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Shades of Malice





Oh! My Goddess fic work of fanfiction.

The characters belong to Kosuke Fujishima, Dark Horse, and so forth.  No money is being made off of this... as if I had enough confidence in my limited writing skills to think that I could make a living off of writing.



*****



A crash reverberated in an apartment as its single occupant staggered this way and that with no coordination.  Whatever semblance of order the rooms had was no longer there as their owner rampaged through her belongings like a desperate thief, but without the intent of stealing.



Her breathing was erratic and unstable as she jumped up from her shelves and walked backwards into the wall.  Collapsing onto the floor, she rolled forward with no destination in mind.  Yet, the rolling eventually stopped as she came to a pile of clothing that was so carelessly scattered a few days before.



The young woman's eyes stung harshly, making sight difficult as she tried to get her bearings.  Everything seemed so clear a while ago, but now it was all nonsense.  Worse, she did not know why it didn't make sense.  



It all seemed so distorted and foggy to the young woman as she tried to stand, but felt her legs lose their strength momentarily, keeping her on the ground.  As her head wavered from one direction to another, her eyes slowly came upon something that seemed would help.  



Imitating an insect, she crawled over to the disconnected phone, but her connections to reality had left her to the point where memory would not help her.



Grabbing the base of the phone, she shook it violently, repeating a single phrase over and over as though she were speaking to someone in person.



"Help me!"



*



The busy signal on the receiver continued to beep as Belldandy waited in vain for the other end to pick up the phone.  One unanswered call by itself would not have bothered her, but several others made the previous week did.  



All she wanted to do was speak with Megumi.  Belldandy wanted to reveal the fact that she was a goddess to the younger Morisato.  From the time she had initially met Keiichi's sibling, she felt that Megumi would be worthy to know the truth, as did her brother.  After much deliberation and receiving clearance from the Almighty, Belldandy attempted to contact Megumi for the past few days but to no avail. 



With a sigh of resignation, she hung up the phone.  Her hand remained upon the receiver as she wondered how Megumi was doing.  Though Keiichi had assured her the other day that Megumi was fine, the goddess had her doubts.  



The Morisato siblings often kept in touch and for one to be silent for as long as Megumi had been worried Belldandy.  In addition, there were other pressing matters that needed to be attended to as soon as possible that involved Megumi.



>From what the goddess could recall, there had been nothing that she, Keiichi, or her sisters could have done that would have made Megumi shun them.  Even if there was something, she was not the type to hold a grudge for very long.  It only made the goddess believe that something was very wrong.    



All of a sudden, her left ear started to burn.  In addition, the powers she commanded also sensed a stirring of energies that gave her pause.  She winced and held her hand to the ear, hoping the pain would cease.  The pain was not so great that she had to yelp, but it was strong enough to distract her.  The energies that swirled through her consciousness also made concentration difficult.  The disturbances soon vanished as soon as they appeared.  



She knew what it was and what it meant, however, it made the goddess wonder if it had something to do with Megumi.  And if it was true, then steps had to be taken immediately.



Some would say that the burning was more like a premonition in the present that she could still intervene in.  It would not have been the first time.



She turned walked into the living room where Skuld was looking over a schematic and Urd was watching a television show.  Oblivious to the situation at hand, she moved quickly to the entryway, announcing to the others, "I am going out for a while.  I believe there's still some leftovers in the fridge if I'm not back before nightfall."



Looking up from her plans, she stood up and followed her sister to the genkan.  "What's wrong?"



Turning back to her younger sister, Belldandy answered as she got into her shoes.  "I don't know.  That's what I need to find out.  Megumi may be in trouble."



Blinking, Skuld was ready to join her sister, but a hand from Belldandy stopped her in her tracks.  "No, I can handle this myself.  What you and Urd need to do is not let Keiichi know for the time being.  Just tell him that I went out for a while and not to worry.  I'll tell him everything when I return."



Urd, who had overheard the conversation stepped into the hallway, "It's not just that though, is it?"



Both the younger goddesses turned to the eldest.  Urd knew what she was talking about and though Skuld did not, Belldandy nodded solemnly.



Crossing her arms, Urd continued. "If you have to do this alone, I understand.  I'll cover things from here.  And be careful."



Belldandy's smile had an appreciative air about it as she nodded again and turned to the door to leave Skuld asking Urd what she meant.  



Speeding down the steps, she was about to turn onto the road before nearly colliding with Keiichi, on his way home from classes.  



"Oh, Belldandy, what's the hurry?"



Were it not for the many years of self-control Belldandy had built up, she would have openly paled.



She smiled pleasantly, though a bit too surprised for her own comfort.  "Oh, I just need to hurry over to your sister's apartment.  She needs my help."



"Ah, good.  You were able to get in touch with her.  What does she need help with?"



She placed her hand on his shoulder to settle his curiosity, "Something that only I can help her with.  I will tell you all about it when I return."



Though still a bit confused, he figured that trying to get the whole story at the present time would be a moot point.  So, he smiled and gave the hand she had on his shoulder an affectionate squeeze before heading up the stairs.  



As she left sight of Keiichi's home, the smile upon her face slowly dissolved.  



She had just lied to the one she loved most.  



Though it was not a direct lie, she had simply withheld information concerning Megumi that Keiichi would have worried needlessly over.  Regardless, it was a lie of omission.



Belldandy knew that Megumi was under Mara's control several months ago.  Coerced into being a disguise for the demon, Megumi was one of the few humans to experience true demonic possession.  Mara had used her fear and doubt as a waypoint to enter and control.



Though Mara was indeed exorcised properly, there was a pressing matter of a follow-up visit to ensure no corruption had occurred due to the possession.  If not treated properly, it could fester into a 'spiritual abscess' that could practically destroy Megumi's mind and heart, along with the body.



Megumi was not the only one, Keiichi was possessed by the Lord of Terror a short while before Megumi's encounter, but he had long since been checked for any sort of post possession corruption.  However, the event was not a happy memory for her.



*



Temptation.



Belldandy had never felt it in such raw, pure form before.  Even at her worst, Mara had never been able to come near what the goddess now felt, and she had come the closest.



Yet Belldandy was quite certain that no demon was the ultimate source of what troubled her.  Certainly, there were the remnant strands of the Lord of Terror she now faced in Keiichi's soul, but they were almost dormant now, unable to do much more than give Keiichi an occasional nightmare.  While they would have to be removed, and soon, they could no more affect Belldandy than an ant could direct a hurricane.



No, she knew she herself was the source of the near-demonic urges that reverberated in her heart.



Keiichi trusted her completely, and had opened his soul utterly and explicitly to her every whim.  Nothing she now did could arguably be against his will.



Even remaking him into a better lover.



It took little will to recast her vision of his soul to highlight every little fault, every little annoyance she had ever seen in him, and to trace down its cause.  That, at least, did not itself implement the changes, just made the prospect easier, more compelling.  But the further she got, the more the beast in her heart hungered to go the rest of the way, to impose her will on him, to reject the Keiichi that was and instead build up an idol, a puppet of her projections of...



"YAAAAAH!"  Belldandy pushed herself away from Keiichi, sailing across the room from the reaction and crumpling into a shivering heap when she landed.



"Belldandy?"  Skuld blinked.  "Whoa, this must be bad! Hold on, Keiichi, I'll-"



Urd put her arm in Skuld's way.  "Wait.  Hey, Bell, what'd you see in there?"



Belldandy did not dare look at any of them, though her disgusted sobs at what she had seen in herself, and at the utter wrongness of what she had almost done to Keiichi, were audible to all.



*



Her sisters and Keiichi had taken it in stride, Urd had completed the procedure, and life had gone on as it did.  Yet, the temptation Belldandy felt at the time still bothered her.  



Now, the possibility that Megumi was in trouble urged her to move even faster.  If the lack of communication wasn't proof enough, the stirring of pain within Belldandy only confirmed it.



Turning to a garbage heap, she noticed a cracked mirror among the debris and the mark on her forehead expanded and glowed with an intensity that rivaled the luster of the mid day sun.  With a running start, she leaped into the air and into the mirror, sending her through the ethereal byways of her mode of transportation.  



*



The thunder boomed in the sky as Belldandy finally reached the apartment building that Megumi resided in.  Regardless of the calm appearance of the building, she had misgivings already.  Running through the doors, she dashed up the stairs to the second floor where Keiichi's sister lived.



Nearly crashing through the doors, Belldandy found her suspicions confirmed.  Clothes, papers, and other odds and ends were strewn everywhere.  Worse yet, Megumi was nowhere to be seen, but the draft she felt rushing through the apartment made her divine blood run cold.  



She dashed through the apartment to the kitchen to see Megumi lying in a pool of her own blood.  Her legs and arms were bleeding from multiple gashes made by a sharp kitchen knife that had fallen from Megumi's hand.  



"Megumi!" the goddess cried in shock and dashed to the younger Morisato's side.  By the looks of it, the cuts had only been opened recently, yet Megumi's chances of survival were still uncertain.  Carrying the unconscious mortal as gently as she could, Belldandy took Megumi to her room and set her down on a patch of floor that wasn't covered in debris.  



Taking a wrist, she placed her palm in front of the cut and began to whisper in the archaic language of the gods, commanding the skin and sinew to repair itself.  Within seconds, the damaged skin and muscle tissue reformed in its previous state.



She repeated the procedure for the rest of the wounds and sat by the inert mortal as the rain poured against the window.  One wound after another closed at the touch of the goddess' hand and with every gash, Belldandy noticed that the farther she went down, the less severe the wounds were.  It led her to assume that as the self-injury went further, Megumi's strength waned by the loss of blood.



With a sigh of exhaustion, Belldandy placed Megumi's hand at her side and sat on a cushion beside the mortal's head.  With a sad countenance on her face, the goddess leaned over and smoothed the student's hair. "Poor dear..."



With a glance, Belldandy could tell that Megumi's condition was much worse than she initially thought.  She silently berated herself for not seeing this sooner.  No one deserved to suffer like this.



If she was to help Megumi, she had to be conscious, but her mental condition was precarious.  However, what she could do was stabilize Megumi's mind for long enough to accomplish her intentions.



With her hands on Megumi's forehead, the goddess whispered several more words as a soft blue light emerged from her palms and into the mortal woman's head.  The spell Belldandy applied was a temporary answer if nothing else.  It would connect the primary functions of cognition and speech and hearing long enough for the goddess to fix everything else properly.



Removing her hands from Megumi's head, the goddess sat back and waited patiently as the younger Morisato's eyes fluttered opened slowly.



"I... I can barely feel anything... what's going on?"



"Much of your mind and body has been through a tremendous strain.  You've also lost much blood and need to recover."



Megumi's eyes were wavering, doing her best to remain conscious, "Why does my whole body hurt?"



"Aside from the damage you did to yourself, there's a disease in your system that needs to be taken care of."



The mortal girl's eyes opened more and her head slowly turned to her guest, "Belldandy... are you a doctor?"



Belldandy shook her head and stood up, keeping herself well in the younger Morisato's sight.  "Megumi, there has been something I have been hiding from you since we first met."



Belldandy then raised her head to the heavens and once more, the mark on her forehead expanded.  A sphere of light enveloped Belldandy and as soon as the sphere formed, it erupted. Her old clothes were gone and in their place were the same blue and gold trimmed dress she wore when she appeared to Keiichi.  She looked down from the heavens and into Megumi's eyes.



Without letting her lips move, the goddess spoke to the mortal's mind, "Megumi... I am a goddess of fate.  Belldandy of the present."



The young woman looked around for the source of the voice she heard in her head.  Until a peculiar realization made her realize that Belldandy was the one who had spoke.



In addition, the goddess was now slightly hovering over the ground, her feet barely dangling over the surface of the tatami.  



Though Megumi was surprised, it was mild when in comparison to Belldandy's introduction to Keiichi's dorm room.  Curiously, the younger Morisato pushed herself up and waved her hand beneath her feet to make sure that it was not some sort of sick joke the other tenants were playing on her.  



"I'm missing something, but I don't know what.  But, you don't lie, I... I'm not even sure," Megumi said, scratching her head.



The goddess smiled pleasantly. "It was a bit of a shock to your brother as well.  However, he too believed my words in time."



"Well, as neat as it all sounds, where did it all start?  I'm still a bit confused."



Belldandy nodded, expecting her questions. "There is a way how I can show you everything much more easily than words can.  However..." she turned away slightly before gathering the courage to continue, "You must allow me to 'share' your body temporarily."



Megumi blinked several times, more confused than shocked.



"Do you remember a woman with white hair, a pair of marks on her forehead and a vicious snarl on her lips?"



Megumi nodded, the memory of that woman appearing out of the smoke and speaking some odd language and practically assaulting her was not something she forgot easily.  Though what she did was not entirely clear, for after the woman attacked, she passed out and found herself waking up at the racetrack.  From time to time, she wondered if she had sleepwalked there and never knew it.



"The woman was a demon that possessed you.  I believe that it has left an infection in your mind or soul and it must be repaired.  What I intend to do is along those same lines, however with this one important difference.  The other woman used your fear to control you.  I, on the other hand, must be allowed in before I can do anything.  You have to trust me to allow my entry."



The goddess knelt down on the floor and patiently awaited Megumi's decision.  

Upon knowing what the other woman had done, Megumi felt rather apprehensive about letting it happen again.  Though the concept was far beyond anything she had ever heard of before, the way Belldandy talked about it made her words true.

The recent events had made life tough enough, besides, what was one more ordeal to endure to Megumi.  She nodded and whispered, "Go ahead."



The goddess crawled once more over to Megumi and placed her forehead against the younger Morisato's.  The central mark on Belldandy's forehead glowed once more and in a flash of blinding light, she was gone, leaving Megumi alone and unconscious with the blue marks that Belldandy had on her face.



*



Drifting through the various layers of Megumi's psyche and soul, Belldandy began a thorough check to ensure that the infection was found.  The goddess could tell it was close... but time had allowed the infection to integrate itself in the system so that it would be much harder to find.  



Angered for letting her friend suffer so, she descended several more layers without finding a thing.  However, it did not surprise Belldandy that a standard search would not lead to anything, considering that Mara was quite notorious for keeping her corruption well hidden.



Yet, no matter how well the demoness hid her tracks, she would be more than able to find them.



Soon enough, she noticed the first signs of decay of Megumi's reason.  The way the strands were arranged almost made them unnoticeable by the untrained eye, but Belldandy's were too good to be fooled.  Even at this level of expertise, no one could hide anything like this from her.



Though externally, the signs of decay were quite minimal, but upon closer observation, the core of the reason processors was heavily damaged due to corruption.  That, in part, explained the self-injuries with the knife, but the goddess figured it was more of a final resort security protocol that took over when Megumi's subconscious realized that someone else was trying to take over.  



The signs were woven into a pattern that started its way deeper and deeper into the heart.	As more layers were passed, the goddess frowned upon seeing the corruptions getting progressively worse.



The further she got, the more worried she became.  There could be a greater corruption in the core, waiting for any sort of healing agent to stop it.  It could block pleasant memories, choke the happiness, and literally starve the soul of its much-needed nourishment.



Blinking, the goddess discovered that barriers were being erected, as she got closer to the core.  Belldandy's presence was known.  However, it would take more than a few mental barriers to stop her.	



With a wave of her hand, the goddess easily dispersed the walls and with a small frown, discovered her suspicions confirmed.



In a large sphere of diminishing light, stood a semi-ethereal apparition of Mara on what looked like a marble colored floor in the center of the sphere. 



Attached to the apparition's foot, a trail of ethereal matter floated outward and towards what appeared to be Megumi's core.



The core Megumi was suspended in a state of melancholy inertia, being drained of her life and personality and would inevitably be replaced by Mara... or at least, that would be an initial analysis.  The form of the core, though still human-shaped, had various chunks of matter missing. By the looks of things, she still seemed to move as though she were whole.



The core turned slowly to Belldandy with a look of numb indifference and then turned away.  It appeared that the psyche was never the target in the first place, but instead the infection had latched itself to the core.



With a neutral gaze, Belldandy hovered several meters from where Mara stood.



The demon's locked sneer made the atmosphere much colder as Belldandy spoke calmly. "It does not surprise me to see you doing this to her."



Not changing her stance a bit, Mara snorted. "I have my own right.  Got to survive somehow."



Belldandy remained neutral as her retort brought forth the truth. "The right to commit spiritual murder, you mean.  What makes it even worse is that your creator is not even around to give you proper substance to leave Megumi be."



Mara blinked in surprise, she was certain that she could pass for the original.  Yet, it appeared that she couldn't fool Belldandy.



"I have known Mara to commit to horrid things to torment the world of men, but I cannot deny that this is a new low, even for her."



"Ha!  As if my 'master' had the brainpower to even try doing something like this.  No, I'm going to show that bitch that she can't just dump me off like some piece of garbage."



Belldandy's lips formed into a straight line as she replied, "I would prefer you leave Megumi out of your personal vendetta.  She is innocent and has done nothing to deserve this."



"News flash, lap dog, she wouldn't have been the first.  Countless people get used, abused, and killed for things they never deserved in the first place.  It doesn't make her any different from the faceless masses."



A small frown formed on the goddess's lips as she countered. "That is where you are wrong.  By fate's decree, she was never meant to suffer like this.  So, I am willing to come to an agreement, which will leave us both satisfied.  I doubt you would receive such an offer from most others of my kind."



"No deal! My master never trusted your kind and I don't dare since you consider me less than she is."



The goddess's eyes narrowed dangerously.  There would be no turning back after this.  "I will not ask again.  Leave Megumi in peace."



The demon's shadow started laughing.  It developed into a riotous guffaw that echoed throughout the void.



"You?!  Threaten someone?!  I may not know everything, but what I do know is that you couldn't hurt a fly!"



The goddess remained quiet and closed her eyes.  It appeared that the shadow would never listen to words.  Then again, demons hardly ever did.  With a sigh, the goddess knew that there was no alternative anymore.



"Do you now?" Belldandy said casually.



"Oh, is the puppy going to bite me?" the shadow sneered again.



The goddess opened her eyes and locked them onto the demon's. "You claim to know me.  I would imagine you coming to that conclusion, considering how I behave regularly."



The goddess's voice remained as calm as when she started when she waved her hand across her left ear, causing an obsidian colored earring to appear, "What you have seen is who I am... however, it is not all of me.  In fact, when compared to all that I am, you know nothing."



The demon's gaze remained locked on that obsidian earring, quicker and quicker its ethereal heart beat as Belldandy reached for it.  It knew the white one, the seal that kept the goddess's powers in check, yet this one was a complete and total unknown.



It could be anything.  



Then again, the concept of gods sealing up their worse halves, releasing them periodically to satisfy their darker appetites, was not a new one.	



Could it be that the immaculate Belldandy had such a nature?



It could not be possible... could it?



The goddess reached up with her left hand and clasped the earring gently, ready to remove it.  Seeing her reach for the earring made the shadow reach forward and screamed upon impulse.



"Wait!  I'm convinced!  I'll let the girl go!  I'll do whatever you say!  ANYTHING!"



All time stopped as Belldandy's eyes and voice turned cold. "You have made your choice... all choices have consequences... and now, you must face the consequences of your choice!"



In one instant, Mara's shadow saw Belldandy remove the earring and drop it...



In a second instant, she saw the earring fall to the floor and shatter...



In a final instant, the demon saw what Belldandy had become and screamed in horror as its oblivion took form.



*



Screaming in agony only divinity would know, Belldandy rolled around on the ground and to her feet, struggling to place the earring back on.  The being she had released upon the shadow of Mara did not wish to be resealed and had put up a rather vicious fight to maintain its freedom.  However, Belldandy had prevailed and now she was struggling to place the seals back on before it could escape once more.  Several streams of pale light along with a piercing hissing sound, which came from the earring, filled the air as the last clasp was closed.



The goddess gasped for air as she fell to her knees once more and held her head to keep down the pounding headache she now experienced.



It was never pleasant to go through such an ordeal, but it could not be helped.

However, now that the source of the corruption was gone, the healing and repairs could begin.  The only thing that stood in her way now was the fact that the core was nowhere to be seen.  



With sweat pouring off her brow, the goddess struggled to remain conscious before she collapsed and fell silent.  The exertion of unsealing and resealing the obsidian earring had taken a much higher toll than she expected.



*  



The goddess' eyes opened slowly as the void she saw at first was no more.  Instead, a scene of a spacious and grassy field filled her vision as she pushed herself to her feet.  As far as the eye could see, she saw nothing but grass, the occasional rock, and a cloudy sky above.  



"The healing has started..." she whispered in relief at the scene before her.  The place she was in now could be best described as a figurative representation for Megumi.  Since every mortal was different, everything around could represent some sort of random or evident influence in her life.



Shaking her head, Belldandy returned to the task at hand.  Sensing the core of the younger Morisato nearby, she waded through the knee length grass until she reached one of the larger rocks.



"Megumi!  Where are you?" the goddess called, but no answer came.



Walking around, she came to find the core Megumi sitting alone on the top, staring at the sky.



The core, though still damaged by Mara's corruption, appeared to be reassembling at a very slow rate.  The core turned to the goddess slowly and smiled tiredly. "Hello... Belldandy..."



Sitting by the core, Belldandy replied, "Do not speak.  Your core can recover faster that way.  Besides, I need to tell you everything from the beginning.  It is your turn to know, after all."



The core Megumi listened intently as Belldandy slowly reiterated the story of how she met Keiichi when they were children.  As Belldandy continued to the point past her first parting with Keiichi, Megumi recalled talking with her brother about a friend he had just met, but never really went into detail about.



Yet, when Belldandy mentioned the part of when she had to seal Keiichi's memory, Megumi recalled another event of her asking him about his new friend, but he said that he never met anyone.  Not knowing everything at the time, Megumi let it go.



Then came the year that the goddess returned to the mortal realm and reunited with her brother.  Then came Urd and Skuld's inevitable trailing, then the bug crisis, and, finally, when Belldandy reached the point where her brother was nearly lost because of the recall order, Megumi could not help but feel proud of him.  Not every guy had a chance to try and defy a decree from the heavens to simply give the girl he loved a ring.



Belldandy tried to be as clear as she could when all the other unusual events that occurred since her arrival on Earth.  The Earth Spirit in her apartment.  Finally, the multiple encounters with Mara, which usually ended in disaster.



When at last, Belldandy had reached the end of her recollections Megumi whispered a thank you.  The core seemed tired, but relieved at not only being released from Mara, but also honored that Belldandy would tell her so much. 



Belldandy then reached over and took the core's hand and whispered several words in the language of the heavens, causing the mark on her forehead to expand once more and glow.



"Almost done..." she whispered before her form began to distort and glow to a blinding radiance.  Her figure started to disintegrate into countless ethereal particles that gathered into Megumi's core.



*



Rubbing her head, Megumi mumbled and sat up.  For a reason she couldn't put a name to, she felt... focused, unlike before where everything seemed vague and distorted.  Looking about her apartment, she noticed that most of the debris she scattered about was cleaned up and the sound of running water came from the kitchen.



Standing, she stumbled a bit, remembering all too well of the ordeal she had just been through.  She realized that she never got a chance to thank Belldandy in person for what she did.  Using the wall, she moved slowly to the kitchen to find the woman in question cleaning the last few dishes Megumi had failed to take care of herself.  She also appeared to be in the same clothes that she had initially arrived in.  



"You're awake."



"How long was I out?"



"About two hours.  It took me half that time to be able to repair the damage.  Then I had to rescan and defragment all the loose sectors.  It was standard procedure, if nothing else."



Blinking, Megumi looked to her and then maneuvered herself into a chair. "Really?"



Turning from the sink, the goddess nodded and turned off the water. "I do not suppose that I need to explain everything again."



The younger Morisato shook her head. "No, I still remember pretty clearly what happened.	Though it's still kind of hard to take in at first."



The goddess smiled pleasantly. "Take your time.  Not everyone learns how to believe in an instant."



"Thanks.  But, I'm kind of surprised that you'd trust me with information like this," she said, referring to the fact that Belldandy and her sisters were goddesses.



The goddess nodded and placed a cup of warm tea on the counter for Megumi to take. "I would never have told you if I did not believe you worthy of that knowledge."



Though appreciative, there was still something that tugged at the back of Megumi's memory when Belldandy had encountered the shadow.



"I wasn't sure exactly what happened that made the shadow go away, but what I do remember was seeing the obsidian earring.  What was..." the younger Morisato asked hesitantly.  When Belldandy stood still, Megumi figured it would be best if she let it go.  "Sorry, I shouldn't have asked."



The goddess shook her head. "No.  It is well that you did.  However, forgive me for acting selfish, but I would prefer that to be left alone."



She accepted the cup, nodded in understanding, and took a sip before staring into the leaves for a short while. "Our lives must be pretty mundane.  When it's compared to what you have to do, I mean."



Taking a cup for herself, Belldandy took the chair across from Megumi. "Some would say that, but I do not.  Before I came to this world and met your brother the first time, most of my time was spent on research and study.  It was mostly to prepare myself for what sort of interactions between mortality and spirits.  Some of the things you would call dull and boring are actually a pleasant change for me.  After all, what's the use of knowledge if you do not use it?"



Megumi held back a snort. "How deep.  By the way, what exactly is it about my brother that you like so much?  He doesn't seem like the type that would attract a lot of attention, especially from a goddess.  No offense intended."



"None taken.  One of the reasons why I prefer him is because of the fact that he's soft-spoken a good portion of the time.  He's learned to think things through more and not act so much on impulse when we first met.  Because of that, he's very thoughtful.



A mischievous smile formed on Megumi's lips. "And there's nothing about him that annoys you?"



"I am well aware of his faults.  However, I do not go about discussing them so covertly," the goddess said politely, but curtly.



"Let me guess, you wish he'd help out more with the cleaning and cooking, right?  You wouldn't be the first, I'll tell you that right now.  A lot of the girls in my classes complain about the same thing.  They don't try to hide it too well, so I get an ear full whether I like it or not."



The sigh Belldandy made only confirmed Megumi's suspicion and it got a short and hearty laugh out of the latter.



The laughter died down a bit as the thought of Belldandy's and Keiichi's enviable relationship. "Do you suppose, there's someone out there for me?"



Finishing her drink, Belldandy placed the cup down and appeared pensive for a moment before answering. "I cannot say.  The future is something that is not very open to me.  But what I do know is that patience will reward you.  Your prince may come as a frog or you may have to go out and find him yourself."



"Looks like I got no choice now.  In case you heard, my former boyfriend Ichiro and I just broke up about a week and a half ago."



The goddess paused before asking. "It may be none of my business, but what exactly happened between you and Ichiro?  If you wish for it to remain private, I shall not intrude."  There was a good chance that her recent break-up may have made the infection in her system worse, yet the goddess was not sure then.



The younger Morisato sighed and figured that someone as trustworthy as Belldandy would be as good as anyone to tell.



"Well, we met about a year ago.  We started out as friends and hit it off pretty well for a while.  Then we started dating and things went pretty well for a while.  He was a great guy and I really liked him.  Then, a little while ago, he started to drop a few hints here and there that he wanted to go further; actually, he wanted to go all the way.  I didn't know for myself until a friend on the softball team told me."



Belldandy nodded, belying the concept that she was ignorant of such things.  Megumi continued. "I wasn't ready to go that far.  It made me feel uncomfortable to even think about it, so I did everything I could to keep the subject away."



Megumi closed her eyes as the most painful part of the ordeal was renewed. "We then finally talked about it and when I made it clear that I wasn't ready for it, he tried to convince me that I was too scared.  Maybe I was, but I still wouldn't budge.  So, he left and we broke up."



The rain beating against the window was the only sound that could be heard as both of them neither moved nor spoke.  The raging storm had long since died down and the once pouring rain had been reduced to light drizzle.  All seemed quiet in the kitchen as simple actions gave it a small semblance of life.



Belldandy's gaze remained upon Keiichi's sister until she stood up and took her cup to the sink.  The break up had only made the infection worse and in the darker recesses of Belldandy's mind a wave of displeasure surged for the man that hurt Megumi emotionally.



"It must have been very hard for you to make that choice," the goddess said as she wiped the inside of the cup, her annoyance now quelled.  



Megumi nodded without noticing Belldandy's movements. "It was.  I really liked him a lot."



Placing her cup on a towel to let the cup dry, Belldandy walked back to her seat. "It may have been for the best.  Speaking for myself, I am glad that you stood up for what you believed in.  It shows that you know what you wish in the person you want to love."



"How about my brother?  When Keiichi and I still lived with my folks, the thing that I always liked about him was how he kept on asking me for advice concerning girls.  Made me pity him a bit, but, hey, a lot of guys are like that," Megumi asked, her mood lightening a bit.



Belldandy smiled and held back a small laugh. "I know that all too well.  Anyway, no, he hasn't done anything like that yet... however, I would imagine it is due in part to Skuld and Urd's presence."



"Ah, no wonder."



"However, that doesn't mean we have been talking about it.  I can tell by the way he talks, his heartbeat, his movements, every little thing that he thinks can be discerned without the need to enter his mind.  I can tell that he wants to ask me to marry him... however, he wants to be ready for that time.  Not only for me, but to make sure that Skuld trusts him enough."



"Skuld's that bad, huh?"



"She does mean well, but there are times I wish she would leave him and me alone.  Keiichi more so," the goddess said, nodding solemnly.



Megumi let loose a chuckle, remembering what it was to be on the receiving end of Skuld's ire.  The joy buzzer Skuld used on her was a lot worse than the toy she normally knew and it was over a silly machine battle that ended in a draw.



Belldandy felt that a change in topic was in order. "Anyway, the corruption has been taken care of and you should be feeling much better by tomorrow morning."



Nodding, Megumi replied, "Thanks, though I'm wondering if I'll be able to make amends to the people around me.  I hoping the softball team'll still have me after acting so withdrawn for the past week."



"Your friends on the team will understand, I believe."



Megumi nodded in appreciation and understanding, then took a final sip from her own cup before taking it to the sink and washing it.  "Thank you," she whispered.



Belldandy nodded, stood up, turned towards the door and made her way to the entrance.  She placed her shoes back on and left to find the rain had died down to a light sprinkle.  



*



Walking back towards the temple, she figured her sisters would be back and the usual chaos would be resuming within a matter of hours.  Regardless, the goddess steeled herself with renewed patience that would make many jealous.



'And yet, there are times when even your matchless patience has limits.'



Belldandy's smile faded as she saw what appeared to be what she became when she removed the obsidian earring.  It was almost looking into a spiritual mirror with a warped sense of humor.



"Verthandi..."



'Do not worry, I shall not be staying for long.  Your seal will see to that.'  The speaker appeared to be an exact copy of Belldandy, save for the dark silver mane of hair.  In addition, Verthandi seemed to carry a dangerous malevolence that no one could see.  And the fact that Belldandy could see it frightened her to the bone.  



"I was surprised that you are able to speak to me after the earring was placed back on."



Belldandy's darker half smiled pleasantly. 'Maybe because I actually have something meaningful to say, rather than some pointless diatribe.'



The goddess continued walking, knowing that her shadow still followed. "Words never were your specialty."



The darker half acknowledged that and replied. 'While you, on the other hand, are a wordsmith that could easily drive men to their doom.  And I must say that I am surprised that Megumi would leave such a dirty thing like me alone after witnessing my work.  It was all so simple, yet profound enough to keep the poor dear from knowing about me.  Mara would be proud.'



"Please, Verthandi, say what you need to and leave me in peace," Belldandy sighed in exhaustion



'If only that were possible.  We're one and the same.  Just as Urd's demon blood is connected to the divine.  We shall never be separate.  Anyway, I wanted to thank you for letting me out.  I can barely remember the last time I was let loose.'



A frown appeared on Belldandy's face. "The last time you were let loose, an entire city was buried in molten lava."



The memory, now fresh in the darker half's expression, gave her a retort. 'If you've forgotten, my better half, the denizens were far too deep in their iniquity to stop.  They, even while knowing better, blasphemed against the gods and, as you yourself said, 'faced the consequences of their choices'.'



The goddess sighed and knew that her darker half was telling the truth, yet the screams of the people in that city continued to haunt her dreams from time to time.



'If it means anything, I was not at all elated to carry out the assignment.'



With a look of sadness, Belldandy turned to her darker half. "I want to believe you, Verthandi.  I really do, yet, you are the only thing that I ever will reserve doubt for."



'There maybe hope for you yet,' Verthandi's smile grew pleasant, but with poorly hidden sarcasm with her remark.  She then looked to the temple, which was coming into view. 'I hope for your sake that you intend to let Keiichi know about me.  You never know what could happen in the future.  I could take over... someone could try and release me, that sort of thing.'



"He does not need to know, nor shall he."



Verthandi's smile then turned predatory, as though her better half had taken a bait. 'I doubt that.  After all, you know what they say about dark and dirty little secrets like me.'



Just then, her form began to fade into nothing, but not without leaving Belldandy with her last bit of ominous advice: 'Secrets have a nasty habit of letting themselves be found.'



The goddess of the present frowned as her darker half's words rang true in her mind.  She would have to tell Keiichi before Verthandi found a way through her seal.  As diligent as she was concerning the seal, it was not perfect.  There could be external stimuli that could break it without her knowing, just as Mara had released the Lord of Terror in Urd without any of them knowing.



Belldandy shuddered at the thought of seeing Verthandi unleashed upon the world.  Ragnarok may as well be declared, for she was a judge without compassion and humanity would either suffer greatly or be wiped out completely.  Her vengeance was swift and terrible.  Every time she was called in to 'judge', the guilty would not know their punishment until it was upon them to take their lives.



The fact she had to do it to save Megumi made Verthandi's release all the more unsettling.  She could never hope to purge a corruption the way Verthandi could and still leave the victim intact.  It required a cunning and ruthlessness that only her darker half seemed to flaunt at every opportunity.



To the goddess of the present, the worst part of all would be that Verthandi would actually enjoy it.  Her contempt of humanity was no secret, even among the lower ranks of the heavens.  It was a miracle that humanity wasn't wiped out sooner.



Yet, Verthandi's cruelty notwithstanding, Belldandy could help but be slightly envious of her darker half.  Verthandi never held anything back, even to the point of being brutally honest.  Also, with the darker goddess' release, she was able to release and control the rage and the anger she felt.  



Belldandy on the other hand, did not have such an avenue.  She had to endure the mindless ravings of her sisters and their puerile antics constantly.  It wore down her patience more than either one of them would ever know.  Even poor Keiichi was not immune to the deep desire she had to scream at some of the things he did.  Regardless, she continued to move on as though it never bothered her.



People would think her crazy to think that a small part of her actually *wanted* to be like Verthandi.



Returning to the world at present, she focused her attention on the temple in front of her.  Her home, her sanctuary.  It was here that so much happened and she would never trade it for a promotion to the ranks of the Archangels.



Though the feeling of comfort eased whatever worries she had concerning Verthandi, her last words still echoed in the back of her mind.



Yes... she would tell Keiichi about Verthandi...



...soon.



The End



Special thanks goes to:



DB Sommer: for surviving the first draft and yet still giving an approving critique.

Gary Kleppe: for helping with more of the grammatical aspect and giving pointers for the story.

Nidoking: For helping me get that piece of humble pie down my throat.

Adrian Thymes: for the flashback scene where Belldandy is tempted.

Chan Lei Wik: For also tackling the awful first draft.



Whoever said that 2/3s of your first draft often ends up getting changed up or cut spoke true.  I can hardly recognize that first draft that I made... whoa.



Anyway, I think I know now what I was doing wrong with the original draft.  I believe that it did not have an overall plot to circle around... and even looking at this draft, I still don't think it's all that it could be.  Any suggestions to fix this sucker would be most appreciated.  Also, I need to know if I should even add a Belldandy/Verthandi fight to make this story complete, because I can't tell right now.




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