Thanks to everyone who Reads and enjoys this story, I didn't expect 24 Followers (13.10.2019), thank you so much. I'll try to make it as much enjoyable as possible despite possibly being OOC.
PS: some Characters appearing in this story will intentionally be in some ways different than originally.
Disclaimer: I don't own anything, not even the soundtracks. Danmachi belongs to Fujino Ōmori, Final Fantasy XV belongs to Square Enix.
Is it wrong to seek for answers?
Chapter 3: encounter
MAIN STREET – PORT CITY MELEN – late morning
„Ryuu, is it you?" she called quite loudly.
The called women turned, seeing Astraea, also walked towards her. They both hugged.
„lady Astraea" she called with a smile.
Now Noctis remembered.
She's the Elf girl Astraea mentioned many times, the only of her children still alive.
'She looks better than I imagined' Noctis thought.
(OPENING: HIROYUKI SAWANO feat: Eliana – S_TEAM)
„Astraea, is that you", another of the group called.
„Wow it's been a long while, Hestia", they also hugged.
The rest of the group came closer to them. Noctis saw a red-haired guy, nearly as high as himself, then a woman with a purple kimono and a Katana, a rather small woman, probably one of those Pallums Astraea mentioned, and also a bit smaller boy with white hair. Noctis also came closer only to realize that they had more striking auras than the rest of the people around, especially the Elf girl.
„what are you doing here, " Astraea asked them.
Hestia began to smile „may I introduce you to my child, that's Bell Cranel, also known as 'little Rookie' " she introduced while pointing out at the white-haired boy.
„Hello, Goddess Astraea" he bowed politely in front of her.
„So you are the famous 'little rookie' I heard so much about, is it true that you defeated the black Goliath, " Astraea asked while looking right into Bell's eyes, which made him blush.
„Ahh.. well... it's not that it was me alone you know ..." he tried to explain, but was still blushing since Astraea was still smiling at him, which amused Noctis. This boy was still a boy after all. Noctis smiled.
Hestia, on the other hand, wasn't enthusiastic about this at all.
„Bell, why are you looking at her with that color on your face", Hestia jumped on him, which surprised Noct now.
Hestia tried to 'protect' Bell from that 'sight', „I'm sorry, Goddess".
„you better be, Belllllll" Hestia loudly confirmed.
'So this Hestia is a Goddess, does that mean their a 'Familia'?' Noct wondered.
It was at this moment that everyone saw a young man with spiky black hair and blue eyes, as height as Takemikatzuchi, as both Mikoto and Hestia suggested, with mostly black clothes. He also carried a large basket.
Especially Ryuu looked right at him, 'who is this man going along with goddess', while her smiling slightly disappearing, she could feel that he was truly strong like a first-class adventurer. Then it hit her, 'did lady Astraea started a Familia again?'.
„So Astraea, don't you want to introduce us, " Hestia asked while smiling at Noctis.
„oh right, I'm sorry for my rudeness, " she said while stretching out her arms at Noctis.
„May I introduce, this is Noct Gar, I met him yesterday and he stayed overnight in my house, " Astraea said.
„Hey there, nice to meet you, " he said while looking at the group again.
Everyone, especially Ryuu made a shocking expression.
Only Bell remained calm, he didn't see what's so wrong sleeping in a stranger's house, especially since this Noct didn't look like someone poor to him.
It took some seconds for Noct to realize what's going on.
'do they think that she and I …. ' he also made a shocking expression.
Bell, still calm about the situation, could see that Noct's and his friends faces got red like tomatoes, wondering why.
„what do you mean he stayed overnight, lady Astraea, " Ryuu worriedly asked.
„yes Astraea, please explain, I wanna know why you too ?" Hestia said while remembering a certain event that happened yesterday, which also included things like 'sleeping with your lover on the same bed'.
„Noct was sleeping outside of my House since it was cold, I took him inside so that he didn't catch a cold" Astraea said.
Everyone was breathing in relief. Only for them and Noct to realize that Astraea suddenly had a dark frightening Aura, which scared them.
„did you just assume that I and ..." she was saying it with a smile, but everyone realized the true emotions behind it.
„I'M SORRY" the green-haired Elf immediately bowed everyone who was staying beside her, begging that Astraea wouldn't get too angry.
„it's just … " Hestia continued, still afraid „ … Ryuu told me that you would never let men inside your house, but since you're living alone outside of the urban area for so long, It was possible that you felt lonely you know". Everyone was looking at Hestia with a shocked expression, afraid that she now added the straw that would break the came's back.
Astraea seemed to calm down, „that may have been right, but certain things never change over time, am I right Noct, " she said while turning her head towards him.
„true" was his only word. Noct could still feel a little bit of the dark Aura from before.
„Nice to meet you, Noct Gar, I'm Welf Crozzo, just call me Welf, " the red-haired one said while shaking hands with Noct. Welf noticed Noct's strong hands.
„I'm Yamato Mikoto, It's also nice to meet you, Gar-dono, you can also call me just Mikoto, " said the Kimono girl while bowing in front of Noct. Somehow Noct reminded her of someone but didn't know who.
„Hi, I'm Bell Cranel, nice to meet you", the white-haired boy also shook hands with Noct. Noct could see that he also was a little bit stronger than the first two who greeted him.
„I'm Liliruca Arde, just call me Lily", she also shook hands but looked rather shy. Noct wondered what strange being she is.
„I – I'm Ryuu Lion, very pleased" Ryuu nervously said while, like Mikoto, also bowed.
„Hi there, Noct Gar, I am goddess Hestia, proud leader of the Hestia familia" she loudly declared while putting her thumb in front of her.
„'proud'? More like 'loud', miss Hestia" the Pallum girl surprisingly responded, annoyed by her Goddess behavior in front of strangers.
„What did you say, miss supporteeeeerrrrrrr" Hestia angrily asked lily also feeling annoyed by that pallum.
Bell noticed they started to stare at each other again, usually, he wouldn't interfere, but since they were not home and also meeting 2 people right now, he had no other choice. Noct, on the other hand, was again a little bit amused by this situation. It seemed that Hestia was a more childish goddess than Astraea.
„Now, Now, you know It's rude to argue, the others are seeing, " Bell said trying to sound convincing so his goddess and supporter could stop.
It seemed to work since Lily and Hestia turned their heads away from each other.
„We were on our way to the market place" Astraea happily said to the group.
„What a coincidence, we're also on our way there, let's go together, you can also explain about yourself, Noct Gar" Hestia declared and so on, they walked together.
The newly formed group walked together towards the market place.
During their walk, Astraea explained that 'Noct Gar' is a soon-to-be adventurer from a rather isolated Town from the northwest called 'Crystallum' where only Humans live, which is also his first time meeting people from other races. He also tried to come to orario, but fell asleep in front of her house. That's how they met. They started to laugh again, Noctis smiled, trying to hide his blush.
Noctis was glad that Astraea didn't tell them the whole part since that would be too much complicated to explain.
While walking, the others also explained about themselves.
Welf Crozzo is a weaponsmith of the Hephaestus Familia. Like Noct, he's from a famous clan.
The small one wasn't a child, but a Pallum, one of those race Astraea explained to Noct at her home, she's part of the so-called Soma Familia.
Mikoto Yamato was a so-called 'Kunoichi', a term used for warriors coming from 'the far east', as Mikoto explained, she's within the Takemikatzuchi Familia. Noct failed to pronounce that name.
Then, of course, there was the white-haired boy, Bell Cranel who also came to Orario to try his luck as an adventurer, he was the only member of Hestia.
The green-haired Elf girl Ryuu Lion also said that she wasn't a native of orario, but that she came from an Elven forest called Ryumilua. Noctis was surprised to hear that this cliche about Elves living in forests was true, like in the mobile game he played back then with prompto.
„may I ask you something, Gar-dono", the Kunoichi girl Mikoto asked him.
„Sure", he turned his head towards her.
„you don't look like a beginner to me, how did you train without a god's blessing? " Mikoto asked while everyone looking at his biceps, which were visible for all of them. Noctis blushed a little bit. Right now Noctis was thankful for Gladio's regular moring training they made back then.
Now he needed to explain himself without revealing too much.
„well, I inherited it from my father, as everyone from the 'Gar' Clan. " he explained.
To Noct surprise, everyone was believing it. Everyone looked in awe while, despite never hearing from the 'Gar' Clan. Expect Lily, because she was sure to have heard about the City of 'Crystallum' somewhere before and Hestia, who saw through his lie.
While looking at Noct very suspiciously, Astraea touched Hestia's right hand, then leaning her head at Hestia's right ear,
„I'll explain later", she quietly said to Hestia, which she in relief nodded.
„Well, he's indeed quite strong", everyone looked at Astraea, loudly hearing her statement.
„Before we started to walk, Noct trained a bit outside my house" she started.
„but then out of nowhere, I heard how he shouted 'BLIZZARD', then a very cold wind came out of nowhere, which blew my basket away while I was freezing. As compensation he offered me to carry the basket there for me until we're home again" Astraea finished telling about the disaster.
Everyone, especially Mikoto and Ryuu, looked at Noct shockingly impressed. This man could cast a strong, cold, wind magic. And on top of that, it seemed he didn't belong to a familia at all.
„And what are you guys doing here, " Astraea asked Hestia.
Hestia suddenty seemed angry, but tried to remain polite and forced a smile.
„as you said before, my Bell defeated the Black Goliath a few days ago. Then he wrote a note, saying he 'will be away from home for a little while' in Melen."
Bell was getting uncomfortable while Hestia's tone got a little harsh. Despite smiling, Noct could see that Hestia was angry towards Bell for some reason.
„and I thought since it's summer, I could invite more friends coming to Melen, that's why I sent further invitations, but only Welf and Mikoto arrived since they had free time" Hestia finished her explanation.
„and Ryuu?" Astraea asked again while looking at her only still alive child.
„Mama Mia gave me today free since I helped Sir Cranel during his fight with the black Goliath, actually, I was looking for to visit you today after fulfilling a special request by the Guild, but then I met Lady Hestia, who also offered me to go with them as a reward for helping Sir Cranel, right now we bought suitable swimsuits so we can finally go to the beach".
„The beach, huh, " Astraea said while turning her head towards Noctis, „that's a wonderful idea, don't you think Noct, " she asked while smiling.
Noctis knew that expression, „yeah, I guess, but shouldn't we buy food supplies first" he insisted.
„of course after when we're finished with that, right" she looked again at Ryuu, Hestia, and the others.
„that's right, so we should hurry if we don't want to miss the sun" Hestia insisted.
MARKET PLACE – MELEN – LATE MORNING
After they reached the market square, Astraea, Ryuu, and Noctis temporarily separated from the others.
At first, they went for the fruits, Astraea bought many apples, pears, but also exotic ones like bananas (here bananas were considered exotic).
Noctis noticed how the basked got heavier step by step
Next, they went for vegetables like onions, lettuce, tomatoes and many more.
The basket got heavier, he noticed. He wondered if the basket would break if the weight is continuing to increase.
And last, they went for the meat, cheese, and milk, but this time Ryuu carried it, which relieved Noctis.
But then Noctis noticed something.
He stopped and turned his head, turning his head seeing behind him.
No one particular to see. 'Was that my imagination' he thought for a while.
„NOOCT" Astraea called again, he turned towards her again „you spaced out again, everything alright, " she asked.
„wha-, oh yeah, I okay" he bluntly answered. He noticed both Astraea and Ryuu looking towards him.
„we're finished, let's meet the others. Then we will temporarily store our purchased goods for a while and then finally we can go to the beach, so let's hurry " Astraea said while acting a little bit urgent.
They started going, but Noctis turned his head again behind again to be sure.
Still, no one to be seen, so he ignored that thought.
After meeting with everyone and the temporary storing, they went straight to the beach.
(ENDING: KARMINA - WALK YOU HOME)