Anti-Social Heroes

It was just like grandfather said! An encounter in the dungeon is what adventuring is all about… although, the roles were a bit reversed, but regardless, this is fate! I have to do my best! Bell thought. The memory of yesterday still ingrained in his heart.

///

Yesterday:

"Goddess, I'm back."

"Welcome back, Bell-kun! You're home early today," His goddess answered.

"Yes. I kind of almost got killed in the dungeon today…".

"Are you okay? Does it hurt? If you die it'll be really traumatic for me!" Hestia pats him down here, and there, checking his welfare.

"...wait killed? I thought we told you to only do the first three floors for now," Shirou interjected.

"It's okay goddess, Shirou-san, I'm the only member of the Hesta famila, I wouldn't leave my goddess alone and helpless in the world. Today was an accident… something ridiculous happened,"

Including meeting the sword princess, but he'll leave that detail out for today. He has an instinct that stating such matters while being close to death, is in itself a death flag.

"Okay I'm glad to hear it. I'm going to choose to believe that, so you'd better not let me down!" She steps away from him for a moment. "Oh right, I have a delicious present for you today! Ta-dah!"

Shirou coughed.

"...Sorry. We have a present for you!" Hestia corrected herself.

"What's this?" Bell questioned.

"You know how I work on a food stand?"

"Well, Shirou was a master cook working for them, and with the great success the stand is having lately, they gave me plenty of jagarmarukun, and potatoes to me as a reward!

"You used to be a cook?" Bell questioned Shirou.

"Yeah, back when I just got here I needed to make money somehow, so I cooked."

"Wow, amazing Shirou-san, where do you cook now?"

"Oh… I work somewhere… somewhere I can't tell you about… I'll tell you when you're older."

That should be vague enough to stop him from asking where Shirou thought.

"Yes, yes. Shirou's skills can't be underestimated. Bell… I'm not letting you get any sleep tonight!" Hestia strikes a thumbs up pose.

"Wow, Goddess," Bell claps gently, entertaining his goddess

"Alright let's eat," Shirou said as he started laying plates around the table so people could start serving themselves. "Anyways, what's this you were saying about getting killed? Hestia might believe you, but I'd like to know just how this happened."

"Smack," an audible facepalm was heard by a goddess in the background.

"...mood killer Shirou. You couldn't wait 'till after the meal," Hestia whispered to herself as her ploy to get a festive feel for the day was unconsciously ruined by Shirou.

"Well…" as such the young adventurer decided to explain how he was chased by a minotaur on the fifth floor.

"I see…" Shirou mumbled.

"Alright, let's eat!" Hestia interjected, and although the mood was slightly heavier, it was diminished greatly thanks to the cheery atmosphere that radiates from the goddess. All was well, and peaceful in the Hestia household for the day, Shirou was even able to enter the conversation a few times. All in all: a good day for all parties.

"Oh, by the way, Bell," Shirou said.

"Hmmm?"

"Tomorrow you're going to train with me. You wake up at six, yes?" Shirou questioned.

"Eh?"

/// Present:

"Ah.." He lamented. "AHHHH! I completely forgot about meeting with Shirou-san today! I-I don't think he's the angry type- wait-wait that's not the problem, gotta get back home right now." Hopefully Shirou wasn't that serious about training today, hell maybe he forgot as well, after all it's pretty early in the day, how many people wake up this early anyway. Bell jogged back to his home, and "...I'm home?" meekly answered the door.

"...welcome back..." a response came from the back.

Shirou was an early bird.

///

Swing. Hit. Swing. Hit. Swing. Dodge. Another swing of a kendo stick to the legs, followed by a jump from Bell. That swing was followed by another this time to his head. He puts his hands up to protect against the blow. Hit.

That hurt, Bell thought but with no time to rest he could only endure and keep on dodging. Bell keeps jumping away, and Shirou constantly keeps putting the pressure on him, not letting him breathe or have too much room between them.

Swing to the head. Dodge backwards to avoid. Thrust towards the sternum. Jump backwards to avoid. Shirou chases and makes a swing to his legs. A small feeling of pain once again, and a small breather to recover.

You're not angry with me, are you Shirou-san? Bell thought.

"Alright, let's take a longer break this time around," Shirou said.

"Shirou, what exactly are we training for?" After getting a breather Bell questioned him. He surely hopes this is training, and not an excuse to hit him around. He couldn't tell exactly he was training. It honestly just felt like he was just dodging.

...when he wasn't being hit that is.

"I'd thought I would teach you the most important skill an adventurer can learn. Escaping. So rather than teaching you how to use a knife or anything along those lines, I'd go with something that you can use immediately. We wouldn't want to leave Hestia in tears now, would we.

"No, wait-You were an adventurer Shirou san?" Bell questioned as he was sure he isn't an adventurer now, but not knowing if he was in the past.

"...something like that. Life is difficult. Anyways, breaks over, let's continue."

At first, it had started off reasonably enough, with a quick overview of the kind of monsters there were on the first five floors, and proper running position, but it had quickly escalated into something more intense.

Hit. Hit. Hit. Alright, that's enough he isn't dodging as much anymore, Shirou thought. "Alright, we're done."

Panting. Panting.

"Shirou... is escaping… really more important than… hitting?" he asked as he gathered back into his lungs. Dodging swings to his head, and legs over, and over again would tire anyone he thought.

Are you even sweating? Bell thought.

A much more energetic Shirou said, "When you're the weakest, the most important ability you can have is the ability to escape. The first floors are easy, so when something unpredictable happens, it's still manageable. Usually."

He pointed his kendo stick towards Bell, "key word, usually, sometimes something more insane happens; like a midlevel monster reaching the surface levels, and when that happens you either fight or flight, and well… you're not exactly a fighter," he said as he moved around the kendo stick pointing it all around bells figure and wear.

"So for now we're just testing your reflexes, and helping you think on your feet. First; we'll test your flight abilities. Once your stats get higher we can work on your fighting ability. That said, you move surprisingly well for someone that's only been adventuring a few days."

"I run alot,"

"...yeah, for the beginner floors; your reflexes are perfect. I guess my help wasn't needed." He pauses. Not knowing how to continue. The both of them are still struggling to talk. "...I also know how to use a sword a bit…"

"...I don't really use a sword,"

"Oh," says Shirou.

"...um, do you know how to use a knife?"

Bell brought out his knife to display in question.

"Ah! Yeah, a bit," Not at all really, but he could… fake it a little. He does have some knives with some history behind them after all.

"Although… it is getting a bit late today, soooo, tomorrow?" Bell questioned. Not at all eager to continue today.

"Yeah, that's fine. We're finished for today,"

"I'm home!" Hestia yells out from the yard of the church. She appears to be slightly annoyed at the lack of notice she's gotten. "Please notice me. I've been here for a few minutes, you know. I'll cry if you don't notice me."

"Welcome back Hestia/Goddess," They responded.

Now that they were done, Bell made his way to hestia, had a small conversation with Hestia, and made his way indoors, probably to take a shower, or something along those lines. Shirou decided to make his way inside as well now that his teaching duties were done with.

"I see you two are finally getting along," The voice of the goddess came to his ear right before he entered the doorway. "About time. It was really starting to get annoying being the linchpin of our little group."

"Sorry, Hestia." he apologized.

"Rejected! My forgiveness is gonna cost you three free meals, and a hug," She opens up her arms to get her point across.

She can be stubborn at times. Well, it's just a hug.

Shirou decides to hug her.

"Hmmm. Good," says a pleased Hestia. "Also thanks for looking after Bell in your own way. He might be an adventurer, but he can be a bit reckless at times. Thanks for taking care of my familia." She lets go of him for a second, steps back placing her hands behind her and continuing. "For the record I consider you part of my familia, even if you don't have any of my falna on your back. So take care of yourself when going out at night." She disappears back into the Church.

…

A goddess is not to be underestimated is she.

///

"EHHHHH!" Bell yelled out. "Goddess, are you sure this is right? My ability scores went up over a total of 160 points? And look," he turns from his stat sheet to look at his goddess. "I only got hit once and my vitality went up by 30 points! And my strength and dexterity too! This has never happened before!"

Hestia stands up.

"G-Goddess?"

She turns with vexed features appearing on her face at his questioning.

"Um… well… So, well… Why did it grow so much, so quickly?" he questioned.

"Don't ask me!"

"Goddess… Goddess,"

Hestia slams the door loudly.

"Goddess? Where are you going?"

"A-A party with my co-workers!" She yells. " You can go have a wonderful dinner, and a great time with Shrou!" She runs out of the building.

"Goddess?"

"...Um, may I come in?" a voice came from behind the door.

"Shirou?" Bell questioned. "Yes, come in. My goddess is… a bit upset with me, for some reason."

"Yeah, I noticed," Shirou steps into the room. "So… what did you do?"

"I'm not sure. Should I apologize?"

"No, I think you're fine. If she was really angry she wouldn't tell you to go out to eat, but to starve instead."

"Besides, girls don't like it if you apologize without knowing what you're apologizing for. If she's really angry with you tomorrow, then make it up with her by giving her a gift, or giving her a great day."

Bell couldn't help, but wonder if Shirou was speaking through experience at the moment.

...

"Dinner?" Shirou questioned. Might as well he figured, a good meal is good for a growing boy, and Bell is 14.

Or is he 15?

"Sure. But I want to eat out today," Bell said as Shirou seemed to have an almost hurt look at that comment. "Ah, we can eat the wedges later. It's just… I sort of promised a girl I'd eat at her place today."

"Ah, I see." A date huh, Shirou mused. "I think I get why Hestia was so annoyed as she went out the door."

"Hmm?" Bell tilted his head.

"Nothing, never mind, anyways where's her place?" Shirou questioned.

"It's on the main street, it's called the Hostess of Fertility."

///