+An Awkward Night+
It was the middle of the night and Fu had gathered the girls to explore the school. The curious girl snuck out of the dorms with the others following behind. Ceresei was not going to let Fu get everyone in trouble. The academy was empty and the gods were sleeping in the respective rooms. Everywhere else was empty. The classrooms, club rooms, courtyards, everything was empty of students. Fu leads the way through the cafeteria and tries to find anything suspicious. Freya and Ane walk around the lunch tables and seats to look at the furniture.
"So, the students...other than the gods are spirits. This is going to be weird. Do they even belong to anyone? What if that person is already dead?" Ane questions as she wondered about the other students existing. Freya quietly sits on a chair. All the girls were wearing their pajamas. Ceresei had a pair of violet silk shorts and a silver and violet striped tank top. Ane had red pajama pants on with a pink tank top. Freya wore a long blue sleeveless nightgown. Fu was wearing a dark green t-shirt and matching shorts. "I swear...Our first night here and you want to snoop around." Ceresei spoke as she observes the outside.
She was the lookout as Fu was snooping around. "So you decided to join me anyway, easier than being around naked men," Fu said as she places her hands on her hips. Ceresei scoffs and looks down the hallway. "Excusing that, we should find out this Wailing tree shit. He did say that we are incarnations of the four who sacrificed themselves to stop a damn tree." She said. Ane, Freya, and Fu immediately head out the cafeteria to look for the library.
The moon shined through the large windows into the hallway. The sky displayed the stars and a few clouds. The hallways were decorated formally. Each door and double door were tall. "Who do you consider attractive?" Fu cut the silence of the group by asking a question. Ane and Freya choked and Ceresei sighs in annoyance. "What? The gods aren't ugly. Nice chests and nice-" Fu teases, but Ceresei cuts her off. "No penis talk, please. Hell, you and Loki give each other shit and I am always a damn witness." Ceresei answers.
"Tsukito is cute." Freya gave her opinion. Fu snorts out a laugh as the four girls were casually having a conversation. "You like a good, aha," Fu says with a snicker. "I just said he was cute. Don't twist my words." Freya puffs her cheeks and looks away in irritation. "Change the subject," Ceresei demands. "Oh come on, you must think one of them is hot." Fu pressed deeper into the conversation.
Ceresei rolls her eyes and shakes her head. The girl was not even interested in anyone to let alone the gods. Ceresei was a human as far as she knew. "None, Gods are meant to be perfect. Remember what our job is, teach them then leave." Ceresei spoke in a stern tone of voice. Fu frowns in disappointment. "You are no fun. I bet you think someone is hot." Fu said as she folds her hands behind her head. "At least we know who the most perverted one is in the group." Ane comments.
She has a smile on her face. Freya chuckles at the comment until Ceresei stops in front of the double doors that lead to the library. "That was fast," Fu said and Ceresei takes a hold of the door knob. She opens the door and the other girls head inside. Ceresei steps inside and closes the door behind her. "How the heck are we going to find anything in here? I can't see crap." Ane speaks aloud and the library was suddenly filled with small floating glows of light. The glowing balls floated everywhere in the large library making it look enchanted in a way.
"Now we can see," Freya answers the question. Ceresei and Freya take the stairs that lead to the second floor of the room. "We will look around down here," Fu spoke as she and Ane walk around to take a look at the books on the bookshelf. Ceresei and Freya try looking for the books based on mythology.
"Shit...We will be in here all night by trying to find out anything." Ceresei said as she walked along the nonfiction section. Freya was standing next to the books in the folklore section. "I'm not an avid reader...not at all," Fu said as she was going through the history books. "I can see what you mean, this place is huge," Ane said as she was reading a book until something clung to her hand. The girl screams in reaction and falls on her back.
Ceresei and Freya hurry down the stairs to figure out what just happened. Fu pulls what seems to be a rag doll from Ane's hand. The rag doll dangles from Fu's grip. Ane was in a bit of shock as her body was shaking. "It's a stupid toy," Fu states and looks at the doll carefully. "I do not think so! It grabbed my hand!" Ane almost shouts. Ceresei and Freya approach the girls. "So, is that it?" Ceresei asks not surprised to see a doll lying around. Ceresei shrugs her shoulders and turns around.
Before she could take a step forward, the doll flings itself to cling on Ceresei's back. Ceresei huffs in frustration and tries to shake the doll off her body. "Grab it before I set in on fire damn it!" She almost shouts as the doll does not let go. Freya and Fu were doing their best trying to keep Ceresei calm and get a hold of the doll. "Don't burn me Cee-chan!" The doll yells in fear. Everyone stops for a quick moment and the doll dropped to the floor. The doll stands up and faces the girls.
Ceresei was confused. "You!" The doll points to Ceresei using his handless arm. "Zeus made me help you, F, Frey, and Cia-chan." The doll explains itself. Ane wanted to pass out. A doll just started talking and no one was controlling it. "Okay, we get it." Ceresei gave up. "It stays in your room," Fu said. "We share the room you jerk," Ceresei said. "He'll sleep in your bed," Fu added. Freya gently picks the doll up. "It is cute. Do you have a name?" She asks. "It's Melissa." The doll answers.
As Melissa was about to speak, the library doors open. "Sei-san, are you in here?" Apollon calls out to Ceresei as he steps inside. Hades follows his nephew from behind. The god of the underworld was quiet. "Do you gods even sleep? And you are a loud one." Fu responds sarcastically. Apollon and Hades approach the girls. Hades, however, keeps his distance. "I heard someone scream while I was watching the stars," Hades explains.
"And none of you were in your rooms so I was worried," Apollon explains the rest. "Ane screamed and everything is fine now," Ceresei said. She felt herself getting drowsy and yawns, "We should get going before Thoth wakes up." Apollon still had a worried expression as he looks at her. Ceresei looks back at him and her eyes averted somewhere else. Her face was heated and she did not want the awkward moment. This girl disliked people staring at her.
"Sei-san, please let us escort you and the others back to the dorms," Apollon said. If Ceresei refused she would feel odd and bad. The god of the Sun was only trying to help. "Sure..." Ceresei said. Apollon smiles gently and takes Ceresei by the hand. Ane stands up and looks at Hades who just stood there in silence. Ceresei was forced to keep up with Apollon while Freya and Fu follow them. Ane and Hades do the same. In the end, Hades stayed a number of feet away from the girls.
"Hey. You don't have to be like that. None of us bite." Fu said as she looks back at Hades. "She does!" The rest of the girls say in unison. Hades remains silent for a moment. "I don't want to bring you misfortune." He says. "I doubt you can bring misfortune. Dang it Apollon, let me go!" Ceresei tries to pry herself away from Apollon's grip. In truth, Hades did not want to be near Ceresei.
The girl as a goddess from the past made him wary of her presence. Though finding Ane first made him slightly uncomfortable. The girl did not wander into death nor seem afraid of him. He expected Ane to fear him. Not this. "Uncle, these human girls are nice. They don't mind you at all." Apollon spoke cheerfully. His smile made Ceresei irritated even more as the God of the Sun never released her. Hades did not say anything and he kept his peace.
"Damn you, let me go!" Ceresei almost shouts. Her voice echoes in the hall. The group stopped walking until the echoes had ended. Fu and Freya sigh in nervousness. They hoped Thoth would not show up. Ceresei was able to snatch her hand free. "Before we continue heading back, do either of you know what this Wailing tree story is about?" Freya asks. Apollon looks at his uncle. Hades was older than him technically.
"The God of Destruction had created a tree to rid the world of the humans. This tree was also a barrier to protect the god himself. Demeter was the one who chose to take on this task. In response to stopping the tree from growing, she had sealed herself to it. Soon enough the tree was freed by the god and Demeter sacrificed herself with the help of the other goddesses to destroy it." Hades tells the story, "There is more to it, but Zeus can tell you the rest." Apollon did not like to hear what happened that day. He did not want any of the girls to die. Everyone looks at Ceresei in silence. She scoffs. "I am not going to die." She assured them all.
"But what if this story is true and this so-called tree appears?" Freya questions as she holds Melissa close to her. The thought of everyone choosing suicide was dreadful. "If the stupid tree appears then we will destroy it another way. I am not dying for some pathetic plant." Fu said with a grin on her face. Fu raises a fist in the air displaying a sense of determination. Apollon agrees with his cheerfulness. "It is more complicated than you think..." Hades said. "I don't think you can stop them..." Ane said with a nervous chuckle.
"You all are loud," Takeru said. He and Tsukito were walking down the hallway in silence. They were also wearing pajamas. "First screaming then shouting, we are a mess." Fu, with a laugh, jokes.
"Hey! When crap clings on you in the dark and you can't see it gets worse." Ane speaks feeling embarrassed. Ceresei shakes her head. She would not say that Apollon was holding her hand a few minutes ago.
"Don't you humans sleep?" Takeru questioned. He was not amused with the banter. "We wanted to explore the academy," Fu answered. "You mean sneak around. It's late and we need rest." Tsukito calmly said. "W-We do have permission to look around...I slept most of the day already. I wanted to look even though it is late." Freya said as she walks over to Tsukito. She was not fibbing. Takeru gives Freya a tired expression. These girls were just a nuisance to him and the situation.
Freya did not even seem to be a threat and she was a fellow god. The girl appeared to be the most fragile out of the four. "If you don't want to get spooked by Thoth then we all should head to sleep." Takeru states. Ceresei nods in agreement. "Let's hurry. I don't need to fight anyone." She yawns.
Everyone returned to their respective rooms. Ceresei, however, sat outside on the balcony. Fu was sleeping in her bed. Ceresei needed some time alone. She could not believe what she was going through. "She killed herself...no. It was me who did it in the past." Ceresei said as she watches the stars. The story had a darker side to it. What Hades had said made Ceresei think about a lot of things. She needed to make sure the gods graduated and none of the girls died. "I cannot believe this bull..." She refused to accept it. She was a girl who was about to graduate high school and now, she was an incarnation of a goddess. Life was becoming far-fetched.
"Miss Ceresei, why are you up so late?" A voice spoke from somewhere. Ceresei looks around to see where the voice was coming from. "Who-" Ceresei questions the voice until she saw Balder standing on the balcony outside his room to the left of her. He had a gentle smile on his face as he waved to her. Ceresei walks over to him without getting loud. "I can't sleep now. You are the second person to ask me that tonight too." Ceresei answers.
"Well, you are human. We see you either awake or asleep. Even if some of us are not one to associate with humans as often compared to others." Balder explains. Ceresei rolls her eyes knowing that he was right. "Makes sense. Which god are you?" Ceresei said. "The God of Light." Balder answers. He was not sure if Ceresei wanted to know more. This god was surprised that none of the girls immediately worshiped him. It was possibly due to their godship, but they all were humans. None of the girls tried getting his attention. "So...it's you, Loki, and..." Ceresei tries to remember who else was with him. "Thor." Balder finishes. "Right." Ceresei nods.
"You were speaking to yourself earlier and you had a solemn expression. You mentioned about killing yourself as well." Balder gave his reason for talking to her. "The goddess killed herself to stop the tree and I told myself that I am not going to do the same," Ceresei said. Balder wanted to tell Ceresei that he would not want anything to happen to her. The girl was a unique one. Balder reaches out to touch Ceresei's hand, but the young man leans over too far and he falls over the rail. "Shit!" Ceresei did not think about anything and dove down to catch him.
Balder sees Ceresei falling towards him and he reaches out to take her hand. Ceresei takes a hold of his hand and she pulls Balder in her arms. The couple landed in the bushes. Balder was not hurt, but Ceresei was lying under him. The rose bushes did not leave her unscathed. Only scratches were the result. "Miss Ceresei!" Balder stares at the unconscious girl. He was on top of her and his body was pressed against hers. The God of Light quickly moves off of her and carefully picks her up bridal-style.
Ceresei was slightly entangled in the vines. The thorns did not pierce her skin. Balder carries Ceresei to his room. He places her on his bed and heads to the bathroom to get a washcloth. The scratches on Ceresei's body fade away slowly. Balder walks back into the room and he wipes the blood off her legs, arms, and neck. He had carefully removed the vines and then taps Ceresei on the cheek to wake her up.
Ceresei opens her eyes and sees Balder looking at her. "Ow.." She murmurs as she sits up. Ceresei glances at the vines and her legs. No signs of her body were heavily damaged at all. She could have sworn that she would get tangled and scarred up by the rose bushes. "I'm sorry. You got hurt for saving me. And yet, nothing can harm except for mistletoe." Balder said. Ceresei laughs in a sarcastic manner. "And I dived down to save you and I got hurt in the process."
"Your body is okay. It must be because of your relationship to nature, but thank you for saving me." Balder said as he takes a hold of Ceresei's hands in his. "I was not thinking, but I did not want you getting hurt by a fall," Ceresei explains. She may have been the most intimidating out of the four girls, but she had a genuine side. Balder smiles and he holds her hands tight. He saw her as an interesting one. "I will do my best to not get hurt." He promises, but the moment was short-lived.
Loki had stepped into the room and upon seeing Ceresei, he glares at her in silence. The sight of Balder holding hands with Ceresei made him angry. "It's late, you two should be sleeping," Loki said. His tone of voice was not pleasant. Balder releases Ceresei's hands and Ceresei stands up. "Thank you, Balder. I can walk to my room." Ceresei said politely and she leaves the two alone. Loki's glare does not fade as Ceresei walks past him. He did not like any of the girls, even if they were fellow gods.
"I don't trust her. You shouldn't get close to any of them." Loki spoke. Balder was disappointed in his friend's behavior. He wanted to get to know the girls, though he mostly wanted to know about Ceresei.