A progressive moment in time
(Chapter III)
"He did what!?!?" yelled a rather shocked Urd.
Belldandy had just finished explaining how Steve had dodged Skuld's hammer attack by appearing suddenly on the other side of the room. Urd's reaction had been expected, for a mortal to do such a thing is incredibly rare. How a mortal came to do such a thing was the first unanswered question.
The second was Steve himself.
Carefully placed on the table in front of them was a heavy book. This was not any normal book like one that someone would find in a library. This book was kept in a very secure location of Yggdrasil. For someone to have access to it, they would have to have the direct permission from Kami-sama himself, or be one of a few Gods or Goddesses who were allowed to access these files, since Urd was the one who granted Steve's wish, she was allowed to access his file if necessary. Anyone caught trying to take a book without permission or authorization would be immediately expelled from Yggdrasil, never to be let back in.
The book was a darkish brown color, with gold lettering and laced with gold thread down the margin making a criss-cross intricate pattern. The cover of the book simply said two words. "Steve Eaton"
Belldandy sat on the floor next to the table in the middle of the room. Despite all that had happened in the last few hours she looked as calm as ever. Sitting there, sipping her tea slowly, deep in thought over what had happened.
"He transported himself across the room, without meaning to" she thought to herself, replaying the images in her mind. "I could feel the energy spastically spike from within him, and then fade just as quickly" Now this was quite unusual, normally divine beings that can use energy have the same power level at all times, with no difference to the actual use of it.
However this power had just appeared, it just, came to be. "Energy like that does not just come from no where, it has to exist first" pondered Belldandy.
Urd broke her thoughts with the banging of her fist on the table. "And what about this damn book!" She stated with the sound of frustration in her voice. "I go all the way to the Yggdrasil record archive to get his file, and all I get are more questions!" She grabbed the book once again, as she had done a few times already, and opened it up to where the index should be.
Instead of pages filled with information on the subject, as any record normal book would have been. The first page simply had one word on it. "CLASSIFIED" and the rest were blank.
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The air was filled with a soft bitter aroma, the kind that is indefinitely established in a home after years of use. This aroma was unique however; it didn't have the same musty old sense that most home odors did. It actually smelled pleasant.
I arose slowly, I felt refreshed and awake after my second unexpected slumber. I found clothes arranged gently next to me, with a card indicating that they were mine. I made a mental memo to thank whomever had put them there and quickly got dressed.
Leaving my temporary bedroom, I walked slowly down the hallway; every step seemed to make the floor creak with age. Entering into a room that resembled an American family room, I took notice of my surroundings. There was a small T.V in one corner, showing signs of age and use. There was a bookcase adjacent to it, crammed full of books that appeared to have not been touched since they were placed there.
"Ahem" interrupted a voice from behind me. I turned my head and my body followed. There stood a teenage Japanese boy, he was short compared to myself, but from what I knew of Japanese people, this was not to be unexpected. He spoke again. "You must be Steve; my name is Keiichi Morisato, I am pleased to meet you." He bowed curtly and I followed suit. I did not know a lot about the Japanese culture, but I did know that respect was very important to the Japanese people, and so not wanting to offend the owners of this establishment, I did the best I could to not be disrespectful.
"Likewise, umm… I'm sorry about imposing on you here." I said apologetically, despite the fact that in the last twenty four hours, I had fainted twice and had no choice in coming to Japan.
"Oh do not worry about it" Keiichi replied automatically, despite his assurances, I still felt like I was imposing. "By the way, your Japanese is excellent, how did you learn to articulate so well?"
This statement floored me, not only because my Japanese was nothing more than a few words I had come to know off of various anime shows, but because I was thinking the same thing about Keiichi's English.
"Excuse me…" I said a little too harsh, not intentionally, but out of confusion. However before I could finish my statement, I was interrupted by a voice that I recognized from yesterday.
"That would be my doing, both of you are speaking your native languages, however, to avoid the natural confusion that would ensue from the language barrier, I have altered Steve's language skills. Anyone he speaks to hears what he is saying in their native tongue." She explained as if she did it everyday. "I am sorry for not telling you sooner Keiichi my dear." As she said this she walked over to the young man I was talking with and linked her arm with his.
The connection between the two went off like fireworks in my mind; I knew this woman was a Goddess, so now I was under the impression that the young man I was speaking to must have been a God.
"I think we should all sit down and discuss what has happened" Belldandy stated. Beckoning me to follow her and Keiichi, we sat down at a square table in the adjacent room. Before I could say anything, Belldandy called for the other two residences, or as I would later find out, her sisters.
The woman that had granted my wish entered first. Walking in like nothing was amiss she sat down quickly at the table across from me, next to Belldandy. She barely seemed to acknowledge my presence despite a quick glance upon entering the room. Shortly after Urd sat down, the hammer toting girl entered from the same doorway Urd had come in. She seemed to be slightly timid about the situation, and sat down on the other side of Urd, as if fearing an attack from myself.
"Let me introduce everyone properly this time" said Belldandy, breaking the ice. "Urd, whom you have already met is my older sister." Urd nodded to me in acknowledgement and I did the same. "Skuld, whom you met briefly" she said hesitating at the words "Is my younger sister" "This," she said gesturing to the Japanese God to the left of her. "Is Keiichi, my boyfriend." "And I, as you already know, am Belldandy."
"Pleased to meet you all" I said, trying not to make eye contact with Skuld, considering how our first encounter went. "Umm… well, my name is Steve Eaton" Not sure of what else to say at the time, I waited for a sign from one of the Goddesses or the God.
"Perhaps we should tell you a little more about our history" stated Urd. "Names aren't a very good way to get to know someone." I agreed to this, and then for the next half hour I was treated to the story of how Belldandy and Keiichi met, and some of the following drama.
"So you mean to say that Keiichi is not a God?" I stated after Belldandy finished explaining the wish that Keiichi had met.
This caused Urd to burst out laughing. "This mortal, a God!" "He doesn't even have the nerve to…" Urd's statement was cut off by a fast moving object that resembled a cushion.
"URD!!" Belldandy shouted louder than I had expected she could have. While this drama was unfolding Keiichi sat there looking slightly dejected.
I knew slightly how he felt, while not due to fear of the opposite sex, I personally chose not to have sex before marriage Because of this I was often ridiculed by my peers and colleagues.
After the shouting match between Belldandy and Urd had simmered down, I found myself being eyed by four people awaiting a short description of my life. So I wasn't going to let them down.
"Well where do I start?" I thought aloud while thinking of what to say. "I am 17 years old, and until yesterday I lived in Ontario, Canada. I was in my senior year at high school and I take a great interest in computers, music, and video making." I intentionally left out some of my major life events, as not to reveal too much too fast. I had a bad habit of babbling when I was nervous, and if three Goddesses asking you about your history isn't enough to make someone nervous, then nothing is.
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While Steve was giving a bit of information on his background, Urd's mind was on something else. The book. The record book that is supposed to have all of her mortal charges history, every single detail about him. All of it was sealed away. There was no record of anything like this happening in the history of the earth realm.
When Steve was finished talking, Urd jumped up and ran into the kitchen, there the book lay peacefully on the counter, awaiting the key that would unlock its secrets. Returning with the book in hand she laid it on the table in front of everyone.
"What is that?" Steve asked almost immediately.
"This, is you, or at least, it's supposed to be" Urd replied, and upon explaining this, she opened the book to the page where the index was supposed to be.
"Classified?" exclaimed a puzzled Steve. "Why does it say that?"
"I was hoping you would know" Urd sighed. "But it appears that you don't"
Steve flashed her look of irritation, as if failing before having a chance to try. "May I please see the book?" Steve asked Urd as she started to walk back into the kitchen.
Urd smiled slightly as she turned around. "Sure!" This is what she had been hoping for, perhaps the seal could only be broken by the book's owner. However, the owner would have to want to break the seal as it could not be broken inadvertently.
Stretching out her arm to hand Steve the book Urd felt a strong surge of power as Steve stood up to accept the offer.
A flash of light stuck down when Steve made contact with the book. The force behind the explosion was great enough to send everyone backwards a few feet, but did not harm anyone directly.
After the smoke cleared from the area, Belldandy was the first to notice what was wrong.
"Steve!" she exclaimed.
The problem quickly became apparent to everyone else in the room.
Steve was gone.