Fate and Destiny: Part Three
Infirme Conscius
Disclaimer: The paints (A!MG) are the property of Kousuke
Fujishima, the easel is mine, and that's all.
Notes: It's an alt, as should become apparent shortly, since
I've read most of the U.S. manga, seen some of the OAVs, and not
watched the movie.
------------------------------
Keiichi warily regarded the rolled up futon that had been
shoved into the sidecar. Otaki had found it... somewhere.
Nodding decisively, he hefted it onto his shoulders. "Okay,"
he muttered, "I'll use this, and give mine to Megumi."
He took two steps towards the temple, and froze, seeing
Banpei waiting at the top of the steps. "Um," he called out,
shifting the rolled up futon awkwardly to his other shoulder.
"Hello?"
Skuld and Megumi bounced out of the temple like a pair of
excitable children, momentarily dazing him with a swirling blizzard
of long, black hair. "Keiichi! Keiichi! Keiichi!"
"Ack!" he managed, falling to land awkwardly, the futon
clutched protectively to his chest. "What? Huh? You two calm down a
little? Please?"
The girls quieted, Megumi taking the futon, and Skuld
helping Keiichi to his feet. "Keiichi! We want you to get a movie
for us!"
The boy slumped slightly, but nodded. "Right, right... I'll
go get a movie..."
"Wait!" Megumi cried, nearly dropping the futon. "We want a
certain movie!"
Skuld nodded, presenting Keiichi with the open magazine, and
pointing to a picture. "We want _this_ movie!"
Keiichi took the magazine without looking, and nodded again.
"Okay, okay... Megumi, can I talk to you later, like... er... I
asked yesterday? I still need some advice from you..."
Megumi smiled, still clutching the futon. "Of course! Be
careful, big brother!" she called out before dashing back into the
temple with Skuld.
Sighing, Keiichi looked at the magazine, and something deep
within him seemed to stir. "I've seen this movie..." he murmured to
himself, looking at the pictures. "Haven't I?"
***
Mara had swept outwards from the goddess' temple in a
spiral, her senses and magic sweeping the area carefully. The
chances of her master being reborn that near were slim, but surety
and safety over trusting things to chance... And with their superior
numbers, and hence power, they would have an advantage over her in
searching.
Yet... nary a sign. She sighed, stretching her arms and
straining her limited energy further.
Bad enough that her more powerful sister had abandoned
her... twice. Bad enough that Belldandy was happy, and that
happiness and love was constantly eating away at her through their
doublet link. It was a constant annoyance, even in the depths of the
abyss.
But... something was off, and that constant light of
happiness was wavering. And that made Mara happier, somewhat, but it
was nothing compared to the blinding joy over the fact that her
master was _back_ somewhere.
She gave a giddy laugh, and spun in a loop, exalting once
more. "Destiny!" she yelled to the winds, not caring who heard, or
who woke.
And below her, as though in response to calling his name as
she meant it, a faint response was felt.
***
Keiichi shivered slightly, and began to wonder if he should
have worn a jacket. "Nah," he muttered, as the shivering passed. It
was likely nothing to worry about.
He couldn't help but think that there was something about
the movie he was carrying home for the girls, though. That there was
some memory that tied into them... somehow.
Pulling to a stop at an intersection, he looked up, stunned
to see a familiar form descend from the heavens to stare at him in
bewilderment, great black wings folding away as she peered at him in
confusion. "Keiichi?" she asked, confused.
He blinked, nodding. "Mara? What... what are you doing
here?" he asked, eyes narrowing, and the memory of a certain run-in
at a hot-spring rising to the fore.
The demoness stalked forward, oblivious as normal to her
scantily clad state -- nothing more than severely abbreviated and
torn denim shorts, and a leather bustier. "Who are you?" she asked,
peering into his eyes deeply, before a shock of recognition seemed
to flash through her.
"I'm... Morisato Keiichi, Mara... did you forget, or
something?" He tensed his hands on the throttle, preparing to make a
hasty retreat, should he need to.
"You're him!" she said slowly, a wicked smile coming to her
lips. "You're the Once and Future King, aren't you?"
The name sent a hot flash of confusion and... anger?...
welling up within him, and he shook his head. "No..." he said
slowly, struggling to find his tongue, fighting off something deep
within that fought, writhing inside him... trying to surface. "I'm
not..."
He shook his head, his hands falling to his sides and his
vision dimming as a black aura seemed to seep out of him, suffusing
the area with shadow.
***
Mara stepped back in confusion. "What is this?" she asked,
confused. Was this her master? Or was it an echo of the Lord of
Terror? The only thing she knew for certain was that he was either
her master, or the King, or something even more powerful. She lifted
off the ground a short distance, as the boy made warding gestures
towards her.
"What..." he grated out slowly, seeming to stand at the
center of a swirling maelstrom of tremendous force that drew itself
from nowhere, sheathing him in an aura of dark energy. His hair
seemed to lengthen, black strands snapping about as though in some
great wind, swirling with the flow of power.
"Are..." he continued, driving something back, as the aura
suddenly seemed to stop, all the summoned power hanging still and
thick in the air; a promise of violence and power yet to be
released.
"You..." came next, the power... rippling... and changing
its formation forcibly, reshaping the very fabric of reality by his
will alone.
"Doing..." followed, as the power seemed to sharpen itself
into some invisible weapon, preparing to strike the demoness.
"To..." Mara could only stare in a dumb sort of shock, as
the young man's hair reached its full length, somewhere just beyond
his waist, flaring behind him like a black cloak. The power hanging
between them seemed nearly... alive... ready to sunder her.
"ME!" he roared, throwing his hands wide, as the power
launched upwards -- more energy in that single burst than all of
humanity had utilized in all of their existence, and all of it,
seeking HER out.
"Wait!" she screeched, throwing a hand towards him
desperately, playing her trump card -- too soon, in her mind, but
this young man was playing for keeps, and she couldn't match the
power he casually seemed to toss about without better planning. "You
can't destroy me."
A dark light seemed to flare in his eyes for a moment, and
he floated above his motorcycle, facing her with his arms hanging
limply at his side. "Oh," he called sweetly, in a voice so Keiichi,
and so much more -- so very sinister, "but I _can_..."
He smirked, and the power came rushing down, an invisible
force, Mara knew, one that would leave no trace of any happening to
any mortals that would pass. She closed her eyes, waiting for the
inevitable. A force of that magnitude would destroy her even if she
were to try and flee to the abyss. Only the World Ash could possibly
stop it, or...
She heard his fingers snap, and the power she was so
frightened of halted, held in check above her. "Now... why shouldn't
I?"
In a quavering voice, she whispered, "If I am destroyed,
then Belldandy will be, too."
He stared at her, then nodded slowly. "As it would be... as
it would be... leave me now." With that, he turned his back on her,
striding towards his motorcycle in the still empty street, while she
sank to her knees, gasping for breath suddenly.
Who was he? Her master? He couldn't be... could he? But...
that was not the Lord of Terror, either. It was something else...
something equally dangerous. She shivered. "I'll take care of you
later," she whispered, lifting herself from the ground and
continuing her search nervously. "My master," she breathed, wishing
she could deny the fear that ran through her, "where are you?"
And more importantly, to her... what was going on?
***
The three sisters wordlessly shared a glance at the
unmistakable surge of power that was flowing from something nearby.
That much power had not been so casually bandied about in longer
than any of them cared to remember -- easily more powerful than any
of the goddesses alone.
Urd knew from a technical standpoint that the Lady was at
least that strong, but recognized the signature of that power. It
was the Lady's brother. "He's awake," she murmured.
Belldandy shook her head. "It's merely a fit. He'll pass
into slumber again."
Megumi and Skuld looked at Belldandy quizzically, Megumi
asking, "Who are you talking about?"
Urd answered in Belldandy's stead. "Nothing you should need
to worry about, Megumi..."
Megumi frowned petulantly, but let it pass. "I hope Keiichi
gets home soon."
Urd nodded in agreement. "Yes... that tape should help us
find who we're looking for."
***
Keiichi came to his senses when he was nearly home again,
dazed and tired, feeling something heavy -- yet comforting --
pulling at the back of his head. He pulled into the temple,
shivering slightly at a faint resistance as he drew to a halt. The
wards, he supposed, though he wasn't certain why he would think
that, and it had never affected him before...
He climbed off of the motorcycle slowly, wondering where his
helmet had gone. He ran a hand through his hair, only able to
grimace as he noted that it was -- once again -- long. "Great," he
grumbled. "Maybe I should just leave it that way... wonder what made
it grow this time?"
Shaking off a momentary wave of disconcertion, he climbed up
the steps, slowing as Banpei made no move to let him pass. "Hey," he
called out, eyeing the robot warily. "This thing won't let me into
the temple!"
Belldandy arrived first, and spoke to the robot in a low
tone, causing it to step away, seemingly unhappy about the event.
The goddess offered her normal radiant smile to Keiichi, and he
smiled back, wondering. He still needed to talk to Megumi about...
he wondered how many of his thoughts showed through on his grin, and
flushed, offering the tape he had picked up to her.
She accepted it, taking his hand and leading him into the
temple. "Thank you, Keiichi... Did something happen?"
He shrugged, glancing at Skuld as she stared at him in
confusion. "I don't know... I don't _think_ so... but... heh, my
hair got long again."
The youngest of the sisters mumbled, poking at her latest
device. "I think it's just residue..." she said after a moment.
"First the..." she trailed off, smirking, and poked Keiichi's chest
inquisitively. "Anything else starting to come back?"
He rolled his eyes at that. "No." Muttering, he stepped
inside, dismissing the incident for the moment.
***
Urd pulled Skuld to the side while Keiichi chatted with his
sister and tried to explain his hair to her. "Skuld? Did you sense
something from Keiichi when he came in?"
Skuld nodded, showing Urd a readout from Banpei's display.
"Yeah... for some reason, Banpei thought that Keiichi was a demon."
Frowning, Urd studied Keiichi closely. "You don't think that
he's been possessed, do you?"
Seemingly surprised at the thought, Skuld stared at Keiichi
for a long moment. "I'd better scan him again!" she exclaimed,
pulling a module from her sleeve and plugging it into the robot's
back.
Urd crossed her arms, watching as the robot studied Keiichi
closely, and spat out its various data on him. "Well?" she asked
impatiently, "what's the situation?"
Skuld sighed, shaking her head. "Nothing. Like I thought in
the first place, it looks like residue from... something else. Maybe
the Lord of Terror."
Tapping one finger against her lower lip thoughtfully, Urd
nodded. "We'll just have to keep an eye on him... We don't want to
let anything happen to him."
The youngest of the sisters nodded, returning Banpei to
patrolling the perimeter, and thus missing as a small wisp-like form
slipped away, leaving the temple. "We can't afford to let ourselves
be distracted... I'm going to have Banpei scan the area."
***
Keiichi tied his hair up for the moment, deciding he could
cut it later. For tonight, he needed to relax, he needed to ask his
sister about... that... and he needed... He blinked, looking at his
reflection in a mirror.
There was a smudge on his face, but when he peered at it
more closely, it was gone, leaving him to wonder. "Huh..." he
murmured, "I wonder..." Taking a nearby rag, he rubbed at the
mirror, nodding to himself when it came back with a faint sheen
of... something. The mirror had been dirty, and nothing more.
Stretching, he tossed the rag aside, trotting towards the
main room, the assembled women waiting for him with varying degrees
of patience. Megumi and Skuld were lying near each other on the
floor, their legs beneath the main table, while Urd sat to one side,
and Belldandy the other. Saving the best seat for him, he noticed,
smiling his thanks at them.
Belldandy returned his smile warmly, while Urd rolled her
eyes impatiently. "Are you ready yet?" she asked, her tanned face
betraying only a hint of annoyance. Still, Keiichi had learned to
read her in other ways...
"Yeah," he said in apology. "I didn't mean to take so long,
sorry."
She waved her hand dismissively, starting the cassette
player in the same motion. Keiichi sat carefully, sitting slightly
nearer to Belldandy than Urd. She smiled sweetly at him again, then
turned her attention to the television, as the movie started.
To Keiichi, the movie seemed vaguely familiar, though every
time he tried to pinpoint _where_ he remembered it from, it slipped
away, elusively. His patience began to wear thin as the movie
progressed, largely annoyed with himself over his complete lack of
memory about something that should have been so familiar.
More than that, the movie itself grated, full of events that
seemed trite, pointless, and devoid of any ultimate purpose. Shaking
his head, he idly scanned the box, checking the year. _Had_ he seen
it before? The date said that it was too recent for that to be the
case, but it seemed so familiar.
Still, the girls were completely absorbed in it, seemingly
enthralled by the events that bored him so. The main character --
Arthur -- got a magic sword from a woman in a lake, fought his
enemies, and established a great kingdom.
And from there, it was largely about his exploits, and his
attempts to make the world a better place. Keiichi grimaced, rubbing
at his temples and wishing he could understand why that seemed so...
trite. Wasn't making the world a better place a good thing? Perhaps
just foolishly idealistic.
He dismissed that for the moment, as the movie slowly
improved -- when things began to go wrong for Arthur. The girls all
sighed together, shaking their heads sadly, as Keiichi leaned
forward, actually becoming interested. He wasn't certain _why_ he
found it more interesting, it simply felt... right... for some
reason.
The movie ended with the king dying, and being borne away on
a ship by a trio of women in white veils. Keiichi made a thoughtful
noise, commenting, "That was a good movie."
Skuld pouted, shaking her head and complaining, "The ending
sucked!"
"Really? I thought it was great."
Megumi sat up, turning to face her brother, and cocked her
head to one side. Frowning at him quizzically as the tape rewound,
she asked, "Why do you say so?"
Keiichi rolled his eyes at that. "It ended the way it was
supposed to. I mean, stories can't _all_ have happy endings."
"Maybe they don't," she countered, "but that one should have
ended differently. He shouldn't have died."
"What are you talking about? He _had_ to die!" Keiichi
blinked, surprised at the venom that had begun to creep into his
voice, and added, "I mean, if it was a happy ending, then what else
would happen?"
"Well," Megumi began thoughtfully, "he'd bring about social
reform, and try to make the world a better place." She nodded, as
Skuld wormed her way around to peer at the pair of them, confused.
"From there, he would expand his empire, bringing peace and a new
way of life to the world."
Keiichi groaned, hanging his head. "Are you serious? You're
advocating a tyranny! He would take over the world, and force
everyone to live under his iron fist? Is that what you're saying?"
Stung, Megumi shook her head. "Of course not! But it
wouldn't be a tyranny, because he's a good person, with a good
heart, and he would have done everything to make the world a better
place!"
"Ugh!" Keiichi retorted, "Can't you come up with a better
argument than 'he's a good person'? I mean, seriously, you know what
they say -- 'The path to hell is paved with good intentions'. All
you're saying is that 'he's a nice guy!', and you don't offer
anything more solid?"
"You underestimate people, Keiichi," Megumi grumbled,
crossing her arms beneath her chest. "Just because you don't see
_only_ nice people doesn't mean that they don't exist. You just
don't have enough faith."
"Faith?" Keiichi retorted, mentally preparing a list of the
arguments he would use to counter her. But... why? He shook his
head, wondering why he was letting something this petty cause so
much strife. "Aw... maybe you're right. It's just a movie. Anyway,
it's not important... Megumi, can I talk to you for a moment?"
Megumi nodded sullenly, apparently still unhappy over the
argument, as she got to her feet and followed Keiichi to his room.
He glanced back at the goddesses, both Urd and Skuld simply staring
at him and his sister, eyes wide, and Belldandy behind them, her
expression worried. Dismissing them for the moment, he slid his door
shut, turning his attention back to Megumi.
***
Megumi held her hands before her, clasping them nervously
below her chest, and unsure why she was so uncomfortable near her
brother. He seemed distracted, glancing about nervously, and she had
to wonder at that, too. The movie, and she still couldn't understand
why she had wanted to see it, still lay in her memory, and the
memory of the argument, such an old argument.
More than that, though, her memories of the movie seemed to
remind her of something in her _own_ memory, something that felt
like she was about to remember it... but couldn't quite. And she had
never had an argument like _that_ with her brother before. Had she?
Some part of her remembered there being both more _and_ worse
arguments.
Keiichi began to smile slowly, a warm, distracted smile.
"Megumi..." he started, staring at his feet, "I... I need your
advice." Taking a deep breath, he blurted out, "Megumi, I want to
marry Belldandy!"
She blinked, the faint surfacing memories completely blown
away by her brother's words. "What?" she asked, trying to decide if
the hopeful young man before her was her real brother, or some
clever imposter.
Keiichi's face had turned entirely crimson, and he was
completely absorbed in studying his feet. "I want to marry
Belldandy," he said again, quietly.
Megumi smiled broadly, patting Keiichi's shoulder in a
sisterly manner. "Why didn't you say so?" she asked, giggling. "What
do you need help with?"
"Um..." he mumbled, "I need to know what kind of ring to get
her."
"Oh!" Megumi exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "That's
easy! Belldandy looks like the kind of girl who would want something
that would last, and was from your heart!"
Keiichi blinked, at those words. "That's it?" he asked
dumbly.
"Yep!"
Keiichi grinned widely, gathering his younger sister in a
hug. "Thanks, Megumi!"
She pushed him away, laughing quietly back at him, "Any
time, Bro!"
------------------------------
Infirme Conscius
Disclaimer: The paints (A!MG) are the property of Kousuke
Fujishima, the easel is mine, and that's all.
Notes: It's an alt, as should become apparent shortly, since
I've read most of the U.S. manga, seen some of the OAVs, and not
watched the movie.
------------------------------
Keiichi warily regarded the rolled up futon that had been
shoved into the sidecar. Otaki had found it... somewhere.
Nodding decisively, he hefted it onto his shoulders. "Okay,"
he muttered, "I'll use this, and give mine to Megumi."
He took two steps towards the temple, and froze, seeing
Banpei waiting at the top of the steps. "Um," he called out,
shifting the rolled up futon awkwardly to his other shoulder.
"Hello?"
Skuld and Megumi bounced out of the temple like a pair of
excitable children, momentarily dazing him with a swirling blizzard
of long, black hair. "Keiichi! Keiichi! Keiichi!"
"Ack!" he managed, falling to land awkwardly, the futon
clutched protectively to his chest. "What? Huh? You two calm down a
little? Please?"
The girls quieted, Megumi taking the futon, and Skuld
helping Keiichi to his feet. "Keiichi! We want you to get a movie
for us!"
The boy slumped slightly, but nodded. "Right, right... I'll
go get a movie..."
"Wait!" Megumi cried, nearly dropping the futon. "We want a
certain movie!"
Skuld nodded, presenting Keiichi with the open magazine, and
pointing to a picture. "We want _this_ movie!"
Keiichi took the magazine without looking, and nodded again.
"Okay, okay... Megumi, can I talk to you later, like... er... I
asked yesterday? I still need some advice from you..."
Megumi smiled, still clutching the futon. "Of course! Be
careful, big brother!" she called out before dashing back into the
temple with Skuld.
Sighing, Keiichi looked at the magazine, and something deep
within him seemed to stir. "I've seen this movie..." he murmured to
himself, looking at the pictures. "Haven't I?"
***
Mara had swept outwards from the goddess' temple in a
spiral, her senses and magic sweeping the area carefully. The
chances of her master being reborn that near were slim, but surety
and safety over trusting things to chance... And with their superior
numbers, and hence power, they would have an advantage over her in
searching.
Yet... nary a sign. She sighed, stretching her arms and
straining her limited energy further.
Bad enough that her more powerful sister had abandoned
her... twice. Bad enough that Belldandy was happy, and that
happiness and love was constantly eating away at her through their
doublet link. It was a constant annoyance, even in the depths of the
abyss.
But... something was off, and that constant light of
happiness was wavering. And that made Mara happier, somewhat, but it
was nothing compared to the blinding joy over the fact that her
master was _back_ somewhere.
She gave a giddy laugh, and spun in a loop, exalting once
more. "Destiny!" she yelled to the winds, not caring who heard, or
who woke.
And below her, as though in response to calling his name as
she meant it, a faint response was felt.
***
Keiichi shivered slightly, and began to wonder if he should
have worn a jacket. "Nah," he muttered, as the shivering passed. It
was likely nothing to worry about.
He couldn't help but think that there was something about
the movie he was carrying home for the girls, though. That there was
some memory that tied into them... somehow.
Pulling to a stop at an intersection, he looked up, stunned
to see a familiar form descend from the heavens to stare at him in
bewilderment, great black wings folding away as she peered at him in
confusion. "Keiichi?" she asked, confused.
He blinked, nodding. "Mara? What... what are you doing
here?" he asked, eyes narrowing, and the memory of a certain run-in
at a hot-spring rising to the fore.
The demoness stalked forward, oblivious as normal to her
scantily clad state -- nothing more than severely abbreviated and
torn denim shorts, and a leather bustier. "Who are you?" she asked,
peering into his eyes deeply, before a shock of recognition seemed
to flash through her.
"I'm... Morisato Keiichi, Mara... did you forget, or
something?" He tensed his hands on the throttle, preparing to make a
hasty retreat, should he need to.
"You're him!" she said slowly, a wicked smile coming to her
lips. "You're the Once and Future King, aren't you?"
The name sent a hot flash of confusion and... anger?...
welling up within him, and he shook his head. "No..." he said
slowly, struggling to find his tongue, fighting off something deep
within that fought, writhing inside him... trying to surface. "I'm
not..."
He shook his head, his hands falling to his sides and his
vision dimming as a black aura seemed to seep out of him, suffusing
the area with shadow.
***
Mara stepped back in confusion. "What is this?" she asked,
confused. Was this her master? Or was it an echo of the Lord of
Terror? The only thing she knew for certain was that he was either
her master, or the King, or something even more powerful. She lifted
off the ground a short distance, as the boy made warding gestures
towards her.
"What..." he grated out slowly, seeming to stand at the
center of a swirling maelstrom of tremendous force that drew itself
from nowhere, sheathing him in an aura of dark energy. His hair
seemed to lengthen, black strands snapping about as though in some
great wind, swirling with the flow of power.
"Are..." he continued, driving something back, as the aura
suddenly seemed to stop, all the summoned power hanging still and
thick in the air; a promise of violence and power yet to be
released.
"You..." came next, the power... rippling... and changing
its formation forcibly, reshaping the very fabric of reality by his
will alone.
"Doing..." followed, as the power seemed to sharpen itself
into some invisible weapon, preparing to strike the demoness.
"To..." Mara could only stare in a dumb sort of shock, as
the young man's hair reached its full length, somewhere just beyond
his waist, flaring behind him like a black cloak. The power hanging
between them seemed nearly... alive... ready to sunder her.
"ME!" he roared, throwing his hands wide, as the power
launched upwards -- more energy in that single burst than all of
humanity had utilized in all of their existence, and all of it,
seeking HER out.
"Wait!" she screeched, throwing a hand towards him
desperately, playing her trump card -- too soon, in her mind, but
this young man was playing for keeps, and she couldn't match the
power he casually seemed to toss about without better planning. "You
can't destroy me."
A dark light seemed to flare in his eyes for a moment, and
he floated above his motorcycle, facing her with his arms hanging
limply at his side. "Oh," he called sweetly, in a voice so Keiichi,
and so much more -- so very sinister, "but I _can_..."
He smirked, and the power came rushing down, an invisible
force, Mara knew, one that would leave no trace of any happening to
any mortals that would pass. She closed her eyes, waiting for the
inevitable. A force of that magnitude would destroy her even if she
were to try and flee to the abyss. Only the World Ash could possibly
stop it, or...
She heard his fingers snap, and the power she was so
frightened of halted, held in check above her. "Now... why shouldn't
I?"
In a quavering voice, she whispered, "If I am destroyed,
then Belldandy will be, too."
He stared at her, then nodded slowly. "As it would be... as
it would be... leave me now." With that, he turned his back on her,
striding towards his motorcycle in the still empty street, while she
sank to her knees, gasping for breath suddenly.
Who was he? Her master? He couldn't be... could he? But...
that was not the Lord of Terror, either. It was something else...
something equally dangerous. She shivered. "I'll take care of you
later," she whispered, lifting herself from the ground and
continuing her search nervously. "My master," she breathed, wishing
she could deny the fear that ran through her, "where are you?"
And more importantly, to her... what was going on?
***
The three sisters wordlessly shared a glance at the
unmistakable surge of power that was flowing from something nearby.
That much power had not been so casually bandied about in longer
than any of them cared to remember -- easily more powerful than any
of the goddesses alone.
Urd knew from a technical standpoint that the Lady was at
least that strong, but recognized the signature of that power. It
was the Lady's brother. "He's awake," she murmured.
Belldandy shook her head. "It's merely a fit. He'll pass
into slumber again."
Megumi and Skuld looked at Belldandy quizzically, Megumi
asking, "Who are you talking about?"
Urd answered in Belldandy's stead. "Nothing you should need
to worry about, Megumi..."
Megumi frowned petulantly, but let it pass. "I hope Keiichi
gets home soon."
Urd nodded in agreement. "Yes... that tape should help us
find who we're looking for."
***
Keiichi came to his senses when he was nearly home again,
dazed and tired, feeling something heavy -- yet comforting --
pulling at the back of his head. He pulled into the temple,
shivering slightly at a faint resistance as he drew to a halt. The
wards, he supposed, though he wasn't certain why he would think
that, and it had never affected him before...
He climbed off of the motorcycle slowly, wondering where his
helmet had gone. He ran a hand through his hair, only able to
grimace as he noted that it was -- once again -- long. "Great," he
grumbled. "Maybe I should just leave it that way... wonder what made
it grow this time?"
Shaking off a momentary wave of disconcertion, he climbed up
the steps, slowing as Banpei made no move to let him pass. "Hey," he
called out, eyeing the robot warily. "This thing won't let me into
the temple!"
Belldandy arrived first, and spoke to the robot in a low
tone, causing it to step away, seemingly unhappy about the event.
The goddess offered her normal radiant smile to Keiichi, and he
smiled back, wondering. He still needed to talk to Megumi about...
he wondered how many of his thoughts showed through on his grin, and
flushed, offering the tape he had picked up to her.
She accepted it, taking his hand and leading him into the
temple. "Thank you, Keiichi... Did something happen?"
He shrugged, glancing at Skuld as she stared at him in
confusion. "I don't know... I don't _think_ so... but... heh, my
hair got long again."
The youngest of the sisters mumbled, poking at her latest
device. "I think it's just residue..." she said after a moment.
"First the..." she trailed off, smirking, and poked Keiichi's chest
inquisitively. "Anything else starting to come back?"
He rolled his eyes at that. "No." Muttering, he stepped
inside, dismissing the incident for the moment.
***
Urd pulled Skuld to the side while Keiichi chatted with his
sister and tried to explain his hair to her. "Skuld? Did you sense
something from Keiichi when he came in?"
Skuld nodded, showing Urd a readout from Banpei's display.
"Yeah... for some reason, Banpei thought that Keiichi was a demon."
Frowning, Urd studied Keiichi closely. "You don't think that
he's been possessed, do you?"
Seemingly surprised at the thought, Skuld stared at Keiichi
for a long moment. "I'd better scan him again!" she exclaimed,
pulling a module from her sleeve and plugging it into the robot's
back.
Urd crossed her arms, watching as the robot studied Keiichi
closely, and spat out its various data on him. "Well?" she asked
impatiently, "what's the situation?"
Skuld sighed, shaking her head. "Nothing. Like I thought in
the first place, it looks like residue from... something else. Maybe
the Lord of Terror."
Tapping one finger against her lower lip thoughtfully, Urd
nodded. "We'll just have to keep an eye on him... We don't want to
let anything happen to him."
The youngest of the sisters nodded, returning Banpei to
patrolling the perimeter, and thus missing as a small wisp-like form
slipped away, leaving the temple. "We can't afford to let ourselves
be distracted... I'm going to have Banpei scan the area."
***
Keiichi tied his hair up for the moment, deciding he could
cut it later. For tonight, he needed to relax, he needed to ask his
sister about... that... and he needed... He blinked, looking at his
reflection in a mirror.
There was a smudge on his face, but when he peered at it
more closely, it was gone, leaving him to wonder. "Huh..." he
murmured, "I wonder..." Taking a nearby rag, he rubbed at the
mirror, nodding to himself when it came back with a faint sheen
of... something. The mirror had been dirty, and nothing more.
Stretching, he tossed the rag aside, trotting towards the
main room, the assembled women waiting for him with varying degrees
of patience. Megumi and Skuld were lying near each other on the
floor, their legs beneath the main table, while Urd sat to one side,
and Belldandy the other. Saving the best seat for him, he noticed,
smiling his thanks at them.
Belldandy returned his smile warmly, while Urd rolled her
eyes impatiently. "Are you ready yet?" she asked, her tanned face
betraying only a hint of annoyance. Still, Keiichi had learned to
read her in other ways...
"Yeah," he said in apology. "I didn't mean to take so long,
sorry."
She waved her hand dismissively, starting the cassette
player in the same motion. Keiichi sat carefully, sitting slightly
nearer to Belldandy than Urd. She smiled sweetly at him again, then
turned her attention to the television, as the movie started.
To Keiichi, the movie seemed vaguely familiar, though every
time he tried to pinpoint _where_ he remembered it from, it slipped
away, elusively. His patience began to wear thin as the movie
progressed, largely annoyed with himself over his complete lack of
memory about something that should have been so familiar.
More than that, the movie itself grated, full of events that
seemed trite, pointless, and devoid of any ultimate purpose. Shaking
his head, he idly scanned the box, checking the year. _Had_ he seen
it before? The date said that it was too recent for that to be the
case, but it seemed so familiar.
Still, the girls were completely absorbed in it, seemingly
enthralled by the events that bored him so. The main character --
Arthur -- got a magic sword from a woman in a lake, fought his
enemies, and established a great kingdom.
And from there, it was largely about his exploits, and his
attempts to make the world a better place. Keiichi grimaced, rubbing
at his temples and wishing he could understand why that seemed so...
trite. Wasn't making the world a better place a good thing? Perhaps
just foolishly idealistic.
He dismissed that for the moment, as the movie slowly
improved -- when things began to go wrong for Arthur. The girls all
sighed together, shaking their heads sadly, as Keiichi leaned
forward, actually becoming interested. He wasn't certain _why_ he
found it more interesting, it simply felt... right... for some
reason.
The movie ended with the king dying, and being borne away on
a ship by a trio of women in white veils. Keiichi made a thoughtful
noise, commenting, "That was a good movie."
Skuld pouted, shaking her head and complaining, "The ending
sucked!"
"Really? I thought it was great."
Megumi sat up, turning to face her brother, and cocked her
head to one side. Frowning at him quizzically as the tape rewound,
she asked, "Why do you say so?"
Keiichi rolled his eyes at that. "It ended the way it was
supposed to. I mean, stories can't _all_ have happy endings."
"Maybe they don't," she countered, "but that one should have
ended differently. He shouldn't have died."
"What are you talking about? He _had_ to die!" Keiichi
blinked, surprised at the venom that had begun to creep into his
voice, and added, "I mean, if it was a happy ending, then what else
would happen?"
"Well," Megumi began thoughtfully, "he'd bring about social
reform, and try to make the world a better place." She nodded, as
Skuld wormed her way around to peer at the pair of them, confused.
"From there, he would expand his empire, bringing peace and a new
way of life to the world."
Keiichi groaned, hanging his head. "Are you serious? You're
advocating a tyranny! He would take over the world, and force
everyone to live under his iron fist? Is that what you're saying?"
Stung, Megumi shook her head. "Of course not! But it
wouldn't be a tyranny, because he's a good person, with a good
heart, and he would have done everything to make the world a better
place!"
"Ugh!" Keiichi retorted, "Can't you come up with a better
argument than 'he's a good person'? I mean, seriously, you know what
they say -- 'The path to hell is paved with good intentions'. All
you're saying is that 'he's a nice guy!', and you don't offer
anything more solid?"
"You underestimate people, Keiichi," Megumi grumbled,
crossing her arms beneath her chest. "Just because you don't see
_only_ nice people doesn't mean that they don't exist. You just
don't have enough faith."
"Faith?" Keiichi retorted, mentally preparing a list of the
arguments he would use to counter her. But... why? He shook his
head, wondering why he was letting something this petty cause so
much strife. "Aw... maybe you're right. It's just a movie. Anyway,
it's not important... Megumi, can I talk to you for a moment?"
Megumi nodded sullenly, apparently still unhappy over the
argument, as she got to her feet and followed Keiichi to his room.
He glanced back at the goddesses, both Urd and Skuld simply staring
at him and his sister, eyes wide, and Belldandy behind them, her
expression worried. Dismissing them for the moment, he slid his door
shut, turning his attention back to Megumi.
***
Megumi held her hands before her, clasping them nervously
below her chest, and unsure why she was so uncomfortable near her
brother. He seemed distracted, glancing about nervously, and she had
to wonder at that, too. The movie, and she still couldn't understand
why she had wanted to see it, still lay in her memory, and the
memory of the argument, such an old argument.
More than that, though, her memories of the movie seemed to
remind her of something in her _own_ memory, something that felt
like she was about to remember it... but couldn't quite. And she had
never had an argument like _that_ with her brother before. Had she?
Some part of her remembered there being both more _and_ worse
arguments.
Keiichi began to smile slowly, a warm, distracted smile.
"Megumi..." he started, staring at his feet, "I... I need your
advice." Taking a deep breath, he blurted out, "Megumi, I want to
marry Belldandy!"
She blinked, the faint surfacing memories completely blown
away by her brother's words. "What?" she asked, trying to decide if
the hopeful young man before her was her real brother, or some
clever imposter.
Keiichi's face had turned entirely crimson, and he was
completely absorbed in studying his feet. "I want to marry
Belldandy," he said again, quietly.
Megumi smiled broadly, patting Keiichi's shoulder in a
sisterly manner. "Why didn't you say so?" she asked, giggling. "What
do you need help with?"
"Um..." he mumbled, "I need to know what kind of ring to get
her."
"Oh!" Megumi exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "That's
easy! Belldandy looks like the kind of girl who would want something
that would last, and was from your heart!"
Keiichi blinked, at those words. "That's it?" he asked
dumbly.
"Yep!"
Keiichi grinned widely, gathering his younger sister in a
hug. "Thanks, Megumi!"
She pushed him away, laughing quietly back at him, "Any
time, Bro!"
------------------------------
