Chapter 10: To Tell the Truth

Belldandy was distressed at Megumi, her aura shifting the whole color spectrum. She was not sure just how she felt at that moment, so she asked, "Megumi, why are you so upset?"

"You…I'm not upset at you," said Megumi firmly, "You've always said that you were a goddess, and very detailed about it at that. I just figured that it was a part of your eccentricities and wrote it off, but you were telling the truth."

"Oh, but of course," said Belldandy with a smile, despite Megumi's mood, "I have always told you the truth."

"Yeah," responded Megumi, "and you've done some pretty spectacular things very publicly as well, as if you were not afraid of letting people know."

"But, why should I fear that?" asked Belldandy, "I am who I am."

"But you two," snapped Megumi as she shifted her gaze, "You wanted to keep this from me!"

Keiichi started to plea his case, saying, "But, you have to understand: could you imagine all the prying eyes and harassment we would get if they knew someone like Belldandy was on the earth? No one would get any peace. I'm not worried about someone taking her, because I know she could handle herself. Yet, you have to think how things would be."

"That's not the point!" Megumi answered and glared back, "A contract?... Keiichi, is she your love slave or something? I mean, did you have to get so desperate a woman that you would entrap a goddess for your pleasure. Geez! How can you stand to be with him at all, Belldandy?"

"Megumi, now you are talking through your emotions," answered Belldandy firmly, to which Keiichi snapped, "Hey, now you're sounding ridiculous!"

Belldandy cut in and said, "Megumi, you must trust me when I tell you that I have been watching your brother for a long time…ever since he was a child, and I have loved him so. However, because of my duties on the Goddess Help Line, I had no ability to come to him, as I always wanted. Yet, because of the wish he made, it gave me an excuse and a chance to be with him. I now know that my father…the Almighty…allowed me this, because he does care for both your brother and me greatly. We indeed love each other, and I do want to be at his side forever, just as he had wished."

Keiichi now smiled and blushed a touch to hear those words again, knowing that her love for him was indeed deep. Megumi paced a touch, and she said, "So you only kept it a secret for her sake?"

"Yes, because I don't want people hounding her," he answered, "I'm not trying to be selfish with her…honest."

"But you couldn't tell me?" asked Megumi, still feeling a touched betrayed, "And you, Mr. I-Always-Tell-The-Truth…you couldn't tell me either?"

Ian was flustered. He had read her psychologically already, and he had had plenty of time to analyze her. He knew that her personality was such that, if something was on her mind, she would speak it clearly, which made him worry. He feared that she would overreact, considering how he had observed that she spoke assumptions she made as something that was fact. In other words, she would jump to conclusions, and her slight overconfidence in all things caused her to assume assumptions were truth. Besides all that, he was not sure how she could take things if she knew everything right away. Certainly, if things had not been handled correctly with him, and he had been introduced to things the right way, he may have gone crazy, and he did not want to give her the whole thing in one chunk, lest she proverbially choke to death on the matter. He then said, "Megumi, I never lied," answered Ian, "I…just didn't say anything."

"Hold on, Ian," said Keiichi, knowing how to answer this, knowing her the best out of the three she was grilling, "Look how you're acting right now. If we had told you, how would you have reacted? Would you have gone crazy?"

"No," answered Megumi matter-of-factly, "I would have thought it neat. I mean, I would have thought you crazy at first, but if you had shown me what I have seen…"

"Wait," Ian cut in, "You must have been snooping around on my computer, were you not? Now, who was betraying who?"

He stared at her, she started to squirm a bit, and she said, "Hey, I mean, we've been together for a time now… I mean, why would you keep this a secret from me? I figured what was yours was mine, and what was mine is yours?"

"That doesn't mean that I would wear your underwear, either," said Ian, showing her how that statement smacked a touch of the ridiculous, "As you have areas that are sacred to you, so do I."

"Sacred areas?" she snapped, being all big eyed with him, "We sleep in the same bed and have taken baths together! What have I not held back from you?"

"Everyone has areas that are special and private, no matter how intimate a…" Ian started to say, but Megumi cut him off and snapped, "Don't give me that psychobabble junk…that won't…"

Ian got some steel in his voice and said, "I WILL give it to you, because, despite it all—despite my love for you—speaking in that way is what I do, facts are facts!"

Megumi stepped back a bit in fear, not sure now what was going to happen. He was not trying to sway anything divine, but because of one-half of him, he exuded something that brought instant awe and respect from humans and fear when it seemed that such was angry. She wanted to snap back for his sharp tone, but for some reason, she felt no power to do so. "Everyone—even the goddesses—have areas that must remain private to them, because it is a place to retreat from the world they know when the have to: everyone does this! When someone slips into that world when they were not welcome, that can be seen as betrayal, and that has single-handedly destroyed many relationships! I feel betrayed because YOU just had to know everything when I wasn't ready to tell you! I was going to tell you, and soon. Yet, right now, there is a bit of a crisis going on in the supernatural that is beyond anything you can do anything about, yet, you having knowledge about this, and knowing the way you are, this would not be a good combination. Besides, our foe may just try to use you to manipulate us, and because I am not quite up to snuff on what I can do—for I am still learning—I fear they could use you as a pawn…and I wouldn't want to fail you if I was found to be too weak."

He suddenly seemed vulnerable at that moment, and Megumi calmed a bit at seeing this. She took a moment to let what he said sink in, and then she said, "But…even if I did not know, they could still try to use me. In that case, I needed to know this a lot sooner."

She moved in, took his hands, and said, "You talk about trust…then, please, trust me that I won't become silly if I were to learn the truth. Because of what you just said, we cannot have secrets between each other. There is nothing about me that I have not told you, because I trust you that much. Sure, people have their…well…I guess what you would call 'happy place', but, Ian, even your books and classes won't tell you that those private places can sometimes be even better when shared by two. Ian, this has to be hard for you—learning about what you really are, handling school, a job, and a relationship. You are strong, but there is a weak and open side of you that is vulnerable and fragile, and that is what attracted me to you. There is so much about life you don't know, and I want to help you learn. Please, don't try to handle this by yourself. Let me in all the way. Please, let me in? I know this has to be because of that fragile side. You have been hurt—you shared that much with me, and by your class notes, I have learned enough about what you know to say that you fear losing all of this, right? Were you scared of losing me if I knew?"

Ian could not be mad anymore, and she was dead on the money. She was right. Ian began to cry some, and tried to hold it back. She just hugged him saying, "Ian…let it go. It's not good to hold it."

He started to cry openly now, realizing that he was trying so hard to keep this relationship that he actually could have driven her away because of it. Belldandy had her arm intertwined with Keiichi's, leaning her head on his shoulder, tearing up herself to see that her brother was gaining something he would need to keep him going, and made her feel even closer to Keiichi. Megumi was more attracted to Ian now than ever before, as a mother instinct kicked in, and an instinct to nurture him came through. She couldn't leave him now: she knew too much, but it made her love him even more. She then said, "It's okay, big guy…no more tears. I love you. Yet, please, no more secrets. Don't fear losing me, because, now, there is nothing you could do to get rid of me."

Keiichi couldn't help himself as he then added, "Boy isn't that true! I've been trying to get rid of her for years, but she keeps coming back like a boomerang."

Megumi was snapped into a different mindset by that statement, and she was playfully slapping Keiichi all over and saying, "Hey…what was that supposed to mean? You don't love your little sister?"

Ian, who had been crying, suddenly could not help himself at the sight, it forced him to laugh in spite of himself, and Belldandy began to join him, knowing how she had been in her younger years with her own sister. She indeed loved the family that was forming.

Before long, they came back, and Ian took over the grill. While they prepared for dinner, and the music played, another meeting was taking place. The Three Ninjas were discussing the matter, having fended off an attack and after the odd wreck the day before. They were concerned that they knew little else about what was happening, and thus they needed to act for their mistress Belldandy and get as much information as they could about their foe. In fact, because they wanted to keep this secret, they were actually in a private lair in the kitchen. Well, it was a rat hole in the wall, but it was the only thing available where they knew prying eyes would not think to look. Kodama then said, "The best place to start is to investigate the known demons in the area."

"That would mean Mara, right?" asked Hikari.

"Yes," answered Kodama, "This would call on your skills, Nozomi."

"Well, in this case, she has plenty of rats around," answered Nozomi, "And if there is a need for distraction, then we need to keep them busy while I gather information."

"Then, how do we do this?" asked Kodama.

The three looked at each other, and then looked over at their host, seeing him feast away on some peanuts, forgetting he was hosting guests, and they said, "Gan-chan: your expertise is needed for this mission!"

"Hmm?" mumbled Gan as he looked over, still chewing on his food.

"Yes," continued Kodama, "We need you for a very important mission to aid our mistress Belldandy."

Gan brightened and said, "For her, I'd do anything!" all lovey-eyed. They all smiled and said, "Good…your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to go into Mara's hideout and mingle with the rats there. Start asking questions and see what you can learn about the activity with Mara and Chibi Hild."

"Oh sure I…" and he suddenly stopped, and swallowed hard, saying, "Hey, wait…that girl is trouble! I can't go in there! She does horrible things to rats!"

The three glared at him, knowing that they had been transformed into the ninjas they were from rats thanks to Mara, and they said, collectively, "So…we are horrible things?"

"Hey, wait, I didn't mean it like that!" he yelped, fearing for his hide at that moment. Yet, before anything went further, Urd's avatar…essentially Urd…stood by his side, saying, "Sure you can do this! We can help you!"

"Yeah!" chirped Skuld, standing next to him, "With our help, you can't go wrong!"

"That's what I fear!" he grumbled, to which Urd said, "Say, what's that supposed to mean?"

Kodama then said, "So much for the secret meeting!"

Ignoring them, Skuld said, "Come on, Gan-chan: think of all the good you'll be doing!"

"I just want to come home alive!" he said, all worried.

"Fear not!" said Nozomi, "I'll be right there watching. I won't let anything happen to you!"

Before he knew it, the girls had Gan dressed like a rat ninja, looking more like a ninja out of Kabuki Theater rather than being his normal self. All he could say was, "I have a bad feeling about this!"

Ian had plenty of food on the plates, with plenty of potato salad and condiments for the diners. He then asked Tamiya to take back over as he went to the place where the clams and lobsters were. He lightly lifted aside the tarp to keep the sand out of it and started to take off the seaweed layers. First came the corn, then the lobsters, and then the clams. He smiled hungrily over the clams, seeing the shells had opened in that way that told him they were cooked just right. With that, he brought that back to the table, but Belldandy still could not look at the lobsters, knowing how she had connected with them just before she had put them to sleep for their trip to the pit. As everyone began to dig in, she avoided the lobsters. Ian looked confused and said, "Hey, you don't want one?"

She shook her head and said, "I am not against eating meat, but, knowing how they spoke to me before…"

Ian just rose and eyebrow and said, "You'll eat the clams and the steak, but not the lobsters. Bell…they're animals."

"That doesn't mean they are not souls," she answered.

"And yet you'll eat meat," he said, "Weren't they souls as well?"

"I…don't…" she mumbled, confused a touch. Ian sighed and said, "As a higher being than even humans, or even me, I would not think you would act like that."

"Forgive me," she answered, "Being a goddess, we really do not need food. We can eat, but it is more of a luxury than a need."

"Well, I guess not knowing the need of hunger and such would cause you to be confused," answered Ian, "Being that you don't need to eat, you cannot understand how humans, as predators, think."

That caught her interest, seeing that she was always looking to increase her knowledge of the human condition to better connect with Keiichi. She then said, "Humans see themselves as predators?"

"Absolutely," said Ian, "Ever since mankind was left to the wiles of nature, they have had to become predators to survive, because plant based foods have not always been available, and humans have to eat. Therefore, eating meat became par for the course, even though a human's digestive system has been able to digest anything it eats anyway. Father sure knew what he was doing when he made mankind. I mean, he designed humans to be omnivores, just to be able to live if plants and fruits were not there."

"Is this why they can butcher animals so easily?"

"It seems that way. I mean, they cannot get all that close to the animals; otherwise, the humane side of them would cause them to starve, rather than to eat when they know they should. If you are lost in the wilderness, one has to do what they have to. It's not that humans are just out and out cruel, but being the top of the food chain on the land, well, if they want to live, not only do they have to do this, they can also pick and choose who lives and dies. Isn't that what you, as one of the fates, must decide on humans?"

That caught her, and he was right. She then said, "You have been studying your book, have you not? Yes, it is true; father left it up to my sisters and me to make such determinations, but such choices are not without proper determination."

"Humans do the same things with animals," answered Keiichi, "And, as you must do what you must, so must humans. Just as much as you have to say to a soul who then goes on to meet his afterlife, 'Sorry, but this must be', you do what you must. I have to think that you have to shut off your emotions in this regard, otherwise, how could you do your job?"

She sighed and said, "I tell you, there is so much in the human condition that parallels our own, except what we do can have cosmic and eternal consequences, and thus, we are very careful when choosing."

"So am I," said Ian, "Because this is going to be one of the rare times I can have lobster. It is expensive here…very expensive. Although I now have the ability to go back to Maine when I want, and get them cheaply, I don't have it often, due to the effort it takes to make them. Thus, know I don't do this often."

He then took one of the lobsters, broke off the tail, and said, "Just give it a try. Here's some melted butter. Don't think of it as being cruel; think of it as honoring him because his life meant others may also live. Not eating him now would be disrespectful to his sacrifice."

It was odd logic, but it did make some sense. With that, she tried it, and the exquisite taste she now experienced made her forget all about the plight of the beast. "This is quite good," she said, "Thank you, dear lobster, for now people will be able to live another day because of your noble sacrifice. May you find peace in the hereafter, or a better life to follow this one."

"Um…yeah…" said Ian, not sure how to take a eulogy for a lobster, but just let it go.

As they ate and talked, Megumi was now having it sink in over what he had learned. Her boyfriend was a demigod; her brother was dating a goddess, and living with three goddesses. Yet, they all interacted with one another as if they were all normal humans, and if it was not for the marks on their faces, one could not have told who was human and who was not. It was now all weird, and she did not know where this would lead. All she could do was stare at the "higher beings" and think about all of what this meant. Keiichi noticed this and shoved some clams on a plate into her hand, saying, "Hey, why the blank look on your face?"

"Now that I know the truth, I'm still trying to figure out what to do with it?" she answered.

"Why do anything?" he asked in return, "I've learned to live with it. You can, too."

"Well, this is so…well…creepy. I mean, it almost doesn't seem right. I mean, you may be shocked to hear this, but, despite being together the way we have, would you believe we haven't gone beyond fooling around?"

"That does seem a bit hard to believe, but, I haven't done anything close to that with Belldandy, except for something she can do…well, it's hard to explain."

"Well, why haven't you?"

"You tell me first."

"I dunno…I just…you know, it's weird. Neither of us has said anything, but it seems that going all the way is just not the right thing right now…as if there was something more special for which we both wait. Now, it's different: I'd feel like I'd be defiling his super-ness, or whatever you'd call it…or something."

"I think I know how you feel. We've waited because, well, I guess I just want to be confident that the Almighty wouldn't disapprove over taking things that far. I mean, he allowed us to be together, but, at the same time, she's his daughter. I can imagine how an earthly father would be if he did not like what his daughter was doing with another. Could you imagine the Almighty One getting that angry?"

She gave him a look that seemed to say, "That is something that I would not want to imagine!"

Keiichi then said, "Because of who she is, and because I respect what the Almighty has allowed me, I would rather gain approval from every step in the relationship from him, knowing it was okay."

"Seems like an awkward thing, doesn't it?"

"Yes, but, I've learned to live with it. You can too."

"This is such a strange world we live in."

"Yeah, but, you know, for some reason, I've always felt that you and I have been meant for something special. I don't know why, but that's how it seems. I can't think it any other way."

"With heaven on our sides, how could we go wrong?"

He smiled, they laughed, and continued to enjoy the evening with the others.

Before long, Skuld and Urd joined the goings on, but as the schmoozed in the setting sun, Ian looked at Urd suddenly look over at the ground and give a thumb's-up to something. Ian looked to see what looked like a rat-sized girl in oriental clothes with a rat dressed like a ninja, and both returning the gesture to Urd. Ian looked back at her and Urd said, "Hey, don't worry about it. We're just getting some eyes out there on things."

He wanted to ask further, but considering how odd the day had been, he just let it go, wondering if there was such a thing as learning too much truth, wondering if there were times you indeed wanted to let sleeping dogs lie.

Oh My Goddess Omake #2

(This is going to be a running series of Omake for the story, totally unrelated to the plot, and written just for fun!)

(The scene shifts to a television studio in heaven with an audience full of the heavenly host—mostly goddesses. The lights come on to a stage decorated befitting a talk show in heaven with three couples sitting on love seats. The lights come up to an incredibly beautiful goddess with long blond hair and a flowing dress, with a beauty rivaling, and even surpassing, Belldandy's.)

Freya: Welcome once again ladies and gentlemen to another episode of Goddess Today. I'm your host—Freya, goddess of love!

(Thunderous applause follows.)

Freya: Today we shall be discussing love between humans and the divine: is it right, and can true love ever be achieved between the two. I have asked my siblings to come on the show, all of whom have human partners, and, for perspective, I have invited Ostre, goddess of fertility and spring, to help explain how such relationships can blossom. First, I have Belldandy, goddess over the present, with her boyfriend Keiichi, my little sister Skuld, with her boyfriend Sentaro…

Skuld: Hey…who you calling little.

Sentaro: (rubbing back of neck, nervous about the whole thing) Um…boyfriend…have we gotten that far, yet?

Skuld: Shh…it's good for TV.

Freya: …and earth's new hero, demigod Ian—who has yet to select a divine name over his earthly name—and his girlfriend Megumi.

(Thunderous applause again.)

Megumi: (whispering to Keiichi) Tell me again why we agreed to this?

Keiichi: (looking dejected) Ask Urd the next time you see her!

Megumi: you mean we were set up.

Keiichi: That's about the size of it. Next time, remind me to always read over something Urd asks me to sign.

Megumi: Oh…that's what that was?

Belldandy: Oh, this is so much fun!

(Both Megumi and Keiichi sit there with dark clouds over their heads, wondering just how much fun "fun" was going to be.)

6