Intervention.
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the Ah My Goddess characters.
"We have to do something before it's too late." Keiichi announced in a firm voice. Belldandy, Skuld, and Keiichi had been sitting around the kitchen table all morning discussing their options until they were left with only one choice at least in Keiichi's mind.
"Are you sure this is the best course of action?" Belldandy asked softly. Her hands shook slightly as she gripped her teacup between her hands. Keiichi put a reassuring hand on hers.
"I'm sorry Bell, but it's the only way." He replied.
"Aw c'mon, once she sleeps it off she'll be back to her normal aggravating self, you'll see." Skuld chimed in.
Keiichi shook his head. "No it's gone way beyond that now. I realize that sake is her energy source, but recently it's gotten worse. You saw her last night when she came home. She could barely stand up for God's sake! If it wasn't for Megumi she wouldn't have found her way home."
"And that's a bad thing?" Skuld asked.
"Skuld…" Belldandy warned. Skuld held up her hands in supplication.
"No, for Urd's sake as well as our own we have to help her stop drinking." Keiichi stated flatly. Reluctantly both Belldandy and Skuld nodded in agreement. In recent months Urd had been drinking more than she usually did. Usually she'd only drink excessively at parties, but recently she'd been spending at least four to five nights a week down cruising the local pubs and bars. Every time she did she'd come home during the wee hours of the morning well and truly hammered, make a loud racket and wake the rest of the household, and crawl off to bed. The following afternoon she'd awake, cranky and irritable, and deny anything that happened when anyone asked. And then the whole cycle would repeat itself.
It got to the point where Keiichi had refused to lend her anymore money. Unfortunately Belldandy could never say no to her older sister no matter how much she wanted to and would give her money at least until Keiichi stepped in. Undaunted Urd then begged, pleaded, cajoled, and outright threatened Skuld into lending her money. Skuld, often faced with the threat of being made to create more useless machines, or worse, would cave in.
Worse though were the strangers that would show up. On two occasions they had discovered Urd had brought home a man that she had met at the bar. The first time, Sigel had gone outside for her morning walk around the grounds and saw a man sneaking out the back way. By the time she had gotten a hold of Skuld and the others, he was long gone. They also found Banpei by the old well, deactivated.
The second time, Belldandy was going down the hallway to perform her daily ablutions, when another strange man came charging past her trying to dress in a hurry and otherwise be inconspicuous. Belldandy recovered quickly and asked if he would like a cup of tea or some breakfast, to which he muttered an apology and fled the building. Urd never said anything about either incident and the matter was dropped since no more strange men had appeared after the second incident owing to some precautions that Skuld took involving some additions to the temple's security.
"We can't go on like this anymore. We're running out of money, and some of Skuld's precautions could hurt someone." Keiichi stated. Skuld sat back with her arms folded and glared at him. It wasn't her fault that he couldn't see the pit in broad daylight.
"You're right. We really need to help poor Urd with her problem before it's too late." Belldandy stated. "We need to talk to her, to tell her that she has to stop drinking and get over this sickness."
"Fine, I take it that we're all in agreement then?" Keiichi asked.
"I agree." Belldandy replied.
"Skuld, what about you?" Keiichi asked.
Skuld sat there fidgeting for several seconds. "Oh all right, I agree." She said with a reluctant sigh. Belldandy smiled at her in gratitude.
"You agree with what brat?" A voice purred causing the three of them to jump slightly. The trio turned and saw Urd framed in the doorway. Her hair was still tousled indicating that she'd just awakened. She wore little more than a thin floral print robe that did little to conceal her assets. Keiichi felt the heat rise in his cheeks while Skuld rolled her eyes. More disturbing though was the fact that she had a large bottle of sake clutched in her right hand and already a third of the bottle was empty.
"Good morning Urd, would you like some breakfast?" Belldandy asked in her normally cheerful voice, but her eyes were saddened by the sight of the bottle in Urd's hand.
"Nah, that's okay. I'm not feeling very hungry right now." Urd replied. "What were you guys talking about just now?"
"We were discussing a little problem we're having. Please have a seat and join us will you?" Keiichi asked politely. Urd smirked a bit, seeing that Keiichi was nervous about something while Belldandy still looked sad. Skuld for her part regarded her with disdain. Urd sighed and decided to humor them.
"What seems to be the problem?" She asked as she sat down at the table, showing a little more cleavage to Keiichi as she did so. She grinned as he began to sweat a bit more.
Keiichi brought his breathing under control and chose his next words carefully. "The problem is you Urd."
Urd laughed a bit. "Oh dear, what have I done this time? It's been awhile since I gave you one of my potions. Are the two of you still having problems getting intimate?" She purred in her most seductive tone. She smiled as both Keiichi and Belldandy turned beet red. Urd grinned while she opened the bottle to pour herself a drink.
"N-no it's not that." Keiichi stammered.
"Then what is it pray?" Urd asked as she took a drink, sighing in satisfaction.
"It's...that." Belldandy replied as she pointed at the bottle of sake.
"What about my sake bottle?" Urd asked innocently as she poured herself another drink.
"It's not the bottle itself Urd, it's your drinking. It's getting out of hand." Keiichi replied.
Urd paused in mid sip. "What the hell are you talking about?" A dangerous edge started creeping into her voice.
"Urd dear, we know that sake is your energy source, but recently you've been drinking way too much of it. It's starting to affect your judgment." Belldandy replied. Urd snorted in contempt and took another drink.
Keiichi pressed on. "For the last few weeks you've been going out nearly every night and coming home by dawn the next day, if not later. Megumi had to bring you home twice in fact because you were so out of it. Then there were the strange men..." Urd slammed her fist down on the table, cutting him off.
"Are you jealous that you're not getting any?" Urd leered. Keiichi bristled at her tone while Belldandy started to cry. Skuld just sat there silently, frowning.
"That's not the point!" Keiichi shot back. "You're not drinking to replenish your energy anymore, you're drinking just to drink and it has to stop!"
"Please, I can stop anytime I want." Urd replied as she capped the bottle and pushed it away from her. "See, I've stopped. Happy now?"
Belldandy was shaking now while Keiichi shook his head. They knew that Urd would try to deny everything, but this was too much. "Urd...please, you're sick. We're your family. Let us help you. Please Urd."
Urd's laugh was cruel and mocking. "Sick? What the hell are you talking about? I've never felt better in my life! Just because you're so repressed doesn't mean I have to be." Belldandy broke down completely at her older sister's words and Keiichi tried to comfort her. Urd sneered as she reached for her sake only to find it being snatched from her grasp.
"What the hell? Hey! Give that back brat!" Urd shouted as Skuld stood up, her precious bottle of sake clutched tightly in her hand.
"Uh-uh, no way. Not until you apologize to my big sister first." Skuld replied sternly as she held the bottle out of Urd's reach.
"I'm your big sister, you little twerp! Now gimme my booze back!" Urd snarled as Skuld pretended to offer it to her before snatching it back.
"Skuld... stop! Please." Keiichi warned. Belldandy cried even harder now.
"Not until she apologizes!" Skuld shouted back.
"All right already! Be that way." Urd took a deep breath. "Belldandy, I'm sorry. Now gimme back my sake!"
Skuld smirked and went over to the sink, opening the bottle as she did so. "Not good enough, sorry." She grinned and poured the bottle's contents down the sink. The others watched in stupefied silence as the bottle was drained, the contents spilling slowly down the drain.
"All gone." Skuld triumphantly announced as the last of the sake drained away.
"You little bitch!" Urd screamed as she scrambled to her feet and lunged at her tormentor. Before anyone could stop her Urd tackled her now fearful youngest sister sending them both crashing to the floor with Urd on top, straddling her. Urd screamed obscenities in dozens of languages as she ruthlessly pummeled Skuld ignoring her pleas for mercy and her families' cries for her to stop. Blood flew around the room as Urd's fists crashed down on Skuld's face.
"Holy Wind Press!" Belldandy shrieked. A massive gust of wind blasted Urd across the room and pinned her to the wall. Her head impacted violently against the wall causing her to black out. When she came to, she found a very agitated Belldandy and Holy Bell standing over her, hands raised in preparation to loose another spell if need be.
"Urd, stay down please. Don't force me to..." Belldandy choked out the next words. "Don't force me to hurt you again."
"Fuck you you stupid cow!" Urd shouted back. "Where's Skuld! I have something to give her!" She snarled as electricity crackled around her.
"Haven't you done enough already?" Keiichi demanded angrily. Urd looked over at him, a growl rising in her throat when the sight she saw made her pause.
All of the color drained from Urd's horrified face as she looked at the devastation in front of her. Keiichi was kneeling on the floor alongside of Sigel who, along with Banpei, had ran into the kitchen from outside when they heard the commotion. Skuld's head rested on Keiichi's lap, her face battered and bloody, her clothes covered in blood. Skuld's eyes were full of fear as she looked at her while Keiichi and Sigel both glared at her with expressions of shock and contempt. Banpei took out a felt marker and drew an angry expression on his normally blank face.
"What, what happened?" Urd gasped in horror. "Skuld? Bell? Who did this?" Urd whispered, tears flowing down her face.
Belldandy placed a hand on her shoulder. "It was you Urd."
"No. It couldn't be...I would never...NO!" Urd shouted, trying to deny the truth until she saw the blood on her hands.
"You did this Urd. You were the one who hurt Skuld." Keiichi stated.
"No, no, no, NO! Please, I'm sorry. Let me help you Skuld, please." Urd tried to go and aid her sister but Belldandy stopped her. Skuld scrambled to her feet and fled from the room before anyone could stop her.
"Wait! Skuld wait! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry..." Urd's shouts dissipated to whispers as she collapsed to the floor weeping. Belldandy and Keiichi knelt down beside her while Holy Bell, Sigel, and Banpei looked on.
"It wasn't your fault Urd." Belldandy assured her. "You're sick and you need help. Will you allow us to help you get better, please?" Belldandy reached out to Urd, beseeching her. Urd stared at her, wordlessly for several seconds, until she collapsed into Belldandy's arms with a loud cry. Belldandy and Keiichi exchanged nods, and both prayed that everything would be all right.
Sigel watched over a tired and defeated Urd in the living room while Keiichi and Banpei prepared a guest room for what was about to happen. Belldandy tended to Skuld before making preparations of her own. Once all the preparations were made, Urd was escorted into the room which was bare save for the futon and some blankets.
"We need to clean the poison from you in order for you to get better. It's not going to be easy, but if you allow us to help you, we will get through this, all right?" Belldandy said as Urd sat down on the futon. Urd nodded silently and the ordeal began.
Over the next several days Urd stayed in the bare room as her body was detoxified. Belldandy and Keiichi tended to her in shifts, trying as best as they could to keep her comfortable and help her get better. After two days, they realized they needed help and asked Megumi and Chihiro for their assistance which they gladly granted. Several of their other friends offered their help if they needed it once the situation was explained to them. Belldandy thanked them and assured them that they would call them if they were needed. They even considered calling in Peorth or even Urd's oldest friend Mara for assistance if need be.
Meanwhile Keiichi, with Sigel's help, searched through the temple and the house from top to bottom looking for anymore booze that Urd may have stashed away. What they found shocked them all to the core. Urd had stashes in everyplace that they could imagine, and some they couldn't. Some hiding places required Belldandy to reduce her size in order to get at the hidden bottles. Several others were discovered by accident even after Sigel's electronic senses hadn't uncovered anything. Banpei helped out as well, but he mainly kept vigil outside of Urd's room in case she tried to escape, which she tried to do often. Magical wards were placed by every possible mode of egress as well.
Skuld, for her part, kept to her room, only allowing Belldandy or Sigel in to see her. And even then she barely spoke to them when they tried to talk to her.
For several days they tended to Urd as the alcohol left her system. Her mood shifted rapidly with each passing moment. Sometimes she would lie there and say nothing, others she would be happy and joking. At times though she would be angry and curse at anyone who happened to be there. Belldandy tried not to let her words affect her, but she would often flee the room in tears at Urd's harsh words. At one point when Urd was being particularly harsh, Chihiro stepped in and practiced a little 'tough love' by slapping Urd across the face. Miraculously it seemed to work as Urd became a good patient after that.
Over a week passed by until Belldandy stepped into the room to find Urd sitting up in her bed, looking tired, but better than she had been. Megumi sat beside her, smiling.
"Urd, are you feeling okay?" Belldandy asked tentatively.
Urd looked up at her and smiled. "Yeah, I'm feeling a lot better thanks to you." She replied, her voice hoarse. "Could I get some water please?"
"I'll get it." Megumi replied. She gave Belldandy's shoulder a reassuring squeeze as she passed by.
"I'm so glad Urd." Belldandy cried as she embraced her older sister. Urd cried as they embraced. Megumi crept back into the room and left a pitcher of ice water along with a glass before leaving again, a relieved smile on her face.
Belldandy poured some water into the glass and handed it to her while she talked about what had happened. Urd sipped at the water silently. "I'm so sorry for what I put you through Bell." Urd said at last.
"It's all right now. Just as long as it never happens again." Belldandy said.
"It won't. I promise you here and now that I won't touch another drop of booze again. I swear this upon my life, my honor as a Goddess, and upon our bond as sisters." Urd swore.
"We'll have to appeal to Heaven in order to get your energy source changed, but I'm sure that won't be a problem." Belldandy assured her.
"I hope not." Urd replied as she took another sip of water. "How's Skuld?"
Belldandy sighed. "She's still in rough shape after...after what happened. She won't come out of her room and she barely eats. I can hear her crying a lot too. Sigel and I have tried to coax her out of her room but she won't come."
Urd grunted. "I'll try and talk to her and set things right. I owe her that at least." Urd's stomach growled at that moment causing Urd to grimace. "But I think I'd better have breakfast and a bath first, not necessarily in that order."
"I'll fix you something while you have a bath." Belldandy assured her. Urd nodded gratefully and Belldandy helped her to the bath. Belldandy ran the water for her while Urd waited. After Urd slipped into the bath and Belldandy was assured she was okay, was when Urd was finally left by herself. Well, almost.
"You can come out now, I know you have something that you want to say to me." Urd said. World of Elegance appeared before her and settled into the bath. She gave her mistress a stern look as she settled in. Urd sighed.
"I suppose I deserved that. I have been acting like an idiot the last little while haven't I?" She asked. World of Elegance's reply caused Urd to scowl.
"You didn't have to agree quite so quickly!" Urd growled as she splashed her angel. World of Elegance giggled and splashed her back. They both laughed as a brief water war ensued.
"Okay! Okay! I give up!" Urd called out. World of Elegance grinned and basked in her triumph for a moment before saying something.
"You're right, as usual. I need to set things right with everybody, starting with Skuld. I just hope it's not too late." Urd leaned back and stared at the ceiling, deep in thought while her angel watched and worried.
After her bath and changing into a fresh set of clothes that Belldandy had laid out for her,Urd joined the others in the dining room. There was an awkward silence as she sat down with them and Urd could feel their anxiety.
"Look, I'm sorry for everything that's happened over the last little while okay? How many times do I need to apologize?" Urd demanded.
"We know Urd. But we're not the ones you need to apologize to." Keiichi replied.
Urd's face fell. "I know. I'll talk to her after I eat. I don't think I could face her on an empty stomach." The others smiled a bit. The old Urd seemed to be slowly coming back.
"I'll need to get something out of my lab first before I see her. And a big bucket of ice cream wouldn't hurt either." Urd stated.
"No problem with the ice cream We've had some here waiting for this occasion. But one of us will have to accompany you to your lab..." Belldandy began.
"I know, just in case I try to relapse on you. Don't worry, I won't." Urd assured her.
"Good, because if you try I'll smack you again." Chihiro vowed.
"Don't say it unless you mean it." Urd shot back. "Unless you had something else in mind?" Urd purred. Chihiro turned bright red as did everyone else. "Gotcha!" Urd crowed. Everyone laughed heartily for the first time in days, Urd was back to her old self after all.
After breakfast, Belldandy accompanied Urd back to her room where she quickly mixed a potion together before they headed to Skuld's room. Banpei reacted to Urd's presence by emitting several loud beeps and going into a defensive posture.
"It's all right Banpei. Urd won't harm Skuld, she's all better now." Belldandy assured him. Banpei scanned Urd up and down for nearly a minute before stepping aside. Urd steeled herself while Belldandy knocked on the door.
"Who is it?" a voice called out.
"It's Belldandy. There's someone here who wants to see you Skuld."
"I've brought a peace offering." Urd added.
There was a pause as a few voices conferred inside. Urd broke the impasse; "Look brat, either open up, or I eat all the ice cream myself!" Another brief pause, and then the door opened slightly.
"It'll work out Urd." Belldandy assured Urd as she went into Skuld's room. "I hope." She whispered after the door was closed.
Urd stood by the door looking apprehensive as she looked around her sister's cluttered room. She could see several pools of dried blood on the floor and a trail leading to the bed. Skuld sat at her drawing table by the window with her back to her, while Noble Scarlet hovered beside her looking both anxious and worried. Sigel stood between Urd and Skuld with her arms folded and an angry expression on her face. Urd's resolve wavered as she looked at Sigel's face. It wavered further when Skuld finally spoke in a harsh tone.
"What do you want?" She demanded, not even turning around.
"I came to apologize to you, I even brought some ice cream, see?" Urd smiled as she held up the bucket. Skuld stiffened and swiveled around slowly to face her. Urd gasped at the sight before her.
"Apologize?" Skuld growled, her voice full of venom. "Do you think that's going to make everything all right?" She pointed at her face, her normally beautiful brown eyes were heavily bruised and swollen, even after nearly a week of healing. Her lips were badly swollen as well, and Urd saw that she had a few teeth missing as well. "Well, do you!"
Urd stared at the damage she had inflicted on her own sister in horror as the ice cream slipped from her grasp. Tears fell from her eyes as the full realization of what she'd done hit home. Urd's head bowed as she spoke. "No. No I don't."
Skuld blinked in surprise as she stared up at Urd. "There is no way any words could make up for what I've done. I am an alcoholic, I know that now. And because of that I've hurt myself, and everyone around me, especially my family."
Tears welled up in Skuld's eyes as her anger dissipated. "Urd, I..." She began, but was cut off by Urd.
"Skuld, I know you have every right to hate me now and I don't blame you. I should have come to all of you for help a long time ago, but I didn't and now it's too late." As she spoke Urd slumped to the floor and cried.
Skuld stared at her in shock, which soon gave way to sadness and guilt. She waved Sigel off and knelt down beside Urd.
"Urd? I should be apologizing as well. You weren't yourself and all I did was make fun of you instead of helping you. I want to help you now if you'll let me." Skuld pleaded as she took Urd's hands in her own.
Urd looked up at her and smiled as she tenderly brushed Skuld's face. "I need your help Skuld, now more than ever." Both of them cried as they embraced one another, letting their grief and pain out. Nearby, Noble Scarlet and World of Elegance cried as well as they watched over their respective mistresses. They both held onto Sigel who was crying tears of joy for her family that had finally managed to patch their differences.
Soon Urd and Skuld allowed their angels and Sigel to join their circle and they sat huddled together. Urd smiled and looked up at Skuld.
"Here, let me fix that up for you." Urd indicated Skuld's face as she pulled a vial from her pocket.
"What is that?" Skuld asked nervously. Urd sighed.
"A simple healing potion. No more, no less." She replied. Skuld still looked skeptical. "Look kid, we're going to have to trust one another in order to get over this, so let's start now okay?" Skuld thought about it, and then nodded in agreement.
"Good. Now hold still and close your eyes." Urd drank down the potion without swallowing it, and then leaned over and gave Skuld a chaste kiss on the lips, allowing the potion and magic to flow between them. Urd leaned back, smiled, and watched the potion do it's work. Skuld kept her eyes shut.
Within seconds, Skuld felt a strange tingling sensation on her face that slowly intensified until it felt as though hundreds of ants were crawling across her face. Skuld squirmed and groaned but Urd's hand on her shoulder calmed her down. Soon the sensation went down and finally stopped.
"Did it work?" Skuld whispered, not opening her eyes.
"Open your eyes and see for yourself." Urd replied as she turned Skuld towards a mirror. Skuld opened her eyes and gasped. Her face was totally healed. Not even a tiny scratch marred her porcelain skin. Even her missing teeth had grown back. Skuld turned and hugged Urd as tightly as she could. Urd grinned and kissed her on the forehead.
"Hey, what say we sit down and eat this ice cream before it melts okay?" Urd asked as she produced a few spoons from her pocket.
"Okay sis." Skuld replied enthusiastically. Urd grinned as they sat down at Skuld's desk along with their angels and Sigel to enjoy the ice cream Urd had brought. Belldandy and Keiichi looked in and saw that everything was fine and left them alone.
Within a few weeks, Urd was back to her normal self, save for the fact that she had a new means to replenish her energy, thanks to the love and support of her family. And all was well again at the temple.
The End.
Author's note: I wish that addictions of any sort could be cured with a magic potion, but the sad fact is that they can't. It takes time, and the support of family and friends to get through the ordeal. Some people make it through, but a lot of people don't. It's up to us to make sure that we help everyone that we possibly can. As a wise man once said; 'there is no justice in the world, there is only just us'.