"If you hit me one more time, I will have you out on your ass faster than you can blink," Yamada Akihiko growled as he stared at the young blue haired woman before him.

"Listen Aki-Kun!" Chidori Kaname barked as she stared defiantly at her new boyfriend. She held a rolled up news paper in her fist with a white knuckle grip. "I saw you looking at that woman at the coffee shop."

"I wasn't looking at any one you crazy bitch." Akihiko threw his hands up in the air with an exasperated sigh as he shook his head. He could feel his blood pressure soaring through the roof as he turned around and began to head for the bedroom to his house. He regretted allowing Kaname to move in.

A swift crack made Akihiko freeze in his tracks. He turned slowly to look at Kaname. She was still standing in a pantomime of her strike. She had struck him with all of her might in the back of the head with the rolled up news paper. She allowed tears to drip from her eyes.

"Sousuke never called me a bitch," she spoke softly before allowing her arms to fall to her sides dejectedly. "He never once disrespected me like that." She began to sob before allowing the paper to fall from her hands to the floor.

Akihiko turned back towards the room and made his way to the closet. He grabbed a single pink briefcase style carry on bag and began yanking her clothing down off of the hangers. He stuffed the bag full of clothing and grabbed one of his own luggage bags. He made his way to the dresser and emptied her drawer into the bag unceremoniously.

"What do you think you are doing?" Kaname shrieked as she watched the handsome teacher manhandle all of her clothing and personal affects. "You can't do this!"

Akihiko didn't reply. He grabbed the two bags and made his way to the front door. He dropped the pink bag from his left hand, reached out and grabbed the handle to the door, turned and tugged. He swung the luggage in his other hand back and forth for a moment before chunking it out the door. He bent at the waist, grabbed the pink luggage, and threw it as well.

Kaname was aghast as she watched Akihiko dispose of her things. He turned and pointed at her and she felt her chest clinch.

"You can go out on your feet or on your ass. The choice is yours," The man drew his pointing finger to the portal of the door. "Out. Now."

"A-chan!" Kaname begged as she began to walk towards the door. She stepped out of it and continued to plead with him. "Can't we work this out? It isn't even morning yet. Please?" she begged him.

The door closed shut with a snap as Kaname stared at the wood. She began to shake pitifully as she realized that she was being thrown out in the middle of the night. She didn't even have her cell phone.

The door rattled for a moment before opening a sliver. Akihiko looked between the frame and the door at her with one eye before sliding her cell phone at her. He released it into her grip and a few moments later he slid her tooth brush past the precipice and allowed it to clatter by her feet. He then shut the door wordlessly.

"Thanks you bastard!" Kaname shouted before landing several ground shaking kicks at the door. She left an imprint before turning on her heels and stomping away angrily. She snatched up both of her bags and made her way to the curb before taking several deep breathes.

The young woman grumbled and gnashed her teeth before pressing a button on the side of the phone. The screen activated in the dark and she quickly entered her pass code. The desktop opened to a picture of her and Akihiko pressing their faces together. She scowled and began to look at her contacts.

Kaname pressed her finger against the name 'Kyoko Tokiwa' and watched as the screen flashed and began to show a small rotary phone shaking. The words 'dialing' appeared and her heart fell when it went to voice mail almost instantly.

"Hi! You have reached Kyoko and I can't answer the phone right now. Leave your name and phone number and I will get right back to you!" The voice of the young girl echoed out of the phone.

"Ugh! Kyoko, call me back as soon as you get this. Akihiko just threw me out!" Kaname spoke into the phone with barely suppressed disgust in her voice. She then brought the phone back down to look at the menu again. She tried Mizuki Inaba next and received a connection to voice mail for her trouble as well.

Kaname began to feel panic settle into her stomach. She scrolled past Mizuki and looked down to find a single name. "Sousuke," she breathed out loud as she looked down at the phone. His name glowed and she felt her stomach flip flop as she drew the courage to contact him. After several moments of contemplation she allowed her thumb to press down hard on his name.

The phone displayed the familiar 'Dialing' message before immediately cutting off. The words 'Disconnected' appeared for a split second before the phone began to ring again. She watched as the number became a jumble of symbols and after a moment a voice came over the line.

"Hello," The voice spoke throatily.

"Hi, I think I have the wrong number. Sorry," Kaname explained before the deep voice interrupted her.

"You have reached the Titan Hot Line. Our illustrious leader will be with you shortly," The voice on the phone practically boomed in her ear as Kaname squinted and pulled the phone from her ear.

"What the hell?" she questioned before disconnecting the call. She looked up just as a black car with bright head lights pulled up to the curb in front of her. She hadn't noticed any vehicles on the road a moment ago but she instinctively took a step backwards when the vehicle rolled to a stop.

The head lights to the massive vehicle flicked off and she watched with bated breathe as the drivers side door opened. A massive man who stood at least seven feet tall extricated himself from the vehicle. He wore a black suit and had well trimmed and close cropped hair. His face was pulled into a smirking grin and it appeared that his monstrous physique wished to rip his clothing to shreds as he moved stiffly.

"Who are you?" Kaname managed to mumbled out as she looked up towards the face of the man who stood above her.

"It's a pleasure to meet you Chidori-san," the man replied as he turned his attention downwards towards her as though he had only just noticed her. "My name is Pallas." He adjusted his tie and collar with his massive hands before reaching out to extend his meaty paw at her.

"How do you know my name?" Kaname inquired before tentatively placing her hand in his massive grip. She felt him squeeze daintily before releasing her and she instinctively pulled her hands to her breasts and interlaced her fingers close to her heart. She felt like an animal that had only barely just avoided a dangerous trap.

"As I stated before, my name is Pallas," He replied with a slightly exasperated look on his face. "I am a Titan. I am here to offer you a trade."

"A trade?" Kaname inquired suspiciously. "What could I trade you?" She stared at him nervously. "Look, I think you need to leave." She began to shoo him away as she felt an intense fear taking over her irrationally.

Pallas grinned devilishly before sighing. "Listen little girl. I have no desire for your Earthly flesh. I need your abilities. You are a Whispered and you are the only one who can assist us." He explained.

At the mention of the word Whispered, Kaname recoiled. She toppled over backwards onto her butt and began to splutter. "Are you here to kidnap me?" She began to cry as she stared up at the massive man. He appeared even larger as she propped herself up on her hands and leaned her neck back. "I'll scream!" she threatened.

Pallas reached into his jacket with his right hand. He rummaged in his breast pocket for a moment before extracting a tablet sized cell phone. He pressed several buttons before turning the device around to face the young woman on the floor.

Kaname watched the screen. It appeared as though someone had shot a film from a bush. She could see Sousuke approaching a black motorcycle. He had a helmet tucked under his arm and he was wearing a decidedly sexy set of riding leathers. She looked past the phone quizzically at Pallas before he pointed at the phone. She returned her attention to the device.

Kaname felt her blood boil. A dark skinned woman wearing only a pair of panties and an open kimono exploded out of the door way, vaulted over a motorcycle with a side car, and landed on Sousukes' back. She wrapped her arms around his neck and legs around his waist. She began to furiously kiss the back of his head and neck. Kaname scowled.

Pallas withdrew the phone, pressed more buttons, and then turned the device to face her again. The pair were now sitting at a table with a group of misfits. She scoffed as she looked at the ear rings made of spark plugs one of them wore. "She isn't that pretty," Kaname spat as she scowled at the dark skinned woman that Sousuke was doting on.

Again, Pallas withdrew the phone, repeated his ministrations, and returned the phone one last time. "Kaname Chidori is a total cunt," a voice spoke aloud. Her eyes narrowed and she watched the dark skinned woman gossip and bad mouth her to a very beautiful light skinned woman with facial tattoos similar to the brown skinned one. "Who does this bitch think she is?" Kaname growled before pulling herself to her feet.

The video on the phone morphed and the dark skin woman appeared in a close up. "I'm a Goddess," she spoke as she flipped her hair and posed in the frame sexily.

Pallas pressed a button on the side of the phone and the screen turned blank. He returned the phone to his pocket and patted his jacket where the device settled. "Sousuke and his girlfriend are conspiring against you." Pallas exhaled as he flashed a manipulative grin. "That's really all he has done since he broke up with you. Spread rumors behind your back, discuss your short comings. It's really kind of sad."

Kaname seethed as she held her hands in fists at her side. "So what does this have to do with you? What do you want?" She practically yelled at him as she felt the urge to punch or strike any one or anything near by.

"You help us capture the woman and you can have Sousuke. You can punish him for every thing he has done to you," Pallas explained as he gestured around with his massive hands. "You are here because he didn't take care of you. He promised to take care of you. Didn't he?" the man continued.

"You are right. This is his fault," Kaname exclaimed. "So what am I supposed to do?" she asked.

"You will help us build the Black Technology that we need in order to capture the Goddess." Pallas reached down and hefted both suit cases up in a single hand. "Will you be our champion? I formally invite you to serve the Othrys Corporation."

"I don't know. I should probably not make decisions like this in the heat of the moment," Kaname drolled as she looked about. "I mean, hey, at least it isn't raining. Right?" she spoke before jumping. A peal of thunder rocked her backwards before a torrential downpour erupted. She felt herself become instantly drenched.

The passenger door to the car opened before Pallas turned on his heels and gripped the drivers door. He opened it and tossed her bags into the back seat of the car before entering the car as a large man may put on a tiny coat.

Kaname bit her lip for a second before rushing towards the passenger side door. She hefted it open the rest of the way and entered the vehicle. Her eyes ran to the face of Pallas and she sighed. "Will I have some place to stay?" she asked.

"You will have room and board, warm meals, and a laboratory," he replied calmly.

The sound of the rain pounding on the vehicle nearly deafened Kaname but she regained her senses, took a deep breathe, and spoke forcefully. "I accept. I will work for the Othrys Corporation."

The rain suddenly stopped and Pallas smiled at her. He appeared dangerous and powerful, like a wolf who had just invited a doe into his den. "You start tomorrow. Let's get you home," he released a booming laugh and started the car.

Kaname leaned forward in her seat to look up and out of the vehicle towards the sky. She was shocked by the rapidness in which the weather was changing that night. "Have you ever seen it rain like that?" She asked Pallas.

"Once," he replied as his smile curled back into a sneer. "Get comfortable," he commanded as the vehicle began to roll forward.

Kaname felt her eyes growing heavy before they made it to the stop sign at the end of the street. She struggled to keep her head up but failed. When she awoke again, they were parked in what appeared to be an underground lot. The walls appeared to be made from stone and the construction itself appeared to have been made for people who were all as large as Pallas.

"How long was I asleep?" Kaname questioned Pallas she turned her head to look at enormous man sitting next to her.

"Not long," he replied before opening the door and exiting the vehicle . He began to walk towards a large entrance way .

Kaname rushed to follow him, leaving her bags in the vehicle. She wasn't sure if she needed to bring them but hoped she could acquire them later. The air was remarkably clean inside the cavernous area they were currently strolling through.

"Welcome to Othrys," Pallas stated after Kaname made her way to nearly jog next to him as he took long strides. "This is where we, the Titans, have been biding our time until we have a chance to take back what is ours." His booming voice filled the halls as they walked.

Kaname allowed her gaze to move from side to side as she attempted to memorize their path. She gave up quickly as they twisted and turned through the area without a single stop. It felt like forever before they finally arrived at what appeared to be an elevator. As was the style, the architecture of even the elevator was over sized. The entire building made Kaname feel as though she were doll house sized and currently exploring a full sized residence.

The pair entered the elevator together. Pallas placed his massive frame in front of a wall of buttons and punched in their destination. The door slid shut and the carriage began to move down wards at a rapid pace. "We will be going deeper into the mountain. We will be as close to the shell of the turtle as one can go."

"The shell of the what?" Kaname questioned him.

Pallas turned to face her and stared down at her with some annoyance on his features. He held his left hand up palm facing down and began to speak. "Heaven." He then placed his right hand under the left, also palm facing downwards. "Yggdrasil." He repeated the motion with the left. "Othrys." Finally he placed his right palm under the other again and stated "The back of the turtle."

Kaname gaped incredulously. She had never heard someone speak such utter and unbelievable drivel and believe every word they said. "Right," she replied before rolling her eyes. "Look, if you psychopaths are on the chase for some kind of amazing Black Technology drug or something, I don't think I am your Whispered," she continued to speak sardonically.

Pallas stared at her intensely. His expression only belayed the greatest of scorn and hatred. "Do you think that you are superior in intellect because you are ignorant?" he questioned her slowly as one may do to an obstinate child.

Kaname seethed as the large man looked down on her. "No one believes in fairy tales any more. The planet is round, it rotates around the sun, and there is no such thing as giant space turtles," she spat back at him.

Pallas did not answer her. He stood still until the bell within the elevator chimed. The door began to slide open and he reached out with his massive hand to cup the top of her head. His meaty fingers dug into her scalp as he lifted her off the ground by her skull until she was kicking and screaming. Her face was at head height with him.

"Look," he spoke to her as she reached up and gripped his wrist with both hands. She grunted and screamed as he turned and extended her in full body outwards towards the exit of the elevator.

A glass terrace with two spiral stair cases headed downwards extended out from where the elevator had landed. What looked like a sea of titanic people undulated below her. They were participants in what looked to be an orgy of blood as they ripped and tore at the flesh of screaming humans.

"They are eating them!" she cried out as she looked down into the detestable pit.

"You will be next if you do not do exactly what I ask," Pallas spoke as he took several steps and dangled her over the edge of the terrace.

"Please no!" she cried out as her legs began to kick even harder.

Pallas returned her from the edge and sat her down on the glass terrace. He reached into his enormous pocket and withdrew a single red ruby about the size of an apple. He extended it towards her.

Kaname hesitated before reaching out and taking the ruby as Pallas' glare grew in intensity.

"An initial payment," he spoke as he watched the small woman grip the stone in between both hands.

Kaname did not answer as she shook at the knees. "What do I do now?" she inquired.

Pallas clapped his hands once. The sound shocked and frightened Kaname so greatly that she fell to her knees. Her eyes clamped shut in terror.

"Get up child," a soft and feminine voice spoke.

Kaname flinched and cowered as a soft hand caressed her shoulder. She finally opened a single eye and her breath fell away as she looked at the woman before her.

The woman was beautiful with a dignified thickness that belayed her maturity. Her ample breasts strained against the toga like outfit that she wore and a golden crown capped her drawn back auburn hair.

"Who are you?" Kaname choked out.

"My name is Athena, child," the woman spoke sweetly. Her voice was like honey as it soothed Kaname. "You have work to do, for both of our sakes."

Kaname stood and looked about the room nervously. The pair were the only ones within and she was surprised to find that there were no doors or windows. "How did I get in here?"

"Magic," Athena replied with a soft and sad smile. She began to turn and motioned towards a table. "That is where you will work." The sound of a rustling chain drew Kaname to look downward. A thick golden chain held Athena in an ankle shackle.

"Oh my God," Kaname gasped as she extended her hands out in a futile attempt to offer assistance to the woman. "Why are you chained?" she spoke fearfully.

"I am here to help you. They demand that I provide you with the tools and knowledge that you will need to help them succeed. I will do what I can to keep you alive, but you must not let them succeed." The woman gestured again towards the desk. "Come child. We must start." She waved a hand and a book, tools, and a computer appeared on the desk.

"What do I do?" Kaname questioned Athena as she approached the desk and looked down at the book. She felt her vision tunneling and she began to smell blood. A stream of mathematical gibberish began to cascade from her lips as her life fluids leaked from her nose.

Athena lifted a notebook and a pen and began to write quickly. She took notes as she watched Kaname fall to the ground, her speech growing frantic as she began to twitch and jerk. "I'm sorry. I want to go home," Athena whispered as she cringed at the torturous sight before her.

\scenebreak

"Sagara, Sousuke!" The instructor raised her voice as she held up a test. She scanned the auditorium for a moment before smiling and extending the paper towards a young man with scars on his face. She took several steps forward before meeting him a few steps from the seats.

Sousuke stopped himself from saluting the instructor and played off his behavior by running his fingers through his hair. He quickly reached out and took the proffered paper from the woman. He felt his chest extend with pride when she praised him. He looked down to find he had earned perfect marks on his final electrical engineering exam.

Sousuke turned on his heels and returned to his seat. He could feel his cheeks fill with heat as he heard students around him discussing in hushed voices how strange but intelligent he was. He sighed inwardly before ignoring their talk. He was proud because he knew he was on track to graduate and he would be finished with school soon.

The bell interrupted his reverie and he stood. He looked about at the students mulling towards the doorway and decided to hang back until the crowd had dispersed. It was several minutes before he made his way into the hallway and several more before he made it to the cafeteria.

"Hey there Sousuke!" came a feminine voice from near by.

"Greetings Megumi!" Sousuke replied as he turned his head rapidly until he spied Keiichi Morisato's little sister. He drew his normal grimace into a smile as he offered her an awkward wave.

Megumi darted forward and hugged him quickly before releasing him with a red tint to her cheeks. "It's been a while, how was your sabbatical?" she questioned the soldier with a look of interest on her face.

"Things have been very good," he replied. Sousuke motioned for the young lady to take his spot in line since he was at the end of the line any ways.

"It's fine," she waved him off. "I brought lunch, doesn't Belldandy make you lunch?" she looked at him from the corner of her eyes. "Or Urd?" she continued with barely hinted malice.

"Urd does cook for me," Sousuke confirmed. "However, I usually end up eating it during my first class," he looked abashed as he rubbed his belly. "I get hungry."

"Maybe I should cook you lunch then. Something heartier?" she questioned him as he squirmed uncomfortably. Sousuke was aware that Megumi had not been made aware that Urd and he were a serious item. He considered Urd his true team mate in life, but the scandal that could erupt in Keiichi's life if Megumi discovered that the pair were living in one room, in his home, was not something he was ready to broach.

"That is a kind offer but I must disagree. I would not want you to spend time cooking for me," he tried to placate her as he held his two hands out at her.

"If the three 'Goddesses' are not going to take care of Keiichi and you, someone is going to need to step up," Megumi sighed exasperatedly as she stared at Sousuke with a concerned look. "Someone has to help," she continued to speak as her forehead creased into scowl.

"Yes Ma'am," Sousuke replied as he shot her a snappy salute. He smiled as her features softened and she rolled her eyes at him.

The pair stood in companionable silence as they shuffled forward in line at a snails pace. Eventually Sousuke gathered up a modest lunch that included a bowl of rice and sliced beef, an egg, and some fruit and pickled vegetables. He offered Megumi a pudding cup that she eagerly accepted.

The pair made their way out towards the Auto Club and located numerous familiar faces. Keiichi, Belldandy, Otaki, and Tamiya were currently devouring their meals and laughing as they talked amongst themselves.

Tamiya stood and saluted Sousuke as he grinned wide. "Friend!" he bellowed as Otaki joined in by waving at him.

"You see me every day you know," Sousuke replied as he placed his food down on the table and sat to begin eating. "It's always good to see you though."

"I owe you my life for the joy you have brought me." Tamiya felt his eyes well with tears as he reached into his pocket to remove a picture of Tessa. "You found me a Goddess," he spoke as he pressed his massive lips against the picture, wiped his eyes, and placed the photo back into his pocket.

"I heard that, every day this week," Sousuke laughed. "I'm happy for you. I really am. Tessa needed someone who loved her."

Tamiya leaned forward and placed a single finger against his own lips before blowing air over it. "Don't say that. We don't say that yet," he admonished Sousuke as he looked about nervously.

Sousuke looked about as well and wondered if Tamiya was afraid that someone may be watching them from a cloaked Arm Slave somewhere near by. It wouldn't surprise him if Tessa kept tabs on her boyfriend. He would be even less surprised if he discovered Tessa was spending her lunch breaks monitoring the group in between missions.

"How was your performance on your final exam?" Belldandy piped up from her seat next to Keiichi. She spoke to Sousuke as she lifted a pair of chopsticks up and fed Keiichi from a bento box. The Goddess seemed to be making a point to be kinder to the soldier since he had ensured that she had Keiichi would always have each other.

"Bullseye," Sousuke replied as he held up a single thumb. He nodded his head towards her slightly in thanks for her concern. "It would appear that my current capabilities as well as the credit I earned for previous military experience have put me on track to graduate early."

"You will probably be done a year before I am." Keiichi spoke up between bites and chews of the meal that Belldandy had created him. He reached down and hefted a drink to his lips, took a sip, and sat it down. A single glistening line of his beverage shimmered in the light of the mid day sun.

Belldandy reached out with her thumb and ran it up the side of Keiichi's face, she gathered up the spilled drink that dribbled down his face, and then licked her thumb clean without hesitation. She did not acknowledge the look of surprise that Megumi shot her way. "Mr. Keiichi can be very messy," Belldandy chuckled softly before lifting another piece of food up with the chopsticks and opening her mouth wide in encouragement. She made a long and guttural sound like one may do to encourage a baby to eat and Keiichi opened his mouth with a look of embarrassment on his face.

Sousuke fought back a laugh as he pointedly ignored the pair. He was well aware that neither had consummated their relationship yet, and neither seemed to have the gumption to initiate. Sousuke had a bet with Urd on who would initiate first. He fully expected Belldandy to simply take what she wanted at the rate the pair were going. Urd disagreed and was waiting for Keiichi to awkwardly fumble for Belldandy some evening.

Sousuke sighed for a moment. He suddenly lost his appetite as his vision faded in and out for a brief moment. His heart rate increased and he could hear it beating in his ears. He leaned back away from the food, sighed, and began to rub his left arm. He had the sudden urge to run from where he was and a strong desire for a strong drink.

"Hey, you all right?" Megumi asked as she noticed that Sousuke had flushed and his face was covered in sweat.

"Of course," Sousuke replied through dry lips as he flashed her a false smile. He stood and looked about the foyer at the students. He knew that there was nothing out of the ordinary and no reason for him to feel as he did. "I think I am going to take a walk. I just feel restless," he smiled before gathering up his half eaten lunch and disposing of it in a near by trash can.

Megumi began to stand as well but Belldandy reached out and softly tapped her to grab her attention. The Goddess shook her head in the negative at her and smiled sadly. "He is physically healthy," she whispered to the girl. "He has his other quirks."

Megumi watched as Sousuke placed his arms over his head. She wondered what he was doing as he left to begin pacing the school as he sometimes was known to do. She had seen him before, walking slowly with his fingers intertwined over his head, and usually he was drenched in sweat.