Loneliness Eternal

by K'thardin

Author's Forward:  Well here's another in the list of Side 
stories for the series Heaven and Eternity.  Hope you enjoy it.

Disclaimer:  This is a work of pure fiction based solely on 
characters that I do not own.  Except for a couple that appear in 
this story.  If one does not know which ones I refer to...one 
should go watch the OVA's of Tenchi Muyo! and ignore the piece of 
s*&t that was Shin Tenchi. ^_^

<Opening Theme:  Life in a Northern Town - Dream Factory>

<Back ground music:  The music from Dreamscape - Robert Miles>

	A frog jumps from a lily pad into a pond, set in a foggy 
landscape filled with life of all kinds, disturbing the water's 
calm with ripples created by it's intrusion.  It would seem night 
were there any moon.  The vague light there was seemed to emanate 
from everywhere ...everything.
	A new light reflects off the water, bright, a strange 
combination of blue and pink in color.  Not the combination of 
the two, which would be a shade of purple, but a mixing of the 
colors, without actually blending them into one.  Beautiful and 
pleasing, like the color of a rose in full bloom.  An image 
begins taking shape from the light.  Slowly, ever so slowly, the 
water calms it's unnatural movement allowing definition to come 
from the blue and pink emanation.
	The colors separate themselves from each other, each taking 
a soft seeming and rounded shape.  A face of a goddess, glowing 
soft blue, beautiful beyond mortal description, stares at herself 
in pond.  Eyes of pink light widen, then narrow as her face 
becomes tortured and sad.  The frog slowly swims through her 
reflection warping it momentarily as he passes.  As it clears she 
reaches up, and softly touches her face.  Her lips, such as they 
are, begin to tremble.  Her eyes begin to go from dim to very 
bright, back to dim.
	A small pinpoint of white light, glowing as softly as the 
rest of her, yet much brighter than her dim blue and pink, 
appeared at the corner of her eye.  Slowly it trickled down her 
cheek leaving a faint trail of glowing energy as it passed.  The 
drop of light reached the bottom of her cheek, and hung there 
momentarily as if it were preparing itself for it's leap into the 
unknown.  Then it falls, twinkling in the air as it passes, 
splashing into the pond, dispersing it's substance into the 
water's vastness.
	Another soon joins it, then another, then another.
	The goddess put her hands over her eyes and cried her heart 
out; kneeling there by her pond.  Tree's drooped, though not from 
lack of water.  Birds ceased their chirping.  Whales ceased their 
singing. Animals of all types everywhere ceased their activities.  
The people themselves huddled inside their homes, not able to 
bring themselves out for a dark mood had overcome them.  Storm 
clouds over everything gathered and spilled their contents. A 
world...HER world, cried with her. 
	The frog that had swum to and fro in the pond suddenly 
jumped from the water landing in front of her.  He as well, 
seemed to experience the depression that she was feeling.  He 
filled his lungs, and with all the soul and love that a frog 
could muster, he began to sing a frogs song.  Just for her.  All 
for her.
	Her hands withdrew from her face, though tears continued to 
flow.  She reached over and allowed the frog to jump into her 
palms, as he continued to sing.  She listened for a time, smiling 
sadly as he did his best to cheer the goddess' black feelings.
	"You don't understand do you?" She asked her amphibious 
companion.  He stopped singing, and cocked his head to one side.  
She grimaced slightly then smiled again.  "How could you?  You're 
mortal.  You live life for awhile.  You love, hate, laugh, 
cry...then you move on to another life.  Where as I am doomed to 
watch it, forever.  I have no one to keep me company."  She rose 
and began to walk around the pond, the frog still perched in her 
hand continued to listen as she told him her sorrows.  "I had 
sisters once, you know that?"  The frog blinked.  "A very long 
time ago.  We were so happy back then..."  She smiled and her 
tears abated as she remembered.  "So very happy.  We engaged in 
our own pursuits yet always were we together in them."  The tears 
began again.  One fell on her companion, he did little more than 
shift slightly as the energy rolled off his back.  A flower grew 
and bloomed in moments where her tears had fallen.  "But 
then...To.." She choked.  The frog croaked in worry. 
"She...she...oh why did you do it, sister?  Why did you have to 
make it be this way?"  She fell to her knees and sobbed once 
more.  This time the frog did not sing, he seemed at a loss to 
what to do.
	"Crooaaakkk."
	"And now," she cried, "and now I prepare my own children, 
who themselves are mortal, to face her."   She clutched her 
companion to her breast, not so hard as to harm him, but still 
desperately.  As if he could hold her and tell her it was 
alright.  "Many of them will die, maybe even me.  Only to restore 
the cosmic balance.  And If I die...they will die anyway.  But 
when they die, as they will anyway being mortal, I will be 
responsible."
	"And I will be alone.  In my guilt.  In my grief." She said 
softly, "I am alone."  The frog closed his eyes and lowered his 
head.  Defeated, as he watched the goddess break down again.  
"I'll always be alone."
	Again.  Every so often, he'd watch her do this.  Just fall 
to her knees and weep as if the entire universe had made it's 
goal to be her suffering.  Weep for all she had lost, and was 
going to loose.  For what she was responsible for.  But cry most 
of all because she, who had never before been alone, was now 
going to be alone.  For the rest of eternity.
	The goddess sometimes talk to the birds about her sister, 
who was changed now beyond belief.  Sometimes to the squirrels 
about the sister who was now dead.  Sometimes to the trees, her 
children in a way, about her sister...who would be coming again.  
And it wouldn't be pretty when she did.
	Today she talked to him, when he had come and tried to 
comfort the goddess.  Today she talked to him about her sadness, 
about how she'll always be alone.  But how could she say that?  
There were always her...mortal...children...who would one day 
die.  And leave her again.  Leave her like everyone else seems to 
have.
	"Crrroooaaaakkkk."  He would leave too, one day.  Such was 
his fate.
	"You know I've begun the making of a child too.  Someone 
that will be crafted to fight against Tokimi.  He will be my 
champion.  My son."  The frog cocked his head to listen again, 
for it seemed she had come out of it again, but for how long was 
anyone's guess.  "And I'll bet you anything he'll leave too one 
day.  He'll have his own life to live.  His own wants and dreams.  
Assuming he doesn't ha..hate me for m..making him to be like 
th..that."
	"Croaaaakkk."  No, her moment of calm didn't last long.  If 
a frog can be said to curse, it can be said this frog cursed.  He 
cursed that he could not do more for the soul of his world.  That 
which he did share with her as he too was part of this world.  He 
felt her as she cried softly, with no one to...
	The goddess jerked her head around quickly.  The frog 
followed her gaze as it came upon...a man?
	The figure walked toward them, gaining more definition as 
he got closer.  Not that tall for a humanoid.  In fact he (was it 
a he? Yes, a beard...it seems to be a 'he.') could be said to be 
rather short.  He wasn't dressed all that well.  Just a green 
jump suit, that seemed to be fairly clean.  He was wearing 
something over his eyes, masking what color they were.  However 
the strangest thing was though both his spiked hair and short 
beard were white, he still had the bearing of one who had youth 
in his body.  Though his manner betrayed a lot of experience that 
could only be gained by living a long hard life.  In fact 
projecting a slightly cynical nature, and lots of power.  
Whatever he really was, he radiated power the likes of which the 
frog had only occasionally sensed from the goddess.
	However, the man looked very confused.
	"What are you puzzled about?" The frog heard the goddess 
ask the man.  Not why are you here, or how did you get here.  
Just What are you puzzled about.
	The man seemed to hesitate for a minute, before he 
answered.  "I was wondering why an energy being feels the need to 
assume a humanoid form, and a well developed woman at that."
	The goddess stared at him for a very long time.  Her mouth 
creased downward, then from side to side, finally whatever she 
was attempting to hold in burst forth.
	She laughed.
	A long good natured, good humored laugh.  A laugh that 
sounded like the wind, the sun, the love, the life, and all the 
good things in the universe.  A musical laugh, a symphony of 
humor that pealed forth from her for quite some time.
	The man's confusion only worsened.  "What's so funny?"
	"You."  She replied in her mirth.
	A sober expression settled itself over his countenance.  He 
kneeled down to her level and looked at her, then at the frog the 
goddess held.  As the man's eyes passed over the frog, the man 
bowed his head slightly.  Acknowledging the frog for a reason he 
could not fathom, being only a frog.
	"Why are you here?"  She asked him finally.
	The man looked away for a moment, then looked back at her.  
His confusion gone, and only seriousness of a warrior remained.  
"A great evil has entered the universe.  My associates and I 
alone are not strong enough to combat it.  The evil, that calls 
itself the Djinn, feeds on the life energies of the realms they 
come to.  We've tried to bargain reason, and even offered to help 
them find another source of power.  They will not be moved, in 
fact many of us have already fallen trying to stop them."  He 
took his glasses off and looked at her.  What she saw, made her 
gasp in wonder.  His eyes reflected a universe inside, ever 
shifting, always moving universe within them.  The frog was 
looking back and forth between the two of them lost in 
fascination of what they seemed to be.  Already communicating in 
ways he, quite possibly even other higher mortals, could not 
understand.  "We...need help if the universe is to survive.  Will 
you help us?"
	The frog trusted the man, knowing instinctively in the way 
of frogs and animals, that he was a sincere being.  Perhaps the 
goddess did too, the way she was looking at him.  "I would need 
to see what you are talking about first."  Or perhaps not.
	He nodded his acceptance of her desire.  "I understand."  
His manner then changed.  His face turned from serious to a 
softer, more concerned...finding the goddess still staring at 
him.  "Are you...alright?"
	The goddess shook her head a bit, and out of her revere.  
"Are you real?  I haven't finally snapped have I?"
	He reached out and laid a hand her shoulder.  Allowing her 
to feel him, feel his life, and his power.  "I'm as real as 
anything in this universe."  He grinned a bit.  "You had no idea 
that there were other beings in the universe similar to you?"  
She shook her head no.  He chuckled.  "Well in that case let me 
introduce you to the lot of us.  Afterwards you'll be so sick of 
us you'll be grateful to come back here."  It took her a moment 
to realize he was making a joke.
	She laughed again.  The frog watched her as she laugh, her 
glow, usually soft and muted, now intensifying with a warm inner 
glow of brighter blue light.  Hmmm...this was going to be a good 
thing after all.  The goddess was alright now.  He jumped from 
her hands, and hopped back to the pond.  He stopped and turned to 
look at the goddess and her new companion before he reached the 
water.
	"Up you go." The man grabbed her by her shoulders and 
pulled her off the ground, and to her feet.  Once done he reached 
over and wiped away a few of her stray tears.  Absently the frog 
noted the goddess stood a good head and a half higher than he 
did.  "Listen, I know what it's like to be alone for a long time.  
You don't have to fear that anymore..."  Something must have 
occurred to him suddenly.  Something that made him feel stupid as 
he slapped himself upside the head.  "Oh where are my manners?  
My name is Cyraqs ip' K'thardin."  The man raised his hand.  "How 
are you?"  She impulsively reached over with both arms ignoring 
the proffered hand.  The goddess quickly drew the man into a 
tight hug.  "I am Tsunami." She tightened her embrace.  "Thank 
you."
	After a shocked moment he began to return the hug.  "Don't 
worry about it."
	The frog turned back to the pond and hopped in.  He swam 
for a time, until he reached the other side.  There he met 
another man (men? was it a man? a being then, very hard to tell 
gender if there was one at all, but at times there seemed to be 
two of them instead of the one, the effect was odd).
	"And how are you?" He asked the frog.
	"Croooaaaak."
	The being chuckled.  "I see."
	"Crooaaak."
	The man smiled gently and reached down to draw the frog up 
to face level.  "You needn't worry about her anymore.  Your task 
with her is done."  He nodded in the direction of Tsunami and 
Cyraqs.  "He will take care of her from now on.  And he will 
never leave her alone."
	"Crooaaaak."
	"Heh.  No it won't be perfect, and they'll have a few bumpy 
parts along the way."  The being lost his smile, while he still 
retained the humor in his eyes. "As it should be.  All good 
things must be fought for if they are to be appreciated.  He will 
teach my daughter that, and she will make him relearn that 
lesson."
	"Croooaaak."
	The being chuckled again and set the frog down on the 
ground.  "Perhaps.  Not even I know the future.  I only know what 
could come of this.  And I seriously doubt that either of them is 
stupid enough to let this chance go to waste."
	The frog cocked his head and looked back toward the 
two...who seemed to have vanished.  "Croooaaak.  Crooooaaaak."
	"Yes, they go now to do battle with that which seeks to 
destroy this dimension."  The being looked down at the frog in an 
almost disapproving stare.  "And of course I care about her.  As 
it was going, my daughter would not have lasted much longer in 
the realm of sanity.  Just because I am God, doesn't neccesarily 
mean I ALWAYS let things
go of their own accord.  Sometimes, just sometimes, I give things 
the little nudge they need.	 In this case the nudge was to 
Cyraqs so he would be in this area of space as Tsunami cried out 
for anyone to help her.  So he could come down to help her, and 
it would help him, and in all things help the universe."
	"Crooaaak."
	God laughed.  "Of course.  All those problems...and just 
the one solution.  Very convenient.  Just have the two of them 
meet."  God looked up at what appeared to be the sky.  "Well, I 
must be off.  I have many things to do.  Take care my friend."   
With that, the substance and form which God had adapted 
dissipated, returning to the entirety of the universe.
	The frog looked around, and listened as the dimension of 
Tsunami came alive in a way it hadn't for thousands of years.  In 
the distance he heard others of his kind singing their song, 
filled with all the joy and promise of tomorrow, for now it 
seemed that there was something to truly look forward to in this 
dimension, in her world of Jurai as well.
	So slowly the frog filled his lungs as full as they would 
go, and began his own song of life.
	And a world called Jurai sang with them.

<End Theme:  St. Elmo's Fire - John Parr>

C&C welcome, appreciated, liked, and begged for. ^_-  I'm at 
kthardin@geocities.com