Chapter Two – First Meeting

None of the four girls had talked much during the rest of their first day.

Still getting used to the whole idea of spending a whole year in that academy, they worked on and reflected about their feelings and worries, revising them mentally as if trying to get some sense of the confusing web their souls had turned into.

That is, until morning arrived.

Arisu was quite surprised by the fact she had been able to sleep at all, considering that when she had finally lied down in one of the beds, the girl had been too agitated and doubting she would sleep a wink. Misaki, on another hand, had had a rough night and didn't think she was the only one: There had been a moment when the blonde had stood up to go to the bathroom and had seen Ren sitting on the window-sill, looking to the moonlit gardens.

Misaki had considered talking to her, but seeing she wouldn't even know what to say, had opted for the silence. There was also the chance that Ren had spent the night right on that spot, even sleeping, but Misaki wasn't sure.

They got dressed soon and ate without talking much (some food had appeared at the table and though Misaki had been tempted to make a Harry Potter joke, she hadn't managed to bring herself to it). Although they were right on time, the seconds felt like hours as they waited for the teacher that would take them to class, as Melissa had told them he would yesterday (to which Arisu had commented that Zeus probably wanted to prevent them from trying to run off or something of the sort)

As nervousness grew inside them, there was also some excitement (at least in Misaki's case) and when they finally heard the knocks at the door, it felt like a piano cord being broken inside them. The wait had been a sadistic exchange: Time passed by slower and their organisms would speed up in its place.

"Well…" Isuzu muttered, straightening her skirt and looking to the others. "First day of school here we go?" She tried with a weak smile. It was already cause for nervousness to be a new student and in such a new environment, but this was even more.

Taking a deep breath that no one took notice, she opened the door.

Knowing that the Egyptian gods were anthropomorphic and Thoth was always described as a man with an ibis' head… Misaki was vaguely surprised with the human appearance of the man standing there.

Not that there wasn't something strangely bird-like in the way his blue eyes seemed to inspect everything they touched, seeing all details or how he kept his head held high. The grayish shirt was a bit open, leaving visible a necklace with green and blue stones and a second one made of golden chain with a pendant that made the girl think about snakes.

"Are you Thoth-sensei?" Isuzu risked aware that the question should sound silly (who else would he be?) but with her mind empty of any other words and anxious to break the silence, this was the only thing she had to break the silence. The way that man seemed to be evaluating them created a pressure over her body, giving birth to a strong discomfort. He wore a monocle over one of his eyes and his hair was short but for some threads falling at the side of his face, being held together by three rings.

The dark skin and white hair gave him a sort of exotic appearance, but the blade-like sharpness of his eyes didn't make him look very friendly in Isuzu's opinion.

"Thoth-sama" He corrected, his tone leaving no room for objection and imprinting clearly that he wouldn't ever accept another form of treatment. "And yes. Zeus informed me how I would be in charge of taking you to class. Only today".

Arisu bit her lower lip at his words, being more caught in his demand for that particular honorific.

"Okay, he is a teacher, so I can take it… But if any of the other gods tell me to call them "sama", I swear there is going to be…" She refused to use such treatment with them, even if taking in account their true nature, since they would be merely classmates. Once she realized the heat of nervousness was turning into anger, she took a deep breath. "C'mon, easy now, you haven't even seen them yet…".

"Yes, sir" Isuzu accepted and turned to her new companions, feeling all this was even more awkward that she had previous imagined. "Yes… We're ready… Thoth-sama".

Thoth raised one eyebrow.

"When someone introduces himself, isn't it proper manners to introduce yourself in return?".

"This year is gonna suck". Isuzu decided, lowering her eyes.

"But you know our names…" Ren commented, thinking it was kinda silly to do presentations to someone who already knew who they were. She did manage to avoid, in the last minute, to complete the phrase with a "don't you?".

It had just occurred to her that making such a question to the god of knowledge wouldn't be such a prudent thing to do.

"Amaya Ren" She gave in once his eyes slithered to her.

"Hironezumi Isuzu".

"Hironezumi Arisu" Arisu mumbled at her twin's side.

"I'm Aihara Misaki." The blonde kept a polite tone of voice as she wondered if they could just get that over with and go to class. Now that the teacher had finally arrived and the waiting was over, the girl was tired of being anxious and would rather just get to class and be done with all that already. Plus, despite herself, she couldn't deny a growing seed of curiosity that now made itself known more clearly.

Thoth nodded; there was not a change in his serious face.

"Very well. Follow me" With that Thoth turned his back to them, the long coat he wore over his clothes agitating as a mantle of waving water. The girls exchange looks, Arisu seeming to be asking with her eyes what his deal was. Misaki merely moved her lips in an inaudible "we can deal with this", though she was also unsure regarding their "teacher".

It was too early to form any solid opinion, but the first impression of him had been of a harsh man.

Somehow, the fact that the hallways were empty just helped them to pay more attention to their surroundings as they walked through the academy for the first time. There was an air of mystic-like place, even though Misaki knew it was just a school, but she found herself admiring the architecture all the same. The girl tried saying to herself that part of her feelings (of the most mysterious nature) were merely due to the fact that she knew the true nature and the reason behind the existence of that place, but the words lacked strength to convince even herself. For a second, her mind went to photos of temples her History teacher had showed the class once…

Ren took deep breaths, so slowly that no one actually noticed. In front of them, Thoth explained some details about the school and the classes, but there was no attention to be paid to him, let alone care. It wasn't anything far too different from what Melissa had told them anyway (or from what they had read in the student's manual).

When they stopped in front of one of the classes, Thoth turned to them only for one second before going in. The girls were unsure if they were meant to follow him or wait until they were called and introduced, but Misaki, already done with that waiting and steeping-in-ice feeling especially now they were there, went after him after with a groan that just the other three could hear.

"It is like introducing transferred students." Arisu reflected before standing in front of the class, hiding behind an expression of calmness that didn't quite match her emotions. Casting a fast glance to her sister with the corner of her eyes, she straightened her back without noticing it. "And I was nervous in the beginning of the year with the new school… How about that now?".

"Those are the new transferred students brought here by Zeus." Thoth said, more stating facts that presenting anyone. "Amaya Ren, Hironezumi Isuzu and Arisu and Aihara Misaki. Give them a warm welcome" There was no way he could have said that in a more automatic tone or more mechanic words.

"Yeah, give me that and a gun so I can shoot myself in the head…" Isuzu replied mentally with sarcasm that wasn't usual in her. With her hands crossed in front of her body, she greeted the class with a slow bow as she tried to not let her eyes wander to anyone, though she noticed that some of the people had hair and skin quite pale… No, it wasn't that, but… Dull. As if old photos with unnoticeable features…

"Maybe they are the spirits Melissa commented about… Oh, wait there, just use your head, Isuzu, of course they are!".

Ren kept her head up, fighting to do the same with her gaze which was on some point of the wall in the end of the room. To feel all those people's eyes (even if majority were spirits) on her made her skin crawl as her stomach became ice and she kept her nails against the palm of her hands in an effort to calm herself, stopping herself from holding the fabric of the pants she wore and starting to twist it in her fingers.

The feminine uniform was actually a skirt, but she opted to wear the same pants they had been wearing yesterday. Since there was a small shop in the academy, she could ask for the uniform pants later.

Arisu had decided to do the same, thinking there wouldn't be much of an issue anyway if it was just for that day. In her case, her pants were the ones of her actual school, once that she had been wearing that when Zeus had bought her to the academy.

"I'm shocked Thoth didn't say a thing about mixing uniforms or anything." Arisu reflected, running her brown eyes through the class. It was very easy to pinpoint who the gods were since the spirits looked so "fake". Not to mention their appearance: Some boys of her school did keep their hair long, but none like that blue-eyed god that was smiling to them with kindness.

Really, his hair (a light wax-like color) fell a bit under his waist.

At her side, Misaki's lips were shivering as she also looked at her classmates. To see friendly expressions undid a bit of the knot her organs felt to have formed since the last day along with a constant sensation that she would eventually throw them up. Without a signal of warning, she said fast.

"Nice to meet you all!".

"Since we're in this mess, I'll go with all I got!" She decided while smiling (or at least moving her lips to form one) and looking at Arisu with the corner of her eyes. The brown-haired girl was unable to try to smile, but the muscles of her face seemed softer in an expression of someone trying to feel better.

"Misaki is right. Let's do it…" She took notice of a girl with purple-ish hair in a sort of ponytail sitting by a window and guessed she was Yui Kusanagi, the human who had arrived before them. Her caramel eyes went from one of the new arrived to the other, trying to decipher their feelings through controlled appearances.

When Thoth told them to sit down, it didn't pass unnoticed by the girls that the only empty seats were really near the gods and Yui. Walking by the girl, Isuzu nodded in greeting. It had just occurred to her that this girl had spent a whole week and some days with those gods.

"At least we arrived together. She didn't even know we would come…" She hadn't thought much about the other "human representative" until now, but now it had occurred to Isuzu that Yui had faced those days alone. Oh, she had been with the gods, but there was still some sort of loneliness in this. With this thought and reassuring herself that Yui seemed a nice girl, Isuzu took a seat behind her.

Yui took advantage of those seconds before Thoth started the class to turn back to the girl and, at her side, Apollon did the same with his natural warm smile.

"Hi… Nice to meet you." Yui muttered, soon guessing that she and Arisu were not only sisters, but twins. Though Isuzu was taller than the other one (who was more or less Yui's height) their likeness was screaming.

"Hi…" Isuzu greeted her back and was about to say something else when Thoth started talking and Yui turned forwards. Not that Isuzu was any surprised… She doubted that even the most rowdy of students of her old school would have the guts to talk or fool around having Thoth as a teacher.

Casting a glance to her sister, Isuzu saw that Arisu wasn't as tense anymore: Her eyes weren't just fixated at some point ahead with a glass-like appearance, but Isuzu noticed small signals that she was holding the wish to look around. She also had stopped dragging her right foot against the floor, as she used to when something was bothering her and Arisu couldn't bring herself to put it in words.

The god behind Arisu, whose hair was of a peculiar tone of red, felt Isuzu's gaze and turned to her lifting his hand briefly in a wave when they eyes crossed. Isuzu repeated the gesture, even if her skin still felt stiff over her flesh. She couldn't see Ren since the other girl had took the seat far back them.

Turning her eyes to the blackboard, Isuzu started to pay attention to whatever Thoth was saying, more to distract herself than the remaining tension than for interest in the subject.

Time passed by and when the god of knowledge announced the end of classes for the day, Ren felt her brain vibrating inside the skull. The idea of classes (despite the objective of the place being to teach gods about humanity) couldn't be separated from the context she had imprinted, meaning normal subjects and though Ren would be thankful for not hearing even a mention of chemistry, she couldn't understand why they needed to learn some of the things Thoth had mentioned.

She had been quite surprised when he had started to discuss about human organs.

"I thought gods would know about it" Not only that, but apparently, Thoth would treat more about the subject of human anatomy during the rest of the week. She had studied it before in Biology, but saw no reason to do the same here.

Could it really be that gods were so different from humans?

Upon seeing her standing along with lilac-haired god that had been sitting at her side, one of the other gods made a gesture for her to come closer where Isuzu and Yui were still sitting, with Misaki and Arisu near them.

"You're Ren, aren't you?" He inquired when she approached, green eyes not unlike stones. When she nodded, his smile seemed to shine and he looked from her to the others. "It's great to meet you all! I'm Apollon Aganae Belea!".

Following the clue, the others gods presented themselves. The red-haired that had waved to Isuzu was Dionysius. The quiet one who had been sitting near Ren was Tsukiyomi (or Totsuka Tsukito, as he was being called here) and the other blonde with longer hair was Balder Hringhorni (Misaki betted mentally she would never be able to write that surname right).

"Hey, hey, what are you guys thinking of here?" His enthusiasm was such that Misaki thought that, even if he hadn't introduced himself, she would have ended up guessing that he was the god of Sun (or at least something alike it) and raised her hands in defense, unable to avoid a smile of her own.

"We just arrived yesterday, we haven't even seen around yet".

Arisu was about to comment that they hadn't truly "arrived" but being kidnapped, that's what, when Isuzu glanced at her and though it was calm, she comprehended it was better to let the matter drop so she opted for another thing.

"Speaking of which, they told us that there is a cafeteria. Where is it?" And she shrugged. "I'm hungry".

XxX

"Caramba, you can eat anything you want here!" Arisu muttered, impressed upon seeing the place. Though identical to that of a school (a large one, but still), the balcony had some snacks and in truth, you could ask anything at all for lunch or dinner.

"Wasn't it like this at your school?" Balder asked as he carried his own plate (there was just meat there). Arisu hesitated, unsure of how to explain something she had never had to and Misaki scratched the back of her head.

"Well… It's not exactly the same… We have food, of course, but the options are a lot more limited. This place is more like a restaurant! And I love it!" She turned, picking her order. At her side, also carrying a plate with some fish fillet and French fries, Isuzu agreed in silence but wouldn't say that out loud. She thought that the least Zeus could offer in exchange for their forced stay for a whole damn year was a good food.

"I felt the same way when I came here the first time" Yui told them while they went to sit with Ren and the others. Tsukito had walked away from the group, probably going to stay with his brother… The girl wasn't sure, she only knew that Tsukito until now had never had a meal with them. Even Balder sometimes didn't eat with them, since Thor used to go to him as soon as the classes were finished (somehow she suspected of Loki's involvement but she hadn't seen much of him since the official beginning of school year). "Thoth-sama mentioned that there was food, but I hadn't expected anything like that".

"Actually, it does make sense" Yui reflected with herself. "With Nordic, Greek, Japanese gods and one Egyptian? The cafeteria couldn't be less than that".

"And the classes are always like that?" Misaki asked suddenly. In a few minutes, Thoth had practically filled the whole blackboard with writings. Around, some others nodded making the girl sigh with the idea.

"I'll never, ever, complain of Sohta-sensei ever again".

"If you want to check the subjects of the last classes, we have the notes" Balder suggested with a smile that the girl was starting to believe to be natural of him, considering his soft features, almost delicate.

It was curious, even if they were "shackled" and reduced to humans, there was still some air about them that denounced their hidden nature. Even more curious was how alike this was being to a regular first day in new school. Reflecting about the same thing, Ren thought that if she didn't know the truth, perhaps she would have been even fooled into thinking that this was a normal school, maybe just very selective and traditional.

"But they do seem friendly… Well, not that this means anything… Since they are here to study about and with humans, they seem to know that there is no use in being rude to us".

As if her thought was a clue, the doors opened. A young man with bluish hair entered, saw the full table they were sitting in and avoided to look at them with a groan that Misaki interpreted almost as of despise. Without even a word, he went to the balcony.

"Take-Take! Come sit with us!" Apollon called with a wave, but the god merely looked from him to the others, picked something he had ordered and left. The blonde god sighed and lowered his arm, seeming disappointed.

"Okays, should I ask or it's better if I keep my mouth shut?" Arisu asked, still looking towards the doors, even if it was quite clear what this had been all about. Sitting in front of her, a shadow seemed to have dominated Yui's expression.

"Takeru Totsuka" Balder explained. "One of the gods refusing to attend school".

"Takeru? So… He is Susanoo, god of seas?" Isuzu asked, a bit impressed and finishing her last fries, ignoring when Arisu stole two.

"Well, it seems that he doesn't like us" Her sister said, without a sign that she cared about it and biting one of the stolen fries.

"It's not a matter of liking, I guess… He doesn't want to have a relationship with anyone who is going to class" Except his brother. Yui had already considered if she should ask Tsukito to talk with him, but had soon given up the idea. She didn't think it would do any good and feared this could lead the brothers to an argument (though Tsukito seemed unable to fight with whoever it was, it didn't mean Takeru wouldn't be annoyed). Besides, Zeus had made it quite clear that it was her duty and Thoth had said the same when, last day, had asked her if she planned to do anything regarding the other gods.

"Maybe if I had done something earlier, those girls wouldn't be here now" She didn't know how to feel about them, but until now she had been enjoying the idea of having other girls to talk to. And at least none seemed to be upset with her.

At least that was what she hoped.

"They should have understood that already. There is no way to get out of here but to graduate" Apollon muttered as he shook his head.

"Tell that to them, mate." Arisu thought with herself. "Because for what I see, they are a bunch of idiots". Her knowledge of myths was extremely basic, but the few things she had heard didn't leave a good impression and after today, this opinion was falling more and more even if Apollon and the others did act nice…

Ren, still keeping her words inside her mouth, only reflected. Though anger was a natural reaction (after all nor she nor the others had been exactly happy either) it was as Apollon had said: There was nothing to do but to obey. Simple as that.

"Do they think that acting as children they will achieve anything?" It was hard to have any respect for them as gods with this behavior. It was already weird to sometimes feel a vibe like a whispering secret in the air that reminded her of what they truly were and at the same time be sitting with some them who were acting as normal students, even talking to them as if they were not different (which she was thankful for)…

"They are in human bodies. How do you think it would be if it wasn't so?" A primitive shiver, the kind that came from instinct as a genetic memory, shook her body for some reason.

When they stood up, Yui turned to the new students. Usually, after lunch, they used to go to the Council's room with Apollon and the others or, if she was alone, to her room to study and think in some solution regarding the "problematic gods".

"I think it's better to show where the Students Council's room is" She shrugged, explaining. "Well, we do call it like that, but we actually use it as a studying room too".

Misaki, after seeing Takeru, was thinking in how the others gods were like. For a second, the idea of using the pretext of getting to know the academy to search for them crossed her mind, but she held herself back, telling herself to not act as a child.

"Fairy-chan, I'll go search for Dee-dee and Tsuki-Tsuki then!" Apollon decided. "Who knows, maybe they will join us?".

"I can try talking to Loki. It's just a reunion, maybe he'll agree to come at least this once.".

"I hope so…".

But she wouldn't place her money on it. And taking how Arisu lifted an eyebrow and shook her head slowly, or how Isuzu raised her shoulders a bit, they didn't believe it too.

XxX

The room was, as apparently everything in the rest of the school, more elegant than what one would normally expect. Adorned with a rug, there was a couch and soft chairs with a marble table in the center. Even if she should already be used to the place's style, Misaki was again impressed… The colored glass windows, the hallways and the light colors, everything was just so elegant that she was torn between finding it beautiful and being disturbed. Her thoughts then went to aunt Wakana.

"She would have liked this room, I guess. But she would probably find it a bore for not having the paintings she likes. And she would have put some flowers around, too". To remember her aunt brought some sadness again, but she tried to not think about it. "It's only for a year, only for a year, only a year…".

As long as they managed to graduate.

Yui took a sit in the couch and a deep breath, not entirely relaxed.

"This place seems more like one of those fancy tea rooms" Arisu muttered unsure if she liked that or not as she placed herself in the couch at Yui's side, resting her arms in the back of it, feeling somewhat out of her element in such a room though her body relaxed naturally with the comfort of the couch.

"Kusanagi-san, you seem worried" Ren said softly. She still hadn't sat down, but leaned her arms in the back of one of the chairs. There hadn't been even a shadow of a smile from her until now (same with Isuzu), but Yui had noticed that the expression of the pale girl was serene.

"Call me Yui, please…" It was the answer as she held her chin and leaned the elbow in her knee. "I'm thinking about Takeru and the others…".

There was a moment of silence.

"Look, there's no need to worry. We're in the same situation" Isuzu told her sitting at her side too. "We have been bought here to help, right?".

Yui hesitated at those words. She didn't want to give out the impression of being a drama queen… But if they would live together for so long, maybe it would be best to take that out of the way. Closing her fists on her knees, she went on.

"Maybe I should have done something earlier… If I had, this wouldn't have happened to you".

The four of them blinked. Arisu looked at Yui with loss in her expression and Misaki, who had picked a curved couch at the side of the chair at the head of the small table, asked.

"Hmm… Yui? You…" The word slowly faded as she didn't know how to approach the matter. She had been so focused on her own troubles that there hadn't been a thought that Yui could ever feel that way.

"We're not upset with you" Ren said in the same calm tone while Isuzu put her hand on Yui's shoulder, though not like she used to with Arisu. "If that's what you're thinking about.".

"We're upset with Zeus, that's for sure." Arisu leaned her head back, rolling her eyes as she thought about the sky god from Greece. "And with the guys who decided it is a bright idea to act as morons".

With those words that held sincerity, Yui risked a smile.

"We're all in the same situation, okay? So, chill" Misaki insisted.

Yui heard sincerity in those words and felt her insides lose some of the iron that had replaced the flesh. The idea of how one of those girls could blame her hadn't left her since yesterday and had actually plagued her, sometimes fading under other thoughts and then dominating her mind, not unlike a rock that could be hidden under the sea's waves sometimes but that would never leave its spot.

She still felt bad about it all, but the Isuzu's next words distracted her.

"About that… Cards on the table" The girl lifted her hands at her shoulders' height with a sigh. "I have no idea at all of how to make them come to classes".

"I suggest a whip. Or maybe electrified collars!" Her sister replied with an expression that was close to disdain as she recalled the look of the blue-haired god. Like Yui had said, he didn't seem willing to even join them for a meal for Pete's sake!

"Arisu!" Isuzu censured her, but the twin merely shrugged without a care.

"Oh, have mercy, it's the damn truth. They are being idiots, there, I said it!" She looked to the others. "Let's be honest here, we are humans and we have realized that being stubborn is just useless, they are gods and they're the ones acting like that?". Her tone was not far from being indignant. Although age didn't imply maturity, she would have expected that beings that had been alive for more decades than she could imagine would behave with more sense.

"It is immature" Ren agreed, sitting down and saw herself speaking as well. "They don't seem to consider that, if they don't graduate, they are not the only ones who won't be stuck here." It wasn't like her to just open her thoughts to people she didn't know well (even if it was a shared opinion), but it was something she couldn't keep inside for longer. And to her, it wasn't a matter of just immaturity, but of selfishness. Had they really not a thought about how others would have to bear the consequences of this behavior too? Didn't they care at all?

"Probably, last option".

Many strikes against them.

"I didn't do a thing in the first days because I thought that if they had a time to calm down and accept the situation, they would understand it by themselves. For what I see, it didn't work…" Yui sighed. While she couldn't say she didn't understand the feeling, on another hand she had to agree that it was a somewhat annoying behavior.

"Did they say anything?".

"I barely saw them those days… And if I did try to talk to them, what good would it do? I would be just repeating what they already know" That if any of them, as Loki and Takeru, even waited enought to listen to her. Hades had already told her to stay away, though he had mentioned something about "disgraces", which she hadn't really understood. "It would be a waste of time".

"They are being really stubborn" Someone commented by the door. Apollon was back, followed by Tsukito. The moon god just took a seat at Arisu's side without a word as Apollon sat at one chair and Yui nodded to them.

"Thoth-sama spoke with me yesterday about that" She told them. "Well, that they are stubborn, we know it already. The question is to find a way to bring them to class".

"Is that why she was worried?" Apollon remembered that Yui, besides worried about the other gods, had also thought about the reaction of the new students. Well, for what he had seen, none of them seemed angry or upset. Confused and a bit disturbed (though some tried to hide), but not angry.

"No worries, Fairy-chan" He smiled at her. "We'll think about something". There had to be a solution, they just hadn't found it yet.

"I've given my suggestion" Arisu muttered with a small smile that was as sharp as a knife. "Or then we could tie them up, gag them and drag them to the classroom, no one said their presence had to be willing. Or conscious.".

The idea made Misaki laugh and she bent down, hiding her face on her knees while imagining some gods in this state and trying to hold the laugher. Isuzu hid her face in one of her hands, shaking her head.

"See? Misaki approves!".

"Yes, Arisu, but I'm sorry to tell that I wouldn't put my money on that" The blondestraightened herself, putting some threads away that had fallen in her face. "But it is still an idea!".

At that moment, Balder entered, with disappointment clear in his face.

"Loki didn't want to come…" He explained while sitting down. "He said that even a reunion would be related to the school and he wants nothing to do with it".

The others sighed. Yui couldn't say there was the smallest of surprises on it.

"You know them…" Ren started, looking to the other gods. "Is there anything that could make them interested in coming?".

"I don't think so, Ren-chan… Loki loathes to receive orders and to him, the classes also sound like a bore.".

"So he would come if the classes were interesting…" Yui wondered, to which the light god agreed. The girl thought about it, it wasn't as if the classes were really fun (while there were moments she considered them at least a bit interesting), however maybe there was something else that could sparkle the fire god's interest. The question of escaping the Garden or not meant nothing, in their vision it was a threat.

Arisu imagined them talking to Thoth and suggesting he would present the subjects in another light. Chances were, they would receive a lecture for trying to tell him how to teach or maybe he would ignore them. It was strange, for a god of knowledge, one would expect him to be more passionate about teaching.

Some of her teachers would have made Loki interested in their subjects. She could remember a teacher of Science she had had two years ago, who was so dramatic and intense in class that you couldn't help but to laugh and pay attention, even if you didn't do good on it.

"Most people refuse to do things under threats" Yui reflected. "Wait a minute… That's it, approaching the question under this light is not right".

"If it was possible to offer something" She muttered, more to herself than anyone else. "Something that made them interested".

"It would have to cause interest enough so they would not give up attending" Tsukito recalled. "Otherwise, they may change their minds again".

"And we would be back to square zero" Misaki completed. "So we need something that also works as… As a warranty of sorts?". That sounded like a major problem, for even if they managed to convince them to attend, there was no guarantees they wouldn't refuse it again after some weeks.

Ren hesitated, remembering how in Greek Myths there was the Styx River, one of the rivers of the Underworld, and how in some myths the gods invoked its name in oaths that were so sacred that were unbreakable.

"That's with the Greeks. But I don't know about the Nordics." And something so serious… She wasn't even sure Apollon or the others would agree with this, it sounded as using a resource far too extreme and sacred, even given the situation. And more, how they would get Hades to do so? She couldn't think about anything else, but…

To her surprise, what Apollon said then was close to what was lurking in her mind.

"The only kind of guarantee they could give us would be their words, as in a vow".

"And would that be enough?". Arisu did manage to hide her disdain for she didn't place enough trust in mere words. People who kept their word were few and she had no reasons to believe when regarding those gods.

However, a great seriousness appeared in Apollon, Balder and Tsukito's expressions, who nodded solemnly. The change was unbelievable and the air of the room became carried with sensations of powers and existence that were out of their mind's reach. It was like suddenly feeling a scent that had no nearby source, as roses in a room without flowers.

But that wasn't a scent: It was a sensation that touched her very genes like a living being that peeled their skin off. Misaki had to fight a shiver.

Any previous smile had died as if they had never existed and their eyes were both old and young, glass marbles that held poison and cure. It was the first time any of them saw them like this and it wasn't pleasant.

It was close to frightening, even if they didn't mean to be so.

"There are oaths that cannot ever be broken. They invoke laws and powers too ancient for them to dare to disobey." There was also the fact they would be swearing not only to mortals but to other gods as well, not to mention the value of their honors. Even if still with her doubts, Arisu just accepted it and her sister commented.

"Even so, there is still the problem of the how. Why would they ever swear this? What would they gain?".

"The right to not attend classes".

All eyes converted to Yui.

"Of what the hell are you…?".

"But… But we're trying to make them be there!" Misaki was dumbfounded, thinking she had to have misunderstood. "How can we give them such right?" If they did, they could very well give it all up and get used to the idea of living here for all the eternity.

"Fairy-chan?".

"Just listen" Yui leaned forward, looking around as an idea took shape in her mind. "Something interesting and fun… Very well, we know that. We can't change the classes themselves, but that's not the only thing a school has to offer. Then we need something attractive enough for them to take part. We can this right as a prize so they will also make this oath of going to class should they lose…".

She smiled.

"An Sports Event!".

The other girls comprehended.

"Yui… This… This is awesome!".

"It will call their attention for sure!".

"I do not understand what you are all talking about." Tsukito tilted his head to the side as Balder and Apollon exchanged looks, both shrugging as a signal they weren't quite following as well (even they could guess it was a sort of competitions event, no different from some they had back home). Arisu turned to the Nordic god, agitation dancing in her eyes.

"This event is what the name says. An event where students get in teams.".

"And then, take part in competitions".

"The winning team gets a prize, like all those sports things".

"As I said, in this case, the prize would be that they could miss school. However, if they lose, they will have to be there. It's a bet, it's fun and it would interest them enough so they would accept to make such promises." Yui concluded. It was a risk, but it was the best idea they had and the only that, should they win, would make sure they wouldn't go through the same situation again.

"Loki may indeed get interested" Balder said slowly, thinking about his friends and evaluating the idea before smiling. Thor wouldn't be a problem, he wasn't keen on leaving Loki alone and though he expressed little interest, Balder knew him better than that. "I'm sure he will".

"Takeru may found it appealing as well" Tsukito commented. "If not by the competitions themselves, the idea of not being forced to class…".

"Okay, let's think about it with calm" Misaki leaned her arms on her legs as Arisu's eyes still burned. "What kind of trials would we have?".

XxX

"Very well!" Yui clapped, standing up. The table was covered by papers which writings varied from ideas of organization of the event to sports, some contained small drawings to illustrate better some ideas they had (coming from both gods and humans). During almost two hours, they had discussed which sports would be involved in the event (weighing pros and cons) and all sort of details.

Though she had never took part in student's councils or done any planning like that, Yui found herself having fun while at it. Some of the gods' ideas had been used while others had been at least amusing, since in the heat of the moment they seemed to forget that there were in human bodies and, therefore, limited.

"This can't really be easy to them" The girl thought, organizing some papers. "But without a doubt, they are giving their best!" What was a relief, considering the reasons for which they were doing all this.

"I'll tell this to Thoth-sensei!".

"How about we go try talking to the others meanwhile?" Apollon asked as he stood too. "So we'll be sure we can start the preparations and schedule a date!" Despite his excitation, it would be insanity to make the event right in the next day, so they had agreed to schedule it to some days later (long enough so they could get it all ready and close enough so the others wouldn't end up changing their minds).

As it wasn't needed that they all went to talk with Thoth, the best thing to do was really talking to the others.

"You mean trying to convince them" Arisu smirked as she accompanied Yui. "I'd rather take my chances with telling all this to Thoth!" She laughed.

Ana: So they finally met some of the gods. The idea of the sports event I took from the actual game, but since I never got to play it, the competitions will not be the same.

Thoth: You took your sweet time with the update.

Ana: Look, Thoth...

Thoth: Thoth-sama.

Ana: But I'm not even your student! I'm in college, for crying out loud!

Thoth: It matters not. There is no reason for you to refer to me in any other way.

Ana: Okay, why argue over small matters anyway, listen Thoth-sama -sarcasm- It wasn't that much of a delay, I get busy and...

Thoth: Think more about people who may read this.

Ana: But...

Thoth: You want reviews? You want readers?

Ana: Everyone does, but...

Thoth: You want to post this? Then be more responsible. If you have no time to write, you shouldn't post it in the first place.

Ana: But...

Thoth: That's final.

Ana: Who do you... What the... Can someone... Just what the devil was that all about?

Yui: I'm a bit surprised he even cared to speak about this. I thought he wouldn't even care.

Arisu: Nah, he just wants more screen-time.

Ana: Really? All this over more spotlight?

Gamer Kit: Thanks so much for the review! They always mean a lot to me, to know what people think of my stories. I'm happy that you liked this and my girls! As for their pairings... Hehe, secret.

Yui: You're not going to give even a hint?

Ana: No, and that goes for you too.

Apollon: That's not fair, we should have at least one idea.

Ana: I hope you liked this chapter. I was even going to include they talking to Hades, Takeru, Loki and Thor, but it was already too long, so I had to cut it.

See you next chapter!