It was about 0615 the next morning—fifteen minutes before Greed's internal clock. Belle had woken up first for once, stretching her slender arms up and over her head, completely nude as the covers fell off her perky chest.
She admired the sunlight that was entering these gothic quarters. Though the curtains were black, they were sheer enough to light up the room with the day's morning rays. She smiled, canted her head up, and closed her eyes again for but a moment, taking in a deep breath and letting it loose. "What a beautiful morning."
It was then that she heard another girl stretch and yawn. Right next to Belle was Greed, still asleep, and on the other side of him… She had barely noticed until now.
"Ugh, I hate my internal clock… What a pain."
Belle blinked twice, staring at the girl. Her hair was black and short that ombre'd to green at the ends, with bangs that rested over her eyes. When they opened, they glowed a captivating emerald green. She had many piercings, from her earlobes all the way around her helixes, to her snakebites on her lower lip and under her chin. Her skin was a perfect, reflective off-white, casually wearing nothing but an oversized white shirt; the silhouette of her slender body was shadowed through by the morning light.
"Oh, hello… You're Jo, right?" Belle asked shyly. "What exactly are you doing here with… us?"
Jo craned her head slowly toward Belle with one eye open, baring her jagged teeth—a common physical trait among most Black Wolf members.
"Hmm… You didn't call me by my full name. I like you already, princess," Jo said with a nonchalant tone.
"I don't remember you being here before… Um…"
"Before you guys fucked? No, I wasn't here for that, luckily."
Belle blushed and squealed as she straightened her slender arms and waved them at Jo. "Y-Y-Y-You don't have to say it like that! Mmm…"
Jo raised a lazy brow to her, licking her snakebite piercings as she said, "You don't gotta be so prude, princess, it's not exactly a secret…"
"I-I-It's not that! I—you—"
Jo breathed in and out so slowly. "Here…" she said as a thick green tail whipped out from under the sheets and began digging into the pile of clothes next to her on the floor.
After a few seconds, she pulled out a badge with a portrait of her that looked unironically the same as the seemingly permanent R.B.F. she currently expressed. The badge emitted on a digital screen that had seen better days. It displayed stats and her rank within the Black Wolves and the Valley Kingdom.
Belle observed the badge, still confused about why Jo was showing this to her… "Wow, you're not only the Black Wolves Ace 1, but you also work directly under—"
"Not that, princess… look at the bottom section…" Jo interjected, pointing a green nail below the screen.
As Belle followed and continued to investigate it, she said, "Um… age eighteen? Sorry, I'm afraid I don't understand…"
Jo sighed. "Trynna' tell you I'm old enough to cuss, princess…"
"Oh… okay…"
"I'm also old enough to have se—"
Belle squealed again, interrupting Jo before she finished her sentence. "D-D-D-Did you!— After we!?—"
Jo face-palmed. "No. What the hell? Why would I?— I'm just saying!"
"But what does that have to do with anything!? Why would you bring that up all of a sudden!?"
Jo didn't reply to that. She changed the topic instead. "Anyway, I just came in after you two were done and made myself comfortable. It's my night after all… Not sure if you knew that or not… but don't worry, I'm not mad."
"Your night? What do you—?"
Belle remembered that Ophelia and Star used to come in and out of these quarters on different days, but that was before she and Greed started dating… She began to wonder if this was what Jo had meant.
"Oh, right, you're new here, so you might not know… You might be from another Guild, but we usually take turns sleeping with GG… I mean Greed… Depending on the day. Don't ask me why, it's just a thing."
"You all?"
"Yeah… For different reasons than others," she implied. "And if you were away or haven't seen him for a day or more, you get dibs that same night if you two were finally at the Den at the same time… so… tonight was my night. As I said, I'm not mad or anything, but just something you should know—"
"We're dating," Belle said abruptly, letting out a sigh; she was getting slightly uncomfortable hearing the whole thing… But she understood. With Greed having lost his memories of her at the time, it only made sense he would have intimate relations with other women… still…
Jo's expressionless face took a full one-eighty then; it was as if she were having a hard time processing what Belle had just said. "Dating?" she uttered, repeating it to herself. It was odd for her to hear. GG doesn't date...
"GG's dating someone? Like, actually dating? Huh…" she thought out loud. "So that explains this then. Thought you were just a fling from another Guild that fell under his charms…"
Fling… Belle thought, from another Guild… had he done this before outside of the Black Wolves?
"Didn't think he'd be able to pull the princess of the Valley." Jo sighed again, this time a sigh of approval. "Guess that changes things. I suppose I'll leave then."
Feeling bad, Belle held her hand out to her and said, "N-No, I didn't mean to kick you out. You obviously didn't know, you've been gone for about four months… If you two were close, I wouldn't want to take that away from you, but…"
She struggled to put her words together. This was definitely an awkward situation.
"It's okay, princess. I get it. I'm the one intruding here. I'll take my leave. I'm awake now anyway… Might as well make use of all this Keeperforsaken energy…" she said as she continued speaking like she was without any energy at all.
Jo got up from the other side of the bed and started walking around a few steps, her thick, green dragon tail following effortlessly behind, picking up the clothes she had left on the ground all the while. But she was stopped by Belle again, asking a question—more out of curiosity than anything else. "You two never… um… You know?"
"What? Fucked? You can say it, princess, I'm an adult now as I just showed you…" Jo replied, and Belle blushed with light surprise.
"I just turned eighteen four months ago…" Jo stood still past the edge of the bed; her dragon tail rested behind her bare legs, barefoot with her toenails painted that same green of her fingernails, ombre, and eyes. "But answers no. I see him as a big brother, of sorts. I just sleep better when I sleep next to him. It's better than sleeping alone sometimes. So, he lets me now and then. It's like a comfort thing—not like those other two bimbos. I just want to feel… safe, is all."
Belle let out a sigh of relief. She thought it was sweet. Oftentimes, she did the same with Alice before she joined the Black Wolves.
"I was too young for him at the time anyway, so rest assured, princess, we've never done anything…" Jo continued to walk to the door, and Belle watched her the whole way before she grabbed the doorknob and ended with, "But I'm eighteen now… There was a part of me that was hoping to get lucky today…"
"What?" Belle blurted.
And Jo giggled, probably with the most expression most had ever seen from her.
She replied, "Just kidding, princess. You really are a prude, hehe…" Jo remained in place, trailing her lazy eyes below Belle. She stared so long that it took Belle a moment to realize.
"Anyway, you're quite confident not covering yourself in front of me," Jo went on. "I just barely turned eighteen… my virgin eyes!" Teasing as she playfully raised dainty hands to her face, peaking with one eye from behind the windows of her fingers, waiting for Belle's reaction.
Belle squealed, blushing as she grabbed the covers to hide her breasts, at last realizing they were exposed this whole time.
Jo giggled mischievously. "You're so cute, Miss Belle. I see why he fell for you. Take care of my big bro, would ya? He acts tough, but he's actually a big baby sometimes. He doesn't just console me when I need it. It goes both ways. Deep down, he's just like everyone else. We're all imperfect beings just trying to get through this miserable life… Sorry, didn't mean to ramble…"
"No. Thank you, Jo."
"For what?"
"Watching over him when you could. From the moment you met him."
She gave Jo a gentle smile that sent goosebumps rippling through her body. Jo was fairly good at hiding her feelings behind her expressionless face, but right then, she couldn't help but feel the praise she had gotten coursing through her. Just like that day when she and Greed had first met…
Her tail flopped on the floor, and she grabbed it and left the room immediately.
As the door swung, she looked back the last second before it closed and gave Belle her best attempt at a smile back.
The time now was 0628. Greed had finally begun to wake—unaware of the conversation the two girls had just had.
***
Today was one of the rarer days that all—except for two—of the Black Wolves were present. The time was about 0647; the boys were about to go for a jog, and they had a special guest joining them today.
"Think you boys can keep up with me?" Belle said confidently as she stretched. She wore one of Greed's oversized white shirts, tied in a bun to her side, exposing her toned stomach, short pink gym shorts just barely over her butt, white crumpled long socks, and running sneakers. Her platinum-white hair was tied in a ponytail, finished with a baby-blue cap.
"It's not a race, princess… but you know what, I'm happy to see you with us—and that outfit is… cute," Greed flirted.
"Hey, I go running all the time, most mornings with Toto, I actually really enjoy it. It's also a fantastic way to get some good cardio in!"
"Spoken like a true athlete who doesn't run," he teased.
"Are you doubting me?? Fine. Last one back has to do an extra hundred pushups before breakfast!" she said, dashing off at a speed hardly worth calling 'fast.'
"I just said it's not a race…" Greed muttered to himself, enjoying the view of her trotting away.
"Shall I let her win, Captain?" Brand asked.
"Nah. Don't go easy on her. She's the second most powerful mage in the Valley… Though she doesn't act like it. Don't take her lightly," he replied. "Just… when you're almost back… pretend you stubbed your foot or something and let her pass."
"Stub my foot. Ten-four! I shall make it the most dramatic, convincing, authentic, genuine improvisation she has ever seen! I won't let you down, Captain!"
"All right, it's not that serious."
Yuna followed behind, leaving the girls at the Den.
Jo headed to the home gym, wearing a gray super-cropped sweater that revealed a black sports bra underneath. She also had on black sheer tights, white crumpled long socks, and sneakers.
She met with Ophelia and Star, ready to train legs.
"Well… This energy isn't gonna burn itself…" she sighed. "Seriously, this is such a drag…"
"Hey, Annie! Let's have a good early workout today!" Ophelia called, using a nickname that was acceptable to her.
She was wearing a blue sports bra, blue bicycle shorts, and running shoes. Next to her was Star, who was the least energetic of the three. She never usually woke up this early or ever had the need to work out. She wore a loose white off-the-shoulder cropped shirt with a pink sports bra underneath, pink gym shorts, and black-and-white high-top sneakers.
"We're not gonna run, are we? I don't wanna run…" Star said miserably.
"No, silly… but we are starting on the stair-master today!"
"UGH!!" Star groaned.
Jo sighed with furrowed brows and hands on her waist.
"Wish Miss Princess could join us, but she wanted to go on a jog with the boys. Probably wanted to run alongside her lover… They're so cute together! Huuu… Makes me kinda jealous," Ophelia whined.
"You're telling me… I lost my bed privileges with GG this morning…" she sighed again. "I shouldn't have slept so much while on the road."
Ophelia gasped, "Poor Annie! It's okay, there's plenty of fishies… swimming… all over… the… um, what's the saying again? Anyhoo, you get it right?" She gave Jo an unwanted hug.
"You're so smothering… Whatever, GG said he's getting me something later today when we go to the Valley…"
"Hm? What are you two going to the city for? Can't be a date… You know he and Belle are together, right?"
"It's not a date!" Jo snapped. "Don't you know? Geez, you're such an airhead, Ophy. I'm reporting to the Arcane King; he's back in the Kingdom as of today. As for GG…"
It was then that a small, light blue figure poofed in from the ethers over Jo's shoulder. It was about the size of a toddler, with short, stubby arms and legs and small wings resembling those of a baby dragon. Its head was bigger than its body and was the shape of a dragon's skull; its body looked as if it were made entirely of ice.
"Well, gooood morning, ladies!" it said with a high-pitched, ethereal voice.
"Yeah, no thanks," Jo replied, poofing it away the second it came to be with a closed hand.
A few seconds passed, and it poofed back, this time in front of her, flapping its small wings. "M-M-Miss Jo! How dare you! That was extremely rude!"
"I don't care, Nyx… Keeper, this is why I suppress your presence so often… You're probably the reason I'm so tired all the time—minus the fact that you draw so much of my mana—you're extremely annoying."
"You can't just keep me prisoner in your aura! I-I'm one of the Seven Spirit Gods—" Poof!
"That should keep him suppressed until at least after the workout."
Ophelia then grabbed her by the shoulders, and Star grappled her in a headlock from behind.
"Why would you do such a thing to that cutie, Annie?" Ophelia wailed.
"Bring back Nyxie now or I will snap your head, Jojo!" Star fumed.
Jo's face was that of unamusement all the while. "No," she replied flatly.
A fourth entered the home gym at that time. She was wearing an oversized white mesh sweater, airy and sheer enough to see her bright green sports bra beneath, matching bright green gym leggings—exposing her ankles, and wearing low-top sneakers. Her blonde hair was in her traditional pigtails, just as she always wore them.
"There she is! Oooo, lookin' cute, missy! Glad you could join us! You feeling better, hun?" Ophelia spoke caressingly.
Alice nodded, blushing a bit as she did when she responded, "I'm fine… Just needed some rest, is all."
"Rest too much, and you'll end up like Miss Grumpy Pants, or even Miss Lazy Shits over here…" Ophelia gestured a thumb to both Jo and Star. To which Star blew a raspberry in response.
"Now… Back to what you did to poor Nyxie!"
"Um… Nyxaroth… I mean, Nyx, he's in my domain, so you don't have to feel too bad about him."
In another dimension, Nyx floated in the Pink Room full of cheese puffs. Big and small, the puffs kept appearing one after another in front of him through pops of pink clouds and stars.
"This place…" The reflection of his hollow eyes revealed the glorious dessert snack appearing in the multitudes right before him. "IS AMAZING! WOOO!"
"Anyway…" Alice said shyly, back in the home gym. "I—I've never really worked out before, so… I'm looking forward to it."
"Great! Let's get started then!" Ophelia replied eagerly, posing with a leg up and double peace signs, then led each one to their own stair-master. The home gym was spacious and let in a lot of light, with windows that ran from floor to ceiling.
After their morning routines, they had a hearty breakfast cooked by Code, enjoying—or rather dealing—with each other's company for the next two hours.
It was at this time that Greed and Jo got ready to head to the Valley Kingdom.
***
Greed stood in front of the open entrance of the Wolves' Den with Jo next to him, both in Black Wolves attire. And Belle stood on the 'inside', thought without a wall, one could hardly consider it that.
"I got word from Daz. He said after his meetings today, he will send mages here later today to fix the Wolves' Den front entrance and double doors. You should thank him in advance, okay, my Greed?" she said, almost motherly.
"I understand," he replied nonchalantly as Jo stood there pigeon-toed with a blue popsicle in her mouth next to him. "So after all that begging, he's not making a personal stop? He's making other mages do a subpar job at what Sirus could do?"
"You know for someone who acts like they don't care half the time, you sure are picky with the way you want a favor done."
He closed his eyes and sighed. "We'll be back before dinner, 'kay, babe?"
Jo perked when she heard the end of that sentence. She thought to herself, confirming Belle's earlier words, We're dating…
"Babe…" she said under her breath, glancing sidelong at him.
"What, Jojo? You need something?" Greed asked.
"Stare…" she outwardly said. Staring at his mouth…
"You listening?" He pressed, but still no response.
It was then that she took the blue popsicle, saliva pulling from the tip of her lips, and shoved it in his mouth.
"Wharr thuu!" he expressed pathetically.
Belle's eyes widened, quietly squealing to herself while failing to keep a straight face, EEEK! J-J-J-Jo! What are y-you!?
Jo's eyes shifted to her, watching with a lazy, devious look, and smirked as Greed choked between them.
"Sorry. My hand slipped…" She teased.
What is this? Is she… asserting dominance? To me? Belle thought, shuddering from the suddenness.
"Jojo! What the fuck!?" Greed shouted, pulling the popsicle out of his mouth at last.
"Isn't the flavor good?"
"What?"
"The flavor. It's Misty Blueberry from the Mist Flower Fields. I picked them and mixed them into popsicles. I thought you've always wanted to try this flavor?"
"Is it really?" He ended up saying as the flavor finally settled on his tongue. "Wow… It is pretty good… Can you make me another?"
"Of course. Anything for my GG… Here… Just keep this one. I'll make another for myself." Jo glanced over to Belle for her reaction, those stale, haunting green eyes stabbing into hers. "And if you finish yours on the way, we can share this one too…"
She is… She absolutely is! Belle's mind shrieked.
It was at that moment that she harnessed her composure, expression becoming unwavering and solemn. She darted over to where he was without a second thought—quiet and swift like a gentle whisp. Time seemed to slow, only then; neither Jo nor Greed had registered her nearness quick enough. And if the sunlight beaming down on them was a spotlight, it was unapologetically hers for the taking.
Smooch! The sound of Belle's kiss on Greed's lips smacked like it was the only sound, pushing out everything else to the side, claiming to be heard by all who witnessed… in this case, Jo.
Her jaw dropped, gaping as she took in the sight of Greed and Belle locking lips. The reflection of them appeared in her eyes, in contrast to what she had done prior.
That wasn't how this was supposed to go down, she thought as she unintentionally found herself admiring Belle.
So pretty… An accidental thought, forcibly pulled out from the depths of her mind. She had almost uttered the words as she mouthed them.
Belle freed her lips from his at last, saliva lingering from her release—connecting them.
"Let's go already! You lovebirds are making me queez…" Jo remarked, pulling Greed's arm, intentionally separating him from Belle.
She led the trot as she dragged him behind, grumbling to herself all the while.
She craned her head back to Belle, finding her standing there playfully with a hand over her mouth, slyly concealing her true intentions from Greed but not to her.
"Make sure you come back before dinner… I'll have dessert ready in your quarters after…" Belle called, wanting Jo to hear every word.
She did not just imply—
"You know what that means," Belle added, like she could read her thoughts.
Jo ground her teeth. Her eyes, where she once displayed those lazy emerald greens, turned into a pale white out of smitten rage, accompanied by a tightened forehead.
"The hell, Jojo," Greed barked.
She stomped out with her arm still locked around his, huffing to herself and then to him like he had some fault in all of this.
With a hand still daintily over her mouth, Belle said to herself as she saw them out, "Hmm, that was a good flavor…"
***
Greed:
Jo and I took the detour route once we were within Kingdom walls. We checked out vendors and shops along the way; she even tried on some clothes at apparel shops, and I was forced to give my opinions.
She valued my opinion with her sense of style for some reason—I hardly thought it was worth anything. If she had really wanted style advice, she'd have asked Ophelia or Star, but mine was the one she wanted…
We were early anyway, so I guess this was one way to pass the time.
Jo was surprisingly awake and full of energy despite her usual tired, aloof attitude. Much like Havoc, Jo possessed two sides to her personality. She was either extremely tired and sleepy, or possessed with energy that had to be burned no matter the cost. It was the opposite of Havoc's: he was sleepy and sarcastic from morning to noon, then hyper and brazen from afternoon to night; and Jo was hyper-focused in the morning and exhausted from noon until night. I went on a mission with both of them once, and they basically switched personalities throughout the day.
Jo was an anomaly that was naturally born with more mana and magic as an infant than even a Captain from another Guild; dare I say, she potentially even matched Belle's level in magical prowess. Before Alice came into the picture, she was the youngest—the prodigy of the Black Wolves.
Aside from the time Asura had me recruit her at a town in the Sky jurisdiction because of what she had done there, her origins were basically unknown. Since then, she has become a nice addition to our misfit crew. And in terms of outcast, she was of an endangered breed called Dragonkin. I didn't know too much about that either.
When word got around to the Arcane King about her strength, he made her one of his select mages. Now she goes on high-ranking solo missions on behalf of the Kingdom, which she gets paid handsomely for. If anything, the reason we weren't completely dead broke as a Guild was because of her.
We were here today to report back on one of those missions. And for some reason, the Arcane King had requested to see me as well…
"GG, you're spacing out again. You need some sugar?" Jo asked, holding out her blue popsicle to me as we finally proceeded to the main destination.
"No, I'm fine. Just chillin'. Don't mind me, okay?" I replied, releasing my view of the Valley's sky.
"I can tell when you're 'just chillin' and when something is really buggin' you. I've studied your attitude quite thoroughly, you should know…"
I craned my head slightly to her and raised a brow.
"For example, when you're 'just chillin', the direction of your face is forward, you have this expressionless, nonchalant look on your face, your hands are in your pockets with your thumbs hanging out of them, and you have a certain swagger when you walk that says 'fuck off, or get fucked'—to which I just leave you alone,"—she blushed and looked away with the tip of her popsicle on her lips, making a puffed expression with her cheeks—"and when you have something on your mind, which is clearly buggin' you, you look up at the sky and forget your surroundings, your hands are in your pockets all the way, and your demeanor says 'I don't care, and you can't make me.'" She composed herself, pushing the popsicle into her mouth; her voice was muffled as she finished, "That's my assessment of you at least."
I smirked, put a hand to her head, and patted gently. She made a small noise—like a peep—and blushed even more than she had already. "You're very observant. That's my Jojo."
She swatted my hand away and snapped, "D-D-Don't you get friendly with me now, y-you fuckin' nerd! You have a girlfriend now, don't you?"
"Belle? Yeah, what about it?"
She became flustered, misinterpreting what I had said. "Stupid… So, that's the game you're gonna play? Am I just… a side-thing?"
"What?"
"It's nothing, forget about it," she ended abruptly.
"All I did was pat your head… And speaking of side… I'm just grateful to have you by my side. That's all." A pleasant smile followed my words—one only for her.
"S-S-Stop doing that!"
"Doing what? I'm just your awkward big bro." I tilted my head and looked at her with soft eyes. I had no idea the effect it had on her… She whipped her head back dramatically, utterly rattled at the gesture.
"GG, please don't look at me like that ever again…" she said with a turned head away from me—red as could be.
"Geez, now I'm confused. Here I am just being nice for once, and you throw it away like it's nothing. Is this what my kindness has amounted to?"
"Your kindness!?"
"All I've ever been was cool to you, and now you're rejecting me—just like everyone else…"
"Are you gaslighting me!?"
We went on like this the whole way. And then we arrived to the Arcane King's castle at last.
Huge white-and-gold doors opened for us with escort mages ready to lead us to him upon entry. The grand hallway was crisp with that same black and gold intricate floor design—like thunderclouds—leading to the room where we had the Kingdom's Guild meeting.
The room next to it was where we fought Syemore. I was expecting construction from all the damage, but it was pristine as if that battle never happened; the walls and ceilings looked like they were never destroyed. Ever since the Arcane King had come back, things were looking a bit too 'back to normal' here.
We strolled past the grand hallway, deeper into the castle where I had never been, and were guided to large, matte-black double doors. It was in contrast to the white and gold of the rest of the castle—more closely matching the black and gold of the floors.
As we arrived, the escort mages stood to the sides, and the doors opened on their own. The room was dimly lit, only by large candles evenly spaced on either sides of us. It trailed all the way to the far end, which was a large gold-and-black table with a black chair behind it, faced away from us.
Though I stood there awkwardly, Jo was unfazed. This wasn't her first time coming here after all.
When the matte black doors completed their sway, a voice called, "Well…? You two coming in or do you need escorts to walk you inside as well?"
It was male. Young in sound, but with a hint of wisdom that said 'I've seen it all' even without him having to say it. He sounded Asura's age, but the years were good to him, and it carried an easy weight that wasn't overbearing.
He spun around in his large black chair and gazed at us with hazy grays—eyes experienced with years of merit.
I had almost forgotten that, just the other day, Ryo told me this meeting would happen—but still… I couldn't shake this odd feeling…
Even though he carried an easy smile, I couldn't read him.
"Good to see you back JoAnne, First Ace of the Black Wolves," he said to her, then shifted his eyes to me. "And you there, Asura's stand in, Acting Captain Greed—I've heard a lot about you in the most recent days." His gaze was fixated, unwavering like he was trying to tell me something more… It almost felt like a warning as he finished,
"It's a pleasure to formally meet you, at long last."