Parodos: Strophê (I)

Disclaimer: I own neither properties

A/N: Thanks for the reviews, and sorry for taking so long to update! The Strophê(s) will be a bit slow and exposition-heavy.

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These are the English pronunciation/translation of the Greek and Japanese words I used. Thank you, Kati Allo, for the clarifications!

ἔρρʼ ἐς κόρακας - (Erre es Korakas) go to hell

Φάε Σκατά - (Fae Skata) Eat Shit

エロ ゴミ - (Ero gomi) perverted trash

Είσαι τέτοιος - (eísai tétoios) you are such a

Μαλάκας - (Malakas) wanker

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The fragmented Greek and Japanese probably looks odd, but it will have significance for what I'm setting up later.

For now, it's a way of alluding to a character being fluent in that language. Like when a person fluent in two languages will sometimes mix words. I'm just not confident in translating whole dialogues yet.

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Edit: I narrowed down the Greek usage to only important names and dialogue where it can be ignored or have the meaning be inferred.

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While you live, shine.

Have no grief at all,

...

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- / Bell / -

Five. Long. Years.

It's been exactly five years since that day. Yet, his parents had never returned from their trip in all that time. It was supposed to be a simple delivery to Orario, with even his Uncle Zal and Aun- Sister Fia joining them on the journey.

Then, the letters of their disappearance had trickled in, one after another. All stating their best wishes and apologies as that they had never reached their destination. Many saying that any traces of them were gone after deep investigation.

The townspeople, merchants, and friends/family also left to search for them too, but only returned to him with dejected looks. After a while, it just seemed that everyone gave up on them. With only pitiful eyes directed his way when he would pass by. He would still carry on, though, never losing faith that his parents were somehow still alive.

However, the constant emptiness surrounding the Cranel Estate still gnawed at his spirit. Even with his grandfather moving in, it did little to make it genuinely comfortable again. Instead, every day became a listless endeavor to continue the family farm and tend to his father's garden.

So, after the first year, he had grown tired of just moping around and waiting. They were just lost out there and desperately calling for help for all he knew. Or… Well, he'd just rather find out the truth for himself than stay wondering about the what-ifs.

From then on, he had trained and practiced as best he could. For every quarter-year, he set out for the edge of the village with a full pack in hand. His grandfather always stood there, opposed amongst the golden fields.

It was always a test of sorts; to gauge his readiness and commitment. Well, that's what his grandpa had liked to say anyways. He knew the old man was just too proud to say otherwise.

Yet, no matter how hard he fought, he always faced defeat. It was like opposing a force of nature when gramps got serious. If he closed the distance with strength, his arms were casually batted away and fractured with each hit. He was punished with a vicious clothesline if he bypassed the old man with speed.

Honestly, it was just becoming more difficult to make these monthly attempts…and not just because of the lack of results.

It also didn't help that his grandpa would always bring him along on (admittedly fun) "adventures" afterward.

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"MNNN! MN! MMMMM!"

It just sucked that he was always bound, gagged, and given a nice shiner first. If there's one thing that grandpa didn't half-ass, it was his punches.

"Oi! Simmer down already, boy! You're gonna knock me off!"

"Mmm Mn Mmm Mnmm Mn!" (That's what I'm trying to do!)

His muffled anger only increased as he shook around more furiously. It eventually caused his gramps to slip off his back and fall headfirst into the stone tiles.

"Motherf-! Fine! …there, better now?"

Not. Even. Close. The second grandpa had pulled out the cloth gag; he tore into the man with unrestrained, verbal fury.

"ἔρρʼ ἐς κόρακας! Not only did you beat me up, but you used me as a stool this time! Φάε Σκατά, エロ ゴミ!"

But the asshole just wiped at his eyes, brushing away invisible tears.

"Oh Bell, you make an ol' man proud! I knew that cursing 'round ya would pay off one day! It's good for the soul, you know! Hahaha!"

The jerk even had the nerve to wave him off before looking for another peeping hole. Although, that did give him some time to take a deep breath and broach the situation with some logic.

"Didn't you see the tattoos on their backs, grandpa?! We really need to get out of here!"

Gramps simply gave him a wide grin before clapping him on the shoulder.

"Hahahaha, you lil' rascal! So, you're finally embracing my ways, huh!? And here I was, 'fraid that you'd only peep on that crush of yours! Or worse... become a celibate hermit!" Grandpa teased before faking a sniffle. "Oh, you're jus' making me feel so proud of ya today."

As he attempted to hide his flustered expression, he quickly stammered, "N-no, I wasn't! A-and I don't peek on-…w-wait! That's beside the point! Those women are adventurers! They won't let us off easy like the village ladies usually do!"

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Secretly, he was actually way more ecstatic about this than he was brave enough to admit. Not for his grandfather's reason for being here, though (for the most part anyway).

Besides the odd wolf or goblin poking about, the Alv mountains were an incredibly peaceful place to live. Even seeing an amateur adventurer, let alone a veteran was an anomaly.

So, with this many adventurers here in one place, it was a dream come true. Primarily, because it increased the odds of one of them at least seeing his parents somewhere.

It's just a bonus that they happened to be super pretty too! Therefore! He won't let his stupid gramps ruin things this time!

...who's he kidding? This is his grandpa that he's talking about. Maybe he should start praying before things get worse for them. Or, more specifically, himself.

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"Calm your britches already. They're not-." We both paused when the wooden privacy divider bent and creaked.

'Oh, rats. Just my luck.'

"…Σκατά." Yep, his grandpa had perfectly summed up their situation too. In hindsight, shouting right next to the (female-only) hot springs wasn't the smartest thing to do.

When we slowly turned our fearful gazes upward, there, our impending doom loomed. All the women were all cooking to strike at us; exuding a palpable aura of hate and disgust.

He wouldn't even be able to die happy either, as even the Amazonians among them were all weirdly decked out in conservative armor.

The self-proclaimed leader of this adventure had his own plan B prepared, which didn't include him. When he turned to his right, all he saw was a comical cloud of dust. Echoing from down the mountainside, he could still clearly hear distinctly annoying laughter.

"Hahahaha! You betta start runnin', boy!"

'Είσαι τέτοιος Μαλάκας!' Turning back to the advancing women, he placatingly raised his tied hands with a weak smile.

"…um…would you believe that this was all his idea?"

He whimpered at the synchronous sounds of unsheathed blades and drawn bows. Γαμώ. He won't be sliding his way out of trouble this time.

"Ehe, I didn't think so…" Goddess, save me! "Exit... Stage left!"

"GET THEM!" The cacophonous roar that followed had nearly sent him off his feet.

Despite the brief stumble, he broke into an explosively fast start into the forest. Even with his handicap, he was a blur as he cut and crossed between familiar trees and thick foliage. Although considering his constant training and frequent adventures with the old man, this should be a given.

It didn't take him long before he managed to reach his stupid grandpa. He even managed to blitz past him by a few meters, if just barely.

"Grandpa, this is all your fault! Now we're doomed because of you!"

"Not yet, I-…er, we are! But now that you're here…."

"Oof!" The crazy goat had leaped on his back in a single bound and started kicking at his sides.

"Yip Yip, Bell!"

"HUUUH?! Why are YOU on MY back?! You're faster than I am!"

"Eh, only in bursts… or on weekends. Er, forget that! Don't you want to help out your poor, feeble grandpapa?"

It was almost pitiful how his grandpa hammed it up with phony waterworks and all. Normally, he'd just play along, but considering all the trouble today was his fault….

He immediately gave the useless layabout a flat stare for that excuse. "Mhm. I'm definitely shaking you off now."

"Like Tartarus, you are!" Under Gramp's crossed arms, his poor neck was practically strangled in a death hold. "So, you betta' get both our asses home!"

However, sharpened spears, deadly arrows, and even iron-toed boots were whizzing past his ear as he desperately sped down the mountain.

'Yeah, right! Grandpa must be huffing vapors again if he thinks I can outrun these women now!'

His legs were already running on fumes from the fight earlier and even more so after hauling his grandpa too.

To his joy, though, the world seemingly took pity on his labored plight. So many of the boots kept slamming into the back of his grandfather's head. Even the nary arrow was only finding purchase in grandpa's arse.

Yet, the distraction combined with his building exhaustion had caused him to make a massive mistake.

He had accidentally strayed away from the usual path home in the frantic, adrenaline-fueled escape. As such, he unluckily tripped on a tree root, which careened him off the side of the mountain… 2000 meters from the base.

Goddess damn it.

'I can't believe it... am I really dying over some boobs?'

He closed his eyes as memories flashed across his mind. Rather than the past that he expected, his mind became flooded with things more recent.

From the constant training, to the numerous defeats against his grandfather, and even the long recoveries afterward. Yet, those thoughts soon intermixed with the treasured snapshots from his grandpa's many adventures. Those heavenly sights sitting across that wooden fence were a memorable moment every single time.

As he was deep in his thoughts, he never noticed the thick smell of ozone that began to permeate the air. Even the rushing winds were masking the static charge that made his hair raise and skin tingle.

'Huh, maybe it wasn't all that bad….' A small trail of blood trickled from his nose as he happily reminisced.

However, a pair of large talons suddenly hooked onto him and his grandfather. Great, golden wings filled his sight when he had finally opened them. Although, even that was pushed to the wayside when he focused on a much different view.

"Woah…."

Even grandpa was silent for a change. It was simply beautiful as he flew… er… was carried through the sky.

The wind blew through his hair as he gazed at the picturesque landscape below him. The rural village he's been calling home looked massive even from the skies.

Especially, the town's magnum opus, which continued to stand brilliant and proud, no doubt helped. While the Alv Mountain Springs were the major tourist attraction, the church held much more importance to the locals. It served as an open home for the lost and unloved, where orphans and widows could seek shelter.

The church was also one of the last functioning structures in Genkai to continue its original purpose; honoring their gods.

While he's never seen her for himself, even he could feel that the village's goddess actually watches over her people. Like now, he supposes.

'Speaking of which.'

He took out a Vali from his pocket before muttering a grateful prayer. 'Thank you!' Gently kissing it, he promptly flicked it towards the distant church bells.

Then, as the evening light shined on his face, he reached toward the sun; its brilliance enthralled him.

He was quickly jolted into reality as the majestic eagle made a sudden swan dive at a breakneck speed. He wasn't afraid to admit that he screamed like a dying frog on the way down. "Kieeeeeee!!"

It was only stopped when the raptor unceremoniously rocketed him onto the now cratered ground. "Gah! What was that foooor..."

He was stopped from cursing out the bird by an euphonious laugh. After turning to its lovely owner, his cheeks had swiftly turned crimson.

Long, ebony locks framed her heart-shaped face, with the rest extending down to her hip. Her simple robe consisting of white and blue, only accentuated her curves and natural beauty. To his enthralled eyes, she was a goddess.

So, as she kindly gazed down at him, he was left breathless from her dazzling smile.

"Welcome home."

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Author's Note:

Thank you for reading! I'd appreciate any comments you can give!

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Until next time, Peace Out.