Chapter 4

Mana fingered the hilt of her sword as she paced about in the small clearing. In trees and hills around the clearing, hundreds if not thousands of Demons had gathered to watch the battle for the crown of Hell. Many could be heard placing bets for either the 'Most Evil One' as the Soultaker was known, or the 'Half-Breed Princess' as Mana was known.

It was after hearing one such version of her nickname that cuased Mana to pull out her sword and go through several fighting moves. She swung it around her body, the whirling blade just inches from her body. She finished in the engarde position, then spun the blade quickly into it's sheath.

"Nice."

Mana whirled about, cuasing the speaker to jump.

"Damnit Mana!"

Mana sighed. "Sorry Sayoko. I'm just a bit tense right now."

"No kidding." Sayoko stood beside Mana and stared off to the other side of the clearing. There Draco and several cloaked and hooded figures stood. Draco seemed to be having a rather animated conversation with one of the hooded figures. Sayoko nodded towards them. "What do you think they're talking about?"

Mana shrugged. "Don't know."

Draco started pacing about. He then stopped and shouted at one of the cloaked figures. That figure quickly hurried off. Draco then resumed pacing.

"Seems like trouble in the Rogue Demon camp." Sayoko remarked.

The cloaked figure came back and apparently said something to Draco whose face turned several shades of purple.

"WHAT?" the Demon shouted. The hooded figure he had been talking to earlier moved beside Draco. The figure and Draco seemed to be having a very heated conversation.

"Looks like more then trouble." Mana remarked.

Draco seemed ready to explode. The Demonic Official walked over and spoke with Draco. Draco replied, then the Official said something that cuased the Draco to pale. Draco grabbed the Demonic Official and said something. The Official shook his head. Draco released the Official, then slowly walked out of the clearing, followed by the cloaked figures. The one Draco had spoken to paused and seemed to stare at Mana and Sayoko before leaving.

"Wonder what that was all about?" Sayoko asked aloud.

"Looks like we're about to find out." Mana said as the Demonic Official approached.

"Milady," the Official began, "I must tell you that there will be no combat this day."

"Not that I'm complaining," Mana began, "But why not?"

The Official glanced over his shoulder. "It seems that she who also claimed the throne……….did not show."

"What!" Mana and Sayoko shouted.

"Yes it confused Lord Draco as well." The Official replied, "He was most upset to find out that this battle could not be…….delayed. So, this day, Lady Mana shall become the Queen of Hell." The Official bowed and then walked to the center of the clearing. There, he made a similar announcement. Many of the Demons present let out moans of displeasure, mostly because they weren't going to see the 'fight of the millennium'. Mana and Sayoko glanced at each other.

"I guess we have to go and get dressed up again hmm?" Sayoko asked.

Mana sighed, "And I swore I'd only wear that outfit once."

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

Several hours later.

"Mana's coronation, take two." Asuka muttered, "And……action."

"Mother." Yui growled.

Asuka glared at her daughter, then looked at Shinji.

"Are you going to let our daughter speak to me like that!" she asked.

"Well in this case……..yes." Shinji replied.

Asuka rolled her eyes. "This is because Mana had and still has the hots for you right?"

"No," Shinji said, "this is because she's been a good friend to us, as well as to Sayoko for several hundred years." He then tapped the side of his chin. "Oh, then there's the fact that our daughter loves Mana as an Aunt, there's a Valkyrie that would probably try to kick your ass if she heard you badmouthing her 'mother', then……"

"Alright alright." Asuka said, raising her hands in defeat. "I surrender." She then pointed. "Besides, I just got another good reason not to pick on her…."

Shinji and Yui turned as the Demonic Official called out.

"I present Queen Mana of Hell!" he called out, "Long may she reign!"

"QUEEN MANA!" the Demon courtiers called out before kneeling before her.

Asuka glanced over to see even Belldandy, Urd, Skuld, Sayoko, Dawn, and Mist bowing their heads to Mana. She turned to say something to Shinji, but found his head as well as Yui's bowed. Asuka looked up at Mana and their eyes locked. Asuka smiled at Mana, then nodded her head ever so slightly. A smile crept across Mana's face before she replied with a nod of her own.

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

"She's Queen now."

"Eh?"

Draco turned and looked at the God. "I said she's Queen. The Half-breed."

"I know who you mean." Loki replied with a snarl, "If your Demon bitch hadn't run off…….."

"MY demon?" Draco shouted, "What makes you think she was MY Demon?"

Loki's eyes narrowed. "You know exactly why she's your Demon."

Draco pointed at Loki. "Listen you! It's because of me that you're here! Unless you'd rather let Gungir have another shot at your ass!"

Loki stood up and seemed ready to let go with a response, when he paused. He then sat back down.

"We both were defeated today." Loki finally said, "But it wasn't because of the Half-breeds. It was because of her."

Draco sighed. "It seems my efforts to make her more…….acceptable to our plans failed."

"This could be good for us though."

"Good how?" Draco shouted, "Not only do we have that Half-breed to deal with, now we have that power hungry bitch also trying for control of Hell."

"That is of course if she decides to raise her own army." Loki pointed out.

"HOW CAN THAT BE A GOOD THING!" Draco shouted.

"Because," Loki replied, "The Half-breed has to deal with us, as well as the Soultaker. And then the Soultaker has the Half-breed and us to deal with."

"You forget the Heavens." Draco replied, "They will come in and help the Half-breed."

"Ah but you forget," Loki said with a smile, "for Heaven to help the Half-breed, the council must agree. While they begrudgingly helped Hild, there will be strong resistance to helping the Half-breed."

"Why?" Draco asked, "The Half-breed's friend is the daughter of a Council Member."

"Belldandy is but one Goddess." Loki replied, "She has only been a Council member for five hundred years. I was on the Council for over a thousand years, if not more. I know them in and out." Loki smiled. "There will be resistance. Heaven will not be a factor."

Draco smiled, "The Half-breed will be left on her own, an untested, untried Queen. Some will flock to her……"

"Other will flock to us and the Soultaker." Loki added, "fighting will break out….."

"A civil war in Hell." Draco said, "and with our resources."

"We will be victorious." Loki finished.

Draco waved his hand. Two goblets of wine appeared on the table. The Demon picked one up.

"To victory!" he toasted.

Loki grabbed the other goblet.

"Victory." The God replied.

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

Terra 2

"I still don't like this."

"You don't have to like it. You just can't tell Mom."

"What about…..?"

"Not Grandma either, or Auntie or anyone."

Kristine sighed. "I REALLY don't like this."

"So I've heard." Sentaro said, "Now are you going to help me or not?"

"Fine." Kristine pointed at the bolt that sat on the table in front of Sentaro. "Concentrate on that."

Sentaro stared at the bolt. "It's a bolt."

"I know that."

"Why am I concentrating on a bolt?"

"You're going to move it……."

"Move it? What? I can just pick it up and…."

"……Move it with your mind moron."

"My mind?" Sentaro repeated, staring at the bolt, "Why am I moving a bolt with my mind?"

"Because someone would frown if you tried to move Japoness Castle."

"Funny." Sentaro turned and looked back at the bolt. "I suppose next you're going to say 'Size matters not'."

"Now that you mention it……"

"Nevermind." Sentaro muttered. He stared at the bolt, noting it was a simple ordinary bolt.

"Now close your eyes." Kristine said.

Sentaro sighed, but followed his sister's instructions.

"Continue to picture the bolt in your mind." Kristine continued, "Picture it floating."

Sentaro pictured the bolt hovering just inches above the table.

"So has it moved?" he finally asked.

"Do you believe it has?"

"Yes."

"Look."

Sentaro opened his eyes. The bolt remained in the exact same spot he had last seen it.

"It didn't move." He muttered.

"Of course not." Kristine said, "You know how long it took me to move a bolt with my mind?"

"MOVE DAMMIT!" Sentaro shouted at the bolt. The bolt suddenly shot straight up off the table and slammed through the ceiling.

Kristine and Sentaro stared upward at the ceiling through the small pieces of dust that drifted down towards them. The Goddess slowly lowered her head and stared at her brother.

"DO YOU HAVE ANY IDEA HOW LONG IT TOOK ME TO MOVE A BOLT WITH MY MIND!" she screamed.

"Long time?" Sentaro guessed.

"How the heck did you do that?"

"Don't know." Sentaro looked back up at the ceiling. "Where did it go?"

"Up."

"I mean where is it now?"

"Oh." Kristine closed her eyes and concentrated. When she opened them, a shocked expression appeared on her face.

"Where is it?" Sentaro asked.

"Low Terra-2 orbit." Kristine replied, "Seriously, what did you do?"

Sentaro shrugged, "I just wanted the thing to move."

"I'd say you accomplished that." Kristine said, looking back up at the hole.

"So would I." Sentaro replied, looking up at the hole as well. "So what's next?"

Kristine lowered her gaze to her brother's face.

"I'd say……… Control."

Author's note:

For those of you who wondered, yes, I'm still working on this. I have four more stories lined up, the last of which will probably be the end, unless someone begs otherwise (she knows who she is).

I haven't had as much time working on it due to post Hurricane Wilma clean-up (did have plenty during the Hurricane).

For those who actually pay attention, my signature in the forums I frequent (www.anime-planet, include a graphic of the current running story. IN this case NG:Demon, but it will change shortly to reflect the next fic, NG: Vampire (one guess who that is about). That story will be posted at as it doesn't exactly fit here.

For those interested, the names of the next several fics are in order:

Neon Genesis: Vampire

Neon Genesis: Valkyrie

Neon Genesis: Angel

Neon Genesis: Ragnarok

Till next time.

Slayer