Chapter 38

Saria was a strange little girl, her demonic tendencies winning out often. Avoidance was simply the easiest way to do things, the shadows were welcoming. Corners of rooms were secure, and solitude afforded plenty of time to think. It wasn't that she'd ever been particularly social. Her adamant indifference was something that made it hard for others to communicate with her. Often, she was a wordless deity, finding observation more important that speech. To some extent, that had always been her way, and even as a baby, she favored no one particularly.

It made sense that as the child she was, she would still not seem to favor anyone, and in that Belldandy took comfort. It was at least an expected outcome, even if it wasn't exactly the best one to have happen.

"Have you seen your sisters?" The question had come from her own mother, but Saria was neither moved, nor interested. Still she lifted her wordless gaze to the woman, head cocking to the side in the slightest bit to the side. "I take that as a no?" Belldandy asked her.

Saria squinted her eyes. She knew exactly where her sisters were. "Training." She offered with quiet hesitancy.

"Well, would you mind going to get one of them?" She asked, since she honestly had no idea where they were, and hadn't the time to look. "Aunt Skuld and I have work to do, so I need someone to mind the baby."

Saria didn't remember him very well. Still, he was often either at the hip, or on rare occasion saw after by Hikari. She knew that she was related to the small child, just as she was related by blood to the goddess who begged the question. Even still Saria didn't feel bothered. "Put him here." She said instead, unfolding the blanket that she'd kept around her.

Perhaps it was Saria's sternness. Maybe it was simply because she was not adverse to the young god, as her eldest sister might have been. Maybe it was simply the fact that time would not afford Belldandy to be picky about the issue. Either way, Belldandy left her young son in the care of a girl who was not very old herself…her capabilities easily called into question, yet she was trusted with the task anyway.

It was merely a fact of the day, and at the time no one thought anything of it. However, it was that one moment, that one choice, that would forever change the priorities of a young demon and a small god.

…

Koiji was an awkward creature…and many devils though him strange inherently. Even so, he attempted to do the otherwise impossible. Perching in the tree, he tried time and time again to get near Hikari, only for the young goddess to avoid him once more. It was a strange dance they did, hopping hesitantly from tree branch, to ground, to tree branch again. She wanted no part of his attention, and glared at him to make it known.

Angry, he neared her again…

Goddess… He growled, as he held out his hand to her. Come… he said, twitching his fingers in such a way that he hoped might coax her from her spot.

"No!" She told him, this time taking a swipe at him with the poleaxe she'd been cleaning. "Be gone with you, devil."

Never to be one to take no for an answer, he only tried again, having to duck another strike of the weapon in her hand. It would please me. He growled, as if that might make her listen. She retaliated again. I said, it would please me! He snarled, before he got hit square in the face with the blunted end of the pole.

After knocking him clear out of the tree, Hikari resumed her work. Not to be outdone, Koiji resumed his attempts at gaining Hikari's approval.

The entire event was a sight to behold, as most would think it impossible that a devil could have such unending interest in a goddess. Especially one that clearly didn't want any part of his fawning…fatherly or otherwise.

Belldandy could only sigh, watching the devil struggle from afar. "You don't suppose you might be able to help him, do you?" Belldandy asked as Holybell basked in the warmth of daylight.

I'm afraid not. Holybell replied with a shake of her head. Koiji is too primitive, too human I think, to really understand what he's trying to do. In fact, the more she thought about it, the more it made her smile. If there were ever any evidence that Keiichi was once a mortal, Koiji would be that proof.

"Yes, I suppose you could be right about that." Belldandy said with gentle laugh. Even so, she knew Koiji would continue to try and win over Hikari, no matter how many times his attempts failed. "His lack of understanding doesn't make it easy for him though, and I feel bad about that."

They watched, saddened as he indignantly fluffed his wings and crept closer to Hikari again, a rather disgruntled snort protruding from his lips when the plan backfired once more. With an extended claw at the tip of one of his fingers, he toyed with the little egg that he'd grown so find of. Gently, holding it close to him. His eyes lifting to Hikari occasionally as he cradled his little prize, wondering why she'd yet to swallow it.

In another attempt to gain her favor, he placed it in his palm, and extended it right under her nose. The result was the same. An unhappy squalling from Hikari, and a frustrated devil.

The sight caused Holybell to smile and shake her head. Master, I don't mean to pry, but have you ever considered Hikari's true form? The angel asked hesitantly as she tended to her feathers and blessed the room around her. I know this may be out of line, but, I can't help feeling as if Hikari was never meant to be a goddess. I feel as if a firm redirection is in order.

Belldandy paused, setting down her cup. Of course she'd thought about that. Holybell's feathers had begun to turn white again, and such an image reminded her that nothing was ever set in stone. "She is what she is, and there's nothing I can do to change that." Belldandy admitted, though she agreed that Hikari seemed lost more often than not. "It would be easier if she accepted her egg."

I've been wondering about that. Holybell said as her eye narrowed with worry. Koiji's drawn to the small devil within. The dual nature in her heart will always be at war with itself…I believe that is why she carries twins. Her soul can't seem to unify. She has this dire need to separate the power within…both are quite strong.

"Yes, I know." Belldandy told her angel gravely. "Even so, it would be best if I didn't intervene." Though she would never say it to Keiichi, such knowledge addled her sleep at night. "I have other matters that I must tend to first, and in light of that, I have a request."

Holybell nodded wordlessly, and came to rest at her master's side. Both sets of blue eyes met, as the angel waited for Belldandy to give her an order, one seemed profound. She wondered at the cause, but dutifully waited.

"Holybell, I want you to tend to Koiji." Belldandy said to her then. "I'd like for you to put him in a particularly good mood." The angelic eyebrows raised at that. "Anything he desires, and I do mean anything." There were so few things that pleased a devil of his make, and all of them were lewd to say the least. Belldandy held up a hand to stall what she knew was to come. "The more contented that he is, the easier things will be."

Not that I mind buttering Koiji up, Master. Holybell said softly, now feeling almost worried. She went to Koiji regularly as it was, as he demanded it. However, it's often times very strange for an angel to become so…well…crass. Koiji's quite the devil you know. He enjoys making shows of our couplings…all of his posturing aside, it's no small effort to get him to see reason sometimes.

"I'm going to hash it out with Meg, and I know doing so is going to upset Keiichi terribly." Belldandy admitted then, knowing the task was going to be a difficult one. "Keeping Koiji appeased will surely help to ease Keiichi, even if only a little."

Master, I doubt that's wise… Holybell warned hesitantly. Some might call this trickery.

"Call it what you will. It's by no means normal protocol for beings such as ourselves." Belldandy agreed. "Megumi's my daughter too, and there's only going to be one way to get her to see that…I know Keiichi's rather firm with her though, and I'm sure that he'll only continue to make matters difficult."

…

It was in the dead of night that Belldandy navigated the dark halls of her abode. In search of her daughter, she crept quietly. Safe in the knowledge that Keiichi would not be easily roused comforted her. A large dinner, piping hot bath, and rigorous romp between the sheets would have seen to any vigor he might have had. A little sleeping potion in the wine didn't hurt either, because although he wouldn't say a word to her otherwise, he was entirely exhausted.

He would not wake until well after dawn, she was sure.

"Megumi…" A knock came before the door opened, leading to a room filled with the luxuries one could only find in the bowels of the hells itself. "I wish a word, if that's alright?" Belldandy asked her, standing respectfully outside of the door. Her daughter eyed her with annoyance, and Belldandy just continued to stand there. "May I come in?"

"Yeah, whatever." Megumi muttered, returning to the tome she was reading, or rather, what was left of it.

The door closed quietly, but Megumi ignored it, and the footfalls that drew nearer to her bed. They stopped abruptly, but no sound came. Bored, she lifted her brown eyes to her mother once more. "What do you want?" She groused, not feeling the need to offer more of her interest than that.

"I am not blind to demons, nor their need to discern power with resolve and respect." Belldandy said slowly, having come to a conclusion that didn't make her happy. "When you were young, I didn't want to carry a heavy hand with you. I was afraid that if you ever chose to be a goddess, that you might come to hate me for such a thing."

"Uh-huh." Megumi nodded, keeping her guard up. "Okay, what gives?"

"I didn't want you to see it as poor judgment on my behalf." Belldandy offered a shaky smile. "My children would never grow to hate me. That was a promise I made to myself…it was a promise I made for Hild, your grandmother."

"We can't have this conversion." Megumi said sharply. "Dad wouldn't like it."

"Why, because we disagree?" Belldandy asked quietly. "We're family Meg. That happens."

"Because dad favors you." Megumi's reply was sharp, twisted with her own brand of amusement. "Doesn't matter what I think, because at the end of the day, he's screwing you." The harshness was cut in half by the fact of it. "You're going to come first, because that's the way he is…and if you were a demon, you'd get it…but, you're not." She rolled over, and looked back at her book. "You're not like the demons who'll slap the shit out of me for getting out of line, so we can't talk."

"You've never provoked my temper. This might sound silly to admit, but I can be fairly nasty at times." Belldandy laughed as she sat down beside her on the bed. "When you and Hikari got into your first real argument, that moment was perhaps the one time I wanted to smack the both of you."

"Yeah, well, why didn't you?" Meg asked then, almost interested in whatever retort her mother might give her.

"Because that's not how lessons are learned." Belldandy sighed. "Meg, what hurt more…being hit, or being left behind? I remember a little girl who waited for her grandmother to come back, and she waited a long time for that forgiveness…"

"Is the past really that important?" Megumi shot back. "Dad is going to get pissed right the hell off, especially if he finds out we're talking about this crap."

"Megumi, listen your father wouldn't dare." Belldandy was sure of it, but it seemed Megumi needed convincing. "If he takes a tone with me, then I will personally see to it that he regrets such an action." Then she leaned back, looking up at the ceiling. "If he ever took a tone with you that was unbecoming, I would see to it that he regretted that too."

"Okay, so if I don't have to take the rap for this, what do you really want to talk about?" She asked as she slammed her book shut, and glared daggers into Belldandy "Spill…"

"Families argue, Meg." Belldandy said. "We fight, and when we do, it gets a little rough. Some of us get a little more temperamental than others. The truth of it is, I've fought my fair share of demons. I've had my fair share with Mara, a good handful with Urd, and even a few with Hild."

Megumi lifted an eyebrow. "Okay, so you aren't a pushover, is that what you're saying?" Unimpressed by that, she just rolled her eyes. "Join the club."

"I'm offering you an informal challenge." Belldandy rebuked softly. "If you think you need to prove that you're stronger than a goddess, I'm right here." She sat up from her position, stood from her spot. "You can fight me, and you won't have to hold back."

Slack jawed, it took the young demon a moment to swallow that. "Me…fight you?" She watched as her mother nodded. It was almost too good to be true. "Are you bat shit crazy?"

"As I told you before, goddesses are not so aggressive to their offspring. I neglected to realize early that you might favor such a thing." With such knowledge in mind, seeing Megumi before her now, she knew such a practice wouldn't suit her needs anymore. "However you are not so young anymore. If a show of my resolve is truly what you need, I will not back down from such a challenge…even if it's desired by my own child."

…

It was an inherently terrible idea by nature and Urd couldn't get her sister to realize that.

She sighed, trying to talk to Belldandy was a lost cause. Trying to keep Keiichi from blowing a gasket would also be equally impossible. So, she decided to take the high road and keep quiet. Perhaps if she were lucky, he'd quickly lose his temper, and Belldandy would send him flying a few thousand feet before he even got a word in edge wise…

She prayed that would be the case.

The fight in question wouldn't happen for a few nights, as they'd have to find some way to distract the male of the house. Urd wondered if he noticed anything, and at the behest of her sister, kept to her usual routine. Keiichi wasn't a very demanding ruler, so as such he didn't keep servants around. She tended to his needs instead, although he frankly didn't require very much.

Urd stood outside of the bathroom that had been adorn with demonic energy. It was one of the few places in the house that Belldandy couldn't enter under any circumstance. It was simply far too dangerous for any goddess that lacked demonic blood.

With a breath, she leaned heavily on the wall, holding the towels she was to take to Keiichi personally considering they'd accidentally been left out on the clothes line.

She sighed as she shook her head. He'd never done well with the idea of having attendants, but he'd always accepted Urd's willingness to help, mostly because he trusted her…and he knew that no matter what, she would never try to put herself in a role she didn't rightfully belong in. The same couldn't be said for most demon females looking to gain favor.

"Urd, are you going to stand out there all day?" He asked, almost amused with her docile fidgeting in the entryway.

"I didn't know if you were ready to be bothered." She shot back, already mentally preparing herself to see the king of demons for all that he was, and all he would ever be. As she pushed the door open, relief flooded her heart. She hadn't seen this particular addition yet. "A barrier, how strange…" She smiled, shaking her head. "Don't tell me you've gotten shy all of a sudden."

"It wasn't like I ever wanted to be barged in on during my baths in the first place." Keiichi retorted with a scoff as he reach out of the barrier that obscured his form. "I just got used to it since you and Skuld would try to dismantle the house up every single time I turned around."

That made Urd smile softly. "It's easy to forget." She told him as an excuse and little more. In truth she recalled those days quite well. Often, she even missed them. "Those formative years were important to you, weren't they, Keiichi?"

Clad in a towel around his belly, he walked through the barrier that continued to stay up. "You know the answer to that." He told her, brown eyes lifting to meet her gaze head on for a moment, frowning when she averted his study. She handed him a mixture of the drink taken after every bath to strengthen his power.

He accepted it in one fluid gulp, blowing out the candles that marked the walls afterward. The ritual was one she watched with her usual unease, as she then slipped a robe onto his shoulders before backing away.

"Urd…" His voice stopped her before she could flee from the room, and he turned to look at her after tying the robe firmly closed. "You don't have to keep up the façade anymore. We're not in the demon realm, so you don't have to make it seem like I'm more important than I really am."

Urd merely smiled at him. "You're lucky I'm not a goddess, or else I'd probably try to hurl every spell in the book at you." She told him, knowing it was likely the truth. "You've grown strong, Keiichi. It suits me to look after you."

He frowned at that, now knowing what it really meant. He said nothing to it, knowing there was only less than desirable outcomes if he did. Instead, he pretended to ignore the statement any further, allowing Urd her escape, and his own ignorance. Instead, he made a beeline for the cold water in a barrel nearby, splashing his face in the frigid water.

"Damn it Hild, what did you have in mind for me?" He asked to the heated air around him. His reflection offered no answer. Lost, he considered for not the first time that she had other plans…ones that had not reached the desired outcome…ones that she'd had to change so many times, he'd failed somewhere in that plan.

The problem was, he could not be sure, and he would never know.