Chapter Fourteen – Things Lost in Time
"Zeus wishes that your school lives will resemble the most that of human beings" Thoth commented with the class at the end of the school lessons. "Therefore, this involves events and activities besides the ones you've had until now" Yui was sure he was referring the sports event of the beginning of the year as well as the Moon Gazing and thought that perhaps this last one wasn't even taken in account: It had been something organized among them and not a school event (at least she had never had anything like it back home).
Thoth turned his iron gaze at the students, studying gods and humans, the only ones to ever remain behind classes to hear such things. Seated on her usual place, Misaki sustained his eyes when he stared at her, even if for a brief second, enough to make her organs shiver a little. It had been some days since the Moon Event and the things she had said in the library and the girl was surprised that she still hadn't been called by Thoth to be scolded.
There had been more irritation on her part due to his insistence in judging her as if he knew what happened inside her mind. And what he had said about her not really care about her predicament? And "mere" return?
Misaki had wondered about her own feelings regarding the others several times before. It wasn't as if they were mere people put together in a class or had chosen to participate. It was all forced enough to make one wonder if whatever they felt was genuine or mere "getting used" to their presence.
Her caring for the others (the girls and the gods) was genuine, but she couldn't deny that the primary force that made her get up every morning was the hope of going home. She didn't want to seem like a child not even to herself, but honestly there were nights that the bed became a cold coffin, the covers too harsh against her flesh, threatening to scratch until her skin was devoured and it reached her blood. It wasn't uncommon for her to still wake up in the middle of the night, still sort of sleepy and for a moment, not know where she was and her first instinct was of fear until her brain focused on the reality she had been thrown, an animal in a cage.
Fear then would evolve in a second, too fast to be processed by the organism and reached a level far too close to despair. It was something she had hoped to never feel again.
And she knew the same happened to the others. She doubted she would ever mention it to anyone or that they would talk about it among themselves either. In some of the times she woke up before the time (whatever the reason), she had seen Ren sitting by the window or had heard a held-back sob in the pretty tomb that it was that room.
They just wanted to go home.
Still, after she had left the library and calmed down, she had been quite nervous when thinking about what she had said and done.
So, in the next day, she had tensed at the idea of going back to class and meet Thoth, which she didn't let anyone else notice, opting for behaving like nothing had happened. His words had worked on specific chords of her being that were beyond her state as prisoner in the Academy and she hadn't recovered the self control in time to avoid the instinctive reaction.
Only on the end of the day she had told the other girls about how she had talked to the teacher and now, two days after the incident and no signs that Thoth was going to address the subject (and she wouldn't be the one to bring it up).
"Maybe he was too surprised. Maybe he thinks it isn't anything worth of his attention" Arisu had mumbled yesterday, her own doubts about the gods coming back to her mind. "Who knows"
None of them had talked much about the question of how the gods saw them again, more due to lack of necessity than nervousness before the subject. Even if the interactions among them were becoming less tense and some reaching levels next to what one may consider "friendship", there were still moments in which seeds of doubts bloomed into black weeds that held them all inside.
Yui had thought about Tsukito and how they had talked while stuck to one another. Just like when Dionysus had told them about Niobe (and the memory of the coldness in his eyes still created shivers in her nerves), she had realized a side of the god that was so distant that it felt untouchable. Which, then, made her feel lost on an ocean, isolated by her own blood.
It was not something she would have felt with another human and the girl was aware of it.
Misaki had seen her eyes and knew her friend would have liked to have the courage to ask them directly what they truly thought and it was her respect and wish to not seem intrusive that kept her silent. The blonde, however, was sometimes assaulted by the wish of not knowing.
In Thoth's case, nevertheless, she felt she had had a confirmation that day: They were merely fool mortals in his eyes. And while Misaki didn't appreciate how some people spoke of humanity as if they were the most extraordinary and superior of all species, the lack of value she had felt in Thoth's presence wasn't in species level, but something almost personal.
"Perhaps we are. There is no way of denying it, not if we were in his position. Maybe our lives are no different from him than the life of a bug is for us… Why would we have any value?"
"As such" Thoth carried on with his serious and usual air and Misaki forced herself to pay attention. "Zeus believes that it would be interesting if you organized a Day of Cultural Festival"
Arisu slapped her face, shaking her head. No one else paid attention, though Takeru rolled his eyes and continued to scribble on his notebook as if the news were puerile.
The girl's reaction wasn't by distaste towards the idea or aversion for such festivals, she just doubted that Zeus had truly made some research on the subject. And also because it felt somewhat weird to organize a festival so few days after the last one.
"As if he was going to listen to me if I opened my mouth"
"This day is to demonstrate artistic and sportive goals. In such occasions, schools also tend to open to be visited by people who may be interested in enrolling" Which, to Arisu, was another reason for her reaction. "They are regular parts of the school year of Japan and involve several activities…"
"At least he didn't mention that presence is not usually obligatory" Yui whispered lowly while leaning behind and Isuzu muttered in agreement as Thoth wrote in the blackboard examples of activities, since culinary to several sports and even a café, so the visiting students could rest and have lunch, which called Isuzu's attention.
"We have the cafeteria" She recalled, hand in air. "Why there is a café in the options?"
"Because it is one of the parts which the students are responsible for in the festival" He explained back without altering his tone, though there was something about it that implied that it had also been Zeus' orders.
"But…" The girl hesitated, looking from the blackboard to the teacher, as if she couldn't quite process what she had read. Thoth didn't allow her to go on, also not very satisfied with the options Zeus had planned. He could only suppose that, besides decided to carry on with such common school events of Japan (where the representatives of humanity had come from anyway and that also used to be more clear and constant than schools' of some other countries, for example, that didn't even had events of any kind), they also worked as a way to not allow the life of boarding students became too monotonous for some of them.
"Since you are a small class" He never counted the spirits as truly part of it, not that anyone would disagree. "You must organize small groups and pick an activity. It may be related to your clubs or not"
The Egyptian god turned to them once more, back straight and head held high, once more similar to a hawk somehow.
"Make your decision and inform me later. That's all for now. Have a nice day" And, like always, he left without looking behind. None of the students was bothered by it, already used to his behavior and barely the teacher had left the class, Apollon jumped to his feet and started talking quickly.
"We have so many options! How will we choose? I've never heard of anything like that, but it is like a festival about more than just sports or theatre!" It was a little weird to have two events so close to each other, but he didn't care. It was more fun than just keep studying.
"Easy there, Apollon!" Misaki giggles as she stood up. The god's enthusiasm seemed to be endless while presented to something new and it was hard to remain untouched too. "First, we need to split in groups" She ran her eyes through the room, counting quickly. "Well, one will be with four people and the rest with threes, I guess it would be okay, what you guys think?"
"And the decision of the activities? How could we do it?" Balder asked as he read the words again. "Thoth-sensei left some quite vague"
"And some are far too clear" Yui grumbled, eyes upon the words "maid café". She liked to think about herself as a calm person, who didn't use to get exalted for nothing, but this was the end. "If someone ask me, Zeus may be watching animes lately…"
None of the males seemed to get, though the girls had already mentioned some series and Isuzu had found a section of the library reserved for mangas (she had had the idea of searching after seeing what sort of books Loki had somehow suggested to Tsukito). For an instant, she had even wanted to ask Thoth how a book like that had ended up there, but had lacked the courage.
"Why do you say this?" Balder looked from the girl to the blackboard without understanding, but Yui merely shrugged in a signal of "let it go" as Arisu approached the blackboard, trying to change the subject, hoping they wouldn't have to deal with that activity in particular. It didn't matter if it was Thoth or Zeus or whoever it was: She was not going to play the waitress with a stupid dress and call whoever it was "master" or anything.
She didn't have to look at none of the other girls to know it was a shared feeling. Yui recalled once, two years ago give it or take it, one of the classes at her school had done something of this nature during another event… She hadn't been part of it, but had passed by the café and it had been fun… But the situation of now was completely opposite in every possible sense.
"I think we could try drawing about the activities" Apollon interrupted, more interested in getting started. Yui soon thought it was a good idea. They had many options and with a draw there were more chances to let that café aside. Takeru's little giggle, sitting behind Dionysus, made that she suspected that he had guessed her line of thinking, though he was looking at Arisu.
After writing their names in pieces of paper, they started with the groups. Surprisingly, even Loki seemed to not have anything sarcastic to say.
"I don't quite complain of putting up with the Rat" Takeru muttered upon seeing the group he had ended up with.
"Your gentleness is always so touching, Porcupine…" It was the reply, though there was nothing negative in Arisu's expression.
"But why do I have to be in the same group as him?" Takeru and Loki asked at the same time and it would have been amusing in another occasion. The relationship between the Japanese and the Nordic gods wasn't something the others could guess just by observing. Yui remembered that Loki had drawn in Takeru's face right at the beginning of the year and, apparently, the opinion of the sea god about him hadn't improved at all.
Takeru's golden eyes sent sparks towards the redheaded.
"If I have to put up with your nonsense…" Takeru growled, to which Loki stared at him up and down as he played with his braid as if the other's presence, annoying as it was, was unworthy of real attention.
"This has everything to go wrong" Arisu reflected as she casted Balder and Apollon a dramatic eye of who is doomed. The sun god snickered and the Nordic shrugged, as if to say there was nothing he could do to help her.
"C'mon, the draw was fair and done. It was all by luck" Yui warned them, though somewhat insecure about all that too. And even if she had spent a whole day with Tsukito, this didn't mean the communication between them had suffered a turning change and taking in account that Thor was in her group as well, she had no idea what to expect. Hades was with them too, but hadn't expressed any opinion until now, keeping his usual silence and the unexpressive face.
"We are going to take some care, but it's worth it… And it shouldn't be that hard, right" The girl thought to herself, not only about the work in group, but also aware that Hades' curse could invariably cause troubles. She didn't mind that particular detail much, even if she wasn't stupid of ignoring it. Like Yui had told him back then when they had all star gazed together, they just needed to be careful.
"Okay, let's go to the next step" Isuzu approached with a little bag holding several pieces of paper folded, where they had written down the possible activities. Balder had been right, some were clear in their nature and others were quite vague and could take several areas.
The little bag was passed to a representative of each group and then left on a desk.
"So, we're good? Each group will think about how to present what they take. We can use the empty classrooms, so space is not an issue" It shouldn't be complicated, there were many classes like those anyway. After saying this Apollon looked at what he had picked.
XxX
"I think it is straight now…" Arisu muttered as she crouched down and studied a board making a little stand in the corner of a classroom that was bigger than the one where they had their classes. Arisu had to confess, while they took the desks out and placed in the next room, she had wondered which would be the reason for such a large academy when there was no real need… It seemed senseless, unless one counted appearances.
"As long as it doesn't fall apart, it is good enough" Loki jumped from the chair as a cat and leaned his elbow on her head before the girl could stand up. "I'd never take you for someone who cares so much about tiny details"
Takeru looked around. After they had picked a room and emptied it, they had asked for boards in the school store and started to build small and simple stands next to the walls. It wasn't much, but it would be enough for what they had in mind.
Arisu managed to stand, shooing Loki's arm off her when the Sea god approached and looked around as well. She had thought that Loki would perhaps complain of the physical task, but the Nordic hadn't said anything against it. At the same time, she wasn't completely sure that there was real enthusiasm in his participation.
"It looks cool" She commented with a smile, relieved that the most boring part of it all was over before turning to one of the stands and picking up a paper sheet with several scribbles. "I think it is going to work"
"Let's see" Takeru replied, not looking at her. He seemed to hesitate for a moment before asking, somewhat brusquely. "Is it normal schools to have events every time like that?"
Arisu raised her eyes from the sheet at the same time Takeru looked at her. Loki, meanwhile, didn't seem at all interested in what was being said and merely turned his coat's pocket, soon starting to play with a colored cube that seemed one of those Rubik cubes (though the girl was sure the similarity was in appearance only).
"No. And this Festival actually tends to happen in November" Arisu shrugged. "We're still in the middle of October" Only when speaking in such terms, nominating and counting, is that she realized time's passing. Occasionally, it felt like Thoth was right and time was running by and then the hours would drag by, with no hurry whatsoever. Both sensations had positive and negative points that she didn't care to analyze.
"Then why do this now?"
"Ask Zeus, Porcupine, because I swear I haven't got a clue… But then again, remember how he changed the seasons and gave us a couple of days off and even called them summer vacation?" Arisu tried to suffocate the strange sensation that came to her from time to time. There was a contrast that couldn't be denied between Takeru's nature and his treatment. Someone might think this was ridiculous, it wasn't as if she had ever been as respectful as what he had been used to (regarding mortals), but on another hand, neither Arisu had ever thought she would be treating any of those gods by a nickname, much less Takeru of all people.
Still there were moments when something came up her nerves by waves of warning, perhaps not unlike the ones a gazelle suffered when it felt the presence of a predator. It wasn't how to deny that basic instinct recognized a being that wasn't of the same species and also the danger it could offer.
"Nonsense" She used to tell herself in such moments, burying those feelings with her blood.
Takeru muttered something, approaching the girl and leaning down at her side to read the sheet in which they had noted down some ideas of what they could do in the stands, then looking back up the room and visualizing mentally how it would be best organized.
"It would have been cool if we could do something like a play, I guess…" Arisu whispered to herself, eyes still in the sheet, being interrupted by a pressure in her head when Loki rested his elbow on it again.
"Only the three of us? It would be too boring" The god said as his hand slid down to her shoulder and he pulled her in his direction while starting speaking almost as if he was teaching her before Arisu could even comment that there were some stories and plays that were pretty short and could be presented by only three people. "Besides, it is better if we have a variety of options! This is always amusing and we have a higher chance of success if people can chose whatever interests them the most! And isn't it the objective of all this, unless my memory is failing me?"
The girl didn't bother herself with trying to figure out if he was serious or not, she knew better and turned her face over the arm involving her shoulders, trading looks with Takeru. They had sorted "Entertainment" and both had soon thought about a play (as it seemed obvious). Loki had rejected the idea with the same argument of now, his eyes then gleaming as he spoke about how they could make stands with some types of games, since Thoth hadn't give any details or rules, which gave them a larger field of choices.
Arisu and Takeru had to admit that they hadn't expected the Nordic god to get involved to the point of making suggestions.
"Well… But he did help while we were organizing things for the Moon Gazing event…" Though it had been the least he could do, since Tsukito and Yui had spent the whole day stuck due to his stupid game.
Loki pressed his arm, making the muscles of her shoulders protest and Arisu turned back to him, but Loki merely looked ahead, still talking.
"And well, if we're together in this, might as well make it fun!" He commented cheerfully. "Besides, I want to enjoy it when things get ready!"
"Oi, Loki! Takeru groaned, frowning as he approached and Arisu struggled away from Loki's arm. "We decided to let you do your games, alright, but I swear that if you mess this up for us…"
The redheaded didn't seem at all impressed with the threat and Arisu vaguely wondered if what she was seeing in his eyes was amusement or a sort of challenge. Loki's unpredictability, she had learned, didn't resume itself to his actions and behavior but also his expressions, which were not easy to simply interpret.
"Psssh" He dismissed the other with a gesture, not at all caring for Takeru's words, prompting the other to look even more annoyed. "Do you know what your problem is, Ta-Ke-Ru? You don't know how to have fun."
"Yes, he does, Loki" Arisu shrugged with a sigh, hoping those two wouldn't end up actually fighting. For now, it didn't seem to be serious, but taking in their temperaments, the girl knew this could change quite fast. They were really fire and water. "But your concept of fun is the kind that could end up setting the Academy on fire…"
To her surprise, Loki laughed.
While she turned her attention back to the sheet and ignored how Takeru kept staring at Loki, Arisu started to think about what else they would have to ask for in the shop and also how to present those ideas…
She couldn't deny it was being fun.
XxX
"It will be better if we stay in the patio" Apollon suggested as he examined the gardens from the top of the stairs. "The courts are a bit farther" Usually they didn't consider it so, but since the festival was also to show activities to other people and the other groups would stay more inside the building, it would be more practical if they stayed as close as possible.
"Do you think we could place the net around here?" Misaki asked, feeling awkward about it. She didn't really know about sports and had no idea of how she would be of any help. The group had received General Activities and, since both gods were members of the sport club, it had seemed the most obvious choice.
Not to mention Balder and Apollon had been interested in this. Now that she saw them talking about the best way to show different sports (besides tennis) to the students who would roam the school to see them, Misaki couldn't help but to think that it would be better that way… Both had high levels of energy, so what would be better than sports?
"If they are like this while reduced to humans, I can't even imagine in their true shapes…" Yui had described the little she remembered from Takeru's looks when the issue had been solved, at least what she had managed to pay attention to before they were transported back to the Academy. Despite the details she had told them made the impression that the physical change wasn't excessive (at least in his case), the girl had felt something different in Takeru, like a shock direct in her nerves and just the fact that Zeus had convoked them back had stopped her from analyzing it deeply, not to mention she had been still dizzy due to her fall.
The thought led to another: The sensation of Zeus on that same day, when he had been reprimanding Takeru and also of when he had stared at them when they had defended him.
For an instant, the sensation was recalled by her nerves, that convulsed in something close to despair, as if her instinct knew that to remain in that memory for too long and even trying to understand it (or worse, revive it as the human body seems to be able with some sensations) would mean to get dangerously close to the abyss of insanity.
But Misaki was still able to remember, of feeling as if what she was seeing were not bodies at all, but mere flesh pieces wrapping and shaping creatures that could bend the laws of physics as they saw fit and whose organism was a accumulation of power patterns, as distant as the essence of the stars or the emptiness of space…
And equally able to burn her eyes, were she stupid enough to dare trying to see them. Not only because, physically, nothing would be able to stand it but also because it is in the human mind to try analyzing and comprehend the information it receives from external stimuli…
Indeed, her eyes would burn. But not before everything that existed inside her mind was reduced to shreds.
Suddenly, she felt cold bites under her skin, running in her bones. On that instance, the memory was enough to make her want to run. Even without reason or threat, she wanted to run, merely because she knew she was in the presence of such beings.
"Hey…" She said, too low, but the gods heard and turned to her with smiles, curious to what she had to say and thinking it was something related to the event.
Under her flesh, her insides were shivering.
Misaki noticed then that she had no words. Green and blue eyes were on her and the girl couldn't help but to think about all the things they had seen and how they had truly saw them. Humans had denominated those creatures as deities due to this distance…
Fine, very well, but how did they see humans?
"Saki-Saki?" Apollon asked gently. Was that a real smile? Or just showing his teeth, an attempt to copy a human gesture that he knew to be friendly, not different from a person imitating the meowing of a cute kitten?
Apollon noticed that something in her eyes resembled when she had asked him to not call her Misa, for whatever reason. The god almost frowned, seeing that there was a trembling hiding under her flesh.
"Eh, no, it's just…" Misaki said quickly, her mind running in search of some lie. She didn't want to ask them anything of this kind, not when they looked so excited (why would they be excited over this? They had lived for over a millennium, how could there be still something able to wake their interest? The idea of living 200 years alone made her cold with horror).
"I was thinking I don't know how to help" It was a stupid lie and the three knew it. "I mean, I'm not that good at sports…"
Baldr scoffed a laugh, coming to her and patting her back kindly, pressing it slightly so she would approach where he and Apollon were standing as they talked about what to do. Misaki tried to not feel as a rabbit forced to come near wolves.
"Don't be silly, this doesn't matter! What other sports you think we could do?" He asked with the smile of always and a wink. "Tennis is already too obvious"
Misaki turned to look at the field, fighting to get herself out of those questions and to think about how they could use the space they had.
Meanwhile, Apollon and Balder exchanged glances without her noticing, not a shadow of smile in their eyes.
Maybe the girl would be better at lying when not clearly bothered by something. It had been more than years than they cared to count since they had truly been upset in any level with what a human could be thinking or feeling, but there were occasions when it wasn't hard to guess (be it with humans or other gods).
Whatever it was that Misaki had been thinking about, it had nothing to do with festival and both had actually a good guess of what that was truly about.
Still, neither of them acted as if they had noticed something amiss.
"Misaki!"
The girl turned towards the voice she didn't recognize at first, until she realized it was a spirit coming closer, a frozen smile on its features as if tiny lines had sewed the lips up. She couldn't stop a groan before the idea, that was actually fitting.
"Eh… Yeah?" She asked, confused. It wasn't at all common for the spirits to start a conversation with her or any of the other girls and, frankly, Misaki preferred things like this. It made easier to ignore them. Arisu had already expressed her frustration with them, but there moments when Misaki admitted they were either a bore or disturbing.
"Thoth-sama wants to speak with you" The thing said in cheerful tone. It would have been better if they were inexpressive, that mockery of actual emotion in that voice wasn't better.
"I should have known. It was too good to be true"
"Thoth-sama" Apollon looked at her, blinking. "What does he want with you?"
"I don't know, but it's probably nothing much" This was a rather easier lie and it would be better than having to explain details, too. Misaki shrugged. "Look, I won't be long, okays?"
Balder and Apollon traded looks again, but there was nothing to do if it was the teacher calling her. They could start without her.
When Misaki walked away, she felt tired, with the bad gut-feeling of any student about to be lectured by the teacher, even if she thought the peculiarity of her situation made her feel worse.
"That is going to be awful, right?"
XxX
With the "activity" in question that her group had received, Yui had soon started to think about how they could make an exhibition that wouldn't be boring. The idea of "Arts" engulfed paintings as much as music and literature, if you thought about it well (the Arts club of the Academy was about all that too).
Still, the idea that had come up first (an exhibition of paintings while music played) also could be considered bored if not done rightly (even if it was how many presentations of the theme had been in her school). Still, here Yui felt like doing something more… Not that she had ever been that interested in the school festivals before, but here, everything felt and was different.
"It seems that at times that the subtle differences are the ones that affect me the most, when I stop to think about it" The thought wasn't without a darker vein, intertwined on it as a weed. Yui frowned to herself upon realizing the feeling, unsure about the reason.
She decided to put it aside, at least for now. There was much to be done.
Her guess that it could be a little hard to work with the group in question (since Tsukito and Thor still seemed to prefer to stay quiet unless it was strictly necessary and even after everything, Hades was still introspective) hadn't been completely off. This didn't help her too feel much better and actually, Yui felt almost as shy and insecure as when in her first day.
After a couple of minutes when she had tried to make a dialogue so they talked about how to make the exhibition is that when the others had started to talk more.
To her surprise, when she had suggested that they used the room of the Arts Club, it had been Thor who commented that the room, thought big, wouldn't be as practical as it sounded and to pick the next classroom. He had been right: It was easier to organize things as they preferred in an empty place, so they started to talk about the topics and had had the idea of arrange some Greek, Japanese, Egyptian and Nordic paintings.
"If we could have some small replicas of sculptures of the old ages, it would be interesting too" Yui caught herself thinking as they looked over art books they had picked on the Arts Club room and the library. Some pieces (be of paintings, writings or sculptures) had survived until the modern days more than others and this became clearer when seeing the books about it.
How many things of such cultures had been lost with time or merely by conquerors?
It wasn't a pleasant thought. And spying over a page about paintings from the ancient times of Japan, Yui wondered what the others thought about it. How had it been for them to see the arts of the people who worshiped and knew them to be reduced to nothing? Some less than memories?
As if feeling her gaze, Thor's golden eyes rose and Yui at once turned back to her book, but she knew he had noticed her.
"Do you think we will manage all this?" The deep voice of the Nordic sounded as he closed the book without making a sound. The others, also finished with interesting notes, did the same.
"Zeus made a connection between the school shop and the rest of the world" Hades recalled, reflecting he wouldn't be at all surprised if his brother wasn't somehow using of Hermes' services to do so. "I won't be hard to ask for replicas"
For a second, Yui thought about mentioning copies of sculptures, but they had already decided for some Greek vases due to lack of paintings and it wasn't as if they were going to make a small museum here (paintings and many decorations that could be found on temples, as well as several other things, hadn't survived the test of time and human destruction).
"What about literature?" She asked instead. They still hadn't thought about this "category" per say. The others exchanged looks.
"Plays would be too long" Tsukito commented with the same objectivity of always, merely mentioning facts. "And a discussion about differences of literature would be too alike a seminar, not being what the event has as objective, therefore we need short works"
His golden eyes were on a notebook sheet he had been writing on with his firm hand, names of some art works that he had considered that they could use. Despite the talk they had had when gathering plants together and what had been said on that day, Yui wasn't sure this had had any effect on how Tsukito perceived things.
"Poetry" Thor and Yui suggested at the same time while they all stood up to go to the shop with requests of paintings. The good glanced at her for a mere second, as stoic as Tsukito ever was. Yui had to hold back a sigh at this. She was far used to dealing with the others, who were easier to interpret, but she wasn't going to complain.
Hades and Tsukito merely nodded to show approval at the idea and, once in the hallway, Yui tried to carry on with some conversation discussing the types of poetry and different rhythms.
"Takeru would have enjoyed this part if he had this activity" Tsukito commented and Yui didn't understand at first, until she remembered that she hadn't thought about it until now.
"He is the one who invented Japanese poetry, right?" Oh, she was so silly! How could she have forgotten that? He had declaimed some verses on the Moon Gazing event that either had been lost in time or, she realized it now, perhaps were his own.
Tsukito nodded.
"It's a pity. We could have convinced him to recite." The idea was somewhat of a joke, for the girl doubted that Takeru would go that far for a school event. The Moon Gazing had been different, it was something related to his brother and also tradition. "If we had time, we could even convince Takeru to make some verses and Ren could play"
The black-haired girl had told Yui and the others about the piano classes she had had when they had chosen their Clubs. Ren had also told them how she never did presentations of anything of this nature, but since this was just an idea without any real substance, there was no harm.
The talk flowed easily to old melodies. Yui had asked about how they sounded and their differences, her honeyed eyes almost with a placid excitement of a child still mesmerized by everything the world has to offer.
It wasn't quite surprising for them.
After studying her for some seconds, Thor just said that the Nordic songs, like many other things, had been lost long ago for humans due to the actions of humans themselves.
Yui was upset, his words again biting at what she had been thinking earlier and the girl thought it was better to not push the subject, since in those last moments Thor had talked more than practically in all year until now.
It was a surprise for her when he then commented some basic details about the composition of verses and rhythms of his world, the mask of his face never once showing a single crack that would allow an idea of what he was truly thinking about.
XxX
Although Yui had mentioned that Zeus was watching animes as a joke, Isuzu couldn't stop thinking about it as a true hypothesis while she read a piece of paper, fighting to not show all the displeasure she felt at the moment.
Maid Café.
This had to be either a joke of bad taste or a way of any God that there was above the Greek, Nordic or the other deities, to force her to rethink her opinion that there was no such thing as bad luck (either that or He didn't like her). A part of her thought if there wasn't a stereotyped notion here, but the most firm idea on her mind was just that this was a manifestation of Zeus' ignorant (or pervert) side.
"Ugh, I don't even want to think about it"
She took a deep breath. Not that the café uniforms were even near "teasing" or "provoking", the idea was actually the contrary (and not in a million of years Thoth would allow anything like this, for starters).
Not that any of this worked to lessen her embarrassment.
Dionysus, on his turn, hadn't seen anything wrong with the idea.
"What is there of so uncomfortable? It seems simple" He looked from Isuzu to Ren, noticing easily that Isuzu was unsure. And while Ren tried to keep her calm façade, he could see she was even more than mere uncomfortable.
And seeing the examples of typical uniforms of said cafes, it didn't seem anything extreme. For what he could see, it was a mere human café while the staff had a particular style (one of the uniforms he had seen just looked a bit like a doll dress, but nothing exaggerated).
Perhaps it was due to culture differences… Well, and also because some of his festivals involved behaviors far more libidinous, including orgies, which didn't qualify him to comprehend how someone could be embarrassed by just that.
Ren remained in silence, holding the end of her sleeve and turning it between her fingers as her eyes gazed around the classroom. They couldn't use the cafeteria itself, since it would be sort of cheating, so they had opted for one of the biggest rooms and organized one of the sides as a kind of small, personal kitchen.
At least they would have a menu of simple café and since during the day they would have to deal merely with spirits, they had no risk of someone asking for something they didn't have. And there were dishes simple enough to be made right there…
In this point, Dionysus had been right to point out that it was something relatively simple to do. In the moment they were seeing some typical uniforms they could ask for (including a butler-like one for the god).
"Even if it is "simple"… I… I just don't know, it feels weird" Isuzu sighed, deciding that perhaps it would be a little complicate to explain and stretched herself, trying to smile despite it all. It wasn't as if they actually had a choice in the matter and maybe Dionysus was right and she was nervous without real reason?
"Perhaps I can see this as a sort of silly game? The spirits aren't actually people, the only ones who will see me like this are the others… Ugh, this is not helping!"
She looked back at the sheet in her hands, a small pamphlet that the spirit of the shop had given to them when they had mentioned the sort of clothing they wanted. There were different models and they had to choose one soon.
"Take a look, Ren, what do you think?" She asked leaning to the other.
Dionysus didn't say anything. Any other person could let the subtle signals pass by, but he spent a lot of time with Ren in the Gardening Club and, besides, he had a natural talent when it came down to observing people…
Isuzu could not feel very comfortable with the idea.
Ren, on another hand, had been distressed.
Ana: Back when I was making the list of chapters and planning them, I was nervous about placing the school festival right after the Moon Gazing, but to be fair... It was good for the pacing and plus, chapters with them just studying and nothing happening would be boring.
Loki: Rowling made a boarding school work.
Ana: Yes, but because there was ALWAYS something happening. It was either Voldemort, a Basilisk, a bunch of Dementors... And if I had a scrap of her talent, do you think I would be here with you?
Loki and Takeru: HEY!
Ren: Said the girl who actually wants to be a writer.
Ana: What one thing has to do with the other?
Ren: ... You're hopeless.
Jemstone6259: Hey, thanks! I'm really glad you like it!
Sailor Winx: Wow, you really think so? Thanks so much! This is really one of the best things anyone ever said about this fic! Well, about it... I won't be truly following the arcs of the game (I want to follow my own) and things will focus more on the development of the relationships as they address their issues (be the gods with humans, be the girls with some stuff of their pasts). As for the gods, they weren't kidnapped from a point of the past, but the present. Some stuff of the myths (such as Hades and Loki's marriage) will just be ignored (hey, if they could give Hades a curse out of nowhere in the game, I can ignore this).
Yui: However, there is a point. Hades, what were you thinking? I'm surprised the girl didn't die of a heart attack.
Hades: Actually, I'm an adaptation of the actual mythical figure, so you can't ask me.
Misaki: Huh, smooth, guy, reaaally smooth.
Ana: Well, considering Demeter didn't want Persephone to marry and back then, if the girl's father gave consent for the marriage, then it was decided and Zeus agreed to the whole deal...
Arisu: We can do without the class, thank you.
Ana: I do hope you like the future chapters! The couples will take a while to develop. I admit that for now I'm enjoying people trying to guess who is going to fall in love with who!
CameronEmma: HI THERE! I missed you! Yup, the gods aren't all cuddly and nice as the anime, I'm trying to make a more "serious" approach of them. To be fair, I would feel the same way... Not to mention that since they are shackled, it ends up with that morbid curiosity.
Arisu: The "don't look at Medusa, but you end up so curious that this is what you do anyway" type of curiosity?
Misaki: Or the sort of "let's open them up to see if they actually bleed and have organs"?
Ana: ...
Arisu: ...
Misaki: What?
Balder: I... Honestly don't know how to feel about it.
Loki: And I'm the one you guys call crazy.
Ana: My exams went well (thank you God!) and Christmas was also really nice. My college classes will start soon, so I'm getting mentally prepared.
lilly: I don't know if I would consider one of the best, but I'm glad you think so! Like I always say, feedback is what incentives me the most! Yeah, even when I read it again, I feel the beginning still wasn't good enough, but it was the worst part. I remember I rewrote several times and still wasn't happy about it. Glad you continued to read even so!
Loki: See? People liked that! You all should thank me!
Yui: Loki, with all respect, she said she liked it due to Tsukito...
Loki: And you two spent all that time together thanks to me!
Yui: But it doesn't... What I mean is...
Arisu: Forget it. It's a waste of effort trying to make sense out of him.
Takeru: I could try knocking some sense INTO him.
Ana: I can understand you, believe me. Tsukito also ended up being really interesting to write, honestly, I feel he was actually one of the most open about the differences between humans and gods until now. And... I hope you don't mind me saying this, but I'm happy I put you in this state.
Ren: Sadist!
Ana: No, it means it was a great chapter!
Yui: Even so, shouldn't you be nicer to your readers?
Ana: By making this story be calm, good and without issues between you guys? Where is the fun in that? Well, Misaki will soon have to deal with Thoth (she hoped she wouldn't but, c'mon, as if Thoth would let that pass by) and Ren... Well, all of them have their issues as well. Believe me, those will be addressed too and soon. Hope you've liked this chapter!
anaisonfire: It took a time with this one, but it's finally here too! That was what I was aiming for! I mean, let's be honest, can we imagine how different the gods can be from humans? I don't even mean with powers, I mean mentally.
Misaki: I'll say it again: Eternity sounds rather frightening.
Arisu: It sounds like a curse, that's what it does.
Ana: As such, the realization of how different they are is sinking more and more with the girls and despite how their relationships are improving (some more than others) it doesn't mean it will all be sunshine and butterflies... Actually, it will be quite the contrary. Even more when they start to feel something more...
Misaki: Let's be honest, I'm screwed.
Ana: You lost your temper, now you'll have to face the consequences.
Misaki: He will kill me...
Thoth: I'm not allowed to harm students. Though I can't say for sure if I wouldn't be indulging the idea, were the circumstances different...
Ana: Thoth! Stop scaring her!
Thanks everyone for reading until now. See you next time!