Ah My Goddess Fan Fiction ❯ Valkyrie's Mirror ❯ Act IV ( Chapter 5 )

[ Y - Young Adult: Not suitable for readers under 16 ]

Oh My Goddess! - Valkyrie's Mirror

Volume II

Act IV

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A flare amidst the stars. Far from certain, but a voice via a communication link, one that reverberated out in both natural tone, and over echoing intercoms.. “We've arrived. Coordinated stable within 1.2 percent of error arrival. Fold envelope discharging normally.”

“Atmospheric pressure steady at .02 percent variation tolerance.” .. “Crew compartments entering open phase.” .. “Begin base one parameter localization sweeps.” .. “Make sure the captain's mug isn't cracked again!” ..a series of crew and intercom voices started to stream out, the nominal work of running a star cruiser began again.

Another more commanding voice asked. “Are we closer then? By the creators, tell me something.”

Much of the crew just shrugged off the stressed voice of the vessel captain. For a moment nothing. Another moment later. “We're arrived at last in the target galaxy. It'll take some time to ascertain a new vector to head for, but we're closing in.”

All that got, was a slam to an arm rest. “This is taking infinite! We've been at this for months!”

And as usual, retorted by the same science tech.. “The universe is...”

“...a huge place. Just do it and ignore me again.”

A grunt of acknowledgement, before returning to conduct exacting scans.

This while the exasperated commander just slumps down, and ekes out. “We can't do this for much longer. Fuel.. food stores... Council patience...

...please by the Creators, we find him soon.”

“We will.” ..a separate voice promised. One female and warm, and all in his own mind.

The commander tried to garner hope from this.

He was having trouble from that. She didn't mind. It wasn't her concern really. When he was found, she would be justified for this cloak and dagger approach taken. This as other secret steps were being taken, in preparation of events even more changing than what was occurring `with' the very targets being seeked.

She just went passive again, as the commander looked out the large viewports of trans-parasteel, and magnetic fields, aided with viewscreen enhancers set as of part the viewport, at a set of stars that were utterly foreign to him.

For some reason... he felt right about that.

“Yes.... we will find him.” ..he imparted.

And a crew became hopeful.

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“Non posso sostenere esso!”

She wasn't the only one, echoed doubly so from the tongue of the head Administrator, that just made the other goddesses witnessing this strange event on their screens, even more tense.

“Eihwa, we know.” Ere replied back, as the situation below remained as confused for them here, as it was on the surface world. This as readings from one they knew as the Lord Knight, was causing even their advanced holoscreens to react oddly.

And oddly was certainly not a good thing, they knew `that' much from the readings. Ex just commented out, trying to be calm with her own investigation into this matter.. “All I can tell, is there's some kind of local interference in effect. But without more information, the cause is just....”

“...confuso..”

She was feeling this word right into her code, when she suddenly felt a hand on her left shoulder. “CHE...!?!?” ..Eihwa overreacts, stunning the three primary operators along with her. Chrono snapping. “Quit that! Eh? Oh! General.” ..this Eihwa looks and sees a smirking Hirund behind her. “Oh... sorry.” ..put without even bothering with linguistics.

“I profess as much as he, you are as fragile as he is anymore.” ..the General put with note of forbidden fruit history of demerit.

Eihwa just fumed while her operators giggled with all attempt to hide the same.

The discourse however changed when Hirund imparted with a thick sigh.. “Have you checked his framework systems?”

Ere replied back. “We can't even get readings to check even that. It's like he's being jammed from us or something.” ..this makes the General raise an eyebrow, commenting. “Whatever it is then, it's an impressive effect.”

“Generale.” ..Eihwa chided to her hazard, Hirund however didn't mind it. “This would seem to require an up close inspection.” ..this Eihwa nodding. “Yes, we've been unable to contact them below normally. Apparently the tectonic effect Council Goddess Frigurina informed of, disrupted most communication methods down there. Plus we've been unable for some reason to contact Lord Imladris's personal vessel, in an attempt to establish a separate communication method.”

Hirund cocked an eye at that. “The two are not related. I wonder....”

Eihwa looked over at the wine red maned goddess of War and Fire, rubbed her chin. She didn't mice much after less than three seconds elapsed. “Inform Gate I will be travelling down myself to ascertain the situation. Have two Infirmary goddesses with effective equipment there as well for a short term visit.”

Eihwa wanted to outright include herself in this, but knew better at present time. She just shoved her emotions down and remarked instead. “Will it just be you alone of the Three?”

Hirund nodded. “My Sisters are away on another errand. Everyone else here will know of what all soon enough. Per favore mi scusi.” ..she turned without further mincing. Eihwa looked dryly at the General for a moment, but then exchanged this for a missive version, one that called out. “Good luck Generale.”

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-ZARCK!!-

A Valkyrian fist reacted to the fresh smolder mark upon it, as much as the owning mouth did.. “BLAST IT!” ..and made a new indent into the growing depression unto the nearby ground. Peorth just eked out nearby.. “Excusez-moi, but the ground already has been through enough such trauma..

..as have the mortals here.”

Lind gave a helpless glance over, the others around a mix of such worry, as well as a separate version that just filled Lind with dread. She growled away and flung with it, a rag that she'd been trying uselessly to apply to her beloved's head.

And with each attempt, she was snapped at by this strange `static' that kept racing about Imladris's body, like static within a Jacobs ladder, or other such static generator of painful note. (The slight burn abrasions upon her same hand, from three other attempts, told the condition wasn't just a visual problem to look see.)

Lind just sulked this in tone of.. “It's like the time he was on that bed. I felt so helpless then too.”

Peorth gulped at that, none of the goddesses around didn't, as the Forever deity responded by glomming gently unto the Valkyrie's neck and back. “Worry not guerrier déesse, there's a solution to this somewhere.”

Urd just spoke up, not the one with the answer. “What `is' the solution?” .She looked around, not realizing her own feelings in this matter. “How come Cousin has the static cling from Hild effect here?!”

A misplaced laugh.. “Haha.. good one Urd.” ..this as more than a few eyes stare Mara back into.. “Uh.. sorry.”

Keiichi, still as bandage wrapped, laying on the ground near the still disheveled residence, and all as he'd been an hour and a half earlier, just kept popping out ideas. “It wouldn't be something Hild `is' doing again, is it?” ..before he feels a damp cloth on his forehead. “No dear, this feels too natural an effect. Though what you said about his Angel earlier is more worrisome instead.”

“Evolution is not the problem.” ...a elder version of a Belldandy like voice chimed up, if dourly. Frigurina kept pace-floating between the Florence Nightingale scene, and Jacob's ladder city, as she was furiously thinking. “Though why the Angel isn't reachable either baffles me. If only we could conduct a proper scan.”

As if to exacerbate `that' problem, Imlade's body suddenly snapped gold laced static about, like a split moment, out of control T-storm. The goddesses closest by, had to scramble a bit, as the small, yet nasty bolts, made new gouges into the ground, burning new dirt holes in the grass. Peorth just complained. “If only he was normal that is!”

Lind just quips over dryly. “We are ones to talk about `normal'?”

“Bons point.”

Meanwhile, Sentaro spoke up, still being Skuld attended, much to his chagrin from the looks Ichigo and Fusuchi gave, instead remarking.. “What about her over there?” ..this most remember a certain Norn of non-resident note, was near Mara, under the shadow the wall nearby was giving. Urd just remarked.. “Entropia's fine. Just knocked out cold mainly. How's the arm Mara?”

“Still been better broad.” ..the Demon just went with the poor patient routine again. Urd just shrugged it off, more worried about the Norn that lain beside her childhood friend. And it wasn't concerning that bandage that adorned the dark Norn's head.

Another mortal voice just then broke the short silence, with.. “I thought cats and dogs were bad enough normally.” ..this as heads now turn towards the sight of Chihiro actually eyeing the two other less than normal beings to either side of her. Velsper as he kept hiss egging on a canine Celestine, whom had trouble not going with his unexpected enjoyment, if short enough an experience, own biological imperatives. This just made for a number of near chases that were not warranted presently. Chihiro even actually had to restrain both physically at times. “I swear I'll have you both neutered!”

Keiichi blinked when both reincarnated animals froze. “I think they understand that much.” ..this Urd however commented with an eye twitter. “Never thought I'd hear such high powered beings talked to in such a manner.”

“Everyday is a different day.” ..Frig just responded.

And before anyone could respond, the wind started to swirl like the dickens. Ichigo just yelped.. “I don't get this ride anymore.” ..as Skuld then remarked.. “Don't tell me..” ..this Frigurina looks up and nods. “And this day is a day of days.” ..before everyone brace themselves from the wind, and another of those wonderful pillars of light opens up, and dumps three goddesses out of it, all mechanical an act than even the goddesses expected.

Two flanking goddesses in medical-doctor like goddess garments, is centered by one in a standard looking Valkyrie jumpsuit, save for the gold trim epaulets of rubicon. Belldandy by all right gasps at the sight of.. “General Hirund!?!?”

Even Frigurina was caught off guard. “Goodness, that dang phone sure would have helped.”

“Sorry for our lack of warning. Everyone, goddesses Seren and Njal, Infirmary specialists for our mutual invalid.” ..this Frigurina wastes no time. “He's over here.”

Keiichi asks.. “Are they what I think they are?”

“Yes dear.” Belldandy openly explains. “They are our primary specialist healers in Heaven. They also helped remake Cousin as he is now.” ..though as she says this, a thought creeps into her head, and speaks it towards where Imladris lain. “If they are here, does this mean..”

Njal, the one with gray of hair most long. “Yes. We suspect the problem lies with his nanite network.” ..Seren adding with a brush of purple locks away. “We need to check if they weakened his Seal.”

Frigurina grimaced at that. “I was afraid of that conclusion.” ..something that stiffened everyone's nerves. Those that knew better anyway, as Fusuchi asked in growing mental unease at what was being seen. “What... what does `that' mean?” ..this Sentaro of the asking, simply replies. “Don't ask.”

Hirund kneels down, as everyone looks on in succession, as the Infirmary goddesses pull small cubes from their uniform forearms, and one larger cube from their right side chests. These are then expanded to become a dizzying array of medical grade equipment, complete with holographics and even mundane gear. (Even a bed pan. Don't ask why.)

Skuld as expected, scuttled over, (and along with..) “Hey.. H.. hey!” ..(Sentaro still attached,) as she squealed.. “I forgot how cool our tech is!” ..this Frig pushed her back by the face. “Wrong time to be nerd, daughter.”

As the equipment is prepped, Urd floats over and offers just as pointlessly to Lind. “Should we get out the coordinated nurses outfits we cam up with?” ..this Lind slits her eyes, as much as Peorth complains. “Who is this `we'? You forced it on us at that one meeting!”

Lind just complains as well.. “Aye. It only will matter anyway if he's awake for it.” ..this Urd smirks. “Oh, so you `did' like the idea.”

“Only when he's awake, I said!” Lind snap whined back, which just make Urd snort. At least until Frig repeated the facial she gave Skuld, unto Urd. “Okay, now you're messing with us.” ..this Chihiro complain-agrees. “Yeah, we already have enough of that here today.”

Hirund just looks around at this chatter, and quips as the equipment is essentially all ready to go. “I'm surprised my godson lasted this long.” ..this Frig comically spouts back softly. “Hey, he's my Nephew too General.” ..which makes Frig then wonder. “Hey, that's means were technically, loosely related now.”

Hirund cracks just as kooky. “Master Thor would love to hear that. My Sisters would just eat him alive with that.”

Njal extends an elongated tube from a device to Imladris's left side chest, while Chihiro asks amidst the light goddess laughter that accompanied that last josh. “You all see really attached to this guy. Didn't he say he was an only child and all that? Swore he said that in my shop.”

Frig just replied to that with a flick of her mane. “I blame my daughters for that.” ..this Urd retorts. “It was Belldandy's original idea.” ..this Bell fidgets.. “But I thought it was a wonderful idea.” ..and whit Skuld at Urd. “You big meanie! WE all agreed to it shmuck!” ..ala Frig a happy glom with Bell. “And it was a splendid idea! I got the son I never had out of it. (Two actually, but anywho..)” ..whit Urd dryly mocks. “Great, Bell always gets away with everything.”

Chihiro just twittered an eye. “Guys.”

Frig just replied more directly while near Belldandy. “As to your query, we decided we wanted that attachment. It is as simple as that.” ..with a quirky head nod. “Plus the added chaos he brings just fits things here.”

Chihiro just nodded to that. “Can't argue there.”

Belldandy then helpfully notes. “Forget not, that if not for Keiichi, it'd not have gotten this far.”

Keiichi as expected just frantically waves his one good hand defensively when everyone looks. “I didn't plan for all of this.” ..whit Chihiro mocks to Keiichi's annoyance. “Eh, these guys are nothing but trouble around here.”

Sentaro blinks at that. “Just them?” ..whit Skuld glowers at him.. “Oh, you're getting there.”

“We're ready.” ..comes Seren's voice, with everyone looking in time before a strange device with a large rod projecting from a upper end opening, into the ground. Before anyone can ask further, Hirund nods. “Do it.” ..and Njal hits a glowing button.

Most shield their eyes when a large surge of `static' is suddenly pulled out and away from Imladris's prone body. Skuld asks on quick guessing. “Is that a form of lightning rod?” Seren nods. “It's likely interfering with access to his body for scanning. He should be safe to.. HEY! Not `that' fast Lind.” ..this as the Valkyrie outright touches his chest. She actually sighs on the tactile sensation, now only a light ant crawling tingling sensation reacting to her touch. “Two hours is too long.”

Hirund quips. “Aren't you the austere type goddess?” ..which Lind ignores, rather easily at that. Peorth meanwhile hovers near and asks.. “N'importe quoi déjà?” ..whit Njal just.. “Shh.. just wait.” ..which everyone is forced to wait a few moments for readouts the two specialist goddesses begin to see, which they are specifically trained `to' read in this particular detail. Lind looks up and recognizes some of this. “His nanite network biological bridge bus-substructure?”

“Yes. It looks like it was overloaded with a high energy waveform.” Seren studies further, and begins to detail out.. “The waveform was very intense and broadband in effect. It acts like a photonic radiated waveform that seem to have an isotope decay rate.”

Everyone had to think this out, as Sentaro commented.. “Light with... what... radio waves...?”

“His cellular rate of decay is affected too, the absorption rate is indicative with the spectrum of a solar body.”

Frigurina and Belldandy had a light bulb, of sorts, blink on, as Keiichi offered.. “Eh? That sounds like solar radiation or something. What, the sun?” ..he looks over and realizes a certain sound is `not' there. Chihiro notes as.. “Hey, that radio wasn't turned off.” Keiichi corrects. “No. I hear static.” ..this before Chihiro walks over and fiddles with the knobs.

Skuld at that time suddenly realizes.. “EH!?” ..and grabs Sentaro by his good arm. “We need to check something!” ..as they pass by a vacating of path Ichigo. “Dang son o mine must have a tough arm.” ..as Fusuchi follows them for her own reasons.

Belldandy meanwhile looks to her Mother. “Help me check something. Can you assist us Seren and Njal?”

Both goddesses nod, as soon, Imladris's is flipped over with added help from Lind, whom asks of the `lightning rod' effect. “Will this harm beloved?” ..Seren. “We'll rechannel it safely once we know better how to treat him.”

Frig and Bell nod, and both float their hands over Imladris's back. In an act similar to when Bell had been under Celestine's virus, they both `raise' without word of utter, to cause Evolution to rise from Imladris's backside. As they do so, the sight is no less startling, as when Urd and Skuld had seen Holy Bell covered in blue crystals of viral effect.

This however, was something entirely else! As Evolution is raised, the Angel is seen to be covered in.. “What... the....” Chihiro stumbles back, as Keiichi blinks. “They look like sunspots! What the heck!?”

They all see with flinching eyes, Evolution's robe and armor covered body, surrounded by a gold field that looks everything like a thin corona, while areas and patches of cloth, are `melted' away to reveal skin underneath, one that has just above the skin area, what look like to be very real solar type sun spots! But more than just this, they see warping lines of energy, as if seeing magnetic lines spiral out and arc-bend back into the spots, as if looking at the magnetic force of a sun spot in formal action.

And there sight covers Evolution's exposed form, as of his body was harboring a solar furnace within for some reason. The effect is no less stark for the metallic looking wings, now glowing as if massive solar heat was applied to them.

For a moment, no one can speak.

“There is nothing else of the like.” Belldandy espouses to break this silence.

And just then to just freak everyone out. “SIGEL! BANPEI!!” ..from the rear end side of the residence. All look (again,) but Urd and Bell race to see first, this as they reach all too quickly, and then see Skuld hovering over two more prone forms.

Skuld and Sentaro lay their respective gender mechanical types, as Skuld hears from Sigel. “/ M.. m.. m.. mis... misss.. mistt.. \”

Sentaro hears this, as Banpei's body twitches as if stuck in a loop. “What's wrong with them?”

“I don't know, all my tools were in my room!”

Urd hears this and vents. “Okay, now this place being trashed is annoying me.” ..which Bell interjects. “Could this be the same problem that is affecting Cousin, and Keiichi dear's radio?”

Sentaro has to ask.. “But what would do that?”

“Solar radiation was sort of said.” Fusuchi near the two young lovebirds, comments, adding for conjecture. “A solar flare or something?”

Belldandy and Urd, already having been `exposed' to such a hazard during Lind's training jaunt earlier in the year, realize with further understandings that only goddess level understanding can give. Urd offers, to a tone of disbelief. “Doesn't sound like such would be a weak one of those. But... wouldn't that..?”

“WHY AM I HERE!!?”

Everyone is stunned to the voice of one they kept honestly forgetting about, as everyone willing and able, reach back to the appropriate area, and see one of a previously unconscious Norn type, now awake and agitated as all heck! Frigurina has to `replace' Evolution back into Imladris to confront this next `iffy' problem!

Urd meanwhile just gulps. “Oh this is just swell.”

Entropia hears and seethes a look over at that moment. Keiichi just grimaces. “Tell me someone has a plan.”

Mara tried to cut it short. “This isn't the time girl! We're getting to the good part.” Entropia just snapped back at the demon. “Good? A thing I detest.”

Frigurina spoke in next, pleading all the same. “Daughter! I'm sorry, but your Cousin's life is at stake.” ..this the dark Norn spoke, ignoring anything but her own ego existed at that moment. “As usual, all things before me eh? And what do you dare call me daughter for!?”

“Because you are.” A mother replied with conviction. It didn't lessen Entropia's agitation.

“So that's it.” ..Seren's voice suddenly echoes out, as (again again,) everyone looks, noting despite Entropia's yelling, the two Infirmary goddesses had been focused exclusively on what they were trained for. Lind changes tact from equal parts agitation unto Entropia, for the same amount concern for this part.. “What now?”

Njal just looked up at the sky just then. “A tremendous amount of solar radiation overwhelmed the nanite network. It's also still currently in progress, if these readings are right. Humans would call it radiation sickness, though it's not the same effect in this case.” ..a look back at the holograms. Keiichi still prone and all, blinks silly like, though the content is anything but. “You mean one of those flares is still going on? What the heck?”

Skuld looked at Belldandy. “That has to be it.” ..which Belldandy wondered out loud. “I wonder how widespread it all is.”

“Excuse me!”

Chihiro and Peorth just snapped in simult back at the venting dark Norn. “No excuse US!” ..Peorth adding.. “Does anything get in those ears?”

Entropia just shredded words back.. “They didn't before my time here, that is for sure!” ..a shot Frigurina winced at more than others. Lind looked up, missing a stirring that caught the Infirmary goddesses off guard, as words drowned in tone of from the Valkyrie. “Is all you are going to do, is bite at everyone for a history we didn't control? I for one would think you'd be grateful for being freed from Hild's prison!”

“Grateful!?!? Prison!?!!” Entropia began to grow actual blind rage at this, which Keiichi warned to Chihiro, as he reactively (if unable) tried to move away from all this. “Get clear Chihiro!” ..as well as Belldandy's tone trying to mediate a stare between Norn and Valkyrie, nearly picking back up from the last meeting the two had. “Sister, that's enough of this! We cannot begin to solve matters when under such an angered state!”

Entropia just snarled back at her all but clone in look. “What would you know of it, miss goddess perfect! My anger knows it's bounds!!”

“Does it Sister?” Bell retorted back in an iron tone to keep Entropia honest. Keiichi watching all this, just was glad it was all words so far, as even Urd looked ready to change that with a few Urd bolts next to Belldandy. Entropia unwittingly to Keiichi's mind, was ready to change that fact, with a snarl at the elder goddess-hybrid. “And `you'. I have loads to bestow upon you ol replacement!”

Urd to her serious credit, didn't respond. At first anyway. Skuld seemed all too willing to respond instead. “Got anything for me too? Urd is `my' Sister too lady.”

Entropia complied. “The brat I never knew.” ..Urd now responding back. “Which you have a chance to change now! Just give us a chance already!”

“Chance.” ..retorted back in `way' too low a tone, which chilled the Norns now facing their estranged Sister, blood-code or by in-law each, as the Norn kept exasperating her own views, a betrayal of Hild in way too much open detail. “All of my chance was given to you three, taken away from me by two mothers of `both' I call my enemy!”

Peorth just shot out. “That's going too far!” ..this as more stirring was noticed by three in number, as Hirund whispered too low to be heard over Entropia's seething. “Keep still.” ..just as Lind exploded. “What the light did Hild ever do to you to call us such in the end!?!”

“Everything that real mothers never should ever do! All that was done unto me as a refuse of goddess kind!!”

Goddess and mortal each heard next that broke hearts all to readily. Entropia offered the same as she sobbed out in torrents. “From moment one and beyond! I was taken in as everything Hild despised of me! When I arrived, I remember the words I was told that ended up determining my existence in Nibelhiem.

`I am not her daughter, I am a goddess in Hell. I am the enemy.'” ..this in progression.. “Hild never cared for me. I tried to find some way to be accepted to her, as I learned my place as Urd's damned substitute due to this `arrangement' Hild demanded. I was never truly told why this was so. Worse, I was shut out from Hild as a sentient being, her own demonic pets receiving more treatment than I did, of any kindness.

And it grew worse from there. Each day was a torture, as Hild decided I needed to be broken, as an example as how a goddess `should' be broken. She find tasks for me beyond demeaning, have servants `teach' me in arts of pain by example upon me, have those same pets challenge me for even food, and then I would be blamed if I tried to fight back.

Inside her walls, I was locked away, pushed around, called every name a normal goddess would be insulted by, and even have jokes of putrid nature of a goddess, made at my own expense.”

The story was being heard with retreating hearts.

“For the first few years when I grew up, I was an animal, less than mortal to them! I even saw a mortal prisoner brought before Hild, in my enforced presence, and given treatment proper, while I was punished for a failure that wasn't even my own, all just to be shown my place. I took blames for things I was not even capable of, and shown my place so many times over, I was broken by the time Hild decided I needed to be...... molded.”

Frigurina gulped to the point of a parched throat, as Entropia spoke of jumbled memories that were all chaotic, and black as pitch. “And then came the years that began to turn me to something Hild saw fit as another of her tools. At some point, I was sent to the same schools and training that other high class demons go through. All their lessons and challenges, with all my singled out torture.

Dare I not say the derision was got daily, by the hour, down to the minute at times, in an atmosphere that was brutally competitive in the first place.

All the standard lectures, placement and training tests, all while being failed even when I knew I passed. It was clear to me, I was being ensured as nothing less than to be what Hild suited for me, never of what I could choose for myself!”

Belldandy of note, held strong, despite her heart of also note, wilting under things that she remembered in words Imladris spoke of. Lind across nearby knew even better from Melds, what was being related. Mara behind was actually no less remorse in feeling, for her own reasons. Entropia then added. “I lost the will to continue on at one endless point. As if that stopped Hild from keeping me alive, citing that horrid Doublet crap. Even when I tried to kill myself, she'd ensured through spells and function, to prevent even this!! I was not allowed to die, and Hild imposed this just to save the life of one of her own demons! Or that was what she told me.

It didn't matter beyond this. She then punished me, tortured me even worse afterwards, just to `satisfy' her will upon me. Just to make the punishment for any escape beyond unbearable!

I was truly trapped in her nightmare.”

Chihiro of note snapped over at Mara with a dire accusation.. “How can you demons be `that' cruel!?”

Mara for her part just cited helplessly. “Oh it gets worse. We as demons are actually not so different from goddesses, familial wise and all. We can care for one another as much as goddesses can for each other. But demons with anyone else not of demon. Well, I think you can draw a line with some of your... ethnic problems you humans have on this dumb world.”

“Oh good grief.” Keiichi gulped at that. “Is that why gold dude was changed like he was back then?!” ..he looked, and missed stirrings that would have been seized upon by even Lind by this point, if not for Entropia's tale. Entropia ripped word from Mara, with.. “Oh... -dark chuckle- ..that's actually a line we both can share. The fact we are both tools to Hild.

A tool can recognize such in another, since that was Hild's damned attempt in the end. Should I bother describing what occurred that day to you all again?”

“Forget it broad!” Chihiro snapped outright. Entropia chuckled just as darkly as before, then adding with a look right at her hated mother. “Yes. Forget. Forget it all. That's what happened to me last, when Hild decided what I was to be of use to her. Forget me as a being to have respect lain upon. To be treated anything more than fodder.

The Dark Norn she called me, when she essentially then trained me in the same manner the Dark Lord was trained as. However I was `so' fortunate to have time aplenty to be trained properly by her. Her Horde Warlords, her other tools that she used as she saw fit. Assassins that tested me to the point of death, but as said not allowed. Even that temporal chamber when she really wanted to engrave her touch in acid!

And this...” ..as she exposed Gray to the sight of everyone to worry anew upon, the dark gray wings and body looking as if a normal Angel had all color sucked away from it. Even the blond hair looked sickly discolored and negative. “...when Hild was finished molding me, using thrice the same methods I had been abused by beforehand,

Having been so bereft of all proper feeling, individuality, and even basic social ability, the molding just finished by having Hild force me to ingest an angel egg, where she got it I will never know. My angel is an abomination as much as I am because of it all, and from there was where my purpose was made! I was an assassins tool, a courier of death, a hand for Hild to use to kill with. I was used in such manners that even demons were not so easily sent. I killed off good families, ruined nations, took names as my own to frame and slander by! Even conducted lust as a weapon, where failure to do so would end up with even more pain upon me. Hild ensured any failure was excruciating,

I was given all of tasks that were too base and ruinous to the soul, that even Hild herself wouldn't do her self. Even her best Horde, capable of such atrocities, were held back, just to save them face, where mine was never one to bother saving!

I lived to be Sins for Hild, so she did not have to be so openly! That was my final curse! The being that cannot sleep soundly even once by minute without the horrors replaying in my accursed mind, one `actually' cursed to this effect even!!”

By now Entropia was shaking as much as everyone else was streaming tears by. Given what Imladris had been exposed to, what was learned by everyone else by this time, it was not hard to accept what Entropia was saying as truth.

The black lacing static of energy, seething from Entropia's hands now, told of how tightly her hands were squeezed together. And then the Norn lashed out to end effect of at Frigurina. “Why!??! Why did you forsake me so like this?!?!?” ..and stabbed a hand at Urd to boot! “Why me for `her'?! WHY!?!?”

A goddess mother incarnate could only close her eyes. She knew the truth of why. She wrestled in if she should tell it now or not. Dearly so in fact.

“If.... If I told you why. You'd misconstrue it all. As if Hild gave either of us a choice, your Father and I, when we asked her for Urd in the first place. We hoped the trade would be less painful.”

Entropia just snarled back.. “I assure you, the pain was replete nonetheless!”

And then her hand openly flared dark energy into it. Lind was the first to respond with a energy bolt in preparation, of her own. Bell just shouted out to the same.. “Please don't do it!” ..as Chihiro was backing Ichigo well away from the unknown that was in near conflagration. “We're gonna want to duck lady!” ..as even Mara shouted. “Why did I bother bringing you here broad!?” ..as actually prepared a restraining bolt of her own, just in case.

Which ended up just snapping Entropia's abused sense of paranoia into overdrive. “Yes... and once again I am cornered and alone against all others.” ..this Frig saw and shouted to Mara. “No! Just back off Mara.”

“Sorry.” Mara surprised a second time with, adding.. “I got my own orders to keep with. And he over there is...... eh?”

Mara's off key look to where Imladris lain, saw something that was `not' laying down. Frig saw and looked to a gasping sound, that reactively made others look in kind! Lind was quite shocked therefore, to see her own beloved, somehow standing... “L... love?”

Entropia looked and felt cold at the sight, as someone she `did' have real reason to still fear, was shuffling towards her. This as somehow he had managed to rise, and stand, despite looking like having actually static electricity as formal hair of a beast! Frigurina looked over actually dumbfounded, as Hirund had a hand on Seren's forearm, apparently restraining it. The two traded a look, that only confused Frigurina...

..for a mere moment further at least.

Entropia meanwhile saw this and stumbled back.. “N.. no... stay back dammit!” ..her Angel actually diving back into her back from the same fear!

Imladris took another step.. “So lost....” ..and stumbled, with Lind reaching, and Urd shouting in concern.. “Lay back down already!” ..before she felt a hand on her left arm, and saw Bell's right hand, and look to a face that also understood.

Lind reached but had her hand shot back `again' from the replete static that Imladris was fighting tremendously against, as he mind `needed' to respond to all it has readily heard, as unto Entropia's quite loud tirade and rending story. He looked at the only thing in sight he had through determination past the pain, to see, as his mind `needed' to say something.

“Pl.. please.. please don't.” Entropia begged, seeing revision of that moment a Dark Lord had her dead in full rights and all, her memory almost seeing that deathly clear moment, instead of the real one in front of her. What she heard next however...

“I know this pain.”

Entropia heard, and knew the words were directed at her. Imladris shuffled closer, as he wrenched with his classic determination to continue this. “Ilfirin naina, I know this voice as if `twas my own. Story and all.”

Imladris's voice came across as if being spoken through the back end of a running electric fan, such as everyone else heard it, as he stumbled forward, literally twice a step, to the point Entropia backed up about the same, until she suddenly back tripped, slipping on a pathway stone, falling to her rear. She toned out in fear of.. “Please don't hurt me!”

“I don't... hurt goddesses.”

Entropia froze, as Imladris fought with consciousness, to add.. “Bereft of happiness, we are of both... to history, reasons we both blame beyond control... we.... we both cannot understand why at first.

But still we are both of truth, no matter what else.... can come.”

Entropia tried to hear through her fear, before she realized the form before her, was really struggling just to stay standing. Imladris realized he was nearly out of consciousness, as if it was a tank of fuel here, and blared to the point. “We both were tools of... Hild. Another shared... trait.

But I know something... even she must realize....”

Entropia listened as words were almost being cut out of his own mouth.. “My false... form. I... it... when it...

When you were at my false... mercy..... my wretched form of all....

When you were at my unintended point of demise..... my false form recognized.... you as a goddess.... as a traitor.... to be destroyed.”

A lot of mixed feelings came across everyone listening, as Lind of note tried yet again to reach for Imladris as he stumbled again, but Hirund restrained `her' this time. A gentle shake of a General's head made Lind have to watch, as Entropia asked.. “T.. traitor? Was that all I was to you..... that Dark Lord even I admired?”

More surprised blinking, as Imladris literally blurted out, actual sparks flying from his mouth in the saying.. “To him... you were. But to the true me, it was my factor reversal that said it... the hate I never knew I could have.

Because the false saw the goddess, as the truth in my eyes do now.” ...which made Entropia gasp, as Imladris finally fell to his knees. Voices gasped, but that just made him fight `even' harder, thrusting his head up to show this.

“What... what are you..?” ..Entropia begged, not realizing she was defeating Hild's molding in this one moment of compassion in hope, such was how cracks to hope were made. Imladris just then begot to the final point.

“You are, and ever will be... a goddess.... as I... ever will be... a mortal This... in my mind.. If I... can rise from ashes of failure and mistakes, to look for..... hope.... and family.... where I was bereft of as much as you have.... been... for so long...

..then you my goddess... can do no less.... with no excuse!”

Frigurina hearing heard where this was going, as Entropia just demanded. “How can I start that, after all I.... ah!!” ..she stopped, as Imladris placed a hand to impose the last words he could give. The static just laced with more than enough attention begetting, as Imladris stressed what he had left.

“Does.... it.... matter?

Do you want... to have a second... chance, as I was begotten? This from souls... around that had all right... to throw even me... away?

Ones I'd give my life for willingly even now!”

Even Chihiro now was understanding, even shielding Ichigo as she was, the said mortal just as lost as Keiba had been in a similar beginning. Entropia then just stuttered.. “But...”

“Do you?”

“Yes.” ..a mix of soft uncertainty and jittered nerves, beneath which a child's ancient hope lain, responded.

”Then.... that is.... how I release... your entrapment......... by. This Hild so allowed for... me... to do.

Please be a goddess for... yourself, and live not by Hild instead. This as I... do `not'.

Please.”

Entropia started to nod shakily. It was all she had time to do, when by all dang stupid rights, Imladris just blanked out cold, and fell to his right side. Entropia just sat there stunned, as many came up, before Seren reminded. “Watch the backlash aura!” ..which was too late for Lind (again,) and Urd, both whom wrung their hands. “Dang, he has a spark.” ..the latter moaned.

Hirund just sighed.. “Now you all know why even Master Thor was exasperated with this one at times.” ..and walked over to try and raise the knight with a levitation spell. Her reward was to have even `her' hand sparked at. “OW!”

Urd `had' to blink at that. “Even a near Lower Council goddess?” ...though with a look at Frigurina, whom just remarked. “Even the Second Seat High Council goddess to boot. Might want to just move the equipment instead.”

Njal meanwhile just remarked. “Maybe we should just remove the problem at hand. I doubt all of this is fully natural.”

Frigurina meanwhile came near, and glanced over at Entropia, whom looked back with a helpless gaze that just was one that fought between running away and wanting to be hugged. Frigurina just wondered.. Is this a turning point? Or more harm to come?

--------------------

-Luna orbit-

The consoles and holographics were flickering badly, Synthetics crumpled unto the deck plating.

And one hand of stronger note and material than the rest, tries to raise, and then clanks down over the communications console. The attempts fail each time.

--------------------

-A rebuilt residence later-

...noted as Skuld's mentioned need for tools, as well as a worry from Hirund that the weather was worsening quickly for once, made for a combined family effort, nominal Norns and their Mother, to rebuild the residence quickly. (A choice a mother stressed as a family excuse, more than just to let the First Classes have all the fun.) Not only that, but this lent to Keiichi and Sentaro as well, as Belldandy and Frigurina needed their help as well, so they said, and so mended bones came along thrice faster than would have otherwise.

Skuld and Sentaro went out with said tools to do what they could for Sigel and Banpei, as Keiichi was the first to admit. “Wow, your healing powers are as scary as your destructive powers.”

Bell just remarked quirkily. “We try dear.”

Meanwhile, Seren and Njal managed to `fit' around Imladris, a ring levitation system, using green rings of energy from a projection `bar' unit set above Imladris's chest. This allowed him to be moved to Keiichi room, instead of the Temple main, to better weather the rains that came way too quickly for anyone's comfort.

Lind as expected, was at Imladris's side, as the Infirmary goddesses kept scanning for ways to assist their beleaguered patient. Entropia and Mara ended up in the hallway nearby, the rest gathered in the Tea room, and part of the kitchen adjoining. Skuld and Sentaro joined them all too soon, as Skuld just moaned. “I can't do anything while this flare thing is going on. They're to scrambled right now.”

Belldandy of note listening, and then finally wanting to ask. “Are we formally certain a solar flare is behind all this?” Keiichi just adds generally. “Well, they can mess up electronics of all types, and even knock out power to cities if bad enough. Given the mess we have here, it's probably no wonder we missed it. Here at least. Wonder how messed up the rest of the planet is right now.”

Sentaro just gulped out.. “This won't help recovery efforts here either.”

Urd meanwhile comments to the discussion. “So a really big flare is behind Cousin being knocked out cold? Just how big a flare `are' we talking about then?”

Skuld worriedly adds. “Well, it messed up Sigel and Banpei up, so I'm wondering how much of that radiation made it down here. Or is it all just electromagnetic in nature? Either way it's not small, I can believe that.””

“I have another worry.” ..this heads turn to one that quickly learned of another worry or related note, as Lind speaks. Frigurina prods. “Of?”

“If Sigel and Banpei are so affected, would they be the only ones of similar make we know of?”

Everyone had to think what this meant, before Skuld suddenly gasped again.. “Scetu!” ..which Belldandy then comments a step further. “What about Cousin's starship?”

Chihiro blinked pipped eyed. “Starship again?”

Hirund, near the paper slide door to the outside decking, remarked quickly to this. “Someone need to go up and check on that chariot then. We can then see with Scetu's sensors, what's really going on up there.” ..this Frigurina hooked up upon. “Skuld, think you can handle it?”

“M.. me?”

Frig then looked and chose... “Peorth and Urd will go too.”

Sentaro looked and saw Urd and Peorth a bit ginger looking about this, but then looked at Skuld, and scooted back a tic, as the Future goddess was just glassy eyed with excitement. “Sweeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeet!”

Urd just commented to Peorth. “Guess we better go to keep an eye on one of us.”

“Pour précis.”

“I heard that.” Skuld just growled out. Keiichi just commented. “Do be careful up there.” ..as the three goddesses nod genuinely and walk on out, changing, not giving it all much more fuss. Sentaro smiles to Skuld as she leaves, as Fusuchi just eggs. “Aww, lil bro don't wana be a cosmonaut?”

As Sentaro blushes under some giggles, Ichigo just chides. “Nuh-uh, my son ain't ready to be no astronaut guy thing!”

Belldandy just offers sweetly. “Actually I hear Cousin's vessel is quite fun to visit.”

Chihiro just gulps. “Count me out. Space is too Sci-fi to me.”

Hirund just chuckles. “Careful about such amongst types as us.” ..which just makes Chihiro blare back. “Like I don't get that daily here anyway.”

Frig just smiles to this as three goddesses `take-off'. “She's grown wise to us. These mortals hold such promise. Correct daughter?” ..this Belldandy blushes a bit, well knowing the reference. Keiichi sees and `he' blushes, knowing just as well quick enough. Hirund sees and smirks. “Indeed they do.” Chihiro just huffs and looks away.

Lind at this point looks where the open main entrance is showing a good downpour, and starts to turn back to Keiichi's room. Hirund however interrupts this.. “Mind if I join you Commander?”

Lind looks back as everyone hears. “Of course.” ..and the two head into the said room. Keiichi sees.. “Wonder what that's about.” ..and then sees Belldandy turn to head into the kitchen. He then in turn gets up, forgetting he actually can do so, with some wincing still, and calls. “Mind if I join you too?”

“Of course dear.” ..and both vanish from sight soon enough.

Frig smiles as Chihiro growls. “How come `they' get to vanish so conveniently?”

“I can still alleviate that dear child.”

“Over my dead cylinders.” ..Chihiro blanches as usual and retreats towards the back of the residence. Frig shakes her head. “Not for much longer.” ..and looks to a now much emptier room, knowing one other relative is nearby, but the time to talk to her estranged daughter not yet proper time.

She sensed she wouldn't need to approach so readily anyway. Across the way, the other mortals of Kawanishi clan note were keeping to themselves a bit, before she then realized and asked generally. “Eh? Where'd Velsper and Celestine begot to?”

--------------------

“Get off me.”

Velsper just hissed again. “Hey, like I wana go out there in that downpour?” ..this as it seemed their literal specie namesakes was pouring down just a short distance away, Velsper at the time just grabbed onto something that was as fast as she/he, one that ended up taking refuge in a `tight' boxed in cubby hole between boxes, under the residence porch deck.

And Velsper `hated' to be wet. “I hate being wet. You have no damned idea how much I hate being wet. It was bad enough as a demon weakness, but now in this reincarnated form.”

Celestine, more than capable to `talk', as demonstrated to at least Velsper thus far, though not ready yet to do the same for these already jittered mortals around here, just growls a second time. “As if I care, less so in `this' reincarnated form.

So get off and find another hole to bury yourself in.”

Velsper just hissed back. (What a pair.) “Oh fine your flea riddled godliless, Just back up so I can get a jump start around this box.”

“I can't move you fool. This space is only large enough to encompass my present form.”

Velsper just mew-moaned back.. “So you came back overweight!?”

Celestine finally had enough and growled harsh enough to freak Velsper out, and right into the heavy rain. Celestine just chuckle-huffed in small victory. “Thought that mange would never leave.”

Nearby a cat like voice just hissed back, drenched in tone.. “You want a war Lassie, you got one.”

Celestine felt his days would become a little more interesting. “So much for a reincarnated vacation.”

--------------------

Frig was considering where the two reincarnated went, when something `else' piqued her interest all of a sudden.

The next thing Mara and Entropia noted, as Frig suddenly walking out, generally calling out. “I'll be out everyone, don't wait up.” ..and headed out, regardless of the rain. Mara blinked and wondered. “Can't she stay still for a moment?”

Entropia didn't say anything. Instead she was considering something else.

What was it I was formerly called in name?

--------------------

-another world-

“What a mess, even for a lair.”

Mist looked over at Rend, as both picked their way forth in this desolate area of a rocky mountain crag. Mist for her part just wondered as the stepped over some bones of a creature most humanoid, but not human. “I half expected this old girl to be in the clouds instead. This place sure didn't end up a secure place.” ..this as the two Generals of Valkyries, dressed in their own combat jumpsuits, lining and epaulets of silver and opal crystal each demarcating in pigment with their hair color respectively, both looked over a scene of great battle.

A place that looked everything a classic (and actual,) dragons lair, had the burned out skeletons of a great many enemies that had begotten a fire fate. Most of them looked anything indeed but human in skeletal look.

Rend kneeled down and saw from this, looking around, and past experienced. “Orcs. A mercenary party? Too many for just a regular adventuring type here.” ..this as Mist picked up an utterly crisped lance, bitten off in half even. “I think they were armed accordingly. There's a lot of lances and other weaponry meant to slay a dragon here.”

Rend gulped at that and looked at the towering cave opening, before shouting, heedless to any danger... “Lady Irtasus!! Are you here Milady!?!!

Please answer!!” ..she spun about all 360 to shout with. Mist kept a tighter grip on her golden staff Axe. Both of them did.

Neither of them heard anything, save for the howling winds.

Mist just then offered `simply'. “Let's go mess with her hoard! That'll bring her.”

Rend just rolled her eyes. “Good, one less Sister to mess with.” ..but did offer.. “Though heading in there is a proper next step.”

Both eyed each other and nodded.

--------------------

Keiichi didn't know what to expect as he followed Belldandy in. Belldandy went to the counter and looked about ready to ready some tea glasses. She stopped this as quick as she started, and gently laid one glass back where it was in a cupboard, and leaned the counter underneath.

Keiichi tried to break the ice, as he went over and leaned his back into the adjoining sink. “Some day huh.”

As if Belldandy needed and excuse to just hug endearingly onto “Too much of one.”

Keiichi was in his Keima gene-encoded reflex for a split moment, before he showed how much he was `not' like Keima, with the embrace he gave Belldandy back in kind. Belldandy sighed with comfort at this, and both ended up in a needed embrace with each other.

“I can't do it.”

Keiichi blinked when he heard this. “Wha?”

“I can't live without you. I just can't.” ..she whispered into his ear. “It's almost all that's been in my mind ever since that day. That moment I thought....

I don't want you to ever die on me.”

Keiichi gulped at that. Conversations revolving this he usually had away from Belldandy, and moments when it seemed they both would die anyway, yet did not, still didn't prepare to hear this rather stark admission.

“Um....”

Belldandy just admitted. “Even though I know better, I still want to protect you from such a fate. It's been growing in my mind ever since Cousin showed up. And recent events just keep me fearing losing you beyond my reason to think sometimes. Controlling this feeling only grows more difficult as days pass, and a sight in my mind I truly dread. Considering a feeling Lind knows all too well.” ..she stopped, and then half giggled. “And here after I was supposedly used to my selfishness.”

Keiichi just hugged her tighter, making her lose a bit of gasped breath. “I'm the selfish one. I mean here I was too worried about my own injuries to think about how you were really feeling. Pain does that I guess, and I was taking your attention to me for granted too.

And I was scared of dying.” ..he then half chuckled. “I wonder if that was how gold dude felt when he died. Er... originally.. I guess.”

Keiichi then felt wet droplets on his warm shoulder, as Bell sobbed out gently. “I don't want you to die. I want your life with mine for as long as I live.”

Keiichi blinked that. “Uh... should that be as long as I...” ..and stopped as Belldandy suddenly pulled away, and then looked at the still open slide door, and then to the wet window next. She then made her decision, and started to pulls Keiichi along..

“Bell?” ..he asked without response, as they managed to apparently sneak through the main hallway slide door, and then managed to sneak past all apparent sight, to the back slide door. But she didn't stop there, as Belldandy then pulled him into the rain. Keiichi blanched at first. “What are.. where?” ..as Bell simply asked.. “Please.”

That was all that was needed to allow Keiichi to be led back towards the informally named Angel garden, where that single tree stump that kept being such wonderful focus held sway amidst the drenched grove of trees.

“So many fun things happen here huh?” ..Keiichi just remarked. Bell smiled back, her simple fall attuned dress now heedlessly wet beyond not seeing `details' within. (Like Keiichi didn't notice that either.)

As they disappeared, one set of eyes trailed them, of canine note. However another set was following from the other end of the back porch, as Chihiro noted and wondered to herself, not realizing she was heard from a canine set of ears. “Now what are those two up to?” ..as she looked at the rain, and then shrugged it off to decide and follow out of curiosity's sake.

Not realizing she was at her limit for such things.

--------------------

The trip up was not exactly silent. “Well I still have Sentaro even where you two do not.”

Peorth and Urd kept wincing at this, the third of such jabs, the three of them in their combat jumpsuits, appropriate for the near hairball that seemed to be developing. Peorth just blanched back. “I told you we... we I... sorta... have one of my own.

If the blowhard would settle down at least. Literally.”

Urd the smirks over. “Is that our particular problem? Our versions just won't `settle' down.”

Peorth groans, Urd sighs, Skuld then points as they approach Luna rather quickly. “Hey! There it is!”

The two elder goddesses look at a sight that ends the weird discussion cold. Urd notes to her sight.. “I don't think that ship was meant to be at that angle.”

The three look as the Illistrum is pointed downwards at the bow, at a steep eighty degree something angle, and pointed towards the silvery source of supplemental heavenly power. The serene, semi-profile flattened, cathedral like warship was anything but proper looking to the three. Skuld just quipped. “We need to get on board now ladies.”

Peorth looked at Urd. “Guess she's in charge here.”

Urd back dryly. “Wait till she gets it to her head.”

Skuld just spun around. “You want to hear it from me? Or from Cousin instead?”

Both elder goddesses just nod back. “By your leave.”

Skuld just triumphantly spun back around and headed for the first apparent docking port or airlock she could find. And she did it fast, for various reasons.

--------------------

Chihiro was quite annoyed with herself having gone out in this rain. “Why do I bother like this?” ..as she followed to the area she by now knew just as well as anyone else of the family. She was split in wondering if she needed to bother them, or just look and see what they `are' doing.

As she passed through some branches, she didn't realize a set of canine eyes decided that wetness wasn't that big a problem, compared to what Celestine suspected what was going to occur. They both ended up near the appropriate spot as Chihiro passed just over some bush riddled spots, just as a blue aura suddenly flared to life, and kept a blue hue to sight thereafter.

“Is she at it again?” Chihiro wondered out loud, as she pushed almost a step too far, and halted behind some branches, and saw something that had only been told so far to her in stories. Celestine picked through a lower set of branches, to the same sight that even made him stop.

Chihiro just gulped and sat down. “I can't take this.”

“Better than you think you are.”

Chihiro started to nod at that, before she realized the voice came from about her head height of current note. She looked over and her eyes went all pipped, as all she saw near her, was a wet husky breed of a dog.

And given what she'd been exposed to unto now, (and knowing Velsper could speak,) she shivered at the notion of having to realize whom was the spoken part here. She just quipped back warily. “You smell like wet dog.”

Celestine just quipped back through wagging tongue. “You smell like wet human.”

Their eyes were then trained on another shimmering effect of sound, as Celestine saw clearly what Belldandy was sharing with Keiichi. The former god just quipped. “It seems some of my rebellious behavior made it's way into her perfection after all.”

Chihiro just nodded, all numb at the sight.

--------------------

Urd stopped for a moment, as they entered the flickering, dimmed hallway adjoining the docking bay they chose. Peorth saw this stark motion.. “Tu vas bien?” ..this Urd just smirked back. “I think it's a good thing we left Belldandy behind, so it may seem.”

“Errrrrrghh.” ..the two then heard from Skuld, whom was not that dense about it all either by this point in mutual family history. The Melds being common knowledge now. Skuld just groaned out. “I swear Keiichi keeps taking advantage of Big Sis too much.”

Peorth just egged. “And you haven't done the same to ol Sentaro yet?” ..this Skuld actually admits despite her good sense. “I'm waiting for the right moment!”

Urd just quips to Peorth. “Yep, she's growing up and getting chained up on us anymore.”

Skuld just fought the urge to shove them both back out the airlock, and instead managed to pick her way past some floating debris, and more than one malfunctioning Synthetic unit. “Gravity is null here, I think all vessel's power got hit. We better find answers fast.”

Peorth and Urd kept going off Skuld's lead, given the environment they were in, was Skuld to a pure T here.

They literally picked their way, all kinds of technological debris hovering in their way. Skuld had to keep reminding Urd that it was all technically Imladris's property, and annoyed Urd Bolts at said debris would like need explanation later. Skuld even kept `using' said Cousin's word as her own in this place.

Urd just whispered to Peorth at one point. “Told ya she'd get it in her head.”

Skuld ended up just smacking a hatch panel, instead of using a bomb herself, which only partially opened the main blast door to the main bridge deck. Skuld huffed. “Dang this place is messed up. Help me here.” ..this as it took all three goddesses to wrench the door open. Once they did so, and made their way in, it looked like a ghost ship incarnate. Urd quipped. “You know, never having been here before and all that, I don't think `this' is what I had in mind for a greeting.”

A three ring depression set bridge layout, raised consoles and holographic projectors, the upper two set as operation stations for the rest of the ships needs, internal and external, had Synthetics draped atop them, many twitching badly. The lowest level had a main holoprojector unit set in between the second and lowest levels, other consoles surrounding a large open space where a commander's seat reigned. Little else was in front of this save for a partially lowered console (or raised from either looks of,) and open space to see the panoramic view the viewport gave. The setup wasn't mean for pretty viewscapes alone, given how wide a viewscape that was given.

Peorth of note commented as Skuld saw a familiar Synthetic.. “How many battles did this sight hold?” ..Urd nodding, as Skuld yelled in reaching for. “Help me with Scetu here!” ..the three having to work raising the rather heavy unit to a bare sitting position. Skuld shook Scetu as if a sleeping person. “You okay Scetu? Say something!”

The Synthetic tried speaking, but a mix of hisses and broken beeps only ekes out, before the unit's head drops into it's metallic chest. Peorth just quips, a bit freaked out. “I don't think helps us any.”

Urd just stands just then, forgetting she was helping Peorth and Skuld keep Scetu sitting, as she complains. “I can't believe this ship is so fragile.”

Skuld suddenly stamps upwards and shouts (also forgetting something Peorth can't.) “Cousin's ship is amazing! You always rip into techy stuff like that!”

Urd just eggs further as Peorth starts to strain like crazy. “Oh admit it, you're jealous you could make something like this, and mess it up too, like everything else you make.”

Peorth.. “G.. guy...s..”

“Not as much as you do with your drug addiction! And just you wait until we fix this glorious baby, then you'll see!”

“B.. braves gens...”

“And then I'll just get in good graces with a love potion for Lind. Then you'll see what counts. Heck with this electronic pizzazz!”

“Gens...” ..sliding down much...

“I bet I could do that with a cool gadget you know! The ol brainwave dream romantic enhancer! Yeah! He'll be just as happy as with your poisons!”

“Mauvaises gens... ugh..!”

“Uhuh, a dream machine that will likely have Cousin dreaming about those Eddas instead. They even make me shiver. And what's this about `just as happy'?”

Skuld dryly retorts. “Hey, you sometimes have a good idea even. Once in a Big Bang at least.”

“Gee thanks ol Big Rip. I... eh?”

They both hear a weird squeal of escaping air. “What the?” Urd quips before looking down and seeing a flattened French pancake. Skuld just quips. “Oh, she's fine like that.”

“Rouges. Racine de tout mal.”

Urd just comments, both she `and' Skuld finger their chins.. “This is probably the most contact she's had with a guy in years. Why bother them?”

“Yeah.” Skuld says to pour salt.

The last both utter before they have to dive for their lives, as a bunch of rose vines shoot out in the chase! “VILE miscreants of the universe!! I'll show you... eh?” ..as one vine hits a random console, one controlling a science station by chance. It does so and causes the diving Norn goddesses to suddenly look up from behind the primary holoprojector, as a flickering image keeps popping on and off, as well as frazzling and warp about due to interference.

“What the?” Urd says, as Skuld and a vine retracting Peorth look on, as the image shown, while highly jumbled, is still static enough when stable, for the goddesses to remember by. After enough of this, Skuld realizes. “So that's it.”

“What?” Urd/Peorth quip as one, not having gotten quite `that' far. Skuld rolls her eyes. “Remind me to ask Father to send you both to Celestial Mechanics again.”

--------------------

Lind just kept her dour façade, not able to find comfort in the sight of one she knew was in anything but the same. Seren and Njal would look at her once in awhile, as they chatted with each other in Yagdrassil speech, as the Valkyrie kept playing the thought of what she felt in her head.

How.... numb... she felt. It was almost worse than what she felt the amnesia had been, since that was still a readily available set of memories thanks to the Melds. Comparison therefore was a cold and frightening affair.

When she realized she was doing this, she shook her head.

“He's even changed you much.”

Lind at first was perturbed at the voice, but knowing Hirund's own history with the current invalid, she grew appreciative quite rapidly. “Are all mortals this troublesome?”

Hirund smirked. “I'd have to remain here to give a proper answer there. You are the expert here. For me, I hear the end result of their lives, and mainly the ones that have died in battle. The rest I cannot say.

I would hope this one, our mutual mortal of note, is an example to do well by.”

Lind offered next. “There are others that have ended up molding him as well.” ..Hirund leaned her head over as the Valkyrie continued. “These mortals here are worth defending. It's become more than just a simple mission here. I believe beloved has become truly happy here.

Like the life he never had come of truth in stead in the here and now.” ..she smirked at this.. “And I get to share that with him.

When he's not a handful like this.”

Seren and Njal heard, as much as Mara and a suddenly self unnamed Norn did, as Hirund smirked even further.. “Handful wasn't even the start of it, when we were the ones molding him. Funny a word to use I guess, but that's what we did.

All to what he wanted to be in the end anyway.”

Lind became transfixed.

“You saw him when he left your Division cadre, in as raw a form as I've ever seen a warrior. Emotional beyond reproach, unable to keep up at the basic level with our combat routines, whiny as any brat entering their training. We were hard on him, he knew it, and had to fight his own emotions in the beginning. It was amazing nonetheless now much he persevered in the face of such challenges. We saw as much as you did, what his determination levels were. We sure saw that earlier today, if we needed a reminder.

Beyond this, the nanites that were his framework for Almighty's intentions, before even we, my Sister Generals and I, learned of his Seal, were even not enough even when we first got hold of him. Lord Thor was even worse than we as Generals anticipated, how brutal he was upon the knight here. I think Master intended it due to seeing what Almighty saw. Maybe a little of his own insight, though for the Master, this was pushing it honestly. Still is even.”

“Hard to imagine.” Lind cracked to both of their amusement. Not the kind that became infections to the other listening.

Hirund just brushed her wine red locks and sighed further. “You know, I think we knew Imladris had you as his smitten, when he was first under our tutelage. It became more pronounced as time went on, so you know. It seemed natural, if dangerous a vein, to set our teachings as he was wrought under, to ends that both met Heaven's needs, his own goals, and both of your hearts. That was where our Social training came in, what seemed proper for a Knight to learn as a Squire. But even we learned as time went on what this truly meant.

Even the Combat Section needs love for our power to truly blossom, you've become an example as such, you must know by now. I think you two have a greater following than you both realize. It's been worth it that much for all the trouble and determination he ended up cursing us with, along it all.

Not the mention the block headed stuff that took too long for you two to end up together.”

Lind just smiled at this. “Men are men. God or mortal alike. No need to make things easy for them.”

Hirund just slit her eyes at Lind. “Is that what you called all that?”

“Worth it compared to now, in my mind.”

Mara's voice suddenly decided to join in. “Is that why I got so screwed in the end?” ..this everyone looks. Hirund just smirks. “You mean that liberation stuff we heard of in the end result? We sure didn't intend our training for that result.”

Mara just folded her arms, less than appeased anyway. “Like it was supposed to go that far in the first place. My duties here against you goddesses was actually lighter fare, compared to what Hild kept shoving onto us back then.

Course losing this much and `that' much are just as crappy.”

Lind had to ask to this next. “Why are you telling us this now?”

Mara just sighs out. “Because it amazed me one same guy that gave you so much trouble, would give me so much trouble, even after I asked Hild to end our operation. She however decided we needed to keep `fighting on', even though it was obvious to us when over half the galaxy we were trying to subvert, ended up more unified together than even we demons expected those mortals to become. They were at the time, doubly divisive than the nations and ethnic populations of this dang planet are even now. I think all we ended up doing in the end, was at first unifying to our whims, that made for a unifying cause against us in the final end.

And look where that final end went to.” ..Mara seethed out.. “Hild just ended up having us become fodder to give you good guys a reason to turn into a unified galaxy. If we tried to do that here on this world, I suspect the same thing would happen.

Mortals like `him' just give too much damn hope, where we take it away. I don't know why we bother on the large scale. We almost always seem to fail.”

Lind blinked. “Almost?”

“Oh we get a few nations and worlds from time to time. A few `really' nasty souls and all. But anything ending up epic in scale we end up on the losing end.” Mara responded more than perturbed, and then looking at the prone knight nearby. She looked with a strange... calm, to her eye.

“We take a few souls here and there that deserve it, more than the Soulless that is for sure. But have us try anything truly dark in effect, and the Big Guy sends blokes like `him' laying there. Heroes are our bane and all.

Wonder what feels like. Being a hero.”

The Norn next to Mara had a new silent chord to strike upon with. Lind felt a warm pride build up, as Hirund just offered. “Like crud to him, if he were to answer. Lot of work, and a lot of travails to end up going through. I should know, since I taught him the cons to being such a hero.

And then we learned an even harsher lesson at the end of the Soulless Invasion that day.” ..she looked over at Lind, whom looked pensive suddenly, as Hirund remembered something quirky that day. “And here just before it all happened, I was scolding your love, my godson, to seek you out for apology for that argument you two had concerning Troubadour.”

Lind blinked, but then just smirked. “But he insulted beloved. I don't apologize for what happened.”

Mara leaned in and smirked. “Tell me you at least weggied the creep, considering the stories Urd told about him.” ..Lind just smirked back in turn. “No, just the old evil eye look. As far as a goddess version goes.”

Mara just raspberried this in light egging. “Nah, the fool needs more lasting methods to really get rid of pests like that. A cauldron of scalding oil comes to mind. A `knot' for his nether regions too.” Hirund just sighed and shook her head. “Um... he `is' still a respected Tree Plum Spirit in the end, idiot that he is nonetheless. Please give the Spirit Elders enough credence for such? Through them we are even able to be here and have this lovely discussion. Goddess and Demon alike.”

Mara blanched. “Only in emergencies. Hild hates using Spirits as an energy medium. Converters through wicked souls is our usual fare instead. At least that's my medium here. Enough souls on this mudball to do that anyway.”

Lind icks at this properly. “Just like a demon at that.”

Just then a sounded wince from Imladris stops everyone cold, this before Lind then adds.. “Try that with this one, I'd dare you.” Mara dryly retorted unto. “Please, one like that would just give me gas from his energy output. I feel bloated enough just being here amongst you goody goodies.”

Hirund just smirks back. “Thank you.”

Mara blanches worse. “Cut that out!”

Lind just whispers back to original worry of note. “I'd like something `else' to cut it out. The energon messing my beloved up so badly.”

Hirund just sighed. “Give them time. Frigurina chose her own daughters to be Norns for a reason, not just because of code blood or relative note.” ..she then looked pointedly at the Commander. Pointedly for a separate reason in fact.

“Mind if I ask you something else? Something possibly related, though hardly really?”

Lind looked over and cocked her head. “Of?”

Hirund liked that about this Valkyrie. A trait that `was' helpful for the proposal she and her Sisters had in mind. Something else of note that Frigurina brought up, this she began to tell.

And the intent that floored Lind beyond her normal capacities.

--------------------

Keiichi knew he was swimming. He'd become actually expert in such a thing, swimming in all essentially, the soul that `was' Belldandy, soul most beautiful to him, and being shown such moreso now. He swam in a way his normal body still could not, why he didn't know, and really didn't care.

Sight kept `swimming' from `waters' of honey brown hair, pink fields of grass filled love, skies that dropped tears as happy as they were sad for reasons all their own, and then clouds of feathers he swore he switched to flying amidst.

And then eyes of blue, swimming in those had a whole new meaning now.

And he knew there were two sets of them to swim in even, even if essentially one in the same.

And the love, he couldn't tell where it ended, as it seemed endless landscapes were made of that very feeling, altered by other emotions that all seemed bent unto, this as craggy mountains, soft fields, deep oceans, endless skies, flowers that bloomed, and cities filled with joy. But more were the deep places of dark, and voids that held her true jealousies, even so much as to stand against the highest powers Keiichi `knew' he could feel as well.

Belldandy was showing him as much as `everything', that the ocean and soul named Belldandy could foster forth. Nothing, no less hidden before hand, was nonexistent a thing to consider here. Awe and terror filled the mortal, as he reveled as of both nonetheless.

Here, he understood in his meager abilities, what a goddess `was'.

He knew now, she'd even default to Keiichi, instead of Almighty even, and that the telling was a fresh decision at hand.

And there he understood. “I... is this what you're showing me!?”

He then felt his `whole' body enveloped in an embrace that made sex pale in honest comparison. He didn't need to really have it, compares to how `wonderful' he was feeling now. Unknowingly, it was a sign both of their souls were utterly compatible now.

As far as this goddess of his feeling was concerned, they were mated as if `in' a formal marriage.

Keiichi felt `that'. “A... are you... kidding?!”

I am of you from this moment forth my eternal beloved. All consequences are now to us both, no matter whom or what responds to this in any fit way they may seek.

I am willing. And you?

Whoa, was the only thing Keiichi could wordlessly think at that moment. Melding was one thing.

This begot another can of worms outright. “But... what does this mean for you? Won't you get in trouble Belldandy, for going `this' far?”

Compared to losing you `my' love, I'd risk even Heaven's own war, the same Celestine nearly caused, to my own death of very much a real end.

Keiichi `had' to blanch at that one! “Don't you dare!” ..this he felt the `landscape' jolt with shock. Keiichi just stressed. “I'd rather you be true to yourself, than change it for even me! I'd rather die than cause even `that'!!”

A `rain' of tears started to fall all around Keiichi. Keiichi just stressed further. “I love you for your true self! We've gone so far beyond what the Wish was about, that Contract stuff, even whether the System Force means anything anymore!

I fell in love with `you'! I'd live a life to a real end with `you'! I'd have a child with `you'! I'd even die first for `you'.

Please don't change from that ever! Not even `for' me dang it!!”

He feels a loving suffocation in the embrace, and the flood from `above', as he realizes the scenery is swirling back into reality.

And there, he blinks and knows he's awakened from the Meld, even while `still' in it!

“What?” ..he looks around and sees the grove, and the Meld of which a goddess he'd really die for, was embracing him with the same fierceness he'd been feeling within. He knew Holy Bell was still within him, and he wondered what to do for a moment.

For a moment he just considered just falling back into the Meld mentally. He had enough inkling to do this.

“Thank you for letting me know my love.”

Keiichi froze, and realized Bell wasn't so deeply entrenched either. He `felt' Holy Bell `within' doing something however, as Belldandy addressed further. “There are limits for both of us. Both of us want to keep honest to each other.... for each other.

I'd... say yes.... if you asked of me. Mother has been wondering if and when you'd ask the same.”

Keiichi just wished the water raining down could quench his Sahara parched throat just then. That Meld made it helpful to `know' what that meant. This concerning the more mortal elements of romance that had yet been shared between the two. The kinds Megumi and his former classmates and NIT buds kept hazing him about for years.

He swore his loins were listening too intently at that too.

“Oh!” ..he suddenly heard, as he asked, his body still stiff from sitting on his knees for a good while now. “Wha.. what now?”

Another familiar voice of the past spoke up again. “You two are `such' a pair.” ..as Keiichi knew Celestine's voice quite keenly. He then felt a cool withdrawal of Holy Bell from his belly, whom emerged, blushing like a pink rose. Belldandy gulped. “Mentor?” ..as Keiichi tried to turn around, forgetting his legs were dead to him for the moment.

He plopped over, ever so regally. “Dang it.” ..though with a sniff. “Ground smells nice though.”

Bell and Celestine-husky laughed lightly to the same. However Keiichi from his awkward angle, saw another with the Husky, whom looked anything but happy.

“C.. Chihiro?”

Belldandy saw the same look, and grew worried from it. The reason became reality when Chihiro couldn't contain her naked unease anymore.

“I... I can't stand it anymore.”

Uneasy a moment, was a poor description to hold here.

--------------------

“That is one `big' solar flare you just described.”

Skuld sighed to Urd. “Thank you for finally catching on.” ..this Peorth chuckled at Urd with. The Forever goddess however then changed tune to a serious tone with.. “Now that we know, can we just let it run it's course?”

Skuld shook her head. “This is an outright solar storm probably not seen for who knows how long around here. I'd not worry too much, if not for one: can Cousin hold up to this much longer, which I bet he can, despite with that network so affected? But two: This ship's computer core got messed up by this same storm. We could run from backups in it's archives, but we'd have to wait for the storm to pass by here.

Which is a problem if you'll look outside again.”

Eyes do look, one towards a lunar surface that seemed to be gaining much too detail to know their height of orbit, wasn't a stable one. Peorth just gulped. “Maybe we should just cast a spell.”

Urd threw up her hands. “Hold it. Last I remember from Admin reports, and yes I `do' read them when wanted, was that this ship was refitted with Intracellic code compatibility. With it so affected by the solar storm going on here, we may harm this ship in just moving it, what it's instability at the moment.

Like we train for `this' kind of occurrence normally.”

“Wimp.” Peorth just jabbed, but ancillary quipped.. “Still, I wonder why the life forms of Earth are not so affected as Chevalier is.”

Urd guessed at. “Must be Mother's spell. That or something that is affecting this ship, is hitting him harder. Could be things that just seem like godmodding and all. At least Keiichi isn't radioactive vapor right now.”

Peorth smirked in.. “Might be at this point you know.”

Skuld grew annoyed again at the snickering the two elder goddesses traded with each other. “How about we ask Mother later, as well as shove a bomb down Keiichi's pants.”

Peorth just egged in `again'. “Aw, just get into Sentaro's instead.”

“I'm going to throw you into the Sun you ditz!!!”

Urd suddenly openly comments on heel of this. `Hey, why don't we ask him.”

“Eh?” Skuld and Peorth are caught off guard with. Urd smirks. “Or actually, one of us can. Since Belldandy isn't here to do it.”

Skuld blinked, as Peorth wondered. “Isn't that taking the Earth Training License bit a step too far?”

Urd shoved her head forward, hands on huffy hips. “You wana tell Cousin we couldn't save his lil shippy?”

Skuld winced at that, one, because it was her own guilt ploy turned unto her. And two, Urd wasn't speaking to Peorth. “You aren't kidding, are you?”

“Not right now I ain't.”

Skuld just sighed, stared at twice over now. “Gee, I don't get you two.”

Urd just turned Skuld to the hallway to the airlock they came in from. “Come on, let's go talk to Mister Sun now.”

Peorth blanched a dry eye at this. “That phrase is going to have a whole new meaning.”

--------------------

Chihiro just began hugging at herself. “I can't take it. It's all too much for me.”

Keiichi had `never' seen this side of Chihiro before. Belldandy wilted a good bit at the same sight, as Celestine simply listened to a soul that had seen too much of the goddess way, to cope normally. Keiichi managed to sit back up with feeling in legs again, as they endured the tirade Chihiro needed to have let out. “This quake, all those.. spells... whatever they are...

..that battle... your people.... things... things I just can't accept.” ..a few words for a ton of pent up feelings. They were enough.

Not that it stopped a shaking Chihiro from then shouting out to the two.. “I don't know whether to fire you, or make you two `my' bosses! I'm going sick feeling out of place with it all!!”

“Thank you.”

Chihiro stopped shaking for a moment, when Keiichi suddenly spoke. She looked up through her unintended tears, as Keiichi had a rather relieved look on his face. She felt angry at it, before Keiichi added. “Was wondering if it all here was too serene and such around here. To be truthful at times, even I want to do what you are doing now boss.” Chihiro heard shakily, as Keiichi then offered, a wipe of his very wet brow. “But then Belldandy makes me feel so special every day, I don't get a chance to even consider such things. I guess you aren't as lucky, which I hope changes for you someday. It really does help I guess.”

Chihiro grew jealous, for all right knowing why, this as Bell rose. Keiichi just looked at Celestine and accused. “You know, if not for some of the things `you' did back then, I'd not appreciate what I'm feeling now.”

“Same to you then boy.” ..a husky `arfed' back. Keiichi couldn't help but chuckle. Chihiro heard this, and didn't expect her heart to be so lightened. She then however felt one of Belldandy's patented hugs of endearing, blushing greatly as much as all others have.

“I'm so sorry Chihiro.” Belldandy started, stunning Chihiro. “It's too easy for even me to take for granted, what seemed what is serene all around this family. One that we truly are. I feel it as much as Keiichi does. We forget that mortals are usually kept away from this truth for a reason.

But I also know that this world doesn't need to hide itself away from what we are either. If anything, I would hope most humans would follow your example, in dealing with us.”

Belldandy looked into Chihiro's amazed eyes. “I hope I learn from you, as much as you do from me. Others I hope for the same.”

Chihiro was of blinking, blank mind comprehending this all for a moment, but in the next moment, then chuckled unexpectantly. Celestine then put in, making Chihiro look. “I'd listen to her. She's surpassed her former mentor in this regard, amongst many others now.”

Belldandy then actually joshed over. “Your actions led to that assessment Celestine, not my own accord. Now your problems revolve around food, same as Velsper.”

Celestine gave a good laugh. Bell did the same, Chihiro and K1 no less, this but before Chihiro then pushed Bell away without warning. “O.. okay. Enough mushiness. Don't want to hurl here.”

“Boss?” Keiichi heard, far too quickly for him to accept. Chihiro waved a dismissive hand, and then put simply in much better character. “I may never truly understand your ways, but hey, doesn't mean I can't abuse them for all I can profit from. I mean I can't go wrong with three such employees, no?”

Keiichi just sighed as much as Belldandy beamed (with sweatdrop hidden.) “That's our Chihiro.”

Keiichi however delved to ask. “You sure you're okay boss?” ..this Chihiro sighed and waved off a second time. “No. But I will be. Just bear with it when I make you both do overtime.”

“I'll make second lunchboxes for us each.” Belldandy offered helpfully.

Chihiro smiled openly enough, that it seemed the cue to end the downpour that had riddled the area for a good while it seemed. Everyone looked up, as beams of sunlight poked through the clouds and rain. “Liquid sunshine.” Belldandy offered. Keiichi actually chuckled. “Really?”

“Why not?” Bell responded with a broad smile. Chihiro saw the traded look and imparted. “Guess I need to also schedule vacation time for you two, for alone stuff.”

“Uh.” Keiichi blanched reactively, as much as Belldandy blushed. Chihiro giggled at her own little victory. Inside she felt `much' better now. She could imagine leaving all this behind, she admitted it was too much fun to herself.

“I'm going to have interesting times here.” Celestine put. Chihiro just looked over and smirked. “I should put you through lessons and shots.” ..this a husky whined and lowered his head. Belldandy and Keiichi begot a truly healthy laugh from this.

“What did you say!?!?” ..a strong voice of Valkyrian note then struck the air. Belldandy looked as much as anyone. “Goodness.” ..as they all then rose to see what had happened now.

This as they didn't realize something `else' was changing above their heads.

--------------------

That light was `just' blaring and impossible to ignore. As if it was also possible to ignore the corona licking at them.

“I can't `believe' you are asking me to do this.”

Peorth kept blinking, and asked of Urd. “Should not I or you do this instead?”

Urd smiled over. “Why? This isn't my normal arena.” ..and a pat of Skuld's jittery shoulders. “Plus she's so taken after Belldandy, this is her chance to show it. Screw up and all.”

Skuld balked back angrily at Urd. “That's not fair Urd! I've never dealt with a Spirit before!”

“You did back during that fight with Caceroth.”

Peorth shuddered for more than one reason, as Skuld jittered back. “But... b.. but we all did that.”

Urd smirked. “I helped more with Hild's demonic part of it all. Belldandy and you did far more. Lind was mostly as much support as Peorth was that night. I remember it clearly. Spirits in the end, respect goddesses that attune them best.

You are direct kin of Father, more than I really.”

Peorth nod-shrugs at this. “Aye, though I have my own Training License to access Spirits too, I'm still more used to Admin duties and System conflicts, than dealing with Spirits. Skuld here `would' be the best hope for us to make contact.”

Skuld from Peorth, and looks back at Urd. “What does `that' all mean?”

Urd sighed and smiled back. A kind that Skuld found really uneasy. “Dude, I prefer your antagonism.”

And Urd laughed to even Peorth's jittering.

--------------------

Mara wrung her ears out. “Can't you goddesses talk quietly?”

“I know my old name.”

Hirund, having just asked a fathomless question, and expected the response Lind gave, was caught off guard when.. “What did she say?”

Mara just blinked. “Entropia, what are...”

“That's not my name anymore.” ..the Norn steeled out.

Mara was the one caught off guard now.

(Sentaro: Sorry, I get forgotten like this too at times.

Ichigo: S`alright, the spotlight gets annoying, even I should know.

Fusuchi: Have you tried Miss Belldandy's cake? Mmm!! )

--------------------

She wasn't the only one.

Frigurina had been waiting near a large radio antenna, heedless to the downpour that others of her kin were ignore just as readily. She waited like a patient goddess that had made countless worlds into her endearing imagination. She could wait centuries if needed.

Not that this story could.

Nor would.. “Kept ya long?”

Frig sighed and turned behind her, and then down towards a satellite dish the broadcast station also used. She smirked at the positioning. “I never thought I'd be looking down on you so readily.”

Hild just smirked back, and started to rise up. “More than one thing there won't be another of, I assure you.”

“All healed up from your thrashing?”

Hild gave a dour glance back as she rose to equal height. By the time she did so, she just responded in her own `way'. “A relaxing bath in the blood of my worst failed kin that I even broke the Doublet code unto. Worry not, none of your kin were affected. I take such failures very seriously.”

Frig looked a bit.... green... at that. “What happens in Nidhog, stays in Nidhog.”

Hild smirked at that, and even added. “I even found a final use for the Eater. My own Arch grew tired of it anyway.”

“You must be joking. I thought your kin were as much family to you, as my own are to moi.”

Hild smirked back endlessly. “Yours only commit coups once in an eternity. I have to worry about the same much more often. Even three times since my rarest of defeats, such animals those particular demons were.

Were the key word here. Even I take betrayal poorly.”

Frigurina just sighed and rubbed her wet brow. “Did you come to regale tales of the icky?”

“I came to check on our mutual soul of gold and steel. I`m no less remiss on the details than Intracel is.”

Frig just hopped off and down to the building roof below. Hild spun-followed down, as Frig offered. “Then I presume you know the cause of demerit?”

“You types made the rules these stars live and die by. Be bit by them for once I say. Like it'll kill the Tool.”

Frig stopped and gave Hild a striking eye. “That's my Nephew you speak of.”

Hild smirks. “So, you took to relation so readily again. Since we are so as well, do I get to call him a relative also?”

“Try being the operative word here wench.”

“Try.” Hild echoed, trying to egg Frig on. Not that it usually worked. Frig instead bantered.. “He'll take my version with honor. Yours with disdain.”

Hild visibly reacted to `that' one, but shrugged that one off. She looked up towards the sun trying to poke through the occluded sky. “An interesting task I would garner, you sent our mutual daughters upon. Just another step in their final destiny I suppose.”

Frig didn't go there yet. She had a related gripe to settle first. This as she floated right up in Hild's face! “And one step to answer for Fallen. My daughter Sigrun was `not' meant to be treated like you did to her!!!”

Hild seethed back without much reservation. “I gave you `both' a fit punishment under and through her, for taking away from me, MY daughter, as if all you thought I cared for her, was to turn her into a weapon for my use. How little do you fools on high think of me!?”

“Quite the opposite. Urd would have been too corrupted for the destiny that awaits here. For all our daughters when the Final `true' Ragnarok comes. No less when the end of this Voluspa affair comes. It's not just the Lord Knight we are relying upon, and you KNOW it!”

“It still little justifies ripping us apart, `just' when my Urd was beginning to learn of me, and what we could have accomplished together!”

Frig didn't hold back either now. “And how close to a repeat of your Fall, would Urd have become? How much of that would have come unto final ruin for us all when Rebirth comes!!”

Nor Hild in venom. “So you had `no' faith in Urd from the start even, and so little in ME in the same!! I swear with words, you asses up there thing you all know EVERYTHING!!”

Frig toned down to a ice grinding tone. “One of us does. We all have prices to pay because of the one decision He made. Maybe that's why things `all' turned out as they have in the name of history. No less than how the framework of galaxies, planets, and where the souls of the worlds I helped, were so seemingly predetermined in the end. As if humanity's place is no less. So much predetermination because of it all.”

“So was my end with `my' Urd, such is poor a wretched excuse?”

Frig appreciated Hild lowering her tone to match, both knew the game well enough by now. Still.. “And `that' justified how Rune was treated in the end!?”

Hild smirked.. “She `was' a goddess. The enemy. NOT my own blood child. I took her to punish you for what you did to me. Urd I am glad was indeed cared for so completely, and how she's turned out as a result.

But you think that all ignores the War? I don't go `that' far in reciprocation wench. Nor for `your' blood daughter. Nor....”

Hild stopped, seeing Frig was for once, really struggling to control her own temper. Hild for a split moment, considered that she'd gone too far.

But then she remembered that was the `point'.

Hild just stepped back and quipped. “Not that it matters. She was so saved by my defeat from your little toy. He I am sure, can give her, her true purpose and life back. It's not like either of us don't see what is to come. Your gift of Foresight equals mine, even if skewered by our base natures.” ..Hild just huffed and crossed her arms. “So don't bother expecting me to acquiesce to a pointless apology. I don `t do such as it `is'.”

Frig managed to recognize her strain, and backed off as well. Hild tried to egg it back on however. “We can however forgo responsibility on the final level, and settle this `properly' between us.”

Frig just smirked back. Ut you need the souls from this world, as much as we do. The point of this War.”

“The point of this Truce you mean.” Hild corrected for her part, twirling about. “So much fuss over lifeforms not worth our bother. They only come unto us in the end as fodder. Humans here find more use harvesting eggplant on this soil overturned, then we do with an equally useless crop called the human soul.

You fools get the ones that are worth a matter. We get barely worth chaff to sneeze at in the end.”

Hild just reminded her. “You know full well the War is no more than Big Boys rulebook to keep us from settling differences `as' the kind your Nephew is so accustomed. In the end, the souls either are recycled to evolution, or devolved back down for another chance.

Reincarnation really does `us' little good in the end.”

Frig however smirked. “And keeps `both' our formal families from a lot of pain and tears. As if you care no less for your demons, as I do for my goddesses.”

Hild gave a bland look backwards. “Maybe.”

Best `yes' Frig was going to hear.

“But then we would have such interesting variety out of it all. Evolution is such a marvelous thing.”

Hild grew tired of this. “Oh please. We can stand here and get wet drinking, instead of this philosophical crap.

You have `all' your daughters now. Their stage to come as a unified number will make you happy in the name of the Rebirth, after this Voluspa crud is done with. My Urd will have her destiny along with your proper daughters.

Still hurts like Hell you didn't trust me to raise Urd.”

Frig cocked an eye. “Maybe if you were `more' trustworthy yourself, you could have a...”

Hild waved a bland hand at this. “Phht. I'm a demonic bitch with guidelines I've never changed in all of Eternity. I'm comfortable with being the bad guy... er.. gal. I'm not the type for thanksgiving dinners, and you know it.”

Frig just shook her head. “If you survive Rebirth, maybe we can change that. You `are' my kin in the end.”

Hild ignored that, hating sappy crap, and looked up at the sun poking through the sky now. She smirked, sensing just as readily as Frig could. “Interesting given this, Urd is ready to trust one not of her own true blood code, with a task so daunting.”

Frig responded at first.. “That was the point of our care of her, instead of yours. Trust is something you can't give Urd. Demon families while caring, are not so readily able to allow such.”

Hild frowned back. “How would you truly know? Lack of trust in me? Your own seems lacking as well.”

Frig then responded the second. “Our children, and their own brethren, are our betters for a reason then.”

Hild shook her head and then chuckled, her diminutive body form swaggering with hands on hips. “Certain of you there too? I sensed Belldandy's rather Celestine attempt earlier.”

“Their lives. Their mistakes. Their triumphs.

Our witness as parents.”

Hild just finished this endearing moment in her own way. “Keiichi and Imladris better take care of them. Or I'll come down and kill them for Big Boy.”

“I'll be sure to warn them at the right time.”

Hild just laughed. Frigurina however then imparted accusingly. “But that isn't why you came down here. Destiny is not at hand yet. Plus not even my Nephew is all there is either.”

The Daimakaicho just smirked. “Well, concerning in a way still. Concerning our mutual Voluspa problem. I have an update.”

Frig cocked an eye.

--------------------

“Good thing we don't need écran solaire!”

Urd just (somehow) managed to look over at Peorth. “Sunblock would be pointless at this point!!” ..this as the three hovered just above the actual roiling surface of Sol itself. Standing upon the plasmatic surface was also pointless, since the titanic bubbles of radiating fusion and plasma just would have tossed the goddesses about, as much as the plasma flames here were.

The radiating energy force alone, just kept blowing their hair upwards constantly. Skuld just complains. “I swear I'll get split ends here!”

Urd just rolls her eyes and nudges. “Come on. It's apparent we need to know why the Spirit is having the cold of the millennium here, so get on with it!”

Skuld just snapped back. “Do I look like an expert at this!? Just shut it and be patient!”

Peorth whispered to Urd.. “I think she still thinks she's in charge.” ..which just got lost in the roaring landscape they were in. Urd demonstrating. “What did you say?! Speak up!!” ..why they were all shouting so much. Skuld just rolled her eyes and then gulped, trying to remember some lessons that Earth Training course had taught her about Spirit communing.

She then spoke through a spell.. “I that Speak as the Norn of time to come, I.. uh.. call to ask of thee, the great spirit that gives light and.. uh.. fire to the world we reside upon!

This.. um.. to ask of thee, to ask query of. Please come for us to honor... uh.. thee by!!”

Urd just judged. “B+ for effort at least!”

Skuld just complied to the `compliment', with a kick of plasma at Urd's ducking head. “Hey! I was complimenting you girl!”

“WHO WOULD DARE MY ATTENTION!!!”

Urd and Peorth just dived behind Skuld, no less jittered at the `normal' voice of the Spirit now speaking to them. All around them. Everywhere it seemed at once. They were all looking around as Skuld stuttered.. “I.. I... uh.. I did Sir... Spirit Lord!”

“WHY ASK FOR ME, ONE SO TINY AND FRAIL!!!”

Urd just cocked an eye. “Can't you turn the sound down any?!” ..this Peorth hushed Urd with.. “That `is' his normal tone! This guy `is' a Star after all.”

“ONE OF THEE KNOWS WELL ENOUGH, ONE OF THEE THAT IS NOT MY SUMMONER!!! PRAYTELL WHY I SHOULD NOT EJECT THEE ALONG WITH MY GREATER MASS EJECTIONS?!!!”

“You're up!!” Urd yelled to Skuld, as it seemed the solar mass ejections seemed ready to form around them and just punt kick them out of the Solar System. The sight of a sunspot apparently forming around them was unnerving to `say' the least. Skuld just shivered, (good trick here,) as she asked. “W.. we, we just want to know what's going on!! Are you sick, and such a cause of the radiation flooding the System?!!”

“YOU MEAN MY SPATE OF ENERGIES!!! IT'S BEEN BUILDING UP FOR THE PAST THREE THOUSAND YEARS, SO DEAL WITH IT!!! FEELS AS IF MY BODY HAS SNAPPED IN TWAIN THRICE FOLD!!! AGAIN, DEAL WITH IT!!!”

Urd whispers.. “Testy.”

“Que?!!” Peorth uselessly said. Skuld then just tried to plead. “Well... uh... can we at least know how much longer this is going to last?!! We have a cousin that is seriously sick because of all this. Actually more than one reason that...!!”

“DEAL WITH THEE SUCH I SAID!!! MY TESTINESS OF COLD ANGRY PAIN IS NEARLY AT AN END, LIKE MOST OF MY PROBLEMS I MUST DEAL WITH!!! HAVING THESE MAGNETIC CRINKS IS NO SMALL DEALING I HAVE, IMMORTAL ONE OF TIME!!!”

Peorth quipped.. “Crinks?!” Urd heard something else.

Skuld sighed.. “Must be all those sun spots I noticed! Must have had so many, the twisted magnetic fields just snapped uber time or something!! One hell of a sneeze I'd say!”

“Skuld!!” Both elder goddesses retorted at the metaphor of color used. Skuld just bit back. “You got a better word for this!? We're just lucky the magnetic fields around Earth didn't get stripped away! I hope those humans had time to get the warning out with that satellite I know they have for this stuff!

Forget Direct TV for a few days at least!”

“Goddess forbid.” Urd moaned. “Que!?!” Peorth again couldn't hear. Skuld sighed and then turned back to ask. “Is there anything we can do to help?!! Anything to help speed this process up?!!”

“HARDLY SIMPELTON OF SIZE!!! THE LAST EJECTION OCCURRED A SHORT TIME AGO!! WHAT LIES BEYOND MY INTERNAL FUNCTIONS, I CARE NOT!!! I AM NO LESS THAN THE SMALLER BODIES THAT WERE BORN UNTO OFF ME, SO THEY WILL NEED NOT CARE EITHER IN A SHORT TIME!!!”

“Eh?!” ..both elder goddesses blinked, as Skuld offered. “Must mean the radiation envelope will pass out of the entire System soon. All that speed of light stuff. We just need time I guess!!”

Urd blinks. “So we came here for a big fat nothing!?!?!!” ..and then double blinked. “Can't believe I suggested this.”

“Que!!?”

Urd and Skuld just teardrop for respective reasons, the latter snapping out. “Just what exactly did you think we were going to do?! Do something on the scale this big guy deals with?!!”

Peorth.. “What about all that `massaging the magnetic field thing' bit, that Lind had us do once?!”

Skuld blinked. “Just the three of us?! Is your name Frigurina?! Mine sure isn't!!”

“Then what about Cousin's ship?!” Peorth yelled back, seeing more of a dark `spot' forming beneath them. Sol guy isn't kidding. The Forever deity eked mentally.

Skuld thought further. “Maybe we're doing this the wrong way.”

Peorth/Urd: “What!?!?”

Skuld just ignored them and bowed to the Sun below, all about them. “S.. sorry to take up your time Great Lord!!!”

”AT LEAST THEE OF YOU THREE ARE OF THE POLITE NATURE!!! A CREDIT TO YOUR GREAT CREATOR BEYOND EVEN MYSELF!!!” ..at this the sunspot began to `move' elsewhere. Skuld however rose her head and lost it to a serious ego flush. Urd and Peorth saw this and shook their heads.

“That won't help us.”

“What'd you say Urd!!?”

“Aw shut it and follow me!!”

They both just start dragging a swooning Skuld with them, back towards whence they came, not able to get Skuld to snap out of it till they were back at the stricken vessel. However as they left, they didn't realize the solar flare storm had just finished the tail end of the storm, which would take less than a few hours to pass by Earth, and the rest of the System by the end of the passing day over Japan.

Either way, their tongues were more tired, than their skin was dry, from the experience.

--------------------

“WHO! WHAT! WHAT'D HE DO!?!”

Everyone still in the residence look in surprise as Keiichi wildly bursts in, wondering what happened this time. Mara cracks annoyed. “Did Belldandy hit you up hard or something boy?”

Keiichi blinked as Hirund raised a hand to Keiichi. “Be calm mortal, nothing it wrong. And the bloke is still knocked out.”

Keiichi meekly realizes. “Oh..” ..as Seren whispers to Njal unseen behind the adjoining-blocking wall. “The knight must cause enough trouble to get accused in his sleep.” ..this Njal giggles at. Lind however is focused on another matter, her tone having snapped even the Norn out of her deep revelry. Belldandy enters, as did Chihiro, and a husky looking around the entrance corner, as Hirund then asks.. “So, are you willing?”

Belldandy asks. “Pardon?”

Lind however stutters out.. “But...... such an honor...”

Hirund just huffs. “Yeah right. It would double your workload and responsibilities on the spot, and the hours and duties are twice as demanding, as you think normal Valkyrian duties do now. Plus the schooling and training in arts, you're not immediately so used to.

You might even need instruction from your love down there. When the lazy bones wakes up here.”

Chihiro just quipped in guessing at something she knew she was hearing the tail end of. Whatever it was. “Does this mean she'd be too busy to come to my shop and work?”

Hirund blinks at that unexpectantly. “Say what?”

Lind chuckles nervously at that. “Actually, I forgot to mention that.”

Hirund looks back and... looks....

..and then shrugs. “I never asked. Eh, one more duty to add then. Multitasking is what Generals do too.”

Belldandy outright gasped. “Really?!” ..this Hirund recognized Belldandy's acuities. “Precisely.”

“Still.” Lind responded uneasily. Keiichi and Chihiro just asked pipped eyed in unintended concert. “(x2) Someone?”

Hirund answered on both fronts with her words. “You `do' want to keep pace with your love here correct? Lady Frigurina's report of your uncertainty for your future is coincidental as Imladris here progresses to his destiny.

And of a need we'd not mind having help with.”

Lind fell back to her knees. Hirund nodded. “So, would you accept becoming the fourth General of Heaven's War Section? Master Thor already has approved the idea we brought up, my Sisters and I. We'd just order it of course, but given the challenges with the perks, we'd prefer a voluntary response first.”

“No pressure.” Lind wavered out. Keiichi and Chihiro, having learned enough of this warrior makeup in Heaven, didn't see this any less than the mortal versions of such a raise in pay grade. “Wow.” ..was how they both sounded unto.

Belldandy just holds her hands to her chest. “I see it as a natural progression. Your actions have been as integral a part of all we've gone through. The experiences you have are second to none Lind.”

Lind just smirked back. “You say such things to all peoples you meet, given the chance.”

“Do you deserve no less than they? I believe in General Hirund's choice.”

Hirund just smiles, and then offers just to put a quirk in. “I'll let you answer to me, to `him' down there, when you're ready. I need to speak to him anyway relative when he wakes his metal butt up.”

Chihiro just mocks annoyance. “Great, as if he's not lazy enough at work either.”

Hirund was blinking in surprise a second time! “Him too!? My goodness I need a strategic update on you two.”

Keiichi just elbowed his boss. “Have fun with that one.” ..before he's shoved away none too gently. “Oh knock it off underling.”

--------------------

Urd blinked. “You sure about this?”

“I don't need a recording of you Sis.”

Urd groaned as she kept adjusting the straps at her shoulder, and then fidgeting her entire back upon the oversized engine that was strapped to it! No joke, this as she, Skuld and Peorth literally had a large engine drive unit, fit off from a starfighter from the docking bay nearby, and fit unto them instead, as Skuld had them position themselves at three distinct spots across the large cruiser, aimed away from the approaching lunar surface. As such, the headsets for each (using Intracel code signals instead of electronic,) were how they were yelling at each other.

And a lot of that they were. “Ceci est fou!! I look like one of those anime characters Otaki drools over!!”

Peorth then suddenly hears from Urd. “I'll be sure to give detail to him later too.”

“Rouge déesse de l'amour!!”

“Cut it out and get ready! We need to do this fast!!”

Urd had to ask. “You sure these things will turn on?”

“Yup, the engines were rigged to run off a simple button charge. They'll only run long enough to get the job done. Just be sure to get them back in there before we finish up!”

“We're not covering if you cause us to break Cousin's toys!” Urd just yelps defensively. Peorth rolls her eyes. “Compared to losing the boat outright?”

“It's a ship! You think this is a dingy?”

“You are a rouge dingy!”

“We go on five!” Skuld just yelled in annoyance. All three just complied as the Future techy just noted all three were in the right spots she pointed out. “Urd, a micron to your left.”

“JUST count down already!!”

“Alright, alright! We go on five!”

“Attendre!”

“Now what!?!?”

“Do we go up to five, or down to zero from five?”

“Is it zero or go? Or what?”

Peorth and Urd respectively just made Skuld want to be an only, alone goddess and sister at that moment. She just shouted wackily. “Just go when I say go!!” (Never mind that vacuum in space and all that either.)

“You mean...”

“NOT NOW!! When I say it!!”

“Can't wait till this is over.”

Skuld sighed and ignored that from Urd, and counted... “Now... ready... five... four... three.....”

Urd and Peorth were suddenly sweating now seriously..

“...two..... one and one half.... one...”

“(x2) SKULD!!”

“Oh.. GO!!”

--------------------

He actually grew tired of these slow wake ups. They were `really' becoming a annoying part of his life. “Someone.... ugh... pillow mouth... someone just hit me with sugar and adrenaline to wake me up next time?”

“Hardly a medical solution to comply with.”

Imlade stiffened. He `knew' Seren's voice all too well. “Oh great. Am I waking up as a pin cushion again here? Please don't let me open my eyes to a thousand pin holes healing all over me.”

“Wimp.” Both Infirmary goddesses quipped, before the next voice just shot his eyes open. “I'm docking your pay for laying down on the job.”

And with said eyes blared open. “Boss?”

“Same here?”

He looked over, saw he was in one of the residence rooms, probably Keiichi's by experience, the smell was about right, as he saw various faces that should be in Heaven, and sights that were certainly not so. He winced at the sight of.. “General?”

“Move and I'll hit you. You're waking up from a solar headache.”

Imladris blinked, heard explanation, was amazed in the hearing, and then promptly asked next.. “Where'd Lind?”

He gulped-sighed-rolled eyes at the giggles he got. “You guys are `just' so much fun.”

Hirund looked over at Belldandy. “Some of your famous tea?”

“Of course General.” ..as both rise, Chihiro patting Keiichi. “Keep an eye on this bum, I want some too.”

Keiichi saw them all go, as he then saw Mara and (who he thought was Entropia, till otherwise snapped at,) kept eye to themselves, as they all awaited word from others not yet returned. Imlade just looked over at him, as his self accepted Lord and Master just smirked over to the knight. “You just like giving us fits dude.”

“Stable... isn't a word anyone describes me as.”

“No kidding.” Seren, Njal and Mara quipped as one. Imladris then heard Sentaro's voice approaching. “Wow, he did wake back up.”

A steady procession of faces came here and there, as others did end up arriving, his extremities met the Infirmary goddess's requirements, such was their own set of conservative parameters, doctors being doctors no matter when, where or what. He then learned fully what happened to him, and as Frigurina arrived with a BEAMING Skuld, and singed, tired and annoyed looking Urd and Peorth each, to the tale they regaled, much to the amazement of `everyone' else listening. (Even Sigrun was amazed at how far the tale went, not a small feat for the Norn.)

Not that it was just them that praised Skuld. “// Indeed Master. We have her actions and capacities for your vessel's survival. \”

Imladris just asked quickly, as he was finally allowed to sit up. “Any lasting damage?”

“// Core memory was dumped and washed per standard procedure. Even my memory back up was up to the moment of shut down. Lady Skuld was expert in her assistance of the Main Core restart sequence. Everything went otherwise as standard scenario procedure. \”

“Aye, as we practiced in warfare requirements.” Imladris nodded with a rub to his own sweat damp temple. (Still sweating a bit from an uncomfortable `sleep'.) Fusuchi meanwhile just thumbed at the sight of Scetu, an off key.. “Now `that' is cool.”

“He.” More than one voice in the area helped Imladris in correction. The knight had to smile for Scetu, whom just shrugged. The knight then looked to Skuld, as the room area, hallway included, was filled up enough again. He then held a weak hand up to her, whom blinked a bit.

“Thank you.”

The room grew endearingly comfortable in that moment, as Skuld found herself taking the same hand shakily. “Heh. Got to see your ship up close.”

Imladris just looked over and began to wrench himself up. He then added sound all formal like. “And I'd appreciate if you'd escort my friend back to his duties.” ..he stopped and looked to add. “And take Sentaro with ya too.”

Ichigo just coughed. Imladris saw and flung a hand, with a strained tone. “Them too why not.” ..as the goddesses around smirked weirdly at the unease the Kawanishi mortals then felt. Imladris finished standing, as Hirund then ordered, coming back with a warm cup o filled. “Okay pup. Someone want's to talk to you.”

The knight gulped at that. “Of course.”

Way was made for them both, as Belldandy puts simply. “And now things change once more.”

Urd rubs her frazzled scalp, hair, nerves. “When don't they anymore Sis? What I'd like to know is...” ..this before Keiichi walks past to go witness. “Why wait.”

Urd just complains to the mortal. “You have any idea what we went through today?”

Keiichi shrugs. “Stuff I'd never survive.” ..and turns back to head out, Belldandy following. Scetu erects to a standing stance, and offers to Urd.. “A wise mortal.”

“Too much. If he's still one actually.”

That Scetu began to wonder about, as Urd and Peorth shuffled themselves out. Skuld just moaned. “Actually I'm a bit beat. And I need to check on Sigel and Banpei anyway.”

“// I can assist with such Mistress, since you have my full abilities to use apparently. \” ..this Skuld eyed weirdly back. “Really?”

“// I know the tone of my Master quite well. As are his rewards. \”

Sentaro then quips. “Pretty cool Skuld.” ..this said immortal remarks back. “You get to come too. Like Cousin said.”

“Ahem. I have motherly objection to that.” ..Ichigo rightfully blanched to all this. Frig just then offered. “I'll go too. Leaving the kids together on an automated warship wouldn't be socially proper just yet.”

Skuld glumly retorted. “You just want on Cousin's ship too.”

“Dual purpose then.” ..whit Ichigo just eyed Frig. “Uh huh.”

Fusuchi didn't help with. “Does it have cool laser cannon thingies, like in those movies?” ..whit Ichigo threw a fit at `her' in turn.

Skuld and Sentaro rolled their eyes, as much as Scetu shook his head. This is replaced by change of topic however, when Frig then asked of her still estranged daughter nearby. “Dear. If I may offer, you may want to be outside to hear this next part.”

Said Norn exchanged a look with Mara, and back dryly at Frig. “Why? More `foresight'?”

“It's your life to be changed, not mine.”

The Norn sighed and rose to stalk off. “Yeah. As usual.”

The rest watching and remaining, did so with wariness. Frig just sighed, and then professed with a Belldandy like tone of hope. “I hope that changes too soon here. Please.”

--------------------

Imladris was AGAPE!! “Really!?!?”

Hirund found the amazed tone funny. “Shouldn't you be more stiff in answering this?” ..this as she looked over as Lind half blushed, half trying to hide the same. Imladris however just responded hardly in compliance. Lind having told Imladris the news, got as much a `yes' as she needed. “Sorry, but... but... it's too COOL to hear!” ..body posture to match even.

Lind really blushed, forget hiding it. Hirund however coughed and Imladris gathered himself up. “Sorry.”

“Hardly. But it is a decision my Sisters and I, `your' Commanders most direct Lord Knight, decided was appropriate for the current situation.”

Imladris `did' raise a hand though at this. “Said situation seems coincidental. Plus wouldn't this mean....”

He shut up at the sight of Hirund's folded arms. Lind quickly grew to appreciate how much respect her beloved had for this ancient General. Hirund so professed... “Commander Lind, so you will know, will begin formal training while remaining on duty station here, during the time of your current situation here. Sessions in Heaven may follow, but my Sisters and I, will form a new regimen regardless of where and whence, for Commander Lind to follow, which will meet her usual standard of strict attendance to all such detail.

You know of this from our tender mercies.”

Imladris dryly looked back. “I'll update my healing spells.” ..this Lind cocked an eye between the two.

Hirund just continued anyway. “She will have training in all needed requirements of a War Section General. Final station of call will be decided appropriately with time. The information required however, is not to her usual fare, and will likely even impose upon you as an instructor. I expect results from us all.”

Imladris blinked and traded a most interesting look with Lind. The latter.. “Don't get any fantasies now love. Yet.” Imladris just smirked in kind.

The usual onlooking crowd gathered, which by now included an expected look towards one whom Frigurina just gestured outside. This from the same General that had something else in mind. Hirund then folded her arms and started to add. “As for you pup.”

Imladris blinked in the looking.

He was told.

Imladris (and all else,) learned the new name Sigrun formally, as the fourth family Norn.

And then promptly told the knight's new masterly duties.

Sigrun/Imlade: “Say what!?”

--------------------

Ex suddenly rose from her seat. “Emergency portal entering core aperture point!!”

Eihwa shot up. “Ora che?!” ..as Ex added.. “Now!”

The area immediately upon the Core system mainframe access node, the light from it making everyone in System Hub look in surprise. The four closest had to shield their eyes, before their ears begotten assault next.

“Administrator!”

“Si, signora Generale?” ..Eihwa responded without hesitation. Two she expected arrived, but rather hastily at that. Rend just ordered with no words to mince. “Order Gate to open a new gate, emergency authority access codes transmitting.”

Eihwa nodded as she `felt' the restricted access codes passing by her internal network before being granted from on High. “Authorized.”

Mist in turn. “Earth, approximate but not exact to Lord Imladris's coordinates.”

“Chiedere scusa?!” Eihwa gasped in surprise, before the looks on both Generals silenced her. She looked to Chrono. “Do it.” Ex and Ere `helped' as Eihwa floated down. “What happened?”

“What is. They're all in danger down there.” Mist informed. “We found evidence of where Lady Irtasus went.”

Eihwa gasped. “Alive!? But.. then...”

Rend gulped. “Aye. Then and `is'.”

“Gate is ready.” ..Chrono announced, then suddenly holding her ear. “Cut it out Gate, it's a priority order!”

Mist then added to Chrono. “We're ready now.” ..and to Eihwa. “Do not warn them, even our Sister as yet. I don't know if they'd handle this one with their added problems..” ..this Eihwa just sighs and nods. “Aye.”

In moments, both Generals depart in a literal hasty flash, before Eihwa slumps her shoulders near Ex. “This job is aging me.”

“No argument there.” The operator put back in exasperation, neither bothering with jabs. Something serious was occurring, and neither could do less than pray. And a lot `of' it.

Trail of Tears part three anyone?

(End Act IV - Vol. II )

--------------------

Author's Notes: that last reviewer and the choice language? Whatever, not a real AMG fan, nor an author. Therefore just white noise to moi. Nuff said. Like any bully ever listens to anyone else before they realize better anyway. Best to ignore them and listen to real critics like Chargone, Gambitman, Evil Paladin, oneswordsworn and others the like. Much better worth respect in salt.

My big problem instead seems to be keeping a story `short'. Can't do it. Just got too much on my plate I want to write about here. Davner and his own stories to a much better job at keeping it short than I do. Certainly much kudos to that author for his version. I really like his stories and some ideas I admit garnering from them. Thought'd I'd mention that formally here.

As such, not likely to get shorter here, since I don't want to mess with the continuity I have developing here. The next Act will hopefully demonstrate that, if the ending here is an indication in this Act.

And as my mantra, hope the story is enjoyed for what it was created for. Don't worry about the plot holes I left in here. (Gold star if anyone recognizes them. Mainly a technical bit I plan to use further in the next Act.)

Happy Holidays to ye all. (I know that thanksgiving ham left me a nice gut here.)