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Wishes do
come true
by Chopin
Part 4
WARNING!: Religious, faithful to the your God, go to church/temple/mosque etc regularly, get easily offended/ticked off if someone shows contempt, disbelief towards your religion. If the above words describe you, I strongly suggest you stop reading from here, as the story contains mildly disrespectful materials about religions. Continue any further, I hold myself not responsible, as you have been duly forewarned.
There are different kinds of people, who have different kinds of belief and therefore we have a variety of religions in our world. Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, Hinduism etc. The common belief for most, if not all, is that that is a God, somewhere.
Though recently, due to the advancement in science, mathematics and technology, God had moved his home on Earth to Heaven so as to remain isolated and undetectable to mankind. One good example is Zeus and his fellow gods from former Mount Olympus in northern Greece. They were transferred to a plane that exceeds our five senses a few centuries back. The God of the Israelites too originally lived on Mt Sinai or in the Art of the Covenant, but eventually relocated to Heaven.
Heaven, a mystical place filled with the unknown. We humans, have strived to understand or at least gain an idea how Heaven is like, using our hyperactive imagination. Despite the differences in beliefs, culture, the general agreement of the followers was that Heaven was a lofty place filled with delights and pleasure. A place where souls spent their eternal existence in comfort and peace. In short, Heaven was simply heavenly. After all God dwells there right?
Sendoh held the same opinion too and had believed in it since young. The fairy tales which his mother had read to him during bedtime, had more or less ingrained it into him . Which was probably why he was blinking in disbelief at the sight displayed before him.
A pump figure sat in a chair that was decolourized into an 'untermable' colour, evidence of many years of usage. Tubes of lard fat bulged under his white silk robe. The bloated balloon like stomach spoke volumes of malnutrition(1). Wisps of peppery white hair covered the balding scalp, were combed back neatly. His eyes sparkled with life and true peace. A huge warm smile was on his jolly face, as he looked down at Sendoh from his desk.(2)
That God looked like your average kindly old next-door neighbouring uncle, was a surprise, but the fact that it looks like the normal high ranking executive manager's office came as a shock. The room was completely similar to Sendoh's Dad's office, down to the very last detail. The lush ocean blue carpet, the oakwood table with a Compac computer, printer, scanner, phone, carboards stacked full of files and books, that stretched to the ceilings, a potted plant in a corner, a impressionistic picture against milky white walls to beautify the room and navy blue blindfolds. The perfect office of elegance in simplicity.
It was a total disappointment to Sendoh. After experiencing the spectacular demonstrations by Rukawa and Hanamichi, light show during the wish, and the trip to Heaven via alcohol, he had expected the meeting with God would take the cake. And so it did, but not the way he thought it would be.
Sendoh shook his head. What is happening to him? This was so unlike him. Even if he encountered some rather out of this world happenings, and if things did not go his way, so what? Akira Sendoh will still Akira Sendoh, the happy-go-lucky-even-if- Apocalypse-come-I'll-still-be-smiling optimist. No one could change him. Not even Gods.
"Afternoon Akira." God greeted in a fatherly voice.
Sendoh proudly drew himself to his full height. Putting on his usual friendly smile, he greeted back. "Good Afternoon Sir!"
"You can call me Father if you like."
"Yes, Father."
God smiled even wider, (if that is even possible) nodding his head, pleased. "This is just to get to know you better and hopefully you to me. Now, tell me honestly how do you feel about being a God."
Sendoh found himself warming up to God. Even if he does not look impressive, he is definitely God. He thought. His respect towards God growing, erasing the doubt he had when he first saw God. "I don't know yet, but it sounds grand. Father? Can I quit if later on I find that I dislike the job? "
"Hahaha. Yes Akira. Kaeda and Hanamichi forgot to inform you that actually you can cancel your wish. With your wish cancelled, you will automatically return to mortality. Don't worry. Choices and freedom are what I give to humans. Becoming a God does not commit you to anything."
"Wow."
"So?" God's eyes twinkled as he leaned forward over his desk. "Deal?"
"Deal." Sendoh replied eagerly without hesitation.
~*~
"Oi, Sendoh."
"Yes?"
"Why did you agree?"
"For the fun of it."
Hanamichi frowned, crossing his arms, as he leaned against the wall. Narrowing his eyes in disbelief, he threw the question at Sendoh. "Really?"
Sendoh raised his eyebrows inquiringly.
"You ain't the type Spiky boy. I advise you to reconsider your reasons before you continue any further."
" ? " Sendoh was confused.
"Nothing in this world comes for free. There is a hidden price attached to everything. Mark my words well, or you will live to regret it."Hanamichi warned darkly.
"Take care. Training will start tomorrow." With that, he marched off. Sunlight bounced playfully off the red head, radiating promises of goodwill. A stark contrast to Hanamichi's earlier words. Sendoh shrugged his shoulders, a day mixing with the Gods made him accustomed to the weirdness Gods were prone to have.
( Recall... )
Hanamichi had taken Sendoh for a tour round Heaven after his meeting with God. Rukawa had left, citing that he had more important matters to attend to. Sendoh was reluctant to let Rukawa go and had brawled loudly. An blast of icy touch from Death, later convienced Sendoh that Rukawa really had to go. Along the way, Sendoh met many of his soon to be colleges. To his delight, he found that he could clicked with all of them. (Meaning that they were all pushovers like Koshino), so long as he avoided mentioning anything related to Hell. The last stop of the tour, was the most educational of all. Hanamichi brought Sendoh in front of a maximum security room.
"Here, is the computer that manages the Universe." Hanamichi swung open the door, announcing proudly.
A enormous obsidian coloured computer "stand-alone" in a brightly lilted room. Its ultra flat 2 inch monitor screen levitated above the floor. Flashing with neon green computer codes, that changed every second. Next to it is a silver box with a transparent glass screen that was crisscrossed with red and green lines. Nearby, several hard drives emitted beeping sounds, struggling to cope with the enormous amount of information uploaded into the main computer.
"Computer?" Sendoh asked incredulously.
"Hey, you don't expect us Gods to do things manually. Taking care of Universal matters is a heavy task. Oh yeah, I nearly forgot. Here's Father's phone number, but only call during emergencies. " Hanamichi flashed out a business card and passed it to Sendoh.
"Don't Gods communicate through magical means, like telekinetics?"
"That's stone age." Hanamichi walked towards the computer and lightly pressed his hand on the silver coloured scanner. The computer blinked and a line of words formed.
<< State: User name, category and password.>>
Hanamichi put on a set of gloves and keyed in virtually.
<< User name: Tensai ; Category: Third, limited; Password: xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>>
<< Access approved. Welcome Hanamichi Sakuragi, God of Fire, Third Class, limited.>>
"What are you doing?" Sendoh hovered behind.
"Registering. "
<< Service required? >>
<< Enlistment of new entrees >>
<< Waiting for response... >>
~*~
"I'm a God. A God of counseling. Ha, I wonder what Mum will say when I... Uh-oh..." Sendoh stopped in his tracks, the feeling of 'I've done something really bad and I going to be in deep shit' overwhelmed him, doom casted over him. "Ahhhh, I Forgot to call her!"
Sendoh sprinted home all the way.
~*~
( Meanwhile... )
The two Gods looked at each other solemnly, unheeding the steaming cups of tea on the low Japanese coffee table.
"A counter measure? " Rukawa traced his finger around the rim of his tea cup, warming his cold fingertips.
"I'm sorry, but it's necessary. The council does not want to take any chances." The bespectale man sitting directly opposite Rukawa said.
Rukawa gave a bitter laugh. " No one is to blame. It's completely my fault."
The man gazed helplessly at Rukawa, unable to pull his fellow colleage out from the self-made pits of despair. "Has Hanamichi suspected anything?"
"No." Rukawa snorted. " That Do'aho. He still thinks that P29 is just a health-sucking drug that boosts your power. He'll never even dream about its real use."
"Rukawa..."
"It's better this way." His eyes softened. " Better for him and better for me. The welfare of all of us. Kogure, I appreciate your help, a lot. Please, just leave it as it is."
Kogure hesitated, his brows knitted together. He nodded his head reluctantly in consent. " Alright. "
"Thank you."
Rukawa turned his head and looked out of the window beside. Outside, dark stormy clouds hung over the sky. Drops of rain pitted patted on the window plane lightly, like silent tears. Lighting flashed across, a streak brilliance. From afar, came the distant rumbling of the thunder. Slowly the condensation of water vapour, obscured the visionality outside, a white mist formed over the window plane. Blocking everything, seeing nothing, but white. White...White lies.
End Part 4
N.B:
(1)Many people mistaken malnutrition to mean under-nutrition only. Actually, malnutrition refer to dietary imbalance. Therefore, it can mean over-nutrition too.
(2)Sounds familiar? Hint^ hint^: a character in Slamdunk.
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