Hestia expected a lavish party when she arrived, one that only a God could imagine and create. Then she was reminded that this was Ganesha's party and any hopes of it being 'completely' refined was optional at best.
She still couldn't believe the entrance to the ballroom was in between a statue's legs. A statue of Ganesha at that.
Always a God of the people but definitely one of the strangest ones Hestia had ever met.
She went about the party as best she could, saying hello to the friendly faces she knew and outright ignoring the ones she didn't. Even glaring at a few who stared at her, or a specific part of her, for too long.
Eventually though, after taking part in some horderves, she ran into the person she was hoping to meet.
It was a woman who Hestia knew well during her time in Heaven and on Earth. She was taller than Hestia, though that's not saying much, with a figure that told of hard work at their craft while maintaining their femininity with their curves, the red dress she wore only emphasized these traits. Though her most notable feature, besides her red hair, was probably the large eyepatch over her right eye leaving only one red eye visible on a rather attractive face.
Hephaestus, Goddess of the forge and Hestia's best friend.
Who she mooched off of for a good while when she first arrived to this world.
Hestia only hopes that she was feeling merciful today.
She approached the forge Goddess with a casual polite stride, holding a smile on her face the whole time. She was genuinely happy to see her friend here, favors aside, it had been too long if she were honest.
And she had so much to tell her too!
"Hephaestus," Hestia began, "It's so good to see you again! How are you doing?"
The forge Goddess too a sip of her wine she was holding before replying, "Oh, you know, working hard for what I have, managing my many children, fixing and correcting mistakes here and there and as of recently," she looks down at Hestia, her one eye full of suspicion, "wondering what a certain little Goddess wants from me now."
Hestia gave a gasp and held a hand to her chest, outraged, "Hephaestus," she said, "I'm hurt! Why do you think I want something from you?"
Hephaestus gave a sigh and punched the bridge of her nose, does she really need reminding?
"First off," she began, "you mooched off me and my children's work for months, all the while, stuffing your face and lazing about reading books."
Hestia felt that truth hit her like a bullet, she even recoiled from the shock.
Hephaestus wasn't done though, "Then you had the nerve to come to me begging for a loan, then another, then another, never paying me back for each of them."
Hestia recoiled again, the truth hurts!
"You then begged me to get you a job because you were going through the money I gave you and you had no way of paying me back, so I gave you a job."
That one hurt less but still stung a great deal.
"Finally," Hephaestus throws her hands in the air, "you came to me asking to give you a place to live, which I gave you at no small expense," she takes a final drink of her wine, draining the glass, "so yes I fully expect you to ask for something now that it's been a while since we last saw each other. I can only imagine that the familia thing isn't doing too well now?"
Last Hephaestus checked, Hestia only had one member in her familia and only one. If this was how things were going for her, Hephaestus doubted she'd see repayment for all she did for her anytime soon.
This was when Hestia surprised her.
After recovering from the truthful-verbal beating she received, Hestia gained a measure of confidence at Hephaestus's words.
"Well as it so happens," she began, "I'm now sporting a familia with six members now. My familias' grown since last time."
Hephaestus blinked at that, six members now? For real? Hephaestus was fortunate enough to use her craft and skills to attract other followers of the forge, thus was able to get a great start in the mortal world, but Hestia though?
Hestia had to be lying, she hated doubting her friend but she knew of her habits very well, did she use her arcanum? No she wasn't that dumb, no God was. Did she bribe them? With what money? So many questions ran through the forge Goddess's mind, trying to make sense of what she just heard.
Hestia could see the doubt on her friend's face and the questions running through her mind. She did not care for it, not at all!
"Hey! The doubt isn't appreciated, you know," Hestia jumped and said, "I know I have some bad habits," understatement, "but even I can get a break and get lucky with recruiting new members. I'm not completely hopeless, you know."
Hephaestus still had reservations on Hestia, after putting up with her for so long, who wouldn't. But in this case she could give her friend a break and now that she saw her reaction to her doubt, she was more inclined to believe her.
She was happy for her now, her familia was growing happily along and maybe it'll set her on the honest path and she'd stop asking for favors from her.
"Well then, if that's the case," Hephaestus smiled at her friend, "then congratulations on getting a proper familia up and running. I'm happy for you."
Hestia beamed up at her friend, happy she was not being doubted, "Thanks Hephaestus, I appreciate that."
The forge Goddess nodded, "Now what was it you wanted to ask?"
"Oh! Yeah I'd like to ask a favor, please!"
Hephaestus' expectations for her friend were smashed and grinded to dust. This Goddess just didn't lean.
Before she gave a rather harsh response and Hestia resorted to begging, anticipating her friend's response, a new voice interrupted them.
"Hey, Phea-phea! Nice to see ya here. Didn't think this little shindig would be up your alley."
The voice came from another God, a Goddess in fact,red haired, who wore an amazon's pareo skirt that covered her legs and a cloth wrapping around her flat chest.
Nonexistent chest, as Hestia pointed out often.
This was Loki, a trickster Goddess and founder of the aptly named Loki familia, one of the strongest familias in Orario.
She was also someone the Hestia could not stand, be it here or in Heaven.
"My children told me I needed a break from work and argued a good case for coming here," Hephaestus said, "I'm not surprised to see you here, never could turn down good food and drink," she smiled then and continued, "as well as flexing your power over the other Gods I'm sure."
Loki smiled wider, not denying what was said to her. It was true after all, good food, good drink, especially good drink and of course lording her power and reputation over other deities.
It was the little things in life, always appreciate them.
Speaking of 'little'…
Loki turned her attention down to Hephaestus's side, spotting the short Goddess by her.
Who was glaring up at her as fiercely as she could. Which wasn't much, Hestia had soft features and couldn't pull off fierce, maybe mad but not fierce.
"Well well well," Loki began, "If it isn't the broke Goddess. Still living in that ruined church of yours?"
Hestia came prepared for this, "No longer a ruin anymore," just surrounded by them now, "and I'm no longer broke!"
Kinda true and kinda not, Bell and the rest have been pulling out good hauls in the dungeon, but it would still be some time before she could call herself wealthy, it would be accurate to say she was decent for now.
Hestia's answer surprised Loki and Hephaestus for that matter.
"What, you pulled another shift at the potato puff stand?" The trickster Goddess asked.
Hestia did actually but that wasn't the point, "No actually, my familia had a good boon of new members this past few weeks. We grew by five new members!" It was Hestia's turn to be smug, "With their hard work and my guidance, we managed to get our home base renovated." At thankfully a good price, with a certain smith God's mercy.
"Oh, well." Loki seemed put off by Hestia's announcement. She really wanted to pop the poverty balloon over her again but Loki had many tricks up her sleeve.
Bragging, being amongst her best.
"Well that's nice for you," she began, "starting off with one to six is a nice start for any beginner familia." Loki looked pensive then, holding a hand to her chin in thought, "Hmmm. How many did I start with when I got to the city? Three I believe and I think I got ten, twelve, twenty when really setting up."
Now she was one of the strongest and prolific familias in the city. Definitely something to brag about.
She looked down at Hestia with a smirk, "You have a good start but mine's still better," she put on a faux smile in sympathy, "but don't worry I'm sure you'll get there someday…in a hundred years."
She released a mocking laugh, happy to cut down the shortstack Goddess down a peg.
Unfortunately for her, Hestia knew how to knock her down a peg as well.
With a smile she said, "and I'm sure you'll finally grow a good pair on that barren chest of yours…in a hundred years…or more."
Hephaestus sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose, already anticipating what was to happen.
"What was that?!"
"Yeah! I said it!"
The inevitable clash occurred, Hestia and Loki locking heads and daring the other to make the first move.
It was a coin toss between the two and always was it entertaining to the Gods around them.
"Hey look! It's Loki No-Boobs vs Loli Big-Boobs!
"Oh I'm glad I showed up to this party!
"Ganesha! You know how to throw a party!"
"I am Ganesha!!!"
Their battle was always a spectacle to see. They haven't thrown hands just yet but they're getting close. Until a new voice broke the tension.
"Well well, I'm glad to see you two getting along as best as ever."
Coming into the little grouping was a Goddess of unquestionable beauty. Silver hair that flowed like water, violet eyes that shined like jewels, and a figure that looked like it came from a painting or sculpture, a body that was a work of art and beauty, not even dampened by the white dress she wore.
Which was only appropriate, given she is a Goddess of beauty.
Freya, leader of the Freya familia and another great power in Orario, rivaling Loki familia for the spot of strongest familia in the city.
She smiled at them, bemused by what she saw, "It warms my heart to see you two getting along so well." she said.
"No we aren't!" Hestia and Loki replied, foreheads still pressed against each other with accompanying glares.
"Nonsense," Freya started with a smile, "They say that friends who argue and fight like this have some of the deepest bonds with each other."
"HA!"
Loki and Hestia broke off from each other at that, a loud scoff exclaimed from them both.
"Like Hell I'm friends with this pipsqueak." Loki said.
"No way am I friends with this washboard." Said Hestia.
Again the two glared at each other, seemingly about to clash yet again.
Freya gave a laugh, bemused by their actions while Hephaestus sighed in exasperation of them. No such thing as a peaceful party with these two.
Loki, though, decided to break her glare with Hestia and look at Freya, "By the way," she said, "It's rare for you to come out of your abode for a party like this. Somethin catch your attention?"
Loki's question got Hephaestus to wonder the same thing, Freya didn't go to parties unless she was really bored or there was something interesting going on to draw her attention.
Hestia also looked at Freya, puzzlement written on her features. Why had Freya come? Ganesha could throw a party, but a party of Freya's taste? Unlikely.
The Goddess of beauty smiled at the attention she was receiving. She wasn't offended or put off by their questions or glances, she was more flattered than anything. So many were willing to crawl over each other just for her attention, be they God or mortal. It was a breath of fresh air that these three still held suspicions towards her and were honest about it.
Honesty was rare in her life nowadays.
"Well if you must know and I'm sure you do, Loki," she said, "I'm here to see for myself if the rumors are true."
Hestia blinked, bewildered. What rumors?
Loki smiled and she opened her narrow eyes a bit, showing red eyes that gleamed with mischief and cunning, "You too huh? Yeah, the rumor passed by my ears as well. Besides the amenities, I came to see if I couldn't drag the truth out of someone here." she ended with a soft chuckle.
"I am curious myself," Hephaestus said, "but I don't have much of a horse in this race as most of you do," she gave Loki and Freya a steady look and finished, "but I have no idea, in case you are wondering."
Hestia found herself looking back and forth between the three of them. What on earth were they talking about?
Loki noticed her actions and gave a sigh, a mix in frustration and exasperation, "You really don't know?" she asked.
Hestia shook her head in the negative.
"Well pipsqueak," started Loki, "There's a rumor running about amongst the Gods here," she waved her arm around, including them and herself in the gesture, "that something big happened and it got Ouranos spooked enough to scout about in the city and dungeon."
Hestia blinked, something spooked Ouranos? What could have done that?
Ouranos was a God in the city, a powerful one at that. Not for having a familia or anything physical but for taking the sacred duty of watching the dungeon and using his powers to keep the monsters from breaking into the surface. He was the only God that could use his divine power in the world, provided it was used solely on keeping the dungeon in check.
He didn't have a familia per-say, but the guild was the closest thing that he had to one. Especially given he resides underneath the headquarters.
He had been watching the dungeon for over a thousand years, if something managed to unnerve him…
Hestia gave a visible shudder, dreading the thought.
"Now you see why we're so curious," Freya said, a pensive look on her face, "what could rattle him so that he sends scouts running about."
Loki looked at her, "You too huh? Yeah, my children spotted a few around our home. Looks like Hermes' children."
Freya nodded, "Makes sense, given the ties between the two," she gave another smile, "Wonder what they'll find."
Loki smiled alongside her, "I'll admit, I'm curious too," her smile turned far more cunning, "maybe I'll look about and see what I find."
Hestia did not feel comfortable right now. Looking between the two rival Goddesses staring each other down, she felt like she was a rabbit wandering into two wolves having a spat. It isn't going to be fun when they focus their attention on her.
Hephaestus noticed Hestia's nervousness and thought it was a good time to add something, "You two can speculate back and forth all you want, some of us are here to try and relax with good food and drink," she reached to a table and picked up free glass of wine, "I would also like it with good company, isn't that right Hestia."
Hestia caught on to what Hephaestus was doing, duck out or defuse. Whichever gets you out of trouble the fastest.
She didn't verbally respond, only shaking her head up and down in agreement.
Two of the most powerful people in Orario listened to the forge Goddess's words and found themselves agreeing with them. They were here to socialize and enjoy, best to keep it that way.
They could speculate and scheme later anyway.
"Well that is good advice Phea-phea," Loki said, turning and walking away to somewhere else, "Think I'll do just that, there is some good grub here to enjoy." she gave them a wave behind herself as she walked away.
"I do believe it's best for me to leave this party in any case," Freya said in a polite tone, "I've had my fill of food and drink and outside of a handful of Gods here, there isn't really anyone interesting to talk to."
Freya gave a small glance behind her, "Besides, I think I've had my fill of my admirers ogling me since I arrived," she gave Hestia and Hephaestus each a polite smile and walked off herself.
Hestia gave a sigh of relief, glad that was all over. Of all the dumb luck, she had to run into the two Goddesses she couldn't stand. Sometimes you can't catch a break, but it was over now and it was time to get back to why she approached Hephaestus in the first place.
"Hephaestus! I need a favor!" Hestia said in a tone she thought sounded mature and professional.
"No."
Hephaestus's one word felt like a hammer blow into Hestia's gut. She didn't even give it half a second's thought before replying.
This wasn't good, Hephaestus looks like she wasn't going to budge on this.
Which shouldn't really surprise Hestia, given that her friend literally listed off reasons why she shouldn't help.
But Hestia wasn't a quitter when it involved her children. Especially her first child.
With no other course, or likely none she could think of, Hestia utilized a technique passed down to her by a dear friend.
'Takemikazuchi! Don't fail me now!"