Disclaimer: Ah! My Goddess! does not belong to me, but to someone else. I am writing this purely for fun and am making no profit off of it. In fact, I'm probably loosing money, as it takes up time I could be using to do something else that does earn money.
Based on Ah My Goddess! TV, season 2, episode 17.
The AMG TV series is based on the manga but several events take place differently, as does the order of events. In the preceding two episodes Marller split Urd into her goddess and demon halves. Skuld's invention manages to merge them both together but only in body. The two personalities are still split and Urd's souls balance is tipped, causing her demon side to begin to lose its memories and it will eventually disappear, leaving an Urd who is purely a goddess. They call Hild for help, with the episode ending pretty much as the story did in the manga.
This story attempt to answer the question;
What if Urd's soul had tipped towards her demon side instead, and it was her goddess half that was disappearing?
AN: This chapter is mostly a rewrite of the episode, with only minor changes due to the changed circumstances.
"A perfect demon will be born, with no trace of the divine," Demon Urd said.
"Do you really want that?" Goddess Urd asked.
"No," Demon Urd admitted. "I like me the way I am, half demon, and half goddess. Even I don't like me when I'm a pure demon. You balance me."
She paused for a moment as she realised just how confused those sentences were. But really, there was no non confusing way of saying something like that, especially when she was talking to herself (more or less).
"So what do we do?" Goddess Urd asked.
"We fix it."
"Is that true?" Skuld demanded. She, Belldandy, Keiichi and Marller were still sitting around the table where Urd had left them, as Belldandy explained what they had been seeing with Urd.
"Yes, at this rate goddess-Urd will completely disappear."
"No way…"
"Why should I care?" Mara demanded. "That's what I wanted, remember?"
"Because without her goddess side Urd wouldn't be Urd," Belldandy replied. "You saw how it was like when she was split. She won't be quite so unstable since she will incorporate some of the traits that were present only in her divine half, but she won't be the Urd we know either."
"Is there anyway?" Keiichi asked. "You said that Kami-sama had the power to help?"
Belldandy shook her head as Skuld began to sob. "Kami-sama can return Urd's separated personalities to their original state, but…" she replied.
"He will definitely take this opportunity to rewrite her programme to make her a pure goddess," Skuld finished.
"Nothing can be done then?" Keiichi asked glumly, looking down at the table.
"Have you guys already forgotten what I said?" Marller demanded, sounding slightly exasperated. The other three looked at her in surprise. "Frankly speaking I don't really want to do it but…"
"There is one way," Urd added from her stance in the doorway. She had arrived back in time to hear the end of their conversation.
"Urd," Keiichi said in surprise.
"As Marller said, there is one person," Demon Urd continued. "If we negotiate the person with power comparable to Kami-sama's might be willing."
"If it's that lady…" Mara said, sounding almost scared.
"That lady?" Keiichi asked.
"Daimakaicho, Hild." Urd told him.
The other's gasped in a mixture of surprise and fear as a shiver ran down their spines at the name. Sweat beaded on Mara's forehead as she suppressed a shudder. Staring down at the tabletop she looked more than a little frightened. In comparison Urd seemed unnaturally calm.
"This is our answer," goddess Urd concluded, as the two halves switched. "We don't want to forget, to become someone other than we are, half goddess, half demon. Am I disqualified as a goddess?"
"No," Belldandy said fondly, looking rather proud of her sister.
Urd smiled. "Then I'll make the call. But the price will be steep, I can tell you that now." She turned and walked down the hall, heading for the phone."
The others sat for a moment before standing and rushing for the door, peering out of the doorway and down the hall, to where Urd stood.
Urd sighed, plucking up her courage, and reached for the phone. "Okay," she muttered as she began to dial. The number was engraved in her mind, even though she had never used it before she couldn't help but remember it.
"Can she be called that easily?"
"I have no idea," Skuld admitted.
Marller just shivered. She wouldn't have dreamed of calling her boss herself but she was well aware of how anomalous it was for Urd to know the number.
"Why are you so nervous?" Skuld asked her.
"Sh…shut up!" Marller snapped. "You're lucky you don't know anything." Hild was unpredictable and terrifying.
The phone began to ring.
"Hello," Urd said when it was answered. "Yeah, it has been a long time. This is probably the first time I've called you."
"A friend?" Keiichi asked, hearing the surprisingly civil conversation.
"No, I don't think so. Maybe…" Belldandy said uncertainly.
"You know what happened right? Even though you're playing dumb, I know that you know."
She stopped suddenly, eyes widening. "H…hold on a second," she protested. "We have to prepare… Hello?" She lowered the phone, expression shocked.
"What's wrong?" Belldandy asked.
"She said she's coming now."
The other four gasped, drawing away.
"Daimakaicho-sama is coming so easily?!" Marller asked in amazement.
Urd put down the phone. "Well, yeah," she replied. "She is my mother after all."
Before anyone could recover enough to comment on Urd's revelation the sky above darkened with clouds and they jumped as lightning began to flash and wind to hurl. A lightning strike blasted apart the bell tower causing the ground to shake as a cloud of smoke billowed up. Skuld shrieked and clung on to Belldandy.
"Amazing," Belldandy breathed.
"She's here."
A whirlwind descended where the tower had once stood and when it faded a woman stood there. She looked remarkably like an older version of Urd, although Hild's skin was slightly darker and her red markings were star shaped. Even her pink and black outfit had the same basic design as Urd's with only the details differing. Her hairstyle was rather unique, however.
She stood there, smiling slightly.
"That's…Urd's…" Keiichi stammered.
The smiled widened. "Urd-chan!" Hild cried in a high excited voice, gathering Urd in a hug. "Long time no see!"
"Can't you appear more quietly?" Urd asked in a resigned tone of voice, not returning the hug.
Hild drew back slightly, to look into Urd's face. "I've already held back a lot," she pointed out. "Usually, a town like this would have been blown away."
"Is she really that powerful?" Keiichi asked as Skuld huddled closer to Belldandy.
"Yes," Belldandy admitted quietly. "The things she's wearing on her hair and arms are probably all seals."
They glanced at the head piece, the baubles on the ends of her hair, the thick cuff-like bracelets around her wrists.
"If that's the case," Belldandy continued. "Her real power is…"
Hild's voice interrupted her. "You're Belldandy?" She walked towards them as Belldandy looked up to face her and Skuld grasped her sister's waist tighter still. "And you're Skuld?"
"Hai."
Hild took hold of Skuld, tilting her face towards her. And instant later a shocked Skuld was nearly smothered by her hug. "You look just like him!" Hild gushed.
Hild, nee-san's mother, Belldandy thought.
Is she really the boss of Hell? Skuld wondered as Hild released her.
"It's nice to meet you, Hild," Belldandy said smiling.
Hild completely ignored her in favour of glomping onto Keiichi. "You're Morisato Keiichi-kun, right?"
"Eh, e…erm, I say…" Keiichi stuttered.
"The part about not listening is just the same," commented Skuld to her oldest sister.
"Nah, I'm not that bad," replied Urd.
"How cute." Hild added. "I like boys like you."
Urd wondered how she'd gotten into a situation where her mother was coming onto her sister's boyfriend.
"I wonder what kind of desires are swirling in those honest eyed of yours?" Hild chuckled darkly. "I want to see."
Keiichi managed to pull out of her grip, eyes wide and looking like a deer caught in the headlights.
"So," Hild demanded, suddenly all business as she turned back to Urd. "Let me hear the details."
She then turned towards the temple entrance. "Oh yeah, you shouldn't run away, Ma-chan."
Marller froze and turned to face her boss. "N…no, Hild-sama. I'm not running away or anything."
Hild smirked.
"Hmmm," Hild said, from her position of floating in thin air in front of the table that the others had gathered around. "The composition of divinity and devilishness, eh? Even though it's possible, it'll be troublesome. Since this is a good chance, how about choosing a side?"
"I don't plan on doing that," replied Urd calmly as all eyes turned towards her. "Being half-goddess-half-demon is my true self."
"I can return you to normal, but would you come back to Nifelheim after that?" Hild asked.
Her sisters and Keiichi gasped in shock but Urd seemed more irritated than shocked. "I knew you would say that. But even though I'm half-goddess-half-demon I belong in Asgard."
Belldandy smiled in pride as Skuld looked amazed and Hild and Urd got into a staring match.
"Are you even in a position to set conditions?" Skuld demanded as Hild looked at her in curiosity. "That weird thing from Nifelheim was the cause of all this. It's your…"
"My blunder?" Hild asked dangerously, her eyes narrowing. Skuld flinched as Hild's eyes began to glow red. "Even if that item did come from Nifelheim, is there a problem? As long as the conflict between gods and demons doesn't involve deaths, everything is permissible, so we won't be held responsible at all. I could easily that the current situation is your responsibility because you tried to reunite Urd-chan's two halves with you inexperienced skills, Skuld-chan."
Skuld cried out in horror as beside her Urd had her eyes closed in resignation. She should have known that this would happen.
"Since my cute daughter requested it I thought it would have been fine if you had accepted my condition."
"Could you stop bullying my little sister?" Urd asked as Skuld seemed near to tears.
As expected from Daimakaicho, Belldandy thought. Just a stare by her freezes you.
"Well, Urd-chan? Do you accept?" Hild asked as Skuld began to cry in earnest.
"I already told you…"
Hild's expression darkened. "This isn't a choice, Urd-chan," she said harshly. "If you don't agree to come I won't help, and you become a full demon anyway. Either way, I win."
"Isn't there anything else…?" Belldandy asked.
"You have nothing else that I want."
"Three months," Urd bargained after a moment's thought, realising that Hild wasn't going to budge on her price. Her mother was right, either way she became a demon. At least this way she retained some of her goddess side. "You give me three months to get things in order after this is sorted, and then I come."
Hild smiled slightly. Having won what she wanted she could afford to be magnanimous. "Three months," she agreed, "Or the first time you use demonic magic, whichever comes first. And you call me Oka-san."
"What?" Urd blinked in surprise, the last condition having come out of nowhere.
"We're on the same side now, after all."
Urd sighed, not willing to argue. "Very well, Oka-san."
Hild smiled, the threatening demeanour once again hidden behind a whimsical mask. "Well, let's finish this." She slit open the palm of her hand with one nail, and held it out towards Urd.
"Nee-san," Belldandy said softly. "We can find another way."
Urd shook her head. "We already know what Kami-sama would say, and she's the only other one with the power to help. This is the only way I can remain as I am." She cut her own palm, and reached out to take Hild's hand. "Agreed."
There was a flash of dark light around their joined hands and when they drew them back the cuts were gone and in the centre of Urd's palm was a tiny red six pointed star.
"Witnessed," Marller said shakily, speaking for the first time since they had come inside.
"How do we know you'll keep your word?" Keiichi asked suspiciously.
"It's a contract," Urd said hastily, before Hild could reply. "The blood bond is extra security between demons, a method of enforcement, but the one thing that goddesses and demons have most in common is that they always fulfil their contracts. The only difference is the price."
"Come. Let us finish this," Hild said briskly before any more protests were raised.
"Can we trust her?" Keiichi asked Belldandy as they made their way outside.
"I think so," Belldandy replied. "As Urd said, demons are strict about contracts, and besides…"
"Bell-chan," Hild called out, beckoning Belldandy over. "Come here for a moment."
"Hai. What is it?"
"That Keiichi-kun isn't bad. There aren't many who'll stand up to us, even if it is out of ignorance. Give him to me?" she added pleadingly.
"No. You already have my sister."
"You really are just like him," Hild said, looking down at Belldandy's smiling face. "That's the part I hated most about him."
"Urd, are you alright?" Skuld asked her sister as the pair stood in the yard waiting. Urd was staring into the distance while Marller shivered beside her.
"Fine," Urd said softly. "I half expected this."
"I'm sorry," Skuld wailed. "This is all my fault."
"No," Urd corrected. "You did your best Skuld. No one can ask any more."
"Well, let's get started," Hild told them. A complex design etched itself on the ground around her, the lines filled with demonic script. Hild smiled as the light faded.
Urd frowned. It was frustrating to see such a complex working created with such ease, but it was only to be expected from the Daimakaicho. Although she was inwardly furious at being forced into such a position she couldn't deny the fact that such effortless power and control was impressive. Not that she'd ever admit it out loud. She had some pride left.
"You shouldn't act so surprised," Hild called out. "I need you to work with me from here onwards."
"Work with you?" Urd asked, surprised.
"Are you telling me to chant all 512 verses by myself?" Hild asked. "You have to help me with the goddess parts."
Urd looked at her in shock. After just getting her to agree to become a demon?
"Don't tell me you can't do it?" Hild demanded dramatically, flying forward to hover just in front of Urd, hand held in front of her mouth in mock horror. "You, the daughter of me, Daimakaicho, can't even help in singing the goddess part…" she wailed. "Ah, Kami-sama…"
Urd sighed. "Okay, I'll do it, just stop that."
Instantly Hild fell silent as Urd stretched out an arm and transformed her clothes into her goddess outfit. To either side of her Skuld and Belldandy did the same.
"Let us help you, Nee-san," Belldandy told her.
"You two…"
Hild suppressed a fond smile at her daughter's expression. "Well then, let's give it a try."
The wind began to blow and the porch light flicked out as the three goddesses and the Daimakaicho got into position.
Hild began to sing, a deep chant, as she glowed slightly with power. A moment later Urd joined in, her goddess side in control, her voice nearly indistinguishable from her mother's.
Good, that's more like it, Hild thought as she felt Urd's song balance hers. This had been a profitable day, to finally reign in her wayward daughter, but both Urd's bargaining abilities and the power she now showed made her proud. Perhaps she should up the ante a little, see what the girl was really capable of.
She felt the exact moment that Urd began to falter, which was later than she expected. Urd was indeed her child, it seemed.
I can't keep up the goddess part, Urd thought desperately, as the pressure of her mother's power increased.
Then a first a third and then a fourth voice joined in, both of them higher pitched than hers but weaving in to support it. Belldandy and Skuld, smiling slightly as they joined their power to her own.
It's worth singing with them, Hild thought as lines of code began to spiral around Urd. All three of them had impressed her today.
Urd's eyes remained closed but Belldandy, Skuld and Keiichi watched in amazement as light spread out from the circle to engulf the neighbourhood. The song finished as the light faded.
"Welcome back, my self," Urd said softly.
Hild smiled at her. "I will see you soon, daughter."
"I know," Urd replied as Hild stretched her hand up into the air, calling down a whirlwind to take her away.
"Three months, Urd-chan," she just before she vanished in a flash of light, the clouds disappearing with her.
"Three months," Urd repeated. It was far too short a time as far as she was concerned, but a deal was a deal, and she was lucky to get that much.
Her sisters and Keiichi looked at her sympathetically, while Marller emerged from her hiding place behind Keiichi, a smirk replacing her scared expression. "Well, looks like you'll be joining me soon, Urd-chan."
Urd scowled, lightning forming around her fist. "Get out of here Marller."
The Demoness First Class Unlimited grinned and fled. "I'll enjoy working with you!" she called out just before she left hearing range.
Urd scowled as she realised that Marller had deliberately waited until she was out of attack range to say that.
AN: Please, read and review. I have a feeling that the dialogue is a bit messed up and would appreciate it if you would tell me where. Also, suggestions for a better summary would be welcome.
See ya!
Star