A/N: I'd like to thank 'James Birdsong' and 'LovingDreamer' for giving me my first ever reviews; and as a token of my gratitude, this chapter was dedicated to you.
MIDGARD ARC
"Chapter II"
Spica; The Virgo Maiden
As Yamino prepared the Earl Grey, and poured it into the Wedgwood Oberon tea set, he would find himself glancing, every now and then, at the young master. Judging by the slight bags underneath his youthful, wise gaze, and the constant thrumming of his fingers against the antique, mahogany desk - he could tell that something weighed his genius mind like a ceaseless plague.
"Is something the matter, my lord?" he asked, while placing the bone-china teacup in front of him. "Have we a pending investigation?"
"Not at all," Loki pulled back his brunette locks and stared at Yamino - inwardly punishing himself for letting the worry etch itself into his face. "It's just a somewhat sluggish day for me...Can you put more honey into the tea?"
"As you wish, my lord." The young man proceeded to place a small saucer with caramel tarts and strawberry Turkish delights in front of the brunette. Funny how his son knew the way to soothe him without questioning the real motive behind his distress.
Thinking back on it, Yamino was always the most prudent one in thought and quite a keen observer, despite his young age - a gift often mistaken for bashfulness.
A gift he had inherited by habit rather than blood.
A habit bequeathed, not from him, but from that woman.
Loki sighed deeply after the last thought.
Melancholy had arrived into his domain uninvited, but it soon began to ease away by the fragrance of the tea. He thanked Yamino for the sweets and stared at the dying embers of the burning wood in the fireplace, silently chewing on a piece of Turkish delight. He couldn't help but remember his children surrounding a ghostly figure near the fireplace - singing to them an ancient song, long forgotten by the mortal realm. He smiled despite himself, at the mere memory of it.
Looking away as the last ember faded into nothing, his sight was caught by his eldest son - asleep.
Fenrir lay sprawled on the french-styled, ebony-lacquered sofa - oddly resembling a miniature fuzzy rug. Loki chuckled softly as he heard Fenrir's faint 'doggy snores' and thought of how cute he was. Nevertheless, he too was as gifted as Yamino - perhaps not as much in mind as he was in strength, but quite a tactician when pushed to his limits. Ecchan, Loki's spirit familiar, was resting beside Fenrir, conserving all forms of spiritual energy that it could.
"My lord," Yamino asked as he approached Loki with a second cup, "Shall I prepare a second plate for Miss Mayura?"
Loki smiled and nodded. But the smile soon disappeared when a slight sigh escaped his lips. Yamino, about to question the reason for his sudden change in mood, stopped when he noticed the boy counting down with one hand.
"5...4...3...2..."
The door abruptly slammed open, revealing an overly excited, strawberry-blonde haired girl in her school uniform. "LOKI! GUESS WHAT!? GUESS WHAT!? I HAVE A NEW 'MYSTERIOUS MYSTERY' TO SOLVE TODAY!"
Yamino dashed to the kitchen to get the mop and clean the tea he had spilled on the rug; Ecchan, startled by the noise, disappeared in a small 'poof' - unnoticed by the obstreperous girl (due to her inability to see spirits, despite being the daughter of a shinto priest); and Fenrir jumped from his nap and began barking out profanities - only to be understood by the brunette.
"Mayura, I have a really bad headache right now, so I'd appreciate it if you could lower down your volume..." he said, but internally, he was quite glad to see her.
Diminishing the noise level, but not the excitement in her voice, she continued:
"You'll never believe the kind of mystery I came across today! It is the most mysterious mystery in the whole wide world!I bet it would even put aliens, Bigfoot, and the Lochness monster to shame!" The girl squealed. The boy sighed.
Mayura Daidouji.
A zany, boisterous, mystery-loving teenage mortal.
Certainly a force to reckon with.
But, nevertheless, endearing...to some extent.
"Really, now?" Loki asked indifferently. Whenever Mayura came with her daily 'mysterious mysteries', for some odd reason, it betook trouble on Loki - no matter how detached he was to the situation.
"Yes, 'Really?'! Otherwise, how could we keep this place going if there's nothing to solve as detectives? We must persist in the finding of these mysteries! We must fulfill our duty to the fellow public as hidden heroes! We must-!"
"Okay, okay. I get it. So what's this new mystery about?" Loki sighed; unsure of whether to feel elated or enervated by her ruckus.
"Oh!" Remembering her initial purpose in arriving (albeit unannounced) at the mansion, she spoke, "So today in class I met a friend who was reading this strange book and I was like 'cool' and he was like 'Can I help you?' and then I told him 'Oh, nothing, just wondering what you're reading' and then he's like 'This? It's a book' and I'm like 'haha very funny, but seriously what kind?' and he's like 'I don't know, I found it in the library' and I"m like 'really? I had no idea!' and then he's like-"
"Punctuate, Mayura... and please refrain from giving impertinent information" Loki reminded her when he noticed she was using all her sentences in one breath.
Grateful for the momentary pause, she took a deep breath and continued. "So~...as I was saying...He was reading this book that spoke of Mythology!" Rummaging through her backpack, she pulled out an old, worn-out book. It was quite small in size - resembling a diary rather than actual reference material. The detail of the cover, however, was quite a marvel: engulfed in a dark green leather, oddly resembling something akin to snakeskin, it was bound by three wooden rings at the spine, a light blue jewel shining in its center - with a strange symbol coiled around it in a thread-like metal; similar to a snake guarding its hidden treasure.
Loki paled at the sight of the emblem.
What, in Helheim's name, was Mayura doing with a book on Norse Mythology?
Did she already find out my secret? He wondered in panic.
No. It was impossible for Mayura to know who he really was when she couldn't even tell the difference between a weather balloon and an alien spaceship!
However, it was too coincidental for her to have that kind of book in her person.
Calm down and look at this rationally! He chastised himself and proceeded with the poker face. "So, what's so mysterious about an old book?"
Mayura giggled, causing Loki to feel momentarily relieved. "Silly boy! It's the contents of the book that give us a mystery clue!" She flipped through the pages, at which point Yamino had returned with the mop and extra tea.
"Miss Mayura, would you like some Earl Grey?"
"In a moment," she then stopped in a specific chapter titled 'Aesir & Asjyurn' and smiled excitedly at him,"See! Look at this right here! It says your name!"
Now Loki was officially screwed.
No coherent thought or words could escape his lips and he was stuck gaping like a fish. Mayura, completely oblivious to this, continued with her inference. "You see, here it says about this 'God' called 'Loki' and,... did I ever tell you about the 'God' that helped me find you when you disappeared? No? Well, he claimed that he was a 'God' and that he could grant any wish I had! Now that I think about it, I haven't seen him since then, but he was super dreamy!" she smiled and sighed softly.
Loki, at this point, was sweating bullets - along with the butler and the dog.
"Anyhow, look...It says here that the 'God' Loki, was quite the player in the realm of the Gods..." she pointed the exact sentence she was alluding to and read out loud:
"...and so it was known that Loki, the Trickster God, was a talented, witty, and uncanny youth that had all females at his disposal. Just as the other Aesir, information on the subject of Loki is very limited; however, it is registered - within the 'Prose of Edda' - that the gygr, Angrboda, was then married to Loki, to whom she bore 3 children: Fenrir, the wolf that guards the gates of Helheim; Hel, the Queen of Helheim; and Jormungand, the Midgard Snake..."
"Don't you see?" She questioned, noticing the baffled look on the boy's face, "No wonder I was able to find you then! He must really be a God that can grant any wishes!" She then gasped loudly, "Of course! This is also why I was so attracted to him! He must have some sort of magic spell that makes all girls fall in love with him by plain sight!" Yamino turned around to hide the evident laugh; Fenrir snickered, resembling a hyena in its own maniacal laugh; Loki, however, blushed.
"Hey, Loki, that man mentioned - the day you disappeared - that he was a friend of yours...So, do you know if he really is a God?!" Her eyes twinkled in wonder and expectation.
Loki simply shrugged. After all, telling her that his 'friend' was really him and that he was a God...Mayura would definitely go between questioning his motives to fool her or simply leave and choose to forget him.
Either option was as scary as could be.
Mayura sighed, "Well, maybe he hid it from you too...But if he really was, I wanted to ask him how he was able to marry the lady and have a dog, a queen, and a snake as children..."
Loki face-palmed at her question and explained to her what it was.
"Mayura, in Norse myth, a gygr is a female frost giant...and this is all just mythology! It would be the same as questioning how Izanami and Izanagi bore the four islands of Japan with a dance, how Cronus ate the Olympian Gods as children and vomited them as full adults, and how Osiris and Isis had Horus - a hawk-god...it's just a story..."
"Oh, but that's no fun...or mysterious!" She pouted and continued with her original plan. "But seriously, Loki, its a possibility that Mr. God is actually the Norse God, Loki! His name was Loki as well!"
"You're an atheist, remember?" Loki sighed, honestly wishing that somehow this subject would just drop 6 feet under.
"Well, I may not believe in God, but Loki-God had fulfilled my wish to see you again! So he may not be that bad...I think..."
"You think?" Now it was his turn to be speculative about this. What did she mean by 'I think'?
"Well-" Suddenly, the door bell rung and Mayura had quickly sprinted out the door to answer it, yelling something about 'a new customer'. Loki had no time to ask her about her words, when he felt a sudden chill cross him. He turned to Yamino and Fenrir, who apparently, had felt it too.
He could hear Mayura talking excitedly with the customer on the floor beneath him. Something was wrong. Something was very wrong.
Intent on finding the source of this chill, he stood up from his desk and was about to walk towards the door, when he suddenly stopped in his tracks.
Mayura led the customer into the office, excitedly.
Before him was a young maiden, about the same height as his assistant; short, curly black hair (with a white, satin bow above her ebony tresses) and deep, dark, onyx eyes - wearing a frilly black dress, bordered in white lace, and white stockings with black patented, vintage shoes . She was as beautiful as an English doll - and Loki paled at the sight of her.
"Hello, Loki..." the beautiful girl smiled at him, but to him, her smile resembled something dark rather than benign.
"An-Ang-..." she placed her finger against his lips, silencing the tremulous youth.
"My name is Spica...at least it is in this realm..." she said; onyx staring deeply into emerald.
Mayura did not understand what was going on, but she could tell it wasn't a pleasant atmosphere to intervene in.
Yamino advised Mayura, with a seriousness unbeknownst to all, except his father, to go to the kitchen and have some lunch before it grew cold. She wanted to remain and understand why the customer's presence had caused such a reaction on her friend, but was acutely aware that a conversation - a very difficult conversation - was about to take place.
With a slight nod, she excused herself.
~S.O.V ~
It was the intensity of a thousand suns that the girl's glare evoked in him.
He felt a mixture of emotions, so unlike what this morning's memory had created.
And none of them were good.
"Ang-...Spica...," he corrected himself, "Why are you here?"
"What ever do you mean?" she asked innocently, but he could sense the anger beneath that pleasant smile.
"Why are you here in Midgard?" he asked once more, tension beginning to fuel his inner turmoil.
"I came here on a mission...a very specific mission..." He felt his blood run cold.
'Odin sent her to try to kill me as well? Of course, figures He would want me dead...but, why?!'
Suddenly, the tension and temperature disappeared all together when the girl looked up at the butler - who stood protectively in front of the boy. The small pup jumped in front of both and began barking out at her aggressively.
"Don't you dare touch him!" Yamino grit his teeth; his eyes turning a dark shade of deep purple before becoming yellow slits - like a snake ready to bite.
'You lay a single hand on him and I will chomp your hand off!' Fenrir barked.
Loki's shock faded away when he noticed the girl's eyes fill with unshed tears. "Boys, enough!" he called out. The two looked back at him, all form of aggression towards the girl disappeared, but they were still wary of the situation as to move away from him.
"Spica...why are you here?" he asked once more.
"I came here to see my mǫgr*...but...it doesn't look like they wish to see me..." She looked up at Loki, tears brimming down her porcelain cheeks. "If I may, I would like a private audience with you...there are some things I want to discuss with you that must not be heard by others..."
Yamino and Fenrir refused to leave their father's side. 'You're insane if you think we will leave Daddy anywhere near you...'
"Fenrisúlfr*!" Loki chastised, "No matter what was done, you must respect her! After all, she is your-!"
"Forgive us, Father," Yamino spoke bitterly, "But the only woman who ever meant anything to us - who protected us and loved us as if we were hers was-...this woman does not deserve that right...She shouldn't even be here!"
Loki understood where their hatred stemmed from...but, even so...
"Both of you, enough with this!" He turned to the girl, grabbed her hand, and pulled her along to his bedroom, "Regardless of our past discontent, there is a conversation long overdue...Yamino, Fenrir, go to the dining room and keep Mayura company...this won't take long..."
Clearly uncomfortable with their father's decision, both refused to move from their position.
"That is an order." Loki reproached sternly.
Unwilling to leave him alone with the girl, but unable to defy their father's order - both boys hesitantly retreated.
Once both were alone, Spica sat against the edge of the bed and stared defiantly at him. Loki sighed, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Now," he looked at the girl, "Why are you really here? How is it that you are here?"
"Tsk tsk...You had asked many questions earlier, all which I have answered accordingly, now its my turn..." She got up; the creaking bed breaking the dead silence of the room.
She approached him, like a lioness stalking her prey, and looked at him face to face.
"Tell me, Loki," She began, "Why did you let my daughter...our daughter disappear?"
Loki's fist trembled at his side - words unable to escape his lips. He turned away from her, disappointed in himself. "I don't know what you mean. She was never from this world in the first place. Hel was half-dead* anyways...she was nothing more than a living corpse! Besides, it's not like she's really gone...her spirit simply returned to where it belongs - in the land of the dead." A harsh slap echoed against the expanse of the room.
"Are you done now?" he asked, his right cheek completely reddened from the earlier assault.
Angered by his mask of indifference, Spica grasped the boy by the shoulders and shook him angrily. "Why? Why?! How could you let her turn into nothing but ash and dust! Why didn't you save her! The boys, too! You abandoned them at the mercy of Odin! You told me you would protect them! You told me they would be safe in your care! Why then did Hel-!...Loki..." Every form of aggression towards the boy began to slowly deteriorate into quiet sobs as she fell on her knees; hands still holding the 10 year-old by the shoulders.
"I'm sorry...Boda..." he said softly as he cradled the woman against him, unable to form coherent thought. "I'm so sorry..." He refused to cry. He refused to cry in front of her; his ex-wife.
Spica grasped him by the waist and cried against his chest, her knees still trembling on the ground.
"Boda..." he said, "How did you get here?"
Once the maiden was calm enough, she answered him. "Utgard...he used up majority of his power to open a rift between Jotunheim and Midgard..."
Loki breathed through his nose and stared down at her, brushing the tears from her deep onyx eyes. "You're not here, only to see the boys, are you..." It was meant as more of a statement rather than a question.
Spica sighed and stood up, turning immediately to the windowsill of the bedroom.
"You've always had a intuitive gift for situations such as these...I know you know something...Please, tell me..." He stared at her.
Spica looked back at him. "When we were married, you were always able to tell what was on my mind...even without me saying anything..."
"Not like any of that has changed with him..." Loki chuckled. Spica smiled.
"You're right...about everything...there is more to this...all of this, than meets the eye..."
"What do you mean?" But before Spica could say any more, the door to his room burst open - a girl, a butler, and a dog running inside.
"Mayura? Fenrir? Yamino? What is it?"
"This is bad, Loki!" Mayura cried out.
"My lord, we have a problem!" Yamino responded urgently.
"What's going on?" Loki questioned.
"Narugami was hurt!" Mayura cried.
"What?" Loki asked, astonished by the events taking place. "What do you mean he was hurt? How?"
Fenrir then barked out at him, 'Someone attempted to murder Thor.'
Loki's mind swirled.
What the hell was going on?
Terms & Definitions
mǫgr - kindred
Fenrisúlfr - Fenrir's full name
Half-dead - In Norse Mythology, it was known that Hel's body was half-carcass. One side was a beautiful, young maiden - vibrant and full of life, whilst the other part was nothing more than rotting flesh and bones. In many ways, you could consider Hel to be the Norse variant of Persephone, from Greek mythology.\
Thanks to all my readers! Please R&R!
The more you do - the faster I'll update the chapters!
-S.o.V