They wasted no time returning, but as they were leaving Bahamut suddenly stopped. "Little creature. Please cease your stealth, you intrigue me..." He spoke as he looked in the direction of seemingly nothing.
'Sorry Dad, he's been looking at me this whole time and I wasn't sure if I should just look like you didn't know I was there."
'No worries bud, saw him looking at you and figured.'
"Allow me to introduce Squidge, he had a personal investment in what happened." Carl said as Squidge appeared.
"Fascinating, was that poltergeist essence he mimicked?" Tiamat asked as she knelt to pet him.
"Yeah, it's been his favourite since he got it. He took a liking to being able to go unnoticed, but his sister Levi has him beat still. Unfortunately Squidge didn't get any of my power. I have an idea for the future, but I don't want to risk it right now and potentially stunt his growth."
"Ah, I see, your inexperience with your ability left him incomplete then..."
"Kind of, when he was made he was like a baby version of himself, whereas Levi skipped that stage and was like a teenager from day one. Anyway, do you mind if we continue, I don't want to make him self-conscious."
They continued on their way, Squidge preferring to walk next to Sitter rather than cling to Carl as he does with Klaire. When they made it outside Blanc opened the gate so they would arrive in the basement.
When they arrived the reason was clear and Kitsunoko jumped into his arms. "Did they decide to be friends Dad?"
"Yep, they are gonna be friends, do you want to run ahead and tell Noah to get things ready?"
"Sure!" She then hopped down and ran off in fox form.
"Did you really revive that species?... You may want to watch the males."
"Oh that isn't an issue, I will be making them reproduce from accumulated energy instead. Kyubi already warned me about them and I'd rather not deal with them. I'll also be making the species as a whole under Kyubi's authority, that way they won't be a problem even after i'm gone."
The two dragon gods looked at each other, Tiamat only then interested enough to look at Carl's stats and Bahamut annoyed it took her so long.
"Carl, when your grandmother gets back, can you pass on my invitation for a meeting? I wish to discuss certain things with her." Tiamat snarled.
"Sure, just be careful, we didn't set stipulated punishments for violations and my system can be a bit sadistic. You don't seem happy about something and I don't want you at its mercy."
"I appreciate the warning, I don't intend to attack her, I just want to give her a piece of my mind. Though I suppose I could simply lead her away after watching her react to you strip her of all the favours she owes."
When they reached the upstairs area Carl made introductions a bit too casually for the mortals present, whilst the dragon gods seemed comforted by the anxiety they would have expected the other three to show.
"Relax, we have signed alliance pacts with Carl and are unable to harm members or lands of his faction, as well as any guests of his." Tiamat stated with theatrical malevolence.
"Indeed, we regret any concern we caused."
"Well Noah, everything ready? I think the gods probably have other things to do."
"Actually, it is customary to hold an armistice feast, so we announced we would be gone for an earth day."
"It is? Okay then, guess we'll get the business out of the way, then have a party." Carl shrugged it out whilst the non-faction members had internal meltdowns. "Anyway who wants to go first?"
"I think Bahamut should go first, as much as I hate to admit it, he is stronger so having something made from him will be more impressive for our first time witnessing it your work."
Bahamut smirked smugly, as unaware as everyone else that after her peak, Tiamat had cottoned on to the plan and was in fact looking forward to gloating at Bahamut's indignity when she revealed it. "Yes, I suppose we should make it as impressive as possible, what will you use I wonder?"
"Well, I'm going to use the creatures we found on the world we just left, which we named "mirage skinks". They are reptiles that create illusions using electrical impulses. I'm also going to add a flame elemental, a mirror shelled crab, some of my daughter's fur which she donates on the regular and my own blood."
"Dad! You're embarrassing me!"
"Not my fault you shed worse than a wolf in summer, I keep telling you to use the keratin like your mums suggested." Whilst everyone laughed at the more relaxed family drama, Carl kept moving towards the beasts. "Right, well time to tame them, so stand back Ki-ko."
"What do you mean by tame them?" Bahamut asked, taking a genuine interest in the process.
"I have to have them accept me as their master before I can use them to make a pet."
"Why not simply release your aura? You don't restrain your strength with the system, but with your numbers that means you have to be suppressing your auras or they would overwhelm everyone not at your level.
"Okaaaay and how do I do that?"
"I would recommend visualising yourself releasing some kind of unseen force." Tiamat instructed him, with curious anticipation as to whether or not he would be able to achieve the new understanding in a timely matter.
"Fine, I'll give it a try... Noah, might as well let them out."
Noah shrugged, his faith in Carl's innate way with animals, absolute. As he tapped some buttons on the usual controller, which made the enclosures open.
The beasts began to move, in concert, inspecting the possibility of liberation and what lay beyond. They saw Carl standing there, backed by two beings they wanted nothing to do with, but Carl himself was standing apart from them and he seemed so comforting.
"Okay, visualise, nothing aggressive or angry or dominating. More like a hug, like I want them to feel safe..." Carl tried and shreds of aura began to leak out, but it made the beasts nervous.
"Careful Carl, incredible try, but those slight leaks can be felt as lashes, project it all or not at all." Tiamat instructed from the rear.
"What are you trying to accomplish? Lillim will not be happy about your interference." Bahamut growled quietly.
"I want to see what he can do, the beasts it must have taken to create that one are rare and powerful no doubt. I want to see how he tamed them, especially in such a short time."
"Okay, so just release it?"
"That's right..." As soon as she spoke he released it, less restrained and more like the sudden and surprising hug Kitsunoko gave him when he returned. It exploded out encompassing everyone, though the embracing feeling remained.
Everyone was caught off guard, but filled with the sense of adoration that Carl felt when Kitsunoko hugged him. It wasn't just the beasts that were effected either, but even the two dragon gods and everyone both inside the house and watching with them.
"What is he!?" Bahamut roared as he released his own more to try and fight the desire Carl's instilled to submit to him as a mere beast.
"I don't know! This is ridiculous!" Tiamat roared back as she followed suit. "Carl! Stop it now!"
"What? Okay, fine..." He pulled the aura back in and the two gods did the same so theirs didn't explode without the resistance. "Sorry, did I do something wrong?"
"No... It was my fault... I shouldn't have encouraged you. It seems you need special training to control it." The beasts moved towards Carl with the desire to feel his aura again, as the dragons regained their composure.
"It seems you affected your friends and guests too. Would you like me to snap them out of it for you?" Bahamut asked the question as he tilted his head towards the others who all seemed to be edging closer to him as well, except for Kitsunoko and Squidge who were hugging him and nuzzling him respectively.
"Yes please, I best apologise before continuing..." Bahamut expelled his aura then brought it back in immediately, creating a wave to snap them out of the sensation. "Sorry everyone, I didn't mean to affect you all too."
"How the hell did you affect me though. Succubi should be immune to such things!" Lydia shouted, as she acted dishevelled.
"No you aren't. You are immune to charm effects and pheromones since your own overpowers any external influence. You are still capable of genuine attraction though." Tiamat explained nonchalantly.
"I am not attracted to Carl!" Lydia yelled flustered.
"Of course you aren't, what just happened though was enough to change that whilst he had his aura activated though. I imagine it is because his aura is altered by those titles of his. "Well-loved" and "symbol of unity", both are unfathomably vague and can a variety of meanings..."
"Carl! You are banned from using that.... Ever!"
"What about if Lillim decides I need to train?"
"Different planet." Lydia was unflinchingly adamant.
"I promise, I hereby place aura release under section three of the faction charter." Carl said, which was something that meant it could not be used without permission from another faction member.