Disclaimer: I do not own DanMachi or any of the Omori's original characters, nor do I make any profit off of my writing.
There was a knock on the door that Bell absolutely did not want to deal with. He pulled the pillow over his ear as he rolled to face away from it before the second series of knocks ever sounded.
"Bell?"
No.
"I can see your soul through the crack under the door so I'm just going to talk, okay?"
Not okay.
"Great! Umm.. I don't really know what to say.. I really should have thought of something first."
Why do people pull pillows over their heads in books if it doesn't do anything to quiet the outside world?
"Well.. I guess I should start by saying sorry for not telling you. I.. err.. honestly I kind of thought you knew? I know I only recently descended to the lower world– "
.. what?
" –but I hear people saying my name a lot so I just figured people knew already? Is that something they do down here? Like.. announce when new gods or goddesses arrive? I don't really know.. "
Her voice grew quieter as she got lost in her own confusion, Bell didn't really know, he was more confused by the fact that she thinks she just descended. He knows she said it earlier but he just thought she was kidding!
Freya was still mumbling to herself when the door swung open and a bleary-eyed adventurer stood in its place.
"You're kidding, right? You have to be."
"Huh?" Freya lifted her head from where it was staring down at the floor, her chin raising from her cupped fingers. "Oh, Bell! It's good to see you, what did you say?"
She's kidding, right?
"You just descended to the lower world?"
The girl – who was apparently Freya – nodded gleefully, her fists clenched and her arms shaking as she tried to contain her excitement. "Mhmm! I'm here with one goal in mind! To find my Odr!"
"Your what?"
Her what? Why would she want to find an odor? Isn't that something people usually try to avoid?
"My Odr! My fated love!"
.. that made only marginally more sense than 'odor.'
Since when has Freya had a 'fated love?' He'd certainly never heard of anything of the sorts.
"I tried finding them in Tenkai but no such luck, so here I am! I'm certain if I try hard enough, I can finally find the one I'm destined for!"
Bell trying to reconcile the smiling, slightly giddy, sixteen-or-so-year-old girl in front of him with the lustful goddess he'd met at Apollo's ball.
".. "
".. "
Nope. He couldn't do it.
How had this become that?
The Freya he'd met had been seemingly apathetic to the world around her, uncaring for the comings and goings of anything she didn't think of importance.
This Freya had been amazed by just about everything she'd seen, taking in the city with childlike innocence and squealing at every new outfit she tried on at the store.
It was like they were too entirely different people.
Bell took a deep breath and prayed to the gods for strength. "Lady Freya– "
She pouted. "Mwouf! Just Freya!"
Bell ignored her.
" –goddess-sama, I– "
A finger jabbed harshly into his chest as the grey-haired girl continuously prodded him. "Frey-uh. Say it with me now, Frey-uh!" Her foot tapped on the ground as she waited for Bell to speak those two simple syllables. He didn't. It was stupid. It was just two syllables. That's all she asked!
" –you're not– "
Freya shook her head and stomped her foot petulantly.
"I'm not listening until you promise to say my name normally!"
And with those words, the goddess (and Bell had to admit it was getting harder to think of her as such when she jammed her fingers into her ears and glared at him through her pout) shut him out.
He never should have left his bed.
He should have just taken his nap and let the world outside burn down around him. A fiery death would have been preferable to dealing with the girl in front of him.
"Goddess-sama– "
A shake of the head.
"Lady Freya– "
Her glare intensified.
"Freya-sama– "
Her pout turned into a scowl and Bell let out a tired sigh as he gently grabbed her wrists and removed her fingers from her ears. "Freya, I– "
"Yay!"
Bell felt his eyebrow twitch.
"Sorry, sorry, please," she let out a light cough into her hand, "please continue." She even waved her hand through the air toward him to offer him the floor.
"Freya, you didn't just descend to the lower world. It's been several hundred years."
".. "
".. "
".. like some kind of time travel? I was sent to the future? But how?"
"No, Freya, you weren't.. "
It felt ridiculous just to say it.
".. you weren't sent to the future. You've been here, in the lower world, for all of those years, living your life."
Freya shook her head and took a half step back. "No, that's not true! I would have remembered! It's just not possible, you're lying, you have to be!"
Bell raised his palms into the air in a placating gesture, hoping to calm the girl down before things got to out of hand. He could see his familia peaking their heads around the corner at the end of the hall but paid them no mind. He was far more concerned with keeping Freya from falling into a panic attack.
If he was being honest with himself, he actually quite enjoyed her company, something he really didn't think he'd ever say.
Freya was.. pleasant. Nice, even.
The other Freya had seemed callous, manipulative, selfish. For her, it had always been 'me, me, me.'
Or.. maybe not.
Had this been what she'd been like before she had descended? Full of unending excitement and joy and hope?
Was this Freya telling the truth? That all she wanted was to find her one true love?
Bell couldn't fault her for that, he doubted anybody could.
But how had one become the other? What had happened to turn this sweet, unsuspecting girl into the vindicative one they all knew and feared. The Freya of Folkvangr was untouchable. She never showed weakness.
She wasn't this.
But at the same time, she was.
Somewhere, deep inside the goddess, this girl had been locked away.
But why?
He didn't know, but he sure as hell wanted to find out, if not than to make sure it never happened again. She may not look it right now, as her fearful eyes flicked around the hallway and she took another step back, but he'd seen it. She'd been happier than he'd ever seen the goddess being.
He wanted to protect that.
That's what a hero does, right? Protects the hearts and mind?
Mortals weren't the only ones in need of saving, nor were those in danger.
Freya needed a hero and Bell would be damned if he abandoned somebody in need. Not when he could help them.
Bell took a step forward, his face relaxing into a soft smile.
"Hey.. "
He laid his hands down atop her shoulders, grounding her. Freya's eyes flicked back over to his, silver boring into red. Bell's lips twitched up even higher as the girl sucked in a shaky breath.
".. everything is alright, see? You've lost memories, that's all. We can fix that, I'm sure we can. I know somebody who's.. "
.. would it be bad to say good? He didn't think he should lie to her right now but Naaza's skill with potions was questionable at best.
".. alright with potions, maybe they can help? If not we'll find something else that works, okay? Until then, we can get in touch with your familia and– "
She squeaked. "My what?"
Bell glanced over her shoulder to where his familia was watching, hoping for any help they could give. All he got was a shrug in response.
".. your familia?"
She recoiled at the word as if struck.
"Why would I have made a familia? If I descended that long ago then why am I still here?"
Bell didn't really know what to say to that. His mouth opened but nothing came out. They weren't answers he had; weren't things he knew.
She took a step back, pulling away from her hands as she collided with the wall behind her and slumped down to the ground. Her face fell down into her arms and she curled in on herself.
Bell stared wide-eyed to his familia, his hands gesturing wildly as they engaged in a silent conversation.
'What do I do!?'
'Fix it!'
'HOW!?'
'We don't know! You're the feelings guy!'
Bell would like to have some words to whoever decided that shit. The feelings guy? What?
Hestia waved him over to the girl, more so concerned about what her children would do if they found their goddess crying in her home than the goddess herself.
Bell kneeled down on the ground, his hand reaching out before he thought better of it and instead settled against the wall beside her.
"I don't know what happened in your past, but.. I don't think you should give up on love."
That's what this is about right? Gods he hoped so, otherwise he was clueless. Honestly, he was probably clueless either way but he'd have a starting point if he was right. She had said she only came to the lower world to find love, if he had to guess she's be upset that she never did.
Maybe.
Hopefully.
Freya sniffled and pulled her face from her arms, one of her hands wiping away the tears in her eyes. "Who said anything about that? Why would I give up on love? I love love!"
"Uhh.. "
So much for that.
That's it! He biffed it! He was never going to be the 'feelings guy' again. Not ever. Not even if they begged on their hands and knees.
A watery giggle erupted from his side as Freya tried to muffle it behind her palm. "I'm sorry, I'm a mess, I just– "
Bell smiled. "It's a lot."
She nodded, her eyes downcast.
"Nobody is going to expect you to be okay right away, and none of us here are going to rush you, okay?" A light elbow to her arm. "You can stay here as long as you like– "
I probably should have cleared that with Hestia-sama first.
" –so don't feel like you're in a rush to be okay. It's okay to not be okay."
Freya nodded quickly and let out a hum of acknowledgment, her tearful eyes shining with gratitude as she stared into Bell's.
"Thank you, Bell, all of you."
There was a squeak of surprise down the hall as five heads dove back around the corner. Freya let out a soft chuckle as they did, luckily not seeming bothered by the audience.
"You've been too kind to me already, I'll be sure to repay you tenfold."
Bell scratched his cheek sheepishly. "There's no need for that, I just hope you find who you are looking for!"
Freya smiled.
I think I already have.
Bippity boppity boo, teenage Freya is coming to get you.