Belldandy stared at the mirror in disbelief and read the message one more time.
Goddess First Class, Unlimited, Belldandy.
For your recent actions in regards to the mortal Keiichi Morisato's wish, you are being placed on probation. You have been removed from the rolls of the Goddess Relief Office for the duration of your probation and are hereby confined to the plane of Midgaard.
Your case will be reviewed one year from today in the Seventh Ring Thirty-Seventh District Court. We will expect you at precisely ten o'clock in the morning. You may seek counsel at that time to represent your actions to Kami-sama or do so yourself.
As this is only your second offense of note, and the first having been adjudged to have been under duress, your first class and unlimited status will not be revoked unless the DDA finds due cause in your behavior on Midgaard.
D.D.A. [Divine Discipline Agency]
"I'm... I'm...." Belldandy took a step backwards and sat with an abrupt motion, her bottom meeting the marble of the bath with a heavy thud. Wincing, she rubbed it surreptiously and continued to stare at the mist shrouded mirror in which the message was incribed.
She wasn't sure whether she was relieved or not that Kami-sama apparently didn't know about her transgression yet at least. The DDA was generally considered to have a rather... strict interpretation of the rules, but she wasn't sure what else might have been done. She didn't really have any defense for her actions.
At least they had left her her powers, so she could protect Keiichi if needed. Of course... she had also heard that the DDA was fond of leaving their defendents just enough rope to hang themselves with, so... perhaps she should restrain herself. Then again, what if they decided that she had been left her license for a reason and by ignoring it she was harming her chances of being fully reinstated. It was all just confusing....
Absently standing up, she wandered out into the bedroom in a daze, her feet taking her to Urd's bedside, where she dropped down to her knees near the head. Whispering, she said, "Urd? Urd, are you awake?" Barely restraining herself from shaking her sister, she sighed when all she got out of the woman was a snore. She wasn't going to wake her up just for... well, the end of her life, she supposed.
She shook her head. She had to stop being so melodramatic, this was just a probation, it could go either way. In the mean time, she would behave and... well, she wasn't sure what she would do on Midgaard, though she knew it would center around Keiichi. At any rate, for the time being, she would wait on Urd waking up and then talk it over with her. Urd had been on probation plenty of times, she would know what was expected of a Goddess in exile.
Having decided that, she stood up and looked around the extravegent room again. It would take her only a short time to put together a meal for Urd when she woke up. Preferably something that could simmer for as long as needed, but she needed to find the kitchen first and so set off to do that.
The kitchen, much like the rest of the suite, was large and well appointed with a deep basin sink, an elaborate stove and oven, and a walk-in freezer, refridgerator and pantry, all save the pantry in stainless steel with gold trim. The oak found in the bedroom was replicated in the cupboards and the same marble found in the bathroom offset that nicely in the countertops. She left the ingredients she was sure weren't in the engraved cupboards till last and walked into the pantry to fetch some noodles.
Upon walking out, however, she was more than a bit surprised to find a slim package sitting on the counter near where she had left the food. Looking around the room and not spotting anyone, she picked up the small card attached and opened it with a small amount of trepidation:
Big Sister,
I believe in you and I'll get to the bottom of this before those dumb DDA people can do anything else stupid. Imagine, treating you as if you were a common criminal like Urd! I'll take care of everything, don't worry about a thing!
Love, Skuld
P.S. I thought you might need something to do while you're stuck on boring, old Midgaard, so I sent you a limited-access Yggdrasil terminal. Have fun!
Smiling, Belldandy began cooking in a much lighter mood than she had started, humming an old tune and weaving slightly as she chopped, baked, and boiled.
See other episodes by James M. Zema
(Posted Mon, 28 Jul 2003 20:04)
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