2013 New Year's Challenge -- Easy Challenge

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2013 New Year's Challenge

Easy Challenge:

Chosen “Date”: Belldandy
“Displeased” Tag-Along: Keiichi Morisato
Location: FMP:Fumoffu Beach Episode location, from Episode 3.

I knew the choice was easy when I saw the modified list on my machine. I always wanted to spend some time with a knockout goddess.

I just didn't realize I'd get the chance with a capital-G Goddess. I also hadn't seen her in several years. She was an auxiliary participant in one of my first Challenges, where we had to deal with Marller in the “real world” after she almost took out Yggdrasil.

(Writer's Note: This was the Medium Challenge in 2007.)

So Belldandy was the choice, the question is... where??

I decided that the perfect location would be the sunny beach from Full Metal Panic: Fumoffu, Episode 3. Not that I expected interference from Sousuke (I'd have to be worried about that in the first place with one of my choices later on...), but I just felt some sun would do us both some good.

So I set my coordinates and off I went!

==

In no time flat, I was on the beach. Didn't have too much in the way of beach “gear”, but I figured it was going to be a nice day anyway, and just laid back.

Not five minutes later, a very confused female figure walked up to me.

“Um, excuse me...”, she asked. “But I seem to have become lost, and...”

She stopped and gasped, realizing, perhaps instantaneously, what was going on...

“Michael!!!”, she said. “It's been a number of years! How are you doing?”

“I am well, Belldandy. I thank you for coming.”, I said as I hugged her.

“Oh my...”, Belldandy responded, not just to the hug, but to the realization that I actually sent for her.

“So you chose me...”, she said. Being that the Almighty had alerted the Goddesses as to what was going on in his battle with Haruhi Suzimaya, Belldandy was well aware of what was going on.

“Yes, I did. I figured I might be the one person in this world who might just be more unlucky than Keiichi as far as romance went, so I figured my first choice to bring to the beach would be such a knockout attractive goddess as yourself, and...”

“Belldandy!!!”, came a call from afar.

Belldandy took off running. She knew exactly who that call belonged to, and, shall we say, “needed to talk” about it.

==

A couple minutes later, a very disoriented Keiichi Morisato made our little group a total of three.

“Oh, that's right... I forgot. For anyone I bring over, someone else comes with who has a dis-interest in that I sent for my selection.”, I griped to myself.

“I assume you remember Keiichi.”, Belldandy said to me.

The two of us shook hands – slightly uneasily at first – then I forgot that Keiichi was almost incapable of the degree of anger most men probably would've had in that situation.

“It's been six years since that day in San Francisco, Michael.”, Keiichi noted. “How have things gone?”

“Not that well, sadly.”, I noted. “I'm still standing, but that's about all I can say about it.”

Belldandy just sat there and listened to me.

“We basically spent the last two months almost counting down to the end of the world, and basically ended up losing a lot more than we actually gained in the situation.”, I continued.

“But you're still standing, as you said...”, Keiichi said.

“Yes, I am. Not that many people want me to be.”, I noted.

“Do you have any hopes? Any dreams? Anything that basically you want to do in life?”, Belldandy asked.

“Nothing I would be allowed to do. Anything that would fall under that umbrella would get me arrested – if not immediately, down the road.”, I replied frankly.

“Oh my...”, Belldandy responded.

“It almost sounds like you would like to transport someplace like here and never return.”, Keiichi said.

“Yes, especially with someone like Belldandy.”, I said, to Belldandy's gasp.

There was a silence after that – a very... awkward... silence.

“Keiichi...”, Belldandy asked her contractor. “Can I have a moment with Michael?”

“Please...”, Keiichi said.

Belldandy took me aside. She embraced me, and, at that moment, I felt a warmth.

A warmth which was otherwise indescribable.

“I am a First-Class Goddess with unlimited powers, Michael. And I know you probably need that lack of limit right now.”, Belldandy whispered.

“There are two reasons I cannot grant that request. The first, you well know... Keiichi has contracted with me to stay by his side always. I must, as contracted, fulfill that request to the best of my ability.”, she continued.

“The second reason I cannot give you that which you seek is this...”, Belldandy said as she pointed my gaze to her left ear.

“That earring is the reason you cannot call me for a normal Challenge. It is a limiter of my power. I have only removed that limit on very few occasions, and that scares even me.”, she said. “I cannot give you what you seek, for what you seek probably cannot be found.”

“It simply does not exist.”, Belldandy admitted. “That completeness you seek does not exist, here nor in your world. I am sorry.”

Belldandy then stepped back and bowed her head.

I sighed.

I knew what that meant, both in the short term and in the long term.

In the long term, I knew that probably meant that there was very little chance I would ever see the next year's Challenges.

In the short term, it was time for Keiichi and Belldandy to go home.

“Then there's no point in keeping you here. I've already intruded upon you enough. Time to go.”, I said.

Belldandy just stood there as I programmed an abrupt return. Not being able to get what I was looking for out of the situation, the best place for them was back in their world.

Keiichi waved as they faded out.

Belldandy bowed her head.

I saw neither, as I was headed back to my world to try again...