Falna and Status

"Mwa ha ha ha ha! Take that you little unnecessarily chubby pipsqueak! Yeah, you're nothing without those fat sacks of yours! Stop stalling up in heaven and get you ass down here, you coward!"

""...""

The image that the resident deity left on them wasn't exactly glorious or Goddess-like. If anything, it made him doubt his choices.

'Did I make the right choice? What if this is all just an elaborate scam?'

The redhead, whose cheeks were just as red as her hair from the constant drinking, laid eagle-spread on the sofa while pathetically shadow boxing an invisible opponent. Clutched in her right hand was another bottle of alcohol different than the one he saw her with a few hours ago.

'Yeah... is it too late to join another Familia?'

Surprisingly, Ais didn't seem to show any hesitations, boldly striding forward to demand her Falna. Unfortunately, her boldness met a wall called a Handsy Drunk Goddess.

"Eh? Who're you... some kinda new hybrid of loli?"

Loki reached forward in a dream-like state, placing her grubby hand over Ais's nubile chest.

"Good... good. You're not like that bitch. Still developing, though."

The redhead then lowered her reddened face until she was literally rubbing her cheeks repulsively against Ais's smooth belly.

"N-no..."

The blonde girl scrambled away, tossing aside the Goddess with surprising strength and scurrying away to hide behind Bete.

RINNNNGGGG

Bete silently picked up the communicator magic stone device with dark eyes.

"Ah... moshi moshi? OBI (Orario Bureau of Investigation)? I'd like to report a case of a God molesting a minor. Yes. Around 7 years old I believe. I completely agree, even deities shouldn't be able to run around sexually harassing children. Please come quickly, she's starting to shift her eyes towards me. My purity may not remain in a few hours."

"WAAAAAAIT!" Loki cried, instantly sobering up and flinging her thick tears everywhere.

She grabbed him from behind, slinging a thin arm around his neck.

"Hey, friend..." she whispered, voice suddenly deepening. "You don't have to do this. We can negotiate. You like candy? I've got a white van full of it behind this mansion. All you gotta do is say the word."

"..."

"No? Alright, you drive a hard bargain. I can get you some pics. Good ones, too. You saw Mama-chan, I mean Riveria-tan, back there, right? I sleep in the room next to hers every day. If she's not your type, I can get some Amazoness or Demi-Human ones too. You saw Bara, right?"

'Oho? Tell me more~'

He could almost hear the grin stretching across Blackie's non-existent face.

However, Bete could only let out an exasperated sigh.

"I'm just hear for my Falna, Loki... sama?"

Bete took an unnecessarily long pause before hesitantly attaching the respectful suffix.

"Hey! I heard that pause!" Loki palmed her also non-existent chest with pride and declared, "I am a Goddess of Orario, one of the best! And the last thing I would do in my free time is touch minors and read po-"

Bonk

"Ah! You hit me!"

Loki tenderly held the top of her quickly swelling head, tears leaking out from the pain.

Bete blinked, as if it were not his choice, but instead his instinctive reaction to hit this annoying Goddess.

"Yes. You deserved it."

"W-waaaaah! Riveria-tan, a wolf is brutalizing this young woman!"

"Like one Chiroptera-themed man said, 'the hammer of justice is unisex.'"

"What kind of quote is that?! Sounds like an idiot who would stop fighting arbitrarily because his mom shares the same name with his enemy's mom!"

"Martha?"

"No, I'm Loki, idiot."

"Ah, my mistake. Anyways, give me my Falna or I'll report you to the authorities. You'll be locked in a terrible jail for the rest of your immortal life before you can even say 'Booba.'"

"!!!"

Loki's face went through a mix of emotions: shock, fear, anger, then finally resignation. She put on her a masked smile, giving in to his demands.

"Of course, cute little wolf-chan! Come sit on this couch and I'll get it ready for you in a jiffy!"

Meanwhile, Ais stood in a corner, her back pressed as far as possible into the cold wall. The scene in front of her both perplexed her and... no, it pretty much just perplexed her, nothing else.

Clunk

Loki quickly swiped away all the alcohol bottles under the couch like a man hiding his dirty laundry and adult toys under his bed.

"Come, sit!"

She patted the spot next to her.

The Werewolf uneasily went forward, the slit-eyed Goddess not giving anything away from her wide smile that could be hiding any emotions

"Sure..."

He slowly stepped between the rolling bottles that were already peeking out from underneath, then sank onto the couch that felt very different a few hours ago with Finn and the others.

Whap!

Bete flinched as Loki smacked her two small hands on his shoulder.

"So! You're our newbies, eh? Looking good!"

"Thanks..." he muttered, still feeling unsure about this strange Goddess. On one hand, she was (probably) a true Goddess who deserved some respect at the very least. Someone who had worked hard from the start to create this powerful Familia from the ground up wasn't someone to be trifled with.

On the other hand...

"Hehe... a young Werewolf. Just wait until the others hear about what I netted," Loki muttered, rubbing her hands together with her crimson pupils glinting nefariously.

"?!"

In the corner of his eyes, Bete saw a flash of gray steel. Instantly, the dubious feeling in his heart manifested into straight up paranoia.

"W-wait! What the hell are you doing?!"

However, Loki seemed just as confused as he was.

"What?" the Goddess asked, wielding a sharp ceremonial knife.

Slit

Unfazed, she eased the blade across the face of her forefinger. From the small wound, a crimson droplet of thick liquid peeked out. It looked almost the same as his blood, but the air around it was different. Every cell in his body told him that this transcendent being in front of him was dissimilar to him on a molecular level.

He sucked in his breath. God's Blood, Ichor. A material that was still coveted by many despite the multitude of Gods that had descended. The effects were as numerous as its possible uses.

"Now we doing this or not?"

Loki twirled her knife around her fingers, showing off a bit of skill.

Bete clenched his fists. This was it. His first step into a world that he could stare up at enviously before. His first step to power and strength.

"Bring it."

His fierce words brought a wide smirk across his future Goddess' face.

"I like that. You're gonna fit in just great 'round here."

He took a deep breath then took jacket off, exposing his small yet well-trained frame to the redhead.

Hiss

Loki's warm finger against his back brought a strange, ticklish feeling.

As she fluidly moved her digit to scribble words that he couldn't recognize, Bete closed his eyes and tried to focus on the faint energy that was starting to flow through his body.

'Is this Falna?'

'Is this a pigeon?' 💁🏿‍♂️ (Black for Blackie not for any racially motivated reasons, plz don't cancel me)

'?'

Blackie sighed.

'Yes, that's Falna. Very weak and dispersed, but Falna nonetheless. You'll gain much more than just this in the future.'

Scribble, scribble

"Aaaaand, done!"

Loki spread one last line with her bloodied finger, then stood up.

Also behind him, Ais stared at the many lines of crimson hieroglyphs with a concentrated stare.

'I... can read it?' she confusedly thought to herself, falling into an even deeper silence.

"Now lemme just write all of this down. You're the first Werewolf I've had, so this is pretty fun for me too."

The vermillion-haired Goddess fished out a blank piece of rough parchment and began presumably jotting his Status over it.

"Ooh! That's nice. Oh a magic as well?" Her eyes lit up like rubies. "Damn, you're stacked, kid! I made the right choice letting you in!"

"???"

'She didn't even do shit, though? It was all Finn and the others!'

Still, Bete watched impatiently for a glimpse of his new Status.

.

.

.

After some more frantic scrawling, Loki put down the paper and began to fiddle with his Status for a few more seconds.

"There. I've locked it now so no one else can see your Status even if they're one of the few that can read hieroglyphs."

Bete quickly snatched the paper that read his Status off the table with an eager look.

.

[Bete Loga]

Level: 1

Basic Abilities:

- Strength: I 0

- Endurance: I 0

- Dexterity: I 0

- Agility: I 0

- Magic: I 0

Developmental Abilities: None

Magic: [Hati]

Skills: [Úlfheðinn] [Beastial Senses]

.

'Huh. The format's a little different than what you showed me.'

'Of course it is. There isn't one perfect formula that every God follows. Each does it in their own way, including myself.'

'You're a God?'

Snort.

'As if. It's just my abilities that are similar to those of a God.'

His voice seemed to have a hint of unresolved resentment.

'Then can you show me my Status from your vision? It'd help see the differences.'

Bete could hear Blackie shifting around for some time before finally giving a proper reply.

'Hold on. Let me make a few changes you'll definitely appreciate. Mhm… Yeah, I'll add this too. Definitely this. Oh, can't forget that…'

'You done yet?'

'Don't be impatient, kid. Watch this!'

Blink!

.

{Bete Loga}

'I pray that changing straight brackets to curly brackets isn't the exciting change he was talking about.'

'It isn't! Shut up and keep reading!'

Level: 1

Race: Werewolf

Age: 9

Height: 138.4 celch (54.5 inches or 4'5'' for us ignorant red, blue, and white-waving gun enthusiasts)

Eye Color: Dark Orange

Hair Color: Gray

Tail Color: Gray

Hobbies: Hunting, Fighting, Degrading Women, Being Stupid, Eating Jagamarukun

Aspirations: Getting Stronger, Killing the Lord of the Plains, Never wanting to lose someone close to him

Physical Status: Awake, Slightly Disheveled, Slightly Tired

Mental Status: Excited, Slightly Tired

Equipment: Furry Gray Jacket, Black Pants, Leather Belt, Silly Tattoo, Black Boxers, Gray Socks, Black Boots, Black Gloves, Small Satchel

Basic Abilities:

- Strength: I 0

- Endurance: I 0

- Dexterity: I 0

- Agility: I 0

- Magic: I 0

Developmental Abilities: None

Magic:

 [Hati] - Calls forth powerful fire magic to enchant user's body that increases in strength by absorbing other magic or damage through contact

* WARNING * - over-absorption can result in self-harm

Skills:

 [Úlfheðinn] - Allows user to morph into a heightened, beast-like state when affected by the power of the moon, increasing all stats and negating all abnormalities

 [Beastial Senses] - A skill granted by a mysterious power, amplifying existing senses beyond the limits to the point where the user can feel emotions, thoughts, and even intangible ideas

.

'. . . You? You gave me that skill?'

Blackie blushed.

'Aw shucks... Well y'know, I can't just be living in your head without paying rent. Just consider this one of many gifts you'll receive from yours truly.'

'Huh… Thanks. You're not so bad, after all. This status is also much more detailed. I like it a lot, especially the part where you explain the skills and magic.'

'Of course! Anything they can do, I can do better,' he declared in a proud voice.

'Though some parts are unnecessary.'

'WHAT!'

'Like the height. Or hair and eye color for that matter. I can just look at my enemies and tell those things. Besides, what is knowing those things going to do? Am I gonna tease them for being short? Even the hobbies and aspirations are a little… You know what? Just take away everything you put except the physical status, mental status, and the equipment. Also, for the equipment, show only the important parts like armor, weapons, and magic tools. I don't need to know what kind of shirt or underwear my opponent is wearing.'

'Why do you have to be so picky? Some guys would kill to know these things . . . Fine! Don't go asking me to put them back once you hit puberty,' Blackie muttered in a sulky tone.

He ignored him.

"To be honest," Bete said out loud. "It's kinda disappointing. One of my two skills is something I could already do before this, while the other one is…"

'It's not even something I got naturally,' he thought to himself, since he didn't want to reveal Blackie to the others.

"So basically, all I gained is a skill and one magic."

Loki folded her arms, raising a brow.

"Duh, you're a newbie. What did you expect, instant Level 10 with countless skills and magic? Did you imagine a super mysterious Status that I can't read, covered by ???s and legendary myths?"

Bete scratched the back of his head sheepishly (wolfishly?).

"Well if you put it like that…"

"Listen, you greedy brat, two skills and a magic is more than even the Status of some High Class Adventurers. You starting like this at Level 1 is basically a cheat, even for my Familia. Besides, you can only learn 3 different magic at maximum through a Falna anyways, unless you're a freak of nature like Riveria-tan. Speaking of her, you're not even going to be a mage in the first place. What are you going to do with 3 magic? You'll be in a Mind Out before you can even use the second one the way you are right now."

"O-okay…"

Faced with a barrage of precise, logical arguments, Bete could do nothing quite down.

Suddenly, Loki's voice softened.

"Wanting strength isn't a bad thing… but excessively chasing after that goal in a relentless pursuit will only lead you to pain. I'm talking to you too, blondie," she added, shooting a look at Ais for the last part.

"!!!"

"Yeah, I see it in both of you, but you especially. You can't fool me, kiddos. I've been lying and tricking others since your ancestors were pissing their pants. Now I don't know what you're seeking by coming here, nor will I force you to tell me, but don't let my Familia get dragged into your mess. Ya here me?"

". . . Yes, Loki-sama," Ais softly replied, her newfound respect evident.

"..." Bete was also silenced by Loki's sudden show of seriousness.

'Heh. Many of her victims have been done in after making the same mistake of underestimating her. She's a hell of an enemy, but she'll treat you fine as an ally.'

'I hope so since I'm betting my future on it.'

Loki clapped her hands, back to smiling like normal as if nothing ever happened.

"All right, enough of that shit."

'Yeah… to be honest, I'm curious about Ais's Status.'

However, the resident voice in his head reminded him of a small fact.

'Uh... kid, you missed one.'

'Hm?'

Blackie was right. All the way at the bottom of his Status paper, there was another line.

'Another skill? What could it be?'

Bete traced his finger faintly over the last line of his Status and read...

.

[Negative Rizzlord] - Inherently repulses those of the other gender while attracting those of the same gender

.

'...'

". . . WHAT?!"

"KYA! HA HA HA!"

Loki burst out laughing, rolling on the floor while clutching her stomach.

"Oh! Oh, you should have seen yer eyes bulging like ripe tomatoes! I was wondering how long it would take you to notice!"

"W-what is this? This can't be real!"

"That's because it's not! I just added that to see yer reaction!"

". . . What the fuck! Give me back my respect!"

Loki mockingly bowed in response to his anger.

"Goddess of Tricksters, at your service~"

"Yes, OBI? I'll be upping the requested squads to 5 instead of 2. Bring the sledgehammers and stun grenades as well, the culprit's a little difficult and might get aggressive."

"Okay! Jeez, I'll stop!"

Loki raised her hands, slyly pushing the communication device away from Bete while tutting her disapproval.

"Boy, you really don't know how to show respect, eh? Women don't like a guy who treat them like a sack of potatoes, you know.~"

She poked at the Werewolf's cheeks aggravatingly.

Before he could snap again, she turned towards Ais.

"Yer up, kid. C'mere," the redhead said, beckoning her with a curl of her fingers.

The girl obediently hopped on the couch and gathered her long hair around her shoulder so it didn't spread across her back.

"..."

Loki's voice gained an unusual serious air.

"Are you sure about this?"

She placed her uncut hand over Ais's smooth back, feeling its purity.

"If I do this... there's no going back, ya know. That's part of becomin' a God's follower."

The blonde only had two words in response, like a certain Emperor known for his taser hands and gaunt white appearance.

"Do it."

Her voice didn't tremble, nor did her eyes shake. Instead, her gaze was fixed in front of her, somehow looking past the solid wall towards a goal that only she knew. Dedicating one's full self towards another being was a choice that many would hesitate towards, yet this little 7 year old girl.

Loki merely stared at the back of her head for a few seconds.

'Is she just naive? Or does she have that little to lose? What is she looking at with those burning eyes of hers?'

Even the countless millennia-old Goddess couldn't help but be filled with curiosity.

However, she wouldn't turn back a willing member because of such unclear mysteries. But just before she connected her finger against Ais's back...

"Hold on," Bete suddenly interrupted.

Two pairs of golden eyes and no eyes looked back towards the concerned Werewolf.

"What's this questioning and dramatic mood? What's this gentle, serious God shit?! You spent like twice the time you spent on me just to confirm if Ais is okay with this! Where was that for me?!"

"Ehhh... well y'know. Ais-chan is a cute little girl and you're... you."

"What's that supposed to mean?!?!" Bete roared.

Ais nodded in agreement with Loki.

"Bete... is very low-maintenance," she quietly spoke.

"Hey! That's how you treat your Jagamarukun supplier?!"

"A-ah! No... I'm sorry."

"Eh? Jagamarukun? Are you talking about that potato snack?"

The two bobbed their heads up and down.

Loki just shook her head.

"Whatever. It's your life, kid. I won't tell you how to live it."

Ais flashed a faint smile of thanks.

""...""

The room went quiet for a few moments as the two looked back towards Bete with expectant stares.

"Huh? What?"

"Well what're you waitin' for, pervert?! Ais-chan's gonna take off her clothes just for me! Get outta here!"

The Werewolf blushed before scrambling out of the room.

"Now... let's see what you got in that little body of yours."