Chapter Text
A dull breeze made someone’s long beautiful dark hair sway in the wind. The brisk wind caused that certain someone to wake up, golden eyes fluttering open as a result.
The girl sighed in annoyance, grabbing the hair type that was firm on her wrist and swiftly tying her hair up in a high ponytail. The hair tie was like a ribbon, two red strings dangling after finishing putting her hair up.
Shian.
“Ha… Maybe taking a nap on the balcony wasn’t the best idea.” The assassin sighed while mumbling, remembering it being late and wanting to get a good nap in.
Now it was early morning, the sun just barely starting to come up. Shian clicked her tongue, thinking about her plans for the day.
“What was I going to do today? Ah, right. I was going to sleep.” Shian, who wasn’t able to get much sleep most of the time, had a day after what seemed like ages and decided to spend it doing her favorite thing, sleeping.
Well, all those plans were thrown out of the window when one of the crazy bastards she has taken in to care for let herself into her room.
Whoosh.
A gentle wind blew in her room. Slowly, small, ash-like white stars appeared in the middle of her room.
The gently shining white stars were surrounding a person with very long white hair.
Their beautiful white eyes looked tired. They stared straight at Shian before slowly starting to walk towards the balcony door.
"I don't remember giving you permission to suddenly teleport into my room, Star."
Shian said with an annoyed voice.
Star ignored her comment and entered the balcony of Shian's room. Their beautiful long white hair was spreading on the ground.
They were wearing a vintage White dress with matching heels. Their pale skin was filled with crack-like scares.
"Let's go play, Shian."
Shian raised her eyebrows.
'...Are they using all of their batteries?'
Shian was a bit shocked. It was because Star was quite famous for always being tired and having three kinds of batteries to help regulate her actions and feelings.
An emotion battery, energy battery, and socializing battery.
She seemed to be using all three of them at once right now.
"Go play with the others. I am busy."
Star titled their head.
"You don't seem busy at all."
"I am very busy sleeping."
Star frowned.
'...No way!'
Shian's sleepiness vanished in less than a second.
Star suddenly seemed overwhelmed with emotions. Shian jumped to her feet and grabbed their hands.
"O-Okay! Let's go play!"
Star smiled a little. Shian couldn't even lament about getting separated from her slacker life after seeing that small smile.
After all, Star's smile was quite precious.
A small group outside the door frame of Shian’s room silently cheered in success. After all, who could say no to Star’s smile? The group quietly snickered, though soon running off after seeing Star lead Shian by the hand, going into the room.
“Change quickly.” Star simply said, leaving the room and shutting the door softly, seeing the chaotic group scurrying away down the long hall.
…She didn’t know why she even agreed to this, knowing Shian would rather not have to deal with this chaotic group for once and sleep the day, no, a year away.
Shian on the other hand sighed for the third time that day, not even thirty minutes into waking up and things weren’t going her way. When did they ever?
Her clothes at the moment are just a plain black shirt and sweatpants which were quite comfortable for sleeping.
‘What a pain. Who goes out at like. Wait, what time is it?’ Shian grumbled in annoyance and looked at the clock hanging on the wall, reading it. Shian was so close to just jumping on her fluffy bed and going into a coma after seeing the time.
It was currently four in the morning.
Four. In. The. Morning.
Who the hell wakes up at this time?
‘Of everyone, it had to be Star who wanted to go out.’ Shian would’ve thrown anyone else out of her balcony. Anyone but Star.
‘Hmm. Are we world-hopping today? If it’s Star, it most likely is.’ Shian took something that looked less than Modern clothing and walked out, seeing Star just looking blankly at an empty hall.
“What are you doing?” Shian said aloud, making Star look back at the well-dressed Shian.
“Huh? Oh, nothing. Let’s go.” Star says, once again grabbing Shian’s hand and walking down a different hall than the one the group ran off towards.
Shian followed, yawning a bit while being semi-dragged by the long-haired girl.
“Star? Shian?”
The Goddess of Time, Asteria, called out to the duo who turned their heads to look at her, both with blank expressions.
As all Gods were, she was drop-dead gorgeous. Black, wavy hair lying on her shoulders. Her blood-red eyes popped out nicely because of the Goddess’s black hair.
She seemed like she was preparing to go out, her piercings drooping and a red spider lily that seemed fresh in her ear.
“Asteria?” Shian raised an eyebrow. She was never really at this pocket dimension made for their group, always being so busy with who knows what.
Shian inwardly sighed at that thought. She didn’t even know how she became affiliated with so many people, no, Gods. She was a measly assassin living in a dimension with literal Gods.
‘Well... Star and Violet aren’t Gods.’ Shian stopped her eye from twitching, knowing that the one dragging her and the energetic yet respectful girl were still not all that normal themselves.
“Hmm. Where are you heading at this hour?”
"Everywhere and Nowhere" Star replied while Shian sweatdropped at the answer.
'Oh god,' she thought. 'I agreed to play, but just what the hell did I agree on doing exactly??'
At this point, the owner of those golden eyes felt like whining– regretting the fact that she had fallen for Star's scamming(?) smile and left her bed.
"Okay, so, Everywhere and nowhere, huh? Basically, you're bored."
A chuckle was heard, but it was not Asteria.
Instead, it was a lady in all white, whose grin could be seen behind the translucent veil.
Star did not reply much and just nodded.
After all, this plan is just basically doing things by the swing. No detailed planning. All that she was assigned to, was to invite the birthday gal and tag Asteria and Royal on the mission to distract her.
What to do after that wasn't really planned out neatly. The role is all that she remembered.
"Well, Star, you did say you wanted to play?" Shian inquired while at the same time reminding the white-haired of what she had taken her out of bed for.
"Play, eh~?" Asteria said while snickering. Honestly, that kind of freaked her out. After all, Shian has learned not to trust people who suddenly smirked like that.
'Ominous!' Shian’s brain seemed to shout at her to flee.
But how could she?
She had agreed to play with Star and gosh she'll feel like trash if she suddenly tuck her tail and run.
"Well, not exactly playing. But if you're bored, we're actually about to check on some worlds."
Royal shrugged casually.
"You know, The usual. In case we need to jump in to stop a riot or something"
"Stop a riot?" Star arched a brow.
"I think us causing the said riot would be more accurate, Unnie."
Asteria comically sweatdropped while Royal just smiled without wasting another world.
'Ominous!!' Again, Shian really didn't want to be here. Especially around these goddesses and beings alike that are obviously up to no good!!
Yet, to her dismay–
"Sounds great."
—Star agreed to it.
'For goodness' sake…'
Shian wanted to sigh. She was just an assassin, trying to have a day off and enjoying her 10-hour nap. So why…
No. How.
'How did I end up joining this crazy bunch!?'
After all, without much to say, she has missed her chance of saying 'no' and now the next thing that she knew was the fact that here she is, standing next to these three magical beings, just watching how the inhabitants of this world they just hopped in behave.
'Well, I guess, at least I won't be in any danger with them around… Right?'
One last time, her mind screamed 'ominous!' to her, though in the end– here she is, accepting the fact that she likely won't be spending her day off sleeping as she has planned for long…
'Ah seriously… Just why did all of this start?'
•••
Why did all of this start?
It all began with an innocent question.
"Isn't Shian-unnie's birthday soon?"
The girl with grayish hair and light green eyes, who was wearing a very beautiful white royal knight uniform, said.
"Ah!"
The other three in the room gasped.
"Alaia-unnie is right!"
A black-haired girl with violet eyes said. Her fox ears on top of her head shook and her beautiful and fluffy nine tails swayed in the air.
"Oh my, it seems like we need to continue our discussion later, Alis-chan."
A lady with beautiful bluish white hair and eyes said with excitement.
The last person, a young maiden with long pastel purple hair and golden eyes, barely stopped herself from flinching.
'...Vicious. Ma'am is vicious.'
It was because she had heard what Alis and the other person, Yuna Reinhart, were discussing.
'...She was teaching Alis some new torture methods.'
Violet forcefully pushed the image of their discussion to the back of her head and opened her mouth,
"But, does Shian-unnie even remember it?"
The room became silent. Alaia was the one who broke the silence.
"Isn't it better this way? We can surprise her."
"Oh!"
"You're right!"
"As expected of Alaia-nim!"
All three of them were impressed with Alaia once again.
"So, should we call others too?"
Alis asked.
Nod.
The moment she received the other three's nods, she turned on her smartphone and sent a message to everyone.
•••
Ding~
Tati raised her head from her book and tiredly gazed at her phone.
She was in the middle of her test when she suddenly received some messages from Alaia and Alis.
'...I can't check it right now, let's just click on it.'
She clicked on the message and joined the group chat that Alaia had sent to her in her message.
'Ah, why the hell should I study and work this much? it's all that old man's fault…'
She barely stopped herself from cursing the person responsible for her workload and continued her test.
She didn't know, but all of the people in that dimension received a similar message.
The contents of the messages were simple.
[Good day~!
I was just wondering if you want to join Shian-unnie's birthday group chat~
We'll surprise her!
-Alis.]
And
[Join ussssssss~
-Alaia.]
•••
A few hours later, the whole dimension that was mostly resident of Gods, was called to an emergency meeting.
The agenda was simple but complicated.
"So, how do we surprise Shian-unnie?"
Alis asked.
Everyone looked at each other.
"...She is probably planning to sleep for the next few days."
"How about we send her on a tour in some dimensions while we're preparing her birthday party?"
Yuna said suddenly and everyone looked at her.
"Oh, and some of us can go to buy gifts for her from other dimensions!"
Alis agreed and added her comment.
"That's a good idea."
Asteria nodded too. All of the others seemed to agree with the idea too.
"Oh, then let's separate into three groups and prepare her birthday party!"
Violet said excitedly, before continuing with shining eyes.
"Some of us will go to distract her while a group will depart to buy gifts. Others will prepare the party here! How is it?"
"Oh! That's good."
"Agreed."
"You're a genius, Violet-chan!"
The hall was filled with sounds of agreement.
"So, which dimensions would be best to go in?"
"Hmm, not sure… what do you think, Tati-unnie?"
The girl raised her head from her book and tilted her head. Her black hair with the strands of pastel purple softly swayed.
Her pastel pink eyes stared at the people who were staring back at her for a few seconds straight before she started speaking,
"...I will make a list of dimensions for each group."
"...Are you sure, unnie? You don't have to if you're too busy…"
Tati turned to Alis and sighed.
"It's okay. Courtesy of someone, I am always busy. But I can do that much."
All of them felt a little pity for her, but as the God of Knowledge, she was their best option.
"... It's okay unnie. You will be able to rest soon."
Tati nodded nonchalantly.
"Yeah. I will hunt that old man down and retire soon."
They felt even more pity. It was because the 'old man' that she was talking about, was her father, the previous God of Knowledge.
The same person who had run away after dumping her work on her.
He didn't even teach her anything about his responsibilities before running away with her mother to enjoy their honey century.
"But… who will distract Shian-unnie?"
Alaia asked.
"Um, I guess Star-unnie is the most suitable person to do this."
Violet answered her immediately.
"Oh."
"Ah, right."
"So true."
Everyone nodded. It was because just like all of them, Shian couldn't resist Star at all.
"What do you think, Star-unnie?"
"Mm. I'll do it."
Star nodded slowly.
"I'll help you too, Star."
Asteria said.
"I shall join in helping too."
Royal started speaking calmly after Asteria's words.
"Then, who shall be the ones that will buy the gifts?"
Alis asked everyone in the hall as soon as the distraction squad was made.
"I volunteer..."
A soft voice was heard through the room, it was Axar.
A dark elf, with black eyes and dark blue hair. He was the adopted son of Violet and was residing in another dimension.
He was currently on a video call because he was unable to attend the meeting in person due to his job. He was overworking himself as usual and perhaps, he needed a vacation too.
"Oh! Then I shall too!"
"If Alis unnie is going, then me too."
Since Alis decided to join, Via will go along with her sister. They're not separating after all.
"Ah, I'm sure you'll do great, my dear."
Star smiles at her daughters’ cheerfulness and hopes they have fun when they go back to their world.
Both Alis and Via only smiled innocently at their mom, knowing damn well they'll cause chaos but away from their weak mom, of course.
"Well if Axar is going, I'm going too!"
Belle happily applied to the gift squad as Axar only looked at her tiredly and nodded.
"Ah ah, there's no way you guys are going through different worlds without me~. Can't leave me out of the fun isn't that right~?"
Yuna snickers as others shivered at her words.
'Ugh, vicious...'
Almost everyone thought.
"Don't cause too much trouble to others, especially to my daughters, Black Sheep."
Star pouted and gave a displeased look to Yuna as the girl only whistled and agreed anyway.
"Hey hey! Don't forget about me too, I want to go too, you know!"
Violet said loudly as she announced that she'll volunteer to be on the gift squad too.
That meant there were six people in the gift squad now.
"Ah, my peaceful trip…I should've expected this…"
Axar could only mumble tiredly as he lamented about his peaceful trip. It seemed that even when he’s away from his job-
Chaos always finds him.
"It is decided then, as for the rest you can decide who will be handling the party while others can be guests."
Royal stated as she eyed one of her family members, Shirohana.
Glacious eyes then met the brown eyes of The Lady smiled as she gave the pink-haired girl a look who in turn nodded in understanding.
Shirohana nodded at Royal's glance, knowing that The Lady trusted her to moderate the others’ activities at the party so that there'll be no accidents.
"I'll handle the list for the party and moderate everyone in the party too."
Shirohana said as she pulled out a notebook that'll handle the party activities.
"I'll do the baking."
Len said as he looked at everyone and started to think what kind of cake he should make.
"Oh! Oh! Then I'll decorate!"
Ava excitedly said, seeing this Li decided to join in helping Ava with the decorations as both of them high fived each other.
"Well since Len took the baker's role, I'll cook the dishes and snacks."
Beckhy said with a smile while clapping her hands together in a happy manner.
With this, the roles have been taken for the party squad.
Alaia and Kyuu looked at each other.
"Both of us will help in everything in the party squad."
Alaia said to everyone as they instantly agreed, the more people to help with everything the easier it'll be.
"Then, let's officially start the operation of Shian-unnie's birthday party!"
Alaia announced.
•••
"Why? Just why do I have to work this much?"
An annoyed voice filled the office, which looked more like a big library.
"Why the hell am I doing the same shit as Alberu? I am not him… I just want to rest like Cale… Ah, he didn't get to rest either…"
The voice continued to complain, when suddenly with a gentle wind and small white stars, Star appeared in the office.
"Tati, did you complete the lists?"
Tati, who was typing rapidly on her keyboard, answered Star without taking her eyes off the screen. She was too busy with her work, again.
"They're on the table Star-unnie. Please check it out before giving it to others too, I didn't have the time to check them."
Star nodded.
"Okay."
She then headed out to deliver the lists.
'Mm. I'm too tired to check them again. Well, it's unlikely she would make a mistake anyway.'
Star thought that there was no need to check something that Tati must have checked a few times already.
She leisurely walked towards the others to hand them the list.
There was something that Star wasn't aware of, though.
Tati was dead serious when she said she hadn't had time to check them.