[In the meadows outside a seaport-town.]
"Daddy! Daddy wait for me!"
Young Alice yelled, running up the meadow hill after her father. The man smiled down at her, petting her head when she finally caught up.
"Calm down.. You'll tire yourself out and fall." He said, picking up his Eight-Year-Old Daughter, an arm wrapped around her as he held her near his hip.
"I Don't care if i fall.. I'll get right back up!" she said, her face halfway between a pout and a defiant expression.
"Maybe so.. But your mother will be mad if you get your nice, new clothes all dirty." He said in return, smiling down at his pouting daughter, who had pushed her face into his chest. "Hmmph. Fine."
"There, there.." He ran his free hand through her Dirty-Blonde hair, smiling as he pet her head. "It seems your hair got dirty again, you're gonna need a bath when we get home."
"Noo!" She yelled, hitting her tiny fist into his chest, which merely made him chuckle. "Heh~ that's my girl. Come on. Dinner Should be done soon.."
[Five years after that day..] "
Alice, now thirteen years old, practically jumped down the stairs, clinging her hand to the wooden posts to keep her balance.
"What is it?" she asked when she got to the living room, smiling brightly. Her grandfather, an old, but wisened man, was sitting in one of their armchairs, smiling at her. Although he was nearly blind, he still smiled every time he heard her voice.
"Here.. it's about time this was passed on." He said, reaching out to her, trying to hand her what seemed like an ornately decorated pan-flute.
"Pretty!" She says,smiling as she blew into one of the pipes, the sound which emerged making her giggle. "Thanks grandpa~"
"Ooh, its nothing." He smiled back. Alice could've swore that she saw him pass another thing to her father.. Some sort of book? Ahh, it doesn't matter. She was happy with her new instrument.
"Be careful with that.. It's very valuable.. It's been in the family for centuries." He warned her, only for her to nod nonchalantly "okayy" Alice said in return, blowing air into the various pipes, smiling as she made the noise.
[Six years later, Young alice arrives in Orario..] "
The book in question was in a language she couldn't read, which made her believe its worth was greater than she had originally guessed.
As she wandered into the city, she gazed around. She had been told that she'd need to find a 'familia' if she truly wanted to help anyone here. So that's what she set out to do.
And alas, after a day's worth of asking around, she was stuck. No One wanted to take her in, and it was getting dark. She found her way into a tavern, the barwoman a mighty looking, albeit kind woman.
"Ooh i'm sure you'll find a place to call home." the woman smiled down at her. "All else fails, you can stay here until you find a place."
"Thanks." Alice smiled up at the woman, not sure what else to say. It was then, however, that the doors were pushed open, revealing a rather skinny, white haired boy. While she did not know who this was, the bartender seemed to.
"Bell! Where the hell have you been?" the lady yelled at him. But before the strange boy could answer, he was shoved to the side as others walked into the bar. They gathered, taking up nearly the entire bar. Drinks were bought and passed around, cheers had, for many things, by the sound of it.
Meanwhile, Alice simply sat by herself, trying not to cause any problems as she ate and drank. By the sounds of their cheers.. They had just finished a particularly dangerous dungeon run.
After what seemed like forever, the party calmed down, and people sat at their tables, retelling stories, whether false or true, of this adventure.
The white-haired guy, 'bell', it seems, made his way over to the bar. Alice tried to remain unnoticeable, as he talked with the bartender.
"Glad to be back.." "Glad to finally have you back" They went on like this for what seemed like five minutes. In between drinks, bell eventually asked "So, anything interesting happen while i was down there?"
"Well.." The bartender started, and alice suddenly had the feeling she was no longer 'invisible'.
"This here girls' been looking for a familia. Poor one, i haven't seen anyone that thin since you came by for the first time."
"Em, I don't quite appreciate people talking about me as if i'm not here." Alice said, pulling back her hood, the now Shoulder-length, dirty blonde hair falling free of its' confine.
"Yea.. sorry." The bartender simply shrugged, saying, "Anyway, she's been looking for a home. Perhaps you could introduce her to your goddess?"
"I could try, sure." The boy said in return, reaching his hand to Alice. "I'm bell. You new to this town?"
"Yea.." Alice said shyly, shaking his hand. "And what did they mean by 'your goddess'?"
"See for yourself. Oi! Hestia! Come here, please." He called out. Alice perked her head up, trying to see who it would be, when A Somewhat short, black haired girl came, pushing her way through the crowd. "Yess, bell?"
/ A/N; No, i do not plan on often adding the japanese suffixes.
"You keep saying that you'd like us to expand our Familia, and well.." He gazed at Alice, who blushed and looked away, not sure what to say. She had heard tales of gods and goddesses who had descended to live with mortals.. But as there were none in the town she was from, she hadn't quite expected this.
"H-hello.." She says shyly, not sure what to say.
"You think this woman's be a good addition?" the goddess said, gazing at Alice. "Then again, Looks don't often hint at potential.. You, girl. What's your name?"
"Alice." She said in return, not sure what mannerisms to use. "Well, Alice.." The short but seemingly fierce goddess said, stepping closer. "What have you to offer us? Why should i let you into the familia?" there was an air of competitiveness in her voice.
"Well lets see.." Alice said, trying to recall all the useful things she had picked up over the years.
"I know a little botany.. Not much, but enough to grow simple herbs, which my mother taught me how to mix into tinctures and cures. Nothing too impressive, compared to a trained alchemyst, but it helps at times. Other than that.. Well i don't know. I've heard stories about people unlocking their full potential here, and.. Well, i just don't know what else i have in store. S-sorry.."
"You wouldn't be hiding anything from us, would you?" The goddess asked, the look on her face showing that she was at'least considering it.
"Nothing that i'll openly say, here.." Alice says, noticing that more than a few people had begun staring at her, and it honestly was making her a tad uncomfortable.
"Fair enough. Come on, you two." The short one said, Gesturing for her and the boy to follow her. After paying for her food, she followed, keeping quiet. The nighttime streets were quiet and mostly empty. And it was when she thought that they were alone, she heard something, a gust of wind? A foot on the stone? Whatever it was, it wasn't welcomed to this walk. Using her stick, which was about an inch in diameter, She swung it around behind her, hitting.. Something. Which immediately yelled at her.
"OW! H-Hey! Why'd you do that?" It was hard to see in the dark, but it seemed to be a rather short person, with puffy, copper-ey hair.
"Lily! Why were you following us like that?" Bell immediately ran back, helping the new girl get back up. Hestia simply stood, waiting. Though, the smile on her face made it seem like she was.. Pleased with what happened, somehow.
"S-sorry.. I don't really like being snuck up on." Alice said, Apologizing, but still keeping the makeshift weapon close to her.
"Good job." the goddess simply said, patting Alice on the back. "Not even i've been able to hear when little lily tries to sneak up on me.. What gave it away?"
"I don't know.. I just felt like.. Something was wrong. Then i heard a slight noise behind me, soo.. I swung at it.
"Well, 'it' Is one of our friends.. Just try not to hurt her again." the goddess said, gesturing for them to follow.
Soon, they were inside what seemed to be a dilapidated church, hestia motioning for them to sit down. "Soo, miss Alice.. What else have you to offer us?"
"I'm not sure if it's much.. But i have this." Alice pulled out her flute, shrugging. "It's been in the family for a while." She plays a simple tune on it, not expecting much. But it seemed to have an effect on each of the people nearby. The goddess, 'hestia', she had guessed, based on what the others had called her, seemed the most.. Shaken from the melody.
"Girl.. where did you get that, again?" She asks, slowly,her eyes gazing at the flute. Alice simply replied with, "My Grandfather gave it to me.. He said it's been in the family for generations."
"Uuh.. huh." Hestia simply nods. "I'll put it simply to you. That there, is one of the few known.. 'Spirit instruments'. Magically imbued artifacts, each with their own usages. As for yours.. I don't know. We'll see what it can do.." she yawns, stretching a little. "Try to make yourself comfortable.. Its a little late to do any more talking.. We'll see about adding you, in the morning"
"O-okay.." Alice said, watching as hestia and bell went further into the church, Lily climbing up into the rafters. She began playing her flute again, putting on a gentle melody, which she had always found soothing, helping her sleep. soon she was laying down on the bench,her head on her bag: using her book as a pillow as she clung her jacket and flute to her, swiftly drifting off to sleep.
/ A/N and that's it for chapter one. How was it? Only my second legitimate fanfic here so, please, be sure to tell me how it was~ i'm probably going to be continuing for at least 2-3 more chapters, after that, will depend on the popularity. Either way, i'll see ya next time.