Chapter 6: 6. Meeting the Familia
Having finished her rant about the unfairness of the world but also thanking it for a new magic to study. The three made their way towards the dining area where the rest of the familia have already started dishing up their food and waiting for their goddess to join them. Making her way towards the main table with Riveria, Marlet wanted to move off to one of the side tables not wanting to join the main group but got stopped by Loki only tugging her once towards the main table making her intentions clear. The rest of the familia only watched on with mild curiosity as the winged girl was brought to the main table, the only person mildly annoyed was the werewolf sitting at the opposite end. Loki having a flair for the dramatics stood atop the table and cleared her throat for everyone to hear. It took only a few seconds for the entire mess hall to quiet down, "A week ago, a lost birdie came into our care" she indicated to Marlet, "and today we have interrogated her as well as test her capabilities. Do you know what we found out?" the last part came out as almost a shout. Waiting for her words to sink in, she followed up, "or newest little bird has no home!" She almost sounded incredulous at her own statement "being the gracious goddess I am, I very well couldn't let such a unique young child out alone into the world" at this point Loki got a few cheers, "I have already adopted her into our little familia where we will nurture and care for for her. Already having our own captain and dear momma" Loki avoided a swipe at her head from a staff, "so we shall adopt her with open arms and follow her growth!" Loki finished with such a righteous tone any onlooker would believe she had found the cure for world hunger.
Laughter and cheers erupted from the crowd, everyone knew Loki would only adopt someone from the start if they showed immense talent. "Introduce yourself!" came a shout from one side of the hall, receiving cheers all round. Standing besides Loki on the table and did a dramatic bow, continuing on from Loki's energy. "I guess I'm the only lost bird here" Marlet introduced herself and earned a few chuckles from the surrounding tables when awkwardly spread her wings, "the name's Marlet, I'm a soon to be mage and archer with Loki's blessing but I hope when the time comes to learn some close combat I can rely on some of you. I hope we get along and that you don't mind this rookie asking you some questions every now and then" she finished with another bow again. The crowd was glad that the newbie wasn't letting being in the 'Loki Familia' get to her head and remained humble before all of them. A new mage in the mix was also a nice welcome as well as archer, there weren't too many of those in the Loki familia and with her taking those positions it was one more spot the Loki familia could fill with their own people when she got a little more powerful.
After both goddess and newbie sat down everyone started to dig into the meals before them. Marlet was sitting next to Loki and opposite to Finn and Riveria, talking about the potential applications her magic may have on existing formations once she gains a bit of experience. Sitting to the side Bete couldn't understand why everyone was accepting this weakling so easily! Sure she was definitely different with her horns and wings but why were the going to change their formations for a single person. Locking eyes with the person irritating him the most at the moment and she smiled at him, to Bete is was a smile of contempt. "What do you want weakling?" growled the werewolf while narrowing his eyes at the newbie. Not expecting the the hostility from Bete, Marlet tried to mend the situation, "is there something I did wrong?" This only received a scoff from Bete however as he only responded with "you're weak" earning a frown on Marlet's face, the rest of the table were quiet by now watching the interaction between the two. "I just got my falna and you have had yours for how long now? What right do you have to judge me?" This sentence really grated on Bete's nerves as a shot to his feet and slammed his fists on the table leaning forward, never breaking eye contact. "I'm the strong one here, I decide what's correct and what's not" he said with a victorious and cocky smirk. Getting extremely angry by Bete's words, Marlet dropped her utensils and stood straight up as well, not realising that in her anger her wings also spread trying to make her look bigger. "Are you saying you were never at the bottom? You've always been at the top of the food chain?" hissed out Marlet getting angrier and angrier with the werewolf before her. "Yes" was all Bete said before the girl before him took on a green glow as the anger within her was clearly visible on her face. "Then you, Bete the werewolf, I curse you to never have a utensil reach close to your face so long as you recognise yourself as the top" Marlet stated with an authoritative tone and the green glow now surrounded Bete for a second and then subsided. Bete still trying to figure out what just happened to him didn't even notice Marlet march off to her room, clearly not having an appetite anymore.
"Was that really necessary?" Gareth asked with a sigh. Riveria was already up and hovering around Bete to try and understand what had just taken place. The rest of the tables were also watching the werewolf and waiting for any visible changes that might have happened to him. "Whatever" Bete just dismissed not finding any changes within himself, "she was weak and needed to know that" all the while Loki was looking at Bete expectantly while recalling the words and youngest child had just used. Ignoring the elf now sitting before him and putting a piece of roast meat on his fork, Bete moved the fork before his mouth absentmindedly like he had done millions of times in the past only for the strangest thing anyone in the hall had ever seen. The fork curved away from his mouth as though appalled to be put into his mouth, Bete still not paying attention bit into nothing but air. Loki seeing all this opened her eyes slightly and started to laugh, that was until Bete looked down confused at his normal now fork with the food still on it. Bringing it up again under the scrutiny of the entire dinning hall Bete saw how the fork curved away from him again. Realisation dawned on him as he recalled the words of the girl and looked at his bent fork. Grabbing the person next to him's fork and trying to put food into his mouth only for the same thing to happen, Bete saw Loki laugh hard and fall off her chair. Finn was looking on in amusement, Gareth had a look of sympathy for the young wolf and Riveria cast a few spells to understand what was happening to him.
"Well! What do I do now?!?" Still trying to bend the fork with his food into his mouth, unsuccessfully, Bete got an answer from his goddess, "well, she did say 'utensil', so I suggest you get creative or apologise" Loki only cackled on seeing the look of horror on Bete's face. His pride would never let him apologise so Bete sucked it up and used his hands for the remainder of the meal. That evening, new rumours spread around the Manor: you never anger someone higher level than you, and don't get the horned girl angry lest she gives you a creative curse as well.
Returning to her room Riveria saw that Marlet had already gotten into bed and was soundly sleeping as if she hadn't just cursed a member of her own familia very creatively. Riveria would bring that subject up tomorrow morning at breakfast.
Waking up, Marlet could see Riveria patiently waiting for her to join her for breakfast. The entire hall went quiet as soon as the two entered. Noticing this, Marlet could only look around and say "wow, my entrance yesterday must have made quite the impression on them" with a self-satisfying smile and nod of the head. 'Shameless!' were the collective thoughts of everyone in the room and Riveria could only shake her head. Wanting to head back to her room and discuss the 'curse' placed on Bete. Only for a guard to rush in and say that there are two amazoneses outside their gate demanding to fight against the strongest members of their familia. Thinking this was a great time for Marlet to see some fighting in person, Riveria led the both of them too a balcony where Loki was already sitting and waiting for the show to start.
A few minutes later a pair of twins could be seen being led to the training grounds before the balcony and did a slight bow to the goddess who's children they had challenged. One twin had a slight frown on her face when she saw Marlet and the other had stars in her eyes, seeming wanting to run right up to her and start conversation. Soon the rest of the familia members started filling out wanting to put the arrogant girls in their place wanting to challenge them so suddenly. One after the other the members got beaten, from veteran level ones that could give recent level twos a run for their money, to the recent level twos that had more experience than many other adventurers. The twins seemed to be unbeatable until Gareth, Bete and Finn walked out to investigate the commotion. The twins both declared their challenge once again and Gareth went up first, easily tripping the amazoness over her own feet and making her yeild with his hammer above her head. Her sister didn't seemed perturbed at this sight in the slightest and challenged the next person looking straight at Bete, not really putting the small 'child' before her. Bete was just about ready to go and face the woman before him when he looked at the balcony and saw the cause of a lot of his grief recently. Clicking his tongue in annoyance and waving her off while leaving, Finn could only shake his head at Bete's actions and retrieve his practice spear from the nearby weapons rack.
Looking slightly annoyed at the werewolf that blew her off and left her with this small man before her, the amazoness planned on finishing this early and try and face stronger opponents. She was in for a rude awakening as her initial contempt towards Finn caused her to struggle greatly against his superior spearman skills. As the spar continued she realised she was outclassed and in her frustration made simple mistakes that Finn capitalised on, disarming her and in a final stretch of trying to get close and personal she only managed for Finn to use his small stature to his advantage and spin her onto her back with the tip of his spear pointed below her chin. It was at this moment that the amazoness saw Finn in a new light. Her twin could only shake her head at recognising the look in her sister's eyes.
After the twins introduced themselves as Tiona and Tione Hiryute and that they would love to join the Loki familia. Loki herself could only laugh and mutter about pieces of puzzles and Marlet immediately became the centre of the twins attention, with Tione walking around her inspecting her wings and Tiona asking her questions in rapid succession. Both girls were only level 2 but were really close to levelling up, all they required was a feat recognised by the falna to become the same level as Aiz.
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone