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Crow

Whatever, Bullfrag is awesome.
Original poster
FOLKLORE MEMBER
Posting Speed
  1. 1-3 posts per day
Writing Levels
  1. Intermediate
Preferred Character Gender
  1. Male
  2. Female
Genres
Fantasy, Superheroics, Slice-of-Life, Anime, a fair deal of fandom...
Out-of-character



The hound of Ulster Cu Chulainn
Rescued the brood of Loki
Now the hound is Odin's bane
And he shall not be merry




"Alright girls! I want you all to take care on the flight and at home. I hope the three of you got the address down. I really want to join you three on the plane but... I've got a few errands to run in Scotland. I'll be sure to take a few pictures of the Loch Ness Monster if I see it. Ahaha~ anyways, have a good flight! I know I'm having one."

These were the final words from Cu Chulainn - or as the girls have begun to call her - Madam Setanta - before they prepare to board the plane to Japan. The airport was where the sisters and Madam Setanta split paths - with the latter heading to Scotland for some errands.

Prior to this, Madam Setanta had rescued these three girls - Vana, Jormun and Helen - from their supposed eternal prisons. She simply asked for one thing in return - for the three of them to be her daughters.

Which was what lead to them to head to Madam Setanta's current residence in Japan via flight - where they would ultimately meet her sole son Hikaru.



"So, it's time, huh?"

Hikaru awaited this day, not with excitement, but with patience. He wondered - why adopt? Why three at once? What was his mother thinking?

The letter his mother sent was a little odd though.

Maybe those're questions for another time.

DING DONG

That was the doorbell. Hikaru was urged to open the gates, where he would meet the three his mother spoke of.

"Welcome to the Hakozaki residence, girls. My name is Hakozaki Hikaru. I have heard of you three from my mother, but I believe that now is a good time for introductions."

@Vania @Weisenhart @Luma
 
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[fieldbox=Jormun, #59b300, solid]Loch Ness Monster, huh?

The surface was so....dry. Jormun had had several weeks to get used to this, but she was still fighting years and years of living in the ocean. And now she was flying miles up on a plane?! It was kinda sickening. Clutching her stomach, Jormun leaned over her chair onto Vana's shoulder. Jormun looked like she was about to barf as she muttered out loud, "This ride can't possibly end soon enough."

One painfully long air-ride later, Jormun stepped foot onto a new country, one lunch lighter than she'd been when she'd got on. Frantically, she grabbed her bag and peeked inside. As before, the inside was abnormally large, and The Box was still there, along with her other oddities. Good.

"So this is Japan, hm?" Jormun addressed her sisters, trying out the local language. She'd read up a little on the country, but not a whole lot. It wasn't her favorite. Last time she'd visited, there were all sorts of little islands to get snagged on. Then again, the human life was different to ocean life, so maybe it wouldn't be so bad. "I still don't get why Madame Setanta wanted to adopt us of all things...."

As the 3 approached the Hakosaki residence, Jormun couldn't help but admire it a little. It was a nice house, with a gated courtyard and a couple cherry trees in blossom. Truthfully she was a little excited as she rang the bell, even if her face showed none of it. It was great having her sisters around again, even if they'd changed quite a bit. Having a brother might just make it better. He could be anything from another stupid Midgard human, to a heroic son of her adopted mother, so who knows?

"Welcome to the Hakozaki residence, girls. My name is Hakozaki Hikaru. I have heard of you three from my mother, but I believe that now is a good time for introductions."

Jormun looked him up and down, sizing him up like livestock one was considering to buy. Well, he doesn't look like much, but he could be worse, and he's officially our brother. "Yes, I suppose...." Jormun stated with all the professionalism of a lawyer about to approve some adoption papers. "I'm Jormun," she paused a moment before repeating it with the new family name, "Hakozaki Jormun."

Jormun continued to gaze at the boy, as if she was judging his every move. She'd agreed to the adoption for the sake of her hero, but it was clear Jormun was giving no "free passes" for relations. He was her brother, but she didn't have to like it. When it came to her respect, each person had to earn it on their own merit. Much as she tried to hide it, Jormun's stomach rumbled loudly, demanding back the meal that'd been lost on the plane.[/fieldbox]
 
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"Wai~ the house looks so lovely. As expected of Setanta-san's house. Hel is sure we'll able to live here without any problem!"

As the door bell ranged, the enthusiastic, childish sounds from the other side of the door could be heard even inside the house. As soon as the door was opened, Hel turned from her sisters she were talking to to the boy -the son of that woman- whom the sisters were going to live with from now on. For a moment, it could be said that she shot him with a gaze that was normally used to inspect unapproved goods, but anyone in their right mind would question that idea once they saw what came up next.

As her sister finished the short introduction. Hel stepped forward and performed a curtsy, holding her relatively short, frilly skirt with only her left hand as her right hand was always occupied by a plushie that looked like some deformed hound head. She gave the boy a lighthearted smile.

"Pleasure to meet you, Hikaru... Onii-chan."

Her voice sounded a lot more soft and gentle than what she used with her sisters just a moment ago. In addition, she perfectly demonstrated what she had practiced, a soft and sweet tone with a pause before the most impactful word, which indicate the speaker's sweet and timidity. Hel raised her doll and continued

"This is Hel's best friend, Gamu-chan. And Hel's full name is Hakozaki Helen, but Hel will be really happy if Onii-chan could go with Hel-chan."

With that, Hel finished the proper introduction that she had discussed with her sisters on the flight. Now for what she hadn't...

Without waiting for her oldest sister's introduction, Hel placed Gamu-chan on the ground and looked at her sisters with a hint of mischief and a brief crimson glow in her eyes. Before anyone could react, she jumped to the boy and immediately hugged him. The warm sensation suddenly embraced Hel's petite body. With more than half a feet in height difference, Hel naturally gave an upward gaze and made a direct eye contact with the slender boy.

"From today onward, Hel's going to be Onii-chan's little sister. So... be kind to Hel, please?"

After a potentially misleading line, Hel maintained her position, but slightly raised her height by standing on her tiptoes. She softly twitched her lips and closed her eyes, as if asking for something.

One of Hel's abilities, Hell Domination, was known to let her telepathically speak with a ghost as well as the only living exception, Garmr. The mighty underworld hound, also introduced as Gamu-chan by his owner, was really mad due to that particular name. Now he was in the form of a plushie, unable to speak or move of his own will. The only thing he can do is telepathically protest.

"This is unacceptable!! You never ask me about this stupid name before! How... Ouch!!!"

Hel placed the doll on the ground, and at the same time using her ability to summon a skeleton, or more precisely a finger part of it, directly under the exact same spot. Although, it seemed she didn't plan this in advance since she averted her gaze from the boy to hide the second where her irises temporarily turned crimson, despite Hel herself kept saying to Garmr that the key action to make oneself looks good in a conversation is to never avoid eye contact. Although she perfectly covered it with a mischievous glance at her sisters. Nevertheless, Garmr was still stabbed with that bony finger. He then heard a voice in his mind

"Hey Gar... Gamu-chan〜♡, did you just hear anyone say anything about this cute name I personally picked for you, hmm?"
"...You are heartless, Hel-sama"

Despite that, the feeling of a sharp finger disappeared. Garmr then noted how Hel both used an ability and spoke with him without showing any sign of those actions to the boy. It seemed what she boasted about multitasking skill learned from modern technology wasn't a lie after all. Garmr then watched what Hel attempted to do, or rather, was forced to watch due to his face was placed that way. As Hel finished her vague line, Garmr commented

"Uh, according to those "Shoujo manga" you showed me, I believe there were too less mood and background involved here to afford a successful kiss?"
"Heh, so you actually learn enough to say something like that, eh? Not bad. As for what you said, don't worry, I'm not serious this time"

Hel finished that by slightly twitching her lips, which matched what she was attempting to do. Knowing Hel long enough, Garmr could guess what she would say next without disturbing her with further questions. It probably be something along the line of

"I just want to see what kind of reaction and face my dear sisters would be making. Oh and I also want to know Onii-chan more. It's totally not a problem if this romance scene was stopped. Or rather, it should be stopped soon."
 
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"Understood, Madame Setanta. Please stay safe on your journey."

The young, dainty form bowed politely, in unison with her younger sisters. They were each left with travel bags, along with new identities, and a new opportunity. She was still trying to get used to the atmosphere of... well, being a human. It hasn't been very long since they perused the concept, life and way of thinking of an anthropoid. Being the children of the Norse deity named Loki, she, Jormun and Hel are very quick learners, changing their structure and adapting to human life in a heartbeat. As with her siblings of legend, Vana, better known as Fenrir, seem to take quite the liking to her delicate appearance. However, one thought kept running through their minds: Why did their savior request for them to become part of her family, knowing full well that they are the three beings that would cause trouble for the Aesir? Calling it out-of-context and delusional would be an understatement.

As their aviation journey continued, Vana's silent confusion is still focused on the big question mark laid in front of them. Cu Chulainn must be either stupid or carefree to set them free and cause a big alert amongst the council of the Aesir. Mayhaps it was the best decision to settle down and conceal their identities for the time being, and look for their father later. But it couldn't be helped. This female adventurer was daring enough to release them from their torturous prison. For a lone human to be capable of this feat is quite remarkable, and that is not taking into account how truly indebted they are to her. She pondered, looking through the plane's window as the gloomy clouds signifying the God's discontentment gradually dissolved into a bright, sunny day. Rubbing and then stroking Jormun's viridescent hair, Vana replied to her sister's groaning.

"Worry not. We're almost there, liebes schwesterchen."

After an adequate amount of time has passed, their plane had finally arrived in Japan. The sun shone brightly still, encompassing the prosperous city with its light. A glint of excitement passed through the woman's orbs, beneath her impassive expression. Gathering their belongings, she pulled out the map from her bag, heading straight for their destination: the residence of their savior's only son.

Being guided by the detailed map given to them by their "mother", Vana, Jormun and Hel turned up in front of an "average-in-appearance" dwelling, complete with a gated courtyard and cherry blossom trees, which makes it stand out from the neighborhood. They knew this was the place, due to the "Hakozaki" surname plate imprinted on the wall beside the gate. She responded to her youngest sister, Hel, who had no intention to hide her glee.

"That would be nice, yes."

As Jormun rang the doorbell, she clasped her hands, intertwining fingers, and placed below her form's waist. It took a moment before the door finally opened, and the three were greeted to a rather effeminate young teenager, approaching them by the gate and opening it. Prim, proper, and with a smile on her face, Vana observed the young man as he introduced himself to them. Her two younger sisters introduced themselves first, by their new monikers: Helen and Jormun Hakozaki.

It took nothing short of a glance to know their first impression of their brother. He certainly was, as his mother described him, ordinary. But the charm comes from his rather feminine visage, and his stoic expression. Vana had expected that he'd be excited to have adoptive siblings. Or maybe he was just hiding his excitement? After introducing herself, Hel gave Vana and Jormun a mischievous look, before glomping and attaching herself to her brother.

"I suppose I'm the last one to introduce myself."

Taking a step forward, Vana lowered her head slightly, with her conjoined hands still below her waist. It was naught but an elegant ladylike bow, in comparison to Hel's curtsy. With a gentle smile on her countenance, she continued.

"My name is Anari Hakozaki. I, along with Jormun and Helen, were adopted from the kindness of your mother's heart. We were sent here from Iceland by her. It is of my utmost pleasure to finally see her son, our brother, in person."

Note:
* - liebes schwesterchen means "dear little sister" in German.


 
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Hikaru analyzed the sisters accordingly. 'Helen' was the shortest of the three, 'Jormun' was the same height as he was and 'Anari' was the tallest. That's a physical difference, and the most obvious one at first glance.

The littlest one, Hel as she preferred to be called, swiftly latched onto him, taking a liking to him immediately.

"From today onward, Hel's going to be Onii-chan's little sister. So... be kind to Hel, please?"

Those were the words she said as she tiptoed and reached up to him with her eyes closed and her lips twitching. Hikaru's pupils began to sway from side to side, noticing that others were present. He simply retains his stoic expression as he pats Hel on the head while bowing lightly, ruffling her hair. "I'll be kind to you, Hel-chan."

The middle child whose height equalled his, Jormun, introduced herself in a straightforward manner.

"I'm Jormun, Hakozaki Jormun," Jormun introduced.

"Pleasure to meet you, Jormun," Hikaru nods as he bows lightly, then proceeds to shake her hand.

The last of the trio - Anari - introduced herself.

"My name is Anari Hakozaki. I, along with Jormun and Helen, were adopted from the kindness of your mother's heart. We were sent here from Iceland by her. It is of my utmost pleasure to finally see her son, our brother, in person."

Hikaru, once more, prepares to shake Anari's hand as he responds with a light bow. "You are welcome, Anari- wait, s- sorry, aneue*."

Now that that was out of the way...

"I will lead you to your rooms, they're... a little bit plain for now," Hikaru explains as he prepares to lead the way. Just then, he heard something. He immediately noted where it came from - the belly of Jormun.

"So, would you all like to eat out, or have a homecooked?" Hikaru casually asks with his usual stoic tone.

@Vania @Luma @Holy Shounen Grenade

*TL Note: aneue is a way of referring to one's elder sister.​
 
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As she was patted, Hel let out a soft sound expressing her pleasure. After Hikaru gave an affirmative answer, Hel proceeded to put up a warm smile, making it hard to tell whether she was already satisfied with the boy's action or she wanted something more, before gently replied.

"Thank you very much, Onii-chan."

When Hikaru turned away to converse with her older sisters, Hel throughly looked at him with the eyes that clearly told everyone she had taken interest in him. After all, she managed to catch a glimpse of the shy side of a superficially calm and stoic boy, and she always called such scenes in anime cute.

As Hel heard the boy asked about their meal, she instinctually glanced at her middle sister. A cold sweat ran down Hel's forehead as she realized that eating out as an option mean the meal wasn't prepared yet. She spoke up energetically, like a child who was about to have a field trip for the first time.

"Hel want to eat out! Hel really want to try a Japanese restaurant... please?"

Hel briefly shot an intense stare at Jormun and shortly made an eye contact with Vana before fixing her gaze at Hikaru as she finished with a persuasive word. If anyone were to hear the telepathic sounds, they would have heard "Chou Kawaii Imouto skill hatsudou*!!" that Hel spoke to her plushie she just picked up. According to an anime she watched, it was an ultimate skill requiring a perfectly refined facial expression and an obscure, yet observable trait of weakness in little sister's eyes upon making eye contact with her older brother. If executed right, even the layers of ice covering the heart of an emotionless ice prince would be melted instantly and he would be tempted to protect the little sister and do anything she asked for at all costs.

For some reason, Hel really tried hard...

Note:
* The whole line reads "Super Cute Little Sister skill activate!!"
 
[fieldbox=, #59b300, dotted]Jormun facepalmed as Hel latched on to their new brother like a magnet and even went for a kiss. Her eyes turned from side to side, looking for her little sister's summon, but no luck. Undead were just nasty; that was definitely one of Hel's new abilities Jormun was not fond of. Darn bones should not be moving around without flesh on them....

Hikaru bowed after shaking her hand. Right....Japan. They did this sort of thing to be polite. She enjoyed the respect though. Maybe this human would be tolerable. Even if he was only human, he looked like the sort to keep to himself. Good. A private sanctum and some materials were all she'd need to continue working on The Box.

Vana then introduced herself as Anari. It felt a little strange how her two sisters had really absorbed this Japanese thing. Hel-chan and Anari, huh? Nope. She'd just be Jormun. Besides, the more time she wasted introducing herself to people, the less time she had to work. Vana, or 'Anari', could have her fun playing human-maiden; she had better things to do.

Jormun was about to express interest in eating at home, but her little sister beat her to the choice. Growling almost as loud as her stomach, she shot Hel-chan a glare that showed Jormun clearly disapproved of the choice. "Fine. I'll go along with it. I'm not going to be making a habit of wasting time like this though. Anywhere but a seafood place will work. Ideally one that is close and prepares food quickly."

Jormun readied herself to follow Hikaru to whatever detestably slow eating joint they were headed. She had no intention of letting her bag out of her sight, so she'd take it along. Meanwhile, she consulted this 'Hikaru' on the situation, "I imagine the circumstance must be awkward for you. Don't bother forcing yourself to treat me like a real sister; adoption can't force bonds like that, so I doubt you feel any attachment to me. The feeling is mutual. That being said....I'm glad you're not raising a fuss about this."

Cracking the bag open a bit, Jormun peeked to her satisfaction. Indeed, The Box was still there. "I'd bet you're very confused, but I can assure you we don't know why Madame Setanta requested to adopt us. Maybe she figured we could act like bodyguards; hopefully you aren't the sort to get into trouble."[/fieldbox]
 
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The trio entered Hikaru's humble abode, placing their things on the side of the narrow hallway. Anari could sense Helen's summon rattling about silently. And then, Jormun's belly barked. Anari let out a slight chuckle.

"My, my, Jormun. We've just met our ototo*, and all your tummy can think about is food?"

She paused, before continuing.

"Very well. Please accompany us, Hikaru, if I may be so bold to denominate you as such."

As they walked, and Jormun was busy conversing with his brother in front of them, Anari glanced over at Helen, whose motives were as clear as day. Approaching her youngest sister, Anari rubbed her head gently.

"Super Cute Little Sister skill activate, eh...? You sure are full of surprises. This isn't a competition, you know."

Anari affirmed, before closing her eyes once more. Then, as the sister-and-brother strayed a bit further from them, she continued.

"The Aesir... I can sense their circumspect. They'll most likely be looking all over the world for us."

Note:
* - Ototo means "younger brother" in Japanese.

 
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Looking at Hel, Hikaru blinks three times. It was unclear whether he was affected or immune. His mouth seemed to waver for a bit, as if he was trying to control it.

Maybe he could smile after all. Maybe he was just hiding it. Who knew?

"Fret little, for I am able to protect myself," Hikaru speaks to Jormun, unfazed by her cold exterior. He knew that she was adapting, after all. "My mother is a pretty mysterious woman, but her heart is often in the right place. If you were to ask me, I believe that she adopted you for the most standard of reasons for adoption, no more, never less."

"Let us unpack your items before we head out for lunch. I will help-"

Hikaru briefly looks at a curtain-coated window, rushes towards it, then opens it.

"I must be imagining things," he says, turning to the sisters as he closes the curtains again.



And soon, after unpacking their luggage into their rooms, it was time for the four to head to a nearby Japanese restaurant.

"This place is best known for their Oyakodon. If other things on the menu interest you, then by all means."

Settling at a table, the four would look at the menus provided.

Hikaru's eyes were shifting from side to side, as if wary of something.​
 
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Hel's eyes were filled with satisfaction. While Hikaru didn't seem to be brainwashed through her action, she still got what she wanted; for her middle sister to not get a chance to step in the kitchen. Hel thought about the time in Iceland when she got to eat Jormun's cooking. One time was enough, far more than enough. She also satisfied with her big brother's reaction and looked at him promisingly.

Suddenly, Hel stopped her thoughts about how to further tease and play with Hikaru. She looked at a single direction, even though there was nobody or nothing to be seen. Her suspicion was confirmed when Hikaru also rushed to the window and acted strange.

Along the way to the restaurant, Vana approached her and said what Hel literally chanted to Garmr a moment ago. She might said that out loud once or twice at Iceland, but to think that her big sister still remembered the exact words, she couldn't help but fell a bit embarrassing. With a puffy cheek, she turned to the taller girl and about to say something back when Vana's next line entered her ears.

Confirming that Hikaru was occupied by Jormun, Hel nodded and talked to Vana in a cheerful, yet soft voice.

"To think that they would be this close on our first day here, Hel can't wait to play with them!"

Hel emphasized the word "play". She then walked energetically toward Hikaru and Jormun as all of them entered the restaurant.

After flipping through the menu, Hel was the first one to call a nearby waiter. After ordered the suggested Oyakodon and another Children Set, Hel looked at her brother and saw how he acted. She suddenly asked the waiter about the toilet's whereabouts before turned to the boy.

"Hel reaaally want to talk with Onii-chan about a lot of things. Please wait a minute, okay?"

As she reached the toilet, Hel didn't enter. Instead, she sneaked out of the restaurant and walked into a nearby alley between tall buildings that blocked sunlight. After a few steps, Hel suddenly stopped. She was currently standing alone in the dark alley, yet

"Uhm... Why don't you come out already?"

Hel said in a gentle and timid tone. She didn't look around, as if telling others that she was scared of a dark place. Hel's irises briefly glowed crimson as she continued.

"I simply want to talk, so please show yourself."

Her voice sounded somewhat persuasive, like a girl who had lost a hide-and-seek game and asked for her father to show up.
 
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[fieldbox=, #59b300, dotted]Standard reasons of adoption....Jormun couldn't honestly claim she understood what those were. Loneliness maybe? Well it didn't matter; what's done is done.

Jormun was about to protest the idea of Hikaru messing about with her luggage, but she jumped in surprise when he suddenly rushed to a nearby window. What on earth?! The three of them had reason to be jumpy like that, but why him? He just looked like an ordinary, unassuming human. Maybe that whole bodyguard thing had freaked him out.

"You're not wrong to be careful like that. Madame Setanta has likely made a lot of enemies in her line of work. For your own sanity, you're better off not knowing about these things. On that note...." Jormun held up her single suitcase, implying it was forbidden knowledge, before entering her room and shutting the door. She'd chosen the middle door of the 3 in the hallway, figuring it'd make it easier to tell which room was who's if they sorted it by age.

Just as her designated brother had said, the room was indeed bare, and the window let in far too much light for her tastes, but she could work with it. Opening the suitcase and peering inside looked almost like gazing into another room full of stuff, and she began to pull it all out. Dark curtains, Fang, several bottles of suspicious liquid, a variety of clothes, and several other mundane objects. Least of all, she grabbed The Box and lifted it out; an ornate, iron cube no larger than her fist. This was far too important, and dangerous, to leave here, so she'd take it along with her. If you could call things of this nature 'magic bombs', this would be a nuke. An unfinished one, but still....

Anyways, she'd finish housekeeping later....or maybe get Vana to do most of it. Cracking the door open just enough to slip out, Jormun joined the other 3 as they wandered off to whatever place they planned to eat, still holding the box tightly. Once they arrived and selected a table, Jormun placed the box temptingly in front of her on the table.

Oyakodon? What even was that? Knowing Japan it was probably some kinda fish....oh wait, the menu explained it. Sure. That didn't seem so bad. It'd be hard to beat her own cooking though. "Oyakodon please," she ordered with a pleasant smile as the waitress came to take their orders. May as well act like a 14-year-old girl in public if she was going to look like one.

As she waited for her meal to arrive, Jormun spoke to Hikaru in a less sweet voice than she'd used with the waitress, "You seem anxious. We're a lot more capable than you realize, if that's what you're worried about." Jormun watched as Hel-chan used the time-old excuse to leave the table. Whether it was a true excuse or not didn't really matter, she trusted Helen could handle whatever she was doing. Thus, she continued speaking with her new brother, rubbing her fingers idly over The Box.

"In fact, there's something about us you should probably be told if you're going to serve as our family. I was going to tell you, but seeing as this is a public place, it'll have to wait until later." Shortly, a bowl of egg-rice and chicken was placed in front of Jormun, the warm smell filling her nostrils. Actually, that smelled pretty good. After trying a bite, she decided it was pretty delicious, but still craved her own addition. Reaching into her pocket, Jormun pulled out a tiny, green bottle and uncorked it with a 'pop', pouring a clear, orange liquid into her dish. It sizzled on contact and, as she continued eating, the chopsticks gradually thinned down to a point, as the substance dissolved the wood.

Halfway through the dish, Jormun chose to shoot Hikaru a question: "So tell me....are you more of a dog person or a cat person?" The question appeared to carry much more weight to it for her than most normal people who asked such things.[/fieldbox]
 

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"Wow~"

Starry-eyed for someone so unperturbed just a few minutes ago, Anari stood still, observing the structure of the Japanese restaurant before her. It wasn't particularly showy, but it definitely had the atmosphere of one, as she had seen before in books. The wafting smell of a finely-cooked meal, and dishes she would never have imagined to eat, let alone see. Needless to say, Anari was hooked.

"Oyakodon... huh?"

Anari sat down, opposite Hikaru and Hel, and beside Jormun. Her baby blues were glued to the menu, scanning from left-to-right in rapid succession as if she had the intention of ordering everything. After a few moments, Anari decided on hers.

"Oyakodon and Nihoncha* for me, then."

After gently placing the menu back on the table, Anari glanced at her sister suddenly wanting to go potty. Of course, at that same time, her sharp senses felt an unusual aura, like the one she felt earlier, but let pass. That was an extremely fast action from Odin, for sure. To be able to deploy his agents around the world in the span of a few hours? Odin and the Aesir were unfettered when it comes to preventing Ragnarok. She, her sisters, and even Hikaru were aware of the oddities happening in that day.

"My~ Quite quick on the offensive, aren't they?"

Anari pondered with derision as her Japanese green tea was served first; the waitress placing it on the table.

"Domo arigatou~"

She took a moment to examine her lukewarm viridescent beverage. She glanced over to her sister Jormun, who had the same color as her tea. Filled with amusement, she closed her pupils and took a sip. The combined sweetness and bitterness turned out to be an enchanting taste for the white-haired maiden, causing her to blush slightly. In a short bit, Anari retained her serene character. The situation is worrisome indeed, but they need not falter. For one, their auras were cloaked. Unless one of them was using magic in public like a buffoon, their identities are safe. And another, the reason they were captured in the first place was because they were caught off-guard. It took the Aesir multiple attempts and an inglorious trickery to even come close at restraining her.

"Heheheh~ Not again. Not anymore."

Anari listened to Jormun's reassurance of their safety to their brother, fiddling with her "box of treasures". Anari smiled calmly, poise undaunted and nodding in agreement. Taking another sip of her delicious green tea, she was a tiny bit surprised when she continued the conversation with a subliminal topic regarding their forms. She giggled.

"Oh my, Jormun~ Dogs are clearly a better alternative to cats. That is an undeniable fact."

Note:
* - Nihoncha is Japanese green tea.

Crow
Vania
Luma

 
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Before heading off...

"A lot of enemies, you say?" Hikaru asks. "I suppose it's better to ask her directly when she heads back. She's in Scotland now, I hear, so I know she will be safe."



"Be careful, Hel-chan!" that was what Hikaru said before Hel left. Hikaru, without looking at the menu, says to the waiter with his order, "the usual, please."

As expected, his Oyakodon came with everyone else's food.

Hikaru had halted his nervousness. At the same time, a girl in a hoodie left the store, saying a simple few words.

"Thank you for the food."

"I'm fine now, Jormun, I'm fine now," Hikaru says to Jormun. "Well, I am curious to what you wish to say, but I think I will await it when the time is right."

When Jormun asks if he was a dog person or cat person, and Anari claimed that dogs were superior, Hikaru started to become a bit nervous again.

"I- I've never really interacted with cats or dogs enough in my life to truly prefer one over the other," Hikaru said. Well, it wasn't exactly a lie, so there's that. "although, I do find cats more approachable in general."

Hikaru blushes and covers his mouth.



"You seem like a nice girl," a young lady with a guitar case on her back says as her footsteps became more obvious to Hel. Her orange hoodie veiled her eyes, and she was noticeably chewing bubblegum, creating pink bubbles that eventually popped. "We can talk, no problem. Maybe you'd like to introduce yourself first? I don't believe that we've actually met, but we've certainly heard of each other."
 
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As Hikaru spoke to her, Hel turned to him and widely smiled before energetically replied.

"Don't worry, Hel will be back soon!"

After Hel stopped walking, the corner of her mouth slightly lifted. She left Garmr at her seat in the restaurant. After all, an ordinary 2-digits aged girl would not go as far as to take her favorite doll to the toilet together. And while sitting there, Gamu-chan did what Hel told him to do perfectly. The question Jormun asked and the reply was truly amusing. Hel telepathically ordered Gamu-chan.
"Hehe, realizing it or not, that's like telling Joru nee-chan that he liked her more than Vana nee-chan! Now you must carefully observe their reactions and tell me in detail later, okay? As for now..."
After her voice was answered, Hel turned to the speaker and replied in a curious tone.

"Really? That's strange, Hel believe Hel haven't heard anything about nee-san yet..."

She then analyzed her conversation partner. The female voice under the hood sounded somewhat young, probably not even old enough for Hel's ability which exploit parental protective sense to be effective. Her mannerism looked so carefree despite being alone with Hel who was constantly saying her name out loud, which meant she was either a lowly mook who underestimated Hel based on her appearance, or a skilled elite who highly trusted her own abilities. Thinking about that, what could be in that guitar case, a weapon? Despite parts of her head processing information, Hel decided to act submissive by complying with the hoodie's request. She made a warm smile before perfectly performed an elegant curtsy like the one she made before

"I am Hel, daughter of Loki and ruler of Neifelheim. Although I am currently just an ordinary girl who want to peacefully live an ordinary life with her older brother and sisters. So nee-san, could you please turn a blind eye to us?"

With extremely childish traits like illeism abandoned, Hel voice sounds sincere and respectable. After all, she didn't hide what she was asked and didn't lie even once. Hel didn't know about her sisters, but she truly prioritized enjoying her life more than seeking revenge from Odin and the Aesir. With that voice, Hel just asked for the easiest thing to do, although she didn't believe that the hoodie would peacefully accept her proposal. After all, that was someone sent by Odin who ruthlessly separated the sisters just because of that random prophecy he kept talking about. Hel observed her surrounding before fixing her eyes at the hooded figure. Despite not showing any killing intent, Hel was ready for the worst case scenario.
 
"I do not believe that that is possible," the figure says as her bubblegum popped. She spun her guitar case about, opening it and revealing a lance that appeared to have a heart-like bladed end. Next, she stripped her hoodie off, revealing the outfit underneath.

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"Hel of Neifelheim, I have been ordered by Odin to retrieve you and your sisters. My name is Brynhildr. As a Valkyrie, it is my duty to ensure that the prophecy of Ragnarok does not occur by the hands of you three, the brood of Loki. If you comply, all will be good. If you do not..."

The proclaimed Valkyrie spins her lance, then stabs the ground with its edge.

"... then force will have to be used."
 
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Hel looked at the lance like a child looked at their new toy. She screamed in amusement. Her childish mannerism returned.

"Wow! Hel just play a mobage with you as an obtainable character wielding that exact lance! It's really accurate!!"

While saying that, Hel attempted to recall what she learned about Brynhildr. From various anime and games, Valkyrie Brynhildr shared common traits of getting punished by Odin to live a mortal life and married Sigurd the Fafnir slayer. According to legend, both of them were supposed to die together, but Hel knew that this was not true. She could recall the face of everyone she had met in Hel due to her boredom of having nothing else to do, but she was certain she had never seen this woman before. It must be Odin. He probably forgave her at some point before her supposed death.

Hel then thought about the time when her and Hades chitchatted for days due to waiting for Cerberus and Orthrus' arrival to help Hel escape. Back then, Hades showed Hel an ability, an amazing ability. She never practiced it. Although, she noticed that the principals behind it seemed identical to her skeletal summoning saved for minor details and probably a lot more effort, but with an opponent like Brynhildr, it was gonna worth.

A devilish grin briefly appeared on a face of the petite girl before quickly disappeared. Hel then made a puffy cheek before speaking in an angry, child-like voice

"Mou〜 nee-san was so mean. Hel just want to live a peaceful life with family"

She deliberately paused, before continuing with a shocking voice.

"Wait wait... Don't tell me nee-san don't know the pleasure of having a good time with family? Hmm, I see. Nee-san is a valkyrie, but someone nee-san love is a mortal human, right? Kawaisou*
"

Hel voice during the last word was filled with sympathy. Hel continued.

"But nee-san are so lucky. Since Hel is a kind girl... Hel will help nee-san to learn it!!"

After shouted that, Hel's eyes brightly glowed crimson. At the same time, a dark fog manifested out of nowhere. It only took a while for the fog to gather and form a humanoid shape. The fog then turned into... a knight. No, a living human would never have this level of emotionless. This was more like... a corpse, except that fresh color of flesh and blood was too lively to believe that this was a corpse. That body was covered in an armor that seemed to provide decent protection, yet didn't seem too heavy. Nobody would have mistaken the brightly gleaming sword that was decorated with gold. It was Gram, the legendary sword used to slay the dragon Fafnir and was wielded by...

Hel suddenly sat on her knee. As she had expected, it took a lot more energy to reanimate the whole body than just summon it as a skeleton. Also that mythical sword might be at fault. Nevertheless, Hel acted fast. Without waiting for Brynhildr's responses, she summoned a skeleton behind the valkyrie as well another one to tightly grab the heart-liked blade that was currently stabbed to the ground. The first one didn't make any noise and was equipped with a sword and a one-arm kite shield while the second one let out an inhuman scream to attract its opponent's attention. The first one then raised its sword and was about to slash. Whether the valkyrie realized it or not, she would have to pull her lance from the second skeleton, which would definitely take some time, and even if she managed to block the attack in time, Hel already telepathically ordered the fallen knight, Sigurd, to commence an attack as soon as Brynhildr turned her back to him and Hel. As always, Hel's cruel strategy was so carefully-planned given her short planning time.

Note:
- *"Kawaisou" means "I feel sorry for you" or "how sad" and has nothing to do with "Kawaii"
 
"If you have learned more about me from fictitious depictions than actual research, then you have already lost. Although, you do have fine taste in weaponry, that I can say," Brynhildr spoke.

Spoke to soon, I might add.

"Do not mock me, daughter of Loki! By the end of today, you will sit on the throne of Neifelheim once more!" Brynhildr was a little mad at what she percieved as Hel's supposed mockery. That was before she noticed how Hel had conjured a being... this being was fully flesh with no visible rot.

She looked in shock and horror.

"Siegfried? But that's not possible!" Brynhildr gasped. "You truly are siblings of two beasts, and your father's daughter. A monster and deciever at heart and by blood."

Brynhildr gasped as the attacks struck her - one from the figure she referred to as 'Siegfried', the second being an offensive skeleton, ready to strike, and the last, a skeletal being holding her lance down.

Brynhildr conjures a shield from nothingness to block Siegfried's incoming attack, before she lifts her lance off the ground, slamming the second skeleton into the first, rattling their bones!

"I suppose your little games did not find shields to be... what's the word... 'cool', heard most Japanese games prefer the hero with a giant sword, no shield style, and I can see where they're coming from," Brynhildr says, still holding 'Siegfried' off with her shield. "How many more cheap little tricks do you have up your sleeve?"
 
[fieldbox=, #59b300, dotted]Jormun grinned as Hikaru chose cats. It wasn't so much a naive, happy grin as it was a mischievous grin, but she did look slightly pleased with the answer all the same.

"Right. Well, I'm a cat sometimes, so if you see a black cat with a bowtie walking around, that's why."

Jormun explained it all so casually, as if nothing was out of the ordinary with that sentence at all. Despite being in a public place, most people would likely just assume she was referring to cosplay or something of that nature. Still, the statement made it clear that she wasn't intending to keep up the charade when Hikaru was concerned. If they were going to live together, he'd find out sooner or later.

Practically inhaling her food, Jormun had finished in less than a minute. Her tables manners weren't all that great either, as she had a habit of slurping and shoving massive amounts of food in her mouth at a time. Jormun's approach to food was to eat it quickly and get on with the day, not to savor it. That'd be time waste.

"Either way, you should try howling sometime. You never know who might answer you."

Jormun stole a glance at Vana and smirked. It was actually a friendly, teasing sort of smirk, which was really the only kind of smile Jormun offered people she knew well. Back when they were kids, Jormun distinctly remembered howls being irresistible to Vana, especially during a full moon. Of course, all three of them had grown so much, they now resembled strangers a lot more than Jormun would've wished. Stupid Aesir. This was their fault. She gripped the box tighter.

"Anyway, I think Hel may have found some sort of trouble. It's been a while now. Va-- ahem, Anari, your better at sniffing people out. Why don't you bring her the.... whatever that thing is."

Jormun pointed to 'Gamu-chan', still not entirely what it's true form actually looked like. There was clearly some sentience she was feeling in there though and, if Hel was in trouble, no doubt the plushie-familiar could help her out. Jormun suddenly turned to Hikaru.

"Or maybe you'd like to tag along as well? Who knows, maybe you'll see something interesting."

She remained at the table, clearly ready to leave mere minutes after they'd arrived. It was just the way she worked: fast and efficient. That being said, Hel-chan's food remained untouched, and they'd likely be back, so Jormun would hold the spot for them. She wouldn't risk the box falling into enemy hands. Really, she was better for the 'mental cleanup' afterwords, unless they wanted someone poisoned.[/fieldbox]
 
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While the valkyrie's superhuman strength and awareness were within her calculation, Hel totally didn't expect the shield that could block even the mythical sword Gram. She spoke to Brynhildr in a high-pitched voice that showed amusement.

"Wow! Sugoi sugoi!! Hel never thought nee-san would remain unscathed. Isn't this nii-chan a great swordman that fought the dragon Fafnir?


As a part of mental warfare, Hel tried to emphasize who Siegfried was and at the same time ordered him to continue attacking. Hel most optimized strategy so far was to dominate her opponent with enormous number of skeletons, but Brynhildr's insane level of strength showed her that the skeletons couldn't be used. Therefore, she had to rely on the resurrected warrior. As Siegfried delivered swift and decisive slashes after slashes with an elegant and refined swordsmanship, Hel's gaze were fixed at Brynhildr's expression. While the valkyrie didn't let her lover's presence affect her fighting capabilities a while back, Hel knew that nobody could completely ignore the fact that one of their most important person was now facing them in a battle to death, especially if that person was dead long time ago. Hel wished that she could play with the her opponent by continuing her mind game forever, but Call of Erebus* she learned from that lolicon wasn't that convenient. It was indeed a powerful skill exclusive to those that reign over the dead, letting them resurrect and return the dead their physical body, skills, abilities, instrumental memories and even equipments. However, summoning and maintaining the dead placed a lot of burden on the user, especially if they were outside of their respective realm. Hel had to defeat this valkyrie fast... or just retreat. If Brynhildr who was mentally weakened was still able to fight Siegfried at his peak, then she is just too strong for Hel without Garmr.

After Siegfried and Brynhildr clashed for a while, Hel who was breathing rapidly and started to consider escaping method had heard about Jormun's question from Garmr. She was both relieved and irritated. Brynhildr was indeed a formidable opponent, but with Garmr she was certain she could incapacitate Brynhildr and let Siegfried give her the most enjoyable ending possible. However, Hel's arrogance definitely cost her a lot this time. She lured and faced an unidentified opponent alone, yet underestimated them to the extent of not taking Garmr with her. Thank to that, now the outcome of the fight she started was depending on her sister. Hel sighed, although her depression didn't last long.

After all, a younger sister relying on her older sister might be somewhat cute.

Note:
- Erebus is how Greek folklores call an underworld, similar to Neifelhelm in Norse mythology. In this story, both of them exist independently and their rulers only heard about each other, until a certain hero visited Neifelhelm and opened a portal that connect both realms. It was closed by Odin's order after Hel successfully escaped.

- What? You think I starred that word because something near it was off? What're you even talking about!?
 
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Hikaru raised an eyebrow at her statement. A cat, she says?

"Duly noted," those were his sole words to her statement. "I'll be sure to keep a lookout."

Hikaru was a considerably fast eater, but he noted how Jormun and Anari were faster. Maybe his table manners weren't as bad as his father said. Maybe they were only slightly bad as he was eating too slow.

He decided to continue eating 'slowly'.

"Anyway, I think Hel may have found some sort of trouble-"

The moment Jormun said that, Hikaru immediately rose from his seat.

"I'd love to see something interesting. Let's all go together."



Brynhildr's rage was rising. As Hel's stamina was being lowered and the power of Siegfried's corpse could be constantly maintained no longer, Brynhildr used her shield to hold 'Siegfried' off.

"This is no Siegfried." Brynhildr's voice had some doubt as Siegfried's body began to decay with Hel's exhaustion. Brynhildr was most shocked as Siegfried's flesh and strength was soon gone. Soon, the skeleton was weakened to the point of allowing Brynhildr to knock him down with a shield and do a somersault to where Hel supposedly was.

"I have my orders, so show yourself, you underhanded devil-figure! You will pay dearly for your trickery!"
 
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