Fan Fiction / Ah My Goddess Fan Fiction ❯ Episode 2: The Present Past ❯ Chapter 5

[ X - Adult: No readers under 18. Contains Graphic Adult Themes/Extreme violence. ]

Dark-Space, for lack of a better word, is a place where the two greatest titans of existence could watch over existence and it's many splendours and keep them in check, or as the case may be, correct any errors in the everything and existence. it is regarded by the deities and demons as a dark place, death; any deity or demon who dared to venture into dark-space signed their own death-warrant. they would be ripped appart, over and over again in agony, screaming out in pain after they were torn limb from limb and had their organs removed; but they wouldn't die straight away, the pain would last for a month, then they would be destroyed, completely removed from existance, without a trace of their ever being alive or anyone ever knowing who they were.....

Joawil re-appeared into darkspace, bathing it in a bright light, making Legion have to cover his eyes. he put down his arms and they were back at the courtyard where josh met Dark, who in turn had warned him. a sharp wind blew, making Joawil's massive white cape sway in the breeze, as well as his long silver hair. Legion gasped as Joawil opened his eyes and stared straight at him, before he smiled, no, laughed. "what're you laughing at, Sergef?" Joawil stopped laughing and said in an amalgamation of Josh's, Mikhail's and Spawn's voices "i am not Sergef anymore, i am Joawil. i am the balance, i am now the architect of your demise" he lifted a hand and out shot 12 beams of energy, surrounding and imprisoning Legion. he slammed against the walls of his cell, crying out in pain as the bars electrocuted him. Joawil sat down onto a chair as it came out from the shadows, folded his arms and watched legion struggle in futility, before he stood and walked towards Legion. a knife appeared in his hand as he moved the other one, bending the energy bars and entering the cell, making legion cower in fear. Joawil smiled at this, saying "Legion, now you know what fear is. i will give you one chance; you have three choices, live and never bother humanity or existance again, be killed by me, or suicide. so what will it be?" Legion looked to him for a moment and said nothing, before he dissipated into energy, leaving no trace of his existence. Joawil dropped the knife to the ground and the world lit up like a flash from a photographers camera, peeling away dark-space to reveal the Earthrealm and that Joawil was standing on the decking behind the Hinata Appartments.

he let out a breath and lit up, as he seperated into two people; Joshua and Joawil. Josh opened his eyes and said "Joawil, what the hell's going on here?" Joawil turned and said "Joshua, we have one more thing to do" Josh said nothing but nodded before turning out to the windswept ruins of Hinata. "Joawil, if we survive this this, let's leave. everyone's in constant danger around me, i mean us, so if we leave, we can take the danger with us" Joawil nodded and said "i see, we'll have to wait until this ritual is done first" Josh looked out to the ruined cityscape and said "well, let's get to it then" Joawil nodded, so they flew up into the morning sky, into the atmosphere. all of a sudden, two massive black wings appeared behind Josh's back as they also appeared behind Joawil's, but they were bigger "so Joawil, are you sure that this will undo Legion's damage?" Joawil nodded and said "yep", so josh replied "alright, let's do it". Josh closed his eyes and summoned his shadow-angel, Trial Of The Forsaken into physically manifesting. his angel looked very similar to Spike Spiegel from "Cowboy Bebop" as he appeared, holding his arms out wide as Josh said "welcome to the fold, friend" smiling as he turned his head and saw his angel. he turned back to look out, saying "let's go" before his wings started to change into energy line wings. his arms were thrown out straight on either side of him and his legs were wound together by some unknown cosmic energy; so now josh resembled Jesus when he was crucified. lightning storms began to erupt around him, as it started raining heavily. josh looked up to the sky and said "Kami-Sama, forgive me for what i've done. Urd, Peorth, i'm sorry that we will not be having kids. Thank you, everyone, you've all helped to enrich my life, especially the four goddesses, mainly urd and Peorth; they gave me the greatest gift of all; their love. Skuld, i'm so sorry i could do nothing as you died. if i survive this, everyone please forgive me for what i've done". all around the world, the deceased were being reborn as their old selves, the damaged buildings were being robbed of their damage, making them brand new again.

Back at the temple, Keiichi and Belldandy opened their eyes and fumbled to stand up, rubbing their heads. keiichi turned to belldandy and asked "Belldandy, what's going on? i died, and i'm pretty sure the others died as well" Belldandy smiled and said "he did it" before she flew over to him, hugging him. the full impact of the situation hit her, so she let go and said "oh no" he gasped and said "Bell, what is it? tell me, what's wrong?" her eyes widened in horror before she said "Keiichi, if he continues, he will Die" keiichi gasped again and said "bell, let's go" she nodded and grabbed onto him as they flew through a mirror and out to Hinata.

(cue Firefly opening theme, Originally sung by Sonny Rhodes, now sung by Hild)

take my love
take my land

Joshua Payne, the main character of the story and now, Urd‘s husband

Urd, Norn Of The Past and now, one of Joshua’s wives

take me where I cannot stand
I don't care

Mikhail - super Steel Angel and part of Joshua

I'm still free
you can't take the sky from me

Hild - Demoness Queen and both Urd's mother and Joshua's mother-in-law

take me out
to the black tell 'em I ain't coming back

B-Box - Josh's friend and Gang member

burn the land
and boil the sea

Peorth - Goddess of forever and the roses. also, Joshua's 2nd Wife

you can't take the sky from me
There's no place

Belldandy - Norn of the Present

I can be
since I found Serenity

Skuld - Norn Of The Future

but you can't take the sky from me......

Break The Cycle: Part five


at the appartments, the resident's were awaking. Naru sat up and said "hey, what happened, you guys?" motoko awoke second after Naru and stated "i honestly don't know" "hey guys, come out here and look up to the sky" they all turned to see haruka, she was pointing to the sky. the girls ran out and looked up to see "is that Joshua?" haruka nodded and said "yep, you bet". out the back of the appartments, two bodies suddenly gasped as they started breathing again. Urd sat up first, clutching her head in pain, saying "that's the last time i get drunk. what the?" as she looked up to see a massive energy cross. Urd's eyes widened in horror as the realization hit her like a mack truck on the highway, so she turned to Peorth, shaking her "no, i want to sleep in mommy" she mumbled, before Urd said "Peorth, c'mon, wake up. it's important, Josh's Performing the ritual!!" Peorth's eye's shot open and she sat up quickly, saying "Urd, please tell me you're yanking my chain?" Urd shook her head sadly and said "i wish i was. look up above you", so she did and gasped in horror.

the light containing Josh, Joawil and Josh's angel, Trial Of The Forsaken exploded outwards, covering the entire earth, bathing it in a healing light, before it dissipated, leaving Josh to float alone for a minute, before he started falling....

"Oh no, JOSH!!!" Urd cried out as his descent began to pick up speed, before he slammed into the ground, a kilometer out from the city, rasing the dust and sending it flying a few metres. as the dust settled, it dissipated enough to reveal Josh, he was lying in the middle of the crater, blood running down the side of his mouth.

Urd and Peorth landed on the edge of the crater and they both saw him "JOSH!!!!" Urd cried as Belldandy, Skuld and Keiichi appeared. Belldandy just stood still, as Skuld came over to her and embraced her, as belldandy stroked her hair as she cried. Keiichi went over to his wife and sister-in law and held them close as the two norns cried, while Urd and Peorth ran to his body but stopped as they held each other, crying onto each other's shoulders....

one week later, Joshua Payne was placed onto a pile of wood, and was cremated at Makuhari.

present at the cremation was Kofi Annan, Kurumi, Kami-Sama, Hild; who during the funeral, held her daughter as she cried, Peorth's Parent's, B-box and the 49er's, Mikhail, Haruka, Keitaro and Kanako Urashima, the residents of Hinata Inn, Josh's Old Gang from Australia, Shadee, Asaan, The Dahaka, Mara, Rind, the Brigadier and Kusanagi, everyone who knew him was present. Urd eventually went up to the podium; she cleared her throat and said "hello, my name is Urd. if anyone knew us knew that he was married to myself and Peorth. i knew him ever since he was born, i would always watch him as he grew, watching over him. i eventually fell in love with him, but when i first met him face to face, it was a party and i was drunk. at that party, Joshua was a total gentleman. when we made love, he told me that i was his first, which made me love him even more. Joshua, i miss you and we all love you" she finished as tears began to stream down her cheeks. as she started crying, Peorth went up to the stage and helped her down from it. the minister approached the podium and said "and that concludes this service. the cremation will take place in half an hour. go in peace my children" everyone stood as a line formed, leading past the coffin, so they could say goodbye to their friend, brother, crush and husband.

Urd and Peorth sat at a table, talking to Rind, Belldandy and Skuld, when a young looking man approached the group and said "are you two Urd and Peorth?" they nodded and said "i have a letter for the both of you" "really? who from?" the man shook his head and said "unknown, i just deliver the messages" they nodded and he passed the letter, before he turned and left. "Peorth, open it and find out who it's from" said belldandy before Peorth stuck her finger under the flap and opened the envelope and taking out the letter. "what is it Peorth, what's wrong?" Urd asked, reading the shocked expression on her face, right before they heard a guitar start playing a familiar tune. not long after that......

"i wanted you to know, i love the way you laugh
i wanna hold you high and steal your pain away
i keep your photograph and i know it serves me well
i wanna hold you high and steal your pain"

They looked around the area, before they all looked up to the roof and saw a young man strumming a guitar....

"because i'm broken when i'm open, and i don't feel like i am strong enough
because i'm broken when i'm lonesome and i don't feel right when you're gone away"

"you've gone away, you don't feel me anymore"

"the worst is over now and we can breathe again
i wanna hold you high - you steal my pain away
there's so much left to learn and no-one left to fight
i wanna hold you high and steal your pain"

"because i'm broken when i'm open, and i don't feel like i am strong enough
because i'm broken when i'm lonesome and i don't feel right when you're gone away"

"you've gone away, you don't feel me anymore"

the young man jumped down from the roof and Peorth and Urd both gasped as they both realised who it was. their shocked expression changed to big smiles as the man came closer, revealing his features; he had a long brown overcoat, white shirt, cargo pants and had long fair silver hair, as well as Joshua's face and misty green eyes...


he released the guitar and said "Yo" Peorth and Urd both sat up in their seats and wore big grins, before they got out of their seats and ran over to him. They both looked at him for about thirty seconds before Peorth slapped him on one cheek, Urd on the other. he held both his cheeks and said "hey, what was that for?" they smiled with tears forming at the corner of their eyes as Peorth said "we really were convinced that you were dead" he smiled slyly and remarked "yeah, guess i did. come here you two" he said, opening his arms. they flew into his arms and he held them close, as his Angel, Trial of the Forsaken appeared from out of his back. the two goddesses and everyone present gasped as they saw the angel, he had two massive white wings "this is my shadow angel, Trial of the Forsaken. Trial of the Forsaken, these two lovely goddesses are my wives, Peorth and Urd" Josh said as the angel bowed to the goddesses, who bowed in turn.

Josh smiled sheepishly and said "well, i guess y'all will be wanting an explanation, huh?" they all nodded, so he cleared his throat and started "... you see, when myself, my angel and Joawil were ressurecting the everything, putting it back into place; the way it should be, the ritual was complete, but i was out of energy so i fell to the ground. when i, for lack of a better word, landed, i laid there dying, so Joawil came to see me. time froze as he approached me and said "joshua, it is not fair for everyone else that you die now. i have been in existance for too long, so when you wake up, you will be in my body, i will be in yours when it dies" i gasped at this, until he said "live. all i need to say now is live, if not for yourself, for your wives" i nodded and fell asleep. when i woke up, i was lying on the decking of the Hinata Appartments and five days had passed, so it took me two days to drive back here. i arrived at the temple and found out that you guys were here at my funeral, so i drove here. i parked and sat in the car for half an hour, trying to decide wether to see you guys or not. you see, myself and Joawil both came to the conclusion that you guys would be better off if i never returned; you'd be safe if i never came back, because when you're around me, you're in constant danger. but i came here anyway, 'cause i couldn't be without you guys, all of you" he finished, smiling as he kissed the two goddesses on their heads. he turned and said "yo" as he waived to the rest of the people present "guess you guys weren't expecting that, huh?" he let go of them and turned, just as Kanako ran up to him, she jumped into his embrace and said "Josh!!" as they hugged. as he held her, he felt a presence and snapped to attention, letting her go.

"Urd, my love, i'm back" everyone turned to see a bulky looking man, he was about 5ft 2". Urd saw him, so she rolled her eyes, groaned and put a hand on her forehead, muttering "damn it, not him" he bounded up and said "hello Urd my dear, i heard your husband was dead, so i've come to make you mine again" Josh let out an irritated sigh and said "alright tubby, uhhh, i'm lost, i'm confused and i'm armed, now who the fuck're you?" the man bowed and said "hello sir, i am Troubadour, the cherry tree spirit and i'm here to take my girlfriend back" Urd was irritated, to put it mildly, when she yelled "Troubadour, get it through your thick head that we're not together anymore" in frustration. Troubadour smiled and said "are you sure?" when he felt a gun against his head; the hand that held the gun belonged to Josh, and man was he pissed. he pulled the hammer back on the pistol and said "mate, if the lady says that she want's nothing to do with you, then don't press it, otherwise i will not be this nice. so basically, piss off, anyway.." he put the pistol away, moving over to urd, before the two kissed "she's still married to me" Troubadour was skeptical, asking "really? who are you then? who do you think you are?" Josh smiled and said "me, i'm Joshua Payne, of australia and that if you try anything that she doesn't want you to, i will send you to a very special level of hell, reserved for child rapists and people who ruin movies" which shut troubadour up, he covered his mouth with his hands and said "oh, i'm sorry sir. i thought you were dead" josh smiled as he walked up to him, saying "that's alright trouby" he stopped right in front of him, still smiling before josh let one fly, cold-cocking him to the floor. by that time, there were very few people left around the church. Josh sat down onto one of the chairs and rummaged around his pockets, until he brought out a packet of cigarettes. he sat back on the chair with a cigarette in his mouth and rummaged through his jacket pockets again, until he pulled out his lighter, igniting his cig. he took the cig out between two of his fingers, let out a cloud of smoke and groaned "i'm really not up for this. alright" he said as he stood up, putting the still-burning cigarette into an empty glass "alright you two, so what do we do now?" he said, looking from Urd, to Peorth and back to Urd. he let out a breath and said "alright, if you want to continue what we're doing, you can meet me at the car" as he scooped up his ciggs, his lighter and walked out to the car park. he grabbed his keys, and opened the car door, before stepping in and turning the radio on.

"..... tomorrow it will be raining with a top temperature of 12 degrees celsius in makuhari" the radio droned on, but josh wasn't paying attention, he was sitting on the driver's seat, a cigarette burning slowly between his fingers, before he put it to his lips and puffed on it, before setting his hand down to rest on top of the steering wheel of the dodge and looking out to Peorth and Urd. the two goddesses were talking on a garden chair, next to a pathway leading to the church. they nodded in unison and stood up, before turning and walking towards the dodge. they stopped, both dropped to their knees and vomited, almost in unison, making josh stand up and run over to them "HEY!!" he yelled as he approached them, putting a hand on each of their shoulders, saying softly "hey you two, what's wrong?" Peorth shook her head and said "i don't know, every now and then we've been throwing up, even though we haven't been sick; most times are in the morning" josh stroked his chin thoughtfuly and said "hmmn, i see. let's go and see the doctor about this" they nodded and two hours later, they were in the local doctor's office and were waiting in one of the rooms for the doctor, who came back into the room and announced "congratulations Mister Payne, your wives are now pregnant" the room went dead quiet, before Peorth and Urd both gasped, josh was grinning at first and then his smile faded he stood up and said morosley "this was what i was worried about, now you're probably going to be in more danger now, now that we've got children on the way" they turned away in thought, josh saw this and apologised "i'm sorry, i'm sorry for mentioning it" he walked over to the door and opened it, heading down the corridor and outside. he reached into his pockets and pulled out his cigarettes and lighter, putting a cig to his lips, before he lit it. he took a puff and dropped some ash onto the ground, that is, before the rain fell "fucking hell" he cried as he hurried under cover. he leaned against the brick wall and took a puff of his cig, before he grabbed it between his two fingers, turned and flicked it away into the gutter as he walked back inside the office and back into the office, but they weren't there "they teleported back to the temple" said the doc; this doc was a trusted friend, so she knew their secret but to this day, has never told a soul. Josh nodded and said "yeah, they're probably upset about me leaving the room earlier, huh Sarah?" she nodded and said "you're probably right, i mean Goddesses are in some cases worse than us mortal women" they shared a quick laugh before Josh left the office and headed out to the car park, before he just shook his head, saying "nahh, i'll walk" as a cigarette dangled from his lips. he put his hands in his pockets and left the car park, walking sombrely down the street as the rain poured down in torrents.

Josh had yet another cigarette dangling from his lips as he approached the steps of the temple, looking up at it "it's like serenity" he thought "something keeps telling me i belong here" so he walked up to the front step before spitting out the almost gone cig and opening the door. he walked sombrely through the temple, until he reached the door that had the sign "Urd's Castle" hanging on the front, and took a deep breath, before he opened it, saying "urd, peorth, i'd really like to apologise for before" they both turned and Urd yelled "NO JOSH, YOU LEFT US AT THE DOCTORS OFFICE!!, we were always there for you when you needed it, but when we needed it, you weren't there for us. so GET OUT!!!, WE DON'T WANT TO SEE YOU HERE FOR A LONG TIME, GO!!!" she re-enforced it with an urd thunderbolt. josh just turned and ran down the corridor as urd came out into the hallway, shouting "YEAH THAT'S RIGHT, GO ON RUN!!" as she threw more thunderbolts after him. he ran through the den and opened the door to the yard and ran out, not watching where he was going as he slipped on a wet part of the porch and landed in the mud outside in the rain. he just laid there for a minute, not moving, before tears began to fall from his eyes. josh felt low at that moment, like he'd hit absolute rock bottom; he now wished for death, for the release from this life of pain as he cried, his tears mixing with the mud and little drops of blood. he laid there in the rain and mud for another five minutes before he felt a soft hand on his shoulder.

he looked up with tear filled eyes and saw belldandy, she had concern etched on her face "leave me belldandy, leave me to die like the gutter rat i am" he said sadly, before belldandy grabbed his arm and tried to lift him, but he just went limp "belldandy, what're you doing? who is that?" she turned and said "keiichi, help me get josh inside, because he said he'd rather lie out here in the rain and die" keiichi sloshed over to them and grabbed his legs, while Belldandy held his arms as they carried him inside and laid him down onto the couch. "why? why couldn't you two just let me die? what's the use of living if i fuck everything up that i goddamn do?, what's the point, i feel dead inside" his sudden outburst suprised the two and horrified Belldandy before she said "Josh, rest for tonight and we'll figure out what to do in the morning" as she put a hand on his forehead, rendering him unconscious "what'd you do bell?" she turned and smiled brightly, saying "i made him rest, at least for tonight" keiichi supressed a giggle and said "well, what do we do about the other two?" they looked to the floor for a minute before he said "c'mon belldandy, let's get some rest" as they went to his room to sleep.

End Of Part Five...
Cue Firfly Closing theme......