PART III: Denial/Pain
V.
Lunch was pleasant enough, but there was a palpable tension in the air. As much as Keichi, Belldandy, and Sena tried to keep the conversation light, the lack of response from their other visitors began to strain them considerably. Eventually, Belldandy and Sena excused themselves as they cleared the table. Keichi muttered some senseless stuff before disappearing into the garage.
"Done baiting me?" Aoi said finally. "You ought to be now that your cover's blown."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It MEANS." Aoi said in an annoyingly slow manner. "That you've just introduced that girl as your sister. You're obviously not some being that hurtled down from the heavens, although you probably come from very far away. How would you like me to tell your sister what a brat you're being?"
Skuld smiled easily, crossing her arms over her chest. "You are really stubborn. Anyone with half a brain can figure out that she's a goddess too. What else but a heavenly wish would cause someone like her to be bound to an earthling?"
"Oh, give me a break."
"Do you really think someone as pretty, as special as my sister would stay here if not for the power of a wish? To spend the rest of her life with a poor student, catering to his every whim?"
"I CAN grant your heart's desire," Skuld stood then, slamming her palms against the table, leaning towards Aoi. "So just tell me straight out, what you really want. And it'll all be yours."
"YOU CAN NEVER BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I WANT!" Aoi shouted.
"I ALREADY DO!" Skuld screamed back.
"THEN YOU'RE JUST A STUPID GODDESS WHO CAN'T READ PEOPLE'S HEARTS TO SAVE HER LIFE!!!"
The harsh screech of a chair being pushed back caught their attention.
Aoi was shocked at the pain evident in Yoriko's features.
"Yoriko.?" He said quietly, carefully.
Blinking back tears, she turned and walked away.
"Yoriko!!!" Aoi cried out, standing up as well. He glanced back at Skuld, hate emanating from his entire being. So much that Skuld actually cringed. "Stay out of my life."
Aoi rushed out the open doorway that Yoriko passed through. As they disappeared into the garage, Skuld noted another figure that had been standing by the doorway.
Wordlessly, Keichi turned back to the cars and bikes, closing the door behind him.
Stunned, Skuld sank back into her chair. Then she laid her head on her arms and burst into tears.
* * *
"Yoriko!" Aoi called as Yoriko continued to talk, straight into the streets. "Yoriko, wait!"
She stopped then, Aoi ran in front of her. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," She mumbled.
"Yoriko." Aoi said sadly.
"I.I never realized." She took a deep breath. "It's just that today I found out certain things, which I never knew.never dared to hope.so I've kept them buried within me. But now."
"Now.?" Aoi prodded quietly.
"Now, nothing," Yoriko said, smiling. "They will stay there. My own little secret. And maybe over time, I'll learn to forget again and go on with life. I had begun to accept that it was impossible. I've traveled this road before, I can take it again."
"Yoriko." Aoi said, shaken. "Why.why didn't you tell me?"
"And trouble me best friend?" Yoriko laughed a bit. She was smiling brightly now. "I love you, Aoi Futaba, first and foremost as my very treasured friend. I would not risk that for anything, not even the slight chance that you would be a man again.for me."
She laid a hand on Aoi's cheek. Aoi met her troubled gaze, then yelped as Yoriko playfully pinched and pulled.
"OOOOW.what was that for?"
"You suddenly became so serious!" Yoriko said, laughing. "I didn't want any weirdness, I want to go home, watch TV, eat a good supper, sleep - rest easy, knowing tomorrow, things will be back to normal."
Adjusting her glasses, she continued to walk down the road.
"Yoriko, Aoi!" Sena called. "There are people registering!"
"Coming!" Aoi called back. Inwardly, however, he felt his heart growing heavier and heavier at the prospect of spending the entire day taking registrations Yoriko planned for.
Normal? It wasn't a normal Yoriko who'd forget her bets and schemes.
What that depressing thought in mind, he headed back into the Zapper.
* * *
There were many troubled souls in Bokuto that day. The most vocal of which came very late into the night.
"THAT SHTOOPID SHTINKIN' BASHTARD!!"
"Natsumi, c'mon." Miyuki said, tugging on her arm a little desperately. "I already told you the story and swore to you that I've seen it with my own eyes. It's not really his fault. He is bound to that woman until she regains her memory."
"Yeah, yeah. I knowsh that. Bat dat doeshna mean I have ta like it!" She snarled, downing another bottle of sake. She blinked, shook the empty bottle, then shrugged, tossing it aside. "Ey! One more bottle 'ere!"
"Enough's enough, Natsumi, you're coming with me right now!" Miyuki began to pull harder on her arm, when another commotion at the front door caught her attention.
"I'm sorry.so sorry.sake.I.need.sake."
"Hold on," A familiar voice was saying frantically. "Just hold on."
Luck would have it that Miyuki managed to get Natsumi on her feet as the new customers came walking in. They stared at Toukairin, then at the woman perpetually plastered to his back.
"Well, shpeak of the bashtard." Natsumi slurred.
Toukairin blanched at the strong smell of liquor. "Go home, Natsumi. You should know better."
Natsumi snorted. "Look whosh talkin'!" She swayed a bit, clutching at Miyuki to keep from falling.
"What are you doing here, Mr. Toukairin?" Miyuki queried, trying desperately to hold Natsumi steady.
He shifted uncomfortably. "She said she'd get really sick and die if I didn't give her sake."
Natsumi burst out laughing, then, long and hard. "Sa.sake!" She gasped between laughs. "Sh.She'll die without sake!" She succumbed to helpless giggles then. "My, that certainly is believable!"
Lightning flashed outside the bar. Toukairin tensed.
"Oh, well, she's mad now, isn't she?" Natsumi sneered. "Mad enough to spit fire! Isn't that how it goes? And there she is, the archetype of a real bitch, spouting lightning!"
"Just SHUT UP, Natsumi," Toukairin finally burst out. "Go home!!"
Natsumi glanced at him. For a fleeting moment, a semblance of pain seemed to streak across her expression. But then she rounded on her prey once more.
"Have you no pride?" She hissed. "Playing with something that isn't yours!"
"You're the one with no pride," Toukairin bit out. "For the last time, get out of here."
Stricken, Natsumi turned and stumbled her way out of the bar, Miyuki close behind her. Miyuki threw one last reprimanding look at Toukairin before closing the door behind her.
"Dammit, dammit.dammit, dammit, dammit!" Toukairin took the bottle of sake the bartender held out and started drinking it himself.
Neither Toukairin nor Natsumi noticed that the lightning had ceased and the weather had finally cleared.
* * *
Belldandy looked out the open window thoughtfully. The lightning and thunder patterns had been so erratic in the past few days that the truth had nearly eluded her.
"She's here," Skuld said woodenly as she entered Belldandy's room. "Figures that she'd be here to witness my failure."
"Skuld."
Skuld shook her head. "It's all right, Belldandy. It's just.it wasn't for me." She smiled sadly. "So go pick up Urd tomorrow and head on home. I'll ask for a renewal of my earth training permit while I figure out what I'm really meant to do."
A deep breath. "Anyway, good night." Skuld bowed and left the room.
"Good night," Belldandy replied softly. "Little sister." Closing her eyes, she began to pray. For light, for guidance.
For hope.
V.
Lunch was pleasant enough, but there was a palpable tension in the air. As much as Keichi, Belldandy, and Sena tried to keep the conversation light, the lack of response from their other visitors began to strain them considerably. Eventually, Belldandy and Sena excused themselves as they cleared the table. Keichi muttered some senseless stuff before disappearing into the garage.
"Done baiting me?" Aoi said finally. "You ought to be now that your cover's blown."
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"It MEANS." Aoi said in an annoyingly slow manner. "That you've just introduced that girl as your sister. You're obviously not some being that hurtled down from the heavens, although you probably come from very far away. How would you like me to tell your sister what a brat you're being?"
Skuld smiled easily, crossing her arms over her chest. "You are really stubborn. Anyone with half a brain can figure out that she's a goddess too. What else but a heavenly wish would cause someone like her to be bound to an earthling?"
"Oh, give me a break."
"Do you really think someone as pretty, as special as my sister would stay here if not for the power of a wish? To spend the rest of her life with a poor student, catering to his every whim?"
"I CAN grant your heart's desire," Skuld stood then, slamming her palms against the table, leaning towards Aoi. "So just tell me straight out, what you really want. And it'll all be yours."
"YOU CAN NEVER BEGIN TO UNDERSTAND WHAT I WANT!" Aoi shouted.
"I ALREADY DO!" Skuld screamed back.
"THEN YOU'RE JUST A STUPID GODDESS WHO CAN'T READ PEOPLE'S HEARTS TO SAVE HER LIFE!!!"
The harsh screech of a chair being pushed back caught their attention.
Aoi was shocked at the pain evident in Yoriko's features.
"Yoriko.?" He said quietly, carefully.
Blinking back tears, she turned and walked away.
"Yoriko!!!" Aoi cried out, standing up as well. He glanced back at Skuld, hate emanating from his entire being. So much that Skuld actually cringed. "Stay out of my life."
Aoi rushed out the open doorway that Yoriko passed through. As they disappeared into the garage, Skuld noted another figure that had been standing by the doorway.
Wordlessly, Keichi turned back to the cars and bikes, closing the door behind him.
Stunned, Skuld sank back into her chair. Then she laid her head on her arms and burst into tears.
* * *
"Yoriko!" Aoi called as Yoriko continued to talk, straight into the streets. "Yoriko, wait!"
She stopped then, Aoi ran in front of her. "What's wrong?"
"Nothing," She mumbled.
"Yoriko." Aoi said sadly.
"I.I never realized." She took a deep breath. "It's just that today I found out certain things, which I never knew.never dared to hope.so I've kept them buried within me. But now."
"Now.?" Aoi prodded quietly.
"Now, nothing," Yoriko said, smiling. "They will stay there. My own little secret. And maybe over time, I'll learn to forget again and go on with life. I had begun to accept that it was impossible. I've traveled this road before, I can take it again."
"Yoriko." Aoi said, shaken. "Why.why didn't you tell me?"
"And trouble me best friend?" Yoriko laughed a bit. She was smiling brightly now. "I love you, Aoi Futaba, first and foremost as my very treasured friend. I would not risk that for anything, not even the slight chance that you would be a man again.for me."
She laid a hand on Aoi's cheek. Aoi met her troubled gaze, then yelped as Yoriko playfully pinched and pulled.
"OOOOW.what was that for?"
"You suddenly became so serious!" Yoriko said, laughing. "I didn't want any weirdness, I want to go home, watch TV, eat a good supper, sleep - rest easy, knowing tomorrow, things will be back to normal."
Adjusting her glasses, she continued to walk down the road.
"Yoriko, Aoi!" Sena called. "There are people registering!"
"Coming!" Aoi called back. Inwardly, however, he felt his heart growing heavier and heavier at the prospect of spending the entire day taking registrations Yoriko planned for.
Normal? It wasn't a normal Yoriko who'd forget her bets and schemes.
What that depressing thought in mind, he headed back into the Zapper.
* * *
There were many troubled souls in Bokuto that day. The most vocal of which came very late into the night.
"THAT SHTOOPID SHTINKIN' BASHTARD!!"
"Natsumi, c'mon." Miyuki said, tugging on her arm a little desperately. "I already told you the story and swore to you that I've seen it with my own eyes. It's not really his fault. He is bound to that woman until she regains her memory."
"Yeah, yeah. I knowsh that. Bat dat doeshna mean I have ta like it!" She snarled, downing another bottle of sake. She blinked, shook the empty bottle, then shrugged, tossing it aside. "Ey! One more bottle 'ere!"
"Enough's enough, Natsumi, you're coming with me right now!" Miyuki began to pull harder on her arm, when another commotion at the front door caught her attention.
"I'm sorry.so sorry.sake.I.need.sake."
"Hold on," A familiar voice was saying frantically. "Just hold on."
Luck would have it that Miyuki managed to get Natsumi on her feet as the new customers came walking in. They stared at Toukairin, then at the woman perpetually plastered to his back.
"Well, shpeak of the bashtard." Natsumi slurred.
Toukairin blanched at the strong smell of liquor. "Go home, Natsumi. You should know better."
Natsumi snorted. "Look whosh talkin'!" She swayed a bit, clutching at Miyuki to keep from falling.
"What are you doing here, Mr. Toukairin?" Miyuki queried, trying desperately to hold Natsumi steady.
He shifted uncomfortably. "She said she'd get really sick and die if I didn't give her sake."
Natsumi burst out laughing, then, long and hard. "Sa.sake!" She gasped between laughs. "Sh.She'll die without sake!" She succumbed to helpless giggles then. "My, that certainly is believable!"
Lightning flashed outside the bar. Toukairin tensed.
"Oh, well, she's mad now, isn't she?" Natsumi sneered. "Mad enough to spit fire! Isn't that how it goes? And there she is, the archetype of a real bitch, spouting lightning!"
"Just SHUT UP, Natsumi," Toukairin finally burst out. "Go home!!"
Natsumi glanced at him. For a fleeting moment, a semblance of pain seemed to streak across her expression. But then she rounded on her prey once more.
"Have you no pride?" She hissed. "Playing with something that isn't yours!"
"You're the one with no pride," Toukairin bit out. "For the last time, get out of here."
Stricken, Natsumi turned and stumbled her way out of the bar, Miyuki close behind her. Miyuki threw one last reprimanding look at Toukairin before closing the door behind her.
"Dammit, dammit.dammit, dammit, dammit!" Toukairin took the bottle of sake the bartender held out and started drinking it himself.
Neither Toukairin nor Natsumi noticed that the lightning had ceased and the weather had finally cleared.
* * *
Belldandy looked out the open window thoughtfully. The lightning and thunder patterns had been so erratic in the past few days that the truth had nearly eluded her.
"She's here," Skuld said woodenly as she entered Belldandy's room. "Figures that she'd be here to witness my failure."
"Skuld."
Skuld shook her head. "It's all right, Belldandy. It's just.it wasn't for me." She smiled sadly. "So go pick up Urd tomorrow and head on home. I'll ask for a renewal of my earth training permit while I figure out what I'm really meant to do."
A deep breath. "Anyway, good night." Skuld bowed and left the room.
"Good night," Belldandy replied softly. "Little sister." Closing her eyes, she began to pray. For light, for guidance.
For hope.