"Keichiiiii.....Mooorisatooo...
Keiichiiieee....." The voice had slurred, like a drunkard. Uruz listened
intently to the recording shortly before she heard the *thud* of something heavy
hitting the floor, and the reciever back on the hook. She was intruiged.
Keiichi, she thought. Isn't that the famous
Morisato Keiichi I've heard so much about? Oh, it would be an honour to meet him
and Belldandy! Uruz grinned and giggled to herself. And she thought it was
unbelievable too. A single human, getting not one (rare enough), not two (rarer
still), but three wishes!? This was unheard of. Uruz had shortly
contacted the Boss soon after, and even He had almost not believed it. This
Keiichi fellow was fast becoming the luckiest being on this plane, or any other
plane, of existence.
But it was still Keiichi, the all
famous Morisato Keiichi. Keiichi, the man who had become, for a moment, the Lord
of Terror. Keiichi, the man who had a Goddess who loved him with all her might
and heart and had two other Goddesses living with him under the same roof.
Keiichi, the man who had done the impossible and moved the hearts of Gods and
Goddesses alike. She was young and inexperienced, but she was as excited as
anyone. Everyone knew about Morisato Keiichi. Some hated his guts, some admired
him, yet others were curious. Uruz belonged to the last two groups.
This one was going to be the best experience in a long
time, Uruz thought. Right now though, the cilent tracker was telling her Keiichi
was on the move, so it would be best to wait until he settled down more or less
somewhere for the moment. But Uruz knew his destination.
The Couple's Lodge.
She could wait. She could Always.
* * *
The day droned on into the evening. The bus finally came
up to the beachside, and by that time, Keiichi and Belldandy were the only
passengers left on the bus. The conductor gave them a curt bow as they alighted,
Keiichi carrying the only suitcase that was needed. (Belldandy, he knew all too
well, travelled light.)
"Enjoy yourselves!" The conductor
called out after them.
"We will!" They had both replied.
The eagerness in their voices betrayed them. The conductor smiled and that was
the end of a routine, albeit interesting day. He wouldn't forget this gaijin,
not by a long shot.
* * *
When the bus had reached its destination, Mara almost
didn't know it until the bus's brakes jolted her awake. Senbee was also asleep
by that time, although he didn't wake up. Mara grumbled as she undid her spell
and flew off the bus, with a snoring bottle in her hand.
"I'm going to make sure he wakes up real good." Mara muttered, still a little
groggy. And a groggy Mara wasn't a happy Mara.
* * *
They reached the base of the hill which the lodge rested
on top of just before nightfall. It wasn't all that bad too. From a distance,
Keiichi and Belldandy saw the cared for gardens, the meticulously swept paths.
The staircase they were walking on had begun just after a varnished wooden sign
with an arrow saying : "Couple's Lodge. Couples only. Single people looking for
partners can try the beach, that direction, a hundred meters away." Well, at
least the owners had a sense of humour. The stairs they were walking up on was
dark basalt, smooth and dew covered, a result of the light mist covering the
area, making it feel like the middle of a private forest retreat. In fact, they
were walking through a carefully planted grove which was there for just this
effect. Nearing the Lodge, they saw that the garden was cared for in such a way
as to provide the most privacy without promoting the sense of wild growth that
normally followed. A small copse of trees here with some tallish bushes, the
occasional flowering bush in between, with benches in those small private
spaces. Willows, bamboos, the ever-present mist, and other tall and short trees,
all slender and elegant in their own way, stood around them, their branches
bending down as if sheltering the place in a protective hug.
"We're here." Keiichi said, stating the obvious.
Belldandy nodded, obviously enjoying the scenery around them.
"Kiree...." (Kiree [Key-rei] = Beautiful, in this case)
Belldandy muttered, the only thing that came out of her mouth. It was almost
surreal, the feeling this place gave them. Like some old, sacred temple cared
for by some obscure group of Zen monks living in isolation in the mountains. It
was that quiet.
As they neared the entrance, which was a
simple wood and paper sliding door flanked by two stone lamps, a woman dressed
in a kimono greeted them from the genkan (porch). She was in her 60s, a medium
built woman whose wrinkles spoke more as a result of years spent doing menial
labour and smiling rather than ageing and other unpleasant aspects. She had
bouncy, silver hair tied up in a bun, with a mole just above her lips and two
observant eyes looking out at the vast world from between wrinkled lids. She was
slightly hunched, but it didn't show. She was smiling cordially at the
approaching couple.
"Irrashaimase, okyaku-sama!"
(Welcome, honoured guests!) The woman bowed deeply, and they bowed back. It was
hard to resist this old woman's impeccable manners, she made you feel
absolutely, vulgularly rude if you didn't treat her with respect.
"May I know if you already have a reservation?" She
asked. Keiichi nodded.
"Yes. I'm Morisato Keiichi, and
she is Belldandy. Reservation number 714." Keiichi nodded at Belldandy, who
bowed again at the lady.
"Thank you. This way please."
She turned, kneeled and opened the door for them, before
moving inside and waiting. Keiichi and Belldandy knew she was waiting for them
to pass her their footwear, so they did. She showed them to their room and told
them the layout of their room, where information could be found, so on and so
forth. She introduced herself as Noriko, their personal servant for their stay
here. Keeping their shoes in the small shoe rack near the room's entrance,
Noriko would inform them of dinner shortly. As soon as she left, Keiichi lay on
the floor and looked around the room from this perspective. Belldandy was
looking out a full-wall window, curtains drawn halfway and had a hand on the
glass.
"It is a lovely place, isn't it, Keiichi-san?"
Belldandy sounded dreamy. Maybe it seemed like a dream to the two of them. It
certainly did to Keiichi.
"Yeah...." Keiichi had to
agree, this place had atmosphere. He looked around.
The
room was bathed in soft orange light, provided by the many small electric lamps
placed around the room. They had a soft look to them, cloth shades and sunny
coloured swirling clay. The room itself looked soft, in light colours of cream
and light brown sandalwood, smoothened to look almost like sponge. There was
also that familiar smell of fragrant woods and a light potpourri somewhere in
the room, and a small fireplace in the corner. The room was
air-conditioned when needed of course, but the fireplace was still a comforting
place to see. The walls were padded with the cream coloured cloth, with strips
of wooden supports running down their lengths like a traditional Japanese house.
Spacious and occupied on one wall by the window which Belldandy was looking out
from, this place had only one word to it.
Cozy.
Keiichi hadn't felt this way in a while. Maybe it was the
light and the night combined together to provide the effect, maybe it was just
the feeling of being alone with Belldandy. Whatever it was, it felt good. And he
was glad too, Skuld hadn't protested. Much. Belldandy had turned from the window
and was looking at Keiichi with that same dreamy look.
"Keiichi-san..." Belldandy said.
"Hm? Yes?" Keiichi got
up into a sitting position as Belldandy walked up to him. She pulled him up and
brought him to the windows.
"Look outside." Belldandy
pointed to the scenery outside the window. It was mostly dark by now, but there
were white electric lamps along a deserted path winding through the garden that
ran outside their room. They had their own balcony and back gate too, which they
could choose to leave closed if they so wished. Then there were the stars above.
Bright, twinkling stars.
Hold on, Keiichi thought.
You don't see stars in Tokyo. It was too bright at night.
But it was different here. It felt different here.
"Do you see them?" Belldandy asked, pointing.
Keiichi nodded. He realized that she wanted him to go
star gazing with her. Well, that was just fine with him.... he took her hand as
they were about to stand.
*knock* *knock*
Well, that ruined the moment for them.
"Okyaku-sama?" called a voice from outside. It was
Noriko.
"Here." Keiichi replied. They could always go
star gazing later, after dinner.
"Dinner is ready. Would
you like it now?"
Keiichi looked at Belldandy. She
nodded. Keiichi walked up to the door.
"Yes, thank you
very much. Do come in." Keiichi opened the door.
Noriko
came in, dinner trolley in tow. Keiichi closed the door after her (which she
disapproved of, it was her job after all.) and followed her into the center of
the room. As she prepared their dinner in front of them, fresh sashimi, (Keiichi
was glad it was already prepared. Belldandy wouldn't have taken to watching
something die in front of her very well, even if it was for sustenance.)
she asked them about the lodging and such.
"Is everything
to your satisfaction?" Noriko asked. Both nodded. Noriko looked glad, at least.
"This was an old temple before it was converted into a
lodge. When most of the nuns who lived here decided to move elsewhere, they left
this temple abandoned. Our young employer bought the land and refurbished the
place, and although it is different now, the atmosphere is the same. He seems to
have good taste." Noriko seemed to take great pride in explaining the place to
them.
No wonder the place had the feel of their home
to it, Keiichi shared the thought with Belldandy. This place was a
temple, just like their own home. Noriko wasn't done with the story though,
as she prepared the sauces.
"We hope to provide the best
service possible for a limited number of rooms. There're only so many here, and
most of us have lived here for a long time."
Belldandy
didn't miss the hint. Keiichi did.
"Noriko-san,"
Belldandy started. "If this place was so beautiful, why abandon it?"
Noriko looked at them as she finished preparing their
dinner. Apparently, she had hoped someone would catch their clue. She smiled.
"Tokyo was expanding quickly, and development reached
even here. We may not be too far from the beach, but still, we hoped to be left
alone. This land was granted to us three generations ago by the Emperor then..."
There was that sense of nostalgia. Noriko looked like she was thinking back, but
she recovered quickly.
"But we shouldn't bother with
that. Even strict religion has to give way to youth sometime, right? Besides...
we're a bunch of hokey old nuns, we don't enjoy things like this often, cooped
up as we are. We'll leave it up to you young ones to enjoy life." Noriko flashed
them a grin, something genuine. Keiichi and Belldandy guessed the nuns didn't
mind leaving their temple or living in the new Lodge, as long as its grounds
weren't defiled and the intentions of its owner were good. But still, there was
a slight pain that could be felt.
Belldandy smiled at the
old nun turned servant, and thanked her. Noriko nodded, and shuffled out. But
somehow, Noriko couldn't get the feeling out of her head that she had just met
someone very, very special.
"Probably just my old age..."
Noriko muttered as she walked out. Belldandy didn't miss that too. She whispered
a soft blessing on the old nun.
* * *
Mara wasn't having a good day. She wasn't having a good
anything. As soon as she had stepped near the Couple's Lodge, she knew that the
place was holy ground.
And holy anything wasn't good for
her. She still remembered the last time she lost her memory after touching the
temple gate and then that cursed arrow. That had been a very ugly experience for
her. Who knows what she couldn't touch here? She had turned around in a huff
after finding out about the lodge's origins, cursing in the most descriptive
manner in about thirty different languages and dialects, not all of them from
Earth. Senbee had long woken up after the quick salt bath Mara gave him in the
sea. He was listening to her foul mood now in all explicitness, and he heard a
few choice curses even he didn't know. And he had heard a lot for all the
misfortune he caused people.
"So now where do we go?"
Senbee asked, hoping to get Mara out of her cursing mood before someone decided
to find out what her problem was. It wouldn't be pretty, Mara had no
compunctions about blowing humans away. Fortunately, she hadn't. Yet.
"Shaddup and lemme think." Mara grumbled. She had come
all the way to Tokyo beachside for a hot spring bath, this was the only place to
have one, and it was holy. She didn't believe her luck. Then she looked at
Senbee. The look turned into a glare.
"You didn't have
anything to do with my luck or my mood did you, Senbee?" Mara almost
mewed, a sweet threat that was anything but sweet. Fortunately, Mara didn't stay
angry too long, but Senbee was still terrified.
"No, missus! Senbee never do that!" Senbee was almost
frantic as Mara peered into the bottle, one malicious eye locked onto him.
Although I should've when you dipped me into the sea. Senbee thought.
Mara sighed.
"Well, I'll see if the springs are part of
the temple or not. I'm not gonna waste a trip here like that!" With that, Mara
floated off to find the most convenient source of steam.
"Senbee never win." He moaned.
* * *
"That was good! I'm done!" Keiichi said, as he finished
the last slice of fish. Downing a cup of tea, Keiichi noticed that Belldandy was
looking a little peturbed.
"Belldandy?" Keiichi asked.
"Hm? Oh, yes! Keiichi-san?" Belldandy suddenly snapped
back to reality. She looked like she was thinking of something.
"Is everything all right?" Keiichi asked, concerned.
"Yes." Belldandy wanted to say. But Keiichi looked like
he knew what she was going to say anyway. "Mara's here." Belldandy said. "I
could feel her." And Belldandy could see the colours rising out of Keiichi
almost immediately in his aura. (Red = anger, Blue = disappointment, etc.)
Keiichi wasn't very happy. He knew it. Mara always meant
trouble, before, during, or after she made herself known. And since she hadn't
made trouble before, it was either going to be during or after. Belldandy looked
worried.
"Look, Keiichi-san. Please don't let her
presence ruin our mood, please?" Belldandy was almost pleading. She had looked
forwards to this kind of vacation for a long time, she had known it had been in
her heart secretly for so long, but it never seemed to happen. She was beginning
to become desperate, but she had kept it in check. Fortunately, their short stay
here so far had helped immesurably.
Keiichi sighed. He
had to admit though. He had waited a long time for this vacation to happen, and
it was finally here. He wouldn't let Mara spoil it for him, not even if she
tried to wreck the place and kill him in the process. He knew she couldn't touch
it though. And Belldandy would rather die first than let Mara harm him, although
Keiichi wouldn't like it one bit.
He worked hard to push
thoughts on Mara to the back of his head, just for Belldandy's sake if no one
else's. He forced a smile.
"Sure.... if Mara's on holiday
like us now, we'd hate to be enemies."
Belldandy nodded.
"But this is holy ground. She's not going to like that. And her mood's not going
to be good for that reason."
Keiichi pondered. This was
probably the first time in human history a human would do something for a
demoness. It was also going to be last time, Keiichi hoped. He got an idea and
called for Noriko via a call-button. She arrived promptly.
"Yes, okyaku-sama?" Noriko asked in her usual congenial
manner.
"Please, just call me Keiichi." First things
first, Keiichi didn't like the sound of that title. It was too... formal for
someone like good, old Noriko.
"As you wish,
Keiichi-san." Noriko was also pretty relieved herself, she wasn't used to
calling people okyaku-sama.
"Is there any room in this
place that wasn't built on the original temple grounds?" Keiichi asked. He knew
it was a pretty damned weird question to ask, but he had to try.
Noriko thought for a while. She nodded.
"There's a private room that was built outside temple
grounds. It isn't occupied at the moment. Would you like to move there?" Noriko
thought it a strange question herself, but guests were guests. And this gaijin
girl... Belldandy? She had a most remarkable feel about her. Noriko almost felt
it like an aura. Something was going to happen.
"Not
really," Keiichi said. "But we have a...ah... some friends who might."
Noriko nodded. "I'll keep them reserved, if you like."
"That would be wonderful." Belldandy said. And smiled.
Well, that solved a lot of problems, Keiichi thought. And
Belldandy's happy again.
Noriko left the room just as
Belldandy stood to open the windows to the balcony. Keiichi followed, guessing
what she had in mind.
* * *
"Mara...." It had come as a pretty sudden shock to
her. Mara, floating around, looking for a good spot to stop at, was hearing
Belldandy call her mentally. That meant she was nearby. Mara hated it when this
happened. It would probably mean an end to her beloved R&R. But still, no
use running. Belldandy could track her down and settle whatever business there
was anyway.
"Coming, whatever it is, it had better be
good." Mara responded mentally, managing to fit in a good deal of irritation
with it. She followed the source to a small piece of ground just outside the
temple grounds. There was a small guesthouse nearby. At least Belldandy had been
considerate enough to meet somewhere where Mara could stand without being
"holied", as Mara disaffectionately put it. Mara also noticed Keiichi was
standing there with Belldandy. This was interesting.
"What is it?" Mara asked, as surly as her sour mood let her.
"We've found a room for you to stay in." Belldandy said
in good cheer. She was smiling as if Mara had come to pay her a friendly visit.
That took Mara off guard. Belldandy was normally cheery,
but this? She must've guessed Mara was on holiday. Just as well, but better to
be on guard.
"And who's going to pay for it?" Mara
almost-sneered. "You?" She pointed at Keiichi. Keiichi wasn't all that happy,
not after hearing Belldandy's plan on the way here. They'd share their room.
Belldandy didn't seem to mind much at the sudden intrusion, and the privacy
policy here didn't state that two couples couldn't share a room, it could be
partitioned easily. Belldandy explained it to Mara, and Senbee too. He was still
hiding in that bottle, and he hated the idea of Mara's expansion spell. He liked
the way he was, small. And Belldandy took the liberty to tell him he could
remain small, she and Keiichi would register their names for them.
Fine, everyone thought. At least we get our
rest, and we don't disturb each other. Keiichi knew Mara'd stay in her
springs until near midnight, Senbee would rather stay in his bottle, and
Belldandy and he could then stay together without fuss.
It could still work out, Keiichi hoped. Belldandy and Mara certainly seemed
pleased over the arrangement. Keiichi had hope once more.
"Done deal! We won't bother each other and we enjoy our holiday!" Mara said in
the end, and decided to knock the bottle to remind Senbee he had to agree too.
He did, in a bored voice.
{End of Chapter 4}
{Chapter
5 : Transmission/Disturbance}