Chapter 8
Belldandy woke up the next morning still in the tea room. She looked around confused. Velsper meowed and hoped off of her lap.
'Why am I out here?' wondered Belldandy, 'Ohh... Skuld.'
Belldandy got up and walked down the hallway to Skuld's room. She looked in. The room was pretty much like the last time she had seen it. The bed remained made and unslept in. Belldandy frowned and looked in the other rooms of the house. Urd was asleep in her room, Keiichi was also still asleep in their bed. Belldandy quickly walked outside.
"Good Morning."
Belldandy turned to see Sigel and Banpei standing near the door.
"Sigel," Belldandy asked, "Did Skuld come home last night?"
"No Belldandy-sama." replied Sigel. Banpei bleeped in the negative.
Belldandy began to get worried. "LIND!"
"Yes?"
Belldandy looked up to see Lind on the roof. "Skuld didn't come home last night."
Lind's eyes narrowed, "Why would she be out when a crisis at hand?"
Belldandy crossed her arms, "Because Urd and I both agree, that regardless her status, Skuld is still a teenager. She needs to be out and see her friend. It's what makes her happy. Now what do you think happened to her?"
"Perhaps she is still with Sentaro," said Lind, "Did she leave a message on the recording device?"
"It's an answering machine." replied Belldandy, "and no, I didn't check it."
Belldandy quickly raced inside and went to the phone. No messages appeared on the machine. Belldandy quickly picked up the phone and dialed Sentaro's home.
"Kawanishi residence." came a female voice.
"Hello? Mrs. Kawanishi? It's Mrs. Morisato. Is my sister there with Sentaro? She didn't come home last night."
"Hold on, let me check." There was a clunk as the phone was set down, and then the sounds of footsteps. Several minutes went by. The footsteps then returned, a little quicker then before. "Neither of them are here. And he didn't leave any messages. You don't think they're in trouble do you?"
"I don't know Mrs. Kawanishi." replied Belldandy, "They are usually very responsible. I'm going to go out with my husband and search for them."
"Maybe I should call the police?"
Belldandy hesitated, "You should do what you think is right. I will let you know what we find."
Belldandy hung up and then made another phone call.
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The Demoness Sayoko sat quietly in her chair staring out the window at the city. Behind her, Keima stood silently as well, rubbing his bandaged wrist. A demon entered the room and bowed to Sayoko.
"Milady."
Sayoko didn't even look at the demon. "Report."
"We could not enter the temple complex for obvious reasons. But the goddess never returned home. Currently, the goddesses Belldandy, Urd, and Lind are out searching the city along with the mortal Keiichi. We also have the Kawanishi house under surveillance. So far, we have found nothing."
"Continue your search."
The demon bowed again. "Yes Milady." The demon left quickly.
Sayoko sighed. "She's out there K. I know it."
Keima remained silent.
A demon quickly ran into the room. "Milady!"
Sayoko turned and looked at the demon. "Has she been found?"
"No Milady, the Queen wishes to speak to you."
Sayoko gripped the armrests. Keima looked at her.
"No K," said Sayoko, "But I will need a drink after........"
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Peorth stormed into Yggdrasil control. "Erie, run a trace on Goddess 2nd Class Skuld."
"Yes ma'am." Erie's hands flew over the terminal. The main screen zoomed in on the world. Red lines moved across it as the planet was scanned. The map then zoomed in on Japan. It zoomed in further showing the city of Nekomi, and there it froze. "Ma'am, she's somewhere in the city of Nekomi. There's something blocking a more precise location."
"But she's alive?" asked Peorth.
Erie nodded, "We wouldn't detect her otherwise."
Peorth turned and went to the nearest phone.
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Belldandy sighed as she hung up the phone. "They can't pinpoint her location. All they know is that she is somewhere in Nekomi."
Urd drummed her fingers on the table. Keiichi looked at Belldandy, worriedly. Lind's face remained neutral. Finally, Urd snapped.
"Dammit! Where could she be? We searched everywhere!"
"Perhaps she is in a place not detectable by us or Yggdrasil." said Lind.
Urd glared at Lind. "But Skuld is a Class 2 Goddess! She can't hide herself. And even if a demon has her, Yggdrasil could still pinpoint her location no matter what!"
"What if it was not her or demon but a goddess?"
Everyone froze before slowly turning to Lind.
"You think it was that rogue Goddess?" asked Keiichi.
Lind nodded.
"But she was after me!" said Urd.
Lind shrugged, "Perhaps her target changed. Regardless, it is a possibility we must consider. That goddess has much to answer f....."
Lind's voice broke off and her eyes went wide. Her hands then went to her head. Belldandy and Urd quickly copied Lind's actions, shouting in pain as they did so. Keiichi was on his feet and by Belldandy's side in seconds.
"Belldandy! What is it? What has happened!?!"
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Sayoko, Keima, and the remaining 6 demons bowed low to the ground as smoke poured forth from a circle in the floor. With a roar of flames, 12 more demons were revealed, in the middle, a platinum blond woman. The woman stepped forward towards Sayoko and Keima.
"Milady." said Sayoko softly.
"Rise." The woman ordered. She then turned and sat down in a nearby chair. "You have found the goddess?"
"Not yet my Queen."
The queen glared at Sayoko. "I do NOT tolerate failure! You of all people know that!"
Sayoko remained face down. "I know and except full responsibility."
The queen stared at Sayoko for a few moments longer. "The only thing saving you now, is the fact that you are family and I need you for what I am planning."
Sayoko looked questioningly at her Queen. "Milady?"
The Queen smiled as she looked at her niece. "I think it's time to visit mother."
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Skuld awoke to massive pain. It felt like her head was about to explode. Finally, the pain stopped. Skuld breathed a sigh of relief. It was then that she realized that she was being held. She opened her eyes to find Sentaro looking down at her.
"How are you?" he asked quietly.
"I need an aspirin." replied Skuld, "Otherwise......" she slowly sat up with Sentaro's help, "other then being sore, I feel ok." She looked around. "Where are we?"
She and Sentaro were sitting on a mattress in the middle of a dingy room. The only window was sealed up by plywood. Two doors were also in the room. One was shut, the other led to a bathroom were pieces of a shattered mirror lay all over the place.
"Looks like an old house or something." replied Sentaro. He watched as Skuld walked over to the closed door. "It's locked."
Skuld tried it anyway. She then took several steps back, closed her eyes and began to chant. Sentaro watched curiously.
"What are you doing?"
"Trying to open it with my powers." replied Skuld.
Sentaro watched in awe as the lock of the door began to glow. Skuld then smiled and walked up to the door, turning the knob.
It remained locked.
Skuld frowned and began kicking the door. "HEY!! LET US OUT!!!"
The door suddenly and violently opened, revealing the rogue goddess. She still wore her helmet with the face shield down, though now it was pitted and dented. Her outfit was slightly scorched, as was the wrap around her left arm.
"Must you make so much noise?" she asked tiredly.
Skuld frowned at the goddess. "Why are you holding us? We haven't done anything to you!"
The goddess frowned from under her face shield. "I'm not holding you prisoner. I'm trying to protect you."
Skuld crossed her arms. "Protect us? YOU'RE THE one we need the most protection from! You attacked us first! THEN the others came. If you hadn't broken the rules and come here from the future, they wouldn't have followed! We're all in trouble because of you!"
"I only did what was necessary. You do not understand the situation."
Skuld frowned. "What could possible have happened that would lead you to try to kill Urd."
"Oh I don't know..." replied the goddess, "How about Heaven being conquered by the demons and every goddess but me dead?"
Skuld and Sentaro stared at the goddess. Finally Sentaro broke the silence.
"So who are you? Why should we believe you?"
The goddess sighed, and undid the straps the held her helmet on. She removed the helmet and let it drop to the floor. Skuld and Sentaro stared shock by what they saw.
"I am Skuld, Goddess 1st Class, Type 3 Unlimited, the Goddess of the Future." said the goddess. She gave a small smile as she watched their stunned looks. "How's that for a qualification?"
Belldandy woke up the next morning still in the tea room. She looked around confused. Velsper meowed and hoped off of her lap.
'Why am I out here?' wondered Belldandy, 'Ohh... Skuld.'
Belldandy got up and walked down the hallway to Skuld's room. She looked in. The room was pretty much like the last time she had seen it. The bed remained made and unslept in. Belldandy frowned and looked in the other rooms of the house. Urd was asleep in her room, Keiichi was also still asleep in their bed. Belldandy quickly walked outside.
"Good Morning."
Belldandy turned to see Sigel and Banpei standing near the door.
"Sigel," Belldandy asked, "Did Skuld come home last night?"
"No Belldandy-sama." replied Sigel. Banpei bleeped in the negative.
Belldandy began to get worried. "LIND!"
"Yes?"
Belldandy looked up to see Lind on the roof. "Skuld didn't come home last night."
Lind's eyes narrowed, "Why would she be out when a crisis at hand?"
Belldandy crossed her arms, "Because Urd and I both agree, that regardless her status, Skuld is still a teenager. She needs to be out and see her friend. It's what makes her happy. Now what do you think happened to her?"
"Perhaps she is still with Sentaro," said Lind, "Did she leave a message on the recording device?"
"It's an answering machine." replied Belldandy, "and no, I didn't check it."
Belldandy quickly raced inside and went to the phone. No messages appeared on the machine. Belldandy quickly picked up the phone and dialed Sentaro's home.
"Kawanishi residence." came a female voice.
"Hello? Mrs. Kawanishi? It's Mrs. Morisato. Is my sister there with Sentaro? She didn't come home last night."
"Hold on, let me check." There was a clunk as the phone was set down, and then the sounds of footsteps. Several minutes went by. The footsteps then returned, a little quicker then before. "Neither of them are here. And he didn't leave any messages. You don't think they're in trouble do you?"
"I don't know Mrs. Kawanishi." replied Belldandy, "They are usually very responsible. I'm going to go out with my husband and search for them."
"Maybe I should call the police?"
Belldandy hesitated, "You should do what you think is right. I will let you know what we find."
Belldandy hung up and then made another phone call.
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The Demoness Sayoko sat quietly in her chair staring out the window at the city. Behind her, Keima stood silently as well, rubbing his bandaged wrist. A demon entered the room and bowed to Sayoko.
"Milady."
Sayoko didn't even look at the demon. "Report."
"We could not enter the temple complex for obvious reasons. But the goddess never returned home. Currently, the goddesses Belldandy, Urd, and Lind are out searching the city along with the mortal Keiichi. We also have the Kawanishi house under surveillance. So far, we have found nothing."
"Continue your search."
The demon bowed again. "Yes Milady." The demon left quickly.
Sayoko sighed. "She's out there K. I know it."
Keima remained silent.
A demon quickly ran into the room. "Milady!"
Sayoko turned and looked at the demon. "Has she been found?"
"No Milady, the Queen wishes to speak to you."
Sayoko gripped the armrests. Keima looked at her.
"No K," said Sayoko, "But I will need a drink after........"
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Peorth stormed into Yggdrasil control. "Erie, run a trace on Goddess 2nd Class Skuld."
"Yes ma'am." Erie's hands flew over the terminal. The main screen zoomed in on the world. Red lines moved across it as the planet was scanned. The map then zoomed in on Japan. It zoomed in further showing the city of Nekomi, and there it froze. "Ma'am, she's somewhere in the city of Nekomi. There's something blocking a more precise location."
"But she's alive?" asked Peorth.
Erie nodded, "We wouldn't detect her otherwise."
Peorth turned and went to the nearest phone.
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Belldandy sighed as she hung up the phone. "They can't pinpoint her location. All they know is that she is somewhere in Nekomi."
Urd drummed her fingers on the table. Keiichi looked at Belldandy, worriedly. Lind's face remained neutral. Finally, Urd snapped.
"Dammit! Where could she be? We searched everywhere!"
"Perhaps she is in a place not detectable by us or Yggdrasil." said Lind.
Urd glared at Lind. "But Skuld is a Class 2 Goddess! She can't hide herself. And even if a demon has her, Yggdrasil could still pinpoint her location no matter what!"
"What if it was not her or demon but a goddess?"
Everyone froze before slowly turning to Lind.
"You think it was that rogue Goddess?" asked Keiichi.
Lind nodded.
"But she was after me!" said Urd.
Lind shrugged, "Perhaps her target changed. Regardless, it is a possibility we must consider. That goddess has much to answer f....."
Lind's voice broke off and her eyes went wide. Her hands then went to her head. Belldandy and Urd quickly copied Lind's actions, shouting in pain as they did so. Keiichi was on his feet and by Belldandy's side in seconds.
"Belldandy! What is it? What has happened!?!"
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Sayoko, Keima, and the remaining 6 demons bowed low to the ground as smoke poured forth from a circle in the floor. With a roar of flames, 12 more demons were revealed, in the middle, a platinum blond woman. The woman stepped forward towards Sayoko and Keima.
"Milady." said Sayoko softly.
"Rise." The woman ordered. She then turned and sat down in a nearby chair. "You have found the goddess?"
"Not yet my Queen."
The queen glared at Sayoko. "I do NOT tolerate failure! You of all people know that!"
Sayoko remained face down. "I know and except full responsibility."
The queen stared at Sayoko for a few moments longer. "The only thing saving you now, is the fact that you are family and I need you for what I am planning."
Sayoko looked questioningly at her Queen. "Milady?"
The Queen smiled as she looked at her niece. "I think it's time to visit mother."
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Skuld awoke to massive pain. It felt like her head was about to explode. Finally, the pain stopped. Skuld breathed a sigh of relief. It was then that she realized that she was being held. She opened her eyes to find Sentaro looking down at her.
"How are you?" he asked quietly.
"I need an aspirin." replied Skuld, "Otherwise......" she slowly sat up with Sentaro's help, "other then being sore, I feel ok." She looked around. "Where are we?"
She and Sentaro were sitting on a mattress in the middle of a dingy room. The only window was sealed up by plywood. Two doors were also in the room. One was shut, the other led to a bathroom were pieces of a shattered mirror lay all over the place.
"Looks like an old house or something." replied Sentaro. He watched as Skuld walked over to the closed door. "It's locked."
Skuld tried it anyway. She then took several steps back, closed her eyes and began to chant. Sentaro watched curiously.
"What are you doing?"
"Trying to open it with my powers." replied Skuld.
Sentaro watched in awe as the lock of the door began to glow. Skuld then smiled and walked up to the door, turning the knob.
It remained locked.
Skuld frowned and began kicking the door. "HEY!! LET US OUT!!!"
The door suddenly and violently opened, revealing the rogue goddess. She still wore her helmet with the face shield down, though now it was pitted and dented. Her outfit was slightly scorched, as was the wrap around her left arm.
"Must you make so much noise?" she asked tiredly.
Skuld frowned at the goddess. "Why are you holding us? We haven't done anything to you!"
The goddess frowned from under her face shield. "I'm not holding you prisoner. I'm trying to protect you."
Skuld crossed her arms. "Protect us? YOU'RE THE one we need the most protection from! You attacked us first! THEN the others came. If you hadn't broken the rules and come here from the future, they wouldn't have followed! We're all in trouble because of you!"
"I only did what was necessary. You do not understand the situation."
Skuld frowned. "What could possible have happened that would lead you to try to kill Urd."
"Oh I don't know..." replied the goddess, "How about Heaven being conquered by the demons and every goddess but me dead?"
Skuld and Sentaro stared at the goddess. Finally Sentaro broke the silence.
"So who are you? Why should we believe you?"
The goddess sighed, and undid the straps the held her helmet on. She removed the helmet and let it drop to the floor. Skuld and Sentaro stared shock by what they saw.
"I am Skuld, Goddess 1st Class, Type 3 Unlimited, the Goddess of the Future." said the goddess. She gave a small smile as she watched their stunned looks. "How's that for a qualification?"
