[Semi-Canceled Series]The HoloChronicles Book 2: In the Shadow of the Watcher

Chapter 1

#Highly, highly recommend that you read book 1 first as this is a direct sequel to that and some things will not make sense without reading that before you read this#

Irys looked at her bare back in the mirror, noting the long, deep, curved scar that ran across her spine.
She sighed, It had been about five months since the battle between Myth and The Council, and The Goddess of Hope still had no recollection of how exactly she had received it.
There was a gentle knock at the bathroom door, "Almost done in there, Irys?" Baelz's voice echoed from behind the wooden door.
"Just about, Bae!" Irys answered.
"Okay, just remember we're meeting up with the rest of the girls in an hour!" Bae reminded.
"I know." Irys called back.
She quickly got dressed and fixed her hair, thinking about what had changed in those five months since the battle.
The destruction to Holo City caused by The Council had since been repaired with help from The Council themselves as a sort of "community service" in apology for their actions.
And while the residents of the city were still wary of them, them joining Hololive and since then doing their best to not make any trouble was slowly repairing The Council's reputation. 

Irys stepped out into the living room area of her house, a quaint little home on the outskirts of the city that she now shared with Baelz, "Ready, Bae?" she asked, smiling.
Baelz grinned and nodded, "Yep! Let's go!" She exclaimed, clearly excited for the day ahead.
They set off towards Bar Coco - a cozy little place run by Kiryu Coco herself that served as a great hangout spot whether you wanted a drink or not - where the others had agreed to meet.
It was a bit of a long walk for the pair, but they didn't mind, it gave them time to enjoy each other's company.
As they walked, Irys' mind began wandering, again trying to recall how she had received such a ghastly wound to cause the scar on her back.
She clearly remembered parts of the battle: fighting alongside Calli, her own betrayal, how the rest of The Council had sided against her and Bae in the end, but beyond those details she had no clear memories; there were big patches of her memory that were either incredibly hazy or simply blank.
It wasn't a pleasant thing to think about anyway, seeing how all of them got along now, she didn't particularly like thinking about a time where they'd fought or betrayed one another.

"Irys?" Baelz asked.
"Hm? Oh sorry, spaced out, what was that?" Irys blinked and smiled at her.
The Goddess of Chaos shook her head fondly, "You have a lot on your mind lately, don't you?" she remarked.
A light blush dusted Irys' cheeks, "Yeah," she admitted quietly, "Guess I do.
"Baelz chuckled, "You're adorable." She said softly.
"Oh, shut up!" Irys laughed lightly, playfully smacking her shoulder.
Baelz smiled at The Goddess of Hope as they entered the heart of Holo City, "Anyway, what I said was, it'll be nice seeing everyone again."
Irys hummed in agreement, "Yes, it will be." She replied.
It was then that the pair unexpectedly ran into Calliope Mori, "Irys, Bae!" she greeted cheerfully.
"Calli! I thought you would be at the bar already." Irys said, surprised.
"Ah, y'know me, always errands to run." the reaper replied with a sheepish grin, rubbing the back of her neck.
"The reaper never rests, eh?" Baelz said with a sly smile.
"Nope." Calli replied with a giggle, "But hey, neither does Chaos, I've seen all the work you've been putting in with Hololive, it's amazing!"
Baelz blushed slightly at Calli's compliment, "Thanks." She replied modestly.
Irys chuckled, "Look at you two, five months ago you were at each others throats and now here you two are, talking like old friends!" She teased.
"Hey, keep your friends close and your enemies closer, right?~" Calli joked, resting her elbow on Baelz's shoulder.
"Exactly." Baelz replied, flashing a toothy grin at the reaper.
If there was any true hostility or tension between the two, Irys simply didn't pick up on it."Hey, we were on our way to meet the other girls at Bar Coco, why don't you join us, Calli?" Irys offered.
"Sure! I was on my way there next anyway." Calli responded.
"Great!" Irys smiled mischievously, "Race ya!"
"Ah, Irys!" Calli protested, reaching after the nephalim.
As she ran ahead, the wind blew Irys' hair out of the way to give Calli a small glimpse of the scar on her back, sending a chill down the reaper's spine.
Baelz seemed to notice her observation, "You'll have to tell her how she got that, you know." she told Calli seriously before chasing after Irys, her crimson pigtails bouncing as she did.
"Don't remind me..." the reaper muttered, sighing deeply before she jogged after them.

#A/N: It took a bit but the sequel to The Holochronicles is now in progress!
Hope everyone enjoys the story as it unfolds.#