Hey, I'm back with a new chapter! So now that I've finished my exams and whatnot, I can finally play my PS5 and get to my backlog of Gunpla.

Not to mention getting on to this story.

sadkali727, now Kiara is both, S and M. But well, you're right, evil woman hot.

Guest, we'll see.

animehelpsdepression, technically he could just nuke em with Caladbolg.

AnimeFan13579, I think the previous chapter was the only time I actually stated that Bell can use the techniques without Loading them. But it has been something I've been showing him do, with the Hestia Knife and Mino-Tan, using EMIYA's techniques while he has Heracles equipped.

As for Noble Phantasms that are more technique, you're right. If Bell can master the technique, with the right physique and whatnot, he can pull them off. But considering how many Heroic Spirits Bell will inherit, that in turn actually makes it harder for him to master a specific type.

luisegluna, TBNRGAMERX, you'll have to wait and see. I'm honestly still debating whether we should have Leonidas or Iskandar. But we'll see.

codywhite162, thanks dude.

DemonHunter175, Brynhildr from meeting Freya is an interesting idea.

Temsen, you're not wrong. Cu would definitely revel in it. As for Gilgamesh with Ishtar's conflict, well, we'll have to wait and see.

XBOY40, glad you like it so far. I actually already have an idea as to who I'm going to include this time around. But the ones you've brought up are actually really good ideas.

PanzerkampfwagenVI, it would be neat for Bell to use Tsubame Gaeshi, but like you mentioned, he will need to reach a level of skill before Kojiro lets him use it.

So yeah, here's the latest chapter.

XXX

The next morning, Bell sat with Hestia and Artemis in their shared basement.

The invitation letter for Apollo's banquet laid on the coffee table in front of them.

Artemis sighed, "So, what do you plan to do, Hestia?"

The twin tailed goddess rubbed her temples, "This... is a really annoying timing..."

The goddess of the moon nodded, "Bell and the others just had a fight with his kids, and not just any kids, but the captain..."

Hestia snorted, "Well, it's not like we can just ignore the invitation."

Bell nodded, "That will put us in a worse spot."

The two goddesses nodded, and Artemis sighed, "I guess you have no choice but to go."

Hestia grinned, "And Apollo was kind enough to say we can bring up to two more gods, so you're coming with us, Artemis, and I think I'll get Take too."

Artemis thinned her lips, "Hestia, I don't think that's a good idea."

The eldest of the three Greek virgin goddesses smiled knowingly, "And why not?"

The goddess of the hunt stared at her aunt, "You know exactly why."

Hestia chuckled, "Alright, I'll get Miach to join us instead then."

The twin tailed goddess looked at her only Child, "So, Bell-kun, do you have a suit?"

The boy blinked, "A suit? Why?"

Hestia grinned, "The banquets Apollo holds always ask that we bring at least one of our children with us."

(Linebreak)

The next morning, Bell was training with Ryuu again, and this time he had Ushiwakamaru on, Usumidori in his hands as he traded blows with the elf.

As they danced around, the elf asked, "Are you using an Eastern hero?"

Bell blocked Alvs Lumina with his blade, "Yes, the hero's name is Ushiwakamaru."

Ryuu raised an eyebrow, "Ushiwakamaru?"

The boy chuckled as he ducked to dodge a slash, swinging his blade in a horizontal slash, only to hit one of Ryuu's short swords, "Yes, it's funny actually, Welf wanted to name the first dagger he made me Ushiwakamaru."

The elf hummed as she kicked Bell away with a swift and vicious kick, sending him skidding back, "I see."

Bell grunted as he quickly regained his bearings, only to find Ryuu almost immediately before him once more, and raised Usumidori to block to attack.

The boy nodded, "Well, I'm glad we didn't go with that. Mino-Tan sounds better anyways."

Ryuu snorted, "Mino-Tan... I see."

Bell grinned, "It's the name of the sword Crozzo forged for the Argonaut."

The elf sighed in exasperation, "You and your hero stories..."

She blurred, and locked blades with her friend once more, before landing another kick that sent him to the ground, "Alright, I believe that's enough for today."

Bell got off the ground, "Okay, thanks for today, Ryuu-san."

The elf smiled, "It's interesting for me too, not many can change their styles so quickly. I'm learning as much as you are."

The boy laughed softly, "Surely you must be joking."

Ryuu shook her head, sheathing the short sword she held, "I've only ever seen a handful of actual fighting styles. Most of the adventurers hone their skills by fighting monsters, and usually monsters are mindless, technique is not really needed."

The elf looked at her wooden sword, "And even if it is warranted, it is not the same as what you can get by fighting another adventurer. You switch styles almost every time we train, so it is a refreshing pace."

Bell chuckled, "I guess I'll take it then."

Ryuu smiled, "So, what are you planning to do today?"

The boy's smile dropped slightly, "Well, I'm probably gonna have to go look for a suit."

The elf blinked, "A suit? Why?"

Bell rubbed the back of his neck, "The Apollo Familia invited Hestia-sama for a Banquet of the Gods, and she's allowed to bring a member with her."

Ryuu nodded in understanding, "So you."

The boy nodded, "Yeah, I honestly have no idea what to get."

"Then why don't we help you?"

The two turned to see Syr with a bright smile on her face, and Ryuu blinked, "Syr? But we have work today."

The silver haired girl beamed, "We'll take the day off, I already cleared the day off with Mama Mia already."

Ryuu furrowed her brows, "Syr..."

"Don't worry, she's not lying."

The three looked back to see Mia at the door, a not so happy look on her face.

The dwarf folded her arms, "This little imp will sneak out even if I don't allow it, so might as well get you to keep an eye on them."

Ryuu blinked, before she nodded, "Very well, thank you, Mama Mia."

Mia huffed, "Yeah, whatever. But Bell!"

The boy jumped, "Y-yes!"

The dwarf looked at him, "You're working tonight. Got it?"

Bell nodded, "O-okay!"

Mia nodded, "Now get the hell outta here before I change my mind."

With that said, the dwarf walked off, leaving two confused adventurers and one beaming goddess in disguise.

Syr giggled, "Alright, now go get changed, Ryuu, Bell-san! We can't go shopping with the two of you dressed in those!"

Which lead to Syr dragging Ryuu and Bell off on a shopping spree, and they were currently in one of the boutiques nearby.

"Bell-san!"

The boy turned to see Syr holding up a light grey suit, and the girl smiled, "Try this on."

Bell blinked, "Eh? But I thought we were looking for something black."

Ryuu stood behind her best friend, an exasperated smile on her face, "Give it up, Bell. Once Syr gets started, no one can stop her."

Syr nodded quickly, "She gets it! And there's no harm trying on a few different sets!"

The boy sighed, "Okay, I guess we can."

The silver haired girl beamed, "Yay! Now go put this on! I'll look for other colors!"

Bell blinked when Syr pushed the grey suit into his hands before vanishing off into the racks in the boutique.

Ryuu chuckled, "Come on, the fitting room is this way."

After a short while, the boy was trying on different types of suits, ranging from greyish silver ones to light blue ones.

Syr giggled gleefully as she handed another set to Bell, "Now try this one, I loved the light grey one, but this navy one looks great too!"

Ryuu shook her head in exasperation, "Syr... Bell only needs one set."

Bell nodded, "Y-yeah, and like, I don't think I can afford all of these anyway."

The silver haired girl looked at the pair, "You two need to stop thinking like that! Clothes make the man, you know? And there's no harm trying on everything!"

She looked at Ryuu specifically, "Besides, don't tell me you're not enjoying seeing Bell in all these different suits!"

Ryuu froze, and she looked away, her face flushing slightly, "I mean..."

Bell gaped, "Ryuu-san?!"

The elf's face reddened more, "I mean! It's to help you look presentable, Bell! You can't show up to a banquet for the gods without looking your best!"

Syr giggled, "See? Even Ryuu agrees! Now go try this on! We have ten more sets to try, and maybe some casual wear for you too!"

The boy sighed, "Okay, and I guess I should be thanking you for helping me instead of complaining."

The silver haired waitress laughed, "Well, glad to know you understand."

Syr looked at Ryuu, "Oh, and after we're done with Bell, it's your turn, Ryuu."

The elf blinked, "Huh?"

The silver haired waitress raised an eyebrow, "What? We finally got you out shopping, I'm not letting this chance go."

Ryuu furrowed her brows, "But my clothes are still good."

Syr stared at her blankly, "When was the last time you got new clothes?"

The elf paused, "Five months ago?"

The silver haired girl nodded, "Exactly! You've only been wearing our uniform, like, forever! You need more casual wear!"

Ryuu looked like she wanted to argue, but Bell spoke up, "You might as well give up, Ryuu-san, no one can stop her when she gets started, right?"

The elf looked at the boy with a look of betrayal, "W-wha-"

She trailed off when she saw the mischievous glint in his eyes, and she sighed, "Alright, fine."

Ryuu made a silent vow, she would get back at the boy for this.

After a short while, the three sat at a cafe, with two large bags of clothes sitting next to them, and one smaller bag with Bell and Ryuu each.

Bell blinked, looking at the , "How did you managed to choose all these clothes while you were getting us to try ours, Syr-san?"

Ryuu took a sip from her coffee, "Don't question it, Bell. There are things better not known."

The boy looked confused, before he nodded slowly, "Okay, I guess."

Syr pouted, "You're making me sound bad, Ryuu."

The boy looked into his own bag, with two suits packed inside, "I mean, we only got like a few each, you got like a dozen."

The elf placed her cup down, "Just leave it, Bell."

Bell smiled awkwardly, "Okay I guess..."

He shook his head, "But seriously, you were a big help, Syr-san. I honestly would've just picked a random one and be done with it."

The girl giggled, "I had fun too, so it's all good. And I'm sure Ryuu enjoyed seeing you in so many different outfits too, right?"

Ryuu pushed down the blush that threatened to show, "... No comment."

Bell chuckled, "But thanks again anyway."

With that said, the three continued to enjoy the afternoon together until they went back to the Hostess.

(Linebreak)

A few days later, Bell and Hestia were in a carriage, the goddess looking miffed.

The boy smiled awkwardly, "Hestia-sama, are you still mad?"

The goddess looked away, "Mad? Nope, I'm not mad! Totally not!"

Bell shook his head, "Yeap, you're mad."

Hestia glared at him, "I'm not the one who decided to go on a shopping date with two cute waitresses!"

The boy palmed his face, "How many times do I have to tell you that it wasn't a date..."

The goddess just huffed and looked away, refusing to look at the boy.

Soon, the carriage came to a stop, and the coachman opened the door, "We're here."

Hestia hopped off, "Thank you."

The coachman smiled as he closed the door once Bell got off, "Have a good evening, Lady Hestia."

He gave the boy a nod, before he got back onto his seat and moved away from the road.

"I never would've thought you'd pay for our carriages too, Hestia."

The two turned to see Miach and Naaza, the god dressed in a black suit, while the young woman wore a red dress.

Hestia grinned, "Well, we have to enjoy ourselves sometimes, no? Knowing your habits, Naaza-kun probably stresses herself out just to keep the shop afloat."

Miach palmed his face, "And you just had to bring that up."

Naaza chuckled, "She's not wrong, but we've been doing better these days, thanks to Bell-kun, of course."

Bell laughed softly, "I had nothing to do with it, okay? I only helped gather a few ingredients, the rest is all you, Naaza-san."

The cienthrope smiled and shook her head, "Let's just leave it at that, okay?"

Hestia nodded, "Take should be inside already, we should go meet up with him."

Miach nodded, "Of course."

A short moment later, the four were in a large hall, and Bell quickly spotted Hermes, as the god of messengers approached them, "Ah, there you are!"

Hermes laughed, with Takemikazuchi, Asfi and Mikoto behind him, "Good to see you all here!"

Hestia blinked, "Hermes... and Take?"

The Japanese god sighed, "Before you say anything, no, I'm not with him because I want to be, it just happened."

The god of messengers laughed, "Oh come on! Don't be so cold dude!"

Takemikazuchi just folded his arms, and Hermes turned his attention to Bell and Naaza, "Hmm, not bad not bad! You two look great tonight!"

The god smirked, "BUT! I doubt any of you come close to matching my Asfi!"

He made a big show of gesturing towards his Familia captain, "Look at this dress! She looks gorgeous, does she not?!"

Asfi's face grew red, "Hermes-sama! Stop!"

Hermes laughed, as he wrapped an arm around Asfi's shoulder, "Now can I not be proud and happy to show off my beautiful child? I must say your blushing face looks incredibly cute, wouldn't you agree, Bell-kun?"

Bell blinked, "Huh?"

Before he could actually answer, Asfi elbowed her god in the ribs, sending him flying into a pillar, and the item maker glared at the boy, "Not. A. Word."

The boy nodded quickly, "Yep, nope. Nothing."

The blue haired woman took a deep breath, "Good."

Before they could continue, however, a loud voice reached their ears, "Are we enjoying ourselves, everyone?"

Everyone turned to the center back of the hall, where a flight of stairs led to a large set of doors.

Before the doors stood a god, followed by three of his Familia members, and Bell quickly recognized them to be Daphne, Cassandra and Hyakinthos.

The god smiled, "For the children who don't know me, I am Apollo, your host for tonight! As all of you may have noticed, the banquet we're holding this time is a bit different! I insisted that every one of you bring a child from your Familia with you, and I'm glad to see that everyone has done so!"

Apollo laughed, "And everyone is dressed up so wonderfully! It touches me so that I can see so many of our beloved children dressed so nicely, having a great time with the rest of us! Would you not agree, my fellow gods and goddesses?!"

Almost every god and goddess cheered to that, and Apollo nodded, "Then let us enjoy ourselves! The night has just begun!"

Moments later, Hestia was feeding her face with the food, leaving Bell with Hermes, as the others chatted amongst themselves.

Hermes swirled a glass of wine in his hands, "Not drinking, Bell-kun?"

The boy held a glass of juice, "Nah, I'm under age."

The god of messengers raised an eyebrow, "Really now? I thought you'd be older. But honestly, you're an adventurer, old enough to kill monsters, old enough to drink and whatnot, you know?"

Bell laughed softly, "Yeah, I don't think Hestia-sama and Artemis-sama will be happy with that."

Hermes chuckled, "I suppose not. Speaking of which, I don't see Artemis here. Did she refuse to come?"

The boy nodded, "Yeah, something about not getting along with Apollo."

The god of messengers laughed, "Right, of course."

Bell looked at where the god of the sun was, "And speaking of Apollo..."

Hermes followed his line of sight, "What about him?"

The boy spoke, "I mean..."

The god of thieves hummed, "You interested in knowing him?"

Bell scratched his cheek, "I'd be lying if I said no. But well, I recently contracted two heroes related to him and Artemis-sama, so..."

Hermes nodded, "Atalanta and Orion, yeah?"

The boy nodded, "So I'm just curious how he is here, as compared to the ones I know from the memories I've inherited."

The god hummed, "I guess I can shed some light to that."

Bell blinked, "Wait, really?"

Hermes smiled, "One thing you can trust from your memories is that most of the gods from the same Pantheons you know will know each other in some form or another. Whether we're close or not is another thing."

The boy looked at him, "I see..."

The god of messengers spoke, "To start, I've known Apollo for a long time even from our time in Tenkai. He's an interesting person once you get to know him, and he has a lot of love affairs going around."

Bell blinked, "Really?"

Hermes chuckled, "Oh yeah, there's never a day that I wouldn't hear about some new target Apollo has found himself."

The boy hummed, "That sounds... not that different from Pan-Human History."

The god of thieves laughed, "Oh he's different alright, very different. But if I had to name the one thing that is the same, it's that he's persistent and spiteful."

Bell blinked, "Persistent and spiteful?"

Hermes nodded, "Exactly, well, you'll find out eventually."

The boy wanted to ask what he meant, but before he could speak, the crowd exploded with whispers, and Hermes smirked, "Here comes another big name."

Bell followed his gaze to see a beautiful silver haired goddess, accompanied by a huge boaz.

The boy blinked, and despite looking older and more mature, she reminded him a lot of Syr for some weird reason.

But before he could ponder more, Hermes spoke up from beside him, "That's Freya, I'm sure you've heard of her, yeah?"

Bell nodded, "Yeah, the patron goddess of arguably the strongest Familia in Orario... And I guess that's Ottar, the captain and the strongest man in Orario."

Hermes nodded, "Exactly, he'll be a wall you'll have to face eventually the stronger you get. But I believe in you, Bell-kun."

Bell snorted, "Eventually."

But before they could continue, Bell suddenly felt a weight on his back, before something covered his eyes, "Eh?"

Hestia's voice reached his ears, "Don't look! Every time you children see a goddess of beauty, yall instantly get charmed!"

Bell frantically swung his hands around, "Okay okay! Please get off, Hestia-sama! I can't see!"

The goddess of the hearth huffed but didn't move, "That's the point!"

As the two bickered, Freya smiled as she noticed them, and she decided to approach them, drawing the gaze of almost everyone as she did.

Evidently, Hestia quickly noticed her, and got off Bell, pulling the boy back.

The goddess of beauty smiled, "Good evening, Hestia, it's been a while since we last talked in Tenkai."

She looked at the three gods around them, "And you too, Takemikazuchi, Miach, Hermes."

Hermes grinned, "Not long enough, as they say."

Miach and Takemikazuchi, on the other hand were less resistant to her beauty, and the Japanese god wouldn't meet her gaze, "Y-yes, it has been a while."

Miach smiled, "You look wonderful as ever, Freya."

The two young women with the two gods instantly pinched them hard, earning a loud wince and grimace from them.

Freya smiled at the display, but chose to say nothing as she turned her attention to the one she was looking for, "I don't believe I've had the pleasure of meeting you, young man."

Bell blinked, "E-eh?"

Hermes laughed, "Has he caught your eye, Freya?"

The goddess of beauty smiled, "I can't say that he hasn't. So, as you have probably already heard, I'm Freya."

The boy blinked, "R-right, my name is Bell Cranel, ma'am."

Freya giggled, "Just Freya is fine. Come visit my quarters some time, my dea-"

"Like hell he will!"

Hestia immediately got between them, and she glared at Freya, "I'm not letting you eat my Bell-kun!"

The silver haired goddess blinked, "Oh..."

She made a face of mock hurt, "You make me sound like some foul beast, Hestia."

The virgin goddess glared at her, "That's because you are!"

Hestia turned to Bell, "Listen to me! This goddess goes after almost every man she sees! She'll devour you in an instant!"

Freya chuckled, "I'm not that bad, okay? Only the ones I deem worthy can warm my bed."

The goddess of the hearth glared at her, "Not my Bell-kun!"

The goddess of beauty just smiled and backed away, "Alright, I believe I've overstepped my boundaries, so we'll leave it at that."

Freya looked at Bell once more, "I hope we'll meet again, Bell."

Bell blinked and nodded, "Y-yes, of course."

The goddess of beauty glanced at Ottar, "Ottar, do you have anything to say to him?"

The boaz nodded, "Of course."

Ottar looked at Bell, "Continue to get stronger, the world is watching you, Bell Cranel."

The boaz looked at Freya, "That is all."

The goddess of beauty hummed, "Okay, we'll leave you to it then."

With that said, the two walked off, leaving the group.

Hermes went to stand next to Bell, "Well, can't say I saw that coming."

Bell blinked, "Huh?"

The god grinned, "Ottar, the King just acknowledged you. You have a rough road ahead of you man."

The boy hummed, "I see..."

"Ah, there you are, you big boobed loli!"

The three turned to see Loki in a red suit, flanked by Ais and Lefiya.

Hestia scowled, "First Freya, now you! What is it with today?!"

Loki glared at her, "Nobody asked you! That damned Freya ruined my entrance!"

Hermes chuckled, "Well, I didn't know we could bring two kids with us."

The goddess of mischief smirked at her Greek counterpart, "Ah, well, I couldn't decide if I wanted to bring Ais-tan or Lefiya-tan, so I decided to just fuck it and bring both of them! Apollo was alright with it too! So, meh!"

The goddess of the hearth scowled, "And you get to bring two?! What's with the suit anyway?! Or are you just sad you're too flat to wear a dress?!"

Loki glared at her, "Nobody asked you!"

The two started bickering, and Bell chuckled awkwardly, "Well..."

Lefiya sighed as she walked to Bell, "Sorry about this, Bell-san."

Ais nodded as she followed the elf, "Yes... sorry."

Bell shook his head, "Don't worry about it..."

The boy looked at the two, "So, how have you two been?"

The elf smiled, "We've been good, I guess."

Ais nodded, before she spoke, "You got stronger..."

Bell blinked, before he laughed sheepishly, "You could tell?"

The blonde nodded, "I can feel more spirits, and they're stronger."

Lefiya's eyes widened, "Wait, you mean you got more?!"

The boy nodded, "Yeah, the thing with Antares sort of forced me to get two more."

The elf's face fell, "Two more heroes in just a few weeks..."

Bell blinked, "Lefiya-san?"

The elf glared at him, "I'm not gonna lose, you hear me?!"

The boy looked confused, "Lose? But-"

"So this is the infamous Bell Cranel."

The three turned to see Loki leering at Bell, and the boy backed away, "Umm, yes?"

Loki grinned, "Not bad, I can see why they call you a rabbit. Not bad, not bad at all!"

Hestia growled, "What are doing looking at my Bell-kun?!"

The goddess of mischief, "Just looking, besides! I already have my dear Ais-tan and Lefiya-tan! Heir to the Throne of Heroes or no, he can't match the cuteness and strength of my dear Ais-tan!"

The goddess of the hearth lounged at the redhead, "You take that back!"

Loki growled as she wrestled with Hestia, "Why you!"

"FIGHT FIGHT FIGHT!"

The gods and goddesses around them egged them on, and Bell, Lefiya and Ais, more so the former two than the latter, just sighed and looked with exasperation.

Bell spoke, "Should we stop them?"

Ais spoke up, "You can try, I don't know about your goddess, but our goddess won't stop until either one falls."

Lefiya nodded, "Just leave them be."

The boy sighed, "What is going on..."

(Linebreak)

A short while later, Hestia was once again feeding her face, and Bell found himself outside the hall on the balcony.

The boy chuckled to himself, "I really just can't get used to being with so many people."

Bell turned to look out of the balcony, and he blinked when he spotted Hyakinthos next to one of the lamp posts nearby.

The captain of the Apollo Familia seemed to be talking to a bespectacled man, clad in what looked like white and blue robes.

Bell leaned on the railings to get a better look, but before he could continue, a voice reached his ears.

"There you are!"

The boy turned to see Lefiya and Ais, "Lefiya-san, Ais-san."

The elf asked, "What are you doing here alone?"

Bell smiled, "I just didn't feel like staying in the crowd, that's all."

Lefiya giggled, "Tell me about it, I can't get used to places like this too."

She looked at Ais, "You too, right, Ais-san?"

The blonde nodded, "Yes."

The boy blinked, "Really? I thought you'd be more used to things like these."

Ais shook her head, "Not really."

The blonde looked at Bell, "Bell Cranel, tell me, how do you use those spirits so well?"

Bell blinked, "Eh?"

Lefiya blinked in confusion too, "Ais-san?"

Ais furrowed her brows, "You're getting stronger faster and faster each time we meet. How do you get stronger so quickly?"

The boy scratched the back of his neck, "I really don't know how to answer that..."

The blonde paused, before she asked, "Will you spar with me?"

That caught the two younger adventurers by surprise, and Bell asked, "Wait, what?"

Lefiya, on the other hand, reacted more loudly, "A-Ais-san?! What are you saying?!"

Ais looked serious, "Exactly what I said. I want to spar with you, Bell Cranel."

Bell hummed, "I mean, I don't mind. Sparring with the Sword Princess will be a good experience for me, but..."

The blonde nodded, "Good, I'll let you know when we're free. We can spar on top of the walls of Orario."

Lefiya looked devastated, "A-Ais-san, what about our training?!"

Ais looked at her, "We can train together."

The elf instantly bounced up, "R-really?!"

The blonde nodded, "... You can use this chance to learn more about Bell's abilities, and he can learn more about yours."

Lefiya beamed, "Deal!"

Bell chuckled awkwardly, "Let me know when, I guess?"

Ais nodded, and with that said, she turned away back to the crowd. Lefiya blinked, "A-Ais-san! Wait for me!"

Before she ran after the blonde, the elf turned to Bell, "We'll see you later."

Bell nodded and just waved as the two vanished into the crowd once more, and he turned back to look out of the balcony, but he blinked when he couldn't see Hyakinthos or the other man anymore.

The boy hummed, "No point worrying I guess."

The white rabbit turned back to the crowd, "Maybe I should go look for Hestia-sama, I don't feel comfortable staying here any longer."

Soon after, Bell found Hestia devouring plates of food, "Hestia-sama."

The twin tailed goddess blinked, "Bell-kun? What's wrong?"

The boy spoke, "I think we should get going."

Hestia raised an eyebrow, "What? Why? It's still early."

"Exactly, it's still early, and you wish to leave so soon?"

The two turned to see Apollo walking towards them. The goddess of the hearth scowled, "Apollo."

Apollo chuckled, "Hello, Hestia. I hope you're enjoying yourself."

Hestia nodded, "I am, thank you very much."

The god of the sun looked at Bell, and the boy noticed the glint in his eyes, along with the sudden change in expression that lasted only but an instant, "And you must be Bell Cranel, yes?"

Bell refrained himself from showing his discomfort, "Yes, I'm honored that you reocgnize me, Lord Apollo."

Apollo chuckled, "Of course I would, who wouldn't recognize the famed heir to the Throne of Heroes? I hear you recently inherited the powers of Atalanta and Orion recently?"

The boy nodded, "Yes, that's right. I hope you don't mind."

The god of the sun laughed, "Of course not! Not when you prayed to both myself and my baby sister, and especially considering you saved Artemis as well. You have my eternal gratitude for that."

Bell lowered his head, "Thank you for your kind words."

Apollo smiled, "But it's a shame my baby sister didn't show up today, I really wanted to meet her again after so long."

The boy nodded, "I'm sure you'll find the chance to meet her again."

The god chuckled, "Glad you think so too."

His smile dropped, "But that's good and all, and while I'm eternally grateful that you saved my baby sister, there's one thing that I need out of the way."

Alarm bells went off for Bell and Hestia, and the goddess asked, "And what is it?"

Apollo spoke, "Not too long ago, some of my children ran into some trouble with your kid, is that right?"

Hestia narrowed her eyes, "Yes, I did hear something like that."

The god of the sun nodded, "Then that makes things easier. Considering my dear children were badly hurt, I want compensation."

The goddess glared at him, "What the hell are you talking about?"

Apollo hummed, "Seems like you're not aware what your kid did to mine."

He gestured to behind him, and everyone watched as Luan walked forward, covered head to toe with bandages and in crutches.

The god of the sun narrowed his eyes, "I've allowed you and your child to attend the banquet as thanks for saving Artemis, but this... I cannot let this slide, Hestia!"

The goddess snapped her head to Bell, "You didn't do that, did you?"

Bell narrowed his eyes, "I feel bad for him, but not once did I touch a hair on him. I did fight other men from your Familia and your captain, but not him."

Apollo sighed, "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this, but we have witnesses!"

Three more men appeared to stand behind Luan, and Bell noticed that they were all the men he had beaten up during the fight.

The boy looked at Apollo in the eye, "Say what you want, I speak nothing but the truth, you gods can tell if I'm lying, can you not?"

"True, he's not lying at all."

"So does that mean Apollo is trying to frame them?"

"Wow, what is he thinking?"

Whispers erupted around them, mostly from the gods, and Apollo scowled, "So you really don't admit to hurting my dear child, I see. Regardless of whether Luan was hurt so badly by you or not, it does not change the fact that you hurt my children!"

The god pointed at him and Hestia, "If this is what it has come to, then you have forced my hand! Hestia, I challenge you... TO A WAR GAME!"

That caught everyone's attention.

"A WAR GAME!"

"You know what, I don't care what Apollo is scheming, I want to see this!"

"Me too!"

"WAR GAME!"

"WAR GAME!"

"WAR GAME!"

The gods around them cheered, and Apollo smirked, "If I win, your child Bell Cranel, will have to join my Familia."

Hestia looked outraged, "WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"

The god laughed, "That's not fair to keep such a wonderful cute child to yourself, wouldn't you say?"

"Now, now, I can't believe what I'm seeing."

Everyone turned to see Freya striding forward, and the goddess spoke, "I'm sure I made it clear a while ago, that I'd stand behind Hestia and her cute little rabbit against anyone who tries to take him away."

The goddess of beauty stared at Apollo coldly, "Are you willing to put yourself and your little Familia against me?"

Hestia blinked, "F-Freya?!"

The god of the sun gritted his teeth, "This has nothing to do with you, Freya! This has nothing to do with claiming Bell Cranel, it is retribution for them hurting my dear Luan!"

Freya hummed, "Is that so? But I recall but mere moments ago, that our dear Bell here claimed to not have touched a hair on him. He wasn't lying. Or perhaps are you saying that he can lie to us gods?"

Apollo froze, and he glared at her, "It doesn't change the fact that they hurt my children! Is it too much to ask for compensation?!"

The goddess hummed, "Is it? I don't care about your children, to be honest. What I care about, is that you're going against Hestia and her dear child. I made a promise, and I intend to keep it."

Freya's eyes flashed dangerously, "So I'd watch your words actions, Apollo. If you truly believe that you are doing this for your prum, then go ahead, but you would do well to be fully prepared for the consequences."

Apollo glared at her, but that was all the attention the goddess was going to spare him.

She turned to Bell and Hestia, "Hestia, I think we've overstayed our welcome, and I've had enough of this place for tonight. It's still early, would you like to accompany me for some tea?"

The goddess of the hearth blinked in surprise, "Ermm, sure?"

Freya smiled, "Excellent, we can use my carriage."

With that said, the four left the Apollo Familia's home, leaving a seething Apollo with the rest of the guests.

As the four left, Hermes held back a laugh, "My, this escalated really quickly."

He glanced at Loki, "So, I recall you vouched for them too. Are you not going to say something?"

The redhead frowned, "... Not yet, Freya alone is more than enough for now, but I did promise the shrimp I'd help."

Loki sighed, "I'll have to think about it, and definitely talk to the shrimp too."

The Norse goddess of mischief sighed, "Alright, Ais-tan, Lefiya-tan, we should go too. I don't think it's wise to stay here any longer."

The two young women nodded and followed their goddess out of the venue.

Hermes chuckled as he too went to get Asfi to leave, "Now, let's see how this unfolds."

XXX

Done. So, we have a slightly different outcome as opposed to canon.

First, Artemis is alive, and now Freya and Loki are standing behind Hestia and Bell more actively.

So yeah, read and review please. Until next time.