it sort of tickled her that she could no do anything wrong and still aid the people of Orario by exposing some inherent weaknesses in their economic system; hopefully, her petition to introduce a counter-part to the Guild that was run by the Private Sector instead of the city would gain some traction, but she didn't doubt it would make it very far. The Divines seemed to believe that everything they crafted was made out of gold, although, to be fair, the Divines did create Orario, and the city was surprisingly forward-thinking for the technological era the world was in; the sewer and sanitation systems were incredibly robust with enchantments that allowed waste to flow through while slowly purifying it back into clean water that would re-enter the water table.
Okay, Divine engineering was very good, but it was clear with how they ran things that a solid economic system with checks and balances that would allow the poorest of the poor to eventually rise up to the ranks of the middle class was beyond them; the city naturally had a more classical capitalist system, but there were a number of protected markets and sectors that heavily favored those back by Divines, and the ones that didn't appeared to be rampant with cronyism. However, since the cronyism favored the Divines, they didn't see a problem with the system as it was now.
Introducing a proper system, like the Chicago School of Economics and the finer points of Free-Market principals, was something of a pipe dream when you had literal immortal Divines with their thumbs on the scales.
Looking at it objectively, it was probably the best this world was going to get barring the immediate return of the Divines back to Tenkai, but for the most part, it functioned well enough that prices were stable without excessive interference in the markets and if you had the need and the valis you could find what you were looking for.
There were always places that could be improved, and Tanya would look into improving those situations as time and money allowed; Knee-Knocker Boulevard was turning into quite the little trade hub as the small village within Daedalus and the surrounding streets experienced a touch more peace and prosperity. A little hope, a little change- backed by results. If she could do it once, then she could do it again.
Although she admitted it wasn't for wholly altruistic reasons- she hoped to turn it into a prime ground for future recruitment for her familia; having desperate but learned individuals who could read and write at the schools she would build in the future would be nothing but a boon. Even if they couldn't cut it as an Adventurer, there would inevitably be administrative roles that needed to be filled, and if they didn't want that then they were more than welcome to join the Orario workforce as productive citizens.
Tanya profits, the familia will profit, and the city will profit- all for the relatively small expenses of funding a Rennaissance-era school district.
The familia Tanya was going to join would change the way familias conduct business in Orario, and there wouldn't be a damn thing they could do to stop her.
Tanya schooled her features as the medical ward of the Loki familia went silent at the arrival of Dian Cecht and his familia Captain- a Level 4 human by the name of Amelia Den- along with Airmid Teasanare, the Goddess Yi-Ti who was the Brewing Divine who helped oversaw the brewing of the Panacea with her Level 2 familia Captain, a rather handsome Far Eastern man in a samurai's garb, and Miach with Naaza in tow. They were there to assist with the post-administration check-ups along with the Loki familia physicians.
Loki, Hephaestus, and Miach all donated blood to help create the Panacea, and it took two days to brew each potion. Airmid admitted it took some soothing of her God's temper to have him finish in time because the potions required him to pay constant attention to each one- fully abusing the Divine's ability to not need sleep to do so. "Never again will I brew so many in such a short amount of time! Never! Again!"
She said it was quite cute watching his temper tantrum, but Tanya herself couldn't really see it; Loki's tantrums were... amusing, but never would she have called them 'cute'.
Finn held the case of Panacea securely in his arms, the Pallum carrying the Billions of valis worth of potions with a full honor guard and security detail from the Dian Cecht pharmacy all the back to the Twilight Manor. One part of her saw this as him trying to take a center stage and regain a portion of the honor and reputation he lost, but the other, more rational parts of her understood that the man was of the strongest Level 6s in Orario, and being surrounded by the Executives of the familia he was one of the best to carry it with his maxed Dexterity and Agility stats; not that they expected anyone to fuck with them, but previous experience had made the man more cautious, which was something Tanya approved of.
Tanya thought about making a little speech as she was presented with the open case in Finn's hands, but she decided to keep it short and sweet so that the broken could be whole again. "You worked hard for us, kept us safe. Let us show you our appreciation for your efforts."
She went down the line and placed the vial of golden liquid into the hands of the wounded, and she watched... and she marveled as a golden light radiated from their bodies and their missing parts grew and reformed in front of her very eyes.
Durbina had her arm back, the dwarf woman clenching her fist and flexing her arm with an awed expression on her face.
Sasha had her foot back, the half-elf blushing when she was reminded that everyone was staring at it rather intently.
Mary had both of her legs back, the small Pallum leaping off the chair to dance a little jig.
Calliope flexed her legs and arms before she slowly reached up and undid the bandages around her head and eyes, the woman tearing up as she saw the world again for the first time in over a month.
Sevina had her hand back, and the half-elf wept as she reached to a thin Adamantium ring that she had hanging around her neck and slipped it off of the cord and back onto her finger.
Nathaniel, a Level 2 who had Ranked Up to Level 3, flexed his leg before his hands shot down into his pants to find that his manhood had indeed been returned after they'd been forced to cut it off after he had been exposed to the acid. He had been the worst off by far, the only thing keeping him from suicide was the hope that his fellows would succeed and see him a man restored.
Gavick, a Level 3 Dwarf who had Ranked Up to Level 4 after the battle, finally had his "ax hand" back, and was ready to get back into the Dungeon.
There were seven other crippled Adventurers in the familia who had been so for a very long time, but almost all of them refused. Jorma Nord had been a soldier in Rakia, and he left the nation for Orario after having served his 20 years in the Army in search of Adventure. He had been one of the 'Old Heads', one of the originals that had joined the familia when Loki descended- he was the fourth to join, right after Finn, Gareth, and Riveria, but he lost his leg not too long after they had established themselves in the city as an Exploration-type familia.
He was old, the Level 1 falna only doing so much to slow his age, and he had placed a meaty hand on Tanya's shoulder and told her in no uncertain terms to give it to someone else.
"Give it to one of the young ones. I've lived my life, and it has been a good one. I still got married, still had myself a son who made his father proud, I lived. Besides, I just paid this fancy prosthetic off and I bought the damn thing twenty years ago! Don't try to take it away from me now!"
They had lived and adjusted, and still enjoyed the lives that they had. There were two among their numbers who had it worse in their opinions, and they pushed them to the front of the line.
Derek Novi was one of the up-and-comers in the familia a few years ago, a Level 2 who missed becoming the Record Holder for Fastest Level 2 by only four months. The young human was going to go places, but he lost both of his legs protecting his party members to Minotaurs on the 17th Floor; the potions they had on hand were just barely able to keep him alive until they made it to the surface.
That bright flame was unfortunately almost extinguished, but now the 21-year-old was standing up with the aid of his former party members, the young man taking slow, but steady steps for the first time in four years.
The last one of the familia to receive the Panacea was a cat-kin by the name of Erickitty Autumn, and he was a Level 3 that had unfortunately lost his tail and suffered severe damage to the lower vertebrae of his spine, and lost all feeling below the waist, the once-powerful man relegated to living in a wheelchair and having a bed-pan build into the chair since he was no longer to maintain control of his bowels.
His tail had regrown and he was able to feel his legs and manhood, though thankfully he didn't try to stand up as only wore a blanket and socks below the waist.
Tanya had thought that the young man had been Anakitty's brother, but the young woman's weeping "Pappa!" had quickly disabused her of this notion; truly, the effects of the falna on one's youth was something else if a middle-aged man could still appear to be in his early 20's.
That just left her with one last dose, and after having consulted with Hephaestus, the only amputee in her familia was a Dwarf named Vornir, and while he only had one eye, he outright dared his Goddess to try and take away his Adamantium hammer-hand!
Tanya had quietly asked around, and there was no one else to give it to, which rankled her.
"Give it to someone who can live."
It was after everyone had had their cheering and merrymaking and had left their companions to get their physicals that Tanya had slipped behind the curtain with Naaza as she busied herself with cleaning her prosthetic in preparation for her next examination with Miach. The God saw the vial in Tanya's hand and gave her the sweetest smile she'd ever seen in her life before he quietly slipped away.
"Naaza-san."
Spoiler: Naaza
The cheinthrope froze for a moment before she began to tremble slightly, the woman's sleepy expression as she looked over her shoulder at Tanya filled with equal parts hope and terror. "Y-you really should find someone else. I shouldn't take that. I wouldn't be able to do it justice."
"And why is that, Naaza-san?" Tanya spoke lowly, the teen taking a few steps to get closer.
"B-because, I'm a coward." She spoke, her voice shakey as she took a step back and bumped into the stand; the water basin on it shaking precariously before her hand snapped out to steady it. "I'm afraid... of the Dungeon. It terrifies me."
Tanya took a slow breath as she tilted her head to the side and fixed the cheinthrope woman with a stern look. "So am I. So is everyone else. No one is exempt from this fear, Naaza-san."
Her lips parted. "I don't want to go back."
"No one is telling you to go back, but if you continue to tuck your tail between your legs and cower, then can you really say that you're living?" Tanya stepped forward and grasped the woman's prosthetic firmly, "Fear like that? It is insidious. It seeps into everything, poisons it, makes you hesitate, stops you from moving forward. What else are you afraid of? What else are you afraid to take a chance on? When will it stop?"
Tanya stepped back, having deposited the vial of Panacea into the woman's prosthetic palm. "One can't live life without conquering one's fear, so if you find your resolve, drink that and make yourself whole again. Face your demons. If you decide that jumping at shadows is how you want to live your life, then return it to the Loki familia; we can make sure it gets to someone who isn't afraid to live again."
Tanya turned on her heels and strode over to the curtain, and just before she stepped out she looked at the woman from over her shoulder. "Think about what you want, look at your motivations and your reasons for being Naaza Erisuis. Then ask yourself, are they worth going after if you're still afraid?"
The curtain dropped behind her as Tanya strode out.
When she returned to her room and found that all of her belongings had already been packed away into her Supporter Pack. It was done neatly, and Tanya thought that she smelt a trace of Riveria's plum perfume in the air. Some neatly stacked crates contained her various flight suits, including the flight suit she arrived at Orario in, as well as her armor pieces. She was going to have to downgrade her gear significantly if she was to receive any challenge from the Dungeon.
She smiled and stripped out of her clothes and took a bath before settling down to sleep in her bed one last time, for tomorrow if her gambit didn't pay off, she would be homeless. However, that was something she could deal with- she had plenty of wealth now.
The wealth that she was now going to carry with her.
Shit.
Well, at least she now knew why there was just a large space in her bag; more than enough for a large sack of valis. How thoughtful, Riveria.
[Loki - Goddess of the Loki Familia]
Loki sighed.
"Are you sure you want to do this? I mean, you just came back, Erickitty-kun, don't you want to go Adventuring with your daughter?" The Goddess probed as she rifled through the paperwork.
"It is not like I will be abandoning Ana-chan, Loki-sama," The handsome cat-kin smiled wanly, "But she's her own woman now, and with her old man returning the game well... I can't be cramping her style now, can I?"
Loki smirked as she arched an eyebrow. "Man, we stopped staying that twenty years ago, Eri-kun. Much like 'Jive', 'Crunk', and 'Poppin', 'Cramping' has gone the way of the Dubi-bird and gone extinct. The cool kids say 'Stanky' these days."
Her nose crinkled, "Along with their Divines. I don't think I like that one very much, but one day that will die too and we'll find some other slang to latch onto because it's cool with our kiddies."
The deceptively old cat-kin chuckled. "Regardless, I've been out of the field for a long time, Level 3 or not; I might as well be a Level 1. That and thanks to Tanya-sama I've trained two replacements to fill my role should I leave, so it is not like I'm leaving the Administrative section short-handed."
The Goddess sighed and placed her head on her desk. "Well, you've been with me for 23 years, Erickitty Autumn, and you've done a lot for us... for the familia, and for me. It would be a dick move to keep you here if you really want to go and try something new."
The man chuckled. "'Dick move', huh? That one popular?"
Loki's head lifted off her desk and she grinned. "Oh boy, is it ever! It's one of my favorites! It's funny because a dick is supposed to give and receive pleasure, and yet when you're a dick you're screwing somebody over! Ha! Only you kids can come up with interesting ways to twist a language! By far though, the best word ever invented is 'Fuck'."
Erickitty chuckled and reached down to pinch his leg, his lips peeling back in pain. "By far the best word ever, bar none."
Loki's smile slid away as she watched him massage his leg. "Hard to believe it, huh?"
His eyes crinkled. "The missus will be pleased, that's for sure. Maybe she'll let me ride her face fifteen years now. You think it will fly?"
"Nope, but... look after yourself, alright? Once the falna comes off you'll be weak, and it will likely take months before you recover."
He nodded his head and looked around the office. "Don't I know it, but I think it will be worth it. I like the cut of her gib, and the fact that she went so far for all of us..."
Loki's hands clenched under the table. "I would have if I could have."
The man smiled warmly, "I know, Loki-sama, I know. An organization like this takes a lot of valis to run, and with the Panacea being so expensive and so difficult to make... this can only be a miracle; I don't think something like this will ever happen again in the rest of the city's history, or at least not for a very long time. Dian Cecht-sama seemed pretty pleased to put those vials in our hands and out of his."
"Meh, he's just cranky when he doesn't sleep." The Goddess stood up in her chair and walked over to help him out of his chair and onto the Update Chair. "The sound of money and a chance to lord it over Miach will always bring him back."
Erickitty chuckled and pulled his shirt off with assistance from his soon-to-be-former-Goddess. "How long has it been since I sat in this chair, I wonder?"
"Too long for this to be your last time in it." The Goddess murmured somberly as she pricked her finger and let her blood drop onto his back.
The falna opened up to her and she breathed in slowly as she allocated the Excelia and tidied up. "Oh, hey, just to let you know you got a Skill. 'Indomitable: When under great adversity, see your Strength and Endurance rise to meet the threat.' Not a rare skill, a few have it familia as well, but it should serve you well in the future, Erickitty-kun."
She closed the falna, pushing his very soul back into his body. Then she swallowed as she activated a touch of her Divinity and drew a large 'X' along the surface of the falna, and just like that... the markings and drawings seemed to fade away; the Goddess feeling that tiny sliver of her Divinity return to her.
"Erickitty Autumn, you have served the Loki familia faithfully, and in accordance with your wishes I..." Her voice caught, when was the last time she let someone go that wasn't a criminal? "I release you from my service and remove from you my blessing. Go forward and enjoy your new life."
The man slowly pulled on his shirt and he reached out and grasped her hand; unshed tears prickled at his eyes, and his voice was thick with emotion. "It has been an honor and a pleasure serving you, Kami-sama."
She smiled back and mussed up his hair. "Yeah, yeah, yeah. Go on, get out of here. She'll be leaving in the morning."
The door opened up and Anakitty stepped inside with a new wheelchair, this one not modified, and strode inside. "Papa."
The issue was that she didn't come in alone, no, it seemed that Erickitty Autumn wasn't the only Adventurer that Tanya von Degurechaff would end up taking with her on the way out the door.
"You guys too, huh?"
Damnit, if Tanya hadn't gifted her enough Level 3s and 4s to make Freya trip over the front of her dress she would be SO pissed right now!
[Tanya von Degurechaff]
"You could have been Level 3, you know that right?" Loki muttered as she finished zeroing out Tanya's falna.
Tanya shivered as she felt all of the strength she had grown used to leave her body all at once; like a sponge having all of the water wrung out of it. Her exhalation was audible. "Y-yes, I had considered that, however, once I set my mind to something I don't just quit halfway through; one doesn't win wars with such an attitude."
Tanya pulled her clothing back on and stood up before turning to Loki and straightening her back. "It has been a wild ride, Loki-sama."
Loki smirked and placed her hands on her hips. "Yup, indeed it has been, hasn't it?"
Tanya gave the woman a brief hug before she moved through the Executive Floor for the last time, the Goddess just a few steps behind her. She nodded to the Guard at the gate leading up that she never learned the name of because she never used the stairs, and wound her way through the passages of the Twilight Manor, stopping by at the cantine to say a quick farewell to the waitstaff.
She gave the woman who made her coffee every morning a big hug; she was seriously going to miss that woman in particular; she get her brew just right after only a few weeks. Where was she going to find another woman like that!?
When she exited the dining hall she found it devoid of all life, and she felt a small pit form in her belly. Shouldn't they be eating? She brushed it off and strode through the main hall and pushed the small door open.
"Huh, that reminds me, you never got to attend any of our totally awesome parties, Tanya-chan. And you're going to miss out on our beach trip to Melen! Wow, sucks to be you right now. I bet you're regretting leaving already, right~?" The Goddess spoke cheekily as she walked behind Tanya with her hands interlaced behind her head.
Tanya shook her head and was surprised to see all of the familia members that she'd been missing were all arranged on the pathway from the front of the Twilight Manor to the front gate. They weren't in any particular order or fashion, some were clustered together, but they were all there, smiling broadly and waving as she passed by.
She waved in return, as she strode down the footpath to the front gate where her Tiny Home and a half-dozen wagons were all lined up.
Why were those so many wagons?
At the end of the path stood all of the Executives of the Loki familia: Finn Deimne, Riveria Ljos Alf, Gareth Landrock, Aiz Wallenstein, Bete Loga, Tiona Hiryute, Tione Hiryute, and the newly promoted Cruz Bussel. They were all smiling as Tanya walked up to them, and Finn stepped forward and began to speak. It was a good speech, to be sure, if a little canned and hammy, but it was getting the crowds worked up, and since that was his objective he succeeded quite well.
"-ay is a day that I believe will be the turning point in the history of our familia. Not for those that are leaving, but because of what they left behind. A history of excellence, personal sacrifice, of commitment to something greater than one's self. The members leaving today, they leave with their heads held high, to seek out what we should always strive for: a new Adventure."
The Executives parted and revealed more than a dozen grinning faces, and Tanya felt her jaw loosen.
Erickitty Autumn, Calliope Durma, Mary Tost, Sasha Rinkle, Durbina Wallar, Hack, Thom, Wendy, Chaz, Daimi, Sven, Tabbitha, and Jaine.
Tabbitha stepped forward with a wry smile on her face. "Don't think you'll be rid of us that easy, Tanya-sama."
The Wild Roses, the Royal Rats, and one Level 3; they had to have been zeroed out, Loki would just let four Level 4s, eight seasoned Level 1s, and a Level 3 go.
Tanya knocked on the door to the dilapidated, (formerly) abandoned church. Man, how could the tiny Goddess live in this dump? The orphanages in Daedalus were better kept up than this place! If anything, it looked way more beat up than last time she was here, what the hell happened while she was down in the Dungeon?
Tanya felt her lips quirk up when she heard a tiny voice calling out. "If you're here to bother us again Apollo familia, we already accepted the War Game, okay!? Go away!"
She blinked. "I'm not with the Apollo familia."
"Then who-?"
Tanya heard the pitter-pattering of bare feet and then the door was thrown open wide, the little Goddess hollering out at the top of her tiny lungs. "What do ya want- eh!? Degu-gu-gu!? And... friends? What are you doing here?"
Surprisingly, she heard Welf Crozzo's voice coming up the stairs from the trap door. "What? Is that- Tanya-san?"
Welf Crozzo came up the stairs, followed by the Yamato Nadesh- Mikoto girl from the Takemikazuchi familia, the Pallum supporter, and one Bell Cranel.
She quirked her lips. "I am Tanya von Degurechaff, and I am here to interview for the position of the Hestia familia Captaincy, along with a few of my companions who are looking for a place within your familia. May we come in?"
Loki said it herself.
"I can be petty."
That was fine because Tanya could be petty too