I do not own Ah! My Goddess or anything in a Dungeons and Dragons setting.

Notes- We return to the setting of Ah! My Dungeons and Dragons from Winter Tales 2023.

-oOoOoOo-

"I don't like having to ask you for advice on anything, but…" Urd began, clearly angrily disappointed with herself on several levels. She looked away and said, "Bell's been getting along with Keiichi… a little too well…"

Hild looked away and said, "And while you granted his wish to be in his party as a party member, you began to entertain thoughts of a more romantic nature with him, even as far as imagining being his wife, with demi-god children running about. The seductress goddess of the aspect trio, now moved onto the maternal one."

Urd was about to snap back, until she thought about the tone of Hild's voice.

There was no mocking, no bitterness, or disappointment. More of a wistful one.

All feeling, save for a sad horror, left Urd's voice as she said, "I'm gonna lose him to Bell, like you lost Tyr to Ansuz?"

Hild snapped back towards Urd with hurt anger. "There was no competition between us. It was that Damned Gate. If I had my way, I would have been the mother to you and your sisters. When you each would have come of age, we would have let you pick between God, Demon, or a Neutral Party."

"I… Uh…" Urd uttered, too shocked by Hild's burst to say much.

"Tell me, When I was younger, who did you think I acted more like out of you and your sisters?" Hild asked.

"Me?" Urd asked, pointing at herself.

Hild laughed for a little bit before saying, "As much as I'd like to claim it, no. I actually acted more like Belldandy. When we failed the judgment gate, I broke down and decided to reinvent myself to that which you see before you. Ansuz acted more like Skuld. So she didn't change that much. Tyr was more of the flirt of the group, but as time went on, he began to become like the father you knew… So he began as the Urd of the Group before growing up to be the Belldandy."

Urd blinked a few times. "You're lying."

"Maybe. I could even have been lying to myself for so long that I can't remember the truth," Hild said with a shrug. "As for my advice for that struggle for Keiichi's heart, don't bother with big gifts. It won't end well. Keep it small and ask for his input. Make him feel like his word has worth."

"That's what Belldandy is doing," Urd grumbled.

"And it works. Chances are Keiichi is too focused on the Journey to seriously entertain a marriage. So, long john pajamas would get a better chance to be in his bed than lingerie," Hild replied.

"How do I know you're not lying more?" Urd asked with a glare.

"You'll have to take that chance. We lie as much as the mortals do. Demons accept there can be doubt in a relationship, while the Gods have problems with that," Hild explained.

After some time, Urd said, "Speaking of that, is that Gate even working at the moment?"

Hild looked towards the night sky. "If I had to guess, in a low setting. Ansuz only was unsealed a few times. She's not at full strength, so neither is the gate."

"So…?" Urd uttered, putting her hands on her hips and tilting her head in confusion.

Hild glared at Urd. "For the simple-minded, it's in 'keep your pants on' mode. Are you playing dumb, just to anger me?"

Urd looked to the side, "Would you believe that because of what happened to Heaven and Hell, I feel like it's my fault?"

Urd felt someone hug her from behind. Hild said, "Oh, Urd. There are things no one, not even me, can predict. Everyone fails at one point or another…"

Urd smiled, "Yeah, Even Belldandy. She's trying to teach some Campestri how to sing properly."

Hild let go of Urd and chuckled. "My oh my. She's a hopeful one. She's better off trying to be a Flumph Summoner."

Urd faced Hild and said, "I think she's trying to teach them to sing better because of some dumb rumor about the better the Campestri can sing, the better they'll taste."

Hild sat down on a nearby rock. "What? You're travelling to a Bullywog settlement? They're the only ones that buy Campestri… Well, them and Druids."

Urd shrugged. "We met some guy in another who plans on eating one of each monster in the world for some reason. Money's money and Belldandy seemed pleased by the challenge."

-oOo-

"Let's try this again from the top… One… Two… Three…" An exasperated Belldandy said as the Mushroom monsters surrounded her. She began to sing.

After some moments, the Campestri repeated her singing.

Peorth looked towards Skuld, who held out three fingers. Then two. Then one. Once the last finger retracted, the Campestri began to distort Belldandy's song in a choppy remix.

All while the mushrooms were smiling in a way that admitted they were intentionally doing it to anger Belldandy.

After some time, Belldandy stopped singing and looked towards Skuld, Peorth, and Keiichi. She said, "One last try. That's all I ask."

Keiichi replied, "Alright, but that's it."

As Belldandy began to sing, Keiichi looked towards the other two and made a 'cover your ears' motion. Peorth and Skuld nodded.

When the Campestri mocked Belldandy again, the Trio covered their ears just moments before Belldandy sent out a shout that knocked out the Campestri. Once they uncovered their ears, Keiichi asked, "Do you feel better, Bell?"

"A little. I think I'd feel better, once I sing at a tavern," Belldandy answered. When some goblins came into view, she said, "Or after we beat up a few monsters."

"That could work," Peorth added with a grin as she readied her mace.

-oOoOoOo-

Notes from HotelKatz - I fully admit to being a coward and not including any song lyrics.