Danmachi: Westward Cloud [Complete]

[Vol.3] Quest 220- A Wargames Proclamation

The music began to play after Cirrus had healed her foot with his armor and flirted with her. Seeing so many people starting to dance, Cirrus wanted to make this night a little more special.

"Oh, they're dancing." Said Artemis.

"Do you wish to dance?"

"I don’t know how."

"… Have we never danced together? I’m sure we had?"

"The closest we had was when we hunted together."

"Ah… well, shall we make another memory, then?" Cirrus said, bowing elegantly with his arm out.

"… Yes. I would very much like that." Artemis grabs his hand, helps her from her seat, and walks hand-in-hand to the dance floor.

"Now just follow my lead, alright."

"Hm!"

Cirrus places his right arm on her left hip. Artemis placed her hand on his shoulder. He took her left hand and led the way. They looked into each other’s eyes, and to Artemis, it really was as simple as following his lead.

They moved while gazing into one another's eyes. They avoided colliding into anyone from their sharpened instincts.

"That was rather fun, Cirrus!" Artemis said with a smile.

"Oh? How does it compare to hunting?"

"Hmm… I still say hunting is fun because of the challenge, but this is simply fun, as I can spend time with you." Her smile was infectious. It was as bright as Ai’s.

"Then maybe we should dance more often, but Ai would also want in."

"That’s fine! I’m sure we can dance together."

"Hm, it’ll—"

A pair of screaming filled the banquet.

"EHHHHHHH?! MY SWEET AIS!!!!!!!!!!" screamed Loki.

"WHAAAAAAAT?! MY PRECIOUS BELL!!!!!" screamed Hestia.

"Hold them back! Asfi!" shouted Hermes.

"I will not take any responsibility for the consequences…" she said as she grabbed Loki and Hestia.

Cirrus and Artemis looked to see if Bell and Ais were ready to dance, and after a bit, they took their first steps and danced along with everyone else. To Cirrus, it was a sweet sight, as did Artemis. Seeing such young love bloom warmed his heart.

Of course when mortals are having fun a god always has to come and inject trouble.

Walking down the stairs, Apollo holds out his hands.

"Are you all enjoying the party?"

Everyone remained silent and still.

He walked down the stairs, as people murmured. The lights darkened, and only the spotlight was on Bell and Ais.

Apollo then stood in front of him and made a disgusting face.

"That face… Apollo was this what you wanted?" Artemis said with a stern and angry face.

"I hope that face isn’t for either of them."

"No… it’s for Bell. He’s going to do something to get him. I've seen that face plenty of times before."
Quickly, Hestia jumped in front of Bell.

"Bell!!"

"Hello, Hestia. I’m told by my children that they had some trouble with your Familia the other day."

"O-oh sorry about that!" she said as earnestly as she could.

"My children were badly hurt by yours; I want sufficient compensation." His face switched between normal and creepy.

"W-what do you mean!? Bell also got hurt when he came home as well! It wasn’t just our fault!"

"Can you really say that after this?"

He extends his hand and Pallum is wrapped up in bandages and casks. It was practically a parody of someone getting seriously hurt.

"It hurts!! It hurts so much!!"

"What fucking ham acting? Is he really using this to get some fucking compensation?" Cirrus said looking at this stupidity.

"He plans this… and Hestia is going to eat it up," Artemis said as her fists curled up.

"B-Bell, did you really…?"

"I did not! I did not! Lady Hestia, you know me better than this!"

"I’m told you threw the first punch… I have witnesses. You won’t be able to talk your way out of this."

Behind the Pallum, more of his children appeared.

"T-this is ridiculous!" Hestia shouted. "I don’t have the time or money for this damn farce! Bell, we are leaving!"

"Hooh~ so you refuse to admit your guilt, Hestia?"

Hestia glared at him, but his expression simply grew even more creepy.

"You damn—-"

"Fine, then!!" he shouted out loud. "The Apollo Familia challenges you to a War Game!!!"

This was it; this was what he wanted. Cirrus could see the anger in Artemis’s eyes.

"Apollo, you dirty little fu—"

"Woooooooooooooo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!" the people in the room cheered in glee. Another War Game was upon them.

"Yeah!!! a War Game!!"

"Apollo is brutal!!!"

"Let’s go!!! I want to see this!!!"

"Now! Now!!"

The crowd simmered down at Apollo's words.

"If we win…" he raises his finger and points at Bell. "I’m taking your child, Bell Cranel!!"

"B-buwhat!?!?!"

"APOLLO!!!!!!!!!!! YOU DIRTY LITTLE FUCKING RED-HAIRED PERVERT!!!" Artemis shouted out, overpowering the room as she stomped forward.

"A-Artemis…" said Hestia, surprised by her language.

Many of the gods felt a shiver run down their back seeing such a expression on her face.

"Ah... Bad memories are coming back." Hermes said as he his touching his ribs. "Even old wounds are aching."

Seeing such a expression Apollo did not show signs of fear like the other gods.

"What? It’s perfectly reasonable." he said with a creepy and snarky expression, "And my, what foul language." He then glanced at Cirrus.

"Reasonable!?" she said, standing in front of him. "Hestia, how many children do you have?"

"J-just Bell…." She said sheepishly.

"One!! Just one!! How is that perfectly reasonable!! You outnumber her several times over!"

"Then maybe her child shouldn’t have started a fight they couldn’t possibly win! And I’m adding in the clause that her friends can’t help either, so you or your handsome deer over there can’t help."

His gaze disgusts Cirrus almost as much as the Nuckelavee.

'How the fuck can anyone love a guy who makes a face like that? His musical and poetic abilities must be absurdly highly to be as well sought after in myth.' Cirrus thought while keeping a poker face.

"Lady Hestia, you do not need to agree to this," Cirrus said. "The War Games can only happen if both parties accept and come to terms. If both sides have not agreed then the War Games cannot move forward."

"Hm." she nodded. "Then we are leaving. Bell, let's go before he starts more trouble."

"You’ll regret it… Hestia." Apollo said glaring at the two but more particularly Bell.

"No, we won’t. Bell come."

"Y-yes!"

Hestia and Bell leave as quickly as they can.

"Tch… Were leaving as well. I don’t want to keep looking at this perverted god."

"Hm."

As they are walking away Artemis pulls him in and whispers into his ear.

"Can you do that?"

"I am happy to do that." Cirrus said smiling.

As they are about to leave the ball room they stop by the entrance.

"Oh Apollo by the way!!" Artemis shouted.

"What is it you Tomboy Goddess!!" Apollo shouted back.

"Next time you shouldn't have rented such a cheap and old building!!"

Cirrus placed his hand on the door frame and with a single thrust of force.

"Hmph!!"

Thrust!!

Crack~!!!!

From the doorframe and streaching across the large wall several cracks spread across the wall like lightning in a storm. They spread so far as to even crack the flooring.

Everyone gulped seeing it as it spread out.

"Goodbye you Pretentious Poet."

"Y-y-you!!! Artemis!!!" Apollo shouted.

"Fuck off!!!" Artemis shouted back giving him the finger. "Now lets go Cirrus."

Artemis then leaves linking her arm with Cirrus and they both leave the event.

"Do you want me to make you your favorite food?"

"If you will. I was having a nice time and it all just went up into flames."

"I know my Drop of Honey. I'll be sure to make extra."

"Aww! Thank you Zep-Zep!"

"Now it's back to a normal serving."

"Come on it's a cute pet name!"