Chapter 35:
It was the morning of the party, but Bell couldn't allow himself to feel happy. Instead, he was worried. He sat in his room, legs crossed on the floor, and stared at the two black canisters on the ground. Goddess Hestia's instructions were to put a magic stone in the bottom and press the switch. Apparently, there was some kind of…message for him to watch. Hestia had promised that she had not watched more than a couple seconds, and Aisha had done the same. That had been enough to scare the two, though. But Hestia also promised that whatever was lurking in these canisters wasn't scary. All she had said was that it would be emotionally taxing.
So, Bell Cranel sat there. Part of him wanted to ignore these things, to wait for Hermes to get back. The other part was anxious and ready to listen to the message that awaited him. He picked up and inspected the canister on the left. It was unbelievably smooth, with a hole in the bottom and a glass circle at the top. He also picked up a magic stone that he had left on the floor just in case.
Slowly, he inserted the stone. Then, he pressed the only thing sticking out, a small button. Inside, the magic stone was crushed and turned into powder. Bell was quick to put the canister down. He stared at it, waiting for something to happen. Just as he thought the magic item was broken, an explosion of golden dust shot up. It floated in his room, sitting there. Bell watched it, confused. Was this all that was going to happen?
Then, light shot up. An image began to coalesce. Bell, sitting too close, couldn't quite make out what he was looking at. So, he shuffled backwards. As he did, the image took shape. It was a woman looking down at him. Colours were hard to make out, but it appeared as if she had long dusty gray hair and emerald-like green eyes. The woman smiled at him, and it was the kindest thing he had ever seen. Her face appeared as gentle and welcoming as Goddess Hestia's. He watched her, something familiar tapping his brain. He waited to see if anything else would come when she started to speak.
"Bell," began the woman, "I hope this finds you well. Since I don't know what Zeus and Hermes told you, let me explain," she brushed imaginary crumbs off her shimmering dress, "I am your mother, Meteria."
Something in Bell broke. His throat tightened, and he felt the tears start to fall. When they began to obscure his vision, he wiped them away as fast as he could. The little boy wanted to ingrain the image into his brain. This might be his only chance to see his mother.
Meteria opened her mouth to talk again but started coughing instead.
"Mama!" cried Bell, reaching out. Unfortunately, his hand passed through the dust, scattering it a little bit. The boy flinched back, scrambling to get away. Thankfully, the moving image had not been disrupted.
Meteria gathered herself and took a deep breath. After three deep breaths, her smile returned. She pushed past the pain to talk to her son.
"I don't know how much I'll be able to say, but please listen, ok." Bell nodded vigorously. "First of all, I don't want you to listen to a single thing Hermes and Zeus try to teach you." Meteria's face turned stern. "They're nothing but a couple of useless perverts! And I refuse to let my son become a pervert!"
Bell flushed red, remembering his original harem goal. He also chose to forget his misadventure in the Pleasure District and how Hermes dragged him around to peep at girls on the eighteenth floor.
"Second!" Meteria held up two fingers. "Don't let them drag you around and try to force you into any heroic shenanigans. Do what you think is right!" Meteria smiled and spread her arms wide. "The only thing that should matter is your happiness Bell, that is more than enough for me. If you want to be a hero, that's ok. And so is just taking it day by day."
Meteria's face relaxed. Her smile turned to a sense of heart-wrenching sadness. "And this is the last thing, Bell." Her voice sounded like she was begging. "Please, never ever forget this part." The dust turned to tears, falling from Meteria's face. "I love you so much. My beautiful baby, I am your mother, and I will always love you." She brought her hands together. "I am so sorry that I won't be there for you, but I promise, wherever I am, I'll be watching over you."
Meteria rubbed away her tears. "I'm sorry, you shouldn't have to see your mother cry." She smiled again, and it broke Bell's heart. "Please, Bell, promise that you'll live a life that makes you happy."
The image shimmered and faded out from existence. The dust fell to the floor, and Bell watched it go. Long after Meteria had vanished, he sat there weeping.
With the Goddess:
Outside his door sat a tiny Goddess. She had delivered the gift late, but Bell hadn't been angry, because of course, he hadn't. Bell never got mad at her, but he did seem disappointed. The thought almost made Hestia laugh. If Bell only knew what other secrets she was keeping from him and their Familia at large.
Hestia thought back to Bell's status. She had told everyone that Liaris Freese wasn't working anymore, but that wasn't actually true. In reality, the spot that Bell's unique skill had once occupied was now holding some sort of gibberish. Some madman's text was written in a language that she couldn't understand, even as a Goddess. The only other person who knew of its existence was Miach because he had dealt with something similar regarding Cassandra.
The only thing she could tell, which only came from her Godly intuition, was that the skill was still linked with Liaris. In fact, it felt more advanced, as if Bell's skill was evolving in response to his changing mindset. Hestia thought that the only other person with even a hint of what was going on was Ryuu. The elf had mentioned strange premonitions in the Dungeon when she fought alongside Bell, coming from years of honed instincts as an adventurer. That particular secret would have to wait, though. For now, Hestia continued to sit outside her beloved child's door.
Time went on, and people started arriving to prepare for the party. The girls from the Hostess showed up and took over the kitchen. Mama Mia brought her very own pop-up bar stand to mix drinks. The rest of Hestia Familia began clearing space for dancing, talking, and eating. They quickly discovered just how many large rooms there were in this manor. The room that once held all the Apollo statues was actually quite spacious with a crystal chandelier and marble flooring. This became the ballroom. There was a large room filled with long tables, which they used for the banquet hall. Their smaller, more intimate dining room must have been for Apollo and the executives only.
Eventually, after most of the work had been done, Ryuu left to check in on her Goddess and Captain. After breakfast, Bell said that they wouldn't see him for the rest of the morning. Everyone knew what it meant. So, they went about their work and trusted in their Goddess.
"Have you heard anything?" asked Ryuu.
Hestia shook her head. "Maybe you can try? You are an adventurer after all,"
Ryuu nodded and cupped her ear closest to the door. From the other side, she heard the faint sound of tears. She frowned.
"He's crying," said the elf, her heartbreaking in two. She turned to her Goddess. "What was in that gift from Hermes?"
Hestia shook her head. "Not my place. I will say, though, that from the tiny bit I saw… it's a gift."
Ryuu's face scrunched up. "What kind of gift would make you cry?"
The Goddess gave her vice-captain a forlorn smile. "The kind that Bell really needs right now." She looked at the door. "I'm really sorry, you guys, but I'm going to need you to keep an eye on things a little bit longer. I want to be here when he gets out and make sure that he's ok."
Ryuu smiled and gave another nod before turning to go back to the others. She would update them on the current situation and then keep the party planning on track.
With the boy:
An hour later, and Bell still hadn't left his room. He hadn't played the other message; he had just listened to the first one over and over again. He watched his mother until he had the memory of her face planted in his brain. He listened until he knew he would never forget the sound of her laugh.
Eventually, he ran out of tears. All that was left was gratitude for Hermes. He didn't know if the message was true or if the God was playing another trick, but he also didn't care. This was his mother, and he chose to believe that. He sat in the darkness, and the message played itself out one more time.
Afterwards, there was a knock at the door. Bell went to rub his eyes, but they had dried out. The rim of them felt crusty and irritated. He stood up to open the door and came face to face with his Goddess. In the past year, Bell Cranel had grown physically. He had hit a growth spurt and now stood over a foot taller than Hestia. He had to look all the way down at her, and she had to crane her neck to look at him.
"Anything I can get you?" asked Hestia.
Bell started to shake his head but stopped in the middle. He ended up nodding and holding out his arms. Hestia obliged, jumping up to wrap her arms around him as best she could.
"You're so big now," she said. "It's getting harder and harder to give you a proper hug."
Bell sniffled, a grin tugging at his face. Eventually, Hestia pulled back, hands still on his forearms.
"Do you want to talk about it? Or do you want to wait till the party is done?"
Bell turned his face back towards the room, frowning. He looked back at his Goddess, his first real family member since his grandpa died.
"There's someone that I want you to meet, Goddess Hestia."
With the Family:
While that happened, the others prepared to welcome their guests. The boys bathed, shaved, and used the bathroom ahead of time. After that, they went to put on their new fancy suits. The girls did the same, getting out their bright new dresses and helping each other with their hair. The only exception to this was Mikoto, who left to a spare room. She said something about a surprise before leaving.
When they finished, they all gathered in their parlour. Then began their game of compliments. It started the moment Urashima walked in. The girls had entered first and waited for the men in their dresses. The second the bodyguard walked in, he had tripped over a couch. He quickly righted himself but kept his eyes firmly planted on Otohime.
Contrary to what the others thought, she did not buy a traditional far-eastern dress. Instead, she purchased a burgundy tunic dress, the slit starting up high near her hips. The rest of the dress stopped right below her knees. She had a black orchid in her hair with her long black locks straightened and pulled over her right shoulder. Around her neck was an obsidian choker, with matching bangles around her wrist. She giggled and walked back and forth across the room. Everywhere she went, Ura's eyes followed. He stared at her, his mouth slightly parted.
Silently, Oto appreciated her childhood love. She liked his short sleeve dark grey shirt and black vest. He had left his metal arms out in the open for everyone to see, and it was much appreciated. His hair had been tied up into a tight bun, and he had made sure to shave his face perfectly clean. Although he rubbed his arms in hesitation, he had a smile. Otohime loved every inch of it.
Lili was wearing the yellow dress she had found before. It stopped below her knees with golden ruffles. In her hair were a pair of yellow daisy hair clips. The dress was sleeveless, but ever the supporter, she wore a pair of white gloves. Welf stood next to her in a suit the colour of his hair. His blue bandana was tied up around his wrist, and he wore a black bowtie around his neck.
Elwin had decided, meaning been coerced, into wearing traditional elven robes. They were a combined gift from Riveria and Lefiya, apparently. They were dark green with white accents and lines. His hair hung down, tied with a golden band like Riveria's. That had also been a gift from the high elf. Elwin had begrudgingly accepted it, along with the gold-rimmed glasses Lefiya gave him. He had made sure to press his outfit and remove all the crinkles.
Haruhime waited in her green dress, next to Ryuu. The elf had also worn green, a sharp jade gown that shimmered and shined. It was sleeveless and dipped down her back past her shoulder blades. The dress went all the way to her feet. Around her neck was a golden string with a shining sword pendant. There was a matching set of earrings, and in the hilts of all three were shining emeralds.
The only one missing, besides Hestia and Bell, was Mikoto. The rest of the Familia had not seen her for the afternoon, and she had not told them what she had bought for the party. The sun was starting to set, though. Soon, Loki Familia and the rest of their guests would be arriving. The Hostess staff had left them alone, thankfully, but soon they would need some guidance. They would need the leaders of their Familia sooner or later. That was when there was a tentative knock at the door. Mikoto poked her head in, black hair already tied back in a fishtail braid.
"No laughing," she said, terribly nervous.
Everyone nodded, and she stepped through the door. Mikoto was not wearing a dress. She had instead bought a lilac suit with black trimming at the cuffs and collar. Underneath was a white blouse and black tie. She wore gold hoop earrings and black dress shoes. She stood anxiously in front of her Familia, wringing her hands. She knew people would prefer a dress, but why were they so quiet? She got ready to turn around and hurry back to her room when she heard an 'eeping' noise. She looked down to find Haruhime splayed across the floor.
Mikoto crouched down. "Haruhime, what happened?"
Elwin chuckled. "The clumsy fox just about tried to jump you but tripped on her own tail."
Mikoto reached out to help her up, but Haruhime ignored her. She stood up on her own and grabbed Mikoto's sleeves while also poking her in the stomach. The renard peered around at her girlfriend's back, giving her a thorough examination. Her tail wagged excitedly, swishing at extreme speeds.
"Haruhime, what are you doing?" asked Mikoto.
Haruhime tilted her head. "Checking you out, of course. I have to sear this memory into my brain forever." She took Mikoto by the arm. "And make sure to assert my dominance as your girlfriend." The fox girl rubbed her head on Mikoto's shoulder, making a content purring sound. "No men allowed, even war gods."
The others laughed and then offered their approval of Mikoto's outfit. They then left to find their Captain and Goddess.
With the Goddess:
Hestia sat in shock and awe of Herme's gift. She still hated the messenger God, but he had just done a lot to redeem himself. She looked at the other canister and quickly realized what was inside. It didn't take a Goddess's intuition to understand Bell's father was waiting for him. When she looked at Bell, though, she knew he wasn't ready. He already looked so tired from crying himself dry.
"Hey, Bell. Why don't you rest a bit? I'll make up an excuse for you, and you can join the party afterwards. Is that ok?"
Bell nodded and dragged himself over to bed. Hestia followed before tucking him in. She stroked his hair while he drifted off. The Goddess smiled down at her child before exiting the room. She gave him one last look as she shut the door. When she turned, she came face to face with the rest of her children. They all wore varying looks of worry.
"Is Master Bell ok?" asked Lili for the group.
Hestia nodded, giving them a tired smile.
"He'll be fine, but he needs to rest for a bit. He'll join the party afterwards."
The Goddess of the Home walked down the hall, her Familia followed along. They set to the last-minute preparations and gave what little help was needed to the staff waiting for them. After that, it was just a waiting game for their guests. Ryuu stood at the bar while Syr fawned over her, showering the elf in compliments. Ryuu was reduced to a bit of a blushing mess as a result.
Across the room, Dixen strung his lute and did warmups. Hestia walked over to him.
"Hey Dix, how you doing?"
The bard smiled. "I'm well, Goddess Hestia. I am terribly excited for tonight as well. A chance to play for some of Orario's most prominent Familia's and Deities?" He bowed. "Thank you for the opportunity."
Hestia chuckled, rubbing the back of her neck. "Well, I mean…we do owe you, right? You carried the rumours here and told everyone we were coming. And I still haven't lived up to my end of the bargain." The Goddess looked at the floor. "Sorry about that. How about I pay up my end later tonight?"
Dixen nodded, a giant grin on his face. "No worries, I was happy to wait." He looked over at Lunoire, who was setting up the buffet of food. She noticed him and smiled. The bard's smile grew in response. "The Hostess has its own charms, after all. That said, I'd be happy to take you up on your offer."
Hestia nodded and set up a time for the two of them to meet up during the night.
It was thirty minutes later that the guests started arriving. Elwin was on greeting duty, standing at the door. He let people in when they knocked if they were on the guest list and then pointed in the direction of the grand hall.
Thankfully, he was not alone for long. The first guests were the members of Loki Familia. All had been invited, but many had declined, already having their own plans. Save the entirety of the executives and second-stringers. So, Elwin opened the door to the sight of Lefiya in her elvish style pink dress. The outfit was much like her adventurers' garb but modified for evening wear. Elwin opened his mouth to let them in but was soon struck silent.
Lefiya sighed and stepped inside. She took Elwin by the hand and helped him open the door. He didn't notice everyone walk inside. Thankfully, Ais had been around enough to know the way. She took the lead, carrying her gifts under her arms. Her dress was the exact same as over a year ago. The Sword Princess knew that Bell had liked this dress, so she saw no reason to change that. Her Familia followed, present tucked under their arms. Riveria was on the left, rolling her eyes at her brother. She smiled fondly and trusted Lefiya to take care of him.
She also trusted Filvis. Initially, the dead elf was just going to wear her original outfit from life. But Elwin had persuaded her to take part in the festivities.
"Everyone in Hestia Familia is dressing up, aren't they?" he had said.
It had taken Filvis a long time to understand what he meant. So now, the dead elf, the half-elf, and the little elf dressed in their best clothing for each other. Finally, Elwin put himself back together. He smirked at Lefiya.
"So, where's my present?"
Filvis rolled her eyes while Lefiya blushed.
"It's for later."
Elwin's smile grew even more.
With the Sword Princess:
In the grand hall, Ais looked around nervously. She wanted to present her gift to Bell personally. Unfortunately, Welf had other ideas.
"Oh, you guys can just put those under the tree!"
The smith looked around.
"Um, where is the tree?"
Urashima shrugged.
"No one knows; Ryuu put herself in charge of it but hasn't let anyone see."
The elf heard her name and turned an even darker shade of red.
"I put it up in one of the spare rooms. The one with the high ceiling…."
She trailed off, embarrassed for some reason.
"Well, time to go see it!" declared Loki.
The Trickster Goddess marched off, totally unaware of where she was going. Ryuu sighed, Loki Familia sighed, and everyone else followed suit. Ryuu hurried to take the lead, down some of the empty halls of Hearth Manor. She stopped in front of large double doors and opened them slowly. The room was dark, but she was quick to turn on the lights.
As the tree came into focus, everyone felt filled with wonder. The large pine was almost twenty feet tall, absolutely full of sparkling green needles. Shining tinsel hung perfectly, and so were tiny lights made of magic stones. But the real treat was all the ornaments. There were white rabbits, tiny blue bells, hammers and anvils, glass dragons, and a collection of other symbols of her beloved Familia. A golden fox hung next to a black crow, and a tiny backpack sat there too. The rest of Hestia Familia hugged their Vice-Captain, showering her in praise. Ryuu shrunk in on herself, unused to the attention. If only Bell was here to see it.
With the Son:
A couple hours later, Bell woke up. He felt nice and refreshed, and when he looked at his canister, he didn't feel such deep despair. He felt sad, and he always would, but it also made him smile. The boy had a message from his mother, and probably his father as well. So, feeling refreshed, the boy got out of bed. He put on his navy blue suit and went to find his new family.
While he walked towards the grand hall, he heard a weird sound coming from a nearby closet. Bell listened close, and it sounded like someone was in pain. His instincts turned on, hyper-aware that Freya might be up to something. He withdrew the Hestia Knife, which he wore even with his fancy outfit, and edged closer to the door. Slowly, he turned the knob and opened the door. The sight that greeted him shook him to his core.
Mikoto was nibbling at Haruhime's collarbone, her hands squeezing the fox's rear. The sounds of pain turned out to be the renard's quiet moans. Her hands were hooked around Mikoto's neck. As Bell watched, she brought swung her legs up and around, latching herself around the samurai. As things progressed further and further, Bell backed up and quietly closed the door. He didn't think anything could disturb those two, but he didn't want to take the risk. He tiptoed down the hall, looking for the rest of his friends. Hopefully, they weren't so…rambunctious as Mikoto and Haruhime.
Ignoring any other strange sounds he may or may not have heard, Bell stepped into the grand hall. As he did, things quieted. He felt the eyes of everyone on him and almost shrank away. Before he could leave, though, a gust of wind passed by. Something took his hands. Golden eyes met rubellite, and Bell felt his soul settle. His lips pulled upwards involuntarily. Ais matched the movement.
"Dance with me?"
She turned it into a question as she tilted her head. Bell nodded along. Not caring who was staring anymore, the two walked out to the middle of the floor. There were already some couples swaying slowly, and Bell was happy to join them. The boy turned to the girl and bowed slightly. She returned his gesture with a curtsy. Then, they came together. For the next ten minutes, there only existed the two of them. They were not talented or totally graceful, but they moved in perfect harmony.
"Later, I have a gift for you," she said. A light pink dusted her cheeks. "We can go and get it together. It's…a pair."
Bell blinked, eyes wide. The Sword Princess left and was soon replaced with an itty-bitty Goddess. She took his hands, and Bell happily led her in a lively waltz.
"You're doing better now?" she asked.
Bell nodded. "Later, I want to watch the one from my dad. And I want my family with me."
Hestia gave him the most significant smile. "I think that would make everyone really happy. Thank you, Bell; I mean it from the bottom of my heart."
After that, the evening started to blend together. The night wore on, and Bell found himself dancing with Lili, Oto, Ryuu, Syr, and Tiona. Finally, there was Eina. She wore a black dress that turned into a skirt from the hips down.
"Bell," began Eina. "I heard about your family, about Alfia. So, I did some digging." The half-elf smiled. "I brought everything I found with me. I left it with Goddess Hestia, so just ask her later. Happy Holy Night!"
Bell nearly toppled Eina over with a bone-crushing hug. He barely remembered to keep his level five strength in check.
"I love you, Eina! Thank you so much!"
"That's fine, Bell! But please put me down!" She looked around the room. "People are staring Bell! Put me down!"
Too quickly, Bell remembered where he was. He nearly dropped his advisor in panic but caught himself at the last second. Slowly, he put her down.
With the Amazon:
The dance wore on. Tione hugged the wall, unsure of herself. She didn't know how to dance, only how to fight. Gareth stood next to her to keep her company.
Across the room, the Braver approached the Dauntless and offered a gloved hand. He would keep trying to woo over his worthy bride.
"Can I have this dance?" asked Finn.
Lili rolled her eyes but accepted. The two made their way across the floor, and Lili found her partner's eyes wandering over elsewhere. The prum gave him a devious smirk before taking the lead in their dance. Finn raised an inquisitive brow but let it happen. Slowly, Lili danced around the room, careful not to give herself away. When she reached the right spot, she spun Finn away. The Captain of Loki Familia had not been paying attention but was still steady on his feet. That did not stop him from crashing, as Lili surprisingly let go. Finn looked over to where she had started swaying with Gareth. The dwarf laughed heartily. Finn shook his head and turned to apologize to whoever he had crashed into.
What he saw was a very shy Tione. The usually feisty amazon looked surprisingly bashful. She didn't even offer to dance, clearly nervous about her ability. Finn felt his heart ping. He held out a hand.
"Would you like this dance, milady?"
Tione, not believing her ears, faced the Captain. When she saw that his offer was genuine, the first-class beauty smiled. She took the hand gladly.
With the Lovely Couple:
Aki had almost given up on actual dancing. Her beloved Raul was too clumsy for that. Instead, she tucked her head onto his shoulder and twined her tail around his leg. The two swayed slowly to music only they heard.
"Hey…um…Aki?"
"Yes, Raul?"
"I want you to know…I love you."
Aki's heart soared every time she heard those words.
"I love you too, you goofball."
This was the Holy Night, and it would forever be Aki's favourite day in the year.
With the Lovers:
Bell watched his friends dance. Welf and Hephaestus had been glued at the hip all evening, save the moment Hestia had stolen her best friend away for a minor waltz. Ryuu didn't dance, but she did move around the room. She was always near a waitress, usually Syr. Bell had made sure to compliment her multiple times on her dress. Apparently, she had partially chosen it for him. He had said he wanted to see her wear one after all.
Cassandra had danced a little but quickly grew tired. Daphne carried her off, bridal style. The two had gotten together after the night of partying, and now the snarky adventurer scowled much less. She had taken Cassandra away to a spare room to rest for a bit. Miach and Naaza nodded approvingly from where they stood and danced.
Finally, there were Oto and Ura. Of course, the Princess was an accomplished dancer. She had been light of foot all night, moving like a flower petal caught in the wind. Ura followed her steps, the petal's shadow on the ground. It was also funny to watch as Otohime constantly led him away. They'd disappear for a couple minutes; Hestia would notice and sigh. The Goddess would leave and return with the two adventurers being dragged by the ear. Otohime had decided that mistletoe was the best tradition ever.
Eventually, though, he turned to leave. He knew Maria was around here somewhere, and he wanted to make sure she and the orphans had gotten their fair share of food. When he tried to leave, though, Ais appeared in his way.
"No running," she said.
Bell sighed fondly. "I'm not running, just going to check on the kids. Do you want to come?"
Ais nodded, obviously not believing Bell's lies. He did have a history of running away, after all. And he was a delinquent with multiple girls around. So, she followed closely on high alert. She kept one step behind, ready to chase him down. Her dress was ill-suited for it, but it did not matter. Bell would not getaway.
Strangely enough, though, he really was just checking on some little orphans. The kind old woman Maria was there, and so was Bete of all people. The werewolf had looked for peace and quiet, away from the noise, but had stumbled upon the children by accident. They had all taken an immediate shine to him, to his great fake chagrin, and he now was asleep on the floor. His arms had curled protectively around a couple of the tiniest children. He snored loudly; the sight and sound made Ais feel unbelievably happy.
This also meant that Lena was there. The amazon had waved at the two but motioned for quiet. She promised to get Bete home and keep an eye on the kids. Bell thanked her, assured Maria that she was welcome to stay the night, and the two moved on. Ais decided it was time to give her present and practically dragged Bell to the great Holy Night Tree.
Along the way, though, she stopped. From a spare bedroom, she heard the sounds of an adventurer in pain. Before Bell could react, she sprung into action. She didn't have a weapon, but that didn't stop her as she opened the door. She barely saw anything in the darkness of the bedroom, but it appeared empty. Bell pulled her away, fearful of what lurked inside. He had heard the noises too, after all, and was more well versed in what they could mean. The two left, Ais willing to go in her impatience to present her gift.
With the Deliquent:
'Filvis, I owe you my life,' thought Elwin.
The elf ghost had stood on the lookout while Elwin and Lefiya got frisky. As soon as she saw the Sword Princess bolting close, Filvis had alerted her host of the incoming danger. Despite her protest, Elwin had pulled Lefiya off the bed and clamped a hand over her mouth. Lefiya stopped struggling the second the door opened. She quietly tried to get her dress back in place but failed miserably. Thankfully, whoever was there had left just as quickly.
She looked over at Elwin, who was staring at her exposed neck. He had a stupid grin on his face.
"What are you so happy about?" asked Lefiya.
Elwin pointed to the mark blossoming on her shoulder. Lefiya looked on in amazement. Was this one of those hickies Aki had told her about? She glared at Elwin. Well, two could play at that game.
With the Boy and the Girl:
When Bell saw the tree, he looked on in amazement. It was a thing of beauty, and it made him even happier that Ryuu had put so much time into it. He watched Ais dig through the pile until she pulled out two boxes the size of dinner plates. She gave one to Bell and kept one for herself.
At her nod, Bell unwrapped the box. Placing it on the ground, he lifted the lid. And out came a small plushie that looked like Ais. She even had a potato puff in her little plushie hand. Bell stared at it, feeling confused and a little creeped out. What in the world was Ais thinking?
Ais blushed as she opened her box. From within, out came a white rabbit plushie. She brought it up to her face and spoke. The fur turned it into a mumble, and Bell had to ask her to repeat it.
Ais lowered her stuffed bunny.
"I got us a specially made pair…so if we ever get separated again… we'll still be close by…."
Ais waited. She felt so stupid now. She hated gift giving! None of this made any sense. The others had claimed it was adorable, but now she felt…was this embarrassment? She shook her head, trying to dispel this newfound emotion that plagued her.
That was when he took one of her hands, the other wrapped protectively around his little Ais.
"Thank you," he said. "I love it."
Something warm and fuzzy blossomed in Ais's chest. He smiled, and she returned it. The boy looked at the ceiling, relishing in his wonderful life, and blinked in amazement. The Sword Princess followed his eye movement.
"Bell, why is there a plant hanging from the ceiling?"
Elsewhere, a mischievous former Princess giggled, hoping her trap worked.
Bell looked back at Ais, whose body caught the glow of the tree. A rainbow of colour shone behind her, and since her head was tilted up, Bell had a perfect view of her neck. He thought that was beautiful, but she looked at him. His brain fried. He remembered the words of his mother, how she just wanted him to be happy. He thought of everyone, telling him to forgive himself.
'Guys like us need to stop standing in our own way,' Raul had said.
The boy leaned forward, and the girl watched on in surprise, still not getting it.
Then, something warm touched her cheek. As quick as it happened, it was gone. She felt the warm spot, uncertain of what had just happened. Ais looked at Bell, who seemed so red he was going to pass out. Slowly, the gears began turning in her brain. Pieces clicked together, and her heart started thumping erratically. Everything was suddenly much too hot.
"That's what the plant means," said Bell.
Ais nodded, still letting her brain catch up. Unfortunately, before she could say more, she heard the rest of her Familia calling for her.
"I have to go," said Ais.
Bell nodded.
Ais turned to go, unsure of herself. Finally, as she walked through the door, she looked at Bell one last time.
"Happy Holy Night, Bell."
Bell looked up.
"Happy Holy Night, Ais!"
At the end:
Everyone had left by that point. The Hostess had packed up, and soon dawn would come. Before that, though, every member of Hestia Familia gathered in their lounge. They had arranged the seats so that everyone could see what was about to happen.
Bell waited for them to be ready, and then he started the second canister. Just like before, an explosion of glittering dust.
Its image was that of a man. As soon as they saw him, everyone knew he was Bell's father. They did not look alike, but they held themselves the exact same way. The man was unsteady and unsure, looking over at some unforeseen person.
"Meti! I don't know what to say!"
Bell's mind flashed to the knife he had found.
"Just say what it's in your heart, dear! Give him some fatherly wisdom!"
There was a pause.
"BUT NO PERVY STUFF!"
The man smiled.
"It worked on you, didn't it?"
Meteria said something unintelligible. The man smiled, blissful and forgetful. Then, he remembered why he was making the video. His image turned back towards Bell and the others.
"AH! I'm so sorry, Bell!"
Lili snorted. Oh yes, this was definitely Bell's father.
"I don't know what to say, so I'll try and keep it short!" The man took a deep breath and prepared to speak. When nothing came out, he fell to the floor. "Ahhh! I don't know what to say!" He rubbed at his hair.
After a small break, his gaze came back up. His look was honest and sincere.
"Bell, there's not much I can tell you to help. I was never much of an adventurer. In fact, I was only ever a lowly supporter." He tucked his knees under his chin. "I'm a coward, no matter what your mother might say. I only ever achieved greatness because I did the smartest thing possible." A brief pause. "I surrounded myself with the greatest people I knew. That's the ticket to true success, Bell. Whatever you do, find the people you trust, who share your beliefs and ideals." Bell looked to Lili and Ryuu. "People will guard your back and help you become even stronger." Welf and Mikoto. "Find someone who makes you want to be better." Haruhime. "Allies who question you but will always take your side when it counts." Otohime, Urashima, and Elwin. "But most importantly…." Bell felt himself lean in. "Find someone who will take care of you. Someone who loves you more than you could ever love yourself." His father shrugged. "It doesn't need to be the love of your life, just someone who cares about you. More than you could ever care about yourself." Bell looked to his Goddess, who looked right back.
"Do this, Bell, and you will achieve true greatness, no matter what you choose to do."
With the Messenger God:
In a distant land, the sun shined on. Hermes waved his hat in front of his face, straining to get rid of the humidity. The God looked at his fellow deity, sitting in front of him.
"So, Zeus sent you this way?" asked the large God with a salt-and-pepper beard and bronze skin.
Hermes nodded. "Apparently, you have something quite shocking to show me!" The God of messengers placed his hat back on his head. "Although, that's not the only reason." Hermes shrugged. "Still, I do wonder what Zeus thought was so important and secretive."
Standing next to him, Asfi examined the Familia Captain across the table. Even relaxed, a deadly aura rolled off of him in waves. It was as if she was staring at an abyss of power, never-ending in its depths.
The God grunted, waving a hand to his Captain.
"Get the lass," he said.
The Captain's eyes bulged out of his head, and Asfi was almost knocked over by the intensity of his stance. This was it, a living legend. The Captain looked at Asfi and her God, and she almost ran in fear. However, he looked away and left the small shack.
They sat in silence, and Asfi counted the moments tick by. She counted five minutes before a knock on the door. The Captain walked in, and despite his deadly aura, he was not what Asfi stared at.
Hermes sat there, stunned into silence. The mischievous God had no words to say. Oh yes, things were getting more complicated by the day.
Sorry about the delay folks! But we are now here with the newest chapter! I hope you enjoy! Thanks for comments, kudos, favorites and follows!
Review Responses:
Chapter 34 (which I missed):
Walkmanapprenticewordsmith: Too steamy for the virgin Goddess probably
King Damage: But thats why we love her!
Kingdiamond: Too fun not to use
Guest1: Well here I guess?
Guest2: You must be fun at parties
CaeruleumRex07: He will, she wont let him get away
Tranadar: Fun fact, the original focus was supposed to be solely Hestia Familia, Bell became an afterthought, which is why he doesnt always seem important. Here's the Aiz chapter though!
Chapter 35:
Tranadar: Just ain't her thing lol
Guest: I get that a lot, oh well
haziqsaffari2: Nothing good, I'll say that much
DeadwoodT: Thanks!
walkmanapprenticewordsmith: AHHH HERE THEY ARE!
Kingdiamon: You are correct sir
