Ais was fury incarnate.

Glaring out the window at the silhouette of Folkvangr, Ais paced restlessly, left hand locked in a white-knuckled grip around the hilt of Desperate. She wore the sword everywhere, even here in her own home—at least, she had ever since her rabbit was taken. Spinning around, she fixed the others in the room with her furious gaze.

Riveria sighed, a little more life leaving her body as she sagged in sadness. It was not the first time her girl had laid those fiery eyes on them, and it wouldn't be the last. But it wasn't the anger that bothered her; no, Ais had been such an obstinate child. Riveria was well-acquainted with that side of her. What bothered her was that Ais, for once in her life, was feeling—and feeling strongly—for something other than the dungeon...and she couldn't help the girl. A jade eye cracked open, looking sideways at their goddess.

Loki caught the glance. Raising her hands helplessly, she said "Look, I know it's not ideal. And believe me, there's nothin' I'd like better than to knock that harlot down a peg or three. But when Ouranos tells us to back off..?"

Finn grunted affirmation, though he tried to look kindly at Ais. "She's right, Ais. We held the strong hand that night—even Hephaestus Familia was with us!—but Freya and Hestia came to an agreement before we could get started. We have to honor the Guild's ruling." The Captain of Loki Familia couldn't help the heavy sigh that escaped his lips. "A War Game..."

Stroking his beard, Gareth nodded. "Aye. That boy ye'r all so keen on sure is a menace."

Small smiles were sported around the room...except for on one young face. Ais' scowl deepened as a light metallic crunching noise split the air—her grip had cracked the hilt of her Durandal. "He - is - not."

"Easy, Lass, easy," the mighty dwarf held his palms out, but the golden knight was not calmed. "I only mean the lad has a knack fer attractin' trouble. I've not met the lad, but every time I hear his name, trouble almost always follows."

"Captain!"

A red and brown streak of light burst through the doors and an instant later an out-of-breath Tione screeched to a halt before Finn's desk, ample chest heaving as she struggled to speak. "Captain...you're not...hegh...not going to believe this..."

"Oooh! Can I have a guess?" Gushing with incredible enthusiasm, a thin arm wrapped around Ais' shoulders, vermilion hair tickling her cheek as Loki pressed in close. "Freya messed up, didn't she? She agreed on a War Game, yes...but the rules weren't exactly set in stone when they made their agreement."

Tione could only nod, but that was enough to light the fire in Ais' chest anew. "There's...a chance? To help?"

"Indeed." Gripping his thumb, Braver did his goddess proud—the sly smirk, the dangerous glint in his eye; he was like the avatar of Mischief itself. "Freya really did mess up. Ensnaring the minds of Orario; that little trick got almost every single familia up in arms. Having your mind affected, having things removed..." An almost imperceptible shiver took his entire body. The knowledge that there was a dangerous enemy out there who take take a part of his valuable mind—and without him even realizing it!—was terrifying. He turned to Tione. "Send a runner. Tell Hestia Familia we stand with them."

"On it!"

At being given an order by her dearest love, Tione was full of new energy as she flew out the door. Shaking his head with a grin, Finn was surprised to see that his knuckles were not the first to rest against his desk. Ais leaned forward eagerly, not giving her Captain the chance to speak before cutting the conversation to the bone.

"How do we start?"

###

On the other side of town, Welf and Bell stood behind the couch where the females of Hestia Familia and their patron deity sat. Across and on either side of them, filling the living room, were the Takemikazuchi, Miach, and representatives from the Hermes Familia. Ryuu and Anya were also there, quietly observing from the side.

"We're agreed, then?"

Nods went around the room—even were it not for the bonds between their familias, or even their personal friendship with Bell, they were still dissatisfied with Freya's manipulation of the city. They had just finished sealing an agreement to band together in the coming War Game. Quickly, the assembled familias filed out the door to accomplish the objectives they set themselves before reconvening to establish a strategy. The sheer number of people Freya had alienated coupled with the realization she had made an error in agreeing to nebulous terms meant there was only one acceptable War Game scenario—

"...battle."

Hestia Familia looked to their Captain as he blew his lips out, mind not a dozen miles away on the battlefield like most people would expect it to be. The young man wasn't thinking about the hulking beast of a man the world knew as Warlord—Ottar, the Captain he was expected to defeat to win the War Game. He wasn't even worried about his goddess or familia members, what may become of them should they fail. His mind was in the exact center of Orario, focused with all his might on the highest apartment and the lonely girl who dwelt within. Syr...Freya. Whatever she called herself, whatever the guise, Bell knew there was pain there; pain and loneliness. He had caused that. Not through any ill-use or deliberate action, but because he couldn't be the man she wanted him to be. Was that his fault? No. But...she was special, and dear. Bell chuckled wryly in his head—he had a weakness for girls in trouble. Anybody who asked for help, he just had to throw himself out there for their sake. And here was a girl who wanted him, but hadn't asked for help. Bell didn't know if it was pride, desperation or simply blind hope, but he did know that Syr, that sweet, vivacious city girl, was missing. Freya may be able to wear her face, he thought, but that part of her, Syr, is real. And she needs help.

"It shouldn't take a battle."

"We've been down that road, Bell. You know it's not going to work." Welf was mildly alarmed at how his friend's train of thought seemed to loop back to the same silly thought. He'd been saying for days that Syr needed help, that he just needed to talk to Freya. He had even been foolish enough to make that the terms of their War Game. "You were right there with her, Bell, in the heart of Folkvangr. She was right in front of your face, just the two of you! If you couldn't convince her then, what makes you think you can convince her when she's got her entire familia lined up against us?"

"I know!" Bell's voice was unusually sharp. Calming down, he slowed his speech. "I know. We, our allies...we're weak. Hephaestus pulling out of the fight hurt us a lot, but I understand the situation. Conventionally, there's no way we win."

Hestia bowed her head slightly. Hephaestus had come to give her the news personally. Her familia had been barred from participation by order of Ouranos. Orario relied on her familia for many goods, her children often helped Ganesha police the city when they were low on manpower, but, most importantly, the quality of wares produced by her elite smiths were instrumental in Ouranos' plans to defeat the One-Eyed Black Dragon. Losing that much knowledge and experience...there was no way Ouranos was going to let that go for the sake of a horny goddess.

"Bell..." Lili's voice was uncharacteristically small. "You shouldn't say things like..."

"I know, Lili. I'm sorry, but it's the truth. They don't need their whole familia, or even all their elites—a single first tier adventurer could wipe all of us out." Bell leaned forward against the couch, elbows sinking to the frame as he gripped the hair hanging over his eyes. "It's just...we can't fight to win. If we come at this like we did at Apollo, we'll be utterly destroyed."

Lili looked up with wet eyes. "What are you suggesting?"

"We can't win..." Bell pushed himself up, red eyes alight with purpose. "But we can do our best to control the way we lose. The time I spent with Freya Familia...I feel like I know them pretty well. The Gulliver brothers are unbendable in their devotion; there's no reasoning with them. Allen, too, is a diehard...but he's got a soft spot for his sister. Hedin and Hogni are tough but fair; they'll fight hard, but if I can broker a deal with them, I may be able to pass. Ottar..." Bell frowned. He knew next to nothing about the Baoz. Still, he was Freya's Captain and the last barrier to Syr. "It doesn't matter. If I get to him, it's either convince him to let me talk to Freya...or challenge him for the right."

There was no hesitation in the young man's voice, no halting and hang-ups. It was strength in his words; strength in his belief that he had to help the damsel in distress. First Hestia, then Welf, Lili, and the others quickly joining in laughed as Bell stared down at them in confusion. "What's so funny?"

"You, you numbskull!" The blacksmith was at his side, pulling into an embrace as he ruffled his hair fondly. The redhead sighed. "Man, you sure do get stupid when a girl's in trouble, you know that?" Laughing harder when Bell had the grace to blush and shyly scratch the back of his head, Welf continued. "But we're with you. All of us. If you decide this is the way...we follow our Captain."

Looking around at the determination on his friends' faces, Bell felt more warm than at any point in recent memory. "Alright, then," he said. "Let's figure out how to lose."

Wry chuckles died in their throats as a knock on the front door echoed throughout the hall. Rising, Haruhime opened the door to admit a gasping Amazon.

"Tione?" Bell was surprised. Hephaestus had informed Hestia that she and Loki had both been barred from the War Game. "What are you doing here?"

"Tell...to tell...you..." Gratefully accepting the glass of water Haruhime was quick to fetch. Tione stood a little straighter as she wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. "To tell you this: Loki Familia stands with Hestia."

Afraid his eyes might slightly bulge, Bell carefully shut his mouth when he realized he was moving his lips like a fish out of water. "We-we're grateful! Truly! But...we were told Lord Ouranos forbade stronger familias from interfering? For too much of Orario's strength to be risked over this matter..?"

A hand pressed over his lips as Tione leaned in. "Sure, Ouranos may have told us not to burn Folkvangr to the ground the night her charm was lifted—thank you for that, by the way." Tione turned to offer a polite bow to Lady Hestia. "But there is no order for us to not join in the War Game. Even if there was...hmm. We serve the Goddess of Mischief, Bell. And we have our own issues with Freya."

Quickly taking a steadying breath so he wouldn't tear up at the news, Bell tried to offer their guest a drink and a chance to sit, but the Amazoness took her leave almost instantly. "Come to Twilight Manor. The Captain needs to speak with you" was all she said before leaving just as suddenly as she appeared.

Quietly staring at the door, Bell felt rather alone as his excited familia rejoiced in the extra help. The exchange didn't sit right with Bell. Tione's words played again in his mind: 'We have our own issues with Freya.' Smiling wanly at the others, Bell excused himself to his room to get ready to meet with Finn.