640Hello readers, this is merely an experimental fic at the moment. I'm not going into details with anything for this story until I finish up on a few others.
Disclaimer: Fan of Fanfics21 does not own the Fate series by Type Moon or Danmachi series written by Omori-sensei.
Fear. That was the only thing they felt when she walked the streets. Black dress, black veil, she was an ordinary human girl. Plain features of dark brown hair, brown eyes and plain face yet she inspired fear in the hearts of seasoned adventures.
Demon of Talent.
Second Coming of the Silence.
Witch.
Thus, the many nicknames the adventures of the city of Orario called her.
Her name was Hakuno Kishinami, and she had been here for a rough estimate of three months. There were cheers too, cheers to a group readying for an expedition but all turned silent when they saw her walking towards them. One girl, blonde hair, golden eyes, beautiful in all ways compared to Hakuno's plainness.
War Princess
Sword Princess.
Ais Wallenstein stood before her, and the two girls exchanged glances with each other. The air was tense as the wind blew through the streets as the two expressionless girls were in a silent debate with each other.
Then, they smiled softly at each other and shook hands.
"Take care of yourself Ais." Hakuno spoke, her voice that of a gentle loveliness that very few had the rare honor of hearing. To hear her speak was a rarity and delight, that and a smile that melted weaker hearts into her charm.
"You too Lady Hakuno, I pray your Familia will be successful in the future." Ais answered fondly.
It was confusing for Ais' Familia, because they were wondering how their Sword Princess befriended the infamous Hakuno Kishinami in the two-going three months she was here.
With that though, the two went their opposite ways. One returning from the Dungeon, another going to the Dungeon. One way or another, they will meet up again.
"U-um Miss Ais, how do you know her exactly?" asked one Lefiya Virdis, also know as the Thousand Elf.
"…She's a friend and tutor. Helps with pointing out my flaws." Ais answered with a small soft smile as she recalled Hakuno's observant eyes and her gentle voice guiding her to cover up her mistakes in stances. Ais knew Hakuno better than anyone as she could tell that girl that was feared by so many had experiences in many battles and was offering her wisdom for her to grow stronger.
Only a fool would ignore such advice, but there was also the fact she liked being around Hakuno. She had that air that drew her in…her eyes maybe?
"That is good you consider her a friend Ais, but which Familia is she with?" asked one Riveria Ljos Alf, one known as Nine Hells.
"Eh? You don't know?" Ais tilted her head quizzically like Hakuno does, making the same habit of innocent curiosity she developed from Hakuno as Lefiya was dazed by how cute she looked with that cluelessness. "She's from the Hestia Familia." Ais told her group as everyone was rendered silent.
Hestia Familia, a newly made Familia nearly three months ago and had no importance to it. Yet Hakuno was the rumored child that helped found it. Loki was going to be throwing tantrums of how a Level One Adventurer like Hakuno had escaped her sights when she heard rumors of the girl. Especially since she's the child of Hestia, the one she does not get along with.
When she first appeared, Hakuno's very first expedition had shaken all of Orario with her deeds. She singlehandedly went down to face the Goliath and felled it in one spell. One without any incantations. Getting to the seventeenth floor alone and unharmed was what scared lower ranked adventurers. When she was reported of her deeds, many people sought to figure out which Familia she belonged to only for it to be concealed under Hakuno's request prior to the expedition.
Many suspected it was the Freya Familia, as they usually had the best of the best and kept to themselves. Most possibly scouted out by the goddess Freya herself while others sought to ask Hakuno in question only to be intimidated by her stares and her reputation. Since then, they've tried to avoid getting on her bad side when she makes her rare appearances in public.
There was a repeated pattern of returning to the seventeenth floor to fight Goliath when it respawns, but she usually does Dungeon Sweeping quests in her free time. The most basic of chores of the Guild but they love her for always doing it. There were reports of her hiring a Supporter and the very few who got to interview the anonymous Supporter claimed she was a nice woman despite her reputation and would love helping the supposed witch with anything if she asked for it.
The gods had already given her a title, one that reflected parts of her nature. They sensed her potential and pondered of her reputation and the tales of her good nature and decided.
The Spell-Maiden of Twilight, The Holy Witch.
The Holy Witch was to be a mockery of the girl's dark clothing and dangerous spells capable of killing a Floor Boss in one hit which would describe a vile witch. Yet she took it in stride alongside her goddess as children adored it. Witches were known for having a bad reputation in legends, but what about a witch considered holy by the gods themselves? Children concluded she wasn't an evil witch, and she even went as far as to do simple tricks of magic to entertain them and fancy tales of how heroes of the ancient past were summoned to do battle for the sake of being granted a single wish on the moon.
It backfired on the other gods, thinking she was unpleasant and cruel as there isn't a single moment, they hear children talking about the Holy Witch with reverence, awe and love. They accidently made her reputation grow more positive amongst the people with her simple deeds of kindness. From potions she makes for the poor, to charities she and her goddess make to orphanages, to even if by accident, exposing the dark secrets of the Ishtar Familia.
Last one was a riot and made her a legend. It was here that made everyone afraid of Hakuno.
No one knew what happened, but apparently if rumors were true, Ishtar tried to capture Hakuno one time by kidnapping a few children in an orphanage. No one knows why and when they succeeded, Ishtar was sent back to Heaven by Hakuno personally, after decimating her top-level Familia members and killing the infamous Amazoness Phryne Jamil. The look of utter horror on the grotesque woman's corpse made everyone remember why she had the word 'witch' in her title.
Despite her rather kind and saintly nature to others, she had the brutality of a witch, and old tales warned many to never make an enemy of a witch. Ishtar's Familia was a reminder of that warning. It also led to its reputation and the Pleasure Quarter being shut down because of investigations revealing all of the backdoor dealings Ishtar made with the criminal underworld that were too numerous. The Guild had a field day with that incident.
*Church*
"Mother, I'm home."
"Welcome back Hakuno~!"
As per usual, Hakuno's patron goddess rushes in to hug her child as Hakuno returned the hug in kind.
Hestia was the founder of the Familia of her namesake, she had the appearance of a child about to hit puberty. Long jet-black hair that were tied in ponytails that reached her waist, dressed in a short white mini dress with long white gloves and two blue ribbons, one around her neck while another was tied under her breasts and arms. Her blue eyes were beautiful as they displayed warmth and kindness that many nurturing mothers have with their young ones. Such is the nature of the Goddess of Hearth, Home, and Family.
It was unusual for the two to meet like this when they first came to Orario. When Hestia first descended, she encountered Hakuno when she was lost, alone, and confused. Explaining to the girl why the goddess descended and how a Familia worked, Hakuno asked if it was alright to join the Familia, which made the petite goddess very happy with her newfound daughter.
Of course, there were a few things Hestia would like Hakuno to take care of, such as not causing her headaches and scares whenever she gets into some sort of trouble like with Ishtar. But on the bright side, another child was taken into their Familia as protection and was quite happy with her life right now despite their financial budgets even with Hakuno's constant ventures.
"Welcome back, Hakuno-sama."
Speak of the vixen and she will appear.
"Would you like dinner first or a bath, my Lady?" asked one Haruhime Sanjouno, second child of the Hestia Familia. Haruhime was formerly of the Ishtar Familia, a slave and forced prostitute that never slept with any man yet (a fact that only Hakuno knew from Aisha that was also from Ishtar's Familia) that came from the Far East. Her species was a Renard, a Demi Human race that had fox ears and a tail that are known for having rare magic at their disposal.
She came to the Hestia Familia under the request of Aisha, the Amazoness believed that Hakuno could protect the Renard better than she can with her reputation and seeing firsthand how powerful the mage was when she sent Phryne to the afterlife with Ishtar following soon afterwards. Naturally, Hakuno understood the Amazoness' sisterly instinct to Haruhime and accepted it.
"I'd like dinner Haruhime." Hakuno replied softly as the girl bowed her head and proceeded to make her way to the kitchen. Believe it or not, Hakuno's money was used to expand the basement of the church to be more spacious and accommodating for the three and Hestia couldn't agree more on that.
But there was still some worry Hestia had for her mage girls and realized that they needed someone for close combat. That was when she decided on her next objective. "Hakuno, why don't you take the day off tomorrow and explore Orario?" Hestia spoke out of the blue, causing the girl to tilt her head quizzically as Hestia resisted the urge to glomp her. She cleared her throat and make herself clear with her intents so Hakuno could handle the task she'll be assigned with. "Hakuno, while I know you can handle yourself fine in the Dungeon…I worry if you'll one day suffer a Mind Down when a swarm of monsters overwhelm you. So, I-!"
She didn't finish as Hakuno hugged her, "I understand your worries Mother." Hakuno replied gently, her sweet voice filled with kind understanding and a warmth only a daughter could have. "If you want me to find someone to join our Familia, then I'll do my best to help them become strong as well." She promised. That set Hestia's heart at ease as she knows Hakuno will find someone to be her companion in the Dungeon. One who is brave and considerate of others, and totally being cute while at it!
/Next Day-Morning/
Bell Cranel had another bad day. Bad enough renting a room at an inn was expensive, but every other Familia was rather uncaring of his request to join. It wasn't his fault he was born human, for next the to pallums, humans are the weakest race there is in the world. But he had to press on, that smith god offered keen wisdom to Bell in finding the right deity to join their Familia. Just about when he was calling it a day, black clothing fluttering in the wind filled his vision. He recalled her; an adventurer that had everyone terrified of when the Loki Familia were going on their expedition. He had seen her once from afar but now was captivated by her.
She was cute, a plain cuteness and the aura of loveliness around her. She looked like a fairy of his old bedtime stories his grandfather talked about, ones that granted heroes weapons of old to aid in fighting the monsters in the past. And she was walking up to him with a concerned look in her eyes. "Are you alright?" she asked.
A beautiful voice spoke to him from those soft lips, and Bell felt his heartbeat rise and his cheeks grow hot. "You are looking for a Familia, aren't you?" she asked as Bell felt the cold truth of reality hit him as he came to a slump.
"Yes. So far, everyone that I go to seem to reject me." Bell admitted, crestfallen as the girl took his hand. She looked at him with a gentle smile as she gently tugged him to follow.
"Why don't you see if my Familia is the right one for you?" the girl asked.
A spark was lit, and Bell felt tears in his eyes as he collided into her chest and cried out in relief. She hugged him, saying sweet soothing words like a mother to a child would as he sobbed pathetically in her embrace.
/Hestia Home-Church/
"Oh! That was rather fast Hakuno." Hestia said in a rather dumbstruck way as Hakuno merely blinked.
"I saw him the other day and I saw something of myself in him. It only confirmed it when he was down on his luck." She turned to look at the puzzled Bell and gave him a soft smile with hints of nostalgia. "When I was near the end of my ropes, trying so hard to get back up, someone came to help me in my time of need. When I saw you, it reminded me of that moment. So, I had to help you just like she did for me." Hakuno told him as Bell looked sheepish at that.
But it gave both Bell and the rest of the Hestia Familia a minor clue on Hakuno's vague past.
"Well Bell-kun, I know we just started a few months back, so we don't have much to offer but-!"
"I'll join!" Bell interrupted with a determined but appreciated look. "I've been alone for some time, and despite your own situation, you willingly stretched out your hands to me and offer me a home. That's…" Bell sniffed, the waterworks already running again. "That's all I ever wanted!" he sobbed as Hestia comforted the boy.
"It's alright Bell-kun! You're one of us now!" Hestia told him as introductions were on their way.
"I'm Sanjouno Haruhime, a pleasure to meet you, Bell-sama!" Haruhime greeted with a bow as she was too used to greeting people in the ways of the Far East to adapt to Orario's style of greetings.
When Bell turned to Hakuno, she merely smiled and elegantly made a bow while pulling at the parts of her skirt, giving off the grace of an elegant fairy queen. "The Holy Witch of Hestia, Kishinami Hakuno. A pleasure to have you in our family, Bell." She smiled, her starlit eyes shining brightly than ever.
A/N: I blame Digital Lunar Hearth for inspiring this piece. I created a divergence before Bell even showed up! Oh well this is temporarily a one-shot at best. Until I finish a story or two that are WAY past their deadlines of being finished, this one is on hold. Ciassou!