Chapter 8
Kei stared wide eyed at the figure now laying on his couch.
"She's a demon!?!?" he exclaimed, "Why'd you bring her here?!?!"
"Because the couch is more comfortable then the forest floor.." Sayoko replied.
"That's not what I meant!" Kei replied, "Besides, what if she wakes up?!?!"
Sayoko glanced over at Mizuho who was peering nervously around the corner from the kitchen.
"Why are you there?"
"After hearing how the demons possessed my mother," Mizuho said, "I don't want to be near her."
Sayoko let out a sigh. "Is Marie around?"
"Marie!" Mizuho called out.
Marie instantly teleported in. "NOH!!"
"Marie," Sayoko said, "I need you to do something." She began speaking in what sounded like computer chirping. Marie listened while everyone else covered their ears.
"Noh!" Marie said, then floated to the unconscious demon.
Sayoko turned and looked at Kei.
"I'll be right back.." She said, "I need to speak with my Aunt."
"What for?" Celes asked, "Just blast the demon and get it over with!"
Sayoko glared at Celes. "I told you she was an old friend." She then turned, grabbed the phone and vanished into the kitchen, leaving the vampire, two mortals, and Marie to watch over the demon.
Mana heard voices as she woke up. She couldn't tell what they were saying, and none sounded familiar. She went back over her memory. She remembered following Sayoko and the blond, then the blond had quickly pulled out a gun and shot at her. Mana had been able to throw up a shield, but she had been so surprised she'd lost her balance and fallen from the tree, hitting her head on the way down.
One thing was for sure, Mana wasn't about to stick around here.
She still had a mission.
Kei was looking down at the demon's face.
"She doesn't look like a demon." He said, "She doesn't have any markings. She does kinda look like my new English teacher."
Celes looked over his shoulder.
"I could have sworn she did when we found her." Celes said, "Maybe she was...."
Before Celes could continue the markings appeared and flared on the demon's face.
"NOH!!!" shouted Marie as the demon rose to her feet, her eyes open and burning red.
Celes grabbed Kei and pulled him back, at the same time pulling out her gun. Mizuho let out a shriek As the demon leaped forward, only to slam into a force field that Sayoko had Marie put up.
"You think this will stop me?" the demon said, "Karen! Come forth!"
Black wings shot out from behind the demon, followed by the rest of the devil. Both Demon and Devil pressed forward against the shield. The shield flared, lighting the room up brightly.
"Marie!" Mizuho shouted, "Teleport the Demon out of here! This is a priority one!"
"NOH!!" Marie replied.
"What do you mean you can't?!"
With a roar the shield collapsed, the force of it knocking Marie from the air, as well as knocking the others to the ground. Mizuho's head boucned off a table, knocking her unconcious. The demon walked over and glared at Celes.
"How dare you...." The demon's eyes widened. "A Vampire!"
"Yes, a Vampire."
The Demon turned to see Sayoko in the doorway. Sayoko continued.
"Hello Mana, it's been awhile."
Mana was silent for a moment. She then recalled her Devil and walked right up to Sayoko.
"You look like hell." She finally said.
Sayoko shrugged, "I looked worse last spring. So you finally got your Devil?"
Mana nodded, "Made First Class Demon several years ago." They stared at each other for a moment, then Mana wrapped her arms around the goddess.
"I didn't hear about it till a few days ago." Mana said softly, "If I had known........"
"I know." Sayoko replied, returning the hug.
"What's going on around here?" Celes shouted.
The two deities turned and looked back at the vampire and the mortals, both of whom were looking very confused.
"I guess we have to explain." Sayoko said.
Sayoko and Mana had just about finsihed discussing their past when, Mizuho, who after waking up,and had been helped up by her husband, turned and looked at the two deities, finally seeing the face of the demon clearly. Her eyes went wide.
"Miss Kirishima!"
Sayoko looked at Mizuho and then back at Mana.
"You know her?"
"She's the new teacher at my school!
Mana nodded, "She's right. I teach there, as part of my mission."
"Mission?" Sayoko asked, "What mission?"
"I am under orders from Queen Hild to watch over you, Goddess Sayoko." Mana replied, "I'm also considered to be 'on vacation'"
Sayoko crossed her arms. "Why does Hild think I need to be watched over? I have my Mother and Aunts, as well as the Guardians nearby." Sayoko's face then became very dark. "It's because I was under the control of Her isn't it?"
Mana looked down at the floor.
"I'd be lying if I said no." she replied softly.
Sayoko stared a moment longer at Mana, then turned and left for the kitchen. Celes gave Mana a look, but the demon was still staring at the floor. She then got up and followed the goddess, leaving the demon under the watch of the two mortals and Marie.
"So..." Mana said finally, "You're the Alien?"
Mizuho nodded.
"What do you think of Earth?"
Celes found Sayoko staring at the pots on the stove. She moved closer to the goddess, but remained a foot away.
"I should have expected this." Sayoko finally said, "I guess I should be glad Hild choose Mana. She and I are alike."
"How so?" Celes asked.
"We both lost our mothers, both put into a role we least expected, Mana a Demon, me an Eva pilot." Sayoko let out a small chuckle. "Oh Asuka is going to erupt when she hears Mana is back." Sayoko finally straightened up and looked at Celes. "Alright, tonight's dinner is going to be the best I've ever made so far. That is a promise!"
The next morning.
Celes was sitting on the table, sucking silently on a blood pack when Sayoko walked in from her morning ritual of greeting the sun. Behind her came Pen Pen, holding his morning beer.
"Last night was interesting." Celes said.
Sayoko glanced over as she walked to the fridge. "Because of Mana?"
Celes nodded. "I thought your Mother and Aunts had set up a warding spell against demons."
"They did." Sayoko replied, pulling out a bottle of apple juice. "Mana is a rather unique demon though. Like me, she has a mortal side."
"So?"
"Because of that 'uniquness', Mana doesn't react to things that a Full Demon would." Sayoko poured herself a glass of juice.
"Aren't you worried though?" Celes asked, "I mean, if Mana can make it through the wards, what's going to stop another half mortal demon from....."
"I'm not worried," Sayoko said after sipping her juice, "Because Mana is the only one. Any other half mortal demons were killed."
Celes' eyes widened. "Why?"
Sayoko set her glass down. "Because to the Demons of Hell, being a 'half-breed' makes you weak. They depise weakness, and refuse to let such weaknesses exsist." Sayoko looked at Celes. "If not for Hild, Mana would be dead."
Celes was quiet for a moment. "So what do you plan on doing?"
"Nothing." Sayoko put her glass in the sink and returned the bottle to the fridge. "Mana was sent here to watch out for me. Demon or not, she's my friend, and I'm glad she's here."
"SHE'S A WHAT?!?" Hyosuke shouted out.
Everyone in the class turned and stared at him. Kei waited a moment for everyone to look away, then repeated what he had said.
"Miss Kirishima is a demon."
"Like the ones Hyosuke and I saw a year ago?" Matagu asked.
Kei nodded.
"I thought the Goddess was suppose to eliminate the Demons?" Kaede asked.
"Only the rogue ones." Ichigo replied, "Didn't you listen before?"
"So is she a rogue?" Koishi asked.
Kei shook his head. "She's apparently a friend of Miss Morisato. She's been sent here to watch her."
"Watch her? Why?"
"Remember when I told you guys how she showed up at the apartment and what had happened to her?" Seeing everyone nod, Kei continued, "That's why. "
"But still!" Hyosuke said, "She's a demon! A demon is teaching us! She's going to make our lives Hell I just know it!"
Before any of the others could reply, the door to the class opened.
Mana walked briskly into the class and stepped up to the lectern. She gave the class a quick glance over, and found five nervous faces staring right back at her. Mana frowned, then turned and looked at Kei. Kei went pale under her gaze and gave her a slight smile.
'Somebody's been talking.' Mana thought. An evil smile then appeared across her face as another thought hit her, causing the six students to cringe. 'Time for punishment.'
"Mr. Kusanagi." Mana said.
Kei quickly stood up. "Yes Ma'am?"
"Perhaps you can start the class off today by reading chapter 7 to us......." Mana's smile got bigger, ".......in English."
Kei gulped and then lifted his book up.
Later, at lunch.
Kei sat slumped in his chair, groaning quietly. Only his friends were with him as the rest of the class was outside, enjoying one of the last warm days of the year.
"She had to pick me...." Kei groaned.
"Didn't you study?" Koishi asked.
"I did. With Miss Kasumi."
"Study huh?" A huge grin appeared on Hyosuke's face, "Bet you did more then study."
Kei's face began to glow red.
"Perverts." Ichigo muttered.
"Aw let him be. He had a rough night." Came a new voice.
The six teens turned around to see Mana sitting on the desks in the back. She got to her feet and walked up to them.
"So Mr. Kusanagi," she began, "Why did you decide to tell them?"
Kei gulped. "Well Ma'am, they are my friends and I trust them. They know about my wife, and what she is. They also know about Miss Morisato and Miss Victoria. I thought they needed to know."
Mana looked over each teen.
"I suppose if Sayoko trusts you enough not you erase your memories, I can trust you too." Mana's eyes narrowed, "But if you abuse this in anyway...."
"Oh no Ma'am." Kei said.
"We wouldn't think of it!" Koishi added.
Mana gave a nod, then started to leave.
"Ma'am?" Mana turned around to see Kei with his hand raised.
"What?"
"How do you know Miss Morisato?" he asked.
"Yeah!" Hyosuke added, "We didn't think the Gods and Demons mixed."
Mana's face softened slightly. "I went to high school with her in Tokyo-2."
The teens eyes widened.
"B-b-b-but!!!" Matagu stuttered, "You look you're Miss Kasumi's age."
"Thank you." Mana said, "but I am Sayoko's age."
"So you went to school with her lover." Ichigo said.
Mana's face became one of surprise. "What?!"
"You didn't know?" Kei asked.
"No I didn't. She didn't even have a boyfriend in high school." Mana sat down at one of the desks by the children. "Tell me."
"We never met him." Kaede said, "We heard about him from her friends, the guardians."
"Who was it?" asked Mana.
"Some guy who worked in the UN." Matagu said, " Kensuke something......"
"KENSUKE AIDA?!?!" Mana shouted, "Why that pervert of all people?!?!"
"You know that was what Mrs. Suzuhara and Miss Ikari also said." Kei said, "Mrs. Ikari though.....she said he'd changed."
Mana's eyes narrowed. "Mrs. Suzuhara? Mrs. Ikari?"
"Yes. Hikari Suzuhara and Asuka Ikari."
Mana set her head down.
"They got married." Her muffled voice could just barely be heard by the teens, "Why am I not....." Suddenly she brought her head up. "Asuka didn't call Kensuke a pervert?"
Kei shook his head. "No."
"Mara and Welsper left out stuff." Mana muttered. She then looked at the teens. "Alright. I want you all to tell me everything you know about Sayoko Morisato, as well as Celes Victoria. Every event that has transpired."
That night.
Sayoko sat on the ground beside her father's motorcycle. She had already repaired and replaced much of the damage done to the bike. She was just tightening up a few more bolts before she could try it starting it again.
"You and Kensuke Aida were lovers?"
Sayoko yelped as her hand slipped off of the wrench, scrapping the top of her knuckles along the bike motor. The wrench clanged to the ground. Sayoko sat there for a moment, holding her hand and muttering softly, before turning her blues around to glare at the person who had disturbed her.
Mana was leaning against a tree, watching the goddess.
"Didn't mean to startle you.." Mana said.
"It's alright." Sayoko said. She then let out a sigh. "Yes. He and I were lovers."
"Why?"
Sayoko looked up towards the sky. "He changed when he was in the UN. I saw him on a leave once, at the old Class Reps wedding." Sayoko chuckled. "There I was, trying to pick up a guy at the bar......and it ended up being Kensuke."
Mana's jaw dropped. "You tried to pick up a guy in a bar? That sounds so.....not you."
"I didn't care." Sayoko's head dropped, "Everyone around me had someone. I was just going to pick up some guy and go at it. Then Kensuke found me. We danced, and then I just started to drink." Sayoko turned and looked back at the shocked demon. "I even tried to have sex with him that night, but he turned me down. He just held me all night while I slept."
"This is Kensuke Aida we're talking about right?"
"Told you he changed." Sayoko said with a smile, "The next day, we hung out and had a great time. That night......well....." Sayoko blushed. "...was wonderful."
"So what happened?" Mana asked softly.
"I had my job as a Goddess, he had his UN job. So, we separated. We kept in touch......and then the Soultaker incident began." Sayoko started to shake slightly, "She.......broke me......invaded my mind, took it over." Sayoko began to sniff. "She sent me to kill him, but I was able to resist. Then she buried me even further in my own body....." tears began to stream from Sayoko's eyes. "So there I was, unable to do anything as that demonic bitch used me to hurt my friends. Then Mom used a vaccination spell on me......I lost all my memories. Kensuke....he..." Sayoko was openly crying now. "...he...saw me....pale...sickly....frail....I was nothing like he remembered......I didn't even remember him." Sayoko wiped her eyes, but more tears replaced those removed. "Then......he was gone. Removed entirely from the system. 't find him." Sayoko wiped her eyes again, then looked at Mana fiercely. "But I got my memories back. I went after that demon, killing anything that got in my way. And then.......she was gone, and I still had nothing." Sayoko looked at the ground. "I spent days crying in bed and moping around the house. The Celes and those kids....they begged me to help them rescue Mizuho. I refused....but then Celes told me to stop living in the past, what would Kensuke think. I realized he'd see the pale, sickly, frail thing he'd left. So....I went and got my Mom, and saved Mizuho." Sayoko looked up at Mana. "It still hurts you know, being without him. But I know, he's still here, " she pointed at her head. ",and here." she held her hand over her heart.
Mana sat down beside Sayoko.
"Thank you for telling me." Mana said.
"Thank you for listening." Sayoko replied, "Celes is nice and all, but she doesn't really know me all that well."
"Give her a chance." Mana said, "From what Mr. Kusanagi tells me, she really does worry about you."
Sayoko glanced at Mana. "Spying on me through Kei hmm?"
"I just needed more info." Mana replied, "Mara and Welsper could only tell me so much. I imagine there is still a few more things I don't know."
"Perhaps." Sayoko stood up and mounted the motorcycle. "Time to see if this thing will start up." Sayoko brought her foot up in preparation to bring it down on the starter.....she then paused and looked back at Mana. "You may want to back up. Last time this exploded."
Mana's eyes widened and she took several steps back. Sayoko brought her foot down on the starter. The motorcycle roared to life. Sayoko revved the engine several times. Each time the engine replied, a thundering noise in the quiet of the evening.
"It works." Mana said.
"Well of course it does." Sayoko replied, "I am a mechanic genius!"
Mana blinked at the goddess. Sayoko let out a sigh.
"Alright. I'm not a mechanic genius." Sayoko then leaned over and pulled a helmet out from the sidecar, tossing it to Mana who easily caught it. Mana looked quizzically at the helmet before looking back up at Sayoko. Sayoko was now sporting a helmet with the visor flipped up.
"Well...." Sayoko said, "Put it on."
"What for?" Mana asked.
"It's been months since I've ridden on this bike." Sayoko said, "So I need to test it out."
"Why do I need a helmet?"
"You are coming with."
"What?!?! Why?!?"
Sayoko smiled. "Because it's part of your mission to watch over me, remember? So you have to come with."
Mana put the helmet on, then climbed into the sidecar.
"I sure hope you know what your doing." Mana said, "By the way, when WAS the last time you drove this?"
"Oh...almost a year or so ago." Sayoko replied, "Course I didn't exactly stop by choice."
"What do you mean?"
"I sorta crashed."
Mana's eyes went wide. "You WHAT?!?! Wait a second! Lemme off!! Sayoko stop this thing!! SAYOKOOoooooooooooooooooo!"
Sayoko gunned the engine and roared out of the driveway, racing up the street at high speed. From the porch, Pen Pen and Celes had watched everything while sipping on a beer and blood pack respectively.
"Glad that Mana came along." Celes said, "No way in hell I was getting on that bloody thing." She glanced down at the penguin. "Don't think you wanted to either, did you?"
"Wark!"
One month later.
Several hundred light-years away.
The universe was full of many things, from small particles of gas, to large suns. In between was any multitude of objects. Some created by the big bang, some things created since, most made by the divine, a few made by the hand of mortals.
This was one such object.
It cruised through a solar system, examining each planet carefully for signs of life, atmosphere, minerals, etc. Nothing was too small for it's sensors.
Yet while it's 'eyes' were looking elsewhere, it missed another object hurtling towards it.
With a soundless bang and flash of light, the two objects collided. The force of the impact sent them spiraling together in a new direction, towards a system already know to contain life.
.....and one which the Gods themselves had forbidden others to travel to.
All of this occurred without anyone knowing........all that is, except for one.