Author's Note: This story is about to take a much darker turn. I'm sure you were all probably wondering when that was going to happen, given the description.

Hagal felt excitement for the first time since the true Daimakaicho had "overthrown" her. She had been useful to her mistress, but more importantly, her status in Hell had risen to unprecedented levels as a result of that favor. Even the Commander of the Guard gave her a wide berth now, bowing low as she passed.

She had never been a good at traditional demonic magic, but she had powers few other demons could even comprehend. Hagal had her orders from Hild, and she would carry them out with delight. A world for Demons hovered just around the corner.

"Rise." She said theatrically, resisting a giggle. "Have you found it?"

"I have, Lord." The Commander of the Guard answered briskly, offering Hagal the box. She took it, suppressing an urge to laugh at the uncomfortable demon warrior. He had never gotten over being defeated so easily during her brief stint as Daimakaicho, she knew, but it didn't matter. He would obey out of fear, at least.

"The Daimakaicho will be pleased." He accented Hild's title in an effort to spite her, but she didn't take the bait. In a strange, twisted sort of way, she loved her mistress.

"Are your forces prepared?" Hagal went through the motions. Hild was very scrupulous when it came to following the rules and the forms of the Demon world. Of course, that didn't mean the Daimakaicho didn't use them to her advantage. Hagal admired that particular talent of her Overlord.

"We can deploy at any time." The Commander's eyes glowed briefly with barely-contained glee. The Guard lived for fighting, and it had been eons since the last war between the realms.

"That's great!" She smiled with delight, before catching herself. It wouldn't do to appear so happy in front of these demons. They were traditionalist, their regulations dating back to the foundation of Hell itself. They were obsessed with their self-imposed discipline and more direct forms of power. They were blunt instruments of conquest and destruction. Hagal preferred a more chaotic form of mischief and deception, but the Guard definitely had its uses.

"We march only on the orders of the Daimakaicho." The Commander stated simply, obviously still suspicious of her. But Hagal had been reinstated as the Regent and second-in-command after the usurpation incident, something which caused all sorts of controversy in Hell. Some demons thought Hild was entirely insane for not tormenting the usurper for an eternity of torture within the singularity of a black hole. Very few knew the truth.

"As you should! Hild-sama will tell us when she is ready." Hagal smiled. She peeked inside the box and laughed. Soon, she would have fun.

"Keiichi-san." Belldandy's voice woke him from the utterly strange dream he had been having. His head hurt and he still felt exhausted, but that voice could probably wake him from the edge of death.

"Belldandy..." He moaned. "What happened?"

"Your spell used up a lot of your energy, you had to rest awhile." Concern for him was plain on her face. He sometimes wondered why she loved him, why she stuck with a plain human like him.

"How did I do that, anyway?" He sat up on the mat, rubbing his temple. His head was spinning, but slowly the world around him came into focus.

"Holy Bell and I were teaching MotorHead how to defend you!" Belldandy smiled genially at him. "It looks like he learned very well. I'll always protect you, but, we thought we could teach MotorHead to help too."

"Speaking of which, where is he?" Keiichi wondered, not feeling the angel within his mind. Belldandy's eyes focused on something behind him, and he turned his head to see Holy Bell communing with the diminutive angel.

"What are they saying, anyway?" He asked.

"If you listen very closely, you can hear." Belldandy instructed. "Angels can link and share many things. We can communicate through them, too." She smiled happily.

Alarms went off in Keiichi's mind. There were all sorts of embarrassing things MotorHead could be whispering to Holy Bell. And he knew the tiny angel had a certain mischievous streak, one that he successfully suppressed in himself, but apparently couldn't excise entirely from his soul. Angels were reflections of your innermost self, Keiichi realized, not the self you chose to show to the world.

MotorHead winked at him. Oh don't worry. Holy Bell and I were just discussing when you two were going to...

"Okay! That's enough. I feel better already!" Keiichi exclaimed, turning a dark shade of red. Belldandy looked up at him oddly...

You really are putting way too much thought into this. Look at her... you should kiss her. Holy Bell wants you to, you know. She's been pestering me about it the whole time you were sleeping. MotorHead added. For a supposedly quiet angel, she sure talks a lot!

Belldandy smiled at him, and he couldn't help but notice her lips, or her general closeness. For that matter, her cheeks were flushed and she seemed to be staring at him in an odd fashion. Any other time, Keiichi probably would have went with it. The timing was perfect, and he knew she wanted it as much as he did. He couldn't explain how he knew, but there was a stronger connection between them somehow...

But he just couldn't do it with two angels watching him, anticipating his move...

Oh, don't you worry! MotorHead practically shoved Holy Bell through the door. I got this.

Holy Bell was reluctant at first, resting her head in her arms, as if she had been waiting for this moment forever. But MotorHead's efforts finally paid off, and he managed to push the much larger angel out of the room.

A tiny hint of a smile crossed Belldandy's features, and he knew he was doomed. That moment had arrived. Their lips touched...

"Sake?" Urd asked, her voice slightly slurred. Night was falling at the temple and she apparently just wanted to get thoroughly trashed.

"Sure." Mara agreed halfheartedly, sitting down at the table. "Why the hell not?" Urd poured a drink for the demon and pushed it across the table.

"To Keiichi! Finally did something right." Urd managed, clinking glasses with the reluctant demon.

"You know how long I spent trying to break them apart?" Mara mused, downing the sake in one dramatic pull.

"You never could do a job right." Urd agreed, taunting her a bit.

"Shut up. More sake." Mara demanded, pounding the glass on the table. "I don't get it, why every one of my schemes blows up in my face."

"I get it." A sly smile crossed the Goddess's face.

"Yeah?" Mara was intrigued, in spite of herself. When the Goddess refused to pour her another drink, she just grabbed the bottle and took a long pull. "What is it?"

"You aren't really evil." Urd pronounced. "Remember when you forced Belldandy to hold a Demon license for awhile?"

"Yeah?"

"She had bad luck the whole time. She wasn't evil enough to be a demon, no matter what her license said." Urd wiped her chin theatrically, and for the tenth time in a week, she was reminded of Urd's mother. The two were more alike than either cared to admit.

"I don't like where you're going with this." Mara admitted. "I haven't had enough to drink for this kind of conversation."

"Mara... why don't you switch sides? You could, you know..." Urd wondered aloud.

"I would never betray Hild-sama." Mara's voice was firm, and her loyalty to the Daimakaicho was unswerving.

"See? What kind of demon has that intense of loyalty? Even demons who supposedly adore Hild aren't as fanatical as you are." Urd hiccuped. "What's the most evil thing you've done lately?"

"I put diesel in an unleaded tank at a gas station just before Hild brought me back here. That was funny. Ever seen what that does to an engine?" Mara laughed.

"How many people did you kill? How much misery did you create?"

"Hey! That's not fair. I'm a fucking demon! I don't have to justify my evil!" Anger flooded into Mara's voice, and she ripped the bottle from Urd's hand. "Just for that, the rest of this is mine."

"We were friends once, you know." The Goddess looked away, and produced another sake bottle from some cubbyhole in the wall. "Keep that one. I've got a fresh bottle!"

"Yeah..." Mara mused. "Friends..."

"You're not truly evil, Mara. You don't enjoy it like the others do, for you it's duty not pleasure. And your luck will continue to be terrible until you admit the truth about yourself." Urd's expression turned wistful. "Believe me, I know a thing or two about walking the line."

"I hate you when you make sense." Mara finished her bottle and threw it outside into the garden. "See, I littered. Evil. Goodnight, Urd."

And I wish we could be friends, she thought to herself. But she said it, I have a duty to perform. I am a demon, and I know my place in the world.

Neither the Goddess or the Demon was aware of a pair of feline eyes fearfully watching the exchange.

Keiichi awoke, groggy and confused for a moment. Then the memories of last night flooded his awareness. He turned to his side to see Belldandy beside him, and he smiled, enjoying the feeling of warmth and closeness. Did that really happen? He wondered.

"SKULD BOMB!" A familiar voice yelled as he shot to his feet, diving behind a piece of furniture. The explosion was deafening, and in a moment Belldandy was on her feet.

"Skuld! Stop it! You could have hurt Keiichi-san." She was between them, suddenly, a stern look of disapproval on her face.

"But... he was with you and..." Skuld seemed torn for a moment.

Urd mercifully diffused the tension. "Come on, Skuld. You're too young to understand." Suddenly all the anger Skuld had focused on Keiichi was directed at her older sister instead. But Urd caught the young Goddess's arm in mid throw, and gently pried the explosive from her fingers.

"Kami told you to be nice." Urd wagged a finger at her.

"Hrmph." Skuld crossed her arms, but didn't deny it, marching out of the room in a hurry.

"She doesn't hate you, you know. Otherwise, she wouldn't have missed." Urd pointed out before turning away, her long, flowing hair swishing behind her. "Good job, Keiichi. About time." She added as she sauntered down the hall.

"Keiichi-san, are you all right?" Belldandy was inspecting him for evidence of harm.

"I'm fine!" Keiichi answered, brushing himself off as if it were nothing. It sure scared the hell out of me, though, he thought. One never knew what the day held when surrounded by Goddesses and Demons. That's when he noticed the angels.

MotorHead and Holy Bell were peeking around the corner. Holy Bell was giggling and MotorHead just gave his master a cheesy thumbs up. About time, MotorHead smiled.

It was so beautiful. Another angelic voice intruded on his awareness, and though Keiichi had never heard it before, he recognized it right away.

Holy Bell? He wondered, looking at Belldandy's angel. She was smiling from ear to ear, watching them both as if entranced.

We are connected now, too, Keiichi. Your angel was right, you two really are...

"Okay, I'm about done with angels embarrassing me for awhile!" He exclaimed. "So uh... what does this mean?"

"I admit I never thought we would be able to.. .communicate like this. I'm so glad though." Belldandy said. "It didn't matter to me, but..."

"But you wanted to be able to do that with someone." Keiichi finished. "Connect on that level."

"Hai." Belldandy agreed. "Your angel was right! You wanted me completely and..." Her cheeks flushed again, and Keiichi knew exactly what was on her mind. What a pair we are, I think every other couple on the planet must be laughing at us, he thought. Certainly Urd had done her fair share of laughing at their expense. But then he realized what she had just told him.

"Wait, my angel told you that I wanted..." Keiichi glared at MotorHead, who shrank behind the door in a hurry...

Velsper paced around the temple, wondering just how to broach the topic. Sorry, Belldandy, I betrayed you because I hate being a cat, he mused. No, that wouldn't do either. Try as he might, there really wasn't a nice way to spin this. And what was worse, Belldandy couldn't help but be kind, and that would only make him feel more guilty.

He had fully expected it to take months for Mara to acclimate herself to these Goddesses, but listening in to Urd and Mara's conversation had convinced him of the truth. Mara didn't even want to be a demon anymore, even if she didn't realize it consciously. That was a concept he was definitely familiar with. He had to reveal the truth now, there wasn't as much time as he thought.

Blue Lance chastised him from within. Yes yes I know, he thought, I need to warn them. But Hild has to know I was going to. What's her angle?

Does it matter what her angle is? Blue Lance wondered.

I guess not. Time to go face the music then. Velsper gave up, padding over to where the Goddess was, of all things in creation she could possibly be doing, folding laundry by hand.

"Belldandy?" Velsper managed.

"Velsper." She smiled genially at him. "Enjoying the afternoon?"

"Not really. Hey look, we need to talk about something." Velsper sat at her feet. "Something really important."

"Hai." Belldandy agreed, sitting down. "What's wrong?"

"Hild is coming." He decided to just drop the bomb. "I don't know exactly when, but probably soon."

"How do you know?" She wondered. Sometimes Velsper wondered if she were really as innocent as she seemed to be. But no matter what the answer to that question was, anyone who assumed Belldandy's kindness was the same thing as stupidity had another thing coming. The Goddess was incredibly powerful and intelligent, underneath that soft exterior.

"She told me. Uh... she said she'd turn me back to my true self if I summoned her. But I got the impression that if I didn't agree to her terms..."

"She'd hurt you." Belldandy finished.

"Look, I'm sorry. I at least made her agree not to attack or seal anybody. I don't know what she's up to." Velsper admitted. "But I'm contractually bound to do it."

"She can't get through the barrier..." Belldandy mused. The temple had been protected by the best of enchantments and defenses three Goddesses could come up with. Coming in uninvited was difficult at best, as Mara had found out personally.

"She probably could, actually. It's just easier for her to con me into doing it for her with a portal summon." The cat scratched himself, then laid down dejectedly on the dirt. "I'm so sorry Belldandy. I have betrayed you."

"You didn't betray me, Velsper." Belldandy smiled at him. "You warned us, and you braved Hild for us. You're a good person."

Guilt flooded the cat's awareness, and he just laid in her lap, feeling terrible. His history as a demon faded from his memory more and more every day. He didn't even know what he was supposed to be any more. Her friend, the thought came unbidden to his consciousness. That's what I'm supposed to be. Everything else seemed meaningless.

"Hild said what?" Urd demanded, staring Mara down, and ignoring the cat altogether. She could deal with that treacherous ball of fur later.

"I didn't know." Mara protested. "I swear, all she asked me to do was come here, be good, and wait for her to contact me."

"Funny how you left that part out of our contract." Urd rolled her eyes. "I take it all back, you really are an evil bitch."

"What is she up to, Mara?" Keiichi asked simply, without even a hint of anger. "You have to suspect."

"I don't know." The demoness just leaned against the wall, as if exhausted. "She said something about you, Urd. Wanting you back."

"She can try. It'll never happen. I'm a Goddess." But that was what it always came down to, didn't it? Her mother would never stop trying to win her over, even if it took an eternity. At least this plot wasn't anything new.

"What's her plan?" Skuld asked, curiously.

"I don't know. She didn't tell me anything. I assume I'm supposed to do something nasty and evil to all of you eventually." Mara admitted, sighing with frustration. "I'm tired of this crap."

A sympathetic expression came across Belldandy's face. "Mara..."

"No, don't you even start that nice stuff with me. Makes me sick." The demon turned her head. "I kind of wish Urd were a demon, too."

"Why?" Multiple voices chorused.

"Because... she's the only friend I've got."

"And you don't even have me!" Urd yelled angrily, storming off.

"Neesan..." Belldandy whispered.

Mara's exhausted? Ha, Urd thought, once in the relative safety of her room, I'm the one who should be exhausted. I've spent my entire life fending off my mother's incessant scheming. But try as she might, she couldn't bring herself to hate her mother, either. She had tried to forget the tears in Hild's eyes when she gave up her only daughter. Urd tried to forget her own tearful cries for her mother. But she couldn't, and even if she could avoid them while awake, when she fell asleep that dream haunted her.

No, she thought, mother's going to get the message this time.