Here is the next chapter. I apologize for any mistakes mixing up the Tione and Tiona names. I usually am trying to write Tiona since she is one of the main characters, but sometimes put in Tiones. Apologies! I have no beta heh. Anyways, here is the next chapter. Im sure it'll be a surprise.
Standing against a large window made of shimmering glass, stood a tall regal woman crowned with silver hair. She wore an outfit that would make most amazons blush, an outfit that seemed almost like dark purple flames had covered parts of her body. Multiple pieces made this outfit out, with full length gloves that covered up towards her shoulder, with a matching collar. The sides of her body wore a single one piece dress that merely covered her breasts and the sides of her body, leaving most of her stomach completely bare as well as a generous portion of her breasts. It left her upper back completely open, with only a slim part of her lower back being covered. On her right side, the dress flamed down her leg like a cape with only her thigh being covered with the dress but only for a few inches on the inner. Her other leg had a 'stocking' like flame, that started from mid thigh down to her ankle, though it flared out at the top of her shin to the back and left. She also had similar colored 'flower' ornaments in her hair. She had purple eyes and her skin was white like fresh snow. She was the epitome of beauty and perfection with the perfection golden ratio for proportions. Behind this woman, was a massive animal-person, a Boaz.
"Ottar?"
"Yes Lady Freya?" Ottar spoke instantly without hesitation.
"What do you know of this boy? I've been interested in him for a while… but it seems he's become a lot more interesting as of late."
"Mmmmm the white haired fellow? His name is Bell Cranel, level 1, part of the Loki Familia. Seems his circumstances are unique." Ottar said, speaking a bit more than usual, as part of his dedication to Freya and answering her question to the best of his abilities.
"Yes, those circumstances are what pulled me in… besides that wonderful color. It's… pure… it's clean. He's growing so fast… Mmmm." Freya said, her voice becoming lower and huskier the longer she spoke. "I want him." She said firmly.
"Do you wish to start a war already? It'll be costly." He warned.
"No. I am merely interested in watching for now. I can take him at any time… Mmmm. I want to see him grow even more…" She thought, only for a twinkle in her eye to shine. She had come up with an idea. "Mmmm… I think I shall be attending the Monsterphilia~" She cooed, her right hand placed along her lower stomach in such a lewd manner. "Oh I can't wait to see what'll happen. Will he grow or will he fall?"
Bell and Welf returned from the dungeon as the sun began to set, turning in their magic stones and any extra drop items. They exited Babel with Bell holding a decent sized sack with him, before they arrived at an empty table littered in the courtyard around the fountain. Bell grinned and opened the bag, before dumping half of it onto the table before shoving the sack to Welf.
"Here. Half and half."
"Jeez. You really are something. You know, most party leaders take a cut for being the leader."
"Oh… that doesn't seem fair. You did your work too!" Bell exclaimed, only to get Welf to laugh a bit.
"You're an interesting one Bell. So, you were asking something earlier?"
"Yes. The Monsterphilia. What -exactly- is it? It sounds kinda… wrong."
"No Bell, that isn't what it means. It's a festival."
"A monster festival?"
"It's hosted by the Ganesha Familia every year! Basically, they bring up monsters from the dungeon and tame them in front of an audience. It brings in quite a lot of revenue for the people of Orario as the guild also sponsors it. Alot of the revenue made goes to the citizens."
"Oh wow. That sounds kinda awesome! Are you going to go?"
"Nah, not this year. I have some commitments with Hephaestus around that time, but go on without me. Heck, why not invite one of the pretty girls from your Familia hmm?" Bell blushed and looked down.
"I… It's not like any of that! I uh… I don't…" Welf laughed and gently ruffled Bell's hair.
"I'm just teasing. Just have a good time. So anything else?"
"No I'm good! That was a great dungeon dive! We made it all the way down to level six and we didn't even take any injuries!" Welf laughed and nodded.
"True and we could have went further but we forgot to pack a proper lunch. We know better next time huh?"
"Yes! I want to go again soon with you. When can you go next?!"
"Well, tomorrow is the festival so most adventurers if they aren't already down will use tomorrow as a rest day… so how about Tuesday? I should be finished with things Monday afternoon. We can meet Tuesday morning as daybreak since that's when you seem to want to go. Sound good?" Bell nodded rapidly.
"Okay! I'll be sure to take some rest or just keep to the upper three or four floors!"
"Alright, well have a wonderful night Bell."
"Yes!" Bell smiled and both went their separate ways.
Bell stopped once he spotted the door to the Benevolent Mistress, staring up at the sign. He clenched his bag of Vali's before nodding. He walked up the steps and entered the bar, opening the door with his head raised high. He had a fantastic dungeon run, with lots of monster drops and a ton of Vali's in haul! He made a profit of 8,000 Vali's! He entered and was immediately spotted by Ryuu, who gave him a slight smile before walking over.
"Ah Mister Cranel, you seem in good spirits. A pleasant day down in the dungeon?"
"Ah! Yes Miss Ryuu! Can I… Can I see Mia please?" Bell pleaded, bowing to Ryuu. Ryuu stared at Bell before nodding, leading him around the bar and into one of the back doors, which lead into a private room. It was for reservations but it hardly saw any use.
"Wait here." Ryuu said, before leaving. Bell began to pace, his hands in his hair rubbing furiously. He was nervous, so nervous but he knew he had to do this. He was the one who made a mistake and he had to fix it. It took a few minutes, but Mia came through another door before approaching Bell.
"You have some Brass Balls to walk back in here after what you did last time." The large woman spoke, crossing her arms in displeasure. Bell immediately bowed to her.
"I am so so so sorry! I never meant to run off without paying the other night! I know that it was wrong and I promise it wont happen again! I wasn't thinking and I just ran!" Bell pleaded. Mia frowned before sighing.
"I know. As much as I want to berate you some more, I also heard everything. While I cannot just forgive you for not paying, I can understanding. Will you pay me back?"
"Yes! I actually came here with some Valis on me!" He exclaimed. "How much do I owe?!"
"You owe me six hundred Vali's."
"Here!" Bell immediately dug into the bag of Vali's, placing a thousand right into her hand, bowing a few more times after sealing his pouch. "I won't ever ever ever EVER do it again."
"Alright, you can stop apologizing. You can thank Ryuu for this. She defended you too and that's why Chloe and the others didn't go after you."
"A-Ah…"
"Anyways. You hungry? My special is really good tonight. Roasted Potatoes, a good steak and steamed veggies. It's nothing fancy, but it's good."
"Oh that sounds wonderful! I would love to! Please!" Bell exclaimed, smiling brightly. Mia gave him a small smile.
"Alright kid. Let's go. Take a seat in that old spot of yours." Mia said, gesturing to the door to the bar itself, while she disappeared into the door that led to the Kitchen.
Bell would spend the next hour, enjoying a good hot meal with a small glass of whiskey. Very small. It seemed Loki introduced him into something he shouldn't be doing. Bell headed home with the Full Moon shining bright over the city, giving the city a more lively evening, which was evident in the amount of people wandering around, visiting shops for food or other items. Bell avoided all of that, making his way home in twenty minutes, arriving at the gates which opened at his arrival. He gave them thanks and nods, before opening the door to the manor slowly, as if terrified that he wouldn't be allowed it.
"Hey It's Mr. Argonaut!" Tiona said, immediately running down the stairs before skidding to a stop. "How was your adventure?! Did you have fun?! Did you make a lot of money?! Did you get hurt?! How many monsters did you kill?! How about that Blacksmith? Is he okay? Did he have fun!? Are you hungry? You want something to drink?! Hi!" Tiona said, speaking quite rapidly with multiple questions, overwhelming the boy. Riveria came by shortly, becoming a guardian angel… elf.
"Tiona, you need to relax. He can't respond so quickly." She scolded, though she was merely passing by and she left towards the kitchen. Tiona flushed a bit before nodding.
"K sorry. My bad." The Amazon replied, sticking her tongue out cutely. "Did you have a good time?" She asked. Bell got his head back into gear and he nodded.
"It was a blast! I killed so many monsters and not even a scratch on me! Welf too! We made sixteen thousand Vali's and I have a few monster drops too!"
"Oh? Well aren't you such a strong adventurer." Tiona teased, leaning forward. She began to realize just what her body did to the boy, and while she wasn't going to go after him right now, she figured teasing him would be sufficient for her. Oh, and she was right. Bell lit up red, steam escaping his ears as he tried looking elsewhere but her chest, but his eyes were fluttering from her face to her chest. Tiona grinned, seeing the poor boy was having a hard time. "I can't wait to see what else you can do~" She cooed, giving him some innuendo before she stood back up, leaving the room to leave Bell alone to recover. Bell immediately took off, still steaming, barreling up the staircase, his footsteps loud. He rushed into his room and slammed the door shut, leaning against it with a deep blush.
'I'm in love…' Bell thought, giving a bright smile as he began to envision Tiona, bending over and giving him a congratulatory kiss to the forehead. He wanted it to become true, and that is when his back lit up softly, his skill activating as he continued envisioning Tiona as his. He opened his eyes after a minute, a bright smile on his face as he began removing his armor, letting it clatter to the floor, slowly dancing to an invisible tune, enjoying his mind racing as he thought of his crush. If there was a tune that he would to, it would be a slow and calming melody. ((I was listening to Jim Croce: Time in a bottle.)) As he finished removing his armor entirely, he stood before a mirror and grinned. 'I'm going to be the strongest. I promise. Just wait for me Tiona….' He thought confidently, before gathering a change of clothing. He for sure, needed a bath after the dungeon. He left his armor scattered before gathering a towel from his closet. He made his way to the door and opened it, only to let out a yelp of surprise. Loki was there and she had her hand up in an effort to knock. She looked surprised as well. "Ah Goddess! H-How are you?!"
"I'm well, just wanted to come by after I heard you had returned." Loki said calmly, before a twinkle in her narrowed eyes began to shine. "Oh? Going to bathe so soon? Mmmm sounds like a perfect opportunity to update your status hmm?"
"N-No n-need! I uh. We can do it after! I'm all stinky and nasty!"
"My entire Familia is filled with stinky and nasty adventurers. I can survive." Loki said with a smirk. "I'll even wash your back… ooh maybe I'll let you wash mine." Loki teased. She had a brand new child and this one had such beautiful reactions that she was finally turning her attention from all the nice breasts in her Familia to embarrassing and teasing Bell.
"G-Goddess! We can do it later! Please!" He pleaded, only for Loki to grin even wider and more mischievous.
"You'll do well to obey your Goddess… so you and I are going to go to the baths! Now let's go!" She said, grabbing Bell by his hand, dragging the poor beat red child down the hallway, ignoring his pleas. Riveria popped her head out from her room, eating a snack as she stared at the pair.
"While I don't approve of your actions… It's better than you going after all the women." Riveria said before glancing at Bell. "Good luck Bell Cranel." She stated, before disappearing back into her room.
"NOOOO!" Bell cried, as he was taken away!
Twenty minutes later, Bell could be found in the girls bath, submerged down to his nose in the waters, his back to Loki who was laying back against one of the walls of the large bath.
"Aaaah this is the liiiiife." She moaned out. "Riveria scolded me for getting this put in, but I knew I was right to and I think she agrees. It's so relaxing. Mmmmm." She sighed out, before looking over at Bell who was blushing hard with his back turned. "You alright over there kid? Men would kill to be where you are at." She replied, humming, only to glance behind her as the door opened suddenly.
"Ya hoo! I've been needing this all daaay!" Tiona yelled, rushing into bath stark naked, leaping into the air a bit before landing in the bath with a big splash. "Oh hey there Goddess! What brings…. Argonaut?!" She exclaimed, before grinning. "How forward! Already trying to sneak peaks by bathing with your Goddess and me?" She cooed, enjoying how she could see the steam escaping his body from how hot under the collar he was. He couldn't see behind him and see just how good the amazon looked without her skimpy clothing, but he could imagine it and imagine it he did. Loki smirked over at Tiona.
"I figured dragging him in here would help build some character. Figured some experiences with women would be a good thing."
"Oh? Well, count me in!" She exclaimed, grinning. "If it means I get to tease Mr. Argonaut, well who am I to deny that?!" She laughed but that was enough. Bell had enough and stood up before darting out of the bath.
"SORRY!" He yelled out, immediately rushing out with his hands covering his junk. He grabbed his towel on the way out before darting into the Men's bath, slamming the door shut into the locker room, before rushing into the bath itself. He rushed into the water and sank down, flushing. 'Is teasing me all she wants… all she will ever want…?' He thought, his face becoming more and more pale as the embarrassment disappeared, filling with bitter regret. 'I won't give up. I will make her see me as more than just a teasable boy!'
In the other bath, Loki looked over at Tiona as the Amazon just stared at the door with a slight frown.
"It was going to happen. I had figured it would, but I'm hoping that he will gain some confidence and not give up on his dream. You know he likes you right?"
"Uh yea… yea. I've noticed how he looks at me. Why?" Tiona asked, looking at her Goddess. Loki hummed softly.
"It's not a normal occurrence for adventurers to be dating. At least from my knowledge. Especially in the larger Familia's. Most are too occupied to even think about it… but that boy? Well, I think he's definitely set on dating you."
"I… I haven't… well I promised myself to hold myself back myself. I can't deny my own attraction to him. The way he rushes into battle, wants to be strong, and his will to be a hero? It's my fantasy." She admitted. "But… I want to wait until he's stronger…"
"That's understandable… but… are you prepared? He's going to be attracting a lot of women. You do know that right?" Loki said, giving Tiona a slight stare, with her eyes opening up a bit more out of seriousness. She cared for all of her children, which mostly meant her main executives. Yea, she had favorites. She wasn't perfect, but she didn't neglect any of them entirely. "He's going to make a harem… I can just tell. I have a really -really- bad feeling about his… grandpa."
"I… I don't…" Tiona hadn't ever thought about that. She pulled back a bit from the door and took a seat in the bath. "I think… I'm not sure. I need more time to think about it." Tiona admitted, frowning a bit.
"I don't think it'd really change anything." Loki admitted, leaning against the walls. "The deitys are well known for having harems and we don't frown upon it. It's usually the best thing for creating off springs honestly. I'm sure you noticed, but there are more women adventures, especially in the higher tiers then men. You are going to have it hard… all of you will… if you want to settle down with someone who is strong." Loki replied, looking up at the ceiling. "He won't be like that old pervert was… He'll actually care for everyone and love them." She said, mostly talking to herself. "I really hope my feeling is wrong and you aren't his grandpa…" She muttered before she shook her head and looked at Tiona. "You don't have anything to worry. He'll always be himself and would give his life for you." Loki said, giving Tiona a slight thumbs up. Tiona looked away from Loki, getting lost in thoughts, thinking nothing but of Bell and what she would want.
Bell stayed in the bath for a good hour and a half, hiding mostly submerged under the hot water for the most part, though he did clean himself eventually. He got out, dried off and tossed the towel into the towel hamper, before getting dressed. 'I'll make her proud. I'll make Loki proud too. And Mother Riveria!' Bell said, clenching his fist with a big smile. He was going to be someone to be proud of. Bell left the bath, dressed in a dark blue T-shirt, with a pocket along his left breast with black slacks, as well as a new pair of boots, this time no longer up to his knees. Just up almost half way up his shins. He made his way into the kitchen, making him a plate of food before heading to the dining room. He arrived, only for Riveria to be there, sitting in one of the chairs. She had a book before her and a cup of tea, flipping pages every once in a while. Bell took a seat and this alerted the beautiful elf to look up from her book.
"Ah, I hope you enjoyed your night in the bath with the women. Bete would kill to be where you are." She commented. Bell flushed.
"It's… not like I wanted to do it." Bell replied softly.
"But you didn't hate it." Riveria pointed out, giving him a playful smirk. "Just saying, you should count your blessings that our Goddess and Tiona enjoy having you around that much." Riveria pointed out, only for Bell to look confused.
"H-how did…"
"Tiona is very loud. She was easily heard when I was passing by on my way here." Riveria replied before sighing. "Anyways, how goes your dungeon adventuring? You have any questions?"
"Mmmm. No. Welf and Miss Eina have been great help… but thank you. You guys have been… very welcoming and I want you to know how much I appreciate it all. I know I'm not what you were looking for."
"Can't say we were looking for anyone and I do admit, if we had only saw you, we might have rejected you, but Loki made her choice and we are glad that she did. You do belong here and we are glad to have you in this Familia. So don't be afraid to ask us for things." Riveria said, before gesturing to his food. "Enjoy your dinner." She said, ending the conversation as she returned to her book and her tea, leaving Bell to eat his meal in silence, minus the noises of page flips and tea sips.
'Mama Riveria… I will make you proud. I want… I want you to notice my potential and know that I, for sure, belong here.'
Bell finished his dinner, bowed gently to Riveria who gave him a nod, before the White haired lad made his way to his room, ready to retire for the night. Luckily for him, there wasn't any interruptions on the way up, so when he got to his room, he undressed to his underwear before falling into bed, ready for the next day. Only one thought floated through his mind as sleep took him.
'I wonder if Tiona would wanna go with me…'
The morning came rather roughly for the young man.
KNOCK KNOCK.
"Hey Mister Argonaut! Are you awake!? Come on! It's time for the Monsterphilia!" Tiona pleaded, before knocking again. She then stopped only to laugh as she heard Bell fall off the bed, probably tangled in his sheets.
"I-I'm coming!" Bell exclaimed, hopping up and down after getting out of the sheets, putting on some pants, struggling with grunts which only made the Amazon laugh even harder. When Bell opened the door, his hair all messy from the bed, Tiona only laughed even harder.
"Jeez. Sleep much? Didn't you know its time for the festival?! Gotta be up for that!" Tiona giggled, only to make Bell yelp when she dragged him out of the room by his collar. "Come on! We gotta go!"
"Tiona w-wait! AAH! I need to brush my teeth!"
"Too late for that!"
"Well at least let me grab my weapons!"
"Why?! No need for any weapons as its as safe as can be!" Tiona declared, but Bell managed to wriggle from her grasp, watching him rush back to his room. "Come on Bell!" She exclaimed, huffing. "You don't need your weapons!"
"I need to be prepared!" Bell said, running back. She watched as he put his scabbard on his lower back, before rushing back to meet up with Tiona. "Can I get some breakfast?"
"You can eat at the festival. Let's go! Everyone has already left!" Tiona exclaimed, grabbing Bell by his right hand before running off, dragging the young man along with her, who was flailing as he struggled to keep up.
"Slow down! I can't keep up!"
"Go faster?! Okay!" Tiona declared with Glee, before pretty much lifting the boy off the ground by his hand, dashing through the city while keeping him with her.
"AAAAAAH!" Was all that was heard through the city as the level 6 adventure 'kidnapped' Bell for the Monsterphilia.
Bell was finally released from Tiona's grasp when they arrived to find their Familia all grouped up near the entrance. The only ones missing were Loki and Ais.
"Ah, I was wondering where you two were." Finn said, turning before giving a slight smirk towards Bell. "Glad you could join us. We tried to wake you up earlier, but it seems you were knocked out real good. We told Tiona to let you sleep but she insisted." He teased the Amazon and her crush. Bell flushed and nodded.
"T-thanks for having me. Sorry to be late?" Bell, not sure if he was supposed to apologize or not. Finn shook his head.
"No need for that. You aren't late or anything. You aren't required to be here so no apologies necessary." He said, waving off his concern. Bell nodded before looking around. "We'll enter the arena here shortly, but we're waiting for our Goddess and Ais. They went off to meet with another deity I believe." Finn stated, giving a slight shrug. "If you want, you can walk around and observe." Bell nodded.
"I think I will do that." Bell said, starting to make his way off to the left side of the coliseum, only for Tiona to rush over and walk with him.
"I'll come with you Mister Argonaut!" The Amazon stated. Bell blushed before nodding. It was like a date!
'Bell. If you like a girl and are afraid of making any sudden moves to get her to notice you… there is always a sure fire way to victory… hold their hand. Reach out and grab their hand. It is subtle but effective. Remember, you can't be a coward and let the woman make all the moves. You must try.'
Bell clenched his fists, before he would attempt to reach out with his right hand, only to pull it away when he was within an inch of Tiona's hand. Tiona, on the other hand, glanced over and noticed Bell's hesitation and his actions. She was tempted to reach out and grab his hand herself, but she held off. She wanted Bell to get some confidence and to do it himself. If she has to, she'll make her move, but she was patient. She could wait as she had planned to anyway until he reached level 2.
Looking from a two story window, from an empty cafe, was the silver haired woman again from before. This time she was dressed in a full cloak, hiding her hair and her forehead, keeping most from recognizing who she was. Across the table from her, was Loki with Ais standing behind her. Behind the silver haired woman, Freya, was Ottar.
"So, you have your eye on somebody and are planning to take them…?"
"Mmmm. One day I plan on it, though I don't think it'll be soon." Freya said with a sigh, before glancing over at Loki. "But when that day comes, that I come for that boy… Don't get in my way." She warned Loki, who immediately tensed up.
'Who is she referring to… No… She wouldn't… She wants Bell doesn't she… I need to find out…'
"Depends on who the kid is I suppose. Why this particular one? What makes him so attractive to you? Tell me about him."
"Weak. Unreliable. Easy crier. He's unbelievably childish. But he's strong willed, stubborn, and he's very cute. His aura is unlike that of any I've seen. Pure. It's the whitest white that I've ever seen. Honestly, finding him was just a coincidence. He merely passed by my gaze and then disappeared shortly after. I catch a glimpse every now and then… and I just want more." Freya said, before looking back out at the window. It was then she spotted him. Bell. She stood up and bowed her head very slightly to Loki. "Apologies, but I must be going. Something has come up."
"Eh? Already? Jeez. Well, as long as it doesn't effect me… I don't care what you do." Loki replied. "But don't think that I will back down without a fight either." Loki replied, warning Freya who merely smiled and left the cafe. Loki stayed behind with Ais before clenching her fists. "That bitch..."
"Hmm?"
"She's after Bell. I just know it. That damn harlot is after MY child!" Loki said, slamming her fists on the table in fury. "Damnit! Damnit damnit damnit!" Loki cursed, gritting her teeth, before looking out into the crowd attending the festival. "We need to make sure he gets stronger… We need to make sure we are all stronger…"
"Is there… male Amazon's?" Bell asked, a thought entering his head. He looked over at Tiona curiously, tilting his head. Tiona raised a brow at the question before she nodded to herself. She had expected Bell to be unaware of how the Amazon's are.
"Actually, no. We are a fully female race." Tiona replied as they walked past a few stalls before she stopped in front of a Potato Puff stall, ran by a short yet well endowed woman with pig tails. She ordered two Potato puffs, paid with some Valis before offering Bell one.
"Thank you for your service!" Spoke the girl behind the stand while both Bell and Tiona just gave her a smile and a wave.
"Does that mean…" Bell asked slowly, glancing down Tiona's body towards her waist in which Tiona followed his gaze. Tiona raised a brow and smirked, leaning over to gently nudge Bell in his shoulder.
"And pray tell what are you going to ask?" Tiona asked, her voice going into a lower octave, teasing him.
"Well… um. Do you… uh… have… parts to… you know… have… babies with other amazons?" He asked, nervous about asking such a question considering it was personal-esque. Tiona's grin just widened.
"Are you asking if I have a penis little Argonaut? Are you worried I might be part man?" She teased.
"I'm not worried! I'm…. curious!" Tiona laughed and nodded.
"I bet you are. Well, no. No Amazon in history has ever had a penis. We're all female all the way."
"Then how do you guys come to be?"
"Welllllll…." Tiona started, beginning to think how to respond before grinning. She was going to tease him a bit more, and see how he might respond. She wasn't completely against going out with him before he got stronger, but that was all dependent on him. "We like to take cute little boys like you… kidnap them… whisk them away… and make them our little slaves… mmmm. Breeding Bulls we call ones like you~" She cooed into his right ear as she leaned over to give him that right amount of tease that sent a thrill running through her veins. Bell didn't disappoint. The poor boys ears exploded with steam, his face red and his eyes swirling as the thoughts of what that would entail began running through his head, short circuiting him.
"AAAAAAAAH!" Came a female cry, out from the left entrance of the coliseum. "They broke free!" Tiona was immediately on alert, which also got Bell's brain to re-energize.
"Stay safe! Help uh… get the people to safety! It looks like there is a situation!" Tiona exclaimed, not giving Bell a chance to respond as she dashed away, heading towards the commotion. Bell blushed, watching his crush rush off to save the day.
'I hope to be like her one day…' He thought, before deciding to get into action. He hopped up onto a couple crates, before directing traffic down the street. "Come on! This way! Move orderly but quickly! No shoving!" He exclaimed, only to spot one of the sewer grates pop off the street, flying up into the air preparing to land right where the crowd is. 'Crap! That is going to hurt people! Uh! I don't have my chain! What can I do?!' Bell thought to himself, watching as the sewer grate began falling rapidly. He decided to literally leap into action, jumping off the crates and onto one of the carts, hopping from stand to stand, trying to get closer and closer to the grate. He leapt off the final cart into the air, before catching the grate mid air. Twisting his body and spinning, he flung the grate hard, flinging it towards the empty alley located to his west. It was an alley that was used for storage for the festival, so a lot of supplies were there. When it landed, it destroyed a crate of corn, but the food luckily stopped the grate before causing more damage. Bell landed, only for a massive fist to come crashing up through the ground, throwing Bell into the air with the debris. Bell landed safely, having taken very little damage from the attack, but what he saw terrified him, freezing him in place.
The ground cracked and shook, breaking apart as a massive beast began to emerge from the sewer.
Guwaaah!
The beast roared as it shook itself from the debris, throwing rock and stone around it. It was a massive ape, with white fur. It was a Silverback but this one was much bigger than the ones down in the dungeon! It's an irregular! People screamed in panic, running around the beast who began to roar, preparing to start swinging but Bell finally woke up from his panic attack.
"HEY! UGLY! OVER HERE!" He screamed, throwing a loose stone right into the monsters left cheek, which got its attention quick. 'I need to save these people! If I can lure this beast away, they can get away!' Bell thought. The beast gave chase, taking a massive swing at Bell who leapt backwards. 'That was close… He's strong! I… I don't think I can beat him! I need to run!' Bell immediately ran away, heading down one of the empty streets, with the Silverback in pursuit.
Tiona pulled her hand out of the forehead of the large lizard monster that had escaped, before flicking her wrist to clean her hand from all the blood. She looked around and frowned, which is when Finn and Riviera appeared.
"Do you know what happened?" Finn asked Tiona, only for her to shake her hand.
"No, but I can't find Bell."
"Where was he last?" Riveria asked. Tiona pointed towards the stands along the left side of the main entrance of the coliseum.
"We were over there when the beasts escaped, so I told him to stay put and help manage an escape for the others…"
"Was there a monster over there?" Finn asked, his eyes staring at the debris he could see scattered along the path way since the crowd had begin clearing out.
"No…. BELL!" Tiona immediately rushed away, heading towards where she left Bell. Finn and Riveria gave chase. When all three arrived, Tione was waiting. She was kneeling at the large hole in the ground, looking down.
"Looks like one of the monsters had been in the sewers before coming up on this spot. Anyone know why?" The eldest Hiryute sister asked. Finn looked around, frowning.
"Where is Bell… you don't think he would…?" He looked back at Riveria who was staring out towards the street that Bell had went into, not that they know.
"He would." Riveria said with a growl. "Damn idiot. Yea, he's trying to be the hero."
"We need to find him. We don't know what beast came out and he is just a level one. Tiona, go. We'll stay here and make sure there aren't any stragglers and find out the cause."
"Right!" Tiona replied, darting away to the rooftops without any hesitation.
Finn looked at his group and sighed. "Let's go figure out how these beasts escaped Ganesha's grasp. This has never happened before."
Bell spat up blood when the massive fist collided with his side and his arm that was blocking, which sent him flying into a nearby wall, imprinting his body in it. Bell spat up a bit more blood, looking up at the monster. 'I need to take a stand… I can't keep running.' Bell thought, standing up as the beast beat its chest, letting out another roar before charging. Bell immediately dodged to the left as a fist collided with the wall right where he was, forming a large hole in the building. Bell jumped onto another wall, before kicking off with his knife drawn.
"AAAAH!" Bell roared, attempting to drive his knife into the beasts arm, hoping to weaken its arm. The knife sunk into the beasts flesh, but only for an inch. Bell was grabbed not even a second after landing the blow, before being tossed onto the ground on the other side of the beast.
GAH!
Bell vomited up a massive amount of blood, staring up into the sky. 'I can't beat it… it's too strong… I'm going to die here aren't I?' Bell thought, only for his body to move before the double fist of the ape could strike down on him. Dust and debris flew into the air from impact, obscuring view from both beast and man. 'Come on Bell. This is where you are supposed to shine! This is where you are supposed to be strong and be the hero! FIGHT!'
Bell stood up and charged into the dust, dodging to the left of the massive ape's fist which had blindly swung once it heard Bell. Bell took his blade and ducked under the beast, swiping at the beasts right ankle. It drew blood, getting the beast to cry out in pain and rage. Bell swung his blade over and over, keeping himself near the legs to avoid being swatted as the beast flailed, trying to knock Bell away. 'I can do this! I CAN WIN!' Bell said confidently, swiping at the left and right ankles, trying to bring the ape down to his knees, but Bell wasn't getting deep enough.
Tiona heard the loud roars of the beast, immediately changing direction. She scaled the rooftops like an acrobat, moving closer and closer. 'Come on Bell! Please be alive! Please!' She thought.
Bell ducked under another wild fist from the beast, dodging its blow before driving his blade into the back of the knee of the ape, which got the Silverback to roar in absolute fury. Swinging its arms wildly, the chain on the beast's arms began to swing forth, clanging on the ground. Bell continued to swipe left and right, dancing around the beasts legs, but his time was up. A chain slid along the ground before colliding with the white haired boy, sending him up into the sky. When Bell was able to look down, his eyes went wide. The beast was waiting. A massive fist connected with Bell in mid air, this time with the chain wrapped around the fingers like a brass knuckle. Bell went flying at mach speed into an empty shop stand. Bell groaned as he laid on his back, pieces of wood stuck in his arms and his right arm. He turned onto his back and held his right arm, which was broken at an odd angle at the elbow. 'I'm sorry Tiona… I'm sorry Goddess… I don't think… I don't think I'll be home for dinner.' Bell prayed, giving up as the beast approached, drool dripping on the ground as it prepared for a meal.
'A shame… I thought you would have been strong enough to handle it… Guess I was wrong.' Freya thought bitterly, shaking her head but she smiled. 'I won't give up on you though. I know you have the potential… Perhaps you just need another push…' She thought.
Bell watched as the Silverback began to reach for Bell's body, only for the Silverback to vomit up blood all over Bell. Bell's eyes looked down from the terrifying face that looked him in the eyes. There was a massive fist that stuck out of the Silverback's chest, right where its heart was. The was punched out of the chest of the Silverback, having landed on the wall behind Bell. The Silverback turned to Ash, and it was Bell's savior from before. Tiona.
"BELL!"
Tiona came up on the sounds, but what she saw made her heart sink. She watched as Bell was flung into the air and then punched full force away. She could heart his bones snap from the impact. She didn't hesitate. She leapt forward, just as the beast went to reach for Bell. She raised her fist back and thrust it forward, penetrating the beast through the back, into the heart and out the chest, sending the heart of the beast flying. When the Silverback turned to Ash, Tiona immediately collapsed to the ground.
"BELL!" Tiona screamed, immediately collapsing to her knees before the fallen boy, who was barely conscious. She knew from a glance that he suffered multiple broken bones, internal bleeding not to mention the concussion. He wasn't even there, even if conscious. He was closer to death then he was before and that scared the Amazon. "Bell! You have to stay awake! I'll get you some help!" She cried, lifting the boy up into her arms, who let out a yell of pain from his shattered bones in his arm and ribs but Tiona had to do this. She leapt into the air and immediately ran across the rooftops, heading straight for Finn and the others. Hopefully they had some potions! She stopped about half way and turned, heading straight for the manor. Bell needed to be put in a bed before he was given any potions. He was going to have a hard time drinking potions and doing it in public would only worsen any situation. She ran across the roof tops, making sure to keep from doing too far leaps to lessen force upon Bell as she moved. She only hoped that the others would make their way back to the manor.
Finn sighed and exited the holding dungeon under the coliseum. He started nipping his thumb, feeling it throb.
"What is it? Something bugging you?" Riveria asked.
"I have a very bad feeling… something bad has happened… and I am not sure what." Finn admitted. It was then someone ran up to the Loki Familia, just as Loki had arrived with Ais.
"Guys! I hope you are all okay!" Spoke the man. "But there's a problem. Tiona was spotted carrying someone! I thought you might wanna know! She was headed towards your Manor!"
"Damnit. I knew that kid would get hurt." Riveria cursed, before looking down at Finn. "We must return at haste."
"I know, but can we leave the rest up to the Ganesha Familia here?" He asked the man.
"Yes! We will handle it from here! This is our problem anyway!"
The Familia, including Loki ran off, heading back to the Manor.
"Damnit! Why was he on his own?!" Loki demanded of her Familia while traveling. She was on Ais's back, being carried to the manor.
"It was Tiona's choice to leave him behind, hoping to keep him away. We didn't expect that a monster would come up from the sewers and attack him." Finn stated, moving through the streets with determination.
Tiona ran up the stairs, kicking open her own door since it was on the first floor. She quickly placed him down on her bed, ignoring all the blood that was coming from his nose, ears and lips. He did have some internal bleeding but she could tell he was alive. He was still breathing, though his breaths were shuddered. She noticed he was passed out now.
"Come on Bell. You have to stay strong here. You did really good. Really. You saved a lot of lives… fuck." Tiona cursed, moving to keep Bell's head elevated with a few pillows. It was then the door to her room opened and rest of the Familia rushed in. Finn moved over to the other side of the bed from Tiona, taking a look at Bell. Riveria had moved next to Tiona and took out her pouch, pulling several vials of potions from it.
"Tiona, what happened?" Finn asked, looking at his subordinate.
"An irregular Silverback came. From the looks of it, it came from the sewers and Bell lead it away from the crowd. He tried fighting it but we know how that turned out.." She said bitterly, gently stroking Bell's left cheek. He unconsciously moved closer to her touch, obviously he was still in there.
"Damnit." Loki cursed. "I can't prove it but I know she had something to do with it. That damn bitch. Is he going to be alright?"
"He'll be fine." Riveria stated. "I highly doubt this man would die on us. He's still trying to get with Tiona and would refuse death until he did." Riveria said, giving Tiona a glance. "You have a great hold on him, don't use that against him." She scolded, before forcing several potions down Bells throat, watching as he began to steam. "That's all I can do for him. Should stabilize him but he's not out the woods yet. Just make sure that he doesn't move too much or drown in his saliva. Turn him onto his side." Riveria stated, which Tiona and Finn obeyed, gently moving Bell onto his left side.
Gareth and Bete entered the room shortly after, Bete with his hands in his pocket like the delinquent he acts like.
"What's with all the commotion?" Bete asked, before arriving at the bed. "Him again… What happened now?" He asked, being a lot more calm and not as aggressive.
"He got attacked by an irregular Silverback that escaped at the festival. He was leading civilians to safety when it came up in the crowd. Not a pussy ass sniveling infant anymore is he?" Riveria asked, giving Bete a harsh glare. She did not want him to cause any more trouble with Bell. Bete tsked and looked away.
"Shouldn't have e-"
"Don't you finish that." Tiona said, her voice low. "He may be weak and he may cry a lot… but he just risked his life to save people. He is a hero…. Even if you don't like it. So don't you dare finish that sentence." Bete looked at Tiona before he moved over towards the bed to look down at Bell.
"Get up pipsqueak. You need to be strong if you are going to be with Tiona. So get better, get back in the dungeon and work hard. If you have the will and the balls to do what they say you did, then I have no doubt you can do this. Don't disappoint kid." Bete said, giving a huff before leaving, leaving the group shocked though Finn was smiling.
"Well, that's something. Tiona, I leave him in your care. Everyone else, let's meet in the living room. I need to have a discussion about what to do with Bell." Finn replied. The others nodded, leaving Tiona in the room with Bell for a moment longer, but she left to join the discussion. Bell would be alright, plus they would be nearby. They all entered the living room and took their seats. Finn in the center of the couch, flanked by Riveria on his left and Loki on his right. Tione and Tiona stood to the left of the couch with Gareth sitting on a chair to the right of the couch and Bete sitting on chair next to Gareth.
"Is Raul and Lefiya still deep in the dungeon on their own?" Finn asked.
"Yea." Loki replied. "Though they have been down there for a while. It's a little worrisome."
"Raul is a good leader. I'm sure they are okay. Let's give them a few more days as I'm sure they'd love to meet Bell. Anyways." Finn stated. "So, let's get this out of the way. What happened today is not his fault nor ours. It was the fault of a third party who released the monsters. According to Loki, we suspect that Freya is the one behind this and her target is Bell. She intends to steal him out from us. We all know that when they come after one of us, they come after all of us. While Bell may be new, he already is a member of our Familia. You may have your issues with him Bete, but, I'm sure you know that what Freya wants is unacceptable." Finn stated, crossing his arms. "Agreed, Bete?"
"I don't hate the kid… I was drunk and I guess I was jealous. I don't hate him. I'll defend him like I'll defend any of you." Bete replied, which got Finn and the others to smile.
"Good." Finn nodded. "Now then, I believe we need to encourage Bell to get stronger. More dungeon time for sure. I know we have an expedition planned here soon, but would it be a smart idea to go?" He asked his group. Riveria was first to speak up.
"I think it's best we go on this expedition instead of hounding him for training. It'll only demoralize him. Like we don't trust him or whatever his mind may think of. We will not insult him for taking the risk he did. I've already realized this, and I am sure a lot of you have… but he is wanting to be a hero. While that is a reckless ambition, it is also a noble one. I could not be the one to kill that dream. So let's nurture it instead." She said, which got Tione and Tiona to nod. Finn hummed and nodded. Gareth spoke up.
"His hero complex, while I am not saying it in a negative way, may come into conflicts with other Familia's. What exactly are we to do in that situation?" Loki frowned.
"I don't want my Familia's name tarnished, but I also can't say I wouldn't help him either. Rather, I can't say I wouldn't want to help him. I say we play that one by ear and worry about it later."
"Agreed." Finn replied. "So, I think that's all that needs to be discussed for the night. Let's all get some food and relax. We have an expedition in a few days, so let's just relax and make sure Bell is alright." Finn stated, getting up from the couch. Tiona gave a small smile, but left to join Bell's room. Loki would follow shortly after closing the door behind her to Tiona's bedroom.
"He needs more experience." Loki said, not to anyone in particular. "His skills are strong, but he's just being pushed into these situations before he has a chance to use such skills. The dungeon is his best bet… but maybe a quick update of his Falna will be helpful." She moved to the other side of the bed, taking a seat. She pricked her finger with a needle and pressed her finger to Bell's back, not able to drop it due to him being on his side. His back lit up and Loki just stared slack jawed. "What the fuck?!"
Child: Bell Cranel.
Familia: Loki
Strength:101-H → 130-H
Endurance: 300-F → 380-F
Dexterity: 258 – G → 270 - G
Agility: 504 – D → 650 - C
Magic: 50- I
Skills:
Liaris Freese: Fast growth as long as the user is in love. The strength of the effects corresponds with the level of the user's feelings. As a side effect it makes the user immune to charms
Rabbits foot: Increased Luck. Experience gain and increased Monster drops as well as increased probability.
History's Greatest Loser: Every hit taken. Every scratch. Every bite. Every loss. The user gains knowledge, skill, foresight to fight stronger opponents.
Spells: Unknown. Has potential.
"This can't be… this is stupid! Another skill?! WHAT ARE YOU?!" Loki exclaimed.
Alright so, he has a new skill. Wonder if anyone has seen the TV show that this skill came from. It's actually a title for someone and its the basis of the skill itself. And as you can see, evne in loss, he's getting good experience. He's taking hits alot, so his endurance is rising quickly, compared to strength or dexterity. Obviously with him moving alot and dodging, his agility will be the highest.
For magic, should Bell have Fire or Lightning? I'll listen to all reasonings!
Anyways. Hope you all enjoyed.
Read. Review. Moo.