This time, things start to look up a bit. I'm reposting the old stuff too, just because it's rather small (around 16k or so), and it may have been forgotten. Skip down to the point entitled : new stuff, where you'll find... I think you know what you'll find there. I shouldn't need to spell that out for you.
C&C is appreciated, requested, obliged, required, the stuff dreams are made of, and would be really, really nice for you to give (I'll be your friend! Honest), so if you would....
Characters are created by Kosuke Fujishima, and are used without his express
permission.
The song 'Ice Cream' was written by Sarah McLachlan, and are used without her
permission or knowledge.
Sue me at my peril (although I'd appreciate it if you didn't, and it really
wouldn't be worth your time from a financial standpoint).
And now, more Ice Cream!
Ice Cream:
Your love is better than ice cream.
Better than anything else that I've tried
and your love is better than ice cream
everyone here knows how to fight
and it's a long way down
it's a long way down
it's a long way down to the place where we started from.
Your love is better than chocolate
better than anything else that I've tried
and oh love is better than chocolate.
Everyone here knows how to cry
and it's a long way down
it's a long way down
it's a long way down to the place where we started from...
do do do...
Bugs are funny things, aren't they? I don't mean the regular type, I
mean the sort that happens in computer systems. Big systems. Systems that control
reality, like the Yggdrassil system. Let me give you an example- it involves three
goddesses, and a young college student named Keiichi.
**
**
**
Skuld was alone- a situation she found intolerable. Belldandy was with
(ugh!) Keiichi, they had gone to see some movie together or something (a date!
face it, they went on a date). Urd, well Skuld did not want to know where she
was, nevermind actually do something with her.
Really, who else was there? No one, now that her older sister was being
taken away by that foolish mortal. Just poor little Skuld, moping away by herself
at the temple.
"I wish," said Skuld to herself (after all, who else was there?), "I wish
Keiichi made a different wish."
An explosion of light and sound later, and Skuld's wish was granted.
Funny thing about bugs, isn't it?
"I wish I was successful." That's what I want, isn't it? Keiichi thought.
"Your wish... is granted." Oh Keiichi, you really don't remember, do you?
A thin beam of light burned through the mark on her forehead and soared
into the heavens, not heeding the nigh invisible tears of the goddess it came
from.
Skuld shut down the monitor; she did not need to see anymore. Belldandy
would be back soon and they would be together again, forever, as it should be.
**
**
**
Time passes, as it often does. Belldandy stayed in heaven, which meant Urd
did not get banished to Midgard for interfering with the Ultimate Force (although
there was that little thing with trying to get Idun to make apple cider, but that
has nothing to do with us).
Belldandy threw herself into her work, even moreso than before, but she
always had time to help her little sister, Skuld. Belldandy took on more and more
assignments, she was on the fastrack, and the Almighty noticed it.
Skuld... was happy. Debugging was a lot easier with her sisters to help
(much as Skuld hated to admit it, but Urd helped her too, sometimes, not often,
and not a lot of help that definately was not worth it). Belldandy was in
heaven and all was right with the world. There was actually time for Skuld to do
some research, like why she got a wish in the first place. After all, goddesses
granted wishes, they didn't recieve them, right?
On earth, in Japan, Keiichi Morisato drove the Miata home from his Motor
Club meeting, so he could get changed for his date with Sayoko. Things were
definately on the rise for Keiichi and Nekomi Tech's Motor Club. Getting Aoshima
to handle the treasury was all it really took, and that wasn't hard with Sayoko
helping. Now the club had no monetary problems. The members were so glad that they
immediately made Keiichi president of the club, and as their star racer he drew in
more and more members.
Strange thing is, Tamiya and Ootaki did not mind at all. Maybe not so strange after all, when Keiichi thought about it. They didn't have to worry about
money for the club, or even running the club. Those two got to spend their time
and energy on making newer and better vehicles, which Keiichi usually won with. A
few design teams had been sniffing around lately, and Tamiya and Ootaki had
already recieved a few offers, pending graduation, of course. No, those two had
nothing to complain about, they were in seventh... ... heaven.
Who was she, Keiichi wondered. That girl with hair the colour of wheat and
the markings on her face. That girl who claimed to be a goddess and offered him a
wish, and her name, Belldandy, was oh, ever so familiar. Keiichi quickly put those
thoughts aside, he had his Sayoko, the most popular, and arguably the most
beautiful woman at Nekomi Tech. Keiichi had his own place, a good job with a
better one guaranteed after graduating, the adulation of many with his racing,
Sayoko (and Keiichi thought she was really starting to get serious about their
relationship), not to mention being in the top ten percentile in his class. His
future was so bright he had to wear shades. So why couldn't he get that (ever so
beautiful) Belldandy out of his head, and why did he think he made the wrong wish?
Keiichi stopped at his home, a nice apartment building close to campus.
Even that was an interesting story. Sayoko decided to stop by the dorm to see him
one day, not knowing the infamous 'no women' rule. Needless to say, Keiichi had to
find a place quick. Luckily, Keiichi's job as a test driver (after winning one of
his races he was offered the job for a car magazine) put him into contact with
people, especially people who knew people, and soon enough, phfft! an apartment
was found well within Keiichi's means.
Keiichi quickly readied himself for the date, and called the florists to
make sure the bouquet was ready. As he left to get the roses (sixteen, one for
each week they had been dating), Keiichi grimaced at the Miata, wishing he had a
different car for the date. The front end reminded him of that American movie,
Christine. The almost smiling face seemed somehow psychotic, nevermind how the
car actually handled. Keiichi consoled himself with the thought that in another
two weeks there would be another car to test, hopefully something a little better.
The date went perfect, as usual. Sayoko's dress was as immaculate as ever,
and she dropped a few subtle hints that she might, perhaps, just maybe, like to
take the relationship to another level. The restaurant was good, with a chamber
quartet beside the dance floor. Keiichi and Sayoko took advantage of the ballroom
dance lessons they took together, and danced the evening away.
Keiichi escorted Sayoko back to her house, and stayed to chat with her
father a bit (the man absolutely adored Keiichi, and treated him like the son he
never had). Keiichi left, making excuses about a busy day, and studying still so
that his marks wouldn't drop.
Yeah, Sayoko's dad loved him, his parents loved her, and were so proud of
him he thought they might burst sometimes. He had the respect of his peers, good
grades, a most promising future with Sayoko, and he already had a career on the
rise. By anyone's standard, Keiichi was an absolute success. So why was it then
that he felt so empty inside?
** **
Belldandy ended the scrying spell, letting the mirror return to normal.
She sighed, seeing Keiichi with that woman again tore at her heart, but she
could not stop herself from watching it-- watching him.
He wasn't happy, Belldandy knew, she could tell from the look on his face
before he went to sleep every night, and every morning as he woke up. She could
fix that, she KNEW she could make him happy. But there were rules, and there were
regulations, and Belldandy had to follow them. Belldandy sighed.
Still, maybe just a quick visit would be okay. A quick talk, and nothing
more. Just once, surely that couldn't hurt, could it? Just a chance meeting in the
streets, or in a hallway, or something, surely nothing wrong with that, was there?
A happier Belldandy smiled secretively as she made her decision, then went to see
what Skuld was doing.
** **
When she was off-duty, Skuld found herself looking in on Keiichi.
Just to make sure everything was okay. She did not want him to suffer after all. A
few quick looks assured her that Keiichi was fine. If anything, his life seemed
better than before Skuld's wish. Maybe her wish did that. Everyone was happier
this way. Must be it, her wish was good.
Skuld researched the circumstances behind her wish, quietly, slyly. If the
Almighty found out she had been granted a wish, who knows what trouble she
would be in. Urd had never even gone that far, Loki hadn't even attempted it. But
it was an accident, she didn't actually try to get a wish... it just happened.
Still, even so.
Skuld searched on the job, a moment here, a moment there; when she could,
or course. While working, she had much greater access to Yggdrassil's resources,
and had a much better excuse should she get caught.
That was interesting, a bug. Well, in and of itself, a bug wasn't
really all that interesting, but the ToG (Time of Generation) had not happened
yet. While rare, bugs of this nature were not unique. More importantly, the ToG
was roughly the same as... oh... her wish.
Skuld quickly cobbled together a cage, and in defiance of her job, and all
the laws the Almighty had, did not destroy a bug on sight. Instead, she captured
one very particular bug, and stole away to her room with it, avoiding all eyes
and all ears.
"I can't, I just can't," Skuld heard herself whisper, looking at a very
special bug through a thin metal-barred cage. The bug didn't know what she was
saying, and just wanted to play.
**
newthingsbeyondthispoint
**
The end of another day of class for Keiichi. Again, he walked through crowded halls towards the parking lot, alone. Sayoko had to stay to work on a group project with the other members of her group. Tamiya and Ootaki were holed up, working on their latest design. Everyone had something to do, some place to be-- except Keiichi, that is.
This happened more and more often, Keiichi sighed as he hopped into the Miata. Another night of around the town driving by himself then; there were deadlines to meet, and a job to be done.
Keiichi started the car-- it turned over easily despite the damp, cool weather. A chance glimpse in the rear-view mirror, and he saw her. A light mauve woman's business suit and matching beret set off her wheat-coloured hair, and accented her pale, cream-coloured skin.
Belldandy.
The wish.
He needed... he needed to talk to her.
*
Belldandy smiled (ah! the heart breaks from the beauty of such a sight) when she saw Keiichi wave at her, beckoning her to come and talk.
"So, uh..." Keiichi managed to say intelligently when she arrived at the car.
Belldandy was not much better, looking at the ground and replying, "Yes, er..." underneath the faint blush spreading through her cheeks.
"Food?" Keiichi asked. "Are you hungry? There's a place I haven't been to yet, but it's supposed to be good. We can talk over dinner," he said with hope.
Keiichi's hopes were answered. "Yes. I think that would be a good idea," Belldandy said delicately.
They went to a cozy little bistro on the east side of the city. Neither talked on the way there, listening to the faint strains of the latest pop sensation on the radio instead.
The bistro was not too upscale; the atmosphere reminded one of a home-- not your home, this one was cleaner and nicer. The atmosphere though, that's what it was-- the same relaxed and welcoming feel permeated the place, through the decor (tasteful and subtle) and the staff (cheerful, but not forcefully so). The place was somewhat appropriately called "Taste of Heaven". They took a booth which offered them both privacy and a good view of the window which comprised the front of the establishment.
After ordering two house specials (fresh Pacific salmon steaks, slowly cooked with lemon and some very specific spices, along with rice and steamed greens), Belldandy and Keiichi started to talk.
Nervous, though he tried to hide it, Keiichi threw a question into the air. "A goddess?" he asked with exaggerated calm.
"Yes. A goddess. Class one. Unlimited license." Sip the tea delicately.
"It must be... must be fascinating, I suppose." Still awkward, still unsure.
"Sometimes, but most of the time, no. I'd rather hear abou you though. Was the wish good? Are you happy?" Give me this one thing, even if it is selfish. Please.
Don't go there, don't let her see the emptiness you hide even from yourself. "The wish? Oh, heh... yeah, the wish. It worked. I'm the president of the motor club, and their top racer too. I have the respect of my friends and the admiration of others. I have a good job, good grades, a bright future, everything. Why shouldn't I be happy?" Keiichi ended off defensively. Why didn't you mention Sayoko to her, eh Keiichi? Maybe because if you did, you wouldn't have a chance with Belldandy. But she's a goddess. So? You can't lie to yourself, not forever.
Belldandy, sensing the tenseness in Keiichi, sought to change the conversation to something lighter. "Tell me about yourself, Keiichi. Tell what it is like to be a mortal."
And so he did. Keiichi gave her his story-- well, all that was written of it at least. He told her about growing up with his more outgoing and perky sister, Megumi. He told her about school, highschool, and finally college. He told her of his friends and family; his first date, and his first kiss. He told her about his dreams, both now and when he was younger; how they changed over the years, and how sometimes they came true. He told her many things: often small, often inconsequential, in and of themselves, but when put together you got Keiichi.
There was one curious exception to what he told her; one particular deletion. There was a summer, long ago, where he met a friend in the woods. They played with each other for those few months-- virtually inseparable. He never told her about that, mainly because he had no memory of it, though it did happen.
Belldandy listened to it all with rapt fascination. A dreamy look was in her eyes, and a wistful smile on her lips as she lost herself in Keiichi's words, in Keiichi's face. She laughed with him as he told her a particularly funny story involving Ootaki, Ootaki's girlfriend, a meeting with her parents, and the parents' new pet, a miniature daschund. [Auth. note: Ootaki is afraid of dogs]
Her eyes misted up with unshed tears as she sorrowed with him when he related the death of his favourite uncle when he was eleven. Belldandy made a silent vow to give the uncle the goodbye Keiichi never got to, when she returned to heaven.
Her eyes flashed with pride and triumph when Keiichi told her about the first race that he won-- a soapbox derby when he was five. Her nose crinkled in amusement and delight at the image of a five year old Keiichi, heady with his first taste of victory, vowing to make the Formula 1 circuit someday.
"Belldandy... Belldandy, are you awake?" Belldandy was startled to find a hand waving in front of her face.
"Sorry for boring you. My life really isn't that interesting, I guess."
"Oh no!" Belldandy protested, "That was fascinating. I mean I loved hearing about it/you. I must have got caught up in it, I suppose. Your world is so different, so alive. I wish I could be part of it."
The sky was dark now, and the waiter, who had earlier on decided that they would rather each other's company over him interrupting them with offers of tea or dessert, was going off shift, so he hovered nearby. Suddenly aware of the time, Keiichi asked for the bill.
As they left the bistro, Keiichi asked Belldandy a question she dared not even hope he would ask. "Can I see you again sometime?"
Belldandy's smile brightened the night, and cleared the overcast skies, letting the stars shine through. "Oh course."
An offer of a drive to wherever she needed to go, and a peck on the cheek later, and Keiichi was gone. Belldandy put a hand to the cheek where Keiichi kissed her, and went to look for a mirror to return to her home. She smiled again. This would not be their last time with each other.
*
Well, that's all (for now) folks!
Place another mindless plea for C&C here.