*Episode 14*
When Allison and I returned to Keiichi and Belldandy, "Koujiku's" face bore an
expression of shock. Belldandy, perceptive as always, noticed this. "What was that
about, Koujiku-san?" she asked worriedly.
"Keiichi, Belldandy, we need to talk. Skuld, Allison's heating up a tea kettle. Why
don't you go home?"
"What?" Skuld asked suspiciously.
"Don't worry, Skuld. Keiichi and Belldandy will return as well soon. I just need to
talk to them for a bit."
"Okay, Koujiku-san. It's not like they'd try anything with you and Allison here, and I
trust you."
"Good. I'm glad I've earned your trust."
"Yes, but I'm still suspicious of Allison. I do like her, but..."
"I understand. She's caused your sister quite a bit of trouble."
"Hai," she said, and started to continue before Allison's voice called out from the
kitchen.
"Skuld, the water's ready. You'd better get here before it gets cold."
"Coming!" she yelled, "Just keep an eye on my sister."
"Of course, Skuld."
After Skuld left, the remaining four of us gathered in "Koujiku's" dining room.
"You can come out, Urd." Allison said casually.
"Damn. How long have you known I was here?" a mini-Urd replied from behind a
bookshelf.
"I've known since you got here, Urd. You may as well join us for this. I think you'll
approve."
"Kuso. Oh, well," she said, returning to her normal size, "And how did you?"
"Well, Urd, I'm afraid to tell you that I've been keeping a secret from you."
"What is it? You know I'll find out."
"True. Oh, well," she said, turning her eyes white-and-glowing.
"NANI?!?" Keiichi and Urd exclaimed at once.
"But then, why-" Urd started, only to be silenced by my "blinking" in.
"Because she needed a cover. I told Keiichi that his meeting Koujiku was my doing.
Everything she's done here has been a part of that. We recreated her youth here, from
her birth onwards. Almost everything was as close as we could make it without tipping
our hands to either you gods and goddesses or Kam-chan. No one from this universe,
not even Kami, knew her secret."
"Why?" Urd asked angrily.
"Well, Urd, I'm afraid those bugs Skuld had to take care of were your doing. In her
world, she succeeded in her first hack attempt. When you cut her off, it was the first
disruption to our plans. This isn't her world, and her Urd was a few seconds slower."
"That doesn't answer the question."
"Well, we had to set up this day properly. I didn't want her to reveal herself to you
quite so soon, but she wanted to give Keiichi and Belldandy a gift. One that required
that she do so."
"You mean that even then you were planning to reveal her like this?"
"No. I meant your meeting. She's my student, you know. Another of our kind,
Keiichi."
"She is? And she's from another universe?" Keiichi asked, shocked.
"Yes."
"And Koujiku?"
"She just told him."
Belldandy spoke up, "So that's why he was so surprised..."
"Actually, the gift Allison has for you surprised him more, if anything."
"NANI?!?" Urd and Keiichi said in unison as Belldandy gasped, "Oh, my."
"Perhaps we should allow Allison to explain," 'Koujiku' said.
"Yes, that's a good idea. I'll see you," I said and 'blinked' out.
"Well, Allison, what is this 'gift' you have for my sister and Keiichi?" Urd asked
suspiciously.
"Urd, I'm sorry about what happened to you. You know, my universe's Urd and I are
good friends. I never intended to get you into trouble. Actually, you wouldn't have had
you listened to the order that Sensei asked Kami-san to give you."
"You mean that order was your doing, too?"
"No, that was Sensei's."
"You mean Mikoto's?" Keiichi interrupted.
"Yes, that is what he told you to call him."
"Oh." Keiichi said, to be cut off by a gesture from 'Koujiku'.
"Allison, you're getting off-topic. Remember, the gift."
"Yes. Thank you. So, Urd, I'd like you to promise not to discuss this with Skuld."
"Done. If you're about to do what I think you are, though, I hope you have a way to
deal with-"
"No, Urd, we're not going to give them a love potion or anything like that. Here, it'll
be easier to explain if you can see what I do," she said, "There. I've granted you access
to my vision. just look through my eyes."
"What's that?" Urd said, seeing what looked like a line of fog connecting Keiichi and
Belldandy.
"That, Urd, is what you've so foolishly been trying to interfere with. It is the bond
that they share."
"What do you mean 'foolishly'?"
"Urd, you have this tendency to meddle. Were you to have stepped back and really
looked, you would have sensed this long ago. That bond is beautiful and powerful, but
to the things you were doing, it is also very fragile. Had most of your schemes
succeeded, that bond would have been shattered forever, and that would have been a
great tragedy."
"Huh?"
"You still don't understand," Allison continued, shaking her head, "But, that bond is
critical to what I plan to give them. You see, I would never destroy something like that.
I can, however, make it stronger and help it grow. I can take that bond and form
something far deeper with it."
"And that's your gift?"
"Yes, it is. If they want me to. I suggest you leave, now. I must explain it further to
them, and you've seen enough."
After Urd left (Grumbling about the guilt-trip Allison had given her), Allison turned
to Keiichi and Belldandy. "Now, I know you're as confused as I would be in your
situation. What I intend to do, with your permission, is to link you. Wherever each of
you would go, you'd know where the other was. Should one of you get hurt, the other
would know. Over time, the link would deepen, and each of you would know what the
other was feeling. Any questions?"
Keiichi spoke up. "Would I still be me? And would Bell-chan still be Bell-chan?"
"Yes. It's not a fusion of personalities. Of course, once the bond grows deep enough,
you'll be able to communicate by it, but that's something else entirely. As for privacy
concerns, shielding an emotion from the bond is quite simple, although lying across it is
literally impossible."
"Bell-chan?"
Belldandy appeared unfazed. "If you approve, so do I."
Turning to Allison, she continued (In Greek), "It sounds wonderful, but I don't want
to pressure him into anything."
"Of course, Belldandy," Allison replied (also in Greek), "Actually, I would never do
this if I thought that either of you harbored any doubts about it. That's why I'm talking
to you like this."
Keiichi looked confused. "What was that about?"
Belldandy looked uncomfortable, so I (as 'Koujiku') interjected. "That was in Greek,
Keiichi. Belldandy said that she didn't want to influence your decision, and that you had
to decide on your own. Allison simply agreed with her that you both had to make your
own choice on the matter."
"What do you think, Koujiku?"
"I think that it's your decision. I won't pressure you either way."
"I understand, Koujiku," Keiichi replied, "but you do have a way with questions.
What would you ask her?"
"Well, I'd ask her if her people use this bond amongst themselves."
"Good question," Keiichi replied. "Allison?"
"We use a similar one, but it's not common. We vary rarely find true love. You
have."
"Well, amongst couples who do love each other, is it common?"
"About as common as marriage is amongst mortals, and both far more permanent and
far more rewarding. We have yet to have a single 'divorce' request, although whether
that's because of the bond or because of the nature of love amongst us is open to
debate."
"And what do you mean by 'a similar one'?"
"I already told you. You're a special case on several counts. Belldandy is a goddess.
If your training was complete, that wouldn't matter, but as is, I had to work out how to
avoid certain problems with bonding you. I'm afraid that our name for the main difficulty
wouldn't mean much to you, but it translates VERY roughly as the "Sensory overload"
problem. You see, Belldandy's senses are very different from yours. Were I to use the
full bond, there's a distinct possibility of you going insane from it. That's why I would
only do it partially, anchoring it in a fashion that would allow it to gradually develop into
the full bond that we use. This version poses no danger to either of you. If it did, I
wouldn't suggest it."
"Okay," Keiichi said, "I've made my decision. Koujiku, could I speak to you in
private?"
"Sure, Keiichi," I said.
After a minute or so, we walked back into the room. I started by explaining to
Allison.
"Allison, he's told me what he thinks about it. Belldandy, remember what you said to
Allison? May I tell him the rest of it?"
"Yes, Koujiku. That would be a good idea," Belldandy replied.
"Keiichi, she said that it sounded wonderful, but that she didn't want to pressure
you."
"Okay, then you know my decision."
"Yes. Allison, he thinks almost exactly the same thing. Go ahead."
When Allison and I returned to Keiichi and Belldandy, "Koujiku's" face bore an
expression of shock. Belldandy, perceptive as always, noticed this. "What was that
about, Koujiku-san?" she asked worriedly.
"Keiichi, Belldandy, we need to talk. Skuld, Allison's heating up a tea kettle. Why
don't you go home?"
"What?" Skuld asked suspiciously.
"Don't worry, Skuld. Keiichi and Belldandy will return as well soon. I just need to
talk to them for a bit."
"Okay, Koujiku-san. It's not like they'd try anything with you and Allison here, and I
trust you."
"Good. I'm glad I've earned your trust."
"Yes, but I'm still suspicious of Allison. I do like her, but..."
"I understand. She's caused your sister quite a bit of trouble."
"Hai," she said, and started to continue before Allison's voice called out from the
kitchen.
"Skuld, the water's ready. You'd better get here before it gets cold."
"Coming!" she yelled, "Just keep an eye on my sister."
"Of course, Skuld."
After Skuld left, the remaining four of us gathered in "Koujiku's" dining room.
"You can come out, Urd." Allison said casually.
"Damn. How long have you known I was here?" a mini-Urd replied from behind a
bookshelf.
"I've known since you got here, Urd. You may as well join us for this. I think you'll
approve."
"Kuso. Oh, well," she said, returning to her normal size, "And how did you?"
"Well, Urd, I'm afraid to tell you that I've been keeping a secret from you."
"What is it? You know I'll find out."
"True. Oh, well," she said, turning her eyes white-and-glowing.
"NANI?!?" Keiichi and Urd exclaimed at once.
"But then, why-" Urd started, only to be silenced by my "blinking" in.
"Because she needed a cover. I told Keiichi that his meeting Koujiku was my doing.
Everything she's done here has been a part of that. We recreated her youth here, from
her birth onwards. Almost everything was as close as we could make it without tipping
our hands to either you gods and goddesses or Kam-chan. No one from this universe,
not even Kami, knew her secret."
"Why?" Urd asked angrily.
"Well, Urd, I'm afraid those bugs Skuld had to take care of were your doing. In her
world, she succeeded in her first hack attempt. When you cut her off, it was the first
disruption to our plans. This isn't her world, and her Urd was a few seconds slower."
"That doesn't answer the question."
"Well, we had to set up this day properly. I didn't want her to reveal herself to you
quite so soon, but she wanted to give Keiichi and Belldandy a gift. One that required
that she do so."
"You mean that even then you were planning to reveal her like this?"
"No. I meant your meeting. She's my student, you know. Another of our kind,
Keiichi."
"She is? And she's from another universe?" Keiichi asked, shocked.
"Yes."
"And Koujiku?"
"She just told him."
Belldandy spoke up, "So that's why he was so surprised..."
"Actually, the gift Allison has for you surprised him more, if anything."
"NANI?!?" Urd and Keiichi said in unison as Belldandy gasped, "Oh, my."
"Perhaps we should allow Allison to explain," 'Koujiku' said.
"Yes, that's a good idea. I'll see you," I said and 'blinked' out.
"Well, Allison, what is this 'gift' you have for my sister and Keiichi?" Urd asked
suspiciously.
"Urd, I'm sorry about what happened to you. You know, my universe's Urd and I are
good friends. I never intended to get you into trouble. Actually, you wouldn't have had
you listened to the order that Sensei asked Kami-san to give you."
"You mean that order was your doing, too?"
"No, that was Sensei's."
"You mean Mikoto's?" Keiichi interrupted.
"Yes, that is what he told you to call him."
"Oh." Keiichi said, to be cut off by a gesture from 'Koujiku'.
"Allison, you're getting off-topic. Remember, the gift."
"Yes. Thank you. So, Urd, I'd like you to promise not to discuss this with Skuld."
"Done. If you're about to do what I think you are, though, I hope you have a way to
deal with-"
"No, Urd, we're not going to give them a love potion or anything like that. Here, it'll
be easier to explain if you can see what I do," she said, "There. I've granted you access
to my vision. just look through my eyes."
"What's that?" Urd said, seeing what looked like a line of fog connecting Keiichi and
Belldandy.
"That, Urd, is what you've so foolishly been trying to interfere with. It is the bond
that they share."
"What do you mean 'foolishly'?"
"Urd, you have this tendency to meddle. Were you to have stepped back and really
looked, you would have sensed this long ago. That bond is beautiful and powerful, but
to the things you were doing, it is also very fragile. Had most of your schemes
succeeded, that bond would have been shattered forever, and that would have been a
great tragedy."
"Huh?"
"You still don't understand," Allison continued, shaking her head, "But, that bond is
critical to what I plan to give them. You see, I would never destroy something like that.
I can, however, make it stronger and help it grow. I can take that bond and form
something far deeper with it."
"And that's your gift?"
"Yes, it is. If they want me to. I suggest you leave, now. I must explain it further to
them, and you've seen enough."
After Urd left (Grumbling about the guilt-trip Allison had given her), Allison turned
to Keiichi and Belldandy. "Now, I know you're as confused as I would be in your
situation. What I intend to do, with your permission, is to link you. Wherever each of
you would go, you'd know where the other was. Should one of you get hurt, the other
would know. Over time, the link would deepen, and each of you would know what the
other was feeling. Any questions?"
Keiichi spoke up. "Would I still be me? And would Bell-chan still be Bell-chan?"
"Yes. It's not a fusion of personalities. Of course, once the bond grows deep enough,
you'll be able to communicate by it, but that's something else entirely. As for privacy
concerns, shielding an emotion from the bond is quite simple, although lying across it is
literally impossible."
"Bell-chan?"
Belldandy appeared unfazed. "If you approve, so do I."
Turning to Allison, she continued (In Greek), "It sounds wonderful, but I don't want
to pressure him into anything."
"Of course, Belldandy," Allison replied (also in Greek), "Actually, I would never do
this if I thought that either of you harbored any doubts about it. That's why I'm talking
to you like this."
Keiichi looked confused. "What was that about?"
Belldandy looked uncomfortable, so I (as 'Koujiku') interjected. "That was in Greek,
Keiichi. Belldandy said that she didn't want to influence your decision, and that you had
to decide on your own. Allison simply agreed with her that you both had to make your
own choice on the matter."
"What do you think, Koujiku?"
"I think that it's your decision. I won't pressure you either way."
"I understand, Koujiku," Keiichi replied, "but you do have a way with questions.
What would you ask her?"
"Well, I'd ask her if her people use this bond amongst themselves."
"Good question," Keiichi replied. "Allison?"
"We use a similar one, but it's not common. We vary rarely find true love. You
have."
"Well, amongst couples who do love each other, is it common?"
"About as common as marriage is amongst mortals, and both far more permanent and
far more rewarding. We have yet to have a single 'divorce' request, although whether
that's because of the bond or because of the nature of love amongst us is open to
debate."
"And what do you mean by 'a similar one'?"
"I already told you. You're a special case on several counts. Belldandy is a goddess.
If your training was complete, that wouldn't matter, but as is, I had to work out how to
avoid certain problems with bonding you. I'm afraid that our name for the main difficulty
wouldn't mean much to you, but it translates VERY roughly as the "Sensory overload"
problem. You see, Belldandy's senses are very different from yours. Were I to use the
full bond, there's a distinct possibility of you going insane from it. That's why I would
only do it partially, anchoring it in a fashion that would allow it to gradually develop into
the full bond that we use. This version poses no danger to either of you. If it did, I
wouldn't suggest it."
"Okay," Keiichi said, "I've made my decision. Koujiku, could I speak to you in
private?"
"Sure, Keiichi," I said.
After a minute or so, we walked back into the room. I started by explaining to
Allison.
"Allison, he's told me what he thinks about it. Belldandy, remember what you said to
Allison? May I tell him the rest of it?"
"Yes, Koujiku. That would be a good idea," Belldandy replied.
"Keiichi, she said that it sounded wonderful, but that she didn't want to pressure
you."
"Okay, then you know my decision."
"Yes. Allison, he thinks almost exactly the same thing. Go ahead."