Part 20: Together Again.

            Nauthiz sat in his room and stared into a mirror nervously.  He had asked Akina out to the prom, mainly in due part because he didn't want a scoundrel like Eldir to end up taking her.  However when he thought about her recently he blushed, so just for her safety wasn't the only reason he had asked her to the prom.

"Nauthiz? Are you done changing?" Hope knocked at his door.

"Oh? Yes Miss Hope." Nauthiz called back.

She opened the door and quickly grimaced.  "Nauthiz, you can't wear god garb to the High School Prom…"

He stared at her blankly for a moment then down at his garb.  "But it is formal."
"You'll look like you're going to an anime convention or something…" Hope sighed.  "I was expecting something like this to happen so I bought this." She held up a magazine of men in formal wear.  "And I've already taken the liberty to find something in here that might look rather good on you… and here it is!" She held up a page, it was a black tux that resembled a sort of preacher look with the collar.  "Cause you're so godly and charming!"

"Oh… okay." Nauthiz nodded.

"Let's see it." Hope turned around to give him a little privacy as he envisioned the clothes onto himself.  "Finished?" She asked then looked back at him.  "Oh WOW!  Nauthiz you look cute!"

Nauthiz blushed slightly.  "Do you think Miss Akina will like it?"
"Think? I know she's going to like it." Hope said and handed him a crowbar.  "You might need this though."
"What for?"

Hope sweat dropped and tossed it to the side.  "It was a joke, never mind."

"I'm nervous… I have studied every form of dance but…" Nauthiz ranted nervously until Hope patted him on the shoulders.

"You're just nervous, you'll do fine.  Akina's wanted this for a very long time so I'm sure that tonight is going to be special." She said and straightened out his tux.  "There, do you have flowers?"
"Yes." Nauthiz nodded.

"Okay, well I'll let you finish getting ready." Hope said as she went to his door.

"Are you sure you do not wish to come?" Nauthiz asked.

She put her hand into the door's crevice and sighed. "If I went I'd only have all the wallflowers and Masahiro fighting over me.  Besides, what if another baddy shows up?  I have to be ready to kick some butt." She waved her fists around and laughed slightly.

"I am sorry Miss Hope… If only I had a stronger will then I could have granted your wish." He bowed. "Forgive me."

"Don't sweat it Nauthiz, I'm glad you haven't granted my wish."

"Why is that?"
"Because… you'd have to go home.  I'm sure I'll see Tyr again someday but I just can't sacrifice my friends' happiness like that." Hope said as she stepped out of his room, seeing the slight blush on his face.

"You truly care for Miss Akina don't you?" Nauthiz smiled.

"I said…friends."   She winked and closed the door.

"Well done."

"Eh?" Hope panicked to see her entire family grinning and smiling at her.  "You were all eavesdropping!?"

"You are SUCH a Match Maker!" Urd laughed and caught her in a headlock hug.  "No love potions necessary, am I proud of you or what!?"

"I don't know if I can really claim credit for Hope's Love advice…" Skuld sweat dropped.  "But I am still proud!"

Belldandy nodded happily in agreement.  "Hope, are you sure you will not go?"
Hope sighed and spun around.  "I'm going to sketch out some modification designs for my Yamaha…" She quickly changed the subject and marched off to her room.

"Being a teen… I think that's the greatest battle she's ever going to have to face…" Keiichi sighed.

"She's making wise decisions; however, I wish that she wouldn't choose to suffer all to herself…" Belldandy said worriedly.  "She wanted so much just to see Tyr again."

            Hope plopped down onto her futon and sighed, she had lied to her family, but it was true that she'd rather suffer all to herself than get them dragged into her selfish misery.  "No! No NO!! You're not going to lay here and sigh depressingly about it!" She shook her head.  "I'm going to enjoy this evening, there has to be something I can do!"  She said, and then looked over at the Jacket.  Tyr's jacket.  A small blush spread across her cheeks as she got up and picked the heavy clothing off of her desk chair and pulled it over her.  A sensation of warmth and strength overwhelmed her, along with Tyr's scent.  "Sweat and roses…" Hope smiled as she sat back down on the floor.  Though, what made her blush burn more was how big the jacket was on her.  "I wonder what he's like now…?"
"He's a fire tiger! Meow!" a voice cooed.

Hope quickly jolted to her feet and stared around worriedly.  "Hild?"
Suddenly there was a little poof of smoke; Hild appeared in chibi form on Hope's right shoulder dressed up as a fairy.  "Well hey there cutie pie! Now what is my little kitten doing sitting around in her bedroom on prom night?"

Hope grimaced and picked her up off of her shoulder.  "How many people am I going to have to explain myself to…?"
Hild tapped herself on the head with her wand and turned into her normal size.  "Oh come on, even Tyr wouldn't want you to depress this much over him! Go out and have some fun!"
"Why are you so worried about whether I have fun or not?"

"Awww!" Hild caught her in a glomp.  "You're SO precious!!"

Hope had a bewildered look on her face.  "Just how is it that I am able to make friends with almost anyone?" She thought to herself as Hild let go.  "May I have some time to myself please?"
"Hmm… can I give you a little info…?"

"What sort?" Hope asked until Hild shot her hand down her shirt and pulled out the charm.  "This for example?"

"Yes I know! I got it from Tyr!" Hope snatched it back.

"He kissed you while you were sleeping after our battle…" Hild grinned.

"Ah?" Hope's cheeks reddened again.  "Wha… What!?"
"He couldn't help it, you're so pretty!"

She sat there for a moment, shocking Hild as her blush softened and she sat there looking elegant.

"You're not mad?" The demon queen stared.

She smiled happily until tears shot down her face.  "I WASN'T AWAKE!!!"
"Stealing a first kiss like that… honestly…" Hild grinned, hoping to crack a nerve.

"Actually, I stole a kiss from him first… but it was just a kiss on the cheek… I'm sure that's what he did too!" She sighed in relief as she wiped away her tears.

"You're just no fun at all…" Hild sighed until she heard a knock.

"Who is it?" Hope called.

"Miss Hope?" Nauthiz opened the door; Hild had gone Chibi and hid behind Hope's hair.  "I'm off… now, are you sure you will not…"
"Have fun!" Hope jumped to her feet and shoved him out of her room and down the hall.  "Tell me how pretty Akina was when you get back okay?"
"Oh, I haven't imagined how beautiful she'll look…" Nauthiz blushed.  "… I bet it will be indescribable!"

"That's so sweet!" Hope gave him a quick hug.  "Now hurry up prince charming!"
"Yes Miss Hope!" The gentle god quickly stepped outside and waved a final farewell to the temple.

"Ooh, he's excited." Hild whispered.

"I'm happy for them.  I knew that they would make a cute couple." Hope said.

"It would be a shame if…"
"Hild…" Hope growled and picked the chibi demon off of her shoulder and eyed her.  "Don't mess tonight up!"
"I won't…" Hild giggled.  "Must have been the demon in me!"
Hope sighed and walked back into her room with the little demon.  "Hild, can I ask you something?"
"Like what?"
"Is there any way that…" She twiddled her fingers.  "That you could… y'know, show me what Tyr looks like now? Please?"
"Oho…" The demon grinned toothily.  "Don't wish for that element of surprise when you first meet?"
"He's seen me!" Hope whined.

"He's seen a lot of you! Ho, ho, ho!" She giggled as Hope turned tomato red.  "You're very good at this blushing bit, but I suppose seeing your reaction to his devilish charm would be just as amusing! So here you go kitten! A little kitty treat!" Hild snapped her fingers. Hope's room vanished and soon she found herself standing in a demonic realm.

"Hild…?" Hope stared around nervously.

"Welcome to my domain." Hild grinned toothily as she returned to her normal size.

"I didn't want to come here! I just wanted to see what he looks like!" Hope panicked as demons started to recognize her.

"It's Hope Morisato!"
"The Goddess of Revolution!?"

"She's grown quite a bit!"
"Holy Hell she's FINE!!"

Hope hid within Tyr's jacket and glared at Hild angrily.

"Now come along dear." The demon queen directed.  "Let's go see a little place called Muspelhiem."

"Ah…" Hope looked at her nervously but became even more so as several young demon boys eyed her.  "Hild wait!" Hope cried as she tried to catch up with her.

            Meanwhile in the depths of Muspelhiem, Tyr lay on his back in his throne room and glared at the ceiling in an extremely board manner.  "One-thousand and one flickers of fire on the wall…. One- thousand and two… more fire…" he yawned as the fires began to feed off of his command and burn even more.

"TYR!!" Mara's hoarse voice shrieked.  "Tyr! Get your lazy ass offa the floor!!" she barked as she darted into the throne room.

"What the hell…?" Tyr glared up at her.

"Hope! The prom! TONIGHT!!" Mara shouted.

"Huh!?" He quickly jumped up to his feet and shook her to unscramble the message.

"Hope's high school prom is tonight!!"

The flames outside of the castle roared even more, but then settled as the king settled back down onto the floor.  "It is?" He sighed.

"You're not going up there!?" Mara stared in disbelief.

"I'm still making up for the time I took off to save Hope from Hild… you're breaking my concentration." Tyr sighed boringly.

"You wimp!  I swear I don't know what that girl sees in you anyway! You're nothing like you used to be!" Mara barked.

"HOW WOULD YOU KNOW WHAT I USED TO BE LIKE!?!" Tyr roared and the flames outside burned crimson with his sudden outburst.

"… Those looked like Surt's flames…" Mara grinned.  "Better lighten up, or else you'll end up being just as bad as he was…"

Tyr controlled his urge to roar out in rage.  "Just leave me alone…"

"If Hope saw you now, I know for a fact she wouldn't like that crown and demon arm you're sporting… think about it…" the demon finished and left his throne room.

            Meanwhile back on Earth…

Nauthiz nervously approached the Fujimi residence.  "Relax Nauthiz, Relax…" He chanted to himself until he hit the door bell.

"Coming!" Chihiro's voice called out.

"Hmm!" Nauthiz gulped until the door flung open.

"OOH! Nice choice Akina! He's a lil' cutie!!" Chihiro squealed and gave Nauthiz a big hug.

"Miss. Fujimi I presume?" Nauthiz asked.

"Aww! Just call me Chihiro!" She smiled happily.  "Akina! Hurry up and see your hunk!"
"Okay!" Akina sounded as nervous as Nauthiz did; she appeared in the hallway wearing a Light blue dress that seemed to sparkle in his teal eyes.

Nauthiz had a fierce blush form on his cheeks.  "Miss Akina, Just as I thought…"

"Eh?" she looked at him and blushed too.
"Um… I wanted to give you these…" He held up a bouquet.  "But… well, I just couldn't imagine how beautiful you'd look… forgive me…" He said in his gentle god embarrassment.

"AWW!!" Chihiro gave him another hug.  "He's for real!!  You better not let this one go Akina!"

Akina stood there, completely red from foot to toe.  "Th… That's so sweet Nauthiz…" She squirmed, trying not to launch out of her place and glomp him too.

He handed her the bouquet and held his arm out to her.  "Shall we?"

"Lets!" Akina took his arm and smiled happily, making his blush spread.

"Okay then, have fun you two!" Chihiro waved as they left her home.

"Are we going to walk there?" Akina asked.

Nauthiz was busy checking around for bystanders and smiled.  "Allow me Miss Akina." He picked her up.  "I shall have us at the prom in no time at all!"
"I'm being carried by Nauthiz! Oh God Please don't let me be dreaming!!" Akina squealed to herself as Nauthiz took off into the sky with her.

            Back in the deepest of realms, Hild led Hope across the bridge separating them from fire and Tyr's inherited castle.  "Oh my! Look at the size of those flames! Tyr must be really upset!" she smiled happily as Hope stared at them in awe, she could feel the warmth of Tyr's fierceness all about her.  However, being that emotion it also made her quiver in fear.  "Hild, are you really doing this?  Or are you just trying to capture me?"
"I wonder, which one could it be?" she grinned as they neared the castle door way.  "Oh, but before we go any further, your clothes..." Hild stared at them.  "How about something a little sassier?"
"Change my clothes and I change the shape of your face…" Hope quickly pulled Tyr's jacket tightly around her body.

"Feisty!" Hild grinned.  "Okay then, let's go inside."
"Ah?" Hope stared nervously.

"What's keeping you? Come on!" Hild stepped behind her and shoved her in through the gateway.

Two guards stared and nearly panicked, two high status figures were entering.  "All Hail Queen Hild!"
"Ooh! Thank you boys, and how about a nice greeting for miss revolution here?"

"Long live the Goddess of Revo…UPH!!" Hope slapped her hands over their mouths.

"Sssh!" She hissed in plea.

"Oh! You want to surprise Tyr?" Hild grinned.

"No… it's not that…"

"Well let's hurry, only this long hallway separates you from lover boy!"

Hope stood there for a moment.

"Go on…"

She quickly kicked off from where she stood and darted down the hall, this was it; she'd finally see Tyr again.  She could sense his wavelength, stronger than ever.  Just beyond those two giant flame gilded doors.  "TYR!!" Hope shouted out as she shoved both the doors open, but nothing was there, she found herself back in her bedroom.

"Oh ho ho ho! You didn't really think I'd grant you such a luxury after defeating me in combat did you?" Hild laughed.  "This is but the first of your many punishments, Hope Morisato."

She stood there for a moment, ache stabbed at her heart and she fell to her knees.  "Hild…"
"What?"
"You may torment me as you wish, but remember, I hold something to torment you too…" Hope said with her mother's vindictiveness.  "I hold your pride, and I crush it within my two mortal hands!"
"… such harsh words."
"They befit a cruel demon like you." Hope said as she shoved her anger aside.  "I'll meet Tyr again someday; you can't keep me from him forever!"

"Perhaps I can't, but a painful circumstance shall occur if you two lovebirds are reunited.  Nighty Night, my little Kitten."

Hope sat there silent for a moment, gentle tears formed in the corners of her eyes and streamed down her face.  "Cruel…"

            "Hild-sama, how dare she…" Mara had tears streaming down her face as she held up a determined fist.  "See Tyr!?  You have to go and see her!!"
The demon king stood behind her, hunched over in a humble manner.  "I…"
"Don't stand there and think about it! She's crying! Hild made her cry! She's crying for you you IDIOT!"

He looked at her in slight shock, was Hope really crying for him?  He could only see her silhouette.

"GO!" Mara shoved him forward.

"Agh!" He panicked as he skidded towards the temple and came to a halt.  "What am I going to do!?"

            Meanwhile under the light of the stars, Nauthiz's face was slightly flushed as Akina rested her head on his shoulder as they slow danced.  They were awed and glared at by admiring and jealous couples.

"Miss Akina…" Nauthiz asked.  "I believe we are making our fellow classmates irritated."
"I don't care…" She smiled gently.

Nauthiz kept moving, and smiled as gently as she did.  "Nor do I."

            Hope lay with her pillow in her embrace, her tears rolled drop by drop from her eyes as she sobbed gently to herself.

"Do it Tyr, you're here… she's awake…" He rose up his right arm, but stopped.  That arm wasn't his; it was a false arm that he had employed.  However, it was hideous in appearance therefore he hid it within shining armor.  "Will she see me the same way she used to? I mean… I've become…" His horned crown was a painful reminder to him, that single object which suppressed his unfathomable demonic powers.  "She deserves better than you… just go back where you belong…" He sighed until the door came open. " Ah…"
Hope stared at him with tear swelled eyes, wide with shock and her mouth agape.  Her heart pounded at such a rate that it made her breath harder.  "…"
"H… Hope…" Tyr stuttered and took a step back.  "I… I'm sorry." He prepared to take flight but the young hybrid wouldn't allow it.
"NO!" She lunged towards him and wrapped her arms around his sides.  "Don't leave me again… please, Tyr." She sobbed and looked up at him with a weak smile.  "It's really you…"
He sighed in disbelief, she really did still feel the same way.  That brought a greater relief upon the half demon. Not to mention that her breasts were pressing against his chest.  "Hmmph… NO! Bad Tyr don't think things like that you idiot!" He cursed himself, not knowing that Hope had stepped back to analyze him.

"That arm?" She asked as she wiped tears from her eyes.

"Uh? Oh… it's a demonic arm, pretty handy… ehe…" He laughed nervously.

"Can I take it off?" She asked humbly.

"Huh?  Oh, here." He reached his left arm to his right shoulder and yanked out a spike from the socket; the arm fell to the ground and made a hiss as it disappeared into the ground.  "Still go for the one-armed me huh?" He smiled teasingly and sat down, making clear to her that he was going to stay this time.

"I… well, nostalgia…" Hope blushed.  "Our first meeting in all this time and all I can do is stammer and sob like a baby… Hope you idiot." She growled to herself, her human instincts however quickly took place.   "Oh my GRANDFATHER!!  Tyr's so… so muscular and his chin… and his eyes, they're still the same." She turned completely red.

"Hope?" Tyr stared blankly.

"Nothing, nothing! Sorry!" She shook her hands and kneeled down in front of him.  "It's just that… I can't believe it."
"M…Me either…" he blushed back as Hope's eyes were completely entranced with his, the gap between their mouths slowly disappearing.

"Hope?" Belldandy nudged the door open.  "I've made some Tea… Oh my!" she almost dropped the tray when she saw him.  "Tyr!"

"Lady Belldandy!" Tyr quickly snapped out of his trance and jumped to his feet to bow.  "It's an honor!  HUGE HONOR!!"
"Oh my." She smiled and came into the room.  "You two, why are you still here?"
"Eh?  Oh, we weren't!" Tyr panicked and made Hope's blush turn redder.

"He just came back!" Hope added.

"Well then, perfect timing." She looked to the clock on Hope's wall.  "The prom lasts three more hours… are you sure you will not go Hope?" Belldandy asked with a smile.

"The prom! That's right!" Tyr and Hope said in unison, making their blushes again deepen.

"Hurry up and get dressed."

"Okay!" Tyr nodded excitedly, until Belldandy took his hand and escorted him out.

"You may dress in the bathroom."
"Aww…"
"What was that?" Belldandy asked naively.

"N…Nothing Lady Belldandy!" He panicked.

"What's that!? A guy I hear!?" Urd's voice cooed. "OOH! TYR!"
"Oh boy…" Hope sighed as her face cooled down.

           
            A short while later…

"Damn, Damn, Damn!" Masahiro cursed as several of his employed spies came to report that Hope was definitely not there.  "How can this be!?  The queen of the prom refuses to show!?  Do you know how much I dished out to change all the king's ballots to my name!?"
"Yes sir." They all said.

"Agh! My Queen!" He sobbed until he heard a collective gasp.  "Eh?" He saw the awed look in their eyes and quickly shot his glare to the entrance of the prom.  There stood Hope, her hair sparkling with a sakura flower tucked behind her right ear, and wearing a beautiful white dress that seemed to hue when she moved from pink to blue.  Not only that, her arm was wrapped around that of a golden tanned man, with short messy blondish brown hair, brown mischievous eyes, odd red symbols on his face, and in a tuxedo that made all the girls flush.

"Humans…" Tyr grinned.

"Hush." Hope looked up at him with a wink.

"Where are this Nauthiz and Akina you told me about?  I'd like to give a shout to the guy that tried to bring me up to see you in the first place." He smiled.

"I know they're here…" Hope scanned through the crowed until it burst apart by Masahiro's barge.
"HOPE MORISATO!!" he cried out until he came face to face with her.  "Who is this!? THIS RUFFIAN!? This over packed BRUTE!!"

Hope smiled and leaned onto Tyr's shoulder.  "This is my one true love, don't you recognize him?" She asked as a blush spread across Tyr's face.

"I care not to!" He growled and grabbed Hope's other wrist.  "You are the Prom Queen and I am the Prom King! The only one you'll dance with tonight is ME!!"

Tyr's eyes flared with fire and he quickly shot his left hand onto Masahiro's throat, lifting him off the ground with no effort.  "I remember you now… Masahiro." He growled.  "Keep you're filthy ape hands off of my GIRL!!" With that he flung Masahiro into the forest like a dart, raising a thunderous applause through the entire prom.  "Why are they applauding?" He asked confusedly.  "They don't fear my wrath?"
"Oh Tyr." Hope sighed and took his arm.

"HOPE!!" Akina's voice shouted over the chatter.

"Eh? Akina!" Hope smiled happily as Akina and Nauthiz forced their way through the crowd.  "Oh! Look at you two! You're adorable!"

"I thought you weren't going to come! Who's this?" Akina asked curiously and got into his face.  "Who's good enough to yank Hope out of her lair of sorrow?" She analyzed him then remembered Masahiro flying like a dart.  "TYR!"

"The strange black haired girl!" Tyr laughed.

"Miss Hope, I'm so glad for you." Nauthiz smiled happily.

Hope nodded, but then, a harsh realization occurred.

"Okay everybody! Now that Hope and her guy got rid of the party pooper! Let's get this party back on track!" The DJ shouted and kicked the music back on.

"Oh!  Slow romantic music!  Let's go Nauthiz!" Akina smiled.

"Of course, Miss Akina." He smiled back as they walked back to the dancing.

"Oh no…" Hope stared nervously.

"What's wrong?" Tyr asked.

"Huh? Oh, it's… it's nothing…" She looked down.

"He's the one sent to grant your heart's desire wasn't he?" He asked again.

"Yes…"
He sighed then held her hand.  "Something will work out… it worked out for us." He said in reassurance.

Hope felt a little lighter and clasped her hand to his.  "I hope so."

            "These things that human's call proms are rather joyful, though there are mixed emotions and various situations.  I very much enjoyed the chance to dance with Miss Akina.  I pray that someday… I should dance with her again… End Human Analysis Journal."

*A Fan Author's Worthless rant *

I am INCREDIBLY sorry that it took me so long to finish this chapter.  It was another one of those areas where you had to decide what events to use now and which to save for later.

Hope: Not to mention the fact that poor Liz has been sucked into the torment that is being a High School Junior.

Damn the Scarlet Letter!! XD If I have to read the word bosom or breast one more time I'll go ceraaazyaaa…  Don't get me started on Chemistry, I have no idea why I signed up for that class… specially cause she gives me homework every night for a topic I will never use in my lifetime!! *rant, rant * I also haven't had time nor inspiration to draw.  I couldn't even draw a request if I was put up to it.

Also there's the lil problem that now I have been sucked into the world of RPG'ing XD  FF7 is messin with me XD

However, I'd like to add my recommendation corner! Eat Pocky and go see the movie 'Underworld' * I love werewolves * X3 or like Adept and I, you can see the movie and sneak two boxes of pocky in the theatre! XD

End Rant.