Disclaimer: Ah! My Goddess and all its associated characters are owned by their creator, Kosuki Fujishima ( © 1988 – 2007 ) Any other characters specifically created for this fictional work are fictitious. Any similarity to any persons, living or dead is purely coincidental.
My personal gratitude goes to Mr. Kosuki Fujishima for creating the wonderful Manga, characters, settings, and plots that this fiction is based on.
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"So what is it you wanted to show me?" Kevin asked Mist as she continued to pull him by his arm.
"Nothing really. I just wanted to give Skuld a bit of privacy." Mist admitted, giving a slight grin.
"Ohhh." Kevin said realizing what she had set up. "Say, since we're out and about…" Kevin paused. "Is there anything to eat?" Kevin inquired.
"Sure there is." Mist replied cheerfully. "Follow me." She said as she dropped her tug down to just holding his hand.
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It was dark, and neither Skuld, nor Dirk could see anything. It didn't matter though, as they felt each other, holding each other by their hand. Finally making it over to the bed, Skuld tripped over the side of the bed, taking Dirk down on top of her. Her heart was beating a million miles a minute, and Dirk could feel it beating through her chest.
"Are you okay?" He asked softly.
"Oh, um…yeah. Yes I am. Thank you." She replied.
Dirk leaned his head down and softly kissed Skuld on her lips. Skuld kissed back. Dirk knelt on his knees, straddled across Skuld's laying body. Still kissing her, he moved down her torn clothes, carefully and slowly removing her shirt.
Skuld broke away. She desperately wanted to continue, she wanted to feel close to him. But she couldn't.
"Dirk…" She paused. "I – I can't." she said.
"Why not?" Dirk curiously asked. "It's not like we haven't before… and besides, you told me you wanted to start off again where we left off at." Dirk was obviously confused.
"I want to… I really do. I want to be intimate with you so much. But … I can't. Not here." Skuld said in desperation.
"I'm confused." Dirk said plainly, sitting upright in the bed.
"We're in Heaven now…. and it's forbidden that mortals mix with goddesses." Skuld sadly said.
"Oh. I see." His response sounded a bit depressed.
"So … what are we going to do until tomorrow?" Dirk asked.
"I don't know." Skuld said, fighting her own emotions, her very body was protesting…loudly, screaming.
"Well, is hugging … and kissing illegal?" Dirk asked.
"I don't think so." Skuld replied with optimism.
"Okay, then that's what we'll do. Climb under the sheet and I'll… just cuddle with you for a while. We can just talk… for a while, okay?" Dirk schemed.
"Okay." Skuld answered, climbing under the sheet. Dirk followed a moment later.
"What are you doing?!" Skuld panicked.
"How can I cuddle with you if I can't hold you?" Dirk asked rhetorically.
"Oh. That's a good point." Skuld smiled, if only Dirk could see it though.
The two snuggled up closely, gazing into each other's eyes. Their eyes had finally adjusted to the darkness. Skuld could feel Dirk was fighting just as much as she was. She finally sighed.
"What's wrong?" Dirk asked.
"I guess as long as nobody finds out…." Skuld suggested as she unbuttoned her top button.
"But I thought—" Dirk protested.
"Shut up and kiss me." Skuld commanded, pulling his head to hers, and locking her lips around his.
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"Today has certainly been an interesting day. We hit both the record low and the record high all within three hours. I don't think I've ever seen weather this crazy in all my years of forecasting…" The television blared in the background. Belldandy and Urd stood looking out the front window to see snow rapidly accumulating. Already after a few minutes, four inches had fallen, with no sign of stopping.
"Something is terribly wrong, Urd." Belldandy worried.
"Yeah. I'll bet it's all that brat's fault too." Urd commented.
"You really shouldn't be so hard on her, Urd." Belldandy replied.
"Why not? She broke the rules, and now because of her, the entire climate system is messed up. Instead of being down here goofing off, she should have been debugging Yggdrasil!" Urd began yelling.
"Urd… you're assuming too much. Besides, there are others safeguarding Yggdrasil. I'm sure this will be remedied quickly.
"I'm glad you're so confident. I'm going to go take a nap." Urd said storming off to her room.
"I truly hope you are okay Skuld." Belldandy whispered up to the sky.
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"Here we are. What would you like?" Mist said, looking at Kevin. They stood in front of a building that resembled McDonalds.
"I didn't know there were McDonalds in Heaven." Dirk said, still in shock.
"Go ahead and pick something." Mist suggested.
"But how am I going to pay?" Kevin asked.
Mist laughed. "Don't worry about it."
"Okay, um…hi. I would like a number 4, make it a large, with one of those Sundae things." Dirk said kindly.
Mist looked at the servant behind the counter and continued. "I'll have what he's having."
After a few minutes of waiting, the two took a seat at a rounded table with cushioned seats.
"So how long have you and Dirk been friends?" Mist asked.
"Oh, not too long." He paused, taking a bite of his food. "I'd say maybe a couple of years."
"How did you two meet?" Mist pursued.
"At work. I guided him, and trained him. He's really a smart kid." Kevin replied.
"He doesn't look like a kid." Mist pointed out.
"Oh, he's still a kid alright, still not out of puberty yet….and naive as could be." Kevin said with a chuckle.
"Do you think he really loves Skuld?" Mist said giving a smirk.
"I'd don't really know. Perhaps it's just infatuation at this point. But then again, I don't know the whole story either." Kevin answered.
"You're that confident in your pupil?" Rind asked as she approached the table.
"Huh?" Mist looked up at Rind puzzled.
"To have left her, and not training with her this very moment." Rind said bluntly.
"Oh, I gave her the rest of the afternoon off, since she's been through so much." Mist replied.
"Since she's been through so much … what?" Rind asked.
"She used quite a bit of her power today, and with it being the first time in a while—" Mist explained.
"It doesn't really matter. Inform your student that she will be tested first thing tomorrow morning." Rind said walking away.
"But---" She called out, "she isn't ready yet." She whispered.
"Come on, there's no time to loose!" Mist said, getting up from the chair.
"Relax a moment. Finish your meal. Besides, you wanted to give Skuld some time to herself anyway." Kevin pointed out, grabbing her wrist. "A few more minutes isn't going to matter." Kevin reassured Mist.
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"Dirk…promise you'll never ever leave me….that you'll stay with me forever." Skuld said in between kisses.
"I promise." Dirk replied.
A brilliant blue light flashed in the room from Skuld's forehead, various things flew around the room for a few seconds. A moment later, just as fast as the room lit up, it was darkened again. Dirk and Skuld froze still holding each other tightly in each other's arms.
"Um…what just happened." Dirk asked Skuld quietly.
"I…. don't know." Skuld replied, and collapsed down on the bed, passing out and releasing her hold on Dirk.
"Skuld?...Skuld??" Dirk panicked trying to wake her.
She laid there in a gentle sleep. Remembering that this was nothing to be concerned about, Dirk rolled onto his back and shut his eyes, quickly falling asleep himself.
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Mist had finished her lunch. She tapped the table in anxiety waiting for Kevin to finish his sundae.
"Don't worry. She'll do fine." Kevin took another bite. "Besides, you trained her, right, and I've seen how good you two are."
"I was going easy on her. Rind's test is going to tear her apart in the morning." Mist replied plainly.
"Personally, I don't think a few extra hours of intense training is the answer. Skuld will probably need all the energy she can muster. Allowing her to rest is really the best thing to prepare her." Kevin said after wiping his mouth with a napkin.
"How would you know, Kevin?" Mist asked with skepticism.
"I was in the Army for twelve years before I retired. I know what kind of thoughts….and stress she would have before tomorrow. The best thing I think for her, would be just to let her rest, and spring it on her in the morning." Kevin answered.
"Okay. I'll try it your way." Mist reluctantly replied. "Come on. There's something I really want to show you this time." Mist said standing up. Kevin followed, and both of them left the restaurant.
They arrived at the headquarters for the Combat Division. Its entrance was lined with ornately detailed canvases depicting each Goddess that has successfully passed the Special Duty examination.
"Is this where you work?" Kevin asked admiring the art work.
"Yeah. Sometimes. But that's not the reason I brought you here." Mist replied, leading him down another hallway.
About five hundred or so feet, they stopped at a double paned glass observation lookout. Down below, Kevin witnessed an intense battle going on. Goddesses much older than Skuld, along with Angels were hurling weapons and magic at one another, not one sticking to any one target. It was a free for all.
"What are they doing?" Kevin asked.
"These are students that will be going up for their testing within the month. Skuld hasn't had this opportunity in training. Rind forbid it, unfortunately." Mist sighed.
"Why? If everyone else goes through this training, should everyone go through it?" Kevin asked.
"Because, I think she really wants Skuld to fail. You've seen how she treats her. At least with other students, occasionally they get a smile or a 'congratulations' after doing a good job. But Skuld hasn't gotten any of that positive reinforcement." Mist explained.
"All those gi…. Goddesses, appear to be much older than Skuld does." Kevin pointed out.
"Yes. They are." Mist replied.
"Why then did she get picked?" Kevin asked.
Mist sighed and took a seat in a nearby chair. "Up until a few days ago, we really didn't have an interest in Skuld. She was just a system debugger, a boring, repetitive, ungrateful job that has little reward. Then she killed three mortals, and got my attention. She was scheduled for trial to answer for her actions. Most likely she would have been…. severely punished." Mist said.
"Oh." Kevin answered.
"I saw how she fought against those humans. She had such relentless passion, such … hatred for evil. Even her oldest sister couldn't stop her from mincing that last guy."
"Sounds like she went a little crazy." Kevin said.
"I convinced Rind to allow me to train her. She has such awesome potential. Being a Valkyrie with a direct link to Yggdrasil as she has, would be a formidable advantage." Mist further explained.
"Ygg---drasil?" Kevin asked.
"Yes, the main computer system that governs the entire universe. It maintains the critical necessity of balance in nature. Only the Norns have such an intimate link with it." Mist answered.
"Who are the Norns? I'm assuming that Skuld is one of them?" Kevin inquired.
"Yes, First there is Urd, Goddess of the Past, next there is Belldandy, a younger goddess. She is the Goddess of the Present, and very powerful, being a First Class Goddess. Finally there is Skuld, a young maiden, she is Goddess of the Future, and has a knack for machinery and programs." Mist said.
"Goddess of the Future? Does that mean she controls the future?" Kevin asked.
"Sort of. She doesn't have a direct influence on it…at least not yet – perhaps in time she might, but that is her domain. Her primary duty is to maintain the stability of future events…which is constantly changing." Mist answered.
"So why does having a link to this Yggdrasil thing so important?" Kevin asked.
"Because with it she can … or will be able to directly determine the outcome of her battles." Mist revealed.
"So what's Rind's problem then?" Kevin asked.
"She thinks she's too uncontrollable." Mist replied.
"Is she?" Kevin inquired.
"With time…..no." Mist said sighing.
Kevin looked out to the combatants again, seeing how violently they were fighting. He turned back towards Mist and asked, "She won't get hurt….will she?"
"It is possible." Mist said, not looking at Kevin.
"Come on. Let's go talk to Skuld. Give her one final battle." He pulled on her arm as she started walking away, causing her to turn her head. "…and this time, give it all you've got." Kevin advised.
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Mist opened the door to her training building and flipped on the light. The scene was a disaster. Clothes were spread all over the floor, mostly from Skuld's wardrobe. She glanced over towards the bed to see the couple sound a sleep. Walking over towards the bed to wake Skuld, she blushed.
Skuld was laying with her head on top of Dirk's chest, and one arm across his stomach, facing the wall. Her black hair ran down her bare back, until it was met by the sheet covering her lower torso.
Mist leaned down and softly spoke into Skuld's ear. "Skuld…." She gently shook the young girl by her shoulder. "Oh, Skuld….." she called again. A few moments later, the form shuffled a bit, and she slowly opened her eyes, seeing the bare concrete wall behind Dirk's body.
"Huh?" Skuld twisted herself to sit flatly on the mattress and began to sit up.
"You might want to cover yourself up. You have an audience." Mist suggested.
Skuld looked over towards the door, the brilliant white sunlight blinded her for a moment. In the door way she saw Kevin obviously staring at the other plain, dull, and boring grey walls.
Skuld gasped as she pulled the sheet up to her neck.
"It's okay. Are you awake?" Mist asked.
"Duh." Skuld said flatly.
"Why don't you quickly put some clothes on….and wake your boyfriend up as well." Mist suggested, leaving the room with Kevin.
'Does she know?' Skuld thought to herself as she looked around the floor, finding another pink and red battle outfit. Quickly putting it on, she fastened her belt and straightened out the shirt squarely on her shoulders.
"Dirk?" Skuld said as she gently shook the young boy awake. She didn't notice right away, but he was a few years younger than he was a few hours ago.
"Huh?" he said as he wiped his eyes with his palms, and taking a deep breath. Meeting his eyes were a set a beautiful brown eyes with a gentle smile.
"Good morning. I'd like to wake up to that every morning." He cracked. "What happened?!" Dirk exclaimed.
Skuld giggled quietly and found a small round mirror, which she gave to him. He saw a much younger reflection of himself, complete with the acne that goes with mid-adolescence, lack of muscle tone, as well as the raging hormones taking over his thought processes when he glanced up to see his cute Skuld standing next to him…with him in her bed. He quickly dropped the mirror onto his lap.
"I think you look just as cute." Skuld said winking an eye at him.
"Is---is this what happened earlier---the blue…light?" Dirk assumed.
"I think so. But I don't understand how. I don't have that skill…to grant wishes." Skuld said.
"But I didn't make any wish…I think you did." Dirk replied.
"I did?" Skuld questioned herself.
"Are you two ready yet?!" Mist called from the outside of the door.
"In a minute, please!" Skuld shouted out the door.
"Here, you can put this on. Skuld said handing him a red shirt with a V-neck cut and lace trim running down the seams, and a pair of white shorts that came down to his quarter thigh.
"You're kidding…right?" Dirk said as he stood up and glancing down at himself.
"Sorry." Skuld shyly answered. "Okay. We're ready!" She called outside.
Mist came running in at top speed with her whip drawn, snapping it at Skuld as she came within range. Skuld grabbed onto Dirk's shirt and yanked him over to the right, dodging the blow.
"Skuld-chan!" she called, an instant later the sword materialized into her hands. Leaping up into the air, she descended down upon Mist with her sword ready to slice. Mist dodged the cutting blade and with a powerful gust of wind, blew Skuld against the far wall.
"Ah!" Skuld cried out. Mist stopped and stared at the girl sitting on the floor as she started to get up. Quickly another blast of wind blew her from the right, slamming her into the corner of two walls. Dirk ran over to Skuld asking, "Are you okay?"
Skuld saw Mist walking towards the two of them and screamed, "Look out!" Shoving him away from the impending danger. A hot stream of fire erupted from Mist's other hand, but Skuld was quick to react, forming a water shield to protect her from the majority of the heat. As fast as it formed, the shield evaporated, singeing Skuld's feet as she leapt into the air, landing behind Mist.
She raised her sword for another slash, but Mist knew she was already back there and with a twist of her wrist, her whip wrapped around Skuld, leaving her helplessly standing there. Mist turned around and extended both of her arms in front of her. She began chanting something, a fierce wind picked up inside the room as she chanted. Skuld struggled to break free from the metallic whip, finally getting her blade to make contact with the steel, slicing right though it like was hot butter.
Skuld dodged to the right, and took cover behind her wardrobe, moments later; a blast of electricity exploded the wooden chest into a hundred charred shards.. Mist walked up to Skuld's cowering body before Skuld realized her hiding place had been destroyed, and picked up the young goddess by her neck. Lifting her up high, she slammed the girl down onto the ground and quickly put all of her weight on Skuld. Gasping for air she glanced over towards Dirk, tears began to run down her eyes. She couldn't fend off Mist, not in this position.
"Admit defeat and I'll let you live." Mist growled into Skuld's ear.
"Skuld!" Dirk called from the far wall, next to Kevin.
"You can do it… you can defeat her….I believe in you!" Dirk called out again.
Skuld focused her eyes onto Mist with an angered glare. Using all of her strength, she rolled the elder goddess onto the floor with her now on top. She began pummeling Mist with balls of fist, one after another. Mist swept her legs into the air, the momentum forcing Skuld to fly off of her, landing onto the hard floor face first.
"Oww." Skuld moaned in pain.
Mist walked over to young girl and knelt down whispering in her ear, "Are you going to admit defeat?"
"NEVER!!" Skuld yelled, launching upwards, grabbing Mist by her neck, and sinking her teeth into Mist's neck. Quickly moving down, while being brow beaten by Mist's fists, she found an arm, and bit deeply into it, causing a drip of blood to pour out onto the grey floor. Mist launched Skuld high into the air, slamming her into a far wall by the ajar door.
Mist stood up and stumbled towards Skuld, who glared in return towards Mist. Outstretching her arms, she closed her eyes momentarily. A few seconds later, a blast of water came rushing out of her hands with the pressure of several fire hoses, spraying Mist back against the far wall.
After the water had died down, Mist ran towards Skuld at a full charge. Skuld also sprinted towards Mist. The two girls collided in the middle of the room, in a style of martial arts never before witnessed by the human eye. They flowed like the air and water, dodging swiftly, and hitting with an awesome force. Colors of blue and white erupted from each contact made between the girls. They locked each other in a myriad of holds, each one unrelenting on the other.
Mist struggled to force Skuld onto the floor, and her leg was visibly shaking from the pressure she was using. Skuld started loosing her tight hold on Mist's oncoming arm and began inching backwards.
Rind quietly watched from the entrance of the door as she snuck in, standing next to the two human mortals. A creepy grin showed on her face in approval of what she was seeing.
"Mist-chan! I call upon you to defend me and attack!" Mist cried out, as she just about was ready to loose her footing. A whip materialized around Skuld's body, making it easy to knock Skuld onto the floor. But before Mist could land on top of her, Skuld rolled away to the left.
"Skuld-chan! Please rescue me!" Skuld begged. The sword fizzled into Skuld's hands, allowing her to quickly slice the whip off of her body, but not before Mist had grabbed Skuld's ankles, and picked her up, twirling in the middle of the room, as Skuld's body and hair extended outwards from the circle she was making. A minute later, Mist released the girl, and Skuld landed head first, buried into the side of a wall.
Mist picked up her whip and marched over to where Skuld was implanted into the concrete Taking strike after strike with her whip on Skuld's lower torso, blood started raining down her legs, and on to the floor under her.
"Mist! Stop it! You're hurting her!" Dirk exclaimed.
"So? What's your point? This is nothing, compared to what she'll face tomorrow." Rind said arrogantly.
Dirk rushed the woman Goddess that was whipping the life out of his love. He jumped up onto Mist's back and started beating her with every ounce of strength he had, causing both of them to collide onto the floor. Skuld slowly climbed out of the hole she had made, grabbing her stomach as she stumbled in pain towards Mist. Calling her sword once more she glared at the elder goddess. Mist twisted around and threw Dirk off of her back, he landed on the floor near Kevin.
"I wouldn't suggest trying that again. You were lucky to have survived." Rind commented.
Skuld calmly stumbled up to Mist, who was turning to see Skuld approaching, but she wasn't quick enough to react, as Skuld plunged one of the sword ends into Mist's belly.
"I surrender, Lady Skuld." Mist announced, and collapsed to the ground.
"Excellent. It looks like Mist was right about you after all. Be prepared for you final test in the morning." Rind said quickly turning and walking out the door.
Dirk and Kevin came running to the two goddesses. Dirk slid onto a slick spot of blood, landing next to Skuld. She sat there resting on her knees with her heels digging into her buttocks.
"Are you okay, sweetie?" Dirk said with compassion.
"Yeah, I'll be fine." Skuld quietly answered.
Kevin rolled Mist onto her back and threw the sword out of her wound. To his surprise there was no blood pouring out of her.
"Mist? Are you okay?" Kevin asked in confusion.
"Yeah. Skuld got me good. I didn't see that coming. I think she'll do just fine tomorrow." Mist gasped as she sat up, her wound was completely healed.
Dirk picked Skuld up and carried her to the bed. Her wounds too, were completely healed, but she passed out from all the energy she used, and was quietly sleeping.
"Is she going to be okay?" Dirk asked Mist.
"Of course she will be. Night, night you two. Get some rest." Mist said taking Kevin by his and shutting the door behind her.
"Rest…right. I do hope you're okay, Skuld, my darling." He said gently brushing her hair as he laid down next to her, carefully wrapping one arm around her waist. Moments later he fell asleep to the gently aroma of Lavender which filled the room.