It had been two days since Keiichi showed Belldandy the
magazine.
"You sure I don't need to help you pack?" Urd
said, peering over Keiichi's shoulder. She'd been drinking again. Her breath
reeked of alcohol and her face burned with heat. Keiichi was busy packing for
his vacation out with Belldandy despite Skuld's vehement protests, and was doing
his best to ignore Urd's 'good' intentions. Knowing what they were, he doubted
if their intended results were more for him than Urd's own amused gratification.
"No thanks, Urd. You've already done enough for me."
Keiichi replied. Urd chuckled at its double meaning. She took another swig of
her bottle.
"You really sure you don't want me to help?"
Urd purred. Keiichi felt the hairs on his back rise. Even Velsper's purring
didn't do that to him. He had to remind himself Velsper might have been a demon
(good or bad), but he wasn't anything now but a special little cat. Urd,
however, was half-demoness, and ever since she had come to terms with that, 'it
had had its uses', she always quoted. But Keiichi couldn't help but smile at all
the memories Urd's heritage had helped make. So many bitter ones, made sweet,
and the sweet ones? Well, they just couldn't get better. Keiichi would miss Urd
and Skuld if they went back to the Heavens, but he was sure he wouldn't miss
them for just a few days, especially since he knew where they'd be.
* * *
Outside, Skuld was throwing a tantrum again. She was
stamping her feet stubbornly as Belldandy, kneeling to reach Skuld's approximate
height, was trying to calm and soothe her.
"I don't get
it, one-sama. Why can't we all go somewhere with me and Urd? Why must you and
Keiichi go alone? I'll be so lonely!" Which wasn't the whole truth, and
Belldandy knew.
"There now, Skuld. I'll only be gone a
week with Keiichi. Nobody will hurt us, and we can take care of ourselves." This
didn't seem to convince Skuld. Belldandy smiled and added : "And you have
Sentaro, who visits. You can't say you're lonely with him now, can you?"
Skuld blushed scarlet. Just the thought of Sentaro, that
nice guy who taught her how to cycle (AMS! Volume 13, chapter 73), made her face
hot. She turned around and sulked. She thought she was doing it angrily,
Belldandy saw that she was more than embarassed to talk about him. Belldandy
giggled silently, knowingly.
"I will be! He's just one
person!" Skuld's sulk turned into a pout. Then she turned around. "And I'll miss
you teaching me, one-sama!" Skuld knew that was a lame attempt, even as it left
her lips.
Belldandy nodded. "The best lessons are taught
to yourself, Skuld. I only helped you get started. It won't be all that bad."
Belldandy hugged Skuld close to herself. "And anyway, I know you don't want to
be lonely, right?"
Skuld nodded sadly. She had always
gotten her way with getting everyone to go along so far, but this Couples Lodge
she'd heard about was rather strict about its policy and she knew both Keiichi
and Belldandy were determined to go alone this time. Skuld doubted a disguise
would go unnoticed. Even minituarized or invisible, Belldandy would know when
she was near. Skuld's greatest concern had been this, but even in the end....
Belldandy let go of Skuld and the two looked at each
other. Belldandy smiled again at Skuld. Skuld was getting a little teary in the
eyes, but Belldandy wiped them away gently, tenderly.
"Don't you know we sisters will always stick together? I'd never abandon my love
for you, Skuld. Keiichi's my true love, but nothing will change our bond of
sisterly love. I'll come back, I promise." That last part was a joke, Belldandy
hoped Skuld got it. Skuld nodded again, looking almost like a small child again.
"Guess you're right." She whispered softly. She did
remember everything they had been through together so far. And she had to come
to terms with the fact that Keiichi was a nice guy, like it or not. Belldandy
nodded, and stood up.
"Don't worry, we'll bring back
something good for the both of you when we come back, alright?" Belldandy winked
at Skuld. Skuld knew that meant lots of ice-cream. At Keiichi's expense. That
always cheered her up. Not the Keiichi part, just the ice-cream.
"OK!" Skuld was happy again.
And
in that, Belldandy was glad.
* * *
Keiichi was glad he'd checked his luggage before he left.
He knew Urd was a little too hopeful, and had always hoped for that
little thing to happen between him and Belldandy, (Not that he blamed her. They
all knew their relation was a little slow and Urd had hoped this would help.)
but this was going too far, as always.
She'd put a box of
condoms into his luggage. He knew she'd try this. He searched the bag itself,
and had found nothing. Then he searched all his toiletries in the bag, and again
nothing. Finally, he searched his clothes and found them in the pants.
And in the most embarrasing place. He could almost see
Urd's smug face laughing a phantom laugh as he dumped them into some drawer that
held a lot of the same boxes of the stuff, each of them with Urd's "brand" and
face emblazoned into them. He hoped to burn them soon.
"Ooohh ho ho ho ho ho!"
Keiichi shuddered. Belldandy joined him as he entered the
main corridor with Skuld and Urd in tow. Skuld was looking at Keiichi with a
thoughtful look, and Urd was looking at Keiichi with that knowing look. Wait
until I show her what I do with those boxes, Keiichi thought. She'll
probably just become more determined. But for now, Keiichi knew he was going
to enjoy himself this week, with Belldandy.
Just the two
of them. Alone. This was almost too good to be true. Keiichi felt like crying.
He hadn't noticed when they reached the main entrance, until Urd
nudged him.
"Huh? Oh! We're here. Well then, see you two
later. Bye." Keiichi stammered. His thoughts were too full of happiness and
anticipation. It wasn't often the two had been alone since their relation had
grown. Mostly because Keiichi had Skuld, Urd and even Mara to thank. (No, he
really meant to thank them for helping their relation grow. Except maybe Mara.)
But, he wasn't one to pass up this chance now.
"Itekimasu!" Belldandy chirped, cheerful as ever. Urd and Skuld waved their
goodbyes.
"Itarasshai!" Urd and Skuld called out, just as
the bus arrived to pick them up.
As the green bus left,
Skuld and Urd looked on after it, spewing a plume of smoke and exhaust.
"There they go, Skuld." Urd said, her face suddenly
serious.
"Yeah." Skuld said, a little disturbed.
Somehow, the two of them had felt uneasy as soon as the
bus had arrived, and disappeared when it left. It felt familiar. Skuld looked at
Urd.
"Say, we haven't seen much of Mara, have we?" Skuld
asked. Urd didn't like where that question was leading to.
* * *
On the bus, Keiichi and Belldandy had found a nice, empty
seat. The conductor came up to them, and Keiichi asked for two tickets to the
Bay. The conductor took a long look at them and smiled. He was just entering old
age, at 60something. He looked well aged though, the wrinkles suited his
stubbled face and joking smile.
"Couple's Lodge?" He
asked. They nodded.
"They pay for your transport."
Keiichi stared. He hadn't read that in the ad.
"Promotional offer. They just opened not long ago." The conductor informed them
as he plucked off two tickets, punched them, and gave them to Keiichi. Keiichi
thanked the conductor.
"Thank you, Mr. Conductor."
Belldandy said as the conductor turned around.
Somehow,
the conductor felt a warmth and genuinity that normally wasn't associated with
the gaijin (foreign) and irregular passengers on 'his' bus.
And Belldandy looked like anything but a local here.
If only he knew how true that was.
* * *
On top of the bus, Mara lounged. She was decked out in her
usual demonic dress, and napping. In the bottle beside her, Senbee was pretty
indignant at being left along without any form of fastening.
"Really. Senbee is a passenger on this bus.
Why should I be treated like a bottle?"
(Note : Due to
his unusual speech pattern, italics in Senbee's speech normally mean the use of
Japanese words to substitute for the English one.)
Besides him, Mara muttered as his complaints woke her up.
"Aah, shaddup Senbee. You're safe enough with my fastening spell. Anymore
complaints and I let you swim in more than just soda." Mara's mood was not good.
Velsper's stoppage of time had affected her powers adversely as she had tried to
keep it away from her. Apparently back at Home Base, the demons weren't all that
good at preventing the stop in time from affecting them. That was probably why
they were more pissed off at Velsper than the Almighty in the Heavens. Mara
wanted a long summer break from her job, and she was headed for this new resort
she had heard about recently. They claimed hot springs near the beach, (unusual
things, humans. Mara thought. They can warp Nature without really warping it at
all. Sometimes.) clean environment, environmental friendliness and a whole bunch
of yabbadabba that Mara didn't bother about. All she knew was that there was a
good, hot spring and good wine. She was taking Senbee along as the required
"partner". He had objected, of course, saying that being a couple was different
from being a pair with one party unwillingly forced into it, but Mara had
threatened to seal his bottle up again and then toss his bottle into the most
powerful sealing artifact she knew. That shut his protests up. Anyway, Mara knew
ways to make Senbee look big for a short time. It would work.
And she wasn't planning to cause any trouble while she
was getting some R&R.
{End of Chapter 3}
{Chapter
4 : Twinkling Starry Nights}