Chapter 19
Sentaro sighed as he followed Keima, Lime, Cherry, Bloodberry, Megami, and Celes from the Yggdrasil building towards his grandmother's house. Otaru Jr remained on Terra 2, being watched by the Marionette Lime.
As much as he wanted to go to the party and see his family, Sentaro was really unsure about seeing Arael. He'd been continually trying to get a hold of her, but he was denied repeatedly. Not even Keima was able to reach her.
"Nervous?"
Sentaro looked over at Celes.
"Why would I be nervous?"
"Well I don't know…." Celes said, scratching her head, "Maybe because the love of your life is going to be there and you haven't seen each other in almost a week?"
"It's not like that." Sentaro muttered.
"Then what's it like?"
"I don't know."
"That's not a great answer."
"I know." Sentaro replied, "It's just…….I like her…hell…..I love her. But before we can really talk about it, someone or something interrupts."
"Oh." They walked in silence for a bit. Then Celes glanced over. "You want me to run interference so you can talk to Arael?"
"Depends," Sentaro replied with a slight glare, "How much and who on?"
"What?"
"Are you or are you not part of this pool?"
"Ahh…I uhhh." Celes turned red.
"I think I'll just walk in and let whatever happen, happen."
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"Welcome welcome!" Keiichi said as he ushered everyone in.
"Hey Dad." Keima said, wrapping Keiichi in a hug.
Sentaro greeted his Grandfather, then moved into the house. Several people were chatting in the living room, namely Urd, Skuld, Cayla, and Peorth. Further on, he spotted Shinji and Touji talking to Kensuke. Moving further into the house, Sentaro spotted Hikari, Asuka, Rei, and Misato chatting in the kitchen.
"I haven't a clue who most, if any, of these people are." Megami muttered behind him.
"You could stay near me." Sentaro replied.
"And get blasted by Arael? No way."
"I don't even see her here."
"I do."
Sentaro turned around and grabbed Megami.
"Where!"
Megami pointed out the back window. "Look outside."
Sentaro looked outside. Much of the backyard area was covered in grass, and had changed little since his parents wedding (Sentaro had seen the pictures). The rest had been transformed by his Grandmother into a meditation garden. Sitting there talking to Yui, Kristine, and Verdandi of all people, was Arael. She was wearing a regular dress for a change, instead of the robes he'd always seen her in. She also wore make-up. Yui was similarly dressed, so Sentaro guessed she was to blame.
Then something slammed into his leg.
"Hiya Sentaro!" Yoko said.
"Hello Yoko." Sentaro said with a smile, "How are you?"
"I'm fine!" Yoko then looked at Megami and frowned, "You aren't a kitty anymore."
"No." Megami replied, "Mrs. Aida turned me back."
Yoko scrunched her face up.
"Miss Aida?" she asked.
"Sayoko." Sentaro said, "My mother."
"OH! Auntie Sayoko!" Yoko turned and pointed, "She's over there with Miss Belldandy, Mommy, Miss Hild, and Mr. Welsper."
Sentaro frowned and looker over to where Yoko pointed.
"Welsper?" he muttered.
He easily spotted Queen Hild, Mana, and his grandmother, but he didn't recognize the platinum blonde haired Demon with them.
"Who is that hunk?" Megami asked.
"Down girl." Sentaro muttered, "You don't want to date a demon."
"And why not?"
Both turned around to find Mara standing behind him. She moved her blonde hair over her shoulder and glared at the two.
"Are you saying that Demons make bad dates?" she asked.
"No." Sentaro quickly replied.
"Oh good." Mara replied, flashing her demon fangs, "I'd hate to have to curse the grandson of a friend."
"Thanks. I think." Sentaro pointed to the demon. "Who's that?"
Mara looked over.
"That," she said, "is Welsper, formerly demonic cat, now restored to full Demon status." Mara glanced over at Megami. "And Sentaro is right, you don't want to date him."
Megami frowned. "Why not?"
"Because he only has eyes for a certain blue eyed honey brown haired goddess."
Sentaro groaned, "He likes Grandma?"
"Yep. Now if you'll excuse me, Urd and I are about to make karaoke magic." Mara hurried off to where Urd was patiently waiting with a microphone. Soon both were singing away.
"I'm suddenly very afraid." Megami said.
"So am I." Sentaro agree. Then he was wrapped up in a hug from behind. Sentaro turned around to find himself face to face with his mother. He quickly wrapped his arms around her.
"I'm so glad you're alright." He said, tears beginning to run down his face. "When I found you after…..I…….I……."
"Shhh." Sayoko whispered, still holding her son, "I'm fine………For the most part."
"For the most part?" Sentaro pulled away and looked at his mother. It was then he noticed her eyes. He reached up and touched her cheek, not noticing the tears running over his hand.
"Grey?"
"Yeah." Sayoko replied, wiping away her tears, "it takes some getting used to. I miss my blues."
"You're still beautiful mom."
"Thanks." Sayoko said, "But I'm not the one you should be hitting on."
Sentaro glanced over were Arael was sitting. She still hadn't noticed him.
"How much did you bet?" he asked.
"I'm your mother. I only want what's best for you." Sayoko tilted her head to the side. "So the question is, what do you want?"
Sentaro looked over at Arael.
"A chance." He finally said.
An evil grin appeared on Sayoko's face.
"And just what are you willing to do for that chance?" she asked.
Sentaro glanced at his mother nervously.
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"Urd and Mara are done." Kristine said.
"Thank Goddess." Yui replied, "They completely butchered that song."
"I think that could be used as a form of torture." Verdandi said.
"You want to try?"
"I'm nowhere near drunk enough."
Yui looked over at Areal.
"How about you?"
"No." Arael looked off towards the house.
Yui followed her gaze and spotted Keima and Lime.
"You're looking for him aren't you?" Yui asked.
Arael only blushed.
"I'm pretty sure he was going to come." Kristine said, "I….."
"Oh no……" Yui murmured.
"What?" Kristine asked, looking towards Yui.
Then music started again from the karaoke machine. Kristine thought it was Urd and Mara again. The two were the only ones currently crazy enough to sing, the others were still far too sober. Then she heard an all too familiar voice.
Her brother's.
"I hear a voice in my mind." He sang, "I know her face by heart. Heaven and earth are moving in my soul. I don't know where to start."
"Oh my goddess." Yui murmured, "Is he singing what I think he's singing?"
"Tell me, tell me, the words to define, the way I feel about someone so fine."
"He is." Kristine replied.
"Is what?" Arael asked.
Yui and Kristine turned and looked at the Angel.
"Singing to you." They said in unison.
"How do you talk to an angel?" Sentaro continued, looking towards Arael, "How do you hold her close to where you are. How do you talk to an angel? It's like trying to catch a falling star."
Arael turned a deep shade of red as Sentaro walked towards her with the microphone.
"At night I dream that she is there, and I can feel her in the air. Tell me, tell me, the words to define, the way I feel about someone so fine."
Sentaro walked right up to Arael and knelt before her.
"How do you talk to an angel?" He sang, "How do you hold her close to where you are? How do you talk to an angel? It's like trying to catch a falling Muuphh!" Sentaro was cut off as Arael had enough. She jumped at him, planting a kiss right on his lips. The two tumbled to the ground as the microphone thudded across the earth.
"Alright Arael!" Yui shouted. She then glanced at Kristine. "Pay up!"
Kristine grumbled as she handed over a few bills. Several others present also scowled and walked over to where Sayoko was holding out her hand.
"That is so ungoddess-like." Verdandi said, shaking her head, "What would Sentaro say?"
Kristine looked down.
"So far I don't think he really minds." She said. Then her face scrunched up. "Oh man……I saw a tongue."
"Just remind Arael he does need air!" Sayoko shouted.
"I was thinking of reminding them they are in public." Kristine's face was still scrunched up in disgust.
"Shameful!" Verdandi said, "We didn't do this in my day!"
"Yeah," Yui said, "It is kind of a spectacle isn't it?"
"Heck no! The Valkyries have done worse." Verdandi smirked, "I just wish I did do that in my day."
"You know," Yui said, "For someone who isn't very emotional and doesn't understand mortal customs, Arael is doing a heck of a job."
"It's all those movies she's watched with Auntie Rei." Kristine said.
Yui looked down.
"Alright Arael! He's turning blue!"
Arael broke off the kiss and sat back against a tree, a blush still tinting her cheeks. Sentaro continued to lay on the ground, breathing heavily.
"You alive Sentaro?" Kristine asked.
"If not, I'm sure Arael would gladly perform mouth to mouth resuscitation." Yui added.
Sentaro sat up and glared at Yui and Kristine.
"I'm fine." He then moved against the same tree as Arael. With a sigh, Arael laid her head on his shoulder and closed her eyes. She then reached over and held Sentaro's hand.
"Damn." Kristine muttered, "He isn't going to be fun to tease anymore."
"Neither will Arael." Yui added, "This sucks."
"Yeah." Kristine glanced over at Yui. "You ready to join the Romance movie junkies?"
Yui sighed. "Every Tuesday right?"
"Yep."
"I'll be there."
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Kensuke walked up behind Sayoko and wrapped his arms around her. Sayoko let out a soft sigh and leaned back against him.
"How are you doing?" Kensuke asked.
"Much better now." Sayoko replied as she snuggled further into Kensuke.
"Your mother came to me a bit ago."
Sayoko tensed up.
"Did she?" She asked, slowly.
"Yeah," Kensuke replied, "She said I had to take extra special care of you because you've had a really rough time. Of course I always take extra special care with you but, hey…if that's what your mother wants, who am I to disobey?" He slowly turned Sayoko around in his arms and kissed her deeply on the lips. Sayoko's eyes went wide, before they partially closed and she melted in his arms. Kensuke broke the kiss after a moment.
"Care to dance?" he asked.
"After a kiss like that?" Sayoko asked, "I can barely walk!"
Kensuke just chuckled as he led Sayoko out to an open area in the yard. He then nodded at Hikari who started up the music. Kensuke then turned to Sayoko and held her close as they began to dance.
So this is who I am,
And this is all I know,
And I must choose to live,
For all that I can give,
The spark that makes the power grow
Belldandy appeared with Keiichi and joined their daughter and son-in-law dancing under the stars. They were soon joined by Shinji and Asuka, as well as Touji and Hikari.
And I will stand for my dream if I can,
Symbol of my faith in who I am,
But you are my only
Sentaro and Arael soon joined the other couples on the floor, as well as Keima and Lime.
And I must follow on the road that lies ahead,
I won't let my heart control my head,
But you are my only
We don't say goodbye,
We don't say goodbye,
And I know what I've got to be
Immortality
I make my journey through eternity
I keep the memory of you and me inside
"This is so damn depressing." Mana muttered.
"Want me to dance with you?" Welsper asked.
"Oh shut up."
Fulfill your destiny,
Is there within the child,
My storm will never end,
My fate is on the wind,
The king of hearts, the joker's wild,
But we don't say goodbye,
We don't say goodbye,
I'll make them all remember me
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Sentaro asked softly.
"I never would have dreamed it possible to." Arael replied.
Cos I have found a dream that must come true,
Every ounce of me must see it through,
But you are my only
I'm sorry I don't have a role for love to play,
Hand over my heart I'll find my way,
I will make them give to me
Immortality (oh baby)
There is a vision and a fire in me (ohh)
I keep the memory of you and me, inside
we don't say goodbye
we don't say goodbye
With all my love for you
And what else we may do
We don't say, goodbye
Celine Dion/Bee Gees - Immortality
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Heavens
The next day.
Kami-sama sat at his desk, staring out the window. Heaven was well on its way to being repaired…….again, which was good. But his mind was elsewhere.
"You're sure?" he asked as he turned to face Verdandi, Belldandy, Sayoko, Peorth, Mist, and Freya.
"Positive." Verdandi replied.
"I have to agree sir." Peorth added, "The energy spike we detected is consistent."
"Loki has left this world and entered a pocket universe." Kami-sama muttered.
"So what?" Sayoko replied, "We go in and get him back!"
"It's not as easy as that." Verdandi replied.
"What?" Sayoko replied, "Will your sisters stop us?"
"We don't even know if that's where he went." Verdandi pointed out.
Sayoko frowned.
"Well he isn't here so he must be there."
"You're not understanding." Verdandi said with a sigh, "There's more then one pocket universe."
Sayoko leaned forward in shock.
"More?"
Verdandi nodded. "More."
"How many more?" Belldandy asked.
Verdandi frowned, then glanced over at Kami-sama. Kami-sama typed a serious of commands into his terminal, then turned the screen for the others to see. Their jaws hit the floor.
"That many!" Peorth asked.
"Why are there so many?" Mist asked.
"Contingences." Kami-sama replied, "As well as test universes and such."
"So," Sayoko said, "we search them."
"I'm sorry I think I misunderstood you." Peorth said, "Did you just say 'we search them'?"
"Yes. I did."
"I thought so." Peorth stood up and threw her hands in the air. "Are you nuts! You realize how long it would take you to search one universe? Now you're talking about searching thousands of them! It will take you an eternity to search them all!"
"She has a point." Freya said.
"I don't plan on going personally." Sayoko replied, "Yggdrasil is still connected to these pocket universes. All we have to do is contact those universes computers and have them scan for Loki. If they detect him, or the energy spike from his arrival, then we search that universe."
Kami-sama leaned back, holding his chin in thought. He then looked over at Verdandi and Peorth.
"Can it be done?"
"Possible." Verdandi replied, "We'll have to do some checking of course."
"Do it." He then turned to Sayoko. "You are a class 0, as such you should be on the council. Since you are not, you have been doing duties for the Terra 2 office. At this time, I am releasing you from the Terra 2 office. Your new task is to organize the search for Loki. He is far too dangerous to be allowed to remain free. I am also authorizing you to create a team to help you."
Sayoko nodded her head.
"Yes Grandfather."
"That is all." Kami-sama then turned his chair back to the windows.
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Terra 2
Sentaro stared bleary eyed at the table before him. Next to him, Arael seemed just as tired. Megami stared at them from across the table.
"I wonder why you two are so tired?" She asked with a sly grin.
"Don't even think that." Sentaro muttered, "Because we didn't."
"Didn't what?" Arael asked, confused.
Sentaro leaned over and whispered in her ear. The Angel's face grew red.
"Oh." She replied. She then looked at Megami. "We didn't 'do it'."
"See." Sentaro said.
"Although I wouldn't be opposed to 'doing it'."
Sentaro's head hit the table while Megami cracked up with laughter.
"Can I get in on the teasing?"
Sentaro lifted his head to see his mother standing over the table.
"Of course Mrs. Aida." Megami said, "We were just discussing why Sentaro and Arael were so tired."
"Oh?" Sayoko turned and looked at her son through slited eyes. "Just what have you been doing to poor Arael young man?"
"He didn't do anything but k….." Arael jerked back slightly as Sentaro placed his hand over her mouth.
"We talked alright!" Sentaro said, "We just sat up all night and talked, then fell asleep."
"Sentaro." Sayoko said disapprovingly, "You know I can tell when you lie."
Sentaro paled. "Umm…well….there was a bit more then talking."
Sayoko leaned forward.
"How much more?"
"Uhh…I…uhh…we….uhhh."
"Mmmph mmmph mmmph!" Arael said angrily from behind Sentaro's hand.
He quickly removed it.
"Don't ever do that ag…." Arael started to say before Sentaro planted a kiss on her lips. When he finally did pull away, Arael seemed no longer capable of coherent thought. She just leaned back into the corner with a goofy grin on her face.
"That! Ok?" Sentaro said, "We kissed alright? Are you happy?"
"Damn." Sayoko murmured, "My son's a stud. Where did you learn to kiss like that?"
"Not from me." Megami muttered with a frown.
"Well anyway." Sayoko said, "I've been given a task by Kami-sama. It's going to occupy me quite a bit so don't be worried if you don't hear from me."
Sentaro nodded.
"I'll talk to you more in a bit. But first I need to talk to your girlfriend over there." Sayoko raised her hand, causing Arael to float out of the booth. Sayoko then grabbed her arm and pulled her outside.
Megami waited until the two had left, then turned back to Sentaro.
"So who have you been practicing kissing with?"
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Sayoko leaned against the railing of the bridge and looked out over the river. Arael stood beside her.
"Arael, I want you to do something for me."
"Yes Sayoko?" Arael replied.
"Kami-sama has given me a task. I'm going to hunt down Loki." Sayoko turned and looked at the Angel. "If something happens to me, I want you to take care of Sentaro for me."
"That goes without saying." Arael replied.
Sayoko smiled.
"I knew I could count on you." She turned back towards the river. "I want you to know, regardless what anyone else thinks," she looked back at Arael, "I'm happy for you and my son. Kensuke and I agree, Sentaro has fallen for a wonderful person."
Arael blushed.
"You embarrass me."
"Yeah, I suppose I did." Sayoko replied. She then hugged Arael. "Treat him well. I know he'll treat you with equal care, and love."
Arael hugged Sayoko back.
"I will."
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Later
Sayoko walked out of the Yggdrasil building to find Mana waiting for her.
"Finished with Kami?" Mana asked.
"Yes." Sayoko replied, "Why?"
Mana started to say something, then looked off. "Nothing………."
Sayoko blinked, "What?"
"Look," Mana said, "I'm not Queen anymore. Hild is. Technically, Grandma is the next in line……but she's said she doesn't want to be Queen. She's trying to 'bond' with Hild and then Mara and Welsper are…….."
"Mana." Sayoko said, "You're rambling. What is it?"
Mana sighed. "I want to help you kick Loki's ass."
Sayoko stared at Mana.
"You what?"
"Well I could hold him down while you did the kicking and….."
"Mana." Sayoko interrupted.
"Fine." The Demoness looked at Sayoko. "The person I knew as my friend is gone. She isn't coming back. I want to get to know the person that takes her place."
Sayoko gave a weak smile.
"It's not like she's gone you know." She said, "She just has an extra five hundred years of memories."
"I know." Mana replied, "So while we track down Loki, you get to share."
Sayoko stared at Mana for a moment, then nodded.
"Alright," she agreed, "Let's go."
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PREVIEWS – Current works in progress to be released sometime in 2006
Goddess of the Moon
She sat silently on small hill, looking out over a vast gray plain. Craters, large and small, dotted the landscape, as did rocks of all sizes. Somewhere over that rise was the Lunar Prison, the place were Heaven's most feared criminals and enemies were locked away. Once upon a time, an Angel had been buried near there. All in all, it was quite a beautiful view, even with that object that was not of this place.
A four-legged spidery machine sat upon the dirt. A set of stairs ran up on leg and stopped at a platform, but that platform led to nowhere. The top of the machine was scorched, as if something had blasted off from it, which indeed something had. A flag mounted to a pole, mounted into the dirt, listed slightly away from the machine. Nearby, a strange buggy sat silent, a small camera pointed towards the spidery machine. All these things stood out from the scenery of gray.
She herself stood out. Her outfit was a bright white, with dark purple highlights. Her long hair was also purple, though a lighter shade then her outfit. Many had questioned her regarding her hair, why she hadn't changed it, but she like it the way it was. If the Goddess Lind could have blue hair, why couldn't she have purple?
She turned her gaze from her domain towards the Earth, now rising over the horizon. Half of the planet was currently in the shadow of night. Bright speckles of light showed the location of cities. There were now so many speckles, sometimes she thought she was really looking at the stars instead of the night side of the planet.
She let out a sigh.
Though the other half of the planet was in daylight, it seemed darker then when she'd first looked upon it from here so long ago. The blue of the oceans had been tainted, and the skies seemed brownish. The age of Man continued.
Cayla?
The Goddess turned her head slightly at the sound of her Boss calling her name.
Yes? She replied.
It's time.
Yes ma'am.
Cayla, Goddess First Class, Unlimited, Goddess of the Moon rose to her feet. She gaze the lunar surface one last glance, then vanished.
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An Angel's Love
Sentaro Aida and Megami looked up as Arael reentered the restaurant. He started to get up out of the booth so she could sit back down, but she stopped him. With a smile, Arael gently pushed him back into a seated position, then sat down on his lap, wrapping her arms around his shoulders. She let out a contented sigh as Sentaro wrapped his arms around her. She closed her eyes and rested her head against his shoulder.
Megami immediately began to make gagging noses as she pointed her finger into her throat. Sentaro ignored her, and looked at the Angel in his arms.
"What did Mom want?" he asked.
"Nothing." Arael murmured.
Sentaro frowned.
"Arael, my Mother just dragged you….."
"Technically she floated me out." The Angel pointed out, "I was unable to leave on my own."
"Damn Sentaro." Megami muttered, "I want a kiss like that."
Arael turned her head slightly, until she could just see Megami with an eye.
"You will not get a kiss like that." She said, "I'm the only one he's allowed to kiss."
"Now you sound like Asuka." Sentaro grumbled.
Arael only smirked.
"You won't tell me what you and Mom talked about?" he asked.
Arael lifted her head and turned to look into Sentaro's eyes.
"I'll give you a hint." She said, just before pressing her lips against his.
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NG:G Fowled Fates
2006
A dull roar was the first thing to reach the girl's ears as she awoke, her body lay on a hard plastic floor. With a moan, she sat up and looked around. Her blue eyes widened as she discovered she was in a kennel, like one a dog might be held in. Looking through the bars, she saw a heavy padlock would prevent the door from opening.
Looking beyond the lock, she discovered she was in the cabin of an airplane. That explained the roar filling her ears. She leaned against the wall of the kennel to look out the nearest window.
Clouds floated past.
The airplane was flying.
With her in it.
The door to the cockpit then slammed open. An unshaven man exited and headed towards her. She quickly moved back to the far end of the kennel. The man knelt down and peered into the kennel at her.
"Awake eh?" he said, "Well we'll just have to correct that."
He walked out of view past the kennel. The sounds of banging and the tinkling of glass reached her ears. When he came back into view, he was holding a syringe.
"Comere sweetheart," he said, "Just a little prick and then a nice nap."
The girl shook her head and stayed as far from the door as she could.
"Dammit girl!" he growled, "I intend to make a lot of money off of you. Now get over here!"
The girl again shook her head.
The man stood up and stomped out of view. Suddenly the kennel lurched as the back end was lifted up. The girl squealed as she slid from the back towards the front of the cage. The kennel then dropped, stunning her for a moment. The man used that moment to stick the needle into her while she was against the kennel door.
The girl let out a cry of pain and quickly moved back to the rear of the kennel, but the drug was already taking hold.
"That's it." The man said, "Go to sleep. In a few hours, we'll find out just what a person will pay for a real live Goddess."
Five year old Sayoko Morisato, the goddess in question, was unable to reply as darkness claimed her.