Chapter 2 Is Now Available!

[bmull]

I agree with many of the other posts. Here are a few things I noticed:

---

When I'd first walked through the entry, I saw that it was
regularly swept. But the sweeping had missed the faintest traces
of varicolored dust that had seeped into the almost imperceptible
cracks between the floorboards. I would've missed it myself, had
not the sun been at exactly the right angle as I'd entered and
slipped off my shoes. I'd taken a few moments to investigate; it
looked like the remains of the kind of circles used for European-
style ritual magic. I'd raised an eyebrow at that -- the
combination was undeniably odd -- but, hey, it wasn't *my*
business what they did with their temple.

---

I'll have to check, but I remember seeing Skuld re-form the chalk from the drawings instead of sweaping it in one Manga so I'm not sure Doug would see colored dust.

---

Belldandy smiled indulgently and ran her fingers through Skuld's
hair. "He is, little sister, he is. But he's happier when he
has friends he's made himself, not had forced upon him." She
brushed the trailing ends of the younger goddess' raven cowlick
out of her eyes for a moment. "He's going to be with us for all
eter... forever, after all; it's not like they can steal him away
from us. Can't you share Oniisan for just a mortal lifetime, if
it makes him happy?"

---

Hum, did Belldandy use forever as a tie-in to Keiichi's wish for her to be with him forever?

---

Behind me, Chris suddenly spoke up. "It hitchhiked?" There was
a hint of a smile in his voice I didn't understand.
I went for the intellectual response. "Huh?" Beside me, Keiichi
had turned and was giving Chris a curious look.
Chris ignored both of us and stepped up to the battered little
car. He fingered one of the creases in its fender. "See that
dent?" he asked. "I've named it 'Arthur'. It goes everywhere
the Ford does."

---

But, but, where's the towel? There MUST be a towel!
Perhaps something like...
Chris ignored both of us and stepped up to the battered little
car. Reaching inside he pulled out a cloth and started buffing
one of the creases in its fender. "See this dent?" he asked. "I've
named it 'Arthur'. It goes everywhere the Ford does."

---

"You do," Doug replied in a curiously high-pitched voice, "and
I'll give you *such* a pinch!"

---

I didn't see this in the Concordance. I know it was listed in DW2 but everyone might not have read the other steps.

---

Skuld did something with her fingers, and the thread vanished.
"Of course you do. Free will trumps almost everything. While it
still flows through my hands, your thread is pure potential,
capable of whatever you care to achieve. The vision you saw was
just the most likely events, not a fixed destiny. You can change
*anything* about your life, even the place where I cut your
thread. Don't *ever* forget that!"

---

This makes one think, is there anyway to change a thread once it has passed Skuld's hands? If so, what would that do to reality? Paradox might be the only one that knows or can know.

---

Leatherboy wore a manic grin but the Freddie Mercury clone looked
to be in a towering rage.

---

---

apparent concern, he strolled around me to look down on his
friend, who was still on his back trying to fill his lungs, and
grinned at him with manic amusement.

---

Like to use "manic" and "grin" when talking about Ootaki I see.

---

They had a TV -- a set that looked like it had
once been part of Keiichi's dorm furnishings -- but it was
broken, and Skuld hadn't gotten around to fixing it yet.

---

They broke the TV, I can see Belldandy and Skuld going along wih Urd (and Chris) as they would not want Chris to see what Doug would do/say if he saw some of the worlds he had been to on the TV, but what did they say to Keiichi? If they said nothing now what will they say when Skuld has not fixed it in the next few days/weeks?

---

Chris' casual mention of a "Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy"
puzzled me greatly.
...
I made a resolution to look into the issue further, then laid the
thought to rest for the night.

---

When Doug finds out what this is will he create his own "Loon's Guide To The Metaverse?" :-)

---

As the edge of
drowsiness began to fuzz my mind, I wondered if all the other
Celestials in this timeline were as personable, as *human*, the
four under whose roof I now dwelt.

---

I belive it should be "as personable, as *human*, as the four"

[Bob Schroeck]

---

I'd like to point out that any laws of transfictionality are of somewhat less import than the laws of drama.

---

What he said.

-- Bob
---------
It's a "magical" land. I think "magical" is ancient Greek for "pain in the butt". -- Bun-Bun, Sluggy Freelance, 11/9/03

[Bob Schroeck]

---

I still have to come up with some art for this piece, though. I can't help but picture Chris as a dark-haired and freckled Troubadour, though, and I *know* that ain't right...

---

I'm sure Chris will be happy to give you all the necessary details.

---

the Skee-ball arcade was a nice touch, esp. if Nekomi is in fact swarming with divinities; as Kevin Smith tells us, God *loves* Skee-ball.

---

Thank you. I was wondering if anyone would get the Dogma ref; I guess it was a foregone conclusion. Besides, Kevin and I have the same old stomping grounds -- it's only fair I toss in a shout-out to him.

---

It's also nice to see Senbei used in an OMG fic of any stripe;

---

If all goes as planned, you should see some more of him before the end...

---

I'm also pleased to note that Doug has managed to pull his head out of his rear end about the Goddesses, or at least unclenched somewhat; after the teaser and first chapter, I was worried he'd be pulling a repeat of what happened with the Sabres. Telling off Megatokyo's greatest high-heeled vigilantes is one thing, but if he'd popped off on _Belldandy_ the way he'd popped off on Sylia, I would have lost a *lot* of sympathy for the character, to put it mildly.

---

Well, he was greatly stressed out that first day, and his personal karma often leads him to pick the stupidest of any set of choices in front of him. But no, after he'd had time to calm down, and time enough for Belldandy's charm to work on him, he's become reasonably secure. Of course, if another Celestial or two were to wander in, he might get his hackles back up. But he's gotten to a point where he's capable of seeing that Celestials in this world don't seem too different from metahumans in his. That's going to keep him off balance long enough that his prejudices can't come on line before getting (mostly) sidelined by his experiences. Of course, that's only in regard to the forces of Heaven, mind you...

---

By and large, you guys have got the characters' "voices" down to a tee, with the sole exception of our boy Toshiyuki. To me, he seemed *way* off.

---

He was having a bad day? We didn't know about Proter -- he's beyond either of our experiences with the manga and he certainly isn't in the OVAs. Aoshima certainly struck me as the kind who was likely to be a racist -- and I'll admit (tho' it's probably obvious) that I wrote that sequence entirely without input from Chris, so the error is my fault.

---

What would happen if Doug ripped a copy of the Gods CD and played it full blast at Mara?

---

In a way you won't expect, that question will in fact be answered at a much later date.

-- Bob
---------
It's a "magical" land. I think "magical" is ancient Greek for "pain in the butt". -- Bun-Bun, Sluggy Freelance, 11/9/03

[Bob Schroeck]

---

I'll have to check, but I remember seeing Skuld re-form the chalk from the drawings instead of sweaping it in one Manga so I'm not sure Doug would see colored dust.

---

Again, something from beyond our experience with the manga.

---

Hum, did Belldandy use forever as a tie-in to Keiichi's wish for her to be with him forever?

---

Reply hazy, ask again later.

---

I didn't see this in the Concordance. I know it was listed in DW2 but everyone might not have read the other steps.

---

Good point. I'll have to put it in.

---

This makes one think, is there anyway to change a thread once it has passed Skuld's hands? If so, what would that do to reality? Paradox might be the only one that knows or can know.

---

It's not a theological issue that Chris and I have discussed, but if anyone can affect a thread after that point, well... I can think of three entities who might qualify.

---

Like to use "manic" and "grin" when talking about Ootaki I see.

---

At least twice each, yeah.

---

but what did they say to Keiichi? If they said nothing now what will they say when Skuld has not fixed it in the next few days/weeks?

---

It's not an important plot point; assume that Keiichi has been reassured that it's necessary, although he may not have been told why.

---

I belive it should be "as personable, as *human*, as the four"

---

Indeed you are right.

-- Bob
---------
It's a "magical" land. I think "magical" is ancient Greek for "pain in the butt". -- Bun-Bun, Sluggy Freelance, 11/9/03

[Bob Schroeck]

---

Uh, Bob, I think you might have missed something in the Concordance. In the scene where Chris is talking to his friends, including the servitor of Lightning, some people (read: people who aren't familiar with IN) may not know who Chris is referring to or why the triads are important.

---

Maybe, but I tend to think it'd be a bit of a spoiler.
I'll have to think about it.

---

On a similar note, how much actual authority would a triad (or, for that matter, Dominic him/herself) have over Chris?

---

Hmm. Good question. Chris is of course the final authority, but in my notes for another story entirely I once wrote the following: "goddess??particle". I am inclined to treat the sisters as at least equivalent to Word-bound angels somewhere just below -- or maybe at -- Archangel level.

-- Bob
---------
It's a "magical" land. I think "magical" is ancient Greek for "pain in the butt". -- Bun-Bun, Sluggy Freelance, 11/9/03

[Bob Schroeck]

Oh, and by the way, in case I haven't said it before, thank you everyone for your comments and opinions! And your discussions of implications and whatnot, too -- I love to see speculation. Lets me know if we're doing our job right.

-- Bob
---------
It's a "magical" land. I think "magical" is ancient Greek for "pain in the butt". -- Bun-Bun, Sluggy Freelance, 11/9/03

[DHBirr]

Well, Bakadring is certainly right that Aoshima was on good terms with Proter -- "Toshi" and "Dave" they called each other in the manga, although some of that might be translation effect. (The Dark Horse translation showed a vanity plate reading "SMARM-E" on Aoshima's car -- wonderfully descriptive, but implying much more self-knowledge than he actually has.)
Of course, Bob's said that Doug's a little bit prejudiced against normal humans, until he gets to know them. Maybe Aoshima has a similar attitude toward gaijin.
Then, too, the Aoshima in this fic is likely to be a significantly different person from the one in the manga. The fact that he isn't on crutches or still in the hospital -- if not in the morgue -- indicates that to me. Because I'd expect Paradox to have sent him to one or the other of those places if he found out what "Toshi" tried to do to Belldandy (only "tried," thank Chaos) in the issue titled, "Belldandy's Narrow Escape." The phrase "date rape" comes to mind. I simply don't believe Paradox would've felt Bell had punished Aoshima enough, even though Keiichi, looking at the wreckage, remarked that "she can be nasty when she gets mad."
DHBirr
-----
Big Brother is watching you.  And damn, you are so bloody BORING.

[jpub]

---

On a similar note, how much actual authority would a triad (or, for that matter, Dominic him/herself) have over Chris?

---

A class 1 goddess, unlimited, is equivalent to any of the archangels.
Because of the particular nature of S/U/B as Kami-sama's daughters (of one sort), and Paradox's as Kami'sama's pet project, *none* of them is a force even someone like Dominic at his most righteous wouldn't screw with lightly.

Edit: Re: Belldandy's Narrow Escape bit.
Was that before or after Lord of Terror? If it was before, Aoshima's *VERY* lucky Belldandy hasn't told Paradox about that. Paradox isn't above taking consultation from other Celestials as to what sort of judgement he could wreak for that.--
Christopher Angel, aka JPublic
The Works of Christopher Angel

[DHBirr]

"Belldandy's Narrow Escape" took place well before the "Lord of Terror" arc. In the Dark Horse compilations, "Lord of Terror" is covered in Volume 6. "Belldandy's Narrow Escape" is at the end of Volume 3. Skuld hadn't even arrived yet.
Shoving a girl down on a bed and pouncing on her is already stepping over the line unless she's previously made it very clear she enjoys that sort of thing. When she vanished out from under him and sadly told him he shouldn't be so pushy, and he snarled, "You little tease!" and lunged at her -- well, I thought she let him off way too lightly. Although I've only seen her look angrier once -- and on that occasion, she terrified Urd.
(Urd with a look of "I'm about to get that long-overdue spanking" terror on her face is a very comical sight. She literally fell to her knees gasping in relief when Bell decided she had more important things to do than punish her.)
DHBirr
"Not another shrubbery!"
-----
Big Brother is watching you.  And damn, you are so bloody BORING.

[Bob Schroeck]

Chris, how many pieces should we make of Aoshima?
(DHBirr beat me to the punch. I was pretty sure that was an early encounter, but I had to go check first...)

-- Bob
---------
It's a "magical" land. I think "magical" is ancient Greek for "pain in the butt". -- Bun-Bun, Sluggy Freelance, 11/9/03

[Berk]

Ware the wrath of a quiet woman.
(...And a lot of other things involving quiet women too...)
- Grumpy Uncle Gearhead

[jpub]

DHBirr,
Thanks, I went back through my manga to figure out where that was.
I'm going to make an Executive Decision here:
1) Yes, that did happen.
2) Wisely, no one told Paradox.

Bob,
Paradox is an engineer. Questions like that can be taken as a *challenge*. --
Christopher Angel, aka JPublic
The Works of Christopher Angel

[Custos Sophiae]

What about the Archangel of Destiny and Demon Prince of Fate?
Have you handwaved them out of existance? If not, I would suspect the three would have a history with their archangelic counterpart, for good or ill, and a demon prince probably wouldn't restrict its malice to one pantheon.

[Bob Schroeck]

I'm not speaking ex cathedra here, as it's Chris' world, but as far as I can determine from the pattern of things, those two worthies probably handle things for the Judeo-Christian-Islamic "pantheon" (and its worshippers) alone.

-- Bob
---------
It's a "magical" land. I think "magical" is ancient Greek for "pain in the butt". -- Bun-Bun, Sluggy Freelance, 11/9/03

[ordnance11]

---

I'm going to make an Executive Decision here:
1) Yes, that did happen.
2) Wisely, no one told Paradox.

---

I wonder how long that state of affairs is gonna last?
Speaking of Senbei..since he is the god of poverty and disaster (..now how come he's Mara's Minion?)..what would happen if he tries sending streaks of bad luck to Doug? Since he gets high on other's misfortune..I wonder what the outcome would be?
One other question..Senbei wouldn't happen to be a Michael Jackson fan, would he?
__________________
Into terror!,  Into valour!
Charge ahead! No! Never turn
Yes, it's into the fire we fly
And the devil will burn!
- Scarlett Pimpernell

[jpub]

The Archangel of Destiny and Demon Prince of Fate are part of the Time God/Demon subset.
As a general rule, the pantheons stick to themselves for official purposes, especially the JudeoChristian, mostly due to commands from on high (and down deep).
Socially, that's another question.
It's considered bad form (both above and below) for someone like Dominic to work directly against someone like Surtur or Loki, and by the same token, no Demon Prince wants to irritate Lucifer by getting caught (or even being suspected of) going after the Norns.
--
Christopher Angel, aka JPublic
The Works of Christopher Angel

[Bob Schroeck]

---

Bob,
Paradox is an engineer. Questions like that can be taken as a *challenge*.

---

Well, we are plotting chapter 3 now. We need challenges to keep the story interesting.

-- Bob
---------
It's a "magical" land. I think "magical" is ancient Greek for "pain in the butt". -- Bun-Bun, Sluggy Freelance, 11/9/03

[VladimirTherin]

---

Ware the wrath of a quiet woman.

---

I love Belldandy's dark side.
I think that revelation is what really got me hooked on the series.

[Star Ranger4]

Housekeeping note for Bob:
The link on the main page (in your little dated blurb) is still wrong, pointin to htm instead of html"I was an Otaku before those kids came along and changed the meaning of the word."
-- HM "Howling Mad" Wilson to more than one team-mate.
Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by Echo's Children

[Bob Schroeck]

Argh. I'll try to check it out and fix it some time today.

-- Bob
---------
It's a "magical" land. I think "magical" is ancient Greek for "pain in the butt". -- Bun-Bun, Sluggy Freelance, 11/9/03

[Herr Bad Moon]

I don't have much to add, as I loved this chapter and it had some sublime moments. Bob, Chris, you guys out did your self here. The pancake scene sticks out in my mind, and one thing in particular struck my fancy.

---

Belldandy surprised me by ignoring him, and cranked her smile to 11. "Thank you! I do try my best."

---

"Well, it's one brighter, isn't it? It's not ten. You see, most girls, you know, will be smiling at ten. You're on ten here, all the way up, all the way up, all the way up, you're on ten on your smile. Where can you go from there? Where?"
"I don't know."
"Nowhere. Exactly. What she does is, if she needs that extra push over the cliff, you know what she does?"
"Put it up to eleven."
"Eleven. Exactly. One brighter."

"Why doesn't she just make ten brighter and make ten be the top number and make that a little brighter?"
"...Belldandy goes to eleven."---------------
Leo: (July 23 - Aug 22)
You'll feel a lot better with warm clothes on your back and food in your stomach, proving that cannibalism has a couple things going for it.
---
Jon
"And that must have caused my dad's brain to break in half, replaced by a purely mechanical engine of revenge!"

[Bob Schroeck]

Thanks, HBM! I wrote most of that exchange and had a great time doing it -- it was one of those scenes that once the idea hits pretty much write themselves.
And having just rewatched This Is Spinal Tap on Saturday night, I certainly appreciate your little vignette! The image of Keiichi as Nigel Tufnel... Would that make Paradox David St. Hubbins? Hm. Come to think of it, Paradox probably knows Saint Hubbins. Makes sure everyone in the temple is properly shod.

-- Bob
---------
It's a "magical" land. I think "magical" is ancient Greek for "pain in the butt". -- Bun-Bun, Sluggy Freelance, 11/9/03

[Ebony]

So ... Doug is the new drummer? Doesn't bode well for Our Man Sangnoir.
Ebony the Black Dragon
Senior Editor, Living Room Games
http://www.lrgames.com
Ebony the Black Dragon
http://ebony14.livejournal.com

"Good night, and may the Good Lord take a Viking to you."

[Star Ranger4]

Oh, I dunno. I mean, we kinda knew he'd just be a temporary gig from the start...."I was an Otaku before those kids came along and changed the meaning of the word."
-- HM "Howling Mad" Wilson to more than one team-mate.
Hear that thunder rolling till it seems to split the sky?
That's every ship in Grayson's Navy taking up the cry-
NO QUARTER!!!
-- "No Quarter", by Echo's Children

[HoagieOfDoom]

---

"...Belldandy goes to eleven."

---

*Dies laughing**********
There's no need to hear, I can shout you.