The sounds of a young boy crying was all they heard when the memory began. It was a younger Bell, curling in a ball as goblins were ganging up on him.
"Of all the nerve!" Hestia exclaimed, livid at the younger and much cuter Bell being picked on by monsters outside the Dungeon while Apollo was…being Apollo. Several gods and goddesses found the child Bell to be precious while Freya was frowning. Let's just say goblins will be hunted in mass on the whims of the goddess and leave it at that.
"Aww…weren't you just cute as a young child?" Hakuno cooed while Ais nodded her head in agreement as Bell looked away from the two, his face a deep red. Several others agreed that the little rabbit was just plain adorable when he was younger and already several girls had taken a liking to the rabbit boy.
"Bell!" a voice called out, full of concern, and wrath at the same time as the goblins were brutally knocked away with a shovel and were turned to ash as an old man hurried to the child's side and lifted him up to see if he was alright.
"Grandpa…" Bell called out, sniffing.
They saw Bell's grandfather at long last and it had every deity in Denatus frozen in shock of whom it was. After all, who would expect him of all people to be Bell's grandfather?
"Zeus?!" several gods exclaimed in shock, realizing the former top familia leader in the memory. After his exile he went completely off the radar and was never heard of again (except Hermes, the trickster was always in touch with him. But nobody knew that.)
The scene changed, with the younger Bell sitting in Zeus' lap as the god was telling the stories of heroes' past, the innocent joy in the boy's eyes sparkled like a lit flame. Zeus would tell the child of what it was to be a hero, and the boy could only listen in wonder.
Those of the same pantheon as Zeus, which had Hestia, Demeter, Artemis, Apollo and Dionysus all sported a similar look of nostalgia. Zeus was always fond of the mortal realm, always peering down to witness stories that lead to him descending after the actions of Argonaut and his 'comedy'.
But Hestia now knew where Bell got his desire to be a hero from. If anyone could inspire a pure childlike Bell into becoming a hero, it would be Zeus and the countless tales he's observed.
"Bell. Peeking is a man's romance." Zeus instructed.
Now this caused every god in Orario to sigh, especially the goddesses as they knew of the thunder god's perverted antics back in Tenkai. Old habits die hard, right?
"Your grandfather taught you that?" Morgan demanded with a frown as Bell looked away, embarrassed.
"Hmm…is that how mortal males conduct romance?" Barghest pondered aloud.
"No." was the instant answer of every female in their group. This caused the knight to frown as she cupped her chin in thought. This romance mortal races talk about is a rather complicated matter.
"RRRRRROOOOOOMMMMMMMMAAAAAANNNNNNNCCCCCCCEEEEEEE!"
"GRAANDPAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Bell's screams of horror rang out.
"Well, at least we're grateful that Bell isn't a pervert." Primo quipped while Hakuno and Haruhime nodded their heads knowingly.
"True, Bell-sama is polite and looks the other way when he stumbles in on us indecent accidently." Haruhime admitted, a faint blush on her cheeks.
"It was one time! One time and I never did it again!" Bell protested, feeling his face burning while Hakuno merely chuckled at how flustered Bell is. Ais looked at Hakuno questionably.
"We were in the middle of changing when he walked in on us. Screamed and ran up the stairs red-faced. Show's how shy and pure he is around girls." The witch explained.
The villagers spoke to Bell of bad news, his grandfather had been attacked by monsters and has presumed dead. Leaving the boy devastated.
Every god rolled their eyes at this. This was a staple in the tales of heroes Zeus always talks about. When tragedy befalls the young hero through death of a loved one, they leave to find their place in the world through an adventure. And they all knew where that would lead him: Orario.
Soon enough, the young boy began his journey towards Orario, taking in the sights and voices of the people as he prepared for his time to find a familia to join.
Several of the gods grimaced, lamenting on how their missed out on recruiting a promising child into their familia in the past as he was a rising legend.
The next few days later, cheers filled the street as Bell went to investigate them. It was a familia group making their way across the street, carrying the banner of a jester on them. The Loki Familia.
Loki herself puffed her chest with pride and a smug expression on her face. To know that even Hestia's kid would get the honor of seeing her children bring awe and fame to her just like that.
Bell tried to catch a glimpse of these 'heroes' but everyone was blocking his view as he lamented on his luck…But then the atmosphere did a complete one-eighty.
A sharp gasp caught his attention as a citizen pointed in the direction the Loki Familia were heading in. "The Witch is here!" they exclaimed. What were once cheers became complete silence and pure fear in the eyes of everyone there. A good portion parted away, trying to stay clear of the one heading towards the Loki Familia.
"Ah," Ais started, recalling this scene anywhere. Hakuno did as well. It was that expedition that got cancelled due to monsters using acid.
"Witch?" Bell asked in confusion. A woman that was a long-time gossip amongst the people of Orario instantly knew he was new around here if he didn't know her then it was wise to warn him about her.
"The Holy Witch." The woman began in a quiet voice. "She single-handedly felled a Floor Boss by herself with one attack. She even took on the Ishtar Familia by herself and defeated them while banishing their goddess back to the heavens! All while still being Level 1!"
Gilgamesh chuckled at that reminder of the goddess he despised so much being dead already. It always puts a smile on his face. "Umu! My Praetor's training in the Far Side of the Moon has borne fruit here in the City of Adventures. The Muses will be in awe of her majesty as she defies the norms and take center stage of a marvelous performance!" Nero cheerfully stated with a twirl of elegance and joy of her Praetor.
"By herself?" he repeated quietly. From how the crowd parted, he caught the glimpse of the girl in the black dress. The upper half of her face concealed by the veil's length as she seemed to be talking to someone with a gentle smile.
"By the way Captain," Bell started, recalling something. "Why does your veil have different lengths even though it's the same one?" he asked as Hakuno blinked at the random question while several others nodded their head in agreement.
"I have an enchantment that either extends or lowers the length to cover my face out in public. It's to hide my identity from most people looking for me when I go on casual walks through Orario." She answered.
It was true, when the War Game started Hakuno's veil concealed her face the minute the Divine Mirrors turned on. Throughout the months she's been here, very few have seen the actual face of Hakuno Kishinami. The witch went as far as to use illusion spells or memory erasing ones to preserve her identity whenever she walks out to Orario's streets in casual clothing. Only her familia members, Hestia, Gilgamesh, Nero, Artemis, BB with the Alter Egos and Freya herself had seen Hakuno's real face in the past. That spoke her level of discretion and stealth right off the bat.
"Steer clear of her if you know what's good for you. No one knows which Familia she belongs to. No sane god would have a monster like her in their Familia." The woman warned as she made her retreat as Hakuno was heading towards their direction.
"I am perfectly sane mind you!" Hestia growled out in irritation while several of the other gods laughed.
"Who wouldn't want Hakuno in their familia? She's a game changer!" one responded. Then several others began commenting on why they'd want Hakuno in their Familia.
Bell was still as she walked pass him, and for a moment, he saw a lone brown eye look at him and a faint hint of a smile on her lips. It wasn't one of malicious intent, but a faint warm greeting.
As if sensing that she was encouraging him to move forward, Bell ran ahead, his desire to become a hero by joining a Familia with a look of hope on his face.
"He's such a sweet boy," Hestia smiled fondly, "Always nice and polite. That childhood innocence is something." She admitted while Apollo giggled pervasively.
"Oh yes, Bell-kun's purity is something alright." He gleefully agreed while Hestia gave him a disgusted look while scooting several feet away from his distance even if she was already far away from him before.
"Apollo, control yourself. You're a god and should have the dignity of one. Not that of an animal in heat." Artemis reprimanded him as Apollo looked at her with annoyance and began sulking because she was right.
Bell's quest was always the same when he sought for a Familia to join. Denial. Too many mouths to feed, not enough room, he was too weak. It was as if everyone was conspiring against him. The room he rented at the inn was done with, he didn't have enough money for another night as he sat in the alleyway, depressed.
"Bell-kun…" Hestia whispered silently to herself, wishing to give the boy in the memory a hug. That was why he was so quick to join her Familia that fateful day.
In the Twilight Manor, members of the Loki Familia had their own thoughts on this.
"Poor kid, to think his grandfather had passed an no one accepted him into their familia." Tione said sadly as her twin frowned at that.
"The kid wanted to be a hero like Argonaut and others and that dream was being trampled on by others. Not cool." Tiona said as she placed a hand on her hip with disproval.
"Tch. Not every small fry gets their lucky day in a place like Orario with even worse weaklings out there." Bete said with disdain of other lower ranked familia that have not improved over the years or were downright ruined.
"Most Familia start outside of Orario before they start making their name when they enter the city. He would have had better luck out there first before coming here." Riveria noted.
"But we know how that ended up, eh?" Gareth-san asked with mirth in his eyes.
"Naturally." Finn agreed with a wry smile.
The wind blew, and the fluttering of black clothing resounded in his ears as he looked up. It was the Holy Witch herself, the veil's length now short which revealed her face to him as he looked at him. He was frozen in time, transfixed by her presence and face as those starlit eyes looked at him with concern. "Are you alright?" she had asked.
Bell was left speechless in front of her as the Holy Witch looked at the door towards the familia he had attempted to join, probably having seen him rejected. "You are looking for a Familia, aren't you?" she asked.
Bell had regained his thoughts as he had to reply to this girl, so he didn't come off as rude. "Yes." He admitted, "So far, everywhere I go to seems to reject me." He told her, crestfallen.
That image made Bell look like a sad rabbit, and the many girls who found it cute what to snuggle him and see a happy rabbit instead.
Bell blinked when the Holy Witch's hand took his, and slowly gave him a gentle tug to follow. "Why don't you see if my Familia is the right one for you?" the Holy Witch asked.
Bell could only stare at her, as if he was dreaming and was going to wake up any minute now. It wasn't a dream he had realized as that smoldering ember of hope was relit by the girl in front of him. He couldn't help it as tears filled his eyes as he fell forward, making her catch him as he cried in her chest. She hugged him and giving him words of comfort as his sorrows were beginning to leave him.
This caused a stir amongst the male adventurers, as they cursed the rabbit boy's luck with a girl like Hakuno. They too wanted to be comforted by a nice girl, giving them soothing words and hugs for all the pains, troubles and sorrows they had as they cursed Bell like the petty boys there were. "Onore! Bell Cranel!" they cried out in childish jealousy.
Bell was greeted by the small group of the Hestia Familia, the goddess herself, the Chronicler Haruhime and of course…
The girl politely lifted the edges of her dress and did an elegant bow, "The Holy Witch of Hestia, Kishinami Hakuno. A pleasure to have you in our family, Bell." The girl introduced herself, smiling as those starlit eyes shone brighter than ever.
"Wow mom, you have beautiful eyes." Primo admired with honesty.
"It is expected. My daughter is at her core a kind and caring soul and her eyes reflect that nature. It is her most charming feature after all." Morgan admitted without shame.
"It goes without saying that Senpai's eyes are my fetish. I can get lost in them as if they were a galaxy~" BB commented from wherever she's hiding. Ais nodded her head in agreement as Hakuno's cheeks were dusted red as she refused to say anything on the matter. If she did, then it'd add fuel to the fire in front of her.
"Alright everyone, this is your announcer, the lovable kōhai BB-chan~! The next episode is the finale of the highlights in this Familia Myth!"
"I wonder what it will show from Cranel-san's memory?" Ryu spoke to herself quietly. She had stayed silent and observed the memories of the two stars of the Hestia Familia to understand them. Hakuno's was shrouded in even greater mysteries as a girl who came from the moon. Bell Cranel was simpler and understanding, and it revealed that the boy holds some affection for the Holy Witch if their first time interacting with each other were to go by anything. She knew Syr was going to have some heavy competition against the boy's own Captain whom the boy sees her every day.
The Hestia Familia woke up to the sounds of an angry goddess yelling at someone. "…and you complete idiot!"
Bonk!
"You're in so much trouble after this stunt! Must I be your mother and ground you!?" Hestia demanded with her hands on her hips, a stern expression on her childish face, and Ais rubbing her head on where Hestia hit her.
"Why'd ya do that to Aizu-tan?" Loki demanded in mild anger while Hestia crossed her arms and gestured with her head to the memory.
"I'm sorry…" Ais apologized, looking guilty with how upset Hestia was at her.
"You should be! Not only did you risk your life just to level up, but who will look out for the rest of the Familia while Hakuno is away!? Everyone is level one still and they need someone to keep them safe in case something bad happens in the Dungeon. You're forbidden to leave home unless exploring with the rest of the Familia…and no more Jagamaru-kun for the rest of the upcoming month!"
Ais winced in recollection of that little episode of an upset Hestia. She struggled hard not to cry whenever she saw a Jagamaru-kun stand with freshly baked potato delights when she caught whiff of them and couldn't eat one. It was so sad for her as she tried to keep a stoic façade on.
Hakuno gave Ais a look, one that the Sword Princess could not decipher as her expression was flat, and her eyes were currently hidden by her veil. This only caused Ais to puff her cheek and pout. She was certain of it; her Lady was quietly laughing at her. The witch pulled her knight closer and began to whisper in her ear. "You were rather cute in this memory. How I regret not seeing it in person." She said as Ais' cheeks were dusted a faint pink.
In the Twilight Manor, Riveria was momentarily in a mental shutdown at the sight of Ais being grounded like a child with an equally childish expression like that. Never in her life did she see that in the girl until now while several other members of the Loki Familia tried to comprehend the scene before them.
Lefiya was left stunned at how her idol was punished like that and her childish reactions to not having any Jagamaru-kuns to eat. She did not see that one coming at all. Bete could only stare at the memory dumbfounded, trying to comprehend what the hell he just saw. Tiona was laughing while Tione just sighed with a shake of her head and an amused smile.
The memory moved on to the Dungeon itself, with Lili and Welf joining them as they ventured deep in the upper floors. It was the Tenth Floor that everything had changed. Numerous monsters had trapped them within, and a red minotaur, an Enhanced Species stood there with an axe and leather armor as it stared directly at Bell with a bloodthirsty grin.
That smile unnerved anyone watching it, as Hakuno narrowed her eyes at this scene. It was odd of seeing it even if she had heard of this event. So, this was it, this was Bell's Adventure.
Bell entrusted Primo with command as he went to face the Minotaur in single combat, knife and sword coated with flames and thunder respectively as the boy charged in to face this menacing adversary. Sparks danced from their weapons clashing as they had begun a battle to the death. The Minotaur's roar against Bell's screams were the only thing going for them in this dance.
Freya was frozen, enraptured and captivated by the stimulating feeling at the sight of the pure soul against the rampaging bull. There was not one ounce of taint in that soul's glow. It only had one thing that made it shine beautifully…the pursuit of an honest and pure wish.
"I have to win…I have to be a hero…!"
That thought was from Bell, and Freya realized that was what she had been searching for in her Familia the whole time after so many years in Orario. Her children shone splendidly, but there were all warriors, they had a different type of glow and radiance compared to this. The one who wishes to be a hero.
"I must be fast, swift like the wind itself!" Bell thought, the image of Ais overlap him as he utilized her fighting method with his shortsword.
Ais blinked, realizing that to Bell, she was a hero to him.
"I must have courage and resolve," the image of a book, with the name of the hero written on its cover appearing in his mind. "Like Argonaut himself!"
"He really is like Argonaut…" Tiona muttered softly, captivated by the fight as she was seeing a reenactment of a comedy before her eyes. The boy who wished to be a hero armed with powers over flames and thunder facing off against a monstrous bull in a labyrinth was the part that etched itself into her fantasies as a child when she read that tale.
The battle drew intense as his arm was injured but still capable of fighting in its condition and Bell imaged Hakuno with the black mana surrounding her as she turned to him. "Can you keep up?" she asked with a smile. Bell's red eyes narrowed in resolve as the afterimage faded as he prepared another Firebolt at pointblank range in the Minotaur's face.
"I know of a person who can alter the rules of the world on a whim with her magic. Defying everything we all knew about it and inspired wonders for children! I will catch up to her!" he thought as the spell was launched and the Minotaur howled in agony as an eye was destroyed by the attack.
"Nice shot Bell." Hakuno told him as Bell looked away, flustered by her compliment and praise.
The final stretch was there, as the Minotaur got on all fours and Bell's weapons were on their last legs as he got into a stance. Both sworn foes looked at each other with utter determination and charged at each other screaming at the top of their lungs as they clashed for one final time. The victor of the bout, Bell Cranel, Level 1.
The whole world was stunned, captivated by the fight, recalling the first familia myth in history as the reenactment of an old tale echoed in the hearts of many. It was this moment; the world began to change from this memory.
*Trailer*
Bell was running alongside his Saber, both having smiles on their faces as they charged the battlefield.
[21 Servants have assembled.]
Saber of Black and Saber of Red charged their Noble Phantasms, blue twilight and blood red lightning clashing. Welf took in the sight of the two swords, his own magic sword blazing with his ignited passion.
Lancer of Red and Colorless Archer leaving devastation in their wake as they fought to the death. While that happened, Ais swung Desperate as she clashed with the Master of Black Archer and her mechanical limbs and the Necromancer and his bizarre tools.
[The Great Holy Grail War beings.]
Archer of Red and Archer of Black firing arrows at Colorless Lancer as she spun her crimson spear and casually deflected them all with ease. Haruhime and her foxy Servant Caster began combining their spells to lend strength to their allies.
Primo cheered on Colorless Berserker's command of his army as the Dragontooth Warriors, armed homunculi, and golems were overwhelmed.
Berserker of Black and Lancer of Black working in tandem with each other in order to defeat the Colorless Rider who smirked underneath her blindfold as her speed allowed her to avoid the attacks with her trap already activated as Lili fired specially crafted bolts from her crossbow at the enemy Masters.
[The Lunar Witch]
X
[Apocrypha]
Hakuno stood alongside Ruler and her companion as they looked onto the battlefield.
[Crossover Event Vote Poll is now available]
That's right, the Hestia Familia in this crossover event will become Masters and have their own Servants! How cool is that?! My goal is to get at least 250 votes in to confirm that my readers want this to happen. Deadline will be set on July 4th. So cast your vote by then and if enough is made I'll start writing it for my faithful readers.