22. FUS ROH DAH

SMACK!

"Why did you do that?!" Marlet had fake tears at the edge of her eyes as Loki had smacked her again with Riveria's staff no less. "Oh I don't know" came a sarcastic response from the goddess, "maybe it's because the only member of her race decided to face an enraged, mutated, baby dragon on her first deep dive into the dungeon." Loki's voice was oozing sarcasm at this point and Marlet seemed intent on aggravating the situation. "It's not that big of a deal, honestly" she muttered under her breath only to receive another smack on the head. "OW!" Loki actually seemed to enjoy that last one, and seeing the smirk on her face made Marlet launch herself at the Goddess in an attempt to grab the staff now turned beating stick.

As Marlet was about to grab victory the doors to Loki's room slammed open and an especially angry Riveria could be seen. At this moment Loki all but threw the staff at Marlet running for her window shouting "Justice shall never catch me!" What happened next stunned the two woman as Loki did a full nose dive out of her window, from 5 stories up. Not even hesitating Marlet threw the beating stick at its owner, aimed at the window and shouted a loud "WULD" launching her just outside the window frame and tucked her wings in diving at the still falling Loki, who was laughing like a maniac.

Catching up to the clearly demented goddess Marlet grabbed her and spread her wings wide, causing the two to glide to safety and coincidentally land beside the base of her tree. Getting out of her 'saviour' 's embrace Loki only walked up the stairs leading to the pool where Aiz, Lefiya and the twins were swimming and stripped into something she didn't mind wearing in the water. Marlet could only watch the schemer's master plan come together with an open mouth. "You can thank me for the escape later kiddo, I'll always protect my familia members!" Loki had the most righteous tone and pose the 5 of them had ever seen, except Marlet knew she had only saved her own hide.

Back in Loki's office Riveria could only grumble in annoyance at the 2 miscreants and look at all the papers that had made a mess in the wake of Marlet using a shout indoors. She knew even if she brought the goddess back into her office she wouldn't work claiming that this workspace was too disorganised. She could only grumble again at how things had turned out into Loki's favour.

"Hey Marlet!" Tiona waved energetically, but upon looking at her head she couldn't help but tilt her head in confusion. "Hey uhm? I don't know if it's rude to ask but does your race grow a third horn as you get more powerful." The Fay could only stare pointedly at her goddess as she fell face first into the water when she heard that question, "No. We don't." With a huff she turned around and went below to get some forging practice in.

Realising she had no experience in forging or any knowledge whatsoever because she hadn't unlocked the first star in the Forge skill tree she could only groan in annoyance and leave the cold forge still unlit. Taking off to the Hephaestus compound she was gliding over all the forger's homes as everyone in the streets was looking up at her in wonder.

It took some time to find the workshop she was looking for but eventually she found the buxom dwarf hammering away at a sword. Once she finished however Tsubaki didn't even waste any time and tackled Marlet into a bear hug, "You're back! How was it? Did you find something interesting? Please tell me I can leave with you?" That last question almost sounded as though she was pleading Marlet for an excuse. "I thought you smiths enjoyed forging?" Marlet was genuinely curious why a blacksmith of all people would want to run away from their own forge? Tsubaki only clicked her tongue in annoyance and hugged her tighter whilst caressing her wings as though she was a therapy pet. "That's because some jackass god wanted 20 of exactly the same sword for some reason!?!" This outburst however made a memory of Marlet's come to light and a 'must complete at all costs' project formed within her mind. "I don't like that look" Tsubaki pouted and stretched her cheeks as though trying to form her face into an expression that suited her.

Coughing to get the woman to stop what she was doing, she explained how she wanted to learn some forging practices but in her own forge. The half dwarf agreed wholeheartedly and even explained that the swords could be made by anyone else and that she had completed half the commission anyway, other familia members could complete the other half.

In Tsubaki's courtyard she struck a T-pose and closed her eyes. Seeing this Marlet exhaled a huge sigh at the woman's antics and proceeded to put on the harness and attaching them together for a easier flight. Getting a feel for the weight Marlet bent her legs a little and before the woman could complain about being on the ground she heard a loud "WULD" behind her and suddenly she was in the air making her way towards the Twilight Manor.

Marlet and Tsubaki landed at the base of the tree and the dwarf woman could only whistle at the top of the line forge built in such a way that air circulated extremely well and the fact that there was now a pool above the heating ducts. Suffice to say Tsubaki was already considering moving in, on the grounds that 'a master must stay close to their student.'

"Listen girl, I really admire your hole forge/pool build and am seriously considering a remodel at my place because of it" Marlet was actually proud of that, "but you realise you need the forge to be alive to be able to use it." Her finishing comment caused Marlet to only smirk at the half-dwarf and walk to in front of the forge.

"YOL"

The Hephaestus familia captain was looking slack jawed at the once dead forge become the second most valuable forge in the world, only after Hephaestus's own personal forge. "Welcome to the Dragon-Forge, where unique weapons and armour are created" Marlet introduced with a mock bow. "Dragonfyre…" was her only response, looking between the girl and the forge, "you just spat out Dragonfyre like it was yesterday's fish." At that comment Marlet actually smacked her head at this woman's comment. "Can we start now please?" Marlet only groaned out and judging by the ever growing smile on Tsubaki's face after seeing the fire she had to work with as well as all the materials and ingredients they wasted no time.

If the two in the forge hadn't been so engrossed in their own lessons and actually paid attention they would have heard the satisfied moans of 5 woman above them and the ever increasing number of elves visiting the tree, only to end up in the warm water relaxing the day way much to the chagrin of the men in the familia who up until now have only had the water at room temperature.

As the day passed and Tsubaki was teaching all the basics to Marlet a guard came from the front gate explaining that somebody had demanded the presence of Tsubaki and her captor, which earned a few raised eyebrows in return. Having an idea of of who it might be and for what reason Tsubaki complied and asked her student to accompany her to the entrance, Loki had naturally heard all of this and decided to tag along claiming that she smelt something interesting that was going to happen.

At the front gate was an adventurer dressed in the Far East's garb and had an indignant look upon his face. Before either Tsubaki or Loki could mutter a word the man demanded "why have you left our commission half completed Cyclops, we paid you for 20 swords, not 10." This only earned him a raised eyebrow from Loki at the man's disrespect to the owner of the manor he had disturbed and a chuckle from Tsubaki herself "actually, as per contract, you paid the Hephaestus familia. I happened to be free and thought I'd complete it while I relaxed, you commission will be completed before the agreed upon date." The man looked about ready to explode at that comment, "I am the captain of…" he didn't even get to finish his words.

"Listen here boy," Loki had on a menacing smile "you first disturb my familia and then with their goddess before you, you don't greet or apologise?" Loki's smirk only grew at this point as she gave a glance at her trusty child that she accompanied. "On the grounds of disrespect in my own abode, I banish thee!" Loki shouted out so everyone on the streets could hear and some nearby adventurers snickered at her theatrics. Making a shoo'ing motion with her outstretched hand Loki subtly indicated for Marlet to do something, hopefully something cool.

'This is it! Finally I can do it!' Marlet was internally cheering as she looked the man dead in the eyes, her excitement palpable. Smiling as though she had won the lottery a mighty shout passed by Loki and hit the man square.

"FUS ROH DAH!"

The man didn't even stand a chance. He was sent 7 meters into the air and kept travelling as though gravity had no meaning. Halfway to Babel he eventually got embedded into the side of a house's wall and stayed there not moving.

Both Tsubaki and Loki stared at the little girl before her who looked as though she had just painted a masterpiece was shocked for different reasons. Loki got more and more excited thinking about all the people she could launch in different directions and Tsubaki was wondering if the victim would be fine. 'He's a level 2, he should survive. I hope.' Loki had inadvertently launched the captain of a familia she didn't even know a quarter of the length of Orario. Everyone watching was impressed.

"Right. Well, that happened." Was all Tsubaki got out before turning around and heading back to the forge. "Alright! And you say there's different shouts!" Loki looked like she had found her new favourite toy, "tell me more."

Word spread that Orario's Monster launches people who disturb her halfway across Orario with no remorse. Everyone simply thought it was her strange magic and that it was a chant so a massive fuss wasn't generated by this little stunt. The god of the familia did take massive offence to how Loki handled the situation and the captain of the Hephaestus familia who they had made the commission too hadn't done anything about it but other gods simply laughed at them and when the information on how the situation came to be the other gods outright mocked the god. Being unable to get compensation for what was done to them and knowing the shame their captain brought to them the entire familia packed up and left. This was the second familia Loki had 'banished' from Orario, although unofficially.

During all this Marlet was happily learning from Tsubaki and Loki was enjoying the little bit of chaos she had caused, not knowing that they had temporarily disrupted another plan of Evilus to arm some of their weaker members with better equipment.