Disclaimer: I do not own DanMachi or any of the Omori's original characters, nor do I make any profit off of my writing.
Bell slumped against a wall on the first floor and fell down to the ground, violent coughs racked his body as he tried to catch his breath.
Blood sprayed out of his throat, coating his teeth, and painting his lips red. He could taste the iron on his tongue as it flooded his mouth and he spat a clot down onto the stone.
There was blood already coating his entire body, his white hair now complete scarlet along with all of the clothes on his body.
The echoes of that monster still echoed in his mind, his heart was still pounding uncomfortably hard. He hadn't pushed himself like that in a long time. He wasn't even sure how many more days like that his body could take.
It doesn't matter.
I can't help people if I'm weak. I can't get stronger if I don't try.
He pictured that girl's outstretched hand, the look of concern in her eyes as he clawed at his chest instead of accepting it, gasping for air as his body was racked with pain. The words she spoke were all too familiar to him/
'Are you alright?'
He wasn't.
I'm not.
And so, despite his already struggling body, he ran again.
She saved him. She did exactly what he had been hoping to do.
She saved him.
And she had done it so easily.
Can I ever hope to be as strong as her? Could I even live long enough to be a hero like her?
More blood bubbled up from his throat, his lungs still throbbing as his breath caught with each inhale and exhale. It seemed hopeless in the end, but he didn't have much hope, to begin with.
He was dying. There was no changing that.
He was already at a disadvantage, he just needed to get stronger.
He grit his teeth before swishing the blood around in his mouth, forcing it to pool at one point before he spat it onto the stone.
His knife lashed out and sunk into the head of a goblin that tried sneaking up behind him. A groan escaped his lips as he fell down to a knee and began cutting into the chest of the small monster, ripping a line from its neck down to its stomach. He plunged one hand deep into its chest and gripped the small magic shard inside.
With one pull the stone came out and the monstrous body dissolved into a cloud of excelia, exploding outward and cloaking the immediate area in a wispy, white smoke.
Bell sighed and swiped an arm across his face, trying to displace some of the blood that was drying on it. He frowned down at his shirt sleeve which was covered in an equal amount of minotaur blood.
Eina is going to kill me.
No point in putting off the inevitable.
She climbed to his feet sluggishly, using the wall as a support. His left hand traced the stone as he stumbled along, the stability it provided against the stone was all that was keeping him upright.
Why am I so exhausted today? I was doing so much better the last few days?
Was it just the running? I didn't even run that far?
He spat out another clot and rubbed his tired eyes with his right hand.
".. I should just bite the bullet and get a cane for when I'm walking.. "
He didn't want to.
He really didn't.
But he was fairly certain he probably wouldn't be able to stand upright if he wanted.
He walked through the large cavern entrance to the first floor and looked up at the spiraling staircase to the surface. Adventurers were busying about above him; most were trekking up the stairs after a day at work in the dungeons.
They look less tired..
Bell sighed and took the first step up the stairs, trading his left arm for his right as he struggled to keep his legs steady. They wobbled beneath him each and every time he tried to push off the stair, the strain from balancing on one combined with supporting all of his weight proving almost too much.
"Do you need a hand?"
Eh?
He glanced up to see a beautiful far eastern girl looking back down at him, the rest of her party still continuing up the stairs behind her.
".. you look like you're hurt, I could help you get to the clinic."
Bell nodded minutely, he really didn't want to, but–
His left leg collapsed from beneath him just as she made it to his side, she quickly caught him and pulled his arm over her shoulder.
".. thank you.. "
His voice was raspy and tired, something she most definitely noticed as she flashed him a concerned look. She nodded briefly and began pulling him up the stairs, giving him enough time to get his legs underneath him and stand fully on each step before she brought him up to the next.
".. what happened?"
A mirthless chuckle escaped his lips, "minotaur on the fifth."
The girl gasped and her head whipped around to look at him, her raven ponytail whipping around her shoulders as she did.
"Wh- what?"
".. I.. don't know.. just happened.. had to– "
More coughs broke from his throat as she tugged uncomfortably hard upwards and stretched his torso.
"I'm sorry, I– "
".. not your fault."
"I got distracted, please forgive me. Are you in pain?"
He shook his head, something that confused her greatly.
".. am not injured, just tired.. "
"O- okay.. "
A silence stretched on between them as they made their way up a few more steps, occasionally getting out of the way from the larger parties. There were plenty of derisive comments thrown at the two of them, something which the girl ignored entirely.
Something that Bell was incapable of.
He didn't need to hear it, but at the same time, he needed to. He needed to hear those scoffs, the declarations of 'weak trash' and 'monster bait'.
They're right.
I'm weak.
But if I can just save one person, just one then I'll be okay to die. Until then–
His expression hardened and he stood a little straighter, relieving the girl beside him of some of his weight.
".. my name is Yamato Mikoto."
".. Bell."
"It's nice to meet you, Bell," she paused before releasing her grip on the forearm that was slung over her shoulder and briefly pointing to a room on the bottom floor of the tower. She was all too quick to grab his arm back before he lost his balance, "that's the clinic over there. I can get you there before– "
He stopped moving and gently pulled his arm back, he was still slouched over slightly, and she could tell he was wobbling on his feet. She reached out to his shoulders to stabilize him but stopped when he raised a hand.
"I'm– I'm alright. Thank you, Yamato-san. If you ever need anything from me I would be happy to oblige."
"O- oh! It was nothing! I j- just helped you up the stairs is all!"
He shook his head and smiled slightly at her before his lips contorted into a grimace and he clawed at his chest again.
"Are you sure you're alright?"
She reached out to him again and ignored her familia members' calls to her.
He nodded despite the fact that it was an obvious lie, they both knew it, but she couldn't do a whole lot if he didn't want any help.
"I'm.. fine."
"O- okay.. "
She watched him limp away toward the exit with a worried expression on her face.
"Who was that?"
She turned her head to the side to see Chigusa standing just behind her, also watching him leave. Mikoto shrugged slightly, "Bell."
The girl nodded through her bangs and faced her, "you're covered in blood."
Mikoto looked down and grimaced. She most certainly was.
…
"Eina."
The half-elf jumped with a start and smacked the back of her head against her desk.
"Oww! What do you want, Misha?"
She turned to face her pink-haired coworker with an eye closed as she rubbed the back of her head in pain. Her second eye opened when she saw the pained expression on her friend's face.
"Your adventurer just collapsed outside the guild."
Eina was gone in an instant, dashing from around the service desk she typically works at and through the lobby of the pantheon. She slammed through the double doors of the entrance and looked around frantically.
She spotted him slumped against the wall in the corner of the courtyard out front, being completely ignored by everyone else as they came and went.
"Bell-kun!"
".. hey, Eina-san."
She crouched down beside him and immediately got to work checking his body for injuries, besides a few scrapes and bruises he was completely fine. Which answered zero of her questions.
"Bell-kun, what happened? What's wrong?"
"I'm," he groaned slightly, "fine."
She frowned, that wasn't convincing at all.
"Why are you on the ground then?"
".. is comfortable."
"Mhmm."
"What caused this, Bell?"
He grimaced, "minotaur on the fifth."
He knew better than to lie to his advisory, sure, he didn't tell her about.. everything, but he still had trust issues when it came to telling people the truth. Eina had been kind to him so far, he didn't want to lose that because he told her that he was dying.
She was already putting in so much effort to make sure he stayed alive, how could he tell her it wouldn't matter anyway? That eventually he would die regardless and she wasted all of her work?
He could tell that none of the guild advisors liked the thought of one of their adventurers dying, they did everything in their power to avoid getting attached in the case of the all too real circumstance that it happens. So how could he tell her?
"Bell-kun, that's not a very funny joke."
"Yeah.. it's not.. "
".. "
".. "
".. "
".. so what actually happened?"
".. "
".. "
".. minotaur on the fifth."
"You've been an adventurer for two weeks."
He nodded.
"And you're attempting to solo a floor meant for people whose stats are over two-hundred."
He nodded again.
"Are your stats over two hundred?"
He shook his head.
She flicked his ear, "then why! Do you need more classes? Is that it, Bell-kun? You want to learn more?"
I can't exactly tell her the real reason I was down so low in the dungeon. I doubt her hearing that I was down there looking for somebody to save would inspire a lot of confidence. Not to mention the fact that I barely survived as is.
She sighed, "how did you survive?"
Honestly, her tone made me only feel worse than her typical anger, she was just resigned at this point.
Did she think I was going to die so easily? That I'd never even reach my goal and be able to save somebody?
"Aiz Wallenstein."
"Mm. I suppose that makes sense, the Loki familia is returning from their expedition soon."
She rose back to her feet, turning to walk away and return to work now that she deemed Bell safe enough that she didn't need to help him. He was probably just tired and scared from the encounter, no reason to hold him back from a shower when he's all bloody like that.
"Eina-san?"
"Yes, Bell-kun?"
"How did Wallenstein-san become so strong?"
The half-eld guild attendant paused for a moment before shaking her head and turning back with a sly smile on her face, "fallen for her already have you? I must warn you Bell, Wallenstein-san isn't known as the 'breaker of a thousand hearts' for nothing."
He shook his head slowly, not feeling the desire to make his world spin by denying it too hastily with a violent shake.
"N- no, I just want to know how she got so strong. It'd be nice to be able to protect somebody like that one day."
The advisor looked back at him curiously before shrugging her shoulders through her suit vest, "she's been an adventurer for nine years, Bell-kun. Sometimes that's just all it takes, just keep at it and you'll get there eventually."
He nodded slowly, his face turning back to the pavement.
I don't have that kind of time..
A finger pulled his chin up and Eina smiled down at him warmly, "you'll never get there if you get yourself hurt by pushing too hard, too fast. Take your time, get stronger, then dive deeper. Got it, Bell-kun?"
".. yeah.. thanks, Eina."
She nodded, "good, now get on home and shower. Bathed in blood is not a good look for you and do me a favor and take a shower at the guild first if this ever happens again."
…
Bell rubbed the back of his hand over his eyes as he stumbled along the cobblestone path of the western city in the early morning. The sun was rising in the east and the early morning light had only just begun spreading over top the tall walls in the distance.
Bell sighed, it was rare for him to have slept well, but this was one of the first times his restlessness was caused by nightmares rather than the pain.
The last time that had happened was when he had a run-in with a gobbling when he was just a child, his dad had been there to save him that time, just as the Sword Princess had been this time.
".. did you hear?"
"Hear what?"
"Apparently Lord Zeus tried to return the other day, raised all kinds of hell at the Eastern gates trying to reenter the city."
"After fifteen years? Why?"
"Apparently he was looking for some kid, didn't want anything to do with the city besides seeing if the boy was here."
"Huh. Weird."
Bell shook his head and tuned the conversation out; he had no desire to get involved in some god's manhunt. He had to get stronger, he couldn't afford to get distracted.
But I want to get stronger to help people.
I'll keep an eye out for the kid just in case, maybe he'll turn up and I can help the boy out.
"Hello?"
Bell continued on, ignoring the call. He didn't really know much of anybody in Orario, it was unlikely they were calling out to him.
"Adventurer-san?"
He turned his head slightly to see a cute waitress staring right back at him.
Well, I'll be damned. They were calling to me.
"You are an adventurer, aren't you?"
"Y- yes?"
The waitress giggled into her palm as she extended a closed fist into the air.
What is–
Bell reached out his own hand instinctively, another fist reaching out to bump the first – that is until the girl opened her own hand to reveal a small magic shard inside.
Bell just stood there dumbly, his arm hanging limply in the air.
Oh.
This is.. so.. embarrassing.
Maybe I can just drop dead now? That wouldn't be so bad.. if I could just keel over right here, right now, I think I could accept that.
"Umm.. Adventurer-san? What are you.. doing?"
Bell quickly pulled his arm back, hugging it close to his chest.
"N- nothing! I just– "
He was interrupted as he broke into another coughing fit, the sudden shouting aggravating his internal injuries. The girl in front of him was quick to jump inside and come back with a napkin, graciously handing it over to the boy.
Bell took it with a nod of thanks and began wiping his mouth with it. Her eyes tracked the napkin as he quickly tried stashing it behind him where she wouldn't notice the blood splattered across the fabric.
His lips twitched up into a pained smile, "th- thank you for that.. "
"It- it's alright.. there's.. there's nothing to apologize.. for.. "
Her eyes stayed glued to where his other arm was still drawn behind his back, her lip worrying back in forth before she shook her head and reached out with the magic stone again.
"I think you may have dropped this."
"Oh? Really? I could have sworn I had sold them all, th- thank you very much.. "
Syr smiled before she turned her head to the rising sun in the east, "so, you're headed to the dungeon this early?"
"Mm. I was just on my way there."
Pain shot up through the boy's stomach, the lack of the distinctive growl meant it wasn't hungering this time around, just more discomfort from his sickness.
"Fufufufu– are you hungry?"
How did she–
Bell glanced down to where the hand that wasn't still hidden behind his back was gripping at his stomach, trying to force a little pressure onto it to distract from the pain.
"N- no, I just– "
Ruby eyes blinked in confusion as the girl disappeared back into the building she retrieved the napkin from without acknowledging his stutter denial. Soon enough, she exited again holding a small wrapped package, she held it out to him with a bright smile.
"Here! If you're hungry you can eat this!"
"B- but! Isn't this your– "
She waved a hand through the air, the sleeves of her green dress dancing in the slight breeze, "I work in a restaurant, adventurer-kun, there's food everywhere. I'll be perfectly fine."
K- kun?
"I- I can't repay you for this!"
"You don't need to! How about you just stop on into the restaurant I work in and order some food!"
Bell looked over her shoulder to the sign outside the tavern.
'Hostess of Fertility.'
He nodded slowly, "I can, b- but I can't eat much.. "
She tilted her head to the side cutely, the gray ponytail that emerged from the bun at the back of her head flapping down to the side.
"Why's that?"
".. just.. can't?"
Her lips twitched downward faintly before she shrugged it off, "that's alright, I'd just be happy with the company. Just stop by and we'll consider ourselves even! Do you have a name? I can't possibly keep calling you adventurer-kun, can I?"
"Ah! Bell, it's nice to meet you, miss.. "
"Syr. Syr Flova. It's nice to meet you too, Bell-kun."
He bowed his head slightly before turning to leave with a small wave over his shoulder, "likewise."
Syr watched him curiously as he wandered away slowly. If she was being honest the entire encounter was.. odd. He seemed so much more reserved than she would have expected from the kindness he seemed to exude. Nearly every action he took was subdued.
A cold draft swept upwards from the dungeon, spiraling through the bottom floor of the tower of Babel before it pushed past the figure in the entrance.
Another day in the dungeon.
Bell wasted no time making his way over to the staircase, making his way down quickly, hoping to not draw attention to himself.
He took in a deep breath as he stood before the dungeon entrance.
"You gonna stand there all day and waste our time kid, or are you going to go in?"
Bell waved a hand to the guard and set off through the doorway, beginning his dive into the cavern for the day. He needed to push himself harder today, if he can't make it on the fifth floor then he'll never reach his goals.
Two pairs of eyes followed him as he entered, "wasn't that the kid who couldn't even climb the stairs yesterday?"
The other guard shrugged and turned back to leaning against the wall and watching more adventurers gather on the surface above, "don't know, don't care."
"How much you want to bet he doesn't make it back."
"You're a cunt, Clyde."
".. "
"Two-thousand valis on dying."
The other guard smiled and nodded before too returning to his post.
Bell frowned for a moment further down the tunnel, his ruby eyes looking back toward the entrance. He didn't need them to believe in him, he would prove them wrong and be the hero.
They're wrong.
I'm not going to die today; I refuse to die until I decide it's time.
He drew his knife from its sheath with a smooth shink! and dove forward into the dungeon, jogging down into the dark tunnels to face all kinds of monsters.
Well, to face all kinds of goblins, kobolds, and dungeon lizards.
He dodged out of the way of a goblin that lunged for him and sheathed his knife into its jaw, cleaving clean through the monster's head and into its brain.
He quickly withdrew the blade and blocked a strike from a landform weapon, it was little more than a stone blade – not sharp enough to count for much of anything – knocking the makeshift weapon away and kicking the goblin back.
He pulled his knife back into a ready position and crouched low, preparing for the goblin's next assault.
Bring it!
…
Bell walked through the streets with practiced ease, his three weeks spent in the dungeon city actually amounting to some growth regardless of his small changes in status. He knows his goddess says plenty of times that he was growing exceptionally well from what her friend was telling her, but he wasn't sure he bought it. It felt like he was doing the same each day.
He paused in the street and turned his head up to the top of Babel, it was hidden behind the clouds that decorated the evening sky, but he could still feel.. something. It felt as if somebody were watching him.
He didn't quite like the feeling.
Then again, he'd felt the same way the entire day, apparently the word of his condition after his dungeon expedition yesterday had gotten around to more than just the guards on shift.
It was the main reason why he was wearing a cloak now; he didn't want the chance for his dinner to be ruined by being noticed by some of the more vocal adventurers.
Bell wasn't one to stereotype and put everybody he meets in the same bag easily, but well..
Most adventurers suck.
He's decided to reserve judgment for most, but right now his list of good adventurers is comprised of: first, Aiz Wallenstein, and second, Yamato Mikoto.
It wouldn't stop him from trying to save any of their lives, it was just an observation after the sixth time being called out on the streets for not being able to walk upstairs or collapsing outside the pantheon bathed in blood. Add in the two weeks he spent being thrown out of familias for being too weak looking or – when he got far enough – being thrown out for being terminally ill.
He shook his head and moved on from the top of Babel, being watched wasn't anything new. He'd felt the same gaze a few times now, but nothing had ever come from it, so he just elected to imagine it didn't exist. With any luck, whoever's eyes were behind the stare would wait too long to make their move and he'd already been gone by then.
He stopped in front of the double doors to Syr's tavern, debating whether or not it was worth it to try to eat there. He still had some of her food left from the lunch she gifted him in the morning, it was good he just couldn't risk eating too much while still in the dungeon.
Still, he'd stored the leftovers back at home before bringing the package along with him, the least he could do was return it to her. Cleaned, of course, he wasn't an animal who would return a dirty dish to so–
"Bell-kun! You came!"
Now dragged back into reality by the cheerful voice, he glanced up and saw the same grey-haired waitress from that morning standing in the doorway with one arm propping the door open.
He gestured him forward with her hand and stepped out of the way as he walked through the door and into the bustling dining hall.
".. thank you, Syr. Here is your container back, the food was delicious."
Syr smiled up at him and took the proffered object from his hands, "just you tonight?"
He nodded, "great!"
Oh. He didn't like that smile, why was she smiling like that?
"Now seating party of one!"
The cloaked figure got a few strange looks as he followed Syr further into the restaurant to a stool at the bar.
"Oho! You must be the one Syr's been talking about all day! Said you were going to be a big spender!"
Bell gave a wobbly smile in response, "I'll be in your care and I'll try my best.. but.. I'm not very– "
"You struggle with eating, right?"
His eyes flicked up as they widened to look at the large dwarf woman smiling carefully as she cleaned a wooden mug.
"I– "
"You don't need to answer or anything, Syr already told me what you said in the morning. I'm not going to force a bunch of food down your throat."
She set the mug down and leaned down over the counter, tucking both arms beneath her as she placed her elbows on the bar counter.
"What things have worked for you?"
".. "
Bell couldn't speak, his breath still caught in his throat.
"Salmon? Toast? Eggs? Rice?"
He nodded slowly and mechanically, still taken aback by the support.
Mia clapped her hands together and nodded to him, "right then! We'll get those ready for ya!"
He jumped with a start as Syr sat down beside him at the bar. He stared over at incredulously, his eyes flicking back to the dwarven proprietress in front of them.
The waitress shrugged nonchalantly, "she gave me a break."
He nodded once as he stayed staring at her. She rolled her eyes and pressed a finger into his nose, "boop!"
Eh?
"Wha- wha- what? Wh- why?"
"Hey! He's back. Nice to see you again, Bell-kun!"
"F- Flova-san? Why did you.. "
Her arms rose up as she pressed her fists into her hips and stuck her cheeks out, pouting in a manner way too cute for one man to handle, "you weren't paying attention to me! A girls gonna get the wrong idea and think you don't like them if you keep that up, mister!"
".. s- sorry.. "
She smiled and playfully waved a hand through the air, dismissing his apology, "how was the dungeon today? Did the food help you do well?"
His cloak shifted as he turned to look out at the other adventurers at the bar, "it was.. good. Better than yesterday's dive, I was able to make it through the fifth without too many problems."
"The fifth?" She tilted her head to the side in confusion and her eyebrows scrunched together a little bit, wrinkling up as they did, "is that good?"
"I'm not sure.. "
He trailed off as another woman in a green dress paused behind them with a tray. She nodded once, her face not changing in the slightest, and gently placed a plate in front of him. It would seem Mia thought his nod was reason enough for the 'all of the above' option, though she did make the portions considerably smaller than he saw on the other plates around the room.
He was silently glad she didn't give him a mountain of food, she probably meant for him to try each and decide which he preferred for later visits. He'd have to thank her later.
"Oh! Ryuu, hello! I'd like you to meet Bell Cranel. Bell-kun this is Ryuu Lion."
They both silently nodded to each other before turning back to face Syr in perfect synchronization.
Her eyebrow twitched in irritation as her introductions went unappreciated.
"H- hey Ryuu. How long does it take a typical adventurer to reach the fifth floor soloing?"
The elfess raised an eyebrow at the question before glancing at the cloaked figure in confusion, "on average, probably about two months, why?"
"Bell, how long have you been at it?"
".. two weeks?"
"See! I knew you were selling yourself short! That's so fast!"
Bell turned back to his plate quickly to hide his flushed face and got to work cutting through his salmon with the side of his fork. He pulled the delicate food apart with ease and popped the first piece in his mouth.
Oh.
That's very good.
He just hoped that his stomach would agree, he doubted the flavor would be improved as blood vomit.
"The party is here! Nyaa!"
Hmm?
He glanced over to the door to see a large group of people entering, he didn't recognize most of them, save for the last woman to walk through the doors. He could remember that blond hair anywhere, it's quite hard to forget the appearance of the one who saved your life.
He turned back to Syr beside him with a question on his tongue.
".. did that cat just say 'nyaa'?"
Syr giggled and hid her smile behind her hand, "for a second there I thought you were going to ask me about the Sword Princess, that's just Anya. She has some.. interesting speech patterns.. "
Bell looked over to the waitress as she hovered behind the head of the table with a pad and paper, "nyaa! Welcyome tyo the Hostess nyof Fertility! Nyank nyou for eating here tonight. What can ny-I get for nyou? -I get for nyou? Nyaa!"
Interesting is.. one way of putting it..
His attention was pulled back to the girl beside him as she poked him in the side, "careful now, Bell-kun, now I really might think you have a cat kink," she leaned closer and her smile turned taunting, "is that what this is? Do you have a thing for cats?"
Two black ears peeked out of the kitchen doors and twitched through the air as they listened in. There was a gust of wind as a new waitress appeared between him and Syr, his hood fell backward as it caught the breeze and exposed his white hair briefly before he pulled it back over.
He was lucky enough that nobody seemed to notice, or at least recognize him. Though, he didn't notice the red-haired goddess watching him curiously with one open eye as she reclined against her seat and nursed her ale.
"Did somebody say cat kink?"
Heheh.
Is this my life now?
Syr nodded sagely, "I think so, Chloe. They also had a really cute butt and were definitely the right age range for you."
The ravenette's mouth started watering as Syr went on, it looked as if she were ready to pounce on Syr if she didn't surrender the information in the next instant. The waitress obliged the unspoken command and pointed toward the door, "they were just walking by, shouldn't be too far away now."
The cat was gone with another gust of wind as Syr let out an indignant 'hmmph!'
Bell was fairly certain he heard her mumbling about 'trying to steal her man' but he had absolutely no clue who she was referring to.
"Uhh.. Syr?"
Her eyes snapped back to his own, "what just happened?"
She blinked, "Chloe really likes what she calls 'cushy tushies' especially if the owner is barely legal. She's a real pervert like that. She says young boys are the 'treasures of the world'," she shrugged, "I just saved you from a lifetime of torture."
".. "
"You can thank me by answering a question of mine, okay?"
He nodded dumbly; this whole night had been a ride.
"Great! Now, what's with the cl– "
"Hey, Aiz! It's about time you told everybody what happened the other day, it was so damn funny!"
Syr groaned and put her head in her hands, something that confused Bell greatly, she bemoaned the end of a pleasant night as the werewolf began his not atypical rant. He turned his attention from the woman muttering about 'skinning wolves' to the conversation happening at the main table.
"And what story is that?"
"Come on! You remember what I'm talking about! All those damn minotaurs got loose– "
Wait..
" –you told me you went down and finished off the last on the fifth floor, right? You had to save that tomato dumbass?!"
Ah.
I guess the cloak wasn't going to be enough..
"Anyways, so there's some little pansy running around in there, and this big ass ugly cow starts chasing him, right? So, Aiz jumps in and cuts the thing to pieces and the little bitch gets absolutely covered in blood!"
Bell fidgeted slightly at the memory, he hated that he had to be saved. It was just another of the middle fingers fate has thrown his way in his fourteen years of life.
Just one win..
That's all I ask.
He didn't notice the way Loki continued watching his reaction as Bete continued his rant.
"The dude looks like a damn big ol' stinkin' tomato! He was gasping for breath, clawing at his chest like his lungs couldn't handle a light jog. It was so pathetic!"
Loki scowled, quickly putting the pieces together when the cloaked figure stilled and his hood turned to face the table completely.
"That's enough, Bete."
She was ignored as he drunkenly continued on, "then! Check this out, then the dumbass up and runs away from the one who saved him! Bahahaah! What a pathetic jackass!"
Bell passed a sulking waitress as he exited the tavern, it would appear she failed to find the made-up boy. Loki watched him leave before standing up herself and walking over to the bar.
"I'll cover the boy's tab, don't be too hard on him."
Mia crossed her arms at the trickster goddess who was acting surprisingly sober for the amount of alcohol she's already consumed for the night, "why?"
"He's a good kid, I keep tabs on him through his goddess, just do it for me, please."
Mia gave a grunt and waved her off, instead choosing to pick up Bell's half-finished plate and returning it to the back room for washing.
Loki walked back toward the exit of the restaurant.
"You're leaving already, Loki? You usually only leave here passed out."
The goddess merely grunted and paused at the door, her hand pressed against the wood, "Riveria come with me, somebody punish Bete."
"The hell? For what!"
"For being a jackass."
Loki shoved the door open and stepped out of the building, Riveria quickly stood up and elegantly hustled out of the restaurant to catch up to her goddess.
"Lady Loki? You needed me?"
Loki grunted and waved her hand over her shoulder, not once breaking stride.
"Come on, we're going to wait outside Babel."
"Why, if I may ask."
".. "
"You've been acting weird since we returned yesterday, what happened while we were gone?"
Riveria was not walking beside the red-haired goddess of trickery, glancing out of the side of her one open eye at the woman. Loki only shrugged.
"You have my word that anything you say will not leave my lips, even if your orders are often stupid, foolish, and utterly– "
"Alright, I get it!"
" –regardless, you are my goddess. I have no intention to betray your trust."
"Fine. Just over two weeks ago I met a boy, we're going to wait for him outside Babel to heal him when he returns."
"A boy.. the one Bete was talking about?"
Loki grunted, confirming the assumption without any words spoken.
Her response only confused the high elf further, why would Loki care so much for a boy on the fifth floor?
"Were you hoping to recruit him?"
She shook her head before casting her eyes up the tower in the distance, "no. He's in the best familia for him right now."
"And who's familia is that?"
She grimaced a little, almost imperceptibly small, "Hestia's."
"Hestia. The goddess you despise?"
"We've.. set aside our differences for now.. "
What?
"For what reason? For the boy?"
Loki nodded solemnly, "for the boy."
Riveria's staff continued tapping away at the stone even as the two fell into silence, one hoping her child would stop asking her questions and the other trying to process the new information.
".. why?"
The goddess looked away from her, refusing to let the elven princess see her face, "the truce is temporary at most."
"That's not what I asked."
".. "
"Loki, what kind of kid would motivate you to call a truce with somebody you hate for no reason other than to support him?"
Tears brimmed the goddess's eyes, "one insistent on dying in the dungeon."
Bellerophontes
Level One
Strength: I 63
Endurance: I 48
Dexterity: I 96
Agility: H 197
Magic: I 0
Spells:
Skills:
Moirolatrikos: User is weakened at an accelerated rate, causing a loss of health and mind and a 5% reduction in their abilities. User experiences boosted status when fighting in defense of another.
Liaris Freese: Fast growth as long as feelings last. The strength of the effects corresponds with the level of the user's feelings.