Chapter 1

perfect by nature
icons of self indulgence
just what we all need
more lies about a world that

never was and never will be
have you no shame don't you see me
you know you've got everybody fooled

look here she comes now
bow down and stare in wonder
oh how we love you
no flaws when you're pretending
but now i know she

never was and never will be
you don't know how you've betrayed me
and somehow you've got everybody fooled

without the mask where will you hide
can't find yourself lost in your lie

i know the truth now
i know who you are
and i don't love you anymore

it never was and never will be
you don't know how you've betrayed me
and somehow you've got everybody fooled

it never was and never will be
you're not real and you can't save me
somehow now you're everybody's fool

Evanescence – Everybody's Fool

2574

A loud insistent beep filled the room. The beep went on and on until a hand shot out from under the blankets and slapped it off.

Nothing moved in the room for several more minutes. Then the blankets were tossed aside and a young man of 22 sat up. After taking a moment to yawn, the man stepped out of bed and into the washroom. Flipping on a light, he looked at himself in the mirror, or at least tried too. The mirror was heavily fogged over, intentionally by the look of it, and could barely reflect anything.

The man rubbed his chin, feeling a days worth of stubble on it. He then shrugged and walked back into the bedroom and got dressed. He tossed a pop tart into the toaster, then turned and went to the small computer desk in the corner of the room. He picked up several papers and stuffed them into his backpack. He then put on a leather jacket and slung his backpack over a shoulder.

On his way towards the front door, he picked up the pop tart and stuck it in his mouth. He then left, closing the door behind him.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The man walked quickly through the streets of Japoness, heading towards the University. The University had expanded quite a bit from it's humble beginnings, as had much of Japoness. In fact, Japoness had expanded so much, the name now applied to the country, while the original city had been officially dubbed Capital City. Still, only the newspapers, television, and official government sites listed it as Capitol City, everyone else referred to it as Japoness.

The man stopped at the statues of the Marionettes Lime, Cherry, and Bloodberry. He paused to look up at the statue of Lime, as he did everytime he stopped here.

"Hey Hacker!"

'Hacker' turned towards the student that quickly approached him.

"You know I hate that name Gen." 'Hacker' said.

"Yeah yeah." Gen replied, "Do you have it?"

"That depends. You have the money?"

"Yeah." Gen pulled out a small roll of bills held together by a rubber band. He placed it in 'Hacker's' hand. 'Hacker' then reached into his bag and pulled out several pages stapled together. Gen looked over the pages, the looked back up at Hacker.

"What?" 'Hacker' asked.

"Is this it?" Gen asked.

"Yes."

Gen looked back over the papers. "It just doesn't seem so tough."

"Well that's because you're looking at the answers." 'Hacker' replied, "Unless of course you want me to take them back……."

"No no no no." Gen replied, "It's just……. I expected Professor Kurosawa's test to be …..tougher."

"You get what you pay for man."

"Easy there Hacker. Nothing against you."

"Knock off that Hacker crap."

"Alright Sentaro fine."

Sentaro closed his backpack and then started off.

"Hey! See you for the next test!" Gen called out.

Sentaro didn't respond as he continued to walk. He'd only gone another ten meters when he heard a voice behind him.

"Still braking into the schools computers for the tests Hacker?"

Sentaro sighed.

"What are you? My conscience?"

From the shadows stepped out a young woman the same age as Sentaro. She moved some strands of her green hair from before her left eye.

"You do need one Sentaro." The woman said.

"Just let it go Megami."

"I will not let it go." Megami replied, "You know that if you get caught, you'll be expelled!"

"It's not like I need college anyway." Sentaro said.

Megami frowned. She raised her hand and smacked the back of Sentaro's head.

"OW!" Sentaro glared at Megami and rubbed the back of his head. "What the hell was that for?"

"I'm trying to knock sense into you." Megami replied, "I don't care how smart you are, or think you are. You need a college education to get anywhere."

"Yes mother."

Megami growled. "Someone needs an attitude adjustment."

"And are you going to give it to me?"

"Look! I'm your friend! Friends are supposed to watch out for each other!"

Sentaro sighed. "I spent the first eighteen years of my life having people watch out for me. I got tired of it."

Megami's face softened. "They only did it because they cared for you."

"Yeah right…….That was why they always wanted me to be more like my sister." Sentaro sighed and started walking.

"Hey!" Megami said, running to catch up to him. "Where are you going in a hurry? You late for class?"

"No." Sentaro said, "It's Wednesday. I'm meeting someone for breakfast."

"Can I come with?"

"No."

Megami frowned. "You cheating on me?"

Sentaro stopped and turned and looked at the woman.

"Since when were we ever together?" he asked.

"Well….you see……" Megami said with a slight blush.

"Right." Sentaro said, "While you're figuring that out, I have someone to meet."

He then turned and headed up the street, leaving Megami behind.

"Meet you for lunch!" she called out.

"We'll see." came the reply.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sentaro entered the restaurant and looked around. The place was always busy this time of morning, and today was no different. He glanced towards the counter and spotted the server cook behind it. The man narrowed his eyes at Sentaro, then broke off eye contact. Sentaro ignored him and looked around at the various customers. He spotted his 'date' for the morning and quickly walked over and took a seat before her.

"You're late." She said.

Sentaro sighed, "Give me a break Celes, I've already had a difficult morning."

Celes Victoria gave Sentaro a smirk, showing off her fangs.

"What illegal thing are you involved with now?"

"Nothing you need to worry about." Sentaro replied as he picked up the menu.

"I should be worried since I'm technically the police." She then nodded at the menu. "I already ordered."

Sentaro raised an eyebrow.

"Should I be worried then?"

"Not really," Celes replied, "I ordered your usual. At least this time he won't burn it."

"I wouldn't put it past him to still burn it."

Celes sighed, "How long is this going to go on between you two?"

"What do you mean us two? They're all against me."

"Not all of them." Celes said, "Your Grandmother misses you."

"She's probably the only one that does." Sentaro said.

Before Celes could respond, the waitress, Cherry, walked over with their meals. Sentaro gave Cherry a smile, which was returned weakly. Sentaro looked down at his food. It seemed fine. He grabbed a chopstick, picked a piece up and put it in his mouth. His face fell almost immediately.

"It can't be burnt!" Celes said.

"No….." Sentaro said with a sigh, "It's cold." He tapped the piece of food against the plate. It clinked. "Frozen as a matter of fact."

Celes started to get up. "I'm going to give him a piece of…."

"No." Sentaro said with a sigh, "Let him be."

"But it's….."

"Never mind." Sentaro said. He looked down at the plate. "Why do we meet here anyway?"

"Because it's the closest restaurant between me and you, and convenient enough for us to get to work and school on time."

Sentaro let out another sigh. "They need to open more restaurants around here."

"Why don't you guys just try talk……"

"No." Sentaro said, "Because I know what he'll say. More specifically, I know who he wants me to talk to, and I won't."

"Why not?"

"I'm busy."

Celes narrowed her eyes. "That's just an excuse."

"Fine." Sentaro replied, "Let's leave it at that."

"No. You're going to give me a very good excuse why you won't talk to her."

Sentaro stared at the plate. "The last time we talked, we got into a fight because of how I wanted to live my life. She was always around, watching over me, protecting me." He looked up. "You know how annoying it is to want to do something for yourself and having someone interfere with that?"

"Kind of." Celes replied.

"That was my life 24/7." Sentaro said with a sigh, "And then them being what they are, they were always off doing this or that, never cared what I needed."

"I don't think that's true." Celes said.

"Now you sound like them. Actions speak louder then words." Sentaro stood up. "Their actions were very clear to me."

"Where are you going?" Celes asked.

"Class."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sentaro sat bored out of his mind. Sure this class was one of his favorites, but this particular class the students were giving presentations. Not that they were not interesting, it was just ever time he looked up, he caught Megami staring at him.

Nothing against her, she was a very attractive woman, but that name of hers brought up a lot of bad memories.

"Mister Aida."

Sentaro sat up abruptly as the Professor stared at him.

"Sir?"

"I gave this class an assignment to talk about their family." The Professor said, "I believe you were here when I assigned it."

"Yes sir." Sentaro replied.

"Then why don't you come up here and tell us about your family."

"I'd rather not sir."

The Professor frowned.

"Come now Mr. Aida." The Professor said, "IF anyone should be proud of their family it should be you."

"Then you don't know my family." Sentaro stated, "If anyone is really all that interested, they can pick up a history book and read that."

The Professor's frown grew deeper.

"Very well."

Suddenly the class wouldn't end soon enough.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Sentaro sighed as class finally ended. He quickly gathered his things and raced from the classroom. The reason for his hurry was not that he had any particular place to go, though he did wish to escape before the Professor could stop him. No, he just wanted to avoid what usually occurred after class.

The gathering of his fan club.

He wasn't exactly sure when he got a Fan Club. He knew he wasn't unattractive, due to his mother's side. But he wasn't exactly an unknown either. Ever since that day so long ago, his family's name was known to all. Now as soon as it was found out he was the son of Kensuke Aida, people gathered around him. He didn't want to change his last name, it was the only connection he had left with his father. If he got rid of that, then THEY would truly have won.

And he wasn't going to let that happen.

Sentaro had just rounded the corner of the hallway when he heard a loud "THERE HE IS!" followed by the screams of girls.

Sentaro didn't even look. He took off in a run, passing people left and right in the hallway. The fan club didn't have such reservations. They brutally knocked people out of the way in their quest for him.

He rounded a corner and was just passing a doorway when a hand shot out and grabbed him, pulling him into the room. The door slammed shut behind him, plunging the room into total darkness. Sentaro gave out a cry that was quickly muffled by the hand that went over his mouth. The sounds of his fan club stopped just outside the door.

"Where is he?"

"He went around this corner!"

The door rattled, as did the door across the hall.

"Doors are locked, he can't have gotten to far ahead! Let's go!"

The sounds of his fan club soon grew distant. Sentaro let out a sigh. The hand came away from his face.

"Aren't we the popular one." Came a voice he knew all to well.

"What do you want Mana?" Sentaro asked as he flipped on the lights.

Mana Kirishima, Demoness Class 0, pouted at him.

"That's all I get? A 'What do you want?'"

Sentaro crossed his arms.

"You haven't visited me in almost two years." He replied, "Last time you needed help with some computer thing involving Gartlant's computer system."

Mana sighed. "Things have been busy. The Rogue Demons are back."

"So? I've known that. I was there the day they let us know that."

Mana closed her eye, remembering that day. She shook her head, closing off the memories of it, and looked back at Sentaro.

"They've been getting more sneaky, setting traps and other nasty stuff days even weeks in advance before it goes off. You remember that computer failure at the New Texas Stock Market?"

Sentaro nodded. Everyone knew about that. It had made global news and had almost brought the economies of Terra 2 to a halt.

"That was the work of the Rogues."

"So why are you here?" Sentaro asked, "You need help?"

"No." Mana said softly, "I'm here because you might be in danger."

"From what? The Demons?"

"Yes."

"What for?"

"Sentaro, you are the son of a High Level Goddess, as well as the Grandson of a Council member of Heaven. THAT makes you a target."

Sentaro sighed. "I thought I'd finally gotten them out of my life, and they find a new way to fuck me over."

"They aren't doing this intentionally and you know it." Mana said sternly.

"Whatever." Sentaro replied, " So? Is that it?"

Mana blinked. "Aren't you worried?"

"Honestly? No."

"Why not?"

"What's the point in worrying?" Sentaro asked, "We all die eventually. After that, we end up in Heaven, or in Hell." He then shrugged. "Considering the way most of my family feels about me, it'll most likely be hell for me."

"You seem remarkably calm about that." Mana noted.

Sentaro shrugged. "It's not like anyone will miss me, other then maybe Dad. But then I haven't been allowed to see him at all."

"There's a reason why…….."

"What reason?" Sentaro asked, "I got to see Grandpa. He's been dead for five centuries!"

"Yeah but….."

Sentaro raised his hand, cutting her off. "They've bent the rules before, they always have and you know it."

"But….."

"Mana, thank you for your warning. I'll be careful. Other then that, I have class in about five minutes." He turned and opened the door to the room. He gave a quick glance down either end of the hallway, then looked back at Mana. "Maybe we can meet for lunch or dinner sometime." He then vanished into the hallway.

Mana stared a moment more at the empty doorway before crossing her arms and vanishing in a fireball.

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Later that day.

As expected, Megami was waiting for him at his usual lunch spot in the cafeteria.

"Why are you always here?" Sentaro asked.

"Friends don't let friends eat lunch alone." Megami replied with a smile.

"Isn't that supposed to be 'drive drunk'?"

"So I changed it." Megami replied, "Besides, if you want me to leave, I'm sure your fan club would be most happy to take my spot." She pointed.

Sentaro followed her finger towards a table entirely filled with girls. They all watched him and Megami expectantly. When Megami started to rise from the table, the other girls quickly grabbed their trays, ready to fill the spot left by Megami's departure.

Sentaro quickly reached out and grabbed Megami's arm.

"Please stay." He said.

Megami smiled and sat back down. The groans of frustration could easily be heard from the fan club table.

"So….. Where were you after class?" Megami asked, "I saw you high tail it out of there."

"I had to ditch the fan club." Sentaro replied, "Lost them in a class room."

"Oh really." Megami replied, "You didn't try to meet someone new?"

"No."

"Then who is that?" Megami asked, pointing.

"Who is…" Sentaro followed Megami's finger to another table, where another student sat alone. Her face was hidden in a book, but Sentaro could easily see her honey brown hair, as well as two unmistakable strands of hair coming off of her bangs.

"No…." Sentaro muttered, "It can't be……"

"Can't be who?" Megami asked.

Sentaro looked back at Megami. "Has she been there the entire time?"

"No." Megami replied, "She followed you in and hasn't kept her eyes off you. Who is she?"

Sentaro grumbled slightly as he looked back at the other table, just barely catching the woman hiding her face behind the book again. "I have an idea, but I need to confirm it."

"Oh?"

"When I look back to you, let me know when she starts to stare at me."

"Ok…..anything else?"

"Yeah." Sentaro looked back at Megami. "Think of the most erotic things you can think of."

Megami blinked. "WHAT!"

"Just do it."

"Fine. But you'll owe me." Megami muttered, "Ok she's looking."

Sentaro just closed his eyes and a picture formed in his mind, a very erotic and perverted one.

A loud crash caused everyone in the cafeteria to stop what they were doing. Sentaro opened his eyes and turned. As expected, the student who had been watching them was on her back, her chair having apparently fallen over. The student waved off others attempts to help her.

"Come on." Sentaro said to Megami as he stood up.

Megami followed him over to the student who was reaching under the table for her book.

"Why are you here Kristine?" Sentaro asked.

Kristine raised her head quickly, not realizing she was still under the table. The table lifted into the air with a thud as her head slammed into the under side. She finally reappeared above the table, holding her head and glaring at Sentaro. She pointed at him.

"You did that on purpose!"

"Yes." Sentaro said, "Now why are you here?"

"I'm a University Student?" Kristine said weakly.

"You graduated I believe three years ago." Sentaro replied, "Try again."

"I'm taking Graduate courses?"

"One more try."

"Watching you alright." Kristine said finally, sitting back in her chair.

"Who is she?" Megami asked.

Sentaro sighed. He'd forgotten about Megami.

"Megami, this is my sister, Kristine Aida."

Kristine blinked, "Megami?"

"…….And now that we've met her, we are leaving." Sentaro said.

"Wait…." Kristine started to say, but Sentaro had already turned away and was starting to walk away. He was, until Megami caught him that is.

"I didn't know you had a sister." Megami said, holding onto his arm. "You never talk about her." A quizzical look came over her face. "Come to think of it, you never talk about your family, even for a grade."

"And there are good reasons why." Sentaro replied, trying to free his arm. "Can we go?"

"No." Megami looked at Kristine. "Why doesn't he talk about his family?"

Kristine looked at Sentaro who was glaring daggers at her.

"He and Mom got into a big fight about five years ago." Kristine said, "They've been fighting all along since Dad….well….you know. This was the final one. He left," Kristine pointed at Sentaro, "after telling our mother he wished to never see her again."

"It worked." Sentaro said, grinding his teeth, "Until today, now everyone is visiting me. You, Mana, who's next? Arael? Auntie Skuld? Maybe Grandma Belldandy. She's actually the only one I'd love to see."

"Why her?" Kristine asked softly.

"Because she's the only one of you who ever really cared about me!" Sentaro shouted, finally freeing his arm from Megami. He then turned and stormed off.

Kristine sighed. "This really sucks."

"Was he right?" Kristine looked up at Megami.

"Is his Grandmother the only one that cares?" Megami asked.

"No." Kristine said. "Mom still cares. But he's closed all avenues of communication between them."

Megami was quiet for a moment. She then grabbed Kristine's arm and pulled.

"Come on. We need to talk."

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------