Skuld woke suddenly. Every muscle in her body screamed out for her to move and she instantly rocketed upwards out of the bed, twisted her body in mid air, and landed with a ground shaking thud in a crouch behind two young women who were floating near her bed with buckets of water. "Good morning," she hissed between her teeth at the pair.
"Good morning bitch," the taller one spoke. She was a Goddess with shoulder length brown hair and a long angular nose. She flashed her perfectly straight teeth at Skuld. "We were just going to help you wake up," she snickered before emptying the contents of the bucket on the bed that previously held Skuld. "Oops," she whispered dramatically before placing a hand over her lips and raising her eyebrows.
Skuld narrowed her eyes at the second woman, a fairy, who immediately shrunk under the withering gaze. The fairy seemed to have no interest in building any additional animosity as she slunk away in the direction of the bathroom with her bucket in hand.
"Good morning ladies!" the booming voice of Valkyrie Antoinette filled the bay as the rest of the trainees began to mull about. "What is this shit?" she immediately shrieked as she rapidly advanced on the two squared off Goddesses.
"Ma'am!" The Goddess who had soaked Skuld's bed snapped to attention before flashing a worried look across her face. "I was attempting to help trainee Skuld since she had a little accident in her bed," she offered sweetly.
Skuld noticed immediately that the Goddess had no facial markings to denote her rank in the Goddess hierarchy and that meant she could still lie. She was livid.
"Accident?" Valkyrie Antoinette screamed. The activity in the bay seemed to screech to a halt as every eye turned on Skuld. "Well, it's a good thing that trainee Skuld has someone so willing to assist her," she continued.
Skuld glared in silence. She contemplated protesting but refrained under the assumption that Valkyrie Antoinette was not stupid enough to believe the ridiculous story proffered by her new found enemies.
"Answer me stupid," Valkyrie Antoinette leaned forward into Skuld's personal space and rained spittle on her face.
Skuld felt tears welling in her eyes. She wanted to punch and kick every person in the room. She felt helpless, depressed, and absolutely alone in the sea of trainees who seemed to have targeted her as an enemy. "There was no accident," Skuld finally replied.
"Then it must have been on purpose," Antoinette replied with a scathing smirk. She drew her eyes into slits as she turned on her heels to face the onlooking trainees. "Looks like Trainee Skuld has decided to act out and that means all of you will be doing push ups!" she shouted unnecessarily.
Skuld briefly glanced at the other trainees who were glaring at her dangerously in turn. She clenched her fists.
"Call it out trainee, or are you too stupid to count?" Antoinette shouted over her shoulder as she surveyed the rest of the trainees.
"You know I didn't piss my bed," Skuld growled between her teeth. She flexed her fists rapidly as she stared at the Valkyrie.
"Excuse me?" Antoinette questioned as she turned slowly to face Skuld. "Are you addressing me trainee?" she spoke softly. The Valkyrie scowled at her with barely suppressed malice.
"Yes," Skuld paused before sucking air between her teeth and exhaling her words with a hiss. "Ma'am," she finished as she felt a sensation like ice cubes slipping down the inside of her chest. The tiny Goddess felt the urge to vomit as she forced herself to address the Valkyrie with respect.
Valkyrie Antoinette approached Skuld until she was well within her personal space. The elven woman grinned as she cocked her head and stared into Skuld's eyes. "Are you having a malfunction?" she asked as her face grew closer to Skuld's, the pair seemed to be playing a game of chicken to determine who would relent first.
"I didn't have an accident," Skuld repeated.
"Are you saying someone else did?" Antoinette asked. "Are you a snitch now too?" she questioned.
"I'm not a snitch," Skuld felt her face aching as her heart raced in her chest.
"Might as well be!" Antoinette hollered out as she gestured towards the rest of the trainees. "You are a liar, a cheat, and you don't seem to have any guts either." the Valkyrie continued to holler as she began to poke Skuld in the chest directly between her breasts with her index finger.
Skuld took measured breathes as she stared back defiantly.
"Don't get me started on your sisters," Antoinette leaned back as she threw her hands up dramatically before whirling around and walking towards the center of the room. She laughed as she began to shake her head. "Does every one here know who Skuld's sisters are?"
Some of the trainees in the room began to give her sad and worried looks. She ignored them pointedly as she felt her face growing in heat. She wondered if it was possible for a Goddess to spontaneously combust. "Leave my sisters out of this," Skuld spoke shakily.
"As I remember it, you have a sister named Urd who is the epitome of garbage," Antoinette continued to speak as she placed her hands behind her back and began to pace up and down the center line of the bay. She grinned and chuckled as she berated Skuld's family. "Urd let some mentally unstable moron cram her with some demon spawn. I was on the team that was going to eliminate her, but somehow she got a pass. Rumor has it that your other sister decided to do the same thing. Whores," she sighed.
Several of the women up and down the line laughed aloud at the antics of their lead instructor. The Valkyrie made her way to the end of the bay before turning and removing her armored crown. She pulled her tunic off to reveal her chest and midriff wrapped in a silken band that compressed her breasts. "Go ahead Skuld," she challenged. The room fell instantly silent.
Skuld felt tears running down her cheeks that she furiously wiped away with her wrist. She fought the urge to break ranks and approach the center line. She thought about Sousuke, Urd, Belldandy, and Shinji. She wished she was in a hotel room somewhere wrapped up with Shinji in a blanket. She wanted to be any where but where she was.
"One day I will have the right to execute your slut sisters," Antoinette spoke aloud as she flexed her arms and rotated her shoulders. "I can't wait to hear that mistake roosting inside of Urd beg for its life before I snuff it out on a rock," she continued to speak.
Skuld didn't hear herself scream. She knew her mouth was open and the women near her had retreated in haste as her body emitted a scalding heat that whipped at the faces of the other trainees. "I will fucking end you!" Skuld shouted.
The ground cracked under the heels of her bare feet as she stomped into the center line of the bay. Skuld moved deliberately as she rotated to face the Valkyrie who had insulted her repeatedly. "You will never touch my family," she breathed as a crackle of purple energy began to dance up and down her skin. The ethereal power that surrounded her body began to ebb and flow up and down her entire being.
Antoinette scowled as she hunched down at the waist. The Valkyrie bent her knees and tucked her chin into her chest as she drew both hands up into a defensive posture. "Funny, a Goddess doesn't normally look like that," she spoke aloud as she stepped into a guard position with her left foot out. "I wonder why," she continued to speak as she slunk her right foot out to change her weight distribution.
Skuld wiped at the tears that had filled her eyes. She struggled to see through her leaking lids as she reached her emotional limit. "I don't care what you say about me, but you won't insult my family," she demanded.
"Then come and get it," Antoinette smirked as she beckoned Skuld towards her. The Valkyrie held out her left fist before rotating it to face up and wiggling her fingers rhythmically towards her own body.
\scenebreak
"Hi," the diminutive and child like figure of Chibi-Hild spoke with a wide smile and a sweeping wave of her hand. The little demonic clone of Hild rocked back and forth on her heels as she intertwined her fingers behind her back. "Can Belldandy come out to play?" she questioned.
Banpei remained passively silent. The robot held a horse stance with his legs powerfully rooted in the dirt and both arms up and out in a stop position. The robot didn't budge or reply as he kept the tiny demon at bay.
"Can you PLEASE get Belldandy," Chibi-Hild pleaded with a long and exaggerated stress on the please. The child like visage of Hild shot the robot an exasperated huff before shooing him with both hands. "Go you stupid robot," she commanded.
Banpei didn't flinch or move. He continued to hold his silent vigil at the edge of the wards that protected the home of the Goddesses. He wasn't programmed to take orders from Demons. His only purpose was to protect and guard the occupants of the home.
"Fine, you wanna do this the hard way? We can do it the hard way," she finally growled. Chibi-Hild took several deep breaths as she wiggled her hands out in front of herself rapidly. She loosened up her arms as she shrugged her shoulders several times until she stilled and glowered in the direction of the robot. She continued to take deep breathes before jabbing both hands through the wards and yanking the robot cleanly through the protective spell.
Banpei couldn't react in time as Chibi-Hild cleanly cleaved his limbs from his body. Her dainty hands glowed like a plasma cutter as she rapidly chopped the robot up by it's appendages. She then beheaded him and slipped her fingers into the neck cavity in order to get a better grip on the massive beach ball like head. "Sorry! But not sorry!" she giggled maniacally as she kicked the rest of the bits of the robot past the threshold of the gate.
"Ugh, this is going to bite," she sighed before closing her eyes and throwing her whole body shoulder first towards the wards of the home. She collided with an opaque blue shimmering wall of energy that cracked and sizzled on her skin. Chibi-Hild grit her teeth and grunted until finally crashing through the wall unceremoniously with a stumble.
"Ow!" she groaned angrily as a thick black smoke exuded from her flesh. Her hair looked burnt and she had to shake her head and body until the damage from the wounds rapidly healed. "Dumb," she spoke before making her way towards the entrance to the temple that the Goddesses called home. She hopped up the steps without stopping and halted at the door before knocking with enough force that it shook the walls of the home. "Hey!" she cried out.
The door opened immediately. Urd stood in the door way holding a frying pan with both hands as she shot her gaze back and forth above the tiny Demon. "Show yourself!" she hollered and scowled in tandem.
"Ugh!" Chibi-Hild groaned as she lifted the head of Banpei up over her own head. She wiggled the grinning automaton's head for several seconds before nearly shouting. "Can Belldandy PLEASE come talk to me!"
"What did you do? Where is Sousuke? Is he safe!?" Urd began to shout as she lifted the frying pan above her head in a ready to strike pose.
"Sousuke this! Sousuke that! Sousuke is so important to every one! No one cares about Sousuke, this is about Skuld!" she angrily stomped her foot as she dismissed the physical threats made by Urd. "I also broke your toy, sorry," she spoke much calmer as she sat the head down on the ground and patted it once.
"Belldandy is in class," Urd spoke cautiously as she stared at the child like demon before her.
Chibi-Hild rolled her eyes several times before holding up her right hand. She flashed three fingers and began to count down by slowly drawing the fingers downwards into a fist before turning to point at the yard. As if on cue, the metallic samurai-like visage of Belldandy erupted into existence with enough force that it cratered the ground around her feet. A powerful gust of wind forced Urd and Chibi-Hild to cover their faces.
"I broke your ward too," Chibi-Hild grinned before hopping off of the porch of the home and skipping towards Belldandy. "Bell! Do you like Skuld?" she hollered as she skipped right up towards the armored Valkyrie.
Belldandy hefted her halberd up, span it several times, and then drove the handle into the ground by her feet. She reached up and removed her helmet before leaning her head back and shaking out her hair. "Hild, what do you want?" she demanded in her serene voice. Belldandy did not appear to be amused by the antics of the Queen of Hell or her Demonic clone.
"Skuld is going to die in a training 'accident'," she stressed the word accident by flexing her fingers in air quotes. "Unless you show up in a few seconds," she continued. Chibi-Hild placed both of her index fingers on her own cheeks and began to drill two small dimples into the skin playfully as she grinned maniacally.
Belldandy stared at her with a hard look, sizing up her intentions. "How would you even know this?" she questioned the tiny demon.
"You won't be able to save her alone, but if you ask nicely, I can help," Chibi-Hild replied evasively. She extended her hand towards Belldandy. "We both know I can't enter that deep into your realm without assistance, let alone access the Valkyrie training grounds. You would have to provide me access," she finished.
Belldandy glared at Hild's alter ego. "You ask too much of me," she replied as she ran her fingers through her hair. "You expect me to give access to the halls of the Valkyries to the Queen of Hell herself?"
Chibi-Hild flashed a toothy grin at Belldandy before shaking her extended hand at her. "The clock is ticking. Her life is in your hands," she replied.
\scenebreak
Skuld ducked a kick aimed at her head as she extended her hands and attempted to exert some form of control over Antoinette. Every time she grabbed her flesh or found a hold in fabric, Antoinette would land a punishing blow against her wrist, forearm, or elbow that would allow her to dislocate her grip before twirling out of range again.
"Come here!" Skuld cried out as she took three quick steps deep into Antoinette's guard. The tiny Goddess threw a back fist that struck the Valkyries cheek with enough force that she stumbled out of the centerline of the bay and towards a locker. Skuld locked on to the obviously distressed elven maidens back.
Antoinette stumbled and flailed as she reached out to steady herself against the heavy metallic locker. She rubbed at her cheek where the blow had landed before looking down and back at the rapidly approaching Goddess behind her. She braced herself against the door of the locker and counted to three before pushing away from the locker, pivoting on her heel, and launching a sidekick aimed squarely at the tiny Goddesses center mass.
Skuld felt her breath hitch as the blow compressed her chest bone. She felt her body sail through the air before landing in a pile at the feet of several trainees in the process of scattering. She tried to speak but the only sound that escaped her lips was a subdued choke.
Antoinette grasped her opportunity immediately. She charged into a run before punting Skuld in the gut with as much force as she could muster. The Goddess sailed up into the air before slamming into the wall and leaving a dent. It took several seconds before her crumpled form rolled out of the crater and plummeted the several feet to the floor. She lay still.
"Did you not choose to be Valkyries?" Antoinette yelled as she addressed the trainees. "Did you not swear to protect your kingdom from the transgressions of the fallen?" she continued as she gesticulated her hands above her head before bringing them downwards to point in the direction of Skuld.
The sound of murmurs amongst the crowd filled the air. Some protested while others praised Antoinette. The mixed emotions ebbed and flowed in the crowd as many wondered what Skuld could have done that would elicit such a demonstration from their team leader.
"I will show you the enemy!" Antoinette yelled before approaching the limp form of Skuld. She knelt and gripped her top, digging her long fingers into the fabric. She pulled violently and stripped the cloth from her body before grabbing her arms and pulling them up and over her head. She spotted the tattoos nestled in the pit of her arm.
Skuld felt her faculties returning as the cold floor of the bay bit at her back. She began to struggle against the Valkyrie. "Stop it," Skuld choked out as she kicked her legs and waved her free arm. "Just leave me alone," she continued to plead. She felt as though the room were spinning.
Antoinette stood and hefted in one clean motion. She yanked Skuld up by her arm and dangled her body in the air as her feet dragged on the floor. "Look at this!" she yelled as she displayed the tattoos and Skuld's nude upper body. "This is your enemy. The deceivers who will attempt to walk amongst you," she continued.
The sound of gasps in the crowd weighed heavy in the air. The murmurs grew in intensity and some of the trainees began to yell. "Kill her! Destroy her!" their voices raised as the call for her blood shook the ground and rallied many of the trainees in the group who had held their opinion back.
Antoinette released her vice like grip on Skuld's wrist and watched as she crumpled onto the floor again. The Valkyrie took several deep breathes before holding her right hand out with her palm facing upwards. A coalescing kaleidoscope of color started as a puddle before forming a dagger in her palm. The blade was a dark titanium that held no glint. A killers weapon.
Skuld stared up at her defiantly from the ground. She scowled as the Valkyrie knelt down on her chest painfully. She hefted her arms up and tried to press her off ineffectually as she wondered what it would mean to die. "Kiss my ass," Skuld breathed laboriously as the weight of the elf on her bare chest ached. "Every one of you," she cursed the group as they began to huddle around her.
Antoinette chuckled as she brought the blade up to place it well within sight of Skuld. "Look," she whispered as her hair cascaded down around her face. She smiled as she stared down at the injured and weakened Goddess. "This is the blade that I am going to use to kill you, your sisters, their spawn, and their humans," her voice was hard as she smiled down at Skuld maliciously.
Skuld rested her right hand down on the thigh of the Valkyrie and closed her eyes. She summoned every drop of energy she had as she thought about those people most important to her. She focused her intent on the palm of her hand and allowed her mind to drift towards the thoughts of Urd, Sousuke, and their defenseless child. She could hear the faint screams of the Valkyrie growing louder in her ears as she latched on to the appendage.
Skuld waited. She waited for the prick of the knife, the burning sensation, or the violent snuffing of consciousness that still hadn't come. She could feel intense pressure on her arm, a yanking sensation, and then hands. Someone was grabbing her, holding her, and she could feel them rocking her in their arms. She was too frightened to open her eyes and so she froze. She hoped that if she continued to play dead, they would simply leave her alone. She would wake up in her bed, warm, and this would all be a bad dream.
"Skuld," a distant voice, distinct, but unrecognized found a way into her head. "Skuld," the voice called out to her again. "Wake up, it's all going to be all right," the voice was reassuring, confident, and soft. She knew she should know the owner of this voice, but she couldn't identify her.
Skuld wanted to reply. She fought to work her lips as she continued to crush her eyelids closed. She wanted to thank this person, praise them, and beg them to protect her. Instead, all she could muster was a choked sob and a frightened "Please," that opened a flood gate of tears. She felt betrayed, violated, and terrified that the Valkyries, Goddesses in their own right, would threaten her family.
"Open your eyes Skuld," the voice continued to speak to her. She knew she was being spoken to, but she felt the strongest desire to shy away. She took several deep and ragged breaths before forcing one eye open. She looked up into the face of her savior and noticed the golden hue and cat like shape of her eyes first. The second thing to strike her was her deeply toned skin, and finally the tattoos that denoted her a demon. "Hild?" Skuld questioned her.
Chibi-Hild grinned down at her. Her pure white teeth glistened in the light of the bay. "You scared me," Chibi-Hild admonished playfully as she continued to sit on the floor with Skuld nestled into her arms. "I didn't think Belldandy would let me come save you," she continued.
"Why are you here?" Skuld questioned her suspiciously. She tried to lean forward but the room began to spin and she fell back into the embrace of the demon Queen. "Ugh," she groaned aloud as she clamped her eyes shut again.
"I came to stop you from eviscerating every one in the room," Chibi-Hild replied before giggling softly. "Well, try at least," she continued to speak as her lips pulled up her grin even higher.
"Is this another test?" Skuld wondered aloud. She grew suspicious about Chibi-Hild having a presence at the heart of the Valkyries training academy. "How did you get here?"
"Belldandy," Chibi-Hild replied matter of factually. "I'm here because I received curious news," she began to stroke Skuld's hair gently as she continued to rock her slowly. "If you are wondering if this is a Valkyrie test, well, it isn't. However, every decision we make is a test, so maybe you should think of it that way," she sighed wistfully.
Skuld gathered her senses and rolled over slowly. She balanced herself on her hands and knees with her chin pressed against her chest. She breathed slow and deliberately as she struggled to toss off the sluggishness that had infected her. "Why am I so tired?" she asked.
"Well, the first words I heard from the trainees was 'Help! Help! Oh my God!' so I really feel that you are doing a lot better than I expected," Chibi-Hild guffawed as she moved to sit beside Skuld. "You did a number on the Valkyrie assigned to kill you," she continued to laugh.
Skuld raised her head to look at Chibi-Hild and grimaced. "Why would someone assign a Valkyrie to kill me?" she inquired. "That doesn't make sense. I am a Goddess," she spluttered through the thick mucous that choked her breath. "Valkyries don't kill Goddesses," she groaned out from between her teeth.
"Oh, is that fact?" the tiny clone of Hild asked incredulously. "I distinctly remember Goddesses battling it out to the death over who is in charge not very long ago," Chibi-Hild mused as she leaned back onto her hands and arched her back. She hummed softly as she waited for Skuld to make it to her feet.
Skuld had no reply. She finally gained the courage to pull herself up into a standing position. She steadied herself as she swayed on her heels for several seconds before taking the time to look about the training bay. The room was a mess filled with over turned beds, blood on the floor and walls, and scorch marks dotted about. "What happened?" she asked slowly.
"You," Chibi-Hild replied before rolling back onto her shoulders and kicking out with her legs. She flipped up and off the ground with a graceful kip-up that ended with her pivoting to press her shoulder against Skuld. She smiled up at her encouragingly when Skuld placed her arm around her neck and used her for support. "I heard you are a real warrior when you want to be," she continued.
Skuld took one more lingering look around the room before looking down at Hild. "Now what?" she asked softly. Her eyes welled with tears and her lips quivered for a moment before she reached up to wipe at her eyes and lips. "I guess I won't be a Valkyrie any more?" she asked Chibi-Hild with a cracking voice.
Chibi-Hild shrugged softly, allowing her shoulder to run gently up Skuld's trunk. "I wouldn't know, I don't make those decisions, but I would assume you wouldn't want to continue hanging out where the residents want to kill you," she mused. "It might be bad for your health," she continued.
Skuld grunted in agreement as she began the process of walking. Chibi-Hild kept pace with her as the pair made their way to the heavy door way. Skuld began to reach for the door but Chibi-Hild interrupted her with a squeeze of her arm around her waist. "I got this," the little Demon Queen spoke as she reached out and tendrils of black smoke lashed out from her finger tips. The smoke danced around the handle before coalescing into the shape of a hand and drawing the door back for the pair. The smoke faded without a trace of it ever being there.
"Cool," Skuld chuckled softly.
"It's handy," Chibi-Hild replied. The tiny Demoness grinned up wildly at Skuld as she waggled her eyebrows and grunted questioningly several times.
"Ugh," Skuld replied with a grimace. She shook her head in the negative as she stared down at Chibi-Hild.
\scenebreak
Urd huffed softly. She stood at the head of the dining room table, listening to the eerie silence of the kitchen. "Who can't cast spells or fly?" she asked aloud, piercing the emptiness, before pointing at herself with both thumbs. "This Goddess!" she continued to speak before reaching down to pick up a bowl she had been eating out of and carrying it to the sink.
The dishes clattered as she stacked them up. She stared down into the sink for several seconds before groaning. "Oh fine! I'll do them," she arched her back and groaned before grabbing some soap and activating the spout. "Dishes are boring, cleaning the house is boring, and not being invited to help Skuld is boring," she spat between clenched teeth.
Urd worked in relative silence as she soaped and lathered the different eating implements before rinsing them off and placing them on a towel next to the sink. "Where the hell is Keiichi?" she questioned before rolling her eyes. "School," she answered her self. The sound of footsteps caught her ears. "Sousuke!?" she hollered as she turned to face the hallway.
The cinnamon skinned Goddess waited patiently for an answer but when none came, she called out again. "Sousuke! Belldandy!" she waited several more seconds before sighing exasperatedly. "Monsters?" she proffered to no avail.
Urd scowled before reaching out slowly towards the cooking implements. She allowed her slender fingers to wrap around the handle of the largest butcher knife they had in their inventory. The long thick blade jutted out from her fist dangerously as she waved the weapon around several times in front of her. "I'm armed and I'm not afraid to poke you!" she threatened as menacingly as she could muster. "You better tell me who you are!"
"I'm your worse nightmare you shit talking, man stealing, whore," the feminine voice replied dangerously. The words reverberated throughout the house before a figure appeared in the doorway. The cat suit hugged the womans flesh tightly, shimmering softly, as she punched her fist into the open palm of her other hand. Her face was covered by a mask with two eye holes cut out.
"Who are you?" Urd questioned incredulously. She held up the blade and displayed it angrily. "Do you know who you just insulted? Also, I've never stolen someones man," she spat argumentatively. Urd leaned her head back and reached up with her free hand, she gripped her pony tail and span it around before pulling it up into a bun with one hand. "I'm going to slap the hell out of you," she threatened. "Who are you?"
"You stole Sousuke from me," the woman replied dangerously. "You aren't fit to clean, let alone challenge me in my suit," the woman replied with malice on her breath.
"Kaname Chidori?" Urd asked. Her voice cracked as she leaned forward to stare at the woman before her. "You crazy bitch, YOU left SOUSUKE!" Urd nearly shouted in reply as she gesticulated with her hands in the direction of the woman in front of her. "You better get out of here before my sister gets back and she chucks you out," she spat as she shook her head.
"If Sousuke had done what he promised, it would never have come to this," Kaname yelled back. She pivoted at the waist and slammed her fist into the wall with a foundation shaking crash. "This suit makes me faster, stronger, and more than a match for you!" she continued to speak. "I wouldn't have been kidnapped if it hadn't been for Sousuke," her voice echoed through the house as she shook. "Every thing is your fault and his fault," she continued to fluster.
Urd stared at the masked figure of Kaname. She scowled as she attempted to discern the unreasonable womans logic. "So what do you want from us?" she demanded to know.
"I want you to die," Kaname replied as she lunged forward viciously. The augmentations from the suit increased her strength, stamina, and speed but it did nothing for her technique. Her initial attack was a hammer fist from high up. The movement was easy to anticipate and Urd ducked away as the counter behind her gave way under the explosive blow.
Urd didn't look back as she rushed past her attacker. She made it to the hallway, surged forward to the phone, and yanked up the receiver. She began dialing numbers but lost her grip on the phone as Kaname kicked her away from the device.
"Oh no, bitch!" Kaname shouted. She pointed at the eschewed telephone before pointing at Urd. "I know that you and your freakish little friends can use that thing to move all over the planet. Not going to happen," she spat before hefting her leg up and smashing her foot down on the receiver.
Urd rolled with the blow, allowed her body to slide on the floor, and settled against the wall. The Goddess held her hand against her arm, grit her teeth, and hissed between her lips as her eyes filled with tears. "You broke my arm," Urd groaned.
"Good," Kaname replied icily. "Next, I am going to cut your heart out," she continued to speak before reaching up to remove her mask. Her finger tips gripped the fabric and pinched before she yanked upwards and freed her hair. "I hate you," she breathed as her eyes flashed wildly.
"The feeling is mutual," Urd replied. She kicked her legs out to press her self against the wall. "I don't know what we did to deserve this," Urd began to speak. Her voice trailed off as Kaname began to approach her. "Get back," Urd commanded. She gambled and held up her good arm to point her fingers at Kaname. "I will cast a spell on you," she spoke as calmly as she could.
Kaname scowled and paused. She seemed to be sizing Urd up before launching herself forward to straddle the Goddess. She grabbed Urd's arm, twisted it to the side over her own neck, and pressed down. Urd was pinned awkwardly to the ground. Her breath was ragged as the awkward position and weight of Kaname began to choke off her ability to inhale or exhale.
"Please," Urd choked out as she pressed against the wall with her free hand. She struggled to free herself from the death grip that Kaname held her in. "I'm pregnant," she tried to plead.
Kaname leaned down slowly until her face was close enough to Urd that her breath surged over her skin. "I know, you filthy whore," she whispered softly. Her mouth split into a devilish grin that spanned from ear to ear as her pink tongue flickered out to wet her parched lips. "You deserve this," she continued to speak as she reached behind her back to her waist and released the cinch on the knife she wore. She drew the blade up slowly before rotating it in her hand and drawing her fist back in order to strike.
Urd felt a wet and sticky spray of fluid wash over her face. She had clenched her eyes shut, but she opened them at once. She felt the tremendous pressure Kaname had placed on her body release as she watched her body splay out upon the floor. Kaname slid across the floor towards the opposite end of the hallway, her head neatly caved in. Urd gasped.
"Get away from my sister!" Skuld cried out. She gripped the handle of her mallet tightly in her balled fists. She raised the weapon cautiously as she placed herself between Urd and the twisted and battered Kaname. "Don't you EVER threaten my family!" she continued to shriek.
"Skuld?" Urd questioned. She allowed her eyes to flicker back and forth between her sister and the profusely bleeding skull of her would be killer. "How did you get here?" she asked.
"Oh! Oh! I can answer this one!" the giddy voice of Chibi-Hild echoed off the walls shrilly as she bounced into view from the kitchen. The tiny demoness held a bowl of cereal in one hand and a spoon in the other. "Skuld and I just got here, lucky for you, and Skuld handled this mess," the demoness explained as she jammed a spoon full of cereal into her mouth. She turned and approached the broken body of Kaname before eye balling her carefully. "Gross," she opined as she nudged her shoulder with her toe.
Skuld approached the body as well. She strode purposefully as she lifted her mallet up over her head. Her knuckles grew white as she squeezed the handle of the weapon as hard as she could. The little Goddess scowled deeply as her breath grew ragged. "Piss OFF," she shouted as she brought the heavy head of the mallet down forcefully onto her targets head.
Chibi-Hild shied away from the gore with a shout as she twisted her body and held her bowl and spoon up over her head. "Gross!" she cried out as blood and brain matter splattered across the room. "A warning would be nice!" she exclaimed as she shot a dirty look at Skuld.
Urd pulled herself up into a sitting position. Her arm dangled down the front of her body, and she clutched it with her other hand in order to keep it still. She didn't speak as her eyes danced back and forth between her sister and the diminutive incarnation of her mother.
"There, I did it right," Skuld growled between grit teeth. She hefted the hammer with a squelch as it broke suction between the floor and the woman. "No mercy," Skuld breathed.
"Who are you and what did you do with my Skuld?" Urd finally asked. She stared nervously between the pair. She grimaced as she released her arm and began to rub her stomach. "Oh God," Urd groaned as she buckled forward in pain. She began to press with her finger tips against her pelvic area as she clenched her eyes shut.
"Are you all right?" Skuld inquired slowly. She tossed the mallet to the side with a clatter. The weapon produced a ringing noise and it left a deep gouge in the hard wood floors of the temple they called home. "What do I do?" she asked as she held up her hands and began to approach Urd slowly.
"Help me stand," Urd pleaded as she held out her good hand. She bit down on her own lip until it began to bleed as she grasped at the air ineffectually.
Skuld rushed to her sister without hesitation. She knelt and placed her shoulder up under Urd's good arm before twisting and lifting. She brought Urd to her feet in a single smooth motion, balancing her on the fulcrum she created with her own body. "Now what?" she asked as she leaned forward to stare at the pained expression on her face.
Chibi-Hild knelt down and placed her bowl and spoon on top of Kaname's still warm corpse. She then stood, pivoted, and rushed to the kitchen. "Bring her in here," she commanded as she waved her arm over her head in a beckoning motion.
"Coming," Skuld replied as she wrapped her arm around Urd's waist and began to lead her into the kitchen. "Just relax," she tried to assure Urd as she craned her neck to look into her eyes. The pair stumbled into the kitchen where Chibi-Hild stood next to the kitchen table.
"Here," the little Demoness commanded as she pointed at the table.
Urd gripped her stomach with her free hand as she pivoted to lean her butt against the table. "This isn't good," she choked out as Skuld helped heft her up onto the table. She scooted backwards until her heels rested on the table and she lay back fully. "This isn't comfortable either," she complained with a huff as she rested both of her hands on her stomach and massaged methodically.
"Ready for it to get worse?" Chibi-Hild questioned. She grinned mischievously before raising her eye brows high and flashing her sharp canines. "I called your mother," she explained before slapping herself on the forehead. "I mean, me, but big me," she replied with a flustered tone before clapping her hands and leaning forward. "Fun!" she exclaimed.
"Oh no," Urd groaned as she clamped her eyes shut. She inhaled sharply as her eyes grew wide. "Skuld, help me out of these," she begged as she clawed at her pants waist with her finger tips.
"Ok," Skuld replied warily before approaching Urd and gripping the waist of the pants. She began to tug on them but stopped the moment Urd grimaced. "How do I?" she questioned falteringly before starting as Chibi-Hild crammed a pair of scissors into her hand.
"Cut them off dummy!" She cried out as she pointed at Urd.
Skuld nodded once before approaching Urd again and slipping the head of the scissors into the space she made by pulling the waist line to the side. She slid the scissors down the length of her leg, cleanly slicing the fabric open. She repeated the motion on the opposite side and peeled the clothing away. She allowed her vision to wander upwards as she tried to pointedly not stare between her legs.
"Humiliating!" Urd cried out as she buckled upwards. "Don't look," she demanded.
"I'm not!" Skuld yelled back. She looked down at the scissors in her hand before turning towards the counter and tossing them into the sink. "Now what?" she asked as she turned towards Chibi-Hild.
"Cover your ears," Chibi-Hild replied calmly as she placed her hands over her ears. She grinned wider.
"Oh God," Urd groaned as she placed her fingers in her ears.
Skuld followed suit just as Hild, Marller, and Sousuke burst through the aether into the room. The window in the kitchen shattered outwards as a purple haze of energy filled the entire room. "Urd!" Hild proper cried out.
Chibi-Hild tossed a peace sign up before allowing herself to dissolve into a floating wisp of energy that was quickly absorbed by Hild.
"Urd," Sousuke spoke as he rushed to her side. He slipped his fingers between hers as he extended his arm to allow her to rest her head on his bicep. "Are you all right?" he asked.
"Ugh!" she groaned as she turned her head away from him. She didn't have the stomach to face him.
"Does Sousuke know?" Skuld asked nervously to Marller as she moved back and away from the action.
"No," Marller replied quickly. She began to busy herself warming water before pointing at Skuld. "Go get us towels."
"Right," Skuld replied as she turned to the door and rushed into the hallway. She felt nauseous as she hopped over the bloody corpse of Kaname. "Oh man," she grumbled as she acquired the towels and repeated her actions on the way back.
"Oh sweet child," Hild spoke excitedly as she stood in front of Urd. "Just push and breath," she spoke encouragingly and softly as she placed her hands on her knees and helped spread her thighs. "It's going to be all right," she continued to speak softly.
Urd began to scream as she grunted and pushed. She cried out as Hild leaned forward to place her hands down low and helped her expel the egg. The small egg was covered in blood and sputum that Hild immediately removed using a warm wet towel. She cradled the tiny egg softly in her hands before moving towards a now reclining Urd who was breathing hard.
"Sousuke," Urd groaned through a weak smile. "We did it," she spoke before grimacing as she looked down at her arm. It was swollen and purple.
"What happened?" Sousuke asked cautiously as he reached out to run his finger down her injured arm. "Are you all right?" he asked.
"I killed Kaname," Skuld spoke up from the corner of the kitchen. "I did it to protect Urd,"
Sousuke grunted a confused chuckle before bringing his gaze back from Skuld to Urd. "No, really," Sousuke spoke.
"She tried to kill me," Urd spoke cautiously. "She is in the hallway," Urd continued through grit teeth.
Marller grimaced before reaching into her pants pocket. She withdrew a small bag that she unlatched and reached into. She located a small glass vial of red viscous liquid and approached Urd to proffer it to her. "Want this?" she asked.
Urd hesitated before growling deeply. "Fuck it," she exclaimed as she opened her mouth and allowed Marller to pour the fluid down her throat. She sighed contently after a few moments as the liquid healed her.
"What is that?" Sousuke questioned. He seemed in shock over the entire business.
"Human blood mixed with herbs," Marller replied. "It's a fast method to heal an injured demon and completely safe," she explained. "Free range, all natural, and cruelty free. We only gather our blood from blood banks," she explained.
Urd winced at the word demon but remained silent. She leaned back onto the table and waited for the concoction to finish healing her completely. "Thank you," she sighed as she allowed her eyes to close.
Hild continued to cradle the egg close to her chest as she stared down at it affectionately. "Welcome to Earth," she spoke with a baby like coo as she bonded with the tiny spawn of her daughter. "Mother is here but she needs to rest, so you stay with Grandma right now," she spoke.
Sousuke moved away from Urd and turned towards the hallway. He took a deep breath before walking past a now staring Skuld and peeking into the hallway. He immediately spotted the broken corpse and the blood splattered blue hair of his previous flame.
The soldier leaned back into the kitchen and turned to look at Skuld with wide eyes. "What happened?" he asked her softly with a strange look on his face.
"I smashed her with my hammer," Skuld replied with a shrug. "She was trying to kill Urd," she offered.
Sousuke pursed his lips and nodded his head several times. He turned and made his way to Urd before grabbing a chair and sitting at the table to her side. He reached out and placed his hands on her before bowing his head and resting his cheek on her arm. "Are you safe?" he asked of her cautiously.
"I'm just recharging," Urd replied softly. She took a deep breath before lifting her hand up directly over her body. She snapped her fingers once before her clothing appeared on her body. She was completely clean and refreshed as though nothing had happened to her. "It's coming back," she stated as her lips curled into a smile.
Sousuke sighed contently. He had been more concerned about Urd than Kaname. He wasn't sure how to react as he stood and made his way around the table towards Hild. He leaned in close to her hands and looked down at the blue speckled egg that she clutched daintily. "It's so small," he whispered.
"She is going to get bigger before she hatches. The egg usually expands several times before the little nymph claws her way out," Hild explained happily. "Urd was huge though when she was born," she continued as she reminisced about days gone past.
"I can't imagine that Urd was once a little egg," Sousuke spoke as he turned to look at his still lounging girlfriend. "Wouldn't you be more comfortable in a bed or on a couch?" he wondered aloud as he allowed his gaze to wander back and forth between Urd and the egg.
"Yes," Urd replied. She began to sit up and smiled wide as Sousuke rushed forward to assist her. He held her hand as he helped lift her with his arm. "Thanks," she smiled as she stood shakily.
"I love you," Sousuke blurted out as he cupped her body close to his with his arm and did his best to keep her safe.
"I love you too," Urd replied. She took several deep breathes before standing up straight. She reached out with her hands and accepted the egg from Hild wordlessly. The cinnamon skin Goddess clutched the egg to her chest before raising it to rub it against her cheek. "Hello," she whispered as tears began to well in her eyes. "I'm your mother," she continued.
Sousuke smiled and leaned forward to kiss the egg. He spoke to it as well. "I'm your father," he spoke uneasily. The words seemed strange on his lips. "Welcome to our family," he added quickly.
Hild beamed as she clasped her hands together. She couldn't keep her eyes off of them as she practically shook with excitement. "So wonderful!" she exclaimed as she smiled at the pair. "Will I have your permission to see the child sometimes?" she asked timidly.
"Of course," Sousuke replied before pausing and looking at Urd. "It would be all right, yes?" he asked her.
Urd turned her attention on Hild fully. The pair stared into each others eyes for several seconds before she finally relented and nodded her head once. "Thank you for coming today," she spoke slowly and deliberately. She felt distinctly uncomfortable as she communicated with Hild humanely.
Hild looked absolutely overjoyed. She grinned wide as she began to extend her arms out towards Urd but she paused before thinking better of pushing her luck. "I am so thankful that you two are willing to let me into your life," she spoke quickly before casting a beaming look on Sousuke. "Thank you Sousuke," she spoke as her face fell and she turned to look out the kitchen window.
"What is wrong?" Marller asked rapidly as she began to sniff the air repetitiously. "What is that?" she questioned as she grew restless. The Demoness moved towards Hild and stood behind her protectively as she began to survey the room.
Urd answered tensely. "Valkyries," she spoke angrily. "Stay close to me," she commanded to Sousuke as he stood and began to look about the room. "We have lots of company," she continued.
"Marller," Hild spoke calmly as she began to remove her ear rings. "I need you to protect Skuld at all costs," she demanded with a definite finality. She also removed her bracelets, a necklace, and several rings.
Marller did not need to reply to demonstrate her understanding of her orders. She drew her shirt up with her right hand as she reached into her waist band and withdrew a small black dagger from a leather holster. She rotated the blade into a downward grip before making her way to stand well within Skuld's personal space.
Skuld glanced at Marller nervously before shooting her gaze towards Sousuke. "What the heck is happening?" she questioned nervously as she began to flicker her attention between the faces of each of the Demons in the room.
An enormous explosion of energy shook the house to the foundation in rapid succession as Valkyrie after Valkyrie began to appear in the yard just outside the window of the kitchen. Each figure that appeared left an indention in the ground as they exploded into existence on the physical plane.
"What do they want?" Skuld questioned as she strained to level her gaze past Marller.
"Well, we have a dead girl in the next room over, and two Goddesses who have broken one of the most important covenants of our people," Marller replied sarcastically. "I assume they are coming to deliver cookies."
Skuld scowled in reply as she held her tongue.
"We should ask Belldandy," Urd spoke up as she drew herself up to her full height. She tried to look as intimidating as possible as she flexed her fists rhythmically. "She is outside."
Sousuke seethed. He felt a strange sense of betrayal as he began to peruse the armor clad faces of those who had declared themselves enemies of his family. He had no idea why they were there, but their intrusion was grating on his nerves. He had no words for the emotions he was feeling.
"Shall we?" Hild questioned as she slowly raised her left hand before drawing it to the side. The shattered window and the wall that contained it faded from vision revealing a perfect path to the back yard. She drew her lips up into a sickly sweet smile before making her way towards the group of waiting Valkyries.
"Be careful," Urd piped up. She was allowing her eyes to dart back and forth until they fell on an empty space between two Valkyries. Her eyes drew into slits as she scowled. She placed the egg safely between her breasts as she followed Hild out into the yard.
"Greetings! We aren't buying," Hild exclaimed playfully as she waved at the silent mass of Valkyries. "No solicitors," she continued to joke as she placed her hands on her hips and allowed her vision to flicker from face to face within the crowd. None of the women stirred.
"Urd," the voice of Belldandy filled the air with a heavy weight as the Goddess appeared between two other Valkyries. "They," she hesitated for a moment before continuing, "We are here to take you back to Heaven for an investigation. Skuld is going to need to come too," she explained.
"What kind of investigation?" Urd questioned defensively. Her voice quivered for a moment as she drew a nervous breath between words. "We didn't do any thing," she blurted out before kicking herself. She steeled her nerves in order to keep from shooting a frightened glance back in the direction of the house where she knew Kaname still lay.
Belldandy returned a confused look as she cocked her head slightly. "Is something wrong Urd, you look nervous," she questioned slowly. "Did something happen?" She faltered for a moment before a brief look of joy flashed across her features. "Did you," she allowed the words to hang in the air as she clasped her hands in front of her own stomach.
Urd began to nod before Skuld interrupted her. "I admit it!" she cried out. "I killed her, but I only did it to protect Urd!" she rushed forward to place her body between Urd and Belldandy. "I did it, so don't blame Urd." she began to babble as she spoke with tears dripping down her face.
"What are you talking about?" Belldandy began to question. Her voice cut off as she and the Valkyries placed their attention on the home as a shrill shriek echoed out of the home. Keiichi had returned and discovered the body in the home.
"Belldandy! Sousuke! Someone!" he cried out as he rushed his way into the kitchen. He appeared stricken as he fixated on Belldandy. "There, there, there is a body in the hallway!" he cried out as he pointed in the direction of the home. He was shaking.
"Shit," Sousuke sighed as he placed a hand over his own face. He shifted his weight uncomfortably from foot to foot as he began to try to think of a way to keep the situation from getting any worse. He could feel numerous eyes holding him in their gaze. He took a deep breath before dropping the hand on his face and gesturing to the house. "I did it," he claimed.
Belldandy scowled as Skuld turned to stare at him incredulously. "Is this true Mr. Sousuke?" Belldandy questioned him. She inched towards him as she held her right hand out at her side. "We have a duty to punish the wicked," she continued to speak.
"Yes ma'am!" Sousuke replied as he snapped to attention. "I am a bad person and Skuld had absolutely nothing to do with anything I did," he continued as his face broke out into a grin.
Belldandy summoned her weapon and lunged at Sousuke faster than he could see. He didn't register what she had done until he realized he was staring at the sharp point of a halberd blade. He felt his shoulders jerk backwards involuntarily as his eyes bounced from the blade, to her elbow, and finally to her eyes. She had fully intended to end his life in that moment, he was convinced of it.
Urd grunted softly as her claw like finger tips flexed in her left hand. Her tendons in her arm and hand swelled as she began to bend her elbow. The force bent the blade until it created a shape like the letter 'L'. "No," she spoke calmly. A moment later, the air that had been dispersed by their movement rushed back into place with a crack and a blast that nearly sprawled the bystanders to the floor.
"Urd," Belldandy spoke her name like a curse word as she jerked the now ruined blade of the halberd out of her hand and away from Sousuke. "You don't make these decisions and neither does your mother," she continued as her tone dripped acid at the mention of Urd's mother.
"Correction, I carry a majority rule on Earth," Hild offered with a friendly tone that hid her potentially violent retort. "I carry a greater authority than the Valkyries on this realm," she continued to explain as though speaking to a child. After a few moments she allowed her eyes to close to slits as she drew her lips into a thin smile and cocked her head playfully.
Belldandy did not reply as she banished her weapon into the aether with a gentle toss. "You will be standing trial as well Skuld," Belldandy finally spoke as she turned to face the tiny Goddess.
"Skuld isn't going to Heaven," Hild and Urd spoke in unison. The pair froze and shared a look before Urd bashfully tilted her gaze in any direction that didn't include Hild.
Hild cleared her throat before gesturing towards Skuld. "The Valkyries attempted to assassinate Skuld and you expect that she will receive a fair trial after she defended the life of her sister?" The Queen of Hell scoffed as she lifted her hand to her lips and laughed lightly into the back of her fist. "There is no way," Hild continued.
"As long as Skuld is a Goddess, she has no choice," Belldandy replied. "No Goddess can refuse a summons," she continued to speak exasperatedly.
"Skuld, you need to make a choice," Hild replied as she turned her back on Belldandy. The Demon Queen approached Skuld and spoke gently. "If you return to Heaven, they will kill you. Then they will come back to Earth and kill your little friend Shinji. Do you understand?" Hild asked.
"I do," Skuld replied shakily. She began to cry as she hugged herself and sobbed. "I messed up," she gurgled as she allowed her vision to drop shamefully to the floor.
"No child, you protected your sister," Hild replied with a gentle shake. "You have to finish what you started," she spoke.
Urd drew a deep and sharp breath as she realized what she was witnessing. She remained silent as she had no alternative to offer up. "Oh Skuld," she groaned out as she began to cry as well. "Please Hild, isn't there another way?" Urd faltered as the fire in her eyes began to fade.
"You decide," was the only reply Hild could muster as she turned to face Skuld. "You know what needs to be done," she continued to speak gently with a supportive smile on her face.
"I renounce my status as a Goddess and my Heaven citizenship," Skuld blurted out as she whirled on Belldandy. "I give it all up," she continued to speak as she dropped to her knees and began to sob. She covered her face with her hands as she broke down entirely.
"Skuld," Belldandy gasped. Her shoulders shook too. "Why would you do this?" she exclaimed as she began to look about amongst the other Valkyries.
Any answer failed to come as Skuld rocked back onto her heels and allowed her hands to drop to her side. Her forehead glowed bright white for several seconds, hiding her face until the point of light faded and left her with no facial markings to denote her previous standing as a Goddess.
Sousuke felt his jaw drop as he looked about at the different Goddesses surrounding him. He struggled to find words as he felt the world spinning and he moved slowly towards Marller. "Is this another test?" he spoke quietly as he leaned towards her. "If this is some kind of imaginary dream, you need to end this," he demanded of her.
"This isn't a dream," Marller replied as she shook her head firmly. "This is real life," she assured him. "I really recommend you don't wander anywhere near them," she spoke as she jerked her chin towards Belldandy and the rest of the Valkyries. Her attention immediately landed on Hild as she held out her hand and gestured for her to approach.
Sousuke watched as Marller made her way to Hild, reached into her pocket and withdrew a small paper contract. "My lady," Marller spoke as she extended the roll of paper to Hild and released it into her hand. She then took several steps back.
"Child," Hild spoke before kneeling beside Skuld. "You need to sign your name here to became a citizen of Hell," her voice filled the air as she gestured towards the parchment with her other hand.
Skuld wiped at her eyes before extending her hands to take the paper. She continued to cry but managed to roll out the paper. She read it, looked at Hild once, and then bit her own finger with enough force to draw blood. She used her finger tip like a pen and signed her name on the paper.
Urd drew a deep breath in before turning to scowl at Belldandy. "This is your fault," she spat angrily.
"My fault?" Belldandy shrieked indignantly. Her normal stoic demeanor faded as she watched her youngest sister become a citizen of Hell. "YOU are the one who decided to flaunt the covenant, mate with some animal, and get your baby sister involved in something she could never understand!" she shook as she gestured with her hands wildly in the direction of Skuld.
Sousuke began to speak but remained silent when he noticed that Marller was shaking her head in the negative as she stared at him. The atmosphere was growing tense as each of the Goddesses began to square off. He immediately noticed Hild flexing her finger tips in a manner similar to how Urd would when she was agitated. The pair shared many idiosyncrasies that Sousuke picked up on the more he noticed the two around each other.
"You will have to come too Urd," a voice spoke from amongst the crowd of Valkyries. A stirring in the group occurred as Lind removed her helmet and approached the group. "It is obvious that an investigation still needs to be completed and without Skuld, we will need you," she spoke easily as her piercing gaze fell on Sousuke. Her lip curled into a scathing smirk.
"Not happening," Sousuke replied coldly as his body language subconsciously changed to indicate his defiance. He placed his hands on his hips and flexed the muscles in his chest as he scowled back.
Urd took a deep breath before drawing herself up to full height. She extended her chest out and smiled wide as she lifted her left hand up and extended it flippantly towards Hild. "May I have my documentation," she replied coolly.
Marller rolled her eyes softly before reaching into her pocket and withdrawing another tightly wound scroll of paper. She reached out and handed it to Hild who daisy chained the pass to Urd.
"You have a special circumstance," Hild began to speak but fell silent as Urd waved her off with her right hand.
"I will not leave Skuld to this alone," Urd spat haughtily as she shook her wrist firmly one time. The scroll unwound quickly at her ministrations allowing her to lift it up so it was a barrier between herself and the Valkyries. She hid herself behind the parchment as she perused it quickly through tear filled eyes she concealed from Belldandy.
"Urd," Sousuke spoke softly as he approached her. He reached out to place a hand on her but she didn't react to his touch. "I'm sorry," he whispered to her.
Urd flourished her free hand and an ornate pen appeared between her fingers. The feathery quill glowed bright red briefly before she began to write on the parchment. She signed her name quickly before tossing the scroll upwards into the air where it vanished in a puff of acrid smoke.
"I can't believe you!" Belldandy cried out angrily. "Both of you are fools!" she continued to scream as she placed her palms over her eyes.
"Time to leave," Hild spoke softly as she pointed at the Valkyries. "You too," she left no room for interpretation as she shooed Belldandy with her hand.
"This is my home!" Belldandy replied indignantly as she gestured toward Keiichi. "Not theirs," she growled in a very uncharacteristic way.
"It's fine, we can find a place," Urd spoke flippantly as she waved Belldandy off. "I think this house is a little too small any ways," she shrugged with a smile. "I think we should move out," her voice cracked and she turned away to face Sousuke.
"I know where we can stay tonight," Sousuke assured her as he reached out and grabbed Urd's hand. "I will take care of every thing," he assured her. "You too," he spoke as he motioned for the still shell shocked Skuld to approach. "Let's go," he finished.