Haruhime saw it coming. The move that Mikoto was about to use on her, a throw over her shoulder and slamming her down on the ground. It was excellent in form, most likely to throw the Renard with ease. Her legs would be swept away with a swift kick to make the throw so much more devastating. As expected from the techniques of Lord Takemikazuchi. However, as they were the same level, not to mention her own training under an equally powerful deity, Haruhime merely narrowed her eyes and moved her arms, to intercept the grab her opponent was about to perform. However, just before she could use her own techniques, her mind flashed that damned memory once more in the front of her mind. In which she was easily overpowered and restrained to the ground. Powerless to do anything. As if nothing had changed. And the words...
"Why try to be a half assed warrior?"
She flinched. The words pierced her very heart, causing her to not pay attention to the sparring match. Because of that, Mikoto easily grabbed her and slammed her down on the ground, causing the Renard to gasp in pain. Her friend's eyes widened and she immediately rushed to her side, kneeling down as she fussed over her, surprised at the ease and lack of resistance with which she performed her throw.
"Haruhime! I-I'm so sorry!"
She wasn't sure what hurt more, her back or the pity she was receiving. As if she was the same frail heir of the Sanjouno clan. Still, she smiled weakly, accepting the offered hand to raise herself from the ground. Damaged pride or not, Mikoto was one of her closest friends. With a deep breath, she tried to bury her own frustration and she bowed, apology about to leave her mouth for such a pathetic excuse of a sparring match. Before she could do so however, Takemikazuchi stepped forward, clearing his throat before facing his Familia.
"Alright, now pair up with each other and try to perform the move I have taught you at least fifty times today!" He turned to Haruhime with a soft smile. "Haruhime, I shall look over your training. Feel free to do your usual routine."
As the Familia let out an affirmative shout, they did as they were told and began to throw each other as best as they could. At the same time, the Renard nodded meekly, following the god off to the side. On the ground, a block of steel was located. More specifically, it was her block of steel. To most, it would be a random item that would cause confusion. After all, why would a young maiden have such a thing? But it was only part of her training she committed herself to. No matter how exhausted she was. How injured she was. Or how absent minded she was. She would never skip this. With a deep breath, she raised her arm and shouted as she rammed her hand into it. She winced as the steel didn't give away, but her fingers remained straight. So even as pain flared up each time she punched, chopped or even kicked the steel block, she kept up. The old her would have long broken her bones and they actually did sometimes in that time before she reunited with Bell. However, now she could freely admit her limbs were weapons in their own right. Their skin was rough, thick like a layer of leather was surrounding it. Yet as she looked at the fruits of her training, mindlessly hammering away at her unmoveable "opponent", she could help but frown deeply. Yes, her body had changed a lot from the frail young princess that she was... but was that all that changed with her? She couldn't help but glance at the god, who kept his eyes on his own Familia, but still stood by her side. As if waiting. She bit her lip. She was still not used to talking with deities such as him directly. Their martial aura radiated from them even if they suppressed their divinity. Not to mention, he was on the same level as her master, Lord Hachiman. Still, even with the apprehension she felt, she needed his wisdom.
"Lord Takemikazuchi... " He glanced at her, showing he was listening. She threw a right straight at the steel block before shaking her head with a deep frown. "Have I changed?"
"You have and you haven't." At her confused blinking, he twirled his hand at her with a warm smile. "You certainly have become more powerful, yes. But at your core, you are still the same kind girl as before."
"Kind... "
She blushed a bit at the compliment, but she still felt some irritation, for Mikoto's sake. No wonder her friend always sounded so angry when talking about her god. He was a natural born flirt. Fortunately for her, she didn't have any personal interest in him. Still, the way he described her as kind... It sounded like a synonym for weakness to her ears. Not to mention it sounded... off. She wasn't kind back then. She was just a doll. Was being passive, being silent and obedient, kind? She couldn't help but recall Kaguya's words, after a particularly vicious sparring match, the Senbonzakura being in an awful mood for some reason.
"You lack obsession. A fang of cruelty that all top class adventurers possess. To fight monsters, you need to be worse than them to be better than them."
Become a monster yourself. It was the common sense of adventurers. Only the abnormal could rise above the masses, to become high ranking adventurers. Yet despite that common sense... she didn't want to be like that. She remembered Bell. How he was when they first met and how he was now. Even now... he was kind. Truly kind, not the fake, weak kind she was. His kindness and purity made him strong, an antithesis to the logic of Orario. She wanted to be like that too. But... could she?
A polite cough caused her to blink. Ah, she was lost in her thoughts. How embarrassing. At least her body kept up with the training, even if she wasn't mentally there. With a small blush, she nodded at the god, who crossed his arms behind his back as he stared into the distance, observing his children sparring with pride.
"Truth be told, if it were up to me, I would not have taught you anything but the most basic self defense. Violence does not suit you, in more ways than one." Haruhime bit her lip, her attacks faltering. Takemikazuchi shook his head with a chuckle before she could fall into a deeper depression. "However, you are Hachiman's student. Not mine. In the end, the two of us have different philosophies, even if we are gods of war." He sighed wistfully, as if remembering ancient memories. "Not to mention he is my better in terms of unarmed combat."
"He is?"
It was a question that was common in the Far East. Usually kept out of the hearing range of said gods, but people always did wonder who was the 'strongest' amongst the martial deities. Haruhime was no different, sometimes wondering if Amaterasu was hiding some secret skills she didn't show off. Anyway, Hachiman and Takemikazuchi were usually in the top of everyone's rankings. As if fully aware of those rankings, the god in front of her crossed his arms and nodded.
"Aye. While I like to think I am better in general, Hachiman focused most of his time in a single path, unlike me." He gave her a pointed look. "Not to mention he paid more attention to the way mortals fought than I did. While I am teaching others my strength and experience, he is teaching others, yourself included, how to be weak."
"How to be weak... ?" She repeated quietly. Unable to help herself she smiled ever so slightly. Certain words echoed in her mind. Recalling them and her first lesson did wonders to lift her spirits. She straightened up, her shoulders no longer slouching. As if sensing her better mood, she felt a hand pat her head and ruffling her hair with affection.
"I cannot explain it. Maybe I never understood his obsession." He nodded slowly."What I do know is... Do not be disheartened. You have proven me wrong once with your level up. The path you have chosen is not wrong. The Falna never lies."
"Thank you, Lord Takemikazuchi," Haruhime said, turning away from her steel block at last and bowing with gratitude. At the same time she looked at her palms before forming fists. That's right. That Aisha could doubt her all she wanted, Haruhime just had to remember what she was doing this for. To stand by Bell's side. Even if he overtook her now, she would just have to keep chasing after his light. To be as courageous as him. As valiant, without having to compromise who he was, a kind hearted person. Flexing her fingers a bit to try to alleviate the pain that was slowly forming she turned to the others, smiling as she was about to join them. But then she froze, when she saw some civilians passing by. Looking at her, covering their mouths as they muttered something to each other. That look in their eyes. She knew it all too well.
Pity. A shiver went down her spine. It could've been nothing. There were many reasons to feel pity towards her, even if she disagreed. But there was this sense of premonition. For the first time, she properly smelled the air. Her ears twitched as it tried to pick up a certain something. Her body immediately tensed up when she sensed what she was looking for.
The tension that foretold conflict. She felt it often enough in the Far East. Gulping, she bit her lip, looking around. Why? Why was this atmosphere present now? Mikoto and the others stopped what they were doing, seeing her weird behavior. Following her gaze, they spotted the bystanders walking by, each with their own looks of pity and suspicion. Almost immediately, her friends gathered around her, trying to cheer her up.
"It's probably nothing, Haruhime!"
"Y-yes, you just have that look that makes people want to protect you!"
"Pay no heed to them!"
She wanted to believe them. That everything was alright. But she could see the sweat forming on their skin as well. As if Haruhime realizing that the air changed caused them to notice it too. That something, whatever it was, was about to happen. With that in mind, she turned to Takemikazuchi with a worried frown.
"I need to find Lady Hestia."
"Very well, we're cutting this session short then," the god responded, nodding in silent agreement with her assessment.
/
Ryuu couldn't help but let out a long suffering sigh. The old man who received soup from her shuddered and quickly walked away. As if fleeing from her dark glare, empowered by the bags under her eyes. Self conscious of her appearance, she tried to pull her hood down lower than it already was, trying to hide the fact that she did not sleep whatsoever. How could she, when every time she closed her eyes, she would remember it all. The cologne that he was surely given by Kaguya that gently brushed her nose. The soft and wet sensation on her lips. His warmth. His surprisingly sweet taste. The way his voice squeaked at first before relaxing-
She was thankful for her mask she usually wore in public. It hid her intense flush of her cheeks quite well, as she slammed the next serving of food into the plate with furious force, causing it to spill a bit. The young man let out a shriek and ran away with his food. Ryuu rested her hands on the table, growling deeply. Naturally every resident in the vicinity stayed as far away as possible. She shook her head, exhaling slowly. The lack of sleep really made her more irritated than she already was by this entire debacle. It spoke volumes of her self control and respect she had left, that the hand touching her was not crushed by her own. She flinched, her body actually hurting as she held it back from giving into her ingrained reflexes. Instead she sent a tired look to the one squeezing her shoulder. She immediately lowered her head in shame after Astraea gently shook her head in light admonishment.
"Ryuu, you need to relax."
The elf meekly deflated, coughing awkwardly as she looked away.
"My apologies..." She muttered quietly, stepping back as her goddess stepped forward, taking over the soup distribution. With her radiant smile, the tension that was caused by Ryuu's foolishness disappeared and was easily forgotten. Soon enough, laughter and pure gratitude filled the air as her goddess gracefully shared her charity, filling the empty stomachs of the homeless people of this area. As the elf stood guard, standing in the shade, she couldn't help but feel admiration for the umpteempth time for her goddess. The ease she showed her kindness, the almost playful way she lifted even the most depressed spirits. A part of Ryuu wondered if she was more like the deity, if the air between herself and Bell wouldn't be so... awkward. To say she regretted her actions was an understatement. She missed it. The casual friendship they had, as they trained and sometimes patrolled together. To listen to his animated chatter about his adventurers. Feats that weren't special for her now, but always made her smile, sentimental memories resurfacing as he told his stories. And now... those days might be gone forever...
A soft cough shook the Royal Gale out of her funk. She blinked, seeing her goddess wave at her before gesturing towards a nearby bench. Reluctantly, but unwilling to refuse, Ryuu let out a sigh before taking her seat, her palms resting on her lap. The wind caused her hood to flutter ever so slightly, causing her to hold it down, but she enjoyed the cool brush of it. She glanced at Astraea, who had her eyes closed as well, taking in the world with an expression of complete peace. As if sensing her staring, the goddess opened her eyes and glanced at her with a gentle smile.
"Maybe talking about it will make you feel better." She giggled and put a finger on her lips, winking at Ryuu. "You know I don't judge."
Ryuu couldn't help but let out an amused snort. To think she could hide anything from her. Shaking her head, she clenched her hands, biting her lip. Quite frankly she didn't want to talk about it. But what else was there to do? Ignoring it certainly didn't work out. With that in mind, she lowered her head in contemplation, trying to figure out what to say next.
"It's... about the mission."
"You mean about Bell." Ryuu was about to shoot up with a scarlet face when Astraea gently pushed her back down by her shoulder. Mirth shone in her eyes as her goddess raised an eyebrow. "Come now, I am not blind. None of us are."
The elf covered her face, letting out a mortified noise. She was hoping. Hoping that nobody would've noticed, that her poker face was strong enough to fool her closest companions. But that was a pipe dream, wasn't it? They knew after all. She blinked at the thought. Looking up, she tilted her head a bit.
"Yet they didn't-"
"Teasing as they may be, your Familia isn't that mean," Astraea calmly chided her. Ryuu recoiled a bit before lowering her head in shame. Right. As much as they would mess with her, at least sometimes they would know when to let it rest. In this case she was glad they weren't forcing their jokes onto her. Still, since the cat was out of the bag, she might as well come clean. As much as it embarrassed her. As much as she started to sweat underneath her clothes as her head resembled a tomato.
"...I k-kissed him," she whispered quietly, trying to pull up her mask even further as she dragged her hood down while looking away. Ah. It burned. The shame of her mistake. The embarrassment. The warm feeling that blossomed up in her heart. All of these things burned her like a raging fire and she hated it so much. The fact Astraea blushed a bit as she covered her mouth with one hand, blinking in surprise, did not help one bit.
"Oh my." She frowned a bit, disapproval visible in her eyes. "Did he reject you?"
"No!" Ryuu shouted, her voice cracking as she shot up. Then she realized what she was saying, as if it would bother her if she got rejected and furiously shook her head before sitting back down with a glare. "And that isn't the issue anyway!"
Breathing heavily, she tried to recover her composure. The implication that Bell might reject her did not sting. It didn't matter. No way. Repeating these things in her mind, she focused on the core of her woes. She leaned back and looked at the sky.
"I don't believe in love at first sight. It's something that only happens in fairy tales. It is a shallow thing. Something borne from hormones or something like that."
Softly, she let out a sigh. She didn't want that. It felt dirty. Shameful. A relationship couldn't be based on such things that would be common to find in the Red Light District. It wasn't the sort of affection that could form a strong bond. Become the basis of a happy family. For an instance, she saw small figures in the distance, but she immediately blinked that image away with a frustrated breath. She didn't think she was in love with Bell. After all, the time they spent with each other didn't even cover two seasons. Life wasn't like a story, in which people had a happily ever after in just two days. It was cute, in a way, but she always found those kinds of stories unrealistic. Not to mention that the young man himself had plenty of other girls he could aim for. Was aiming for, if she saw the signs right with Aiz. That was fine. Just a heat of the moment thing.
She grit her teeth. She had no idea how often she repeated those words to herself. Yet for some reason, the burning feeling in her chest just won't cease. No matter her rationale. No matter her logic. That this was nothing more than fa-
"You're right."
Ryuu snapped out of it, turning her head so fast her neck made a pop noise. With a wince, she looked at her goddess raising an eyebrow at her reaction.
"I am?" She asked in a careful tone. Astraea blinked before nodding slowly, as if Ryuu was the one being weird and silly. "Why, yes." She twirled her hand in demonstration. "It takes time to find out if one's love is genuine or not. Effort is required. Dating. Spending time with each other. Fight with each other. Learn about both the good and the bad." Her features softened up. Gently she put her hand on top of Ryuu's, giving it a reassuring squeeze. "But you need to take that step. Or else you will just keep torturing yourself with what ifs and your own imagination. Love is foolish like that."
While it was good advice all things considered, the elf was too busy staring at her goddess with a shocked expression. Slowly, she tilted her head, horror seeping in as she raised her hand and pointed at Astraea.
"Lady Astraea, do you... ?"
"Not at all." Astraea giggled when Ryuu let out a deep sigh of relief. "Hans just has a lot to say on this topic, once you filter through his brash words."
That relief quickly died as her expression turned blank. Hans. Out of all people, the one good advice she received was from him?! Suffice to say, like many other, very sensible people, she had one simple rule when it came to that man. Read his books, do not talk to the man himself. The fact that Astraea did so worried her greatly.
"...I wasn't aware you were close to him."
"We occasionally meet when Freya invites me to tea." Astraea blinked like an owl, before pointing at herself. "Why, did I never mention it?"
"Not at all." Ryuu clicked her tongue. "I need to have a word with him."
"Really, he is a good boy."
In response, the elf sent her a flat look as Astraea actually defended that little gremlin with his barbed tongue.
"That may be, but if he doesn't show it enough, he might as well be as bad as his exterior appears to be."
Astraea hummed with a wry smile. She stood up, causing Ryuu to stand up as well. The break went long enough after all. Still, just as Ryuu began to relax, she flinched when Astraea poked her nose with a small frown, shaking her finger.
"Don't think I didn't notice what you are doing." She huffed before moving towards their soup stand. Beginning to stir, she shot Ryuu a look."I know it's hard but be a dear and clear the air between you two before it's too late, alright?"
"...I shall consider it."
Not that there was much to consider. Ryuu shook her head with a sigh. She knew what the right thing to do was. She counted herself lucky that Bell was on a quest right now. It gave her plenty of time to steel her mind. For the sake of everyone. Not that she knew how any kind of talk would end up, but as her goddess said, anything was better than what they have now. If only she could be positive like Alise. If she was in her shoes, she'd say something about how she'd seduce Bell in no time and have his eyes focus only on her. The very idea made Ryuu sick but it was at least a better image than a burned friendship.
"Ah, Johann, long time no seen. You look good."
Ryuu turned back to reality, seeing Astraea smile warmly at an elderly man with a cane. His greyed hair fluttered in the wind as he chuckled and stroked his beard.
"Your words honor me, Lady Astraea." His smile wavered, replaced by worry. "I hope you are alright as well, with all that ghastly business."
"It is a burden we have chosen to take on," Astraea replied, gracefully accepting his concerns and waving them off. As usual, she had a good hand for dealing with the public unlike Ryuu hers-
"Even Lady Hestia?"
The pleasant mood was frozen over in an instance. It was an innocent enough question. The old man just sounded concerned. But the Astraea Familia was long enough in the business. Long enough inside Orario to gain certain abilities. One of which was a keen sense for something in the shadows shifting. Such a normal comment was more than enough to hint at a bigger issue at hand. Suffice to say, the two women let it show on their faces, Ryuu flat out glaring while the goddess narrowed her eyes ever so slightly.
"I-I mean no disrespect!" "I know that she is a good woman. She warms up our day considerably. However, I have heard... terrible rumors and opinions."
"And they would be?"
Just as she leaned forward with a growl, Astraea pulled at her shoulder, subtly shaking her head. She nodded at the old man, urging him on to continue. He pulled at his collar nervously before clearing his throat.
"Some believe all of this is her fault. The destruction and what not. Utter nonsense, but the young fools believe anything a pretty lady or handsome man announces in a bar." He shook his head with a scoff. "Something about them snooping around in the casinos, searching for information on Ishtar."
Gritting her teeth, Ryuu did her best to keep a hold on her temper. It may have just been rumors, but this was too targeted. They all hoped if Bell was out of sight, the talk would die out on its own. However someone was clearly fanning the flames, keeping the lies alive. Not only that, they mixed truths into them as well. It was a well made attack on Hestia's reputation. If it weren't making her so furious she might have been impressed.
"Well, I can assure you that Hestia is not at fault whatsoever," Astraea responded with a flat tone. The old man nodded in agreement, frowning himself by now.
"As I said, I believe you. All of you. You have been nothing but good to this community. Just watch out, alright? These old bones sense things are taking a dark turn here in Orario."
With those words, he took his soup and walked off. Immediately Ryuu turned to her goddess, a snarl escaping her.
"Lady Astraea, do you think Eris is-"
Before she could finish, the deity raised her hand with a calm, but cool expression.
"We have no evidence. And it isn't forbidden to talk, even if they are lies." She took a deep breath. "However, it's worrying. Who knows what else Eris is spreading around right now?"
Maybe the two of them were jumping at conclusions. It didn't have to be Eris. But when it came to individuals that could have a grudge against Hestia, had a history of going against them in some way and have the resources to start a PR campaign, it had to be her. Ryuu grit her teeth. All of this happening while Bell was gone. She could only hope it would stay at harmless attacks from the public opinion and not actually escalate.
/
Hestia was well aware of her reputation among other people. Ditzy. Clumsy. Naive. Incompetent. Only the last hurt kinda stung. Either way, people tended to underestimate her. And yes, she wasn't exactly the brightest of the bunch. Still, she wasn't blind enough to the weird looks she was sometimes receiving as she manned the store for Hephaestus, advertising as usual. Here and there people reacted oddly to her smile, as if afraid of her. Others just ignored her or gave her a glare. The first few times she ignored, anyone could have a bad time. But it happened often enough that her store smile was fragile at the moment. The moment a customer left the shop, rather rudely at that, she slumped down at the counter, groaning. Guh, here she was hoping things would start to go back to normal. She was not mentally equipped for all these conspiracies and the stress that came from that! Loki and Astraea could do that stuff but she was just a small Familia who just wanted peace! Bad enough Bell left on his own with people she can't say for sure she trusted but their hope that the bad mouthing of him and by extension the Familia would stop didn't exactly pan out yet. Top it off with a relatively slow work day and one could say that Hestia was not in a great mood. A fact that was noticed by the next person entering the shop, given the amused chuckle that escaped from them. Before she could slap her customer service smile on however, her eyes widened when she saw who it exactly was that entered.
"Tough day, goddess?"
"Ah, Kojiro!" She threw her arms up in a playful cheer before giggling and pointing at herself. "Did you miss me?"
The aloof man smiled back before looking at the swords on display, rubbing his chin thoughtfully. Hestia hummed as she observed him. Honestly, the swordsman was an enigma. She was glad she had such a good child as part of her Familia but sometimes he was just weird. Besides the mind boggling sword skill he possessed there was just this contradiction around his person. A barrier that separates him from others. He just seemed older than he should be. Had experience that nobody else had or should. She frowned a bit. Well, there was Arash and Hans who also gave off that same air so he wasn't that alien. She could deal with that. Nevertheless, sometimes she felt she was a stranger to this young man. It kinda hurt, but one couldn't get close to every child they had.
She pushed those intrusive thoughts out of her head, smiling once more when Kojiro leaned against the wall, tapping the sword on his back in demonstration.
"Well, I was in the area and I figured I am due for an upgrade."
Hestia tilted her head in confusion, looking at his trademark katana, that oversized monster. It seemed unhandly at best, but who was she to judge the strange quirks of adventurers? If that amazon, Tiona or something, could twirl around a double bladed slap of adamantite, well, a long katana wasn't that bad.
"Really? Is something wrong with your current one?"
"Oh, it is good quality, especially since it has its origins from outside Orario." Kojiro shrugged nonchalantly. "However, I have to admit I am starting to... outpace it, so to say."
Honestly she was impressed it held up so long. While she didn't doubt the skill of the Far East, she figured it must have been whatever that Hrist lady did with her sisters to enhance it like that. She sighed wistfully, a goofy grin on her face. If that wasn't a sign of love she didn't know what was! Ah, if only she could do something like that too! Sure, she gave Bell the Blades of Hestia, but she didn't make them or enhance them in any way some other god wouldn't be able to!
Kojiro cleared his throat, shaking her out of her fantasies. Laughing nervously, she played with her twintails, sending him an apologizing smile.
"I'd love to say I'd buy you a new toy buuuuut... "
Maybe she could've bought a new sword if she kept the cash they earned from Eris. But after everything, it just felt too dirty. Finding out, or at least finding hints, of what the goddess of discord was doing... Well, it soured just about everything by becoming rich with her money. Who knew how much blood was on it. Kojiro nodded in understanding.
"I understand. I did not woo your heart like the young master did without any effort."
Hestia blushed before awkwardly scratching her cheek.
"Am I that obvious?"
"Do you want me to answer that, Hestia?!"
"Geh." Hestia flinched at Hephaestus' words from the back of the shop. Shaking her head she narrowed her eyes at Kojiro. "Are you going to judge me too?"
She had that kind of talk already with Solaris in private. It was not exactly fun. While neither actually yelled at the other, their emotions were running a bit high at the time. She did not want to repeat this with Kojiro. Unfortunately his look of pity despite the smile still caused her to bristle up a bit.
"A little bit. After all he hasn't show-"
"I know, okay?!" She hit the counter with her fist, ignoring the pain flaring up in it. "Doesn't mean I'll give up!"
Not like she could help her own infatuation with Bell! Did she plan that? Of course not! Honestly if he were her first child she'd be even more in love with him! No offense to Solaris but Bell just had a bajillion good points that make it impossible not to have the hots for him. It was because of that she couldn't blame any other girl that met that specimen of a good boy. She'd still make sure they know who his goddess was, no questions about it, but she could understand falling for such a determined young talent with a smile so pure it was blinding.
"Just don't be too heartbroken if nothing comes out of it."
Hestia bristled up. He could've at least pretended he supported her in some way, not just write her off! Even if a small part in her knew that Bell wasn't going to look at her like he looked at Aiz or Ryuu now if he didn't before, she dismissed those dark thoughts immediately. She wanted to believe. That even if he didn't fall for her at first sight, that over time, over years, she would find a place in his heart eventually. In the end, she just focused on two words. Wait and hope. She just had to keep trying. Keep caring for him, until he would reciperoate her love the way she wanted him to.
Taking a broom with a huff, she gave Kojiro a stiff nod before going to the front of the shop. Mindlessly she cleaned up the street in front of her, to get her mind off that line of thought. However, she blinked when she saw someone drop a bag of valis. Quickly she picked it up, putting on a smile as she hurried after the man, tapping his shoulder.
"Ah, sir, you dro-"
The bag was ripped from her hand and she was shoved back. The action shocked Hestia so much she numbly fell on her bottom. For some reason, the cat person glared at her as if she was the most disgusting thing in the world.
"Don't touch me!"
It hurt. It confused her. Why did he seem so angry? She didn't know that man. She had no idea what she could've done to make him so upset. By now Kojiro came out of the store, having heard the shout. He idly reached for his blade, narrowing his eyes at the culprit. The man flinched back before someone else squeezed his shoulder, nodding at him before glaring at Hestia as well.
"C'mon, let's go before she gets her hooks on you too!."
"Yeah, yeah."
Hestia stared at the retreating backs of the two men, not even noticing how Kojiro helped her up. It was then she realized it. That there were others who regarded her the same way. As if she was a monster. She wanted to cover her ears as the words reached her, causing her heart to ache in agony.
"Mommy, what's wrong?"
"Don't look at her, honey!"
"Tch, can't believe I was fooled by her appearance... "
"You think that poor guy even remembers?"
"Boy, I sure hope not."
"Can't even imagine what that little shit did to her kids to get them to that level."
"Goddess or not, I guess desperation excuses anything."
Each word, each sentence, was like a dagger to her heart. It didn't matter that some looked at her with pity. That others even tried to argue with them. The damage was already done. Sniffing, she looked away as tears formed in her eyes. Why would they treat her so badly? What did she do to deserve this? Before she could ask those questions, she heard footsteps approach her. Turning around, she saw her friend Hephaestus, giving her a sympathetic smile.
"Hestia, take the day off." The smile vanished when she turned to the swordsman with a frown. "Kojiro, take care of your goddess."
"Naturally." Without waiting for a reply, he took her hand and dragged her away. "Let's go back to the Stardust Garden."
"W-What's going... ?" Hestia whispered weakly, as the murmurs and staring intensified. She didn't want this. Being under scrutinization like that. The negative aura in the air that threatened to suffocate her. It was like someone prepared explosives underneath her and only set them off now. To add to her anxiety, Kojiro's eyes darted around, as if surveying the area like a battlefield.
"Stay close," he announced, his body tense and ready for action. "It appears we have underestimated the enemy's desire to get rid of us."
"I-I don't understand!" Enemy? She recalled that Astraea assumed someone might spread some bad rumors here and there. But this went beyond that, if it caused people to react with such rejection and disgust towards her. What kind of lies were being spread right now? They were passing by the plazza when Kojiro turned to her with a wary frown.
"They are implying you-"
"Oh my, having a bad day~?"
Without hesitation, Kojiro drew his blade. Hestia felt a shiver down the spine. That cheerful, youthful voice of a woman, that oozed with malice. The goddess of hearth couldn't help but feel anger in her heart as she formed fists, seething at the individual who dared to stop them.
"You... !"
/
"Lower floors, he is at the lower floors, I can't believe it... !"
As Eina muttered under her breath, putting so much force into her pen it seemed like the paper and the table might give away, Solaris shared a glance with her personal advisor. Well, she looked at him and Hikigaya, also known as H-Man, looked at his own paperwork, but that was basically sharing a glance in their relationship. The captain let out a sigh, leaning back on the chair she pulled over to their counter. Honestly she had no idea what she was thinking when she figured that spending time at the guild building was gonna be a fun way to get past the days of boredom. There was only so much excitement to be had in an administration area. Maybe she should've taken up Kaguya and Lyra on patrol and relief duty. Then she remembered she was kicked out after picking a fight with local gangs, even after she explained that fist fights were a good bonding method with those in the hood. There was going shopping but some places refused to sell her anything for some forsaken reason, turning her mood even more sour. And now here she was, spending time with her two favorite, and only, guild acquaintances. Suffice to say it was more tedious than expected, since Eina was still freaking out at Bell being at the lower levels. For the umpteempth time. She rubbed her temples and gave the half-elf a flat look.
"Girl, how many times are you gonna complain?"
"Yes, it won't change anything," H-Man added, still not looking up at all. Eina adjusted her glasses, pouting as she threw her arms up in the air.
"Well, I have to express my stress in some way, right?! Most people take years until they can reach that low!"
"Some people are like that. We normal civilians can't exactly complain."
Solaris scoffed at H-Man's comment, waving her hand dismissively as she wiggled her eyebrows.
"I can, but I promised I'd stop doing that!"
"Then you're a better person than most."
"D'aw, thanks H-Man," she said, patting his head. He narrowed his already narrow eyes and slapped her hand away, causing her to giggle. Eina however wasn't satisfied at all, crossing her arms as she leaned back on her chair.
"Look, I understand he grows fast. Faster than anyone." Worry filled her voice. "But that's only his Falna! His experience is-"
"Good enough. He's talented after all. Sometimes instincts and what not make up for that," Solaris interrupted. Eina and H-Man gave her a weird look, to which she responded with a raised eyebrow. What? Experience was great and all, but raw talent was a thing. Unfair sometimes, but pretending it didn't exist wouldn't help anyone.
"You seem awfully chill about this," her supporter noted, tapping his counter with his finger. Solaris shrugged nonchalantly.
"What can I say, I trust him. Vice-Captain and what not." She smirked, pointing at herself with her thumb as she regarded the half elf. "Besides, I like to think I can cover him well enough by now. Your lack of faith is disturbing, Miss Advisor."
"Aren't two of them stronger than you by now?" H-Man drawled, causing her eyebrow to twitch. Yet her smirk remained as she leaned back with a huff, kicking her feet up the counter.
"So what, I can protect them in other ways. Captain's pride, H-Man."
"Stop calling me that," the man glared at him. She in return scoffed and patted his cheek playfully.
"It's a term of endearment." She pulled her hand away before he could hit it, snapping her fingers at him with a wink. "It's like alcohol, ya need something to loosen you up!"
"I don't drink at work. And not that cheap wine too."
"Booya, upgraded to wine!"
As she threw her arms in the air, shooting up from her seat, ignoring any weird stares she was getting, Eina slowly shook her head as H-Man groaned, covering his face.
"I honestly don't understand how you two are friends."
"We aren't."
Solaris scoffed. Ah, good ol' H-Man. Always so dishonest. She showed her teeth as she pointed at herself and then at him.
"We are. He's just resisting."
"I... see... "
Before she could have more fun and make this trip actually worth it, someone bumped into her. She turned around, seeing some amazon glare at her before muttering something under her breath. It was a different language, probably the caveman one they used at Telyskyura. Solaris never bothered to learn it, even if Lord Quirinus welcomed the people of Rakia learning more about those they were destined to subjugate. But why would she wanna learn that dumb garbage anyway? Still, she clicked her tongue, eyeing the retreating back of the amazon before shaking her head.
"Fuck you too."
"You understood that?" Eina asked, wincing at the curse that Solaris let out. In response, the Crozzo waved her hand dismissively.
"Nope. But I know shittalk when I see it. And Amazons usually only know how to shittalk."
"That's racist."
"Not a lie though," Solaris countered. H-Man nodded in agreement.
"Well, you aren't wrong." He gave her a pointed look. "Your familia got a bad rep lately."
"What, because we beat up hookers?" She asked in a skeptical tone, causing Eina to blush.
"D-Don't say that! They are es-"
"No, we should call them for what they are." H-Man ignored the choked noises his co-worker let out and instead crossed his arms. "And yes, part of it is you beating up hookers."
"What's the other part?" Solaris blinked before she gaped and let out a small growl. "Don't tell me people actually think Lady Hestia is some rising Don that wants to conquer the dark parts of the city?"
The silence that followed was answer enough. Rolling her eyes, Solaris sat back down on her chair.
"Wow, people really are gullible, huh?"
"People are stupid, yes."
"But that doesn't explain those looks of pity." H-Man and Solaris turned to Eina, who twirled her hand at the place. "You didn't notice?"
"I did, I just ignored it. I mean, why'd they pity me?"
Scorn and disgust she could get. Solaris was well aware of her rep as a literal hothead. But pity? That was actually insulting. However it wasn't the same kind she had to face sometimes when people compared her to the two newcomers of the Familia. Given she had no answers, she skillfully ignored it. Eina and H-Man also didn't have any answers, as they shrugged in confusion. But then someone cleared their throat. The trio turned around, looking at the pink haired guild worker who awkwardly raised her hand.
"Misha?" Eina asked, trailing off as she gestured for the girl to speak up. Misha touched the tip of her index fingers, making it a point to not look Solaris in the eyes.
"I-I heard... well... Some might think you are... sorta... kinda... "
"Spit it out!" Solaris shouted, feeling frustrated at that pussy footing. The worker let out a squeak before hiding behind Eina.
"Aslave!"
A heavy silence fell between them. Solaris slowly cleaned out her ears, her mouth half open as her brain tried and failed to process what she just said. An emotionless laugh escaped her as she leaned over the counter, causing Misha to whimper as she backed off against the wall.
"...I'm what?" She asked calmly. Absolutely no rage whatsoever. She was as cool as ice. Her totally pleasant mood caused Eina to shake out of her own daze. Turning around, she grabbed Misha by the shoulders, an offended expression on her face on Hestia's behalf.
"People think Lady Hestia is with Evilus?!"
"N-Not that. Err, just... well... that the Night Queen-"
Solaris slammed her fist down the counter, causing it to crack. The people around them stopped their own work and chattering as Solaris let out steam through her mouth. Night Queen. Evilus. Tomato, tomahto. What mattered was that someone was suicidal enough to fuck with her Familia and her rep!
"What a load of fucking bullshit!" She turned around, spreading her arms open, daring anyone to face her."Do I look like some piss poor slave?!"
A part of her relished that some had the shame to actually look away. But it also only fueled her anger. Pah, she had to go on a rat hunt then. Cracking her neck she was about to step out when a hand grabbed her shoulder. She glanced back with a heated look, seeing H-Man shake his head while wincing at the touch of her hot skin.
"Oi. Solaris. Don't fall for it. It's a trap." He pointed at her. "They want you to get angry. Want to ruin your Familia's rep. It's classic bullying. Escalate and you play right into their hands."
"Why do you sound like you got experience?" She asked, some of her anger seeping away a bit. H-Man bit his lip before shrugging noncommittally.
"I see a lot."
Uhuh. Solaris took a deep breath. Right. Right. Had to be smart about this. Not like rushing out would lead to any capture of those responsible for this. First she had to meet up with everyone, strategize and not go into a blood ra-
"Leave us alone!"
Hestia. In an instance flames flickered in her palm as she grit her teeth, an inhuman noise escaping her. The guild workers backed away from the heat she radiated.
"Oi, don't! You're just gonna pour fire into the oil!" H-Man shouted, concern in his voice. Turning her head, she gave him a wide grin, barely restraining herself from losing it completely.
"Good! The oil stuck around longer than it should have!"
Fuck it, she was going to burn down the entire city if she had to. Rushing out, she ran towards her goddess' location, already roaring in rage as she flared Inferno, forcing anyone in her path to get out of her way.