I do not own Ah! My Goddess or any of its related characters or copyrights. These are the property of Kosuke Fujishima and the relevant corporate bodies.

Light's Nemesis

Chapter 2: Spirit of Sorrow

In her dormitory on the Inokura campus, Sora Hasegawa sat at her computer attending to her course work, or at least trying. It had happened again; while attempting to purchase books of a certain nature the clerk had remarked, pleasantly, that she "looked a bit young for this" and "couldn't be out of high school". Though the problem was rectified with the rapid use of her university ID, Sora still reflected bitterly on it; still after so long she hadn't developed into a recognisably adult woman. It wasn't that she felt embarrassed, she had become accustomed to that long ago, but she had developed a quiet and indelible envy she towards those she had known since her school days. These girls had had grown into pleasantly attractive young women while she had retained the appearance of a girl just out of Middle school. "No, not quite", she reminded herself sardonically, "he said High School, which is a small improvement". It was this small consolation; this minor improvement in the years she had attended Nekomi Tech that elicited tears. She leant over her console as they ran down her freckled cheeks and soon the only sound in the room was the sobs of a young woman pained by a longing that seemed almost unattainable.

High above the roof opposite the dorm of the weeping Sora was the figure of Mephistopheles, unseen and unheard by all. The current object of his interest was the melancholy young woman. He had been silently observing her, analysing her current thoughts and form through the steel and brick of the dorm walls. In the darkness above the roof he smiled his secret smile; there could be no doubt that this was Sora Hasegawa, a friend of Keiichi and, more importantly, Belldandy. A young woman with a sharp and erudite mind, popular amongst her friends as the president of the Motor club and renowned for a nervous but pertinacious predisposition. But this remarkable young woman had, as she saw it, one problem: her body. In the last few years she had developed marginally but many still got the first impression of a girl in her first years of high school. He considered that in later years she would bloom, reflecting on the eternal fascination mortals had for their form. As he watched he considered that this young woman would, with another, be a catalyst; the means to his own end and reflected that he would need to make a considerable impression and with that thought his form faded into shadow.

Sora's tears were now subsiding though her cheeks were still wet. She silently urged her self to get back some control; that in time she would grow. Getting up, she wiped her eyes with a handkerchief as she went to her book shelf and retrieved the book she was looking for, though as she returned to her desk a tranquil, almost melodic voice seemed to pass through the room. "Oh maiden, oh sweet young girl" the voice, almost a whisper, echoed through her mind. Turning now, Sora wondered where the voice was coming from until the strange, disembodied voice returned, "Ah how sweet, so fragile and yet a remarkable curiosity" it seemed to whisper from the air it's self. Sora walked slowly back to the desk, the first uneasy sensations of fear dancing around her consciousness. Leaning against her desk she called out, trying to suffuse her voice with frustration.

"Who's there? This had better not be a Joke, and if it is I'm not laughing!

Her heart leapt into her throat as the voice responded , now seeming more distinct and close. Very close.

"My apologies my dear, but I do not concern my self with jokes."

With this the shadows of the room seemed to advance out; long tendrils of darkness forming a shape before her. The mass rapidly took shape forming the figure of a tall man. As the shadow manifested, the figure of Mephistopheles emerged fully and he bowed before the terrified Sora.

"My most profound apologies, I did not mean to frighten you" he said in the same tranquil tones she had heard earlier.

Sora stood speechless for a few moments then asked in terrified tones, "w…who are y…you? what are y…you?"

Mephistopheles smiled a small smile as he answered, trying to reassure the young woman," My name and being are the same my dear , I am the Spirit of Sorrow. Your melancholy sighs have summoned me to you this night."

"Well I'm…..eh….sorry to have disturbed you sir…em… spirit, I didn't mean to."

"You didn't disturb me, my dear Sora. My purpose is to find sorrow and, where possible, rectify the unpleasant matter."

Sora was intrigued if still extremely cautious, "So you're like an Angel or some kind of deity then?"

Mephistopheles answered, smiling inwardly at something so far from the truth," Not quite. I am what you might call a spirit of nature. A creature created with the power to right the things that cause sorrow."

"Em……ok……..but I don't think even a spirit of nature could fix my problem," she said with resigned tones.

"Ah but if you don't tell me I wouldn't know if it is within my power to fix." He replied with a pleasant smile.

Sora wondered for a moment, considering the surreal situation she was now in. Well it wouldn't hurt. " Well em…..you see since junior High school I haven't really grown. All the others have since then. All became…..beautiful. They've all become women to the world……….except for me." She added quietly. "Everyone I meet always says the same thing, that I look like a "Junior High School student" or that I'm "Baby faced" but I…I just want a look like others my age."

As she stopped, she sighed and sank onto her bed, taking her glasses of to clean. As she did this Mephistopheles watched and for the first time felt her power; an echo of Belldandy's abilities from a past encounter. This girl had been embraced and loved by the Goddess on many occasions for her innocence and purity. It seemed a delicious irony that Sora would assist in the destruction of her relationship, he contemplated.

Sora had finished cleaning her glasses and looked up, acknowledging for the first time that the spirit towered over her, maybe 6 foot, and that his features were Caucasian.

"I don't want to sound rude but……….where do you come from? Heaven or a spirit world maybe?"

"The world itself and humanity is of interest to me but I live far from here in a different plane of existence; a place where I can keep an eye on the world."

"Oh………right" Sora's fascination grew further still as the spirit answered her earlier problem.

"Well Sora it seems that I can help you after all." The spirit produced a small parchment of paper with Sora's precise wish written upon it." This will allow your wish to manifest but first, I'm afraid, you'll have to sign here first."

At this Sora felt a tremor of fear as she recalled how, in movies, Demons would have mortals sign their souls away for power or money. " What! But I couldn't give you my soul! What are you? A demon then?."

Mephistopheles adopted a bemused expression and then quickly apologised," My apologies once more my dear Sora! But no, I'm not a demon but I'm not a Dijin either."

"You mean like a Genie?"

"If that is what your name for such a creature is, then yes. But unlike them I cannot grant wishes at random, thus necessitating the need for a small contract."

"Well then……ok, if it's absolutely necessary." Sora responded with a smile.

At this Mephistopheles handed her the contract; a quill pen materialising in his free hand. Following this he gave her the pen.

As she prepared to sign, trepidation and anticipation suffusing her mind and heart, she turned looking into the pleasant green eyes and pale face of the spirit, then she signed.

She handed the parchment back to him. "Thank you, I really do appreciate this."

"The pleasure has been all mine my dear Sora", the spirit said smiling back.

"And thus as a spirit of nature" Mephistopheles said, a spell appearing before him as a programme, "by the consent of the fore signed let", he made a small gesture towards Sora," the flesh reflect the mind." At this moment Sora was suffused with a powerful energy that seemed to course along every vein and synapse but faded as soon as it started. She staggered, leaning against the chair for support. Seemingly in a daze she approached the bath room, a painful sensation rising and falling with every breath. She entered feeling nauseous, clutching her side, her vision swam as she became oblivious to the world around her. Mephistopheles followed, returning to his usual appearance. It was a feeling of quiet satisfaction that he observed the form of Sora Hasegawa lying on the bathroom floor; her breathing laboured, her glasses lying next to her head. The demon watched as the breathing became deeper. The bathroom soon echoed to the sound of bone rearranging its self, flesh stretching and tearing cloth as her clothing could no longer contain her transforming self………………………

Mephistopheles observed the fruits of his spell and smiled his secret smile; no one, with a few exceptions, would link them and now the first chess piece had been moved," One ready and now to the next." It was with this thought that he left the bathroom door, returning to the main room where he vanished once more to acquaint himself with his second pawn, leaving the transformed Sora Hasegawa to her new task.

I would appreciate any comments or criticism you have (including flames).