Bell thought he knew what it looked like when Orario was in a festive mood. The Monster Feria of Ganesha, showcasing its stands and monsters. The wedding of the Braver with the Tiresias and the Jormungandr was a national event itself, inviting many guests from outside. But in comparison to Grand Eve, those could only be considered small time, local at best.
Never before did the young adventurer ever face such full streets as he did now. Not only that, never before did he see Orario try to show off as much as it did now. Moving beyond just food stalls, every single individual, civilian or adventurer alike, tried to show off their unique traits, their specialties to the guests that flowed in from all around the world. Some level ones acting as story tellers, dressing up and having built up their own stages for wide eyed and awed visitors. Others brought out their secret recipes to show the other cultures how it was done. Last but not least, there were the stands that were all about Grand Eve itself.
About how Zeus and Hera Familia faced the legendary monster known as Behemoth. Sweets formed in the shapes of Behemoth, making it look rather cute. Weapons imitating the shapes of the strong adventurers that faced the beast. Not to mention the stories, all having their own take on how the story concluded, going from comedy to tragedy. What they all had in common however was that the poison the beast radiated was essentially a wall that created a deadly territory around it. Only with the help of mythical artifacts and one's own grit did they push through, getting close to slay the beast once and for all.
Bell didn't even realize at first how his sleeve was being tugged at, as he listened intently at the narrator, his eyes sparkling like stars. When he did realize however, he turned his head towards his "date" and couldn't help but blush, his face heating up at the teasing grin facing him.
"Looks like you really are enjoying yourself, hm?" A dramatic sigh before a huff followed, as hands touched her hips. "So much you aren't even looking at your poor goddess!"
He coughed awkwardly, tearing his eyes apart from the salesman pitches of "authentic Zeus and Hera outfits". He scratched the back of his head, lowering his head as he let his hand be grabbed by Hestia, who proceeded to drag him through the crowds.
"Ah, s-sorry."
Now some might wonder why he was with his goddess of all people, instead of others in his Familia, or his friends, or more importantly, his girlfriends. Well, the answer was rather simple. Everyone else was busy with something else on this first day of Grand Eve, leaving Bell of all people to have little to do, beyond helping out for patrols. Not having that, his goddess made the executive decision to monopolize his first day.
It was the first time he saw Astraea spray Ryuu in the face with a water bottle when the latter started to ooze bloodlust despite her stoic expression. It took a while to make the quivering form of Hestia calm down. Still, eventually, his first girlfriend was eventually convinced that this was indeed just a day to have fun and hang out between a goddess and her beloved child, not anything inappropriate. It helped that Ryuu truly cared that Bell wasn't stuck being alone and actually having to work on a festive event like this. Thus here he was, taking in the sights with the goddess of hearth. Said goddess finally stopped pouting and turned her head towards him as she strode forward.
"Hehe, I'm just teasing you! So cute, with how much fun you are having!" As Bell's face flushed a bit more, her grin widened."C'mon, the day is still young! Plenty of more stuff to s-"
So focused on her conversation with Bell, Hestia did not notice in time before her head moved straight into another person's back. The goddess let out a whine as she rubbed her face. After checking if she was alright, the adventurer lowered his head with an awkward chuckle.
"Our apolo-" As he slightly raised his head to look at the weirdly silent person, his eyes widened. He took an instinctive step back as his palms reached for Homebringer. "You are…!"
Muscles tensed. Fingers touching daggers. But a raised hand stopped the two others from acting. The massive tiger man exhaled slowly, trying to relax. The dark elf didn't bother with any of that, scratching at her eyepatch with a snarl. The middle aged man caused Bell to scratch at his own chest, feeling a sensation of past pain flare up as the former scratched his stubble beard.
Lulope Wuzil. Danos. Last but not least…Diego Alcaz. The members of the now defunct Eris Familia, a goddess that did not return to heaven…but was slain by the Night Queen herself, a feat thought to be impossible against the divine. The first thing that stood out to Bell, beyond the flash of anger that spawned in his heart, was how...dim their auras felt. Compared to the sharp, malice filled razors they were, they didn't feel much different from some of the drunks one would meet near the Red Light District, those that only go through the motions.
It was as if they gave up on any ambition they used to have. Those powerful high ranked adventurers. Those warriors that gave Bell and the others such a hard time, barely winning against their honed skill, their sharpened experience. There was a flicker in Diego's eyes, of recognition, of past pride, before it disappeared when he formed a lazy smile, hands in his pockets.
"Huh. Small world."
"What are you doing here?" Hestia asked coldly, causing the man to scratch the back of his head with a wince.
"Yikes, talk about cold reception."
Bell narrowed his eyes. While his emotions have cooled over since those fateful days, he still felt resentment within at what the Eris Familia pulled, slandering the good name of his goddess and his Familia. The struggle they had to go through to prove themselves to Orario…but a part of him still felt grateful. Grateful for the challenge even. Thus he took a deep breath and put a hand on Hestia's shoulder. The goddess blinked before smiling gently and taking a step back. Diego raised an eyebrow at that. Just as he opened his mouth however, the dark elf at his side spat to the side, letting out a dark growl. She glared at Bell, no, at the chains on Homebringer, before spinning around and stomping away.
"She is quite frustrated about the death of your captain." They turned towards Danos, who let out a weary sigh, shaking his head. "She will never get her chance to be even with Solaris Crozzo now."
"Not like she'd ever had a chance against me, hahahaha!" The voice in his head cackled, her usual arrogance burning brightly in his mind. He couldn't help but smile just a bit. The tiger man saw it and nodded slightly, as if in approval. Then, after a moment of silence, he crossed his arms.
"Haruhime…has grown more and more fierce. I am glad that she is the one who gave me this final defeat." He bowed his head before turning towards his captain. "I shall catch up with her."
"You do that, buddy." Diego patted his shoulder, allowing him to leave. He cleared his throat as he faced Bell again. "Well, this sure is awkward."
"I'm surprised you're still around," Bell couldn't help but state. After all, as tragic as the death of Eris was, they were still confirmed to have committed countless crimes. Yet here they were, patrolling the streets as if they were anything like Astraea Familia. As if sensing his growing irritation, Diego raised his hands in defense.
"Lord Ouranos and Lord Ganesha decided losing out on talents like us would be a waste. Something something redemption, yadda yadda." He shrugged before biting his lip. Bell straightened up his back, noticing the change in mood. Diego exhaled slowly before something dark grew behind his eyes. As if he was trying to summon up the vestiges of his own soul forth. "...Got anything on the Night Queen?"
Bell pressed his lips together, at the reminder of mankind's archnemesis. He sighed, shaking his head.
"Work in progress. She has to be out there somewhere but we don't know where."
"Heh. Got more out of you than from anyone else." Diego's shoulder slumped, whatever energy he was building up gone, just like the flicker in his eyes. "...Avenge her, could you? For us."
"She has to be stopped for the sake of everyone." Bell lowered his head, closing his eyes. "But…I'm sorry about what happened."
"I'm sorry too." The former ace of the Eris Familia took a deep breath before putting on a fake smile. Turning his back towards them, he lazily waved them away. "See ya around, kid."
A question bubbled up within Bell, before he knew it. He took a step forward, unable to overcome the difference that was the Diego of today vs the Diego of the past.
"Are you alright with this?"
A vague question. Yet it was more than enough to understand what he truly asked. Diego came to a stop, not looking back. Instead, he looked up at the heavens, as if searching for something.
Someone. And then…he looked down, unable to find her.
"Sometimes, no matter how far you get…you'll stop eventually. Whether your body can't keep up or your spirit. Whether you managed to find a place to rest or because someone made you. This is our stop." A light scoff escaped him. "Heh…been a hell of a journey. Not a good one, but it sure was one." He shook his head wistfully. "Gotta be at peace with that, am I right?"
Thus, Diego moved forward, away from the yet shining light that was Bell Cranel.
Thus…the paths of the former Eris Familia and the Hestia Familia separated, for perhaps the final time in their living history.
For a while, Bell stood there with his goddess, letting the festivities around them flow past him, staring at the retreating back of a man he fought against with his life. Until he could no longer see him, Bell looked.
"You still don't like them, do you?"
He blinked before smiling wryly at his goddess.
"Do you?"
"'course not, they were very very naughty children who hurt you!" She uncrossed her arms and hugged his. Pressing her assets against him, he couldn't help but blush a bit, causing her a slight teasing giggle. "Buuuut, I'm the type to forget, so if you are fine, I'm fine."
"Isn't the saying forgive and forget?" He asked, raising an eyebrow. Hestia stared at him as if he was stupid.
"Oh no, if they remind me again, I'll definitely not be in a forgiving mood."
The two shared a laugh. But Bell couldn't help but lower his head, letting out a tired sigh.
"I can respect their abilities and I can feel sympathy for what happened to their goddess. But…we were still enemies."
"Hm. Long as you aren't filled with eternal vengeance, that's just fine for me!" She paused. Crossing her arms behind her back, she leaned forward, staring at Bell from the side. "There's still something bothering you?"
Bell bit his lip, hesitant. He recalled, over and over, how much Diego and the others changed after losing their goddess, for good. And he couldn't help but imagine himself in their shoes.
"...I just wonder…if something ever were to happen to you-"
"You'll be fine."
No hesitation. A voice that made him believe they were back in the Stardust Garden, sitting in front of the warm fireplace. He blinked and he was back outside, in the streets of Orario. Hestia was fully facing him, smiling gently as she put a hand on her chest.
"Even if I leave one day before your journey is done…I believe-no, I know…that you won't let your light vanish like theirs." She pushed her finger against his forehead, nodding at him. "My little Trailblazer and his family are made of sterner stuff. So don't worry whatsoever."
With such confidence presented to him…how could Bell do anything but have faith like her? Her eyes shone with the wisdom of the gods after all. Though they shone with something else. It was almost…sombre. Maybe a reminder that as much as the Falna extended one's life, they were not immortal. One day, Bell would perish like anyone else.
All the more important that he protected the one who gave him this blessing to begin with. To not fail and allow a gruesome fate to befall Hestia. He hit his chest with his fist, nodding at his goddess.
"Hehe…Just have to make sure you don't leave before us then."
With his eyes closed he moved forward, moving past her. He then came to a stop, blinking when she didn't latch onto his arm like expected. He looked back, only to see Hestia just stand there, staring at the spot he was standing at. Her body was incredibly still. As if she was frozen in place, by whatever he just said. Worry blossomed up within his chest as he turned back to her, his pace slightly frantic. But just as he reached her shoulder with his hand, she suddenly spun around. He leaned back in shock at her wide and giddy smile.
"What a blessed goddess I am!" Before Bell knew it, she dragged him by the arm, pointing towards a nearby food stall. "C'mon, I'm getting hungry, let's grab some potatoes!"
"You seem more excited than usual. A lot more," he said with an amused tone. As Hestia paid for big bags for each of them, she let out an offended huff before biting down on the hot goods.
"Something wrong with that? It's been ages since we spent time together, and this is the best excuse I'm ever gonna get!" She lowered her head as they moved away from the stand. "Gotta make sure I make all the memories I can until you guys-"
Her eyes widened as she forced her mouth to stop moving. But Bell could connect the dots to what she was trying to say. Making memories. The last remnants she would have of them when thousands of years passed, when new civilizations arose from their ashes. Silently munching on a potato, Bell closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Then he felt a hand squeeze his shoulder, causing him to look at his goddess.
"Sorry, sorry. Shouldn't think about it. After all, we got…" She trailed off before shaking her head, putting on a bright smile. "...plenty of time together. Even if it's just a blip for other gods…for me, this is my eternity."
"Lady Hestia…"
An honor beyond honor. But more importantly…to hear it reconfirmed once more, how much the goddess of the hearth loved her children, how could he not have a tear slowly drop down over his cheek? He sniffed, wiping his eyes, only for Hestia to pat his back a couple times before pointing forward while puffing up her chest.
"Now now, no time to be a debbie downer, let's go!"
Soon enough, something caught Bell's eye as they finished their food. It was so out of place from the other, more cultural aligned stands, of history, music and entertainment. He tilted his head at the sign, rubbing his eyes to make sure he was reading that right.
"Greatest Orario Beauty Contest? Who is the most fair maiden of them all?"
"Of course Hermes and Ganesha organized this…" Hestia muttered, rubbing her forehead as a migraine began to form. She crossed her arms, raising an eyebrow at Bell. "Curious?"
"Well, I'm not sure what this sort of thing even looks like…" He scratched the back of his head before his words caught up with his mouth. Then a blush formed as he frantically waved his hands in denial. "A-and I don't think it's appro-!"
"Oh hey, Aiz is on the list."
His head snapped towards the second sign, his eyes zeroing in on the name of Aiz Wallenstein. Tilting his head forward, eyes slightly narrowed, his back straightened as he stomped forward with determination never before seen since his fight against Asterius.
Hestia could only stare at her child and captain before puffing up her cheeks a bit, even as her mouth twitched, trying to form a smile.
"You really grew from that young man that screamed and cried because he saw the girls undress themselves as a first meeting." She sighed, shaking her head. "Not sure how to feel about that."
Rolling her shoulders, she decided to rush in before she lost Bell in the crowd of other, very excited young men. And middle aged men. And even old men. The important fact to keep in mind was that there were ninety nine percent only men in the audience. She crossed her arms, pondering if she should prank Bell and just join in on the contest-
"As a reminder, we will sadly not witness our beautiful and breathtaking fellow gods to partake in this feast of the eyes!"
-welp, nevermind then. She narrowed her eyes at Hermes, still not having forgiven him for his role in…a lot of messes now that she thought about it. At least he was relatively docile these days, but that could change at any moment.
Sometimes he could be as bad as Dionysus back in heaven. She needed to make sure her twin tail whip technique was up to par if he decided to be naughty again. Anyway, she crossed her arms, waiting for Hermes to finish up with his flowery speech about the female form. A couple of girls from different Familia were being presented, who were all cute alright, but Hestia realized that her standards were heavily skewed after living in the Stardust Garden this entire time. Not to mention, she hung out with Freya and Demeter sometimes.
"Next up, we got a double entrant! They both signify two sides of beauty standards! Which is the perfect female form?! Compact?! Or filled out?! Petite, or build?! Let the crowd decide! I present, the wonderful twins of the Loki Familia!"
Hestia perked up, realizing people got up to the stage she actually recognized. What they wore however surprised her a lot.
The younger twin stretched her metal leg up as her arms were hooked with the ones of her sister. Leaning backwards as Tione leaned forward, Tiona winked at the audience, her outfit fluttering in the wind. It was rather feminine all things considered. Frilly sleeves attached to a purple spandex that covered her center body, but revealed her thighs and shoulders to the world. The blue silk cloth tied on her hair was a nice accessory as well.
"Hey, hey!"
It was kind of heartwarming actually, seeing someone turn their worst day into a beautiful feature like that. If Tiona didn't say a word and wasn't known to be the tomboy to beat all tomboy, one might think she could be an actual ballerina. Meanwhile Tione looked… well, she looked like Tiona, only more filled out.
It was a "gym outfit" as the gods would know it. Red shorts, a white bandana, a white t-shirt, though it didn't cover her stomach that-
Hestia blinked before rubbing her eyes, leaning forward. Then her eyes widened in shock.
Was that a pink tattoo on her stomach?! The hell did she get up to during the honey moon! If she knew her stories and myths correctly, that had to be a modified symbol of Fianna! Trying to not think about this, her eyes spotted her boy. She rushed to his side only to to stop, tilting her head in confusion.
"Bell, are your eyes closed?"
"I'm loyal!" He shouted amidst the hollering of the audience, his fists clenched with focus. Hestia couldn't help but giggle.
"That's ad-Haruhime?!"
"Wait, what?!"
Both of them did a double take as the twins had already left the stage. In their place, they saw a ninja. A rather provocative dressed ninja, for instead of a fullbody dark suit that hid her identity, the Renard hugged herself, trying to cover the skin she was revealing with her arms and cleavage. The fishnets she wore only came up to her knees and elbows. If nothing else she had a scarf to hide her quivering mouth, but it did not hide her bright red face.
Bell and Hestia had no idea who put this poor girl into this "kunoichi" outfit as they would later find out, but they felt pity for her. As if that weren't enough…
"ABS! ARE! LIFE!"
"HORAH! HORAH! HORAH!"
Haruhime let out a squeak to cover her stomach, her head frantically moving…only to have her eyes land on her Familia. She froze as if the judgement of the gods held her in place. The two ceased any movements as well, before putting on encouraging smiles at the same time. But it must not have been very encouraging, as all color faded from Haruhime's expression. Bell flinched as he saw her eyes.
The last time he saw such a lack of life in Haruhime's eyes were when she was kidnapped and about to be sold into slavery! How did she get roped into this anyway?!
"You look adorable, Haruhime! You're doing great!"
Bell leaned towards his goddess, who was cupping her mouth and shouting encouragement. All while Haruhime visibly didn't react to the commentary, instead being carefully shoved away from the stage.
"Goddess, I think you're making it worse."
"What else am I supposed to do, just walk away while she's on stage?!" Hestia hissed back before crossing her arms. "Definitely gonna have to revive her will to live there…either that or rely on Take and his kids for that one."
Before he could comment anymore on this, Hermes adjusted his hat and cleared his throat. Then as the audience fell silent, his voice boomed in the area, overcoming the noise from distant events taking place in Orario.
"Our final contestaaaaaaant! She may be taken, stolen from us gods, but she is still a beauty that rivals the heavens!" He dramatically shuffled his feet, stepping away from the stage. "Without further ado, let's see what our Wind Princess, Aiz Wallenstein has to offer!"
Even Hestia held her breath, anticipating what sort of appearance she would present. Bell couldn't help but lean forward at the sound of the footsteps, gently tapping against the wood. As if seconds were stretched into minutes, Aiz' form finally appeared. The goddess next to him choked, while he could only stammer as his face exploded with heat, almost collapsing on the spot from what he was seeing.
"Oiiiii, it's a goddamn barbeque up in here, chill! Your brain is getting fried enough with your lifestyle!"
Shaking his head frantically, dismissing the inner Solaris trying to suffocate the flames with a carpet of all things, he came back to reality…and still saw the outfit that Aiz wore.
Specifically, Ryuu's outfit. Exactly Ryuu's outfit, because he knew for a fact that Ryuu wasn't wearing it right now, and he saw it often enough that he knew the specifications, the minor tears and patches, were burned inside his brain.
In any other scenario, Bell would realize how creepy and weird that was, but right now, his breath was taken away from how well the mouth mask worked with Aiz. And the color green. And the cape. It made her look…gallant, more than ever.
Then she saw him, and her expressionless face morphed. Her bored eyes shone like stars. Widened in surprise. Then they narrowed, half lidded before her dainty fingers reached for the mask and pulled it down, while her other hand pulled down her hood. Thus, she revealed her radiant blonde hair. But more importantly…
The smile.
That damnable smile that almost struck him down harder than Asterius ever did. The ways her cheeks were slightly aflush. The sheer warmth it radiated…and it was all because of Bell, this he knew, now that they were lovers.
She only saw him. It made his heart almost explode with how rapidly it was beating.
Unfortunately others weren't so lucky.
Hestia collapsed on her knees, as if an invisible pressure hit her from above. Others actually coughed up blood, while a different group screamed, clutching their eyes as if they got burned. Others even got smashed against walls as if they were hit by a force unknown. Mouths were foaming, people were having seizures…if it were any other situation, Bell would be greatly worried about this.
Instead, he couldn't help but awkwardly wave back at Aiz, smiling with the same blush she was having. It was then that Aiz blinked, before looking down at herself. Her cute red color intensified before she pulled the mask back on and floated back to behind the stage. With her present gone, Bell let out a breath he didn't know he was holding, while everyone struck by Aiz' rare smile managed to recover, forcing themselves to their feet.
"I think there's no need for a vote!" Hermes' body was shaking. But with determination, he wiped the blood from his mouth and raised his fist into the air. "The winner is Aiz Wallenstein and her gap moe smiiiiiiiile!"
"GAP! GAP! GAP! GAP!" His fellow divinity shouted, followed by the children moving with the flow. Even Hestia was joining in the chant, raising her fist into the air. At the ludicrous sight, Bell couldn't help but laugh, covering his stomach.
And then, a hand grabbed onto his shoulders.
"Hahahahahaha, yeah, sure got something to laugh about, ey?! I guess ya my lucky charm! Thanks for getting me that win!"
Bell blinked. He turned his head and saw…a grin so wide it should not belong on a human body. Or a goddess' body in this case. He flinched, seeing the faint traces of blood on her cheeks, originating from her now closed eyes. He glanced at the hand squeezing down on his shoulder, causing him to point at it with hesitation.
"Are…are you trying to cut off the circulation in my shoulder?"
"Pfff, why would you think that?"
"We can see the veins." Hestia crossed her arms, having noticed her presence. She tilted her head with a deep frown before narrowing her eyes even further. Her finger rose and pointed straight at the trickster. "Loki, don't use your divinity to blow up my child."
The smile remained. Unnatural. Forced beyond measure. A second hand grabbed on his other shoulder and she began to shake the adventurer, her voice cracking.
"Whaaaaaaat? I would neveeeeeer! Why would I? I'm cool! Happy! Thrilled, even! My baby girl is more beautiful and cute than ever and it's all because of him! HE did this to her! I mean, for her, cause it's all good! I'm filled with gratitude to this young man, haha! Haha! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!"
She threw her head back at this point. He gulped slowly at the display. Here he thought she would be more calm about this whole inter Familia relation thing…Then again, he did not see her when Aiz officially introduced him as her boyfriend.
Maybe that was intentional.
Anyway, as Loki went insane from the conflict of acting happy and her complete outrage within, it allowed Bell to slip out of her grasp, before allowing Hestia to grab his arm. The two of them shared a look before nodding with determination.
"Maybe we should go."
"Defintely."
Swiftly, they turned their backs on Loki. Unfortunately they didn't get far away enough, for they could hear the goddess' feral scream directed after their retreating backs.
"MARK MY WORDS! I'LL TAKE MY CUTE AIZ BACK! YOU WON'T HAVE HER FOREVER! MARK MY WORDS, BELL CRANEEEEEEL! I'LL BE THE ONE TO CLAP HER CHEEKS AND MAKE SWEET LOVE TO HER, NOT YOUUUUUUUU!"
Their steps intensified, acting like they didn't hear anything. Thus, they left the beauty contest behind, before they would rush through other places, trying to forget what Loki just screamed in public.
/
"Did you chase him away?"
"Aiz, my eternal flame, my heart desire taking human form, please put Desperate away."
"You did chase him away."
"Please put some emotion back into your voice, you are scaring me!"
/
While Hestia's expression was a bit strained, she insisted that they kept moving. Willing to humor her, but looking out for a moment of weakness to force a break, Bell allowed himself to be pulled along through the streets once more, having calmed down from the excitement from before. They passed by the Hostess of Fertility, picking up one of the bento that Mama Mia made just for this occasion. To his surprise, Syr was nowhere to be seen on this day. He figured she was enjoying the festivities herself, which the owner assumed as well. Still, a mark of worry was on her face.
"Just felt like she's been off the last couple days." She let out a boisterous laugh. "Eh, I'm sure it'll be fine! About time that girl had some trouble on her mind! Only helps growing up!"
Bell still decided to give this information to Alise and the others. They were the closest with the maid after all and he still was worried. If people changed how they usually acted, it was a sign of something important. Still, as he didn't know where she went at this time of day, during Grand Eve, he would just have to keep an eye out while spending time with his goddess.
"Astraea said they were doing their concert near the arena…Hm?"
Hestia looked up from her map, having pulled it out from…somewhere. She noticed that Bell took a stop at a nearby commotion, his eyes wide. Following his gaze, she tilted her head.
"Aren't those the Valkyries from Altena?"
"Yeah, it's Brunhilde and the others! I didn't know they were here!" Bell shouted in excitement. It has been a long time since he last saw the idols of the country of magic. He was wondering what they were doing here, but then again, Grand Eve was a gathering and clash of cultures, an opportunity to show off. He didn't know with what Brunhilde tinkered alongside Hlokk and Hrist, but it was a rather intimidating machine, bigger than Bell himself. It pulsated with energy, smooth and clean runes drawn upon its cube like form. His eyes wandered before spotting two different people he was familiar with.
The Guild Advisors seemed to check something on a list, most likely safety precautions. They looked up, and Bell waved at them with a soft smile.
Maybe in a different life, Hachiman and Eina would be more than just acquaintances. They haven't interacted a lot lately. But it was only natural, since Bell managed to get all sorts of advice firsthand from a veteran Familia like Astraea's. It was a pity in a way…but maybe people were only capable of so many deep friendships. A part of him felt bad for not trying harder, but what had been going on lately, it wasn't like he had much time to deepen his relationship with guild advisors.
"Do you want to say hi to them?"
Before Bell could reply to Hestia, Brunhilde suddenly shot up to her feet, spreading her arms open. Her smile was as noble and radiant as ever in public, but he could spot the facade crumbling just a bit with how her mouth was just a bit too wide, the veins pulsating with pride a bit too obviously.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Thank you so much for your patience! Today, you shall witness something you could never from the so called Millennial Wisdom and Nine Hells! For we bring you innovation, not mere destruction!"
"What's her deal with them?" Hestia whispered as the crowd felt an awkward sweat run down their neck.
"I think she just doesn't like elves," Bell responded with a wince, as Brunhilde puffed up her chest just a bit more.
"Yikes."
"Behold! Infinite Energy, with just a spark of magic from our parts!"
She slammed her palm onto the cube, her hand glowing for just a moment. Then the machine began to vibrate. Connected to various household devices, they came to life, lighting up. The crowd let out sounds of awe. Never before had they seen so many items connected to one singular power source. The Valkyrie in charge let out a cackle, uncaring for her outer appearance anymore as she punched the air. Fortunately enough for her, most people didn't pay attention to her.
"Suck it, elves! I'm the best mage there is!"
Most, that is. Hrist tugged at her sleeve, a growl escaping her throat.
"Sister Brun, Lord Odin ordered us to be on our best behavior!"
"And I'm keeping that promise!" She pointed at the glowing cube of hers. "You seein' this shit? Peak performance!"
"We both know that's not what he meant!"
"Hahahahaha, I'm a genius!"
Then the cube in question began to vibrate harder. Brunhilde and the Valkyries tilted their heads. The audience tilted their heads. Bell felt a shiver down his spine.
It began to vibrate even harder, starting to jump up and down, starting to cause cracks in the ground. Brunhilde paled, becoming white as a sheet.
"Oh no!"
It spoke of Thrud's fast decision making despite her meathead appearance. She grabbed the cube, hissing at the energy lashing out on her. Nevertheless, with her strength, she let out a roar and threw the device up into the air.
Where it promptly exploded like fireworks. Bell pressed his lips together, slowly letting go of the handles of Homebringer. He was among the few that realized this was not part of the script, as the rest of the crowd went wild, clapping their hands in enthusiasm, believing this to be just a finisher of a great show.
So lost were they in their applause, most didn't notice how Brunhilde flipped a nearby table in rage.
"Mother FUCK!"
"I told you we shouldn't have brought a prototype!" Hlokk screamed, stomping the ground and causing her gothic lolita outfit to flutter.
"Prototypes get the best attention!"
"Most? Yes. Best? Debateable," Hrist said dryly before shaking her head and turning towards the guild advisors who leapt behind a table. She winced when Hachiman gave them an unimpressed look and pulled out a damage report of all things. Brunhilde saw that too before pointing at the heavens.
"Fuck them elves! The fault lies with them!"
Bell let out an awkward laugh before turning towards his goddess.
"...maybe we catch up another time."
"Yeaaaaah, sounds like a good idea." Suddenly a cheer erupted elsewhere. Hestia tugged at Bell's arm, a giddy smile forming. "C'mon, we are about to miss the main event!"
Without further ado, he picked his goddess up, bridal style. She let out a yelp before giggling like crazy as he moved like lightning. Seconds later, they arrived at the largest crowd yet. Finding a good spot in the back, they came just in time as the cheers died out.
Sweat glistened on the skins of the Astraea Familia. It was the first time that Bell saw their outfits for their concert. Kaguya and Alise mirrored each other, holding their guitars like experts. Both wore shirts that showed off their neckline, as well as shorts in different colors. For some reason, there were fragments near the feet of Alise, as if something was broken but hastily cleaned up. Lyra in the background, on the drums, twirled her sticks, her partially ripped t-shirt fluttering with her motion. But Ryuu stood out the most to him. More specifically, her jeans, for it only had one leg, while the other was also partially ripped. Her stomach slowly moved with her deep breaths, open to the world. He couldn't help but think she was looking a bit lewder than usual, despite being more covered up in some ways. Maybe it was because of her flushed expression.
It was then that the girls spotted him and Hestia. Well, noticed, in Lyra's case. Their smiles visibly became wider. Then Alise pointed her finger up into the air before taking a deep breath.
"This one is for you, Solaris!" Bell felt his body stiffen up. Lyra tapped her sticks together in rhythm, causing Alise to nod in approval. "Through The Fire And The Flames! Hit it!"
It started with a dramatic build up. Ryuu's voice echoed in the streets of Orario. And then…
The instruments went wild. Bell wasn't aware fingers and hands could move that fast. His eyes were wide as saucers, only causing Alise and Kaguya to cackle at his reaction, speeding up even more. Lyra on the other hand seemed to be at the verge of breaking either the drums or the sticks first.
Then the lyrics bloomed from Ryuu's throat. Goosebumps spread across his skin as he heard her beautiful voice vibrate with exertion. The song told of hardships, of trials, yet overcoming them, no matter how cold the night, no matter how hot the flames were. To rush against the inevitable nevertheless.
Suffice to say, Bell and Hestia were singing along as best as they could, being swept away by the mood the Astraea Familia were creating. He felt a flame practically dance within his heart. Tears formed in his eyes as he was lost in the exciting mood Alise and the others set.
This truly was for Solaris. She would love to hear it.
"Hahahahaha, yeaaaaaah, damn right I would!"
The song couldn't have been longer than seven minutes. Yet he felt like he went through a marathon in the dungeon with how drenched his shirt was at this point, when the music died out on Ryuu's final long note that lasted around fifteen seconds, accompanied by her Familia playing so fast, he thought their instruments would catch actual fire. Then, with the final tone played, Alise suddenly flipped her guitar and began smashing it on the stage before spreading her arms wide open with a hyped scream.
"Thank you, Orario! We looooooooooove yooooooooou!"
The audience loved that act of senseless destruction, causing the air to shake with their screams and applauding hands. Ryuu caught Bell's eyes again and sent him a kiss with a wink. Bell felt his cheeks heat up but caught the kiss and pressed it against his heart. Hestia giggled at their antics as the girls retreated from the stage, most likely taking a break despite the chants for an encore. With that song witnessed, Bell gently took Hestia's hand and moved out of the crowd. The goddess tilted her head at him, blinking with curiosity.
"You sure you don't want to meet them backstage?"
Bell shook his head with a smile, despite the yearning in his heart. He glanced back before looking back at his goddess.
"I fear if I meet Ryuu now, she'd want to monopolize my time like Aiz would. And I did make a promise to spend today with you."
"Awwww, you're the best!" Hestia cooed before hugging his arm. The two shared a laugh before Bell couldn't help but glance back again.
"I do wonder what they talk about back there…"
"Maybe they are talking about you, loverboy?"
"Hahaha…"
/
"Stop smashing the damn guitars every time we finish a song! You think we are made of money?!"
"I can't help it, I'm too on fire to stay still!"
"How does that translate into destroying our equipment?!"
"Chill, girls, we planned this! We got five more guitars to go! Alright, next song…! I JUST HAD SEX!"
""NO WAY IN HELL WE ARE PLAYING THAT SONG, YOU BLIND WHORE!""
"Bad, Lyra. Very bad. We have children in the audience."
"Bummer!"
"Says the drummer!"
/
The last stop today was the stop Bell was looking forward to the most. After all, not only were the best of the best of Orario gathering together for the exhibition match within the arena, but also representatives of other countries were sent to show off their skills. He was especially excited to see how Kojiro would do, if he came up with any new innovations in his martial arts.
Of course, it only occurred to him now that he was not alone in looking forward to this event. After all, he did not expect to be squished together by dozens of strangers, pushing their way into the arena. It did not help that some people tried to enter without any tickets or permissions, needing to be fished out by Ganesha Familia. So the amount of time and effort it took to get inside the colosseum was rougher than he anticipated.
And worst of all…
"Oooookay, kind of underestimated the flow here…! Owowowow, stop pushing!"
He didn't know when he felt her hand slip. But when he realized, all he could do was reach out in vain as the twin tailed form of his goddess was disappearing within the ocean of people.
"Lady Hestia!"
"Gah, no, my baby boy! Gyaaaaaah, I'm being taken awaaaaay!"
He winced as he heard her voice being drowned out. He could only pray she was going to arrive to their assigned seats alive. Still, he had faith in her. She was reliable. She was strong.
…She was also very small. Bell bit his lip. He calculated, as a captain should, the risks of trying to search for her or simply have faith in her. But despite his high rank as an adventurer, it was impossible to do the former. It was as if any amount of force he exerted was pushed back into him. Thus, he could only helplessly go with the flow, very much noting he was being led to the wrong spot in the arena. Eventually, he let out a deep breath when he finally got some space around him, as he was being pointed to some free seat. Slumping down, he ran a hand through his hair in exhaustion, shaking his head slowly.
""At least I found a seat…"" He blinked, realizing it was not just his voice that spoke up. He turned his head to his left. ""Hm?""
He blinked.
Lefiya blinked, midbite into her…bacon wrapped turkey leg?
They just stared at each other, unable to comprehend this turn of coincidence, as the seats around them were being filled, as the arena in the middle was prepared for the show of the century.