Ah! My Goddess 2, Ep. 1

The second season of Ah! My Goddess! has the subtitle "Everyone's Wings" (Sorezore no Tsubasa), and has begun with the episode called, "Ah! A Wish, Once More!" (Ah! Negai wo, Mou Ichi dou!). The opening song begins with a synthesized bagpipe, but don't worry, the song gets better. It's sung by Ishida Youko, and the title is "The Color of Happiness" (Shiawase no Iro). The episode is about Keiichi having to redo contract by using his exact words because the original contract got zapped due to the "Terrible Master Urd" incident at the end of the first season. Unfortunately, he has difficulty rembering those words. The end song is also by Ishida Yoko, and is titled, "Our Miracle" (Bokura no Kiseki). Detailed summary following the pics (click to enlarge):

The story begins with a voice over narration about how Goddesses try to fulfill the happiness of people, focusing on Keiichi, and the images are of Keiichi, but the goddess is not of Bell, it's of the sex kitten Peorth. The story officially begins with the return of the temple's priest, who has traveled the world in training for 11 months. He thinks he has completed his training and looks forward to seeing Bell, but is his revelry is rudely interrupted by the fighting between Urd and Skuld in the temple's courtyard. He unintentionally insults them, gets zapped, and he leaves, thinking he needs more training.

In the house, Megumi's visiting, and they're having tea. Keiichi makes a side comment that he wishes she'd hold back (her visits) a bit, and she insinuates that he wants more private time with Bell, but Bell innocently says how she loves all the company, making Keiichi hang his head. Megumi comments how it's been almost a year that they've been living in this temple, and Bell mentions her contract with Keiichi. Megumi makes another snide remark on their bonds, and Bell says its been made in Heaven, making Megs comment that Bell's pretty strange. ^_^;;

Up in Heaven, or Valhalla... wherever it may be, God (or maybe it's Odin) and the goddess Lind are talking about damage to the system caused by the demon Daioh; one of the contracts have been lost. God says he'll contact the contractee himself. Keiichi and Bell are about to leave for school when he phone rings. It's God, and he wants to talk to him. He tells him about the erased contract due to the Daioh incident and says he may have to recall the goddesses. Later, the four of them discuss this, and Bell reassures him that they don't have to leave immediately as there are lots of other goddesses working. Urd can't believe it was only Keiichi's contract that got erased...she jokes that maybe SOMEBODY erased it on purpose... to which Urd squeaks up asking if she's insinuating that she had something to do with it. Meanwhile in heaven, a troubleshooter has been able to repair most of the files, but tells Lind that they need the contractee to make the request anew. Lind tells her to contact them. Urd takes the call and informs everyone, and passes the phone to Keiichi; he has to say the request exactly as he did the first time. He's bundle of nerves, but tries to calm down and says the magic words, "kimi no youna megamisama ni zutto soba ni itte hoshii" (I'd like to be with a goddess just like you). However, Bell's reaction shows he's said something wrong. Keiichi thinks it's okay, but there's an error beep. He tries again multiple times with all kinds of variations (even "I'd like to eat your homemade lunches" and "Would you go to the museum with me?"). They are all wrong, of course, and Urd asks if Bell can tell him the phrase he needs, but she says it's password protected and she's not allowed to tell him. Skuld comes out with a "Memory Retriever Hammer" while Urd has a "Memory Revival Shot" (in a huge hyperdermic needle) to force Keiichi to remember, frightening the poor boy... then they barrage him with all sorts of other "remedies" making Bell upset; "Cut it out, all of you!" she shouts in a deafening voice. Bell asks Keiichi to go to school with her. "At a time like this? asks Skuld. "At a time like this, it's good to do and think about something different," replies Bell.

At school, in the lecture hall, Keiichi comments how he can't believe he's forgotten the phrase and how the contract allowed them to have all these good times together. Tamiya and Ohtaki show up asking what he's forgotten, pesters him, and Bell has to take a hand again, taking Keiichi and flying out of their seats (what the hell, she just shows her powers like that in front of everyone) and tells them they've got to go to work.

Urd, meanwhile, has returned to heaven to try to help out. She talks to Lind and the troubleshooter and asks if they can use the main system to track (spy on) Keiichi and Bell's activities. Back on Earth, we get more comedy as Bell, working with Keiichi at a convennience store, heats up a customer's bento using her goddess powers instead of the microwave. Keiichi asks why she's willing to do all these things, and she replies that if she only has a limited amount of time with him, she wants to spend it always at his side.

When the reach home at night, they're surprised to see massive cables leading from the phone to Skuld's room. As they spy on her, Skuld speaks out loud about breaking through the password so that Bell can tell him the phrase he needs. Keiichi wonders why she's going through the trouble; Bell answers that it's probably because she's worried about him, but Skuld speaks out loud how Bell will praise her when she's able to help out. "Of course," says Keiichi.

Later, Keiichi thinks to himself how Bell does everything with a smile, and how he must answer that smile, especially during a time like this. The next morning, he asks Bell out on a date as he wants to spend their (remaining) time preciously. Bell happily prepares bentos for the date. However, out in town, he's a bundle of nerves again, and he's envious how all the other couples are walking hand-in-hand or close to each other. Urd, watching them on the system monitor, can't believe he can't even hold her hand. The troubleshooter's feeling bad about using the system to do this sort of thing; Urd says it's okay because they're actually gathering Keiichi's voice data. Back on the date, they're having a good time, but when he tries to buy ice cream, he realizes he's out of money; fortunately, Bell still has money from her part time job and offers to treat him. He's lost some male pride, but thanks her. They have lunch and because they're having so much time, Keiichi says it would've been good if they could've gone on more dates. They're about to go to another scenic place and Bell runs ahead; he thinks to himself how it would be nice if he could just hold her hand, and while going down the stairs, slips on soda can, and falls... Bell has to use her powers to slow his descent and he falls into her arms. Their tender moment is interrupted by the murmurings of the crowd that has just witnessed this miracle. They flee.

On a bridge at sunset, Keiichi comments how he got saved by her again, and again he was unable to give her anything. But Bell says it's not true, as he's always thinking about her... so much that she forgot she was doing this as her job and as part of her contract. Keiichi says he always wants to be with her. He thinks that if they have this feeling, that they'll be able to see each other again even if she has to return to heaven. She agrees. And she says her feelings will never change. He says, "Belldandy, ore wa itsu datte, kimi no youna megami ni zutto soba ni itte hoshii tte omoi yo." "Keiichi-san," says Bell happily, and the diamond on her forehead glows and there's a reaction in heaven. The phrase has worked (the difference was that he had said "megamisama" earlier, and it should've just been "megami") and the contract is renewed... Bell flies to Keiichi's arms. In heaven, Urd thanks Lind as she walks away. Lind says she did nothing, and the troubleshooter mentions Urd did even less. ^_^ Back on Earth, Bell and Keiichi clasp hands, then Bell hugs Keiichi, and Bell says she'll always be with him. Later that evening, while Bell and Keiichi are having another close moment, Skuld interrupts them again, pissed that she didn't have a chance to be of help to her sister by breaking the password.