I Played This Game for You
[Serafall Leviathan]
"Well, that's gonna be fun," she commented before taking a gulp from her bottle of water. In front of her, Joshua chuckled to himself, unaware of just how "fun" what he'd said would be. Fun for her, that was for sure, fun for him, and it'd be even more fun for Ravel, she'd bet. He wasn't wrong about any of that, but what he was wrong about was… a few things in regards to his plan.
Alas, Serafall had given up dealing with that side of her partner, just as she knew Yasaka and Gabriel had. He had gotten a little better, but that'd be about it, she supposed. There were worse things for him to be, especially when he had all that power at the tip of his fingers. The fact that Joshua managed to still be a paragon of goodness after everything had to be studied, really.
"That aside… Are we done here?" he commented, looking to the side where the director and co. were looking over the last scene they'd shot. "I think that scene was good." Margalo chose that moment to chirp something on his shoulder and Serafall could only look at the two fondly as they shared one of those brief but significant moments. Those moments in which Joshua and his familiars would share a split second glance and a million thoughts, warm smile on his face and soft features on their everything.
Like a moment before, when Domino Mask and Sussie had absolutely terrified a poor actor during their scene.
"I think it was good too, but you know they have their own opinions sometimes," she replied when the moment was over, even though her own smile remained. That kind side was a very endearing thing about Joshua, that was for sure. Just as meaningful as his ability to care and his generosity. "Can I just say? I'm liking these peaceful chapters, easier enemies, bonding moments."
"Lots of bonding moments," Joshua pointed out eyebrows raised and his lips tugging upwards, amused. He had noticed that there were a lot more romantic moments between Magical Girl Levia-tan and Domino Mask, apparently. He had also – correctly at that – deduced that she was the person behind those. Unfortunately for him, he had no proof.
"I'm sure I don't know what you're talking about," she said, making no effort to hide things anyway. Because, what'd be the point? Besides, again, he had no way of proving that it was her.
Knowing a lost battle when he saw one, Joshua left it at that with a shake of his head.
"Anyway, I like it too," he told her, his smile turning into a grin. "So, provided we are done, any plans?" he asked and Serafall had a suggestion to go somewhere at the tip of her tongue. Alas, she was good at reading people, and that meant she definitely noticed how off Joshua seemed. Not that it was a new thing those days.
Infinite magic and then… whatever the fuck it was that Heaven's System was trying to pull on him, both things had left him off balance and he wasn't recovering. Joshua's tolerance for supernatural bullshit seemed to have reached its peak. Not even he could normalize what had happened around him, not with one, but two instances of madness at that.
Worse even, he still had to continue working on Ophis' Silence, keep being a father to a bunch of girls – and familiars – and keeping up with Yasaka, Gabriel and Serafall herself. She felt bad for that last one, but in her defense, Joshua was doing that to himself in that regard. The three of them were doing their best to support him, to make things easier by playing things down like they were no big deal. They hoped it'd make it easier to deal with for him, and it worked… but it only worked so much, unfortunately.
"I feel like just going home. You know, get some snacks, something to drink and do nothing for a bit," she said and she was immensely proud of the relief and gratitude that she saw in his expression, his eyes. Joshua really needed to stop overworking himself, and if she could use her dates to help with that, all the better. Besides, it was nice to just cuddle at home. Even if she hadn't felt like doing that herself – which she did –, she would have suggested that anyway, because Joshua put up with his own things that he didn't want to do for her sake.
"That sounds like the best idea I've heard in a while," he said, sighing exaggeratedly and making her smile. "Your home or mine though?" he asked and she paused.
Sometimes, she forgot that no, she didn't live at the place he shared with Yasaka – not even the youkai herself counted it as fully hers anymore –, and it was a little silly that she did. She mostly went back to her own place, after all. Maybe her own mansion or maybe her family's, – more often than not the latter, since she didn't like how empty her house felt, even with her few peerage members around. They were not the sociable kind, funnily enough – but the fact of the matter remained that she did go there. Nothing against her parents, but it didn't feel the same. It was her parents's place, not hers. The mansion was so empty it didn't feel like it was anyone's, and maybe that was why Serafall had never bothered trying to make it hers.
"It's been a while since we've seen your family, right? I mean, Sona comes around for training sometimes, but that's about it," Joshua commented, breaking her out of her thoughts with a smile that drew her attention straight to him.
"It has," she acknowledged with a nod, smiling a little wider. Yes, that was a great idea. Besides, it was adorable to see Joshua just be nice to Sona and watching the poor girl not knowing what to do with her feelings for the man. Alas, she had no chance. She'd been thrown in the Childzone together with Rias forever ago, after all.
Too bad for Sona, but more for Serafall, she supposed.
Which was good, because there were already way too many people to share Joshua's time with.
[}-o-{]
[Yasaka]
"It'd been a while since I saw that one," she commented, bringing her cup of tea to her lips. Beside her, Joshua smiled fondly in the same way that she probably was, his eyes locked off to the side just like hers were. There was their daughter – it soothed something in Yasaka's soul to think that, always, because apparently she was more like Kunou than she thought –, playing against Ravel with the illusion chess set that Joshua had made what felt like a lifetime before.
The card game was a lot more popular those days, what with constant chances and improvements, but Kunou had felt a little nostalgic, apparently. That and Ravel and Koneko probably had felt a little left out, since they hadn't really been there for the completion of that particular project. Morag had been there, even if she hadn't been able to play. The woman-spider, however, didn't seem too bothered by that fact, nor did she seem to care what they played. She just liked the opportunity to play against her sisters.
She was adorable like that, after all.
"It had, yes," Joshua confirmed, taking a sip of his own cup. "Makes me think about making some other game," he commented idly. "Maybe I should."
"Aren't you making that flying game Kunou was talking about before?" Yasaka asked with a raised eyebrow. Her daughter seemed very excited about that one, after all. She had rambled a few times to her already.
"Yes and no. I just made the flying part, the game part will be on Kunou and maybe the others," Joshua answered with a shrug. "I could help with that, sure, but I think it'll be better if it's entirely her project, or their project, whatever. Having something to work on will be good for her. I think," he added, that last part coming out a little unsure, like he did sometimes when he was trying to be a good father.
Not that he was wrong, at all, but he was usually more unsure when he tried as opposed to the confidence and ease he showed when he didn't. It was very amusing to see, for Yasaka. She almost wanted to tell him not to try and just do what came naturally, but she knew that'd just make him second-guess everything he did thereafter and nobody wanted that.
Even less so those days, what with how uncomfortable he seemed to be with his new… situation.
"So, yeah, maybe some other thing," he said, and Yasaka noticed the way his eyes grew tired, almost dull. Because he was probably thinking about all the other things he needed to work on, none of which could even remotely be considered something fun or relaxing for him. For as much as he liked to tinker with his spells, the pressure of importance took that away from him.
It was cruel, the way life seemed to have taken something Joshua loved and made him hate it.
"Maybe once I finish a project or two," the man added, turning down towards where he had a notebook laying on the table. There, he started working again, scribbling down something and erasing something else. He tried to play it off, like it was no big deal, but Yasaka had eyes and she knew how to use them. Beyond that, she was also one of the, if not the, best senjutsu users in the world. He had no chance to fool her.
She saw the way his body was always the smallest bit tense, the way his emotions would dampen when he got lost in thought, the way he seemed to have to push himself to work some more. She could sense the weariness bleeding into his life energy, like a sickly color spreading on clear water. Concerning, ever so concerning to see any of those things in the man she loved, but Yasaka couldn't do anything. For all her power – political or otherwise –, she could do nothing. Because the things Joshua faced, nobody could help him with.
After even his attempt at reaching out to a similar-minded individual had failed, what chance did she have.
"You're worried," Joshua said, and she blinked at him. He hadn't looked up from whatever he was writing down. "You haven't touched the tea in a bit. You haven't even moved, pretty sure. And you're not looking at the girls playing."
"That is… correct," she admitted slowly, almost changing her mind before she did. In the end though, Joshua was right, and for all that he lacked the social skills Yasaka – and his other two partners – had, he wasn't stupid. "You worry me, Joshua."
"I know," he replied with a self-deprecating smile. That was why she hadn't said anything. That's what she had been trying to avoid. "And I'm sorry. I don't think I can do anything to help with that," he said and she hated how defeated he sounded while saying that, how full of shame and hopelessness. Joshua, of all people, shouldn't feel any of those things, not with all that he did and all that he was. Yet because he was who he was, he did.
Perhaps that was what Heaven or Yahweh – somehow – had seen in him, someone that cared too much for others and too little for himself.
Someone that wouldn't do what most would if given power over things that shouldn't be handled carelessly.
"Joshua, you don't have to be sorry for any of this. None of it is your fault," she said, feeling like she'd said similar things a hundred times. If she always saw his shoulders relax and his expression soften like she did then and there, then she'd say them a million more. Just for good measure, however, she reached with her own life energy towards him, helping filter out the poison that his own mind brought to his life energy. "You do what you can, and we do what we can. You can't help your worries, just like I can't help mine."
"But here you are, helping me with mine."
"And you've helped me with mine plenty," she replied almost immediately, because that was the whole truth. Once upon a time, it'd been Joshua that helped her. If anything, she was just returning the favor. "I love you," she added, because that never failed to bring his mood up, simple man that he was.
Maybe she was a simple woman too though, because-
"I love you too."
-it never failed to bring her mood up when he said those words too.
[}-o-{]
[Dion Fortune]
"Do we know what he wants?" George asked, looking like he was fearing Death itself to come through the doors to their room, the Stars Room, as the rest of House of Water had started calling it. Not an inappropriate name, really, considering they had basically done whatever they wanted with it. There were desks arranged around the place, shelves lined the walls full of books and more things spread all over. "Because I'm not going to lie, I'm scared."
So were all of them, really.
Davis had called them all through Meredith – Well, all but Aika, who'd gotten a call of her own – to meet him at the room, just like they had called him when they'd finally finished gathering the information on the Dimensional Gap. He also hadn't mentioned what he was calling them for. The most optimistic view they could muster was that he wanted to give them an apprentices-only lecture of some kind…
But he could also have called them to do what he did best and further indebt them to him, because the man seemed to drive some kind of sick pleasure out of that. Dion herself had learned a lot about how to make sure she always had a favor from someone in any eventuality from the man. She'd done her best to put it all to use and she'd had very good results. She had a web of magicians now, all of which she could call in a pinch if need be to work in combination with her own Coven Magic.
Very useful indirect lesson, that one.
Dion hadn't gone too overboard though, because she was no Joshua Davis and because she had more mercy than he did. She knew how it was to be on the other side, so she tried not to push people too much. If she didn't, she might have pushed people away from doing business with her.
She wasn't, after all, the best of the best like her mentor was. She couldn't just expect people to come her way regardless of what she did like Davis could. Dion needed to make friends, make people like her… but also have just enough debt there for her to call on them if necessary.
She had to manage a delicate balancing act where Davis just… didn't.
"He said something about repaying what you did with the information you gave him, the other day," Aika said and all of them flinched. That'd been what they'd been fearing. Was that what was going to happen? Because Dion felt a part of her die inside just thinking about it.
Ruthless, truly ruthless.
"I'm sure he won't," Meredith mumbled, but not even she seemed to believe what came out of her mouth. If anything, she looked like she was pondering the merits of jumping out the window and making a run for it. Tempting idea, Dion would admit, but they were all under Davis' spells already in House of Water. There was no escape for them. Their fates were sealed and there was nothing to do but to accept it.
So, that's how they waited. Like people on death row, they sat there, in silence. They couldn't even muster more conversation, too busy thinking about what they might do if their fears and Aika's words proved true. Was there any idea they might have missed that'd help them get out of the debt they were being buried under? Was their fate to eternally serve Davis until, hopefully, they were finally freed of the burden?
There were worse people to be indebted to like that, for sure, but Dion couldn't help but feel helpless all the same.
That's what she found herself thinking when the door finally opened.
"Oh good, everyone's here already," Davis said as he stepped in, as if any of them would dare to be late. The last one to arrive had been Levi and he'd been half an hour early. "Why do you all look so pale? Everything alright? Are you working too much?" he asked, concerned, and it was kind of… bizarre how he didn't even realize what he did.
Ravel, behind him, was far less oblivious to the situation, if the roll of eyes was any indication.
"Do I have to call Agnes and-?"
"There's no need for that, Professor Davis," Karin said, softly but quickly, before things could get out of hand. "We stayed late working on some projects last night, that's all."
"Y-Yeah, just lost track of time," Levi jumped on that lifeline immediately and latched onto it like the desperate man that he was. Not that the rest of them were any better, really.
"George and I got a little distracted talking about a spell combination," Dion added and Pickingill was quick to follow that up.
"We were considering a job, you see?"
"Huh?... That so?" Davis asked, looking between them curiously. Meredith and Aika nodded their agreement easily, not any more eager for more debt than the rest of them. "Well, I can't fault you for that. That'd make me a hypocrite," the man said with a chuckle. "Anyway, I guess I can make this quick then, so you can all go to sleep or something," he added casually.
Dion was really not liking the smile on the Phenex devil's face, however.
It spoke of terrible things in their future, but-
"So, you see, you can help me with something," Davis said and she could have sighed in relief at that. George did sigh, actually, and Meredith didn't look further behind. "I have duties to my pantheon, the Egyptians, if you didn't know." As if they could not know about that. They'd personally gathered as much information about him as they could. Not a small amount coming from Ravel Phenex herself in the time when Davis wasn't around. "Now, I can't do much by myself, however. That's why I called you all here. You're going to help me carry out my duties."
"... And how can we do that?" Dion risked asking, not seeing where he was going, exactly.
"You see, I have to spread the good word, as it were. Improve the Egyptian pantheon's reputation." Well, she guessed they could take jobs in his name. That'd indirectly work in the Egyptians' favor, right, so- "And that's why I'm going to use the fantastic power of delegation. You're all going to get your own blessings, you're all going to act on behalf of myself and the pantheon."
There was a pause and a stretched out silence after that.
'Did… did he say blessings? As in… Divine blessings?' she wondered, slowly turning to look at her fellow Stars to make sure she hadn't heard wrong. Pale faces and sweaty foreheads told her that no, she'd heard perfectly well.
"So, who wants to go first?" Joshua asked, as if he weren't putting another nail in their coffin.
[}-o-{]
[Joshua Davis]
Despite what some people might think, there was only so much that Joshua could remain ignorant about a topic. Which is why he knew why there was some dread in his apprentices as he moved towards them, towards Meredith who would be the first one. He knew they were dreading whatever perceived debt they were about to incur.
The truth of the matter was that they really were doing him a favor here, blessing or no blessing. He wasn't doing enough for the Egyptians as it was, and this would go a long way to making up for all the pantheon had done for him. No matter what they thought, he'd told Ravel in no uncertain terms that this wasn't going to add to whatever they owed him.
Ravel seemed certain that they wouldn't see it that way… and Joshua reluctantly agreed.
"Ready?" he asked, tilting his head as he looked at Meredith. She looked like she wanted to do anything but nod, but that's what she did in the end. Because she probably thought she didn't have a choice… and she didn't, but it was for her own good. No matter how they saw it, he really was taking away from their debt. Maybe one day they'd believe him when he said that.
That was a problem for the future, however.
As it was, Joshua just reached out, placing his hand on her forehead and letting one of the gods at the back of his mind move through him and to her. Like the lioness she was and the domains she governed, Sekhmet moved violently, destructively, in a way that was almost painful but not quite. Like it should be painful, but it ended up being only uncomfortable.
So, that was the first agent, Sekhmet's chosen. Very fitting, considering the goddess was supposed to be the protector of Pharaohs and Meredith was his only combatant apprentice. That and the fact that she'd be the one he called on if he needed some help combat-wise. Like with the vampire situation, for example.
"Next…" he said slowly as he stepped aside. Where she stood, Meredith seemed to look at herself, flexing her fingers as if feeling her body for the first time. It was an experience, having a god's power for the first time, so he wasn't too surprised. His own experiences had been kind of minor, until he started channeling, but since they were only getting the one god, that might make it more meaningful than his own blessings had been. Either way, he stepped in front of Aika. "Close your eyes," he warned in that one instance and the girl didn't hesitate at all.
Soon afterwards, Irer moved through him, much more gently than Sekhmet had before. Personification of sight that she was, the goddess was likely to help Aika with her magic a great deal. Selfishly, Joshua hoped that'd mean she'd make more progress in the stuff he needed, but if it didn't… Well, it wasn't like he was banking on that.
"Careful if you decide to open your eyes, Aika," he added absently before stepping aside once more. "Come on, don't be shy," he urged a moment later when George almost seemed to want to step away as Joshua turned towards him. "I promise they are nice," he reassured, as if that were the problem.
Imhotep was, admittedly, borderline gentle when he moved through Joshua, he noted to himself, a little amused. He remembered that particular name from a movie and… Well, that didn't matter. What mattered was that the healer god would pair incredibly well with George. Maybe that'd push him into a level that could be useful further down the line. He was hoping it would. Maybe Georg would have the key to better deal with soul recoveries…
"You're really making me feel self-conscious here, guys," he thought out loud, watching Karin, Dion and Levi stiffen. The first was the bravest, proving why Morag had taken a liking to her by stepping forward, shoulders squared. One would think she was going to war, honestly. "No need to look so tense," he commented with a raised eyebrow even as he reached with his hand.
Renenutet was an agricultural goddess, and that was only… tangentially related to Karin's Nature Magic, at best. The deity had been eager when offered the chance though, and Joshua thought that mattered more than compatibility, really. There were also not that many generally nature oriented gods in the pantheon, by the looks of it. Most of them tended to focus on one or two aspects of it rather than its entirety.
He wondered how that'd work out for both his Star and the goddess, however.
"And then there were two…" he mused idly, not missing a bit as he approached the last of his students. With no hesitation, feeling how the others were already coming down from the high of their blessings, he moved to bless the last two. He wanted to be there in case they had any questions or needed help with something.
The second to last was Dion, who was chosen by Hesat. He wasn't too sure what she was goddess of, truth be told, but there was something maternal to her, which made him think she might be a goddess of motherhood or some such. She always enjoyed when he spent time with his daughters, that was for sure.
Why she'd chosen Dion was a mystery, but he suspected it was because, in a way, Coven Magic could be considered a motherly magic. A magic that took weaker spells and made them stronger, nurtured them, raised them. It commanded its own way of respect and deference, but softly, caringly.
"... A deity chose me?" Levi asked when Joshua turned towards him at last, as if he were surprised that he did. Was he expecting to be left out? And Joshua thought he was oblivious. Hadn't he directly stated that he was part of the whole deal?
"Sure did." In a way, his was actually the most surprising and at the same time the most expected. It'd certainly be a shock to Levi himself though. Because if he thought no deity would choose him, then being picked by someone as notorious as Thoth would be quite something, surely. God of knowledge, writing, scribes and tuition though, Thoth couldn't have been more perfect for Levi if he tried. Although, it was the other way around, right?
"That's that," he announced, clapping his hands and stepping back a little. "Now… any questions?" he asked. He pretended not to hear Ravel stifling a giggle behind him while the Stars stared at him with wide eyes. "I'll take that as a yes," he commented idly, but that was to be expected.
[} Chapter End {]
Hey guys! How's it going?
Everyone will be indebted. Resistance is futile. Even you guys, shall one day be under Joshua's thrall.
And you will goddamn like it.
Anyway, in seriousness, this chapter was fun, because even I'm over here simultaneously amused and wanting to facepalm at Joshua's actions. And also, admittedly, feeling a little bad for the Stars. They just can't help but win, no matter how much they want to stop. Certainly a predicament of all time, huh?
That aside, well, a little more outside PoVs because they are always nice, right?
All that said, I hope you guys enjoyed the chapter.
As always, if you can't wait until next week for the next chapter, or if you just feel like supporting my writing, there's up to three new chapters in my Patreon (linked below).
Random Question: I dunno if I've asked this before, but do you have a favorite Star? I feel like I haven't given them much of a time to shine in a while, admittedly, and I do wonder if I'll get to write some of that for them soon. Alas, Joshua's journey has way too much shit sometimes…