Chapter 8: Rewards! & Time with Hestia
I opened my eyes once more, my eyelids fluttering in an attempt to help adjust my vision to the sudden influx of light. I felt a soft hand running through my hair, a loving air to it, as it twirled a few of my royal blue strands.
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My eyesight eventually cleared, and I made out the form of Hestia lying beside me, propped up on one elbow, using the other to play with my hair.
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The goddess's dark midnight black hair flowed around and framed her beautiful face, in the lantern light, her milky white skin glowed with a soft radiance. Seeing my open eyes on her I was greeted with a blindingly white smile filled with the joy and love that only a goddess of family could express.
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She paused in her ministrations on my hair in favor of rolling towards me, hugging me tightly, her arms and legs enveloping me in a warm embrace as she nuzzled her face into my chest. I smiled at her affection and wrapped my arms around her in turn, bringing her tighter into me.
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I relaxed there with Hestia in my arms just enjoying the sensation, it was then that I felt a wet spot began to form on my chest, surprised I pulled back slightly and looked down at Hestia.
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Her eyes were tightly shut, fat tears rolling down her cheeks as she shook. Hestia began to softly sob into my chest the small vibrations filling me with worry and concern.
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I reached down snaking my hand beneath her chin as I lifted her face to meet mine. Our eyes locked, my golden orbs and her sapphire blue seas, and I knew without words, her fears, her worries, and finally her overwhelming love for me.
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We stayed there for a moment our gazes locked in a strange battle of will's that ended inconclusively when Bell burst into the room, his tired eyes finding me and instantly brightening.
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He turned towards me and began running, in that moment, I saw the future. I scrambled to free myself from the covers draped over me and managed it just in time. Bringing my leg up I punted the flying Bell away from me and into the basement wall. Bell slammed into it back first a loud.
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Thud*
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Echoing as he slid down the wall like a squished bug before he caught himself, spinning, he rolled to his feet, still ecstatic.
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Seeing that Bell was not going to take another leap I relaxed back into Hestia's grip once more but found that she was now no longer wrapped around me but instead kneeling besides me on the bead a small smile on her tear-streaked face.
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Turning to face her I to sat up and held her slightly trembling hands in my own and spoke.
"I-it's ok, I'm ok"
She just nodded at me the smile growing on her face, her eyes visibly brightening as she nodded her head emphatically.
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Smiling myself I gathered her in my embrace for a moment before I let her go and stood up. My incredibly soar body screamed at me for doing so but I ignored it as I began to stretch, asking.
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"Soo... How long was I out?"
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Hestia dried her face on the blankets before answering.
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"You were only unconscious for a few days Leo; you were quick to recover due to us buying a few potions"
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Hearing her response, I grew a little concerned.
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"Aren't potions expensive? Did we have enough money?"
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Hestia smiled at my concern seeming to finally have regained control of her faculties.
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"With the mana crystals and materials you gathered, along with the once's from the parade, a few potions were more than affordable"
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I was surprised by her words, while we had gathered a large number of crystals before the parade showed up it was only enough for a low-grade potion.
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Doing some mental math, I concluded that the parade had a fuck ton of monsters which allowed for such a leap in our monetary resources. Curious at the total vails we had made I asked Hestia.
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"And after the potions, how much do we have left?"
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Her response nearly gave me a heart attack.
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"We have a little over 4,000 vails left"
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She said matter-of-factly, though I saw the smile curling her lips when she did. 4,000 vails, that is a decent chunk of change and would be very beneficial for the Familia in the short turn.
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Happy with the results I finished my stretching feeling the life returning to my limbs as I stood up. Straitening my back, I cringed slightly at the sharp pain that assaulted me as I did.
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I sighed knowing that I would not be entering the dungeon for the next few days as me body mended the left-over damage that the potions hadn't fixed. I looked over towards Bell with an apologetic grin on my lips.
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"Sorry Bell looks like you'll have to fly solo for a few days"
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He looked at me a moment, confusion on his face, realizing my mistake I pointed to myself saying.
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"I'm still recovering, it will take a few days until I'm ready to go back in"
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The light of understanding entered his eyes and he nodded, like a sage monk, before saying.
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"Don't worry Leo, I got this!!!"
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As he raised his fist and posed, looking very much like the shonen protagonist he was. Seeing him standing there I couldn't help myself, I burst out laughing, Hestia not far behind me as she rolled around on the bed while I hunched over clutching my stomach.
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Bell looked at us and pouted which only made us laugh harder, eventually we got our selves under control and bell left for the dungeon, embarrassed.
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I stood up a little winded and, after grabbing both me and Hestia some food, sat back down on the edge of the bed with Hestia as we both ate in silence, finishing our morning meal we sat there awkwardly for a minute trying to come up with a topic of conversation.
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Me being the rather strait forward guy I was, decided to speak up first.
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"Hey...uhh...Hestia? would you mind updating my Falna?" I inwardly cringed at my inelegance but what can a guy do?
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She looked up at me and smiled, nodding her head and sending her bangs bouncing with the motion. I grinned back at her, removing my shirt before lying face down on the bed, I felt the bed shift with her weight as Hestia crawled over and straddled me her soft but firm backside pressing into me from behind.
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Soon though I felt her fingers cool touch run its way along my back in a complex pattern before stopping, as an exited squeal came from her, and she hoped off my back handing me my updated falna before she boogied off an overly smug look on her face.
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Leo Greyrock
Level: 1
Strength: 402 F
Endurance: 381 G
Dexterity: 394 G
Agility: 406 F
Magic: 376 G
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Skills: Mens custodis - Mind Keeper - Can absorb the mind of defeated opponents providing a temporary boost mainly to mind, strength, dexterity, and agility. Absorbing more mind increases the boost while also extending the duration of the boost and changes physical appearance, when boost ends a small portion of the boosted stats will become permanent. Gain control over ambient mind when boost is active, spells gain extra power when boost is active.
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Magic: none
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I was stunned, to say the least. My overall power base had jumped miles in just one day, of cource the day wasn't exactly normal, but still I had skipped a rank in every attribute and two ranks in strength and agility, bringing both to the beginning of F rank.
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I sat on the bed frozen by my improvements, all the while Hestia was hoping up and down, her body jiggling as she did, sadly though, I was too shocked to enjoy the view.
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I was brought back from my frozen state when Hestia jumped on my back, wrapping her arms around my neck and pressing herself against me, giggling in joy.
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Grinning a little wickedly I pushed aside my previous line of thought, instead, I fell forward, spinning as I did to land on my back, the still giggling Hestia now in my arms and staring at me with an infatuated gaze.
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My eyes almost instantly locked onto her rose petal lips and the temptation to take them almost overwhelmed me, but I wanted to do things right, if a little accelerated.
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"Hestia" I said gaining the small goddesses attention.
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"Would you like to go on a date with me?"
CREATORS' THOUGHTS 
Distant_Tree
Distant_Tree Cutting it short today as this was a little to perfect of an ending to not use, only by 50 words though and I'll make it up in tommarows chapter. Enjoy.
Weekly Power Status
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