**[Gaia]**
She watched as her newest—and by far favorite—child roamed around the world, utilizing an authority that she knew was too big and too heavy for his little mortal soul to bear, an authority she had helped him acquire even if indirectly.
She had been the one who created that nifty little ritual he used to connect his soul with the world—the same ritual that she herself taught him—yes, that same crude, primitive, and hastily constructed thing that used her very soul as a bridge.
Oh, how she had cautioned him from doing such a thing at first—but that stubborn little boy was dead set on trying to make a deal with the world.
She knew that if she didn't help him, he was going to find another way, a riskier way, so she decided to just grant him his request, while ensuring his safety as much as possible, which led to her using her own soul as a bridge and a cushion in case of backlash.
It was safer that way—for him at least—and it's not like she could deny him anything, really; she loved him too much to do that.
Heh, who could have thought that she, Gaia, the primordial of nature, would come to love a mortal that wasn't born inside her domain so much? She loved him more than anything, more than her own life, her own children—those ungrateful little shits—even those little fuckers she called grandchildren.
Oh, she knew that her affection for him was influenced by his own nature, the same one that made him a natural-born sage, the one that enabled him to absorb, purify, condense, manipulate, and pretty much do anything with natural energy. Yet she couldn't bring herself to care. For she had never felt so much happiness, relief, and joy as she did now.
It helped that he assisted her in cleansing her energy much more efficiently, but that wasn't even a primary factor in gaining her affection.
No, one of the main reasons she loved him was the way that his very being felt like—like he was a part of nature, a part she didn't have, a piece she didn't know she missed; he felt like he was carved of her own core of being, something she longed to have. Like a child that was actually her own, just hers alone. It was a nice feeling, and a new experience for her.
So she did everything she could to help him. Even though she was physically sealed, thanks to the effort of her own ungrateful children along with others, she still had enough autonomy, power, and authority to make sure he was okay. Not that she was the only one keeping him safe; for Dream too was doing the same.
So back then, when he finally started to actively interact with her, she was ecstatic.
Oh, how she feared that he might not be able to understand her at first! But she was proven wrong, and that fear was discarded almost immediately afterwards.
Her boy was able to actually have a conversation with her; he was able to grasp her own way of communicating with frightening ease—it was the first time she felt like a proud mama—and so she started talking to him almost every day after that.
When she saw how quick he was to settle on a rhythm, how fast he got comfortable sitting in his house playing with magic and not caring about anything else, she started to fear for him.
She knew how humans work; she might even know them better than they knew themselves; therefore, she knew they were creatures of habit. When they developed one, they couldn't stop or get rid of it easily, and they rarely ever do. So she feared her child becoming a—shut-in nerd—like humans say these days.
Thus, she started pestering him into going out more, interacting with people more, and such. She was the one who interfered with his own teleportation back when he first went out, directing him towards the vampires he killed.
She didn't do it out of malice, of course, and it still hurt her to think of how sad he was back then. But she did it anyway. Not for anything but the fact that he needed to experience the malice of this new world firsthand without actually getting hurt, to learn his lesson.
He might think he knew cruelty, pain, and suffering, but he didn't. It was cute that he thought so, but it wasn't true. At least not like she did—she who was forced to bear all the malice of those who died to cruelty knew what true evil looked like. She didn't want her child to know that, not like her, but she wished for him to learn so that he would be better prepared.
So yeah, that was what she intended to do: a lesson from a mother to a son.
The fact that he managed to avenge one of her last worshipers was just a bonus; the fact that he managed to kill all the vampires, avenge her devoted worshiper, and develop a distaste for all things undead was a double bonus; and the fact that she managed to get herself an adorable little granddaughter from that whole ordeal was just the icing on top.
She didn't for a second think that he hadn't yet figured all of this out. He was too smart for that. But when she saw that he had learned some of the many lessons she had managed to layer into that small coincidence without actually hating her, that was all she needed.
He had managed to figure out how to layer his spells against outside interference; he managed to see through the weakness of his intent-based magic rather quickly—he quickly deduced the fact that higher beings can interfere with intent and twist it into something else—but that was just one of the many small things he needed to learn back then.
He was in a new world, and subsequently, he needed to actually get better quickly, learn more, and be cautious of everything.
Still, if she was being honest with herself, she hadn't accounted for the fact that he would think of something as stupid as making a contract with the will of the world, but that was what made her child unique: his crazy ideas.
This is why watching over him was becoming the highlight of her life.
x_X_x
**[Harry Potter]**
"A wizard, huh? A weird way of describing yourself. I thought humans decided to go with the term 'magician' a few centuries back," Azazel asked as he stroked his goatee. He wasn't even trying to be subtle about his probing, but I guess I couldn't really fault him for that—his intelligence, thought speed, and virtually everything that makes his mind supernatural is sealed…
*'My domain is so overpowered now!! I love it!'* The passing gleeful thought was soon discarded. I have a persona to maintain.
"Do you actually want something, Azazel? Or are you just enjoying the feeling of being ordinary for a while?" I asked, a little impatient. I didn't have time for this now; I was supposed to be enjoying my time with my daughter.
"Hmmm, I don't know…. I actually find my current state fascinating. I don't think I have ever felt like this. Even with how wrong all of this feels to me, how my instincts are screaming to get away, I just can't find it in my heart to leave…. It's just all so new…. I want to study how you did that, how it works, why you succeeded despite the fact that you're actually much weaker than me…" he went on and on about this, and I just found myself staring at him.
To be completely honest, this was not the reaction I was expecting. There's a reason the Youkai are waiting for me outside my domain, along with whatever hidden supernatural entities lying in the dark there.
It wasn't just uncomfortable; it was downright torturous for them. The feeling of restriction, powerlessness, and pretty much looming death was more than just uncomfortable.
"You are an odd one, aren't you? Hold on a second—are you a masochist? Because that would explain so much…"
"Nah, don't lump me together with that stuff; that's Barakiel's shit. I am just a normal person who is too scientifically inclined to not be fascinated by the current situation," he said carelessly, as if exposing the kink of his fellow fallen was no big deal.
*'Let's ignore the fact that he called himself normal, Harry. It's not worth it…'* I thought as I massaged my eyes.
I shook my head a little and turned my attention back to my daughter, who, by the by, had been staring into the distance for a while now. Poking her fluffy small cheeks didn't break her concentration, so I tried to turn my head back—you know, to try and see what she's watching—but I didn't find anything that interesting.
I was about to physically turn around to double-check… "So brat, where did you find this kid of yours?" But Azazel's voice brought me to a temporary halt.
"Hah? What do you mean? She's mine, of course," I decided to play dumb.
"Nice try, kid, but that's not possible. The only way a tribrid like her could be born is to be forcefully conceived by a mother that is half-devil and a father that is a pure-blooded vampire," he informed me with a smirk.
"Yeah, I know….. But as far as the world, magic, and nature are concerned, she's mine," I smirked back.
He must be cursing his inability to sense energy right about now because he might have figured out Elizabeth's race relying on instincts or maybe experience, but he wouldn't be able to get more than that.
"You're not cute at all, kid…" he sighed and looked away as he tried to pout.
To say that I haven't seen anything more revolting than a grown man trying to pout cutely would be the biggest understatement of my life.
"Ara ara, that's not a nice thing to say, Azazel-kun. And please stop trying to pout; it's disturbing," a mature feminine voice came from behind me, prompting me to turn my head back to take a look.
What greeted my eyes was a mature blonde fox woman—or kitsune, as they call them here—that could be very aptly described with the word "HOT MILF" walking slowly towards us, followed by a cat girl with black hair.
I had already sensed them entering my domain, but I didn't pay attention. I should have…
I still didn't pay attention to the kitty, though, as something else caught my attention. My daughter—my very innocent and pure baby girl—was turning her head and following the woman as she walked.
Now, I don't know about you, but for me, this moment was like a very sacred bonding moment between me and her because I too was watching the woman walk. Or more accurately, watching her huge boobs bounce as she walked.
"Hello, Sage-sama. My name is Yasaka, and I am one of the leaders of the Youkai Council. And this is Kuroka, my bodyguard," the woman—now Yasaka—said. Her voice was silky, velvety, and downright seductive.
"Hm... uh... hi?" I answered intelligently and manly. Yes, manly; my voice did not come out all raspy and high. It did not happen; no matter what Azazel tells you.
"Hello, Sage-sama. My name is Kuroka; nice to meet you," the black cat girl behind Yasaka introduced herself too, but I wasn't really paying attention to her.
"Hmmm, yeah," I mumbled as I turned my head to look at her, prompting her to lean forward, bowing slightly. Her boobs were big too—I noticed—but she had nothing on Yasaka.
Here's the thing though: I refuse to believe that these two gorgeous women just decided to wear these kimonos/outfits that couldn't contain their breasts as a coincidence.
No, they were here to attempt seduction, and I, for once, am okay with that.
I looked down, checking on my daughter, and found her still staring at the chest of the pretty MILF. Not that I could blame her; it was taking most of my self-control to not glue my eyes to them…
"Heh, what happened, kid? I thought you were going for cool, edgy, angst-filled teenager there. You didn't seem to be interested in talking to me, but now I can see you're interested in hearing her out. That's not fair, kid. That's clear discrimination; I thought we were getting somewhere here… Hmmm… Hmmm…." Azazel started ranting, disturbing me, so I silenced him with a quick 'Silencio' spell…
"When you look like that, you can have my undivided attention…" I hushedly informed him, making him nod his head in understanding. "So, Yasaka, right? What can I do for you?" I asked the woman who was now sitting an arm's length away from me, waving one of her tails in front of my daughter and taking it away right before my daughter could catch it.
"Oh, Sage-sama, we just came by to introduce ourselves and give you an invitation to our council." She raised her head to talk to me before returning her attention back to playing with my daughter. If this continues, I may start getting jealous of my daughter…
"Oh, ok then…" I muttered before turning my head sharply to the left. There's someone trying to forcefully get into my domain, and it seems they're not afraid to use force…
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