"Kid, seriously I'd love to entertain you but joining a familia at your age isn't exactly good, tell you what, wait until you're sixteen, come back and I'll personally recommend you to Lord Ganesha."
"No thanks, I'd like to join now." I tried to make my voice sound as mature as possible, which was pretty difficult considering my current body belonged to an eight-year-old. Still, having the mind of an adult stuck in a kid's body was proving to be both a blessing and a curse.
The man sighed, bringing his hand to his temple. I could practically see the veins popping on his forehead. "How old even are you?"
"I'm eight."
No point in lying about that.
"Hah. Just go back to your parents kiddo, I don't know if this is a tantrum of yours or something." He was starting to look genuinely annoyed now, probably thinking I was just some brat wasting his time.
"No parents and no tantrum, I just want to enter Babel." I kept my voice steady, maintaining eye contact despite having to crane my neck up to look at him.
The clerk's expression softened slightly. "And why would you want to go into Babel?"
That was actually a good question after all, with Great Sage I could probably earn tons of money through other ways, no need to endanger myself. Hell, I could probably make a fortune just by having Great Sage analyze market trends or something.
[Confirmed. I could predict market fluctuations with 98.7% accuracy.]
'Not helping, Great Sage.'
"I just think it's interesting." I gave him my best innocent child smile, though judging by his expression, it wasn't very convincing.
"Hah, kid seriously." He was about to say something else when suddenly-
"HELLO GANESHA IS BACK!!"
The booming voice echoed through the building like a thunderclap, causing everyone - including me and the increasingly exasperated clerk - to turn towards its source. I had to admit, even knowing what to expect, the sight was still impressive.
A muscular man wearing a red and yellow elephant mask stood at the entrance, striking a pose that would make the Ginyu Force proud. His outfit was exactly as flamboyant as I remembered from the anime, maybe even more so in person. The orange sash draped over his right shoulder, and the gold-rimmed leather plate on his stomach somehow managed to look both gaudy and dignified at the same time.
His white pants were probably the most normal part of his outfit, though even those were tucked into dark brown boots with gold accents. The amount of gold jewelry he wore would make Mr. T jealous - a thick necklace, arm bands, and gold-rimmed gauntlets that caught the light with every movement. His long, shaggy ash-brown hair completed the look of someone who had never heard the phrase "less is more."
This was Ganesha, God of the Masses, and he was currently doing what appeared to be interpretive dance.
[Master, based on my analysis of your memories, this pose appears to be 87% similar to Recoome's signature pose from Dragon Ball Z, with some unique flourishes.]
'Thanks for the completely unnecessary analysis, Great Sage.'
"Now, now I know you're all entranced by the great Ganesha but just keep doing what you were doing." His voice carried that particular tone of someone who absolutely wanted people to keep staring while pretending he didn't.
Slowly, people turned around and went back to their previous activities, though I noticed quite a few hiding smiles behind their hands. I, however, kept my eyes fixed on Ganesha. This was my chance.
"So kid, seriously, come back when you're older..."
The clerk was still talking, but I had already tuned him out.
I began walking away from the counter, hearing his sigh of relief. Poor guy probably thought he'd finally gotten rid of me. Instead, I picked up speed and made a beeline straight for Ganesha, grabbing onto his white pants.
I felt Ganesha's gaze shift downward. Even through the elephant mask, I could make out his kind eyes. There was something about them that reminded me of a friendly uncle at a family gathering.
"Ho, kid what are you doing here?" His voice was gentler now, lacking the theatrical boom from earlier.
"I want to join your familia." Straight to the point - no need to beat around the bush.
Then I heard the clerk's voice again, slightly panicked this time. "Sorry Lord Ganesha, I was already telling him that we wouldn't allow such a young member."
Ganesha raised his hand, and the clerk immediately fell silent. I couldn't help but feel a little satisfaction at that.
"Why do you want to join my Familia." It wasn't really a question, more like a statement of curiosity.
"I want to enter Babel, seems interesting."
I kept my answer simple and true, though I could see Ganesha wasn't entirely satisfied with it.
"No that's your reason for wanting to be an adventurer, what I'm asking is why you chose this familia in particular." His head tilted slightly, the elephant mask somehow managing to look inquisitive.
"Because it seemed like the easiest course of action to getting what I wanted."
Honesty seemed like the best policy here. Besides, something told me Ganesha would appreciate straightforwardness.
"What you wanted, huh." He seemed to be mulling over my words.
"I'm sorry Lord Ganesha-"
The clerk, whose name I still didn't know, tried to interject.
"Be quiet for a bit Mano."
Ah, so that was his name.
Ganesha knelt down in front of me, bringing himself to my eye level. It was a surprisingly considerate gesture from someone who had made such a theatrical entrance.
"Tell you what," he began, his voice carrying a warmth I hadn't expected, "If you get your parents approval, I'll allow you to become part of my familia."
"I don't have parents." I stated it matter-of-factly, without any attempt to gain sympathy.
Ganesha fell into silence for a few moments. An awkward silence. We stayed silent for a minute, then two, then -
"Well then I guess it's settled, welcome to the Ganesha Familia. The familia of the Masses." He paused for a moment. "Do you have a name, kid?"
A name. My past name had been about as exciting as watching paint dry, and this was a chance for a fresh start.
[How about Atreus Theron?] Great Sage chimed in.
'I'll take it, thanks Great Sage.'
It had a nice ring to it, mythological without being too over-the-top.
I looked up at Ganesha, standing as straight as my small frame would allow. "My name is Atreus, Atreus Theron."
"Welcome to the Ganesha Familia, Atreus," Ganesha said as he rubbed his hand over my hair. The gesture should have been patronizing, but somehow it wasn't.
"Lord Ganesha, are you sure about this?" Mano spoke up again, his voice filled with concern. "He's just a child, and the dungeon is no place for-"
"I AM GANESHA!" The god suddenly struck another pose, causing several nearby people to jump. "And as Ganesha, I say this child shall join our familia! Now, young Atreus, are you ready to receive my blessing?"
[Master, your cortisol levels are-]
'Great Sage, I swear...'
"Yes," I said simply, feeling something similar to excitement rise in my chest. This was it, my first step toward whatever this new life had in store for me.
"EXCELLENT!" Ganesha boomed, then lowered his voice to a more reasonable level. "Follow me, we'll perform the ceremony right away. Raza, prepare the necessary paperwork!"
As I followed Ganesha deeper into the building, past countless statues of himself in various poses, I felt myself feeling something else.
Happiness.
Gods, feeling things felt great.
I wonder what else I would feel when I finally entered Babel.
Anxiety? Fear? Thrill?
I couldn't wait to feel, to live at life's extremes.