I do not own Ah! Megami sama/Oh! My Goddess series or its characters.
"Huh… that was quite a bit to absorb, but the good thing is that at least he's doing fine."
Letting out a sigh of relief, Skuld jumped off the crate she's been sitting on for the last half hour, and dusted her combat uniform. After hearing that Aldrnari knew something about Keiichi's whereabouts, Skuld arranged a meeting with him in hopes of getting as much information out of him, since she seriously doubted that he would be willing to say much over a call. As such, she found herself in an old warehouse located somewhere in west Nekomi, where the demon has set up his temporary base of operations during his stay in the mortal realm. And with him planning to return to Jotunheim as soon as he dealt with some unfinished business, she knew that this was likely her last opportunity to find some answers. Interestingly enough though Aldrnari seemed to be in a lot more agreeable mood for once; a rarity given his temperamental personality, to the point where Skuld started to wonder what was going on.
"Father insisted for him to take a crash course on infiltration, since the whole mission's success depends on him being able to sneak into the facility where they keep the angel eggs. He even asked Vidir to help with the lessons, which is why he's not here with me. Then again, I'm not supposed to stay for much longer either. Mother… really chewed me out for how I handled Urd, so I need to make up for it; somehow," explained Aldrnari, before he too got up from the empty crate he's been sitting on, and slowly approached Skuld. Then, much to the goddess' sheer astonishment, he extended his right hand at her. "Anyway, I suppose it's been a pleasure meeting you."
"Huh?" was all Skuld could offer, as she looked down at the demonic teen, given that in her adult form she was slightly taller than him. Of course, she chose to show up like this as a precaution, just in case something unexpected was to happen during this meeting. While she seriously doubted that she had to worry about Aldrnari suddenly turning on her, that still left a whole lot of things that could happen on her way in and out of this place. After all, that's how the whole mess with Keiichi started in the first place.
"Not huh. You're supposed to shake my hand… or so is the custom here, right?" replied the demon, in a familiarly aggressive manner, which apparently proved enough to make her snap out of it. Still, the goddess hesitated to accept the gesture, and instead she gave him an odd look that only made matters all more awkward for him.
"I'm familiar with handshaking, but I'm not familiar with you being this nice towards me," said Skuld bluntly. "I mean, come on! Anyone in my place would've found this a bit suspicious. So… what gives?"
"Here I am trying to be nice to you and this is what I get? Are you really that ungrateful, or trying the whole tsundere routine?" sneered Aldrnari, earning a startled look from Skuld, that soon turned into a seething glare. Although much to his surprise, the goddess regained her composure way faster than expected, and leaned closer to him. To the point, where Aldrnari started to feel a bit nervous, especially thanks to just how unreadable her expression currently was. "Wha-… What do you want?"
"Say, are you… hitting on me?" asked Skuld to the demon's utter horror. Not only did Aldrnari visibly lose his color -which was a feat for someone with his dark complexion- but his eyes also doubled in size, offering such hilarious sight that it took all of her willpower to keep a straight face. Especially when color finally returned to the demon's face, allowing him to display a luminous blush worthy of a shojo anime.
"A-Are you an idiot?! Where d-did you get that stu-... stupid idea from?!" all but screamed the demonic teen, even if it didn't come off nearly as intimidating as originally intended.
"Dunno, I realized that I've been using my future form a bit too much, and… you're kinda around that age, right? Plus, I remember Vidir saying that you guys lived in near perfect isolation your entire lives, so I'm probably the first girl you personally interacted with," countered the Norn in a surprisingly accurate rendition of Urd's flirty voice, that even ended in a pose straight out of a pin up calendar. Sure, it was largely unnecessary, but with all the stress she's been through over the last couple of days, blowing off some steam sure felt really nice.
"Shut up! I'm not interested in goody-two-shoes godde-" Aldrnari began to say, only to pause when he noticed that the aforementioned goddess started to giggle, until she completely lost her control and ended up in a cackle. He watched her laugh like a madwoman for longer than he was honestly feeling safe being around her, although thanks to his pride he did his best to push such feelings aside. 'And here I thought that dealing with my… niece I guess, was hard. Her little sister is even worse, and she's a pure goddess too! Are all goddesses her age this thirsty? Or is she just making fun of me?'
"Whoo~! I really needed that!" Wiping a tear from all that laughing, Skuld gradually recomposed herself before she ended up crossing any more lines than she already did. "Sorry for that nonsense, but the last couple of days had been… difficult to say the least."
"Because of that mortal's disappearance?" While an obvious question, Aldrnari really needed to change the subject, so this seemed the best way to do so. And sure enough, the moment he brought up Keiichi, the Norn sobered up quite noticeably.
"Yeah, it was really bad before. Bell seemed devastated, and there was little we could do to cheer her up. However, the moment she heard that he's still alive and kicking, she immediately jumped at the opportunity to meet him again. Which is why she agreed to go back to Niflheim so easily." Coming to a brief pause, Skuld regained some of her previous cheerfulness and added with a wink. "All thanks to a certain someone who tipped me off about Keiichi's whereabouts."
"I was just following father's orders," Aldrnari hastily replied, and then looked away from the goddess to the warehouse's otherwise undescriptive wall. Thanks to his extremely limited social interaction due to his secluded life, he honestly had little to no idea how to act around someone like Skuld, especially while on his own. "Anyway, I think we both wasted enough time already. You're also moving out of the mortal realm, right?" he asked, to which he got a nod from Skuld, allowing him to carry on. "Well, in that case don't you already have things to do?"
"Nah, mom's packing our things up as we speak, so I don't need to worry about that. I was supposed to look for Mara on the way back, but I couldn't reach her. Oh well, I guess she already left, which is why I wanted to say farewell to you too." With a sigh, Skuld finally extended her hand, just like the demon back when they first started this conversation, and for once he picked up what she meant without any further arguments.
Strangely though, as much as he felt the urge to get this whole thing over already, Aldrnari paused for a moment right after he let go of Skuld's hand. "Will you guys get involved in the upcoming celebration? The Daimakaicho is holding up a party for Belldandy and Peorth's return to Niflheim, and that's the best opportunity to get them back."
"I want to help, but I don't know if it's even possible to sneak into Niflheim. I mean, I thought about it, yet mom insists that it's way too dangerous to try it. After all, that's how this whole mess started up to begin with! Bell and the others went there to stop Hagall's rebellion when she aggressively expanded the market share, and they ended up like… well, you know."
"I do, although… what if I told you there's a way into Niflheim for you?" The very moment he finished that question, the Norn's eyes lit up with determination, giving him the idea that she was leaning towards accepting the offer, so he needed a little bit of a push to make it happen. "As much as dad wishes to use that Keiichi guy to get the angels back, I doubt he's got what it takes for the task. At least you've got some combat training and are quite resourceful to boot, so his chances will considerably improve if you back him up. Plus, as long as you're not using your age altering watch, your presence shouldn't be that noticeable if you take some additional measures to minimize your Celestial magic signature. Under these circumstances, following this Keiichi around should be a breeze for you. Besides, I bet he trusts you way more than any of us to watch his back. What do you say?"
"Uh… I…" Skuld nervously bit her lower lip, feeling torn between the urge to go help Belldandy and the others, and following her mother's strict orders to evacuate the mortal realm. On top of it, Ansuz repeatedly reminded her over the years to not ever attempt entering any of the demonic realms, no matter the circumstances. Yet here she had the perfect opportunity to do exactly that, and apparently with the help of someone who knew the place, or at the very least had some experience with covert ops.
An entire minute passed without a response from either side, until Aldrnari figured it was pointless to stall for any longer and took this silence as a no. With slumped shoulders he turned around and started to walk away from the goddess, pausing only for a moment to look over his shoulders at the still silent Skuld. "Very well, I guess that's it, then." He didn't manage to open up the Gate to Jotunheim, when the Norn finally decided to speak up.
"Wait a sec!" shouted Skuld, her eyes burning with determination that actually mirrored that of her mother, whenever she prepared to head into a fight. "I'm coming with you!"
XXX
Low Levels, Niflheim
In one of the darkest, most remote corners of the Infernal Capital's undercity, the relative peace was interrupted when a portal suddenly materialized amidst a vacant shop, allowing its sole traveller to hurl through the air at a clearly unsafe speed. Said traveller didn't even get the chance to see what was in right front of him, until he made contact with a solid object that dominated the entire room: a metal pole.
"OW~!"
The resounding thud that followed echoed across the empty space, while the newcomer struggled to regain his footing, especially as he fumbled around in the darkness. Eventually he managed to overcome the initial drowsiness and stood perfectly still until his eyes better adjusted to the darkness, so that he could barely make out his surroundings. "Ugh… What did I just hit?" he wondered, while feeling the smooth surface of what initially seemed to be a vertical pipe, until he realized that it was a bit too conspicuous to be such a thing. "Wait, I think I can… How was it again? Hm…"
With a low hum, a small orb of light popped into existence above the figure's right palm, illuminating the room along with the object he collided on after his dimensional jump. "Is this… a strip club?!" squeaked the dumbfounded Keiichi, when he realized that he was staring at a stripper pole. And as if that wasn't embarrassing enough, a voice from within his head made matters only worse for him.
'What's a stripper club?'
The sudden voice, together with the nature of the question, threw Keiichi off so hard that he screamed and quite loudly too. Thankfully, this whole place looked abandoned, so this didn't turn out to be a fatal mistake, and with an apology already echoing in his mind, he merely shook his head and regained his composure. "No, it's my fault. Anyway… this is a… how should I say… a seedy bar or some sorts. Does that make any sense?"
'Something tells me I don't want to know more about it, so let us stick to the plan instead,' replied Nimue from within Keiichi's mind, where she resided until he returned her powers back to her. Neither of them knew exactly how this even worked, considering that it was Ymir's work that made such a thing possible, but at the same time it mattered not. And speaking of which, the former goddess of the lake wished to turn Keiichi's attention back to the task at hand. 'I believe we came here to meet a demoness by the name Fehu. Her photo should be in one of your cloak's inner pockets. The middle one, I believe.'
"Ah, yes!" Be it the impact, the location they were currently in, or simply the disorientation from having to borrow Nimue's powers, Keiichi nearly forgot all about their target. According to Ymir's advice, they needed some help to reach the upper section of the demonic capital, and this woman was going to be their best option for an ally. Retrieving her photo from his cloak, Keiichi took a good look at the auburn haired demoness, before he flipped it around to read the instructions Ymir wrote there on how to reach her. "Alright, I think we need to head out and start looking around for any of the shops described here. That should help us find our way around to this casino she's running, and ask her to secret us to Skyline, or whatever they call that place. Say… do you know anything about that?"
'No, I've never left the lake, let alone Earth, to have any personal knowledge of the other realms. Even then, it would've been really strange for a goddess -real or not- to visit Niflheim, at least outside of diplomatic missions. Needless to say, they'd never pick me for any such assignment.'
The former mortal -and temporarily converted god- offered a nod, no matter how unnecessary of a gesture that was, before he tucked the photo back into his cloak and started for the club's exit. That was when the distant sound of music playing in the background alerted Keiichi of what could possibly await him outside, and as such he carefully exited the building, making sure that no one took notice of his presence. To his advantage, despite being a god from a technical point of view, his energy signature was so tiny that unless he purposely attempted to attract unwanted attention, he should've been able to walk across the street without anyone realizing what he actually was. The tricky part was getting out of the Low Levels, as his true nature would've been immediately exposed the moment he approached any of the security gates connecting this forsaken place to the more glamorous sections above it.
As soon as he found himself in what appeared to be a run down neighbourhood -even by Low Level's standards- Keiichi couldn't shake off the feeling of being watched from the shadows. And sure enough, he could see silhouettes slithering in the darkness that surrounded him, almost as if they followed him along the only lit street that was left in this place. This was apparently the main street that connected this sector to the more lively areas of the Low Levels, so, at the very least he was happy to know that he was heading in the right direction. Thing is, he also felt terrified that someone… or something would suddenly spring out of the shadows to eat him, just like in those horror movies.
"Yo, new face!" called a gruff voice that caught Keiichi totally off guard, as it literally came from right above him, causing him to glance up at its source: a short yet rather bulky figure wearing an almost medieval-looking suit of armor.
This both intrigued and confused Keiichi, who had no idea what this armored person even was, as he vaguely gave off the scent of a demon… yet, not quite. 'Wait… his scent? I'm sure I can't smell him from down here,' he thought while looking up at the hovering figure, until he realized that the latter was waiting for a response with folded arms and a visibly annoyed body language. "Uh… how can I help you?"
"I've never seen your face around these parts," replied the armored figure, using his faceplate as the best poker face that denied Keiichi any idea as to his intentions. "What are you doing here?"
Red flags went off into Keiichi's head, as it became apparent that he was risking being arrested on the spot if he didn't play his cards right. And as much as he hated to deceive others like this, it was inevitable that he had to resort to less than honorable methods to accomplish his goal. "Actually, I'm here to visit a special casino. I've heard that the demoness in charge is a rather… attractive lady, if you know what I mean." He did his best to give the guard a bit of a knowing glance, that actually caused the armored figure to try to scratch his chin, despite his faceplate -clearly, not the sharpest tool in the shed.
"Huh… Well, most people come here for some good ol' fun, I guess. Although, who exactly are you talking about? There are way too many stip clubs to visit, and if you're looking for someone really amazing… I wanna check her too!" The enthusiasm in the guard's voice caused Keiichi to do a double take, since the imposing image he projected all but collapsed the moment he showed interest in meeting an attractive performer. Unfortunately, this also piqued up the guard's curiosity, so he landed mere steps away from Keiichi, and brought out a magazine that listed the most noteworthy local attractions. "Say, can you tell me which one is she?"
The surprised former mortal came almost face to face with the image of a scantily clad demoness that adorned the cover of that magazine. Interestingly enough though, he was capable of understanding the runes on the cover, despite not having studied the Infernal language himself. It was most certainly the effect of having access to Nimue's knowledge, that in turn was provided to her by none other than the World Tree itself. The big shocker however was the realization that the scantily clad demoness he laid his eyes upon was none other than Belldandy, once he took a better look at her. "Whoa… Bell?! What is she wearing?!" squealed the stunned Keiichi, as he blankly stared at the absolutely miniscule micro bikini that barely provided his girlfriend a semblance of modesty -to say nothing of the fact that she posed sexily while lying on a recliner.
"Eh? You mean, the girl on the cover?" asked the guard, flipping the magazine around to take a better look himself before he handed it to the stunned Keiichi, who immediately started going through the pages to find anything relevant to Belldandy's involvement in this… publication. "She's a pretty big name up in the Skyline. I've heard she used to be a goddess, but got captured and turned into a demoness; even one of the Norns, too!"
While Keiichi didn't share the guard's enthusiasm -for pretty obvious reasons- he tried to put on a forced smile and glanced once again at Belldandy's scantily clad cover. "Ah, I've heard of her before, although I didn't know that she… well, made such photoshoots."
"This is the only one she ever made, as far as I know. I'm not sure if she's trying to gain some popularity, or just promoting her concert.. From what I heard from a friend who works up in the Skyline, this Belldandy chick is such a diva that she is always complaining about the clothes she was given and such. So, it's kinda off to show off this much skin. And not forget that..."
The guard carried on, rambling about Belldandy's habits and perceived peculiarities, which was more than grating for Keiichi's nerves. Sure, it's not like any of it was particularly offensive, yet for more than understandable reasons Keiichi felt the need to punch that guy's face -no matter his own lack of combat experience. He had his priorities though, so the best he could do was to absently nod at the guard's drivel, and make happy thoughts, just to avoid making a decision he'd come to regret later. Thankfully enough though, that took almost a minute or two for the guard to list all of his personal issues with the Norn, and after taking a long breath, he turned his attention back at the still silent Keiichi, who immediately regained his composure and put that forced smile back on.
"Ah… sorry about the rant, pal. I guess patrolling the Low Levels can be quite dull at times, so I just needed to unwind a bit. You know what? I'll let you keep that magazine! It's even a limited edition, so it might become collectable in a century or two. Sure, it's not like a signed copy, but I don't have the right connections to get my hands on one of those. Anyhow.. I need to go back to my patrol. Nice talking to you, and stay out of trouble, kay?" The guard even offered Keiichi a thumbs up, before finally levitating up into the air and then disappeared into the shadows of the nearby buildings.
'Finally!... Ugh, what a drag!' thought Keiichi, letting out a frustrated sigh from having to deal with all of this nonsense. Keeping a poker face was turning out more of a challenge than he initially anticipated, and worse yet, he was far from anywhere close to his target. This likely meant that he still had a lot of demons to deal with, unless of course that Fehu somehow manages to sneak him up to the Skyline without any further work on his part.
Just as he was about to resume walking towards that casino where that demoness works, he briefly wondered if he should simply toss away that magazine, yet after taking another look at Belldandy's cover, he hesitated. His curiosity piqued at the mention of an interview, and with his newfound ability to read this text, Keiichi absently flipped the pages until he found the article in question and paused. It was another photo of Bell, albeit a way spicier than the previous, given that she was technically topless, but with her hands covering slightly more than her micro bikini top did on the magazine's front cover. Sure, this kinda invalidated the whole purpose of this second shot, although in a way some might argue that it was the intent that matters, and for Belldandy's standards this was far too daring of a thing to do. 'Okay, enough with the photos. Let's see if there's anything interesting here.'
'Our exclusive interview of the demoness Belldandy.
Interviewer: I must admit this is quite the honor, taking an interview from none other than Niflheim's hottest celebrity! Belldandy-san, I'm really happy we could finally meet each other in person for the first time since your arrival to our realm.
Belldandy: The pleasure is all mine, although you'll excuse me if I sound a bit tired. I just got back from my assignment on Earth.
I: Ah, yes that's perfectly understandable! I recall the announcement back when you and Peorth-san headed over to the mortal realm. It was quite different from most of the typical jobs contract makers handle, so can you tell us anything about it? How was life as a pop idol on Earth?
B: It was pretty intense at times. When we didn't spend time recording in a studio, we were rehearsing our choreography for the concerts, and other live performances. There were public events to attend, and interviews not unlike this one we had to go through as well. They didn't ask me for pin-ups though. laughs
I: In our defence, that was a mere suggestion, Belldandy-san. Although, I'd say those shots are amazing! I know that you requested to take them on your own, but who's the photographer?
B: My big sister actually. giggles If there's anyone I'm comfortable around while taking some fanservicey shots, it's Urd.
I: That's a surprise! A pleasant one, but a surprise nonetheless! Can we expect something similar in the near future?
B: Perhaps. I'm not totally against the idea, but it's too early to make up my mind about it.
I: Fair enough. Now, going back to our original topic, how's life treating you as of late? I know that there were some adjustment issues to life here on Niflheim, but how are you coping after spending some time on Earth?
B: pause It's… an interesting experience to say the least. While I was missing, Urd became the deputy Daimakaicho, and I'd love to support her anyway I can.
I: Speaking of support, I believe you're holding up a celebration for your successful return. What can we expect from this event?
B: I can't reveal all of our plans, but what I can definitely say is that we're going to have a big concert to entertain everyone here. I hope everyone joins in to support us, and have a great time.
I: Well, you can definitely count for us covering the entire event. Thank you for your time, Belldandy-san. I hope we'll have another opportunity at an interview, and perhaps a few more photos as well? Something a tad spicier even?
B: laughs The pleasure is all mine! And like I said, I'll think of it. Actually… if the event turns out to be a big success, I might as well thank the fans with a nude shot or two. Tastefully done, of course.
I: By all means! Again, thank you for your time, and I really wish you the best on your event.
B: You're welcome.'
Once he was done reading the interview, Keiichi quickly looked through the rest of the magazine for anything else of use, and then discarded it in a dumpster. As much as he wanted to keep something from Bell to remind him of her, he didn't find it appropriate to choose anything featured in that publication. The whole thing felt like a schmuck bait for demons to flock to that event, and in the process divert the security's attention away from the facility he needs to infiltrate. At least, that much he could assume based on the few tidbits of information Ymir offered him. The rest he was supposed to find out after coming into contact with their accomplice here -which he still had to locate- but for the most part he felt hopeful that this might just work.
'First things first, let's find this Divine Luck casino.'
XXX
Elsewhere in the Infernal Capital, another person has just finished reading that interview, and couldn't help but openly stare at the demoness across the room who simply sipped her tea without a care in the world. "I don't believe you actually did this. I thought we agreed that I was going to-"
"Hush, Peorth. There's no need for you or Urd to coddle me anymore. I can deal with a simple scheme like this, without having to ask others to do the dirty work for me." Taking another sip from her tea, Belldandy set the cup down onto the coffee table in front of her, before she leaned back onto Peorth's sofa. Despite being able to live with Urd now that the latter was no longer confined in the Low Levels, Belldandy chose to stay at Peorth's apartment, just like she did before their assignment to Midgard. Of course, that was mainly to give Urd and Lind some privacy, as those two somehow managed to get closer, and it would've just made them feel rather awkward having her live with them on a constant basis. Granted, she visited her sister at her office every day, and even dropped by her place to tidy it up, but for the most part she spent more time at Peorth's. And to make matters even more interesting, she wasn't just the two of them sharing the apartment, as Kaun has also moved in with them -or more specifically with Peorth.
"You know, as much as I'm grateful that you've gotten out of that awful depression, I still think you're acting odd at times," said Peorth after studying the Norn's face, before her eyes wandered lower… to what seemed the most unlikely outfit for Belldandy to willingly wear: a shiny leather catsuit that virtually hugged every curve of the brunette's body, except from the front where the zipper remained open all the way from the neckline to just above what must be hidden from public view. And if that wasn't enough already, the stiletto heels it came with were long enough to double as literal stilettos if Belldandy decided to use them as such; not to mention the numerous belts that wrapped around her limbs on various locations. "Like now, for instance," she eventually continued after being unable to keep her comments to herself. "What possessed you to dress up like a dominatrix?"
"What? I just wished to explore some of the local fashions," replied Bell, while giving herself a good look, and then glanced back at Peorth. "We're trying to appeal to as many demons as possible after all. And acting like them is the first step towards realizing our goals. Of course, we won't have to keep doing this if we succeed, but that's another story. Plus, they had this on sale in Niflmart, and the salesdemon even said that it fit me like a glove."
"Skintight clothes are supposed to fit you like that, Bell. Look, I understand what you're saying here, but don't forget that the end doesn't justify the means. Like I mentioned before, you shouldn't push it beyond what you can handle. It might be fine right now, although I can't guarantee that it's going to be the same once we're back to our old selves." Peorth felt torn between using a sterner tone to further dissuade Belldandy from making potential mistakes, or back off, as she already sounded a bit hypocritical here. It was no secret that she's been doing some shady dealings back when she first started to work with Kaun, which by no means compared to Belldandy's decision to put on something spicy. And the worst part was that the Norn knew it, which was exactly why she wouldn't likely take her word for it just like that. "Listen, I know that I'm not one to speak, but at least I was fully prepared to live with the consequences of my actions."
"You're talking about Kaun, right?" asked Belldandy with a slight frown, when she realized that her bravado pushed her friend into talking about something potentially uncomfortable for her.
"Yes, back when I first attempted to reach him. He was one of the few demons I happened to know, and that was even from a random encounter on Earth when we got to share a drink while we were both off duty. So, when I tried to entice him for the first time… well, I can't say I wasn't scared. It's like jumping head first into a dark abyss, with no idea what's at the bottom of the pit. Thankfully for me, it didn't end up badly, and that's coming from a goddess who's not afraid to get naughty." By the time she finished, Peorth's cheeks were a peculiar shade of red, but at the same time she felt a weight lifted from her chest. While she vaguely mentioned little bits here and there while living together with the Norn, this was the first time she's been brutally honest about the risks involved in her past dealings.
"I see… sorry about being so… dense, I suppose," shamefully admitted Belldandy, who now felt like being rather insensitive by acting so carelessly.
"There's no need to apologize, Bell. I'm not trying to scold you, just point out that you should be more self-conscious with your decisions. At any rate, things worked for me, and-" Pausing momentarily when she noticed the change in Belldandy's expression, going from guilty to highly curious, and she had a feeling why that was the case. In fact, she was about to find an excuse to get out of here, but it was already too late.
"Speaking of which, have you decided what to do about your boyfriend?" asked the middle Norn, and innocently too, although even this was more than troublesome enough for the fellow brunette.
"Ugh… you just had to ask, didn't you?" sighed Peorth while rubbing her temples from the headache that was already coming. The situation with Kaun was one hot topic that she didn't really wish to touch right now, especially after what happened with his father. "I told you, I'm not sure what to tell him. This whole thing seems a bit… rushed, don't you think?"
Seeing that reaction, Belldandy offered a reluctant nod and gave her some time to recollect her thoughts as it was becoming apparent that the situation regarding Peorth's amore with their demon friend was far from resolved. In all fairness, they always wondered what was going to happen once they reverted back into goddesses, as romantic relationships between Celestials and Infernals were subject to the Interspecies Romance Inquisition. But after the whole attempt at contacting Kaun's father, which only brought up just how problematic the relationship between the two demons is, the former decided that it was probably for the best to follow his own path: namely, follow Peorth to Asgard by any means necessary.
Thing is, from the way Kaun worded his decision, it sounded almost certain that his true intention was to make his relationship with Peorth official, leaving the latter with her first ever serious marriage proposal to deal with. And to make matters worse for the terrified prospective bride, Belldandy seriously supported her saying yes.
"You make a nice couple," quipped the Norn after enough time has passed, just to keep the subject alive.
"Belldandy, no. Stop right there, this isn't time for your matchmaking schemes!"
"I'm offering to babysit!"
"Yes, you're offeri-... Wait, what?!" squealed the surprised Peorth, almost biting her lip from how quick her response was after her mind registered just what she's been told. "I'm not pregnant!"
"But you might get at some point," said Belldandy as innocently as she could, even blinking cutely for the added puppy-eye effect. "You guys sure get it going pretty strong. So, if you become an official couple… I dunno, maybe-"
"Maybe we'll just have a long, stable relationship with long term goals, rather than rush to have kids and then… then… become an old lady." There was a sigh towards the end, especially thanks to the various immortal parental stereotypes that circumvented the fact that they didn't grow any older after a certain point in their lives. And while she assumed that Belldandy should also know about them, the blank stare she was getting from the middle Norn spoke otherwise. "What, you don't believe me? Oh… just wait when you'll become a mother!"
"Been there, done that," idly replied Belldandy, causing Peorth's eyes to double in size, and for rather understandable reasons. But before she got a chance to ask for the much needed explanations, Belldandy immediately added. "I'm talking about Skuld, by the way. While she's my little sister, I practically raised her from a young age. Well… alright, I guess it's not exactly the same thing, still-"
"You have no idea what you're talking about!" protested Peorth and quite loudly too. There was even a moment when pulling off a table flip actually felt like appropriate, but thankfully she managed to repress her demonic urges. "Starting up a family is a huge responsibility, and for me that requires a lot of sacrifices that I'm not mentally prepared to deal with. Everything from my mannerisms to… to even my wardrobe has to change before I can consider myself ready to have kids."
"Because you normally walk around in a bikini?"
"Yes, because of that," replied Peorth behind clenched teeth, as Belldandy's apparent naivety didn't actually fit her current personality. In the past this wouldn't have been anything new, but after so long, it's kind of annoying to hear her ask such obvious things once again.
"Dunno, Peorth… I've grown up with Urd, and you know how revealing her attires can be. She's even a half demoness, and that by itself is enough for some people over there to consider her a bad influence. In all honesty though, I couldn't have wished for a better sister, and the same goes for you; stop worrying so much about changing yourself. It's one thing trying to fix a flaw, and another to become someone else entirely. Perhaps in the past I would've also agreed with you, but after getting to know you for this long, I really like your personality. In fact, I'd happily be your friend even after this is over… providing that you're alright with me, too."
All signs of anger washed out of Peorth's face, only to be replaced by a stunned expression of sheer disbelief. In her entire life she's been known as Asgard's best bad girl, for doing things her own way, rather than following someone else's example. So, hearing Belldandy, a role model by Asgardian standards, outright ask her to be friends for real -and not just convenience- elicited some powerful emotions. "I… I honestly don't know what to say, Bell," she whispered, only to stop and recompose herself. "Actually, scratch that; being this emotional just isn't me. I'd be more than happy to be your friend. But before any of that happens… let's get outta this place, okay?"
"Yes!"
XXX
Low Levels
There were many things Keiichi anticipated to happen when he planned this meeting in his mind, but to watch a demoness -almost- roll on the floor in laughter… just wasn't one of them. And to make matters even worse for him, said demoness was in fact the daughter of the one he was looking for, who must've found it absolutely hilarious that he unknowingly asked her out on a date.
"Alright, I get it already! It's so hilarious that I messed up, okay? Now, can you give it a rest?" demanded Keiichi as he let out a frustrated sigh. "How am I supposed to know that asking to meet someone in private means… well… that?"
"Didn't they even brief you over the basics? You really are a fish out of water here, kiddo!" managed Mara in between her fits of laughter. "Asking anyone here for a private meeting, is more or less a euphemism for the horizontal hula as you call it on Earth. And just in case you're such a baby, and don't get it already… I meant sex."
"I said I got it already! As for briefing me, there was no time for a detailed course in Infernal culture; just the bare minimum I had to know in hopes of getting the job done." While far from finished, that very moment another demoness entered the room he's been taken to, and this time around it was thankfully the one he's been looking for.
"Ah, I see that my daughter has indeed ran into you," said Fehu with a warm smile, although the sideways glare she shot at Mara caused Keiichi to flinch from how volatile her mood could get. Nevertheless, it was more than enough to send the message across, and cause her unruly demon spawn from going on with her laughing fit, before the joke ended up souring their mood. And with that task done, Fehu turned her attention back to Keiichi, who also recomposed himself after his short argument with Mara. "I've actually heard a lot about you from Urd, but I never thought I'd meet you in person."
"I can imagine, but strange things have happened already," said Keiichi after offering her a polite bow and then started to pat his robes in search of that magazine, only to realize that he's already thrown it away. "Oh, I should've kept-... Ugh, never mind. I've heard that there's an upcoming celebration event for Belldandy's return, so I hoped that you know of a way to get me up there while everyone's busy with that."
Rather than answering right away, Fehu approached Keiichi with an almost unreadable expression, and once she was close enough, the demoness leaned forward. Naturally, this caught the provisional god to back off slightly, as the sudden invasion of his personal space took him by surprise, although that didn't dissuade Fehu one bit. Extending a hand, she cupped Keiichi's chin and tipped his head up so that she could stare straight into his eyes, which further unnerved the boy. "There's no need to worry; I merely wish to study you," she calmly said, before she added a couple of seconds later. "I see. I wondered just how they put you together, and I must say I've never seen anything like you. At least, nowhere to this level of craftsmanship. I… I've been thinking if the person who came into contact with me a while ago could truly be the legendary Ymir, but it seems-"
"Whoa, mom?! Did you just say… Ymir?!" all but shouted the stunned Mara, given the absurdity of her mother's statement. "The first Daimakaicho? But… but he's supposedly dead!"
"Trust me, I was surprised to find out that he's still alive, too," admitted the elder demoness, although she paused for a moment to carefully think what she was going to say, just in case she got all of them in trouble for it. "I believe it happened while I was trying to reach one of my old contacts from Ratatoskr. Because, believe it or not, I was actually trained by the Intelligence Sector, so it's only natural that I know a demon or two over there. They told me that the one in charge actually wanted to have a few words with me, which I must admit felt rather… odd. Despite being trained by them, I was never an official member of the Intelligence Sector, just part of Hild-sama's personal guard."
"Wait, why am I hearing this for the first time in my life?" asked Mara, effectively interrupting her mother's story, albeit for a good reason. While it was no secret that her mother dedicated her entire life in service to the former Daimakaicho, some of the details of her earlier life remained oddly obscured, as she refused to talk too much about the past.
"I have my reasons," came the curt reply, followed by a stern look meant to stop her daughter from asking any further on the subject. She wasn't happy about this, but at the same time Fehu didn't wish to risk any kind of unwanted side effects from having her daughter repeat the same mistakes she made back then. "Personally, I prefer to move on with my life, and it's for the best if you did the same as well. Anyway, where was I?... Ah, yes! They told me that the head of Ratatoskr wished to talk to me -which in all seriousness I've only met twice during my entire training. Can't say much about the guy, other than he's called Bergelmir and allegedly comes from one of the oldest demonic families, yet for whatever ungodly reason never gained the status of an aristocrat. I suppose that was due to his line of work -being an intelligence officer and all- but that's not important right now. What actually surprised me was that he wanted to talk to me, despite being hardly familiar with me. So, I agreed to meet him, thinking that this has to do with our effort to restore Hild-sama to power… only to end up face to face with our progenitor."
"That would be Ymir," concluded Mara on Keiichi's behalf, given how lost he seemed to be at the moment. "And before you even ask, he's literally the very first demon."
"How does that even work? Who did he have the rest of the demons with?" asked the curious provisional god, much to the others' chagrin.
"I'll get into the specifics another time," said Fehu in an attempt to get the discussion back on track. "The important part is that I learned about your whereabouts, as well as your assignment. So, I had a head start at preparing for how to sneak you up in the Skyline. I even tried to tell Urd about you, but she must've somehow learned about all this in the meanwhile. Dunno how, although I suspect that he must've someone also contact her while he was busy dealing with me. Anyhow, as I was saying, we've got some options but first I need to ask you something."
"Yes?"
"How far are you willing to go for your girlfriend's sake?"
The determination in Keiichi's eyes should've been enough of an answer, but for clarity's sake he decided to give a proper reply. "I'd give my life for Bell if I have to."
"Well, let's hope it won't come down to that," said Fehu, ignoring the soft gagging sound coming from Mara, who clearly wasn't all that comfortable to hear declarations of love. 'Seriously, she should be old enough to get over this phase.' To avoid embarrassing her daughter, or change the subject, Fehu paid no mind in Mara's reactions and instead focused more on Keiichi whose resolve didn't falter even after the prolonged stare she was giving him at the moment. "You see, I found the perfect curse that should be enough to virtually mask your presence, but…"
Even the mention of the word curse was enough to make Keiichi nervous, yet he forced himself to maintain a confident guise and braced for the worst. "Go on."
"We might need to turn you into an object; temporarily of course! It's for as long as we need to get you past the security checks. And with you being a rather atypical example of a god -I guess- there's a chance that this is going to work." Despite her reassuring tone, Fehu could tell that the news didn't exactly excite Keiichi, and even Mara seemed rather dubious of the plan's chances to succeed.
"And… if we fail?" asked the hesitant Keiichi, at which point even Fehu's composure started to falter, revealing her nervousness for the upcoming operation.
"Then, I'm afraid we'll have to improvise. Trust me, I'd love to use something else, but I couldn't afford tipping off someone while looking for alternatives. If word got out that I was searching for exotic artifacts and potion ingredients, they would inevitably put two and two together and come after us before we even got a chance to do anything. Under these circumstances, this might very well be our best option."
Letting out a deep breath he didn't know he was holding, Keiichi scratched his head in frustration. After all he's been through, he was still ways from being able to reunite with Belldandy. Worse yet, the whole idea of having to improvise as plan B didn't exactly sit well with him, although he realized that Fehu had a point here.
"Very well, let's get this over with."
XXX
Muspelheim
"I need to see the Commander! It's an emergency!"
If there was such a thing as a peaceful day in this realm, one which would end without a single incident, this certainly wasn't the case. Normally, that was due to the indeginous -and quite aggressive- species stirring up some racket, or some of the local demons trying to escape the safety of the main city and seek out adventure in the more dangerous -yet interesting- corners of the Fire Realm. However, judging by the sheer terror in the Eldjotunn's voice, it didn't take long for Surt to realize that there were few things that could get one of his battle hardened troops that scared: a Sand Dragon right outside the city, or Asgard's Ironing Board on a rampage. And judging by a certain feminine voice in the background, it was apparently the latter.
'Here we go again…' With a groan, Surt got up from his chair and headed outside, where all Hell broke loose -ironic as it sounds. And sure enough, at the center this chaotic scene was none other than Ansuz, who threatened to use violence against her welcoming committee unless she was allowed audience with their commander. "Alright, enough of that!" he shouted over the commotion, which convinced his troops to stand down, before this incident escalated beyond anyone's control. Which wasn't exactly the hardest of things to happen, given the crazed look on Ansuz's eyes that unnerved even his combat ready troops. "Have you completely lost your freaking mind?! If you keep going on like this, every bloody demon in this realm will find out about your visit. And you should know just how problematic that's gonna be for both of us, especially if word of this reaches Niflheim."
"Can it!" snarled the goddess back at him, going as far as to materialize her oversized battle axe as if the anger in her voice wasn't enough to send the message across. "Skuld just disappeared, and I'm not in the mood for sermons! What I want is a way to go to Niflheim, and you're going to help me get me there."
"Wait… what did just happen?"
"How am I supposed to know?! One moment I'm told that she's going to deal with some unfinished business before we left for Asgard, and the next… she sends me a message that she's heading over to Niflheim with some demon!"
Truth to be told, Surt had a gut feeling that things were going too smooth as of late, so it was about time for something to go awry. On the other hand though, his expectations had more to do with what was happening in Niflheim, and more specifically those who clearly didn't wish for Hild's return. As such, a demonic involvement in the youngest Norn's disappearance could be a sign of things to come, although… he found it eerily suspicious that he hadn't been told anything about it from the Intelligence Sector. "That's… something, I guess. And you're positive that it's not a kidnapping?"
"Unfortunately, I am! Just… wait until I get my hands on her! I'll wring her neck for pulling off something this stupid!" While she seemed to have calmed down enough to have a meaningful conversation, Ansuz still seethed in rage, which more than tested Surt's patience.
"Remind me which goddess actually infiltrated this realm a long time ago, without any kind backup, or even a sound escape plan if things went downhill," he all but growled at the unsuspecting goddess that suddenly found herself on the receiving end of a scolding, along with the accusatory finger right against her nose.
"Y-You… dare?!" snapped Ansuz with such ferocity that gave off even more bloodlust than a demoness in full combat mode. Her winglets even shot up, before curving around her head like a raptor rearing up for a fight, and within seconds her axe aimed for the Eldjotun's neck.
Sparks flew across the corridor as Surt brought up his sword, one whose blade consisted of pure fire, yet capable of blocking Ansuz's mighty axe blow. "What's up with that surprised look? Haven't you seen this kind of weapon before? I'm pretty sure your own brother-in-law possesses a hammer that's not all that different."
"THAT'S AN ANGEL!" screamed the confused goddess, backing off from the aforementioned weapon and his wielder. "How… How did you get your hands on-... Never mind, how is it even possible that you host him?! You're a demon!"
"An acute observation, but as you can see, we Infernals and you Celestials aren't all that different. Your own husband fathered a daughter with a demoness, too, so you should've known just how compatible we really are. Now, should I go on or would you like to duke it out first?" Bringing up his flaming sword in an attacking stance, Surt waited for the goddess' response, but as it seemed she was too confused to properly process what was going on. Which to a certain degree was his true intention, as in all honestly he'd rather avoid a fight right in the middle of his headquarters. And for the most part it seemed to be working, except perhaps the fact that she was going to demand answers about his angel, Laevatein.
'Well, I warned you, but when do you listen?' sent the said angel over the link he shared with his host, while he unfolded from his sword form and resumed his original angelic appearance. Unlike most normal angels though, Laevatein had pure black wings, and his hair seemed to be almost on fire, or at least glow with the heat of molten metal. 'Now she's gonna give us both a headache, and it's totally your fault.'
'You could've refused.'
'I'm an angel. Besides… I'm not one to back off from a fight.'
Quiet as their conversion was, the intense stare they shot each other was enough to silence Ansuz's protests, as well as give her the opportunity to observe this bizarre scene that unfolded before her. "What in the world?" she whispered, barely able to contain her confusion. "A demon hosting an angel; and one of our living weapons nonetheless!" Coming to an abrupt pause, Ansuz's eyes widened the moment she realized the implications behind this development. "Wait, I got it! I need your angel!"
"Eh?!" Was the collective response of Surt and Laevatein, even if the latter's happened to be as silent as his normal speech. And it didn't help that for whatever reason, their guest had this wide grin on her face, which seemed odd given her previous outburst. "What are you even talking about?"
"Trust me, I've got a really good idea!"
XXX
Niflheim
Advertisements for the upcoming event were so prominent over the last couple of days in the Infernal capital, that by this point the vast majority of the demonic population stopped paying all that attention to them. Not that they were particularly excited about what seemed to be a glorified pop music concert, although given the relative monotony of their everyday lives, any sort of distraction was at least welcome. Because of that, even if the initial reception of the concert's announcement was lukewarm, eventually caved in and started buying the tickets en masse. It didn't even take more than two days for the 'sold off' signs to show up all over the place, which was more of Hagall's way of patting her own back for 'organizing' the whole event.
Truth is, that was actually Urd's idea, but the Norn of the Past had no desire to get credit for it, and instead let her boss take all the glory for herself. On top of that, as the Daimakaicho's deputy she's been constantly making public appearances with her superior, much to Hagall's discomfort. Even if they both attempted to project an image of normalcy, the truth couldn't be any more different. Urd in particular was more than happy to remind Hagall that she's been watched on every given opportunity, to the point where the latter was forced to assign her an ever increased number of tasks, just to get rid of her.
While those distractions proved to be an effective way of keeping the half demoness from breathing down her neck on a nearly constant basis, the Daimakaicho had to admit that allowing her such a level of freedom seemed risky under these circumstances. In hindsight, Hagall should've known that turning Urd into an 'ally' of hers was a far bigger challenge than she was mentally prepared for, and to further complicate matters, it was very hard for her to suddenly change her mind now. Despite the relative peace and quiet, more and more of her subjects began to question their loyalty towards her, as two and a half years into her reign, and she still has to fully lift the emergency measures taken during the day of her coup. Most importantly, there were severe travelling and trade restrictions between the Infernal Realms that needed to be lifted in order for life to return back to normal for good. Much of the local economy was paralized by the sheer lack of resources from the peripheral realms, which in turn created a domino effect in production and distribution of goods, that slowly threatened to undermine even their commercial activities.
When Urd told her about the miniscule profit they were making from her 'pop star' plot, Hagall secretly remained skeptical about those claims, and took her time to carefully scrutinize the numbers. Unfortunately for her, it seemed that her intra-realm transfer restrictions were becoming a huge loss of profit due to the ever increasing costs of every other activity due to the shortages in raw materials, that all but negated any gains from keeping that operation going. As such, she immediately ordered the recall of the former goddesses and their entourage, and then tried to buy as much time as possible to carefully plan her next move.
In all honesty, Hagall already knew what needed to be done, but she still hesitated to give the order for those accursed restrictions to be lifted, out of fear for a counter-coup. All the Regional Commanders of the other realms clearly favored Hild over her, so the moment they'd be able to freely mobilize their troops, her reign would inevitably come to a swift end.
Lost in such dreary thoughts, the Daimakaicho found it practically impossible to focus on her work, especially after spending several hours trying to come up with an acceptable compromise for a partial lift of the emergency restrictions. Already her desk was cluttered with the crumpled up drafts as she discarded one idea after another, without any sign of coming up with something that might even work in the long run. Frustrated, she pushed her chair back and got up, to grab something to drink, and hopefully clear up her mind in the process.
'This is getting nowhere… All I ever wanted to do is show Hild-sama her vision of demonkind come to fruition. And here I am, struggling to keep the whole place together,' the Daimakaicho dejectedly thought. Stopping by the window to take a good look outside, Hagall watched the denizens of the Skyline walk down the streets, yet no matter how common this sight was, something was amiss. 'No mistake about it, there's an ill feeling lingering in the air. At this rate, it won't take long for things to go out of control, and that's the worst that can happen. The gods are itching for a fight too, so… maybe it's for the best if I let her take my place. I don't want to, but beggars can't be choosers. There's just too much at stake here.'
The Daimakaicho poured a glass of wine for herself, and then returned to her office desk, where among the documents that cluttered every inch of its surface, laid a small box wrapped in a fine golden cloth. 'So, it all comes down to this.' Taking a sip from her glass, Hagall reached with her free hand to pick up the box and brought it closer to her face in order to study the runes written all over its wrapping. It felt like ages since she last laid her eyes on the hastily written seal that rendered the box's contents virtually invisible to most forms of scrying, although in reality it's been only two and a half years. 'It's ironic to end things like this, but what other choice do I have? Better lose face, than become personally responsible for the collapse of the Infernal Realms.'
With a heavy breath, the Daimakaicho looked around the office one last time and finished her wine, before finally reaching for the top of her phone's quick dial buttons. For a moment her finger lingered above the button's illuminated surface, as she struggled to muster the courage to take this bold step, despite all the personal loss it would likely follow up this decision, but in the end she reasoned that she wouldn't be able to face if she failed to fix her mess and allowed the situation to deteriorate any further.
"Urd," she said as soon as she heard the half demoness' voice come from the other end of the line. "Come to my office, I've got something for you."
AN: I would like to thank everyone that has offered their feedback and support both here and on the Goddess Relief site.
There are a few things that I'd like to note for this chapter.
This is the last bit of setup for the story's biggest event. Not to throw any spoilers, but it's pretty obvious by now that we're reaching the climax. Of course, there are a couple of things that need to be addressed before the end, so I won't rush too much to get the story over.
I hope you're looking forward to it!