Disclaimer: I do not own DanMachi or any of Omori's original characters, nor do I make any profit off of my writing.
"Do you know the tale behind cardinals?"
Haruhime looked up from her book, her gaze turning up the trunk of the tree she sat beneath to the boy who sat atop one of its large branches, watching over a nest of birds.
"I can't say I do, Bell-sama."
He smiled sadly as he met her gaze, his dangling legs coming to a rest as his body stilled. He watched the mother bird fuss over the nestlings as they made a cacophony of small chirps.
"It was something my grandfather told me."
"Oh?"
He hummed noncommittedly and turned his rubellite eyes towards the heavens, he had to squint somewhat as the early morning sun peered through the leaves, but he could just about make out the clouds drifting aimlessly overhead.
"He said that cardinals weren't like any other bird, they were a gift. One from the lord of the skies himself, Zeus."
The Renard fixed the nest with a critical gaze, watching the barest hint of red feathers moved about. She didn't have the best of angles to see it from, only truly making out the mother's head among them all, but she couldn't see anything particularly godly about them.
"He said that Zeus felt awful about the fate of the children of the lower world. To love and to lose. It broke his heart to see the brightest of people, the strongest of warriors, the best of men grieve. He hated it, but he could never fully understand it either because he wasn't like them. He was a god, immortal. He didn't lose anything or anyone, not to death at least."
Haruhime couldn't say that really sounded like Zeus, but who was she to question Bell or his grandfather? She doubted either of them would tell such an embellished story if they knew any better.
Somewhere, an old, wrinkled man glanced up from his fishing rod and cast a wary glance toward Orario. He fumbled over his lip briefly before shrugging and reeling in his line, determined to try elsewhere when the wind wasn't this bad. There was no reason to be shivering while he fished. Still, it was weird that he would shiver at all when it was the middle of the summer.
"Anyways, Zeus created the cardinal to be easily recognizable. Bright feathers. Cheerful songs."
As if answering his call, the mother raised her head to the heavens, opening her beak and singing her melody.
"They were meant to be seen because they signified something important."
Haruhime smiled as she rose back to her feet, brushing the dust and blades of grass that had stuck to the skirt of her kimono off with a delicate hand. She turned up to face Bell and raised one hand into the air, leaving her book nestled safely amongst the roots. His own hand lowered and held hers before lifting her easily to his side. She sat silently as they watched the mother fly to and fro, collecting small insects for her young to eat.
"And what do they signify, Bell-sama?"
He glanced over at her, bright, ruby eyes clashing with shining emeralds.
"He said a cardinal would appear whenever a loved one is watching over you."
She hummed in thought as her tail curled around the branch between them, the tip softly brushing along Bell's forearm. It was only a little, but she would take as much physical attention as she could from the man she adored.
"Who do you think these ones are for, 'Hime?"
She shrugged carefully as her eyes turned toward the sky, just as his.
"I don't know, I suppose it could be for any of us. We all have loved ones who may be watching over us, don't we?"
The white-haired boy smiled as he turned and leaned back against the trunk of the tree.
".. I suppose we do.. "
His voice was impossibly quiet as he gazed upward, his friend doing the same in front of him. Both of them simply content to watch and speculate in their mutual silence.
Bell could remember the day his grandfather told him about the cardinals vaguely. It was warm, that much he knew for certain, and the skies weren't all that much cloudier than they were now. Simply a few stragglers drifting through the skies on their path to the west. They were light and fluffy and it was peaceful.
He could also remember the faint glistening of tears in his grandfather's eyes as he told their secrets. The sad smile on his lips as he continued to rock back and forth in his chair on the porch.
How old must he have been then when he first heard the story? Seven? Maybe eight?
He could remember a streak of darting between the branches of the large oak tree that nestled safely between their house and their neighbor's. It sat beside that grassy little hill that he loved to sled down (even if his grandfather did get angry every time he dismantled the wheelbarrow to do so).
His grandfather had pointed it out, his hand shaking ever so slightly as his index finger followed the bird move about.
He explained the truth behind the bird's comings and goings and Bell had believed him (because what parentless kid wouldn't want to think that somebody long passed loved them enough to keep watch over them). It was a comforting idea and he latched onto it with his whole being.
And up above in one of the main realms of Tenkai, a mother would sit and wipe silent tears as her pale green eyes met her son's, a sight she hadn't had the pleasure of seeing since the day he was born (and the day she had passed).
A few tears streaked down her cheeks as a giddy smile spread across her face.
"Hello, my little darling. Are you being good for your grandfather?"
He wouldn't respond, couldn't, she knew that. She hoped for him to not respond to her for many, many years. As much as it pained her to be apart from her beloved son, it would hurt even more to know he had died young. She wanted him to live and grow and to just be happy.
So, for now, she was just content to watch.
She smiled as he ran over to play with their neighbors' daughter, her cardinal perched easily atop a branch in the woods, tucked far enough into the leaves to not disturb the boy.
And maybe she scowled a little bit at the other boys in the village and how they didn't want to play with the girl, who was an absolute sweetheart, just because she wasn't like them. Human.
It wasn't fair for them to treat her differently just because she had two feline ears and a long tail.
So, yes, maybe she hunted down the boy's grandparents and gave them a stern talking to about how to raise their children well enough to be able to raise children well. It was a bit of a stretch, but she felt vindicated doing so.
She watched over him for years, sometimes letting her presence be known, and sometimes not.
How did that old proverb go? (Was it even a proverb?) Too much of a good thing or something?
Whatever, it didn't matter, and she didn't care. She simply did not wish for Bell to lose his trust in the words of his grandfather, she wanted him to believe that any time he saw a cardinal that it was just for him. If he saw one every day he may begin to suspect differently, he may have lost faith and start to think that cardinals were merely birds.
They weren't.
She kept watching over him, no matter when or what he was doing.
Playing in the river? She'd sure as hell be there, waiting for the first hint of something going wrong to fly and get Zeus's attention. Was it against the rules of Tenkai to interfere? Sure. Did she care? Not in the slightest. He was her son, her job was to watch over him and keep him safe.
If he was simply resting in the sun? You could bet your pasty little ass she'd be there too.
During the day? She was there.
At night? Still there.
She was always watching, that is until the day he stepped into the dungeon.
"I'm going to kill him."
"What? You can't do that!"
"I sure as hell can!"
"He's a god, Meteria."
"I can find a way."
Alfia sighed and placed a hand on her sister's shoulder, "your son will be fine."
She scoffed and sat back down on the couch, her arms crossed over her chest and a scowl firmly pressed on her face, "he better be, or else Zeus will pray he never tried to make my son into a hero."
Alfia settled down next to her sister, her back pressing into Meteria's side before one of the mother's lanky arms wrapped around her chest, pulling her into a tighter embrace.
They watched in tense silence as their cardinal perched atop a tree in the central plaza of the city, simply waiting for the boy to return.
"You needn't worry yourself so much, most adventurers never make it past the beginner's levels. Bell won't face anything truly dangerous there."
She'd certainly eat her words two weeks later as they sat on the edge of their seats, watching adventurer's mill about the outside of the Pantheon. The air around them was tense and for good reason.
"I can't fucking believe he was that bloody? What could have made him that bloody? Was it his own blood? Another adventurer's? Monsters? What was it, Alf– "
"A MINOTAUR ON FLOOR FIVE!?"
Alfia swallowed thickly and began inching toward the door, a tense smile on her face as she moved. She winced as the couch creaked when she lifted her weight off of it, closing her heterochromatic eyes as Meteria whipped her head around to face her.
She would always be told it was the primal fear she had been feeling at the time, but she would swear by the fact that literal steam poured out of her sister's nose as they locked eyes.
"What were your words again, sister? That he 'won't face anything truly dangerous there' on the beginning floors? Hmm?"
"I- it must have been a fluke! He couldn't possibly have bad enough luck to have something happen to him multiple times! Plus, he survived! He's okay!"
Gone was 'Whisper,' the level seven monster of talent who laid siege to the dungeon city, replaced by a woman who would do anything for her sister. Her sister who had been weak and sickly her entire life and now that she is here, in the heavens, and no longer dragged down by her condition, she was terrifying.
Meteria only narrowed her eyes before turning back to the screen and watching as Bell left the guild an hour later, squeaky clean.
"You better pray you're right."
She did.
She wasn't.
If Meteria didn't kill her son the second he stepped into Tenkai for giving her a heart attack, Alfia sure was for the sheer amount of fear she was forced to endure at her sister's behest.
"He ran in without armor! I swear to Zeus if he doesn't come back out right now I will– "
"A silverback!?"
"What the hell do they mean he killed a minotaur at level one and leveled up in a month and a half! Alfia you better get your ass back here and explain this to me!"
"I'm going to kill him. No.. wait. I'm going to skin him."
"He's a god, Meteria, if you skin him you won't be allowed to watch Bell anymore. Also, he's still alive, his skin is firmly out of your reach."
"My darling Bell would understand my position and make sure to win this farse of a war game and deliver Apollo to me for his scheduled flaying."
"Is that so?"
Meteria slumped onto the couch following the war games as Apollo was escorted out of the city (and not into her ready arms). She could only mutter an annoyed 'shut up' as Alfia snickered to her side.
"Uhhh.. Meteria?"
"Hmm? What? I'm awake!"
Alfia shook her head but didn't even turn to face her sister, her eyes glued firmly to the screen in front of her. Meteria blinked her eyes awake and stared blearily at her sister before following her gaze and turning to look at the screen.
".. "
".. "
"ZEUS, YOU BASTARD!"
Like hell would her son be going into the pleasure quarter. There would be war once that lecherous old man she once called 'dad' returned to Tenkai. The streets would run with his blood and she would bathe in his tears.
…
Haruhime jumped with a start and brought a hand to her chest as her heart skipped a beat. She smiled shakily at the small bird staring intensely into her eyes as it balanced on the clothesline.
The shirt that was being held loosely over her knees was lifted into the air and quickly folded before she stood up fully and took a tentative step closer to the avian.
"If Bell-sama is right, then somebody must be watching over me right now.. "
But.. who?
She hasn't had many loved ones in life and those she did have were very much still alive. Honestly, she simply considered herself blessed that she could think of so few names of those she has lost over the years. Even if some of the people she knew from her homeland has passed on without her knowledge, she could confidently say none of them would have been watching over her in Tenkai. Maybe one of their servants in the manor would have checked in on her, but certainly, not her father, loathe as she is to call him that.
Which left truly only one option.
She raised her right hand into the air, tilting it so the palm faced her chest, and extending her index finger out. She gave the cardinal a sad smile as her ears slouched ever so slightly.
".. hello, mother."
She received a small chirp! in response as the feathery creature took to the air, causing the clothesline to let out a soft hum at the sudden vibration, and landed on her finger. It ducked its head down and rubbed against her thumb, nuzzled further into her hand.
The Renard woman let out a sigh as she abandoned the laundry and walked slowly back to the tree she sat under just a few days before while Bell explained their little visitors from heaven.
Her golden hair spun idly as the wind picked up, carrying with it the scent of food from the Amor square. It was both a blessing and a curse to be so near to the popular romantic location. She wished she could someday go there with her beloved, but she knew better than to think it possible. She was tainted, impure, and simply not good enough for Bell. She refused to sully his name by seeking a relationship with him.
On the other hand, if one is brave enough to sit down alone at one of the many cafes or restaurants, the food was delicious. Haruhime wasn't brave enough to do so, but she still reaped the rewards any time the wind shifted direction and blew toward the west, encasing the Heart Mansion in the wonderful aroma.
The little messenger made another noise as she settled down with her back against the tree before hopping out of her hand and onto the knee she had pulled up into her chest. The bright red feathers contrasted nicely against the stark white apron that laid over her black dress. It was another off day for the familia and her turn to do some of the chores (even if she insisted she do them all, they always refused her).
Haruhime tried to recall her mother's face as she studied the bird, but the whispers of images in her mind were fading no more than ever as she went longer and longer away from her family's home. She could remember vague pieces of what the paintings had shown. The same golden hair, but cut far shorter. Amber eyes, unlike the ones she received from her father.
But, that was it.
Was there anything else?
Her smile? Her face? What did she look like past the hair and the eyes?
Why couldn't she remember those damned paintings and what she looked like? She had studied them enough in her younger years, trying to imagine what it would have been like to have a mother, so why did none of it stay?
The bird didn't answer in any way she could understand unless she found a way to interpret preening and chirping.
"Why are you here, mother?"
Chirp!
Haruhime let out a tired breath as she leaned her head back against the bark of the tree, her ears laying flat against the top of her head. She shut her eyes and allowed the wind to wash over her, allowing herself to rest from the realities of her life.
"Have you come to tell me how disappointed you are in me? Father never seemed to say it enough. Do you disapprove of my life choices? Of my shameful past?"
Well, that got a response she felt she could understand as the crimson bird took to the air, flying around her head and nipping angrily at her ears. She squealed as the first peck came down on the sensitive tip, pouting even as she cupped her hands protectively over them.
"Alright, alright! You don't need to be so mean, mother."
Chirp!
She sighed as the bird once again perched on the side of her finger, she lifted the finger's companion and softly stroked the top of its head.
"I wonder if it's truly you who is in control or if the bird simply conveys your feelings."
Chirp!
She hummed thoughtfully, "I suppose you could be right."
She listened intently as the bird went on, singing her praises. She nodded when it felt right and gave it smiles whenever it turned back to look at her, hoping her mother wouldn't be too offended that she didn't know what on earth this little guy was trying to say to her.
She had to admit, it was a little strange knowing that the bird that visited her was a male. Bell had explained in excruciating detail the difference between the two, apparently, his grandfather was an avid bird watcher. It was the only reason she knows that male cardinals are more brilliantly colored and not the females (something about mate selection). She couldn't say she understood everything he said, but that didn't stop her from listening and hanging on to every word like they were gospel.
Her mother smiled proudly at her daughter through her personal divine mirror in Tenkai, it was nice having a chance to be there for her daughter. She hadn't had the easiest life, that was much was for certain (and her husband would have hell to pay when he finally kicked the bucket for how he treated her daughter).
Even if this was the highest capacity in which she could show Haruhime that she would always have family who loved her, somebody who would be in her corner no matter what direction life takes, she would take it without a second thought. She wished she could have been there, but fate can be too cruel sometimes.
She stood up slowly from her seat and waved a hand carefully through the screen, dispelling the window into the lower world. Her daughter would be okay without her pestering for a while longer. She had good people with her.
That Bell boy was sweet (and completely oblivious), but despite all of his shortcomings when it came to noticing her daughter's longing glances, she knew she could count on him to keep her safe.
And that Aisha, oh how she liked that girl. It is not as if she was raised herself in the arms of nobility (not like her dearest husband), she was lowborn herself, and had the pregnancy not taken her she would have made more than a few changes on the sterile home atmosphere. Why must they all be so stiff all the time? That certainly was no way to live, not in the slightest. So, sue her for thinking the Amazoness was a good influence on her daughter, she was simply happy that Haruhime had somebody there to protect and teach her.
How could she forget Mikoto? Sweet, sweet Mikoto. Her daughter's first friend, finally reunited at last. She would be lying if she claimed she didn't shed a few tears, and she wasn't one to lie or dance around the truth.
The mature Renard woman shut the door softly behind her as she stepped outside, pulling the neckline of her kimono further over her chest as a breeze swept by.
Her gaze turned to the east as a voice called out to her, a soft smile immediately gracing her lips as she bowed to her friends.
"Hello, Meteria. It is good to see you, how's Bell-kun?"
Her white-haired friend returned the smile in kind and stepped up beside her, following easily into step as if they'd been friends their entire lives (and not the singular week since they sought each other out after Bell and Haruhime's first meeting).
"He's doing well, though knowing him he's probably off in search of something else to give me a heart attack."
"I'm sure he doesn't do such a thing intentionally, he simply has a hero's heart."
The other woman shook her head with a sigh, "please don't remind me, but enough about Bell, I wish to know more about his new friend. Is Haruhime settled into the familia well? I know you worry for her, Akikogo-sama, I wouldn't want her to be unhappy."
Akikogo nodded happily, clapping her hands together with a beaming smile on her lips, "why yes she is! All thanks to a certain hero if I remember correctly."
Meteria hummed as they turned the corner of the street, walking down the candle-lit streets toward the restaurant district. Sure, it was technically heaven and they could just have food appear in front of them whenever they wished, but life quickly lost meaning when everything was instant. She found she quite preferred the slow pace of dinner, especially when she has such wonderful company to enjoy it with.
"What are you craving tonight, princess?"
"You know I'm not a princess, I don't see why you insist on calling me as such."
"Your daughter is a princess."
"My daughter is a noble, a disgraced one at that. Even still, how could my daughter being a princess justify calling me one?"
"You wish to be called queen? I can do that. Or perhaps you would prefer 'your excellency' or 'your royal majesty'?"
"Please, no. Never."
The shorter woman bumped her shoulder into the golden-haired fox and muffled a giggle behind her fingers as they walked, "you avoided the question."
".. fine. I would like," her finger tapped against her chin as she scanned the buildings, waiting for something to catch her eye, "oh! Let's go there!"
Meteria raised a brow at the restaurant, "really? Burgers?"
Akikogo nodded giddily, her shoulder-length hair flying through the air as she did, "yes, yes, yes! I've never had one before and I've always wanted to try! I don't care if I have to bribe you with paintings I made of baby 'Hime if I have to, but you are coming with!"
Bell's mother only chuckled and allowed herself to be dragged along toward their destination, completely ignoring the trio of girls she did not want to deal with right now. She shuddered at the memory of the last time she tried to get in the middle of those love-crazed women (and over Bete of all people? She didn't understand them one bit).
The former Sanjouno family noble deposited her at the end of the line before sparing a glance over her shoulder, "you know, I didn't notice it until now, but where is your sister?"
Meteria shrugged helplessly, "you know how she is, she always has somebody to watch over. For a woman who wanted nothing to do with motherhood she sure has taken a lot of girls under her wing."
"The Astraea girls, again?"
She nodded, "I think she feels guilty, but she never seems to want to leave those who have chosen to remain and wait for Ryuu's arrival."
The two friends shared a miserable sigh as they took a step forward in line. For how short of a time she had known the two sisters, Akikogo had fallen in with them surprisingly smoothly, already well aware of each of their.. eccentric personalities. There was a reason she wasn't going to go anywhere near Meteria's fries even if they looked absolutely delectable (which they did).
…
Out on the street in front of a food cart, two girls (plus one) glared at the ground with thinly veiled contempt as a nervous-looking vendor shakily leaned forward with a wrapped crepe. Reene accepted it with a disarming smile, her tail wagging back and forth as she turned back to the two other girls with a roll of her eyes.
"Will you two stop bickering already? I've already done this song and dance enough to know it's pointless, if you wanted to mandate Bete's love life in the lower world so much you shouldn't have died."
The words were harsh and didn't at all match her innocent face and wide red eyes. She bore a striking resemblance to the Renard woman who had just unknowingly passed the group by, if not for the slight racial difference in ears, tails, and abilities they may have resembled close family. Of course, she was a werewolf of the Loga tribe that resided in the western plains, not a noble of the Far East, which certainly did not help relate the two anymore.
Line and Selenia turned and fixed the girl with a pointed look, one that screamed 'are you seriously okay with this?'
Honestly? She was, who was she to judge.
"Who cares if she's a prostitute- "
"She's bat shit crazy."
"I prefer to say she's spirited!"
Line rolled her eyes, turning away from the conversation with a muttered 'sunshine child' and allowing Selenia to fill in for her.
"She liked being punched in the stomach."
"I don't kink shame, Selenia."
"That feels wrong coming out of your mouth."
Reene merely shrugged her shoulders and skipped around the streets, humming happily with increased volume every time she took a bite of her pastry.
"Did I get made at Bete when he fell for you after I died, Selenia?"
A shake of the head.
"And what about you, Line? Did Selenia and I show you any malice after you died for loving Bete?"
Another shake.
"That's right! We didn't! Lena may just.. "
She drifted off, her face scrunching up in confusion as she stared down at her crepe.
".. "
".. "
".. Reene? Are you with us?"
"Hm? Oh, sorry.. I just.. noticed something.. "
The werewolf's mouth moved silently as she rolled the different words over her tongue. Her expression soured as she placed her hands on her hips, a soft hum of disbelief escaping her throat.
"What is it?"
"Well, I was just thinking about kinks, right? And- "
".. still sounds wrong."
Line's concerns were promptly waved away dismissively as Reene continued on, "well, it's just that all of the girls who have taken in an interest in Bete have somewhat similar names."
".. "
".. "
".. holy shit, you're right."
Selenia blinked, "Reene.. Line.. Selenia.. Lena.. what the hell?"
"Right? Do you think Bete has a thing for names like ours?"
Selenia shook her head, "no, I think it's more so something about him attracts people with similar names to him. He never actually showed any interest toward Line- "
"Hey! I'm right here, you know!"
" -but he did have a crush on the Kenki."
"Do you think it's a skill?"
Selenia hummed thoughtfully for a moment before her face split with a grin, one mirrored on the other two girls.
"Race you home!"
"I'll beat you!"
"You two humans don't stand a chance!"
And just like that, the trio was off, scampering through the crowds and throwing the occasional elbow to ward off the competition. Reene kept a steady lead even as she used her body to protect her desert and even occasionally took some bites of the treat, her werewolf traits simply being too much for the other girls to handle without the benefit of their blessings.
The three piled onto the couch in their small apartment. The responsibility of setting up the divine mirror fell onto Line's shoulders as the last to arrive and top of the pile, which she did promptly.
"Come on, come on, come on."
"How can we even be sure know is the right time?"
Line and Selenia both rolled their eyes to their sweet, naive, little kouhai (sure, Reene wasn't actually the youngest, but in Tenkai one is able to choose which age they feel most comfortable at, and the girl had simply chosen to remain her current age, stating it was simply too hard to readjust to walking at a new height).
"Bete always showers after dinner, says it 'keeps the weakness from spreading' from the other adventurers."
Just like that her interest was back with a vengeance (and maybe just this once she would transform to an older form to make it less strange).
The mirror sprung to life and the trio let out a lovesick sigh in unison as a cardinal landed on the ledge of the window of the inn's bathhouse, giving them a perfect view of Bete's abs as he sunk into the warm water.
".. you do know we can't actually see his status, right? We won't be able to know if he has a seduction skill or whatever."
" " Who cares! " "
Luna walked into the room and immediately groaned before stomping back out, grumbling to herself about 'perverted roommates' and her 'innocent, older brother.'
...
Elsewhere in the dungeon city, a pair of crimson birds through the air above the Twilight Manor, each one focusing in on their desired targets. The two heavenly onlookers didn't know each other as well as Meteria and Aikikogo do, not everyone in Tenkai desires those same connections just because they watch over friends.
Albert preferred privacy, it wasn't like what he was watching was particularly.. heartwarming. A wife suffering alone in the claws of the beast he failed to slay. A daughter trying desperately to succeed where he failed but still not reaching the top of that mountain he climbed long before her.
It hurt.
It hurt so gods damned much
He hated it.
Don't misunderstand, he was so gods damned proud of his little girl. She was doing better in her situation than he could ever have dreamed; she was strong, independent. She was a warrior.
And it pained him to see because she shouldn't be.
He should've been strong enough to protect her, to protect them both. They could have lived long (maybe not too long because the world was still pretty shitty), happy lives as a family. Of course, he would have had to find Aiz a good, respectable husband eventually, but that was years down the line.
She never should have had to worry about any of this.
Her mother.
That fucking dragon.
Zilch.
So yes, this hurt more than anything that beast could have inflicted on him.
He failed in his job to protect his family.
The Mercenary King glanced from the mirror showcasing his daughter to the one displaying his wife.
It wasn't by chance that a tiny little bird was able to appear in the tunnels that comprised the palace of the Queen of the Skies deep in the northern reaches of the continent. The life of the cardinal served no actual greater purpose when it came to the use of the divine mirror, he could still view her even if the Black Dragon were to incinerate the intruder.
She never did though and he despised her for it.
No, the dragon left the birds alive intentionally. It knew what they meant, the purpose they served.
But things have multiple uses.
It just so happens that reminding a person of the life she hadn't lived for nigh on a thousand years was horribly painful. Even worse when it also meant that the man who died to protect his family was still watching over her, hurting just the same as she was.
In the end, they were both prisoners of their pasts.
He hurt to see her in these hellish halls.
She hurt to know just how much pain her beloved husband was in just watching and unable to help.
And the dragon soaked it in, reveling in their commissary as if it were the lifeblood that hundred through its veins.
A colossal black foot slammed into the ground in front of the small cardinal; its talons cracked the stone, dragging along the rough slate and digging grooves far deeper and far wider than the bird.
A huff of steam billowed out of the shadows as the head appeared. The snout appeared first, nostrils still flared from the monster's theatrical entrance. Then came the tips of the horns that jutted forward, obsidian ornaments capable of spearing lesser beasts easily.
Its maw opened carefully, strings of saliva connecting the two lips as it bared its fangs.
A flicker of midnight flames sprung to life in the back of its throat, the inferno begging to be unleashed. It was left wanting.
The dragon simply sunk back into the shadows of the cave, melting into their embrace and leaving the duo with nothing but a deep rumbling similar to a chuckle as it went.
Albert could only watch as his wife curled in on herself, her head tucked into her knees and her arms holding it down. Aria was rocking back and forth, a few sputtered gusts of wind (a far cry from her former power) glitzing around her.
He turned away from the screen, swiping away the tear that slid down his cheek. Unfortunately, it only led to him staring down his daughter sparring against the Amazonian twins, still trying to get stronger to take on that monster.
He'd prefer just about anything to do that.
Luckily, there was another alternative.
A third divine mirror appeared before him, showing a young boy participating in his own early morning workout. He was sparring against shadows, sure, but he was doing just about anything he could to become stronger.
Good.
Was it wrong to wish for the boy to fight the monster in Aiz's stead? Maybe. Did he care for anything other than his daughter and wife and their happiness? Nope.
The boy wanted to be a hero, let him learn what that means.
…
Elsewhere in Tenkai, another figure watches over the same Loki familia spar.
It was rare for an Amazon born from Telskyura to be watched over if only because of the traditions of the island.
Children separated from their mothers at birth. Trained to kill anyone, even their friends.
It didn't exactly foster loving relationships that carried into the afterlife.
Seldas didn't care much for normal conventions.
So, what if she was watching over the girl who killed her? Tione was a good person, she didn't want to do it, none of them did. They were sisters in all but blood, she didn't have a damn if her own blood was on the girl's hands.
She was just happy they finally escaped, Tione and Tiona both, she was just so happy for them!
Okay, she wished they'd figured out they could just ask to go home before she had died, but as they always say, 'beggars can't be choosers!'
Did that apply to dying? She didn't really know.
She watched as Tione ducked under one of Aiz's kicks and jumped up and cheered as Tiona's Urga collided heavily against the dirt of the sparring circle, splitting the earth asunder.
She did a few of her own mock punches toward the screen as Tione lept back forward.
"Get her, girl!"
Tione did, in fact, not get her. Not that time, or the next.
Which was frustrating to their little onlooker, even more so for the girl herself.
Seldas eeped out a quiet 'uh oh' as the giant slayer of the Loki familia's berserker ability began to kick in. It was a great skill for added strength, it was just–
She sighed as Tione's fist lashed out past Aiz and collided with Tiona's exposed stomach, sending the younger sister careening toward the exterior wall of the facility.
She winced as the amazon pulled herself out of the rubble and found herself agreeing with the Kenki's decision to just take a step back and not deal with the two sisters. She loved them, she did, but neither of them were cursed with the benefits of forward thinking.
Honestly, she doubted the berserker skill was the only reason for the infighting.
They just did it.
A lot.
She really wanted to smack them upside the head for it sometimes.
Although she would settle for kicking Bache and Argana in the tit. They deserved it.
Or Kali.
Stupid, pint-sized goddess. She swore the only reason Telskyura hosted death games was because the goddess needed a way to distract herself from her ugly mug.
She would settle for kicking any of them in the tit.
Especially after that shit they pulled in Melen.
She had half a mind to march up to the nearest god or goddess and threaten them with grievous bodily harm if they didn't resurrect her right that second to go after her sisters. She didn't even care if they put her right back in her eight-year-old body, she'd kick some level six ass from three feet off the ground if she had to.
Those were her little sisters they were trying to drag back into their shitty little lives right there.
You can take the warrior out of Telskyura, but you can't take the Telsky.. ura.. out of the warrior?
Does that even make sense?
The point is she is still a warrior!
She was the strongest in her little cohort back in the island kingdom.
Until Tione killed her.
But still!
More importantly than her scheduled tit kicking when any of the lovingly dubbed 'trio of terrible' traveled to the upper plane is to smack Tione for being so upset about her death. It wasn't like she wanted to kill her, nor was it like Seldas wanted to be killed. They were forced to, and Seldas was just glad it amounted to something positive.
So, the idiot needed to stop mourning already.
She was dead, no point in whining about it.
Honestly, the fact that she was whining was more annoying than the death itself. Really, death was like a minor inconvenience more than anything. Heaven was, dare she say it, pretty nice.
Definitely better than shittily furnished rooms and a monotonous life broken apart only by brutal and bloody deathmatches.
Shocking.
She smiled at the divine mirror as Tione took her sister's hand and pulled her up from the ground, sliding an arm under her shoulder and dragging her back toward the kitchen. She knew exactly what the younger sister would want at a time like this, and that was food.
They were all smiles despite the bruises rapidly forming throughout their bodies as they plopped down at one of the tables. Tiona glanced up when there was a fluttering just outside the window and smiled up at the cardinal that was watching from the window sill.
She nudged her sister in the rib, getting her attention.
Her fork quickly left her stack of waffles and pointed toward the window, she was all smiles when her sister turned back to her with a questioning gaze.
"Do you know the tale behind cardinals?"