(With kind permission of Ordo.)
======================================================
Urd's fingers danced across the keys of Yggdrasil's operating system as she made sure the damage caused by the latest threat to the world was undone. She winced occasionally as her younger sister, Skuld, slammed her debugging hammer into things. For her part, Skuld was grimacing as the bug she was trying to neutralise kept jinking out of the way at the last moment. It probably didn't help that her mind's eye kept replacing it with the face of Keiichi Morisato. Urd looked up as she heard a knock from the entrance. She turned to face the door, and gaped in surprise. "Well, I never... Baldr!" she exclaimed.
"Hi, Urd, long time no see." the white-haired God replied. He walked in, carrying a steaming cup of milky tea in one hand, and a file folder in the other. His gentle face creased up into a smile as Skuld gasped, then ran over and hugged him. "Good to see you as well, Skuld." he laughed.
"How's it you're up and about, Baldr? I mean, after what..." Urd started, before he interrupted.
"It's a long, complex, and boring story, Urd. Sufficed to say, though, I am back, and indeed on the clock now. The Almighty one himself gave me this job, to get me back in the game..." he replied. He leaned against the terminal, and began to read aloud.
"A right humdinger, this'un, too. Mutsumi Otohime..." He began to read out the file, before wincing suddenly. "Great Scott... She's under a Class 4 and two Class 6 geas. How'd that... Ahhh, now I understand.."
Urd sat back down and looked at Baldr. "Tokyo U Promise." Baldr explained. "She promised one Naru Narusegawa and a Keitaro Urashima, that all three of them would enter Tokyo University together. That's the two Class 6s. The Class 4 looks like a... Oh, for the... A game of Jan-ken-pon between her and Naru over who would get to marry this Keitaro. Mutsumi lost." he explained. Looking further on through the file, he blanched, and handed over the relevant sections. "Who's working as her Guardian, do you know? They must be rushed off their feet, if this is right..."
Urd shrugged, and handed the files back. "And she's your first, is she?"
"Yes; first time I've actually worked with GRO, this. Oh, that reminds me, how's Belldandy these days?" he asked.
Urd grinned. "Oh, you don't know, do you? She fell in love with a mortal named Keiichi Morisato a few years ago; in fact, she's on her honeymoon with him right now..." Baldr looked over to Skuld, who had shouted something and once again missed the bug. Looking back at Urd, Baldr watched her as she shrugged.
"Some of us are taking it better than others..."
"No kidding." Baldr said dryly, before taking a sip of his tea. "So, what about yourself, Urd? I hear you had a problem a while back about your.... your unique heritage." he said delicately. Urd frowned and shook her head.
"It's a touchy subject, Baldr." Baldr nodded, and dropped the subject. The next few minutes were spent in awkward silence, before the telephone rang. "Show time..." Urd said to Baldr.
He picked up the phone and began the customary greeting in a slightly sing-song voice. "Hello, and thank you for calling the Goddess Helpline. One of our representatives shall be along shortly for a consultation." he paused, then said more normally. "If you've got a biggish book, could you place it so that there's a reasonable amount of space around it, please? Thank you." He put the phone down and nodded to Urd. "Here I go. Wish me luck."
"I will." Urd said, as Baldr opened a portal and stepped through, changing into his 'God' clothes as he went.
======================================================
As the sun set over Hinata City, at the Hinata-sou, a former hot springs resort turned all-female dormitory, several people all looked out of their rooms over the sea. In the minds of each, the days events were replayed, but with them in the main. Mitsune Konno, Motoko Aoyama, Shinobu Maehara, and Kanako Urashima held back their tears as they watched the man they had all grown to love over five years leave on his honeymoon with one of their number; Naru Narusegawa, a Tokyo U student, and apparent 'Promise Girl' of Keitaro Urashima's memories.
In the manager's room, though, one woman was taking it harder than the others. Mutsumi Otohime, the oldest of Keitaro's friends, gently wept into her sake glass as she remembered all the times, the highs and lows, the chances that had slipped through her fingers, and so much more; now Keitaro, the man she'd loved for nearly 20 years, was married, and not to her...
A gentle touch on her shoulder, and a sympathetic "Myuh" drew her attention to Tama-chan, the flying hot springs turtle that had become a sort of mascot of the Hinata-sou. Sniffing gently, Mutsumi put on one of her normal, slightly ditsy, smiles. "Ara, don't worry Tama. I'll get over it, sooner or later..." She turned to look out the window, but her stomach chose that moment to make itself known. Mutsumi covered her mouth as she blushed, and giggled slightly. "Oh my... I really should have something to eat, before I faint again." She pulled out a cellphone she had bought soon after entering Tokyo U, and began to dial a beef bowl restaurant in town. "Hello, I'd like to..." she trailed off as a bizarre message reached her ears.
"Hello, and thank you for calling the Goddess Helpline. One of our representatives shall be along shortly for a consultation. If you've got a biggish book, could you place it so that there's a reasonable amount of space around it, please? Thank you." The voice on the end of the line had spoken in English, of all things, and it was a man...
She dropped her mobile in shock, as one of Keitaro's Tokyo U textbooks began to glow with a soft blue light, and levitated off the desk beside her. The pages flipped open, and the light grew in intensity. Tama-chan hid behind Mutsumi with a frightened sounding "Myuh!", while Mutsumi herself shrank back and covered her eyes. There were several thumps, a yelp, and the sound of falling books. Cautiously, Mutsumi peeked.
There, before her very eyes, was a young man with shoulder-length snow-white hair, half-buried under a pile of books. He was dressed in a pale-blue robe that was edged with gold, and strangely, had three blue circles on his face; one on his forehead, and one over both his cheekbones. He sat up, and rubbed the back of his head, in a manner that reminded Mutsumi very much of Keitaro, wincing as he felt the bump forming.
"Ow... Well, that could have gone a bit smoother..." he said, before climbing out of the book pile. "Sorry about causing this mess, Miss Mutsumi Otohime, but it's my first day, and I'm still learning the ropes..." He dusted himself off, stretched his shoulders out, and gave her a friendly smile.
"Oh, where are my manners? Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Baldr, God First Class, Second Category, Unlimited Licence, and I'm here to help you achieve your hearts' greatest desire." he introduced himself, bowing.
"Ara...?" Mutsumi exclaimed softly. Tama chirped in agreement.
"Yes, Miss Mutsumi Otohime. I've been sent down from Heaven, through that textbook over there, if you were wondering, to grant you a wish. You see, Miss Mutsumi Oto- Look, may I call you Miss Otohime? Thank you." he said, when Mutsumi assented.
Baldr began again. "You see, Miss Otohime, you've stored up a staggering amount of karma over your life, through a combination of the innumerable misfortunes you have withstood, and your kind, giving nature. Therefore, it's been decided that you are more than worthy enough to receive the Grace of Heaven." Baldr raised his right index finger. "You only get one wish though, so think it over, make sure it's a good one."
Mutsumi blinked, and stood to look out the window. Her mind was running faster than a Bullet Train. There were so many things she could wish for. The very first thing that came to mind was, 'I could wish that Kei-kun was mine!' This thought was just as quickly squashed, as she realised that she'd be making Naru sad for her own selfish reasons. She picked up her glass, and sipped down some more sake. Turning around, she watched as he began to tidy the room. 'So much like Kei-kun...' she thought idly to herself. With that innocent thought, wheels began to spin in her mind.
======================================================
Back up in Heaven, Urd was monitoring the situation, a process that had been instituted shortly after Keiichi had made his wish. She was starting to worry, as a familiar pattern began to form... Meantime, Skuld was grinning in triumph. She'd cornered the bug and was ready to smash it to smithereens.
======================================================
"Um... Baldr-sama... I think I'm ready to make my wish now..." Mutsumi said softly, as Baldr pushed the last book back onto the shelf. The white-haired God looked up, and smiled.
"Oh? What is it, then?" he asked. Mutsumi took a deep breath, hiccoughed once, and spoke her wish.
"I.... I'd like it if a... if a God like you, could be by my side forever..."
The circles on Baldr's face glowed, and he rose into the air, spinning slowly as things began to spin around the room...
======================================================
Skuld slammed her mallet down on the bug, decompiling it, but then, to her horror, she saw that the bug had corrupted a file. All hell, figuratively speaking, broke loose.
======================================================
A beam of energy shot from the circle on Baldr's forehead, blasting straight up through Naru's floor, and the roof. It faded after a moment, and he whispered "Wish... Granted..."
Suddenly, he doubled over in pain, sweat dripping from his forehead. Mutsumi reached out to comfort him, but he suddenly stretched, vibrated like a rubber band, then vanished with a *Boing!*...
======================================================
Up in Heaven, Urd and Skuld were arguing loudly over who was at fault in this almighty screwup, which had set off alarms all over the place, when a figure entered the room. When both Norns spotted him, they gulped and bowed hastily. "A-A-Almighty One!" Urd said.
"Now then, what's going on here? Has something happened?" spoke Odin, High-Father of the Gods, amongst other titles.
Haltingly, the two Goddesses filled him in on the problem. When they'd finished, Odin stroked his beard.
"This is a very serious matter. Are you certain that you can not trace Baldr?" Urd and Skuld shook their heads.
"It's like he's vanished from the timeline. And not just from the now; we're reading disruptions in the timeline reaching back as far as the 1980's, on the Earth calendar."
"I see. If I recall, he was working on a wish for someone, was he not? Perhaps if we examine that person, we shall find the truth..." With that, Odin walked over to the System Administrator's chair, and sat down. Flexing his fingers, as it had been a very long time since he'd helped create the whole Yggdrasil system, he began to run a full systems diagnostic. He frowned as he scrolled back the files on Mutsumi Otohime, until he choked back an exclamation of surprise.
"By my Beard!"
Urd and Skuld looked over Odin's shoulder, and stared as well. It was a video file, showing 6-year old Mutsumi playing in a playground. After a few moments, a little boy joined her. Skuld gasped, as she looked at the little boy through her debugging glasses. "Is that...?"
"Yes. Baldr has had his powers sealed, and memories suppressed. To what end, I do not know. None the less, we now know why this 'Keitaro Urashima' hasn't appeared on our files before..." The Almighty said, stroking his beard in thought. He then tapped out some more commands, and then, he actually frowned.
"Someone has tampered with the wish. Who would have... Senbee..." he said softly. "Senbee corrupted the file, to break Miss Otohime's heart..." Odin rose from the seat, and strode out, muttering softly under his breath. A few minutes later, the call went out around Heaven.
"Lind. Come to my office immediately, I have need of you. So sayest I." At the same time, he picked up the phone on his desk, and dialed the Takiri Hongan Temple. After a few moments, the phone was picked up.
"Moshi Moshi, Morisato Residence."
"Megumi Morisato? It is I. I am seeking Peorth..."
======================================================
Down on Earth, Megumi squeaked in fright, as Keiichi's father-in-law's voice boomed impressively from the receiver. "O-okay, I'll go fetch her..." she said, before haring off.
======================================================
Within twenty human minutes (the merest blink of an eye to a God), Peorth and Lind stood in front of the Almighty Ones' desk, as he looked out the window with his hands behind him.
"I have just been in communication with the Daimakaich. According to her, Senbee has gone out of control, and has been attempting to create misery all over Midgard so as to increase his personal happiness..." Odin paused, and looked at a picture on one of the walls.
"As of now, I can only see one solution to this problem... We must release him from his bonds..."
Lind narrowed her eyes. The Almighty One couldn't mean...him, could he?
"Come with me, we have little time to waste." Odin said, and waved his hand at the door. It glowed a shining white as the three Gods walked though it.
======================================================
Footsteps echoed down the corridor, before stopping outside what appeared to be a cell. Gazing in, Odin saw a haggard looking figure sitting on the floor of the cell, evidently in the middle of performing some sort of exercise. The figure looked up, revealing a wild, shaggy growth of facial hair. Unless you looked carefully, you would have missed seeing the man's eyes, which sparkled with a shrewd cunning.
"Long time no see, brother..." he chuckled harshly, before coughing. It seemed like he hadn't spoken in a long, long time.
"Indeed, brother. Not since the day that you were sentenced for nearly killing Baldr." Odin said grimly. "He has since recovered, but..." Odin stopped, and waved his hand. Peorth and Lind called forth their Angels, and began to focus their powers.
"Consider this... an early parole, for good behaviour." Odin said, as the cell melted away from around the man. "I have a task for you; one eminently suited for your special skills. Think of it, as your one chance to redeem yourself, in the eyes of your fellow Gods."
The man smirked, and nodded. "Alright, tell me more."
"Baldr has been sealed ito a mortal shell, and bound by a wish. You are to see that he has his memories unsealed, and that the contract is fulfilled. Do you understand, Loki?"
Loki smirked, then chuckled. "You got yourself a deal, bro."
Odin nodded, and waved his hand. The surroundings melted away....
======================================================
Odin, Peorth, and Lind watched as Loki, now somewhat cleaner and better dressed, stepped into the portal that Chrono had rigged up. As the Trickster vanished, Odin sighed.
"Now all we can do is wait and hope. I hope that we were right in sending him..."
======================================================
August, 1998
Hinata City, Kanagawa.
Loki appeared in an alley not far from the Hinata-sou, looking around, he frowned as a mist rolled in around him, before dying away to reveal the Town Council.
Loki was not fooled though. These were Gods, just like him. He bowed. "Forgive this one for intruding on your domain, venerable ones, but I am here to set right a wrong many years in the making."
"The path of Destiny, even a wrong one, is hard to shift-
He will fight you, despite not knowing his true self-
When the time is right, we shall help you..."
The old men disappeared, leaving Loki alone. He looked around, and shrugged.
"Well, better slip into something more appropriate." He sat down, and began to meditate, sorting through his choices.
"No... Too old... Too young... Might be suspicious... Ah-HA!" he said, choosing the appearence of a young black haired Asian woman with silvery-grey eyes, dressed in a non-descript skirt and blouse. Pulling an identification card from her jacket, she selected a name. "Miyuki Kazami." she said, tapping it with her hand.The newly named Miyuki grinned, and headed towards the sou.
This was going to be Fun......
======================================================
Urd's fingers danced across the keys of Yggdrasil's operating system as she made sure the damage caused by the latest threat to the world was undone. She winced occasionally as her younger sister, Skuld, slammed her debugging hammer into things. For her part, Skuld was grimacing as the bug she was trying to neutralise kept jinking out of the way at the last moment. It probably didn't help that her mind's eye kept replacing it with the face of Keiichi Morisato. Urd looked up as she heard a knock from the entrance. She turned to face the door, and gaped in surprise. "Well, I never... Baldr!" she exclaimed.
"Hi, Urd, long time no see." the white-haired God replied. He walked in, carrying a steaming cup of milky tea in one hand, and a file folder in the other. His gentle face creased up into a smile as Skuld gasped, then ran over and hugged him. "Good to see you as well, Skuld." he laughed.
"How's it you're up and about, Baldr? I mean, after what..." Urd started, before he interrupted.
"It's a long, complex, and boring story, Urd. Sufficed to say, though, I am back, and indeed on the clock now. The Almighty one himself gave me this job, to get me back in the game..." he replied. He leaned against the terminal, and began to read aloud.
"A right humdinger, this'un, too. Mutsumi Otohime..." He began to read out the file, before wincing suddenly. "Great Scott... She's under a Class 4 and two Class 6 geas. How'd that... Ahhh, now I understand.."
Urd sat back down and looked at Baldr. "Tokyo U Promise." Baldr explained. "She promised one Naru Narusegawa and a Keitaro Urashima, that all three of them would enter Tokyo University together. That's the two Class 6s. The Class 4 looks like a... Oh, for the... A game of Jan-ken-pon between her and Naru over who would get to marry this Keitaro. Mutsumi lost." he explained. Looking further on through the file, he blanched, and handed over the relevant sections. "Who's working as her Guardian, do you know? They must be rushed off their feet, if this is right..."
Urd shrugged, and handed the files back. "And she's your first, is she?"
"Yes; first time I've actually worked with GRO, this. Oh, that reminds me, how's Belldandy these days?" he asked.
Urd grinned. "Oh, you don't know, do you? She fell in love with a mortal named Keiichi Morisato a few years ago; in fact, she's on her honeymoon with him right now..." Baldr looked over to Skuld, who had shouted something and once again missed the bug. Looking back at Urd, Baldr watched her as she shrugged.
"Some of us are taking it better than others..."
"No kidding." Baldr said dryly, before taking a sip of his tea. "So, what about yourself, Urd? I hear you had a problem a while back about your.... your unique heritage." he said delicately. Urd frowned and shook her head.
"It's a touchy subject, Baldr." Baldr nodded, and dropped the subject. The next few minutes were spent in awkward silence, before the telephone rang. "Show time..." Urd said to Baldr.
He picked up the phone and began the customary greeting in a slightly sing-song voice. "Hello, and thank you for calling the Goddess Helpline. One of our representatives shall be along shortly for a consultation." he paused, then said more normally. "If you've got a biggish book, could you place it so that there's a reasonable amount of space around it, please? Thank you." He put the phone down and nodded to Urd. "Here I go. Wish me luck."
"I will." Urd said, as Baldr opened a portal and stepped through, changing into his 'God' clothes as he went.
======================================================
As the sun set over Hinata City, at the Hinata-sou, a former hot springs resort turned all-female dormitory, several people all looked out of their rooms over the sea. In the minds of each, the days events were replayed, but with them in the main. Mitsune Konno, Motoko Aoyama, Shinobu Maehara, and Kanako Urashima held back their tears as they watched the man they had all grown to love over five years leave on his honeymoon with one of their number; Naru Narusegawa, a Tokyo U student, and apparent 'Promise Girl' of Keitaro Urashima's memories.
In the manager's room, though, one woman was taking it harder than the others. Mutsumi Otohime, the oldest of Keitaro's friends, gently wept into her sake glass as she remembered all the times, the highs and lows, the chances that had slipped through her fingers, and so much more; now Keitaro, the man she'd loved for nearly 20 years, was married, and not to her...
A gentle touch on her shoulder, and a sympathetic "Myuh" drew her attention to Tama-chan, the flying hot springs turtle that had become a sort of mascot of the Hinata-sou. Sniffing gently, Mutsumi put on one of her normal, slightly ditsy, smiles. "Ara, don't worry Tama. I'll get over it, sooner or later..." She turned to look out the window, but her stomach chose that moment to make itself known. Mutsumi covered her mouth as she blushed, and giggled slightly. "Oh my... I really should have something to eat, before I faint again." She pulled out a cellphone she had bought soon after entering Tokyo U, and began to dial a beef bowl restaurant in town. "Hello, I'd like to..." she trailed off as a bizarre message reached her ears.
"Hello, and thank you for calling the Goddess Helpline. One of our representatives shall be along shortly for a consultation. If you've got a biggish book, could you place it so that there's a reasonable amount of space around it, please? Thank you." The voice on the end of the line had spoken in English, of all things, and it was a man...
She dropped her mobile in shock, as one of Keitaro's Tokyo U textbooks began to glow with a soft blue light, and levitated off the desk beside her. The pages flipped open, and the light grew in intensity. Tama-chan hid behind Mutsumi with a frightened sounding "Myuh!", while Mutsumi herself shrank back and covered her eyes. There were several thumps, a yelp, and the sound of falling books. Cautiously, Mutsumi peeked.
There, before her very eyes, was a young man with shoulder-length snow-white hair, half-buried under a pile of books. He was dressed in a pale-blue robe that was edged with gold, and strangely, had three blue circles on his face; one on his forehead, and one over both his cheekbones. He sat up, and rubbed the back of his head, in a manner that reminded Mutsumi very much of Keitaro, wincing as he felt the bump forming.
"Ow... Well, that could have gone a bit smoother..." he said, before climbing out of the book pile. "Sorry about causing this mess, Miss Mutsumi Otohime, but it's my first day, and I'm still learning the ropes..." He dusted himself off, stretched his shoulders out, and gave her a friendly smile.
"Oh, where are my manners? Please allow me to introduce myself. I am Baldr, God First Class, Second Category, Unlimited Licence, and I'm here to help you achieve your hearts' greatest desire." he introduced himself, bowing.
"Ara...?" Mutsumi exclaimed softly. Tama chirped in agreement.
"Yes, Miss Mutsumi Otohime. I've been sent down from Heaven, through that textbook over there, if you were wondering, to grant you a wish. You see, Miss Mutsumi Oto- Look, may I call you Miss Otohime? Thank you." he said, when Mutsumi assented.
Baldr began again. "You see, Miss Otohime, you've stored up a staggering amount of karma over your life, through a combination of the innumerable misfortunes you have withstood, and your kind, giving nature. Therefore, it's been decided that you are more than worthy enough to receive the Grace of Heaven." Baldr raised his right index finger. "You only get one wish though, so think it over, make sure it's a good one."
Mutsumi blinked, and stood to look out the window. Her mind was running faster than a Bullet Train. There were so many things she could wish for. The very first thing that came to mind was, 'I could wish that Kei-kun was mine!' This thought was just as quickly squashed, as she realised that she'd be making Naru sad for her own selfish reasons. She picked up her glass, and sipped down some more sake. Turning around, she watched as he began to tidy the room. 'So much like Kei-kun...' she thought idly to herself. With that innocent thought, wheels began to spin in her mind.
======================================================
Back up in Heaven, Urd was monitoring the situation, a process that had been instituted shortly after Keiichi had made his wish. She was starting to worry, as a familiar pattern began to form... Meantime, Skuld was grinning in triumph. She'd cornered the bug and was ready to smash it to smithereens.
======================================================
"Um... Baldr-sama... I think I'm ready to make my wish now..." Mutsumi said softly, as Baldr pushed the last book back onto the shelf. The white-haired God looked up, and smiled.
"Oh? What is it, then?" he asked. Mutsumi took a deep breath, hiccoughed once, and spoke her wish.
"I.... I'd like it if a... if a God like you, could be by my side forever..."
The circles on Baldr's face glowed, and he rose into the air, spinning slowly as things began to spin around the room...
======================================================
Skuld slammed her mallet down on the bug, decompiling it, but then, to her horror, she saw that the bug had corrupted a file. All hell, figuratively speaking, broke loose.
======================================================
A beam of energy shot from the circle on Baldr's forehead, blasting straight up through Naru's floor, and the roof. It faded after a moment, and he whispered "Wish... Granted..."
Suddenly, he doubled over in pain, sweat dripping from his forehead. Mutsumi reached out to comfort him, but he suddenly stretched, vibrated like a rubber band, then vanished with a *Boing!*...
======================================================
Up in Heaven, Urd and Skuld were arguing loudly over who was at fault in this almighty screwup, which had set off alarms all over the place, when a figure entered the room. When both Norns spotted him, they gulped and bowed hastily. "A-A-Almighty One!" Urd said.
"Now then, what's going on here? Has something happened?" spoke Odin, High-Father of the Gods, amongst other titles.
Haltingly, the two Goddesses filled him in on the problem. When they'd finished, Odin stroked his beard.
"This is a very serious matter. Are you certain that you can not trace Baldr?" Urd and Skuld shook their heads.
"It's like he's vanished from the timeline. And not just from the now; we're reading disruptions in the timeline reaching back as far as the 1980's, on the Earth calendar."
"I see. If I recall, he was working on a wish for someone, was he not? Perhaps if we examine that person, we shall find the truth..." With that, Odin walked over to the System Administrator's chair, and sat down. Flexing his fingers, as it had been a very long time since he'd helped create the whole Yggdrasil system, he began to run a full systems diagnostic. He frowned as he scrolled back the files on Mutsumi Otohime, until he choked back an exclamation of surprise.
"By my Beard!"
Urd and Skuld looked over Odin's shoulder, and stared as well. It was a video file, showing 6-year old Mutsumi playing in a playground. After a few moments, a little boy joined her. Skuld gasped, as she looked at the little boy through her debugging glasses. "Is that...?"
"Yes. Baldr has had his powers sealed, and memories suppressed. To what end, I do not know. None the less, we now know why this 'Keitaro Urashima' hasn't appeared on our files before..." The Almighty said, stroking his beard in thought. He then tapped out some more commands, and then, he actually frowned.
"Someone has tampered with the wish. Who would have... Senbee..." he said softly. "Senbee corrupted the file, to break Miss Otohime's heart..." Odin rose from the seat, and strode out, muttering softly under his breath. A few minutes later, the call went out around Heaven.
"Lind. Come to my office immediately, I have need of you. So sayest I." At the same time, he picked up the phone on his desk, and dialed the Takiri Hongan Temple. After a few moments, the phone was picked up.
"Moshi Moshi, Morisato Residence."
"Megumi Morisato? It is I. I am seeking Peorth..."
======================================================
Down on Earth, Megumi squeaked in fright, as Keiichi's father-in-law's voice boomed impressively from the receiver. "O-okay, I'll go fetch her..." she said, before haring off.
======================================================
Within twenty human minutes (the merest blink of an eye to a God), Peorth and Lind stood in front of the Almighty Ones' desk, as he looked out the window with his hands behind him.
"I have just been in communication with the Daimakaich. According to her, Senbee has gone out of control, and has been attempting to create misery all over Midgard so as to increase his personal happiness..." Odin paused, and looked at a picture on one of the walls.
"As of now, I can only see one solution to this problem... We must release him from his bonds..."
Lind narrowed her eyes. The Almighty One couldn't mean...him, could he?
"Come with me, we have little time to waste." Odin said, and waved his hand at the door. It glowed a shining white as the three Gods walked though it.
======================================================
Footsteps echoed down the corridor, before stopping outside what appeared to be a cell. Gazing in, Odin saw a haggard looking figure sitting on the floor of the cell, evidently in the middle of performing some sort of exercise. The figure looked up, revealing a wild, shaggy growth of facial hair. Unless you looked carefully, you would have missed seeing the man's eyes, which sparkled with a shrewd cunning.
"Long time no see, brother..." he chuckled harshly, before coughing. It seemed like he hadn't spoken in a long, long time.
"Indeed, brother. Not since the day that you were sentenced for nearly killing Baldr." Odin said grimly. "He has since recovered, but..." Odin stopped, and waved his hand. Peorth and Lind called forth their Angels, and began to focus their powers.
"Consider this... an early parole, for good behaviour." Odin said, as the cell melted away from around the man. "I have a task for you; one eminently suited for your special skills. Think of it, as your one chance to redeem yourself, in the eyes of your fellow Gods."
The man smirked, and nodded. "Alright, tell me more."
"Baldr has been sealed ito a mortal shell, and bound by a wish. You are to see that he has his memories unsealed, and that the contract is fulfilled. Do you understand, Loki?"
Loki smirked, then chuckled. "You got yourself a deal, bro."
Odin nodded, and waved his hand. The surroundings melted away....
======================================================
Odin, Peorth, and Lind watched as Loki, now somewhat cleaner and better dressed, stepped into the portal that Chrono had rigged up. As the Trickster vanished, Odin sighed.
"Now all we can do is wait and hope. I hope that we were right in sending him..."
======================================================
August, 1998
Hinata City, Kanagawa.
Loki appeared in an alley not far from the Hinata-sou, looking around, he frowned as a mist rolled in around him, before dying away to reveal the Town Council.
Loki was not fooled though. These were Gods, just like him. He bowed. "Forgive this one for intruding on your domain, venerable ones, but I am here to set right a wrong many years in the making."
"The path of Destiny, even a wrong one, is hard to shift-
He will fight you, despite not knowing his true self-
When the time is right, we shall help you..."
The old men disappeared, leaving Loki alone. He looked around, and shrugged.
"Well, better slip into something more appropriate." He sat down, and began to meditate, sorting through his choices.
"No... Too old... Too young... Might be suspicious... Ah-HA!" he said, choosing the appearence of a young black haired Asian woman with silvery-grey eyes, dressed in a non-descript skirt and blouse. Pulling an identification card from her jacket, she selected a name. "Miyuki Kazami." she said, tapping it with her hand.The newly named Miyuki grinned, and headed towards the sou.
This was going to be Fun......
