I do not own Familia Myth or any of the characters.

Investigating

Ethan frowned as he stopped at the door. He, Anya, Bell, Welf, and Lili had been ordered to go into the dungeon in order to investigate the area they found Wiene. However, that would mean leaving her with the others for the day, and Ryu had to work today.

"You sure you'll all be okay?" Ethan asked.

"We'll be fine," Aisha said. "Haruhime can increase our levels as needed, and me, Daphne, and Cassandra will be able to protect her just fine."

Ethan frowned but nodded, only for Wiene to run over to him, throwing her arms around him.

"Don't go!" Wiene pleaded.

"I have to go," Ethan said, hugging her back. "I'm sorry, Wiene. I'll be back soon, though. In the mean time, I need you to stay here with Haruhime and the others, okay?"

Wiene nodded. "Be careful."

"I will," Ethan smiled, wiping a tear from her cheek. "Be good, alright? Don't let anyone besides our Familia see you."

Wiene nodded and stepped back, wiping her eyes, then smiling.

Ethan smiled as well and walked out the door to the others. They all turned, walking toward the dungeon together. As they worked their way down, they were attacked by several Lamia Mormos. Ethan defeated his easily, then finished the one Welf was struggling to fend off, but Bell moved to fight his, only to hesitate and be sent flying. As he began to stand, Ethan killed it with his Blade Rain, then walked over to Bell.

"Bell, you need to focus," Ethan said. "If they're attacking us, kill them. I doubt we'll find any talking monsters this trip, but if we do, it's their choice to fight us or not. Hesitating every time you see a monster is just going to get you killed."

Bell nodded sullenly. "I'm sorry."

"It's fine," Ethan said. "Come on. Let's get to the Nineteenth Floor."

They nodded and all of them headed down to the Eighteenth Floor, pausing for lunch, then continuing down another level.

"So, you said Ryu levelled up," Bell said. "What did she choose for a Development Ability?"

"Momentum," Ethan said. "Apparently, the longer she's moving without stopping, the stronger her strikes become. It's not a huge boost, but it plays into her usual fighting style perfectly."

"True," Welf nodded. "Especially against Floor Bosses."

Ethan nodded in agreement as they finally reached the area they'd found Wiene. They looked around for anything important, but there was nothing. Ethan couldn't say he was surprised, but he had been hoping for something. Anything, really.

"Anything?" Welf asked.

"Nothing," Bell said.

"Hey," Ethan said, staring through the trees at a figure in a faded, tattered brown cloak in the distance.

It wasn't Fels, since the cloak was loose, but whoever it was, they were definitely watching them. The other three nodded and they walked toward the person, Ethan preparing himself to draw his sword. The person walked past Bell and Welf as they pulled ahead of Ethan. However, Ethan stopped in front of them, seeing that it was a female, and she stopped, turning her head slightly back toward Bell and Welf, who stopped and looked back at her and Ethan, then turned back to Ethan.

"You smell like my kindred," the person said in a clearly feminine voice.

Welf and Bell both leapt backward, reaching for their weapons, as did Lili behind Ethan, though Anya remained calm beside Ethan. Ethan waved them all off.

"Are you the ones who have abducted my kindred?" the woman asked.

"We didn't abduct her," Ethan said calmly. "We found her as she was being attacked by a monster, and hunted by adventurers, so we took her in to protect her, because she was different than a normal monster."

"Yes, you do not smell of blood," she nodded. "Then you are the ones Fels spoke of?"

Ethan's eyes narrowed. "That depends. What did he say?"

"I have one question," she said. "Do you believe we can coexist?"

"As things currently stand, no," Ethan said. "I do not believe we can coexist. As things stand, humans fear and hate monsters too much to be able to accept coexistence with you and your kindred. I assume you are a monster who has the ability and intelligence to speak, like the Vouivre we found."

She opened her mouth to speak, but Ethan held up a hand.

"That being said," Ethan continued. "I do believe that coexistence will eventually be possible, but first, you and your kindred, specifically monsters with enough intelligence to speak and to reason, need someone to show them that you are not the same as the other monsters. I believe that we can help you, and we can get humanity to accept your kind, in time."

She lifted her head, exposing her blue eyes with slit pupils. "I want to bathe in the light of the sun. Rather than be in this confined, nightmarish abyss, I want to try spreading my wings in a world of light." She looked back at Bell and Welf. "You two seem somehow different." She turned back to Ethan. "And you seem to understand. I find myself hoping, just a little."

She leapt backward, leaving a trail of white feathers with blue tips in her wake, then disappeared into the branches of the forest around them. Ethan caught one of the feathers and stared at it.

"A feather?" Bell asked.

"This has got to be a joke, right?" Welf asked.

"She's...like Wiene?" Bell asked.

"Yes," Ethan said. "And she's a Siren, I think. These feathers are the wrong color to be a Harpy."

"Should we go after her?" Bell asked.

"We'll never find her if she doesn't want to be found," Ethan said. "But I think she might keep an eye on us. Come on. Let's get back."

The others all nodded and they turned, beginning to walk back toward the exit from the level, and passed the same group of adventurers that had found them when they were with Wiene, except with an extra this time with brown hair slicked back, a pair of goggles, and a spear with a long, jagged, red blade as a spearhead. Ethan, Anya, and Bell all restrained their reactions, only for Ethan to strain his ears, hearing them stop walking behind them. They began to whisper, but the only words Ethan could make out were his and Bell's titles.

"They suspect us," Ethan hissed.

Bell nodded subtly. Once they were back on the surface, Ethan glanced around, then back at the dungeon, seeing no one around them.

"Welf, Lili, Anya, head back to the mansion and get Wiene inside and out of sight," Ethan hissed. "That group's going to come after me and Bell, so we'll draw their attention away."

The other three nodded and walked away briskly. Ethan turned and walked away from the dungeon with Bell, both of them heading to the Hostess of Fertility, Ryu smiling at them as they walked in.

"How was it?" Ryu asked in a low voice as she walked over to give him a quick kiss.

"We found one," Ethan whispered. "We'll see what happens."

Ryu nodded, kissing him again before returning to work, Ethan and Bell, who was lost in thought, headed to the bar, both getting some food and a drink. They ate in silence, and once they were finished, Ethan said goodbye to the Hostess employees, giving Ryu a kiss before they left. After a few minutes, they stopped partway through a back alley as a voice called out to them.

"Little Rookie, Guardian, lucky break," the man said, standing. "Never thought I'd run into you here."

He had straight, dark blue hair hanging around his head, wore a black tracksuit with a white "X" across the chest, a white shirt under it with a ruffled collar, and a pair of loafers.

"Lord Ikelos," Ethan said. "Bell, this is the deity of the Ikelos Familia. How may we help you?"

Ikelos laughed, walking past them, only to stop just behind them, both turning to him as he turned around as well. "No need to be so on guard. We seem pretty shady, right? Us gods. A cocky little brat's using me as the hook in his fishing expedition right now."

Ethan's eyes narrowed slightly.

"I-I see," Bell said.

Ikelos set a hand on Bell's shoulder.

"You know anything about a talking Vouivre?" Ikelos asked.

"I know that a talking Vouivre would cause a huge panic," Ethan said. "That would be huge news, and would mean that the monsters in the dungeon are growing smarter. A monster that can think on the level of humans might be a very dangerous enemy. Imagine a Floor Boss who can strategize, rather than simply attacking. That's a terrifying thought. Even the Goliath on the Seventeenth Floor could potentially become fatally dangerous. I think even the Loki Familia would have trouble with something like that."

"Indeed," Ikelos said, watching Ethan like a predator watches his prey.

"You should remind whoever sent you fishing that they don't have the right to command a god," Ethan said. "They sound awfully high and mighty."

"He is," Ikelos nodded. "What about you, Little Rookie?" He began to circle them. "Heard anything about the Vouivre? I heard it's got a really pretty face. It showed up on the Nineteenth Floor. I just wanted a look, you know? That's why I'm asking around." he stopped, leaning down to get in Bell's line of sight as Bell stared silently at the ground. "Hey, Little Rookie. If you happen to know something-"

"What a coincidence, Bell, Ethan," Hermes called out from behind them, all three turning to him.

"Lord Hermes," Ethan said. "Nice to see you again. Do you still need help with that problem you were having?"

"No, I got Asfi to do it for me," Hermes said. "You can go ahead and go. You're troubled right now because some strange god's got you cornered, right?"

"What?" Bell asked, slightly panicked.

"I have some business with Ikelos, you see," Hermes said.

"Really?" Ikelos asked.

"Really," Hermes nodded.

"Lord Hermes, I actually have a favor to ask," Ethan said. "You happen to be good at acquiring certain items for people, correct?"

"At times," Hermes said. "What were you hoping to get?"

"Durandal," Ethan said. "Enough for a chestplate and two swords. I want to give Anya something to defend herself with."

Hermes grinned and hummed thoughtfully. "I can try, but it won't come cheap."

"I can pay you five million valis for the metal, and I'll make up the difference in price by trading a favor for a favor, within relative reason," Ethan said.

Hermes hummed thoughtfully again before nodding. "I'll see what I can do."

Ethan nodded and walked away with Bell. However, after a few streets, he stopped, jumping to the roof and doubling back, Bell following, both moving silently. Both crouched down on a roof beside the alleyway the two gods were in.

"Is information that the Ikelos Familia is involved in smuggling correct?" Hermes was asking.

"Huh?" Ikelos drawled. "Are you suspecting me of something?"

"I don't want to suspect a friend from Heaven, but people say that your Familia was part of the dark faction, Evilus," Hermes said.

Ethan's eyes widened and Bell threw him a confused look. Ethan shook his head, holding a finger to his lips.

"Those are all false accusations!" Ikelos said flippantly. "I'm not an evil god!"

"One more thing," Hermes said seriously. "Unusual monsters have been spread around from here in Orario as though they were meant to spread chaos in the world. "

Ikelos cackled. "And you're trying to say I want that, Hermes? That I'm sending beast dreams, nightmares, throughout the Lower World? That's hilarious!" His voice suddenly turned calm and even, yet superior in tone, almost arrogant. "But I'm sad to say, I'm not in any way involved. It's just the kids getting all excited. Lately, the ones that don't pay their god any respect, the cocky ones, are on the rise. They send me on errands for them!" He tilted his head back, covering his eyes, but his face still bore a cocky, almost deranged, grin. "But you know...everything they do is so trivial and stupid, it really makes you laugh."

"Keeping a tight hold on your Familia's reins is part of a god's work, too, you know," Hermes said.

"The kids may not be able to take pain, but they never go against pleasure," Ikelos said. "We're the same, aren't we? That's why, as long as they entertain me, I'm not going to stop them. Even if you kill me and send me back, it's not going to stop the kids. They'll hide themselves, make a contract with a different god, and keep on doing the same stupid stuff."

"They probably would," Hermes agreed.

Ikelos stood. "You should use the kids you've got hidden around here, and search around me to your heart's content."

Ethan twisted, looking back, and saw Asfi watching him and Bell from an adjacent roof, several needles in her hand. He held a finger to his lips and she raised an eyebrow.

"Whatever," Ikelos said. "I don't care. Seems like it'll be more fun that way." He turned, walking away.

"How unpleasant," Hermes sighed. "As are all gods who hunger for amusement."

Ethan tapped Bell and nodded away from Hermes, Bell nodding and both turning, jumping away and landing lightly on the next roof, then again to the next before stopping, allowing Asfi to move to meet them, her needles raised, ready to be thrown.

"Why were you spying on Master Hermes?" Asfi asked.

"We weren't," Ethan said. "Ikelos was digging into an interesting subject regarding talking monsters, meaning they can think, and reason, so I wanted to know if whatever Hermes wanted to talk about involved that, and any theories about how it happened, if it really did, or how to stop it. Imagine my surprise when, instead, Evilus came up."

"What is Evilus?" Bell asked.

"Evilus was a faction of gods who wanted to cause chaos and destroy Orario," Ethan said. "They rose in power after the Zeus and Hera Familias fell from power, but were eventually thwarted and banished from Orario by the actions of the Loki Familia and the Guild, as well as some others."

"I see," Bell said.

"So you have no intentions with regard to Hermes?" Asfi asked.

"None except the request I gave him," Ethan said.

"What request?" Asfi asked.

"I asked him to get me some Durandal," Ethan said, walking past her. "We need to get home. If Ryu beats me there, she'll be a bit mad."

Asfi nodded, lowering her needles, and Ethan and Bell dropped back to the street and heading home.

"Those adventurers we met on the way out of the dungeon..." Bell muttered as they walked.

"They were part of the Ikelos Familia," Ethan whispered back. "I'd stake my Durandal armor on it."

Bell nodded, and they both fell silent before reaching to the mansion. However, Hestia met them at the door, guilt playing at her features.

"What happened?" Ethan asked.

"Wiene's gone," Hestia said.

"What do you mean gone?" Ethan asked.

"We were careless," Hestia said. "We never thought she might be listening."

"Listening to what?" Ethan asked. "Who said what?"

"Lili was saying we can't continue to shelter her, because she will cause us trouble eventually and said that we don't know she's truly tame," Hestia said. She...called her a bomb waiting to go off."

Ethan swore. "That's not Lili's choice to make!"

"I know," Hestia said. "Welf and the others have already split up to look for her."

Ethan turned and sprinted away from the mansion, meeting Ryu in seconds.

"What's going on?" Ryu asked.

"Wiene heard Lili calling her a monster and saying she had to leave, so Wiene ran away," Ethan said.

Ryu took off instantly, Ethan heading in the other direction. Ethan looked around before turning toward Babel and the Dungeon, heading that way. Off to his left, several blocks away, he could see Ryu doing the same. After a few minutes of jumping from one roof to the next, Ethan stopped as he heard a crash from a couple streets over and up ahead. A few seconds after he'd begun in that direction, he heard a high-pitched scream, like that of a child. A moment later, dozens more voices screamed in terror and someone shouted about a monster. Ethan pushed himself as fast as he could, allowing his anger at Lili causing this to fuel his speed and shot across the rooves before dropping beside Wiene. She was dressed in a black robe currently, and there was a large, black, leather, draconic wing protruding from the back of her right shoulder.

"Wiene, are you alright?" Ethan asked.

Wiene began to sob, hugging Ethan, and he held her tightly, shushing her gently and stroking her back. A moment later, Ryu landed beside them, also wrapping her arms around Wiene.

"What the hell are you doing hugging that thing!?" one of the dozens of adventurers around them demanded, all of them with their weapons drawn.

"Leave," Ethan ordered. "She won't hurt anyone, and I'm not letting you hurt her."

"It's a Harpy!" Someone shouted. "No, Siren!"

"This is your last warning!" Ryu snapped, standing and drawing her wooden sword. "Leave now!"

"There's only two of them!" someone shouted. "We can kill it!"

Ethan stood, turning to them as his eyes shone crimson and his sclerae turned pitch black. He drew his blades as he snarled furiously. "Any of you who attacks loses your arms! I won't kill you, but you will no longer be an adventurer!"

"Shit!" someone swore. "That's the Guardian!"

"We can take him!"

"Are you crazy!?"

"Why are you defending a monster!?"

"That's none of your business!" Ryu snapped. "We won't warn you again! If you mean to attack, come and let's be done with it!"

Just then, a smoke bomb hit the ground in front of them and exploded into a cloud of smoke and Ethan spun, sheathing his swords before scooping Wiene into his arms and sprinting down an alleyway, Ryu following him. Once out of sight, they leapt to the roof of a building and took off away from the mob of adventurers. Ethan led Ryu quickly, both of them being careful to avoid being seen. However, as they ran, Asfi caught up to them.

"You're protecting her?" Asfi asked.

"Why'd you give us a smoke screen?" Ethan asked.

"Hermes' orders," Asfi said. "Do you have somewhere to hide?"

"Yes," Ethan said. "Now go away. And thank you."

Asfi nodded and branched off. Ethan and Ryu didn't slow down for a second before finally reaching the ruins of the church. They landed near the back and Ethan shifted some rubble out of the way to the secret entrance to what used to be Bell and Hestia's room. The two of them brought Wiene down into the room and sat on a couch together, Wiene seated in Ethan's lap and holding him and Ryu, as they both held the other two as well.

"Are you alright, Wiene?" Ethan asked.

"Why are they so mean?" Wiene asked. "I only wanted to protect the little girl."

"They fear monsters too much to understand that you're not like the others," Ethan said. "The world isn't ready for you, even if we are."

Wiene began to cry again, Ethan and Ryu tightening their hold on her as they all waited for the others to find them.

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