Chapter 34

Day three without Hestia around. I knew she was alright, the status on my back, my link to her by blood, was fine. The others too knew she was still alive. But I could tell that all of Hestia Familia were starting to find ways to distract themselves so they could ignore her absence.

Case in point, Marius had managed to drop me in practise. He had borrowed Chigusa's shield again, and during our morning spar, he'd done close to what he'd done in the dungeon yesterday. Instead of using his weight against me, he'd used my own lack of weight, lifting me off the ground with his shield as I braced against it, and then tilting it back. This bruised both my pride and my rear but proved that Her absence was becoming a problem.

"You're really good with that thing." I commented, rubbing my rear.

"There are few monsters near Rakia, so most of my training is against people, after all." He said, waiting until I'd left the circle to turn around to face Mikoto.

I grumbled quietly, watching the two of them spar. Mikoto was probably the only one of Hestia Familia not bothered by her being gone, but since Takemikazuchi was only a few meters away, training Lilly and Haruhime with something that looked like Tai-Chi...

"What's the plan today sister?" Welf asked, balancing his great sword over his shoulder as he watched and waited for his turn to spar, "You don't look like you feel up to a dungeon trip."

"I wouldn't mind, I could use something to take my mind of waiting." I replied, wincing as the tall Marius was flattened by a pommel strike to the chin, the following clatter of armour sounding like a collection of pot lids being dropped. "But the dungeon is not a place for 'distractions'."

"Could always spend it in. Or maybe we could call it an odd job day?" He grinned, taking a step forward as Marius collected himself and left the circle, "Always the forge."

I chuckled as Mokoto and Welf squared off. His suggestion had a lot of merit. We could use the money, and our two Familia were still mostly unarmoured. There was still a lot left to do before I even wanted to think about a trip past the eighteenth again. Asuka was about a hand span from getting her throat torn out after all...

Welf landed on his back next to me with an thump. "Yeah. Good idea."

"Ouch... Knew you'd see reason sister." He replied after the stars had cleared from his eyes.

Takemikazuchi Familia with their new addition of Marius, as well as Lilly and Mikoto had gone to do odd jobs. Welf stayed behind in the shop as usual, and I swapped myself on the 'who's turn was it to shop' list with Bell. Haruhime followed me as well, bringing Chime with her.

"Where are we going first?" She asked, one hand holding the tiny rabbit, the other on my elbow. "What is on the list?"

"Food mostly." I replied, squinting at the list and mumble reading it, "Rice, vegetables, flour... Umm..." I held the paper to her, "Is that some kind of meat?"

"Oh, yes, we had it that last week." She replied, "Catobalas."

"Well, I must have liked it, if I don't remember disliking it." I said, "Some clothing, wood, replacement stones for some lamps, toothbrushes..." With a household like ours, the variety on the list was to be expected.

"Lord Takemikazuchi is kind." She said, "It makes me think about how even Gods can change."

"For him, its less of a stretch than you might think." I replied, trying to keep my voice light, "Orphans are a part of war, after all."

"Oh..." Her ears drooped a little, "I hadn't thought about it that way.

"Most people don't want to think of it that way." I replied, my tail swishing around her hips, "But, you're right, he is kind. I think he was the one who wrote down this part here." I pointed out the long list of things that could only be for the orphans. "He's very mindful of their needs."

"Yes. It's a shame he isn't as mindful about some other things." She sighed, "I'm not sure he will ever notice Mikoto-chan the way she wants him to."

"Urg, yes, Gods can be so... thick headed about that."

We continued to make small talk as we travelled. Most of it was basically gossip. One of the things I had picked up on, almost as soon as I learned the language, was that gossip was almost like currency. Not like an informant's information on something, but rumours could be almost as powerful as directed force in this city.

My own slip up when Bell and I reached level two was a good example. Our progress had fuelled the fight on level eighteen. I could feel that sort of 'force' directed on me again as we walked too.

"Ko-san?" Haruhime tugged my sleeve, "What's wrong?" Shy, but in no way unobservant, she'd picked up on my unease.

"People are avoiding us." I replied, noticing that as I looked around, many of the adventurers around us looked away as I caught them watching. It wasn't hostility, but caution.

"Oh?" She looked around as well, her tail slowly moving back and forth.

I could guess why. One person had overheard me admit not to just killing Phryne, but reaching level four. I'd also brought in, and taken under my care, what most people would consider an enemy.

"Really?" I sighed, tugging Haruhime close to me as we rounded a corner. It was our second last stop, a cloth seller, and it was in the less visible of area of the shopping district. Waiting for us were roughly a dozen adventurers, reminding me of the rag tag group that had assaulted Hestia down on the eighteenth. "You've really got nothing better to do?"

A few of them chuckled, others glared, and there were a couple of blatantly lustful looks as well. "So is it true? Is the Demon of the Eighteenth floor a murderer as well?" One of them asked, grinning, "It wasn't enough that you nearly beat someone to death, that you had to kill someone else too?"

Haruhime looked up at me as I sighed and did a facepalm. "You really have no idea how stupid you look right now." I said back to the crowd. "I mean, if what you say is true, you're trying to bother me about it." I put a hand on Haruhime's head and stepped forward, putting her behind me. "I mean, what if I did? Is it really a good idea to get in my way?"

"Blah blah." Another replied, "Rumour also has it, that it was the leader of the Berbera." A few of them agreed, "And she's level five."

"So there's no way you could have killed her." Another commented. "Even if you're level three, there's no way!"

"More of that Hestia Familia's lies!"

"She even brought in a soldier from Rakia!"

It was grade school all over again for me. Bullies, gangs, mob mentality.

I felt a hand on my rear, brushing a hand over my tail in just the right way, Haruhime squeaking in surprise as someone probably did the same to her. "And good riddance, I say." A familiar voice said over me, "Are you guys bothering my friends? I hope not."

Looking back, my hands clenching into fists to suppress my first reaction of elbowing the person touching my tail, I saw the rugged beauty that was Aisha grinning over my shoulder at the crowd. "You should ask before doing that." I mumbled to her, "Ha-chan might kick your shins."

"You're so cute together." She mumbled back before raising her voice, "Phryne IS dead." She said, "And unless you want to bother the person who did it, you'll piss off, right now."

There was a moment of tension as the Amazon stared them down, but after a moment, they dispersed, vanishing down side alleys or directly away from us to blend back into the market district.

"Aisha-san!" Haruhime said with joy, jumping into the Amazon's arms and hugging her. I had to rescue Chime before it fell off her shoulder too, her excitement making her forget about the critter.

"Hey tiny." She said, hugging her back and petting her head, "Good to see you too." She looked at me, "Fox."

"Legs." I nodded to her, then shrugged and hugged her as well. "Good to see you again, your timing was perfect."

"I stopped by your place a little while ago. One of the kids said you went shopping." She said after we'd let go of each other. "Considering there are only two of you in the city, you're oddly not that hard to find." She grinned, "It's the ears I think."

"Could be." I replied, "Friend." I said, holding up Chime, "Have a bunny. Walk with us a while?"

"Sure..." She accepted the rabbit, bringing her face right up to it, "Have to talk anyhow."

"Wow... You have shopping handled." Aisha commented as we walked out of the last stop for the day, "It was never that organized in the district."

"Ko-san is very efficient with her chores." Haruhime commented, "Since we saved time, we can do something else now, right?"

"Exactly." I said with a grin, "So, what brings you by?" I asked, "I mean, you are always welcome, though sneaking up on my tail..."

The Amazon raised an eyebrow at me as she simply raised a hand, palm out, and had my tail curl around her wrist obediently. "Oh really?"

Haruhime giggled while I sighed, "Traitorous appendage." I mumbled, my tail refusing to leave its new perch when I tried to take control of it mentally.

"Well, a few things brought me by. First, though this news is a little old, I'm part of Hermes Familia... Unofficially, sort of, kind of." She mumbled the last part, "He's a really shady guy."

"Sigh... If he causes trouble for Eina, I'm going to be even more annoyed with him than I already am." I said, "I hope he takes my message seriously."

"Asfi mentioned that actually." Aisha grinned, "Said you made quite the statement. But yeah, he's taken me in, but probably wont tell the Guild."

"Why not?" Haruhime asked, "Isn't he supposed to tell them?"

"Hermes has an... interesting view on that." Aisha replied, "He's one of the only Gods that works in this city, who isn't actually part of it. Hermes Familia doesn't have a base here, and most of the members are sort of... Free. As close to mercenaries as you can get."

I thought about it, and it fit Hermes's nature as a 'messenger God'. "Well, glad you have someplace, though I do sort of wish you had joined Hestia Familia."

"Aww, how sweet." Aisha replied, putting the rabbit back into Haruhime's hands, "But you already have Haru, why would you want me around?"

"You give better back rubs?" I offered, making Haruhime pout, and Aisha smile, "But seriously? You're strong, smart, and would be an asset no matter what needed to be done."

"Flatterer." She gave my shoulder a punch, "But no, I wouldn't feel right..." She trailed off, "Anyhow! Enough of what could have been!" She reached behind her into a leather sac, "I um, salvaged, yes, salvaged, something from one of Ishtar's former holdings." She produced a book, an old leather bound thing, with symbols burnt into the front. "It was with some of the other things Ishtar imported from the East, and I figured you might want it."

She handed the book to me and I could feel a phantom hum where my fingertips touched the leather. I lowered it so Haruhime and I could both get a good look at it. "I know that's Eastern." I said, "But no idea what it says." I let Haru take the book from me, "Love? You know it?"

"It's... A tome. A magic tome!" She said excitedly. Aisha always seemed to let Haruhime drop her usual reserved manner. "This is... Priceless! Are you sure?" She asked the Amazon, "I would have to read it, but you know how these work, right Ai-san? You can only read these once, then the magic in it fades."

"Sure. Never had much use for magic, past that of some one else healing me." She grinned, "Besides, its from your homeland right?" She gave the golden fox girl a pat on the head, teasing her ears, "I also *cough* found a few other things that more than make up for what ever value that book might have had for me."

I gave her a raised eyebrow, to which she shrugged.

"Ko-san! We should try reading this." Haruhime held the book out to me proudly, "After we get home, can we?"

"But... I can only just read the local letters..." I admitted, "And my Eastern is... ummm... Wa, Ta, Shi, De, Su, I... Se... Um... Ku... N..."

She giggled as I fumbled for more syllables, while Aisha said, "The book will take care of it. It's magic."

I'd almost forgotten the usual explanation for really weird things, 'A wizard did it.' But, it did remind me of the book Bell read when he learned Firebolt. He had said something like 'I read the book and then I knew'.

"Sure. How about tonight before bed? I've got to help Welf with the armour. The next time we go back into the dungeon..."

"Oh, sounds like a story!" Aisha said, getting between Haruhime and I, hooking one arm around my middle and the other over Haruhime's shoulder.

"Well, you know how Takemikazuchi Familia and Hestia Familia are living in the same place now?"

"Oh... So that's how it happened." Aisha said after I'd finished the story. "And you just woke up a week later, with a harpy feather in you hand?"

"Yes. It was... Odd. I remember the fight now. Or rather, most of it. But there's still a gap. Little moments that I remember, sounds mostly, but then I woke up."

"We were so worried." Haruhime pouted, petting Chime, "But Hestia-sama said you were still alive. So we kept looking."

"She is so grounded when she gets home." I said grumpily, "And I'd love to tell Ganesha what I think of him, if I thought it would do any good."

"Well, I do know you pretty much did the impossible." Aisha said petting my tail, "But after asking around on the eighteenth, some of the townsfolk who helped Bell and them get back into that room... Well, the fact that they didn't want to tell me what they saw was clue enough."

"I'd rather not think about it any more than I have to, please?" I pleaded, "I'm already going to have to deal with some idiot who thinks I'm lying about it. You probably saved me from another Guild fine earlier."

"No sweat. Besides, the easiest way to deal with that is to just stand up to the bunch of them and dare them to take the first swing." Aisha punched her palm with a firm snap of sound.

"And I would, if I weren't already called the Demon Fox, oh... I wonder. Ha-chan? Hold still a moment."

"Yes? Oh!" She turned to face me, and I put both hands on her shoulders, leaning my head down and resting my forehead on hers. "But were in public..."

"Shh... I'm trying something..." I turned an eye back to Aisha, who still had my tail, "Don't move unless something happens." She nodded, and I closed my eyes, holding the image of Haruhime's wonderful green pupils in my mind.

I was calm now. No anger, no stress. Just myself, holding to the quiet support that was Haruhime. Yet, I still looked inside myself, at the cage that contained what I saw as my magic. Ryuu had once told me that emotion coloured your magic. It was no wonder that each time I'd drawn on my anger, fear or hopelessness, I lost control. When I'd fought Hyakinthos, he'd said I was alone, but I had told myself he was wrong, and proved it, literally bringing my Madness out to bite him.

So with a hand on the cage of my magic, I opened the bars, and offered my hand.

"Oh!" The effect was instant. I could feel my inner reserves of magic burning away quickly, but I could feel a second phantom sensation as Aisha pet my ears.

Opening my eyes, I looked back and saw the Amazon petting what looked like a small black fox made out of mist that was fizzing off of my tail. It was weird. Now that I was calm, I could feel more 'information' about what I had done. I could see through the manifestation's eyes, feel the sensation of Aisha's hand on its ears, even smell the strange exotic wood scent she wore on her. But, I could also feel my hands on Haruhime's shoulder, the scent of her hair and her hands on my hips.

"Wow... You don't look so good? Are you okay?" Aisha asked my eyes seeing a sort of double wall-eyed vision of her looking at me from two different angles.

"Oh no! Ko-san broke!" Haruhime said as I went down to a knee and closed my eyes tightly.

"No no... It's... I can feel and see everything... twice. It's very confusing." There was a moment of vertigo as Aisha moved her arm, the sensation of motion without moving making my stomach twist a little. "Okay, nope..." I relaxed my magic and felt the sensations centre out on my body again.

"Oh... You sure you're okay?" Aisha asked, patting my back, "You looked like you ate something bad."

"I just need more practise." I said, feeling my inner ear stop telling me I was in free fall or something. "Those flying boots weren't as bad as that."

"Well, it was kind of cute." The Amazon said, keeping a hand on my back as I stood and steadied myself.

"I nearly killed Hyakinthos with that," I chuckled, "Though, I wasn't in such good company at the time. Thanks." I nodded to Aisha and she took her hand away, "So where are you going next?"

"Dunno, might entertain myself in the dungeon." Aisha said with a grin, "Or just entertain myself somewhere quiet. I dunno."

Haruhime blushed, while I gave the Amazon another raised eyebrow. "A quiet place to make noise in?"

"Oh yeah." She replied with a grin, waggling her eyebrows at Haruhime who hid her face against me. "Oh how I wish I could paint. That's such a cute picture. How do you keep your hands away from her when she does that?"

I could feel my opposite's face burning against my side as I hugged her, "I don't?"

"Well..." Welf said as I held up leather vest, inspecting it critically, "This one is for... Asuka right?" I nodded and he accepted the vest from me. "The leather is cured right. No soft spots. Metal plates are all solid... Still flexible where it needs to be... All it needs is the inner lining, and a bit of working in." He handed it back with a thumbs up, "I'm not sure I could do better sister! Good job!"

"Yes!" I cheered, "Lets just hope she doesn't grow too much more." I said with a chuckle, "I mean... The measurements we took are pretty exact."

"Just means you get to make another. Haruhime's vest is going to be the big problem though."

"You wanted to use the Goliath leather? That stuff is almost like lead." I replied, getting to work on the salamander wool lining of Asuka's armour.

"Yes. But its nearly indestructible and we don't even need to treat it." He replied, holding up what was going to be Haruhime's vest, "Lilly won't have a problem with it, with her support skill, but..."

"Hm." It was true, the Goliath hide, from the irregular we had fought down on the eighteenth, was almost impossible to puncture or cut without special tools. Even then, it would try and heal itself, as if the leather itself was still alive with the monstrous vitality that let it keep fighting, even without the top of its head. Again, only with special tools could we even shape the stuff. "As much as I love how soft she is, I think it's time to get her more involved with morning exercises. It might take a month or two, but..."

"You sure? I mean, I agree, but she's kind of... It's not something she's ever really needed to do, it might be more effort than it's worth." Welf replied, scratching his head.

"Oh, don't worry about that." I got out a pencil and bit of paper, "And no amount of effort is wasted if it keeps you alive."

"True. So what about that metal you made? I've got an idea or two, but you made it, I don't want to use it all before you've had a chance with it." Welf leaned over to watch me draw something on the paper.

"After I do this and get the lining into this, I'll heat up the forge." I said, "Haruhime and I have plans tonight, so I'm not staying too late."

"Plans?" He asked, getting up and watching me draw, "Oh, I see what you're doing."

"Yeah. Met with Aisha while we got our shopping done." And I filled him in on what had gone on.

"Well Asuka?" I asked, watching the quite Takemikazuchi fighter as she twisted this way and that in her new armour. "No pinching? Still move everything?"

"Yes! It's not too heavy, and... I can still touch my toes." She flexed herself around a little more, then stood up straight. "But... This design isn't very flattering..." She mumbled to me, motioning to the 'uni-boob' form of the vest itself. She wasn't the largest of busts in the Hearth manor, but...

"How's your shoulder?" I asked, her face telling me I'd made my point, "But it's good it fits perfectly. There won't be a next time for what happened on the nineteenth floor."

"Yes, Kodori-san." She replied, unbuckling the armour and getting back into her 'around the house' shirt again. "Thank you for your hard work."

"No problem. It's Haruhime's turn to cook, and she would love your help I'm sure." We stepped out of her room and split up, the quiet girl giving me a wave as I went the other way.

"Ma'am." Marius greeted me as we passed in the hallway, "What news?"

"No news. Though, I'd like some advice, actually, not advice..." I paused, "May I see your armour?"

He looked puzzled, "I don't see why not?" He turned and headed back the way he'd come, "Is there a problem?"

"Probably not?" I tried, "I figured, since Welf and I are making armour for everyone..." I gave him a brief description of what happened on the nineteenth floor, the veteran soldier frowning with concern, "So, I wanted to get a look at your armour, in case it needed fixing, or replacement."

"Understood. We only really have access to base metals in Rakia. Our land is rich with ore, but it is only through import that we get some of the more exotic metals." He explained, opening up his room and stepping inside.

I wasn't sure what to expect when I entered. He'd only been here a few days, so he didn't have much in the way of furniture. A bed, a desk, a chair. But he'd made a stand for his armour, a sort of modified coat rack. The armour itself was sort of Roman. It wasn't quite the 'lorica segmentata' I remembered from the history books, but it was close. Wide bands of metal layered like scales, covering the chest, shoulders and abdomen. Simple, flexible, and easy to mass produce. It required almost no effort to replace broken or dented parts either, only requiring the removal of a few rivets to get at the damaged parts.

"We can work with this. I'll chat with Welf, and we'll get something tougher made." I said, poking at one of the plates where I found one of my knuckle prints, probably left there by my duel with him, "I mean, it's good work, but we can do better here."

"Understood." He said, a tiny smile on the corner of his mouth, "Ma'am punches rather hard after all."

"Well, if you are here to train, and return a hero, you should at least be wearing something that fits the role." I grinned, standing up straight, "I'll get your measurements later, and put it on the to-do list."

"Yes ma'am."

"And do you have to call me 'ma'am'?"

"No ma'am." His smile widened slightly while I sighed into my hand.

After scrubbing the day's efforts off of me with a scalding hot shower and soak, I headed back to my room. All in all, it had been a productive day. I'd gotten work done in the shop, gotten almost all of the shopping done, set things in motion to bring the newest member of our house up to par with his equipment, and tried out a new thing with my magic.

Full manifestation. And not just something I could use 'when cornered', like I'd done with Phryne, or lost my self from having Bell in danger. But a tangible expression of my magic. The double sensory thing was a bit of a sticking point. It would be nothing more than a gimmick if I couldn't get over wanting to pass out, vomit, or fall over when I used it. Entertaining at parties, but nothing more.

My skin still steaming from my bath, I entered my room and looked about. Haruhime was already there, dressed in her 'sleeping kimono', sitting at the low table writing something. She had a very neat hand, her casual kanji writing looking like art.

"Journal?" I asked, getting behind the changing screen and setting my clothes out for tomorrow.

"Oh? No." she replied with a ruffle of paper, "Lord Takemikazuchi said that some of the orphans from back East might want a letter. Not just from me, but everyone."

"And since you have the nicest writing?" I walked over to her, naked, my feet making no sound as I crossed the tatami.

She leaned her head a little to the side as I knelt behind her, carefully hugging her so I didn't disturb her pen hand or the ink bottle. "Yes. Since I have the best writing." We rubbed our cheeks together lightly, "Does Kodori-dono wish for me to join her?"

Her suddenly formal tone made me shiver a little, "Yes, I would. We have a book to read, do we not?" I rubbed my cheek against hers again, amused by the thought of not having ears on the side of my head making this much more satisfying. "Would my Lady wish her tail to be brushed first?"

It took a little work to break her normal reserve. She was, despite having lived in a brothel, a proper 'lady'. But my question, and the fact I locked the room door, let her unwind a little more than she normally did. "Yes, I would like that, but just that tonight?"

"Yes, just that, I am also interested in what this 'tome' does." I replied, trying to ignore the wonderful feeling of sliding myself off her back and settling behind her so I could brush her tail. "Welf and I came up with an idea for your training too." I added as I ran my fingers through the fur of her tail, "It might be tough at first, but I hope you forgive me for it."

I had to capture her tail as my 'accusation' that she might not be 'thankful' for my attention made it try and stand straight up. Proper 'Eastern' manners could be such a pain sometimes. "I would be happy to learn to not be a burden on the party." She said an instant later, "I would never... rrrr..."

I shushed her by scratching the exact spot on her back I knew she couldn't reach on her own, "No no. It's not 'not be a burden' it's 'be more effective'. You already bring a lot of worth to our formation. But, there is always room to grow, for all of us. It just might be a little tough on you at first." I set the brush down and gave her back a light pat, "Just because you are a supporter, doesn't mean you can't be supported. Now, my turn."

After she had gone over every centimetre of my tail with the brush, making pouting noises at how I had to take better care of it and my trip outside the walls leaving terrible mats that she just HAD to brush out, we finally got into bed. She reached under the pillow and produced the tome, its leather bound cover still giving me a low electric tingle when I touched the surface. Laying on our stomachs and propped up on our elbows, we set the book on the pillow, and opened it together.

Notes? Notes!

More slice of life going on here. The book (yes, once again, I mention the book) had Bell and Hestia taking about a week or so not including travel time. Given Kodori was gone about 3 days, that gives me time for more stuff.

The tome, some might wonder, is an actual thing. Aisha did find it, and give it to our golden fox. So her new spell is scripted. Kodori on the other hand... I have a few ideas and I hope that you, my dear readers, enjoy how I bring that about. (Some one even suggested it. See? I listen to reviews!)

The party doesn't stop, until the cleric is dead and we run out of potions.