Chapter 10

Asuka stood over the sink, filling her mouth with water straight from the tap before gargling it and spitting it back out. She continued to do this for several minutes. Pen Pen walked past her towards his fridge, happily warking as he went. Finally Asuka moved away from the sink and took the offered towel from Sayoko.

"That bird is twisted." Asuka muttered.

"I'm sorry Asuka." Sayoko said, trying hard not to laugh. "I didn't realize he'd given you one of Celes' blood packs."

Asuka mumbled something about a weird sense of humor as she glared at the penguin's freezer.

"I'm surprised he did that though." Sayoko said. She then narrowed her eyes at Asuka. "You didn't do anything to him did you?"

"Me?!?"

"Yes you."

Asuka shook her head. "I didn't do a thing to him." Asuka then thought for a moment. "Wellâ€â€."

"What did you do?"

"I didn't get him a beer last night." Asuka replied, "I pulled one out of the fridge for myself and he started warking at me."

Sayoko sighed. "You raided his beer stores."

"I did?"

"No one else here drinks beer."

"Oops."

"'Opps' is right." Sayoko got up and started towards the front hallway. "Now to appease him, I have to go get another sacrificial six-pack. Want to come?"

Asuka shrugged. "Sure. I never did get to see much of this back-water town."

"It's not that bad." Sayoko said as she tossed on her jacket. She turned and opened the door, only to step back as Mana ran through it.

"Mana?" Sayoko before she saw the demon's eyes. They were wide in fear.

"HE is here." Mana said.

Sayoko frowned slightly, wondering who 'HE' was and why Mana would be afraid of...... Then it clicked.

"Are you sure you saw him?" Sayoko asked.

Mana nodded her head rapidly.

"Who the hell is 'HE'?" Asuka asked.

"It couldn't have been him though." Sayoko said, "Hild punished him."

"Sayoko, it was HIM." Mana said, "Believe meâ€.I see his face in every nightmare."

Sayoko nodded, "Comon Asuka." The goddess gently led Mana towards the motorcycle.

"Where are we going?" Asuka asked, "What the hell is going on? Who did she see?"

Sayoko glanced back at Asuka.

"Her Father."

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A bit later.

"I still don't understand why we are here." Asuka muttered.

Sayoko looked up from where she was kneeling.

"We're here because Mana saw her father."

"'Thought' she saw!" Asuka pointed out, "We're here because Mana 'thought' she saw her father. Last I heard he was dead."

Sayoko glanced over towards the road. While the three had driven to the site together, Mana had remained behind at the cycle, too scared to go any closer to the spot.

"He father was punished by Hild." Sayoko said.

"So if he was punished why is he still alive? Why didn't she kill him?"

"Same reason the Soultaker was alive, she couldn't kill. Doublet System was still in force." Sayoko looked back at the ground. "There definitely was a demon here."

"But was it her father?"

Sayoko shrugged. "That I have to take her word for. He was a powerful demon. He would be strong enough to break the wards that had been over the area."

"Great." Asuka looked around. "So where did he go?"

Sayoko shrugged again. "Don't know. Mana is the only Demon I feel close to us."

"Same here. You think her presence might be throwing us off?"

"Could be, but I doubt it." Sayoko stood up and started walking back to the bike.

"What are we going to tell her?" Asuka asked.

"The truth." Sayoko replied, "We detected the traces of a demon, but don't know who it is." Sayoko paused for a moment. "Go easier on her Asuka." She said softly, "She's really upset about this."

"I will." Asuka said, "Just don't expect me to be too soft."

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you."

"Thanks." Asuka then noticed something white fluttering down from the sky. She watched for a moment and spotted another fleck of white. "Great. It's snowing." The German turned and looked at her friend. "How is your motorcycle in snow?"

Sayoko shrugged. "Dunno. Haven't really had a chance to ride it in snow."

"Great. Another powerful Demon on the looseâ€â€.and I might end up in the hospital because of frozen water."

Sayoko frowned at Asuka. "If you're that worried, teleport home."

The goddess then turned and continued walking towards Mana.

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Next Day.

Saturday.

The snow had continued to fall throughout the night. By morning, four inches of snow covered the ground. Being the first snowfall of the season, and the weekend, many residents went outside to enjoy it.

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Celes walked out onto the porch and looked out over the white. While she had seen snow before, it usually not as white, due to city life in London. Celes took several more steps out, looking out towards the huge expanse of white that was once the lake, now frozen. So taken by the view, she didn't notice anything else until someone shouted.

"ACHTUNG!!!" came the cry, just seconds before a snowball impacted into the back of her head.

Celes, knocked off balance, fell face first into the snow. She sat up and stared off in the direction the snowball had come from. A large pile of snow sat off to one side near the trees. Peering out over the top was the narrow head of Pen Pen, as well as the red covered head of Asuka.

"What the bloody hell was that?" Celes cried out.

"A snowball." came Asuka's reply.

"Why did you toss the bloody thing at me for?"

"Cuase you were there."

Celes frowned, then looked around.

"Where's your husband and where is Sayoko?"

"Shinji is sleeping in for a change, and Sayoko was up late talking to Mana then talking to her mother."

A smile crept across Celes' face. "They're both asleep then?"

Asuka nodded. She then noticed Celes' smile getting wider.

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Sayoko walked down the stairs and found Shinji sitting at the kitchen table, sipping coffee.

"Morning Shinji." Sayoko said with a small yawn.

"Morning." Shinji replied, "Just getting up?"

"Yep. Was up late talking to Mana and Mom." Sayoko looked around. "Where's everyone else?"

Shinji shrugged. "Don't know. Asuka was already gone when I got up. I haven't seen Celes or Pen Pen at all this morning." A worried look came over Shinji's face. "You don't think the Demon went andâ€.."

"We would have felt that." The goddess replied. She then closed her eyes and concentrated. They opened a second later and a confused look appeared on her face.

"They're outside." She said, heading towards the door. Shinji got up and followed.

Both walked out onto the porch and looked around. Footprints went all over around the yard, all eventually leading to a rather large mound of snow.

"What in the name of Grandpa is that?" Sayoko asked.

Shinji was starting to reply when he was interrupted by a loud shout in German.

"LOS!"

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Mana walked up the street towards Sayoko's house. Her sleep had been very restless the night before, plagued with visions of her father coming for her. It irked her that she could stare down and defeat larger, more powerful First Class Demons, yet the thought of her Father sent her running like the child she once was.

These thoughts ended when the Demoness arrived at the goddess' house. Mana paused and stared at the sight before her.

Asuka, the Vampire Celes, and Pen Pen were jumping up and down behind one of two large piles of snow. Asuka finally stopped jumping and held two fingers out towards the sky.

"VICTORY!!! She cried out.

From the second pile of snow, body parts were sticking out. Mana easily recognized Sayoko's hair coming out of the snow pile, but of her face she couldn't see a thing.

"What the hell is going on here?" Mana finally called out.

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fuyu no yozora mau shiroi kakera

kata ni orite toki wo tsutae ni kuru yo

kajikamu yubi ni haku shiroi iki ga

mugen no kyori wo sotto chikazukeru ne

Small white flakes dancing in the wintery night sky

land on my shoulder to tell me about the passage of time

The white breath I'm blowing on my numbing fingers

quietly shortens the distance to infinity

yuki ga hodou mo gairoju mo mado no akari sae mo

subete tsutsumi kon de shizukesa dake oshiyoseru

futari no ashiato mo kiete shimau keredo

tsunaida te no nukumori kodou wo kanjite

The snow covers everything; the sidewalks, the trees,

even the glow of the windows, bringing about a deep silence

Even our footprints disappear, but through our linked hands

I can feel your warmth and heartbeat

futatsu no kage tatazumu kogoeta kokoro wo kakaete

masshiro na sekai deaeta no wa kiseki

mou hitori kirijanai koto

kotoba yori hoshi no mienai

mawaru sora ni snow angel

sagashite iru

Two shadows are standing side by side carrying frozen hearts

Our chance meeting in this snow-white world was a miracle

meaning that I'm not alone anymore.

Instead of searching for words,

I'm looking for snow angels

In the spinning, starless sky

tsumetai hoo ryoute de tsutsunde

tsuki sasatta fuyu no kaze atatamete

hibi ware souna kuchibiru kasanete

uzumorete yuku kakera sukui agete

I put my hands on your cheeks

warming them in the biting winter wind

pressing our cracked lips together

we scooped up the snowflakes getting buried in the snow

itsuka bimyou ni zurete yuku ondo ga sabishikute

soba ni iru koto mo kushiku omoetari shita kedo

futari no ashiato wa sukoshizutsu chikazuki

haru e to shiroi yuki mo kokoro mo tokasu yo

I was so lonely when I thought that your warmth would fade away someday,

that even being by your side felt painful at times.

But now our footprints in the snow are getting closer to each other,

heading towards the spring that'll melt the white snow and our hearts

kumori ga RASU ni kaita eien wo tsuzutta moji ga

namida wo nagasu no futari de miteita

mou kotta kesshoutachi no youni

kowarete shimawanu you

daita ude ni all my might

chikara komete...

Together we watched how the letters spelling "eternity"

that we had written on a frosted glass pane

shed tears before our eyes

So that you wouldn't break and shatter

like a frozen chrystal

I held you tight in my arms with all my might

futasu no kageta tazumu kogoeta kokoro wo kakaete

masshiro na sekai deaeta no wa kiseki

mou hitori kirijanai koto

kotoba yori hoshi no mienai

mawaru sora ni snow angel

inotte iru

Two shadows are standing side by side carrying frozen hearts

Our chance meeting in this snow-white world was a miracle

meaning that I'm not alone anymore.

Instead of searching for words

I'm praying to snow angels

In the spinning, starless sky

KOTOKO – Snow Angel

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Kei moved carefully and quietly along the forest trail. Even though there was snow all over the ground, he was still able to find his way.

The set of footprints he followed helped greatly.

He paused every few seconds to listen. All he could hear though was the gently rustling of the trees, bare of their leaves. He was about to continue went he heard a giggle. He began to pick up his pace, no longer bothering to keep silent. His quarry, hearing him, peered out from her cover and spotted him. Then with a laugh, Mizuho quickly raced off and towards the now frozen lake.

Kei ran after her, slowly making up the distance between the two of them until he was just able to reach out and grab hold of her jacket. Mizuho stumbled and fell to the snow, Kei landing beside her. Both lay there, holding hands for several moments, catching their breath.

Kei finally sat up and smiled over at his wife. Mizuho sat up as well and blushed slightly as Kei leaned closer towards her. Their arms went around each other as their lips met. They remained that way for several moments before finally releasing the kiss.

"That was fun." Mizuho said softly.

"Is there anything you'd like to do today?" Kei asked.

"I don't know." Mizuho said, "I've never really experienced this 'snow' before."

"There's lots of things you can do on days like this." Kei replied, "Like ice skating."

"Ooohh! Can we do that?" Mizuho's expression of joy was like one of a child.

"I...........uhh," a goofy grin appeared on Kei's face as he scratched the back of his head. "Actually, I don't know how."

"Oh." Mizuho's face fell.

"But" Kei said, "Maybe Sayoko or Celes knows how. They could teach us."

Mizuho gave Kei a quizzical look. "What makes you think they would know how?"

Kei shrugged. "I don't. But their place is closer to us then home and I think we need to warm up a bit and dry out our coats before we get sick."

"Alright."

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Three piles of snow were now in the yard. The pile that Sayoko and Shinji had once been buried in had been scavenged for snow, helping to form the third pile. Behind the new pile huddled Sayoko, Shinji, and Mana. Beside them was a rather large pile of snowballs.

"Ok," Mana said, "What's the plan?"

"We can't take them head on," Sayoko said, "Their defense is too thick."

"We can't lob the snowballs either." Shinji said, "They'd go right over them and whenever we pop out, they'd nail us. Asuka's got a strong arm."

Sayoko smiled. "Still hits you hmm?"

"Nonononono." Shinji said quickly, holding out his hands, "That's not what I mean at all.I........."

"It's alright." Sayoko said, "Celes has a strong arm too due to her vampire powers."

"What is Pen Pen doing over there?" Mana asked.

"I believe he was using his flippers to make snow balls."

"Oh."

"So what do we do?" Shinji asked.

Sayoko smiled. "What's the one thing we have they don't?"

"A male with opposable thumbs?" Mana replied.

"NO!" Sayoko replied. She then thought a moment. "Well there is that. What else?"

Mana and Shinji stared at the goddess with blank looks on their faces. Sayoko finally threw her arms up in the air.

"We have Air Power!"

"Asuka and Celes would pelts us if we flew though." Shinji said.

"Not us! My Angel and Mana's Devil."

Mana's eyes lit up. "Of course! They'd never see them until it was too late!"

"Exactly!" Sayoko said. She then raised her arm skyward. "Morning Bell come forth!"

Bright white wings burst out of Sayoko's back, soon followed by the rest of Sayoko's angel. Mana watched for a moment before raising her arm as well.

"Come on out Karen!"

Black wings burst out from Mana's back. Soon Mana's devil was floating just beside Morning Bell. Sayoko and Shinji both looked at Mana confused.

"Karen?" Sayoko asked.

Mana nodded. "Karen is her nick name. We like it better then her real name."

"What is that?"

"Carrion."

"Oh."

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"Ok." Asuka said, "Pen Pen: You keep us supplied with as many snowballs as fast as you can make."

"Wark!" Pen Pen replied.

"Celes" You and I will proceed to fire away with as many snowballs as we can."

"What kind of a bloody plan is that?" Celes asked.

"The idea is we chip away at their defense until we can nail them." Asuka replied, "Shinji can't throw as hard as I can. Sayoko is still rather weak physically. Mana is the only unknown element."

"WARK!!!!" Pen Pen suddenly cried.

Asuka looked down at Pen Pen.

"You know I hate being interrupted."

"WARK WARK WARK!!!" Pen Pen cried, pointing up.

Asuka and Celes both looked up. Floating above them was Sayoko's angel, and what could only have been Mana's Devil. Both carried an arm load of snowballs. Asuka looked nervously at Morning Bell.

"Umm...........you wouldn't really drop those on us would you?"

Morning Bell seemed to think for a moment, then an evil looking grin appeared on her face.

"Oh heck."

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Mizuho and Kei walked up towards the Goddess' house from the lake. The sight that met then as they approached the house was rather surprising. Sayoko, Mana, and Shinji were rolling around behind a mound of snow, laughing hysterically. On the other side, Asuka, Celes, and Pen Pen were buried up to their heads in snow, and getting further buried as an Angel and Devil continued to drop more snow balls on them.

"NO FAIR!!!" the German shouted. "WE DON'T HAVE ANGELS OR DEVILS!!!!"

"So what?" Sayoko replied, still giggling. "Serves you right!"

Mizuho gave Kei a questioning look.

Kei shrugged.

"Well at least we won't be alone in needed to get warmed up." He said.

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Several minutes later everyone was in the house warming back up. Hanging near a heater were the damp winter jackets that they had been wearing, slowly being dried out. Asuka, Shinji, Celes, Kei, and Mizuho were all in the living room chatting away. Mana sat across from Sayoko in the kitchen, both sipping a cup of tea.

"That was fun." Mana said, "I haven't laughed hard since Mom..........." Her voice trailed off. A hand soon covered hers.

"I know the feeling." Sayoko said, "With Kensuke's death, my Dad's death, Mom and Auntie leaving.........It's been hard on me."

"We're messed up."

"We're not that bad." Sayoko replied, "I think we stronger for all our hardships."

A small smile appeared on Mana's face. "Spoken like a true Goddess."

Sayoko returned the smile. Celes then peered into the kitchen.

"Mizuho wants to go Ice Skating." She said, "The rest of us are going once the coats are dry. You want to come?"

Mana and Sayoko looked at each other.

"Well?" Mana asked.

"I suppose." Sayoko said, "So long as Asuka doesn't start checking people into the ice."

Mana's eyes widened slightly. "What?!?"

"Shinji made the mistake of signing up for a sports channel. Asuka saw a Hockey game and loves the sport."

"Oh man" Mana held her head in her hands. "What is it with that girl and violence?"

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Ice skating went about as expected. Mizuho had a very nice time skating around with Kei. Kei did rather well, excluding the few times he did fall. Asuka forced Shinji to race her around the rink. Celes had tried to skate a bit, but gave up after being knocked to the ice by Asuka as she raced Shinji. Mana and Sayoko remained off to the side, watching and laughing at the others. Afterwards Shinji and Asuka had gone off to pick up some take-out, while Sayoko, Mana, and Celes headed back to the house. Kei and Mizuho left shortly thereafter, heading back towards their apartment.

"Well that was fun." Mana said.

"Excluding the times I was knocked to the ice." Celes grumbled, "Why didn't either of you skate?"

"Because we know Asuka." Sayoko replied, "She'd try and race us too."

"And I'd probably have joined you down on the ice." Mana replied, "I'm not exactly her favorite person."

"She likes you better now though." Sayoko said, "Of course, she's married to Shinji so........."

"Yeah." Mana said, "Can't do anything with him now." Mana then blushed. "He is still a cutie though."

"Oh........Don't let Asuka hear that." Sayoko said, "She still thinks Hild is out to......." Sayoko stopped dead in her tracks. Mana followed suit. Celes kept walking several more steps before she realized she was alone. She turned around to look at the others.

"What's wrong with you" Celes trailed off. Somethingâ€.smelled funny in the air. It smelled kind of like..........sulpher. Before anything else could be said, a large shape landed with a thump between the Vampire and her friends. The shape stood up and up and up. Celes stared in shock at the demon that now stood before her. He was massive! At least a foot taller then Father Anderson.

"Consorting with Goddesses." The demon said, staring intently at Mana. "I always knew it was a mistake that Hild let you live."

Mana's eyes were wide with fear. Sayoko quickly moved in front of her friend.

"Back off creep! Before I.........." Sayoko was cut off as the demon backhanded her, sending her flying through the air for several yards.

"Quiet you insolent girl!" the demon said, "I am having a talk with my........child."

"Well we're interrupting it then." Celes wiped out her hand gun and fired off several shots towards the back of the demon. Each bullet slammed into the demon's back, yet though they drew blood, the Demon didn't react in pain. Instead he swung around and grabbed Celes by the head with one hand.

"I have had enough of you blood sucker." The demons lifted Celes off the ground and began to spin. Celes screamed as the demon spun her faster and faster, finally releasing her. Celes screamed as she sailed through the air, landing with a sickening crack as she slammed into the frozen lake. She quickly sank towards the bottom, only shattered ice showing the path she took. The demon then turned and looked back at Mana, still frozen in fear.

"So.........You still fear me?" he said, gently placing his hand under her chin and lifting her head up to meet his eyes. "That is good. Fear leads to obedience. You will obey me!"

"Like......Hell......she will.........."

The demon lurched slightly as a force bolt slammed into him. He turned to see Sayoko standing defiantly on wobbling legs.

The demon let out a sigh and waved his hand towards her. A gust of wind slammed into Sayoko, knocking her back to the ground.

"I expected more from the being that defeated my Mistress. Perhaps it was simply luck." He started forward towards Sayoko, then stopped, cocking his head to the side. He then turned back to Mana. "I will be back for you my dear. Then you shall either serve me, or die by my hand." He then vanished in a fireball.

Mana remained frozen where she was for another minute, then collapsed to the ground.

Just near the shore of the lake, a fist broke through the ice. It reappeared several more times, making the hole in the ice bigger. A blond head surfaced from the hole, water a bits of ice falling from the head as it continued upward.

"BLOODY HELL!" Celes shouted, "IT'S COLD!!!"

Celes heaved herself out of the hole and then slid along her stomach to shore. There, she stood up and ran back towards the road. Just fifty yards from the road, she found the unconscious form of Sayoko. Celes looked ahead and could just see Mana's body laying in the road. But of the demon she saw nothing.

Celes hefted Sayoko over her shoulders and started towards the road.

"You really need to gain more weight." Celes mumbled to the unconscious Goddess. "You're still to damn light."

Celes reached the road and gently lay Sayoko down beside it. She then walked over to and lifted Mana up as well.

"Bloody Hell!" Celes shouted, "Is it a deity thing to be so light? I have to work out forever to lose a few pounds." Celes paused for a moment. "When I was ALIVE I had to work out forever to lose a few pounds." She corrected.

The Vampire lay the Demoness beside the goddess, then sat down next to the unconscious duo and wrapped her arms close to her body, shivering. She then looked up the road, hoping soon to see relief in the form of Shinji and Asuka.

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Technician Hotaka grabbed hold of the console as the ship lurched hard to the side. After days of searching, they had found the missing probe. But there was an unexpected development.

"The probe is firing again!" the Pilot shouted.

'But the probe has no weapons!' the Technician's mind raged as the ship lurched again.

"We've taken damage to the engines!" the Pilot reported, "We're losing speed!"

"NO!!" the Technician shouted, "Try and keep up!"

"We can't!" the Pilot replied. The Pilot then sagged in her chair. "We've lost it."

"But its right there!" the Technician pointed out the window towards the gradually vanishing object.

"You don't understand." The Pilot said, "We're on the edge of restricted space. We can't go any further."

The Technician sagged in his chair. He understood fully what crossing that line would mean.

"Contact Headquarters." He finally said, "Tell them to contact Planetary Inspector Kasumi."