Back from short vacation ^^' Also a thanks to Krikasu for helping with the chapter :D
AGuyWhoReads: Well wanted to add Bete but volume 5 (or 6?) of war game proved he shows A BIT of respect towards him XD Wouldn't make sense if a level 4 flipped over a level 6 and he didn't react back... Doesn't mean i'm not doing it soon XD
Shin Hyo Joon: Glad ya liked it :D I agree with you though and yes, there will be more badass Bell in the future :P
Ca1piggy: Thanks and sure, but not this chap sorry ^^' Still doing them though :D
Moon Rabbit (Guest): Thank you you just gave me an idea! XD wonder what Bete and the Bell-sick women will say to that XD
Disclaimer: i don't own DanMachi T_T
Enjoy!
"That should be enough, right?" Bell smiled at the half-elf in front of him, starting to make his way back to his friends who were waiting at the couch of the guild.
"Well, yes. But don't forget to come back and give me a report." Eina reminded with a smile. He nodded quickly and was about to head back when-
SLAM!
The doors slammed open and an elf stomped inside. Silence fell around the guild as she spotted Eina, stomped up to her and slammed her hands on the desk.
"Eina-san, i would like to take that haunted house quest!"
"T-the haunted house?" Eina blinked and sweat-dropped. "T-that quest had already been taken Viridis-san, i'm sorry but-"
Lefiya pouted, letting her head fall on the desk as her silk hair fell alongside her. "Moo and i thought i'd reach on time…" Eina giggled at her expense. "Whose taken it, Eina-san?"
"U-umm…" Lefiya jumped, turning around to face the rabbit who awkwardly stood behind her. He smiled sheepishly, offering a wave. "H-hello, Lefiya-san… the thing is…" Having heard her words loud and clear, he regretted taking that quest. He held the paper up and she blinked.
The next she took it and read through it. No way. Her ears drooped, her eyes growing teary and hold on the paper growing stronger as she read through it. Bell looked almost ready to throw himself at her feet to apologize but she surprisingly… took in a deep breath.
Then, she turned to Eina and gave her the paper.
"Please, allow me to do this quest alongside Bell Cranel!"
"Eh?" Both echoed baffled.
With the elf having her reasons to wanting that specific quest, Bell couldn't deny. Besides, since Welf and Lili wouldn't be coming he'd be all alone. At least like this he'd get an ally to help him. In his wildest dreams though, would he have never imagined that ally to be an elf who always butted in between him and Ais.
"Haha… interesting house. And… interesting location."
"You choose your words carefully, Bell Cranel."
The white-haired, sweat-dropping and slightly pale boy looking up at the house they stood in front of, the slightly hesitant and also pale elf beside not failing to follow his gaze. Why the hell did it have to get dark even if the sun hadn't fully set, they had no idea. They could care less.
The house was not a house, but a whole two story mansion. Beyond the dusty fence that surrounded it, it had cracked, run-over walls and windows, the roof on top looking just as demolished. The wooden, old door was locked shut and Bell SWORE he heard laughter from inside. With nothing to light their way, it was extra dark. Not even the moon who for some reason decided to get shy and hide behind the dark clouds that had started to cover the sky.
Overall, it looked like a haunted house alright. Both were having second thoughts about the quest now.
"S-so, they say it's haunted?"
"Y-yes, they report seeing… THINGS-" Nice choice of words Bell. "-around the mansion and voices. Silent voices echoing around even if no one actually lives here. That's why the owner left to live in an inn."
"Ah. I… see."
Bell took a deep breath in and they started to walk down the path leading to the front door, already having crossed the fence. Stepping in front of the door, Bell slammed open the door and both looked inside. Deciding they were doing what they were doing, both stepped inside.
The hall was even creepier than the outside look. With a staircase in the middle leading up to the second floor and leftover furniture around them, alongside the hallway separated by the staircase that probably led to… something. Probably wouldn't look so spooky if it wasn't so dark.
SLAM!
The door slammed shut behind them and both jumped, immediately turning around. Lefiya sweat-dropped, growing even more hesitant and spooked.
"T-the wind." Bell blurted out with a startled smile. "Probably the wind. Yeah, definitely the wind."
At least sound sure of yourself when saying that. Lefiya sweat-dropped further and turned back to the hall, puffing her chest out and walked ahead. "Come, Bell Cranel. The faster we clear the faster we will get out of here."
"Y-yes!" He jumped and followed her, as they turned to the right hallway. What they didn't notice were the three figures peeking from outside the window.
"Ehehe told ya Lefiya was going out on a date with Argonaut-kun!"
"Choosing a haunted house as a date location… he's unpredictable."
"... Lefiya… is stealing rabbit…?" Let's say they had gotten news about the… plan, and went along to 'observe' (mostly cause Tiona wanted to hear Bell scream).
"Ara ara." Meanwhile, only at the other side of the stairs on the second floor, a pallum sighed shooting a glance at the elf beside him. "You're becoming crueler the older you get, Riveria."
"Says the one who can't get a bride." Snickers echoed from behind at that.
As the two walked through the hallway, Bell couldn't help but notice how literally every lamp hung at the wall was broken and the glass from the broken windows were scattered on the ground. Did someone force their way inside or something? Awkward silence fell around them, the boy desperately trying to find something to talk about and the elf pouting as memories of the wall flashes through her mind.
That stealing bastard.
As they passed a door, something crashed. Both froze, slowly turning around to where the sound had come from. Inside the door, where no one was supposed to be…
"... h-human, are you sure no one was… here?" Lefiya gulped. Before Bell could answer, the door-nob clicked open and both jolted. It slowly started to open and long fingers crawled up the door. Seconds later, the face of a woman with long hair covering her face peaked out, with a scary smile.
"Excuse me children, are you lost- PWAH?!"
"AAAAHHHHH!"
"WAAAAAHHHHH!"
Lefiya pulled out her staff and literally threw it in her face, whistle Bell grabbed the door and slammed it- or, tried to- close with half her body still in the doorway. With the breath knocked out of her, the mysterious figure could only watch as the rabbit grabbed the elf's hand and scrammed. She grumbled, pushing the hair out her face to reveal her sharp red eyes.
"Riveria owes me a massage!"
"F-FASTER LEFIYA-SAN!"
"I-I'M NOT A RABBIT, BELL CRANEL!" They ran past the windows, where one could still see three figures.
"Yes Lefiya, exercise!"
"They have an interesting idea for a date…"
"..." The last one pouted. "... I want to… run with Bell… instead of running after him." The other two sweat-dropped at that.
Stumbling around the corner, Bell looked up and came to a sudden stop, Lefiya acting too late and tumbling into him. With both throwing themselves face-first at the feet of the figure in front of them, Bell could only hope they knew what they were doing. If they were in this situation, probably no.
"... Bell Cranel." Lefiya's muffled voice spoke up as her hands grazed something… soft and fluffy. So soft in fact, she'd almost mistake it for fur. Ahh she was in love. "... is that your hair?"
"... no…?"
Both looked up and paled, eyes making contact with a face containing sharp gray eyes and smile with fangs as teeth. Before the figure could make any move though, a kick connected with his face and Lefiya watched in surprise and Bell fell back on his feet from literally doing a spin-kick to it's face.
Without waiting he grabbed Lefiya and pulled her closer, turning and racing for the exit of the hallway. Her face flushed at how they were holding hands and how close they were, but she could worry about it later. Right now she was scared out of her wits and so was he.
"... Heh, a man you are."
"Not the time!" Bell flushed, not having been quiet this embarrassed- well except for maybe when he ran away from Ais or when he accidentally peeped on the women on floor 18th- you know what screw it the list was never-ending.
They finally stumbled out the hallway they had went through, now in the hall. "Sh-should we leave?!"
"W-we came here for a quest, we can't-!"
CREAK.
Both froze. The sound that came from the stairs, from BEHIND them, came again. Lefiya gulped, exchanged looks with a pale Bell as they, again, slowly turned around to whatever awaited them.
The woman, with black silk hair and a lone white beautiful dress, stood atop the stairs. She smiled sweetly at them, a straw hat resting atop her head. At the same exact time, many other figures jumped behind her, all looking scary and creepy in their own way. Then, the woman opened her mouth and-
"May we eat you?"
"AAAAAAAHHHHHHH!" This time Lefiya, in pure fear and not knowing what to do, threw herself on the shaking boy beside her, wrapping her arms around his neck and set on not letting go until all these nightmares returned. Bell, without a care in the world if she slapped him afterwards and whatnot and without knowing himself, immediately pulled her closer, both shaking in fear.
"Hey i wanna hug Argonaut-kun like that!" Tiona pouted from behind the window still. Tione was still wondering why they didn't just enter whistle Ais was pouting with flushed cheeks.
"... Lefiya… is taking him."
"...?"
"Fi-" The rabbit stuttered out, the rest realizing what he was about to call. "FIREBOLT!"
"Poor things are shaking." Finn whispered with a sweat-drop as he, in a costume, barely dodged the fire that came his way. But, without much of an effort Lefiya raised her hands and started chanting, a circle surrounding her and Bell.
"Unleashed streak of light, bow limbs of the holy tree!"
"Hehe…" Tione, finally throwing open the window and jumping in, sweat-dropped. Her sister and the sword princess followed suit, all standing beside the rest of Loki familia main members who had stopped to watch. "... should we stop them?"
"... yes." The woman, pulling off her hat and wig and revealing herself as Riveria, sweat-dropped and pulled out her staff, pulling back and throwing it at them-
The staff connected with Bell's head and threw him over, taking Lefiya along. Snapping out of their dazes, both looked up with tears in their eyes, as the rest also took their costumes off.
"... Ri… veria-sama…?"
"Bete… san…"
Let's say, Riveria wanted for Bell and Lefiya to get along. Hence, this 'genius' plan was created. How it brought them to an understanding, she couldn't understand. Perhaps the high elf just wanted to have some fun.
… or perhaps it worked, in some odd, weird way. The boy and elf, the next day, after explaining to the goddess of Hearth, Hestia (who for some reason found it so hilarious she burst into laughter whistle bell cried and hugged her for comfort), met again outside the guild.
"Riveria-sama wanted me to do this quest because I was too distracted…" Lefiya admitted at last, pouting and cheeks reddening as she said that. The image of the sword princess and the boy passed her mind again and her face turned redder. Because of those two in her mind, she had somehow messed up and Riveria had set it as punishment. Bell still looked clueless. "... S-so i wanted to clear the quest even if with you! D-don't get the wrong idea, i'm not your ally or anything!"
"... haha." Bell, watching her stammer and panic, chuckled with a smile. "Lefiya-san is still herself then. I thought you might have lost your mind when you agreed to join me…"
"Excuse me?!"
"S-sorry! B-but seriously, thank you for helping me." he gave her a bow. "It was a real help… even if it was a whole fake set-up of the Loki Familia to prank us." He paled. "Just how much did they pay for that..."
"... over a million, that's for sure." Lefiya chuckled, waving it off. No one should know the real number. They had went through ALL that trouble, even the captain and Bete who'd care less, so… she had to respect them for their odd choices. "A-anyways, i…" She flushed again. "... i wanted to apologize. And thank you."
"Eh?"
"For the trouble they caused you. Your reward will be given to you of course, for the effort you put in. and… thank you… for, not abandoning me, i guess…" She looked away. "E-even if you were as scared as me… you didn't leave me behind, so… t-thank you, Bell… san."
His face immediately flushed at how she called him and he looked down, both too flustered to say anything. Meanwhile, a bit far away, a certain princess and two sisters watched the interaction.
"Ooohhh Lefiya's getting devoted!"
"... Tiona, what are you saying…?"
"..." Ais blinked watching them, whistle mini-Ais jumped around in a fury while crying rivers of tears. "... Bell and… Lefiya?" She pouted. "... Bell, you baka."
Riveria's plan was a success!
… Somewhat.
Was the house really haunted though?
Choose, LefiyaxBell or AisxBell? ;D Also i'm open for ideas for chapters cause even if i have a lot they won't last long XD