((Okay, so last time we checked in, Kori and Spica were spying on Loki and Reiya, and Kori's jealous ways were starting to get the better of her (they usually do). Also, Yamino was last seen in the presence of a kooky green girl and her (fortunately) much more mature older sister. Not that they're really going to play a part in this chapter.
Anyway, no, for the seventh time now, I do not own the Norse gods, nor do I have any say over the characters and plots come up with by Sakura Kinoshita.
Review shout outs!
Gemini Artemis: Ah, another long review, thank you muchly. I'm not sure "team up" is the best way to describe Spica and Kori's relationship when it comes to Reiya/Freya, but it does distract them (or at least one of them) from being envious of one another. Midori will definitely end up really liking Yamino from what I've planned, but whether it'll be requited is another matter I haven't decided upon. And I'm sorry you dislike the planned pairing. I can honestly say I'm not the world's biggest fan of the pairing either, but It seems to suit them, somehow, in my mind. Still, there's a chance it'll turn out differently.
Seven Midnights: Kori's reaction was just what I thought she'd do, it wasn't meant to be funny. And yes, I will try to make Yamino get a bit less passive as the story goes on just because I hate seeing him getting, well, walked on.
Okay, story time! Sit in a circle on the story-time rug, children, and we'll get started…))
Loki was trying, really trying, to pay attention to Reiya as she told some little story about what had happened to her in the past few weeks she hadn't seen Loki. But it was difficult, because Loki knew better than to think Kori really would've listened to him when he told her to stay. He was positive he heard her whispering a few feet behind him and Reiya. But why would she be whispering? The only explanation Loki could come up with was that Kori wasn't alone. But who would spy with her? Spica was the first person to come to mind. Which was just what he needed, both of his wives stalking him because he was talking to another girl…although there was more to it than that, of course…
"Loki, are you listening?" Reiya asked him suddenly, and he jumped a little as he left his reverie. She was looking at him curiously and a little disappointedly too.
He quickly tried to make up for being so distant with apologies. "I'm so sorry, Reiya, I've been distracted lately. Forgive me for drifting off. What was it you were saying?"
Reiya smiled understandingly at him. "It's okay, it wasn't important," she told him. "I just really like talking to you, that's all. You're usually a really good listener."
Loki heard a hiss behind him, similar to that hiss of a cat when it's angry. That, he knew, was actually Kori, hissing in rage that this little girl who was really Freya felt she had the right to act so close to Loki…and, of course, anger at Loki for not stopping her. I'll deal with that later, he decided.
"Um, Loki?" Reiya said slowly, starting to blush for some reason.
"Yes?"
"Uh, I know this is a little…well, I was just…wondering…how old do you think two people have to be to have a date?" Reiya asked him with a slight stutter. Fortunately, she didn't hear the distinct hiss behind her, louder and more furious than the first.
Loki heard it, but felt he had no choice but to ignore it. In response to Reiya's question, he thought for a second, and then said "I'm not sure. I suppose it depends on the people, and their guardians' wishes…I assume it's sometime after they've both turned into teenagers." He couldn't help but glance at her with a playful smile and comment "We're certainly too young for a date, I'm only about…ten, and you're a year younger, correct?"
Reiya blushed an extraordinary shade of red when he said that. "Er, that's…it's not…I'm sorry, Loki!"
"Calm down, it's fine!" Loki assured her, noting the extreme difference between Reiya and the goddess who had been forced into her body. Sometimes he felt bad for Reiya, having to share a body with Freya, but then he remembered that she would have died if Odin hadn't saved her for that purpose, and he stopped regretting the turn of events.
"Hmm..." he said, acting thoughtful, figuring it was best not to test Kori's self control anymore and that he should get away. "You know, I never told Yamino I was going to walk off with you. He might be worried…Reiya, how long have you been walking along on your own? Your care givers might be concerned, too."
Reiya thought for a second. "I've been out for a while, so maybe…are you saying you're going to go now?"
"Pretty much," Loki replied with a shrug, inserting just enough disappointment in his tone to keep Reiya happy without making Kori hiss again.
"Oh, okay…" Reiya said, looking acceptant but a little let down. "Bye then…um, are you sure…about the…dating…thing?"
That made Kori hiss, but Loki said over it "Yes, definitely. Sorry. I'll see you later." He turned and began to walk away, wanting to stop and glare at Kori when he passed but knowing Reiya would be watching him until he was out of sight…
Not that it mattered. Because Kori wanted very much to confront Freya but knew it wasn't wise, and when Kori wanted to do something but was too smart to do it…her luck typically made it happen. And this was no exception to that rule.
Loki was just walking by the stand Kori and Spica were hiding behind when he heard a distinct rumbling sound coming from their direction. He stopped dead in his tracks, all too aware of where this was probably going, and slowly turned toward the sound…and was instantly beaned by a watermelon. Because, lo and behold, an inconveniently placed pile of watermelons just happened to suddenly collapse right then, sending the melons flying right towards Loki, and Kori and Spica. And while none of them were seriously hurt when they all got hit in the head, the three all fell over onto the ground right in front of a very surprised Reiya Oshima.
"Ow…" Loki moaned, and tried to get up, but he couldn't, he discovered, due to the fact that Kori had fallen on one of his arms and Spica, the other, effectively pinning him to the ground. Meaning he had to girls basically on top of him right in front of Reiya…or rather, in front of Freya, for the girl was swiftly changing form.
Quickly Loki pushed Kori and Spica, who were pretty stunned and having trouble getting back together. "Get up, get up!" he told them hurriedly, trying to get them out of harms way.
Too late. Freya was officially in control, and she grabbed the girls by their shirt collars, hoisted them off of Loki, and hurled them into a nearby shopping stall. That, as Kori's luck would have it, was selling blankets, so they had a soft landing. Not that Freya noticed.
"Loki, are you okay!?" she cried, picking him up gently, setting him down on his feet, then kneeling to brush the dirt off of his clothes for him. "That looked like it hurt…and then those inconsiderate girls landed on you!"
"It wasn't their-" Loki began.
"Who're you calling inconsiderate!?" Kori shrieked, hopping out of the blanket stall while Spica quickly picked up a few blankets they'd knocked down before following. "YOU'RE the one who threw us, lady!"
Freya looked over at Kori, examining her with a suspicious eye. "I think I know you…which goddess are you?"
Kori slapped herself internally. Dammit, in her anger she'd forgotten that Freya wouldn't react well to seeing her, of all people. Perhaps it was a sign that friendship was possible that Kori was honestly relieved that Freya wouldn't recognize Spica and therefore probably wouldn't attack.
Kori didn't have it so well off. Freya suddenly grew bright red with fury and screamed "SIGUNA, YOU LITTLE WITCH, WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE!?"
The response that first came into Kori's mind was Look who's talking, that's MY husband you're all over, hands off! The response that came out of her mouth, fortunately, wasn't that. It was "I came to go shopping with my foster sisters and thought I heard Loki, so I came over here. Why are you here and why were you in that little girl's form, Freya?"
"That's not what I meant! Why are you in Midgard!?" Freya demanded, pointing her finger in Kori's face.
That's my business, not yours, #&! Kori thought. "I could ask you the same question," Kori said.
"I was sent here by Odin! But he couldn't have sent you, you were sick!"
Shows what you know, moron. "I wasn't really sick. Well, I was, but I'd gotten better. I sent myself to Earth so Odin couldn't use me against Loki later on."
Spica glanced questioningly at Loki. Gods and goddesses don't get sick easily. Loki simply gave a rather depressed returning look that meant he'd explain later.
Back with Freya and Kori, the goddess of love, beauty, and war wasn't near done with the little goddess of loyalty. "Oh, you think you're really clever!? You know why I'm here!? I was sent here for trying to convince Odin to take Loki back! Why didn't you do anything like that?"
Because, unlike certain bimbos I know, I have a brain. "Because I knew he wouldn't listen. You underestimated Odin if you really thought he'd take you seriously."
Freya paused momentarily, a bit at a loss. Then she came back with a vengeance. "Well, now that Loki's been banished, your marriage is annulled, you know that!?" she asked triumphantly.
Kori tensed up and glanced quickly at Loki, who was rather surprised: this was the first he'd heard of it, but it made sense. Kori took a deep breath and replied to Freya "It's not definite, but I know there's a chance we're not technically married anymore."
"I say it's definite!" Freya argued. "And you don't have any right to keep me away from him anymore, so there!"
Shut up, SHUT UP, SHUT UP! "Freya, I may not have a right…" Kori gave the other goddess a venomous look. "But you still don't have it either. YOUR marriage still counts, am I correct?"
Freya stared in shock that Kori could possibly be that brazen and cruel. For Freya was married…but her husband was Od, the god of travel and wanderers, and many years ago he wandered away and never returned, leaving Freya crying golden tears. The truth was, Loki's loyalty to those he cared about was one of the things she liked best about him, and he helped her think she could heal the blow. And now Kori had brought it up again.
Kori realized that she'd gone too far, and lost control of her temper. Time to back pedal. "I'm sorry, that was mean…what I meant is, even if I don't have the right to keep you from Loki, you don't necessarily have the right to pursue him anyway."
"WHY NOT!?" Freya shrieked in Kori's face, practically knocking the girl over.
Loki deserves someone ten times as smart as you, at least! "Well, you and Loki might not make the best match…"
"How would you know!?"
"And there's your daughter, Hnossa!" Kori added with a burst of inspiration. "She might not be happy with it! I mean, she was friends with Vali, it might make it awkward for her."
"YOU might not know it, Siguna, being a sick little weakling," Freya said bitterly, practically igniting the fuse, "but Hnossa takes on after her father. During Loki's binding, she went wandering and never came back, just like Od!"
Kori felt a pang of guilt. "I'm sorry. I didn't know."
"You don't know anything!" Freya yelled. "I'll give you one last chance, okay? Give me one good reason why I shouldn't be with Loki."
Without thinking her words over like earlier, Kori blurted out the first thing that came into her mind. "Because he's like ten now, so it makes you a pedophile."
For a minute, Freya stared blankly at the child before her. Then her face contorted in rage, and, to Kori's amazement, a thin bladed sword appeared in Freya's hand. "You WITCH!" Freya shouted, and swiped her sword at Kori. The latter just barely dodged, and, shrieking, ran off, followed closely by a murderous Freya.
Loki clutched in forehead, furiously muttering something in another language. Then he motioned for Spica to follow him and ran off in the direction Kori and Freya had gone in.
As he ran, he explained the earlier things about the binding and sickness to Spica. "A while ago, Balder, Odin's son, made me quite angry. I'd rather not talk about how. But, to make a long story you probably already know short, I killed him, and then prevented him from being revived. I tried to escape Odin and the other gods, but it didn't work, I got caught. My son Vali was turned into a wolf, and then instilled with madness and force to kill his little brother Narvi.
"But that wasn't the end of it. Odin brought me to a cave deep underground, and brought Narvi's body with us. Then he pulled out the intestines, and…and he chained me to a rock with them. And he told me I'd stay there for a few hundred years to learn my lesson. The other deities gave me some final taunts and left…and worst of all, Skade, the goddess of ice and winter, left a poisonous serpent of her creation with me, dripping poison into my eyes.
"But Kori, then Siguna, wouldn't leave my side. She got a bowl made of special metal, and came to my side, sitting next to me and catching to poison in the bowl. The only time it dripped into my eyes was when she had to empty it. I told her a million times to go, and Odin himself came and dragged her away once or twice, but she wouldn't leave, she'd always come back.
"In the end, though, she started to get weaker. It was the poison, you see: I'm a jotun, a giant, I can endure, but Siguna wasn't so strong. The poison, just the vapors of it she breathed in, was slowly killing her.
"That was actually what got me out of my confinement. Kori-Siguna was good friends with Idunn, the goddess of youth, and Sif, Thor's wife. They came to visit, and when they saw how ill and weak their friend was they turned to Frigga, Odin's wife…and Siguna's foster sister. Frigga begged Odin to let me go for her sister's sake, and Odin eventually relented. I was released, and for the next few years afterwards, I ended up staying by Siguna's side and helping her. A rather ironic twist, when you think about it. Apparently, Siguna used the illness to hide her absence for a while when she followed me here…that must be why it was so long before Odin sent anyone after her."
Loki stopped, as did Spica. They'd run in a giant circle and had lost track of Kori and Freya. "Spica, I think you should go back and get Yamino and Kori's sisters. I'll keep looking for Kori and Freya, okay?" Spica nodded and ran off, and Loki restarted his search for Freya and his ever-loyal, ever-sacrificing, and ever-jealous wife.
((I was going to wait until I had three new reviews for the last chapter before posting this, but it turned out so much better than the other chapters of this fic so far that I couldn't wait! Plus, I promised I'd post quickly, and I have no idea how long it'll be until I get a new review…
Yes, Freya really was married to a god who left. Yes, she really did have a daughter named Hnossa. No, there's no myth that says Hnossa also left Asgard. I put that in myself. Also, the recount of the myth of Loki's imprisonment is mostly accurate, only slightly altered (the transformation happened inside the cave, and Loki was bound before Narvi's entrails were turned to iron), and embellished a little so I could explain why Loki was released from captivity. My version makes sense, I hope.
The next chapter will be an action-packed one I've thought out a while back. I hope you enjoy it, and I hope you enjoyed this one, too. Until next time, my dear readers! Story-time, over and out!))
