[Episode 206501] [Episode 206501]Death was slowly walking along the corridor. The longer she walked, the longer the walls turned into tall trees, and the floor into a forest floor, which was covered by a thick layer of snow. Icy winds were blowing in her face, but she did not react to them in the least.
This frozen forest was the domain of Lilith, Goddess of Winter and the Hunt. And Death had an important appointment with Lilith tonight.
When she reached a big clearing, she stopped. Underneath her black cowl, an emotionless face was visible. Her slender hands grasped the tall scythe that towered above her robed frame.
"Lady Lilith, I have arrived," she said in a voice that was not more than a whisper.
In a second, a second figure appeared in the middle of the blizzard. It was the goddess Lilith, her appearance as cold as ever, from her icy blue eyes to her blue hair.
"The individual died in the northern tundra this evening," Lilith said in a voice that was almost as monotone as that of Death. "There was nothing I could do."
"Of course not," Death replied. "Nature's laws must be obeyed. The hunter dared to go out during the blizzard, naturally, he froze to death. We can't take any favorites among the mortals."
"Right," Lilith nodded. "Did Goddess Hotaru choose you for this mission?"
"Yes," Death nodded. "She said I was 'made for this job'..."
"Then you must escort him to my paradise," Lilith stated. "He was a follower of my teaching his whole life long."
"Acknowledged," Death nodded.
Just then, a third figure appeared. It was a young, beautiful girl with long hair that was waving in the snow storm, and it was as white as the snow itself. She also was wearing a thin, white robe... and the cold didn't faze her in the least.
"Mother," the godling said. "We must talk."
"Later, daughter," Lilith told her. "I must instruct Death where to find her new customer..."
Ifirn nodded towards the black-robed girl. "Nice to see you, Miss Nagato! How do you do?"
"Please, my designation is 'Death' when I'm on the job," Yuki Nagato said.
"What is it you want, daughter?" the goddess formerly known as Rei Ayanami asked. "Make it short."
"Mother, I've heard about what happened at Lady Rei's forge today... and that they had to restart their current projects because of the cold you radiated. So I'm asking you: Why did you do it?"
"Goddess Rei's carelessness caused a volcano to erupt beneath one of my glaciers in Yeti Land," Lilith explained. "I want to make sure that such an error doesn't happen again."
"But you could have sent her a message, couldn't you?" Ifirn asked her mother with a frown. "Or at least TRY to tone down your aura of cold... you know that a forge can't work without any heat around, right?"
"I know that," Lilith said. "That is the reason why I came in person. Goddess Rei won't likely forget my warning to take her duties more serious... I had to make an impression."
"And you had to ruin all of the cyclopes' works to cause this impression?" Ifirn asked sadly. "And Lady Rei's newest creation yet... do you know how long she worked on it?"
"I don't know," Lilith replied. "I also don't care. Is that all you wished to say, daughter? If yes, there are still duties you have to attend..."
"Duties..." Ifirn murmured while slowly walking back through the snowy woods that were home to her and her mother. "Is that all you care about, mother?"
Lilith looked after her, but didn't say anything else.
"Children are not only important for humans," Death pointed out. "They are also important for gods."
"She is important to me," Lilith proclaimed. "I still won't change my mind because of her opinion." Her eyes flared up in a pale light, and she summoned the image of a cold, barren wasteland into the thoughts of Yuki Nagato, the current Death and employee of Hotaru, the Goddess of Death. "This is where you will find the dead hunter. Hurry, before he will become a restless ghost."
Yuki nodded, turned around and left Lilith behind.
The cold goddess slowly turned around and looked at the place where her daughter had vanished.
The splintering of wood and heavy footsteps heralded the arrival of a large creature. The head of a white dragon appeared next to the goddess.
"She is right, you know, dear?" the High Dragon told his mate. "You have to loosen up a bit."
"Do the storms of winter show mercy?" Lilith asked her husband. "In the middle of a blizzard, an iceberg will never melt. That's how the Goddess of the Hunt must be."
Kaworu turned around his massive head to look at her. "True, but even winter doesn't last forever. When Haruhi's warmer months come, even an iceberg will melt in the warm rays of the sun." He smirked. "Think about it, Rei!"
Wanting to talk to his daughter, the Lord of the Frost Dragons turned to leave.
"You know, you are the only one who still calls me Rei," she softly said. "Because you are the only one I still let get away with it..."
Kaworu grinned. "And why do you do it?"
She frowned. "You know that."
"I know. But I'd still like to hear it from time to time. After all, didn't I give up being an Angel because of you?"
Lilith sighed. "Fine, you win. I love you! There, are you satisfied now?"
Kaworu chuckled. "That didn't sound too convincing..." he said in a mocking voice.
Lilith couldn't help herself: She had to chuckle. All around them, the storm stopped, and it became a bit warmer. After all those millennia, he still was the only one who made her feel like this...
Okay, he and Ifirn.
She hugged his long, scaly neck. "I love you, you silly dragon, you..." she muttered.
Ami the Goddess was sitting in her library, reading a book. It was a different one this time.
The blue snake who was still lying on the table slithered closer and took a closer look at the title. "The 1001 laws of Kuno?" he chuckled. "Since when do you bother with his silly religion? You do know that half of his rules contradict themselves, do you?"
"I know," Ami-sama smiled. "Still, I often read this book when I want to relax... it's always good for a laugh, don't you agree?"
"That's true!" the snake chuckled, and together, they laughed.
"I'm just glad he's not part of our pantheon," the high voice of their son proclaimed.
"Nandus!" the Snake of Wisdom greeted him. "You're back already?"
"Ami-chan got pretty tired after we've visited Auntie Makoto's place. She's staying in Minako's tent."
His mother laughed. "And there weren't any stains left from Mina-chan's last 'meeting'? I am surprised..."
"Don't tease her all the time, hon!" the snake smirked. "So, she's all by herself during the night?"
Nandus shook his head. "Mikuru-chan is staying with her. Haruhi gave her the order to be her servant."
"Mikuru?" Ami-sama asked. "Oh, that sweet, excitable little gryphon, right? Well, if she takes care of my younger self, then I am relieved."
"Strange, though... why would Haruhi willingly assign one of her gryphons to work for your past self?" the Snake of Wisdom wondered. "After all, she made it clear more than once that time traveling is too dangerous..."
"Poor Mikuru-chan has been forced to stay with her ever since," Ami-sama sighed. "But I don't think it bothered her very much."
Nandus looked down at his father. "Dad, do you have to look like this all the time? It's rather creepy..."
His father laughed. "Well, I AM called the Snake of Wisdom, am I not?"
"Honey, please!" Ami-sama smiled. "You know it freaks him out... I am flattered that you like to take on the shape of my totem, but it's not necessary."
"Oh well, I guess you're right," her husband shrugged. He hovered off the table, floated next to his wife and changed his shape. Limbs were growing, hair appeared on his head, and he grew until a good-looking man stood next to the Goddess of Magic and Science.
"After all, as a snake, I won't be able to do THIS..." And he gave her a soft kiss.
Ami-sama sighed. "Shinji-baka..." she murmured.
Shinji, the High Dragon of Wisdom, smirked. "Hey, that's Asuka's line!"
"Well, it looks like you don't need me any more," Nandus said to his parents sarcastically. "If you need me, I'm meeting up with Marbo at our old perch." He spread his arms and transformed into a colorful bird of paradise.
His mother frowned. "But don't stay up for too long, you hear me?"
"Ah, let them be, honey!" Shinji grinned. "They're young and full of energy... have a good time, son!"
"Thanks, Dad!" the colorful bird shouted back as he flew out of a window.
Ami-sama hugged her husband's neck and gave him another kiss. "You know, I might be over 4000 years old, but I'm also still full of energy..."
Shinji grinned. "Well, time to find out if that's true..."
And together, they teleported into their bedroom.
Read the comments on this episode
See other episodes by Shritistrang
(Posted Wed, 04 Jun 2008 19:20)
Questions? Problems? Suggestions?
Send a mail to addventure@bast-enterprises.de
or use the contact form.
らんま1/2 © Rumiko Takahashi
All other series and their characters are © by their respective creators or owners. No claims of ownership of these characters are implied by the authors of this Addventure, or should be inferred.
The Anime Addventure is a non-profit site.