In honor of ObeliskX and my dear girl-friend Jane.

Judgment

It was a beautiful moonlit night. snow covered the fields. half frozen stream churned pass a duo walking on a road. "Ehehe. I am the great goddess Aqua sama! Praise me! ~Praise me more!" "Shut up you useless drunken goddess."

Kazuma was carrying a drunken Aqua. Nothing unusual there. What WAS out of the ordinary was that Aqua was drunken more than usual. 'I shouldn't have told her to drink as much as she wants!' Earlier that day, Aqua and Kazuma had explored Kir's dungeon, exorcisted multiple zombies, gave peace to the ancient Lich Kir, and got back with Kir's treasure. A successful dungeon hunting in anyone's book. Most of the credit went to Aqua. Although she did make this harder by dragging zombies like metal to a magnet, it was her nature as a goddess that did it. And there were more pros then cons (for the first time ever) she made as a goddess. So, no harm was done. As a reward, Kazuma allowed her to drink as much as she wanted that night. Bad idea. Aqua drank more than usual, puked more than usual, got drunker than usual, and by judging from her weight, got heavier than usual.

"Argh. This is such a pain. I knew I should've gotten that cheat skill instead of a useless goddess. Doing nothing but party tricks, doing nothing but half forcing people to believe in her religion, I can't believe she's a senior goddess to Eris sama!" They had reached the stables. Sounds of snoring could be heard through the wooden door. Kazuma slowly carefully opened the sliding door. Right then, a cold breeze decided to blow into the already freezing stables.

"Close the door. You fucker." "If you're gonna come back late, at least don't cause any trouble, Kuzuma." "Newbies, tch. They never learn."

Threatening murmurs were heard throughout the stables as Kazuma quietly closed the doors. "…You're late, Kazuma. You woke me up." "Gomen, Megumin." "No matter. just work harder tomorrow. I feel I will make my best explosion tomorrow." "Hai, hai." Megumin turned over in her hey bed as Kazuma went to their stall next to Megumin and Darkness.

He set Aqua down on the hey and removed her hair band. Long blue hair uncurled and fell down on to the hey. Kazuma covered her up with the thin blanket.

"Uha, Kazuma~" "Stupid useless goddess. Demo," Kazuma recalled how she freed the soul of Kir. The way she smiled, her warm words she had spoken, the words of forgiveness. right then, at that moment, "You looked like a true goddess today, Aqua." Kazuma whispered in her ear. "Hau, Kazuma~ praise me mooree~" She pouted slightly in her sleep. Kazuma blushed slightly. 'Oh, what the heck, it's just for tonight.'

"Hurray for Aqua sama~. The greatest goddess in the entire world~. Hurray!" Aqua smiled as she went off into a deep sleep. "…Oyazumi, Aqua." With that, Kazuma also tucked into his straw bed. Careful not to tug the blanket off Aqua, he tucked himself in and promptly, went to sleep. Not noticing the silver-white lotus petal that appeared from nowhere, landing of Aqua's forehead. Aqua felt something land on her forehead slightly. "Emm, Kazuma, stop fooling around. I'm trying to sleep."

"I'm not Kazuma sama, Aqua sama. It's me. Ashley. Wake up please, you're needed in the hearing."

At the name Ashley, Aqua opened her eyes and bolted upright instantly. Her sudden movements earned her a very sore headache. The girl, Ashley handed her a glass of water and a pill. "Here, aqua sama. Your usual headache medicine." Aqua, holding her head with one hand, her other hand shot out. Grabbed the pill, popped it into her mouth, took the glass of water, drank it all down, and let out a gasp of relief. "Uwa, much better." Her headache seemed to lessen. And her mind became sharper. Aqua blinked for a second. Everything was still. Colored in a gray monotone. All except one. A girl with a slightly toned skin. Short cut dark-gold hair. She wore a blue and white based priest's robes. It contrasted greatly with her eyes. They were deep red. The kind of color you got when blood hardened for a bit. Aqua knew who she was. "Ashley! you're here!?" Aqua jumped out of the straw bed and hugged the young adult. "Ashley! I missed you so much! I missed your cooking too!" "Hai, hai, Aqua sama." "Ashely! Do you know I've been mistreated!? Hear me out! Kazuma-" Ashley hugged the crying goddess tightly. Then began to work on getting Aqua tidy. She brushed hey and straw off her. Occasionally agreeing with her: saying "Hai, hai." "Of course." she looked like a mother soothing her child.

"-that Kazuma! he's so annoying!" "…But you don't dislike him, don't you? Aqua sama?" "…Maybe." The blond smiled as she tied Aqua's hair back. "Remeber the words you told me eons ago, Aqua sama?" "…I DO remember: Be patient, Be calm, Be Kind, Try to hold your tears in. This world isn't kind to tears as you think." "Those words became my words to live by, my motto. Aqua sama. I think Kazuma sama will be more kind if you're like it all the time. Just like today." "Hmm, then he might let me drink to my content ALL the time! I'll try it!" "…Aqua sama, is that all?" "…That's all." Ashley laughed her usual 'fufu' laughs as she looked at the blushes appeared on her cheek. "…Anyway, why are you here, Ashley? and why did time stop? …Why would the heavens need me? …Did something happened in the Kir's reincarnation process?" "Yes, Aqua sama. I'm afraid Eris sama has gotten stubborn again. Although you gave him pardoned of his sins, it seems that she is refusing to process his reincarnation. She keeps saying that she won't do anything for a lich. Even if he is an ex-Lich. So the Empress of time and the deity god of heaven has sent me here to collect you, Aqua sama. Only you have the chance of changing her decision." Aqua Scrunched up her cute face. "I knew that pad wearing flat chested Eris would do this kind of thing. Well, I guess I'm going. I'm ready when you are, Ashley!" "Almost done, Aqua sama," Ashley said as she set down a silver circlet on her head. "Now, we're done." Ashley stepped back to admire her work.

Aqua's blue hair was tied back in a regal style. Topped with a silver circlet. Her dress, which had been changed unnoticed by Aqua, was pure white with small blue seed pearls sewn on at the bottom. Aqua looked down at her hands. She was wearing a single gold ring on her left hand over the elbow length white gloves. On the other hand, she was holding her staff.

"Ashley. you overdid it. I look like a bride at her wedding!" "Formalities are important, Aqua sama. Besides, you wore these clothes all the time when you appeared in the Heavenly counsels. Or…" She gave her a sneaky look. "If you're worried about Kazuma sama looking at you right now, don't worry. Time is stopped now. Remember?" "Wh, th, I, it's not that!" "Oh, you WANT to show Kazuma sama your appearance? Since that's not possible right now, you'll just have to wait for the wedding, Aqua sama!" "We, wedding!?" "Ah, if you want to wear those at your Engagement party, that's okay too." "Stop it! It's not funny, Ashley!" "Don't worry. If Kazuma sama looks at you with those clothes on, I'm sure he'll fall for you and say yes in an instant!" "I said…r, really?" "Totally. Aqua sama. So, when's the wedding?" "NOT going to happen!" Aqua huffed and pouted as Ashely laughed until her sides hurt. Aqua loosened her facial muscles and shook her head at her. "You still like to mess with me, don't you Ashley." "Right as rain, Aqua sama. Right as rain." "Let's discuss my love life later. Right now, we have more pressing matters: We must stop Eris before she causes serious troubles." "Yes, my lady."

A giant magic circle appeared beneath them. It gleamed with light blue light. The light seemed to seep into the women and they also begin to gleam with the blue light. And the next moment, both the circle and the light disappeared. Leaving the world still stuck in a gray time stop.

Kir had always been a man of strong mind. Never faltering. He went head on to face the great armies of the three united empires. He went through piles dragon manures to find a pearl. Heck, he went to the king's throne room and kidnapped one of his trophy wives. But right now, this moment, his mind was being blown apart by the fuming, angry, pouting goddess Eris and her dirty words and curses, and insults. Which was more mind breaking, he was not sure. That the real goddess Eris was a lot more different then he imagined of was the fact that the said goddess was throwing curses that he had never heard of that could rot anything upon hearing it. Glaring at the slightly trembling mage with great ferocity, Eris continued to spit out insults until she was certain he was ready for the kill, and then.

"Konichiwa! Or is it, Konbanwa? Eris! Not not nice to see you again." With a flash of blue light, An angel and her senpai, Aqua appeared before Eris. She sighed slightly. "Konbanwa Aqua senpai. Your angel brought you here by the orders of 'that woman' didn't she?" "Oh, come on. Eris. She IS our sensei after all. Show some respect. And who is this guy? He looks like the psychic student from that famous 2006 anime!" "You don't recognize him? you sent him here yourself, didn't you?" Silence. It took a while for Aqua to take in that information. "What!? That's Kir!? You're Kir that skeleton Lich I met in the dungeons!?" "Yes, I am Kir. And you are the archpriest that released me. Have you died from the wrath of goddess Eris?" "What? Phfft! No way! Eris? Kill me? That would never happen as I am the great goddess Aqua! head of the great Axis cult known throughout the universe! Yes, it is I! The senpai of goddess Eris and your savior! Praise me!" This was too much. Kir's nearly broken mind went overload from the fact that 01. The archpriest was, in fact, was a goddess. 02. he was inside a space with two goddesses now. He fainted.

"…Did you do something to him, Eris?" "I was going to, but you came in and banged the last nail in to place, senpai." "Well, at least this is better this way. He won't have to hear the messy show that's about to begin. Ashley. Leave us for a minute. I'll call you when this is over." "Yes, my lady." With that Ashley disappeared leaving the two goddesses facing each other. "Well, it's uncomfortable to stand for too long. Don't mind if I take a seat?"

Aqua began to sit down. Instantly a chair materialized from thin air. The chair was made from gleaming Holy water that radiated soft comforting light. Holy carvings covered the entire chair. from its armrests to the back of the chair, that seemed to reach into the nonexistent ceiling above. Aqua took her seat and cross her legs.

"Is it necessary to summon your main throne for this?" "Why not? It's a good way to show off one's power, isn't it?" "That doesn't change the fact that I still have the power to make the final decisions, senpai." "That might be true, kohai. But it does feel good right now. Looking down at you right now. Fufufu." Eris's smile dropped and she gave her senpai a cold look as if she didn't like what she was hearing of seeing. "…Don't try to act superior in my domain, senpai."

Eris's simple throne gleamed with silver light. A simple long oriental throne, made from wood. But the wood seemed to be made out of moonlight. holy scriptures were carved on the wooden panels. A folding screen, that stood tall as the back of Aqua's throne gleamed purple and silver-white light.

"…Interesting design. Chinese or Japanese? Or perhaps Korean?" "None of your business, is it senpai?" Eris took out an oriental smoking pipe and held it up to her mouth. Moments later a sweet smelling smoke puffed out into the air. "If it isn't let's get down to business." Aqua smiled.

"Eris, I gave my pardon to Kir. Kir is no longer bound by his crimes. Both the crime of him becoming a Lich and crimes he committed as a Lich. He is innocent now. And as I DID say the words of 'relation of any form, any type of fate' you know it is a formality. You have no rights to deny his right of reunion. You know what to do in a situation like this. Don't you?" Aqua's smile grew wider. "Kohai, If you're going to be like this still, acting like a spoiled child throwing tantrums like this, you have no future as a reincarnation goddess." Eris felt an urge to say something to rebuke the goddess, but "Senpai, I…" "Speaking on that matter." Aqua cut her short. She leaned forward on her throne. Eris unconsciously moved back a little. "You call me senpai, but you're not treating me like it, aren't you? As I said before, I GAVE MY PARDONS TO KIR, Eris. I said to him, promised him even, that a girl with unusually large breasts would help him meet with his wife again. But you deny him of that. Should I take this as an insult to my goddesshood, goddess Eris? Are you intending to start a holy war between the Axis cult and the Eris cult? In this crucial hour? If that is the case, I must warn you. I WON'T LEAVE ANY SURVIVORS."

Eris felt a chill run down her spine. She gulped wondering how the table was able to turn so quickly. No, she wondered if the table had been ever been on her side. This was no the normal booze drinking, bribing the delivery god to buy her comics, shut-in neet of a senpai. This was the old goddess Aqua. The deity of water and the all-mighty destined ruler of heavenly realms. Aqua smiled wider as she watched Eris squirmed under her. She was smiling, but her eyes were dead to that positive act. The eyes were dead. Simply dead. Cold, gazing, dead.

"Moreover." With her eyes cold with no mercy. "Kir, and Annie. They're both Axis believers, Eris." Cold sweat slid down Eris's back. "They're forgiven. Eris." with every word, the aura of her throne glowed brighter and brighter. "They're both my children and they have been forgiven. Don't you dare treat my children with abuse of power, Eris." Eris almost gave in. Every cell in her body screaming to give in to this power. She felt like a thrip facing a tsunami. Denying this feeling, Eris bravely spoke up. "…I vowed myself to cleanse the Arcmera of the three Lich, senpai. Whatever it takes." "Then look again, Eris. There are only two Arcmerian Liches with the crime of Lichification as I see it. Now, no more fighting Eris. Unless you want to fight me for those two. And I warn you, You'll have to kill me first before you lay hands on MY children." Her voice echoed like multiple Aquas speaking at once. Her form shimmered. Her dress turned blue and her staff changed into a water urn and back again. Her circlet bloomed lilies. "Are you threatening me senpai?" "I'm giving you an advice Eris. Advice that is good for all of us."

Cold tension filled the air. The Adamant-bear bone china teapot and teacup rattled on the side drawer. The aura coming from the two thrones covered every inch of the empty dark void. Where the auras met, the space cracked and steam fissured. Kir's body began to lurch like he was having a stroke. Suddenly, the aura disappeared altogether. Kir stopped spasming. And everything was back the way it was. Abit the still rattling teapot.

Eris picked up the teapot and poured out a steaming red drink. "…You win, senpai." "Good decision, kohai. What's your verdict?"

"'Kir' will be reincarnated as a human male in his wife's world." "By the way, What did Annie reincarnate into?" "An elven princess senpai." "…Still planning on giving them tragedy?" "A slight tragedy senpai. After all. She left him behind the first time, so she should face the same event." "Giving them an age difference as well?" "About 2000 years." "You're cruel. Giving them not one hardship but two hardships. Anything more I should know…like him getting reincarnating into a war zone?" "Something like that. Should be perfect to test if their love is true and fair." "…Then promise me this. If their love turns out to be true and fair, help to give them a better reincarnation relation after they both die again. understand?" The two looked at each other. Not breaking eye contact. "…Understood, senpai." "Good. I'll be going now. Ashley!" Instantly the Angel appeared by her side. "Is it all done, Aqua sama?" "I believe so." "Then I shall take you back to Exel. Aqua sama." "Right then. See you Eris."

Eris stared at Aqua with wondering eyes. she looked like if she wanted to read Aqua, but couldn't. And how could she? Both in her true form and in this dim form, her senpai was unreadable. She slowly shook her head.

"You never cease to amaze me, senpai. Thinking now, you got angrier because your children were mistreated. Not because you were insulted. You care more about your children then your goddesshood. You even risked getting cursed by the goddess of wisdom to save that angel from oblivion a few centuries ago, didn't you? You saved her of course, but your intelligence level dropped until…" Aqua laughed. "It's a duty of a god to help out their children in need, Eris. Everyone is capable of getting a second chance Eris. Just like a drop of water falling into a sewer gets to evaporate and get a second chance." "…Is that why you saved Kazuma san? Because he's 'yours'?"

Aqua's face burned up like a red tomato. Behind her back, Ashley managed to smile a little. "That's different. …If he dies, I'll have a hard time getting back to heaven. That's all. Now if you'll excuse me. I have to go back to sleep now." "Realy? Leaving so soon? Can't you at least have a cup of tea with me?" "That WOULD be nice…" "Excuse me, Aqua sama. The rules…" "I know, just wistful thinking Ashley. See you later Eris. No harm feelings, right?" "of course. …See you soon, senpai." With that, Aqua and Ashley disappeared once again leaving traces of the blue light behind.

Eris smiled. As she said before, her senpai never ceased to amaze her. Aqua worried she would hold a grudge for her at the last minute. Not wanting to cause bad luck with her friends she guessed. But she wasn't worried. Indeed. She was a bit worried about Aqua finding of 'IT' and bit more curious about that half-perverted human Kazuma who tamed Aqua, even if she was in her dim form, to be under his control. But not angry. No. It would be amusing to watch their movements for a while. She smiled again and sipped her tea. And set her gaze on the still unconscious mage. Undead. She hated them. If she couldn't punish it, at least she would make its love hard to achieve. And that was a vow she would keep. Aqua or no Aqua.

"…Ashley, when you get back to the heavens, contact Volvagia and tell her to boost Kir's status. Intelligence and strength, those should do. He'll need everything if he's going to survive Eris's trials." "…As you wish. Aqua sama." They were descending down to Earth. And Aqua felt her head diming and getting numb again. "Urgh. The curse is coming back full power back, now that I dealt with Eris. Ashley do you have pills for…Hey, you're not worrying about what Eris said are you Ashley?" "No, Aqua sama. I'm over it now." "Good. Because I don't regret it one bit. You are one of the best things happened to me you know. With you I got a mother, sister, daughter rolled into one. I got a friend helping me out the lonely stressful job of this goddess. You are my first family that continued to grow. And look at us now, Ashley." "Indeed, Aqua sama." "I'm sorry for making you work overtime. When I get this curse off, I'll sure to help… more…" Ashley smiled and caught Aqua before she fell face down. "Ashley… see you later." "Later, Aqua sama. Next time, introduce me to your boyfriend will you?" "Kazuma... Is not... my boy... zzz" "Yare, yare." Ashley held Aqua up bridal style. The blue light faded and she and Aqua were back at the monotoned stable.

Aqua's clothes had turned back into her normal dress. Ashley set down Aqua down on the straw bed and tucked her in. She sat for a while and looked at Aqua's sleeping face. "Lady Ashley, the new recruits are here, two people. Both died from parasital events." her subordinate's voice ringed in her head. "Understood, Rosalie. I'll be there shortly." She stood up and went over to the other side of the makeshift bed. Kazuma was sleeping. A slight bit of drool leaked from his mouth.

"It's funny really. You know that, human? that you're the first living male that Aqua sama has taken interest in. Bonding of you and my goddess was forced at first, but slowly it grew into a bond of bittersweet, through and through relationship. Is it hate? Or friendship? Can this relation sprout into something new? Grow into a bud? Bloom? Able to find its name? You are bitter and tired of real love. And Aqua sama never experienced real love. …It's all up to you and the goddess, human. I look forward to meeting you face to face." With that, the gray blanched away. The cold winter air blew through the tiny creaks of the stable. Two people sharing the straw bed held the blanket tighter. Moonlight straddled across the stall. There were only droplets of light where the angel had stood. And utter silence.

"Kazuma! Wake up Kazuma! It's snowing!" "Emm, what?" Kazuma sat up groggily and pulled himself up. Aqua, all excited and hyper was holding a pile of snow in from of him. "Look! It's snowing so much that we don't have to work today!" "Stupid goddess, if we don't work, how we'll pay off the debt you made? Eh? And how come you're not suffering from a hangover-Umph! Cold! Cold! Cold!" Kazuma couldn't finish his sentence as a pile of snow hit him on the face. Aqua stuck her tongue out at him. "Stupid shut in Hiki-NEET! You lost your innocence! If you act like that, you'll become a dull soulless grown-up in no time!" Then she flinched sensing the seething aura coming off from Kazuma. "Ka, Kazuma?" Kazuma packed up the half-melted snow and chanted [freeze]. a multiple round ice ball appeared. "Ka, Kazuma san, you know that I was joking right? Kazuma san!?" Kazuma silently packed up the rest of the snow around the ice balls. "Ka,Kazuma san?" "Why you, worthless goddess!" "Haiii! Kazuma's trying to kill me!" The two rushed out of the stables screaming. Waking everyone up. "You worthless goddess! If you were born in Japan, you'd be in a more worse situation right now!" "Sorry! Sorry! Forgive me!"

"Those two again." A bearded adventurer murmured from the doors. Seeing the two chasing and being chased. "Huh, what are those two doing? Aren't they cold?" "They must be. They'll be colder than a snow spirit when they're done." "They'll catch a cold." "Nah. Leave them be."

"I got you now! Damegami!" "Uwaaa! Kazuma san! Forgive me!" "You always suck up everything ya know! And just when I thought good things about you last night, hup!" Kazuma shut his mouth. But the damage had been done. The tables had turned. Aqua smiled triumphantly as she stood up and walked toward Kazuma. "Heee~ Nice things? Huh? Were you masturbating to me? Kazuma san? Or did you think of anything romantic about~" "N, no! of course not! I- Umph!" "surprise attack! Did you think you can win a snowball fight against me? The goddess of water, Aqua sama? You're too early Kazuma san! Forever early that is! Kyahahaha!" With a laugh resembling a Ice queen. Aqua made snowballs out of thin air and began to chase after Kazuma. The tables turned and the audience watched from the doorway.

"…I think we should leave them there." "Yeah. Explosions can't wait but, I'm going to wait on this one for once. Damn Kazuma." "I, I never thought Aqua could be so sadistic. I, I should go and" "Stop, miss." The bearded adventurer put her hand on the female crusader.

"We should leave them be. It's wrong to mess with youth. Leave em be."

The snow went down for all morning and the snowball massacre went on as well. Medetashi Medetashi.

-The end.

[Deleted parts: Thought to delete it but wanted to show Aqua's importance in the heavens.]

Ashley held out her hand and Aqua took hold of it. A monotonous gray female's voice resonated inside the women's head.

[Ashley Axis, First class angel type A clearance. Mistress: Aqua Naiad Highland Celestina, First class goddess Type zero clearance, member of the secretarial office of Aqua Celestina, Temporal head of Oame no Jingu (Shrine of great rain).]

[Aqua Naiad Highland Celestina, First class goddess type AA clearance. Head of Oame no Jingu. Position temporarily handed over to Ashley Graham Axis. Member of the counsel of four elements. Position temporarily handed over to Ophelia Polonia Axis. Member of the counsel of five elements. Position temporarily handed over to Siona Ecilina Ax-]

"Skip to the end please," Aqua said impatiently.

[…employ of the reincarnation office: via Japan-Arcmera. Chosen as a reincarnation gift by Satou Kazuma, currently dispatched to Arcmera until certain circumstances are made. Position temporarily filled in by Christiana Maria Corsage.]

[Identification status: clear. Starting teleportation.]

A giant magic circle appeared beneath them. It gleamed with light blue light.

Notes. What do you call this? A lime? fluff? What so ever? Anyway. I wanted to show some serious side of Aqua. (Even if it doesn't exist in real life.) I mean she IS a water goddess for heaven's sake! Water! The building block of everything we know! Including us! Heck, if she wanted to, if she had the power to, she could kill Kazuma without moving a finger just by dehydrating him! She should get some more credits. And Eris. I wanted to show a bit of 'Cruel to undead and demons' part of her. And I wanted to write in some fluff of Aqua and Kazuma while at it.

There was an original version of this. But it was a crossover of a not so well known manga called Maou no Hajimekata. (Warning, do not see it if you are faint of heart. I mad a bad choice back then, seeing this. And it will be one of the greatest regrets of my life.) but seeing it was inappropriate and bit too preposterous, I decided to keep the original version to myself.

Anyways, I hope you enjoyed reading this. Please leave a comment to tell me what you thought of the story and if you liked this story press like and follow.

Thank you for reading and have a nice day!