Dear Diary,

I really think my biggest impact so far here and now may be introducing, or maybe reintroducing the powers that be, especially Deities, to the concept of 'friends'. Like, I'm not gonna take credit for the found family thing, that's just a normal human thing. Yeah, it's been formalized by things like adoption and marriage, but that basic urge to pack bond with everyone and everything we spend enough time interacting with is just… normal. If somebody doesn't get that, I don't know what to tell them.

I get it, some people don't like people. Maybe they're deeply on some part of the spectrum that makes socializing actively painful, maybe they're cynical and jaded and humans have disappointed them too much for them to bond with them, but even there they anthropomorphize their coffee maker or have sixteen cats or something like that. We're social primates, and even if some of us social differently, most of us don't do well in complete isolation.

But that kinda seems like what the here and now Gods have been doing. Isolating themselves. Most of the really powerful ones don't have anything like healthy family dynamics. Meanwhile the best god and dad is literally married to the incarnate concept of Marital Devotion. But by his own admission he's nowhere near what he was back in the day, and I think he's entirely talking about maturity levels and shit like that. Of course he's also made it clear that if proto-Loki shows up, he can and will kick that whiny edgelord's ass.

I don't believe I ever referred to my past self as an edge lord.

Yeah, but I'm also not wrong. About him or about you kicking his whiny immature ass. Because you're the best.

I know.

At any rate, along with maybe creating a family with something approaching a healthy family dynamic, and in this case I'm talking about my Pantheon, because let's face it, a Pantheon is usually akin to a family, what with every one having a 'Matriarch' or 'Patriarch' or something similar. I mean, okay, some of them have 'Kings', but how many of those are populated by an extended family, and how fucked up is the person in charge of a family, the one who ought to be the nurturer or protector or teacher, when instead they want to be bowed down to and have smoke blown up their ass. Look, if they want a well smoked ass, that's fine, but to be honest if they're not doing their jobs I can't see where they deserve a well smoked ass.

Y'know, at some point I think I actually want to try that, just to find out if it lives up to all the hype.

At any rate, yesterday late in the afternoon, right in the middle of Muscogee's daily song and dance show, I got the bright idea to look at the place from M-Space. At that point, after realizing that like ninety nine percent of the place was just stage dressing, I returned to the location of the stage in M-Space and literally sniffed out, then called out Rabbit and Lily.

Both of whom shuffled out from one of the 'back stage' houses.

"Hey, ladies. How goes?"

I guess that rectal kumquat look isn't just a Dan thing. Or maybe Lily had a Dan ancestor or something, because she hit that look perfect. "What will you do now?"

I sighed and shook my head, then waved them forward, holding my arms out. "C'mere, you two. I'm not mad. Do I look mad?"

"Abusers rarely do, until it is too late."

I slumped, but managed to keep my arms and hands open. "That... that hurts, Lily. I mean, I get it. I'm a big scary motherfucker. I think I even scared the fuckin' Undead in Calverton a time or two. But..." I sighed, slumped until my hands dropped to my sides, then trudged to the nearest seat and flopped my ass down. "Lily?"

She heard my mutter, at least enough to respond. "Yes?"

"I know I'm a monster," I whispered. "I'm sorry. I try my best not to be. But I am." At that point I felt Rabbit settle in next to me. I lifted my arm, and she slid over next to me, letting me drape my arm around her. "Thanks, Rabbit." I snickered for a moment. "This all your doing?" I nodded at the stage, but she took my meaning anyhow.

"It might be, though not all mine."

I snorted. "Yeah, you just maybe inspired it and help out when they're doing their best and it's not quite enough, huh?" She blushed, and I looked up at Lily, holding up a hand. "I just wanna talk, Lily. Really. I promise."

She frowned at me. "Stop hiding then." I dropped my Blend all the way down, and she frowned, but minced her way over, then spun and plonked her butt down on my lap. "I like..."

I sighed. "I know, I know. Men."

She shook her head, her hair flailing at my face. "I was going to say 'your lap'."

I put one arm around her belly, pulled Rabbit in with the other one, then just sat there like that for a minute. "Thanks, ladies. I appreciate your trust. With that in mind..." I wrapped my Blend around us, pushing it up until we were a fading dream. "I get all of this is fake. I even get why you didn't want to tell me." I squeezed Rabbit just a little, a snuggle added onto the ongoing embrace. "I even get that you swore not to tell about it. Which, let's be clear, you have not. Not in the slightest, either one of you." I nuzzled Lily's back a bit. "Even if you, tall, dark, and beautiful, can't lie for shit."

She stiffened, and it got worse when Rabbit barked out a laugh, but she didn't even try to stand up. Instead she sniffed and said, "So you would mock my essential honesty?"

I gently turned her to face me, and felt maybe a little less like a monster when she didn't tense in the slightest as I used my tentacles to lift her while I did it. "Who said I was mocking you? There are a lot of things about you that are a pain in the ass, and some of them are even so over the top they're funny, but I'm not gonna mock somebody for, y'know, not being able to lie."

"You laughed at me."

"I'm sorry if that made you feel some kinda way. I laugh a lot. I think Rabbit does too?" Rabbit chuckled and nodded. "Kinda goes with the Trickster thing, I think. Now..." I wrapped my tentacles around us, layer after layer, until we sat cocooned in a writhing ball bigger than the stage itself. Both of them tensed; Rabbit just a little, Lily a lot. "Relax, ladies. Just making sure we've got privacy." I slipped tentacles into the open space, filling it completely, before pulling them back. "Nope, nobody hiding in here."

"Those... aren't as unpleasant as I thought," muttered Lily.

I nudged her with my forehead, then when she looked back at me said, "yeah, maybe if you want I'll let you play with them later. Or play with you with them. Or, y'know..." I chuckled. "Whatever you wanna do." I took a deep breath then. "But before then. Neither of you told me this secret. I don't want to fuck shit up if it's not hurting anybody, and this doesn't seem to be hurting anybody. But if I don't know what I'm interacting with, I can't be sure I'm not gonna fuck it up by accident. You with me so far?"

Both of the ladies nodded. Lily said, "so what would you ask us?"

"Why?" They both stiffened a little, and I shook my head. "I'm not looking for an excuse. Seriously. You tell me that you cannot tell me why, I'll let you both go, no hard feelings. I mean, seriously, you're walking away from this as safe as I can make you anyhow. But I'm tryna be a good neighbor here."

"You could just leave and never come back." Oddly enough, Lily didn't sound nearly as bitchy as she might have saying that.

I shook my head. "Yeah, I could. We could. The Alliance. Shit, I'm pretty sure we could convince Compton to do so too. Not so sure about Jackville or Boltophsburg, but if they're rude about it, you're friends, and I absolutely will lean on being a scary bitch for you. But..."

Rabbit sighed. "But that would leave others wondering why you are protecting us."

I shrugged. "Let 'em think Lily seduced me. Not like she couldn't." Kinda fun watching Lily blush. "But like I said, if I knew why, I could maybe help you keep up the con rather than just stumbling around trying not to fuck shit up." I remembered my conversation with Lenny, shut my mouth, and looked at Rabbit, just waiting.

Eventually she sighed, tilted her head, and did that thing people do when they're tryna pick through the semantics of something. Finally, she nodded. "What is Muscogee?"

I shrugged. "It's a con." She nodded, but seemed to be waiting, so I added, "It's a ruse. It's a fake." Her eyes flashed, like she wanted me to say more, but wouldn't or couldn't tell me what. "It's... a fake City?"

She slumped, relief clear in her posture. "So you've discovered this without my help?" I nodded. "And we cannot convince you to forget?" At that point she gave me a look that, had Saffron, Siobhan, or Marie done it, would have ended the conversation and started the sex right then and there. Shit, if Lily had done it that might have worked too. Hell of a beautiful woman. But Rabbit... Rabbit was just a little too cute, and not quite innocent enough to pull off Siobhan's thing.

"Yeah, even if you did, I think my ladies might figure it out." They both looked at me, and I asked, "you guys don't have Clergy, do you? High Clergy specifically?" Both of them shook their heads, but with that kind of shrug that meant they clearly wondered why it mattered. "They're... kinda in my head, and I'm in theirs. All the time. Or, maybe not entirely really, but there's a connection there."

"That seems... intrusive?" said Rabbit.

"I prefer 'intimate'." I smiled, and both of them returned it, although they both kinda looked like they might be laughing at me about it. Fuck it, I'm a big girl. "You guys were watching some of that, were you?" They nodded. "Yeah, well. I trust them. Also, for some unknown reason they follow my lead, so what with Saffron being the Imperator, if I say this stays a secret, which I most likely will at this point, the Alliance's official policy will be 'look the other fuckin' way, and 'if you saw something, no you didn't', which shouldn't hurt." I paused. "So... why?"

Enjoying this book? Seek out the original to ensure the author gets credit.

Rabbit sighed. "I'm worried you'll take offense."

"Tell you what. If whatever you say offends me that much, Lily can convince me that I'm not offended." The woman herself shot me a look, and I rolled my eyes. "C'mon, Lily, we both know you will absolutely use your sex appeal to get what you want... no, what you think you need, and we both know I'll fall for it." I turned back to Rabbit. "Does she even know the why of Muscogee?" Rabbit nodded. "You want I should seduce it out of her? I gotta say, it might be fun."

Rabbit choked at that, then laughed. "That would be a first. And a reversal of what normally happens." She looked thoughtful. "Which happens a lot around you, doesn't it?" I nodded, but kept my mouth shut. "So be it. Your people respect Cities."

"My people?"

"Europans."

I stopped. Thought about that for a second. Then it clicked. "Your people don't do Cities, do you?" Rabbit shook her head. "Just little towns and villages. I'm guessing further west they're straight up nomadic still?" She shrugged. "Not really your folks out there?" She nodded. "Letting me do the talking, so you've told me as little as possible?" She smiled and shrugged. "Fair. When the Cities were founded, your people wound up getting shoved out because 'nobody lived here', didn't they?"

Lily frowned. "Of course people lived here."

I gave her a quick hug. "I know, Lily. I'm just saying, from the perspective of the Europans, who saw things in terms of 'Cities', your people... weren't here, because they didn't have any Cities."

"You speak of them like they're not your people."

I shrugged. "I'm... not really from around here." They both looked at me, curious. "Long story. One I promise I will tell you once we figure out how to keep the whole Muscogee thing going." I frowned. "Would sure as shit help out if you two were..." I paused, then sighed. "Maybe a little less 'Spirit' and a little more 'God'. Not that I want to mess with either of you, but it's the City thing." They both head tilted, and it was adorable. "No, seriously, it's all about power and posturing. A City has a kind of economic power, which can become military power pretty easy. The folks up north are also backed by Gods, which are another kind of power." I stopped, thought about it. "I'm guessing when somebody raided Muscogee, the locals just ran and came back and rebuilt later?"

They nodded, but Lily looked kinda pissed and said, "those who could run fast enough."

I gave her another hug and said, "yeah, if you can maybe point out anybody who did any rape and murder on a raid, let me know, and I'll hand them over to Saffron and Tallulah."

"You wouldn't dirty your hands?" sneered Lily.

I sighed. "No. Saffron's just fuckin' meaner than me, and Tallulah has the kind of lifespan that can implement 'eternal torture' and make it actually eternal. Also, I think if I got pissed their punishment would wind up very, very short." Then I chuckled and followed it up with, "also, y'know, I apparently have a bad habit of licking my hands clean afterward, and that's just... eww..."

Both of them laughed at my bullshit, and Rabbit said, "well then. Do you have any suggestions?"

Right then Karen's voice, more than a little frantic, filled my head. Goiddess. It's... it's sunset, and it's the night of the New Moon, and Diana's Priestesses are here, and they seem... upset that you're not here.

That surprised me, but then time runs oddly in M-Space. But a moment later something clicked in my brain. Just a second, Karen. I got you. "Lily, Rabbit, do you mind if I talk this over in private with Saffron, and maybe my other High Clergy, before we decide exactly what to do?"

The two of them looked at each other for a moment, then turned back to me. "They know already anyway, don't they?" asked Rabbit.

I sighed and nodded. "Yeah. Or they will, eventually."

"Please don't forget about us, or leave us in suspense too long?"

I smiled, then hugged them both. "Would you guys mind tagging along with me until I have time to talk to them? Just to be clear, it might be a couple days, but I will personally guarantee the safety of Muscogee until then."

The two of them looked at each other again, then turned back to me. Lily, haughty as she ever was, said, "we will not be ignored."

I stepped them both to the deck of the Questing Tentacle, where Admiral Pesce was directing some cross-loading with one of her sister ships. This one, by the name on the side, the Plundering Tentacle. "Hey! Joseph, my man! How's it going?"

He turned, arms going out as if to hug me, but he dropped them and saluted when he saw the two strangers in my arms. "It's going well, Champion!"

I stepped forward, leaving Rabbit and Lily where they were, and gave him the hug he'd expected. "Good to hear. This the newest of the Questing Tentacle class?"

Joseph smiled and nodded. "She is! The first from the shipyards in Norfolk!"

"Cool! Good to hear Phileo's not the only one making them now. Okay, got a new mission for you. You and whoever's in charge of the Plundering." He nodded, stepped back, and stood at Parade Rest, clearly awaiting orders. "Until you hear otherwise from me or one of my High Priestesses, Muscogee is under Alliance protection. No one from outside of Muscogee is to enter the City; if you have any Marines, send them along to help man the gates into the City as well." He looked a little confused, so I explained. "We're going to be doing some really delicate negotiations, and I don't want to be fuckin' interrupted. So folks from Muscogee are free to come and go as they want, and if they vouch for somebody, they're cool to do so too, but other than that? Lockdown. Got it?"

"Yes, Ma'am. What of other Alliance ships?"

"If more than one arrive, you can personally send one for supplies, but only if you desperately need something from the Alliance. Otherwise, they're to remain on station and assist with your... I guess this is a blockade, sort of."

He nodded. "That it is. A strange one, since we're defending the City rather than trying to starve it, but that it is. May my Sailors and Marines take shore leave?"

I shook my head. "Sorry, Captain. Maybe after the negotiations are done. If not, we'll find a way to make it up to them."

He nodded. "As you say it, let it be so, Ma'am."

I smiled, gave him another hug, grabbed my two passengers, and stepped to the Temple of Love. Karen stood by the altar, as did a very familiar looking woman. "Goddess."

I noticed one other woman in similar mustard colored robes sitting in the front row of seats. Diana's High Priestess shot a bit of a booger look at Lily and Rabbit, but I just smiled at her. "Can you get Diana on the line?"

She looked a little surprised, but nodded. "She sees with my eyes, hears with my ears."

"Hey Diana. Think you could stop by my Temple? Kinda need a favor, if you don't mind."

Moonlight filled the room, and then she was there, taller even than Lily. Both of my local friends tensed up a little, but I hugged them, then stepped forward to Diana. Who knelt. "Matriarch."

That got a fuckin' reaction from both mustard robed Priestesses. The one standing near me went to one knee as well, and the one sitting dropped to the floor and did a full face down kowtow. I shook my head and pulled Diana back to her feet. Stayed a step or two above her, so I could put my arms around her chest rather than her waist, but still. "Thanks for coming. Your Clergy wanted," I grinned, felt my cheeks heating. "Some of my personal attention?"

Diana barely turned her head, just enough to let her Clergy know she saw them there. "They are, perhaps, too presumptuous?"

I laughed. "Oh, hell no. Your ladies helped us out when the old building fell apart. Least I can do is pay them some close personal attention. But... before that?" I waved her down, pushed my Blend up just enough to keep my whisper private. "You mind doing me a little favor?"

She leaned in. "What kind of favor?"

I definitely blushed a little, because I knew I was maybe pushing things. "I kinda wanted these two," I nodded toward Lily and Rabbit. "To have a go tonight. But I'm not sure they're really sanguine about going first."

She frowned, backed away just a bit. "You'd have me submit to you on your own Altar?"

I shook my head, gently guiding Lily and Rabbit to seats in the front row with surreptitious tentacles. "Yeah, no. Not really. Not exactly. My whole thing up here? Is all about giving people what they need. What they want." I chuckled. "And being the one in charge all the time can get a little exhausting."

I maybe did a little subtle Shapeshifting. The tiniest bit taller; not enough to be as tall as her, just enough to make things easier. Maybe a little softer, a little curvier. Not much. She wasn't exactly soft herself. I'm not sure if she noticed, but her tongue darted out before she said, "you'd have me Worshipped here, on your Altar, in your Temple?"

I draped my arms around her neck. "Hey, I'm not here for the Worship. Nice side benefit, not gonna lie, but I'm here to give anybody who comes up here what they need. What they want. If that's what you need? What you want? You're absolutely welcome to it."

She arched her neck, looked down her nose just a little at me. "And what if what I want is to use you for my own pleasure, to dominate you here on your Altar, to leave you a gasping wreck?"

I scrunched up my nose, reached up and draped my arms around her neck. Ladies? Happening. "All I'd ask is that you don't take all night. There are folks waiting in line."

Her cheeks flushed, and she muttered, "impudent little..." then I pulled myself up and kissed her. Been a while since I got stronger than Marie. Been a while since I was with somebody who could, maybe, if I didn't use my tentacles, overpower me. Felt kinda nice. Felt nicer than the spillover Worship, because as I've noted, there's always Worship going on when I'm up on that altar. Diana got the lion's share, but then she did most of the work.

Eventually, she sagged, smiling. "So long since I neither had to hold back my strength, nor had to hold back my distaste."

I put on my shocked face. "I'm distasteful?"

She made me twitch for that in the very best of ways. "You are incorrigible, but not distasteful. Need I stay?"

I shrugged. "Up to you. If you wanna, you can. If you'd rather go, you can do that too. I won't be hurt by it, either way."

She glanced at where Lily and Rabbit sat. "I think I'll watch the rest through my Clergy." She leaned down, kissed me, then pulled away. "Thank you for your trust, Goddess."

"Not for the sex?" She just laughed and, in a flash of moonlight, was gone. I sat up, waved Lily over, and said, "please?"

She stepped up, stood in front of me, and whispered, "why?"

"Among other reasons? Because this is a Temple that celebrates the beauty inherent in every person, and you are very beautiful."

I watched her soften as I said that, and smiled as she reached out a hand, saying, "I like..." I Shapeshifted, going full boy mode. She smiled, licking her lips with that foot long tongue, and said, "compliments."

I split the rest of the night between Lily, Rabbit, and each of Diana's Priestesses. Luna wanted to do as her Goddess had done, and if the experience wound up being way more Devon and way less Diana, she still slumped over satiated at the end. Trivia wanted to be taken, but gently, quietly, like a stone eroded by the tide. Lily and Rabbit, who came before that, wanted me at my most masculine and my most feminine, respectively. They also wound up very much not falling over, instead finishing up with a look not unlike Siobhan's on one of the nights we'd overfed her. I guess their first dose, maybe overdose, of direct raw Worship was kinda similar for them.

They came back to the Homestead with me in the morning, what with none of us needing to keep up the illusion of staying in Muscogee any more. Tallulah surprised me by showing up for breakfast; apparently she'd spent the night. Siobhan... I spent most of the day tryna find some way to make her feel better. She'd barely slept, what with her ongoing nausea. Lily and Rabbit both looked more than a little bit concerned, but Saffron and Siobhan herself both confirmed that neither our Darling nor her in progress offspring were in danger.

She was just miserable.

I dunno if it was a deliberate attempt by Lily and Rabbit to win brownie points to trade for concessions regarding Muscogee, or both of them just being decent people who couldn't stand to see somebody in that much distress, but both of them hung around with me all day, trying nearly as hard as I did to find something to help out. Rabbit even went with me to bring Grandmother back to take a look at Siobhan. Unfortunately, her best stuff was more palliative than curative. I still appreciated it.

Finally, just before dinner, she managed to get to sleep. As I pulled the curtains around her and stepped away, I looked at my ladies and our guests. "Okay, ladies. I think we need to talk."

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