Oh, hey everyone, happy Epiphany!
-------
A clear tone, a melody, carried across the building to the revelers packed in the common room of Aria House. Though not too loud, it cut through the rambling conversations, and everyone suddenly got quiet.
Most of the guests shuffled off through the apartments to the other side of the building to see what was happening, and crowded onto the first-floor balconies. Below them, in the warm colored glow of the lights, were three goddesses and one motorcycle nut, singing a christmas carol cheerily and in unison. As they made it to the chorus of "Angels We Have Heard on High", their voices split into six-part harmony for the gloria in excelsis deo.
The singers kept up the harmonics as they ran through the rest of the verses, leaving most everyone in awe. Tomoyo was able to figure out that Belldandy was singing baritone, in perfect unison with Keiichi, at the same time as she was singing the mezzo soprano part. She was in awe too, but hers was perhaps deeper.
As they wrapped up the third verse, the balconies erupted in applause -- as did a few residents of neighboring houses and apartment buildings.
As Skuld gave a cheerful wave, Alicia called out, "Brava!"
Sakura raced down the central stairwell to go meet them with practiced speed, but Tomoyo beat her by bumming a ride from Kuroko.
"Very well done!" Tomoyo congratulated, "I especially liked how Keiichi-sama and Belldandy-sama sounded together."
"Ah! I'm glad you noticed!" Belldandy exclaimed.
Keiichi scratched the back of his head. "I didn't really do anything, it's all them."
Tomoyo said, "Of course you did. You sang from your heart."
By this time, Brent had made it downstairs to greet them. "Welcome to Aria House, Skuld. And welcome back, Belldandy." He seemed to be over his fear of her, and well, nothing said "be not afraid" like that performance.
"It's good to see you all again."
Skuld apologized, "Sorry I haven't been able to stop by until now, but, you know, stuff."
Brent replied, "That's okay. Lots of stuff going around these days."
Urd stood tapping her foot. "What am I, chopped liver?"
Brent eyed the woman who had only been there a few hours ago. "Welcome back to Aria House, Urd. Sashiburi!"
Urd grunted, "Tadaima," with rolled eyes.
"Now, now," Belldandy softly chastened. "It's a special day, and we carolers have a duty."
"Oh, right." Urd withdrew a stick of chalk from inside her dress and reached up to mark the lintel above the apartment building's front door with a tall X. She passed it to Belldandy, who added another letter; she then lifted Skuld high enough to scribe the final letter. Together, the runes read: ᚷᛗᛒ.
"A blessing on your home for the coming year," Belldandy remarked.
"Wait," Brent said, "Aren't you a couple weeks early?"
Bell shook her head. "We've been doing it on this day since the first time."
"The first time?"
Urd glanced up. "Yep, the stars look about the same as that night -- with one exception."
Brent was shocked, even though he shouldn't have been. "No Way!"
"Way." Urd replied.
"Wow!" Brent was impressed, smiling at his girlfriend and looking at her with wide eyes.
Tomo wasn't impressed. "Hey, maybe you should go inside to have your Christmas cake."
With Belldandy watching, Urd wasn't in the mood to tell that cupcake exactly how she felt. Instead, she grabbed Brent by the arm, glanced directly at Tomo, and smiled playfully. "Yes, let's!"
-------
A clear tone, a melody, carried across the building to the revelers packed in the common room of Aria House. Though not too loud, it cut through the rambling conversations, and everyone suddenly got quiet.
Most of the guests shuffled off through the apartments to the other side of the building to see what was happening, and crowded onto the first-floor balconies. Below them, in the warm colored glow of the lights, were three goddesses and one motorcycle nut, singing a christmas carol cheerily and in unison. As they made it to the chorus of "Angels We Have Heard on High", their voices split into six-part harmony for the gloria in excelsis deo.
The singers kept up the harmonics as they ran through the rest of the verses, leaving most everyone in awe. Tomoyo was able to figure out that Belldandy was singing baritone, in perfect unison with Keiichi, at the same time as she was singing the mezzo soprano part. She was in awe too, but hers was perhaps deeper.
As they wrapped up the third verse, the balconies erupted in applause -- as did a few residents of neighboring houses and apartment buildings.
As Skuld gave a cheerful wave, Alicia called out, "Brava!"
Sakura raced down the central stairwell to go meet them with practiced speed, but Tomoyo beat her by bumming a ride from Kuroko.
"Very well done!" Tomoyo congratulated, "I especially liked how Keiichi-sama and Belldandy-sama sounded together."
"Ah! I'm glad you noticed!" Belldandy exclaimed.
Keiichi scratched the back of his head. "I didn't really do anything, it's all them."
Tomoyo said, "Of course you did. You sang from your heart."
By this time, Brent had made it downstairs to greet them. "Welcome to Aria House, Skuld. And welcome back, Belldandy." He seemed to be over his fear of her, and well, nothing said "be not afraid" like that performance.
"It's good to see you all again."
Skuld apologized, "Sorry I haven't been able to stop by until now, but, you know, stuff."
Brent replied, "That's okay. Lots of stuff going around these days."
Urd stood tapping her foot. "What am I, chopped liver?"
Brent eyed the woman who had only been there a few hours ago. "Welcome back to Aria House, Urd. Sashiburi!"
Urd grunted, "Tadaima," with rolled eyes.
"Now, now," Belldandy softly chastened. "It's a special day, and we carolers have a duty."
"Oh, right." Urd withdrew a stick of chalk from inside her dress and reached up to mark the lintel above the apartment building's front door with a tall X. She passed it to Belldandy, who added another letter; she then lifted Skuld high enough to scribe the final letter. Together, the runes read: ᚷᛗᛒ.
"A blessing on your home for the coming year," Belldandy remarked.
"Wait," Brent said, "Aren't you a couple weeks early?"
Bell shook her head. "We've been doing it on this day since the first time."
"The first time?"
Urd glanced up. "Yep, the stars look about the same as that night -- with one exception."
Brent was shocked, even though he shouldn't have been. "No Way!"
"Way." Urd replied.
"Wow!" Brent was impressed, smiling at his girlfriend and looking at her with wide eyes.
Tomo wasn't impressed. "Hey, maybe you should go inside to have your Christmas cake."
With Belldandy watching, Urd wasn't in the mood to tell that cupcake exactly how she felt. Instead, she grabbed Brent by the arm, glanced directly at Tomo, and smiled playfully. "Yes, let's!"
"Kitto daijoubu da yo." - Sakura Kinomoto