"That's some magic… Damn." Welf commented, being the first to recover from the shock of seeing a literal miracle happen right before his eyes.
"Yeah, well, it took me quite a while to reach this level, more effort than time, but still." Shurry chuckled. "So, are you on board with receiving training?"
"It would be an honor to train with you again, Origin Wolf." Bell smiled. "You uh, didn't bring Legi with you this time did you?" He asked, shrinking slightly.
"Pfft, still embarrassed by how she handled you that day?" Shurry chuckled, and rubbed Bell's hair. "No, I didn't bring anyone else with me. For this is my trial, and mine alone."
"Alright, so… What is your plan to train everyone up?" Hestia asked, still with her arms tugging her knees to her chest.
"Well, I'm going to take everyone into the dungeon of course. Bell never got to experience the full throttled version of my training. Merely an appetizer. Even so, he should have some idea by now."
"I do, I'm in. I want to get stronger, and I know you're the best one to help me with that." Bell said with an adamant expression.
"Good. Everyone can think about it for the night. However, there's one thing I want to do before everyone turns in for the night."
"What's that? I'm getting tired." Hestia complained.
"Bell, have you given any further thought to the words I left you with, back then, just before you disappeared?"
"Huh?" Bell wondered for a moment, and then remembered, and blushed, looked at Ryu, and then back to Shurry. "I… I haven't thought about it yet."
"If you were required to make a choice right now, what would you do? Consider everything you've ever learned, and all of your role models. What have they done, and what kind of man do you want to be?" Shurry asked, dialing up the pressure to a significant degree.
Bell remained silent, thinking about his response… "Allow me a moment to think. I wouldn't want to lie to you. So let me gather my thoughts."
"Go for it. But while you do that, I'll show you something on this mirror."
Shurry pulled his makeshift mirror to show the scene of all his pups, and their mothers. Every last one of them, to include the twins that Iska gave him. The scene came as a complete shock to the others, and Hestia nearly passed out from the thought.
"UGH they're so cute, but why'd you have to get with so many women!!!?" Hestia complained.
"You're being a bad influence on Master Bell, you should be ashamed of yourself." Liliruca verbally jabbed.
"Did you really have kids with all of my sisters in that timeline?" Ryu asked, crying tears of longing. "Oh Alise, a version of you had found wonderful happiness."
Bell looked at Ryu again, and then his face said it all, turning back to Shurry once more, this time with a question.
"Origin Wolf, how do you do it?"
"Ardee is, and always will be my number one, the woman I love the most. Over any and all others. No goddess' charm, nor demons could possibly change my mind on that. She's more than a soul mate, she's my… She's one and only." Shurry began explaining, his tail wagged slightly. "Neze, Alfia, and Rose all understand that, but they also receive the love a lover gives. Iska is largely why I can handle hugging my little sisters Tiona and Tione again. Alise and the others refuse to be the only ones to be left out of the loop, I love as family, though sometimes they can ask to have that love take a different form for an hour or two."
"Ardee let you do all of that?" Ryu asked, blinking.
"Yes, we're both still suffering. During our great feud, Ardee lost the child which had been in her womb at the time, at the orders of… EREBUS…" He snarled. "We can't help attempt to fill the void left behind. Some have helped us along the way, but it is a hole that never vanishes, it just gets smaller, but denser." Shurry spoke… A tremble in his tone, and tears streaming down his face. "I'm sure there are many who understand what I mean… To lose your child… To never get the chance to see them… I was so furious I became a god slayer."
"You have a way to keep a clear hierarchy, and yet hold feelings for all of them… I… I don't know if I can do that."
"That's fine, but make sure you think about it." Shurry nodded, refusing to wipe his tears away. "Remember what Fels told you, be a hypocrite. Who ever said love had to be between two people? Who made that rule? As far as I'm concerned, whoever did, can go shove it up their rear. Is it easy? No, but neither is monogamy." He continued, and then with one final narrowing of his eyes, he finished speaking his piece… "Remember, all the things one has in life, of all of them, the things that matter most, are the hardest. Anything acquired without effort is worthless, toss it back."
Bell's eyes widened, this was the first time he recalled hearing words like that, but for some reason it made his heart skip a beat, like everything he had done up till now… His Falna glowed, and burned white hot.
Hestia jumped up, and checked Bell's status. "BELL! Are you alright, what's wrong?!" She dropped a bit of her ichor on the falna, and alongside his skills were some new things. "Bell, you playboy! Womanizer!"
"Huh? What's wrong Goddess?" Bell asked, quickly turning around for Shurry to see his status.
"Humph!" Hestia crossed her arms and turned away in defiance unwilling to tell Bell anything.
"Hmm, let's see her, Bell…" Shurry muttered, reading the falna. "Pfft! Well, Bell, it looks like your soul has the right answer before your mind does. Congratulations on your new skill, Fairy Lover." He continued, with a bellowing laughter.
Bell and Ryuu looked at each other, and then blinked for a moment, before both blushed, and then…
""EEEEK!!!""
"B-b-b-bell!"
"R-r-ryu!"
Welf and Shurry just laughed, while the girls in the familia had their own little reactions. And that was the moment Luna came out and giggled.
"If you like, I can officiate for you, even make a full moon for you to exchange vows under. How about it?" Luna teased, with a serious offer.
""Yes please!!"" Both said in unison, then… ""EEEP EEP!""
That night, everyone went to bed after a wild Hestia did some bonking on everyone's heads. So the issue would be pushed off to another time, the others all had their own thoughts on what to do about training, a weighty thought that sent them into lumber…