“Alright, I’ll talk to Hestia, and you need to figure out what to say to her yourself, understand?” Moby pointed to Bell, frowning. Those were his words before they entered the building.
“Honestly,” he shook his head, putting on a plain shirt and shorts, ‘I’m not a therapist.’
Hestia wasn’t there to greet them. As usual, his disappearance only upset Bell, making him more guilty so much that he wanted to go to her and apologise, which earned a slap from Moby.
-Knock. -Knock.
“Hestia it’s Enki, I’m coming in alright?” He didn’t wait for an answer and walked in.
The goddess was lying on her bed curled up, her hair was down completely and her eyes red.
‘Fucking Bell. I should’ve slapped twice.’ He didn’t want to be the one to fix this, but he couldn’t ignore her mood.
“Hey...” his voice was soft as he sat next to her patting her back she shivered at his touch but said nothing, “I heard about, it last night from Bell...” he felt her shake and her eyes darted to him before looking elsewhere.
‘Heartbroken... sigh...’ “Hestia, you know I envy you to have so much love for someone, but your love is too great.”
‘I do not know what I’m saying.’ his words felt wrong, so he changed the pace, “I think you misunderstood something from him.”
“Misunderstood? What could I have missed?” she pushed his hand, her words rising. “You weren’t there. It wasn’t you that got rejected. It wasn’t you that got your heart ripped out and shattered by the one you love!”
“...”
“You don’t understand Moby, no you probably knew from the beginning he didn’t love me back.”
“Hah... you’re right, I don’t understand... I wish I could, but I’ve never been loved and had no one to love me... but I know that Bell and I love you-“
Her hair flared, it replaced the emotion of pain and rejection with subtle rage. “Didn’t you hear me? Stop talking please... just leave me alone.”
“Alright first, don’t stop me when I’m talking okay? Good, we love you Hestia but differently, than you want I’m sorry to say first Bell is only a child, and you’re expecting an adult relationship with him which is what you need to understand he’s never felt that way before and won’t until the right person comes across him...”
He passed seeing her eyes widen, the very reason for his strength, whether it was the love or admiration he had for Ais he didn’t know or care.
“Second the love isn’t one of you falling in love with Bell my guess is probably because he’s the first to join your Familia he holds a special place in your heart and that’s why you’re so possessive, the love I’m referring to is that of devotion.”
He smiled at the goddess who remained silent, “we love you and will protect you,” ‘provided you do nothing stupid and reckless,’ he thought but didn’t say.
“The love we feel for you is the desire to protect and worship you like a goddess.” He brightened, flashing her a close eye smile, “, so please come down. We want to see you smile and the monster festivals tomorrow.”
He gave her a firm hug, which she weakly reciprocated with a small smile. “Thank you,” she whispered, seeing him leave.
A while passed as she remembered his words. They helped, but she still hurt. She looked outside the window, seeing it getting late.
Letting out a small breath, she got up to shower, removing the stress of the day.
...
After that, Moby left for the basement and entered the Jackbird room. He already went in there and trained against it. This was for another purpose.
-Kruu!?
It got up, spreading its wings. “Relax, I’m not here to fight,” he dropped three bags he’d been carrying.
-Clap!
He touched the ground. The bags tore open, and the sand inside sunk into the ground, making its way up forming a ceiling. The dirt above was gone. A glass roof took its place, revealing the changing sky.
The green rooster looked up, gazing at the sky like a newborn having never seen it.
Moby smiled and grabbed the third bag and moved to the feeding pen, dropping a bag of salted peanuts.
“Enjoy it. I’m sure this is the first you’ve seen in the outside world.” He gave a friendly smile and left. He no longer needed to use alchemy to block the door. The Jackbird stopped doing that.
...
One more thing he did before going to sleep was entering the alchemy room. He grabbed a bucket's worth of water and clapped, touching it.
“Ice simple,”
-Snap. -Woosh.
He conjured a flame without the alchemy symbol. He was well-invested in how it worked. In the centre of the room was a large table around which empty vials, flasks and boxes of materials needed all the information he learned from the book.
Beneath him was a small alchemy circle, a basic one he tapped with his foot and an earth chair rooted itself for him.
He grabbed a black sheet and wrote the flame alchemy symbol, the explosion one from the dude that slaughtered the ishvalan people most Solf J. Kimblee, the sun symbol on his right sheet and the moon symbol on his left sheet with the flame one in the centre.
He moved them up and brought out 2 extra sheets. He huffed and wrote.
[Ice alchemy]
[Wind alchemy or, I guess, gas alchemy?]
“Alright let’s begin this, ah right?” there was one thing he wanted to focus on primarily, so he grabbed an extra piece of paper.
[Destruction]
...
“Mn~”
-Knock -Knock
“Noo...” Moby groaned sprawled across his bed, “what is it?” he asked with his closed
“Moby, get up. The Festival is today,” Bell yelled from the other side. He heard some groans opening the door.
“Alright, I’ll get ready. What about Hestia?”
“Oh, she’s downstairs making breakfast. Also, thank you. I don’t know what you said, but she’s in a good mood,” he smiled and bowed slightly.
‘Good? Did my words help?’ he thought, yawning.
“I think I’m ready.” He looked at himself in the mirror after a good bath. He got his leather armour, it was reinforced, and he didn’t need any gloves this time, though.
He put on a large coat that was a shade darker than his hair with a sheaf in the back for his glaive on and left.
Down he met a somewhat cheery Hestia. She waved at him with a smile, placing his stuff on the couch.
“How are you feeling?”
“I’m good... thank you, for last night. I think you helped me realise a few things about myself.”
She gave a grateful smile. She meant it. Her words didn’t mean she healed instantly. She still hurt, but she was thankful to know now than later down the line.
“Ah, I forgot to update your status. I already updated Bells.”
Bell nodded, his mouth full of pancakes. Moby moved and sat down as she did her thing.
Moby Tick
Level 1
Strength H129 > G250
Endurance H163 > F301
Dexterity H174 > F304
Agility H162 > G280
Magic: I 0
Skill: Alchemy-The ancient metaphysical science/mystical art of manipulating and altering matter by using natural energy with your own hands or a transmutation circle. Only one thing can be created from something else of a certain mass. This is the Principle of Equivalent Exchange.
Development Ability: Memory Retention-capable of remembering a variety of information and calling to it.
“Your attributes spiked in the past days, this is by at least 500,” Hestia said, looking at the sheet in hand.
He grabbed it to look at himself. “I’m already closer to F stats than I am in G.” He crumpled it and threw it away.
‘This might be enough to handle some monsters, but not all of them.’
After their shared breakfast they left together, “Oh let’s try to do everything okay!” she pulled both their arms excited to go. Bell was chuckling, willing to go with the goddess. However, Moby pulled back.
“Heh sorry goddess, but I have a meeting with a blacksmith,” he bowed in apology. “Oh Bell here,” he reached back and handed him a new knife.
He pulled it back, seeing a purely black blade. “What?” He lifted it, seeing his reflection clear as day.
Hestia huffed, lightly punching him. “I’m not happy Moby! You promised to devote yourself, but I can’t control you, so fine, but be careful okay and come find us.” she gave a worried look unsure why being guided by a feeling.
“I understand. Thank you. I’ll meet up with you guys soon, okay?”
“Mn, see you soon, right?” Bell brought out his fist.
Moby chuckled, bumping into it. He watched them move ahead, going to celebrate honestly Moby wasn’t sure why he was doing this, but he knew Freya had to be stopped.
“This isn’t the anime. Life is more chaotic and unpredictable, so if she sets those monsters free, a lot of lives will be at risk, god she’s a bitch.”
He walked ahead of the crowd, passing by with a single purpose.
‘I don’t do this for the riches. I’m infected, and my condition is I’m always in my head. These words are my religion. I’m obsessed. It’s my decision. I will do this ‘til I’m dead...’
I miss the internet. God damn, being transmigrated into an internet-less world might’ve been the worst thing to happen to me.‘
...
“Ah It’s almost time isn’t it,” a voice so lovely it could make men fight over it stood up. Freya covered herself with a hood and moved into the light. Behind her was a larger figure in a similar hood.
“Come on Ottar let’s go,” her smile lovely turned sadistic as the man followed without question.
