gaffney@iconn.net (Sean Gaffney)

Ah! My Goddess - Proposal

by Sean Gaffney

All major characters (c) 1996 Kosuke Fujishima and used without
permission except Kenji (c) 1995 Ed Sharpe.  Used with kind permission.

Note:  This is a series of three interconnected fanfics.  The third
of these, Honeymoon, contains a lemon scene, with all the warnings 
that suggests.  Nevertheless, it's not a gratuitous lemon, so you
can still enjoy it (I hope).

*****************

Keiichi Morisato stood on the front porch of the temple, long
before everyone had gotten up, and tried to sort out his thoughts.
He knew what he wanted to do, and he knew how to accomplish it, 
but there was one problem:  he was scared to death.

It had been a fairly peaceful year for the four of them, Keiichi
thought.  Oh, there had been the usual demons, potions, and
what have you, but nothing disastrous.  Nothing that pulled him
away from his goddess.

Those days two years ago had been the most frightening days of 
Keiichi's life.  Belldandy, the woman he...was going to be taken
away from him, and all because of a computer error.  It wasn't
the removal of her that caused him the most heartbreak, however;
it was the fact that he had never told her anything about his 
feelings.  He couldn't bear to see her leave without him telling 
her that he...

This was shameful.  If he couldn't even think the words, how could
he possibly say them to Belldandy?  He was in love with her.  He
wanted to marry her.  There.  He had admitted it to himself.  
When he first made his wish, he hadn't really thought of the 
consequences.  He didn't really think that it would be granted, 
after all.  But the next few minutes made him think about what he 
had gotten himself into.  He had been thrown out of his dorm, 
with almost no money, and certainly nowhere that he could stay.  
By all rights, he should have called the whole thing off.  And 
yet...whenever he looked into her eyes, he couldn't think of 
anything else but having his wish come true.

He didn't know when these feelings had become actual love.  Probably
that evening, as they sat talking on the benches.  Keiichi had
asked why he had been chosen to receive a wish, and Belldandy had
said that only the most worthy were allowed to get help from
goddesses.  For Keiichi, who had a *very* big problem with self-
esteem, this was exactly what he wanted to hear.

That was one of the big reasons for his thoughts of marriage.
Whenever he was with Belldandy, he felt as if he could accomplish
anything.  She made him feel special, and it showed in everything
she did for him.

Keiichi frowned.  That was another thing they had to talk about.
Belldandy, as soon as she entered his life, had become almost the
image of the perfect Japanese wife.  She cooked the meals, she
did the laundry, she took care of everything.  Whenever Keiichi
had tried to help, she had shooed him off, saying that it was her
duty.  Once, when she had stayed up all night, Keiichi had made 
breakfast for them the next morning.  Belldandy, upon seeing
this, had run off crying.  Only successive apologies from Keiichi
had convinced her that he didn't hate her food.  If she wasn't a
goddess, he would have said she had as bad a self-image as he did.

Keiichi sighed.  There were so many reasons, in his mind, why he
felt that they should be married.  For it wasn't only his love
that drove him on.  The two of them complemented each other, 
finding strength when needed.  Even when Urd had been possessed
by the Lord of Terror, he had not even thought about leaving her
side.  Likewise, she did not forsake him when he was taken over
by the same entity.  He felt as if, for some reason, they were
fated to be together.

Unfortunately, there were also many reasons why marriage would be
out of the question.  Keiichi knew, from legends and occasional
drunken stories from Urd, that relationships between gods and
mortals never worked out.  Urd had been trying to get them together
for almost three years now, but he felt that Urd meant more of a
physical bonding than an emotional or legal one.

Keiichi's mind shied away from the thought, as it always did.  He
liked to imagine that his love for Belldandy was utterly pure, but
he knew this was a lie.  There was a healthy dose of lust in his
love for Belldandy.  Hell, why wouldn't there be?  Belldandy was 
the most stunning woman he had ever met.  Urd may try to ooze
sex all the time, but Belldandy had an innocence that made her 
every movement perfect.  Several times Keiichi had had to stop 
himself from these thoughts.

It's not as if gods and goddesses couldn't...you know.  Urd boasted
of all the men she had had over the years.  Keiichi privately 
suspected that the total wasn't as great as she made it out to be, 
but Urd was certainly no virgin.  He was almost positive Belldandy
was, though.  Could he...bring himself to do that, if they were
married?  He knew he wanted her body, but the sheer *idea* of
bedding a goddess was enough to give him pause.  Another problem
to work out.

He didn't even know if this would be allowed to happen.  After all,
Belldandy's contract pretty much existed only at heaven's bequest.
Would Kami-sama allow one of his top ranking goddesses to marry a
mortal with barely means to support himself, let alone a family?
Further, could he give Belldandy that kind of life?

Keiichi knew the reasons that he had all these questions crowding
into his mind.  He was just avoiding actually doing anything.  Well,
that was going to change today.  A few times over the past few
months, he had tried to get Belldandy alone to tell her of his
feelings.  Then Urd or Skuld or someone else would come along, and 
the moment would be ruined.  Keiichi was beginning to think that fate
was stepping in whenever he got Belldandy alone...

Alone...

Keiichi suddenly sat bolt upright, an idea coursing through his head.
Of course!  If he couldn't get Belldandy alone to tell her of his
feelings, then he'd just have to try another way.

He heard Belldandy's alarm go off, with some sweet little song about
trust and help.  About five seconds later, Skuld's alarm went off.
Loudly.  "UH, OH!  WE'RE IN TROUBLE!  SOMETHING'S COME ALONG AND IT'S
BURST OUR BUBBLE!  YEAH, YEAH!"

Keiichi sighed yet again.  Another day off to a great start.  Oh,
well, hopefully he'd be making some changes soon.  He went back into 
the house, preparing in his mind what he had to do.

***

"Sure. Keiichi!  What's the occasion?"

Megumi had just arrived at her apartment from softball practice, to
find Keiichi on the phone asking her to dinner at the temple.

"Well, I'd kind of like to keep that a surprise.  It's just gonna
be you and Kenji, though, plus the four of us."

Megumi frowned.  Keiichi was up to something.  She could tell, 
because he wasn't hesitating and stuttering as he spoke.  Whenever
Keiichi got coherent, it meant that he was planning some major
decision.  Megumi could guess what that might be.

"OK!  Hey, Keiichi, should I bring anything?  Y'know, like an
engagement present or anything..."

She could hear Keiichi blush from over the phone.  She loved doing
this to him, mainly because even after all these years, he still
reacted the same way.

"That won't be necessary.  Just come, OK, Megumi?"

"Sure!  I'll be there at 6:30!"

Megumi hung up with an excited expression on her face.  She'd 
known for a while how much in love Keiichi was with the gaijin
girl who he "lived with", but didn't think he'd ever be able to
do anything about it.  The fact that he was showed Megumi that he 
was finally accepting responsibility for the relationship, a
responsibility that seemed long overdue.  I mean, let's face it,
Belldandy did everything short of ripping off his clothes and dragging
him to the bedroom to show her love for him, and because of his 
shyness, Keiichi hadn't even said anything to her about it.

Of course, that was easy for her to say.  Megumi had never been
exactly what one would call shy.  In fact, she tended to be the
sort of person that cynics describe as annoyingly perky.  Plus, she
hadn't really had a serious relationship yet, not for any long
period of time.  Keiichi was at least living with Belldandy, though
Megumi was pretty sure that absolutely nothing was happening there.
After all, Belldandy's sisters were living at the temple as well,
which must make private moments awkward.

Anyway, it looked like all that was about to change.  Smiling,
Megumi went in her room to get ready for the dinner.

***

"Hi, cousin.  What can I do for you?"

Kenji had just come back from the computer lab, where he was doing
a summer project.

"Well, I'm having a little get together tonight, and I was wondering
if you could make it?"

Kenji felt his heart leap, as it always did whenever he got this 
chance.  Wild horses wouldn't be able to drag him away.

"You bet!  I'll be there!  Umm...Skuld is going to be there, too,
right?"

He heard Keiichi laugh softly, and cursed himself for being 
incredibly obvious.

"Yeah, Kenji, she'll be here.  6:30, OK?"

"OK."  Kenji hung up the phone and sat at the table for a moment.

He and Skuld had known each other for six months now, but he still
felt like a five-year-old with a new toy.  Sure, they were 
uncomfortable with each other, but it was a...*comforting* sort of
uncomfort.  A feeling that they were only just managing to hold in
passions that, sooner or later, would have to be let out.

Kenji put a hold on those thoughts right away.  Later.  Skuld was
still only fifteen, and neither of them was ready for any of those
problems just yet.  Plus, Urd was watching his every move to make
sure that absolutely nothing happened, and he suspected, in her own
way, that Belldandy was as well.

Still, that didn't mean he would turn down a chance to be near her.
Kenji began to get dressed, his mind full of confusing thoughts.

***

Keiichi had to content himself with telling Belldandy to cook for 
two more, rather than cooking the meal himself.  Now was definitely
not the time for any misunderstandings between them.  Besides,
with Belldandy cooking the food, he knew that it would be perfect.

He glanced around the table.  Megumi and Belldandy were chatting 
merrily away about something or other.  Kenji and Skuld sat across
from one another, playing the game of not looking at each other, 
then sneaking little glances.  And Urd was on her third glass of
wine, staring off into space.  

Keiichi frowned.  Ever since Kenji and Skuld had met, Urd had been
going through increasingly longer bouts of depression.  Her sisters
falling in love had hurt her deeply, Keiichi suspected.  Urd
had had a few relationships here on earth, but most of them tended
to be short, passionate affairs.  Belldandy had told him once of
some god who she loved, who then went off in a search for a golden
peach.  If Urd was gonna fall in love with guys like that, good 
luck to her.

They'd almost finished; if he was going to do anything, it would
have to be now.

"Can I say something for a moment?"

Everyone quieted down to look at Keiichi.  He got up at his place
and faced them.  He felt like he was giving a speech.  In a sense,
maybe he was.

"Um...you're probably wondering why I called you all here."  Good
start, Keiichi, he chided himself.  "I've been...trying to accomplish
something for a long time, and it hasn't been going well.  Belldandy,
you know the times I've asked you for a private moment alone, and
before I could say anything, we were always interrupted?"

"Of course, Keiichi-san.  After a while, it got to be quite
amusing."  Belldandy was smiling at him.  Did she really have no
idea what he was saying?

"Yeah, it was really funny.  Anyway, after a while I began to 
wonder why we were always interrupted, and I thought that maybe if
I...said what I had to say with people here, then it would at
least cut down the chances for being interrupted."

"Well, what do you want to tell me, Keiichi-san?"

Keiichi took a look around the table.  Urd and Skuld were looking
at him *very* suspiciously.  Kenji, of course, was looking at
Skuld.  And Megumi was grinning from ear to ear.  He would get her
for that later.

He took a deep breath.  Three years of his life had been building up
to this.  If he didn't say it now, he would never forgive himself.

"Belldandy, almost three years ago, you came into my life.  Since
then, we've been together almost all the time.  But...I've never 
really told you how I feel.  And I need to, because..."

He could feel his strength leaving.  Get it out, NOW.

"Belldandy, I love you with all my heart.  Will you marry me?"

***

Skuld had been quiet through the entire dinner.  She had no idea
why Keiichi had invited Kenji here, but she had no reason to
complain.  For six months, she and Kenji had tried to see as much
of each other as possible.  They went out for ice cream, or on
long walks.  Despite all this, she and Kenji still acted like
they'd just met.  She couldn't even meet his eyes across the table.

Skuld had no idea, really, what the whole story was between Keiichi
and her sister.  She knew that Belldandy stayed with Keiichi for
more of a reason than the contract, but couldn't possibly imagine
what it was.  However, whenever she was with Kenji, she began to have
these disturbing feelings.  Her heart began doing back-flips, and she
couldn't speak.  There was also a fair amount of guilt in there.
She wanted to tell Kenji the truth about her, but knew that if she
did that, any chance of their friendship continuing would be gone.

Keiichi called them to attention, and she slowly rose out of her
reverie.  He was saying something about being alone, and something
that he needed to tell Belldandy.  Skuld narrowed her eyes.  What
was he going to do to her sister?  If he called off the contract, 
she'd pound Keiichi.

"Belldandy, I love you with all my heart.  Will you marry me?"

What?!?  Skuld couldn't believe what she just heard.  She looked
around the table.  Urd was looking at Keiichi with an amazed 
expression.  Belldandy shared that expression.  But there was
something else.  She could see, in Belldandy's face, and in the
way she held herself, that this was something she *wanted*.  That
she was going to accept!

"No!"  Skuld found herself standing up before she knew what she
was thinking.  "Keiichi, what are you thinking!  You actually think
you're good enough for my sister!  She's a goddess!  She has 
responsibilities!  What would everyone else in Heaven say!  You
can't possibly be serious!"

Skuld, panting, looked around the room.  Urd and Keiichi both had 
their heads in their hands.  Belldandy was looking at her as if 
she'd just gone over to Marller's side.  And Megumi and Kenji...

Wait.  Rewind.

Goddess?  Heaven?  Everyone *else*?

Oh, no.  NO.  She didn't.

Skuld's expression turned to one of terror.  She'd done it.  She
had said that they were goddesses.  In  front of two other mortals.
In front of *Kenji*.

Kenji was looking at Skuld with an expression that Skuld couldn't 
read.  He stood there with his mouth open, waiting for her to say
anything else.  Something that would take back the words that she 
just said.

What had she *done*?!

"I...I...I'M SORRY!  I'M SORRY!"

Skuld ran out of the room, into her bedroom, and slammed the door.
As she did so, she felt as if she could feel her life crashing 
down around her, trying to bury her.  For the moment, she let it.

***

Megumi sat and stared at the table.  Skuld was heard slamming her
door, and the sound of muffled sobs soon followed it.  Everyone
else was stock still, trying to take in everything that had just 
happened.

There was no question of denying it.  Skuld's emotions had been
far too fiery and surface to play any sort of a joke.  She had
said that Belldandy was a goddess.  It followed that Urd and Skuld 
were as well.  What's more, Megumi wondered why she hadn't seen it
before.  All the inexplicable hints, the little impossibilities
that seemed to follow Keiichi...after all, Megumi was religious,
to a point.  She believed in heaven as a physical thing.  Why not
believe that a goddess or three would come down from heaven and
live with her brother.

Oh, God.

She looked at Keiichi.  He had picked himself up from the table
where he had collapsed after Skuld's pronouncement.  He looked
at her, expecting a glare or something.  She smiled at him.  
Keiichi wasn't to blame for this.  There could be no way he'd be
able to reveal something like this, not even to her.  She nodded
over to Belldandy, indicating where his attention should be at 
that moment.

Megumi looked over at Belldandy, and saw the conflicting emotion in
her eyes.  This shouldn't be happening to her, not all at once.  
Belldandy looked over towards Skuld's room.

"Urd?"

Urd looked up, and spoke for what Megumi thought was the first time
that night.  Her speech was somewhat slurred.

"I'd try, but I don't think it would get us anywhere.  You know the
two of us, Belldandy.  We'd just end up screaming at each other."
Urd looked sorrowful, as if she knew how this made her look.

Belldandy turned her attention to Keiichi, agony in her eyes.  
"Keiichi-san...I have to - "

"Go, Belldandy," Keiichi said, though not without a certain pain
in his eyes.  "Skuld needs you to be there for her now.  Maybe you
can...explain things to her.  I can wait.  After all," and here he 
looked down, "I've already told you how I feel."

To Megumi's eyes, the look that passed between them at that moment
was one of the most heartrending she had ever seen.  "Thank you, 
Keiichi-san," Belldandy said, and quickly got up.  "Urd, I would
like you with me, regardless of your past with Skuld."

"Yeah, alright."  And with that, the two goddesses left the room, 
leaving the remains of the dinner party to attempt an explanation.

***

Keiichi could not believe what had just happened.  The meal had
gone even worse than he thought it might.  He still didn't know if
Belldandy even loved him, much less if she wanted to marry him.
And then Skuld ended up spilling the beans.

He looked up to find Megumi staring at him, waiting for the 
forthcoming explanation.  Kenji was still looking towards Skuld's 
room, slightly in shock.  Keiichi had to jab him in the shoulder
to get his attention.

"I...I guess you all heard what Skuld said.  Well, um...it's true.
Urd, Belldandy, and Skuld are from heaven.  They live here with me
because of a contract.  It's a really long story."

Megumi wasn't about to buy that.  "That's fine, Keiichi.  We've got 
all night.  Tell us all about it."

Keiichi felt even worse.  After all, next to Belldandy, Megumi was
the person that he felt closest to.  She was his sister, and she 
could be annoying at times, but she was always ready to stand behind
him.  When Keiichi's parents had found out that Belldandy and
the others were living with him, it was Megumi who was able to
convince them that not only was it purely platonic, but Keiichi was
perfectly capable of living his own life.  He owed her for that, at 
least.

He started to tell the story of how he met Belldandy.  Kenji started
to drift off, but when Keiichi mentioned Skuld coming, he focused on
the story again.

Finally, Keiichi finished his explanation.  He looked to the two of
them for any reaction.  As he did, a grin slowly spread itself across
Megumi's features.

"Say, Keiichi, I once had a dream that I was turned into a car..."

"Yeah, I know.  That actually happened.  Sorry if you feel we invaded
you privacy..."

Megumi shrugged.  "Hey, don't worry about it.  It explains a lot of
weird things, actually; I feel pretty relieved.  And don't worry; I'm
not going to tell anyone about this."

"No, I won't, either."  These were the first words Kenji had spoken 
since Skuld's outburst.  He normally looked pensive, but seemed even
more so now, with his face and thoughts totally retreating inward.  
"I...If you'll excuse me, cousin, I need to think about what happened
tonight.  I'm going to go home now."

"Kenji, I know that Skuld feels a great deal for you - "

"Thank you, cousin, but I need to think this out myself.  I thought
I knew how Skuld felt myself...but I'm not so sure now.  Good luck
with Belldandy, I hope she says yes."

And with that he left, walking slowly out the door.

Keiichi watched him go.  To be honest, even while he was sympathizing
with Kenji, his mind had never left Belldandy.  He felt his heart
wrench as she went to Skuld, not knowing if he could stand to wait
any longer.  He turned back to Megumi, and saw that she was reading
his thoughts.

"Don't worry, brother.  Even if I didn't know that Belldandy was a 
goddess, the one thing that was always clear was that you two loved 
each other.  She'll say yes."

"It's not as simple as that, Megumi.  I'm asking a *goddess* to marry
me, for heaven's sake!  There are consequences that you wouldn't
believe.  I'm not really sure if it's even her decision."  Keiichi
sighed again.  "But I had to ask her, anyway.  Just to let her know,
if for nothing else."

Megumi said nothing, the two of them just sat, looking at the door
to the bedrooms.

***

Belldandy went towards Skuld's room with her mind in an absolute
mess.  She had no idea how she was going to comfort Skuld in a state
like this.  She could barely put one foot in front of the other.

When she opened the door, she saw Skuld lying on her futon, face up,
staring at the ceiling.  Though the sobs had stopped, tears were
streaming down her cheeks.

"Are you alright, Skuld?"  As an opening, it lacked a certain flair, 
but Belldandy did not feel at her best at the moment.

"Oh, sister, I'm so sorry.  I've ruined everything.  I told them we
were goddesses.  I'm sorry..."  Skuld could barely speak without 
dissolving into crying.

"Don't feel that way, Skuld.  After all, there have been so many close
calls that they were bound to find out sooner or later.  We would have
had to tell them before...before the wedding, if nothing else."  
Belldandy also had trouble speaking, but it came from a different 
reason.  Her mind was divided, wanting to be here to comfort Skuld,
but at the same time desperately wanting to be with Keiichi, and give
him his answer.

"But, big sister, you can't!  I mean, what would everyone think?"

"The same thing they've always thought.  This isn't the first time
this has happened, Skuld."  Urd was speaking from the door, looking 
for all the world as if she'd rather be somewhere else.

"But..." Skuld stopped, looking back and forth between them 
desperately.

"I don't think that Belldandy is the reason you're in here, Skuld."
Urd wasn't about to let up now that she had started.  "What you're
worried about is that Kenji will feel betrayed for not being told
that you're a goddess."

"Shut up, Urd!  You think I don't know that!  You think I don't
know that...Kenji hates me now..."  Once again, Skuld dissolved
into sobs.  As Belldandy reached out to her, Skuld threw herself
onto Belldandy's shoulder.  They held that tableau for a few 
minutes, while Skuld calmed down.  Finally, Belldandy spoke to her
again.

"Skuld, Kenji doesn't hate you.  He's just going to have to deal
with a new facet to your relationship.  Perhaps Keiichi and I
were helped by the fact that I appeared to him immediately, so 
there could be no secrets between us."

Urd stepped up to Skuld, taking her face gently in her hands.  
"And I'll tell you another thing, and this is speaking as the
goddess of love, so I should know.  Every action of Kenji's, every
word he didn't say, tells me that he loves you.  Don't let go
of that, Skuld.  Not even because he's a mortal.  So's Keiichi,
and he and Belldandy have a great relationship.  Love is so
rare as to be extremely precious, Skuld.  Don't let it go just
so you can get on your high horse about being a goddess.  After
all, we're certainly not perfect."

And with that, Urd walked out of the room.  As she left, Belldandy
could see a great pain cross her eyes, but then it was gone.

Skuld was looking at her again.  "Big sister, do you love Keiichi?
Are you going to marry him?"

Belldandy thought for a moment before speaking.  "I suppose I've
known for a long time that Keiichi was the one for me.  When we 
met as children, there was a bond between us even then.  And 
that is the bond that has kept us together through the past three
years, Skuld.  Not the contract, or any Ultimate Force.  It was
our love for each other.  I was always afraid to voice it, afraid
that Keiichi didn't feel the same way.  When he told me he loved
me tonight, it was as if my soul opened up to twice his size.
Yes, I'm going to marry Keiichi, but that's not the real point
of tonight.  We admitted to each other our love, and that will
be what keeps us together."

"But sister, you haven't said anything to Keiichi yet."

Belldandy paled.  She had kept Keiichi-san waiting.  Was he 
doubting her, having second thoughts?  "Skuld, do you mind if I - "

"Go on, Belldandy."  Skuld smiled wanly.  "I may have screwed
things up tonight, but...I don't want to ruin it for you as
well.  And...tell Kenji I'll talk to him tomorrow."

"Thank you, Skuld.  Think upon what Urd said.  She knows a lot
more than you think."  And with that, Belldandy left the room 
and returned to the kitchen.

***

As she entered, she noticed Kenji's absence.  "Has Kenji - "

Megumi answered.  "He's gone back to his place.  I think he has
a lot of things to work out.  Don't worry, Belldandy, I don't 
think he'll give up as easy as that."

Megumi looked around.  "I should probably get going, too.  I'd
say congratulations, but that's a bit premature.  So...good 
luck.  To both of you."  And with a wink, Megumi exited.

Belldandy looked at Keiichi.  He looked more handsome than
ever, standing there pensively.  She couldn't let him suffer
like this.  She owed him an answer.

"Keiichi, I have loved you even before I met you.  It was my
specific intervention that let Kami-sama send me to you.  And
I've tried to show you that love for the past three years.  I
suppose I knew that you loved me, but...being a goddess doesn't
make this any easier you know.  I just - "

"Belldandy, you're babbling.  Do you not want to get married?
Is that it?"  The expression on his face was heartbreaking.

"No, Keiichi.  I just wanted to let you know that my love for
you has always been here.  And nothing can change that.  And
that's one of the reasons...that I will marry you.  Yes."

Keiichi looked as if he was about to burst.  All the trials
of the past three years were worth it, just for this moment.
With a smile, she came close to Keiichi, and gave him a 
passionate kiss.  She felt Keiichi's passions just as firmly,
as the kiss deepened.  And the two of them stood there, for
a long time, just kissing, and finally expressing their love 
for each other.


End of Part 1


Well, here's the first of what will hopefully be three fanfics
that will tell of the marriage of Keiichi and Belldandy.  As
per usual, this is a lot more serious than the show.  In addition,
there's about two pages of inner monologue for every line of 
dialogue.  Sorry, just the way I write.

Needless to say, there are a few influences on this work.  
The fanfics No Mere Mortal, Scenes from a Life, and Growing Pains
were what made me want to write this; kudos to their authors.
In addition, John Biles, Mark Latus, Caroline Seawright, and
Richard Lawson have inspired my writing in general.  If you
haven't read Richard's Inward Love series...what are you doing
reading this!  Get going!

For those of you who thought that Urd got short shrift in this,
she's got a much larger role in Wedding, the second of these fics.

I dunno when Wedding will be out.  Could be a week, could be a
month.  I'm a changeable guy.

For those who care, Belldandy's alarm was playing "You're in a
Bad Way", by Saint Etienne, and Skuld's was playing "Trouble",
by Shampoo.

Thanks for listening.  


Ah My Goddess - Wedding

by Sean Gaffney

All characters (c) Kosuke Fujishima and used without permission
except Kenji (c) Ed Sharpe.  Used with kind permission.

***************

Urd felt herself slowly waking, feeling as if her head was being
slammed against a rock face repeatedly.  Shit, another one of those nights
last night, she thought.  Grumbling to herself, she put on a robe and went
out into the living room.

Keiichi and Belldandy were asleep, arms wrapped around each other,
heads cradled on each other's shoulders.

"Oh.  Guess it *wasn't* another one of those nights." said Urd.

Not a sound, they must be really out.  Urd decided that she hadn't
played a joke on Keiichi for some time; and besides, she couldn't
resist an opportunity like this.

"Yo, Keiichi!  Your mother is outside!" she exclaimed.

Keiichi set the record for the vertical leap, almost cracking his head
on the ceiling.  "Mom!  I can explain!  I...uhhh..."

Keiichi slowly came back to himself, and glared at Urd.  Then he
noticed Belldandy slowly waking up, and turned to her.  "Are you OK
this morning, Belldandy?"

She smiled up at him.  "I don't think I've ever been better, Keiichi-san.
Oh, my goodness!  I overslept!  I...why are we out here?"

"I guess we fell asleep on the couch last night.  Um...I didn't try
anything, if that's what you--"

"Oh, Keiichi-san, don't be silly!  I was just curious.  Oh, I have
to get breakfast ready!"  And with that, she rushed into the kitchen.

Urd watched all of this with a vaguely annoyed expression on her face.
Didn't she just try to get Keiichi mad, as she always did?  And how
did he react?  As soon as Belldandy woke, it was as if Urd wasn't
there.  Urd sighed, and felt the anger go away, to be replaced by the
depression that she had become more familiar with.  Why shouldn't
she be surprised?  Keiichi and Belldandy had just declared their love
for each other.  Surely they would be hard pressed to focus on anyone
else at the moment.

Urd needed to cheer herself up, and fast.  She decided to go to her
second favorite target.  Unfortunately, Skuld's room was empty.  Urd
frowned, and walked up to the alarm clock.

"Hey!  Mr. Alarm, or Mr. Timer, or whatever the hell she calls you.
Where's Skuld?"

The alarm beeped once before answering.  "Mistress Skuld left the
temple early this morning.  She left specific instructions not to tell
you where she had gone."

Kenji, Urd thought.  The rest of last night was starting to come
back to her.  This was going to be rough on the both of them.  After
all, finding out that the person you love has kept the most important
part of her existence from you...

Urd finally surrendered to the black mood that had been threatening
for the past few minutes.  Keiichi and Belldandy, Kenji and Skuld, she
thought.  Wandering into the kitchen, she went to the fridge and
grabbed a bottle of sake.

Belldandy looked at her in surprise.  "Sister!  It's only eight
o clock!  Don't you think..."  She trailed off as she saw the
expression in Urd's eyes.

"I know what time it is, Belldandy.  And I'll thank you to let my
go about my day the way I want to."

And with that, Urd climbed up to the roof, where she lay down, looked
up at the sky, and took a long slug from the bottle.

***

Skuld walked towards Kenji's apartment with an equal mixture of fear
and excitement in her heart.  She was excited every time she saw Kenji,
and that had still not changed.  But after last night, the fear that
he would hate her fused in her heart, and still refused to let her go.

So she decided to go to him.  In order to explain, and to show him
that *she* could take the initial step in putting things right, that she
cared about their friendship.

If there was a friendship any more.

She went up to his room and rang the bell.  She didn't feel like
running away, but knew that if there was any other way to put things
right, she would take it.

Kenji answered the door.  He was still wearing the clothes that he
had on last night, and looked as if he had never even gone to bed. 
His expression remained neutral as he saw her.

"Skuld.  Come on in."

Kenji left the door open for her as he walked back into his living
room.  Well, thought Skuld, at least he didn't slam the door in my
face.  Nevertheless, she could feel herself wavering at the door.
Stop this, she thought.  You need to do this, more than anything.  If
Keiichi could have the courage to propose to a goddess, then surely
she could muster up the courage to heal her broken friendship.

Skuld walked slowly into the room, sitting down on the couch.  "Thank
you, Kenji.  I--thank you for allowing me into your home."

"Well, I could hardly refuse you.  After all, you are a goddess."

Skuld's temper flared.  "And so what if I am?  Do you think I'm going
to call a curse on your head if you don't do as I say?  Do you really
know so little about me?"

"Apparently, I know very little about you, Skuld.  Everything about you,
everything I thought I understood, is now gone.  Why did you keep this
from me?  Did you think I'd blurt it out to the first person who came
along?"

"Kenji, I couldn't tell *anyone*!  None of us could!  Even Keiichi's
sister didn't know about us until last night!  It's a secret that has
to be kept, no matter...no matter how much I wanted otherwise."

Kenji looked at her for a moment, his eyes unsure.  "So what sort of
goddess are you, anyway?"

Skuld looked back at him, desperately trying to convince him with her
words.  "I am Skuld, the Norn goddess of the Future.  My sister
Belldandy is the goddess of the present, and Urd is the goddess of
the past."

Kenji was intrigued, in spite of himself.  "So you're responsible for
the destinies of everybody on Earth?"

"Actually, no.  I suppose a more human term for us would be computer
programmers.  Ygdrassil, our main computer in heaven, does most of the
work for us.  We just have to watch over it.  That's mostly my job;
I'm a debugger back up in heaven."  Skuld unconsciously twirled her
mallet.  "Urd is the system administrator.  Belldandy used to write
programs, but Kami-sama transferred her to the Goddess Help Office
a few years ago."

"So why are you here?  Doesn't heaven need you up there all the time?"

"Well, there are a few apprentice debuggers who are doing my job, and
Ygdrassil doesn't break down that often.  Besides...I was told by
Kami-sama that I had to stay on Earth as a surface trainee.
Apparently my people skills weren't all they could have been."

"Yes, Keiichi told me about you visiting him in the bathtub like
that."

Skuld blushed.

"But this was two years ago!  Can't you appeal to Kami-sama to let you
return to your duties?"

"Actually, Kami-sama has told me that I can return any time I want.
But I've come to like it here on Earth.  There's always fun things to
do, I don't have as many responsibilities weighing me down...I can
be free when I'm down here.  I think that's why Urd stays here, too."

Kenji shuddered.  He tried to imagine the pressure a twelve-year-old
girl would feel if she was in charge of maintenance for the computer
that ran the world.  No wonder she had mood swings.

"But despite all that, I was about ready to go back.  And then...I
met you."  Skuld was looking at the wall, trying to keep from seeing
Kenji's face.  "You...had an effect on me that no one ever has.  I
don't know what it was, exactly.  I do know that you became my
friend when I desperately needed one.  I have so many mechanical
friends that I invent, all of them talking and smart, but...I don't
really know how to make real friends.  I always screw it up."

She paused again.  Kenji was looking at the back of her head, and
her lustrous black hair.  He wanted her to face him, wanted to be
able to see her expression.

"Kenji, I never meant to hurt you.  I'm sorry that I never told you
about me...the real me.  But I haven't been hiding my true self,
Kenji.  I'm no different from the girl you know, Kenji."  She turned,
and smiled at him half-heartedly.  "It's just that I'm a goddess."

Skuld finished her explanation and turned to look at Kenji.  There
was still a great deal that he didn't know about her, but it could
keep.  If he wasn't ready to accept her now, what difference would
the rest make?

She looked at Kenji.  He was so handsome, sitting there looking at
her.  After a few minutes, she said, "Kenji?  Is there...a problem?"

Kenji finally spoke.  "Skuld, I...I had no idea that you were this
important.  I thought that we just had a nice, normal friendship.  I
can't just accept you again and go on as if nothing happened.  It's
impossible."

Skuld felt her self-control beginning to give way.  "I see.  Well,
thank you for being honest, Kenji."  She got up to leave, fighting
back a sob.

"Skuld, wait!  I'm not finished."  Kenji's voice cut through her haze.
She sat again with a wary expression.

"When you described the moment when we met...well, it was much the
same for me.  When I first saw you there was something in my chest that
just...you were like no-one I'd never seen before.  I don't know if
it was my subconscious telling me you were a goddess, or..."

Kenji sighed.  "There's no possible way to go back to what we once
had.  But...if you were to leave, I don't think my life would be the
same.  Every time we see each other, I don't ever want you to go.  I
can't possibly send you away.  Can we...can we start over, maybe?  I
promise never to do anything that would hurt you in any way.  I was
happy to be your friend when I thought you were a mortal, and I'm
happy to be so now that I know your true destiny.  And I hope...that
someday...maybe we can be more than friends."

Kenji sat back, exhausted.  Now it was his turn to wait, as Skuld sat
thinking about what he had said.  He wondered if she could accept it.
This was perhaps the closest he had gotten to showing his feelings
for her, and he was afraid that it wouldn't be enough.

Skuld looked up, and there were tears in her eyes.  "Yes, Kenji, I
would like to start again.  I...I don't know what I'd do without you
around.  There are times when I get really mad, and then I think of
you, and I calm down.  It doesn't matter to me that you're a mortal.
You're my best friend."

Kenji had to ask this next question.  "Skuld...if everything works
out, do you think we could eventually have something like your sister
and Keiichi?"

Skuld smiled.  "Not like them.  I'm nothing like my sister, nor do I
want to be.  But yes, Kenji, I do see that future for us.  I see
it, and it shines brighter than the others."

And with that, they embraced each other with all their might.  Friends
for now, but the promise for more now vocalized.  They held each other
for a long time, in relief and happiness.

***

Keiichi sat in the courtyard, waiting for Belldandy to return.

It had been a busy day.  After breakfast, Belldandy had gone up to
heaven, explaining that she needed to formally ask Kami-sama of this
boon.  She didn't see a problem, though.

Keiichi had spent the morning taking care of a few things here on
Earth.  He had called his parents, and arranged a meeting tomorrow
to announce his marriage.  He knew his mother would go ballistic, but
he couldn't avoid it; they needed to be told.

He also called Tamiya and Ootaki, letting them know the news, and
inviting them to the wedding.  They didn't seem to be surprised at
all; in fact, their main concern was Keiichi's bachelor party, which
they insisted on despite his protests.  He also got a promise from
them not to tell Sayoko and Aoshima until the last possible moment;
no sense inviting trouble.

With that done, he returned to the temple to await Belldandy.
Despite all the assurances she had given him, Keiichi feared what
Kami-sama would say.  After all, he was trying to marry one of the
best goddesses in heaven, one of Kami-sama's closest confidants.
Would this be allowed, even if the two of them did love each other?

Keiichi's train of thought was interrupted by Belldandy coming out
into the backyard.  There was a smile on her face, but Keiichi
immediately noticed that the smile did not reach her eyes.  He reached
out to her.  "What did the Lord say?"

Belldandy smiled at him.  "He has given me permission to marry you,
Keiichi-san."

Keiichi let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding.

Belldandy continued.  "But it was not without some cost.  He would
not give us his blessing...not yet.  And...he says that my contract
with you will have to be broken."

Keiichi was shocked.  "What?  Why?"

"He says that he does not want us to be bound together by the contract
if we grow apart over the years.  He says that the contract of
marriage
will have to hold us together, not anything else.  I agree with him, I
suppose.  I just...didn't want it put so coldly.  Keiichi, there are
many things we need to discuss.  Kami-sama does not want you to marry
me without realizing everything that goes with it."

"Like what?"

"Keiichi, I wanted so much to marry you just as a normal girl would,
with no drawbacks or problems.  But it can't work that way.  I *am* a
goddess, and that means that our relationship is going to be put under
more strain than the average.  In heaven..." Belldandy paused and looked
down.  "In heaven the average relationship between a mortal and a human
lasts only four years.  After that, the human is usually...killed."

Keiichi was amazed.  "What!  How is that possible!  I thought you came
from heaven!"

Belldandy looked up at him again.  "I do, Keiichi.  But heaven is many
things to many people.  It's almost infinite.  My part of heaven, and
that of my sisters, is based on Norn beliefs.  They're very different
from Shinto or Buddhist beliefs."

"But aren't heaven and hell supposed to be good and evil?"

"In several cases, that is true.  But our aspect of heaven is more
complicated.  It's not a matter of good or evil, it's a matter of
choosing sides.  Heaven has many people who make Urd look like an angel.
Many of them will hate you.  Do you think you can live with this, with
the baggage that I bring with me from heaven?"

Keiichi thought for a few moments.  "I will not give you up.  Not now,
after all we've been through.  We've been living together for three
years, finding out about each other's likes and dislikes.  I doubt
many other relationship in heaven are the same."

Belldandy gave another one of her beautiful smiles.  "Oh, Keiichi-san... thank
you.  But is there a reason you wanted to marry me?  We could still have gone
on like we have."

"No, Belldandy.  With our contract, we had permission from heaven
for you to stay with me.  It could be yanked away at any time, as we
found out two years ago.  But our marriage is more than just a
ceremony, it's a promise between ourselves, and no other party can come
between that.  Not your sisters, or Marller...it's between the two of us.
That's what I wanted for us, Belldandy.  Actually, breaking the
contract might have been the best thing that happened.  At least now, we're
free to be married without any strings attached.  I can be sure...that
it's your love that's the reason."

"Keiichi-san!  Are you saying that you doubted my promise?"

Keiichi felt ashamed.  "It...did occur to me.  But only for a moment.
I do not think that you would willingly do anything to hurt me,
Belldandy.  I'm sorry to have doubted you."

Belldandy leaned over and took Keiichi in her arms.  "In that case, I
had best erase all doubts from your mind."  She began to make a
spell behind him as she spoke.  "I love you, Keiichi Morisato.  I
have always loved you, with all my heart, ever since we first met...
Fourteen years ago."  And with that Belldandy passed her head over
Keiichi's, bringing his long buried memories to the surface.

Keiichi cried out, as the memories took hold.  "Belldandy, I...I
remember!  You came to me all those years ago!"

"Yes, and it was one of my happiest memories.  But Kami-sama demanded
that I erase your memories, and so I did.  But as you say, our lives
are now our own.  Which means I have the right to give your past back
to you, Keiichi-san.  May our joy be even greater than the joy of
our childhood selves."

And with that, she gave him another long, searching kiss.

***

Urd sat up on the roof, trying not to fall off.  She was extremely
drunk by now, and was finally getting to the point of being happy
drunk as opposed to depressed drunk.  This mean that at the moment,
she was singing at the top of her lungs.

"And I just hope that you can forgive us, 'cause everything must go!"

Urd was interrupted by a flash from another part of the roof.  When
she turned, there was a tall figure, shadow hiding most of his face,
standing there.  Urd recognized him immediately.

"Hiya, Odin!  Come to join the party?  Have a bottle!"  Urd reached
for a bottle that she had long since dropped.

"Urd, I may be here on earth, but please do not believe that that
gives you the right to treat me like any other god!"

Urd sobered up instantly.  "Sorry, Kami-sama.  Why're you down here?"
A cold thought passed through her mind.  "Hey, you're not gonna
stop Keiichi and sister from getting married, are you?  They deserve
this, dammit!"

Kami-sama looked at her sympathetically.  "No, Urd.  What they decide
to do is their business, as I told them this morning.  No, Urd, you
are the one I came to see."

Urd thought for a moment.  What had she done lately?  Any major
world disasters?  Any destroyed buildings?  She hadn't even cooked
up a love potion lately.  "Sorry, sir, but I can't think why.  Things
have been really quiet around here."

"Yes, I know.  That's the reason I came down here.  You've been good
for quite some time now, an unusual feat.  You've used up all of
your suspensions."

Urd sat there, utterly amazed.  "Kami-sama, what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that as of this moment, Urd, all suspensions and warnings
against you are dropped, and your goddess status is once again
restored.  You can even come back to heaven if you like."

Urd was speechless.  "I...thank you, Kami-sama.  I don't know what
to say."

"You earned it, Urd.  Don't believe otherwise.  Frankly, I can't help
but wonder why you've managed to turn around in such a short time."

Urd frowned inwardly, but didn't show it.  "Yeah, that is a puzzle.
Anyway, thanks again.  I'll probably come back up for a visit pretty
soon."

"No problem, Urd.  I know I haven't said this a lot, but I'm looking
forward to seeing you again."  And with that, Kami-sama vanished in
a cloud of whiteness.

After being sure that he was gone, Urd once again sank to the roof. 
She knew why she'd been so good lately.  She'd spent all her time
up here, getting depressed and feeling sorry for herself.  And now
she was being praised for that?

Without realizing it, Urd raised another bottle to her lips, and
began the task of getting seriously drunk.  Again.

***

The next couple of weeks were a flurry of activity, as the date for
the wedding drew nearer.

***

"Me?  But why me?"

"Because Urd won't do it.  She says that if they called her a maid
of honor, it would besmirch her character.  So she suggested you
instead."

"I'll besmirch her!  She's just insulting me again!"

"Does that mean you won't do it, Skuld?"  Belldandy looked pensively
at her sister.

Skuld thought for a moment.  "No, of course I'll be your maid of
honor, sister.  I was just...thinking of something else."

Belldandy smiled quietly to herself.  "Thank you, Skuld.  Have you
invited Kenji to the wedding yet?"

Skuld smirked.  "Don't need to.  Keiichi is making him his best man.
I heard that Tamiya threw a fit when he found out!"

"Oh, well.  Someone was bound to be disappointed.  Speaking of which,
I'm going out now, Skuld.  I could be some time."

"Jeez!  Are you going to a battle?"

"In a sense.  I'm meeting with Keiichi's parents.  He's going to tell
them about the wedding."

***

"Mother, Father, you've met Belldandy a few times."

"Yes, hello, Belldandy, how are you?" Keiichi's father was smiling
kindly.

"Very well, thank you, sir."

Belldandy looked at Keiichi's mother.  She was met with a cold stare.
Then, not even acknowledging Belldandy, she turned to her son.

"And why have you brought her here?  You know how I feel about her,
and yet you choose to flaunt her in my face?  Is that any way a son
should treat his mother?

Keiichi, surprisingly, showed no outward reaction at all, except for
tightening his grip on Belldandy's hand.  "I've come here to inform
you both of something.  Belldandy and I are going to be married next
week."

Keiichi's mother fell silent, and you could see the veins bulging out
on her head.  Keiichi's father was a little more vocal.

"Next week?  Are you sure about this, son?  It all seems a little
sudden."

"Belldandy and I have been seeing each other for three years.  In that
time, we've both come to love and trust each other, even with our
lives.  I don't take this decision lightly, father.  This is something     
I've thought about for a long time.  Please, give me your support."

Belldandy could not get over how calm her fiancé was.  Keiichi's
normal reaction around his mother, much like his father, was to acquiesce to
her demands, fearing the response they might trigger.  The last time
Belldandy had met them, it had taken Megumi, who took after her mother
more, to defuse the situation.

But Keiichi was more determined than Belldandy had ever seen him.  He
didn't take his eyes off his father during his whole speech.

His father seemed to sense it, as well.  He then turned and gave
Belldandy an appraising look.  "Well, I can't say I've had any
problems the few times I've seen Belldandy.  I don't see why -- "

"Are you mad!  There is no way I'm allowing my son to marry that
foreign slut!  She's just trying to use him, you can see it in her
eyes!"

Belldandy felt like crying.  To be hated by someone this close to
Keiichi broke her up inside, and she felt like crying.

Keiichi noticed this as well.  Letting go of her hand, he walked right
up to his mother, staring into her eyes.  "I am going to marry Belldandy.
I can do it with or without you blessing.  I would rather have it. But
if you insist on talking about the woman I love that way, then not
only will I walk out of here right now, but you will not be welcome at
the wedding.  And from that day forth, you will have to live with the
fact that you weren't present at the most important day of my life.
Do you really hate Belldandy so much that you're willing to go that far?"

Belldandy stared in amazement at Keiichi.  She could not believe what
she was hearing.  Keiichi loved her so much that he was willing to
abandon his own mother?

Keiichi's mother stood stock still.  For a moment, she stared right back
into Keiichi's eyes, daring him to look away.  Then she saw that he was
not going to.

"But...you can't do this.  You *can't*.  You're my baby..."

"I am *not* your baby!"  Keiichi was shouting now.  "You've coddled me
through my entire life!  You don't have any problems with Megumi doing
what she wants, why me?  Why can't you accept the fact that I'm
capable of my own choices!  I am marrying Belldandy!"

Keiichi's mother looked down and began to cry, silently.  But even this
did not faze Keiichi.  Finally, without looking up, she said, "Do what
you want."

Keiichi looked sadly at her for a moment, then turned to his father.
"I hope that we can see both of you at the wedding."

Keiichi's father smiled.  "Of course.  We're your parents, after all.
I hope that you and Belldandy will be very happy together."

And with that, he took his wife into the other room, leaving the young
couple standing alone.

"Keiichi-san, I can't believe you did that!  She's your mother!"

"Belldandy, she's been treating me like this since I went off to
college!  She's got to come to terms with it sometime!  Until now,
I've just let her walk all over me.  Maybe...maybe I didn't have
anything worth fighting for then."

"Oh, Keiichi-san..."  Belldandy gave him a quick peck on the cheek.
"Thank you for doing this for me."

"I did it for us, Belldandy," Keiichi said, smiling at her.

***

"Hey, MORISATO!!!"

Keiichi sighed.  Tamiya.  Looked like the whole motor club was with
him.  "What do you want, sempai?  It's the night before my wedding,
and I really need to get prepared."

Ootaki smirked.  "That's right, Morisato.  It is the night before your
wedding.  And I think we all know what that means..."

A cry arose from the throng.  "BACHELOR PARTY!!!"

Keiichi was appalled.  "Oh, no!  I don't have time for any of your
stupid parties!  I want to live to see my wedding day!"

"Don't be silly, Morisato!  Of course you want a bachelor party!  It's
the last chance to sow your wild oats!"

"Keiichi frowned.  "I don't have any wild oats."

Tamiya wouldn't be put off by that.  "Then we'll just have to grab you
some along the way!  GRAB HIM!"

Keiichi was dragged, kicking and screaming, into Tamiya's van, which
took off for parts unknown.

At this time,  Belldandy came out from the kitchen.  "Keiichi-san?"
she asked.  Seeing him being carried off by Tamiya, she said, "Oh,
it must be a party!  Well, his friends will take care of him."  And
humming, she went back into the house.

***

The morning of his wedding dawned slowly for Keiichi.  There seemed to
be a light burning into his eyes, and he was lying on something
incredibly uncomfortable.

Suddenly, memory of last night came to him.  In a flash, he sat up,
and realized three things.  He was in the flatbed of a pickup truck,
it was in the middle of nowhere, and he was stark naked.  Keiichi
quickly assessed his situation.

"Well, shit."

***

The temple was awash with activity.  Urd was running around, making
sure everything was all right.  No way that her sister's wedding would
have anything go wrong with it. 

"Has anyone seen Keiichi?" asked Megumi, already in her dress.

As if on cue, Keiichi stormed into the house, dressed in a pair of
overalls he had found in the toolkit.  "Urd, do me a favor?  Find
Tamiya, and make him itch for the next week?"

"No problem, Keiichi.  You got three minutes to get dressed, you
know."

"AAAIGGH!"  Keiichi shot into his room.  The others giggled.

"Hey, Urd.  Why is this a western wedding, anyway?" said Megumi

"Well, Kami-sama felt uncomfortable with Belldandy getting married in
a Shinto ceremony.  'Cutting into other people's territory', I
believe he said."

"Well, let's hope that that's the last thing to go wrong today."

***

"Belldandy?"

Belldandy froze as she put the finishing touches on her makeup.
Feeling very cold, she turned around.

Keiichi's mother stood in the doorway.  She was dressed in a rather
severe dress, and the effect was that of a very traditional Japanese
wife.  Belldandy wondered whether she normally dressed like this, or
if it was a statement regarding the wedding not being Shinto.

"Hello, Mrs. Morisato.  What...what can I do for you?"  Belldandy forced
the words out of her throat.  She wished with all her heart that Keiichi
was here now.

"I just wanted to see you to congratulate you.  You've gotten what you
want.  You're marrying my boy...my *son*, I'm sorry.  I hope you're
happy."

Belldandy took her courage in her hands and answered.  "Yes, I am very
happy, but not because I've defeated you in any way.  Why do you
dislike me so much?  Is it because I'm not Japanese?  I can't help
where I come from any more than I can control the whims of my heart.
My sister says that I act too much like the stereotypical Japanese
wife.  I won't embarrass Keiichi, or make him unhappy.  Why do you
hate me?"

The response was immediate.  "Because you're taking away my son!  I've
raised him for twenty years, and now he's gone and fallen in love
with you!  Do you realize, from the moment you entered my life, he
only calls once a month?  He never comes by to see us, oh no, he's
too busy "studying" with you!  You say he has his own life now, but
that's not true -- he has yours.  That is why I do not like you."

Belldandy stared in shock.  She had no idea that her presence had
caused *so* great an effect.  She took time to phrase her answer; if
she got this wrong, there would be no reconciliation between Keiichi
and his mother.  And that was something Belldandy would never forgive
herself for.

"Mrs. Morisato, you've got it backwards!  I don't run Keiichi's life!
Everything I do, every day I get up, is for Keiichi!  He has his own
life, not mine at all, I can assure you.  As for not calling home,
well, every time he did you told him that I was a horrible woman! 
After a while, he got tired of it!"  She was starting to lose it now;
she pulled back.  "Mrs. Morisato, we've only really met a couple of
times.  I know that you can't trust me yet.  But please give me a
chance.  Keiichi loves you, you're his mother, and seeing the two of
you torn apart because of me would break my heart!  Please, for
Keiichi's sake, not for mine."

There was another long pause.  "There can be nothing I can say to
make you change your mind about this marriage."

"No.  I will marry Keiichi, and be with him as long as he needs me.
I have to.  Moreover, I want to."

Keiichi's mother sighed.  "Very well.  I can't say as I approve yet,
but I won't stop it.  At least you're firm about it.  Until recently,
I never thought my son would talk to me the way he did last week.
Maybe he has finally grown up.  Good luck to you, Belldandy."

Belldandy smiled.  "Thank you, Mrs. Morisato."

And with that, Keiichi's mother walked out the door.  Belldandy
immediately collapsed on the chair, feeling the adrenaline after a
major battle.  Suddenly, the day had gotten even better.

***

The ceremony itself.  Keiichi stood quietly, not doing anything but
looking at Belldandy.  He was crossing every digit he had; he kept
expecting something to go wrong.

"Do you, Keiichi Morisato, take this woman as your lawfully wedded
wife, to love, honor, and cherish, to have and to hold, in sickness
and in health, as long as you both shall live?"

Keiichi was amazed that they had gotten that far.  Nonetheless, he
didn't even pause.  "I do."

"And do you, Belldandy, take this man as your lawfully wedded husband,
to love, honor, and cherish, to have and to hold, in sickness and in
health, as long as you both shall live?"

Belldandy smiled.  She had called in every favor she had to ensure
that nothing would go wrong today.  Marller was trapped in a logic
puzzle that would take her days to figure out, and Kami-sama was
making sure that the less...moral of heaven's company were staying out
of the way.  And now her dream was coming true.  "I do."

"Then, by the authority vested in me, I now pronounce you husband and
wife.  You may kiss the bride."

Keiichi looked at his goddess...no, last time he called her that.  He
looked at his *wife* with more love than he thought he could possibly
hold.  She looked back at him with equal love in her heart.  As he
lifted her veil and kissed her, the last of his fears left him.

***

Skuld sat in a corner, watching the couples dance after the wedding. 
She had tried to dance, but there was a really complicated waltz going
on, and she couldn't follow it.  She came over here and sat, out of
the way of any others.

She stared at the bouquet in her hands.  She couldn't believe that
Belldandy would do this to her.  Especially since...Skuld blushed. 
She knew the custom, and didn't care to think of it.

"Skuld?  Are you all right?"

Skuld looked up, her heart leaping as it always did.  "I'm fine, Kenji.
It's just...a really big day.  I mean, nothing's going to be the same
around here."

"Well, people change.  Keiichi and Belldandy were ready to get married.
And I don't think I've ever seen two happier people."

Skuld couldn't hold it in any more.  "Kenji...do you think we'll ever
have a moment like that?  Have you ever thought about it."

There was a long pause.  "All the time," Kenji finally answered.

"I told you I'm the goddess of the future, Kenji.  Well, there are
many problems that follow worth that.  If I concentrate, I can see
futures flaring out around me.  All different kinds, depending on
what choices people make.  I see us doing this in one of the
futures... but I also see us parting."

"Which choices do we make for each future?"  Kenji was almost whispering.

"I don't know.  I can't see the actions, just the consequences.  Kenji,
I'm scared.  I don't want to lose this...lose you.  I like what we
have.  This is the first time that the future has ever scared me.
What do we do?"

Kenji looked at her.  "There doesn't seem to be anything we can do,
Skuld, except try to live our lives as best we can.  We can't go
second guessing every decision we make, or our relationship might really
suffer."

Skuld looked at him closely.  "You're right.  We can't be afraid of
the consequences.  We have to take each moment as it comes."  And with
that, she put her arms around Kenji and kissed him.  It was a first
kiss for both of them, but any lack of experience was more than made
up for by the emotions in the participants.

After a short time, they stopped, and looked at each other.  Both
had turned interesting shades of red.

"Hey, you two!  It's time for the toast!"

Urd broke them out of their reverie.  They both snapped away from each
other, and headed for the reception hall.  Megumi stood at the head, a
glass of champagne in her hand.

"A toast, everyone.  To the future of Keiichi and Belldandy Morisato.
May their happiness never end!"

As Skuld and Kenji picked up their glasses, they looked at each other,
and quietly echoed the toast.

"To the future."


End of Part Two


Author's notes:

Here's part 2 of my AMG trilogy.  It's longer than part 1.  Honeymoon
will probably be the longest of the three.

Getting specific praise in this part are Richard Lawson, Jeff "Mr. the"
Rutsch, Chan Wei Lik of Divine Passion fame, Tricia Sebastian, and
Ewen Chrystal.  All of them read the rough draft of this and made
important suggestions, especially the scene with Keiichi's parents.
In addition, thanks to Zen, for moral support.

As always, there are a few music refs.  Urd's drunken song is "Everything
Must Go", by the Manic Street Preachers.  The complex waltz that Skuld
can't follow is "Strictly Genteel", by Frank Zappa.

Now.  Honeymoon is coming up.  One of the scenes is Keiichi and
Belldandy's wedding night.  There will be enough description involved
to classify this as a lemon.  However, it will be mild compared to
some of the others I've seen.  I promise not to use the word "pulsating".
If you hate lemons, the scene is self-contained, and can be easily
removed.

Onward!  Thanks again.


Ah My Goddess - Honeymoon

by Sean Gaffney

All characters (c) Kosuke Fujishima and used without permission except Kenji 
(c) Ed Sharpe.  Used with kind permission.


Note:  This fanfic contains a LEMON scene!  It's done as tastefully as I
can make it, but it's there, so be warned.

Note 2:  This fanfic is a sequel to my other 2 AMG fanfics, Proposal and
Wedding.  They can be found on a couple of AMG sites, or at the anime FTP
site under the title CLOSURE.

************************************

"Are we all here?" Belldandy asked.  Somewhat incongruously, Keiichi was
holding Belldandy in his arms, determined to carry her over the nearest
equivalent of a threshold.  Skuld and Kenji were holding hands next to
them, and Urd was standing a few feet away with a *very* surprised Megumi.

"I thought heaven was supposed to be ice castles and rainbow rivers!
This is...it looks like a lobby!" Megumi was *not* impressed.

"Well, it is.  I thought it would be more convenient to get us to where
we wanted to go." Belldandy was wearing her practical look.  "Of course,
we could travel via the river..."

Suddenly, Megumi found herself a thousand feet up a mountain, clinging
to the ice face.  A raging river was barely visible down below, and in
the distance was a large palace, seemingly composed entirely of crystal.
Megumi gasped and tried to get a safer grip...

And then they were back in the lobby, and Belldandy was speaking again.
"But that would take us three days, whereas in this guise we can get to
our domain by the elevator.  Is that alright?"

"Sure!  No problem!  Elevator it is!"  Megumi decided that safe beat
impressive any day of the week.

"Bell, can we stop by Yggdrasil before we split up?  I want to touch
base, and it might be nice for everyone to see the cause of all their
problems."  Urd was still looking slightly depressed, but arriving back
in heaven seemed to buoy her spirits.

"Of course!  Um, Kei-chan, can you put me down?  We need to go down about
672 floors..."

Keiichi had been feeling very tired for a while now, but wasn't about
to admit it.  "Of course, Bell-chan", he said gracefully.

Urd smiled.  "Listen to the two of them.  Maybe we should just get you
two to Belldandy's place so you can start doing your marital duties."

Both Keiichi and Belldandy blushed deeply.  "Well, Kami-sama has called
us to his office first..." Belldandy murmured.

"So let's go, then!  Don't want to keep you two lovebirds waiting!"

Smiling, Urd led the party into a waiting elevator. It took them down
to Yggdrasil, the world computer, the one piece of machinery that held
everything together.

***

"Wow!" Megumi exclaimed.

Yggdrasil was big.  Actually, big doesn't even begin to describe Yggdrasil.
It extended in all directions, till it disappeared from vision.

"Impressive, ain't it?  Terminal."  At Urd's command, a small keyboard
appeared in front of Urd.  She logged in and began to type.

"You keep the entire world running from here?  How...well, I don't mean
to have it sound like this, but...how can you stay on Earth all the time?
Doesn't it require constant maintenance?"

"Not really," responded Belldandy.  "The main program has been running for
thousands of years, and it requires only periodic maintenance.  The problem
we had with the bugs last Christmas was very much an aberration.  It
shouldn't happen again."

Megumi nodded; she was still a little fuzzy on the whole "bug" situation
last Christmas, except that Keiichi seemed unhappy most of the time.

Keiichi was looking at Urd, who was typing at speeds approximating Mach 1.
"Somehow, Urd, the thought of you as a computer geek just doesn't fit."

Urd frowned, but didn't take her eyes off the screen.  "Excuse me, Morisato,
but who do you think was the sysadmin for this?  Just because I don't have a
mecha fetish like my sister doesn't mean I don't know programming.  Anyway,
if I get tired of it, I can always -- "

At this point, Urd waved her hand, and the entire space seemed to *shift*.
Where Yggdrasil's massive computer banks had once stood, there now sat a
rather small, twisted tree.  Keiichi and Megumi turned in amazement to Urd,
who was now scrubbing at the sides of a well, removing small pieces of
lichen.

"This is the original; after all, computers weren't all the rage in the 
ancient times."  Urd waved her hand again, and Yggdrasil and the terminal 
were back.  "This is definitely less wear and tear on the body, though.  
Ah, finished."  Urd hit the return key with a flourish, and the terminal 
vanished.

"That's that; now for some fun.  Bell, while you and Keiichi go see
Kami-sama, I'm gonna take the others on a little trip." She turned to Megumi
and winked.  "Get to see a little slice of heaven, kid.  And I won't even
charge you."

Keiichi was looking around.  "Has anyone seen Skuld or Kenji?"

Urd suddenly snapped her head around.  "What?!  Where'd they go!  I've got
to -- "

Belldandy smiled.  "I believe Skuld wanted to show Kenji her room.  Don't
worry, Urd, I'm sure everything will be all right."

Urd glared, but said nothing.

***

"Well, here we are!"  Skuld stopped outside of a door somewhere near
Yggdrasil's center.  "I need to be close to here in case any bugs pop up."

"Um, Skuld...I dunno if I should be going into your room." Kenji said,
noticing what appeared to be a manic grin on Skuld's face.

"Don't be silly!  I need to try something out, and you're the only person
I want to do it with!"  With that, Skuld flung open her door, revealing
the inside to Kenji.  He paled.

"Umm...er...I really think we should be getting back to the others..."
he stammered.

"What are you afraid of?  C'mon, it'll be fun!"

"Help..." Kenji murmured as Skuld dragged him inside.

The door closed.  Coming from inside, you could hear the click of a lock.

***

Keiichi felt like running for his life.  He knew on the surface that
marrying Belldandy would entail this meeting, but hadn't prepared himself
for the reality of it.  He was about to meet Kami-sama.  Nothing at
Nekomi Tech had prepared him for this.

"Don't worry, Kei-chan; he's really a very nice god."  Belldandy said,
but Keiichi noticed that her eyes told a different story.  She was
concerned, as well.  Keiichi remembered that Kami-sama had said to her
that he would allow the marriage, but would not give his blessing.  He
wondered why.

Similar thoughts were running through Belldandy's mind.  When she last
met with Kami-sama, he had seemed distant, as if he did not approve of
her marriage to Keiichi.  She, too, worried about what this meeting would
entail.

The large doors in front of them opened by themselves, and Keiichi found
himself looking upon a throne room.  Simple, to be sure, few luxuries or
ostentations, but a throne room nevertheless.  Sitting on the throne was
a small man, looking to be in his mid-70s.  Keiichi was amazed to see
that he wore a patch over his right eye.

Belldandy was equally amazed.  Kanmi-sama rarely wore his true form,
preferring a more impressive body.  To see him as he really was...
Belldandy began to be seriously concerned.

Kami-sama said nothing at first, merely watched as the two of them came
forward and bowed.  He seemed to be concentrating on Keiichi, as if
looking for some inner facet.

Finally, he spoke.  "I must confess to surprise; I had been expecting...
well, you seem so ordinary."

Keiichi began to bristle, in spite of himself.  He had been hearing that
from Skuld for years.

Kami-sama smiled, and the tension seemed to leave the room.  "I did not
mean to cause offense, son.  I am intrigued, however.  You have attracted
the love of one of the goddesses, and yet there seems to be nothing
special about you.  What is it about yourself that makes such a goddess
want you, for the rest of your life?"

Belldandy began to flush a little, and started to answer, but Kami-sama
held her back.  "No, Belldandy, this is important.  I want to hear it from
him."

Keiichi thought for a few moments.  Kami-sama obviously knew all about him 
already, so this was more of a test than anything else.  Keiichi decided
to just make it simple.

"I'm nothing special, sir.  I'm just an ordinary Japanese college student.
I'm not rich, or powerful.  I can't offer Belldandy life in a palace.
The question you ask...I have asked myself, over and over again, these
past three years.  I have no idea how it happened, but apparently I was
fortunate enough to have Belldandy come into my life."

Belldandy, outraged at Keiichi's self-deprecation, was about to leap to
his defense when she hear Kami-sama chuckle.  Angered, she turned towards
him as he spoke.

"You impress me, son.  I had been afraid that marriage to a goddess would
have made you feel important, too full of yourself.  Keep that humility,
Morisato.  It is something that we gods all too often lack, and in your
marriage, you will need to bring many human qualities."

Belldandy's anger began to drain out of her.

Kami-sama continued, "But this does not mean that your opinion of yourself
has to be so poor.  The reasons, Keiichi, why Belldandy fell in love with
you are easy to see.  Your honor, your respectfulness, your love of others,
and unwillingness to hurt them.  When you were fighting against Fenrir,
you sacrificed yourself, not for Belldandy, but for her sister, who had
not treated you well.  That, more than Belldandy's words of love, is why
we allowed this marriage to happen."

Keiichi turned beet red, as Belldandy's expression lit up.  "Oh, Kami-sama,
thank you!  Please forgive me for having doubted you!"

Kami-sama smiled wryly.  "Do not thank me yet, Belldandy.  I still have
a few more things to say."

Keiichi, recovered at last, looked up.  "Is there anything I need to -- "

Kami-sama stopped him.  "No, boy, this is something else.  You have become
aware, recently, of your first meeting with Belldandy, correct?"

Keiichi noticed Belldandy blushing this time, apparently she hadn't
mentioned that she had restored his memories.

Kami-sama went on.  "We didn't really see a problem with the two of you 
meeting.  But Belldandy had made a promise to you, one that she was not
allowed to make.  Therefore, we decided to stop her, hoping that eventually
she would forget you, once she realized the magnitude of what she had done.
Unfortunately, we underestimated her obsession with you."

This time, it was Keiichi's turn to get annoyed.  Just as he was about
to say something, Kami-sama continued.

"Yes, Keiichi, it *was* obsession, no matter what you might think.
Belldandy went to work at Yggdrasil, in order that she might follow
your life more closely.  When we transferred her to the Goddess Relief
Office, she set about arranging things so that she would be in a 
position to grant your wish."

Keiichi looked over in amazement at Belldandy.  She had her head bowed,
refusing to look at him.

"I let the wish be allowed, much against my better judgment, in the
hoped that Belldandy might get over you, and be able to move on.  After
all, as I'm sure she has mentioned, relationships between gods and
mortals are usually less than successful.  But, to my surprise, she
matured quickly.  She became less quick to anger, less inclined to 
prejudge.  Whether you know it or not, Keiichi, you were helping her
to grow up."

"Even her love for you changed.  If it had stayed as it was, as an
unhealthy obsession, then I would never have allowed the marriage.  But
she has come to love you for yourself, not as her childhood playmate.
This is a love that I can certainly allow, and perhaps even envy a
little."  He smiled briefly.  "So, thank you, Keiichi.  Belldandy has 
matured to the point where she is an excellent young goddess, and it is 
in no small part due to your influence."

Keiichi wondered if it was possible to pass out from blushing.  "Umm...
you're welcome, Kami-sama..." he muttered.

Kami-sama straightened up.  "And now to my final task.  Belldandy, you
were concerned when you first visited me, because I refused to give my
blessing.  I still do. I am not the one who needs to bless you.  You are
already a goddess, Belldandy.  Bless your marriage.  Let it be full
of love and happiness.  For it is you and Keiichi who will be living it,
every day."

"And though I cannot give you a blessing, I can give you a gift.  If
you are unsure, please tell me."

Belldandy and Keiichi looked up, puzzled.

"Keiichi, when you made your wish, you had stated that you wanted a
goddess like Belldandy to be with you for the rest of your life.  I
released that contract, because I wanted your lives to be your own,
with no artificial bonds between them.  But since the contract is now
over, I am allowed to grant this."

Kami-sama stood.  "Keiichi, you are a mortal, and eventually you will
die.  Normally, since you are Shinto, your spirit would be dealt with
according to your beliefs.  However, with your permission, I would send
your spirit to Valhalla.  There, you and Belldandy, if you so desire,
can continue to be together, even after your death.  Does this meet
with your approval?"

Keiichi stood there, utterly stunned.  Whatever he had expected coming
in here, it was nothing like this.  He looked over at Belldandy, and was
startled to see her looking at him fearfully, waiting for his answer.
She seemed to be fearful of it.

Keiichi looked at Kami-sama again.  "Kami-sama...if this is what Belldandy
wishes as well..." and here he looked at her, "then there would be no
greater joy for me than to accept.  Thank you."

Belldandy screamed and threw her arms around him, kissing him over and
over again.  "Oh, Kei-chan, thank you!!!  I love you so much!!!"

Kami-sama looked at the goddess of the present, who seemed to be acting
very much like Lum Redet.  Oh, well.  "This meeting is now concluded.
I wish you both the best of luck with your marriage.  May it last until
the end of time itself."

And with that, Kami-sama left the chamber, leaving the two lovers still
locked in an embrace.  He wondered if they'd even heard him.

***

Megumi was bored.  She had never thought she'd be bored by heaven, but 
she was.  Urd had apparently decided that the tour of heaven would take 
in all her old haunts, which meant that they'd been to a succession of 
bars and restaurants.  She looked over, watching Urd catching up on old
times with yet *another* tall, blond, gorgeous god.  Megumi could
appreciate them as much as the next girl, but it began to get a bit
repetitive after a while.

"Hello."  The voice seemed to ease into her consciousness, as if it
took a while to comprehend.  She looked up to see a tall, blue-eyed
man (well, god probably).  But at least he wasn't a blond Adonis.  The
best word to describe him would be striking.

"You don't seem to be having a good time.  Heaven not living up to
its name?"

Megumi found herself strangely drawn to this man, and she answered
him quickly.  "Well, I'm sure it's lovely, but I'm not getting the
scenic tour from Urd, I can tell you."

There was a flash of...something, Megumi wasn't sure...across his eyes
for a moment at the mention of Urd's name, but it quickly vanished, to
be replaced by his grin.

"Yes, I can imagine that the Alcohol '96 Tour is somehow lacking.
Tell you what, you'll want to get away from all this.  Heaven is a
fascinating place, and you're not seeing some of the truly exciting
things.  Urd isn't the one to show you around these things, anyway.
I'm a fairly low-key guy; why don't I take you around?"

Megumi glanced over at Urd, who seemed to be heavily into a drinking
contest.  "Well, I'm not sure if..."

The man smiled again.  "Don't worry about Urd; we'll be back before
she notices we're gone."

Megumi looked into his eyes again, and found herself saying yes.  Those
were the oddest eyes...

"Well, where should we go first?"

"Ah, now that's a surprise..." And with that, Megumi felt herself
disappearing, held by the man in an iron grip.  Just before she lost
consciousness, she wondered if perhaps this wasn't such a great idea
after all.

***

Belldandy's room was exactly what you would expect from her - simple,
yet elegant.

Not that Keiichi got much of a chance to see it, as he was still wrapped
up in Belldandy's arms.  Pausing for breath, he decided to extricate
himself.

Keiichi didn't dare admit it, but he was *incredibly* nervous.  Besides
the usual jitters about the wedding night, he had a bunch that were
specific to his own situation.  He was married to a goddess, and about
to sleep with her.  There were quite a few existential dilemmas in there
to worry about.

Belldandy seemed to notice his discomfort.  "What's wrong, Kei-chan?"
She paused, a nasty thought running through her mind.  "Is it...is it
because of what Kami-sama said?"

Keiichi looked up, puzzled.  "What do you mean, Belldandy?"

Belldandy clutched onto Keiichi fearfully.  "Oh, Keiichi-san, you have to
understand!  I didn't realize how much you would mean to me when I first
had to leave!  I had to see you again!  And now you hate me..."

Keiichi at least knew the answer to that one.  "Belldandy, I don't hate
you.  I love you.  You're the most important thing in my life.  It doesn't
matter to me if our meeting wasn't the heavenly wish-bringing I thought
it was.  What matters to me now is you, and how much I love you."

Now it was Belldandy's turn to be puzzled.  "Then, Keiichi-san, why did
you pull away from me?"

Keiichi considered his words carefully.  She had stopped calling him
Kei-chan, he noticed.  That bothered him, and he didn't want to mess it
up.  He needed to come at this carefully.

"Bell-chan, do you remember shortly after you arrived on Earth, you
were talking about auras?"

Belldandy didn't really follow where this conversation was going.  "Yes,
I remember."

Keiichi continued on.  "And afterwards, you thought I had a fever and
put me to bed..."

*Now* Belldandy realized what Keiichi was getting at.  She blushed
fiercely.  "Yes, I remember."

Keiichi was also rather red.  "Well, um...I wasn't really sick."

"Yes, I know that now, Keiichi-san.  You must understand, I was fairly
inexperienced at dealing with humans."

Keiichi didn't really want to continue the conversation, but..."Um, and
I was concerned that...you might think..."

Belldandy giggled suddenly.  "Oh, Keiichi-san, that was three years ago!
Goodness knows, having Urd living with us has taught me a few things.
She blushed again.  "I've no actual experience, but...I won't put you
to sleep again."

Keiichi sighed a bit, both relieved and nervous at the same time.  "I
have to tell you, Belldandy, this is making me uncomfortable.  I mean,
much as we agreed to be husband and wife down on Earth, you are a
goddess.  Please don't get offended, Bell-chan, but...the idea of
making love to you is somewhat unnerving."

Belldandy smiled.  At last she knew what was bothering him.  Well, she'd
just have to take care of his fear.  She leaned in and caressed his
face.  "Kei-chan, why do you assume that there is such a difference
between gods and mortals?  You've seen enough of me and my sisters to
know that we share many of the same traits."  She slowly began to move
her lips along his neck as she loosened his tie.  "Anger, fear,
jealousy...why shouldn't we feel the same desire?"

Keiichi was suddenly finding it very difficult to think clearly.  While
they had kissed, their physical relationship hadn't really gone much
further than that.  With Skuld in the room next door, it seemed prudent
to wait for the honeymoon.  Now, however, Belldandy was exciting him
in ways she never had before.  He tried to concentrate.  "Um...it never
occurred to me..."

Belldandy had half removed his shirt, and was moving her lips down his
chest in a manner that Keiichi was finding incredibly erotic.  "And
besides," she continued, "do you think you're the first mortal a god
or goddess has made love to?"  She removed his shirt, and drifted
back up to kiss him on the lips again.

Keiichi could understand the rightness of her arguments, but had to
admit that at the moment it was what she was doing to him that was
swaying his opinion.

Belldandy decided to end the conversation.  "Kei-chan, I *want* you.
You know that I love you with my whole self, and that includes my
body.  I find you incredibly attractive, Kei-chan.  Please don't deny
me."  She smiled shyly to attempt to take the edge off of her words,
but her eyes showed what she was really thinking.

Keiichi gulped.  He had never thought of himself as being a very
attractive person, and here was Belldandy telling him how she wanted
to make love to him.  All remaining doubts were ripped away as he
realized that he desperately wanted to make love to her.  And more
importantly, there was her final statement.  Keiichi would do anything
rather than deny Belldandy.

Belldandy kissed Keiichi, waiting for his answer.  She was the one who
was nervous now.  She had admitted a lot of personal feelings in the
past few minutes, and hoped that Keiichi would understand.  She wanted
him so badly it was almost painful.  Thus, when he relaxed and began
moving into the kiss, she almost cheered with relief.

Keiichi leaned back, setting Belldandy back onto the bed.  They leaned
back, letting their bodies flow together.  Belldandy began to remove
her own clothes now, her dress falling down around her waist.  She
could have removed them all by magic, but the object was to get Keiichi
aroused, and that certainly seemed to be working.

Standing Belldandy up again, Keiichi said, "I should be helping with
that."  He slowly removed the dress from around her hips, letting it
drop to the floor.  Stepping out of it, Belldandy stood in front of
him dressed only in her underwear.  Despite the conversation they'd
just had, Keiichi couldn't help but blush.  "You...you look wonderful,
Bell-chan."

Belldandy looked down demurely.  "Thank you, Kei-chan."  She pulled him
close to her for another kiss, and began to remove his pants.

Keiichi jumped a bit.  "Um...we can go more slowly if you like, 
Bell-chan.  I mean, we have a few days of our honeymoon to go..."

Belldandy seemingly paid him no attention, removing his pants until he
stood there clad only in his boxers.  "I know, Kei-chan.  And I want
to be able to do this with you as many times as possible during that
time."

She sat him down on the bed again, and they kissed passionately.  Then
Keiichi surprised her by moving his hands behind her back, attempting
to remove her bra.  For a moment, she thought she'd have to lead him
through every step.  It took him a few tries, but he finally released
it, and it fell to the floor.

Keiichi looked down and gasped.  Belldandy's breasts, while not impressive
in size like Urd's, were one of the most beautiful sights he'd ever seen.
He raised a hand tentatively to stroke them, noticing how soft they were.
As he did so, he began to kiss her neck, and then worked his way down,
noticing how much he appeared to be turning her on.

Belldandy was having trouble breathing. The feel of Keiichi's hands and
tongue on her body were driving her into a frenzy, and it was all she
could do to keep from bringing his mouth up to hers.  Then his lips 
reached her nipple, and began to suck it gently.  She gasped at that, 
feeling dizzy, as a rush of blood left her head.

Keiichi was in heaven, marveling at the taste and feel of Belldandy's
body.  As he kissed it, Belldandy's nipple seemed to stiffen in his 
mouth, growing harder to the touch.  As he went to the other breast, 
he was surprised to find her moving his head towards it.  So surprised 
in fact, that he accidentally bit it.

Belldandy moaned, feeling Keiichi's teeth pulling at her.  She was
unbelievably aroused now, and couldn't wait for much longer.  She began
to move towards his boxers, needing to feel more of him, needing him
inside her, making her fulfilled.

Keiichi felt Belldandy move lower, and begin to take off his boxers.
This proved to be more difficult than he thought, because he was fully
erect, and thus impeding her progress a little.  Finally, however, his
shorts slid to the ground, and Belldandy saw his manhood for the first
time.

"Oh, my..." she said.  Keiichi was no monster, but he was certainly
impressive.  Now it was her turn to be hesitant, as she slowly reached
out to caress it.  Keiichi gasped when she did so, and she felt his
member twitch in her hands.  She smiled again, and slowly began to move
her hand along its length.

Keiichi found himself lost in pleasure for a moment, as Belldandy's hands
caressed his manhood.  It was all he could do to hold himself in, and not
come in her hands right then.  Then he suddenly realized that Belldandy
was doing all the work, and found a reserve of patience within himself.
He moved his hands down towards her legs, and slowly began to ease her
panties down off her body.  Then, slowly and carefully, he began to explore
her sex, trying to find what would make her happy.

Belldandy felt Keiichi's hands at her sex, and began to moan as she felt
his first attempts to explore.  Then suddenly, his fingers brushed at her
clitoris, and Belldandy cried out as a warm feeling coursed through her
body, and out between her legs.

Keiichi immediately noticed her response, as his hand was soaked with
her juices.  He therefore decided to experiment with this more, and began
to stroke Belldandy's nub in a circular motion.  She was breathing in
great, heaving gasps, and more fluid ran out from between the lips of her
sex.

Suddenly Belldandy could stand no more.  She grabbed him and pulled his
face up to hers again, kissing him fiercely.  "Keiichi, please.  I want to
feel you inside me.  *Now*."

Keiichi was momentarily overwhelmed again.  The heat from their bodies was
making it difficult to keep control again, and he knew he wouldn't be able
to last much longer.  Wordlessly, he pushed her down onto the bed, and
put his manhood up to the lips of her sex.  For a time, they merely rocked
back and forth, enjoying the sensation of pressing against each other.
Then Keiichi attempted to bring his penis inside of her.  Unfortunately,
he missed, fumbling at her entrance.  Belldandy smiled at him, took hold
of his member, and gently guided it into her.

Then, as if obeying some hidden signal, they rocked their hips together
forcefully.  Keiichi could feel himself driving deep within her.  He was
a little surprised to find himself momentarily blocked, and he realized
that he must be hitting Belldandy's hymen.  He would have thought that
she could have magicked it away or something, to make the experience less
painful for her.  But as he broke through the barrier, he looked up into
her face.  She cried out momentarily, but her eyes were shining.  At that
moment, Keiichi realized that she had wanted the full experience of her
first time with him, both the pleasure and the pain.  And now, as he stroked
in and out of her, he could see that the pain was beginning to pass.

Belldandy felt no small amount of pain as Keiichi broke her hymen, but it
was quick to pass.  She felt a wonderful sense of completeness, as if the
two of them were now truly husband and wife, coming together as one pair,
and was sure that she woudl feel this way for the rest of her life.  Then
she was beyond thought, letting the pleasure take her to greater and greater
heights.

Keiichi was reveling in the feel of Belldandy's softness surrounding him,
of the way that their bodies seemed to come together effortlessly.  Then
he began to realize how close he was to orgasm, and panicked slightly.
He didn't want to come while Belldandy was still on the edge, so he sped
up in an effort to make her reach her peak.

It worked.  Belldandy shuddered and cried out as her body reached orgasm,
her arms clinching Keiichi tightly to her.  At the same time, Keiichi
screamed Belldandy's name and let go, filling her with his seed.  They
both hovered in ecstasy for a few moments, and then collapsed onto the
bed, panting heavily.

Keiichi felt exhausted.  He'd never really gone through anything like
this before, and didn't realize how tiring it was.  Looking up, he saw
Belldandy's face smiling at him.  That smile was what made him love her,
more than anything else.  He attempted to smile back, but the best he 
could manage was a goofy grin.

"Kei-chan, that was wonderful.  I don't think I've ever felt such
pleasure before.  Thank you." Belldandy was amused to find that even 
though they had made love, Keiichi was still blushing at her words.  
"Kei-chan!  Are you still embarrassed at the thought of being with me?"

Keiichi felt himself flush more.  "No, of course not...it's just that..."

Belldandy grinned, and began to clench her muscles, bringing his penis
back up to full strength.  "Well, then, we'll just have to do this again
and again until you're not embarrassed any more."  She giggled as his eyes
bugged out, and stopped any protest he might have made with a kiss.

***

Urd was annoyed.  She'd been having a great conversation with Thor about
the influence of alcohol in human history when she noticed that Megumi
was no longer at the bar.  "Now didn't I tell that kid to stay put?  That's
the problem with kids today, nobody listens..."

The barman looked up.  "If you're talking about the mortal that was here
a while ago, I think she left with one of the gods.  I dunno, seemed to
be pretty happy to me."

Urd frowned.  Now why would Megumi go off with a god?  Urd had told her
again and again how dangerous this place was.  "Do you know who it was?"

The barman shrugged, and turned to his assistant.  "Hey, Jake, do you know
who that mortal went off with?"

The assistant, a stringy guy who was tuning up a guitar, piped up, "Yeah,
of course.  It was Loki.  Hard to forget a guy like that."

At the mention of Loki's name, Urd turned white as a sheet.  Her hands
clenched and unclenched as she stood for a moment not knowing where to turn.
Fortunately, this didn't last long.  "Shit, fuck, SHIT, **FUCK**!" she
shouted, and leapt over the counter and into the television, vanishing
from sight.

***

Megumi awoke slowly, wondering when she had fallen asleep in the first
place.  Recollection came flooding back to her, and she attempted to get
up, only to realize that she was immobilized somehow.

"Ah, I see we've decided to get up.  Good, what's the point of a captive
audience if they're not awake to appreciate their position?"

Megumi's head snapped around.  The man she had met at the bar, with the
strangely hypnotic eyes, was standing beside her.  To her embarrassment,
he was now naked, and had lost much of the charm and handsomeness that
had drawn her to him.  She noticed that she appeared to be bound tightly
to a rock slab, and hovering above her head were (she paled) several
dozen snakes, all looking down at her greedily.

"Please, allow me to introduce myself.  Loki, at your service.  A man
with wealth, but no taste.  And you would be Megumi Morisato, the sister
of Keiichi.  The pleasure is all mine, as I'm sure you've noticed by now."
There was none of the earlier warmth in his voice, and he seemed to be
openly sneering at her.

"Wh...why are you doing this?" she managed to ask.

"Why?  Oh, a reason, let me think.  Maybe it's because of your brother's
marriage to Belldandy.  Yes, that sounds good.  I had a crush on Belldandy
from a long time back, and she threw me over for a mortal, so I'm seeking
me revenge.  Or maybe it's you; maybe I've seen the future where you solve
the world's problems, and have kidnapped you in order to make sure it
never happens."  He leant right over her face, and Megumi shuddered.
"Or maybe, just possibly, it's because I'm an utter bastard who doesn't
need a reason.  Could be, hmmm?"

Megumi, almost frightened beyond belief, still attempted to fight back
with whatever spark remained in her.  "They won't let you do this to me.
Urd or Skuld will find me."

Loki laughed uproariously.  "Skuld?  I'd love to see that child go up
against me.  I'd stick that hammer where she's only dreamed of.  And as
for Urd, that drunken slut wouldn't bother to save you.  She only thinks
of herself.  Surely you've noticed that."

Megumi noticed Loki's eyes wandering around the room, as if he were
looking for something.  "I'm getting bored," he yawned.  "Time to make
this more interesting."  And with that, he produced a very large, deadly
looking knife.  For a moment, Megumi thought that he was going to kill
her.  Then, systematically, he began cutting her clothing away from her
body.  "Can't let your brother have all the fun, eh?"

Megumi, finally overcome with fear, fainted.

***

As Megumi passed out, Loki put the knife away.  He loosened her bonds and
arranged her in a more interesting position, so it might look as if 
something more had happened.  Then, tightening the ropes again, he slowly 
looked up.  "Five...four...three...two...one..."

Urd shot forwards, coming at him with a longsword that almost dwarfed her
body.  Loki easily ducked out of the way, and came up again a little closer
to Megumi.  "At last.  You know, I was beginning to think you wouldn't join
my little party.  What seems to be the matter?  Are you upset?"

Urd's eyes seemed to be glowing red.  "You will let Megumi go, and then I
am going to beat you bloody."

Loki looked back, seemingly surprised.  "Oh, that's right!  I had almost
forgotten about her.  To tell you the truth, I could care less what happens
to her.  It's you that I wanted to see."

Urd made another attack, which Loki evaded a little less quickly.  "If you
wanted to talk to me, this wasn't the way to get my attention."

Loki grinned.  "Of course it was.  Or have you forgotten who I am, Urd?
I certainly wouldn't stoop as low as to come to you directly.  No, the feint,
the clever trick, that would send you running.  After all, she was simply
sitting unguarded.  It's not as if you were watching over her..."

A flush came to Urd's cheeks, as she realized the truth in Loki's words.
Suddenly she heard a cry.  Megumi had regained consciousness and was
whimpering faintly, looking down at what Loki had done.  "What have you done
to her, asshole?" Urd growled.

Loki was unruffled.  "Oh, she probably thinks I've raped her or something
else terrifyingly obvious.  Fear not, young mortal, your virginity is still
intact.  I needed to give the right mood, though...and may I say, dear, that
you make a wonderful sacrificial victim."

Megumi's eyes were a mixture of revulsion, fear, and relief.  Urd needed to
get control of the situation, this was getting nowhere.  "And now that
you've gotten my attention, what do you want?"

Loki turned to her again.  "Ah, yes.  You know, Urd, we used to chat all the
time.  It was one of my favorite things.  But now that you're down on the
surface...you never call, you never write.  We've been worried sick, you
know.  Afraid you'll catch all sorts of things down there."

"Get to the point!" Urd hated Loki's roundabout way of talking.

Loki's eyes flashed.  "Fine, for just this once, I will be blunt.  What's
happened to you, Urd?  I've been watching you for the past two years.  You
used to be fun.  I remember when you went down in the first place.  Simple,
you said.  Just give the kid a potion, he'd fuck your sister's brains out,
back by morning."

Urd, reluctantly, felt a need to defend herself.  "Well, Kami-sama suspended
my license.  I couldn't come back."

"I'm not talking about that!" Loki snapped.  "What happened to the Urd that
was half-demon?  The Urd that slept with whoever she felt like, caroused
all night?  I remember your finest moment.  You went down to Osaka..."

"Stop."  Urd nodded at Megumi.  "I don't want this brought up in front of
her."

"And why not?  She probably thinks that you're her friend or something
dreadful like that.  Well, my dear, your friend Urd decided to go down,
find this pathetic wretch with nothing to recommend him except his faith
in the gods.  She then proceeded to have wild, tantric sex with him for
three straight nights."

Megumi as embarrassed.  "So what?  I mean, we knew that Urd was wild..."

"Yes, but did you know how wild?"

"SHUT UP!"  Urd tried to come at him with the sword again.  This time,
he tripped her up, sending her sprawling.  Then he turned back to Megumi.

"At the end of the third day, she told him that such ecstasy must have a
price, and demanded both his eyes as payment.  And he gave them gladly.
After all, he believed in the gods without question.  Just ripped out
his eyes, and gave them to her.  I think they're still in her room, if
you want to take the *full* tour.

Megumi, horrified, looked over at Urd, expecting her to hotly deny the
accusation.  But Urd only stood there, looking down to avoid looking into
Megumi's eyes.

Urd murmured, "I was young.  I mean, we all do things we regret when
you're young."

Loki turned back to her again.  "Why do you regret it?  It's what you are,
Urd.  Belldandy's the nice one, Skuld's the ditsy one, and you're the nasty
one.  When did you suddenly start to be so ashamed of yourself, Urd?"

Urd was silent.  She hadn't really asked herself that question, had never
actually faced up to it.

Loki continued.  "I'll tell you why.  Because you've allowed the mortals
on Earth to change your ethics.  You're feeling guilt, and that's not good.
Why do you think you've been so depressed lately, Urd?  Because you know
that being a good person is not only dull, but *wrong*.  Wrong for you.
Your entire being is rebelling against you, Urd."

He sat down next to Megumi, and cocked his head.  "My last hope was when
you invited her up to the heavens with you.  Ah, I thought, she's going
to seduce the sister.  Wouldn't that make for a nice, twisted family tree?
But no, you just wanted to show her around, didn't you?  You're a tour
guide.  You're dull, and you're boring.  You've joined your sisters in a
slide towards stability.  It's not you, Urd.  Come back to us.  Be happy
again."

Megumi looked over at Urd.  She was standing very still, looking right
into Loki's eyes.  Megumi realized, with a start, that Urd was genuinely
considering Loki's offer.  "Urd, NO!" she cried.

Loki looked at Megumi and grinned.  "Tell you what.  Here's your chance.
We have here before us a mortal, tied up and semi-naked.  Fairly
attractive, I suppose.  I want you to take her, right here.  Drive her
insensate with passion.  The old Urd, the lover, the seducer.  You can
do it.  I'll even give you an out, we can erase her memory.  She can go
back home to your sedate little life, forgetting that anything ever
happened."  He paused, and drove home one last point.  "The old Urd
wouldn't even have paused."

Megumi's entire world seemed to be centered on Urd.  She couldn't see
Urd's face, as her head was down low to the ground.  But her body was
shaking with tension, and for a moment Megumi feared that Loki had won.

Then, slowly, Urd stood up, carefully picked up the sword, and looked
directly into Loki's eyes.  "All right, why not?  You're right, I
haven't been very happy lately.  Maybe change is what I need."  She
looked over at a horrified Megumi.  "Sorry, kiddo."

Urd got up and removed her clothes, one by one.  Loki smiled nearby.
"Ah, at least you've been keeping yourself fit, I see."  Urd said
nothing, merely climbing up onto the slab where Megumi lay.  Looking
down, she saw Megumi slowly sobbing, utterly helpless at her feet.
She looked over and saw Loki's crafty grin.  She looked up.

And saw the snakes.

In a move so quick that even Loki didn't get a chance to react, Urd had
twisted one of the snakes around her arm.  He snarled, realizing that
she'd tricked him, and started to move towards her again.  A stream
of venom shot from the snake's fangs, and hit Loki square between the
eyes.  He fell to the floor with a scream.

Urd didn't even bother to check on him.  She quickly untied Megumi,
and then got dressed.  Looking her over, she said, "Well, there doesn't
appear to be any physical damage, but Loki ruined a good set of clothes.
C'mon, we'll go back to my room and find you something."  Urd looked
at Megumi, who was still trembling.  "Hey, what's the matter?"

"It was all a trick, right?" Megumi said in a small voice.  "I mean, you
just wanted to get to the snakes, right?  You weren't going along with
him?"

Urd laughed.  "Oh, *that*.  Yeah, don't worry, it was all a trick.  I'd
never do that sort of thing to you."  Urd frowned, and began to lead
Megumi out of the chamber.

"At least, not anymore," she added quietly to herself.

***

They had agreed to meet back at Yggdrasil before they went back.  Urd
was amused when she caught sight of them.  "Keiichi, you look a little
tired.  Don't tell me you haven't been getting your rest."

If Urd expected Keiichi to blush, she was disappointed.  "Well, I have
been up awfully late this past week, but I've never felt more relaxed.
So it must be your imagination."

Megumi was also surprised at Keiichi.  "What's the matter with you,
brother?  Usually you'd be totally red by now."

Keiichi and Belldandy exchanged knowing looks.  "Belldandy's been
trying to cure me of that.  It's working so far."

Megumi wisely chose to say nothing.  She had spent most of the rest of
the week recovering from her ordeal.  Urd had helped, and they had had 
several long talks.  Megumi felt that she knew Urd a lot better now, and 
hoped that they could become friends.  She looked over at Urd, who 
was once again lost in her own thoughts.  Then she thought of something 
else.  "Hey, where's Skuld?"

That snapped Urd out of her reverie.  "Yeah, where's Kenji, more
importantly?  Those two haven't been seen in a week."

Belldandy smiled politely.  "They must still be in her room.  We should
probably go and get them, it's getting late."

Urd glared at her, and the four of them went to Skuld's room.  The door
was locked, however, and when Urd knocked, she only heard an 
insensate moaning from within.

What the hell's going on in there?" Urd screamed, and proceeded to 
break the door down.  They were left stunned at the sight before them.

"Oh, *yuck*!" was all Megumi could manage.

The floor was soaked, and they could see Kenji off to the side,
unconscious, with a sticky white fluid dribbling out of his mouth.
Over by the bed, Skuld was still moaning deliriously.

"Ice creeeeam...ice creeeam."

Keiichi looked up at the appliance that seemed to dwarf the room.  "I
didn't realize that Skuld had an ice cream machine in her room."

Urd stood with her mouth open in shock.  "Neither did I."

***

They were all ready to go, when suddenly Urd held up her hand.  "I'm
not coming back."

Megumi reacted before the others.  "WHAT?!"

Urd smiled sadly.  "Look, I've given this a lot of thought.  But I haven't
been happy lately.  I think that staying up here will be a nice change
of pace.  I can go back to being a sysadmin, I've been neglecting my
job lately."

Megumi was ready to argue, but realized that what she wanted to say
couldn't be said in front of the others.  "Come over here!" she hissed.
She dragged Urd out of earshot from the others.  "Look, is this about 
what Loki said?"

Urd snorted.  "I'd been planning on this before Loki talked to me.  He
just clarified things for me.  Look, the surface world isn't for me.  
He's right, I have lost a lot of myself down there.  If I'd been myself,
he'd never have been able to nab you.  You never would have been up here
in the first place."

Megumi pleaded.  "Didn't you listen at all to what he was saying?  He's
right, but not in the way you think.  Your being on Earth has made you
into a better person.  That's not a bad thing!  I see you now as opposed
to when I first met you.  You're more responsible, more patient.  More
importantly, I see how much you love your sisters.  Leaving them now
would hurt them a lot more than you think."

Urd began to object.  "Belldandy's got Keiichi now, and Skuld's always
hated me - "

Megumi drew Urd's eyes over to the rest of them.  "Do you really believe
that, looking at them?"

Urd looked over at the four others.  She could see the concern that
Keiichi and Kenji had for her.  She saw the worry in Belldandy's face that
temporarily overshadowed her happiness.  Most shockingly, she saw fear in
Skuld's eyes.  She thought that her youngest sister would be overjoyed
at Urd's leaving.  But Skuld's face belied that statement.

Megumi tried her last card.  "Urd, if not for them, do it for yourself.
You're not the person you were.  Loki said it.  The old Urd wouldn't have
cared what happened to me, anymore than she cared what happened to the
surface world itself.  Do you really want to go back to being that sort
of person?"

Urd considered Megumi's words.  If she stayed here, would she go back to
being the same person she was before?  A shudder of revulsion coursed 
through her body at the thought.  She liked who she was now, liked the
better person that interaction with humans had made her.  She looked at
Megumi, and realized that even a year ago, she wouldn't have saved her.
She didn't really want to stay, she was surprised to realize, not anymore.  
She wanted to be back on Earth, with her sisters and her friends.  Of 
course, she didn't have to tell them that.

Urd sighed, and suddenly felt a lot lighter.  She looked up at Megumi.
"All right, I'll come back.  But it's not for any altruistic reasons.
We don't know if Loki might try something on you again, I've got to be
there to make sure you're not hurt."

Megumi smiled lightly.  "And that's not an altruistic reason?"

Perhaps for the first time in her life, Urd blushed.

***

It was midnight, and Belldandy had just made Keiichi a special midnight
snack.  They'd arrived back at the temple too late for supper, and Urd
had gone with Megumi to see that she got home alright.  Skuld, suffering
from an acute case of overeating, had gone to bed, and Kenji had 
staggered back to his house.  Therefore, the two of them were alone 
in the house.

Keiichi looked up.  "Bell-chan, you didn't need to do this."

"Kei-chan, just because we are no longer bound by contract doesn't mean
that I'm going to stop cooking for you, or cleaning, or doing all the
other things I do.  I love you, Kei-chan.  Allow me this one little
fault."

Keiichi looked at her, and then smiled.  "All right, but I'm going to
cook breakfast tomorrow.  And you're going to eat it, and you're going
to love it.  And you're not going to complain once that you should be 
doing this."

Belldandy smiled.  "All right.  But only if you feel like getting up
to make breakfast."

Keiichi was puzzled.  "Why wouldn't I?"

Belldandy grinned, took his hand, and headed for their room.  "Exhaustion,"
she said.


END of Honeymoon.



Author Notes:

Bet you never thought you'd see this completed, eh?  I put out Proposal
at the end of August, Wedding at the beginning of September, and then 
crashed into one of the worst cases of writer's block I've ever had.  I
just didn't want to write, so I didn't.

But, it's done now.  A trilogy, go figure.  I don't currently have any plans
for another AMG fic, but you never know.

Thanks to James 'Zen' Bateman, Richard Lawson, Chan Wei Lik, and Sebastian
Weinberg for giving this the once over before I released it to the horde.

Aplogies to Caroline Seawright for ripping off "Oh, my!"  It was impossible
to avoid.  I tried. :-)

This plays fast and loose with AMG mythology, dragging in a fair amount of
Norse stuff.  Influences include Neil Gaiman, Douglas Adams, Spider Robinson,
and (strangely) Barbara Kingsolver.

Fanfic influences include Divine Passion, Scenes from a Life, Growing Pains, 
No Mere Mortal, and that long discussion about Urd seducing Megumi we 
had on the AMG ML.

Now, to get into a Urusei Yatsura frame of mind.  The next one won't take as
long, I promise.

--Sean Gaffney
--1/11/97


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//Google Analytics
var _gaq = _gaq || [];
_gaq.push(['_setAccount','UA-21402695-19']);
_gaq.push(['_setDomainName','tripod.com']);
_gaq.push(['_setCustomVar',1,'member_name','epnonymous',3]);
_gaq.push(['_trackPageview']);
(function() {
var ga = document.createElement('script'); ga.type = 'text/javascript'; ga.async = true;
ga.src = ('https:' == document.location.protocol ? 'https://ssl' : 'http://www') + '.google-analytics.com/ga.js';
var s = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0]; s.parentNode.insertBefore(ga, s);
})();
//Lycos Init
function getReferrer() {
var all= this.document.cookie;
if (all== '') return false;
var cookie_name = 'REFERRER=';
var start = all.lastIndexOf(cookie_name);
if (start == -1) return false;
start += cookie_name.length;
var end = all.indexOf(';', start);
if (end == -1) end = all.length;
return all.substring(start, end);
}
function getQuery() {
var rfr = getReferrer();
if (rfr == '') return false;
var q = extractQuery(rfr, 'yahoo.com', 'p=');
if (q) return q;
q = extractQuery(rfr, '', 'q=');
return q ? q : "";
}
function extractQuery(full, site, q_param) {
var start = full.lastIndexOf(site);
if (start == -1) return false;
start = full.lastIndexOf(q_param);
if (start == -1) return false;
start += q_param.length;
var end = full.indexOf('&', start);
if (end == -1) end = full.length;
return unescape(full.substring(start, end)).split(" ").join("+");
}
function generateHref(atag, template){
atag.href=template.replace('_MYURL_', window.location.href.replace('http://', '')).replace('_MYTITLE_','Check%20out%20this%20Tripod%20Member%20site!'); 
}
var lycos_ad = Array();
var lycos_onload_timer;
var cm_role = "live";
var cm_host = "tripod.lycos.com";
var cm_taxid = "/memberembedded";
var tripod_member_name = "epnonymous";
var tripod_member_page = "epnonymous/fanfics/amg.closure";
var tripod_ratings_hash = "1746529187:32f94e431b99dd05e2f0e6d279e99578";

var lycos_ad_category = {"find_what":"my im"};

var lycos_ad_remote_addr = "209.202.244.9";
var lycos_ad_www_server = "www.tripod.lycos.com";
var lycos_ad_track_small = "";
var lycos_ad_track_served = "";
var lycos_search_query = getQuery();
</script>

<script type="text/javascript" src="https://scripts.lycos.com/catman/init.js"></script>

<script type='text/javascript'>
 var googletag = googletag || {};
 googletag.cmd = googletag.cmd || [];
 (function() {
   var gads = document.createElement('script');
   gads.async = true;
   gads.type = 'text/javascript';
   var useSSL = 'https:' == document.location.protocol;
   gads.src = (useSSL ? 'https:' : 'http:') +
     '//www.googletagservices.com/tag/js/gpt.js';
   var node = document.getElementsByTagName('script')[0];
   node.parentNode.insertBefore(gads, node);
 })();
</script>

<script type='text/javascript'>
 googletag.cmd.push(function() {
   googletag.defineSlot('/95963596/TRI_300X250_dfp', [300, 250], 'div-gpt-ad-1450204159126-0').addService(googletag.pubads());
   googletag.defineSlot('/95963596/TRI_above_728x90_dfp', [728, 90], 'div-gpt-ad-1450204159126-1').addService(googletag.pubads());
   googletag.defineSlot('/95963596/TRI_below_728x90_dfp', [728, 90], 'div-gpt-ad-1450204159126-2').addService(googletag.pubads());
   googletag.pubads().enableSingleRequest();
   googletag.enableServices();
 });
</script>


<script type="text/javascript"> 
(function(isV)
{
    if( !isV )
    {
        return;
    }
    var adMgr = new AdManager();
    var lycos_prod_set = adMgr.chooseProductSet();
    var slots = ["leaderboard", "leaderboard2", "toolbar_image", "toolbar_text", "smallbox", "top_promo", "footer2", "slider"];
    var adCat = this.lycos_ad_category;
    adMgr.setForcedParam('page', (adCat && adCat.dmoz) ? adCat.dmoz : 'member');
    if (this.lycos_search_query)
    {
        adMgr.setForcedParam("keyword", this.lycos_search_query);
    } 
    else if(adCat && adCat.find_what)
    {
        adMgr.setForcedParam('keyword', adCat.find_what);
    }
    
    for (var s in slots)
    {
        var slot = slots[s];
        if (adMgr.isSlotAvailable(slot))
        {
            this.lycos_ad[slot] = adMgr.getSlot(slot);
        }
    }

    adMgr.renderHeader();
    adMgr.renderFooter();
}((function() {

var w = 0, h = 0, minimumThreshold = 300;

if (top == self)
{
    return true;
}
if (typeof(window.innerWidth) == 'number' )
{
    w = window.innerWidth;
    h = window.innerHeight;
}
else if (document.documentElement && (document.documentElement.clientWidth || document.documentElement.clientHeight))
{
    w = document.documentElement.clientWidth;
    h = document.documentElement.clientHeight;
}
else if (document.body && (document.body.clientWidth || document.body.clientHeight))
{
    w = document.body.clientWidth;
    h = document.body.clientHeight;
}
return ((w > minimumThreshold) && (h > minimumThreshold));
}())));




window.onload = function()
{
    var f = document.getElementById("FooterAd");
    var b = document.getElementsByTagName("body")[0];
    b.appendChild(f);
    f.style.display = "block";
    document.getElementById('lycosFooterAdiFrame').src = '/adm/ad/footerAd.iframe.html';
    


    
    // DOM Inj Ad
    (function(isTrellix)
    {
        var e = document.createElement('iframe');
        e.style.border = '0';
        e.style.margin = 0;
        e.style.display = 'block';
        e.style.cssFloat = 'right';
        e.style.height = '254px';
        e.style.overflow = 'hidden';
        e.style.padding = 0;
        e.style.width = '300px';


        var isBlokedByDomain = function( href )
        {
            var blockedDomains = [
                "ananyaporn13000.tripod.com",
                "xxxpornxxx.tripod.com"
            ];
            var flag = false;
            
            for( var i=0; i<blockedDomains.length; i++ )
            {
                if( href.search( blockedDomains[ i ] ) >= 0 )
                {
                    flag = true;
                }
            }
            return flag;
        }

        var getMetaContent = function( metaName )
        {
            var metas = document.getElementsByTagName('meta');
            for (i=0; i<metas.length; i++)
            { 
                if( metas[i].getAttribute("name") == metaName )
                { 
                    return metas[i].getAttribute("content"); 
                } 
            }
            return false;
        }
        
        var getCommentNodes = function(regexPattern)
        {
            var nodes = {};
            var nodesA = [];
            var preferredNodesList = ['a', 'c', 'b'];
        
            (function getNodesThatHaveComments(n, pattern)
            {
                if (n.hasChildNodes())
                {
                    if (n.tagName === 'IFRAME')
                    {
                        return false;
                    }
                    for (var i = 0; i < n.childNodes.length; i++)
                    {
                        if ((n.childNodes[i].nodeType === 8) && (pattern.test(n.childNodes[i].nodeValue)))
                        {
                            var areaName = pattern.exec(n.childNodes[i].nodeValue)[1];
                            nodes[areaName] = n;
                        }
                        else if (n.childNodes[i].nodeType === 1)
                        {
                            getNodesThatHaveComments(n.childNodes[i], pattern);
                        }
                    }
                }
            }(document.body, regexPattern));

            for (var i in preferredNodesList)
            {
                if (nodes[preferredNodesList[i]])
                {
                    if( isTrellix && nodes[preferredNodesList[i]].parentNode.parentNode.parentNode.parentNode )
                    {
                        nodesA.push(nodes[preferredNodesList[i]].parentNode.parentNode.parentNode.parentNode);
                    }
                    else
                    {
                        nodesA.push( nodes[preferredNodesList[i]] );
                    }
                }
            }
            return nodesA;
        }
        
        
        var properNode = null;
        var areaNodes = getCommentNodes( new RegExp( '^area Type="area_(\\w+)"' ) );

        for (var i = 0; i < areaNodes.length; i++)
        {
            var a = parseInt(getComputedStyle(areaNodes[i]).width);
            if ((a >= 300) && (a <= 400))
            {
                properNode = areaNodes[i];
                break;
            }
        }


        var propertyName = getMetaContent("property") || false;
        if( isTrellix && (properNode) )
        {
            e.src = '/adm/ad/injectAd.iframe.html';
            properNode.insertBefore(e, properNode.firstChild);
        }
        else if( isTrellix && !( properNode ) ) // Slap the ad eventhought there is no alocated slot
        {
            e.src = '/adm/ad/injectAd.iframe.html';
            e.style.cssFloat = 'none';
            var cdiv = document.createElement('div');
            cdiv.style = "width:300px;margin:10px auto;";
            cdiv.appendChild( e );
            b.insertBefore(cdiv, b.lastChild);
        }
        else if( !isBlokedByDomain( location.href ) )
        {
            var injF = document.createElement('iframe');
            injF.style.border = '0';
            injF.style.margin = 0;
            injF.style.display = 'block';
            injF.style.cssFloat = 'none';
            injF.style.height = '254px';
            injF.style.overflow = 'hidden';
            injF.style.padding = 0;
            injF.style.width = '300px';
            injF.src = '/adm/ad/injectAd.iframe.html';

            if( b && ( !isTrellix || ( typeof isTrellix == "undefined" ) ) ) // All other tripod props
            {
                var cdiv = document.createElement('div');
                cdiv.style = "width:300px;margin:10px auto;";
                cdiv.appendChild( injF );
                b.insertBefore(cdiv, b.lastChild);
            } 
        }
  }( document.isTrellix ));
}

</script>

<div id="tb_container" style="background:#DFDCCF; border-bottom:1px solid #393939; position:relative; z-index:999999999!important">
<!--form name="search" onSubmit="return searchit()" id='header_search' >
<input type="text" placeholder="Search" size=30 name="search2" value="">
<input type="button" value="Go!" onClick="searchit()">
</form>
<style>
form#header_search {
    width: 916px;
    margin: 0 auto 8px;
    position: relative;
}


form#header_search input {
    height: 40px;
    font-size: 14px;
    line-height: 40px;
    padding: 0 8px;
    box-sizing: border-box;
    background: #F4F2E9;
    border: 1px solid #BBB8B8;
    transition: background-color 300ms ease-out,
                color 300ms ease;
}

form#header_search input[type="text"] {
    width: 100%;
}
form#header_search input[type="text"]:focus {
    border-color: #A2D054;
    background-color: #fff;
    box-shadow: 0 0px 12px -4px #A2D054;
}



form#header_search input[type="button"] {
    position: absolute;
    top: 1px;
    right: 1px;
    opacity: 1;
    background: #DFDCCF;
    color: #463734;
    width: 125px;
    cursor: pointer;
    height: 38px;
    border: none;
}
form#header_search input[type="text"]:focus ~ input[type='button']:hover,
form#header_search input[type='button']:hover {
    background-color: #A5CE56;
    color: #fff;
}
form#header_search input[type="text"]:focus ~ input[type='button'] {
    background-color: #52AEDF;
    color: #fff;
}

</style>

<script>
function searchit(){
    
    // determine environment 
    var search_env 
    if (lycos_ad_www_server.indexOf(".pd.") > -1) {
       search_env = 'http://search51.pd.lycos.com/a/';
    } else if (lycos_ad_www_server.indexOf(".qa.") > -1) {
       search_env = 'http://search51.qa.lycos.com/a/';
    } else {
       search_env = 'http://search51.lycos.com/a/';
    }

var search_term = encodeURIComponent(document.search.search2.value)
var search_url = search_env+search_term;
window.open(search_url);

return false
}
</script-->
<style>
    .adCenterClass{margin:0 auto}
</style>
<div id="tb_ad" class="adCenterClass" style="display:block!important; overflow:hidden; width:916px;">

<div id="ad_container" style="display:block!important; float:left; width:728px ">
<script type="text/javascript">
if (typeof lycos_ad !== "undefined" && "leaderboard" in lycos_ad) {
  document.write(lycos_ad['leaderboard']);
}
</script>
</div>
</div>
</div>
<script type="text/javascript">
if (typeof lycos_ad !== "undefined" && "slider" in lycos_ad) {
  document.write(lycos_ad['slider']);
}
</script> <!-- added 7/22 -->
<div id="FooterAd" style="background:#DFDCCF; border-top:1px solid #393939; clear:both; display:none; width:100%!important; position:relative; z-index:999999!important; height:90px!important"> 
<div class="adCenterClass" style="display:block!important; overflow:hidden; width:916px;">
<div id="footerAd_container" style="display:block!important; float:left; width:728px">
<iframe id="lycosFooterAdiFrame" style="border:0; display:block; float:left; height:96px; overflow:hidden; padding:0; width:750px"></iframe>
</div>
</div>
</div>