Sylphid's Happiness Revisited

by ExoriosGhoul

A rewrite of Sylphid's Happiness I started and released almost 3 years ago, the Story is similar but hopefully improved. After the events of their death march through the deep floors, they have started to develop feelings for one another.

22. Chapter 19

Hey everyone, been a little bit since I last posted. Sorry about that. Either way, I hope you enjoy this chapter. -EG

P.S. I wasn't sure about the quality of the chapter in general, but let me know your thoughts. -EG

Word Count: 17,211

Chapter 19

Eina sat at the small desk she owned, which had thankfully been moved from her old apartment, it was early far earlier than she would ever normally be awake. Knowing that it would probably be an emotionally charged day made it hard to sleep.

Glancing out the window, she could see the faintest hint of light lighting up the sky. She groaned and tried to focus on the two papers that sat in front of her. She tapped the quill a couple of times on the desk, trying to find the words she wanted to share.

An hour passed, and the first one was significantly easier to write. It was a simple letter, one addressed to her parents. She knew they might disapprove of her choice to become an adventurer, but she had delayed writing this for far too long.

The second letter, however, was a significantly harder process. "How should I even start? After all, it's not like we're on the best of terms..." She quietly whispered.

She placed the quill into its holder and rubbed at her head, she knew what she wanted to say but couldn't actually put it onto paper. She leaned back into her chair and sighed, "I... just need to start... I should be able to continue afterward."

She focused again on the paper, the name of the recipient played through her mind. 'Nina' She couldn't remember how many years it's been since she had thought about writing to her sister. "I really am the worst..."

But now was an opportunity, a chance to understand her little sister. One who wanted desperately to be like her older sister. "It's... almost funny... how the situation changes..."

Eina took a deep breath, 'Remember. Just getting started is the hardest step.' She told herself, picking up the quill and dipping it into the ink. She wrote a single word, before crumpling up the paper at how messy the writing was.

She took a moment, taking a few breaths. Then tried again, but with a similar result. But she ignored her poor penmanship and forced herself to continue, 'Maybe... if I could get a draft done... then I can rewrite it with proper penmanship.' She thought she had hoped.

...

Nina,

How are you doing? It's been far too long since I've written. How's the school working out for you? I hope it's going well. I have so much I want to talk to you about. But most of it would be best in person.

I suppose the biggest change, I've become an adventurer. Through unfortunate circumstances, I've joined a nice Familia who are honestly overprotective of its members.

It's, interesting how times have changed. I never thought or had wanted to gain a falna, but here I am. Have you written to mom and dad? I'm sure they're worried and proud of you. I know I am.

Sorry, I probably shouldn't ramble so much. In truth, I'm not one hundred percent sure what to say. But, I suppose the main thing. I miss you and love you dearly.

If you ever find yourself in Orario, please let me know. I'm currently at the Hearth Manor.

I know we don't always agree, or see things eye to eye. But that's expected, we're two different people. I wish to bridge that distance that had formed between us.

I eagerly wait to hear back from you, no matter how long it might take.

Your sister, Eina.

...

Eina sighed as she looked at the letter, it was a mess. But it's the most she had managed in over two years. "As a draft... I suppose that it's not bad..." She grimaced at the sloppy penmanship, it was worse than when Bell first started her lessons. You would've thought he had never held a quill before.

But the hardest part was done. That first step, she glanced out the window again noticing the sharp increase in brightness in the sky above. She folded up the letter to her parents and slipped the draft into the drawer at her desk.

"I'll send out the letter tomorrow, and rewrite the other tomorrow as well. It's already so late." Eina complained at her lack of awareness as she wrote.

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.

.

Eina stood in the open courtyard of the Hearth Manor, she stretched trying to loosen her body up. The basic exercises were a blessing, and she was thankful to Mikoto for showing her them.

After half an hour, she felt like she could move freely. She thought about doing more strenuous exercises but faltered. She knew today would be a long day, and everyone had already reassured her that she would be welcome at the party tonight, despite not having anything to do with it.

She caught some movement out of the corner of her eyes, Haruhime was moving sweeping some of the leaves that had fallen over the last couple of days. After a moment of hesitation, Eina nodded and approached Haruhime.

X

Ryu's eyes slowly opened, and her entire body felt so warm. She could feel Bell's arm wrapped around her.

That simple realization caused her ears to burn slightly, but over the weeks of them being in a relationship she had gotten used to waking with the sensation.

The first thing that came into view as her eyes adjusted to the dim light, was Bell's face. An instinctual urge to lean forward and kiss him washed over her mind, but she resisted the urge. Although, she would be lying if she said it wasn't difficult.

'Bell...' Just thinking his name was almost pleasure-inducing. Her mind was still foggy from sleep, and she squeezed a little tighter nuzzling closer to her partner.

She wanted nothing more than to stay like that forever, but she knew she couldn't. 'Right... today's the day.' She silently thought.

She hoped that Bell was having pleasant dreams as he slept, 'How will things go tonight...?'

'I'm not as... bothered or traumatized by the events that happened, unlike Bell. I could tell the entire story, with a couple exceptions. But would that be for the best? I don't think so...' She silently pondered, not allowed her embrace to faulter in the slightest.

'We haven't had a chance to practice sense we returned to Orario... he was making progress, but slowly. Well... if I'm going to be honest, his progress was like lightning compared to my slow crawl...' That thought caused memories to replay for a second, they hurt but didn't paralyze her.

'Astraea... Alise... Kaguya... everyone. What should I do?' She silently asked, but she already knew the answer.

.

.

.

Time passed both quickly and slowly for Ryu, as the light that entered from the shaded window slowly grew just a hint brighter. She didn't know what time it was, but she wouldn't remove her embrace, until he woke, to check.

'I'm acting strangely... aren't I...' Again she felt the draw to kiss him, it was an always present conundrum. Her elven pride told her not to, because of how inappropriate it would be. But she'd been managing to ignore that side of her a good deal recently.

Her heart on the other hand, screamed and shouted it's desire. A simple kiss, that's what it wanted right now.

Her ears continued to burn crimson, but she closed the miniscule distance in half. Then a memory replayed through her mind causing her to pull away slightly. The memory of how she had forced herself upon Bell.

Indescribable shame and regret filtered through her mind, but despite everything a tiny portion of her mind felt justified for trying, and she hated that. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, 'Remember what Bell said after that... remember. He doesn't think badly of you... just remember and trust his words.'

The self-hatred that had started to build started to crumble and fade, the ashes remained present, but they were easy to ignore. Before her mind could force her to stop, her heart pushed her body forward and with a soft sensation she managed to kiss him.

After a second she pulled away, the embarrassment of what she had just done burned at the tips of her ears. But she was glad she managed to accomplish a task that would probably be so simple for so many others.

She sighed, as the slightest bit of pleasure washed over her. She blinked and was contented.

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.

.

It took another ten minutes or so for Bell to start sturing, then another two for his eyes to slowly creep open.

She could see the beautiful ruby eyes, "Oh. Morning... Ryu." Bell whispered, and she could see a slight blush on his face.

"M...morning Bell," Ryu muttered, half stumbling over her words. Her recent push to kiss him was still fresh in her mind.

Bell sighed as they laid there in each other's embrace. "I... guess today... is the day."

Ryu shifted slightly and nodded, "It is..."

Bell's eyes lowered slightly, "Ryu... I... do you think I can mange this? I... I'm not sure if I'll be able to."

Ryu squeezed him slightly tighter, "I'm sure you can Bell... it won't be easy and you might stumble over your words... but I believe that you can."

A small, although sad looking smile showed, "Alright. I'll trust in your faith."

He leaned in slightly, and Ryu's heart skipped a beat. Their foreheads touched lightly, and she started moving without thinking. As they connected, she could hear the rapid thumps of his heart mingling with hers.

After a pair of seconds they pulled away, and Ryu knew her body burned however slightly. She forced herself to glance at the clock towards an opposite wall. It was still early, not even six yet. "Why don't you try to get a little more sleep? I'll be here when you wake up." Ryu's voice was low, barely more then a whisper.

Bell's small smile turned to a smirk, "Why. So you can kiss me while I sleep again?"

Ryu's face burst into crimson, "Wha...t wh..."

"Relax. I'm just teasing, I would say you would never... but judging from your reaction..." Bell half chuckled, and Ryu felt the arms around her squeeze slightly tighter. "I don't mind..."

Ryu felt like passing out, the sheer embarrassment. Not only had he accurately guessed what she had done, but her reaction only confirmed it. But before she could say anything as Bell continued. "But... I suppose you're right... I well we both should try to get... some more sleep. It's going to be a long one."

Ryu was reluctant to fall back asleep, she still felt tired but was rested more then enough. But as time passed, and Bell's face relaxed into something more akin to a light sleep.

She couldn't help herself, she nuzzled up closer buring her face into Bell's shirt and closed her eyes.

X

Hestia paced in circles in her room, she knew how busy today was going to be. She was excited and nervous to find out what truly happened.

She's glimpse of what happened when she had updated Bell's status when he was in the hospital. But no extraneous details. That compounded with the scars he had been carrying since still caused her to wince in sympathy.

"Bell... Ryu... Just what did the two of you suffer? It must have been massive considering the drastic changes..." Hestia stopped pacing, knowing it wasn't doing any good.

She glanced down at desk she stood next to, one so seldomly used, the update after Bell returned was laying on the desk. She had grabbed it last night and read over the it a dozen times before she started getting drowsy. 'His explosion of growth was crazy. Far more then anything he had received before.' She quietly thought.

She slowly reached down and grabbed the update page. A part of her felt like carrying it around today, but she knew it would be ridiculous and reckless. Instead, she walked over the small shelf that stood in her room, opened a particular book and pulled out a key.

With practiced ease, she unlocked a drawer in the desk and gently placed the update page on top of others. The one below it was Haruhime after the expedition.

She sighed, 'I'm truly lucky that everyone made it out alive...' She shook her head harshly to try to clear the thought from her mind.

She glanced at the clock, noticing it was nearly time for breakfast. "Oh..." she muttered. "I wonder if those love birds will be down for breakfast on time. Funny... honestly." She sighed heavily, but she was happy despite everything. "I suppose I should go make sure they make it down earlier today."

X

Bell sat in the dining hall, he didn't have much to say. Idle small talk was present, but his mind was too focused on the task at hand. Unconsciously he started to remember a few things causing his hand to clench tightly under the table.

He felt a gentle hand cover his clenched hand, he nearly startled in surprise, but resisted the urge. Glancing up he saw Ryu, her chair slightly closer then normal, she was looking at Welf who was talking about an idea he had come up with.

After a second, he managed to unclench his hand, and felt Ryu's slip into the opening. Their fingers intertwining, Bell noticed the slightest hint of pink on her ears.

He knew what he was planning, he needed to make a statement soon. But he would wait, seeing the smile on Haruhime's face as Eina politely asked to slide over a plate of fruit.

Mikoto's energetic nod at the mention of Welf mentions making new equipment for everyone.

Lili's rubbing the bridge of her nose, as Hestia said something Bell didn't hear.

They all looked so happy, and despite everything he felt his own mood lighten slightly. The weight of what needed to be done later, felt slightly less of an overwhelming obstacle.

He felt Ryu squeeze his hand slightly, and he returned it.

.

.

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Bell stood, and cleared his throat. After a second, everyone quieted and glanced over to listen to what he was going to say. "I have a small announcement, but I'll save that for the end. Tonight I'm hoping to explain what happened, I make no promises that I will be able to completely. If I am unable to, Ryu will take over."

He bowed slightly to the entire Familia, "I appreciate and am grateful for all of your patience with this matter. But I want the truth to be out there."

Hestia clapped, followed by everyone else. Bell couldn't help but feel embarrassed by the fact, so he scratched the back of his head nervously and waited for it to settle down.

"Welf. How is everyone's gear looking?" He glanced toward the smith, who had a wide smile.

"Mostly repaired, I'm planning on making a new set for everyone soon. But right now all the repairs have been made." Welf spoke as he sat.

Bell nodded, "I'm glad to hear it, because tomorrow. I want to head into the dungeon, I want to make sure everyone knows of the person that saved my life as well in there." He noticed he was rubbing at his arm, and forced himself to stop.

"Many of you know what they are, as they are in the dungeon. Eina, you however don't. I'll explain more, but this will be risky for you. As we'll be going down to floor 27. I won't force you to go, that wouldn't be right. But if you do, I'll make sure no harm befalls you."

Eina paused for a moment, "I... that's... reckless for me to... I'll have to think about it..."

Bell nodded, fully expecting that. 'Considering her propensity towards slow methodical progress, I'm not surprised.' He took a breath, "Either way. Make sure to get an update today if Goddess doesn't mind. I want to check something."

Hestia gave a thumbs up, "I don't mind."

Bell nodded, and Eina shifted slightly before nodding herself. "Alright, and again thank you all for everything. Everyone make sure to meet in the main hall an hour before our scheduled arrival time."

Bell bowed again, grabbed his dishes and slipped away as Welf had a wide smile on his face. He heard some clapping, as he entered into the kitchen. He took a deep breath when the door closed behind him. He slumped slightly, "I really don't think I'm a good fit for a Captain."

He sighed, strained up and start cleaning his dirty dishes.

X

Welf couldn't help but smile as he entered his forge. Truthfully it hadn't faded since Bell walked away after his announcement. He felt proud of his brother.

He strolled through the forge glancing at the 'On Hold' drawer and sighed. He hated having a project unfinished, even worse when he couldn't finish it if he wanted to. He just didn't have the material for it right now. "Maybe... I can ask..." He quickly shook his head, "No."

He moved past the drawer, and headed into the back room where the forge was. He glanced at the wall, which held everyone's weapons. Then he frowned, "Ryu needs to have some sort of temporary weapon."

He glanced at the table, a cracked weapon sat. Ryu had given it to him to see if could repair it. "I would advise against repairing that type of damage." He murmured, as he looked closer at the weapon.

He admitted it was of nice quality, and had a far east design. The only problem was the crack that formed at the base of the exposed blade and ran up the center of the blade ending about five inches from the tip.

If he wanted to, he could easily snap the remainder off.

He sighed, "I thought Bell destroying everything was bad... now Ryu is presenting difficult tasks." He silently rubbed his chin for a moment, but shook his head. "That's for later. A temporary blade. That's what she needs."

X

Bell sighed, silently. He forced his mind to remember what had happened, his mind fought him trying to paralyze him in a world of memories. But through brute force, and the warmth seeping into his hand, he managed to remember everything. He knew however that speaking them was going to be significantly harder.

He glanced over to see the sky blue eyes watching him intently. He gave a weak chuckle, "Thank you Ryu... I... managed to at least run through everything in my mind..."

Ryu let a small smile show, then moved slightly closer allowing their shoulders to touch. They sat in the room they had been sharing, isolated from outside influences. "Good. That's a massive step... before..."

Bell squeezed her hand a little tighter, "I know... I think this is mostly due to the brute force method we had been using on our way back..." Bell lowered his head slightly, "Tonight..." He paused and took a look around, seeing the clock on the wall.

He hadn't realized just how much time had passed. "Oh... I didn't realize..."

Ryu followed his gaze, then nodded. "That feels about right. It's almost 2 pm."

Bell felt her head lean against his shoulder, he followed suit.

Together in silence they watched the time trickle by, it was a painfully slow process, but Bell couldn't be more grateful to spend some time in relative silence with the person he loved.

.

.

.

A soft knocking, brought Bell's mind into focus, "Bell. Ryu. It's almost time to meet up." Hestia's voice was just audible through the door.

Bell checked the clock again, "I... understand." Bell called out, making sure his voice was clear. That took more effort then he would've liked.

Bell smelled the scent of pine needles again as Ryu shifted sitting into a more neutral position. "I suppose... it's time to get moving..." Bell whispered, he really didn't want to go into the world at the moment, the time alone with Ryu was peaceful.

Ryu's grip tightened slightly, "Bell... are you sure about this? I know it's already so close... but if you don't I'll..."

Bell cut her off, "Yes. I don't want to... but it's something I have to do."

He felt arms wrap around him, squeezing slightly. "Alright Bell. I'll be here for you all the same."

Bell returned the hug silently, the simple contact helped set his mind at ease. Even if only slightly. "Why... don't you go on ahead and wait for me... downstairs? I just need a moment before seeing everyone..."

His head hurt slightly, and he felt uncertain or maybe even scared to have everyone see him so vulnerable. 'As Captain...' he silently thought.

After a minute Ryu pulled away, "If you're sure..." Her voice felt gentle, inviting.

'No.' He nodded despite his mental disagreement. "I... I am. Thank you... Ryu."

Ryu stood, she looked at him and he could see conflicting emotions in her ears and eyes, but after a second or two she smiled slightly. "Alright Bell... I'll see you in a bit. Take your time."

'She knows doesn't she? My hesitation... must be obvious... considering the situation... I'm not surprised.' He thought, he took a deep breath as Ryu crossed the room and closed the door behind her.

The deep breath filled him with the scent of pine needles, and again he wondered about that. But regardless, the now familiar scent helped to soothe his worry.

X

Ryu hesitated as she took a few steps down the hall. She knew his fear of the situation, and how, despite everything, he really didn't want to share everything. Fortunately, she doubted he would share everything. 'Hopefully...' she thought, as she forced herself down the hall. One forced step at a time.

She rounded the corner to the entrance of the common room to see everyone already gathered. She gave a small nod to everyone, "He'll... be down in a minute. Just needs to gather his thoughts."

It wasn't really a lie, but she still felt a little bad for saying it. 'He needs to find the strength to...' She noticed Hestia shift slightly, probably picking up on Ryu's false truth.

Welf had a smile on his face, "It's fine. We all fully expected this to happen." His face grew more serious, and his voice lowered slightly. "But really. How is he?"

Ryu hesitated, but after a moment made her decision. "Better than before... but he's scared." She spoke quietly as she approached the rest of the group.

She noticed the reaction, everyone sharing the same emotion. Shame and worry.

Haruhime's ears and tail drooped slightly.

Welf lowered his head and started tapping his foot probably unconsciously.

Eina's shorter ears shifted into a more downward position.

Mikoto closed her eyes and placed a hand on her hip.

Lili, much like Welf, lowered her head.

Hestia had her arms crossed, and she started pacing around slowly.

.

.

.

Nearly ten minutes passed before Ryu could hear the sound of the wood shifting slightly, as Bell descended the stairs. She turned to face the entrance, her mind running, 'I should've stayed with him. Why didn't I... especially when he stayed with me.'

Bell rounded the corner, he had a small smile but Ryu and probably everyone else could tell it was false. Despite the swell of anxiousness, she forced a smile of her own.

"Sorry to keep you all waiting. Now. Are we all ready to head over?" Bell's voice was surprisingly steady considering the situation.

X

Bell stood between Ryu and Hestia as they walked through the city. The entire Familia was moving, which might be strange to outsiders but Bell didn't mind. Honestly he was grateful.

Hestia was keeping up idle chatter the entire walk to the Hostess. He understood why, 'She's trying to keep the mood from growing too heavy.' Bell nodded at a statement Hestia made, not really understanding it.

His hand burned with warmth, despite the obvious embarrassment Ryu felt at public displays she had been rather insistent on holding his hand. He was truly grateful, as that warmth helped him keep moving at a normal stride. 'Ryu...'

He lightly squeezed her hand and she responded in kind, in the corner of his vision he could see the tips of her ears were a shade of pink. "What are you planning on ordering Bell?" Hestia asked, keeping up the idle chatter.

Bell shook his head, "I'm... not sure honestly."

Even as he spoke the Hostess came into view. He had to take a deep breath, with an extra long release. Something to calm his heart. His mind felt heavy as they approached, Lili and Welf were already at the doors as they were over a dozen steps in front of them.

"Goddess Hestia," Ryu spoke, her voice sudden after several minutes of not speaking.

Hestia tilted her head slightly, "Yes?"

Ryu seemed to hesitate for a second, "Why... don't you go on ahead a little. I... want to ask Bell something before we enter."

Hestia hesitated, then seemed to realize something. "Ah. I see. I see. Very well. But try not to take too long alright?" Hestia gave a wide smile before strolling up to Eina, Haruhime and Mikoto who were about a few steps closer to the Hostess. Bell noticed a sign on the doors, it read 'Reserved for the night, come back tomorrow.' It was such a simple message it helped lighten Bell's mood slightly.

After a few steps, Bell waited for Ryu to ask what she wanted to ask. But he realized something as they approached. 'She's probably... trying to give me the option to back out... Ryu.'

After another few steps he felt his hand be tugged slightly, pulling Bell to an alleyway next to the Hostess. It was a subtle gesture, and if he wasn't level 5 he might not have noticed it.

He flicked his eyes towards Ryu and could see the slight nod of her head. Without any hesitation, he followed her lead.

The alley was surprisingly clean, a few old half destroyed papers were visible, but overall it was clean. They walked a dozen feet into the alley, Bell noticed that it was relatively dark.

"Ryu..." Bell started, but stopped when Ryu pulled him close. Her lips almost touched his.

"Bell... I... just want to make sure... are you one hundred percent sure about this? You know a lot of what happened is under a gag order." Ryu leaned a little away, her cheeks flushed despite the serious topic.

Bell hesitated, he hadn't considered that. "I..." He lowered his head a bit. "I'll be honest... I hadn't considered that..." He took a deep breath, and he felt Ryu's forehead touch his.

"I know. I know you just want everything to be out there, and I'll support you if that's what you wish. But I also wanted to make sure you knew the risk... I..." Ryu hesitated, but after a few seconds continued. "I... convinced Goddess Hestia to have it at the Hostess. I had hoped that it would be easier for you... but... at the time I didn't consider the sensitive nature... of what happened. I..."

Bell leaned forward and silenced her with a quick light kiss. Ryu's eyes were wide as he pulled away slightly. "Please Ryu. Don't blame yourself or think you did something wrong. You didn't." Ryu hesitated, but after a second nodded.

After a half second, Bell continued. "I'm willing to tell them what happened regardless... obviously, I won't tell them how exactly that thing spawned, but from what I've been told from their side of the expedition... once I say what happened, they will understand and put the pieces together."

"But don't worry, I plan on being... vague about the time we spent together," Bell murmured.

Ryu blushed heavily at that statement, Bell chuckled, but after a second continued. "But it's alright Ryu... I appreciate you giving me this opportunity, both to avoid this entire situation, but also a reminder..." Bell took a deep breath, then sighed. "I guess... I'll just have to ask them all to swear secrecy... which... will be easier said than done."

Ryu nodded, "Some... are used to the idea, others not so much..." Ryu seemed to hesitate, but after a second sighed, "Well... you ready to head in now?"

Bell paused, his mind fighting telling him to retreat and avoid the implications. But slowly he forced himself to nod. "I... am."

Ryu let a soft smile show, as she touched her forehead again. "Alright, if you need my help, just squeeze and I'll help you."

Bell nodded, gratitude flooding his veins. Despite how sensitive things would get later, he didn't want to appear weak before they even walked through the front door. 'If... I need help... a slight squeeze will be easier...'

Bell took a deep breath, and forced himself to part from Ryu. "Thanks... that... means a lot."

With those words, Bell started moving back around the Hostess. The doors formed a barrier in his mind, one he has no right to cross, despite having done that dozens of times. He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and placed a hand on the barrier.

The warmth from Ryu's hand fueled his fortitude, and with a great effort forced himself to push the door open. When he opened his eyes, a warm welcoming glow assaulted his vision, soon followed by several faces. Each and every face he recognized and knew he could trust.

"Well. It's about time, kid. Get in here already." Mia's voice was loud and booming. But he couldn't hide the smile that cracked apart.

His Familia sat at a group of tables off to the right, several others including Cassandra, Daphne, Ouka, Chigusa, and Aisha set closer to the center. To the left, he saw the tables and chairs were shifted and organized forming a semicircle around a pair of chairs. 'I guess that's where it's going to happen...'

He fully entered the Hostess, and despite the warm atmosphere he couldn't help but feel a little trapped and past the point of no return.

Forcing the emotional response away, he gave a small bow to the group not in his Familia. "Thank you all for coming today." He gave a small bow.

Aisha waved her hand back and forth. "Think nothing of it. I've needed a break from all the work I've had." She licked her lips, but didn't state the obvious thought that crossed her mind.

Ryu stood next to Bell, her hand very visibly wrapped around Bell's. "Come-on, I think we are sitting... there."

Bell chuckled to himself, but followed Ryu's direction. The slight twinge of pink was still there, if anything it looked a slight shade darker.

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.

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Bell took a deep breath, as he finished the last of the large plate of food set in front of him. He felt content for the moment, but the upcoming events nibbled at the back of his mind.

"Nya, gots her scent all over him, nya." Bell heard the chatter of Chloe as they served another drink to Welf. "Shame...nya."

Bell felt Ryu twitch slightly, as he glanced over to Anya subtly reaching out a hand to poke Ryu, which was swatted away without any hesitation. Despite everything, he was thankful for their comments and antics, as it helped him distract his mind.

He noticed Mia was watching him standing behind the counter, 'Judging? No... that's not right. Gauging might be better...'

"Master Bell," Haruhime whispered, Bell glanced over and despite seeing the slight bit of sorrow, he could see happiness in her emerald green eyes.

It took a moment for him to find his words, "Sorry, yes?"

Haruhime's tail shifted, "You've been pretty quiet... how're you doing?"

He felt Ryu's slight movement, and out of the corner of his eye he could see her ears drop slightly. "I'm... alright... honestly I have had more fun watching my allies and friends talk and enjoy themselves." He tried to gauge the amount of time that had passed, and judged it's probably been long enough.

He sighed, reached out and gave Ryu's hand a squeeze. "It's... probably time." He whispered, her head tilted slightly.

Bell glanced around noticing that the majority of those gathered were long finished with the food they ordered, the only exception was Ouka who had just ordered another plate much to the seeming disapproval of Chigusa.

Bell smiled slightly, then focused on the task at hand. After a second, he stood drawing the attention of everyone in Hostess. He raised his glass of water, "I wish to thank you all again for coming tonight. I know it was relatively short notice."

He glanced over, to see Daphne and Cassandra shift slightly further apart as the room went silent. He took a deep breath, "But... as much as I would rather avoid the topic for the entire night... any more delay... will cause us to run out of our reservation, and have Mama Mia kick us out."

"That's right. It's already 10pm." Mama Mia complained, but her tone was obviously light hearted and joking in nature.

A soft chuckle started around the room. Bell waited a few seconds for the murmur to soften before continuing. "Unfortunately, due to the nature of what is going to be told... I will need everyone in the room to swear to secrecy that they won't tell anyone about what happened. I'm already planning on breaking a gag order, and don't want the information to get out."

He took a deep breath, "If you don't want to give me your word. Then... I'm sorry, but I... must ask you to leave, all bills will be covered and have this night be a pleasant memory. Instead of listening to me remembering terrible things."

He paused and waited for a few seconds, then turned to Mia. "Mama Mia. As the strongest here, I know I don't have the right to really hold you to an oath of secrecy. But I trust you, and I'm sure you have many secrets you don't want the public to know about."

Mia nodded, then after a moment. "Sure... what's one more secret? Besides, noit like you can force the owner of an establishment to leave."

Bell lowered his head gratefully, then turned to Aisha. "Aisha, I trust you especially with everything you did during the expedition and helping Haruhime during the scuffle in Daedalus street. But. I don't trust Lord Hermes. Not after what he's done." Bell took another breath, but he didn't speak, letting Aisha connect the remainder of his thoughts.

Aisha smiled, "Now that's acting more like a man. Shame you found yourself with an elf. Possibly could've had some fun with that attitude." Aisha grinned, but continued speaking before anything could be said in retort. "But you have nothing to worry about there. My reason for joining Hermes Familia is one of mutual benefit. I won't tell him. Or anyone else."

Bell could tell she was hiding more information, but also that she wasn't lying. He was confident that she wouldn't, something in his mind or soul reassured that to him.

"I appreciate it. Now to the rest of you, I don't want to force anything. But I will state that if you're particularly squeamish... It might be best for you to leave. I'm..." He took a deep breath, "I'm going to show the proof of my claims that have been left on my body."

Hestia stood, "Wait Bell. Are you sure?!"

Bell glanced over and nodded, "I am... they are signs I survived, and proof that I'm not exaggerating."

Before Hestia could say anything else. He grabbed his left sleeve and pushed it up slightly, to about the mid-forearm, the scars were evident at that point. Some were from the skin being cut but the majority looked like it was partially melted.

After a second, he let his sleeve fall back down. "As you can see. It's not pretty. Is it the worst out there? No. But I want everyone to know before I start showing the full extent."

Bell noticed Haruhime looking pale at the realization. "That's... that's why you've been exceedingly careful with how you do things? Because you didn't... want us to see..."

Bell paused, but nodded after a little bit. "Right now... the only ones who know the full extent of the damage are Goddess, Ryu and Amid."

He gave Haruhime a soft smile, "I'm sorry... but I wasn't ready for it to be seen... I've been debating on having the scars be removed through more extensive healing..." Bell forced himself to stop. "I'm getting off topic. Haruhime... considering your nature... it might be best for you to leave... or to keep your eyes closed..."

He hated to say it, but felt it was necessary. Haruhime's tail shifted slightly, but she remained rooted to the chair she sat in. "I'll wait ten minutes for everyone to decide. I won't hold it against anyone who decides to leave. Honestly I wish I could." He gave a half empty chuckle, but nobody followed suit. So he scratched his head, then after a second sat down awkwardly.

Bell felt tempted to order some alcohol, but knew it would be pointless. So he sipped the water he had sitting next to an empty plate. He sighed and contented himself to wait, despite how each second that passed felt like a thin needle poked at his nerves.

.

.

.

Bell sat facing the semicircle of chairs and tables. He took a deep breath and looked at everyone gathered, no one had left. He was equal parts happy and saddened by that. Haruhime looked the worst, she was trying to put up a strong face but Bell could tell.

Eina looked concerned, but she obviously knew he'd survived so she wasn't as visibly worried. The rest of his Familia ranged from deep thought, to nearly pacing waiting for him to start.

Ouka and Chigusa were more neutral. Aisha was deeply interested, she was leaning onto her table, clearly keeping her eyes on him. He had to do his best to ignore the overt cleavage on display. Cassandra and Daphne again were more neutral, although Cassandra shifted slightly every few seconds.

And Ryu, she sat next to him. Her hand tightly gripping his, he knew she wasn't extremely comfortable with public displays but either the situation was serious enough, or the amount of people watching was small enough but she didn't show any signs of embarrassment.

The staff lounged nearby, with Mia a comfortable distance away, but Bell knew she would be able to hear easily enough.

He took a deep breath, and released it. Then took another. "Right... I suppose I should start from the beginning."

He recounted the events in his mind before everything went wrong. "Right... so we were on an expedition, the first for our Familia. That didn't go as planned as we ran into a problem of an enhanced monster which was smart enough to separate and target specific people. And smart enough to retrieve fire resistant clothing, from previous victims, after I hit it with my magic."

He paused, wondering if he had started too early, he glanced around and no one seemed to mind. 'Guess it's context for staff and Eina? I don't actually know how much she knows about the expedition.'

"We ended up defeating it, and retreating back to floor 18 to recover. While there we heard a rumor that 'Gale' had killed someone on the floor. Investigating it, they found a body with several disabling cuts. And with the bounty still active and the danger that a few others believed they might be in... they formed a hunting party." Bell wanted to sigh, looking back at how stupid he was and felt.

Ryu gave his hand a small reassuring squeeze, so he continued. "I joined them, as I would've been one of the strongest available if things turned violent. And knowing what I knew at that point, I was confident that Gale didn't do it."

Bell took a breath, glanced at everyone, "After I left all of you... oh right, Cassandra."

Cassandra jumped slightly in surprise, "Y...Yes?"

Bell gave a soft smile, "I want to thank you as well... that... your insistence that Welf make that scarf... that's one of the main reasons we are alive... so, Thank You." Bell lowered his head in a bow. Or the best he could manage whole sitting on a stool.

He noticed Ryu also bowing next to him, her hair hanging over her face. After a few seconds, he could hear Cassandra was panicking. So he raised his head, "I'll... explain how shortly..."

A memory flashed through his mind, and his free hand rose and rubbed at his neck. It took a few seconds for him to realize he was staring off into space, so he shook his head and sighed. "Sorry... right. So after I left you all, the hunting party. We traveled deeper, until we got to floor 27... everyone was level 3 or higher I believe..."

Bell did his best to keep voice steady, as he continued. "We heard the sound of explosives several, in a half panic we rushed forward and found a dwarf... who was dead. The wounds were similar to the one found on floor 18, the rest of the party was mostly sure it was actually Gale... or Ryu that did it. But I wanted to make sure, I didn't... think she would."

Bell felt his hand tremble slightly, 'Earlier then normal... I should've managed until...' Realizing his mind was running but his mouth wasn't, he resumed talking.

"A short time after... we found the dwarf and the explosions as a person came running out of one of the tunnels, Jura." He didn't continue letting the words float through the air for a second. "He looked badly injured, he was a cat person with a gaunt frame. Blood covered the top of his head as... one ear was missing... and his right arm was also gone, wrapped in... blood soaked bandages."

He took a deep breath then a sip of the water. He silently grimaced as he spilt a little on his clothing, but ignored it as he continued. "He was running from Ryu at that point. He... perfected his appearance to make it look like Ryu had just attacked him. He had a couple small cuts, very similar to the ones on the dead bodies."

Ryu squeezed his hand gently, and it felt like some warmth seeped into him. "Right... sorry." He tried to focus his mind, but now that he was drawing closer, it was significantly more difficult.

He realized several seconds went by in silence, so he forced himself to speak. "Right. So Ryu rounded the corner, the look of absolute fury on her features, but I thought something was wrong. She had her wooden sword drawn, but the cuts Jura had were more akin to the short blades she has."

"Unfortunately... not everyone realized that... well nobody else seemed to. As they recognized Ryu, and charged at her. With everyone else only being level 3 it didn't last long... in the chaos, Jura managed to escape... rushing down a different tunnel. With Ryu right behind him... I was the only person standing that was fast enough... so I followed."

"I heard Ryu's chanting and knew she was serious about this, followed by more explosions. Then... it happened... the entire dungeon... it shook, and seemed to scream." Bell glanced around, at the expression of everyone gathered, and he could tell everyone seemed to be curious and or enraptured.

He took a deep breath, he felt awkward being the only one making a sound but he knew that was to be expected. "It took a little bit, but I eventually caught up... then... he... Jura begged me to defend him to... save him from Ryu..."

He glanced at his hands for a second first the empty then the one still in Ryu's grasp. His hand felt sweaty, but Ryu either didn't notice or didn't care. He focused back on the memories. 'If I can get over that one hump... that...' he thought, and he felt his vision blank for a moment as he remembered prematurely.

It took a few seconds for him to realize. "Sorry... Right. So when I didn't act right away... he grew frustrated. He pulled out a whip and cracked it... turns out, he was a tamer, as a Lambton came erupting from the ground."

He had to take another sip of water, secretly he wished it was something a little heavier, 'Maybe... that would... no. If I'm going to do this... I have to be in a clear mind.'

"We dealt with the Lambton, pretty quickly..." He glanced around at everyone. "Like I spoke of earlier... this... this cannot leave the Hostess."

He glanced at everyone, and everyone nodded after a second. Their minds mind up. He opened his mouth to continue, but paused hesitation flooding his mind.

X

Ryu sat in silence as she listened, she was surprised but also hopeful. 'He's usually had problems getting here, maybe...' but she could feel his hesitation to continue. How sweaty his palm was is the most apparent symptom.

She glanced at the ground as she felt the slight vibrations in the floor of him lightly tapping his foot. She didn't want to interrupt his line of thought, but she could tell... she knew him well enough by this point.

She squeezed his hand, and shifted a little closer to where their shoulders were touching. His head shifted from the ground, and he turned his eyes to her. A soft smile showed, mouthing a soft thanks. He took a deep breath, then continued.

"Then... only few seconds... such a short few seconds after we defeated the Lambton... It made It's appearance know..." He shook his head, "Wait... first the huntering party showed up, only a couple injured but none were dead."

"Then the scream... or screech? I'm... not entirely sure. The sound... it came from the dungeon... that... is as far as I know when the dungeon... spawned... It." He took a deep breath, "Then It appeared, the... best way I could... describe it... was a nightmare of bones... a dragon-ish skull, a long slender body... sharp... extremely sharp claws twice the... length of the Hestia Knife... and it was so fast..."

Ryu felt him squeeze her hand hard, hard enough that it actually started to hurt for a second. The entire time she could feel his heart beat increasing steadily. Ryu heard several people gulp at the knowledge.

Bell took a shuttering breath, and she could tell he was struggling to breath properly. "I blinked... in that time three of the hunting party... were killed." He shifted his gaze directly to Eina. "Eina... as more of a reference for you... it was faster then the Iguaza... I was able to keep up with a swarm of those... but that thing... was faster."

Eina looked like she wanted to take a step back but couldn't due to sitting, instead she placed a hand over her mouth. "Th...ats..." She muttered.

Ryu felt a tremble rock through Bell's body. "After a few seconds that vast majority were already... they were dead. Their armor... doing nothing... they... didn't even have time to react."

"After those... first few seconds... only... Ryu... Bors... Jura... myself and two others... were still alive. I... I... I had to do something. Bors was looking... like he was about to pass out... the other two weren't doing any better... Ryu was about to have a panic attack... and Jura... well I'll skip... him for now."

A wave of self loathing washed through Ryu for a second, because what he said was the truth... 'If only... I wasn't... maybe I could've...' She felt a pressure on her hand, but it wasn't one of pain. It was gentle and reassuring. Ryu could only lower her head, and continue listening.

"Please... don't tell me you..." Hestia muttered, obviously already knowing the answer. Ryu looked up to see tears forming in her eyes, hers, Haruhime and Eina's eyes.

Bell simply nodded. "What choice did I have? I'm not ashamed that I did. If I hadn't..." Bell shook his head, and Ryu felt his pulse still rising. A bit of concern entered into her mind.

"Besides... Ryu and I were the only ones present who could react to it... everyone else... would've been sheep for the slaughter." Bell hunched forward, looking like he was going to be sick.

'That... analogy...' Ryu thought, but stopped herself as Haruhime rushed forward and started rubbing his back. 'She can't hold her nature back even after...'

Bell gave a soft smile, "I'll... I'll be alright... just give me a moment."

"Bell..." Haruhime softly whispered.

Bell had to take a few calming breaths, after a minute he continued to speak. "Well... regardless... I had to make sure... nothing else terrible happened. With little regard for what... might happen, I rushed it managing to distract it off Bors. It retaliated, and... I managed to fend it off for a bit. I was hoping... the others would escape... but they were too frozen to... make the attempt."

Bell took another deep breath, and Ryu felt his heart rate increasing even more. She didn't think it could beat faster but she was wrong. Haruhimecs eyes narrowed in concern, 'Haruhime must have noticed as she rubbed at his back.' If Ryu strained her hearing, she thought she might have been able to hear it. Still, she knew Bell wanted to get the information out there, preferably by himself and Ryu would respect that desire. So... she sat silently, gently stroking Bell's hand with her thumb.

"It... was only a matter of time... a simple slip up... a moment... of... loss... focus." Bell's voice was low, but she knew everyone could still hear him.

At this, Ryu looked down to the wooden floor, the shame she felt at being frozen during everything renewing itself as she knew what would happen.

Bell didn't speak again for a few seconds. Syr was the one who spoke. "Bell..."

Bell shook his head, "Right... sorry..." He glanced up at Haruhime was still rubbing his back. "I... thank you... but I... please go ahead... and sit down... I'll be alright..."

Haruhime looked like she wanted to argue, and insist on staying by his side and support him however she could. "A... are you... sure?" Bell didn't speak, but he nodded all the same. "Al...right."

It hurt to see Haruhime look so dejected, her tail was drooped and her ears were nearly flat on her head. After Haruhime returned to the chair she had been using prior, Bell continued. But not by speaking, instead he looked at Ryu for a second and nodded. Ryu understood, and let his hand go. He took a breath and rolled up the sleeve of his right arm.

This arm was comparably smooth, with a few scars here and there but nothing too major... that lasted until he got to his mid-bicep. He paused but rolled it up all the same revealing a thin white scar, nearly perfect in its smoothness.

The implications were obvious, he had lost an arm. Bell opened his mouth to speak, but nothing came out. He reached over a took a sip from the glass, that sip turned into him draining the little water left in there.

He turned to everyone again. "The... implications should be obvious... I was too slow... and for that my arm was severed. Funny enough... it didn't hurt right away... it was more like a sharp pinch."

Ryu looked at the small crowd judging the reaction, Haruhime seemed to nearly faint at the idea. Eina, Lili, Cassandra, and Hestia looked slightly sick at the information. The majority of the rest just looked confused, the question was obvious and Ryu didn't even know the full answer. She had a suspicion, but no answers.

"As I froze... I heard a scream telling me to move... but I couldn't. A split second... later... I heard the air break as it attacked again..." This time, Bell pulled down the collar slightly on the same side, and a small scar was visible. "I... felt the attack land... cushioned by the scarf you forced Cassandra..." Bell took a breath, "I... I heard my neck... snap... and my... vision... went blank..."

Ryu reclaimed the hand she had been holding onto. "How... are..." Eina whispered the horror was evident in her eyes.

Bell shook his head, opened his mouth, and whispered two words. "Mermaid Blood." Those two words put everything into context for Ryu, she knew how potent it could be.

Before anyone else could speak, Ryu did. "I... should explain... my side of things at this point."

All eyes turned to her, and Bell took a breath and had a grateful smile. "As he was blacked out... I was still frozen in fear... my worst nightmare was back... the nightmare... that had haunted me for the last several years... I'm ashamed, but I was frozen."

Ryu shook her head, "I... could see what was going to happen, I tried to move... to get Bell to move. But I was too slow, the moment I saw his body flying through the air after its tail hit his neck. My frozen mind finally started to function again. I rushed over, and I had a choice to make. He was going to bleed out from his arm, or die due to his neck."

"I didn't think I could move him safely with a broken neck. I start chanting my healing magic, as I did... I could hear the carnage continuing behind me. But I thought, if I could only save Bell's life... then I wouldn't have a repeat... of all those years ago."

Ryu paused to remember the panic she felt, how intense the emotional response was. She had a stronger response to the Amphisbaena, but her reaction hadn't been natural and she knew why. But she pushed that to the side and continued.

"After nearly causing myself a mind down, the dungeon shook again. This was enough to allow Bell to slip into a small body of water he was hanging over. The same one his arm... and Weapon landed in." She took a breath, "I... hadn't realized he slipped in... until he was already submerged."

She felt her ears lower a bit, and her eyes started moistening. She was supposed to be the strong one here, she claimed that everything that happened didn't bother her nearly as much as it did Bell. But remembering... how she was sure Bell was dead. That nearly crumbled the mask she wore.

A second passed, and she felt Bell's grip as it tightened a smidgen and his thumb rubbed her hand. It was a simple gesture, the exact same one she had used to help him. But it helped, it reassured her that he was there despite everything. "Thank... you." She whispered.

Ryu raised her head again, letting the glimmer in her eyes show, "I... thought I was too late again... and doubted I could save him now... but I... might be able to save the remaining adventurers."

"When I turned to check on everything, only three others were alive. Bors, Jura and another I didn't recognize. Before... I could do anything, the other person was eviscerated." Ryu tapped her thumb and it touched Bell's.

She took a deep breath, "I... was ashamed at that moment. I had done nothing, I let Bell die because of my cowardice... I... I couldn't stand to do anything anymore, despite my body wanting to lock up. I started moving towards it. Then it happened. Bell burst out of the water, a renewed look of determination on his face."

X

Bell took a pause in the conversation to relax his wild thoughts. It was difficult but manageable. He listened to Ryu's side of the story, and it pained him to know how much she had worried. Then he remembered how much he scared her later in the story and mentally shook the memory away. 'Stay. Focused."

Hestia looked like she wanted to speak. To ask a question. But she held her tongue, 'Xenos...' Bell thought. 'How much do I owe them at this point? Between them taking care of Weine... then Mary...' Bell sighed and realized the room was quiet once again. 'Guess it's my turn to continue...'

"Before we continue, how about we take a short break? Get some refills and whatnot?" Bell asked, he needed more time to gather his thoughts. One hurdle was finished, only a few more. 'I... can do this.' He thought. Then whispered in a voice so low, that he thought only Ryu might be able to hear. "I... I can do this..."

Ryu bumped his shoulder, and he couldn't help but smile slightly. "You can. I have faith in you. After all..." Bell was distracted as a full cup clacked on the table to his side, Syr had a sad smile. Kindness filled her eyes.

"Th...thank you Syr." Bell reached out and took a quick sip.

"I'm glad you're here Bell..." Was all Syr whispered, as she left to join the rest of the Hostess staff.

Bell glanced around, noticing everyone seemed to be whispering. He took a breath, and Ryu leaned against surprising him slightly. "How are you really doing Bell?" She whispered as she looked into the small gathering of people.

Bell shifted, allowing Ryu to lean just a bit more. "Better... than I expected." He whispered. Noticing that Haruhime was glancing at him, then back to Mikoto who spoke something into her ear.

Bell sighed, 'What... am I going to do? Tomorrow... or the day after... I want to head back in there or try to. Down to the lower floors. But…'

"Bell?" Ryu whispered, when Bell refocused on the now she continued. "What's on your mind? Is it about later in the story?"

Bell paused but shook his head after a second. "No... I'm debating for tomorrow or the day after... if going back into the dungeon… will be a good idea or not"

Bell watched as a small smile showed on Ryu's face. "If you're... thinking about tomorrow... maybe the rest will be easier."

Bell paused his immediate response to deny that possibility, but he sat for a moment. "I... don't know. Maybe, maybe not."

"Either way, I'm proud of the effort you've put in to try to make this possible." Ryu leaned over and lightly kissed his cheek, then she froze. Everyone in the Hostess witnessed this display. Bell watched as her face immediately turned crimson, and her ears transitioned from normal, to pink then to crimson over a second.

Bell chuckled, "Alright. Alright. I suppose we should continue." Bell spoke his voice loud enough to draw everyone's attention from Ryu. "Right. Where were we?"

Bell took a second to remember where in the story they were, and he nodded. "Right. So after I got out of the water. I had a plan... a terrible plan. But one that was better than nothing. Seeing how the scarf managed to protect my neck to a degree, I used it more as a shield... that's... one reason my hand has been so messed up..."

As he spoke, he noticed the embarrassment ebbing away from Ryu's cheeks. "Either way... Bors was the only... one still fighting. Catching it off guard... I managed to destroy one of its legs... which severely limited its speed."

"Ryu had dashed around to try to sever another leg, but... unfortunately its tail lashed out. Ryu tried to block it, and that resulted in her weapon snapping, her leg breaking and her being sent... flying across the room." Bell spoke, he glanced over to Ryu who nodded in confirmation.

Ryu shifted, so Bell stopped letting her speak. "After, I... was flung across the room. The only option I had... was to cast magic... but I couldn't without its shell, and Bell knew that. I started chanting..."

"Shell?" Haruhime quietly spoke up.

Bell nodded, "Yes. It had a shell... kind of an antimagic defense... it can reflect magic. The only saving grace was that it's relatively vulnerable to physical attacks."

Welf sighed, "So... correct me if I'm wrong... but it can cut through most protection making armor basically useless... move at speeds that are nearly impossible to keep up with... and it can reflect magic?"

Bell nodded, and Eina spoke. Going to adjust a pair of glasses, but seemed to forget she wasn't wearing them. "That's ridiculous, what is that monster..."

It was a rhetorical question, but Bell answered anyway. "From what I can tell... it's a defense mechanism from the dungeon." Bell took a second to take a calming breath, when no one else had any other questions or comments he continued. "At this point... I was the only one who could fight it. So I did, using the scarf as a lasso, I pulled myself close. When it attacked I used it to block." Bell went to rub his left hand, as a wave of phantom pain lanced through it but found it still enclosed in Ryu's hand.

"Right... so using that, I managed to stay within attacking range so it couldn't escape, and I had the one defense it couldn't cut through. Managing to chip away at its shell, Ryu was able to cast her magic damaging it severely. But it was still up... and standing..." Bell took a breath.

Taking a sip of water to refresh his throat, he continued. "That's when Jura made his move. In the confusion of the fighting... he managed to slip around the monster and place a taming collar on it... forcing it to listen to him. With the order to kill us."

Bell couldn't help but let a small disappointed smile show. "Fortunately or not... the outcome wasn't what he had expected. I guess before the command could take effect, it lashed out and killed him."

Bell shook his head slightly, "Unfortunately... the Lambton we thought was dead... was still alive... just playing dead. When Jura gave his command, it activated the collar on the Lambton. It launched itself at Ryu, who had a broken leg and was extremely low on mind."

He glanced over to Ryu who simply nodded, he took a small sip of water. "I wasn't fast enough... to protect Ryu, to get her out of danger, and before I knew it. I was engulfed in darkness."

"You were eaten?" Daphne asked, although her voice held a fair amount of skepticism.

Bell nodded, "I am serious. I guess it's time to show the proof of my claims." With that, he stood and glanced around at everyone. "I'm gonna take my shirt off, you'll see the full extent of the acid burns."

Haruhime, Eina, and Cassandra started blushing. But Bell ignored them glancing at Ryu who nodded, and stood as if to help.

Bell took a deep breath, then nodded. He was reluctant to reveal the full extent of the damage. Only Hestia, Ryu, and Amid knew of it. But in a single motion, he pulled his shirt over his head, hesitated then placed the shirt onto the chair he had been sitting in.

The slight blushes, turned to wide-eyed astonishment as everyone saw the full damage. Bell glanced down and realized it was significantly better than the last time he looked at it. He couldn't help a chuckle, when everyone eyed him he felt the need to explain. "Sorry... this is serious. But... the last time I inspected the damage... it was... much worse... but this..." He waved his hand over the burned portion over his left side, "Is from the Lambton acid."

He turned to face Ryu, whose ears were twinged a shade of pink despite the situation which made him want to chuckle and tease, but he held off. "I suspect that this is mostly due to the regular healing for my hand helped to make the scars less visible. I know you pushed your mind more than you should have."

Ryu only shrugged, "What's the point of having a decent-sized pool, if I don't use it?"

He caught Ryu glancing at one spot in particular. One large glaring scar. "B...Bell... what's that one from?" Haruhime asked hesitantly, pointing at the same scar.

Bell glanced down and winced rubbing it slightly. "That one... I'll explain it later, but suffice it to say... I had to... 'Self Cauterize' that one with my magic..."

Haruhime seemed to collapse for a second, as Mikoto frantically prevented her from falling out of her seat. After a few moments, Haruhime's eyes flickered back open as she glanced again at the scar.

Bell waited for a few more seconds. Making sure everyone understood the extent of the damage. Then quickly pulled his shirt back on, despite the cozy environment of the Hostess, he still felt the chill of the night in the air.

As he did, he noticed a few glances watching him. Most were the usual, all his friends. He glanced over to one and saw Mia give him a small nod raising a mug. She still hadn't left the counter unattended, so she was sort outside his immediate concern. But he knew she heard everything.

The other seemed to be from Syr of all people. Her gaze felt more intense than the situation needed. Like she was looking at him, or rather into him, as if she was trying to figure out an especially difficult puzzle.

Bell decided to put that to the back of his mind, as he sighed. Noticing how much time had passed. "It's getting far later than I expected... I might have to speed some things up..." He whispered, and Ryu resumed holding his hand.

He glanced around them. He couldn't lie that the slight embarrassment of holding Ryu's hand in front of everyone was starting to get to him, but he valued the warmth and comfort it gave far more.

"Right. Now that everyone is back with us... and you all know the mostly full extent of the damage... I'll continue." He thought for a moment. "I don't remember exactly how long we were in there... but I was doing everything possible to get us out... I held Ryu close so we didn't get separated, and eventually as we fell a great distance... I managed to cut my way out of it."

Bell paused and resisted the urge to sigh. "We were both burned with the acid... it was extremely dark... but I could tell where we were... due to the barely visible white stone."

Eina was the first one to react, as she gasped slightly. "You don't mean... you were on..."

Everyone else already knew how far they were down. "Correct... the 37th floor. I took a moment to panic, which was a terrible idea. Ryu was unconscious at that point, probably due to the pain of her leg being jerked around mixed with the acid. We had no equipment besides what we had on us, and the acid damaged all of the armor beyond use."

Bell ignored the fact that their clothes were scraps just barely covering them at that point. "I heard... It was clambering down the hole the Lambton burrowed, forcing my pained body to move. I picked up Ryu... and forced ran into a smaller tunnel that was just visible." He paused, wondering if he was confusing the order of the events but it didn't really matter.

"After we got into the tunnel, I managed to wake Ryu and it was obvious she was not in a good state... we managed to bind her leg, using the sheaths of our weapons, to prevent more damage. She used the majority of her remaining mind to heal me... as I was the only one really capable of walking." Bell started, but Ryu spoke up telling them an injury he was hoping to avoid revealing.

"One thing... I wish to add... in case you don't remember..." She turned and gently tapped just below his left eye.

"Does that really matter at this point?" Bell asked, wanting to get passed his injuries already.

"I can't believe I never asked... but was your vision effect?" Ryu seemed to be insistent.

He sighed, "Maybe a tiny bit... but not enough to matter. Fortunately, my eyelid seemed to prevent the majority of the potential damage."

Bell glanced at the people gathered, and sighed. "Fine... My eyelid melted shut due to the acid... and a tiny bit of it contacted my eye, causing some minor damage. But with all the healing I've received, it's mostly fine."

Bell did a quick test and found his left eye was only slightly blurry. Like he expected, not enough to cause problems. "Can we continue?"

Ryu sighed. "Alright... I'll trust you're telling the truth."

Bell looked at the audience and noticed a couple rubbing at the eye. 'They're probably imagining it...' Bell thought and took a deep breath. "We're already much later than I had hoped... and I'm sure Mama Mia doesn't want us here until morning..."

Mia nodded, "Your damn right. Not to mention you two still need to do the dishes."

Bell looked at Mia, "Wait... what?"

Mia let a wide smirk show on her face. "It was part of our deal. Wasn't it..."

Welf sighed, "Yes..."

Bell looked at Welf then back to Mia, "Really? How much is back there?"

"Doesn't matter. They're going to get done." Mia muttered, and Bell had a terrible feeling about that statement.

Bell sighed, "Well... I guess... we might not be able to tomorrow... at this rate..." He took a deep breath and continued. "It's hard to remember everything, but we spent what... nearly four days? Down there... a lot happened, but it was mostly travel. So... I'll gloss over that unless it's important."

The group nodded, it was a reasonable idea. "Right where was I... right, just after we cut out of the Lambton. After some healing, Ryu was borderline unconscious due to a mind down. But we managed to push on. Nothing happened for a little while, and it was extremely quiet. Only the sounds we made, and the occasional sound from distant monsters."

He turned toward Welf again. "And again... something else you made saved my life..." Welf raised an eyebrow but didn't respond. "While we were traveling... trying to understand where we even were, I was hit by a needle from a Peluda. It felt like its venom was melting my veins."

Welf understand at that moment. "Hakugen..." He whispered, and Bell nodded. "Well... I guess it was a good idea to sacrifice such a valuable material for the knife."

Eina paused, "Wait... Peluda venom? That's..."

Bell nodded, "It was able to easily overwhelm my Abnormal Resistance. The dagger was made from unicorn horn..."

Eina looked ready to collapse. "To think... to use such materials... for a weapon..."

Bell sighed. "Yes... it was able to extract the poison after it was pressed into the wound..." Bell shivered slightly, 'How many times... did I purposely cause myself harm... to save my life?' He absentmindedly thought.

Bell shook his head, as Ryu gently stroked the back of his hand. "Anyways... we were getting pretty desperate, and through a stroke of fortune or my luck... we found some long-dead adventurers... and they had some equipment we desperately needed... so we did what we had to do. A few mostly congealed potions... where they weren't pleasant. Bits of armor and weapons... some bad food, a couple of blaze rocks, and a half-drawn map."

His stomach rumbled in protest at remembering those items. "We didn't want to... but we didn't really have a choice." Bell sighed, "I don't know how long after we got on the floor we found them. But we'd be surviving on five-minute naps while the other kept watch and damaging the walls to prevent spawning."

Taking another sip, he continued "Truth be told, we fought what we had, but avoided what didn't... which... brings me to one of the worst things that happened while on the floor... we stumbled into the colosseum."

Ryu shifted, "I think you should add some more context... We were traveling following the map when I started to recognize a few features. I... persuaded Bell that going to the colosseum was probably our best option... as where we were, it would be directly on the path... or we'd have to march around the entire floor to avoid it."

Eina seemed to be the only one who knew what the colosseum was, well besides Mia who was just shaking her head. "Although we did have a plan..." Bell continued despite the horror on Eina's face. "If you don't know... the colosseum is a massive location in the dungeon where monsters spawn endlessly. The moment one dies... another spawns to take its place. And... they are always fighting each other."

Everyone looked uncomfortable at that idea, and Bell was sure many were thinking 'Why?' But Bell continued, "As we had traveled, we managed to obtain a Skull Sheep cloak. It's... an ambush predator on the floor. It blends in nearly perfectly with the natural darkness."

Several people seemed to understand where the plan was going, but Bell continued all the same. "We would hide under it, and use the natural disguise to avoid fighting."

Bell sighed, "Unfortunately... things never go as planned. Halfway around the structure, we were attacked and was forced to defend ourselves... revealing what we were. Then, Ever. Single. Monster, turned its gaze towards us. We started running and made it to the opposite side with little conflict. We started crossing a bridge..."

Bell took a deep breath. "Then... the unthinkable happened..."

Everyone turned to look at each other in worry and confusion. But no one asked the obvious question. "I'm sorry..." Ryu whispered. Her voice was low and barely audible but it was enough that everyone seemed to hear.

"What happened?" Hestia asked, it was obvious how she felt.

"It's... alright Ryu. I understand your reasons... and I didn't do much better... in the..." Bell realized he was getting ahead of himself. So he took a breath and squeezed Ryu's hand a bit tighter.

"Sorry... I'm getting ahead of myself slightly. As we crossed the bridge, we found a wave of monsters on the opposite side. Ryu said that it would be best if I were to deal with those while she holds off the onslaught behind us." Bell took a small sip and then continued. "So I did. I had hope when I heard Ryu starting to chant..."

A few in the audience seemed to put the pieces together. "In short, she was chanting... but not to destroy the monsters behind us. She cast her spell, right before I reached the monsters and I felt a wave of pain and pressure as the spell hit right behind me. One of the orbs flung me over the wave of monsters... I turned back and saw that she had destroyed the bridge, and she told me to escape."

Bell didn't think Ryu's ears could droop so low as she lowered her head. "I... was planning on making... sure Bell survived at all cost... and in truth... I was looking for a reason... an opportunity to sacrifice myself... so he could live... but also... so I could see my allies again..."

Lili scoffed, "You know Master Bell would never allow that." Lili lowered her head.

'Does she still feel the shame she had after what happened? I can see that... it's not something that could leave easily.' Bell thought, but he didn't speak, knowing it could only add salt to the wound.

"I know... I had known then... but I hoped he would... be smart enough... to leave me... but deep down... I knew he wouldn't." Ryu whispered, still loud enough for everyone to hear.

"So... if you tried to sacrifice yourself... how are you still alive?" Hestia asked, her question was blunt but there was kindness in her voice.

Ryu shook her head, "I'm not sure how he managed... but he found another way around and caused an explosion with the blaze rock he had. Destroying a large portion of the colosseum."

Bell shifted, "To add a bit of context... while we were traveling through the floor, Ryu had mentioned that upward directions usually lead to the colosseum. So I trusted that information and started running at a full sprint. It took... four minutes for me to get there. Ryu... wanted to sacrifice herself, but she wasn't going to down without a fight."

Bell shivered slightly, remembering the dozens of cuts he got in his blind rush to find another path.

"How... did you manage to destroy the colosseum?" Welf asked, "We know that a blaze rock can cause a large explosion... but to destroy something so large?"

Bell paused, took a breath, and focused. His hand started to glow after a second, and Welf understood. "So... you're saying you supercharged a blaze rock then used it to cause the explosion?"

Bell nodded, "That's right. It was the only... thing I could think of. Either way, I managed to find myself back to the colosseum, and I saw Ryu in the center fighting off waves of endless monsters. I rushed to support, tossed the blaze rock into the sky, tackled Ryu to the ground covering her, and used my magic to explode the rock... it was far stronger than I expected."

"The explosion blasted us through the floor of the colosseum, and we found something... a small hidden tunnel... one that ran right under the structure..." Bell paused and glanced at Ryu.

She nodded and started to speak. "After the explosion, the world went white for a few seconds. Bell managed to protect me from the majority of the damage... but all... or rather almost all the monsters were defeated in that single moment. With my leg still damaged, I wasn't able to walk in the aftermath. So... he carried me down this secret tunnel. Where we had much to discuss. I was angry, angry that I was denied the opportunity to see my friends again, angry that he risked everything for someone like me..."

Ryu blushed slightly, "But... as he walked and we talked... he gave me a reason to live... a reason to continue fighting. And... in my anger... I realized... how I felt about the situation."

"What did he say?" Haruhime asked, her tail wagging excitedly. She leaned over and whispered to Mikoto, "This... feels so much like a hero story." Everyone chuckled at that.

Ryu nodded, "It really was... like a hero story." Haruhime blushed heavily realizing that she had been heard. "He told me something simple. He told me what his justice was... and that's... something... that meant enough for me."

Ryu inched ever so slightly closer to Bell, "Then... he did something I never thought someone like him would do."

Bell lowered his head slightly. "I... didn't have a choice though..."

He felt his hand squeezed reassuringly. "I know, and you promised already to never do that again."

Bell nodded, he noticed everyone was looking at him, their silent question obvious. 'What did you do?' That all seemed to ask.

Bell took a sip of water. "Well... we were walking for a bit after we had started talking... we heard an explosion behind us. One of the barbarians survived the explosion and was rushing us in full charge. So I threw Ryu to the side and took the brunt of the attack... I collapsed to the ground and it slowly walked towards me to finish me."

He felt Ryu shiver, he gave her a quick glance. "Sorry... I was just remembering how I felt... in that moment."

"It approached me, and I was completely drained of stamina and mind at this point. So I did the one thing I could... to try to ensure we survived." Bell paused for a moment. "I played dead... I felt it pick me up. I... could hear Ryu's screaming my name... but I couldn't act, not yet. Was this the smartest option? Probably not... but I was lucky. As he lifted me, I felt the change in the monster as it moved to finish me. That's when I acted... using its momentum I swung my knife luckily scoring its core and turning it to ash. Dropping its pelt as a reward."

Bell took a deep breath. He could see an understanding of his actions, and sympathy for Ryu in that moment. He was relieved that they seemed to care enough about Ryu to feel sympathy for her.

"Regardless... I was exhausted at that point. My mind felt like shitting down, and I could barely move. But we continued down this tunnel, until... we came up to a stream, and that's when I collapsed throwing both of us into the stream." Bell managed. He only had a vague memory of this, he did remember Ryu feeding him the water though.

Ryu hesitated but continued. "Despite how exhausted he was, he carried me to the stream. And when he collapsed I knew he could continue any longer. So I did what I could with my leg being in terrible shape. I... made sure he wasn't going to drown himself... then started feeding... him water." Ryu spoke, her ears were a slight shade of pink. "I of course made sure the water was good to drink first." She added hastily.

"After that..." Ryu continued, "I managed to get the both of us out of the water, Bell looked like he wanted to continue. But I forced him to take a few minutes to sleep."

"As he slept... I realized something. Something that saved both our exhausted bodies and minds. Either the dungeon was too preoccupied with repairing the colosseum from complete destruction... or this was a safe area." Ryu continued, "Honestly I'm not too sure yet... but I think it's a safe area. Considering the clean water."

"That... safe tunnel was the only opportunity we had to actually rest and to sleep. After I regained some form of consciousness, we went back and collected the barbarian hide, and used it as fuel for a small fire. Didn't smell great, but it was valuable warmth." Bell hesitated but decided to not explain how they had to share heat.

"After we managed to actually get some sleep. And Ryu managed to heal her leg a bit more, we started making our way down further into the tunnel." Bell continued, and he heard Ryu breathe out a sigh of relief. An urge to tease her wormed its way into his mind again. But he resisted it, 'Now is not the time or place for that.' He silently thought.

Bell sighed, 'This... has been surprisingly easy... what was I so worried about? Truly... it was just getting over the first encounter...' Pushing other thoughts to the side, Bell continued the story. "It was a long tunnel, but eventually we came across a large crystal-like wall. One I had seen before, breaking it brought us out into the main dungeon floor again. Truthfully it... was quiet. Far... far too quiet as we continued on the path that Ryu knew."

Bell paused for a moment, letting some of the tension build again. "We didn't encounter a single monster... it was almost like they were hiding, or already dead."

Bell took a long sip from his cup, his mind racing as he tried to remember all the details, but many were fuzzy. "We were getting close to the stairs to the next floor... when it reappeared. The monster that had decimated so many adventurers. But... it was different... it looked more like an amalgamation of all the monsters on the floor."

"We... had no choice but to fight, as it blocked the path to the next floor. There... we learned the amalgamation wasn't just for show... it used the ability of a skull sheep and shot a series of spikes at us. I... unfortunately, one hit..." He put his hand over where the scar was, "I would've bled out from the attack... so I did the only thing I could. As mentioned earlier... I cauterize it with my magic... and boy did that hurt." Bell tried to make it sound like a joke, but he knew it was a terrible attempt.

Eina shook her head, "I can't believe it... you used your own magic to cauterize it... that's..." She rubbed at her temple but didn't say what she was thinking, even if Bell knew what she wanted to say.

"I... didn't have a choice. It was either that or... well I possibly could've been disemboweled." Bell let that sink in for a moment before he continued. "Received an injury like that the moment we tried to fight back, we realized we didn't have a choice but to flee again. Again... there were no monsters anywhere. We fled down a small tunnel, that we knew it couldn't follow due to its new bulk. When we found a bend in the tunnel we decided to rest again..."

Bell looked down in shame for a moment. "I took a 5-minute nap... and Ryu woke me so she could do the same..."

"I woke up... realizing that I had slept far longer than I was supposed to have... I didn't know for sure how long... but it was at least ten minutes." Bell could see a little bit of anger in Ryu's sky-blue eyes. But knowing what happened, he couldn't blame her. "My first instinct was to ask Bell why... but when I looked around. He wasn't there."

The entire party looked at Bell. Bell only sighed, but Ryu continued. "I realized... in our attempt to flee, some of my wounds had reopened... so I started chanting my healing magic, but before I finished I could hear the sound of fighting. From the direction that led to the next floor."

Hestia slammed her hand into her forehead, "Surely you didn't Bell... no... of course you did." There was no anger in her expression, just sad acceptance.

"Finishing my chant, as I moved I found Bell... fighting it... one on one... to both of their surprise I yelled out, 'Bell! I... can't be the elf by the lake!' And lept to support Bell."

Haruhime's tail flicked quickly, she understood the reference, but everyone else seemed not to know.

"Somehow, Bell had managed to wound it while I was sleeping. It was now that we had enough of an advantage, as its back left leg was destroyed." Ryu's voice rose slightly.

Bell sat and let her speak, 'This... is her moment. How she gained a sense of revenge against the monster that destroyed her Familia.' Bell thought, but remained silent, letting his hand transfer as much warmth as possible.

"After the first encounter we had, Bell had used the scarf as a shield, his hand wrapped in that scarf took almost every blow it could lash out... and you know the results of that..." Ryu paused and everyone nodded.

Ryu took a sip from a glass and glanced at Bell as if asking if he wanted to finish the story. All Bell did was tilt his head towards their gathered allies. Ryu nodded took a breath and continued, "After exchanging attacks for a few minutes, Bell gave me a signal... so I started chanting. I... managed to recover enough mind, that in its current state, I could deal a lethal blow... if Bell could create an opening."

"He... managed to destroy the rest of its magic reflection shell, seemingly due to not understanding if his attack was magical or not. The moment its shell shattered, I finished my casting and used every bit of mind I could muster." Ryu didn't mention how she had named each orb of Luminous Wind after a fallen member of Astraea Familia. It felt too... personal to share at that moment.

Ryu took a shallow breath, and Bell noticed the tips of her ears turning a shade of pink. "After... it was gone, destroyed... we collapsed. Exhausted and tipping over the edge of a mind down. We were only hands breath away from each other... and if I'm... honest I was going to... confess how I felt... then and there... but I fell unconscious before I had the opportunity. Next thing I knew... I woke up in the hospital."

Bell nodded, "Same... although you did cause quite the commotion rushing around to find me..."

Ryu's eyes widened in horror, her eyes begged him not to reveal what happened. Bell turned to the crowd and opened his mouth. "And that's pretty much the story, of course... there are a couple of things left out... but you have the idea."

Ryu breathed a sigh of relief, a small smile showing on her face. That small smile caused Bell's heart to skip a beat.

"Oh if you don't want to embarrass her, I can." Syr half shouted. Drawing everyone's attention.

"Syr... please don't I..." Ryu muttered, her ears turning a complete shade of crimson.

Syr shook her head, "Several people here already know that you ended up flashing him in your rush. Truly… a full flash…"

Bell felt Ryu shiver slightly, the red transitioned from her ears to her cheeks before Ryu ended up fainting. Causing Bell to have to catch her to prevent her from falling out of her stool. 'Having it stated so bluntly and in front of everyone must have overwhelmed her.'

Everyone chuckled, and Bell could feel the mood in the Hostess lighten a good amount. 'That might have been a bit much Syr... but thank you... we needed a way to lighten the mood.'

In the middle of everyone chuckling, Hestia approached. "Wow... didn't think she'd faint from something like that..."

Bell chuckled now, "It's... not the first time... while we were..." He paused, and Hestia patted him on the back. A warm smile on her face. "Lady Astraea caused... her to faint a few times," Bell whispered, to make sure no one else could hear. He didn't want how sensitive she was to embarrassment to get out.

Hestia smiled and whispered, "That sounds about right." After a moment, Hestia spoke more in a normal volume. "How do you feel? Know that... almost everything is out."

Bell didn't answer right away, but he took a moment to gather his swirling emotions, having his partner learning up against him didn't help. But after a few seconds, Bell let a small smile show. "Better... not completely so. But significantly better. It... was surprisingly easy... after the first portion... I..."

Hestia smiled again and rubbed his back. "That's all that matters. I do think the practice you've had with Ryu made it easier for you." Bell nodded but didn't speak. He noticed Hestia watched Ryu for a few seconds, before stepping away. "Either way. I'm glad... I can't believe all you had to endure..."

Bell sighed, "It's alright. I'm alive and that's all that matters." Bell glanced around, noticing the entire room seemed to be smiling with various amounts of intensity. Bell felt like he should say something. But the words didn't come.

Hestia took a step away from Bell, looked towards Mia, and raised her voice. "Owner. How much longer?"

Mia stopped what she was doing. "We're already well past closing. But if you all help out with the cleaning, I can allow another hour."

Bell could tell that this was Mia's way of showing her support, even beyond allowing them to rent out the Hostess. A cheer erupted, and the party started once more.

It took a couple of minutes for Ryu to shift awake. Her face was still completely crimson, but her eyes were clear. "Ryu..." Bell whispered, causing her to jump in surprise.

Realizing she was leaning against him, she stiffened and forced herself back into a proper sitting position. "Bell..." she whispered.

Bell already missed the slight warmth that seeped into him, but he knew it wasn't a big deal. "I'm going to talk with Mama Mia."

Bell stood and stretched, Ryu stood with him. Their hands still clutched, "I'll... go with you."

Bell chuckled but nodded. Making his way to Mia, who was busy pouring a drink for Welf. "Well, boy. Your story is told." Her voice was gruff, but he could feel the kindness in the words.

Bell nodded, "That's correct, and I wanted to thank you... it might have been easier than I expected... but I doubt I could've without your help." Bell lowered his head and gave a bow.

"Raise your head, don't bow to me. I have a few words for you, and you Ryu." Mia spoke, as Anya took the drink for Welf leaving them relatively alone for the moment. "Do you remember why I told you a long time ago? The day after you stormed out without paying."

Bell nodded, he remembered. "It doesn't matter as long as you survive."

Mia nodded, "Something like that. Let me tell you this, what you two survived... would've crushed the spirit of almost everyone I've ever seen if they were in your boots. So be proud about that, be proud that you survived what even the strongest out there would've failed."

Before Bell could say anything, Mia let a half smile show, "And for that, you have my respect. That's something very few have. Now, get out there and talk to those that supported you." Mia reached over the bar and forced Bell to turn to see the smiling faces.

"Thank you, Mama Mia," Bell murmured, before taking a step towards them.

"Oh and don't forget. The two of you have to do the dishes." Mia spoke, her voice was loud and surprisingly energetic.

Bell chuckled and glanced at Ryu her sky-blue eyes swimming with emotions that didn't show on her face. "We know."

.

.

.

The rest of the night passed quickly, and slowly members of the party started funneling out. "Well... I think it's time I head out." Aisha sighed and slapped Bell on the back.

"Oh? I thought you'd be the last to leave." Bell muttered, but he felt a slight smile on his face.

Aisha sighed again, "Unfortunately... Hermes and the captain have a mission for me and I need to be up early." Aisha waved her fair well, before giving a few words to Haruhime who blushed and shook her head.

Cassandra and Daphne were the next to leave, Daphne seemed a little drunk and Cassandra was preventing her from falling. After their quick goodbye, Ouka and Chigusa gave a polite excuse and made their way out.

Leaving Bell, his Familia, and the staff. Ryu never left his side, and he was grateful. While he was glad to have everything out there, he didn't want to think about it anymore. If he was alone... he knew he would be ruminating on his memories.

Bell watched, as Haruhime talked quietly with Mikoto and Eina, while Welf was talking to Mia. He heard snippets of their conversation, but it seemed to be Welf mostly complaining about when he put the order for renting out the Hostess. The waitresses seemed to be playing some card game with Hestia and Lili of all people.

"Bell..." Ryu whispered as they sat at one of the booths watching the ensemble of the remnants of the party.

Bell turned his gaze and focused on Ryu, he could see some worry and trepidation in Ryu's expression. "Well... it's just... I know you were wanting to go into the dungeon tomorrow... but who are you wanting to meet? Them?"

Bell paused, debating for a moment. "If possible... yes. But there is one of... them, that can't leave the water capital due to their nature..."

Ryu nodded, seeming to expect as much. "But are you sure... you want to? So soon after telling everyone?"

Bell hesitated but nodded. "Truthfully... I'm not sure... it will be a strain... but, I think I need to. Otherwise... I don't know when I'll willingly enter the dungeon again." Bell leaned back into the booth and focused on the roof.

He felt Ryu's head lean against his shoulder, "Whatever you decide... I'll support you the best I can."

Bell felt a swell of sudden emotion, "I know... thank you, Ryu..." That was all he managed. After a few seconds, he whispered just loud enough so nobody else could hear. "I love you..."

He felt Ryu lean slightly into his side, "I... live y...ou to... Bell." Ryu shivered after saying that, "I don't know if I'll ever get used to saying that in public."

Bell chuckled, and Ryu nudged his side slightly. "Fine fine." He muttered, then sighed, "I guess... I should let everyone else know for sure about tomorrow."

Despite saying that, Bell didn't move. He didn't want to move, really he just wanted to sit and relax with Ryu until the last minute before Mia kicked them out. But Ryu was the one to make the first move she pulled away slightly, giving him a perfect opening.

With all the reluctance he could muster he shifted out of the booth and stood. Ryu followed right behind him. "Everyone can I get your attention," Bell spoke loudly, his voice catching the attention of everyone in the room.

He waved everyone over. "I wish to discuss the plans for tomorrow."

It took a few seconds, but eventually, everyone was gathered around a single table. "Right... so tomorrow. As I mentioned earlier it's time to enter the dungeon as a Familia. I want to meet someone." He paused and glanced at Eina, "If you don't want to go, I completely understand. You know how dangerous it will be to explore deeper. But if you do decide to come with us...I'll... no we'll do everything to make sure you're safe." He repeated much of the words he spoke earlier but felt it was necessary.

Giving Eina an opportunity to speak, she was silent but after a few seconds, she nodded. "I... I will go. I know I won't be of much help... but it'll be a good opportunity to raise my stats... and I still need to have Goddess Hestia update my Falna. It has been a little bit."

Bell gave a warm smile, "I'm glad to hear it. There is someone I want to introduce you to. If possible several..." Eina seemed confused but accepted his statement.

He was purposely vague, but everyone seemed to understand. Haruhime could hide her excitement at the possible.

"Right considering how late it is, I say we leave around noon tomorrow, get to floor 18, rest, and then continue deeper," Bell spoke, trying to sound like how he thought a captain should.

He turned his attention to Welf, "How are the weapons and armor?" Realizing he already knew the answer.

Welf seemed not to mind, as he sighed, "Good. Weapons are sharp and ready. Your new armor is... functional... but I haven't put the detailing on it yet." Welf had a massive smirk like he was planning something.

Bell grimaced but accepted the response. "Right..." He took a deep breath, "I want to thank you all for being here tonight. But I think it's time we wrap this party up."

Mia approached, "You're a little late for that. But as long as the dishes get done, we won't have any problems." Her voice was stern but cheerful.

Bell shivered, "Right Mama Mia. Of course..."

X

Freya watched the now empty Hostess, her fingers were slick with her divine nectar. "Oh my... every experience... you have... the more I want you Odr..."

She licked her fingertip and imagined it was another nectar, "I wonder what theirs... would taste like..." Freya murmured. But she knew she couldn't stay up much longer, still, she glanced again at the Hostess and then to the Hearth Manor.

She let a small smile show, as she kissed her damp fingers then used them to blow a kiss towards the manor, "Sleep Well... my Odr…"

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A/N: So, I just wanted to thank you all again for reading the chapter. As I finished this chapter I realized something... The length compared to the original. For some reference, the original stories chapter that covered this was chapter 13, this is chapter 19(22). At this point I was just about at 67k including all my ramblings, this story is at the same point in the timeline is at about 215k words... It's crazy to think, and I just wanted to share.

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Review Responses:

Blazeburn006: "Lap pillows were a dangerous possibility" was fun to write, but overall I don't have much to say in response to your review, other then thank you.

pix25: I'm glad

Syra97: Thank you for the kind words, I don't view my stories as "Great" but, I have made efforts to slow down the overall plot a bit. Which I think helps a bit. But yes, in that moment Ryu was so afraid to lose the one thing she had left, that she would've risked everything to feel... well anything, mainly his warmth in the heat of the action.

meth0d: I'm glad you seemed to be enjoying it, I don't know if the chapter lived up to expectations... that's something I will know when reviews come in.

ImmortalChaos0: I won't lie, I did have a mild motivation hit, but while not 100% it's close enough to be keep my former pace of writing. I... really enjoy writing Ryu's struggles, which sounds strange, but some aspects of how her character is... feels really close to how I think about a lot of things. And again thank you for the kind words and the review.