Back when the AMG manga was still running, I must admit that the whole Niflheim arc kind of intrigued me. There was a great potential for speculating what possible outcomes might've come out of that situation, and even as I worked on "Ah! The following day" several of those scenarios kind of popped into my mind. Of course, for more than obvious reasons, I chose to maintain the same lighthearted feel to my first and probably longest story, yet at the same time, I kind of wished to explore some of those scenarios in a very different kind of story.
Before anyone starts wondering, this isn't my declaration of abandoning the lighthearted comedies I so much enjoy writing, since I don't consider any form of style as inherently superior to another. However, I do feel that before starting yet another comedy series, I wanted to try writing something a lot more serious.
Naturally, this means that I must warn you that this story might contain some mild cases of coarse language, violence and even adult (in some cases even occasionally controversial) themes, so if you're expecting the same thing as the majority of my other works, then you're in for a surprise. I do however reassure you that I'm not going to throw anything too graphic in this story (with the potential exception of some action scenes -but then again, not beyond what's depicted in popular media these days), so, there's going to be a fine line on how far I'm willing to go. Still, this is probably the first of my stories that really deserves the M rating I'm giving it. In all other cases, that was just to play safe, but not here.
With that in mind, this is an AU story based on the manga, along with elements imported from my other stories ("Ah! the following day" in particular). And while knowledge of the manga is obviously necessary to avoid feeling lost in here, anything else isn't really needed. I'm not expecting anyone to read the rest of my stories to figure out what's going on, as I'll address everything whenever I run onto them.
For those who might want to see something a bit different, I hope you're going to enjoy this story.
I do not own Ah! Megami sama/Oh! My Goddess series or its characters.
Beginning demonization procedure. Confirming remaining goddess energy: 2.623% remaining. Check complete. Injection possible. Magical chamber pressure rising. Injection beginning in 5… 4… 3… 2… 1…
"Bellda-..."
Shifting uncomfortably in her seat, the brunette tried to turn away from the source of that voice. The same monotonous and mechanical tone that seemed deceptively harmless and yet haunted the woman's dreams to this day; even if two and a half years had already past since that fateful incident.
"Belldandy!"
The voice became much more clear and feminine as the brunette struggled to turn her head away from its source. Yet despite the obvious annoyance that was laced in the rich, melodic tone of the woman beckoning her slumbering friend to wake up, there was also a hint of tenderness and even sadness.
"Hey! Are you even listening to me?"
This time, the hand that reached for her naked shoulders proved to be enough to grab the brunette's attention. With a barely audible gasp, Belldandy woke up and immediately reached to grab the other woman's wrist, while her other hand unconsciously went over her own chest, making sure that she was adequately covered. At least as much as such a thing was even possible, considering the uncomfortable amount of skin her current outfit was revealing, in stark contrast to what the Norn actually wanted to show under normal circumstances. "Wha-... Peorth?"
"Well, it's about time you woke up, sleepy head! Falling asleep on the job doesn't sound like you, Belldandy." Despite the familiarity in her voice, Peorth didn't miss the irony of it all. A couple of years ago, this woman was her number one rival and the target of a childish grudge that lasted more than a couple of decades and over what now seemed to be an utterly pointless reason. She was of course a very different person back then; one with the luxury of devoting so much of her personal time to prove herself as the number one wish granter of Asgard. A goal that now sounded like a lost dream, a story of missed opportunities.
"Oh, give me a break! I've been here for… What was it again?... Ten? Eleven hours? Something like that. I just wanted to take a nap," complained the Norn as she rubbed her tired eyes, and then deactivated the holo-display of her workstation.
"Isn't that why we have our personal quarters, though? If you're done with your shift, then why the… Hell are you still here?" Even though Belldandy was a known workaholic, Peorth knew all too well that this was actually a thing of the past. Which to a certain degree was also true about Peorth herself, given that she too found herself unmotivated to work under their new boss.
"I don't want to spend more time there that it's absolutely necessary." It was such a strong statement, that there was no room for argument against her reasoning. Even though Peorth often tried to reassure her that she was simply too paranoid, Belldandy knew that taking the risk to corner herself in what was essentially a well disguised prison cell, was ill advised. No matter how spacious and opulent her 'apartment' seemed to be, Belldandy couldn't help but feel uncomfortable in it. The whole place was built like a bunker with extra thick walls designed to withstand a couple of blasts before giving away and most of the windows were permanently sealed and impossible to open, leaving only a few well guarded doors for anyone to both enter and leave the apartment.
"That again? Belldandy… I know that you don't trust our guards, nor should you, but at the same time it's unhealthy to be that paranoid," said Peorth with a heavy sigh, before she pointed at herself. "Look at what I'm wearing, and I reassure you that so far I've never been sexually harassed while living in there. I can't quite say the same while I'm here, though."
Belldandy's only response was a slow nod, as she had no way to dispute Peorth's claim. Given that her coworker continued to wear an outfit that was eerily similar to the revealing bikini that almost became her trademark, it was kind of inevitable that many heads turned whenever Peorth walked by. Of course, the same thing happened in Asgard too, as her choice of clothing was indeed pretty eccentric, but the defining difference here was that occasionally, some of the demons didn't restrict themselves to merely gawking at the scantily clothed brunette. Actually, Belldandy herself witnessed numerous instances where some of the more brash demons would go as far as to give Peorth's barely covered backside an appreciative pat. More shocking yet was the fact that few them even had the nerve to stick around and try to have a chat with the very woman they ever so casually fondled.
Although celestial society wasn't exactly conservative per se, such blatant displays of harassment were almost unheard of. At least not without the risk of having the perpetrator arrested and punished for their transgressions. Here on Niflheim though, things were kind of different, as promiscuity was almost the norm than an exception of the rule. But then again, Belldandy knew that she had a very limited view of the demonic society. For the most part both she and Peorth were restricted to only the areas around the government buildings and their workplace, where their every move was closely monitored by their ever present guards. Neither of them had mingled with the general population for more than a few hours in total, despite being here for more than two years already, giving them a very skewed view of what real life in Niflheim was.
Worse, those practices had apparently gained popularity in the same amount of time she was here, at least according to the few demonesses Belldandy trusted enough to have a conversation with. Bedroom politics had always been a controversial topic for demons, with some supporting it as a means of avoiding unnecessary conflict, while others condemning such practices as it allowed weak individuals to climb up the ranks for all the wrong reasons. And for a former goddess who now had to mingle with the upper echelons of demonic society, where such methods of forming alliances were gaining popularity, it was a serious case of culture shock.
"How can you really say that, Peorth? Both of us know that it's a big, fat lie, and just because we're not restricted from lying, it doesn't mean that we have to. Not to each other, at least…" It actually took Belldandy a few seconds to realize that perhaps Peorth's intention was to cheer her up by that little lie. Yet Belldandy was no longer the same ignorant goddess she used to be, and such attempts of taking her mind of reality were practically lost on her. However, she had to give Peorth credit for being one of the very few demonesses here who actually cared about her, instead of merely seeing her as a trophy.
"Who's lying?" came Peorth's reply as the scantily clad demoness offered her coworker a shrug. "Given what they probably thought about me, based from… rumors that you too must've heard even back in Asgard, it's easy to imagine that I'm some easy go-... I mean… demoness. So, they think that I'm probably enjoying or even inciting such behavior, but once I explain that this is primarily a fashion choice and not necessarily an open invitation to my bedroom, none of them actually repeated such a stunt. If they were truly harassing me, then my opinion of the subject would've been totally indifferent to them."
Belldandy's eyebrows shot up in surprise as she never actually thought that the others got a very different idea of Peorth's personality, but at the same time, she was still quite skeptical. "I see… Although, I'm not entirely certain of their… honestly. Given the opportunity, I think that more than enough of them would've loved to do way more than be somewhat disrespectful. At the very least, I think that's more or less a convenient excuse to justify their actions."
"Oh, I have no delusions about that. This place can be quite dangerous if you're too ignorant of your surroundings. As long as you make sure that others know the risks of messing around with you, they're likely to leave you alone," said Peorth with a sneer as she climbed on a hovering chair opposite of Belldandy's and fiddled with her earrings. Which actually contained powerful seals designed to stop a demon dead in their tracks. And while effective against an individual or two, they were utterly insufficient to use against their numerous guards in an escape attempt, which was exactly why they were actually allowed to possess them in the first place. "However, you mustn't fall into the trap of thinking that everyone here is a wannabe molester or just a monster in general. Some, especially those outside of our immediate chain of command are kind of… normal. No matter how different their mannerisms can be at times, they too are people just like everyone else back in Asgard."
"Funny that, since I don't recall us capturing demons and turning them into celestials regardless of their desires," muttered Belldandy, even though a tiny part of her felt that this wasn't something she should say.
"We've done worse, actually," said Peorth in a low yet audible voice, making sure to grab Belldandy's attention. "In the past, atrocities were committed by both sides, but propaganda plays a huge role in concealing them from the populate. Remember that as far as the average demon is concerned we're the poster girls of Niflheim; two former goddesses who instead of being sealed or worse… disembodied… were offered a chance to integrate into their society, with respectable jobs and a rather comfortable lifestyle."
"Please… you and I know that this is merely a facade. In reality we're just prisoners living in a fancy prison," said Belldandy before she paused and scratched her chin, trying to come up with a term she remembered hearing a while ago. "A gilded cage, so to speak."
"It is what it is. However, make no mistake that as a demoness our emotions work in a vastly different way. I'm not trying to convince you that we should go happily with our lives, and forget that in the end all we want is go home. Yet anger is something much more powerful and potent to a demoness than to a goddess. If you lose control of your darker impulses, no matter who or what's responsible for them, you might cause a much more permanent damage by nourishing the darkness within us. And at some point, make it impossible to go back to the way you used to be."
As much as she'd love to dispute such a claim, Belldandy knew that there was a kernel of truth in Peorth's argument. It was the very reason why she struggled to keep from giving in to some of the less… noble impulses her new, demonic nature demanded, and instead she tried to almost live her life here as if she was still her old self. Which was very difficult at times, given that it was considerably easier for her to get angry; a stark contrast from her days as the forever calm and collected goddess everyone came to admire. Of course, back then she wasn't a prisoner forced to live a life she never chose. Which to a certain degree made it difficult to discern whether it was just her nature or the circumstances behind her current predicament that contributed the most to her temper. "I'm fully aware of that, but at the same time, there's little I can do to relieve myself of the daily stress we're going through. I cannot contact any of my relatives in Asgard, and even talking to Urd is very difficult. Or rather… finding the opportunity to visit her, since all our phone calls are obviously monitored and even recorded."
Peorth knew from the very beginning that separating the Norns would've caused a great deal of stress to all three of them, but perhaps it was Belldandy who was the most affected by it. While Urd and Skuld were somewhat more independent, Belldandy loved to have them around and take care of them, which was something she currently missed. Especially as her paranoia was pushing her away even from the few demons who could be described in a positive manner. "Actually, why don't you move in with me? Our apartments are so big, that it won't be a problem with both of us sharing one."
"That… would be nice, yes." It took a few moments for Belldandy to respond to her coworker's suggestion, but in the end she was uncertain on how to turn the offer down. There were some… rumors about Peorth's late night habits that made Belldandy somewhat apprehensive about sharing the same living space with a demoness who allegedly received visits late at night by cloaked individuals who somehow managed to sneak past her guards. Who those individuals were and what they wanted from Peorth was a source of much speculation, but Belldandy didn't dare ask for details.
"Excellent! As soon as I'm finished with my shift, I'll make sure to prepare the guest room for you!" said Peorth with a rare smile that she hadn't display for quite some time.
A smile that Belldandy also returned, despite her own reservations as to what kind of things she could involuntarily witness in that place. "Yes, I think it should be acceptable if we both share the same apartment. We're neighbors after all."
"Great! I'll even prepare a little surprise for you!" said Peorth, before she turned around to head to her own workstation, and missed the slight frown on Belldandy's face.
'That's… what worries me, actually.'
XXX
Asgard
Located in one of the nine worlds that comprised the vast majority of the known cosmos was the capital city of the celestials. A bustling metropolis where the majority of the celestial population lived and worked in an environment that was in some ways similar in grandeur, yet totally different in style to that of their counterparts.
Where demons preferred a totally artificial and utilitarian architecture, celestials generally favored a fusion of art, nature and function, all in the same package; with most buildings incorporating all those aspects in almost perfect balance. As a result, the whole city was filled with gardens that were even incorporated in the tallest of skyscrapers, often surrounding every level with a much needed patch of green. Rivers ran along the main boulevards, since the celestial population had no need for motor vehicles, and therefore paved roads.
It was a peaceful and tranquil environment filled with beautiful artwork that decorated even the most insignificant of things. Perhaps to the point that the local population became almost used to the multitude of statues, paintings and carvings that covered every bit of usable space with their colorful and intricate motifs.
Yet in such a peaceful environment, the slightest departure of the norm was much more noticeable, and the loud screams of a panicked goddess was more than enough to scare away the wildlife that normally enjoyed living besides the locals.
"Get up and face me like a proper goddess, you big crybaby!"
But not even the terrible voice of her opponent could help the hyperventilating brunette back on her wobbly feet. Every part of her body hurt; even those she didn't knew she possessed until they screamed her to give up and throw the white flag. She had bitten way more than she could chew and yet, the downed goddess made one more desperate attempt to get up. Only to have her opponent grab her by the ankle and send her flying across the terrace they've been fighting on, and… all the way to the nearby building where she collided with one of their neighbors' trees.
Following her without even a sign of hesitation, the goddess clad in her old combat fatigues stared down at her wannabe protegee with a mix of anger and concern. "Two and a half minutes and you're done for? You call that a fight? Answer me, you worthless pup! If you don't have the guts to become a Valkyrie, then go hug a tree instead of wasting my time! GET UP NOW!"
"I'm… trying, dammit!" came the pained reply as the dark haired goddess barely managed to stand up. Taking an unsteady step forward, the goddess almost fell on the ground when she lost her balance, yet she refused to give up. 'Now I see why they call her the Harpy… Ow…'
Staring at her opponent with an almost neutral expression for several moments, Ansuz finally let out a sigh and clapped her hands to grab her student's attention. "Alright, that's enough for today's lesson. Anything beyond this is utterly pointless and actually counterproductive for tomorrow's session."
"Did I make any progress?"
The question made the retired Valkyrie pause and carefully consider her reply. She knew that if this was anyone else asking her, then the obvious answer would've been a resounding no… followed by an official rejection of the cadet's application for a Valkyrie license. Yet this was a bit more complicated case than most others, since her student's age was significantly lower than any other applicant in the Fighting Wing's history. "I believe that you've improved a bit, although you still need a lot more practice before you actually get used to the way your aged-up body moves, Skuld. Your eye-hand coordination in particular is suffering, as well as your upper body balance; which is to be expected for an adult," said Ansuz, before she stopped and gave her daughter a stern look. "And if you make any jokes about my upper body, I swear I'm gonna kick your sorry ass so hard, you won't be able to sit for a few days, cadet! Understood?"
"Yes, ma'am!" Despite the pain, Skuld managed to snap a salute at her mother and personal instructor, before the beeping sound coming out of the device strapped around her wrist caught her attention. 'Hm… 50% charge remaining. Not bad at all! This new battery is really lasting a lot more than the previous one!'
Now that the lesson was officially done, Ansuz stepped closer to her daughter and started to dust her dirt covered battle uniform. It was hard not to smile at her youngest child's determination and even dedication to not let anyone down ever again, but at the same time, Ansuz knew that inevitably, Skuld carried a burden on her that no other goddesses her age did. Actually, staring at the deceptively grown up goddess, Ansuz wasn't entirely sure how to describe her daughter anymore. She was definitely childish in many ways, yet after that fateful day, Skuld came to detest her actual age. After all, that was biggest reason why they never took her with them, since a young goddess would've been a liability during such a dangerous mission.
"Mother?" Noticing the sad look she was receiving from Ansuz, the Norn wasn't sure if she had done something wrong; at least besides failing to keep up with her otherwise brutal training regiment.
"It's alright. I'm actually quite proud of you, Skuld. And don't you ever forget that," said Ansuz as she offered her daughter a warm smile. "Because if you do, or let anyone try to convince you otherwise… I'm gonna kick you ass, young lady!"
"Mom!..." groaned the goddess of the future as she rolled her eyes. "Seriously… Can't you say something really touching without ending up sounding like a big tsundere?"
"I can, but with you taking so much after me, I fear that you'll take me for a big softy and become a young delinquent." Giving her daughter a stern look, Ansuz had to do something that she never thought necessary. "So, regardless of your physical appearance, I hope you remain mindful of your actual age and act accordingly."
"What are you even talking about?" asked the totally baffled goddess of the future, as she have her mother a blank stare.
To say that Ansuz wasn't looking forward for this conversation would've been the understatement of the century, yet as some point the teal haired goddess knew that it was a matter that had to be addressed, before it was too late. "Skuld dear… This thingamajig you've made… What is it called again?"
"Time Accelerator Mk. III."
"Yes. That device only modifies your outwards appearance so that you look like an adult. However, an adult you're not," said Ansuz as she narrowed her eyes dangerously at her daughter. She knew all too well why Skuld made that device in the first place, and perhaps the biggest reason why took her daughter's training so seriously was to ensure that she fully understood how ill prepared she was to launch a rescue attempt on her own. 'The last thing I need is to lose yet another child to them. It's already hard enough as it is… Don't make it more difficult for me, Skuld. Please.'
"Oh, for goodness sake, mom! I'm not using the damn thing to fuck around!" blurted the deceptively old goddess, before she realized her folly.
"Skuld?! Where did you pick that language, young lady?!" Despite her shock at hearing her daughter talk like she used to back in her Valkyrie days, Ansuz was kind of relieved that deep down, her daughter was still immature enough to assume that she talking about something relatively harmless. At least compared to the much greater risk of trying to save her sisters; no matter how much Ansuz wanted them back, too.
"Uh… does it matter? I mean… come on! A lot of kids talk like that, these days!" Taking a step back, the panicking Norn knew that she was likely grounded for the next week or so, but the skeptical look in her mother's face confused her. 'Why isn't she blowing a gasket already? Be-... sis… would've totally freaked out. Yes… totally...'
'Everyone has a breaking point, and she's been under a lot of stress as of late.' Letting out a sigh, Ansuz slapped her daughter's shoulders, much to the latter's confusion. "As long as you don't make everyone think you're a little punk, I don't mind."
"Are you sure feeling okay, mom?"
"Yes, dear. Now, how about we both go and have some ice cream?" asked Ansuz, in an attempt to reassure her daughter that everything was fine. "I'm buying, of course!"
"Eh? Sure thing mom!" However as soon as she started to head towards her favorite shop in Asgard, Skuld noticed the pointed look she was receiving from her mother. "Something's wrong?"
"No, I'm just curious as to why you're still in this form? Are you perhaps... stress testing the batteries of your device?"
"Nah, I've done that yesterday, and today's performance is quite phenomenal too. I can now stay an adult for eight whole hours before I need to recharge it," said Skuld with a proud smile. "The only reason I'm staying like this, is that whenever I drop by as an adult… I tend to get a bigger serving."
"But… the servings have nothing to do with your age. Or appearance, but…" Coming to an abrupt halt when she finally caught up, Ansuz simply turned around and marched off in the same direction Skuld was initially heading to. And while she refused to make any further comments, just the sight of battleaxe she summoned prior to her departure was more than enough for Skuld to realize that she may had condemned someone to a terrible fate.
"Wait, mother! Come back!"
XXX
Niflheim
In sharp contrast to the sheer space available for the demonic capital to expand horizontally across the landscape, the local population favored a much more vertical layout to their buzzing metropolis. Unlike the human cities where such a decision was taken due to practical purposes, demons primarily enjoyed the idea of layering private property based on the social status of their owners. It was the easiest way for the powerful and high ranking members of their society to display their influence to the less privileged citizens, along with the few other species that were deemed useful enough to earn the right of citizenship; even if they weren't actual demons in nature.
Because of this design principle, the whole city was layered in three distinct areas: the Low Levels, the Midsection and the Skyline. Most demons with a class two license and below, typically resided in the Midsection of the city, although they all had to commute to the segment above where the majority of the government buildings as well as shops and other businesses were located. On the other hand, anyone with a first class license could permanently live in a luxurious apartment in the Skyline, while the most successful amongst them even had the option of purchasing a building of their own. In many cases, complete with shops to allow lower ranking demons to rent, allowing them to act as their landlords and in the process consolidate a sense of social hierarchy beyond their license type.
Few of those who lived in the Low Levels were deemed suitable to move to the upper sections and even then, it was only to perform tasks that were either undesirable or simply hazardous for the general population of Niflheim. Still, it wasn't particularly unheard for demons from the above levels to descend to the least desirable area of their city, considering that despite the mostly subterranean and dreary environment, this was in certain cases a land of opportunity.
Far from the highly regulated parts of the city, where every little aspect of demonic life was dictated by a fairly rigid and often obfuscating legal system with more laws to sink a ship with; down here, the demonic code was the only thing to worry about. And while this was still fairly restrictive, as it codified the vast majority of demonic tradition and code of conduct, it still allowed a lot more freedom for demons of all classes, as well as the vast majority of the less fortunate species to interact with each other as equals. Or the closest thing to actual equality, since those of higher rank still enjoyed a lot privileges, but at the very least they didn't necessarily piss everyone off by shamelessly displaying their affluence and power.
As such, everything that wasn't in direct conflict with the demonic code was permitted in the Low Levels. Valuables as well as services that would've otherwise declared illegal in the above sections were perfectly acceptable in this place and without any repercussions from the authorities, as long as the code wasn't broken. Control was extremely important to demonic society and while they found such a less regulated area as a necessary buffer zone to allow everyone feel less oppressed by the otherwise strict rules they had to follow in the more glamorous areas of the city, this was far from a lawless place. Order was maintained by means often seen as unnecessary -if not downright brutal- since the whole point was to allow opportunities, instead of restricting them by making everyone think twice before entering this otherwise depressive catacomb.
And one of the few things one could enjoy here, was gambling. Although casinos did exist above ground, they were often seen as too rigged for anyone to waste their precious income in what was a painfully obvious sham. Up there, the whole point was to allow the rich and powerful to enjoy seeing the less privileged lose their fortunes in a 'pay to win' situation, with themselves buying off the means to win every game they participated in. There were even stories that the only reason why those places even remained in business was that their owners more or less forced their subordinates or even tenants to partake in socializing events they organized. Which… in reality were simply excuses to rob them blind, or at the very least make them realize just where their place really was: beneath them.
However, in the Low Levels, it was paradoxically much more likely for the average demon to win any kind of game, and as a result, the vast majority of the wannabe gamblers chose to risk their chances here. Still, prestige was in some ways important, as similar businesses fiercely competed against each other for customers, or rather… more affluent customers, who were willing to bet a lot more than the rest. From rarely heard games to even exotic sideshows, many different methods were used by the competing businesses in hopes to attract everyone's attention. And as far as uniqueness was concerned, the newest addition to the Low Level's gambling scene easily won the competition.
Aside from the rather unlikely choice of a name, Divine Luck was an establishment like no other, not only in the Low Levels, but in the entire demonic capital. After all, its main theme was something so unusual, that many demons merely visited the place for the sake of seeing what very few of them were allowed to; a slice of Asgard brought down to Niflheim. Everything inside the casino was meant to replicate the architectural style of the celestials, down to the tiniest detail imaginable. Even to point where they had to build an underground, indoors garden, just to match the surrounding area of a celestial structure.
Such was the attention to detail, that even the menus of both the cafe and the restaurant that were included into the main building, contained foods and drinks normally found in Asgard. Of course, it was a serious pain in the neck to get the right ingredients here in Niflheim, but such attention to detail eventually paid off, as many demons gradually became curious about this unusual establishment. Only the highest ranking members of their society had a chance to go on a business trip to the celestial capital, and as such, curiosity lead a lot of them to the doorstep of one of the least likely places one could find in Niflheim, or any of its client realms. Even the demonesses and earth spirits who worked here were actually dressed in the same outfits that the celestials preferred, which added an additional touch of realism to the whole experience. To the point where some of the visitors saw this place more as a tourist attraction than a gambling den.
However, despite its current success, back when the casino's owner came up with this idea to attract everyone's attention, her proposal was met with skepticism, if not downright ridicule. Many openly laughed at the half demoness who came up with this ludicrous idea, claiming that her homesickness was getting the better of her and strongly advised her boss to simply dismiss her proposal, as it was clearly a huge waste of time and resources. After all, such a building was significantly more expensive to construct, and the operational costs necessitated by the need to serve celestial recipes, instead of the much cheaper local cuisine were significant flaws. Especially when the competitive businesses simply resolved the problem by making a nice stage with a couple of metal poles and then hire strip dancers to attract everyone's attention.
'What good is it for me to follow everyone else's example? Why try to force my way into an oversaturated market, when I can create a new one? Something that no other demon ever attempted before? Have you ever heard the word innovation, before? Because if you do… then go tell you mommies that humping a metal pole is so outdated.'
Although the Norn eventually won the argument, it wasn't without a significant cost in terms of her acceptance by the demonic elite. Even after the Daimakaicho reluctantly accepted Urd's proposal, there were more than enough members of the demonic council who opposed the 'celestial tart' as they still called her, despite the red marking she sported on her face these days. Yet few of them knew the perils of messing around with the deceptively insecure hybrid. Especially after she ended up ridiculing most of her critics by running the most profitable business in the entire Low Levels, to the point that it raised more than enough eyebrows at how such a thing was possible within such a short period of time.
'Cry as much as you want. Your tears are… delicious.'
Smirking as she strode along the carefully laid stonework of the main pathway that run across all the way from the entrance to the inner part of the casino where most of the games were located, Urd paused for a moment to check the cafe on her left hand side and the restaurant opposite of it. Build as if they were outside in open space, those two shops attempted to further enhance the illusion that this whole place wasn't just a single business, but a tiny snapshot of what life in Asgard was like. And considering that it was designed by one who spent most of her life there, the illusion was quite successful; yet… only to the eyes of the demons. Even though her place was packed with customers, as usual, Urd couldn't help but feel that there was a tiny spec of truth in her critics' baleful words. She was indeed homesick.
There were so many things she missed from her previous life, that she simply tried not to think too much about it. Doing so only made her feel more heartbroken, and the last thing she needed right now was to lose the will to keep going. This was a war of attrition after all, but on a psychological level; where she was most vulnerable. One of Urd's biggest desires was to go back to her sisters, and while Skuld was out of question… Belldandy was a totally different matter altogether. She was living up in the Skyline where the contract agency of Niflheim was located and the place Urd willingly left in hopes of making a fortune down here.
And it's not that she didn't have other options. All she needed was to close this business and go up there to get one of the many offered careers that were readily available for her. That her most gracious hosts wanted her to take in the first place, and even used her sister as bait to make her comply and play the role of the willing participant in their little games of demonic politics. Yet if there was one aspect of Urd's character that stood out more than the rest, that would be her obstinacy.
Time after time, she would greet her most generous hosts with a smile on her face and immediately comment on how profitable her business was. To anyone with an iota of intelligence, that was an obvious way of declining any counter offers for a better job, one that would've put Urd into their home turf. For the vast majority of the demonic elite, the Low Levels was as unimportant as the town's junkyard was to mortals. So, few of them had any serious interest to maintain a personal presence and therefore influence down here. Anyone important enough in Niflheim belonged to the Skyline, or if they were in the mood of lowering themselves to the level of common plebeians, the Middle Section. And that proved to be the only way for Urd to have some level of freedom in this literally god forsaken place.
Unfortunately, today was one of those times when her hosts would get into the trouble to come all the way down here to bribe her with the same offers; as if they worked in the past. Although, Urd was confident that at some point of time they expected her to break. If all that was needed was a simple yes and then go back to a parody of normalcy, then the temptation of uttering that single word was too hard to ignore.
In a case of epic irony, one of the main reasons she remained adamant in her stance was thanks to the very people who attempted to persuade her otherwise. Although she did have her favorites when it came to dealing with them, and the one who was coming her way, wasn't the one she expected, nor wanted for that matter.
'And I thought this was going to be a good day… But no!... It just had to be him!'
Deeply regretting her decision to wear something as stylish as her goddess robes for the occasion, Urd cursed under her breath to calm her nerves, before she put a fake smile on her face and walked towards her unwanted visitor. "Sokkmimir-sama! I wasn't expecting you, today!"
"My, you look as lovely as ever, dear Urd." Almost ignoring the tiny hint of displeasure in the Norn's voice, the apparently joyous demon approached Urd with a toothy grin plastered on his face. For anyone familiar with the General Secretary of the Demonic Council, such a courteous display would've almost look out of character, and to a certain degree creepy, as he was mostly known for his rather unpleasant and manipulative nature. "I'm terribly sorry for this last minute change in today's agenda, but you must understand that the Daimakaicho is terribly busy today, and therefore couldn't come here in person."
"Is that so?" said Urd, mostly in an attempt to change the topic. With the green haired demon being an avid politician, Urd hoped that any mention of their boss' agenda would've made him go on and on about how useful of an asset to the Daimakaicho he was, and hopefully allow her to simply nod and spare herself the trouble to hold a conversation with him. Sadly, such a simple approach didn't work on someone as crafty as Sokkmimir, who merely avoided to take the bait.
"Yes, yes… although I don't want to bore you with such topics, dear." Moving next to Urd, the smiling demon wrapped an arm around the Norn's waist in an overly friendly, if not flirty fashion. "I'm actually here to congratulate you on a job well done. From what we hear, this business of yours is quite profitable. Much more than anyone would've expected!"
"Yes, I suppose that's kind of true." Urd's eyes followed the councilor's gaze as he marveled the sight of her voluptuous body that was exceptionally highlighted by the extremely low cut purple dress she was wearing. Clinging onto her body like a second skin, it was one of her most famous outfits since she used it as her official goddess robes on all kinds of formal and even informal occasions. However, when she felt an almost imperceptible tug from the direction of the spot where the councilor's hand rested on her hips, Urd took a deep breath. It did wonders calm herself down and avoid socking him across the face, like the filthy pervert he was, only to make matters worse for her, by assaulting a high ranking member of the council. So, she desperately tried to find something else to preoccupy her mind with, before she ripped his arm from the socket. 'Let's see… the trees look nice today. My new fertilizer is doing wonders for the flowers… I need to buy a dress like the ones Belldandy loved. Tomorrow even.'
Finally taking the hint when he saw the casino's chief security officer stare him behind her copper tinted visor, Sokkmimir let go of Urd's dress, allowing the Norn to casually fix the wardrobe malfunction he had so carefully incited. "How about we go and have a nice cup of tea over at your cafe? I've got some news for you."
"By all means," said Urd as she immediately led him towards an empty table, only to briefly pause and share a glance with her blue haired bodyguard, who merely nodded and silently tailed them from a distance. "What is this all about?"
"As I've already mentioned, your success is quite noticeable, dear Urd. There are more than enough demons praising the quality and above all, the exclusive feel of your services. Unfortunately, many of them still feel a bit skeptical about your decision to locate this wonderful place… down here, which is a place much more suited for a common strip club. What I'm suggesting is that a relocation of your casino to the Skyline could significantly boost your profits."
"Hm…" Taking a moment to wordlessly thanks her waitress for delivering them their beverages, Urd paused for a while, just for the sake of making him think that she was considering his proposition. "It's far too expensive to move my business in the Skyline. Besides, there's too much competition for what I'm offering, up there. Down here… that's a totally different story."
"I beg to differ. Although there are more than enough casinos in the Skyline, none of them is a snapshot of Asgardian lifestyle. So, I still think that you're going to have an exclusive service, unlike anyone else's," argued the green haired demon as he sipped from his tea. "Although I must admit that it can be indeed pretty expensive to rebuild your business up there, so, I'm willing to provide you with everything you may need during the relocation."
"Thank you very much, Sokkmimir-sama, but I'll have to consider all options, before I make any final decisions." The tone on her voice was calm, yet forceful enough to dissuade him from arguing any further. She knew all too well that generosity had nothing to do with his proposal, as demons weren't particularly known for offering anything without a form of payment. And it was more than obvious what he probably expected of her, should she made the terrible mistake of becoming his employee; and quite likely mistress. "Is there anything else?"
"No, that should be all for today," said Sokkmimir as he got up from his chair. "I'm terribly sorry for being in such a rush, but I've got a very important meeting I need to attend to, and I cannot afford being late. See you another time, dear Urd."
"Of course." Urd patiently waited with a smile plastered on her face until her visitor walked out of the casino, and only then did she raise her hand, with the middle finger proudly extended. "Sod off, you son of bitch!"
"Quite tenacious, isn't he?" Approaching the fuming Norn, the blue haired demoness crossed her arms in a seemingly relaxed fashion; yet for anyone who knew her as well as Urd did, appearances could be quite deceiving.
"He just wants his trophy wife, Lind. Plus, the fact that we're effectively prisoners only makes him think he can act like this and get away with it." Urd let a frustrated sigh and watched the former Valkyrie relax her stance, which most people found it quite difficult to discern. But after living together with her for the last couple of years, Urd began to read her body language for the tiny hints that reflected her state of mind and the way she currently relaxed her shoulders meant that she was genuinely at ease.
The biggest hindrance though, was the almost ever present visor that the warrior wore that totally obscured her eyes behind the copper tinted crystal surface. Acting like a one way mirror, it made it difficult for anyone to read her facial expression, especially since the eyes were according to some, the window to one's soul. Lind's official explanation for this accessory was that it allowed her to keep an eye on the casino's patrons without them feeling her gaze. Yet, Urd knew that this was merely a convenient excuse meant to conceal the actual reason behind this measure. Like all other demonesses, whenever she became agitated, Lind's eyes had the tendency to glow in a crimson light and their irises turned into cat-like slits; a fact that greatly disturbed the former Valkyrie.
"You've got a new combat uniform," observed Urd after a while, trying to shift the topic from their disrespectful visitor to something a tad more pleasant.
Unlike the rest of Urd's employees, Lind vehemently refused to wear a replica of her original battle uniform. Aside from the fact that it was a civilian grade imitation of the genuine article she wore for most of her life, those replicas also lacked the most important element of them all; they were essentially costumes, instead of genuine uniforms. And the last thing she wanted at this point of time, was to cosplay as a Valkyrie, since she no longer was one, let alone a goddess at all.
"Yes, I got it earlier today. My previous one got torn during training, so, I've ordered a replacement." There was a ghost of a smile, as Lind actually enjoyed fighting almost as much, if not more than she used to, and that made anything associated with it equally enjoyable. While most demonesses didn't pay far too much attention at selecting a battle uniform for themselves, Lind spent hours making sure that she got the right stuff. And her current uniform was by far the most impressive one she bought as a demoness.
Made out of a glossy purple fabric, it was the most durable civilian class outfit she could get her hands on, and for Lind that was all that counted. Sure, there were some stylistic options that the warrior wasn't too certain about, but the high heeled combat boots weren't particularly difficult to get accustomed to, and if properly used, they even counted as a potential weapon. The only thing that she had no idea what to about was the very feature that, Urd obviously came to notice.
"Lind… have you seen the-"
"Yes, I'm aware of the diamond shaped cutout on the back," said Lind with a groan, as she dreaded that question. "It's very similar to the one in my Valkyrie fatigues, and much smaller too. If only they placed it a bit higher…" Letting out an exasperated sigh, the warrior tried to ignore the Norn's pointed gaze at her posterior, right above where the aforementioned opening was located. "According to the saleswoman, buttocks cleavage is kind of the new craze these days."
'Great… now I look like a total prude with my battle uniform.' Instead of a comment, Urd merely nodded at her and then averted her gaze to the next most impressive feature on her. "You're wearing lipstick."
"It came as a gift with the uniform, so I decided to try it," said Lind with a slight smile as she carefully traced her red lips with her gloved fingers. And then blurted out the most unbelievable of things. "Does it look nice on me?"
Blinking hard as she had never expected the warrior to care about her appearance, it took Urd a couple of seconds to come up with a proper response. "Actually… it does. The shade might be a bit too strong for your skin's complexion, but you can try some of my lipsticks if you want. I think that might make you look even better."
"In that case, I'll take your offer," said Lind with a nod, at which point Urd began to worry. "We can try some makeup during your training session."
That made the Norn snap out of her reverie and brought her back to harsh reality. "No… no more getting beaten while listening to Enka…"
"It's for your own good to conquer your weakness, or someone will eventually find out about it and use accordingly." Lind's eyebrows furrowed together as her tone became darker. "With demons like that guy around, all it takes is for one of them to slap some earphones on you, and then… both use and abuse you to their personal enjoyment."
Urd visibly winced at the harshness of Lind's words, especially as she apparently showed no emotion while addressing her. But, she also knew that it wasn't malice that motivated her bodyguard to make sure that she was capable of defending herself, should the need arise. Already she could stay awake even when she listened to Enka, and while it was still hard for her to ignore the drowsiness that music style incited, she wasn't immediately incapacitated by it. Additionally, Urd was learning on how to properly fight, since most of her self taught combat spells were essentially too inefficient and only suitable for low intensity fights. "Yeah, yeah… I get it. But I still don't like it."
"I wouldn't expect you to, unless you're secretly a masochist," said Lind with a rare grin, but for Urd that was a challenge too hard to ignore.
"Personally speaking, I'm more of a sadist, but if that's really your thing, I could make an exception," said Urd with a low purr that she didn't get to use too often these days. "Mistress."
"Don't get smart with me, just because you're officially my boss!" snapped Lind at the grinning Norn, poking her nose with her gloved finger. "You may be my most promising student so far, but that attitude of yours need some much needed readjustments!"
"Oh, mistress! Don't go too hard on poor me!" said Urd as she cupped her cheeks in mock embarrassment. "I'm still new at this!"
Stepping right in front of the half demoness, Lind was so close that their noses were almost touching, which also made it much easier for Urd to see the glowing red orbs behind the warrior's visor. "Cut the crap soldier, or it's another round of katas for today's training regime!"
"Yes, ma'am!" said Urd as she snapped a rather sloppy salute at the warrior, and then watched her turn around and head back to the casino's almost trembling security staff. Even though she had to pause once and clench her fists when she heard Urd's wolf whistle.
'Lipstick, huh… Not bad, Lind. Not bad at all.'
XXX
The Daimakaicho's throne room
Situated above the Pit, the very place most others would've run away from, the progenitor and first ruler of demonkind chose to built his throne room as an ultimate testament of power and defiance. Regardless of its impracticality that made it more suitable for display than comfort, the Daimakaicho's throne room was designed to remind everyone of the core ideals of the demonic society: power and frugality.
There was very little in terms of floorspace to fill the room with useless decorations, and the updrafts from below often carried the almost inaudible whispers of the terrible beast that slept deep beneath the surface of the demonic capital: the corpse eater and the Tree's nemesis; Nidhogg. The very same creature that Yggdrasil kept imprisoned since the times before the known world came to be, and perhaps one of the most terrifying being known, aside from the Tree itself. Such was its power and psychological effect that the denizens of the demonic capital named their massive supercomputer after it, in a very similar fashion to their counterparts who gave the Tree's name to their own mainframe.
For the vast majority of the immortals living here, those were merely bedtime stories to convince their children go to sleep, yet for the very few who passed the massive doors and into the terrible domain where Nidhogg's presence could still be felt, it was hard even for the bravest to not feel humbled in the mighty beast's presence. And to that extent, the person sitting on the throne suspended in the middle of this room, just had to earn the right to be called the great leader of demonkind; or in short, the Daimakaicho.
Yet to some, there was another symbolic meaning behind the decision to arrange this room in such a fashion. It was to remind the holder of that prestigious title not only of the expectations they had to meet, but also how far they could fall from grace, should they disappoint those who entrusted them with that position. After all, the trip to the bottom of the Pit was a fate no demon wished upon themselves, and sometimes not even upon their enemies.
So, it was no surprise that despite her poise and confidence, the demoness who walked towards the throne, her throne, sometimes felt that this was her own undoing. She had been here countless times with her predecessor and although it was her who possessed that prestigious title, it all felt like a charade.
Darting from side to side, her blue eyes studied the holograms of her highest ranking subordinates and governors of the client realms under her rule. Although they were normally supposed to be physically present for this meeting, the current situation was still volatile enough that necessitated them to attend from afar. All except for one, who also happened to be the newest appointed member of her Inner Circle and representative of the very capital of the demon world. A position that allowed the governor of Niflheim to stand above his three other colleagues and act as the right hand and deputy of the Daimakaicho herself; which was also the position she once possessed in the not so distant past.
Waiting for her to sit upon her throne, the rest of her subordinates did the same and after two long years, the first meeting between the Inner Circle was underway.
"Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming today." It was hard to say that with a straight face, especially when some among the audience raised their eyebrows in a clearly sarcastic fashion, given that they weren't actually present in the room. "Before we start with today's agenda, I must introduce you to the newest member of the Inner Circle and one most of you are undoubtedly familiar with," said the Daimakaicho as she extended her hand towards the direction of her deputy. "The position of my second in command is now officially assigned to a seasoned and highly experienced member of the demonic council, Sokkmimir."
Standing up from his hovering chair, in a very similar fashion he used to during the meetings of the capital's council, Sokkmimir was almost expecting the applause of his new colleagues. Only to find out that there were no friends within the Circle, as none of the attendants even did as much as nod in his direction. After an awkward pause, the green haired demon simply sat on his chair and addressed the only one here who probably wasn't openly hostile towards him. "Thank you, my lady. I offer you my assurance that I'll perform the duties of this important position with the utmost efficiency and prove myself worthy of your trust."
"I do hope so. But only time will tell," offered the Daimakaicho, while ignoring the two holograms further away from her; one of which was yawning in a ladylike fashion, while the other simply rolled his eyes. Only one of her subordinates remained relatively polite, albeit in what was likely silent contempt, and for those who knew the ruler of Jotunheim that wasn't necessarily a good sign.
Seated on her left was Skrymir, the governor of the second most populated realm under her command and largest military outpost due to it proximity to the celestial worlds. Yet the red haired demon was as cold as the frigid land of the ice demons he commanded, and probably the most significant threat to her authority, as he doubled as the head of her Intelligence Sector.
An organization that she wasn't entirely sure she controlled anymore, especially after what transpired a few years ago, with its operatives working in the dark to who knows what ends. "You have something to comment about, Skrymir? I cannot help but notice the inquisitive look on your face."
"Yes, although I believe it's the same thing that everyone else in the room -save for one- has in their minds," said Skrymir as briefly stared over at Sokkmimir, before shifting his gaze back to his boss. "Why are we still barred from entering Niflheim? I understand that in the aftermath of your… ascend to power, there was some significant instability. But after two entire years, my citizens are getting restless. Closing our borders is a highly controversial policy to prevent a coup… Hagall-sama."
"Worse, this very policy had torn families apart, with some members trapped on different realm than the rest of their loved ones," said the only other demoness attending the meeting, from her position besides Skrymir. Grid, the fair skinned ruler of the nocturnal realm of Svartalfheim, was one of the oldest amongst them, and probably the most experienced in demonic affairs than anyone else in the room. So, to have someone like that, voice her concerns was as bad of a sign that something was wrong as it go. "We've heard more than enough promises to raise this unfair measure, and yet there's no change in that policy. The borders remain closed and my people are also getting upset."
"I reassure you that it's not my desire to burden my loyal subjects with such a measure, but their safety stands higher on my list than her comfort," said Hagall in an attempt to regain control of the situation, before she ended up getting scolded by those who were supposed to be her subordinates. However, the snort she heard from her right, caused her to look over Sokkmimir and to the last of her subordinates who had remained otherwise silent so far. "Can you explain me what you find so amusing, Surt?"
Chuckling mirthlessly, the bronze skinned governor of the fiery realm of Muspelheim, and homeworld of the previous Daimakaicho, simply raised an eyebrow at his current leader. "How about… everything? If you think you're dissuading the rest of us to… kick your otherwise lovely posterior off that throne, then I'm afraid you're doing a very bad job at that."
"How dare you address Hagall-sama in such a vile manner!" Standing up from his seat, Sokkmimir pointed at the dark haired ruler of Muspelheim with a shaking hand as he could barely contain his rage. "Just because you were Hild-sama's favorite and used that to get away with everything, that doesn't mean we're going to tolerate your insufferable personality for any longer. Be respectful to those above you, or we'll show you who's in charge here!"
"Really now…new guy? I know that you're trying to impress her, but we all know each other from before," said Surt with a groan. "So, it's not like we have to be so damn formal and polite to each other, especially when I'm the least of her problems. Our realms are almost bankrupt, since she killed the market in a single day, and to rub salt to the wound, we're now barred from visiting the capital, as well as any of the other realms. Everyone and their dogs wants a coup, and I'm running out of excuses to convince them otherwise. So… any bright ideas?"
"That should be enough." Stopping her deputy from replying, and in the process start an argument that would've completely derail the whole meeting, Hagall took a deep breath before addressing the most temperamental of her direct subordinates. "The market is slowly recovering, and it's only a matter of time before we start making profit again. I fear that my early attempt of kickstarting our economy didn't have the desired effect, but I do have a contingency plan that will provide us with some temporary relief. In addition, to further address there will be a gradual lift of the stability measures, by offering visas to anyone with registered family members on a different realm. Eventually, everyone will be free to move across our realms as they used to, but not before I'm sure that it won't lead to a civil war."
"With all due respect, Hagall-sama… but we've all heard similar promises before," said Skrymir after a pause, since no one else wished to offer a reply. "What we need is proof, or there's no point of discussing this topic any further."
"And you will. I've already come up with a plan to regain our market share, and all I need is to put it in motion," said Hagall in the most confident fashion she could muster. "After all it's about time I use my trump cards to take the market by storm."
"Please, Hagall-sama, no more storms," said Grid, who like the majority of her colleagues wasn't terribly pleased by the prospect of another 'miracle solution' like the one that almost bankrupt them. "The last one was already…"
"A shitstorm…" muttered Surt while rubbing his temples, but before he could go further, Grid decided to stop him.
"A tornado is what I had in mind, actually." Clearing her throat as she gave the lord of Muspelheim a warning look, Grid turned back to her leader. "At any rate, I highly recommend you to revise any plans that might cause… undesirable side effects."
"Rest assured that this time my method of generating income is vastly different than wish granting on a massive scale," said Hagall as her lips slowly curled up in a grin. "With only two demonesses and no wishes involved, I can still generate enough income to compensate this fiscal year's losses."
The Daimakaicho's announcement was met with great skepticism, as it sounded far too good to be true, and even Sokkmimir who was trying his best to make a good impression to his leader found it somewhat unrealistic.
"Forgive me, my lady, but… how is that even possible?"
"It's quite simple really," said Hagall as her grin became wider. "Mass entertainment."
XXX
By the time Belldandy arrived outside of Peorth's apartment, the Norn of the present was already second guessing the decision to move in with her. Even as a goddess, Peorth was known for being somewhat of an unusual -if not eccentric- deity, and Belldandy could only speculate how much her personality changed due to her new nature.
Of course, if she wanted to be absolutely fair with her, Peorth never wished to become a demoness; which also applied to the rest. All four of them had attempted to stop Hagall's rise to power after she successfully sealed Hild and then took her position, but their hastily put together plan and the sheer lack of support sealed their fate.
Stripped of their angels and with their energy drained, the once goddesses were forcefully injected with demonic energy, that much to everyone's surprise, their bodies apparently managed to sustain and adapt to it. Yet the biggest question was just how far their minds would also adapt to their new situation. Now that was something no one could possibly know for sure, not even the former goddesses themselves.
"Wait a moment, I'm coming!"
Listening to Peorth's rushed footsteps from within the apartment, Belldandy picked up the small bag that contained her few belongings and tried to smile, wishing for the best.
"Hi there!" opening the door with a much brighter smile on her face, Peorth greeted the fellow brunette in a warm and friendly manner that actually made Belldandy feel welcome. Perhaps for the first time ever since she arrived in Niflheim. "Don't just stand there like a statue, come inside!"
"Thank you very much for taking me in," said Belldandy with a small bow as she stepped inside the apartment and immediately surveyed her surroundings. There was nothing too bizarre or eccentric about the place, except the large number of photo frames with all kinds of flower gardens depicted on them. Other than that, the furnishing was somewhat typical for a first class demoness, which probably meant that Peorth didn't quite spend enough time decorating her house. Although that too was to be expected, as in reality it was nothing more than a comfortable prison.
"Don't be silly! It's great to have some company in this place. To be honest, an apartment isn't exactly what suits my needs, since I cannot have a garden in here, so, most if it kind of… bare I'm afraid. Thankfully, it's big enough for the two of us, and in a fairly good condition too," said Peorth as she decided to give her new housemate a tour.
However, the most impressive thing for Belldandy to witness wasn't exactly the apartment itself, but Peorth, or rather… her choice of attire. While she wore an extremely revealing bikini as a casual outfit on a daily basis, right now the demoness was actually wearing something considerably more tame. A dark brown sweater and a pair or red pants with floral patterns printed on them wasn't exactly what Belldandy expected of the otherwise daring demoness, and no matter how much she didn't want to make a comment about it, her intense gaze caught Peorth's attention.
"Something's wrong, Belldandy?"
"Um… well…"
Noticing Belldandy's gaze fall upon her clothes, Peorth immediately connected the dots and offered her a smile. "Oh, you're wondering why I'm wearing this, instead of my regular clothes?"
"Yes. Anyone would, actually."
"Well, I suppose that given my reputation, most assume that I can't wear something a bit more… conservative. However, as you can see, that's clearly not the case." Pausing for a moment, Peorth knew what was likely coming next and decided to spare Belldandy from having to ask the most obvious of questions. "There are many reasons why I prefer wearing something a bit out of the ordinary. Even back then, it was nice to avoid following some millennia old stereotype, especially when it comes to the typical expectations of how a first class goddess should act. But the best thing was that in a strange way... it made me truly unique. Not many goddesses would dress like that, and that made me stood out from the rest. Even if… it wasn't always for the right reasons. Although, I cannot say that I was terribly worried about that, either."
"I see. Although…" Biting her lower lip, Belldandy was almost scared to touch the subject, yet in the end, her curiosity just got the better of her. "We're not exactly goddesses anymore."
"Oh? Are we demonesses, then?" asked Peorth with a raised eyebrow. "If we want to be really technical about it, then I suppose the answer would be… yes. But, I'm still the same person and I won't act differently just to fit into Niflheim's society. Sure, my choice of clothing can be seen as blatant display of exhibitionism, and maybe to a certain degree it is. However, I refuse to change my habits or my personality, and I think that the same is true about you, too, Belldandy."
"You're quite correct," admitted the Norn in a soft voice, just above a whisper. "I mostly try to live my life as a goddess, even though it's sometimes pretty hard to do under these circumstances. My temper is the biggest problem as I often find myself to be somewhat irritable, but hopefully now that I've got someone to talk to, my mood swings and paranoia will subside."
"That's definitely true, Belldandy! Demoness or not, social interaction is as important to you as it is for a goddess," said Peorth before she walked towards her cupboard and then reached behind it. 'You're really missing your sisters, but for the time being, let's hope that this will do the trick.' With some effort, she managed to find the thick envelope she had hidden, just in case her apartment was searched, and then offered it to the confused Norn. "Here, this is the little surprise I've mentioned before. I know it's hardly enough to substitute for the real thing, but… it's still better from nothing at all."
"Thank you?..." Raising an eyebrow, Belldandy opened the envelope and began to shift through its contents, and then her eyes went wide. Inside were a few photos of her sisters -both of them- and even a couple of handwritten notes that described various incidents from their daily lives. "H-How?... W-Where did… t-those came… from?"
"I have some contacts," said Peorth after carefully choosing her words. "So, I thought it was about time I use them for-"
Catching Peorth by surprise when she pulled her in a tight embrace, Belldandy was genuinely happy for the first time in the last few years. "Thank you! Thank you so much!"
"Hey, come on… It's not that big of a deal," said the slightly blushing Peorth, as she wasn't prepared for the Norn's emotional outburst. Gingerly returning Belldandy's embrace with a tiny hug, Peorth could already feel her own mood improve by the sheer magnitude of her friend's enthusiasm. "Now, while I'm preparing dinner, why don't you go ahead and read them?"
"Yes! I'll do that right away!" said Belldandy as she rushed towards the guest room, that was going to become hers from now on. Almost jumping on the bed, the Norn emptied the envelope's contents on the mattress and began shift through them, almost with the same excitement as a kid unwrapping a brand new toy.
However, aside from Urd and Skuld's notes, she found a letter from both her parents, and then something that made her pause and frown a bit. It was the most unexpected of things, given that it was a series of printouts from a client profile that clearly belonged to her old wish granting agency. And the more she went through them, the more she began to recognize the details of the person who was her last assignment as an employee of the Goddess Relief Office. One who was meant to have a wish granted from her, only for the demonic coup to mess everything up by its poor timing.
'Huh? That's… Mr… Morisato's… profile? Wait… who knew about him? Did mother or father added those? Strange… Although, let's not worry about that and find out what he was up to during those two years.'