Some slower, more Slice of Life entries coming for a while.

Gotta give Best Girl a chance to explore the surface world, you know?


Bell was nervous. Not exactly a unique emotion, at present, and the boy sorely hoped his own fear at least somewhat resembled those around him.

Search and Rescue were doing a good job of rounding up the stragglers and routing them towards the exit. Bell was in amongst a group of them now, mostly rookies from what he saw of their gear. Damn near every face in the crowd looked shaken, the white haired adventurer blending in nicely.

But his fright wasn't the same as theirs. Yes, he had looked death in the face when a horde of beasts from the middle floors had ascended, same as the others. Hell, he had probably seen worse than most… the ones who were still alive, at least. But that was mostly behind him, supplanted by a new, more pressing concern.

Wiene kept in step beside him, her hand clutched in his, hood drawn up and head tilted down. She stayed silent and very close to him. While his fellow dungeon delvers jumped at shadows and any sounds that echoed down the corridors, Bell had to fight back seizing whenever someone got too close to them.

He only hoped he could pass this off as nerves, that the others wouldn't take particular notice.

Bell knew that second one was already a lost cause. Though mostly rookies, there were a few veteran adventurers ascending with them. Attentive ones who kept tabs on the jumpier members of their progression. And one definitely had their eyes on him and Wiene.

It wasn't just anyone either, Bell definitely recognized the aura following them. It was the same feeling as when those minotaurs cornered him a few floors down. He didn't dare a chance look behind them.

Judging by how tight her grip was, Wiene picked up on it too. Bell drew her in closer and kept moving.

The immensely terrifying blonde followed at a modest distance, her unflinching gaze watching their every move.

Bell made it to the spiral stairs in rapid order. He was towards the middle of the progression, the sensation of eyes boring into his back ever present. The boy moved forward as the line advanced, but jerked to a halt from the dead weight anchoring him.

Wiene was rooted to the floor, her sights raised upward. Bell gave his captured arm a short tug but the girl hardly even swayed. The scent she had been following upwards for weeks, the same one that hung on Bell and the other adventurers, was so much stronger here. She hadn't noticed because of the tense atmosphere, but now it couldn't be ignored.

The blonde girl watching them stopped and stared.

This, understandably, put Bell even further on edge. The rookie adventurer reached around Wiene with his free hand and pulled her into a half hug. He practically had to lift her off the ground, the hooded monster barely working her legs as she shuffled forward. Their progress towards the spiral steps was painfully slow and others were starting to take notice.

And that blonde swordsmaiden's gaze never wavered.

"Wiene," the boy hissed, a fair bit of his frustration leaking in. This did manage to catch some of the blue haired girl's attention, her curious eyes drifting to meet the young man's. Wiene's gaze was distant, searching. Bell found himself unable to form words.

"What's up there, Bell?"

He was thankful for how softly she'd spoken. But as Wiene's sights again turned skyward, he found his anger ebbing. Bell's own eyes followed her example, turning to the heights above.

The ascending space was massive and cylindrical, about as wide across as the entire lot that their church home sat upon. The spiral stairs wound around the shaft's perimeter in about three circuits, the height wasn't all that unreasonable.

Bell had never taken notice of the corona before. The top of the ascent hovered beneath the stone ceiling of Babel's base. From the edges of the shaft, many flickering lights leaned out over the precipice. He'd once seen a solar eclipse as a child in the village, his grandfather saying it was something most people only ever saw one time in their lives – if they were lucky.

A grin forced itself across his lips. It wasn't quite the same, but it seemed like he'd managed to see it twice…

A glance at Wiene and the naked wonder she displayed made his heart swell with warmth. Bell imagined his smile then to be a match for his grandfather's. Was this how he felt raising him, over and over again as a younger Bell discovered the many marvels of the world?

Perhaps that line of thinking was what led Bell to his next course of action. The white haired boy simply moved, kneeling low and scooping the cloaked girl up onto his shoulders. The jostling motion and sudden surge in height snapped Wiene into a mild panic, one that swiftly gave way to a potent joy.

No child could resist the thrill of feeling tall. Following her instincts, Wiene's arms shot wide, like a bird soaring through the clouds. Clouds she had no knowledge of.

Bell affirmed his grip on her legs, securing her upon her perch before taking long strides towards the base of the stairway. The rolling motion drew girlish giggles out of Wiene. Right then was when Bell came to a decision, returning to her hushed question from before.

"I'll show you."

He would show this girl the surface. He would show her everything the world had to offer. And as long as he could, he would be by her side to see it with her.

This girl would be raised…

As the pair climbed upwards, Bell taking the steps three at a time with halting leaps not unlike a cricket, they took little notice of the mood surrounding them. Annoyance at the hold up turned to begrudging amusement at worst as the returning explorers took in the scene. Most were forced to crack smiles, the dour atmosphere broken by the cloaked child's excited laughter.

The aura of loss and defeat brought on by such a hard day was, if only slightly, lessened.

Aiz Wallenstein stayed rooted in place a moment longer, the boy and young girl she'd saved gaining more and more ground on her. Tracing their "flight" up the stairs a few seconds more, she took a step forwards, resuming her pursuit.


The dungeon's entrance was a flurry of activity. Bell and Wiene had been caught up in a choke point at the top of the staircase. Medical personnel, Guild employees, veteran adventurers, and a mess of volunteers were all but smothering those being evacuated from the depths.

It was well and truly night at this point. Beyond the borders of the tower's base the air was dense in shadows. It was all the more in contrast to the scores of torches and lanterns pitched over the injured or carried by those trying to keep things organized.

Bell had urged Wiene off her perch and was now carrying her piggyback style. The boy was on high alert at this point and didn't want to chance them getting separated in the chaos. Wiene just seemed overwhelmed, not sure where to focus her eyes. At least she had enough awareness to keep that hood in place.

"Over here miss, come on."

"You two, I need more thread for stitching! Hop to it!"

"Hold him down! The sedatives should take in a minute or two."

Orders rang in from every direction, roared over the anguished cries of the grieving and wounded. Try as they might, the shouting only managed to add further to the pandemonium. Those being evacuated from the dungeon had to be dragged and held down as they struggled against the ones trying to help them.

Bell and Wiene slipped by in the midst of all this, squeezing through the throngs of clueless and desperate adventurers. The boy hopped aside as a Guild worker shouldered past, then dashed away as a trio of wounded dungeon delvers fought a shell shocked member of their party to the ground, making room for one of the medics to examine him.

A hand clamped onto the crook of Bell's arm. "Step away, if you're not injured then standing here is a good way to remedy that."

The young man didn't resist as the speaker lead him further from the top of the staircase. He didn't recognize the mature woman's voice, but he understood the "no arguments" tone of her words. As they pressed on, Bell noted how the mayhem seemed to flow around their advance, both those assisting in the rescue efforts and those needing aid giving them a wide berth.

With casual strength Bell's escort pushed him up against a dense pillar holding up the tower above. She took care not to jostle Wiene who was peeking out over Bell's right shoulder. A palm gripped the boy's chin and drew up his face.

"Name?"

Bell was struck dumb by the orbs of topaz staring back into his own. A river of scarlet hair fell about her smooth cheeks and squared shoulders in a veritable cascade. It was enough that he took a minute to notice the large, wedge shaped ears sitting atop her scalp. If anything, that only added to the woman's beauty.

"Name!?"

"Ah! Bell Cranel."

The red head's grip turned his head this way and that, her eyes searching his features. Her own expression remained stoic and professional throughout, a single nod and her hand retreating the only sign that she was satisfied.

"I've heard of you, Eina's boy."

That turn of phrase sparked Bell's interest, his eyes trailing down some to note the black and white attire of a Guild employee. He also noted the armored chest piece – and how it hugged the considerable chest beneath – worn over the formal garb. This lady had to be part of Search and Rescue as well.

"Eyes up!"

The demand rocked Bell's posture straight. He would have slapped his arms flat against his flanks if they weren't busy holding up Wiene.

Speaking of the strange girl, she continued to cast a curious gaze towards the red headed werewolf. The Guild agent held a smoldering glare on the rookie adventurer for a moment longer before fixing his cargo with a softer expression.

Like Bell, Wiene quickly drew the connection between this lady's uniform and Yuta's. So, going off of that encounter, the girl employed her newfound tactic.

With a full smile in place, Wiene raised one of the arms wrapped around Bell's neck in a jubilant wave, "Hello! My name is Wiene!" The shout drew a few eyes and the red head in front of them couldn't help but quirk a brow.

She moved before Bell could think to intervene, stepping to the side as both hands reached for Wiene's face. In an instant she held the sides of the girl's hood, starting to pull it back. Bell only ceased an immediate retaliation because the werewolf herself froze mid action.

Her eyes grew wide for a fraction of a second before she drew Wiene's hood back fully over her features. Still holding onto the covering, she inhaled deeply, her eyes sealed shut.

Thinking perhaps a little too fast, Bell blurted out, "Yuta said I should see Miss Crossette."

The wolf girl's breath escaped her in a humored hiss. She shook her head whilst softly commenting, "Always saddling others with more work."

Opening her eyes, she glanced between the white haired boy and the girl born of the dungeon. She parted her lips, ready to convey her intentions.

"Bell!"

The sharp cry pierced the cacophony around them. Bell turned to the source, his movements just quick enough to catch the forceful collision on his side rather than his back. Bell's arms immediately snaked around to his front to wrap around his "assailant."

This meant he lost his grip on Wiene. But she did not lose her grip on him, her full weight resting on the arms she kept wrapped around his shoulders. Combined with the sudden impact to his torso, Bell fell back at a severe angle.

Wiene, hero in the making, braced her stance as soon as her bare feet hit the cobblestones. Her form rigid, she quivered slightly as she held the weight of two adults. The little groan of effort she loosed was absolutely adorable, the red haired werewolf having to look away.

Eina rolled her entire body onto Bell, balancing half on his right arm and half on his chest, her feet hovering in the air. She looked like an absolute mess, her hair frayed out in several directions and her uniform notably ruffled. Most obvious though was the puffiness of her eyes and the trails of tears – both fresh and dry – running down her features.

Bell, with some assistance from Wiene, rocked back upright. Eina's feet touched the ground but she continued to lean all her weight against Bell, her arms tightly wrapped around him. Wiene pushed off of her guardian, stumbling to a stop and observing the exchange between Bell and the Guild woman.

Seeing that familiar white/black attire, the blue haired girl donned a smile and started towards them. The werewolf woman grabbed the girl by her shoulders, halting her advance whilst kneeling down behind Wiene.

"Hold on a sec, give Eina a moment."

Bell's focus was entirely on his advisor. Some part was intent on the feel of her breasts pressed firmly against him. A much larger sect of his attention noted the rhythmic sobs that wracked her body. He enclosed the half elf in his arms without hesitation.

"It's okay, Miss Eina. It's okay."

The Guild worker had her face pressed against the boy's chest plate, shaking it back and forth at his words. "You… you weren't back. You didn't come back and then…"

He held her closer. Perhaps later, when they had calmed, the rookie adventurer would realize how scandalous this all looked. Then he could feel mortified about clutching a young woman so possessively to him right out in public. But that would have to wait.

All that mattered now was comforting Eina.

Wiene stood by and watched, taking in her savior's actions. The woman he was holding was very upset, Wiene could tell quite easily. She'd cried a lot fighting her way up the floors of the dungeon, even though there was no one to help her. Wiene thought the woman was lucky, Bell was here to help her not be sad.

Just like Bell was there to save her when she needed it.

The Guild agent holding Wiene released her grip. Wiene started forward, a firm resolution in her heart.

Eina loosed a brief squawk as a smaller form bound itself to her right thigh, thin arms slinking around her waist. The brunette pulled back a bit from the boy, glancing down at the tiny, hooded figure clinging tightly to her leg.

Bell delivered a confused, "Wiene?"

"Who is…" Eina glanced back to her charge then again to the little newcomer.

Wiene looked up. Eina got a fairly good look at her, the pale skin, the amber eyes, the splotch of scales on her left cheek. Then the child grinned, her full teeth on display. Before the outright shock could register, Wiene fell back on her "fool-proof" method.

"Hello! My name is Wiene!"

The rising urge to scream in Eina was snuffed out like a candle flame. She had been in the trade of sponsoring adventurers for years, always driven to provide better information for her wards with every death suffered. She knew very well what monsters looked like, she knew very well what she was looking at right now.

How the fuck were words coming out of its mouth!?

Everything stayed still, time frozen in this one, incomprehensible moment.

A burst of scarlet hair topped with wolfen ears moved into the half elf's vision. Eina's sight snapped to the familiar figure almost desperately, her mouth working out a single name

"R-Rose?"

"Breathe Eina, I need you capable for this next part."

The werewolf, Rose, stepped in close, planting a palm each on her coworker and the rookie adventurer. She blinked at the amount of force needed to separate the two, particularly Eina as the young woman appeared quite intent on keeping a hold of Mr. Cranel.

Pulling them apart, Rose then put herself in front of her colleague. The half elf's eyes made to drift down to the abomination constricting her right leg. Rose's hand caught her cheek, drawing her bespectacled sight back onto the red headed beastman.

"Listen to me Eina," the werewolf paused, searching the half elf's face to make sure she was focused, "I need you to escort Mr. Cranel and Wiene," at this, Rose reached down and tugged the monster girl off of her leg, "down to Crossette's office in the medical wing."

Rose pulled Wiene in front of her and turned the pale blue girl towards Eina, placing both her palms atop her shoulders. It was a very picturesque moment, one that all but fried Eina's brain. What was happening right now?

"Eina," the advisor's gaze centered on Rose's face, "do you understand the task I have given you?"

Her half elf colleague met Rose's gaze in continued silence. The werewolf tightened her features and Eina began to nod numbly in response. Rose stepped back from Wiene and sharply turned on Bell.

The weight of her stare drew the boy once more into straight, vertical posture.

"Bell Cranel."

"Yes!"

Rose showed teeth at the humorous display of near-military zeal. "Please go with Eina to Crossette's office in the medical wing. Take Wiene with you. You are not to adjourn until Crossette receives you."

"Yes!"

Now Rose was full on beaming. She actually caught the boy a fraction of a second into saluting her, an action he wisely aborted before dropping into a standing bow. The rookie adventurer righted himself swiftly, taking his first rigid, hurried steps forward.

The young man reached Wiene quickly. Not unlike Rose, the dungeon born child looked somewhat amused by Bell's eager show of submission. He had the grace to throw her a little scowl for this brief betrayal, reaching out his hand for hers.

Wiene accepted quickly, happy to be back with Bell.

With a short nod and eyes faced forward, Bell started past Eina and towards the Guild's main building. He was stopped short by Wiene, again being surprised by the girl's casual strength. Before he could ask his charge what was up, Bell followed her gaze towards the object of interest.

Eina was still stood in place, hollow stare oriented in their direction. Or rather, in Wiene's direction.

Bell stepped towards Eina, catching the half elf's attention. Her train of thought wavered at the look in her charge's eyes: he did not look like his nervous yet earnest, everyday self. Bell looked like… like a father. A protector declaring the safeguard of this child. For Eina, the sight was mesmerizing.

So the Guild advisor was caught wholly off guard when her dangling hand was taken up by a much smaller counterpart. Her eyes snapped down onto a still smiling Wiene, the strange girl taking care with the sharp talons topping every finger.

Bell felt rather fortunate that the brackish fluid covering Wiene's hands had dried enough that Eina couldn't tell it was blood. Or maybe his supervisor simply chose to ignore that fact.

Wiene's ears twitched, mostly hidden in the hood, at the sound of someone clearing their throat. The blue haired girl turned to Rose, her savior and his advisor following suit. The werewolf bowed slightly, extending both arms to one side in a presenting manner. Her gesture "presented" the Guild Hall.

'Can we move along,'was the clear message.

The little monster girl nodded in response and gave Bell's arm a tiny yank. Bell's stern countenance turned to one of humor at the short prodding. He actually had a few chuckles when Wiene started jerking his arm this way and that when he didn't immediately start moving, like an impatient rider on a sluggish horse.

Feeling that analogy may prove a bit too accurate in the future, Bell put his focus back on reaching their destination and started walking. Wiene followed behind, her left hand in Bell's.

And, not given much of a choice, Eina followed behind the girl whose right palm had a tight grip on one of hers. Really though, she was far too addled at the moment to put up much resistance.

Rose watched their departure with a toothy smile. Then she reached out, snagged the collar of a passing attendant, and flung her command-face back on.

Time to bark some orders.


Crossette's office was open. As in wide open. The trio walked right in, doing a quick cursory glance for the space's owner.

For the office of the medical head, it was a fairly modest space. A desk sat at the top right corner of the room, facing down towards the entrance. A tall window rested to the left of this, its heavy green curtains drawn closed over the evening vista. A simple lamp served as the greatest source of light in the room, illuminating the desk and its contents.

Crossette's workspace was a mess of knick knacks and documents. As Eina could attest, the "controlled chaos" of her station wasn't exactly abnormal. The flagrant scattering of papers and baubles, like someone had simply swept their arms across the countertop, flinging bits across her blue block of area rug, gave the trio pause.

If not for the emergency scenario unfolding outside, they might have jumped to thoughts of foul play at the sight of this. More likely though, Crossette had been dragged away to oversee the beginnings of the evacuation.

Wiene stepped into the room, audibly sniffing the air. Eina shook off her concern for the medic to focus on the girl that she still, quite frankly, felt nervous about. She then hastily shook those worries away and walked over to Crossette's desk. If they were gonna get stuck waiting here, she might as well be productive and clean up for her superior.

It might just distract her from thinking about the literal monster in the room with her.

Wiene followed her nose to an ornately carved, dark wooden frame outlining a fireplace that took residence on the right wall of the office. She side stepped a verdant armchair, one of a pair poised around the fireplace, the two seats facing one another. A larger couch sat opposite the hearth itself, its coals glowing lightly with waning embers.

The pale girl paused at the rising heat as she crouched towards the fading motes. The sudden warmth tickled her nose and prompted Wiene to draw her hood back. Catching the move on her periphery, Eina openly stared as the youthful, curious face with all its abnormal features was fully revealed.

Bell stepped up behind the monster child. The scent was thick enough to catch his own interest, the rookie adventurer leaning down to look into the darkening alcove.

"What's that," voiced the boy as he observed several strings dangling from the edge of the hearth. Strung along their lengths were a variety of nuts, dried fruits, and herbs that almost formed a veil over the fireplace.

A question from her advisee seemed just the trick to rouse Eina, the half elf automatically supplying, "Potpourri, the heat helps carry the scent throughout the room. Crossette says this particular blend helps cleanse the lungs, funnily enough."

Wiene's pointed ears flickered at the Guild worker's statement. Eina had to bite back a huff of humor, amused that this strange girl had the same physical tick as several elves she knew. It felt odd to find laughter in that, how "human" she appeared.

Satisfied with the advisor's explanation, even if she had no idea what "potpourri" was, Wiene brought her palms forth to present them to the falling heat.

A swift squeak sounded as Bell plopped his rear onto one of the armchairs. Wiene turned to her guardian, suddenly enraptured by the look of unguarded bliss marring the young man's features. Bell gave a pleased sigh as he rocked his shoulders into the soft comfort of the cushion.

"This chair is wonderful."

The naked rapture on Bell's face was all the proof Wiene needed. Short term memory tugged at her mind and the monster child quickly turned to the armchair's twin. With a happy cry, she bounded for the seat with a youthful skip.

Bell chuckled as the girl flung herself back first into the chair. That it didn't topple backwards upon impact was a testament to the furniture's fine craftsmanship.

Eina slapped some papers into alignment on the countertop. All the while her sight remained on Bell and the girl. The scene was a simply wholesome one, enough to bring a touch of joy to the Guild worker's face. Some part of her was still quite apprehensive at the situation, reminding her that this child was definitely not human. But even so, Eina couldn't deny the cozy display playing out before her.

So it took the half elf utterly by surprise when the nearby curtains were flung open, a pair of solid footfalls crashing onto the hardwood floor bordering the office. Crossette stepped into the room, her tired, overly done-with-this-shit expression panning slowly over the space.

Crossette's gaze swept across her room's occupants with casual ease, not a hint of pause as they ran over Wiene's features. The elderly medic's scan came to a halt only when her eyes met Eina's.

Out of the three, Bell's advisor wore the most openly perplexed expression.

The office's owner offered a half awake grunt of humor before marching on the half elf and her work desk. Eina swiftly threw herself back-first into the nearby wall, arms crossed over a stack of papers she currently clutched tight against her chest.

The loose ends of an open coat slapped against her thighs as she walked, the periwinkle garment worn over Crossette's usual attire of off-white scrubs. Aside from the almost bruise colored bags under her eyes, Bell couldn't help but notice the woman's typical tight bun sporting more than a few frayed lockes sticking out here and there. Even the red bandanna she donned did little to assuage the situation.

As Crossette crossed the distance to her workspace, Wiene "stealthily" slinked out of her seat and onto the floor. With the subtle grace of a master rogue, she flattened her profile and began to crawl her way towards Bell.

For his part, Bell pointedly stared away from the belly dragging display. There was no way he could hold back his laughter if he caught more than a glance of… whatever Wiene thought she was doing.

Crossette strode past a near frozen Eina, lightly hopping over the last scattering of mess left from her hurried departure earlier. The aged woman crouched down, shuffling through her counter's drawers.

Then one of the old lady's hands shot out, startling Eina and Bell and freezing Wiene mid-drag. Crossette extended two fingers and solidly tapped them twice onto the desktop. The sharp raps sent quick jolts over Eina's body, one for each impact. When no further reaction was imminent, Crossette's raised hand twisted and started snapping rapidly.

Ears and brows perking, Eina popped over towards the desk and its owner. As she moved, Wiene resumed her covert approach. Bell continued not looking in the child's direction.

As Eina arrived beside the desk, Crossette twirled her hand back into its two-fingers extended pose. Then, once again, she gave a pair of swift taps to the counter. The first tap sent another jolt through the half elf. The second snapped her into motion, Eina stepped in and slapped her stack of papers onto the desk.

Crossette showed satisfaction by swinging her palm into a thumbs up. Then she waved the Guild advisor off, still noisily rummaging with her other hand. Eina eagerly backed herself against the adjacent wall.

Then Crossette thunked a small vial onto the table, the sound of a drawer slamming shut following shortly after. The old woman hopped back into a rather modest chair and started twisting the top off the glass.

She paused, eyes rising to stare blankly towards the opposite wall as though lost in thought. "Eina, be a dear and close that window for me."

The speed with which Bell's advisor complied was near automatic, as though she possessed some kind of foresight. Eina was at the window and handling the blinds before Crossette even finished speaking. At this same moment, Wiene lunged forward and reached Bell's shins.

He really couldn't ignore her anymore – the girl was climbing his legs like she was scaling a mountain. Whatever "expedition" she had concocted in her mind, it was all terribly adorable.

Crossette ignored the boy's drawn out squeal as she popped open the vial and took a long swig of its contents. Eina, focused on her task, parted the curtains and reached for the base of the raised window.

She perked a bit upon seeing out into the lamp lit streets outside, noting the din of the relief efforts carried even to the far side of the Guild building where the view opened up. A thought flashed through her mind as she looked down upon the night time avenue.

'This is the third floor… how did his old woman get up here?'

"… Eina." The half elf flinched at her senior's voice, turning to face the old medic. A long breeze swept into the office, lifting Eina's hair. Crossette gave her a pointed look at the phenomenon before pointedly concluding, "The window, dear."

A sharp clack followed as Eina immediately shut the portal. Crossette allowed the moment to linger: Eina smoothing out the blinds in an attempt to disengage whilst Bell silently fended off a softly giggling Wiene. The Guild healer took another draw from the vial, finishing off the brew and tossing the glass into the fireplace.

Bell and Wiene snapped to attention, the former shooting to his feet with the strange girl clinging to his front, as the vial burst apart within the fading embers. Eina had drawn up her hands in a pseudo-karate stance turning on the sound with striking speed outdone only by the haste with which she then corrected her posture and tossed her arms back down to her sides.

Crossette rolled her eyes and walked around her desk. She looked much more alert now as she approached the young man and younger monster.

"Down," was the simple word uttered as she stood before them. A combined effort from the two saw Wiene to the base of Mt. Cranel in record time. The pale blue child turned to the old woman, only having to look up slightly.

The medic peered down at the girl for a critical moment. Bell raised a hand in question that Crossette swiftly slapped down. Eina shuffled around for a sidelong view of the exchange.

"Bell, what am I looking at here?"

The rookie dungeon delver caught a gulp halfway down his throat, his eyes shifting left and right. The frankly comical display would normally have Eina laughing at her younger ward, but her face remained focused with her own concerns.

Again taking the initiative, Wiene's arm shot up into the air, "Hello! My name is Wiene!"

Crossette's flat expression instantly melted into a warm smile. Seeing her own opportunity, the aging medic raised her palm, slapping it against Wiene's with a satisfying twack! The inhuman girl drew her hand back, staring at it with wide eyes. Looking back to Crossette, the old healer graced her with a smug grin. Wiene returned a winning smile.

"Hi Wiene," the Guild agent approached the child, "my name is Crossette." One hand caught Wiene's cheek, specifically the one marred by the patch of blue scales. Her other palm grasped the girl's shoulder, holding her steady.

Wiene quirked a brow as the medic craned and tilted her gaze, inspecting the smaller girl's features. She gave a pleased hum as Crossette ran her thumb over that patch of scales.

"Smooth," the elder commented, "good bit of gloss too. Did these grow in recently?"

Eyes closed, Wiene nodded briefly, "It was itchy." Crossette continued to brush over the scales.

The aging woman glided her fingers through the girl's long lockes. She swept some of the obscuring mane back over Wiene's right ear. "My, look at the size of these. Quite angular, not so different from an elf, wouldn't you agree Eina?"

Despite being rather absorbed in the conversation, Eina was taken aback by the request for input. Defaulting back to her standard method in dealing with Crossette, Eina's mouth opened, "Y-Yes…! Yes, they're quite similar to my own." As though making to further placate her peer, the half elf turned her head to present the ears in question.

Indeed, they were quite similar.

Crossette had not even turned towards his advisor, Bell noted upon looking back. She was now standing slightly to Wiene's right, holding the monster girl's arm with both hands. She inspected the limb with her fingers, squeezing at various points as she traveled towards her wrist.

The healer frowned, "Somewhat defined muscle tone, more than I'd expect from a human child. Still too thin and the skin condition is poor. How long have you been… 'awake'?"

Bell and Eina took note of the care Crossette took in choosing that last word, though only Bell understood the implication. Wiene screwed up her features as she began crawling through her memories. In the midst of this, Crossette's appraisal reached the monster girl's hands.

Her hazel orbs pulsed at the state of them. The dark blood of the killer ants had dried and flaked enough that no more than a few, ash-like smears dotted her flesh. This had the consequence of fully revealing Wiene's raking talons to even a passing glance. Bell, watching the exchange closely, only just caught the medic's reaction.

He had to push down the urge to reach for his knife, to ready himself for a confrontation. Eina, who was watching Bell, tensed at his halted motions.

"Come over here, Wiene." Crossette escorted the girl around Eina, who gave them a wide berth, and plopped the little monster onto the chair behind her desk. Yanking open a drawer, the Guild medic reached in quickly then threw the thing closed as she retrieved the desired item.

A thick, black file, the iron surface notably coarse, rested in her grasp. Taking Wiene's hand with care, she drew the file against one of the girl's sharpened nails.

Not looking at him, Crossette declared, "Pull up a chair, Bell Cranel. We have a bit to discuss."


So the starting section just cements Bell's ultimate intentions involving Wiene. In spite of the fact that he's in this tense situation, surrounded by the stress of other people and hoping his own anxiety is masked from their more observant escorts, seeing the blatant awe on his charge's face kind of galvanizes Bell.

"This girl would be raised."

And having Bell and Wiene disperse the dour atmosphere by being wholesome is just icing on the cake. Many more wholesome moments in the future, yes-yes!

Rose is an interesting character for me. Since she's someone more contained to Orario's backstory (I think she was a Guild employee back when the Astrea Family was still around) and Sword Oratorio, I have very little exposure to her canon depiction. But I've seen her pop up here and there in fanfics so she's definitely started sticking out a bit in my mind. I figured, who better to kind of slide into the role of a senior agent of Search and Rescue? I like the idea of her having a role adjacent to Eina as opposed to being another receptionist/advisor since it shows the broader spectrum of how the Guild works. I really like the thought of the Guild just needing people to "step up" after the scouring of the city years ago and Rose being one of those who answered the call.

Eina's interesting here. She's a contrast to Yuta and Rose in that while they're clearly in the know about Wiene (at least what she is) Eina is utterly in the dark. So our girl goes justifiably from a near panic attack to this ongoing existential crisis as everyone around her is just perfectly content to consort with this thing that should not be. Eina and Wiene is gonna be a fun dynamic when it comes up…

Also, just plain entertaining to have Eina interacting with her superiors and seeing her go full anxiety before defaulting to imminent servitude. For Bell, who's likely never seen his advisor on the other side of the submissive scale, watching her sweat a little must make for at least a small spot of fun.

I continue my trend of making Wiene this goofball. She's gonna get a lot of mileage out of that greeting of hers. Also loved doing the little sequence with her army-crawling towards the couch. Drew that straight from the credits sequence of Call of The Night where Nazuna attempts to… "stealth kill" the foot cushion? I've never been able to puzzle out exactly what was going on there…

More Crossette in the next chapter!

And also next time: Discussions are had, Hestia joins the party.