[Shizune's POV]
In the main hall of the Senju Manor, I stood in a corner supervising, dressed in a pretty Kimono. Tsunade-sama asked me the most weird favour two days ago.
"Shizune, I want you to look for the ten ladies you trust the most in this village. They don't have to be beautiful, but if they are, that'd be preferable. I just want them to be of a calm temper and very tolerant. I have a lot of guests who I am going to receive the day before the ceremony, prepare everything. I am trusting you with this~".
To my shock, I was given millions of Ryo to prepare for this, so I was even willing to pay those ladies for the night. Tsunade-sama is very kind but also stingy, for her to spend all this money in this little party... those guests must be very important. Let alone, the Kages should be coming from the summit, and she didn't spare nearly as many resources with them...
It matters not, I did what was asked and prepared the venue, shrouded it with flowers of all kinds since we were told all the guests were going to be women. Tsunade-sama wanted to display the 'beauty' of Konoha. So I sought the prettiest and cutest ladies I could find, I got flowers from the Yamanaka Clan, and I got a variety of dishes prominent in the land of fire.
I did everything I could to make this venue into a dream-looking experience.
Tsunade-sama looked very happy.
"Oh, Shizune-chan!"
"Hannah-chan!~"
I hugged the pink-haired bunny who had already been declared the cutest creature in the village. Hannah-chan was dressed in a beautiful kimono with two braids, looking wonderful and cute. She was going to attend the party; in fact, she was one of the ladies.
Contrary to usual parties and gatherings, we were told to just put a gigantic table in the middle where everyone would sit together. We were a bit foreign to this setup, but since we were asked, that's what we did.
"Hannah-chan, do you know who is coming? How many...?" I asked her tentatively because Tsunade-sama said there would be around twenty... but the number flickered constantly.
"Uhm, baby's treasures are coming... definitely more than twenty~ there are some other friends coming too. Rias-chan said Sona-chan and Seekvaira-chan will be coming too... Oh, and there is Venelana-sama too!"
I couldn't help but gulp a little bit at the numbers. We certainly had enough food, Tsunade had said to cook enough for thirty people since there were some gluttons in the group, so we did just that.
But... it was certainly awkward to hear Hannah-chan call Ray-san 'baby'.
I looked at one side of the room towards a certain lady dressed in a gorgeous maid outfit who was cleaning the main table and covering it with a beautiful cotton knit sheet, certainly a foreign custom.
"Uhm, Grayfia-sama, you really don't need to–"
She stared at me with a gaze that could kill. Tsunade-sama came and put her hand on her shoulder, shaking her head towards me.
"Shizune, just let her do whatever she wants... she's not going to stop regardless of whether I ask her or you ask her. Right, Grayfia?"
"It is good that you know... it is the precious get-together before your ceremony, I can't allow any imperfections".
Tsunade-sama and I sighed when she started walking around, trying to smooth out all the imperfections in our preparations. She looked like a very disciplined lady, also very beautiful.
"Is she Ray-san's attendant or something...?" I asked, with that aspect, she couldn't be from around here.
"No, she's also Ray's woman, but she's a bit... particular. Just let her do whatever she wants".
Both of us turned to the table where everything was ready, to our shock, there was someone sitting there already.
!!!
I felt my heart skip a bit watching that black figure there; it was as if I had seen a ghost face-to-face.
"Albedo, don't just appear like that out of nowhere!" Tsunade-sama hissed, but the woman in question didn't even flinch; she just giggled.
"What is the problem, Tsunade? I came as I promised".
"Albedo-chan!".
Hannah jumped on her. The woman with horns looked troubled but reluctantly hugged the bunny back. Don't like Hannah-chan? What sort of monster are you?!
"*sigh*, at least come through the front door next time. Thanks for coming... any progress?"
"The girls are doing their part as we accorded~ as for me? I have been around the land of lightning. I will talk to you later about these matters. Right now is not the moment, is it?"
"Very well, feel free to eat whatever you want".
"I will wait for the others to come. As for you, naughty bunny... how about you tell me the things you and Kuroka did to master in that Karaoke~".
"E-Eh?! That... can't we talk later about that? It's embarrassing".
"No, you're going to tell me now~".
...
I tried to not mind their conversation, although a bit curiously inwardly. The ladies arrived one by one and took their seat on the table.
Hasshaku-sama, Azrael-sama and Kuroka-sama, whom I had previously met. There was no code or etiquette; they were each dressed as they found most comfortable.
Then Galadriel-sama and Anna Blair-sama followed. I had met them recently and found them extremely friendly. If I had to choose my favourite, aside from the cute Hannah, it would be Galadriel-sama. That woman who irradiated so much grace, splendour, while at the same time being so humble. Her hair was like a cascade of dew, her body like taken out of a fantasy tale.
No doubt a Goddess yet behaving like a human, she got my respect. Then Anna Blair was a cute, cheerful girl who, much to my shock, was actually a Queen, the equivalent of a 'Matriarch' in the world she came from.
Inwardly, I couldn't help but curse. Ray-san, how can he have so many beautiful flowers...? How can they be willing to share? Forget about 'average looks', they were all beauties that a daimyo would destroy another country for.
'As expected of him, I guess...' Although I was not his lover, and I couldn't tell what was so magnificent about him, he surely had to be magnificent to make Tsunade-sama fall head over heels for him like this, even to the point she was willing to move on from Uncle Dan, and even share.
I looked at the already bustling table; all the ladies were in this world, and there were a lot more to come. The policy was simple: 'Let them do whatever they want'.
Tsunade-sama already said they were not only beautiful, but also extremely strong. I was told the one I had to be most wary of was Hasshaku-sama and Albedo-sama... she didn't even need to tell me for me to realise that those two had the most eerie atmosphere around them. Even if they simply sat there chatting and smiling, one could tell... they were evil creatures.
Tsunade-sama was dressing in a beautiful kimono as well. For some reason, she wore her Hokage hat, I guess, as a way to show her status to the guests.
The place where the ladies would be coming from was a concealed gate within a wardrobe in the main hall. The existence of this gate was secret, but I was already told that this gate was the entrance to other worlds; it was classified information that no one should know... Tsunade-sama had trusted me with this knowledge.
Usually, the wardrobe would be covered with kimonos and hakamas belonging to the Senju, but now it was clear and open. Soon, they began to appear one by one as the gate opened.
The first guests already left me stupefied.
'S-So gorgeous...'
Two women, their presence immediately taking over the hall. Mysteriously, I also detected a few jealous gazes coming from the ladies already sitting at the table.
"Amaterasu, Yasaka, you are welcome", Tsunade-sama greeted them first, leading the two further into the hall
"Fufu, Tsunade. You look absolutely beautiful, congratulations!~" The lady whose Kimono was like a cascade of gold and treasures, hugged Tsunade-sama first before taking a seat.
"You too, I love your attire~ although I said you could come however you felt most comfortable"
"I feel good like this, sweetheart" She sat next to Galadriel-sama, and then Tsunade-sama hugged the other lady, who, although she didn't have a Kimono as eye-catching, she made up for it with her long fox tails and ears.
"I am eager to see what ceremony you have prepared, Tsunade... let's play a lot later~", she brushed one of her tails gently on Tsunade's nose and then sat down.
I don't think I have ever seen Tsunade-sama blush like that in embarrassment. Play later... what does she mean?
**
**
[Tsunade's POV]
Everything is going according to plan so far. The purpose of this get-together is not as intricate or scheming as they may think. I only want all of us to have fun before the ceremony, then I want them to see the ceremony with their own eyes and feel like marriage is not such a useless experience.
Make it into something they'd like to experience, too.
By doing that, I think we can strengthen our bonds and hopefully fight less and scheme less against one another. Right now, they are all smiles and compliments, but who knows what those women are doing in the background?
"Where is Ray-sama?" Yasaka mercilessly snatched away Hannah-chan from Albedo's arms and asked.
*cough!*
I knew very well where he was; I made the proper preparations and told Kushina what to do. I hope they can enjoy themselves enough until it is time... by then, hehehe~ by then, Ray will be nothing but a succulent dish ready to be eaten.
"He's somewhere else, having some fun. Don't worry, once we finish the first phase of this party, we will head there for the second phase~".
"Oh? I am very expectant~".
I sat for a while, wondering why the girls were taking so long to come back from their places. I knew they were busy, but they had confirmed to me that they'd come.
Soon another group arrived.
"Lady Tsunade"
"Leone, welcome to my world!"
I haven't had the opportunity to talk properly with this leoness. She was my first subordinate outside of Konoha. I can tell just from her gaze that she respects me a lot. Somehow, she managed to get under Ray's pants. Well, somehow? Knowing that bastard, he was captivated by her... that naughty husband of mine can't see a beautiful mother because he will crave her, and Leone is precisely that.
It was not unexpected for Ray to crave her, it was unexpected for her to crave Ray.
"Did you fall for my man?" I put a faux angry expression and joked with her. Leone looked at me embarrassingly.
"Lady Tsunade, you should know that our husband is difficult to resist. Please don't blame me".
She looked like she wanted to cry, so I hugged her and played with her ears for a bit like I used to.
"I am not blaming you. What about Draudillon?"
Out of the two, I was expecting Ray to fancy Draudillon more. But contrary to my expectations, Ray didn't claim her.
"Ray-sama didn't take her as his woman; he judged that my loyalty was deeper and gave me the honour" She then took a furtive glance at the table where the rest of the girls were waving at her to come.
"As you can see, husband has a good eye for women. If Draudillon was not accepted, it is for a reason. There is something he saw on her that we didn't".
"Certainly".
I led her to sit. She first snatched Hannah away from Yasaka, making the fox pout, then sat down.
'Why are they...?' I sighed, certainly if my husband is not here, cuddling Hannah is the next best option. If there is no Hannah, then we cuddle Yasaka... that's just how it is. If there is no Yasaka, albeit reluctant, we'd cuddle Kuroka... if she's not smelling like fish.
"Lady Tsunade, I have always respected you deeply. Congratulations on your marriage and your pregnancy".
"Now we are both equal, you don't need to be so polite with me. Besides, we are going to spend a lot of time together".
...
"Yahoo!~"
"Aqua"
I looked a bit disgruntled when this young lady with blue hair appeared. She immediately got the attention of everyone in the hall, mostly because of her exotic hair.
"Aqua-chan! Come!" Galadriel, as cute as always, beckoned to her to sit next to her. Good, if Aqua gets drunk, Galadriel can handle her.
"Congratulations, Tsunade! Where is the sake!?"
"Right there, just go and ask the ladies... please don't make trouble", I almost begged. This may be one of the most troublesome women that Ray has, and troublesome not in the good sense.
"I would never! Where is Ray? I want to eat Ray up! That bastard... he's been ignoring me, HIS WIFE!"
I still couldn't conceive why this girl is in the wife group. She should be in the pet group... nevertheless, Ray never changed her position, so why would I complain? Besides, she's the archpriestess of the Sun Church and handles a lot of paperwork. No matter how shitty her personality is, she does contribute to our collective work.
After getting a light bonk, I hugged her, VERY HARD.
"Aqua. Don't. Make. Trouble".
"H-Hai".
...
Only one hour later, all the guests had arrived, and I stood to the side with a troubled expression.
"Aunty!" (Hannah)
"Hannah-chan! You are here! Come into Aunty's arms!~" (Venelana)
"Mother, control yourself" (Rias)
"Hey, Hannah-chan, that's not fair! We were playing... just a bit, just a bit more blood~" (Shaltear)
"Put that bunny down-nya!" (Kuroka)
"Where is Ray-sensei? I was looking forward to seeing him" (Sona)
"Put down the bunny, or there will be consequences, Venelana Gremory" (Amaterasu)
"Venelana-sama, with all due respect, you can't hoard all of Hannah-sama's time" (Grayfia)
"Ara, are you okay, Albedo? You look a bit... constricted?~" (Haku)
"I am u-uhm!~ o-okay... don't mind me" (Albedo)
"Come, you can sit on my lap" (Haku)
"N-no!" (Albedo)
"You can't be naughty, keep all your senses here. Why are you eavesdropping on that side for?~" (Haku)
"Let me go, Hasshaku-sama! Ahn!~" (Albedo)
...
Why...? Why can't we coexist peacefully!?