Over the Rainbow

by:muaaimoi

Loki is displeased. Or rather, enraged. The anger rages from somewhere outside himself. In the same place his grief and loathing now reside. He is mostly numb with this knowledge. At a loss for what he is to do with himself now.

He is trapped. Locked inside of this world by the very power he possessed. If not for his current state he would have found himself fascinated by the lock. Intrigued by it's design and it's ability to hold him, a god of all creatures. It seems to use his own power to cage him.

There is irony in this. In the knowledge that he is bound by chains of his own making. But he remembers the All father and thinks that it might be for the best. These chains may not be of his own design, but they are better than the ones the All father had placed before him. The All-father, and yet no father of his, Loki thinks, trembles with the thought, and doesn't know what shakes him, anger or grief. He submerges himself in the numbness again. If given the choice Loki would rather feel nothing at all.

He doesn't know where he went wrong. If he lives the rest of his life in this alternate universe, he may never know. There is an odd comfort to this. The mortal that had led him to this place kicks at some rubble and draws Loki's attention.

"Why have you lingered?" Loki asks.

"Umm, my parents, de-ratting? We had a deal, remember?"Xander says, but Loki can feel the half truth.

He wonders at it. His knowledge of truth has never been so acute. The numbness has cleared his mind quite a bit. Usually he simply knows lies. He's never thought of it as feeling a lack of truth, but his awareness is different now, keener. He can feel it, the way the truth of the mortals words is left wanting. He wonders about it actually. Casts another spell upon the plane of existence he now resides in and finds a dark miasma of energy radiating from a portal nearby. It bears investigating.

Soon enough.

"And?" He asks, meeting the mortals eyes. The panic he finds there is amusing. The mortal is amusing, with so much kindness, and heart, yet his body is twitching like prey that understands it has caught the attention of a predator, but dares not run lest it invite them to chase. He is a good distraction from Loki's darker thoughts.

"And what?" The mortal squeaks."It's true!"

"I am aware of that. Just as I am aware that it is not the whole of it."

The mortals scowls for a moment, the expression faltering as he bites anxiously at his lips."I wanted to make sure you weren't going to do anything evil."

Loki laughs, finds the sound torn out of him. A completely different plane and his intentions have already been called into question. He cares not for this land, his only intention is to leave it. And still, even a mortal as kind as Xander Harris thinks the worst of him.

"And if I intended to destroy this world, to subjugate it to my will, and make you all kneel at my feet. Do you truly believe you could stop me?"

"I know I couldn't." The mortal surprises him by replying."I'd try, even if it wouldn't get me anywhere. Especially since you're a god or whatever that's supposed to mean. I don't even think you're like hardcore evil or something. It's just, you got here through a demon portal. That's pretty much always bad. And even if you're just trying to get back to wherever you're from, for all I know that means you have to kill a bunch of people, and I'd try to stop you from doing that too."

Loki eyes the mortal, considers the truth behind his words, it is almost all of it, but there is still a gnawing sliver missing from the truth.

"And?"

The mortal stares at him incredulously for a moment. Then heat floods his cheeks and he slowly admits,"You're interesting."

Loki can only feel his amusement grow as the statement finally rings completely true. Such a kind fool. His parent's are rather fortunate that Loki always keeps his word. Even if others don't often see it that way. He wonders at his words though.

"Demon portals are common here?"

Xander shrugs."I'm not really magic guy. I mean, this is the first portal to hell thing I've dealt with. But I only really find stuff out by the time we have to deal with it really. I know were on a hellmouth and that's like a leaking portal I think? It makes Vampires breed like bunnies for sure though. I don't know how many people are gonna die now that's Buffy's gone."

The idea seems to distress the mortal. No doubt he will place himself at the front lines. Desperate to keep others from becoming hurt. It reminds him vaguely of the few good memories he had with Thor. Back before they had begun their Asgardian training in earnest. Thor hadn't been strong then, neither of them had been. But Thor had always done his best to protect him. Like a good brother should.

He barely registers the emotional wound that follows the thought. What is more grief and pain on top of the ocean of feeling the numbness is barely holding at bay? Thor is no brother of his. He is a frost Giant. A monster. And there is no going back for him. And yet this mortal, a mortal who cared so freely for others had been kind to him. Despite the high chances of Loki obliterating him. He had come close several times and yet here the mortal stayed. Found Loki 'interesting' even. When was the last time anyone or anything had taken notice of him in what might actually be called a positive way? He could even led the mortal a hand if he so chose. Keep him from sacrificing himself on the altar of others safety.

"What are these Vampires, exactly?"He had a lot of emotion to work through regardless. He could already feel his rage wearing away at his numbness. Sometimes Violence is the best kind of Tonic for the soul.

x

It's apparently easier for me to write Loki? I dunno.