Chapter Six – Seaside School
Though she guessed that after a few days she would be used to everything, Yui had to admit: There were still moments in which she got surprised, which made her wonder if it was ever possible to "get used" to the academy.
"Thinking well, considering that most of my classmates are gods from such different places, how can this happen?" She wondered as she listened to Thoth explaining about the several muscles of human anatomy. In front of her, Apollon looked confused and made her wonder once more if they were this different from humans to the point of him not knowing such simple things. The myths had talked about Prometheus and how an eagle used to devour his liver, so she had assumed their organs weren't that different from people…
"Yeah, but wasn't Dionysus who Zeus kept in one of his thighs until the moment of birth?" She recalled reading this somewhere. The girl risked a glance at Arisu, who, by her expression, probably was wondering why they needed to learn such a thing and in what that would help the gods to understand human nature.
Without a surprise, she noticed Loki had his face leaning in one of his hands and didn't seem to be paying the slightest attention while Takeru scribed in his notebook even if Yui doubted that he was taking notes of the class. Yet, his concentrated expression caused curiosity.
"They are not even caring" She reflected, unable to not feel bothered after all they had done to bring them to class, though she had known it would take more than a Sports Event to make them actually cooperative. "They aren't even trying…" Usually, it wasn't in the girl to butt in how people conducted their lives, however this was a whole different level. All they had achieved in the Event had been forcing them to come to class.
"It is some progress, but not even enough. It would be better if they at least…"
A loud noise waked her from her thoughts. Balder had fallen near Dionysus, probably trying to wake the classmate up, and Apollon now approached to know if he was alright. This was enough to wake Dionysus who started babbling if the monsters were attacking now and ignoring when Arisu just told him to sit down and get a grip (Misaki turned to Yui indicating the god with her thumb and a confused expression that almost made the girl laugh with the obvious question "what the hell…?"). As if that wasn't enough, the spirits, influenciable things they were, believed the Greek God and started crying in fear. Loki, whose eyes had came back to life with a gleam, let something fall in the ground. It wasn't unlike a marble, which soon exploded.
By this time, the class was already in chaos.
Long things jumped in all directions. Some fell over the tables while others hit some students.
Snakes.
Sitting a bit away, Yui soon noticed they were merely plush animals but they did frighten some spirits even more Ren leaned her face in her one of her hands, shaking her head slowly and it wasn't easy to tell if she was finding this funny or exasperating. Misaki bit her lower lip, body shivering as she tried to cage a laugh, one of the snakes falling right on her table.
A loud noise killed all the rest when Thoth slammed his hands on the table before leaving the classroom, his coat waving behind him as wings. Loki, by this time, was openly laughing and, since the teacher had left, took the opportunity to leave as well with Thor. Maybe it was impression, but the later seemed slightly pale.
"Well, that was an absolute fiasco" Isuzu muttered as she stood, crossing her arms. Even if the whole deal had been a bit funny. Not even when the troublemakers and class' jokers of her school did a mess it reached such levels.
"I have no idea if Loki is very brave or just plain insane."
"I'll try talking to Thoth!" Yui told them as she left, followed by Misaki and Arisu thought the later had no idea of how they could remedy the situation after the prank of the Nordic god (who had passed all of Thoth's limits). Ren, on another hand, approached Isuzu after picking up one of the plush snakes from the floor.
"I was expecting something like this to happen sooner" She confessed examining the serpent, striped of two tones of green and with big black shining eyes that were almost real. It was kinda cute. Under Isuzu's gaze, she explained. "I thought Loki would do something right in the first class he appeared"
"Ahhh, that was awful" Apollon muttered scratching the back of his neck with a look of almost embarrassment after all the mess and his eyes went to the door. "And we made Thoth-sama furious"
Isuzu was well aware that if Arisu was here right now, she would have protested against the plural and just shrugged, making a mental note of how curious it felt when at times Apollon and the others behaved as regular students. Here it was the Greek Sun God, who spoke through the Oracle of Delphi, looking nervous because of an angry teacher. Right in that moment, the girl thought that Apollon could even attend a mortal's school and no one would notice he wasn't human.
"I bet he would have fun" Even if in the depths of her minds, this was giving birth to several ideas and scenarios of how this could turn into a catastrophe. In comparison to this, Zeus' idea of a private academy was more sensate than sending them to the human world. "Not to mention Loki's attitude and the others"
"Yui, Misaki and Arisu went after him. Perhaps they will calm him down" Balder turned to the rest of the group and tried a smile. "But I don't think we will have the rest of class time, so why don't we go?"
Part of their routine had been born slowly, link by link of a chain of time, and they used to revise the subject after lunch. Since they had still some hours before lunchtime, they could use it. Ren nodded and Isuzu agreed, hoping he was right and her sister and the others would at least calm Thoth… Without much cheer for the idea of studying Biology (not that she didn't like the subject, but human anatomy wasn't what interested her the most) and, seeing Takeru packing his things, took a risk.
"Hey, Totsuka. We're going to study together, wanna come?"
Takeru, right at the door, measured her up and down before snarling his usual "tch".
"No" He said almost in a growl and left, making Isuzu sigh.
XxX
"Thoth-sensei, wait! Please!" Yui called, needing to walk fast to catch up with the Egyptian god, who kept his speed without even looking behind. Sunlight entered through the colored glass and casted suave reflections on the floor.
"Call me Thoth-sama!" He ordered, his voice more severe and cold that what Yui was used to. Arisu rolled her eyes and took a deep breath, trying to not get annoyed.
"Sorry, Thoth-sama" Yui corrected herself, lowering her shoulders. The last thing she wanted was to irritate him any further. "It's just that… Please, could you come back to class, sir?" She tried with throat dry and doubting Thoth would do anything just because she had asked, so her hope was that a demonstration of interest would at least sooth his mood.
She had to at least try!
"I'm impressed. She manages to keep such a control" Arisu thought, for she was already regretting chasing the god, even if they needed him and not just as a teacher but as someone they could (try) ask for advice and with who they were supposed to talk when they had some idea. Under this light, it was true that they had nothing to win by just leaving him even more unwilling towards them, it would be one more problem.
"Even so, does he has to act all high and mighty?"
Thoth ceased his steps for a second, blue eyes sparkling to Yui in a wild way. The girl didn't back down.
"Who are you to tell me what to do?"
"Hey, we're just asking here!" Arisu talked back before she could put some reins in her emotions. Besides, he was here in the role of a teacher, therefore he should go back to class and that's it. Her teachers, back in her old school, dealt with difficult students as well and didn't solve anything by leaving class!
His eyes were cold cutting flames and went from Yui to Arisu. Before the girl was able to say anything, he came closer so quickly that the girl walked back by instinct of a rabbit being cornered by a hawk and hit her back on the wall. Thoth leaned his hand a bit above her head as he leaned until their eyes were at the same high.
"Oh, shit…"
"All they are doing" The god hissed between his teeth, voice lacking any form of warmth and not unlike a sharp knife. "Is playing and sleeping. They are not taking anything here seriously."
Arisu had to concentrate herself to stop her body from cowering, any form of protest or reply leaving her alone and just the wish that he would walk away remained. She knew that it wasn't as if Thoth would hurt her, but still those eyes were picking her mind apart.
Worse was, she knew this wasn't like when she felt any hint of the gods' true nature. That was not even a glimpse…
"At least they are coming to class" Misaki tried more to call Thoth's attention off Arisu than for anything else. The god turned his face to her, not accepting that line of thought.
"They are just attending classes to sleep" Sadly, there was no answer to this. Hades, Takeru, Loki and Thor were not showing any interest whatsoever and today's incident had been the proof that they still didn't care at all for Zeus' plan. Thor and Hades behaved in their silent way, but it was easy to say they were just there and not actually putting any more effort than Takeru or Loki.
"Do you actually believe that they just need to show up in order to graduate?"
"Of course not, but…" She tried, being cut immediately.
"While they behave like children, time is passing" He straightened himself, crossing his arms and facing Misaki, voice of steel. "If they do not manage to understand human nature in a year, you will be stuck here for eternity."
"We know that, Thoth-sama" Yui commented managing to keep her tone polite, though she didn't like to be reminded of this threat and could see that Thoth acted as if they could forget it. He seemed to have the gift of weakening people just by speaking. Not even her strictest teacher had ever been like this!
Thoth was about to say something else, but a ring wrapped the school. A loud and deep sound…
As the bronze bell sang, they could notice a fast change in the temperature. Through the window, the sun got stronger and Yui saw the leaves of trees looking, somehow, more lively.
"Summer?" She wondered without being sure. It made no sense, they weren't even close to the season and the change had been in mere seconds. Misaki shook her head frowning and not believing this, but Thoth merely accepted it as if it was a normal occurrence.
"Zeus changed the seasons" Misaki tried to say something to this, but the Egyptian didn't allow it. "Very well. This means tomorrow shall be considered summer vacation"
"What this will end up doing is screwing up the school calendar" Arisu muttered, thinking it would be easier to think about this as a kind of prolonged weekend or even a holiday than actual "summer vacation". Thot paid her no mind and walked away.
"Involve the students more in school activates before the vacation's end"
"But it isn't time of vacation!" Arisu insisted, being ignored and turning to Misaki and Yui, still thinking about what she had just heard and not believing it. "And what does he want, to us to perform a miracle?"
"Apparently" Misaki sighed. The three girls exchanged looks, first a Sports Even and now they had to find a way to include the other students more during vacation… Which they had no idea of how long would last. No idea came to their minds right now and this created a sensation that they had just barely solved an issue just for other to appear immediately.
The question of the "problem-students" (as they had started to refer to them) was being far more complicated than they had previously considered, no doubt.
"There is nothing to do but to think about another solution. Let's go to the student's room, the others may be there"
"I don't complain" The blonde started, putting her hair over one of her shoulders, some threads escaping and falling against her back. "Of having some resting time, but how is that suppose to help?"
Yui understood what she meant. Following a logic line, the other gods were merely be relieved of not having classes and wouldn't want to get involved in anything they would suggest.
"Let's use the same principle" The purple-haired girl decided as she held her chin while walking, mind going back to when they had started combining the Sports Event. They couldn't just repeat it, but they could follow this line of thought. "Something that will include everyone, in a fun way and show that they need to get more in touch with everyone else…"
"I said it, a miracle. Or maybe…"
"Arisu, we're not using electrified collars" Yui gave her a wink as she giggled, recalling the other's suggestion in her first day in the academy to which Arisu made a false disappointment face, putting her hands on the white coat's pockets.
"It wasn't exactly what I was thinking about, but I still think this would be quite a solution" She replied ina cheerful tone, until spotting a red flame upon turning a corner. Loki was half sitting half crouching in the windowsill and talking to Thor, sun hitting his back and creating a reddish halo around his head. Forgetting their jokes, the girls waved and Yui repeated the invitation she had made yesterday.
"Loki-san, Thor-san! We're going to the student's room, why don't you come along?"
"Ehh…" Loki said, looking to the ceiling in a pensive way. "Nope"
None of the three could say they had been surprised.
"C'mon, we all need to study anyway. And it is better when in a group" Misaki tried (she had never thought that there will come the day she would say studying was fun, but truth to be told sometimes it was, considering some questions that arose and the gods). Despite the good will, Yui knew this wasn't what would change Loki and Thor's minds.
"Balder will be there too" Considering the three, during free time, were always together, maybe the perspective or spending this time with their friend would help a little.
"And we're going to discuss what to do during summer vacation" Arisu completed, hoping the specific and unknown term would at least cause some curiosity.
The Nordic gods ran their eyes over the three girls, Thor's face just a mask that didn't let out any trait of emotion and Loki in a way that couldn't be defined completely. Though the usual signs of amusement were there, they could be caused by the insistence (what would in the end just make him refusal stronger, Misaki was sure) or naturalness alike.
"Let's see…" He repeated and once again looking at the ceiling. "No. I'm still not interested"
Maybe, by the way he had spoken it, it would have been even funny if they hadn't just talked to Thoth who (for what they had felt) had been about to lecture them.
"Thor?" Misaki called the other, but the Thunder God, after staring at her for a second, shook his head. The blonde sighed, feeling almost disheartened before such stubbornness and keeping a harsh comment deep in her throat. Arisu, on another hand, was already too annoyed to put up with that.
"And we're already attending the classes, anyway" The redheaded god shrugged, leaning the elbows in his lifted knees. "That's already enough"
"Hmm, if it was, we wouldn't be here wasting our time" Arisu growled managing to bite her tongue before a "moron" escaped to complete the phrase, though it was too close. Ren, in their first day, had commented they were being immature but Arisu thought this was a far too light definition. The fact that Thoth had been calling their attention in account of something they not only didn't know how to solve (and that was due to their behavior) had already dried even more her patience.
"Oooh!" Loki evaluated her, voice in a strange and almost purring way, yet carrying something that Yui had heard just in one occasion: It was similar to when she had first met him and he had told her to look for answers on her own. This time, however, it was stronger. "Little girl got claws!"
Dark brown and silver eyes stared at each other. Yui and Misaki exchanged glances.
"Buuut…" Loki sing sang, voice going back to the usual amused tone. For some reason, Misaki compared the moment as if standing near a serpent. "This is not our problem, is it?"
Arisu's eyes hardened and before she could talk back, Loki jumped in front of her leaning to touch the point of her nose with his index, resting it over her lips and whispering.
"And, if you want someone to do something for you… You should ask more nicely" The way he dragged the world in velvet voice set Arisu's blood in flames. They had already invited them to spend time with the group before, had tried explaining the situation and Loki wouldn't just listen and now he was telling her this?
"Take this finger off my face if you don't want to lose it, brat" The growl between her teeth was animalistic and Arisu was unable to keep control and no longer even caring. Loki stood straight, laughing openly. Thor still watched in silence, his attention slithering from Arisu to Loki and though Yui studied him with the corner of her eyes, she had no idea of what he was thinking about.
"See? This is what I'm talking about, tsk, tsk" The god shrugged smiling again. "What, whatever it is, it is like I said. Nothing to do with us!"
"Loki, even if you're attending classes…" The Nordic ignored Yui's seriousness and passed by her waving his hand on air, dismissing her words as if they were puerile. Thor ceased leaning his back against the wall and followed him.
"Zeeero interest! He continued, though the last glance he gave to them had none of the amusement gleam of before, just a harsh warning that they shouldn't insist. Thor evaluated them with his eyes of sphinx, not saying a word.
Yui noticed that Arisu was talking a deep breath through her nose, eyes fixated ahead even when the gods were no longer in sight.
"Hold me, Yui" The brown-haired girl whispered, teeth pressing against each other. "Hold me, or I swear I'll…"
"Actually, I think I need to be held too" She replied. While Thoth had the gift of intimidating anyone, Loki seemed to dissect the strength of anyone. Not that she had thought everything would perfectly fall in place after just the event, bur she had thought about the chance of having some progress beyond just the classes.
But as it was, their feelings hadn't changed. At all.
Without having more to do, they went to the student's room. Some spirits passed by them, false smiles and conversations that they ignored.
"I really wish I could rip off that dumb little smirk off his face" Arisu confessed, shaking her head and making Misaki roll her eyes as Yui smiled.
"I think you would end up ripping some of his teeth in the process"
XxX
Remembering some seaside schools and trips, they came to conclusion this would fit a summer vacation and also work to show some other aspects of school life, not to mention trying to bring the class together. Apollon surprised the girls upon exhibiting a book and going on about "moments of friendship and companionship in the beach"
Yui had to wonder just where he had found that thing. She had already borrowed some books in the library (some fiction novels she had started reading before sleep and others about the mythologies, trying to understand the gods she was forced to live with), but it seemed weird that Apollon had found something of that nature.
After meeting Loki and Thor, when the gods suggested they tried to invite the others, Yui didn't disagree: It was better to let them deal with that, since this time they had nothing to offer to call their attention (except trying to say it would be fun). She knew that Loki wouldn't even spare it a thought should she be the one inviting him.
"I can only with them good luck" She thought while putting her ponytail over her shoulder and rubbing her forehead with her arm. "But things seem to have gone smooth with Hades"
At least that was the sensation given when, moments ago, Apollon had told her that he had talked to his uncle.
Not that it had been all he had said.
Night had fallen and the hallways were empty, something for which Yui was grateful when red warmth returned to her face under and inside her skin with the memory of the god's words. Truth that he had said he loved her determination and how he saw her as a precious friend, but she had been caught by surprise anyway. It wasn't that her heart had jumped or that she had any interest in Apollon (or any of the gods for that matter), but the way he had spoken had made her feel some self-conscious and embarrassed.
"There is no denial he is quite open about his feelings…" At least right there he had been. Once Yui told him people liked him as well, there had been a shadow in his eyes that had nothing to do with the night. It was something that came from inside and he had just muttered it wasn't the same, turning to her and saying she had warmth in her eyes.
Yui had not understood what he meant and even know those green eyes didn't leave her mind. She had been glad when Apollon called her a "friend". Maybe it was because they were so different or the doubts that had been slithering inside her so deep that they couldn't be forced into the shapes of words, but to have him acknowledge her like this…
Yui had been glad.
Regarding Zeus, he had explained to her that his father (as king of the gods in Olympus) was used to have things done his way and even if he understood that what he was trying to achieve was important, he couldn't help but to disagree with his methods.
"Yeah, but here we are" The girl thought. She had tried to reassure Apollon that things eventually would work out as they were trying so hard and that he had no reason to be upset with himself (as he clearly was) since Zeus was the one that had forced them into this and not him. It seemed the relationship between them wasn't exactly simple.
Upon entering the room, Yui was greeted by a vision of Ren sitting in the windowsill, eyes lifting to the door. Melissa was lying over the table, a pen in his mouth as he solved some crosswords.
"Hi, Yui" Ren said. "How was your training?"
"Yo, Kutanagi!" Melissa lifted one of arms, pen still in his mouth.
"Evening, guys. It was good enough. Had some trouble concentrating at first, but eventually managed it" The other replied, lifting the sword she had gotten in the school's store. "It helped me to relax a little" There was also some comforting feeling in the training, as if she could use them to connect with her home. And in the end, it soothed the sensation of uneasiness that made her feel as if the bones had grown spikes under her skin.
"Where are the others?"
"Aibara must be back soon, she was going to talk to Thoth-Sama regarding your trip" Melissa explained and neither Ren nor Yui bothered to try correcting his pronunciation. "Hironegumi mentioned she was going to try getting some snacks in the cafeteria"
"Which one?"
"Isuzu" Melissa shrugged. "But I don't know where Arisu is"
"She may be with her sister or just taking a walk" Yui suggested, stretching her shoulders and back, approaching Ren. Right in her first night, she had been surprised to realize her room seemed to have grown in size to have four more beds. Yui admitted that sharing the room with the others had made her nights more pleasant.
Even if Melissa was always with her, she hadn't been able to avoid an empty feeling that soon turned into loneliness.
"And what are you reading?" She left her sword over her table as she leaned to the taller girl who closed the book, marking the page she had been with her finger. It was one of the mythology's books Yui had borrowed in the library and this made her remember something.
"You know a bit about this, don't you? I mean, you knew about that… Niobe." She couldn't deny the story had bothered her more than she wanted to admit. Knowing the god responsible for that slaughter made things quite different.
Ren nodded, a shadow of smile in her dark eyes.
"My parents. They love this stuff and told me a little about it. My mother studied a little in college" She explained as she put the book aside, lifting the legs that had been lying straight in the windowsill and hugging her knees. She had started reading that to remember of some myths and seek others she didn't know for the same reason as Yui. "Then they used to tell me some things"
She was in silence for a while before asking.
"How are your parents, Yui?"
"They are great. My dad works in the Shinto Temple we have and he was the one who taught me how to use a sword." Her giggle was low. "He seems all tough to people who don't know him, but actually he has such a soft heart!" The girl remembered all the times her father had cried in movies and others occasions he had been touched by something she or her brothers had achieved. "He also taught my brothers"
Ren titled her head to the side, hair following the movement and slipping over her back as a veil.
"I didn't know you have brothers. Older or younger?"
"Both older, but just for some years. Jun and Manabu" She lifted her hand. "Just a sec, I'll take a shower before it gets too late"
Ren nodded. Once in the bathroom and undressing, Yuio left the water running to fill the white bathtub that stood against the wall and under a window adorned by a white curtain. Stuck to the wall aside the bathtub's faucet there was a small basket with shampoos, soaps and other things. The floor was of large tiling of a shell-pink, with a small white carpet that had the school's symbol in a golden line.
The girl asked through the door.
"At your home, is it just you and your parents, Ren?"
The answer came a bit muffled.
"Well… And a cat, Echo. But yes, it is basically just us" A moment of hesitation. "Honestly, how do you think tomorrow's going to be?"
"I can only hope it will be good. I spoke to Apollon just now and he called Hades, but we're not sure if he will be there or not."
XxX
The moments spent waiting for the others in the school's gates were filled with the girls and Apollon just wondering if everyone would appear or not. It didn't matter how nice the idea sounded, the chances they would deny just because it involved the whole class was too high to be ignored.
The surprise of seeing all of them agreeing to go did relieve some of the weight they had been feeling until this point. Apollon had once again become his cheerful self and Yui thought he looked even more excited that last day (if this was possible).
The path was long and the sun spread its light over their heads and fields. The trail they followed was a line among the light green and sometimes they spotted one of three columns of stone that looked natural and marked by crystals that stood out as veins and reflected the light. By the environment or lack of pollution, the humans' lungs felt the difference between this air and the air of where they lived.
Misaki reflected that even the foliage of the park near her apartment didn't seem so vibrating and alive as here, making her remember of movie's scenes of trains passing by the greenest fields.
Not that everything was being perfect.
"Hey, I'm sweating like crazy here!" Loki complained, arms behind his head. He had folded the sleeves of his black and purple coat almost to his shoulders. At his side Takeru walked leaning forward with an expression of displeasure.
"My legs are tired too" He completed, making Arisu roll her eyes as she tried to control herself to not make a face and move her mouth in a silent mockery.
Isuzu caught her gaze and shrugged as if to say "What can one do?" though she wasn't enjoying this either. Arisu replied by narrowing her eyes, agitating her head slightly in a way her sister almost could hear her saying "blah blah blah". Arisu couldn't help the annoyance, they sounded like two children. No, correct this, even children didn't complain this much.
"Apparently, this is just how human bodies work" Balder explained with patience, but Takeru and Loki just twisted their faces in grimace.
"Really?"
"This is just so gross" Loki muttered as he straightened his arms in the air.
"Use a deodorant, throw water over your head, take off your coat, I don't care, but stop complaining!" Arisu thought looking behind, her ponytail waving in her back. "Damn, Ren is wearing long sleeves, Hades too and they are not saying a thing. We're all walking just like you and we're not complaining, could you just shut up?"
"Hey" Loki continued. "Just how long do we have to walk? Not all the way until the beach, right?"
That was too much.
"Of course not" Arisu turned with a false smile that made her look like a shark. "We're going to grown wings and fly, what do you think?" Before any of them could talk back, she turned back ahead. "Gosh, stop whining for just a damn second!"
"That is…" Takeru started, but Apollon soon interrupted by confirming that it would be a walk until they arrived at the beach, chocking both gods that stopped. Takeru soon wanted to know if there wasn't an easier way (Arisu rolled her eyes with a sigh, receiving a furious glare from the god) as Loki let his arms fell at the side of his body as if the idea created a physical weight on his back.
"Oh, c'mon…" Yui tried to calm them down before they gave up and decided to head back. "The journey is just as important. I mean, the seaside school takes since the moment we leave until we go back" It wasn't just that but the girls had packed some snacks besides their swimsuits, so they could stop for eating during the way (what Yui hoped would work too, case Takeru and Loki started to feel hungry before arriving and having something else to complain about).
To her surprise, Tsukito was taking notes of everything she had just said, what soon had the attention of Takeru who kept telling his brother that there was no need or use of taking notes and turning to Yui.
"And you, just stop saying such nonsense, Weed!" Yui was shocked for a second, despite how it wasn't the first time he called her that. Telling him to call her by her name was of no use, since Takeru merely pointed out that the "kusa" of her name was just like "weed" anyway. Meanwhile, Loki had just sit down with his head lowered and not even caring for the discussion.
"Let's go, Loki, it's not so bad" Ren tried as she watched the god. The Nordic just groaned again, not moving except for raising his shoulders in a feline way. Misaki came near them with her hands on her hips before picking his long braid that fell on his back and pulling it lightly two times.
"Stand up" She called in an amused way as he lifted his head with an agile gesture and complying, studying both girls.
"I hope this is worth it"
"Yeah, yeah, whatever. Just get going" Misaki replied dismissing him with her hand and going back to walking with the others. Yui and Arisu, who heard that, exchanged glances. Though they were sure this was a good idea, they also hoped it would work. Misaki, last night, had told them that when she had informed Thoth of the seaside school, he had just told her that it didn't matter what they did as long as they had the expected results.
"In summary, he was the sympathy of always" She had completed in the end.
When they reached the forest, Loki and Takeru stopped complaining. The shadows created a pleasing sensation of freshness, sunlight dripping among the leaves to make illuminated pools in the grass whose green became lighter and almost golden.
Deep inside, when she looked up to the cover of leaves and branches, feeling the fresh hold of the forest and its sounds and aromas, Yui couldn't help the sensation of being in a natural-made cathedral.
"I think they are liking it now" She muttered aside to Ren, observing Misaki and Isuzu commenting about some school trips they had had in the past. Apollon and Balder listened as they spoke of some of their own travels. Right now, the Nordic Light god told them about a time when Loki had traveled until the territory of a giant and rescued a goddess called Idunn.
"But you were the one that took her to him first" Isuzu commented as she shook her head, finding this funny. "I don't know if we can call this a rescue mission"
"Hey, I brought her back, safe and sound, this is what matters" The god answered, arms crossed behind his neck and making it clear such details didn't have importance to him. The case had been that, during a journey through the mountains of Asgard, Loki, Odin and Hoenir killed an ox for eating, but for some reason, the meat wouldn't cook no matter how they tried.
That was when a giant eagle told them that this was due to his spell and unless they gave him his fill, he wouldn't allow them to cook. Isuzu thought this was nothing, since she pictured the eagle as being just a large eagle… That was when Loki told them how the eagle took the best parts and he tried to attack it (thinking this was beyond the bargain).
The eagle had just taken flight with Loki in its talons.
That was when Misaki and Isuzu had a better idea of what Loki meant by "large". The thought this situation made them shiver and Misaki had wondered if Loki had been afraid (god or not), but it didn't feel like a prudent thing to ask.
The eagle had revealed itself to be a giant called Thjazi (Isuzu tried to repeat the name, being corrected two or three times by Balder until she got it right. It was more like THYAH-zee) who wouldn't let Loki go unless he brought him the goddess.
Balder had to explain to them who Idun was and how her fruits were fruits of youth to the gods. Without her, they started to feel old age.
"But Loki was the last one seen with her, so they threatened him into telling what had happened" Balder explained as his friend merely scoffed, in a way that the girls didn't know if he was bothered by the memory or just didn't care. Although he did talk about the trip and Asgard, Isuzu realized he didn't talk much about the other gods themselves. "If he didn't bring her back, he would be killed."
"Please" Loki muttered with a roll of his eyes, as if the idea was ridiculous.
"And it wasn't as if he had much of a choice with Thjazi flying among the mountains and all" Balder commented as if there was something funny about the fact the eagle had hit Loki's body against the stones as he flew until he agreed.
"Hey, hey, Balder! We all agreed to never speak of that again, remember?" Loki said with amusement and that smile that it was hard to identify. "Besides, again, I had her back, safe and sound, not a hair out of place, I don't know why so much noise for something so small!"
He spoke as if it was nothing, but despite the story having something funny about it, Misaki wondered about what Balder had just said.
"Can't help but to agree" Isuzu said, as if reading the blonde's mind. "You were in quite a situation, not like there was a choice."
"But why you just… Well… Didn't follow the agreement?" Misaki risked, but regretted it when Loki looked at her as if she had asked something really dumb and rolled his eyes.
"This is what you'd expect? Give me a break, I do have some word" He groaned and, despite the irony in his words, Misaki was afraid she could have offended him and tried to emend what she had said.
"Well… I… Yeah, you do. I mean, you did tell the gods you would bring her back and you did! You turned her into a nut to carry, but it worked" She giggled. "But if I ever need rescue, please, try to think about another way, right?"
"It would seem so" Ren answered Yui in a whisper. "At least they are talking" She didn't dare to affirm Loki was having fun, he had acted in the same way back in the Sports Event and soon they had realized this hadn't changed his emotions as much as they could have hoped.
Yui was about to comment about the Idunn case when she noticed Hades wasn't around. Turning around and praying that he hadn't decided to go back to the academy by himself, Yui finally spotted him several steps behind.
"Oi, Hades-san!" She called him as she approached followed by Ren. "You're getting too far…"
"Stay away" The god interrupted her at once, raising one of his pale hands in a signal for them to stop. It wasn't necessary, the way his voice cut all sound and air around no matter how low he spoke was quite enough as he studied them with severity marking his only visible eye. "Do you long for misery?"
Yui and Ren risked looking at each other before observing the god, understanding that he was referring to the times he had told the others to not get near him. Even if they had understood this, they didn't comprehend it completely. Let alone what suffering had to do with it.
Despite the warmth dripping around, both girls felt as if their bodies had a coldness inside spreading. There was something about that gaze of frozen blood that could pierce their minds, leaving them exposed and fragile, without any defense or protection.
"I accepted to come because Apollon requested it" Hades continued without waiting for an answer, his tone becoming a little softer although still firm. "However, I shall keep my distance more than usual" He muttered something else that Ren and Yui couldn't quite hear.
"But, Hades…" Ren tried, uncertain of what to say and suddenly aware that even her voice felt weak.
"There is no need for you…" Yui tried stepping on his direction. Her blood had frozen and she could almost hear it cracking under her skin when she moved.
The god stared at them.
"Stay away."
And then they comprehended why Hades was the Ruler of the Dead.
That was the voice of a god whose very nature didn't allow the idea of disobedience to create any root and the force pulsating in that sound alone echoed in the nerves of a person.
At that moment, Ren and Yui felt their bodies for what they truly were: Sacks of weak skin wrapping a mass of bones, blood and flesh. Cages for their souls. And under his gaze, their skin fell off and their souls were bare for judgment.
Yui moved her lips, still wanting to insist even though all strength had left her in that moment when she briefly felt the breeze of death. She looked to Ren, whose eyes seemed to shiver in the skull's sockets as if they didn't fit them anymore. Her expression was also of uncertainty.
"I-It's up to you…" She whispered before walking again somewhat faster, since their stop had distanced them from the group and the girl also wanted to force her blood to warm up again. Yui cast Hades a last glance with the corner of her eyes.
"Do you have any idea of what was all that?" Ren whispered, her skin still a shivering wave over her muscles and her voice weak. It wasn't so much due to fear, however the girl wouldn't ever be able to put this into words. At her side, Yui shook her head as she wondered why Hades insisted in being alone all the time…
Thought the walk was long, there were more than just fields and trees. At a time, they passed by an area surrounded by columns of stones that created the sensation of going through mountains. The veins of crystal were rarer, but here and there they appeared in the rocks as flowers of stone, the sunlight hitting them to form greenish halos around. It was an impressive sight and the girls couldn't help but stop for a while and, to their surprise, Loki was quite interested upon seem a bunch of crystals almost of his height even climbing some rocks to see it up close. Balder was also surprised, as they didn't usually find so many of those even in the mountains they explored.
"All this fuss just for a bunch of stones?" Takeru had asked before their excitement looking more confused than annoyed, which made Yui giggle at how different he looked like and also recalling how Jun had said something off this sort years ago and commenting he wouldn't ever get the feminine sex.
She soon explained that she had never seen crystals' formations before except in photos and Isuzu commented that she never knew they could get so big.
It was the first time they explored the surroundings beyond the limits of the academy and it was being more interesting than they had first imagined it.
"I wonder if it was really Zeus who thought about those details" The girl reflected as they went on. The god hadn't given her the impression of having sensibility enough for this, in case someone would ask her… She tried to imagine how this garden had even come to be anyway. He had told them that he had created it, but how it was the process? Yui didn't even know if they were in a kind of other dimension… Mentally, she visualized two lines superposed, one representing her world and other, this garden.
It wasn't as if they weren't on Earth anymore, but if other places, but… If the places like Olympus and Asgard existed, maybe it was a kind of distortion in space?
"Augh, what a mess, this doesn't even make sense!" She shook her head as if to expulse the thought from her mind and casting it in the air. "It's better to not even try to understand this stuff, I'll get a headache…"
Running eyes through the nearby waterfalls, Yui decided to just enjoy the place without caring about such details. It wasn't as if understanding them would help in anything at all. Thinking like this helped her to ignore the shreds of curiosity that still remained in her mind.
They had reached a rocky area, two waterfalls starting at a distant point. Loki, in the edge, looked down as he commented something with Thor. Apollon had noticed there was a bridge.
Isuzu immediately looked at her sister.
"Haha, it's so high!" Balder sounded enthusiastic while some birds passed by. The long necks, white and brown feathers, Isuzu betted they were geese. Heart jumping suddenly, she approached the edge as well and risked looking down…
She couldn't see the ground.
White threads in the air seemed to caress the rocks of the walls or slid under the bridge. The girl wanted to believe it was just a mist created by the waterfalls, but the birds flying by didn't allow the thought to create root in her mind… She couldn't help but think those were clouds.
"High is a way of putting it" She commented, voice shivering in her throat and looking back at Arisu, who hadn't move from her spot. Yui didn't notice as she was evaluating the hanging bridge. The wood's boards seemed resistant and the rope was brand new.
"Of course, I doubt Zeus would allow something that offered risk to the students… At least I hope so" She tapped her foot several times in the first board, feeling how firm if was at the same time Apollon went further without a signal of nervousness and soon calling for the others to come along. Considering he drove the Sun Chariot, there was no surprise that he wasn't at least bothered.
"C'mon, just don't look down…" Yui heard Isuzu muttering lowly and when she looked, realized she was speaking to her sister. Arisu had taken some steps further, holding her elbows and digging her nails in the flesh, the knuckles getting pale, corners of her mouth turned down.
"Fear of heights?" Misaki asked, to which the corner of the other's mouth just shivered in answer, being followed by a nod. Though her expression could be taken by just displeasure, Yui took note that she kept eyes fixated on a point ahead beyond the bridge.
"Look at this thing, where does it look safe?" She grumbled, indicating the bridge ahead with her chin as she fought to not let her fear overflow to the rest of her body, though her heart already beat against everything around. The girl did her best to not look at Misaki, the others or the gods, thinking she probably looked pathetic but at the same time unable to control the sensations.
This wasn't mere fear. It was dread, pure and raw.
Isuzu placed her hand on her shoulder squeezing it lightly.
"Are you scared of this?" Takeru asked with a raise of eyebrow. Arisu swore mentally that if he did just one little joke, she would throw good manners straight to Hell, but the god didn't say anything else.
"I hate it" She muttered in answer, a shadow of shame passing by her eyes before she felt something warm touching her hand. To her surprise, Balder was caressing her.
"Nothing is going to happen, Arisu"
"Yah, look, it's not as hard as it seems" Misaki exclaimed suddenly and grabbing her hand, pulling her along. Cold lightning ran through Arisu's nerves, passing through skin and making her legs heavy. It was high. It was high! Too high! She couldn't do that, the memory of the geese of just now making her stomach turn.
At which height they were for a bunch of wild geese had passed just by them?
She couldn't, she couldn't…
"Hey, hey!" Misaki called her attention squeezing her hand with an iron grip. "Pay attention! You must look straight ahead! Don't look even at the sides, take a breath…" Before someone could even realize what was going on, Misaki ran pulling Arisu by force, almost making her trip. "AND RUN LIKE A BITCH!"
Loki's laughter mixed with the yell of surprise and fear of Arisu.
Once they reached the other side, the brunette fell on her knees and fighting for air, eyes frozen. Misaki tried a smile, just as out of breath.
Ugh… Ah…" Arisu whimpered as if she had to force her body to remember how to take air before turning to Misaki. "Never… But NEVER do something like this again, okay?... My heart… I thought I was going to throw up!"
"Well, it worked!" Misaki helped Arisu to stand up. "I'm sorry if I scared you, but I just thought it would be better to go by surprise and fast than slow and just trying to not look down" She repeated the cliché advice with a roll of her eyes and a smile.
The others were already following and Arisu tried a smile, admitting it had been better (and less humiliating) than the alternative. Loki was almost leaning over when more geese passed by (Yui pulled his coat, exclaiming that he would end up falling) and Yui and Ren walked somewhat faster than the gods, not very happy with that situation either.
"Why are you so afraid of it, Ari-Ari?" Apollon inquired, tilting his head to the side as the girl just shrugged without a real answer and hoping she wasn't blushing.
"It was always like this, as farther as I remember…" No lie. Arisu had no problem with regular heights, as going upstairs to help changing a lamp or staying in a balcony of an apartment. But she was virtually unable of going in a roller-coaster in the open sky just because it became harder to ignore the height than in a dark area. And if the safety belts weren't of the "seat" kind that fell over her as some sort of coat (as she defined it), then no deal. The idea of catching a plane also wasn't attractive.
She was simple terrified of great heights.
"So there is no need of motive for the existence of certain fears?" Tsukito asked her, taking notes. Arisu couldn't just imagine what he was writing…
"Well… No. Some people are just scared." She didn't say anything else because she doubted the gods were afraid of something just because. "Not everything needs a reason…"
"Everyone is afraid of something. I'm afraid of snakes."
Arisu was surprised. Not only because those words had come from Thor, but also because… Well, they didn't speak much (if at all), but he was the kind of person who you just didn't imagine being scared of anything.
"Never judge" That voice inside her mind whispered again and she gave him a half smile, trying to thank him somehow.
"Someone wants water?" Ren offered as a change of subject as she took a small bottle of her backpack.
After heading down (it was more noticeable then going up, once Isuzu had just realized this after seeing the bridge and the edges) they still passed by a forest area before the breeze carried the refreshing scent of sea. Takeru probably felt more than the others how close they were for his head was held high, the golden eyes gleamed and quiet as a dog scenting a rabbit.
Passing by some trees, the grass suddenly came to an end as if meeting an invisible line and gave space to clear sands, almost white.
Most of the gods exclaimed. Misaki whispered a "wow". As everything in the region, it was impossible to stay stoic… The sea was of a perfect clear tone of turquoise, waves coming near and backing away creating a pearl-colored foam that disappeared moment before the waves touched the sand. The sunlight playing in water gave birth to white points in it.
Yui had never seen something like that… Even the beaches of touristic places showed in catalogues and tv were nothing next to this. The natural scent of the forest and grass danced with the sea's as the breeze caressed her skin.
"It's beautiful…" She whispered unable to not say something seeing this and Ren nodded, her black eyes unable to break apart from the waters. The brunette thought then that the beauty they were seeing (and all they had seen in their way) had nothing to do with "divine environment" or a place "created by Zeus"…
What they had seen was just nature, free from humankind's touch.
"Beaches are really great!" Takeru exclaimed punching the air with a large smile. Although there had been moments during the way when he seemed to be in a better mood, it was the first time he smiled like this.
"Loki" Balder said in a friendly teasing. "Aren't you happy that you came?"
"W-Well, it isn't bad…"
Apollon and Yui exchanged glances with the girls, smiling when even Hades came a bit closer. Yui turned to say something to Isuzu and Misaki, but the brown-haired one pointed to Apollon with a confused air. Turning to the god, Yui saw him finishing taking off his jacket, reveling he wasn't wearing a shirt underneath as they had thought. As Yui watched, his hands went to the button of his pants.
"Just a second there!" Arisu whimpered, a wave of fire going up her face while Ren looked away at the very second, her usual pale face assuming a pink coloration.
"You're not really thinking about changing…" Yui covered her face and turned her back to him, heart skipping a beat. Maybe the Greek Gods didn't see an issue in something of this kind, but Apollon always looked so interested in the differences of the cultures that she had thought he would at least assume that others may be uncomfortable! Especially the girls!
"And uncomfortable is a compliment!" The thought was an arrow in her mind as if about to cut her when she heard the unmistakable sound of fabric falling. The fire that had gone up her face now spread to the rest of her body. She risked peeking between her fingers to the others: Ren had her face turned over her shoulder, arms crossed and looking beyond embarrassed. Arisu closed her eyes and lowered her head while Misaki had covered her eyes with one of her hands, muttering something. Isuzu had her back turned, but Yui could see her hugging herself and digging her nails deep in the skin of her elbows.
"Hey, hey, look at this!"
"What "look at this", are you…" Misaki groaned, but the god didn't sound as if he had understood what she meant.
"My swimsuit!"
Yui turned back to him slowly, the temperature of her face lowering back to normal after the scare. Apollon was indeed wearing swimming trunks, blue with white and black marks. The girl kept a sigh of relief as he commented he had read once that humans wore their swimsuits under their clothes when going to beaches or pools.
"What… What are you, a child?" Yui muttered, voice still no higher than a whisper. For a second, she had really thought he was about to… Though Apollon's cheerfulness sometimes made him seem a child in Christmas' morning, this was different. While she stood up, there was an exchange of glances carried of mutual understanding between her and the other girls. Misaki gave her a weal smile, face still a bit red.
"By Apollon's recommendation, we all decide to weak our swimsuits under our clothes" Dionysus told them as if it was a mere human custom he had decided to try out and without waiting for any kind of reply, started to get rid of his shirt, the other gods following his example.
Yui felt the wave of heat coming back.
She made a conscious effort to avoid blushing. Isuzu bit the corners of her mouth, hoping she wasn't getting red, feeling more uncomfortable than ever before while her sister seemed to be doing her best to not mind this.
"Some girls back at school would be having kittens if they were here." Misaki reflected as she twirled a strand of hair in her finger and thanking this wasn't the case. She had never understood why some girls went to the edges of pure adoration when it came down to some guys at her school.
Fine, she couldn't deny that some, like Kazuma Masahiro, were really drop-dead handsome and nice, but last year she had found out that Motoko Ayuzawa and some other four girls had started what they called his "official fan club".
Now that was beyond exaggeration…
And not that she wasn't going to disagree the fits those girls would be having if they were seeing what she was seeing right now… Event the strongest-looking ones such as Thor didn't have the exaggerated bulk-like look of some guys that she detested so much.
She tried to fight down the warmth in her face. It wasn't easy and she hoped to every star she wasn't staring so much.
Not that it was easy either, some of their clothes were too tight and others left little to imagination. Even Hades and Tsukito's, which were shirt and shorts style, gave some hints of their physique and some of the others…
"No, no! Bad Misaki! Bad, very bad! You're NOT a girl version of Miroku from Inuyasha! Those are bad thoughts!"
Arisu remembered of when she had competed against Takeru and Dionysus, Back then, they had wore school trunks, but not now.
"For the love of… Takeru, where did you get those clothes?" Clothes were even too much, in her opinion. A piece of cloth was a more appropriated term! "At least the others are more like swimsuits that this!"
Not that Dionysus' was leaving much to be imagined. Well, she remembered thinking they had great legs and all during the competition, but now it was actually harder to not let her eyes wander.
She cut her own thoughts. This all had been a bad idea and suddenly she felt more conscious of her own appearance, something that had never bothered her before or at least not like this. But it was hard to ignore the physiques before her and, as if in confirmation, her body suffered waves of heat that had nothing to do with the climate.
"I hate my life"
Yet, it was good to see all looking happy or at least more in peace. Even Loki and Takeru looked pleased now and she could swear there was a shadow of smile in Thor's face. Though Hades still kept inexpressive, at least he had changed too giving the idea he meant to at least enjoy himself a little.
"C'mon, you should change too!" Apollon encouraged them, but not one of the girls had the chance to reply as a deep sound echoed around, coming from nowhere.
"How can we hear the academy's bell so far away?" Ren wondered lifting her head, unable to pinpoint a place of birth of the sound that involved them as a wave. The soft breeze became harsher, cutting her skin and strong enough to lift her braid.
In the sky, the clouds came together to hide the sun. The leaves slowly turned yellow and red, as if the green had slipped and revealed colors underneath that it had been hiding. Some flowers in the grass withered soon.
"It seems like we're in autumn." Tsukito commented, his tone not revealing any emotion and apparently not caring about the cold. Takeru immediately exclaimed in annoyance as Yui sighed warily and Ren held the bridge of her nose shaking her head.
"Son of a bitch" Arisu grumbled, unable to keep herself from swearing, thinking about the "principal". She couldn't believe they had woken up so early, walked all that, put up with Loki and Takeru's whining just Zeus to change the season as soon as they had arrived.
It wasn't so much the change of plans that brought such feeling, but the knowledge that the others would resume to their complaining selves.
Curses burnt her throat and she bit her lower lip.
"If Zeus-sama means to teach us the meaning of irony" Misaku muttered with a shake of head, the "sama" dripping sarcasm.
"Stop being dupe, Misaki. He wouldn't teach tricks to a dog, he must be laughing at us, that's what." Isuzu replied with a groan, rolling her eyes and crossing her arms, soon hearing complaints regarding the cold.
To everyone's surprise, Apollon and Tsukito still tried to swim.
"Their perseverance is admirable, I'll give this to them" Ren muttered to Yui when they ignored the girl's warning that this was not a good idea. Yet, they not only entered the sea as they tried to insist the water wasn't as cold as it seemed.
A glacial wind gust cut the atmosphere in answer.
Ana: So, here we are. As I said, while there will be new situations that weren't part of the anime, I'll follow some of the "original" script. And naturally, I couldn't keep the seaside school out!
Arisu: Or the fact that both Takeru and Loki are a pain in the…
Ana: Geez, girl, what is with you lately? You've been in such a mood and with a mouth to boot!
Arisu: Look, I hate whining okay? And they were complaining for the stupidest reasons! They can get in anyone's nerves.
Loki: Excuse me?
Takeru: Listen here, you rat…
Ana: Hey, hey! No fighting in here, please.
Yui: I do see Arisu's point, though, they are not being the easiest people to deal with.
Misaki: You don't seem to have problems with them…
Yui: I just happen to have self control and patience. I mean, I grew up with two brothers and even if they are great, we used to fight a lot.
Misaki: Yeaah, makes sense. Like you're already used to situations like that...
TheRadiatingHelen: Please, no offense whatsoever, I like this! Yeah, while I'm trying to keep this fun, I like to try adding some depth especially with the gods. As I said, they are so different and some of the issues they had in the anime couldn't be solved with just a small talk.
Yui: But the anime was too short. The game at least had a whole route to deal with each one…
Ana: Agreed. Oh, I love myths! So much that I took several classes in college for extra credit and it's so great! I'll try to tell more about each mythology (though I know very, very little regarding the Nordic, but I'll try to not mess it up).
Ren: And also a bit of how they saw people.
Ana: Yup, trying to think about how they were described and their personalities to base some of their issues with humankind. Some are alike, some are different. Hmm… I'll have to see. I like the story of Mint and Hades too, but the version I know is the one with Persephone and sadly, I'm leaving them as "unmarried" (Thoth, originally for example, had a wife) so to keep the "open options" for pairings…
Misaki: Are you even going to tell who we…
Ana: No! Secret! You think so, really? Thanks so much! I've never done anything very sports-related before (and I'm not even a sports person) so I was kinda nervous if I was doing it right! Thanks so much!
Guest (CameronEmma): Not a problem! Yeah, college is being hard, but my winter vacation is in July, so hopeful I'll have more time! I agree, slow development is better. Not to mention… Well, I'll be honest, in the situation they are in, even if they live together and all, getting used to everything takes time and it will be a while before any of them start getting even interested in each other in a romantic way, like conscious of each other as man and woman. While they are in good terms now, we can't even say they are all friends.
Arisu: That if we ever reach this point.
Yui: Some at least are being nice to us, admit it.
Arisu: Well... Okay, I agree... But even so!
Ana: Truth is, when Apollon called Yui a friend, it was the first time she actually had conscious thought about them being "friends". Up until now, they were all more classmates than having something like friendship among them. It may sound weird, but as I mentioned, the situation is too surreal and they have an abysm between them.
Yui: I did feel nice about it. The way he behaves makes me think he is very sincere, so it was nice to know he doesn't see us as a "weak mortals".
Ana: It's the same for them. First, they are the ones who created a great distance with humans and there is also the fact they are... Well, gods. They rarely interacted with people in a more personal level (except some of them like Apollon -who had human lovers). So, taking ALL this in account, it may take quite a time until they start to actually see each other as a potential interest, per say. What happened in the beach just now with the girls… Well, they are young. And in an age when hormones are quite "agitated" and physical interest has nothing to do with emotions.
Misaki: Admit it, you wanted to embarrass us, didn't you?
Ana: In part, sure, for the fun of it, but you also had now a strong reminder that they are males…
Arisu: You know what? I think I hate you.
Ana: Thanks for liking my description of emotions! I think they are a very essential part of story! And no problem, here is a small summary (I didn't add much about personalities, but I hope it helps):
- Misaki Aihara: Blonde (medium tone with some thin brown strands and falling under her shoulders, spiked ends and a wild-like cut) with green eyes. She used to live in a nice apartment with her aunt Wakana. Before coming to the academy, she was wondering about what college to chose (as she still has no idea of what career she wants). She tries to not let herself go down in bad thoughts and will rather try to remind herself that the options are open, so she may always try a new solution to problems and not give up. Back on her school, she was friends with a guy named Hideki.
- Isuzu Hironezumi: Twin sister of Arisu, but they are not identical. Isuzu is a head and a bit more taller (which makes her and Ren the tallest of the girls, though they are of the same height than some gods and shorter than others like Balder and Hades) and her hair is longer. Like her sister, Isuzu has dark brown eyes and hair. She often seems to act as the older one of the two due to being more calm and controlled. Before she and her sister came to the Garden, they had just moved to a new house and school and were trying to get used to the new place. They lived with their parents, Kureno and Sakura. On her old school (before moving houses) she was part of the archery team, but never took part in competitions as she doesn't enjoy them (the captain was Aika Ayoama).
- Arisu Hironezumi: Shorter than Isuzu, her hair ends some centimeters under her shoulders with spiked ends. She has more of a temper than her sister (even if she tries to control herself). Isuzu has a habit of putting her hand on her shoulder to calm her down or as mute warning (like when they met Zeus the first time). She absolutely adores Isuzu. Since they were on her "new" school for a short while before moving to the Academy, every time they thing about the "old" school they are referring to the one before moving (where Isuzu was part of a club. Arisu did have swimming lessons years ago, but she wasn't part of the school's club).
- Ren Amaya: Her hair is deep black and straight, very long almost to her waist (sometimes she braids it). Her eyes are black as well. She lives with her parents (Nozomi and Chihiro) and a pet cat named Echo. She is usually serene and calm, trying to analyze situations before making decisions, though she can be sarcastic from time to time.
Not very good, but I hope it helped!
AndreaRamos2003: Bien, funcionó!
Arisu: Con certeza. Uno día and quería matar-los, imagina como seria eternidad con elles!
Ana: Apenas in caso de la amenaza de nunca volvieren el lar no era lo bastante!
Misaki: Como se lo pudiésemos la olvidar!
Ana: Ellos vienes a las clases, si, pero inda no se importan un pepino con la escuela! Solo podemos esperar que las cosas muden pronto. No eres aburrida, no te preocupar-las. Espero que mi español no sea tan malo, tento me recuerdar las clases and the conversas con mi abuela! XD Espero que lo tena agradado el nuevo capítulo! Hasta luego!