Chapter Four – The Annual Sport's Festival
The event's day arrived soon.
The preparative had gone smoothly and without difficulties (even if the majority of them had no experience in such things) and deciding the competitions, they had selected some and make a drawing. Not having many classes, they had opted for just a few, with a rest time between them.
Nearby, the spirits acted in an excited way, a thing Arisu didn't completely understood since they wouldn't take part. Some made cheers for the White Team (made of Hades, Takeru, Thor and Loki) which just reaffirmed her idea that they had no brain of their own.
"Zeus really created them just to fill the academy up" She had tried to talk with one the last day and the experience had soon turned out to be frustrating. The spirit (in the shape of a young girl) had instinctive reactions and no real "opinion" or individualism.
In a way, this had made her think of simulation games, like the "The Sims".
"I hope things work out" Isuzu muttered with Ren at her side. "I'm getting nervous again."
"Relax, Isuzu-san. In a way or another, let's have fun" Yui replied when she heard it, thought it was noticeable she was also a bit worried with what was at risk. It was too serious to allow them to face it all as fun and games.
"At least they agreed with the oaths" The girl thought, watching the gods of the White Team. Hades was seated with a serious expression as Loki had his hands back, more interested in observing how everything had been organized. She noticed Takeru stretching his arms, casting annoyed glances to the red-haired god. Yui could bet he hadn't forgotten when Loki had drawn in his face as he slept, even if this had been a bit more than a week ago.
The initial ceremony with the oaths had been made in the hall, with all of them agreeing with the same terms. There had been something she knew she would never be able to forget, nor the sensation of having seen glimpses of their actual divine nature. The air in the hall had become definitely different when they had invoked the oaths… It was still breathable, but it was as if oxygen itself had changed and became carried with traits of something far older that she could grasp and whose power was raw and absolute…
It had touched her skin, pierced it and went straight to her blood, which felt like cowering and bowing before that. She knew it had been a small thing compared to what standing before them without the shackles would have felt like and this was a frightening thought in itself.
She had been impressed they had even allowed them to witness such a ritual, for then she had felt how small she actually was and how different they were (something easy to forget when they were together day by day as classmates).
"I'm so anxious!" Apollon commented as he approached with Misaki. It wasn't just the opportunity to solve the deal with the other gods, but also the event in itself. It wasn't quite like the festivals of Greece, but just for involving games and competitions, he couldn't help but feel excitement. "The events of your schools were also like those?"
"Quite alike" Ren replied, the braid falling on her back as a black whip. She didn't use to attend many of the Sport's events, since she wasn't a fan of sports and crowds.
"In our old school they were pretty much like those, in the new one I don't know." Arisu said and, noting the looks of Yui and Misaki, explained. "Isuzu and I changed schools in the beginning of the year, we haven't seen any event of the new school."
"So you had the sensation of being new students two times this year?" Misaki asked. "Oh, wow…" She didn't envy them.
"Being a new student is scary?" Apollon asked with interest. "Yui commented about the ceremony of new school year and that there were no sacrifices or punishment involved. You need something of the sort when you're new student?"
"As a ritual to have the right to be in the school even if the year has already started?" Tsukito was already with his notebook in hand. Yui placed her hand on her face, muffling a laugh as seeing Arisu and Misaki with her mouths half opened and clearly surprised. And here she was thinking she had made it clear schools hadn't a thing to do with sacrifices (well, not the type they would be thinking about).
"What the…? What sacri… Damn, where do you guys get those ideas?" The brown-haired girl asked, unable to understand how the two things had become related in their minds as Isuzu shook her head.
"Nothing of the kind" Misaki clarified, waving her hand as if she meant to dissipate a mist. "It's not different from when we arrived, more or less"
"Then why you seemed to find it impressive?"
"Oh, there is also the natural tension of being in a new place! And everyone seeing you as "the new kid", meeting new people" Isuzu was about of trying to explain a bit more why some people felt like this when a red thing passed by her.
"Yo, Balder!" Loki greeted with a smile and receiving a distrustful glance of Misaki. She had taken hours to get rid of the clay in her hands and needed the help of the girls as well, since she had agitated her hands so much that the thing had grown and wrapped her fingers and made movement unable by the time she was back at the dorm. When they had finished, the smell of vinegar was around her as a mantle and the girl had declared that one of the Academy's laws was: "Don't pick things of the ground if you haven't dropped them yourself."
"Hi Loki…" She greeted him, putting her hands behind when he looked at her, pretending an innocence expression. The god didn't seem to care, shrugging and playing with a strand of his hair.
"Ah, you got free too quickly. It would have been better if you had tried to wash it away with water" Due to his smile, Misaki was sure she didn't want to know what the result would have been. The occurrence had caused mixed feelings… At first, it had been funny, but it had soon turned too much of an embarrassment that edged the humiliation.
"Ready to compete, Loki?" Balder called the other's attention. "We're ready and no one here wants to lose"
"Hey and who wan… Wait a second!" Loki got straighter, pointing in Yui and Arisu's direction, who realized for the first time that his nails were black, as claws of some animal. "You mean they will compete as well? I thought it would be just the men"
"Something against it?" Arisu growled at once, unable to stop herself even if was the first time she actually talked to the other Nordic.
"Wait right there" Someone behind Yui said. "Did I hear it right? The weed and the others will take part in the games too?" It was Takeru, with a bottle of water in his hand that he had gotten in one of the small stands of snacks. He had been passing by when he heard the comment.
"That's not fair. Like this, you will have double chances of winning" Loki shook his head and, understanding his reason, Apollon explained.
"Oh, Loki-Loki, their results won't interfere. That's why they made their own team" His eyes gleamed. "But we will take this very seriously."
In answer, the Nordic god just chuckled and walked back to where Thor and Hades here, singing with a confident tone.
"Give it your beeest"
"You can bet we will! The sun god replied in the same way. At least they seemed to be having fun. Secretly, Isuzu hoped there would be chance that after this, he and the other gods would think that attending school wouldn't be as boring, even if they won.
"Not that I'll hold my breath." She told herself, holding a sigh.
Takeru studied the girls up and down. The sports uniform was made of a white shirt with the school's emblem in blue and white shorts (in the case of Yui, Arisu and Isuzu for example) or pants in the same style (that Ren and Misaki had opted for).
"Oh, c'mon" He crossed his arms with the same scornful smile Ren had seen when she had talked to him some days ago. "You don't really think humans like you stand a chance against us?"
"Of course we don't!" Misaki replied before anyone and as if the idea was a huge absurd. And maybe it was, even in human bodies, they were still above them in physical resistance, she had no doubts of this and it would have been foolishness to deny it. "But it would be just boring as hell to stand watching, so we decided to take part. Just for the fun"
Takeru didn't say a thing, just scoffed as a cat, still with that smirk and walked away. Arisu, who had opened her mouth to talk back (and soon felt Isuzu holding her shoulder gently), narrowed her eyes in the god's direction with a hiss.
"I do know we have no chance…" She turned back to the others. "But even so I so wish we would win just to rub it in his stupid face" She could say now that Takeru and Thoth were easily her less favorite gods in this place.
An acute sound called their attention. Before the school's doors, Thoth was standing with a microphone. The Egyptian god testes it two times before announcing.
"Be welcome" He started in the same voice he used in classroom, making Arisu roll her eyes. What an enthusiasm… "The first Annual Sports Event shall start now. First…?" He muttered to himself, though the girls were able to hear. "Probably there won't be another"
"Amen" Isuzu whispered to herself.
"C'mon, c'mon!" Apollon called her when they went to the gates with the gods of the opposite team. Loki and Takeru indeed looked excited, the fire god waiting for the first test to be announced, hitting a heel in ground and giving away the impression his whole body was full of more energy it was able to hold. Takeru wasn't as agitated, however he couldn't hold interest off his face. Hades and Thor however, were just waiting without a sign of what they truly felt.
"First task…" Thoth said without a need to check the paper he had in his hand. Yui had no doubt he knew the tasks by hand. "Race"
The groups went to the improvised lane in the field, stopping in the starting line marked by a white strap tied to a post.
"Give it your best, Tsukito" Dionysus incentive as the Moon god got in position and, still stoic, nodded.
"We will be cheering on" Misaki smiled. "You guys can do it!"
"Yes, I shall not fail my duty" This answer made Ren shake her head. Truth they needed to win, but phrasing it like that and calling it a "duty" created an extra pressure they had no need of.
"Don't think about it as duty. Just do your best and have fun" She turned to Yui. "Good luck, Kusanagi-san"
"Just Yui is good enough, Ren. Thanks!" The girl repeated with a smile, getting in position at Tsukitos' side and wishing him good luck as Hades joined them, cheered by Loki and Takeru. "We won't lose" She muttered to the god with an amused smile. Without casting her a look, Hades answered in the same calm tone, though he didn't smile.
"The feeling is mutual. I do not plan on losing either"
Yui wasn't discouraged. The others went to take seats at the benches that had been prepared. Surprising them a bit, Loki, Takeru and Thor took their seats near to Apollon and the others. Around, the spirits waited.
There was silence.
"Ready…" Thoth said. Two seconds…
A loud whistle cut the air.
As one, the spirits started to scream and cheer, some calling out for Yui, others for Tsukito and some for Hades. Misaki, now unable to stay quiet as if someone had whipped a particular thread of her heart, had her hands at the side of her mouth and yelled, even knowing Yui wasn't able to hear.
"C'MON YUI! YOU CAN DO IT!"
Yui ran, body sending all energies it had to the legs. She had been prepared to be left behind at once, but perhaps because they were not used to human's strength and limits, the gods weren't that far ahead of her.
"C'mon, c'mon" She told herself, forcing her legs to go faster.
Ahead, the gods seemed to be head-to-head… Tsukito didn't show signs of weariness an even running, he didn't pant, moving with the same subtle grace of always.
Hades, however, was getting ahead. She had been quite surprised to see he would be the one taking part in this task, since she would consider Loki or Takeru being more likely to.
Ignoring the sea of sounds coming from the benches in waves she bit her lower lip, seeking more energy, seeking to move her legs with more strength, wind hitting her face.
She could see the finishing line.
"GO, HADES-SAN!" Takeru yelled standing, agitating his fists and laughing when seeing the God taking the lead. Loki, sitting behind him also screamed for the Underworld Ruler to go faster.
"PUT YOUR BACK INTO IT, TSUKITO!" Arisu screamed as loud as possible, unable to keep herself untouched by the excitement running through her muscles. Even if Hades was ahead, she still hoped the Moon God could cover the distance, it wasn't that much…
Ren, in deep silence, accompanied everything without blinking, twisting the fabric of her knees. Suddenly, one of her hands was taken by another. Shocked, the natural answer of her body was to almost dig her nails in that flesh to force it to release her when she managed to control herself in the last second.
"He will make it!" Balder, sitting at her side, told her without looking away from the race. "He still can!" He then yelled something in a language she didn't understand.
The finishing line was closer.
Tsukito managed to get closer to Hades. He ignored Amaya Ren's words, that was a duty and he had to succeed. It did not matter if his resistance and energies were too limited in this shape. The crowd screamed, but he ignored what was being said and a part of him sincerely wondered what the point of so much noise was.
Yui was closer, but still behind them.
"STRENGTH IN THOSE LEGS!" Arisu was agitated as if she wasn't sure if she wanted to sit or stand.
Marked by a white strap shivering, the finishing line was right there.
A sound made by many voices ripped air apart.
Hades panted a little as he held his knees. It wasn't that he had never felt tired before, but never so quickly and never so much. At his side, Tsukito wasn't panting, though his breath was quicker and deeper even he tried to control it. The human girl, Kusanagi, had arrived a bit after them and had drops of sweat running down her face.
"The winner of the race is…" Thoth's voice echoed as thunder as they waited for it. Both gods had been too close so the crowd could be sure. Misaki crossed her fingers and Arisu bit her left hand. Takeru muttered to himself and even Loki had quieted down.
"Aidoneus Hades!"
Isuzu whimpered, laying her face on her hands as Apollon tapped her back gently as Arisu let herself fall in the bench with a long groan.
"That's okay, there is still more"
"Ha!" Takeru jumped up as Loki punched the air and turned to the others, a ferocious enthusiasm in his gold eyes. "Point for us! What now?"
"There is still more" Misaki replied crossing her arms with a smirk and winking at him. "There is a human saying that goes: Don't sing victory before the time, ya know?" She stood before him without altering herself, even though she was a lot shorter. "We'll make up for this loss"
"Believe this, if is that what you want" The god laughed, going down with Loki and congratulating Hades. Turning to the group approaching, Tsukito looked down.
"I'm very sorry for my performance" His breathing had gone back to normal, but tiredness still made his leg's muscles throb. He hadn't though human bodies could feel with such… Intensity, he supposed to be the better term. "I'm sorry I was incapable."
"You gave you best, this is what matters!" Yui told him, placing her hand in his back. "You were great"
"You both were!"
"I was not. I lost" Tsukito reminded them, making Yui shrug as showing that it didn't matter. Apollon nodded as Dionysus repeated that he had tried his best and this had just been the first task, after all. "I'm sorry I wasn't able to do more."
XxX
With time of rest between the competitions being long enough, they decided to sit in the benches, Yui offering a water bottle to Tsukito, after telling it would help him feel better and he had to pay attention, since human bodies could become dehydrated and he wasn't used to the health of a human. She was aware none of the gods was used to the limitations that came with it and therefore, she had the impression they could easily forget and overdo the limits without even realizing it.
"I think things are kinda working out" She commented, looking with the corner of her eyes towards Balder, who was talking to Loki and Thor. The thunder god kept the calm posture of always, but the redheaded seemed unable to hide his interest after having a taste of the event. Yui admitted he seemed almost as a child in Christmas Eve. "At least it taunted their interest"
"I thought they would be sulkier." Ren confessed. "And just go on and on about not having to come to class"
"Oh, don't fool yourself" Arisu groaned. "This is still their main objective, no doubt"
"Even so, at least it is being fun. More than I thought" A voice came. Dionysus, having in one of his hands a box of grape juice and a hot dog in another, took a seat with them and showed the food. "This is really good, by the way"
"It is one of the most common foods ever" Arisu blinked, a bit impressed that he had never tried it and, for a second, wondered what they used to eat anyway. If they ever did… She had never thought about this. Being gods, she didn't think they needed, but she had heard about the banquets of gods.
"It's working to relax" Yui commented, recalling how Loki and Takeru had congratulated Hades and Misaki told her how Takeru seemed somewhat happier. Even considering what they had bet, she felt the pressure… Well, it wasn't fading away, but it was lessened by other feelings.
"And have you guys seen Misaki?" She asked.
"I saw her talking to Apollon just now" The Greek god told her. "They were going on about the next tasks"
"Do you know which will it be?"
Takeru had approached them with Tsukito. Arisu noted that Misaki had been right, he looked less edgy. Not much, his eyes still carried a wild emotion that created the sensation he had sharp spikes under his skin. He didn't smile and still frowned to them, but the arms here crossed behind his head and the shoulders weren't as tense.
"No. We asked Thoth-sensei to take care of the order" Dionysus told him before taking a drink. Takeru looked to his brother, but Arisu was faster to answer.
"Hey, what is the fun in knowing it? Let it be a surprise" It wasn't usually as things were done back in her school, but she couldn't care less. At least they knew what the competitions would be, just not the order.
"And you're still going to take part on it?" He shook his head in disbelief. "You really want to be stepped on"
Arisu was with the words about to leave her mouth, but Ren cut her.
"Why do you say so?"
"Because you're accepting what that old geezer ordered with head lowered" The god said in the same harsh tone, though his eyes narrowed almost with despise. Arisu rolled her eyes, she should have know he would want to complain about the situation again. Ren, still with no signs of being disturbed, tilted her head to the side and remained in silence for some seconds before sighing and continuing.
"It is not about "accepting with the head lowered" It is about not having a true choice. As such, the best to do is accept to think in the best way to deal with what is happening." She made a small gesture indicating around, expressing it wasn't being too bad (actually it wasn't. Her thoughts during those days towards the entire situation had floated from white to purest black). Takeru shook his head, still measuring her with wasn't too far from despise.
"Think about it as you want" His words left in the air the taste of his indifference, even when he lifted his head with confidence. "At least, by the end of this day you won't be able to force us."
"Are you having fun, Takeru-san?" Yui interfered. She didn't think the talk was in the path to turn into a serious argument, at least not from Ren's part, but she didn't want to risk it. Plus, she would like that the sea god confirmed that he wasn't interested just in their end of the agreement.
The god was to answer when he was interrupted by the thunder of Thoth's voice, louder once again.
"The participants of the next completion, please go to the pool for the swimming race"
Takeru threw them a convinced look.
XxX
"I should have guessed… Of course, moron, who did you think would compete in this?"
"Well, so it is you who is taking part?" Takeru asked, amused by the idea of a human daring to swim against him. "For what I see, you're not very sensate"
"You can say that again…"
"As Misaki said, it is just for the fun of it." Arisu replied with an uncaring shrug, but her nerve endings shivered inside her body in such way she could almost count them down. It was as if just now she fully realized, in the primitive web of cells where old instincts floated, that she was competing against a god.
"Moron, idiot, s-tu-pi-id! What was I even thinking?" Even lowered to the state of a human, she knew very well that there was no chance whatsoever. In a way or another, was still Susanoo, god of seas. How could there be any chance?
She had had swimming classes some years ago, but there were no classes in the world that would prepare someone to this competition. And she had never attended them thinking in competing anywhere for starters!
God, she would be lucky if he didn't drown her right now and there!
"Good luck, little sister" Isuzu came near her standing in the edge of the pool and caressed her head, whispering. "And don't get so tense" Her words made Arisu give a shy smile. It didn't matter she was could wear a mask in her feelings, Isuzu seemed always able to see right through it.
"I can't hide a thing from you, can I?" She wondered.
Isuzu shook her head gently.
"Afraid not."
"Well, I'll give it my best" She whispered so Takeru wouldn't listen, even though he didn't seem to be paying attention to them anyway. "Even so… Let's be sincere, bet your money on him, girl."
There a second of silence in which the taller Hironezumi blinked before taking her hand to her mouth. Arisu felt the tension leaving her body and smiled, suddenly thinking about her parents and the wish they were here bloomed in her.
"Arisu Hironezumi!" The sister emphasized the syllables of her name with false shock. "Bets are illegal! What would mom and dad say? Not to mention…" She added. "That they be so disappointed if I didn't bet on my own sister!"
"If you wanted to bet, Isuzu-chan" The other imitated the manners of their father, hands on her waits and frowning. "At least you should have betted on Arisu and showed support, young lady!"
The sister once more let out a sound that could at least be taken as a sort of weak laugh, as light and fragile drops that could slowly turn into rain. Arisu felt some old knot undoing itself.
"Oh, dear! I can just see dad saying this, right that way!"
They parted, Isuzu going back to the benches with the others as Arisu stood there near the edge of the pool. Takeru wore the swimming shorts with the emblem of the school as Dionysus. Both had white swimming caps. Arisu had needed to explain that people used that in pools as well as the glasses. Takeru had just groaned, finding it uncomfortable and useless.
The girl wore a one-piece, also white with the blue emblem in her chest and a blue line at the side. She had been quite relieved… When she had learned that there was a swimming uniform, she had thought Zeus would have made the female be a two-piece of sorts.
"Or he has some notion of decency after all with this being a fucking school or Thoth took the reins in this matter"
"You and your sister seem to be close" The red-haired god at Takeru's side commented, leaning a bit to see her. Arisu was surprised to notice that Takeru was also observing her with the corner of his eyes. "Don't you ever fight?"
"You can say we're best friends." The girl said. "We do fight, but it's never serious." An old and dead flower seemed to reappear in her eyes, but she was fast to smile and hide it. "Well, nothing serious to us. Some people already thought we were about to get down to our fists"
"Your parents?" Takeru asked out of sudden. Arisu held a laugh to the idea.
"Man, nooo way! They know even better!" She laughed, passing her hand over her cap, moving the glasses around a bit. "Actually, once my mother confessed she and dad had betted to see how long we could bear not talking to each other"
"How long was that?" Dionysus asked in amusement when Arisu raised one shoulder with a funny expression, a light pink coloring her face.
"Record time? I believe it was… Four or five."
"Days?"
"Hours." It wasn't a lie. They could spend days and days without talking to someone they were angry with or with whom they had had a particularly ugly fight, but they couldn't just hold a grudge against each other. Arisu had already heard people saying twins shared a special bond and even superstitions. She couldn't say that being twins was the reason or if it was because their family had always been really close, all she knew was that this was how things were between them…
"Then why I…" An old thought, a branch coming from that dead flower, held her mind with its thorns, but the girl pushed it away and focused her attention in the softly waving of the water ahead. She had no possible means of winning against Takeru, but perhaps Dionysus would make it… He was taller and, she could notice it better now, naturally strong, the muscles of his legs firm and…
Actually, they both had a body that would make many boys of her school green with pure envy…
"Great! Really good one! I tried to relax and ended up thinking about more nonsense!" She reprimanded herself, a strong heat spreading from her lower stomach to her face.
"Ready…" Thoth said. Arisu took a deep breath and leaned, getting ready to jump. At her side, Takeru did the same, suddenly serious. Even behind the swimming glasses, Arisu saw that his eyes seemed to shine… She was well aware of what she was seeing. It was the strength of the oceans he ruled over and looked away, telling herself to not be bothered by this, it wasn't as if he was going to kill her.
"At your marks…"
No one dared to breathe. Misaki knew she would find this whole deal funny in another occasion, but now her insides had turned into stone.
Ren watched as quiet as before, hands holding her elbows as Tsukito showed no reaction.
The whistle sounded like before.
The scream of the crowd was mixed the sound of bodies being embraced by water.
"GO, ARISU!" Isuzu yelled as she stood. "SHOW THEM!"
At her side, Apollon yelled Dionysus and Arisu's name as well, hands in fists as Loki's. They cries tangled with the sound of water in a strange song.
Thor was at Tsukito's side and watched in equal silence as he and Ren, who saw they were leaning a bit forwards and didn't blink. She wondered if Tsukito would be cheering for Dionysus or Takeru. For another side there would be the need of winning, the other the loyalty to his brother.
Misaki agitated her body as she yelled, but saw that Hades wasn't near. Standing up, she looked around for the dark haired god and found him. He was away, near the doors and watching in silence. She wondered why he wasn't closer, but her attention was soon back to the pool.
Dionysus had had a good start, but Takeru had already passed him. The god slid in the waters as if they were one being. Even as a human, the connection with his natural element could never be severed.
Arisu moved, blind and deaf to everything around, body focused in the action. The water was agitated around her and she impelled herself forwards without difficulties. She wasn't truly thinking about winning or not, just in increasing her velocity.
Dionysus also found no resistance in the water. He used to walk in the woods with his followers rather than staying in Olympus and so, he was also used to swim in lakes or rivers, but there was a difference when it was a competition. He was agile, but Takeru was more… He could see he was being lefty behind by the other god.
He started the second turn.
Loki let out a howl of cheer when Takeru was so ahead. Baldr and Apollon still yelled to the others, even aware that they wouldn't be heard and that Takeru would win. Yui closed her hands, heart hitting all around, thinking they would lose, it wouldn't work, it echoed in her brain.
Takeru hit his hand in the pool's edge. With a cry of animal delight, he punched the air.
He had won.
Dionysus arrived soon after, taking his glasses off as Arisu reached them, giving a small smile and tilting her shoulder.
"Takeru Totsuka wins" Thoth confirmed which they knew already and gym came down with the yelling of the spirits. The sea god jumped out of the pool easily, punching the air once more before turning to Dionysus and Arisu. Deep down, the girl felt a seed of suspicion he was about to goat, but he was too busy feeling joyful, she soon saw.
He didn't shiver in cold and the glint hadn't left his eyes, a force alike a fury that intended to annihilate everything all around should the chance preset itself, without hesitation and not ever looking back.
Arisu had never seen anything like that, not in the eyes of any living being and a natural fear grasped her soul.
And yet, there was happiness in that look.
"Well…" She muttered, sitting in the edge of the pool as the others came closer, avoiding looking at the sea god. "It was fun anyway" But she couldn't sound cheerful.
"They have two points and zero to us!" She thought with a bitter taste in her body. Dionysus seemed to take notice, for he helped her to stand and smiled.
"We got still three to go. Too early to sit and rest."
Yui tried to congratulate Takeru, but the god ignored her as talked to Tsukito and Loki with great animation (so much that she wasn't sure he was being rude or too dominated by his feelings) and apparently forgetting any bad feeling he had regarding the Nordic god.
"You were great, Dee-Dee"
"Hey!" The girl made an attempt at a smile. "Don't I deserve congratulations too? I finished in the rank we all knew I would! Last!" It wasn't this that bothered her, it was the fact the other team was winning.
Apollon chuckled and without caring that she was soaking wet, Balder went and touched her shoulder, caressing it and her back.
"But you were doing good. Quite fast!"
Arisu was not sure he was just trying to make her feel better or being sincere (if it was the former, she would rather have him saying nothing). It had been a time since her last time in swimming classes and she had never tried hard enough to competitions level… Giving her a white robe, Isuzu nodded aware of what was going through her sister's mind.
She knew Arisu wasn't one to appreciate people always acting as if everything was always fine.
"Balder is speaking the truth. You were going fast. You should go back to swimming, I always tell you that."
More satisfied, Arisu rubbed the bath robe against her body, shivering a bit now that she was out the pool and saw that Misaki wasn't with them. About to ask where the girl had gone, she caught a sight of her near the entranced of the gym and near Hades, who merely watched the group from afar.
"Hey, rat" Takeru called out, he and Dionysus going to the locker rooms. "Are you going to change yourself or what?"
"RAT?" Arisu turned to him at once. "Who is the rat around here?"
The god just stared at her. Arisu had the impression now that, even if he was having fun, this didn't imply he was closer to her or any of the others.
"To be honest? You looked like a drowned rat back there"
Arisu was speechless, mouth hanging open while Loki seemed to have found this to be the funniest thing ever. Yui shook her head as she tapped her shoulder in shared feeling.
"Don't mind him. He calls me weed, remember?"
Meanwhile Misaki had tried to approach Hades, but he had already left. The girl recalled that Isuzu and Yui had told them how the god of the death had expressed that they should keep their distance and how they would have disgraces. None of them had understood what he meant by that, nor the rest of them. Isuzu had also said that he had been quite serious.
"Could it be he was making predictions of anything like that?" The blonde thought as she went back to the group, waiting for Takeru, Dionysus and Arisu to finish bathing and dressing up. No, it couldn't be this… She had the firm belief the future was always open blank… It was a matter almost of logic, right? After all, people are always facing choices, changing their minds, learning new things.
How could anyone predict what they would do or the consequences of their actions? No, she didn't believe in anything related to "fate" or "predicting the future". This was nonsense!
Otherwise, what was the point in living?
Coming closer, she stood near Balder and needed to raise her head to look at him.
"Why does everyone here has to be so tall?" All of them were at least a bit shorter than most of the gods. Even Ren and Isuzu, who among the girls were the tallest, still were at least of Takeru's height. And this made them at least a head shorter than Hades, for example.
"It was an expected result. Let's admit!" She said with a smile and looked to the others. "I mean, let's all be honest. Did anyone think it would be any different?"
Yui giggled and denied it with a gesture as Apollon crossed his arms and nodded.
"To be frank…"
"Against Susanoo…"
"That's likely"
"I'm starting to worry." Isuzu admitted, the brown ponytail falling over one of her shoulders.
"We still got three tasks, Isuzu. Three chances of taking the lead" Yui reminded her, while trying to tranquilize herself. It worked somewhat. "It's too early to this."
"She has a point"
"Yeah, worry when they are winning four against us" Misaki told her. "Then we can worry"
"Then it will be beyond worry, Misaki" Ren said and risked. "I guess then it is already the category of… "Now we're screwed"."
"Misaki-chan, this isn't of much help" Balder said, though he was chuckling.
"Are my ears deceiving me? Are you having second thoughts about our agreement? Oooh, I shall remember this moment for eternity!" Loki laughed as he came near them.
"Eternity we risk to have to spend here thanks your damn stubbornness" Isuzu told him, though holding it inside her. Truth was, even if they did win, this risk would carry on for the rest of the year. She hadn't forgotten Arisu's initial reaction when Zeus had informed them of it all (it seemed to longer than some days) and she didn't disagree… Was there even a way to teach them about humanity?
"Arisu would say the right question is whether they can learn"
"Nice going, Isuzu" Misaki groaned with a roll of her eyes. "As if his ego needed more nutrition."
The brown-haired girl shook her head to herself with an expression of clear regret for having opened her mouth.
"So, you're already giving up? How boring"
"Not at all!" Yui replied, still with some hope that the mood would make him friendlier, being among the gods who she couldn't understand at all since the first time they had saw each other. Even if he did behave friendlier, there was something so distant in him… Almost covered by a veil of coldness as she had never seen before.
"I can't know if he is getting along or just having fun at our expense" She thought with herself. Thinking about the other gods, she realized there was a similar impression. Even if they were having fun, the girl wondered if the distance among them was shortening or if they were merely excited with the event.
There was a difference between "being together" and just "sharing a situation"
"So hope this isn't the case. This year will be so long… We can't do it all by ourselves, they have to cooperate too!"
"Five tasks, Loki! She went on. "I told, it's too early to thinking about just throwing the towel!"
The god seemed to not get the usage of words. She clarified.
"It means giving up"
His wicked smile came back.
"Fine. Surprise me"
"Very well." Someone said. Arisu was back, wet hair falling over her shoulders. Dionysus and Takeru were somewhat behind. The girl spoke with more confidence than she truly felt. "But remember: You. Asked. For. It"
"As I told you: Give it your best."
"Next task!" They heard Thoth's voice echoing in the gym. "Archery"
XxX
"I never was interested in the tournaments, but at least I was part of the club" She told as she put her gloves on.
"Arisu also said she never did" Misaki commented, referring to the swimming classes the other girl had taken. At her side, Arisu nodded with her sister. The gestures were identical.
"I just wanted to learn. Our school had several clubs and this was the one that got my attention" Isuzu explained.
"And I just like to swim." The other completed. "Our schools took part in competitions and all, but… I dunno, I never got interested"
"And I was never good enough to be chosen for the tournaments… A classmate of mine was." She moved her glove a bit, holding her bow. It was simpler than the one she carried as a pendant, even if there was still something elegant about it. She supposed Zeus wouldn't go for anything lower in his academy. "Well, if I get a target right, I'm happy already."
"Aika Ayoama…" It had been the classmate Isuzu was talking about. Arisu remembered her, a tall girl of darkest hair usually in a bun or ponytail when competing. Oh, yeah, she remembered of her quite well…
"I was waiting for this one!" Apollon exclaimed, seeing the gloves and arms protectors. "I never had to use those before! Well, never needed" He said with a small laugh, still very interested in the complement equipment humans wore.
"Good luck for you both" Yui told them with a wink before Isuzu and Apollon went towards the targets, talking about archery and Apollon giving suggestions to the young girl.
"This one we already won" Dionysus said with certainty. "Too easy"
"Why do you say that?" Misaki turned to him without understanding, and the god of fertility smiled.
"Because Apollon is an archery god." This attracted the attention of Misaki and Arisu. Tsukito seemed to be already aware of this, since he didn't even blink to it. Yui wondered if he had informed himself of his classmates. She knew this about Apollon because she had read a bit when she had arrived.
"I didn't know that" Arisu chuckled to herself, this was just like last task and she wasn't surprised anymore that Apollon had been so interested in this particular competition. "I thought he was just god of the sun"
"Sun, music, prophecy, cure…" Ren counted with an absent expression. "Doesn't he play lyre a lot?"
Dionysus nodded.
"Hermes gave it to him. He also plays other instruments, but mostly the lyre." He added and watched his half-brother holding a bow and chirping to Isuzu, who listened with attention. The god was in silence for a while before smiling to himself and muttering. "I'm just remembering of when he killed Niobe's children…"
There was silence.
"Of what are you talking about?" Yui couldn't hide her surprise. She had heard myths about humans being killed or transformed by the gods as punishments, however she had thought much about it when in the academy. And having known Apollon, it was hard to picture him killing whoever it was!
At her side, Misaki had her eyes frozen as if they would never blink again.
"Niobe…" Ren repeated slowly, seeming trying to recall. "I think my mother once told me about this…" She stopped herself, unsure if the term "myth" would offend the god or not, since it had been a real case. "Wasn't she the one who disrespected Apollon's mother?"
"Leto." Dionysus said with a nod. Yui and Misaki knew this was the Titan mother of Apollon and Artemis, but Arisu still shook her head expressing she didn't follow. At their side, Tsukito listened without expression.
"Niobe was a queen of Thebes" The Greek gold told them. "She had six sons and six daughters. There was a day when some women were making adorations to Leto with their offerings. She raged, ordering the cult to be stopped." His green eyes became stone, cold and sharp with the memory of such audacity. "She told the women that they ought to make offerings to her, calling herself superior and more worthy than Leto"
Yui and Misaki exchanged glances with the raw despise they heard in his voice. And they couldn't say that the behavior of the queen sounded sensate. Arisu now frowned as she heard it.
"This because she had more children and Leto had trouble when she was pregnant…" Ren whispered. "For what I remember, she couldn't give birth… Wasn't it?" She turned to Dionysus, who sighed.
"Hera. She declared that Leto wouldn't be able to give birth in any land. Her luck was that the island of Delphos had immerged a little time ago and it wasn't considered a land yet." The god explained them. Hera had so many times punished Zeus' lovers, enraged by her husband's affairs. "Niobe also mocked Leto for this and went on how she was of noble lineage." He scoffed at this, thinking about the grandfather of the woman, Tantalus. Noble lineage, right… The man was even today on the depths of Tartarus. "Since she was the queen, she managed to stop the offerings"
"And as punishment, Artemis and Apollon went after her children. Artemis killed the girls first and Apollon, the boys."
"Apollon killed the boys first, Ren" The god corrected her, his tone never changing. "Even after she received the news, Niobe insisted she was still superior because of her daughters. The youngest one died in her arms. Mortals' idiocy"
In another occasion, Arisu would have taken offense in this, but she couldn't completely deny. Misaki looked to Apollon's direction, unable to relate him to such acts. It was so easier to imagine him playing a lyre or conducting a beautiful chariot of sunlight than… Well, as a murderer.
"What happened to Niobe?" Yui asked quietly, the story (pardon, history) coming to life in her mind. Clearly, she saw the boys, maybe in a large room or playing in a field, falling with arrows crossing them… The mother crying as one of her daughters died in her arms in a pool of blood… She could even imagine Apollon standing in the middle of the slaughter, even if she didn't want to and now the idea remained with its claws in her mind.
"She turned into stone" The reply couldn't be more uncaring or unmerciful. "She went to cry in a mount and stood there. She is there until today"
"Isn't Apollon also able to bring plague and diseases?" Ren asked seeming not bothered at all. "With his arrows?"
Dionysus nodded once more.
Arisu's mouth was open in disbelief. The tale wouldn't have caused this reaction if she wasn't hearing it firsthand from Dionysus and if she hadn't met the god who had taken part in the killing… Even if the woman had been arrogant, this was far too cruel!
"But the children were innocent!"
"Many children pay for their parent's sins" Tsukito merely commented with his usual calmness. It was a point that none of the girls had an answer to in the moment… Yuio knew that, being a god, he should comprehend better Dionysus' point of view. Her organs felt like they had exchanged places.
Arisu insisted.
"They were not the ones who spoke this load of crap, how does someone just go and end an innocent's life as if…!"
Ren saw that Arisu was getting exalted and tried to explain what her mother had told her… She hadn't understood this in the first time she heard it, and in the occasion the story had been just that: A story.
Now, she saw it as a real case, no different from the murder's cases you could read about in the newspaper.
"Arisu…" She called her, the serene tone shocking against the other girl's, who was increasing in agitation even if she wasn't screaming. "Niobe knew what she was doing"
"Yeah, Ren, that helps so much." She told herself when receiving a glare from Arisu that wasn't unlike a knife.
"Ren, don't you tell me that…" If she even said that she agreed to that…
"Think, people believed in them" Ren interrupted, briefly pointing to Dionysus with her head. It wasn't that she was justifying the course of action, she just didn't want to see an argument taking place. "There is several… Cases like that."
"Mortals who disrespect and defy us. People knew better than this, do you expect us to ignore such behavior?" Dionysus completed, arms still crossed and head held high, face hard with austerity. He understood of where Arisu came from an absolute different place, but he didn't think she ought to judge the acts of the gods.
"They believed in them" Ren repeated, a bit scared that touching the subject of how they were no more than stories nowadays would do more than annoy them.
"How did the conversation reached this point?"
"A city could have a patron God, a mortal could have a god to who he prayed more, but all mortals should pay cults to all of us anyway" Dionysus explained as Arisu looked from one to another looking almost outraged, even if she was understanding what they were saying.
Misaki and Yui, though picking silence as the best course, also listened with attention.
"They respected all of them…" Yui whispered slowly as she tried to imagine how living in such a time had been. To live believing… Well, maybe knowing (after all, here she was living with them for the time being) that those gods were real. And knowing what they could do… Under this prism, she couldn't deny that Niobe's behavior had been stupid, but the punishment still sounded unfair for involving innocents who had nothing to do with their mother's actions.
"Apollon and Artemis were livid." The god carried on with a shake of his head. "Few times I saw them like that… And how would you feel if someone treated your mother like this?"
Misaki lowered her shoulders, not thinking about her mother but in aunt Wakana… If she had been through difficulties like Leto and was worth of the respect the Greek gods were… She didn't know how she would have reacted, but she knew she would have been furious.
"But I wouldn't have taken it out in children who never did a thing! They are so different from us… Just because they look like humans, it doesn't mean they even feel like we do…" Even if back then, the respect had been so absolute, she wasn't sure she could ever understand.
"Hubris of mortals" Dionysus shrugged (weird how even this common gesture did nothing to lessen the sudden authority that rolled off him in powerful waves. Ren had no doubt he could crush their sanities with a mere wish if he wanted to and thanked Zeus for the shackles), despise never left his eyes. "I am aware the children were innocent, however their loss was the biggest punishment Niobe could have, therefore…"
"And what is hubris?" Misaki asked suddenly. Ren and the others also waited for the explanation. Yui was sure she had heard this before, but she couldn't associate the term to a meaning.
"It means extreme pride." Tsukito told them. "Excess of confidence and ego, with an insolent behavior towards others and specially us, gods"
"Indeed" Dionysus confirmed the explanation. "One of mortals' worse sins. Honor and respect are very important. You may be proud of your actions and achievements, but never consider yourself superior or equal to us"
Yui and Misaki just exchanged glances, the conversation bringing an ill feeling in their stomachs. Arisu was still with her mouth open, longing to find a reply to that, feeling how many differences and distances there were between them and the gods.
"You can't judge another culture like this…" Even more considering it wasn't even a "person" she would be judging. Still furious, she lowered her shoulders and straightened her neck, going through her own thoughts. That all still sounded wrong and unjustifiable. If at least she had a way to talk back!
"It doesn't fucking matter! They were innocents. Is life this worthless to them?"
Dionysus sighed, apparently considering the topic closed and watched as Apollon and Isuzu over Arisu's head as they still talked. The Fertility God wouldn't be surprised if Apollon was telling her how he and Artemis had hunted together, though this was a domain of his sister and not his. Or maybe giving advice. Whatever it was, it had Isuzu's attention.
A bit away, Hades also watched them in silence as Loki talked to Thor. No sign of Takeru.
"I… I'll buy something!" Arisu decided, not looking at the god anymore or any of the girls, suddenly feeling she had to get away as of their presence was suffocating her. "I'll be back later"
Not waiting for answer, she walked away, getting some surprise when she realized Ren was accompanying her. Arisu didn't say a thing, her mind revising all she had heard. There was a seed growing inside her, blooming thoughts and doubts.
Not bearing it anymore, she needed to expulse part of it from her system.
"They are so different!" She said in a half-mutter, half-groan, aware she was saying something painfully obvious. "I guess I thought… Fuck, I don't know…" It wasn't as if she had, upon any moment, really forgotten who her classmates truly were, so why she suffered this sensation she couldn't define? "This of killing children and not even blinking to it. And I don't even know if I got this hubris deal…"
"It is a very different concept. Pride is just the simplest way of putting it" Ren muttered and Arisu saw that her gray eyes were like a clouded sky. The girl seemed to want to say something more, however it looked like she lacked the ability to translate her emotions into words.
Even so, Arisu was somehow glad she was just there.
"Ren, what do you think they think of us?" Arisu risked. "Do you think that for them we're just… You know… Poor little mortals, involved in a divine play? The way Dionysus spoke now… It is like human life has no value whatsoever"
During some seconds, she thought Ren wouldn't answer.
"I don't know… Takeru and Loki made their opinions, or part of them, pretty clear…" No doubt there. Even if they were friendlier today, this didn't mean their feelings had ever changed. "But I don't know if this is about us personally"
She was still quiet for some seconds more as if reflecting. Arisu's question was good and she hadn't given the matter any thought until now.
"As for the others… I think it's too early to say, but… I don't think it is all like this" Or maybe she just didn't want it to be.
Arisu thought about it. Yui was there for a week more than they, who had arrived some days ago. Maybe Ren was right and it was too early to say they truly knew each other. Considering Apollon and Balder's behavior, she had believed them to be making a real effort to understand humans… With Tsukito it was impossible to have any idea and Dionysus had always been so pleasant and kind to them until now…
What if they were just… Like pets to them? Cute little things and nothing more?
Arisu shook her head as she caught a toasted ham and cheese sandwich, not giving signs of wanting to go back to the group who, by now, would be picking seats in the benches. Her mind could only focus in that story she had heard and the sensation of all kinds of abysses that there were between them and the gods.
Now, away from them, her agitation was slowly fading and she felt tired. However, the girl managed to make her mind work more calmly and think slow, as if she was knitting and evaluating each thread of thought with caution.
She had thought she was getting used to all this mess, but truth to be told, there were still remains of disturb in her blood that waited moments to wake and seize her.
"Well… Let's go? Before we miss the show?" She called for Ren, who tried to cheer her up in the way back.
"As he said, this one we've won already. Think about Loki and Takeru's face!"
Arisu laughed a bit and gave her a smile.
"Thanks, Ren"
Going to the seats the others had chosen wasn't hard even with all the spirits getting in groups and muttering among them. In the space before the stands, quite close to where the first task had taken place, there were targets in a row and divided in three groups. Apollon and Isuzu seemed to be wishing good luck to each other and Thor.
"Alright, we haven't missed a thing" Arisu commented as she took a seat between Dionysius and Misaki. Taking a deep breath with cautions so they wouldn't notice, she turned to the god and offered her sandwich to him, ignoring the wave of nervousness that replaced her blood. She didn't think she owed any apologies, but suddently she didn't want to just ignore all completely either.
"Hey, taste it. It's great"
Dionysius blinked before the offer and Arisu had the impression that she could be looking quite ridiculous now. However, the god smiled in the same way he always did and ripped a piece to himself with a nod.
"Thanks, Arisu"
The girl felt the heavy cloud that had been born some minutes ago fading and breathed in relief. Maybe she needed to try to understand the gods as well, just like they needed to understand humans.
Ana: While this chapter was one of the longest and hardest to write until now (since I have zero talent for sports and suck at describing them) there were some scenes I enjoyed. I also revised the earlier chapters as, when I was reading those again, I found some mistakes. English is not my first language, so sometimes I let things slip. If you guys notice a typo or anything, please tell me.
Loki: I refuse to believe we're going to lose.
Apollon: Well, you have to attend school, so…
Loki: Says who?
Arisu: Oh, please, if you want to stay here, be my guess, but don't…
Ana: Hu? Hello? This is neither the place nor the time.
Loki: So? It's not like you receive thousands of reviews, anyway.
Ana: You're just in a bad mood because you know you'll end up having to attend classes (c'mon, we all know it).
AndreaRamos2003: Si, ellos poderian terminar juntos… Sorry, I'm not very good at Spanish). But yes, for now I'm not telling the pairings, but Loki and Misaki's first meeting was… Well, in Loki's style.
Loki: I'm great, I know it.
Misaki: Excuse me? Do you know how long it took to take that slime off me?
Ana: Well, if they keep this up, they'll start bickering as a couple, that's for sure.
TheRadiatingHelen: Thanks! I got a bit unsure regarding the plot, since there is many fics introducing more humans to the school. I have another fic I'm planning with a entire new cast (meaning gods and humans alike) but it will take long to prepare, so I went with this one that was a bit more elaborated already. Since English is not my first language, this means a lot to me! I'm so glad I manage to make such descriptions, then! And YES, I'll continue. Promise.