First Demonic Dragon

Gandora passed through the space between the heavenly realms with minor intrigue in her glowing red eyes.

Traveling between these different planes wasn't as uncomfortable as her mate, Bayle, had told her it was.

The experience was a bit like pushing your fingers through layers of plastic wrap.

Leave it to her mate to overly dramatize the experience…

After around 45 minutes of flight, Gandora passed through a rather strong barrier to arrive at an entirely new land.

The High Plane of Heaven, also known as Takamagahara is the domain of the Shinto deities and is akin to their Mt. Olympus.

Gandora landed on a great golden bridge connecting the heavens to the earth.

With powerful strides, her legs bounded across the shining structure; traveling farther and farther than the eye could see.

Miles and miles ahead on the bridge, there is only one figure standing between outsiders and the High Plane of Heaven.

He is a very tall man with a dark beard, a ruddy face and a long nose like a tengu.

His clothes are made from white fabric reflecting his status, and he leaned his body against a bejeweled spear.

His gaze was filled with a sense of dutiful disinterest- his mind filled only with the next time he would see his wife.

Sarutahiko Ōkami is the shining bright god who guards the path to Shinto paradise.

He is very strict in his duty, reflecting the ideology of nearly the whole pantheon.

Outsiders are rarely allowed in. Leaving is expressly forbidden without special permission.

It is like Greek Olympus, but the only difference is that the Shinto deities are more or less fine with these rules and wouldn't really step out to leave even if they were given opportunity.

They just aren't the type to wander outside unnecessarily. Their main interest is in keeping to themselves.

But this also means that they can be extremely unwelcoming to most, if not all, visitors.

Especially, large scaly ones.

When Sarutahiko saw a large, scaly beast bounding towards his homeland, he immediately tightened his grip on his famous bejeweled weapon.

He didn't think about where the creature had come from, or what it's goal for coming here might have been. It's only focus was on preventing a rather nefarious looking creature from making it's way into it's glorious homeland.

Tightening his grip on his famed weapon, the gems shone with a magical divine light that burned away all darkness.

With one hand and expert form, the shining god hurled the famed weapon at the incoming beast.

An arc of light shot across the bridge like a missile, heading towards the still-approaching Gandora.

She hadn't even so much as slowed down.

Before the weapon came in contact with her precious scales, a clawed hand formed from solidified darkness snatched the weapon out of the air.

Sarutahiko felt his entire lower body tense up.

His anxiety wasn't supplemented until he noticed the royal tent on the back of the beast and he saw a familiar woman poked her head out.

"Quite an un-warm welcome, Gatekeeper. I thought we had already done a lot to improve our people's relations since our last meeting."

The old Gatekeeper's face lit up.

"Empress! Apologies, I wasn't aware that it was you! Though I should have known since, the few occasions a demonic beast has arrived on the bridge it has belonged to your family."

Movement suddenly came from behind Ayaana and Abaddon poked his head out alongside hers.

"Who is the demonic beast? Have you ever seen a cute thing more precious than this? Other than my own daughters of course..."

Sarutahiko stared at Gandora more closely.

"...Ahahaha... I see the Uma-Sarru has a sense of humor. Welcome." The old man smiled.

Abaddon didn't know what was supposed to be funny.

Gandora was an undeniably precious thing, and he wouldn't stand for any sort of slander that said otherwise.

Abaddon and Ayaana floated towards the old gatekeeper and both of them shook his hand politely. It is true that ordinarily, the Shinto deities do not like outsiders.

However, they always have gotten along with Abaddon fairly well.

They've never really done anything to inspire him to crack down on them. And since he has always been more dutiful than malicious, he is pretty respected.

The number of Shinto deities who see him in a more positive light is not small, but that doesn't mean he is completely without enemies either.

"Please, let me show you both to the pala..." Sarutahiko's words trailed off as he stared at the extra people coming out of the tent.

Or rather, just three of them to be specific.

"...They can't come in here." he flatly denied.

Nyx / Gaia: "HOW DARE YOU!"

"Whine all you want. No one from Olympus is allowed in here without a written ordinance from the empress."

"Why?!" Gaia roared.

"You know exactly why."

Demeter was the only one who didn't seem to find this surprising or unjustified.

Abaddon didn't try to use his influence to lean on Sarutahiko to let the girls inside.

Since he was here on unofficial business and all, he really had no justification to do so. He wouldn't be unreasonable unless the situation demanded it.

"Sorry, my friends. Stay put for now." Abaddon smirked.

"Try not to miss us too much." Ayaana snickered.

The lovers walked away with their young son in tow, and left the trio of goddesses staring in mild lustful wonder.

"…Hear me out."

""No need. I get it.""

-

Takamagahara is one of the more beautiful of the heavenly realms and among the most fitting for the title of a paradise.

An ancient, yet remarkable looking city stands atop a cloudy white and fluffy surface.

Among all of the ancient structures, there is one that is head and shoulders above the rest.

It is a palace befitting the one who lives there- shining and radiant with an incomparable hope and radiance.

Inside of the golden palace, a beautiful woman sits alone on a traditional throne worth it's weight in gold.

She wore thick, traditional Japanese robes of a bright red color. Her skin was pale, and smooth like milk, and her eyes were a beautiful picturesque orange.

Her long silver hair was adorned in a neat bun with more than just a few ornaments decorating her head.

She was impossibly beautiful, regal, and refined.

"Empress."

One of the guards at the door called for her attention and interrupted her moment of contemplation.

"The Gate Guardian has brought-"

"Let them in."

Amaterasu didn't know who exactly Sarutahiko was bringing, but he wasn't the type of God to just let anyone in- much less an unwelcome outsider.

So it must have been quite the esteemed guest.

The guards pulled open the doors to the grand hall, and the bearded old man stride in- accompanied by three of the tallest individuals that she had ever seen.

Against all expectations, the stoic and business-like Amaterasu pursed her lips into a smile.

"I should have known it was you two. I don't remember the last time Sarutahiko has willingly shown a guest to me in such surprising fashion."

Ayaana smiled politely at the old goddess. "So does that mean we have failed to surprise you?"

"You have indeed. I'm afraid you'll have to try again in another one thousand years."

"We'll put it down on our calendar."

The pair smiled at each other as Amaterasu stood up from her throne.

Both beautiful women embraced each other in a warm gesture that almost seemed familial for some reason...

When they separated, Amaterasu stared at Abaddon, who in turn was staring back at her.

"...Old beast."

"Jail bait."

"Decrepit fogey."

"Loli."

"You bast...!" Amaterasu started to snap but quickly reigned herself in rather than let the black dragon win.

But as her face had already turned red, Abaddon knew that he had been victorious.

"...What manner of game is this?" Bashenga asked with a raised brow.

Abaddon chuckled as he clasped his hand on Amaterasu's shoulder.

"My son, this

young

lady is a family friend. I've had her acquaintance ever since she ascended to her current position."

.net

Amaterasu heated up her shoulder until it was easily matching the temperature of the sun.

But Abaddon was the cosmos itself. He holds our sun, and millions more like it, within himself at every moment of every day.

So when Amaterasu realized she couldn't burn him, she swatted his hand away like a buzzing fly.

"Your wrinkly old father is a continual scourge on my life. Just because he's older than sin, he believes he somehow has some leeway to treat e everyone around him as if they are helpless babies... But your mothers are the loveliest women I have ever known."

"...An astute observation." Bashenga nodded.

Ayanna's eyes began to water.

"Did you hear that!? Our baby said we were lovely!"

"Pull yourselves together, mothers!"

"No, give us a hug!"

"Stop touching me in public! Why must all of you primordial goddesses be the same!?"

While Ayaana chased their son around the throne room, Abaddon and Amaterasu stayed behind watching them in amusement.

"...So... how is he?" she finally asked.

Abaddon didn't need to ask who she meant. "You two work together quite closely. Are you telling me you honestly don't know?"

"...Forget I asked." Amaterasu said flatly.

Taking pity on her, Abaddon smiled apologetically.

"...Apophis is doing well. I believe he might like to rekindle your friendship again."

For the first time since their arriving, Amaterasu became stone-faced, cold, and empress-like.

"...We don't always get what we want in life. Even if we are gods."

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