Chapter Seven – Flowers of Fire

"It isn't just a cold. Staying in the cold water in such weather, you could even get pneumonia" Isuzu explained in a censure tone as she picked a towel from Tsukito's head. It was humid. The Moon god and Apollon were wrapped in mantles before the fireplace, still shivering and Balder had been remembering how human bodies could get sick easily.

They had spotted a small beach house as soon as the two of them had left the sea and, upon going in, Balder had took care of lighting the fireplace and Yui had found some towels so Apollon and Tsukito could dry themselves. They had dressed themselves once more and the two gods tried to get warm, drinking some hot chocolate that Misaki and Isuzu had prepared, surprised to find the necessary things in the kitchen.

And if there was one thing that helped to warm up, it was chocolate.

"Thanks, Suzu-Suzu, Misa-Misa" Apollon thanked with a light smile and giving the towel he had been using to dry his hair to Isuzu, who just nodded.

"Just warm yourselves up" The blonde girl told him with a wink and trying to ignore the involuntary reaction of her stomach to how he had called her. Loki, sitting on one of the couches, complained about how he had come because Balder had said it would be fun and all he felt was boredom.

Yui took a deep breath, determined to not allow herself to be dominated by her own annoyance.

"None of us knew Zeus-san would change the season, okay?" She asked and doing her best to keep any traits of irritation from finding way into her voice. "We had no way of knowing this" She hoped with all her heart that Loki's tediousness wouldn't start making him willing to place blame in someone. The situation was now delicate with Takeru and Loki more upset than in the beginning of the trip and she had the sensation their moods could get worse quickly.

Apollon still tried to give examples of other activities besides swimming but as Takeru pointed out, they would be cold in all of them and this remark clearly disappointed the blonde god, his eyes marked by something none of the girls had ever seen before even if Yui remembered of when they had spoken last night.

"Because he isn't just trying to make things work just so we can graduate" Isuzu realized suddenly. "He really wants us to have fun during the time we have to stay here" Did this mean he cared? Actually cared and not just "being nice to the others" like?

For some reason, this made her feel a growing irritation regarding Takeru. It was true that Apollon ideas hadn't been good, but it was unnecessary to speak that way. When the Nordic trickster and the Sea god stood up, deciding that it was useless and they should just go back, Apollon got rid of the blanket and stood fast.

"Wait!" He called them, his features becoming stone with renewed determination. "I'll find… I'll find a way to turn things around!" Without waiting for anyone's reply, he ran out the cabin. Loki merely rolled his eyes expressing clearly that he didn't believe there was anything they could do to have fun and remedy the circumstances.

Beyond a wall made completely of glass, they could see the autumn's sun overflowing shades of golden over the trees. The light passed through the glass and spread in the room. The house was spacious, the living room having two couches, a table with several wooden chairs and a bar-like edge with red seats.

"Let's wait a little" Arisu commented, crossing her arms after pulling a chair. "We're already here, aren't we?"

"And what can he do?" Loki asked skeptical as he twirled a red strand with his finger, studying Arisu up and down. Takeru was the one to answer with a shrug.

"There is nothing "to do", we should just go back"

"Let's please wait a little, okay, we just got here anyway" Yui replied at once, touching her lips with the tip of her tongue for a moment before looking at the other girls with a pensive way. Maybe they should go and try helping Apollon, but they also needed to stay and make sure those two wouldn't leave.

Loki scoffed before throwing himself back in the couch, still not believing anything would change at all. Something gleamed in Arisu's eyes, like a lamp shining too bright for a second before burning out.

"I'll talk to him" She decided, still longing to say something more, but not finding the right words. It wasn't so much that she couldn't think about any solution, but the air seemed to dry her lungs and she felt she needed to get out of there, even if for just a couple of minutes.

"I'll go too!" Yui decided, feeling it would be better to try helping Apollon to have another idea. "We will find a way!"

As soon as the two reached the wooden stairs, the light of the end of afternoon wrapping everything around, Arisu sighed as she closed her eyes and felt how the scent in the air had changed. It was still easy to feel the sea's aroma, but now this was marked by fall-like perfumes and flowers slowly withering…

"I'm sorry by this" She commented. "But if I stayed there for a second more, having to listen to those two, I would end up screaming" Yui nodded and patted her shoulder.

"I know. I don't know what to do either…" Yui usually tried to see things from other's point of view and she tried with Loki and Takeru, but this didn't change the fact they weren't even trying. After passing the day walking and their comments alternating from pleasing to complaints, and now they are behaving like they had done in the beginning of the day created the sensation that everything up until now had been in vain.

It wasn't easy to keep herself calm when you had to deal with a bitter feeling craving its claws inside you and pressing your organs at the same time you had to hear things like the ones they had been saying.

"Hey…" She muttered, indicating the side of the house with her head when she saw Apollon near a small fountain. "What is he…?"

The words slowly lost their strength when she saw a bluish light appearing in the fountain, illuminating the eye-closed god. Drops floated in the air. Light and water had turned into one element, leaving a shining trail when it started to circle Apollon, the light sliding over his body as soft water…

"Wow…" Yui's voice escaped, the two girls approaching with the same care they would should they be seeing a wild deer they didn't mean to scare away. They already knew this to be something that had to do with his deity powers, which increased the curious sensation in their spine, based in instinct: That they were seeing something not meant for mortal eyes.

Yet, the pure beauty they saw grabbed them and they couldn't look away.

"Hana… Hana…" He muttered in low voice before the light went out as if sleeping and the drops fell, turning back to normal. He soon realized Arisu and Yui nearby and beckoned them over.

"What… What was that?" Yui's question sounded shy, like a child caught by her parents when playing in his office when she wasn't supposed to (even if they were not angry). It was a silly idea, but it was there nonetheless.

"Didn't you know I'm also the god of prophecies?" He smiled, showing he wasn't bothered that they had seen this little ritual. "I still can see some things. Not many and my vision is not perfect with this shackle, but… I was trying to find a way to make our trip here better."

"You were saying "hana", right?" Arisu asked, understanding this had been the premonition. "It means flower" She had no idea how or in what a flower would be of any help. Yui frowned.

"We're in autumn" Apollon agreed. "All flowers withered." Perhaps it was about flowers that lasted even in the season, but he didn't know where they could find those and to be fair, he knew prophecies were rarely obvious in their meaning, such was the nature of time and future. It was far more complicated than people assumed.

"Flower, flower…" Yui muttered, holding her chin in thought. Truth to be told, she didn't believe at all in premonitions or things of this sort, considering them even silly, but this wasn't something she would ever say in front of Apollon. Not letting herself be sidetracked, the girl ran her mind through the flowers she knew and what could be done with them… Well, something fun. For a second, she thought about the laurel wreaths that were given in Greece for winners in competitions and were also associated with Apollon…

"No, nonsense. Those are leaves, not flowers. Plus, what competitions? Takeru didn't want to play volley because of the weather."

Arisu was muttering at her side, recalling some jams could be made with flowers…

"But we would need many for this…" She gave up the idea.

Apollon also tried to solve the puzzle. He was aware they had little time with the others being so impatient. The god even thought about the nymphs and dryads that lived in the forests, but if there was a being like them in this place, he and the others would have felt them already.

"But I'll find what this means. We will!" He corrected himself, his hands closed in fists and that strange light shining in his eyes again as green suns. "We will enjoy ourselves here, together!"

"Man, his determination really is impressive! I wish the others would learn and stop just whining" Arisu reflected, crossing her arms as she shook her head.

"It is something with flower. But not as in… You know, regular flower" Being in the beach, she thought about those anemone, that some called "flowers of sea", but it couldn't be that.

"It can't be related to water or cold" Apollon said more to himself, though it was like he had read the girl's mind.

This made the girls raise their heads.

Flowers…

Something that was not cold…

"Wait a minute…" Yui muttered.

"Maybe…"

They exchanged glances.

"Are you thinking the same thing I'm thinking?" Yui's lips started to open in a smile while Arisu nodded slowly. It had to be it! It just had to!

"What are you talking about? Do you have an idea?" The god inquired, anxious for knowing what there was in their minds. Yui clapped, at each minute more convinced that they had this figured out. How they hadn't thought about it before?

"It's any kind of flower, right? Look, there is a thing called…"

The sound of a thump and a moan called their attention, breaking their thoughts as a dry branch. Balder, who had been running to them, had fallen. Tsukito was behind him and while the Light Nordic god looked nervous, he kept the usual self control that didn't allow any emotion to escape, be it in his features or his eyes.

"What happened?" Unnecessary question, the three of them had a fair idea of what the problem was.

"Emergency!"

"Loki Laevatein and Thor Megingjord are leaving" Tsukito announced as if the fact had no importance whatsoever. Arisu groaned, rubbing her teeth against each other.

"Okay, this is already getting pathetic."

"They affirmed that, since we're all students here, there is no reason to obey any of you" The stoic god carried in the same tone. Apollon bit his lower lip, there was no point in figuring out what the prophecy meant and following it if they were unable to convince the others to stay and wait, at least some time more. And he knew Takeru would take the chance to leave as well…

"Fine, then I nominate Apollon for President of the Student Council!"

The gods looked at Yui without being sure of what she meant by that, but Arisu's face was full of admiration and with a little smirk of triumph, she nodded for the girl in approval.

"Oooh, a counterattack! I like it!" She used a deep, whisper-like voice. "The Dark Forces are strong in you, Kusanagi Yui…"

The girl giggled at the other's act and shrugged. It wasn't that she meant to create a conflict, but she would grab any way available to hold those guys until they could fix the situation. Not that there wasn't some pleasure in finding ways of controlling those "problem-children".

"What does this mean?"

"Remember when I told you about Student Council? Planning events and other things?" She reminded them, some tension that had appeared again going away now. "The president is usually chosen by votes, but he can be nominated too"

"But…" Apollon didn't sound so sure, however Yui didn't give him any time for doubts.

"You are giving all you got to make this school work, to include everyone. You are perfect for this position"

Arisu, usually, didn't get involved at all in such activities, but now she saw herself agreeing with Yui. Hadn't she thought a few minutes ago about how he was determined? If they were going to have a Student Council and a president, at least it should be someone who would really seek solutions and not give up.

"And, since Apollon is the president" Yui carried on, imagining the reactions of the others when they heard this. "In the lack of the teacher here, he has the authority over us. After all, this counts as an school event!"

"We will go back and explain this" Tsukito nodded. "I have everything perfectly noted"

"What about you?" Balder asked. "You looked like you were deciding something"

"Apollon and I need to go back to the school as fast as we can…" Yui seemed unsure again, how would they do this and come back here in time enough? "There is something we need… But…"

Apollon knew what was worrying her.

"I can call my Pegasus. We won't be long." He looked at the three others. "Trust us"

Yui talked to all of them, but her eyes were on Arisu when she said.

"Don't let them leave"

XxX

As expected, Loki and Takeru didn't like at all the idea of Apollon being the Student Council president and having the authority over them during the trip. Even when Loki used of the information that usually this position was acquired in an election and wanted to claim this right, Misaki pointed that there was no other candidate and even if there was, Apollon would have majority of votes anyway (Tsukito, Balder, Yui, her, Isuzu, Arisu and Ren were already seven, so there).

Loki couldn't find an answer and had sat down once more, looking not just bored but irritated and, for the looks of it, thinking he had been fooled.

Isuzu had searched through the house for something they could do, hoping to find some games (cars or boards), but it was a failure. Besides food in the kitchen, there wasn't anything to help pass the time. And besides, food was even kinda useless, since she and the girls had packed snacks.

There weren't even books or things of the sort.

Now she was sitting in the stairs watching the others. Ren was accommodated in the floor along the glass wall, hugging her legs face turned to the sky outside. None of the girls had any idea of what to do to help the matters at hand and it didn't help that they could feel Takeru's annoyance in the air in waves and Loki's irritation, as if their bodies couldn't contain the emotions.

Misaki felt it would be a good idea to just talk. They were from such different places and she knew how sometimes a good conversation helped to pass the time. Many times, she and Hideki didn't see the hours go by as they started with some subject.

The problem was that the circumstances seemed to suffocate any chance for this, as a gas can kill a plant, even if they were in friendly terms with some of the gods. Plus, she couldn't come up with any matter for them to talk about and honestly, the idea made her a bit uncomfortable.

"Damn it all"

Tsukito and Balder, sitting in one of the couches, again tried explaining that they all had to wait for Apollon and Yui's return when Takeru groaned they were taking too long. None of them could exactly deny it, as night had already fallen and when you have nothing to do, the hours feel longer than reality.

"Have some more patience" Misaki tried without a hint of annoyance or worry. Sitting at Balder's side, she had her elbows leaning on the couch's back and rested her head. "They must be back soon"

"That's what you keep saying and nothing yet"

Arisu was sitting by the table along with Thor and Dionysus, leaning her face in one hand and watching Loki and Takeru complaining, without saying a word though her expression was hard, suggesting that the flesh under her skin had turned into stone.

"And why would Apollon go through all this effort for this, anyway?" Loki inquired, arms crossed behind his head. As he spoke, a kind of smirk started to appear in his face. Isuzu didn't like that at all.

"Wow, yeah, why would he ever?" Misaki replied still looking to the ceiling, but the god ignored her light sarcasm adorning the words. The question he made, however, attracted the attention of the others. From where she was, Ren watched, face a mask of controlled serenity.

"What are you saying?" Thor wanted to know.

"Well, isn't he a son of Zeus?" The other continued, still smiling in an unpleasing way. Isuzu lifted her head a bit and watched the other Greek with the corner of her eyes. Dionysus still had his arms crossed as if nothing mattered and Hades, sitting in one of the circular banks, had his red eye on Loki, but despite being inexpressive, the girl had the sensation he didn't appreciate what he was hearing.

"Maybe he is just pretending to be our friend, as he works to make sure Zeus' plan works or something"

Arisu suddenly lifted her head as if a cold lightening had run through her, the image of Apollon surrounded by lights and his voice saying he wanted to make this trip work.

"Oh, you…"

A noise cut the air.

"That is not possible" To the others' surprise, it was Hades who spoke. Takeru expressed doubt, probably because it was Zeus' older brother, but the Underworld ruler carried on. "Because Apollon… He cares more than you can imagine. For all of us… It's in his nature to be like this" There were no cracks that allowed doubt in his words.

Even with Balder, Tsukito and Isuzu agreeing to this, Loki frowned, not backing down.

"And for this, we should just go and trust him?" There was some despise in his expression.

Once again, Arisu thought about how Apollon had behaved all day, how excited he had been upon seeing the others had agreed to come…

"It is not a matter of trust." This time, the other's attention went to Ren, who still watched the night sky before turning her face to Loki and standing up. "It is a matter of giving him the benefit of the doubt, just like we're doing to you" Bit by bit, she came closer the couch where Loki was. Her expression was still serene, but Arisu noticed her eyes had frozen completely.

It was a coldness she had never seen in the other until now.

"Since we've arrived, Apollon has been nothing but comprehensible with all of us." The raven-haired continued, eyes fixated in Loki. There were no screams and Ren's voice didn't miss the calmness, however there was something that indicated that this thought of hers extended to all of them. At least some of them were showing a good character.

"Is it anger?" Misaki wondered, aware that Ren was basically saying that none of them deserved trust. A certainty tore her insides. "No, this isn't anger… It is still just annoyance"

Not that she wasn't already at the edge of her patience with Loki either.

"Which is far more than we can say about you" Arisu growled, unable to keep quiet for longer. "I mean, Apollon was trying until now. What did you do besides complaining?"

Loki turned to her, his smile never weakening.

"I didn't hear you giving suggestions, A-Ri-Su"

The girl stood straight, muscles rigid, spine turning into iron. Isuzu bit her tongue, aware of those signs. The others merely watched, it was the first time they saw one of their classmates really on the verge of a fight.

"Arisu…" Isuzu tried, but her sister was too focused on Loki to hear.

"No, but at least I don't resort to just complain when things don't go my way!"

"C'mon, you two…" Balder called them, as if trying to stop the nerves of the god and the human to take the reins of the situation and being ignored. Takeru had his eyes on the pair, one of his eyebrows lifted as he studied the scene.

"And what that's supposed to mean?" The question was laced with dangerous sweetness as he walked closer to Arisu. The girl had to lift her face to look him in the eyes, but it was the only change in her posture.

Arisu didn't even hesitate.

"When we were coming here, you ended up enjoying yourself. However, as soon as we arrived and a difficulty surged, you went back to whine" A smile as soft as an illusion filled by despise appeared. Her narrowed eyes were a brown fire. "So, when everything goes your way, you're all cheerful, but if the smallest thing goes wrong, you get bitter, stomp feet and throw tantrums? Are you a real god, Loki?"

Something flashed in Loki's eyes and Balder seemed about to say something.

"Because honestly, you seem less than several humans I know, more like a child crying because daddy and mommy don't want to buy you the toy you want!"

Loki's head backed away briefly as if the words had physically touched him, merely studying the girl. Misaki couldn't look to all of the others to check their reactions, but taking the expression of Takeru in account, she guessed no one had ever spoken that way to them. Arisu didn't seem to mind and turned to Takeru before looking back to the red haired god, her nails digging the skin of her hands as if the girl felt the need to tear it off and fighting to not scream, anger marking each word.

"And look here! Come down from this fucking pedestal you put yourselves in! You didn't choose this, you're here by force, oh, boo-fucking-hoo!" She mocked shaking her head. "I didn't either. Yui didn't, Misaki also didn't, but we're at least trying! Or do you think any of us would be her putting up with you if we had a say in the matter?" She scoffed, making it clear the idea was laughable.

Silence followed her words, as if no other sound could exist after that.

Arisu still stared at Loki, feeling the poisonous relief that follows after getting rid of bitter feelings through words. The god had his attention on her, lips half open that let it visible narrowed teeth and the corner of his mouth shivered in fury.

Loki studied the girl slowly. Anger didn't once leave his expression, but something else appeared: Despite. Those were the eyes of someone looking not to a living being, but at something worth only for maggots.

A new wave of heat found birth in Arisu, who felt her organs moving around as if being reorganized. It was hard to breath now.

"I could answer to all that" Loki whispered in a tone none of the humans had ever heard before from them. Arisu felt the emptiness that follows an argument when we realized the things we said. "But there is not even a point in talking to you."

He stood straight, dismissing her.

"That's it. I'm out of here"

The sensation of hands messing with her organs left her as soon as Loki turned around, but Arisu refused to breath, sigh or give any indications of relief… Yet, she also didn't call for him…

Now she couldn't look at any of the others. Apollon and Yui had hoped they could keep Takeru and the others here until they came back and she had finally messed it all. Refusing to look in Loki's direction, she heard the door opening, part of her hoping someone would say something, do something…

"Sorry we took so long!"

The others turned their attention outside. Apollon and Yui were back. Arisu mentally thanked God and almost sighed in relief, even when Loki snapped that he was NOT waiting for them and actually leaving.

Light illuminated the sky and interrupted his words.

The noise called for the others, who didn't understand what was happening until more lights appeared. Something shined while going up to the sky before tearing in apart, exploding in colors that rained like stars.

It was beautiful.

"What the…" Loki asked, surprise washing away the previous emotions for a while. There were moments this seemed like a representation of the birth of stars and turned to Thor once the Thunder god commented they were like flowers.

"Flowers in the sky?" He asked in surprise.

"Hanabi" Takeru muttered, not taking his eyes of the sky where blue and green exploded.

"Fire flowers." Ren explained in a whisper, impressed. She hadn't ever imagined Yui and Apollon would be up to this.

"Fireworks" Yui completed, relieved upon seeing the gods' interest. Perhaps some of them knew about them, but it was always different seeing something rather than just knowing about it. "The Chinese invented them." It had been worth it to prepare some fireworks before them went back, besides bringing some firework bangers and smaller ones to play. She could hear Balder commenting about them, a light sensation of happiness shyly coming to be when even Thor commented they were incredible.

Once the first presentation of fireworks was over, Yui soon announced there was more and lifted a bag she had with her and the others hadn't noticed.

"We've got other kinds too! They are smaller, we can light them together! And more!" It was something that would give it all a sensation of camping, in her opinion. "Marshmallows!"

Misaki, from the balcony, leaned forward until almost leaning over the wooden rail, all her attention focused on the bag, the same way a colorful toy would pick the attention of a cat.

"You mean it?" When Yui showed the packet with several white candies, the girl let out a cry of anxiety. "Yui, you're the best, I love you and never, ever, leave us!" She laughed as she went down the small stairs and hugged the other, Balder soon asking of what they were even talking about.

Instead of walking back to the beach, they picked a place they had spotted in the woods, a clearing near a creek. Apollon and Yui had had brought a great variety of firecrackers and bangers, having enough for everyone and showing how to light them.

Loki and Takeru soon were running, waving their fires and creating trails as shining snakes that danced around. Recalling Loki had showed to be able to summon and control fire in the first day, Yui wasn't that surprised this had pleased him so much… It was actually fun to see he and Takeru running after Dionysus and laughing.

Arisu was with one of the fires, whose yellowish lights reflected in her face when Isuzu approached with a can of soda. The shorter girl sighed, not looking at her sister. Arisu hadn't said a word to any of the gods since leaving the cabin, rather staying purposely away and thanking how the game had picked everyone's attention.

"I know" She whispered, eyes still on the sparkles, not truly seeing them. "Arisu, you and your tongue. You lost control, spoke too much and were rude… You can say it."

Isuzu remained in silence for a second.

"I don't need to say anything." She took a sip, watching the fire her sister held. "You already said it to yourself."

The other girl didn't reply. Her regret wasn't so much for the things she had said, but rather how she had said it and besides, Loki wasn't complete guiltless! He and Takeu seemed to have put all their efforts into not doing anything helpful and after Apollon being genuinely so dedicated to make things go right! It was as if they needed to spread their irritation to the others! She had just said the truth!

"But this doesn't mean you're right" A voice too much alike her mother's echoed in the back of her mind and the girl spied under her eyelashes before going back to the fire, moving it slowly from side to side and seeing the sparkles flying, the sound of their crackling alike static of TV, but not unpleasant.

"Are you disappointed with me?"

Isuzu turned to her so fast that her neck could have snapped. She held a smile and petted her sister's head, a gesture whose roots were in a past that now seemed to belong to another life.

"No. When was I ever disappointed in you?" She giggled lowly, though both knew there was no ignoring what Arisu had said. Words, once said, could never disappear or be forgotten, even if the speaker was sorry.

Lifting their heads, they were attracted by the sound of Loki and Takeru's laughter as they ran after Dionysus and Misaki, waving the fireworks, the blonde girl yelling among laughing that they were insane. Tsukito and Thor had been more interested in small firecrackers that snapped in the ground, giving the illusion that the lights were alive and jumping. There was a fire nearby where they could roast their marshmallows too.

Isuzu went to Yui, laughing when Apollon and Ren got a fright with a group of crackers particularly noise that let out a lot of smoke. Arisu came near too and sat in a stone near the fire as her sister picked more candy and heard Takeru talking to Yui.

"Hey… Weed." He muttered, not looking at her as he picked more fireworks, words sounding as if they were struggling to pass his teeth. "Humans… Can do some neat stuff, too."

Yui smiled when he grabbed the objects, still not looking at her.

XxX

The night didn't end just with their return to school. Still having time before curfew (and even hoping there wouldn't be none, since they were in "vacation" time) Balder decided they could make barbecue for dinner (after a long day such as that, the snacks hadn't been enough). Misaki was impressed how even after so much agitation and all that had happened, the gods still had energy.

However, the way back had been as or perhaps more fun than the way to the beach and created the sensation the path had been shorter. Loki and Takeru hadn't had one unpleasant word to say, the redheaded even commenting he hoped to enjoy it more the next time, making him look as happy as if it was Christmas.

"But when you can't die… I guess you just do your best to enjoy all you can" Now that she thought about it, several things felt like wouldn't be as fun if she was immortal and didn't have a limited time to enjoy them. "It must get tiring after some years… Maybe that's why he and Apollon act… Well, younger than what you'd expect from someone who has been alive since millennia ago…"

A cold shiver was born in her nerves. In that moment, she thanked whoever Creator was beyond the stars that she had been born a mortal…

Eternity sounded more like a curse than a blessing.

"At least things seem to be getting better…"

"I'm so happy things worked out in the end!" Apollon sat at her side in the bank, holding a plate of meat and bringing her back to the present. "Everyone had fun!"

"Thanks to you and Yui!" She replied, biting a meat in her stick. It was easy to see that Balder loved meat and, though anxious to taste other dishes, his predilection was barbecue. Recalling the hunts and roasting he had mentioned, Misaki wondered if this made him remember home…

"Well, who knows?" Since when she knew anything at all about Nordic Gods habits? Not thinking more about it, she carried on.

"You guys saved the night, it was really cool!"

"And it feels like the class is more united, don't you think so, Misa-Misa?" He asked, turning his green eyes to the others before facing her. The girl nodded, the meat she was chewing turning into a tasteless mass. She couldn't like when Apollon called her like this, even though it was how he called her since they met, which had been weeks ago.

Not wanting to sound fussy, she hadn't said a thing, but this bothered her too much.

Names, as words, could carry much in their sound. They could invoke feelings of gentleness or despise, recall dreams or nightmares. A name could hold the face of a blessing as much as the face of a curse.

"I thought…" She blocked her own thought.

"I think so" And with a gesture of head, she indicated Takeru who was talking with his brother and Balder. Considering how the first time Misaki had seen the Sea god he had refused to even eat with her and the others, this was a huge improvement. "It seems everyone is getting along a bit more… Well, they are talking to each other, at least."

Holding a stick with several pieces of meat, Dionysus was sitting and talking to Ren and Yui. Instead of having some juice or soda from the table, the god held a greenish bottle and offered it to the girls, who had politely refused.

Yui was well aware that, this time, that wasn't just "juice".

"Of course it is!" The god exclaimed when she confirmed her suspicions. "Just with a light touch of alcohol!"

The girls exchanged looks.

"Yes, also known as wine." Ren muttered as Yui shook her head, imagining how on Earth he had managed to get that. Perhaps, like Apollon and his prophecies, his abilities weren't all sealed and some had been just weakened?

"You're lucky that Thoth isn't here to see this" She knew Dionysus was god of wine, but didn't believe for one second that Thoth would care should he find out a "student" was drinking (not for any other reason but because it was against school rules). Not for the first time, Yui reflected it was too weird to be talking so casually to a god, and the fact that the shackles also forced them into a more "human" appearance felt like a bonus.

"How would they look in their true forms?" Not so much the idea of physical look, but rather the remembrance of their auras, of when Dionysus had talked about human hubris and Hades telling her and Ren to stay away caused such a primitive reaction of dread that a part of her was actually grateful and hoped to never know.

The god, meanwhile, shrugged and took a sip.

"I don't know why impose those limits. Let's be honest…" He winked. "If we go by age, this doesn't apply to me, does it?"

Both girls had to agree to this. Even with youthful looks (which would be even ageless depending of their expressions), truth was none of them could ever be considered minors. When thinking about this, Yui wondered how many things they had lived and seen…

"It may be so" Ren agreed as she nodded. "But I don't think Thoth would mind at all those technicalities" She made quotation marks in the air with one of her hands, making the redheaded shrug with a laugh and Yui immediately imagined the Egyptian god reprimanding the Greek for drinking, associating the scene with a time when teachers of her school had lectured students when finding them drunk in a school party.

Arisu was by the grill picking more hamburger, wondering if after dinner she…

"Hey… Arisu?"

She took a deep breath. Of course. She should have know someone would want to take it out with her, sooner or later.

It was Balder and Loki.

Oh, joy…

Her shoulders fell as if something in her body pulled the bones down, but fought for control. The feline-like eyes of Loki evaluated her without making clear which his intentions were, however she took by his mouth's corners turned down as a signal of the most intense disgust. He wasn't going to talk to her out of his choice.

"I know…" She sighed, wanting to think about what she could say, but her mind was now empty.

"I think you both need to talk" The blonde acted as if he hadn't heard her. Curious, Arisu took notice that despite him looking very serious, his blue eyes still had some gentleness. Studying him, the girl thought this wasn't all he wanted, but sighed.

She wasn't sure she liked Balder encouraging the talk (as necessary as it was), it created a sensation of pressure and she would rather deal with what had happened between her and Loki without other's involvement.

"But they are friends. Maybe he wants to be sure things will be okay… And what I said did extend to him…" Great, now she felt like a bitch. She hadn't meant to actually offend Balder, even if she had been true to her own feelings. Damn, this didn't matter, what mattered was to talk to Loki and do her best to keep a "peaceful politic" between them.

"Arisu…" Balder started when she was silent for too long and breaking her thoughts in a hesitant way of someone trying to figure out a puzzle. She was surprised to see some sort of sadness when he asked in a whisper.

"Do you hate so much being here?"

Arisu blinked.

That? Of all things…

For an instance, her first impulse was to explain that back then she had referring more to Loki and Takeru, but decided this would be a bad idea and wouldn't solve anything, so she went to the point.

"We can never go back home" She explained in a low voice, choosing her words. It was the first time she talked about this to any of the gods and the fact one of them was also one of those who had annoyed her the most until now (and Arisu doubted he cared about what she had to say) was of no help. "I know, you may stay here forever too" She added. "But we… Our lives..." She didn't need to say more, Balder understood: As humans, their lives were limited.

She shook her head slowly to herself.

"We can never see our families again or even try to do all we wanted… For me, this is a nightmare"

The faces of her mother and father appeared in her mind. Her friends. Places she liked, dreams for the future. In a second, her mind ran wild though all things that could be ripped away from her forever, be them part of her present or future.

Balder opened his mouth, but the girl carried on with a sigh before whispering, looking in direction of the gardens, eyes so darkened that they created a shadow under.

"But I don't hate this place. I can't"

Loki tilted his head to the side, not saying anything, arms still crossed and Balder frowned before that particular choice of terms. Even if he was glad Arisu had no actual hate for being there and meeting them, he still asked in the same tone.

"What do you mean, you can't?"

Arisu hesitated. She would rather just apologize to Loki and leave the matters to rest, not wanting to make this about herself. Yet, they had entered the subject and between a thing and other, she would rather have honesty. Her eyes touched Balder's and Loki's, scarred by an expression none of them had seen in her before.

"Because it was here where, for the first time in months, I saw my sister smiling again"

Balder still frowned and Loki blinked some times, but none of them looked at Isuzu or had time to ask questions. It was more than she had originally meant to say, so Arisu decided to get things done and stood in front of Loki.

"I was furious and I ended up being rude. I'm sorry for offending you" Yet, despite the politeness (Balder felt something there, though this calmness also worked to hide any other feeling), Arisu was also making it clear she was not referring to all she had said, as her apology's focus was in the how things had been said.

"Hmm…" Loki muttered, mouth shut and moving slowly a piece of meat he had in his plate, ignoring her. Balder poked him with his elbow and a light smile.

"C'mon, Loki, she apologized. And you were being a bit annoying, weren't you?"

At least, the god rolled his eyes, which became softer ad he shrugged.

"It was fun in the end. So, yeah, you were right in wanting to wait for them…"

It wasn't exactly an apology or much, however Arisu knew it was the better she could hope for and if it would work for them to not go chewing in grudges, she would be satisfied. They didn't need to be friends, after all…

To her surprise, Loki sighed and shook his head, piercing a piece of meat with the fork and offering to her.

The girl looked from the fork to him and the waved it.

"Hey, c'mon, c'mon. Peace offering, right?"

"Okay…" Her muttering was slow, as Arisu had no idea of what think regarding this attitude and picked the meat out of the fork, throwing it in her mouth.

Loki smiled.

Immediately, Arisu's eyes filled with water as all corners of her mouth ached in fire, sensible parts of her tongue rebelling in fury. Her plate fell in the ground and shattered as she raised her hands to her mouth, waving them, the heat spreading to her body, devouring all in its way.

The red-haired Nordic threw his head back with a laugh.

"You should see your face!" What he had offered her was, somehow, a thin layer of meat wrapping a bunch of salt and pepper, as a small bag.

"Arisu!" Balder held her shoulder, as the girl panted without being able to breathe. Isuzu, seeing the commotion, had approached too, wanting to know what was going on. Getting free of the Light god's grasp, Arisu ran to the table near the grill, grabbing a bottle of soda and turning it in her mouth, drops of Coke escaping by the corner of her lips and dripping in her clothes, with the girl not giving a damn.

The fire diminished, but her mouth still ached.

"Loki!" Isuzu turned to the other, who raised his hands in sign of innocence.

"Hey, don't accuse me without proof!" His face was of deep sadness, as he looked around to those who watched the scene." Why I'm always to blame? Anything happens and you all think it was me!"

"And… With reasons…" Arisu still had a red face, her tongue still shivered with a burning sensation. "Idiot…"

Loki seemed about to retort, being interrupted when Arisu tried to smile in a weak way.

"I'll…" She continued, raising her hand in sign for them to wait as she drunk a bit more of Coke, wondering what in hell Loki had put in that meat anyway. "Consider this… A kind of punishment, okay? You had your revenge… We're even now…"

Loki studied her, holding his chin before nodding.

"Very well, I agree. Of course."

Yui leaned to Arisu, whispering as she fought a laugh in the depth of her throat.

"What was all that about?"

The brunette limited herself to shake her head, filling her mouth with more soda and a grimace before answering.

"Yui… Trust me, you don't want to know"

Ana: Uff, another chapter done!

Arisu: My mouth aches… Why am I the one getting the bad stuff?

Misaki: Well, you provoked him…

Arisu: Hey, what side are you on?

Ana: C'mon, c'mon everyone, enough fighting… Those chapters were fun, but as I said, this fic won't just follow the original anime, as I have some stuff planned too.

Yui: At least things are working out. With some bumps along the way, but we have to deal with SOME gods' refusal before actually getting along.

Ana: You still have a long way to go...

Apollon: I wonder if any reader is already thinking about the shippings!

Dionysus: You have been hanging around Eros or Aphrodite by any chance?

Apollon: Blame this for being original an otome game…

Ren: … Worst part, he is right.

Arisu: Please, spare me of this, okay?

Guest (Cameronemma): Hey, don't worry about it! We have a life outside the fics, after all! Sorry to hear about it, hope things got better.

Loki: Hope somehow this chapter managed to cheer you up. It wasn't all great, considering the writer, but we did our best.

Ana: Uh… Excuse me? What's THAT supposed to mean?

Takeru: You have to admit, people read this because of us.

Ana: … Humility sends regards, she misses you both. Hey, I'm glad I managed to make good descriptions! And I hope things have improved!

AndreaRamos2003: No me gustan las alturas también, pero no creo la idea de Misaki has sido mejor!

Misaki: Ha tentado! Mejor que andar la ponte divagar e mirando abajo!

Arisu: Ha sido di alguna ayuda, admito, pero no tente otra vez, si?

Ana: Estoy feliz que gustara!

ANONymus: Hi there, welcome! Well, while Anubis may not appear for now, as he is a shy character, he is going to have his moments!