Interlude
Release 1.0
07/01/1996
July 2, 1996
I would like to publicly thank omega@io.org for thy work. First
as a proof reader, then a full fledge editor, and finaly as a net-friend.
Without thy help this story would have never seen the light of the net.
A fan fiction based on Kosuke Fujishima's ongoing manga series
"Ah! My Goddess" (Also know as "Oh My Goddess!"). Keiichi Morisato,
Belldandy, Urd, Skuld, and Megumi Morisato are copyright 1991, 1996 by
Kosuke Fujishima. Kenji copyright 1995, 1996 Ed Sharpe.
Dramas Personal
Keiichi Morisato: A collage student at Nekomi Institute of
Technology (NIT), majoring in engineering.
He lives in a temple with Belldandy and her
two sisters.
Belldandy: Goddess of the present, staying at Keiichi's
side because of his wish and her own free will.
Urd: Belldandy's older sister, goddess of the
past, with tan skin and a nice figure.
Skuld: Goddess of the future, the youngest of the three
goddesses.
Kenji: Keiichi's cousin on his mother's side.
Donner: A god, childhood friend of Skuld's.
Notes:
Not that it is all that important, this story takes place after
OVA #5 "For the Love of Goddess" and volume nine of the manga.
* * * * * * * * * *
Thursday evening, and Keiichi was happy. His cousin Kenji's
visit(1) had not turned into the disaster that he had feared.
The fact that Skuld had become enamored with Kenji had left
Keiichi and Belldandy more time to themselves. Even now Keiichi
was packing the BMW with a picnic dinner that Belldandy had made.
With Urd off drinking somewhere, it would just be the two of them
tonight.
"Are you ready to leave, Keiichi-san?" asked Belldandy as
she emerged from the temple with a blanket in her arms.
"Yes," Keiichi replied, starting the motor-cycle, and
wondering why Belldandy felt that they needed two blankets on
such a warm spring night.
"Keiichi-san, it's really nice to be able to go on a picnic
with you," Belldandy began as Keiichi maneuvered the motorcycle
out of the temple grounds. "The mountains are so pretty this
time of the year. The air is so fresh. You can smell the
happiness of the wind. Can we go to the lake tonight?"
As he gunned the cycle down the road, Keiichi replied, "I
thought we could end up there after we take a little ride through
the mountains."
"That sounds perfect, Keiichi-san. Can we go to the far
side of the lake? We can watch the sun set over it that way."
"Your wish is my command."
Belldandy giggled.
"What's so funny, Belldandy?" asked a slightly dismayed
Keiichi, "is it something I said?"
"Hai, Keiichi-san. It was your wish that allows me to be
here. I do not know why, but it just struck me as being funny
when you said, 'your wish is my command', and I am . . ."
"And what?" asked Keiichi.
"I am worried about Skuld," replied Belldandy, changing the
subject, and covering what she was really thinking, "should we
have left her and Kenji alone?"
Keiichi, irritated that Belldandy's sisters always seem to
intrude upon them, even when they are alone, countered, "Don't
worry, Kenji is a gentleman, he won't do anything to Skuld. And
she has Banpei-kun to protect her. She also has all of those
bombs she is always pulling out of hyper-space."
"OK, Keiichi-san. I won't worry about Kenji and Skuld
tonight." Actually, thought Belldandy, I'm more worried about
what Skuld might try and do to, that is with, Kenji.
* * * * * * * * * *
As the last rays of the sunset disappeared from the surface
of the lake, Keiichi laid back on the picnic blanket and watched
the first stars of the spring night come out.
"How beautiful. . .," Belldandy breathed out at the dying
sunset. Laying down beside him, she snuggled up against Keiichi
as she threw her right arm over his chest, and her right leg over
his legs.
Putting his arms around her, Keiichi broke the silence of
the moment, "Belldandy?"
"Umm?"
"Who knows about our contract?"
"You, me, Urd, Skuld, and of course Kami-sama. Mara knows
we have a contract, but probably doesn't know the details, and
would not understand if she did. Urd and Skuld might have told
some of their friends, but I don't know for sure. And there must
be some talk among the office ladies back at the Goddess
Technical Help Line Office. And . . ."
"I see," interrupted Keiichi. "Will you really always be
with me?"
"Yes," Belldandy simply answered.
"But you are a full fledged first class goddess, could you
leave if you wanted to?" asked the inquisitive Keiichi.
Emphasizing 'if', Belldandy told Keiichi the simple truth,
"If I wanted to."
"Is there anything on earth or in the heavens even more
binding than my wish or your will?" asked Keiichi.
Belldandy simply replied, "Yes, Keiichi-san."
"Well it seems to me that if we had an official contract on
file here on earth . . ." Keiichi paused unsure of what he was
starting to say. 'What am I thinking. Am I really talking about
. . .' Not even in his own thoughts could Keiichi finish this
thought.
Her heart in her throat, and with tears of joy beginning to
form in the corners of her eyes, she asked, "Keiichi-san, are you
suggesting what I think you are?"
Startled, Keiichi tried to feign innocence by whistling.
"Er, um. . . just thinking out loud, Belldandy, just thinking out
load."
Angered at his words, Belldandy's tears of joy evaporated.
Rolling onto her side, she looked at Keiichi. But she could not
stay mad at her Keiichi-san. For this boy, no this man, had
granted her a joy reserved for mortals with his wish. With a
mischievous smile on her face, Belldandy leaned over his prone
body, and reaching forward she placed her hands on Keiichi's
flanks, and smiling sweetly, waited until Keiichi relaxed at her
touch. Belldandy then announced, "You will pay for that,
Keiichi-san," as she began to tickle him.
Reaching out through the pain Keiichi grabbed Belldandy,
tickling back in retaliation. For the next several minutes that
seemed like hours to the two combatants, they tickled each other
in the shear unadulterated joy. Exhausted, they were forced to
stop and catch their breath, Belldandy now lying on top of
Keiichi. Looking into each other's eyes their breathing slowed.
Reaching up with his left hand Keiichi cradled Belldandy's head
in his hand. Drawing her to him Keiichi began to kiss her, and
when Belldandy returned his kiss, the stars in the sky stopped in
their tracks at the wonder of it.
"Keiichi-san, are you thinking what I'm thinking?"
Belldandy purred into Keiichi's ear, after they broke their kiss.
"I think so, Belldandy. But how will we explain it Skuld?"
"Keiichi-san, let's go swimming."
"But I can't swim, and we didn't bring our swimsuits."
"I know," Belldandy purred back in his ear.
* * * * * * * * *
Saturday afternoon Keiichi was working on his motorcycle in
the yard, when he saw Skuld and Kenji come out of the temple and
leave the grounds. 'Hum. . . with Skuld and Kenji out the house
and Urd gone bar hopping, Belldandy and I are alone. Hum. . . I
wonder what Belldandy is doing?' thought Keiichi as he got up and
entered the temple in search of Belldandy.
Keiichi listened, tracing Belldandy to a back room by her
soft, sweet singing. He found her knitting, her back to the
doorway. Keiichi smiled in anticipation. Belldandy smiled in
anticipation of Keiichi's touch when she sensed him approach.
Belldandy cried in delight as Keiichi placed his hands on her
flanks and began to tickle her.
Throwing away her knitting, Belldandy twisted around in
Keiichi's arms. "You will pay for that Keiichi-san," she vowed.
"I'm sure I will," laughed Keiichi.
* * * * * * * * * *
Exhausted from their tickle fight, Keiichi and Belldandy
continued to softly tickle each other, their tickles slowly
becoming sensual.
Unexpectedly from the courtyard Skuld's voice was heard, "I
am home everyone!"
Gasping for breath, Belldandy answered in a panicked voice,
"Oh, hello Skuld, I'm afraid dinner will be a little late
tonight," as Keiichi continued to lightly stroke her.
Skuld replied, "That's all right, I'm not really hungry.
I'll be outside if you need me."
Burying her head in Keiichi's chest, Belldandy giggled in
relief. With cherry blossoms floating through the air,
everything was right in the world.
* * * * * * * * * *
Sunday morning, Keiichi was on his motorcycle, warming up
the engine. Kenji's bags had already been packed on the back of
the sidecar. Belldandy, Urd, and Kenji were standing in front of
the motorcycle. Skuld was not to be seen.
Urd started the good-byes, "Kenji, you are an OK guy. I'm
sorry I gave you such a hard time." Taking Kenji's head in her
hands Urd gave him a quick kiss on the forehead. "Ciao," she
finished as she headed into the temple.
"Skuld is waiting for you under the cherry tree to say
good-bye. Never give up hope, Kenji." Belldandy informed him.
After giving him a hug, Belldandy turned and entered the temple.
Moving off towards the cherry tree, "I will be right back,
Keiichi," Kenji informed his cousin.
"Take your time," replied Keiichi. 'Take your time,'
thought Keiichi. 'Take your time; you and Skuld are still young.
You have all the time in the world, what with Skuld being the
goddess of the future and all. I wonder, Kenji, would you still
feel the same way about Skuld if you knew she was a goddess? I
know I would feel the same way about Belldandy if she was
mortal.' A smile crossed Keiichi's face as he remembered,
'Belldandy sure was frisky at the lake. I wonder how serious she
was about going skinny dipping. Maybe I should have called her
bluff. After all I am considering. . .'
Keiichi's thoughts were interrupted when Kenji silently
climbed into the sidecar.
"Everything OK, Kenji?" asked Keiichi.
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Kenji turned towards
his cousin and asked, "What was that, Keiichi?"
Repeating himself, "I asked if everything between you and
Skuld was OK," Keiichi asked again.
"Yes," answered Kenji.
His curiosity getting the better of him, Keiichi probed
Kenji as to what he would tell his mother. "So Kenji, I bet you
can't wait to get home and tell your mother all about me living
with three sisters."
Kenji, taken back at Keiichi's question, replied, "What!
Are you crazy? You think I am going to tell my mother I just
spent the last week living under the same roof with three gaijin
sisters with no chaperone. I would like to live, thank you very
much!" Adding under his breath, 'I also want to come back.'
Reassured that his mother would not for the time being find
out about his living arrangement -- or what he was considering to
do to make it permanent -- with Belldandy, Keiichi gunned the
motorcycle down the street.
* * * * * * * * *
A late Sunday afternoon, a week after Kenji left, Keiichi
and Belldandy sat on the temple porch, his arm around her waist,
the two of them watching the cherry blossoms bloom, and simply
enjoying the silent presence of each other.
With a bowl of ice cream in her hand and a spoon in her
mouth, Skuld emerged from the temple. Inserting herself between
Keiichi and Belldandy, Skuld sat down on the porch.
Looking across Skuld at Keiichi, with sorrow in her eyes,
Belldandy spoke, "I am sorry, Keiichi-san."
Irritated at the interruption, and not bothering to hide the
sarcasm in his voice, "It's all right, she's just a little kid,"
Keiichi responded.
"I am not!" Skuld snapped back, whacking Keiichi with her
spoon.
The three sat in silence as Skuld ate her ice cream.
"Ring ----, ring ----," the telephone in the temple shouted.
It was followed by Urd yelling from somewhere inside the temple,
"I'll get it."
"Oh, Skuld-chan, it's your little play-mate Kenji-chan,"
Urd shouted in a teasing voice from the temple.
Squealing in delight, Skuld jumped up and ran into the
temple, leaving the two alone with her forgotten ice cream.
Leaning back against Keiichi's chest, Belldandy took both of
Keiichi's arms, wrapping them around herself like a shawl.
Closing her eyes, Belldandy snuggled deeper into Keiichi's
embrace, her heart almost breaking at the joy of the moment.
Not wanting this moment to ever end, Keiichi held Belldandy
in his arms. And in doing so, he learned that heaven did exist.
Burying his head in her hair, Keiichi drank in the fresh smell of
her hair. For an hour they stayed like that, a single perfect
movement.
"Belldandy?" Keiichi began the question he couldn't ask
before.
"Yes," mummered Belldandy.
Keiichi continued, "Will you . . ."
"Ka-Boom!" Keiichi's question was destroyed by a deafening
crash of thunder from the other side of the temple.
Getting up, the two went to investigate. Turning the corner
of the temple the ringing in their ears subsided enough for them
to hear Urd laughing. Actually, Urd was in hysterics.
"Oh my!" exclaimed Belldandy at the sight that confronted
them.
The sight that confronted Keiichi would have caused any
normal man to question his sanity, but Keiichi was no ordinary
mortal. The scene before him was simply just one more bizarre
chapter in his life.
Urd lay in the courtyard, laughing hysterically. Her face
had turned red, and since she had forgotten to breathe, she was
on the verge of passing out from the lack of oxygen reaching her
brain.
The most surprising sight was Skuld. She lay in a small
crater surrounded by scorch marks, dressed in a short skirt of
parboiled leather reinforced with metal studs, and a light
form-fitting breast plate of black enameled metal. In addition she
had on a pair of low-top boots, each with a large brass button on
the toe. Along with greaves and vambraces of some sort of golden
metal, she wore a small helmet of black enameled metal topped
with horse hair dyed red. Her hands, covered with red leather
gloves, clutched a massive hammer. Actually she was dressed in
the smoking remains of her armor. Next to her knelt a young boy.
"Ice-creama, ice-creama," was all Skuld could say.
Endlessly repeating the word, her eyes spun crazily.
"I'm sorry, Skuld-chan; I'm sorry, Skuld-chan," the boy kept
repeating.
Keiichi moved toward the pair, intent on finding out just
what the hell was going on. As he approached Skuld, the young
boy interposed himself between them.
"Who are you, mortal?" demanded the boy, "Dare you not, to
come closer."
At his words, Keiichi halted his forward progress to take a
good look at this boy. He was short, only a hand's breath taller
than Skuld, and of the same age. His bright red hair was tied in
a small braid. He, like the three goddesses, had small markings
on his forehead and each cheek. Where Skuld's were shaped like
rounded plectrums, his were shaped like small lighting bolts. In
his hand he held a hammer, twin to the one in Skuld's hands.
Coming up from behind Keiichi, Belldandy wrapped her arms
around Keiichi's waist and resting her chin on his right
shoulder, she answered the boy's question. "He is Morisato
Keiichi-san."
His eyes now wide in awe, " The Morisato Keiichi?" the boy
asked.
Simply, "Yes," Belldandy replied as she gave Keiichi a
squeeze.
Bowing, the boy introduced himself, "I am Donner, Son of
Thunder. I apologize for my earlier rudeness. May I stay with
you while I am here on Midgard?"
"Why?" asked a puzzled Keiichi.
"Why? Why I am here to visit Skuld-chan. She is my best
friend after all," Donner stated in a matter-of-fact tone.
* * * * * * * * * *
That night Keiichi sipped his tea and sighed, 'Kami-sama
must be testing me,' he thought. 'To achieve great things great
sacrifices must be made I suppose. Belldandy did promise that
she would be with me as long as I needed her. My question can
wait a little longer.' Setting down his cup Keiichi looked up to
see Belldandy smiling at him.
Finis
* * * * * * * * *
1 See "No Mere Mortal" by the same author.
--
//
// no more explaining.
//