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 4: Loves Strange Designs
The morning sun caressed the face of Keiichi Morisato as he departed to Nekomi Tech. Having strapped his helmet on he turned to Belldandy, her expression competing with the sun for radiance, and waved goodbye. As he made his way along the road and finally vanished form view she returned to their temple home. But as she was about halfway she detected something odd; the birds continued to sing, the sky was clear and a faint breeze rustled the nearby trees but it wasn't as before. This feeling couldn't be articulated but it seemed to be constant, as if the very fabric of reality had been minutely changed. She frowned, her sapphire eyes betraying her unsettled mind and she looked across the town of Nekomi with the first feelings of concern.
Keiichi arrived at his class and was listening intently as the lecturer spoke until he felt the need to swap note books. Turning quietly and trying not to make any noise, he opened his bag and withdrew the other book. It was then that he spied a most remarkable sight. The occupant of the seat at the end of the row was a young woman of great and indelible beauty. She wore a loose white blouse which displayed her slim arms with delicate hands and long fingers. Her face is akin to sculpted marble; small but full lips lead to a small nose and eyes of the deepest hazel. These features lead to hair that is a brunette cascade of soft curls reaching town her back. The intellectual impression is further enhanced by the stylish pair of glasses mounted on her pert nose. Keiichi silently chides himself for admiring her; knowing well that his girl friend is both gifted with divine trust and beauty. The class continues but he cannot help himself as he glances occasionally at this beauty that, incredibly, he hasn't noticed until now. The class ends and Keiichi, now partially blushing, watches the girl leave; her jeans giving a slight indication of the toned legs beneath. Forcing himself to get a grip, he leaves the lecture theatre and returns to his bike. As he mounts it he begins to notice the darkening sky; the first drops of rain landing on the bike's windshield. Checking his watch he notices the time and leaves, knowing that Chihiro considers punctuality to be worthy of iron respect.
The rain had become more constant by the time that Keiichi arrived at "Whirl Wind". He eagerly wanted to start; memories of the unnoticed beauty seemed to worm their way into his mind and, as yet, he couldn't shake them out. Needless to say, it was with a strange feeling of joy and consternation that he opened the main entrance and found his boss chatting away to the girl from his earlier class. It was with an expression of guilt that he approached the pair of women standing at the counter.
"Morisato! What time do you call this? Work started ten minutes ago!" Chihiro declared, her amiable expression becoming forbidding in an instant.
He groaned inwardly," Sorry boss, the traffic was terrible and this rain isn't helping any."
"Excuses, excuses……" she began and then thought better of it," Well we've got a customer who needs a tyre replaced. She turned to the young woman," Sumiko let me introduce Keiichi Morisato. Keiichi meet a friend of mine, Sumiko Kasai." Sumiko smiled, " Nice to meet you." Keiichi made his greetings but was inwardly delighted; Sumiko sounded as good as she looked. This was followed by his conscience scolding him again for forgetting Belldandy. He was roused from his reflections by Chihiro," Well the rain seems to have let up, so you could get the replacement. I've got some paperwork to do…oh and call me if you need anything."
"Umm……sure boss," Keiichi answered, still amazed at Sumiko's beauty.
The rain had almost completely stopped by the time Keiichi finished. The tyre was placed on the Fiat, a small car similar to the model Sora Hasegawa drove. Keiichi turned to Sumiko, making a first tentative step towards conversation," Em… so, have you known Chihiro long?"
"Yes, we met at a race once and got chatting, I think it was just before she decided to start her own company. Wonderful isn't it that she is finally pursuing her ambitions."
"Yes it is," Keiichi returned, his fascination growing by the minute. Sumiko seemed to have an oddly reassuring aura around her; one that focused Keiichi on her while simultaneously dispelling his thoughts of Belldandy. Of course his is oblivious to this subtle enchantment and begins to feel the first pangs of attraction.
"And when did you meet her" Sumiko asked, turning her angelic face towards him.
"Well, I first met her when she returned to the Nekomi Tech campus. She was looking for workers and I was on hand, so I applied."
"That's nice. It must have been a superb opportunity; to work with something that you love."
"It certainly is," his response punctuated with an impromptu mental comparison of Sumiko with Belldandy. His conscience tried to reassert it's self but was drowned in the growing power of the spell around this young woman.
He stripped the gloves from his hands, satisfied with his work," I've replaced the tyre but if the suspension keeps giving you problems then bring it back and we'll try to improve it."
"Thanks."
"Say…you wouldn't happen to know Sora Hasegawa would you? its just that her car is the same and it really was a surprise to find two so similar."
"Sora Hasegawa" she contemplated for a moment," She's a member of the Motor Club isn't she? "
Keiichi nodded and Sumiko answered," I've seen her around but we aren't acquainted, she seems nice though."
" She is……em..you should come around to the club sometime, I'm sure Chihiro would be glad to introduce you to the group."
"Thank you, that would be nice." Her voice assuming an almost melodic quality as she smiled; a smile that nearly captivated the young man as he gazed into the hazel pools now looking at him.
After this, she returned to "Whirl Wind" to pay Chihiro and then prepared to leave. As she did so she turned to Keiichi," Thanks and hopefully we'll meet again sometime."
Keiichi smiled, all the while trying to fight the rising temperature in his cheeks," Yeah, I hope so."
With that she climbed into the small Fiat and left. Keiichi, at a loss to explain why, watched her go wondering how such a remarkable person had remained unknown to him for all these years at Nekomi Tech. He wouldn't admit it, but in her he had seen a creature, for the short time they had spoken, that seemed like his love Belldandy; graceful and polite with a seemingly indelible aura of innocence but with a hint of a contained and mysterious sensuality which distinguished her older sister, Urd. With a melancholy sigh he returned to the office, Sumiko Kasai firmly in his thoughts.
The rest of the day passed without incident, the bewitched Keiichi Morisato returning home as usual to an ever cheerful Belldandy. Sitting down to dinner his thoughts once again turned to the interesting customer. He turned when Belldandy handed him his plate, looking up to thank her he yelped in surprise, stumbling back in shock. Belldandy gasped running to his side; the commotion attracting the attention of Skuld.
"Keiichi dear are you all right? What in heaven made you jump back?"
"What happened?" uttered Skuld, a expression of disbelief passing over her features as she beheld Belldandy kneeling beside Keiichi."
"Wha?...em…no, I'm alright, I was just day dreaming that's all. Sorry Bell."
"You sure dear, I mean you look rather pale." Bell asked, the concern etched into her flawless visage.
"Sorry Bell, really I was just stunned for a moment."
"Well if that's all." Belldandy returned to preparing dinner as Keiichi started on his.
Skuld stalked of, "I bet it was all an act to get her close to him. The pervert!" she muttered to herself as she walked down the hallway.
Keiichi and Belldandy ate as usual. They talked and smiled. During the conversation Bell mentioned the strange feeling she experienced this morning and asked Keiichi to be cautious lest Mara or, Kami-sama forbid, Hild are up to their old tricks again. Keiichi mentioned that he had met a friend of Chihiro; a development which delighted Bell, though he omitted the strangely compelling aura she radiated. The time passed and he retired to bed, the feeling of shame becoming indelible as he considered why he had jumped back when Belldandy had handed him his plate. When he had looked up to his girl friend, it was not her but Sumiko Kasai who held the plate in one hand. The tried to overlook the shameful feeling but even as he fell into a deep sleep the thought of this young woman lingered, following him down into the darkness.
The Morisato house hold, superficially, was peaceful but it occupants, subconsciously, were not. Keiichi wrestled with strangely inviting yet shameful dreams; Skuld was concerned with the attraction between the two lovers; Belldandy, perhaps the most tranquil of them, was worried over the odd feeling she had felt but the most interesting was the platinum haired eldest norn; Urd. This night her dreams were odd; familiar sensations danced around her as she recalled past events that were vague yet profound. The feeling of being held close; a warmth that was unmistakably maternal, filling her dreaming senses. A familiar face and a world full of distinctive colours followed , the Heavens, and then a deep spiritual pain that seemed to tear her very soul from the flesh; its two pieces writhing in conflict as they met; light and dark, her very own Heaven and Hell by virtue of her unique patrimony. But as she moaned softly, tossing to and fro on her bed a subconscious change was occurring. For the first time since the incident with Mara and the division of her respective bloods, the demonic side was reasserting it's self with a new and profound conviction; a matter which was now manifesting on her sleeping form. Her right eye began to suffuse with an ominous red light beneath its lid; her canines began to elongate and the symbols upon her forehead and cheeks, characteristic of the divine, began to fade in and out. The divine part of her soul though was not inclined to surrender to this new onslaught and opposed it, the resulting spiritual war manifesting finally as tears which stain the cheeks of this most unique of Goddesses.
The Daimakaicho entered a small room adjacent to her main office and walked to a fairly empty wall. Speaking quietly, she uttered an incantion which elicited a remarkable change; unseen runes came alive with energy as the wall seemed to melt away leading to a small walkway with another room at the end. She strode forward, the improvised door closing behind her as she made her way into this private room. The room its self was reasonably indulgent with a long divan and several art works lining the walls but the true purpose of this place is a small chest, placed on an elaborate table with great reverence. She approaches it and, summoning a key, unlocks this small depository. At this point her countenance begins to change; the forbidding and maleficent expression of the Daimakaicho melting as she adopts the expression of Hild, a mother whom has lost something precious to her. With great care she withdraws a small blanket, unmistakably that of a very young child. She carries this small reiment, perhaps her favourite of the trinkets in the chest, over to the divan and runs her fingers over the soft fabric; a small ritual of sorts which reminds her of different times. She smiles, humming a lullaby all but forgotten and then slowly buries her face in the materiel. On some days she believes she can feel an echo of it's owner; of the little girl that she once held in her arms, but on others it is just apiece of soft materiel. She no longer weeps, at least not often, during this but consoles her self that her daughter is closer. This prospect both gratifies and angers her as she still wonders why her daughter choose her light over her dark. Under her crest of platinum hair Hild's insignia begin to resonate; the six pointed star and the two inverted pentacles suddenly alive with energy as she narrows eyes which have become steel hard and smirks. Returning the blanket to its container, she returns to her main office. A scheme has crystallised in her mind. Summoning a communications programme, she calls upon her latest ally to attend her immediately.
