{Chapter 15 : The Sacred Holy}
"I promise nothing. Let me speak with him."
- Elizabeth Proctor, The Crucible by Arthur Miller

    Keiichi is standing in the kitchen, back to the doorway, with the doors closed behind him. Staring at his sunburned hands, he shakes his head. Then he takes off his shirt. Underneath are swaths of bandages, tightly bound to hide the chest he's embarrassed of. He takes a pair of kitchen scissors and snips away at the knot, and the bandages unravel. Underneath is the bra Keiichi didn't have time to remove, and Keiichi sighs. 'She' puts her shirt back on, the bust obvious underneath it. Fortunately, that would be the only obvious thing.
    For now.

*     *     *

    Outside, Megumi was busy pacing back and forth in endless circles with her hands behind her back. Ootaki was busy slapping Tamiya out of his daze, which didn't seem to be working, and Chihiro was sitting at the table, pondering. Pondering like Belldandy, since she was in a pretty confused mood. Belldandy just sat there, head down, not daring to look at anyone. Megumi started mumbling to herself.
    "Keiichan.... Keiichan... Keiichi-chan.... Keiichi-chan...." Finally, Megumi could stand it no longer. She turned to glare at Belldandy, who noticed it and shrank away from the withering glare by lowering her head further and shuffling backwards.
    "I'm sorry, Megumi."
    Megumi huffed, still looking at Belldandy. Then she sighed, resignedly.
    "I don't blame you, Belldandy. But what I want to know is, how did this happen? Urd didn't do anything to him, did she? Like maybe feed him helium?" Belldandy shook her head.
    "I.... I don't quite understand myself." Belldandy stammered. Which was true enough. All she knew was Uruz had granted a wish that got corrupted on the way up. Anything else was just blank information to her.
    "Sorry to keep you guys waiting." The Belldandy-like voice called out from the kitchen. Everyone looked. Keiichi came out, hands crossed over 'his' chest, face turning a shade of blood crimson from sheer embarrassment. Megumi stared, Chihiro blinked, Tamiya and Ootaki looked. Ootaki took a second to look at Tamiya again.
    Megumi blinked again, and walked up to Keiichi. She poked Keiichi's chest.
    "Ouch! Hey! That hurts! Stop it!" Keiichi yelped. It was amusing to hear Belldandy's voice saying all sorts of funny, flustered things when she normally wouldn't do so.
    "This is real." Megumi said, looking. Keiichi nodded indignantly.
    "Well, duh. I wouldn't be so embarrassed if they weren't."
    Silence for a moment.
    Someone stifled a laugh. Then everyone in the room burst out laughing, except Keiichi.
    "What's so funny!?" She whined.
    Megumi poked Keiichi in the chest again, and laughed.
    "That." Megumi said. Keiichi fumed. First, Urd and Skuld had laughed at her. Then she had to put on a bra, imagine the embarrassment, and those two Goddesses hadn't been sensitive enough to not laugh, not even try. Now, Keiichi's own sister and best friends, and even Belldandy, were laughing at her.
    Megumi looked at Keiichi's face, looked a little lower, and back up at Keiichi's face.
    "Keiichan, you haven't been taking hormones, have you?" Megumi asked. She knew hormones did this to men, but....
    "I didn't know you were such a pervert, Keiichi." Chihiro said. Megumi nodded.
    Keiichi clenched her fists, and ground her teeth as she thought of something to say. Belldandy came to Keiichi's rescue. Belldandy had thought they were laughing just to humour Keiichi. She had had no idea they'd say these... these things.
    "Megumi! Chihiro! Keiichi's not a pervert! Right, Keiichi?"
    Keiichi had had enough.
    "SHUT UP!" Keiichi yelled. Everyone suddenly shut up, Keiichi's angry voice ringing through the corridors. Skuld and Urd came out to look.
    Keiichi was trembling with rage. Visibly trembling. Megumi took a step back, then took a few more just for good measure. Her ears were still ringing from Keiichi's shout.
    "OF COURSE NOT, MEGUMI!" Keiichi hollered at last. That one echoed for a few seconds before it faded into birdsong and insect chirping. Megumi stumbled backwards and fell, but Chihiro caught her. She gave Keiichi a poisoned glare. Belldandy quickly went up to Keiichi, looking hurt.
    "I'm sure... they didn't mean to hurt you, Keiichi-san..." Belldandy said, looking at them for support. Megumi and Chihiro got the idea, Tamiya and Ootaki nodded dumbly. "Let's sit down... and explain."
    Belldandy led Keiichi to the table and they sat down. Keiichi looked around, and noticed a hurt Megumi looking at Keiichi disbelievingly. Megumi looked sad, and suddenly vulnerable. Keiichi suddenly woke up from her black rage and looked apologetic. She suddenly realized what she'd just done, and was feeling pangs of guilt poking her ribs. How could Keiichi expect them to understand? Maybe they thought Keiichi would get used to it? It was scaringly possible.
    "S...sorry. Megumi."
    Megumi nodded. She could understand Keiichi given 'his' unusual predicament. But she still felt hurt. This time at herself.
    "Erm, Keiichan... I guess I wasn't thinking." Megumi said, truly enough. Seeing your own brother turn sister wasn't something everyone saw everyday. And she wasn't thinking when she first saw Keiichan like... this.
    Belldandy called for Urd and Skuld. They came out, promptly.
    "Then.... where shall we begin?" Belldandy said.

*     *     *

    Mara looked at the temple from a distance. She grumbled. Belldandy had beat Mara to it and set out her strongest seals before Mara got to the temple. She couldn't get in, she couldn't hear what was going on, she couldn't even look in or send a spycam. All she saw was the temple, fuzzily, under a golden shield that covered all four corners of the temple grounds. She grumbled, and decided to wait it out. Something was bound to happen soon enough.
    Somehow, Mara had felt her holiday wasn't long enough for what she'd done, intentionally or not.

*     *     *

    Belldandy had just finished explaining, in brief, about the existence of Goddesses and the wish granting service. There was silence for a few seconds, quiet. Everyone looked at the table and at their own reflections in it, then up at the ceiling, and finally, Megumi spoke up.
    "So, you're telling us there is a Heaven, or the Heavens as you call it, and there are Goddesses out there granting wishes, and Belldandy, you came to Keiichan because of one such incident? Is that it?" Megumi asked. "And it was because some demoness made things happen that Keiichan's now.... female?" The three Goddesses and Keiichi nodded.
    "So Gods and Goddesses do exist..." Chihiro said, trailing off in a line of thought. "Well, that does a lot for my faith." Then she looked at Keiichi, and opened her mouth to speak.
    But Keiichi remembered something.
    This could never get out. Keiichi knew that if those present ever told the story to others, and the others would tell more, the world would be thrown into turmoil. After all, none at the table had ever been eligible for a wish, and Keiichi could guess as much that one requisite was the ability to keep one's silence after a wish granting.
    And Chihiro loved gossip.
    "Guys, could you please listen to one request I have?" Keiichi asked, almost desperate, mostly worried, and hopeful, happening to interrupt Chihiro at the same time. Everyone looked at Keiichi.
    "Shoot." Chihiro replied, slightly annoyed.
    "I need your promise on this. Promise me first." Keiichi said. Megumi shook her head.
    "Keiichan, what's the promise? We can't just agree to anything..." Megumi protested. Keiichi shook her head as well.
    "Megumi, I'm your brother. Trust me." Megumi stared at Keiichi for a moment, then nodded. It was weird to see someone you called 'brother" with... those... but still, Keiichi was her brother. She'd trust him.
    "Well, I'll trust Keiichan. I promise to whatever it is Keiichan has in mind."
    Tamiya and Ootaki nodded.
    "Morisato-kun's our good buddy. We'll trust him!"
    Everyone then turned to look at Chihiro. The burning, inquisitive looks made Chihiro uneasy. She looked around, and saw expectation in those eyes.
    "What, what?" Chihiro asked, confused. Keiichi reminded her.
    "Your promise." Chihiro sighed. Well, there went her chance.
    "Ok, ok, fine. I promise." Keiichi nodded to the three Norns.
    "Guys, promise me you'll never tell anyone, anyone, what we just told you all today. Never mention it in public or anywhere." They nodded.
    "Ok, Keiichan. I'm your sister." Megumi said, smiling at Keiichi. There was trust in that smile, intangible but there. Keiichi felt reassured there.
    "Sure thing, Morisato-kun!" Ootaki and Tamiya the stereo buddies said simultaneously. Well, these two would keep their word for sure.
    "Fine, fine, Keiichi. Whatever you say." Chihiro said. She would've loved to talk about this one to her friends, but a promise was a promise.... but somehow, Keiichi looked at her wonderingly.
    "And one more thing." Keiichi added.
    Everyone stared. Keiichi stared back at them, challenging them. Female Keiichi was, but her face was almost still the same old Keiichi's, and with those brown-red eyes. She could look really mad when she wanted to, and it worked most of the time. It worked now.
    "Fine." They all said, shrugging.
    "If this wish-gone-wrong is ever lifted, I want all of you to... I know I'll sound cruel..." Keiichi hesitated, wondering if it was fair to do this to them, her trusted family and friends. Especially Megumi.
    "Go on, Keiichan." Megumi prompted. She could guess this wasn't going to sound very pleasant to those involved, but Keiichi was her brother after all, and had done things for her when nobody else would. She owed Keiichi big time. Keiichi looked at Megumi and smiled.
    "Well, I know Belldandy can seal away memories if need be." Keiichi said, hoping they'd get the idea. Chihiro did. She stood up and slammed the table vehemently. The floor shook.
    "WHAT!? You want us to go for a memory wipe just because of this!? Morisato Keiichi, that is too much!" She was leaning over and staring Keiichi eye to eye, the distance between their face not more than a hair's breadth. Keiichi could feel her hot and angry breath snort onto her face.
    "No.. not really! Your memories will just be unavailable for a while..." Keiichi said, stumbling backwards a little.
    Well, there went a perfectly quiet home. Megumi, the two sempais, and Chihiro all started to complain and protest about having this portion of their memories wiped for this. The racket was as deafening as a crowd.
    "Keiichan, don't you trust me, your own sis!?" Megumi protested.
    "Morisato-kun! We have our honour! Don't you trust us!?" Tamiya and Ootaki whined at the same time, with tears running down their faces in a constant stream.
    "I'm your boss, Keiichi! I, I could fire you!" Chihiro said. She didn't mean that, but she didn't want to forget... today.
    Urd and Skuld, quiet until now, had their hands over their ears. Skuld had to shout to Urd to make herself heard.
    "Can we go somewhere quieter, Urd?!" Skuld shouted.
    "What?!" Urd said, fingers in her ears. Skuld pulled them out, and repeated herself.
    "Oh!" Urd said. She nodded. The two left, quickly.

    Belldandy put a hand on Chihiro's shoulder, and immediately, everyone quietened down. They were looking at her.
    "Look, Keiichi-san does speak true." Belldandy said. "The secrets of the Heavens has to be kept, if only for the good of Mankind." Belldandy said. "Because Mankind.... hasn't learned to... treasure things yet." Belldandy hated to say this, but it was unclassified and it was sadly true. The four at the table looked at Belldandy for a while, wondering what she meant by "treasure things yet". Keiichi spoke up for her.
    "What Belldandy means is, we humans... haven't learned to treasure what we have and what we recieve. For as long as we live, we will want more, and the Goddesses and Gods here on Earth represent a chance for more. There will always be some of us... who will be greedy and... use them." Keiichi looked to Belldandy for reassurance and confirmation of her understanding. Belldandy nodded. Keiichi was taken by surprise, she hadn't expected her interpretation to ring true.
    "We are bound not to harm humans if absolutely possible... which some can use to their advantage. I'm sorry, but if by accident one of you does manage to reveal it..."
    Silence.
    Some mumblings among themselves. Belldandy decided to clear up the one misconception for them though.
    "But... as Keiichi-san said, it'll only be sealed away. Should something happen that requires it.... your memories shall be released."
    More silence, then more mumbling.
    Finally, Chihiro spoke up, with a sigh.
    "I guess.... well, if I'm going to keep a secret, I'm going to keep it well." Chihiro looked at Belldandy, then gave her a lopsided smile.
    "No wonder you were so perfect, Belldandy. Because you are."
    Belldandy smiled softly at Chihiro, her face sad but glad.
    "Thank you, Chihiro. But I'm not."
    Chihiro shrugged, looking nonchalant.
    "Well, I don't care what you think. When I say you're perfect, you are. Right?" Chihiro looked to Tamiya and Ootaki. They nearly fell all over themselves agreeing.
    "Yeah! Yeah, she's the boss!" They both agreed, nodding vigorously like as if their heads were on soft springs. Megumi and Keiichi slapped their foreheads and shook heads at the same time, groaning. Keiichi winced a little when the sunburnt skin burned a little. Belldandy just laughed, slightly.
    "Well, if you say so, Chihiro. I'm flattered. Thank you." Chihiro took a bow (Yes, a bow.) and sat.
    Keiichi held out a hand. Everyone looked at it questioningly.
    "Well then, shall we make the promise? I'm sorry to do this to you all, but..."
    Megumi nodded. She put her hand on Keiichi's and squeezed hard.
    "I'll support Keiichan all the way!" Then Megumi smiled at the two of them.
    "Besides, even if I forget now, I'll know it later when the two of you get married, right?" She winked at Belldandy. Belldandy blushed.
    Chihiro nodded, and gave a half smile in Keiichi's direction.
    "And Keiichi, you make sure you invite me and the gang to your wedding and tell us then, ok? I would really like to believe now." Keiichi nodded weakly.
    "Erm, I guess it would be alright then..."
    "Yosha! You got yourself a deal!" Chihiro happily exclaimed, and slapped her hand on top of Megumi and Keiichi's. The two of them nearly buckled under her more than friendly clap. Tamiya and Ootaki looked at each other, then nodded.
    "We're men! We'll do it!" Then Tamiya looked at Keiichi.
    "Just don't forget to invite us too, Morisato-kun!" Keiichi grinned nervously at them while sweating.
    "Erm, ok."
    They slapped their hands on the small pile of hands. Finally, everyone's hand but Belldandy's was on it. They all looked at her. Keiichi, in particular. Most of them looked curious at Belldandy and what she was doing.
    "Belldandy?" Keiichi asked. Belldandy had her eyes closed, and was mumbling something. A small glow enveloped her hand, and then she slowly reached out towards the group, her bangles tinkling softly. The bangles were sparkling brilliantly, and the tinkling was like a windchime's. The experience flowed over everyone's ears like water, sparkled in their eyes like fiery gems. Everyone looked on, overawed at Belldandy's simple, but beautiful act of magic. They could hear someone speaking in a singsong voice. It came from inside their heads. It was Belldandy.
 
"As the words of promise and the bond of friendship holds,
Like lovers we shall be, bound by deed and bound by soul,
Continuing the true love and trust we all do carry,
Like a torch, the way we shall live the days that are many,
For we need not to be close in blood to be close in mind,
But that our word is Law, by His decree and our souls' shine."

    "Utskushi..." (Beautiful) Megumi mumbled.
    "Beautiful." Chihiro said.
    Tamiya and Ootaki were crying, obviously touched.
    Keiichi was smiling.
    Finally, Belldandy placed her hand, still glowing, on the top of the pile.
    There was a flash, and the glow faded, and Belldandy opened her eyes. Then she smiled cheerily at everyone.
    "As you have all given your word, I have cast a spell. You shall all be bound to remember the promise, and when the time comes, it shall assist me in helping partition the memories. And the spell also includes a Confidence-seal, you will be muted if you ever try to tell this to anyone who doesn't already know."
    Belldandy looked at each person in turn, gauging their responses. Nobody had much objection, except...
    "Then what will we remember, Belldandy? I don't want to have to waste my life on a missing frame of time... I mean, what will we have if those are gone?" Megumi asked. The rest of the nodded. Belldandy laughed and smiled.
    "Of course, there are only portions of your memories that require partitioning... I have some plans. Don't worry, you'll all have something good to remember. I promise."
    And everyone belived Belldandy, not doubting her for even a fraction of a second.

*     *     *

    Later, at night, Belldandy was bidding Chihiro and the two sempais goodbye after dinner, which was a pretty social affair as it turned out. Everyone joked and talked like as if Keiichi had never gone through the change, they still treated Keiichi as 'he' was. Belldandy was glad that things turned out so well. She'd even discussed their plans for one of the days ahead, to which she invited everyone. Megumi was staying over here at the temple, but Chihiro and the two Sempais promised to be back then. Belldandy smiled as she told them of, at least, Sunday's plan to go swimming. Keiichi's response had been predictable. She whined and protested, saying she couldn't swim, but the rest were all for it, if only to see Keiichi in a swimsuit. Belldandy had volunteered her services in teaching Keiichi to swim, and Keiichi grudgingly agreed. Belldandy knew Keiichi's sunburn would wear off by then.
    She was just bidding Tamiya and Ootaki farewell as they disappeared down the temple staircase when she suddenly remembered Skuld's Voicebox, tucked away in her apron.

*     *     *

    In their mini-pickup, Ootaki noticed that Tamiya wore a disturbed look, like as if he was thinking. Which was rare. Ootaki tapped Tamiya on the shoulder.
    "Hey, buddy, you alright?"
    Tamiya nodded absentmindedly.
    "Yeah.... but something 'bout Belldandy saying that Goddesses granting wishes.... reminds me of something."
    Ootaki slapped Tamiya on the shoulder, causing their pickup to swerve sideways for a second, and laughed.
    "Oh, don't let it get to you buddy! What makes you think you could ever be as lucky as Keiichi?" Ootaki was laughing his head off at the possible absurdity by now.
    "Don't know, Ootaki. Don't know...."

*     *     *

    After dinner, Skuld had run off to her room, anxious to see if her powers had grown. She had gotten Banpei to stand at attention in her room, watching curiously as she raised her hands and pointed them at him while having her eyes closed. She looked like she was concentrating.
    Banpei suddenly had the most disturbing experience. His sensory components suddenly told him he was floating!
    Skuld opened her eyes, and watched in glee as Banpei floated in the air for a few seconds before coming down safely. She clapped her hands.
    "Yes! I did it! Belldandy will be so proud of me!"
    And speaking of the Goddess, Belldandy walked up to Skuld's room at that moment. Standing outside the doorway, Belldandy knocked softly.
    "Skuld? It's me, Belldandy."
    Inside, Skuld suddenly look like she'd been shot by an arrow in the back. Grimacing like she just ate one of Urd's unknown medicines and eyes wide open, Skuld started sweating nervously. Belldandy probably found out about the Voicebox. She turned to look to the door nervously.
    "C...come in, one-sama."
    Belldandy slid the door open, and Skuld realized she was right. In Belldandy's open palm, held out towards Skuld, was the Voicebox. Skuld swallowed hard and audibly, and immediately launched into a flurry of explainations.
    "I couldn't help it! Keiichi just begged me to build something to make his voice normal and I couldn't resist the challenge and I thought I'd help him out and I was hoping one-sama wouldn't mind and I was scared Keiichi would die of embarrassment and... and...."
    Skuld looked hopefully at Belldandy. She was just standing there, one arm extended with the open palm and Voicebox in it, with absolutely no expression on her face. None at all. Belldandy was a living statue, if anything. Then, at length, she spoke.
    "Take it, Skuld." Belldandy's voice was calm, measured, it was warm but had no warmth.
    Skuld stood up and started for it. Belldandy shook her head and bobbed her hand at Skuld slightly.
    "Take it, Skuld."
    Skuld got the idea. She raised a hand at the Voicebox, closed her eyes and concentrated. It didn't take much, the Voicebox was floating over to Skuld smoothly and flawlessly, without a single deviation. Skuld stared as it did so, awestruck. She had done it! She could move small items through distances without trouble! Skuld beamed in spite of herself. She was so happy, she forgot that she was supposed to be nervous.
    "Yatta! I did it, one-sama!" Skuld exclaimed, hopping. (Yatta = I did it!)
    Finally..... finally, Belldandy smiled.
    "Congratulations, Skuld." She said, this time with a warm voice that held warmth of comfort. But she still stood there, unmoving. Skuld stopped hopping in joy and looked. Belldandy's smiled seemed strained, like she was putting too much effort into it. Skuld noticed a drop of sweat roll down the side of Belldandy's face.
    "Is something the matter, Belldandy?" Belldandy looked like she was about to nod, then shake, then she suddenly fell to one side, grabbing the door's frame for support as she sank to her knees. Skuld was at her side in a flash, helping Belldandy up and slinging her sister's arm over her shoulder.
    "You overextended yourself, didn't you, one-sama?" Skuld said, watching Belldandy closely. Belldandy looked wretchedly weak. Belldandy shook her head. Skuld's face was nothing but concern. She'd never seen Belldandy this tired, and it scared her good. Skuld didn't know she had set her teeth tightly together as she helped Belldandy up.
    "I suddenly feel so tired, Skuld." Belldandy sounded like she could weep at any moment, and her voice was unsteady. "I just feel so tired.... and I know this has nothing to do with my powers." Belldandy was taking deep breaths which sounded like gasps as she struggled to breathe.
    "You'd better rest, one-sama. You're in no shape to go around the house like this." Skuld said, worriedly. Belldandy didn't have the strength to do anything else, so Skuld just adjusted her sister's weight so she could better carry her.
    Skuld carried Belldandy into the room, and shut the door behind them. She let Belldandy lie on her futon, and went to get Urd. Urd seemed to know a lot of things. She hoped.
    Staring at the ceiling, Belldandy just lay there unmoving. She didn't even have the strength to lift her arm anymore. She couldn't understand it herself. One moment, she was happy and cheery, the next moment, she felt hopeless and tired. It was as much physical as emotional. She felt like if she had to do anymore tonight, she'd just break down and scream, if she had the strength to.
    What's wrong with me? Belldandy asked herself. Why do I feel so tired?
    Urd came barging into the room with Skuld in tow. She looked at Belldandy and immediately noted the distant look, pale face (yes, Belldandy looked pale) and sagging posture. Urd's jaw dropped.
    "That." Was all Urd said.

*     *     *

    "Aaaaaaah...... just what I needed...." Keiichi let out a long, drawn out breath. Outside, crickets chirped as night took hold of Tokyo in its firm, but gentle grip.
    Keiichi was in the bathroom, enjoying a long, hot soak. It had been a trying day for both her and Belldandy, and Keiichi wanted nothing more than a good soak. By now, Keiichi had gotten used to her body, so seeing it in the mirror or anywhere else wouldn't really make Keiichi nervous or embarrassed anymore. But Keiichi still wanted her old self back.
    *schriiiiiip*
    The door to the bathroom slid open. Keiichi's eyes snapped open. She'd been sleeping in the bath. She quickly tried to cover up with her hands, in vain, as she tried to look for who it was who'd invaded on her privacy. Looks like Keiichi wasn't used to others looking at her body though.
    "Who's there!?" Keiichi exclaimed, surprised. Even though her body warranted no need to cover up, (everyone in residence was female now, she reasoned) Keiichi still felt her privacy had been violated violently.
    "It's me, Keiichan." Megumi said, walking in with a towel. And nothing more. Keiichi's eyes bulged and her mouth went into a surprised grimace.
    Keiichi went deeper into the bathtub, covering her eyes. She was very, very embarrassed. Not for letting Megumi see her body, but for seeing Megumi's. Well, there were those times the bugs had dropped 'her' into Urd's bath, or when Peorth had come in claiming to want to 'scrub his back'. But this was *different*. This was Morisato Megumi, Keiichi's sister.
    "I didn't see anything! Nothing at all, Megumi!"
    Megumi slid the door shut behind her and watched in amusement as Keiichi sat there, in the tub, hands over eyes. She stopped herself from laughing out loud and stealthily padded over to the tub. She slid in. It was easily big enough for the two of them, so Megumi could avoid touching Keiichi.
    "Megumi?" Keiichi asked, eyes still covered.
    "Yes, Keiichan?" Megumi replied, directly besides Keiichi. Keiichi nearly jumped out the tub when she heard Megumi from the side. She knew that meant Megumi was in the tub too.
    "Aaah! Megumi!" Keiichi hollered. "I'll leave now!" Keiichi started to get out of the tub, trying in vain to cover up with her arms until she could get the towel. Megumi frowned, and grabbed Keiichi by the arm, pulling her back down into the tub. Water splashed everywhere.
    "Keiichan!" Megumi chided. Keiichi sat there, staring at space, the mirror, anywhere but Megumi. Megumi sulked.
    "Here we are, brother and sister, having a perfectly good chance to talk in private, and you go all chickening out on me." Megumi said, putting as much hurt as she could into her voice. It wasn't hard, Megumi was really a little hurt at Keiichi's reaction to his own sister in the tub.
    Keiichi thought differently. She waved her hands as she turned to look at Megumi's face. Keiichi couldn't and wouldn't look anywhere else.
    "But... but... Megumi..... you're all grown up and... mature now... I..."
    Megumi waved a finger at Keiichi.
    "Tsk! Look at yourself, Keiichan."
    Keiichi didn't need to. She knew as much as Megumi what she'd see. She sank down to her chin in the tub, resigned to her fate, and sighed.
    "You're right. When was the last time we got to bathe together anyway? 18 years ago?"
    Megumi shook her head. She held up both hands folded into a '1' and '6'.
    "16 years. I was around 5 or 6, remember?"
    Then Megumi smiled and giggled. She dipped her head under the water, and Keiichi watched as Megumi ran her hands through her hair. She popped up a few seconds later, taking a deep, grateful breath and laughing. Water droplets flew into the air where she came up with force, and splattered Keiichi's face.
    "Ha haa! That was good!" Megumi said, loudly. She realized Keiichi was staring straight at her chest now. Keiichi's face was red. Megumi knelt a little deeper into the tub and looked Keiichi in the eye. Keiichi grinned nervously.
    "Come on, Keiichan! You don't have to be so shy in front of your own sister! And you're a girl now for goodness' sakes! Have some fun!"
    Keiichi looked at Megumi for a moment, then saw the reasoning in that. What was she thinking anyway? Megumi was taking advantage of this chance to just have a bath with her beloved bro, and there 'he' was, a spoilsport. Fine, Keiichi was going to enjoy this bath with Megumi and she was going to like it.
    It wasn't hard at all.
    Keiichi followed Megumi's action, dipping her head under the water and scrubbing it, then coming up for breath. Megumi was smiling as Keiichi came up.
    "See? That wasn't too hard, bro." Megumi was just kicking back and leaning against the tub's wall now. She never looked cuter, with that stupid smile stuck on her face and her eyes closed in relaxation.
    "Yea...yeah. I guess so, Megumi." Keiichi couldn't help it, she was smiling too. It was just so freaky to suddenly find 'her'self with 'her' sister, 20something years old and in her prime, taking a bath with her 'brother'. But it was fun, Keiichi had to admit. They'd not done this for such a long time, Keiichi suddenly realized she'd been longing for a bath like this for a long time.
    Then Keiichi remembered something else.
    "Hey, Megumi?" Keiichi asked. Megumi opened one eye. She was glad Keiichi was warming up to the idea at last.
    "Yeah, Keiichan?" With all the attention in the world.
    "I remember once.... when Belldandy, her sisters and I won this lucky draw to a hot springs resort." Keiichi said, recalling the day. Megumi opened her other eye and leaned forwards to look more closely at Keiichi. Keiichi had that sort of face, that would look cute both ways with just a little change. Megumi hadn't missed Keiichi's facial structure's change. She smiled. She was just so happy, to be with Keiichan. It was kind of unexplainable, the love she had for her brother no matter what. But this was different, it was so much easier coming across to Keiichi when Keiichi was... well, female.
    "Yeah, go on?" Megumi said, curious as to what Keiichi had to say.
    "I remembered that the resort had divided its springs into ones for males and females." Megumi grinned widely at Keiichi. This was getting interesting. Keiichi gladly obliged. No sense stopping now.
    "Then I heard Urd doing some sort of 'sister's bust check' on Skuld while I listened on the other side..." Keiichi said, wistfully. She hadn't noticed Megumi's attentive face as she looked up at the ceiling, recalling that day before all the troubles began. She avoided mentioning Mara, that might've ruined things for them.
    "I remember wishing I were born as a girl, just so I could see what was going on on the other side." Keiichi said. Megumi thought it an unusual figure of speech to use, she could immediately discern its meanings. But she smiled. That 'sister's bust check' sounded interesting.
    "Mou, Keiichan no hentai!" Keiichi looked at Megumi. "If you were born a girl, then where would I be?" (Keiichan no Hentai = Keiichan you pervert!)
    Keiichi raised a questioning eyebrow at Megumi. She really didn't understand. Megumi decided to explain. She sat cross-legged in the tub and leaned forwards a little, smiling all the while. She was enjoying this talk so very much.
    "Mah. You're my older bro, bro. Remember when we were young? You'd always protect me. I was only a year younger, but that was a year's worth of vulnerability, now that I think of it." It was Megumi's turn to sound wistful as she thought back to those childhood years. Keiichi listened with obvious interest.
    Strange, Keiichi felt, that I'd never taken the time to listen to Megumi at all. Keiichi obviously loved 'his' sister despite all her mischevious antics, but the two had never gotten the time to just talk to each other. Now they were doing it, with absolutely nothing to stop them both, and it felt great to Keiichi. But Keiichi wondered if things would've been different if 'she' were still a he now. Megumi continued.
    "I remember the time some boys were bullying me by throwing stones at me and taunting me for playing boy games." Megumi said, looking at Keiichi. Keiichi was in a sort of kneeling position in the tub, arms on her knees. Megumi giggled at Keiichi, looking at her body. She could almost see the old bruises appear on Keiichi's body again as she remembered what Keiichi had done.
    "Then you came along and took the hits for me before throwing stones of your own back, shouting. Remember, Keiichan?"
    Keiichi thought back, those many years ago. She nodded. Those stones had hurt. She wondered how Megumi could've taken them and not bawl like a baby at that time.
    "Yeah, mom was really angry when I came back all bruised and cut, but you told her how I oh-so-courageously protected you and she immediately got me an ice cream and sent me to see the doctor." Keiichi was smiling, but she didn't know it. Megumi nodded.
    "So imagine if we were both sisters," Megumi said. "And you couldn't protect me as effectively just because you might've been thinking differently, or if they just laughed at you too because you were a girl?" Keiichi shuddered, realizing how true that was. This bathroom talk wouldn't be happening then. Megumi went on.
    "And you wouldn't have fallen in love with Belldandy, and all the wonderful things in your life might not have happened." Keiichi nodded, realizing where Megumi was getting to. Keiichi decided to add some of her own.
    "And then we wouldn't have gone to the hot springs and I wouldn't have thought about wishing to be born a girl, because I wouldn't have interest in girls then."
    "Unless you were lesbian." Megumi prodded, verbally. She was grinning. Keiichi blinked at Megumi once, then grinned like a wolf.
    "Yeah, or I'd be wishing I were born a guy so I could see all the handsome guys in the other spring, and then where would I be!?" Keiichi said, playing along.
    "Don't know, Keiichan, anywhere but here!" Megumi said, splashing some water at Keiichi. Keiichi took it in the face, and took a scoop of water to throw back at Megumi.
    "Hey!" Megumi laughed as Keiichi returned fire. Or water. "That was cold!"
    "The water, or my revenge?" Keiichi was laughing too.
    "Both!" Megumi complained. They splashed water at each other for a few more seconds, then settled down. Megumi let out a long breath, her breath condensing into steam in the bathroom's hot and humid air as the two just stared at the ceiling for a moment.
    "But, I'm really glad you decided to tell us all this, Keiichan." Keiichi lifted her head and looked at Megumi. She was still looking at the ceiling.
    "Because I'm glad to have a really surprising bro like you," Megumi said. "You take things as they come, and you never flinch. Not once." If only you knew, Megumi. Keiichi thought. But held her tongue. She smiled instead.
    "But that was only after Belldandy came." Keiichi said. Megumi had, up till now, ignored the fact that Keiichi's voice was Belldandy's. Keiichi was Keiichi, no matter what. Megumi looked at Keiichi and smiled, shyly.
    "Yeah. But I'm glad this happened too. I wouldn't have worked up the guts to see a guy in my tub with me, brother or not." Keiichi was surprised. That took guts to admit. But Keiichi was more surprised Megumi was really embarrassed by the sight of a naked guy's body, brother or not. She grinned.
    "And I'll wager you really wanna see me in a swimsuit." Keiichi teased.
    "Of course!" Megumi said, teasing Keiichi back.
    Keiichi shrugged. She'd agreed to go, so she really had no choice. Then Megumi piped another question.
    "Say, Keiichan." Megumi was blushing now, and it wasn't a trick of the steam.
    "Hm?" Keiichi blinked.
    "As a guy, what do you think of me?" Megumi said, standing up in the tub. Keiichi flailed, tried to back up against the tub, and was utterly, totally shocked.
    "Huh!? Megumi! Whaddaya doing!?" Keiichi exclaimed. She was heaving from shock.
    Megumi looked at her 'brother'.
    "I mean, since you're supposed to be a guy, just stuck in a girl's body, I want to get your opinion on... me. And now that you can see me...." Megumi said, folding her arms back and putting her hands on her collarbones in a rather sensual gesture that left Keiichi gasping for air in the humidity.
    "Whatever for?" Keiichi asked, getting her composure back. Keiichi couldn't help it though, she had to look. Up and down, Megumi wasn't bad. She kept fit from playing softball and knew her machines well, ate well enough, and had a personality a lot of people liked. She was pretty desirable, in other words. Keiichi wondered though. Why ask this? Megumi answered this unspoken question.
    "I mean, first off, you're a pretty exclusive 'normal guy' who until then didn't have a girlfriend, and a Goddess at that. I'm only a year younger, but I've yet to get a boyfriend. I doubt I'll have your fortune, Keiichan, but I want to know if guys will find me attractive." Megumi said, flicking a stray strand of wet hair back from her face. Keiichi swallowed. Wonderful, Keiichi thought sarcastically. My own sister's asking me to be her boyfriend-eligibility gauge. Of all the honours in the world.
    Then Keiichi realized something. Megumi wasn't getting younger, and it was about that time she did begin looking for someone. But she didn't have to take such drastic measures just to find out from her own brother. But Megumi wasn't done. She blinked once at Keiichi, and that got Keiichi's attention again.
    "And....." Megumi trailed off, unsure if she should continue.
    "And...?" Keiichi asked. Megumi shifted uncomfortably, and standing up, that was pretty heart wrenching for Keiichi to watch, somehow.
    "Well, you're a guy, body or not, and I was just too shy to ask you... then." She turned a slightly darker hue of red in the cheeks. Then she giggled nervously and turned her face away, not daring to look at Keiichi anymore.
    "But now that... well, you know!" Megumi's voice was flustered, embarrassed, but happy.
    Well, that went to show how much she trusted Keiichi then. Keiichi grinned at Megumi. Megumi grinned back, shyly, when she finally noticed.
    "Sit down first and I'll tell you. I'm not going to have my sister stand in the tub and dance with joy when I tell her the news, then break a leg or something." Keiichi tried joking. Megumi chuckled.
    "Fine." Megumi sat.
    "Well, I won't lie. You're pretty, cute, you're fit, got a great bod, and personality to go with it. I don't see why nobody's falling head over heels for you yet, Megumi." There, that would do Megumi a lot of good, Keiichi was sure. Megumi smiled, her blush still there. Her smile grew and she giggled.
    "Thanks, Keiichan. I needed that. It's kind of hard to find someone when you're the Queen and everything." Keiichi nodded, she had to concede to that point.
    "Yeah, everyone's too busy grovelling to notice." Keiichi laughed.
    Megumi pouted.
    "Hey, that ain't true!" Keiichi shrugged.
    "That's up to you to decide."
    Then the two stared at each other for a moment. The bathroom was suddenly quiet.
    The silence kept on, slowly, stealthily.
    Finally, both siblings spoke at the same time.
    "I'm really glad to have talked to you, Megumi/Keiichan...."
    The two looked at each other again. Then they laughed out loud. Megumi spoke first.
    "Those close in blood are close in mind, Keiichan!" Megumi was still laughing.
    "Even if they're two perverted minds, Megumi!" Keiichi couldn't help herself.
    Then Megumi cleared her throat. Keiichi looked on, curious. Megumi suddenly leaned over to Keiichi. Close enough that their chests were poking each other. Keiichi swallowed nervously and tried to lean back, but she was already at the edge of the tub.
    "Keiichan, can I ask you something?" Megumi asked, almost pleading. Keiichi blinked, and nodded. Megumi looked relieved immediately. She sat back, and twiddled her fingers as looked at the water, shyly.
    "I want you to help me remember this day if you ever get cured or anything, Keiichan. I really liked this talk and everything, but if I ever forget...."
    Keiichi could guess. Well, fair enough. Keiichi had enjoyed... no, loved, the talk as well.... if they ever switched places, Keiichi would probably also not want to have forgotten this day. It was.... touching. Keiichi nodded. Megumi laughed once, gladly, and kissed Keiichi on the nose. That was touching too.
    "Thanks, Keiichan. I knew I could count on you!"
    But the two had been in the bath long enough. Keiichi got out and went to get a towel, wrapping it around her body like Belldandy taught her. Megumi stayed in the tub. She was looking at Keiichi, smiling approvingly.
    "You've got a great bod there yourself, bro." Megumi said, emphasizing Keiichi's rather unusual predicament at the moment. She laughed once.
    "Thank you, Megumi." Keiichi curtsied with the towel as a skirt, making Megumi laugh even more.
    "Oh, this was a wonderful bath, Keiichan." Megumi said. "We should have these more often."
    "Only if I stay like this, Megumi. You aren't coming in when I'm a guy." Megumi raised an eyebrow.
    "Maybe I could get Belldandy..." She suggested. Keiichi waved a finger at her.
    "Don't you dare!" Megumi shrugged.
    "Just a thought." Megumi smiled, leaning against the edge of the bathtub. Keiichi looked to Heaven for strength, got none, then went to towel off. Keiichi hadn't felt so refreshed after a bath for quite a while, and the painful sunburn had started to subside. The skin would begin peeling in a day or two, Keiichi guessed.
    But for now, it was late, Keiichi was tired, and her eyes were burning. It must've been some of the soap that had gotten into her eyes. She went to the mirror and scrubbed her face hard, relishing the raw feeling it gave her. Then she looked in the mirror. There she was, in all feminine glory, face included, whether she liked it or not. It wasn't too bad, Megumi's confidential visit had made her glad Uruz had screwed up the wish granting.
    Then Keiichi looked at her eyes. They were a little red, sore and puffy. Soap had gotten in all right, strange that she hadn't noticed until now.
    Then she payed more attention to the irises. Something strange...
    They were a clear blue.

*     *     *

    Belldandy was sound asleep now, the only sound in the room her steady, but loud breathing. Skuld and Urd sat on on the floor besides the futon, watching her. Skuld whispered to Urd.
    "What's going on, Urd?! Why's Belldandy acting strange?" Urd hushed her.
    "Belldandy's body is changing, Skuld!" Skuld's eyes widened.
    "....what?" Skuld whispered, nearly having shouted, but stopping herself at the last moment.
    "Someone's initiated a sort of metamorphosis spell." Urd whispered, simply. Skuld looked confused.
    "What metamorphosis!?" Skuld was insistent on knowing. Whatever this word was, she didn't like it. She wasn't checking her voice too. It was growing louder.
    Urd grabbed Skuld's shoulder and dragged her bodily outside the room. Urd's hand was a lot more forceful and stronger than Skuld had originally remembered it. When they were safely out of earshot, Urd spun Skuld to face her and stared at her with those venom green, cat-slit eyes.
    "Listen to me, Skuld. Belldandy's body is changing. For better or for worse, I don't know. But someone or something started this, and now Belldandy is going to be very weak while her body changes to whatever it is the spell dictates. She might change into a monster, or she might still look the same, but I'll know it when I see it." Urd hissed.
    Skuld's overactive imagination began running through all the episodes of all the shows she'd seen that had a monster or space aliens, then imagined Belldandy in kinky spoofs of those creatures. She panicked. Eyes shrinking to pinpricks and a dark shadow appearing over her eyes, Skuld's imagination ran wild and she put her hands over her ears and shook her head.
    "No! No! Not one-sama! Not her! Impossible!"
    Skuld grabbed Urd and shook her with a lot more strength than her frame revealed.
    "What can we do!? What's going to happen to Belldandy!? My one-sama won't change into some sort of weird monster now, will she!?" Skuld was frantic. Urd tapped Skuld once.
    "S...stop...shshshshakiyiying meyeyeye!"
    Skuld stopped. Urd dusted herself off and neatened her clothes first.
    "Don't worry. From what I've seen, this is just the effect of staying on Earth for too long." Skuld looked confused. She didn't know this, nobody had taught her. She eyed Urd suspiciously. Urd didn't notice.
    "On the Earth, we absorb energies to maintain our form from whatever gives them off, from the stony silence of the mountains to the high-tech emissions of satellites, right?" Urd said. Skuld nodded. That was true.
    "In the Heavens, we absorb energy too. But that's divine. This is Earthly. So our physical bodies change when our reserves run out. But divine energy takes a lot longer to finish." Urd said, simply. Skuld looked confused still.
    "Then how come we're not changing?" Urd looked up, one eye twitching as she bit her lower lip and a vein bulged in the cross shape. She put a hand on Skuld's head and rubbed, hard, as she gave Skuld that maniacal, angry/evil look which resulted in dark rings around her eyes.
    "Listen, Skuld. How often do we return to the Heavens?"
    Skuld whined and nodded best as she could with Urd's hand on her head.
    "Alright already! I get it!" Skuld whined, pitifully. Urd smiled at her, and stopped rubbing.
    "There's a good girl. Now, off to... oh yeah, you don't have a bed to sleep in. Belldandy's in it."
    Skuld glared and stuck a tongue out at Urd.
    "Don't treat me like a child!"
    Urd chuckled, a sexy, deep throated laugh. Skuld envied that laugh.
    "You're still one for the next few years, so put up with it. Come on, you can sleep in my room. Megumi's sleeping in the guest room."
    Skuld nodded. Urd's room wasn't so scary when Urd wasn't doing anything in it, which was just as well for Skuld.
    "Ok. Lemme brush my teeth first."
    As Skuld bounced off towards the bathroom, Urd looked towards the room Belldandy was resting in. She sighed and shook her head.
    "Better go cook something up for Belldandy when she wakes up..."

*     *     *

    Up in the Heavens, Uruz was leaning back in her own seat, styled after Peorth's, looking through some lines of program data checking for any errors before implementing it. In mid-thought, Uruz thought about something totally irrelevant. And realized that when she had told the Almighty everything that day, she'd forgotten something. She had told Him about how she got the wish from the answering machine in Peorth's office, how she'd gone down and spent a week waiting for Keiichi to consider and make his wish, and what had happened when she tried granting the wish.
    She'd totally forgotten to tell Him what the wish was.
    Uruz took off faster than a thought travelled, and left the data scrolling without even pausing it.

*     *     *

    At a data terminal at Yggdrasil, one of the Decoders (which they sourly thought was just the nicer name for Hackers) managed to partly squeeze his way through one of the corrupted passwords without risking any data loss, and retrieved a portion of the Ultimate Force's function for the Wish gone Wrong, as it was called up here. He read through it, eyes flitting left and right as line after line of script came up, and the aforementioned eyes widened so much his eyes could've popped right out if they had wanted to.
    He was gone faster than his colleagues could notice. All they saw was a spinning chair.

*     *     *

    At the Almighty's office, the Almighty was busy reading through whatever scraps of information Urd and the rest had given Him. There were bits and pieces of evidence that showed demons had been involved, and the Almighty briefly considered blasting the one responsible away, but that would probably mean there would be no way to cancel this wish. One of the passwords, as the Decoders had found out, was demonic in nature. That meant they'd need the demon, like it or not.
    The Almighty scratched His head.
    Just then, the phone rang. The Morisato's again. This was unusual, Urd had made her report yesterday and her next one wasn't due till tomorrow. The Almighty then considered her promotion, but when He read her performance profile, He discovered she'd just made another lie not too long ago. It was a white lie, but that set Urd back a few steps. Ah well.
    He pressed the recieve button. Urd's image flickered into existence. She looked horribly disturbed, and she was pale. For all that tanned skin, Urd was pale.
    "It is I. What is is, Urd? Your report isn't until tomorrow."
    Urd sounded scared when she spoke. It showed in her voice as a trembling she didn't try to control.
    "My Lord, something's happening to Belldandy."
    That got the Almighty standing.
    "What's the matter, Urd?"
    Urd took a deep breath, trying to steady herself.
    "She's.... changing. Metamorphosis of sorts. I don't know what it is."
    The Almighty considered this. It was possible for a God or Goddess to undergo metamorphosis into another form, but that required tons of lengthy paperwork which everyone hated, and Authorisation from Him. Metamorphosises were very complex things, involving more than just a simple physical change.
    Authorisation Belldandy hadn't requested. And Belldandy wouldn't do something as foolish as this without asking.
    Then again, she'd done a lot of foolish things without asking, but she was a dependable Goddess, which was why she was First Class in the first place.
    "Is it voluntary?" The Almighty asked. Urd shook her head, she knew full well that the Almighty could see her clearly.
    "I don't think so. I hope not."
    "Keep an eye on her."
    Urd nodded. The Almighty wondered if Urd had anything else to add.
    "Well then, if that's all..."
    "Nothing, my Lord."
    "Then goodbye."
    "Goodbye."
    *click*
    The Almighty sat down again, and sighed. This was getting more complicated by the minute. When the Demon high councillate was formed, the Almighty knew He would have a lot of trouble on His hands. This exceeded His highest expectations.
    Oh, someone would pay, and dearly. But for now, there was the investigation to take care of.
    *riiing* *riiing*
    *click*
    "My Lord?" It was the Almighty's secretary. She didn't wait for Him to respond, she knew He didn't need to. "There is a Miss Uruz, Goddess Second Class, and a Decoder here to meet you."
    Well, this was perfect timing. Maybe they'd shed some light on the situation. This investigation was taking up a lot of time, time He would've spent checking on the progress of other things in the Heavens or listening to some Prayers and seeing how best to grant them.
    "Let them in."
    Seconds later, the two figures appear side by side. Uruz looked sheepishly embarrassed, and the Decoder had a haunted look on his face. The Almighty look at the two of them, and decided that Uruz's story could wait.
    "Speak, Decoder."
    "My Lord...." He started.

*     *     *

    Megumi stares over Keiichi's shoulder into the mirror when she sees Keiichi suck in her breath and keep it there. Dripping wet, Megumi stares into the mirror, and into Keiichi's reflection. At first glance, Megumi doesn't notice anything unusual.
    "Keiichan? What's wrong?"
    Keiichi points at the mirror. At her reflection in the mirror, to be precise. Megumi follows the finger and finds that it leads to the eyes.

    All was quiet for a moment.
    Megumi stared, then blinked. She looked at her own reflection to make sure she wasn't seeing imaginary colours, then looked back at Keiichi's reflection.
    "Keiichan, your eyes!" Was all Megumi could exclaim, before Keiichi dropped to the floor, limp.
    "Keiichan!" Megumi screamed.

{End of Chapter 15}
{Chapter 16 : Deliverance?}