Release 1.0
April 21st, 1997
An AMG Fan-Fiction Featuring Skuld Disclaimer I would like to publicly thank omega@freenet.toronto.on.ca for thy work. First as a proof reader, then a full fledge editor, and finaly as a net-friend. Without thy help none of my stories would have ever seen the light of the net. I would also like to thank all of my editors on "Dusk": gaffney@iconn.net, rwalker@shooter.bluemarble.net, pmarquis@neptune.on.ca, Rteker@aol.com, Daibidu@aol.com, ayerss@rpi.edu, ChetKnu02@aol.com, rmadeira@interlog.com, pauldoi@iastate.edu, weimin@pl.jaring.my, jallen9@mail.idt.net, rbbarnet@cc10ss.unity.ncsu.edu, dje@melbourne.progress.com, changy@email.uah.edu, brobinso@Hemisphere.neocomm.net. Arigatou yo. A special thanks to David Eddy an excellent editor and friend, whose suggestions and ideas enabled me to finish this story. Doumo arigatou gozaimashita. A fan fiction based on Kosuke Fujishima's ongoing manga series "Ah! My Goddess" (Also know as "Oh My Goddess!"). Keiichi Morisato, Belldandy, Urd, Skuld, Hasegawa, Tamiya, Otaki, Satoko, and Megumi Morisato are copyright 1991, 1997 Kosuke Fujishima, and used without permission. Kenji copyright 1995, 1997, Ed Sharpe. Donner copyright 1996, 1997 Ed Sharpe. Dramas Personal Keiichi Morisato: A college student at Nekomi Institute of Technology (NIT), majoring in engineering. He lives in a temple with Belldandy and her two sisters. Belldandy: Goddess of the present, staying at Keiichi's side because of his wish and her own free will. Urd: Belldandy's older sister, goddess of the past, with tan skin and a nice figure. Skuld: Goddess of the future, the youngest of the three goddesses. Kenji: Keiichi's cousin on his mother's side. * * * * * * * * * * * * Skuld was upset, Urd was drunk, Belldandy radiated calm joy, Megumi was bubbling over, and Keiichi was a nervous wreck. There was going to be a wedding. Urd had started drinking from the first moment they boarded the train and had not slowed down for a nanosecond. Megumi was having a grand time talking with the other girls about the wedding, Hasegawa had turned visibly red when the conversation focused on the wedding night. Belldandy was being Belldandy. Polite and cordial to everyone, she made sure everyone was taken care of. But she was worried on the inside. Skuld was sulking in the corner of the train car. Belldandy understood that her little sister did not care for the rowdy partying by the members of the NIT motor club. Belldandy also understood that Urd had been teasing her pretty hard about Kenji(1) and Donner(2). But for some reason Skuld was mad at Keiichi-san. He had become very pensive since the announcement. Even now he sat staring out of the window, drawing into himself, unwilling to even talk to her about it. Skuld watched the scenery go by from her window seat on the train. Against all odds they were on their way to the shrine in Nagano. Skuld was fuming. Urd had taken every opportunity to tease her, trying to get her to personally invite Kenji to the wedding. Urd even went so far as to suggest that they could make it into a double wedding. Tamiya staggered down the aisle of the train car to sit next to Keiichi. "Aah, Morisato. Why are you looking so glum?" Tamiya began, throwing one massive arm around Keiichi's shoulder, and shoving a bottle of sake in Keiichi's face with the other hand. "After all Morisato. . ." Skuld's mind shut out the chaos raging around her as she remembered the morning that had set in motion the events that lead to her to being on this train. It was the morning after Donner had left. Skuld had been enjoying breakfast with her two older sisters and Keiichi when Otaki entered the temple like a rampaging Burma bull. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Otaki greeted the occupants of the temple with a thunderous, "Yo! Morisato!" destroying the peaceful quiet of their breakfast. "I have grievous news..." Wrapping her arms about her head, Urd laid her head on the table, trying to protect her hangover from the merciless decibels of Otaki's voice. Skuld ignored Otaki, continuing to eat her breakfast. 'Keiichi's senpai is such an oaf,' she decided. "Oh, my!" exclaimed Belldandy. "Senpai..." Keiichi stammered, his chopsticks still half in his mouth. "My life is over!" wailed Otaki to all within a few kilometers of the temple. "He has me in his sights." "Senpai? What are you talking about?" asked Keiichi. Otaki collapsed onto his knees with a thud and leaned over the table. "Marriage," he whispered. "Satoko's father caught us, how shall we say, in a slightly embarrassing position. He insists that I make an 'honest woman' of her." "Oh, my!" Belldandy again exclaimed. "A little pot and soon hot(3)," mumbled Urd with a slight smile on her face. A shocked Keiichi blurted out, "You didn't!" "I swear Morisato it looked worse than it was. I mean there was no actual penetration." "Wimp," Urd mumbled. "Otaki-senpai, please! There is a child present," scolded Belldandy. "I am not a child!" Skuld protested. 'What does he mean, 'penetration?'' she asked herself, a slight frown creasing her brow. 'Penetrating what with what?' "Do you love her, Otaki-senpai?" asked Belldandy. Nodding his head, Otaki quietly confessed, "Yes." "Does she love you?" "Yes, I think so." A sense of doom had descended upon Skuld as she listened to Otaki and Older Sister talk. Something about Otaki's talk of marriage gave her a feeling of terrible foreboding. Skuld found herself thinking of the dream, no the nightmare, she had last night: She was in the temple with Older Sister, sitting at the table. Older Sister was making tea, the feeling of comfort that always accompanied her washing over Skuld. "Older Sister! You won't ever leave me, will you?" She did not answer; Older Sister just smiled lovingly at Keiichi, who was dressed in a formal kimono. This was very strange, as Skuld had never seen Keiichi in a kimono. The feeling of comfort started to fade. "Keiichi, why are you wearing that?" Keiichi too did not answer. Then Older Sister was in a white wedding kimono. The feeling of comfort was gone. Keiichi was holding Older Sister's hand and saying something to her as he placed a ring on her left hand. Then Urd was there, dressed in a western style wedding dress. It was cut rakishly, with a neck-line that plunged almost to her navel, and the skirt was slit all the way to her hip. Next to Urd stood Kenji dressed in a tuxedo. "Kenji, what is going on? Why are you dressed like that?" Ignoring Skuld, Kenji picked Urd up in his arms and carried her out of the room. "No! Older Sister stop them! Help me!" But Keiichi and Older Sister were gone! Skuld felt empty and utterly alone. She cried out desolately. "Older Sister! Don't leave me! Older Sister! OLDER SISTER!!!" "Skuld?" Skuld snapped out of her day dream and back to the present, "Belldandy?" "Are you Ok? You were shouting in your sleep," Belldandy informed her confused little sister. "You won't ever leave me will you Older Sister?" Belldandy reassured her, "Don't be silly Skuld. I will always be there for you." * * * * * * * * * * * * The reception had begun properly, orderly and formal. But Tamiya's opening speech consisted of toasts and crying jags which proceeded to turn the strict progression of the reception into a general free for all, that is to say, just like any other motor club party. Skuld could not remember why or how she had taken that first cup of sake. Whether it was Urd's constant teasing or prodding remained a mystery. She knew one thing: that first cup had burned through her like a high-voltage spike. And like her sister, Skuld could not, did not stop with just one cup. Her head swam, and most of her logic circuits were offline. Skuld could not help but think how beautiful Satoko looked in her wedding kimono. How embarrassed Otaki looked at the razzing his club members were giving him, yet how happy he looked. And when he looked at Satoko, all Skuld could see in his eyes was love. 'Must see Kenji!' Skuld thought as she staggered to her feet. 'Must find phone.' Grabbing a full bottle of sake, Skuld set out in search of a phone. * * * * * * * * * * * * "Excuse me Keiichi-san," Belldandy informed Keiichi as she got up from the table, "I need to help Satoko-san change out of her wedding kimono." "Okay." 'Ah, yes,' thought Keiichi, 'the traditional oironaoshi(4).' Keiichi got up from the table and made his way to a far corner of the banquet hall, away from the Maelstrom. Keiichi sighed, 'why does this happen every time!' The wedding reception was supposed to be a fairly sedate and formal if not boring affair. But once Tamiya and the gang got started on the sake all hell broke out. Even now Urd was dancing on top of one of the tables. Keiichi was thankful Skuld had not started throwing her little bombs. 'I hope ours is not as chaotic as this. My mother would die of embarrassment.' Keiichi slapped himself in the head at the thought. 'What am I thinking? She's a goddess, she could never marry a mortal!' Keiichi struck his head trying to get the image of a wedding night with Belldandy out of his head. But, he knew it was hopeless. It was an image that haunted him most every night. There were three dreams that haunted Keiichi, the wedding night one, one where Belldandy was cooking curry rice when he got home from work, and then there was the one that had chi... . "She is very beautiful, is she not?" Startled, Keiichi turned to look at the speaker. Next to him stood an elderly one-eyed gentleman leaning on a cane. He had dark grey streaked hair and a full beard. But his most startling feature was his one piercing blue eye. Keiichi felt as though the man was looking directly into his soul. The gentleman radiated a power that Keiichi had only sensed in the presence of Belldandy or her sisters. "I said she is very beautiful," the gentleman repeated in response to Keiichi's silence. "Yes, Satoko was very beautiful in her wedding kimono, kami..." "I am . . . not him," interrupted the gentleman. "Just call me uncle." "Uncle?" "Yes, uncle will do. I was talking about Belldandy, not Satoko." "Yes, she's very beautiful," Keiichi agreed quietly. "So why have you not told her?" asked the man. "What makes you think that I have not?" "I know, and let us leave it at that. She's beautiful, therefore to be wooed, she is woman, therefore to be won(5). She is more woman than goddess, Keiichi. Treat her like a woman and not a goddess." "How..." Keiichi stammered, sticking his hands into his pockets in frustration. 'What's this?' he thought upon finding a small box in his pocket. "How? It is quite simple, my son. It is called honesty. And while actions may speak louder than words, words are important too. Just tell her." "What? How?" Keiichi had hardly heard what the gentleman had said. He was looking at the box he had found in his pocket. "Open it, my son," the gentleman commanded. "But, I can't accept," Keiichi stammered at the sight of the ring in the box. "Consider it a gift of the gods. Your second one, Keiichi. Trust your instincts and you will know when. Here she comes, I must go." Keiichi put the box back in his pocket as Belldandy approached. "Who was that you were talking to?" asked Belldandy. "I'm not sure. Belldandy, can we take a walk or something? It's too insane here," Keiichi answered, taking Belldandy's arm. "That would be very nice Keiichi-san," Belldandy said, snuggling up to Keiichi. * * * * * * * * * * * * Somehow Skuld had managed to find a phone booth. 'Damn stone-age phones,' Skuld thought, trying to focus on the rotary dial phone. Carefully Skuld put down the bottle of sake, then began a careful search of first her pockets, then herself for change for the phone. On her third search of her pockets, Skuld found the needed coins. Luckily for Skuld the alcohol had not hindered her ability to recall Kenji's phone number, but her finger did betray her the first time she dialed. On her second attempt she managed to dial the right number. "Takaiyama residence," the always surprisingly deep and resonant voice of Kenji answered the phone. At the sound of his voice Skuld cried into the phone, "Kenji, Kenji, Kenji!" "Skuld? Is that you Skuld? What is wrong? Are you OK?" a worried Kenji responded to Skuld's cry. "I was worried about you, Kenji. I am so worried that I will never see you again." "Skuld, what's the matter?" "I need to see you Kenji. Please Kenji, I need to see you today. Promise me I can see you today." "Just tell me where you are." Skuld pleaded, "Promise me." "Where are you Skuld? "Promise me!" screamed Skuld in frustration. "I promise. Just tell me where you are so I can come get you," Kenji vowed to his petite goddess. "Kenji," Skuld softly cried into the phone. Between Skuld's sobs, Kenji again asked, "Where are you?" "Where am I?" "Yes Skuld, where are you calling from?" Kenji repeated. "I am in a phone booth." "Where is the phone booth located?" a now frustrated Kenji continued. Skuld read the address off of the phone, "Let me see. 204 Isebayashi-danchi, Nagano." "Stay there Skuld," Kenji commanded the goddess, "I can just make the train. I should be there in about two hours. Please stay put, or I'll never find you." "I won't move a nanometer until I see you," Skuld promised. 'Please hurry,' Skuld prayed as she hung-up the phone. Sitting on the floor of the phone booth, Skuld pulled out her hammer to protect her bivouac. Uncorking the sake bottle she began to drink. * * * * * * * * * * * * The wind rustled the leaves of the trees in the park. Keiichi sat with his back against the big old ash tree, his head leaned back against the bark, looking up at the forever-changing shapes of the clouds dotting the cerulean vault of the sky. The breeze was cool against his face, the bark rough against his head, and Belldandy's hand warm in his. Keiichi's thoughts drifted. Feeling the box in his pocket, He closed his eyes and sent a brief prayer soaring into the heavens. For the first time, Keiichi began to discern Belldandy as a woman and not a goddess. A woman, with a woman's faults... and a woman's needs. Being a goddess was just her job. He felt the world tilt sideways, and he snapped his eyes open. He was vaguely surprised to find himself still sitting upright against the tree. Have to start getting some sleep, he chided himself as he leaned his head forward and shook his head to clear it. Belldandy was looking up at the sky, her eyes a million miles away, but her hand comfortable in his. He studied her profile, drinking in her beauty, seeing now in memory overlaying his vision the hundred little ways she showed her love for him. But... she had never pushed. He needed to think. He'd just go to sleep sitting here. "Belldandy?" She brought her eyes from the sky and turned to face him. "Yes, Keiichi-san?" Her smile lifted his soul, her eyes were tranquil pools in which he could swim forever, her face... her face was divine. And at that moment he knew what he would do. "Would you like to walk for a bit? Look at the park?" She smiled, nodded. "Yes, please." Walking hand-in-hand with Belldandy, his memory retrieved images of her cheering him on when he drove, her delight when he liked her cooking, her jealousy when other girls tried to come between them. As they walked arm-in-arm through the park Belldandy marveled at Keiichi's mood change. The pensive brooding that had gripped him since Otaki's announcement was gone. Belldandy's soul cried out in joy that Keiichi's soul had escaped from the depths of despair. But. Didn't he understand she wanted, needed, desired him to share everything with her. That she wanted, needed, desired to share everything, all of her with him? Keiichi exuded an air of confidence that he rarely showed, but that she knew he was capable of. His eyes shone with a determination she had only seen once before when they had faced the "Lord of Terror." Today though, his eyes had a softness to them. Belldandy dare not hope that it might be love, love for her. Belldandy prayed. The sound of bells and cheering drew them. They came out from behind a copse to see a wedding party just getting into a white limousine. "Omedeto!" "Omedeto gozaimasu!(6)" called several members of the crowd as they waved to the departing car. The bride and groom looked together out of the window. She was blushing, and they both seemed very happy. "Arigato!(7)" they called as the car spirited them away. "Arigato!" The crowd waved, some jumping up and down in their excitement. Belldandy sighed as she watched the car disappear around a bend in the road. 'I wish that were us, Keiichi-san,' she wistfully thought to herself. 'Maybe in a few years...' Turning her attention towards Keiichi, Belldandy saw him stifle a yawn. 'Don't you understand?' Belldandy thought as she pinched his arm. "Gosh, please excuse me Belldandy," he said. "I haven't been getting much sleep, what with Tamiya throwing a bachelor party every night for a week." "Would you like to go home then, Keiichi-san? So you can get some rest?" He nodded embarrassedly. "If you don't mind, Belldandy?" She smiled at him, her love for him filling her heart. "Not at all." "Thanks." Belldandy felt his hand squeeze hers lightly, briefly, as they turned towards the train station at the edge of the park. It wasn't far. Keiichi seemed happy, looking around distractedly at the trees and birds that filled the park. She felt very close to him at the moment, even though it seemed as though she would have to wait a while longer before her dream was realised. Maybe in another year or so. She smiled at the prospect. So soon, her dream would come true. She could wait. She was a goddess after all. The train platform was elevated, above-ground. The setting sun lit the platform, illuminating the dozen or so people standing waiting for the next train in orange and red. Keiichi pulled Belldandy to the far corner of the platform, away from the other people waiting for trains. For the first time in his life Keiichi felt no fear. Gone were the self doubts and personal daemons that plagued him. No longer would he live in his self imposed purgatory of ignorance. He would risk hell for a chance at heaven. With his mind and soul, which had been like a raging tsunami, now like a calm pool of cool water who's surface shone like a mirror, he pulled the small box out of his pocket. 'Where did he get it?' wondered Belldandy at the sight of the small box in Keiichi's hand. It was a dark, fine-grained wood, inlaid with silver gripping beasts, the detail picked out with niello. The wood was polished to a silken glow. It looked very old. Keiichi held it up and Belldandy's heart thumped in her chest. Keiichi dropped her hand and slid open the lid. Inside nestled a gold ring. A dragon, with two small emeralds for eyes, held a pigeon's-blood ruby in its jaws. Belldandy's eyes widened in amazement. It looked like her mother's ring. How did Keiichi... "To make our contract binding here on earth," Keiichi began, as he extended the box toward Belldandy, "and to permanently seal it in heaven. That is, if you will accept this mere mortal," Keiichi stammered at the end, his resolve rapidly wavering. Belldandy felt her heart stop at the sound of his words and the sight of the ring that had been hidden in the box. Belldandy threw herself against Keiichi, burrowing her head into his shoulder, hiding her tears of joy. Keiichi held Belldandy in his arms and waited while she fought to regain some control of her emotions. Wiping her tears on his shirt, Belldandy pulled away so she could look at Keiichi. Keiichi looked at Belldandy's face, concern, love, and The Question in his eyes, "Are you okay?" "Yes. Everything is perfect My Keiichi-san. Yes." Taking her left wrist in hand, Keiichi put the ring on her ring finger. "You're shaking Belldandy," Keiichi stated, "are you cold?" "No My dear Keiichi-san," answered Belldandy, as she hugged Keiichi again, the tears flowing freely. "I'll never be cold again." "Keiichi sighed and hugged Belldandy to himself. 'Play your cards right,' Keiichi thought to himself, 'and you might just get a kiss tonight.' As Keiichi pulled Belldandy onto the waiting train, the sun set behind them exploding into a kaleidoscope of reds, oranges, yellows, and purples. And as the train began to move, Belldandy's love for Keiichi radiated out from them, washing the train station in the warmth of that love. An older couple stop arguing, a baby in a stroller stopped crying. And as that warmth radiated out into the world, the world changed. It was a perfect end to the day, and the perfect beginning to eternity. * * * * * * * * * * * * "Skuld, Skuld?" Kenji's voice filtered through Skuld's alcohol fogged brain. "Wake up Skuld." Skuld open first one eye, then the other one. Slowly she focused upon Kenji's face, "Kenji you came!" "I told you I would. Did you doubt me?" Kenji asked as he helped Skuld to her feet. "Let's get you home." "Anywhere you want to go Kenji. I'm never going to let you go," Skuld informed Kenji as she threw both arms around his waist and leaned her head upon his chest, the sake bottle forgotten. Supporting her weight, Kenji coached Skuld down the hill and pass a park to the train station. "Come on Skuld, one foot after the other." By the time they had reached the train station, Skuld seemed to have sobered up some, but refused to let go of Kenji, much to his embarrassment. They reached the platform in time to see their train pull away into a blazing sunset of reds, oranges, and purples. Awashed in the red and purple light of the dying sunset and overwhelmed with a sense of warmth, love and eternity, Skuld spoke, "Kenji?" Kenji turned his head to face Skuld. "Yes?" "I..." "Yes?" Stretching out to her full length, Skuld pulled herself up and firmly planted her lips upon Kenji's. Startled at first, Kenji took Skuld's weight into his arms. Kenji's dreams of kissing Skuld were a pale shadow of the reality. Kenji's head felt so light at the intensity of the kiss, he worried he might pass out. Nothing in his sixteen years of life had prepared him for the warm, soft, moist intensity of the moment. Skuld went limp as she disengaged from the kiss. Kenji picked Skuld up and set her on a bench when he realized she had fallen asleep. "Thank you," Kenji whispered into her ear. Skuld slept the peaceful sleep of the innocent, her head resting in Kenji's lap, the entire train trip back. Kenji replayed their kiss over and over again in his head with the regretful realization that Skuld was totally pissed(8) at the time. * * * * * * * * * * * * Skuld's head swam. 'Why did I drink so much sake?' Yet she felt warm and safe. Squeezing her arms she hugged Kenji, her petite breasts pressing themselves into his back, her arms thrown around his neck. Kenji had an arm under each of her long slim legs as he carried Skuld up the road to the temple that was her earthly home. Burying her face into the back of Kenji's head, Skuld's nose was filled with the scent of hair. Kenji's hair smelled fresh and clean, yet with a hint of his masculine scent which set her nerve endings on fire. "I wish I could stay like this forever," Skuld mumbled to herself. "You say something?" Kenji asked. "How are you feeling?" Kenji enjoyed his burden. Not only did he get to hold his desire, Skuld was remarkably light. He had not been sure how he would get her from the train station to the temple, but once he picked her up, he knew he could make it. He could go on forever like this. "Tadaima,(9)" Kenji announced, entering the temple with Skuld still on his back. "I guess no one is back yet," Kenji whispered to Skuld, who had fallen asleep again, when no one responded. "Well let's get you to bed, but I'm afraid you are going to have to sleep in your clothes tonight," he added, heading to Skuld's room. Kenji stopped when, as he passed Keiichi's room, he heard low animal-like sounds. 'What the hell?' pondered Kenji as he opened the door to check it out. Belldandy was on top of Keiichi, straddling his hips with her thighs. Her skirt was partly hitched up, exposing a dangerously large amount of her upper leg. Keiichi's hands were not visible, lost somewhere within Belldandy's billowing blouse. The two of them where joined at the mouth. Low, almost animal like, moaning came from the mound of human flesh that was Keiichi and Belldandy. "OLDER SISTER!" screamed a suddenly-awake Skuld from her perch on Kenji's back, deafening Kenji in the process. Kenji grabbed his ear in pain, dropping Skuld on her cute little ass. Disengaging her face from Keiichi's, Belldandy innocently asked, "Oh, Skuld. Are you home already?" Staggering to her feet Skuld pulled her ever-present hammer, Mjolnir Mk II, out and pointed it at Keiichi in answer. "You pervert! What are you doing to Older Sister? Take your grubby mortal hands off of her!" Keiichi sheepishly smiled at Skuld, but did remove his hands from Belldandy's body, unwilling to challenge Skuld's hammer. Belldandy raised her hands, symbolically warding Keiichi from Skuld. "Skuld, it's not as bad as it looks. There has been no actual 'penetration'." Skuld yelled in frustration at Belldandy, "What does 'penetration' have to do with anything? We are talking about what Keiichi is doing!" Skuld's voice caught in her throat as her gaze focused on Belldandy. Pointing at Belldandy's left hand, Skuld choked out a question. "What. . . what. . . is. . . that?" Uncharacteristically bold, Keiichi answered for Belldandy, "It is exactly what it looks like Skuld." "I said yes," Belldandy added, as if there was any doubt. Skuld stood there, shaking with rage. "NO!" Launching herself at Keiichi intent on murder, Skuld screamed, "Die mortal!" "Skuld!" Kenji yelled, grabbing her from behind. Skuld went ice cold rock solid as Kenji's hand grabbed her where no male had ever dared touch her before. "Aaa, nooo," Kenji stammered as he realized what his hand was holding was anything but ice cold rock solid. Twisting around, Skuld caught Kenji with a right hook. 'Oh shit,' thought Kenji as he fell, stunned, to the ground. "Skuld!" yelled Belldandy. "Damn!" exclaimed Keiichi. "Hey nonny, nonny, did I miss anything?" asked Urd, making her entrance, as if on cue. "Ah, the beast with two backs. Not so rare here as I was led to believe." "Stay out of this, Urd!" Skuld commanded. "You speak like a green girl(10) Skuld. Can't you see that they're in lust? Leave them in peace so they can exchange some bodily fluids," she said rakishly. Belldandy gasped, "Urd, don't be vulgar!" Keiichi corrected Urd, "That's love, not lust, Urd." "Oh, Keiichi!" Belldandy giggled, before latching her lips upon his. "I stand corrected!" Urd acknowledged. 'like men can tell the difference,' Urd thought with a wicked smile on her face. "No!" Skuld stood there shaking with rage, watching Keiichi kiss Older Sister. The bile rose in her throat at his desecration. Urd cheered them on, "Wo, wo, wo!" It was all too much for Skuld. All the sake, Urd's comments, Older Sister and Keiichi, all her fears where coming true. Skuld dropped to her knees and emptied the contents of her stomach on the floor. 'Oh, bother,' thought Urd. 'Why do I always have to fix everything.' "The naked truth of it is," Urd informed Keiichi, "I have no panties.(11)" "Urk!" "Sister!" admonished Belldandy. "Now that I have your attention," Urd began, "Belldandy, please get Skuld's futon ready, I'll bring her as soon as she has finished dry heaving." Urd commanded her younger sister. "Keiichi," she continued, "go get something to clean this up with. Kenji will be sleeping here with you tonight. I will help you with him once I have taken care of Skuld. And Keiichi," Urd added as Keiichi got up to leave, "No sneaking into Belldandy's room tonight, Skuld will be there." "I understand," Keiichi acknowledged. "Anyway, Skuld being sick has killed the mood." "Oh, Keiichi?" "Yes?" "Congrats, I'm happy for the two of you. There will be plenty of other nights." "Thank you Urd." Urd knelt next to Skuld as her heaves subsided. "Let's get you to bed, little sister." Urd waved her hand over Skuld's head. "Rest, rest, perturbed spirit!(12) Grant peace to this tiger's heart wrapped in a girl's hide.(13)" Skuld's eyes closed as Urd finished her spell. Urd gently kissed her sister's forehead. "Sleep well sister," Urd finished as she picked Skuld up. * * * * * * * * * * * * * Perched upon on the temple roof Urd poured herself a cup of tea, before leaning back to mark the moon's path across the sky. 'An older sister's work is never done,' Urd reflected. 'Dear Keiichi where did you find the courage? The gods do smile upon you. And Kenji, how long before you find your courage and tempt fate? I wonder Skuld, will you have any resolve when that time comes?' Moonlit tears slid down Urd's calm face as she sipped her tea, convinced that the fates decreed happiness for sisters... but nothing for herself. She blinked her eyes to clear them and shook her head. 'Why can't I ever forget the past?' * * * * * * * * * * * * * Owari * * * * * * * * * * * * 1. See "No Mere Mortal" by the same author. 2. See "Donner" by the same author. 3. William Shakespeare: "The Taming of the Shrew," act IV, sc. I, l. 6. 4. "Sometime during the banquet [of a Japanese wedding reception], the bride slips away to change clothes. This custom is know as oironaoshi, or change of the colors." Hundred Things Japanese, Discover Japan, Kodansha International LTD., 1983; Page 103. 5. William Shakespeare. "Henry VI, Part I", V, iii, 78. 6. "Omedeto" Congratulations. "Omedeto gozaimasu" Formal for Omedeto. 7. "Arigato" Thank you. 8. "Pissed" Drunk. 9. "I'm home," <
> Kodansha's Romanized Japanese-English Dictionary, 1993 10. William Shakespeare: "Hamlet," I, iii, 101. 11. William Shakespeare: "Love's Labor's Lost, V, ii, 715. 12. William Shakespeare: "Hamlet," I, v, 182. 13. William Shakespeare: "Henry VI, Part III," I, iv, 137. * * * * * * * * * * * *