IS NOT: Anyone who is fool enough to think I created Norse mythology or the glory that is Sephiroth is crazier than plot bunnies makes me, and deserves to be horrendously pitied. Or Marvel-verse, for that matter. Or… whatever other verse that the eventual other parent gets pulled in from, and how about … ?
On the other hand, anyone who wants to help me pay for mental therapy is welcome to donate through . (Read the Author creative process if you think I don't need it.)
Ficcage:
Loki pushed his scrolls away in disgust. They were of no use to him. Why had he not paid more attention to where he was going, or where he had come from? Why was it he could not remember the alignment of the stars in that place he had taken his child, and sired another? He had studied them, after all. He had taught Jenova how to travel by the stars.
He closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. Yes, he had taught Jenova how to travel, and how to make a map of the stars. One hand raised. The Ancient City had been here, and above it, the brightest of the stars in the constellation they called Genesis, and from which they claimed their race was born. Genesis looked like so, and was drawn thusly, to resemble a warrior with a drawn sword.
The sword had pointed at the lightest star in the constellation Ragnarok, whose name invariably made Loki shudder. It was drawn so, and resembled a great mushroom. The Cetra had said it was an explosion, but Loki always considered it a ripple-edged mushroom. The cap of the mushroom had been just below the constellation known as Pedestal of the Goddess. It was drawn from star to star as so, and made a strange base for the Seven Stars of the Goddess, a constellation within the Pedestal of the Goddess.
Loki still was not sure why the Cetra had overlapped the two constellations, and he did not care. His hand moved, tracing out the Seven Stars, his magic standing in the air to form the stars. Loki drew in a slow breath, and opened his eyes. The magic remained, showing him the constellations he remembered. He fixed them in his mind, and stepped through a tear in the fabric of the universe.
This was the world he remembered, but not all was as it should be. Loki turned in a slow circle, trying to pinpoint what was wrong. There was the City, but there were no lights though the sun was well set. Loki frowned, and started for the city. He realized it was in ruins by the time he reached it, but still he moved from one broken house to another, calling the names of those Odin had not killed.
He came to his own house, and hurried to look for his journal. It was gone. In its place was a note.
Father –
It has been ten years since Odin came. Loche and I moved on immediately, settling a new permanent village with some of my friends. We call it Midgar, after one of the realms in your stories.
Something came upon me a few months ago, something unsettling yet unexplainable. Shin-Ra conversed with the Planet, but was unable to aid except to tell me that she does not believe the trouble originates from her people. I feared this meant Grandfather, and came for your journal.
Father, I viewed the memory water to see why the Ancient City was abandoned. It showed me myself, as a purely blue tentacled female, attacking the residents here. I appear to be insane with both grief and rage, but I have no idea why. I was in Midgar when the attack happened, and can only surmise that I will learn your ability to move through both time and space – and lose my reason. I have hidden the Key within the ocean until such time as my family has need of it – though I have yet to sire or bear a child.
I travel back to Midgar now with those things I found to salvage from this place. I intend to trade goods for seeds and animals as I go, and offer a place within our village to those who are interested. To find the village, travel south until you reach the ocean. Cross it, and continue south until you reach a river. Once across it, travel one day south and turn to the east. Continue east until you reach the next ocean, and cross it. If you angle in a southwesterly direction, you will come to a mountain range. Our home is on the other side of it, easily seen from the cliff that serves as one of our boundaries. You will also see the ocean, which serves as a second boundary. Our village lies about half-way between the two.
I hope to be able to see you again, Father.
I love you – Jenova
Loki folded the letter carefully, and placed it in his magical null space for safekeeping. He would go to this Midgar his child had founded, and see if he could discover just how much time had passed. Still, at least now he had the right realm! Heartened, Loki set out for Midgar, following his son's instructions.
The land had changed. He noted that the moment he entered the forest that surrounded the city. It was eerily still, and reeked of old magics. Loki let a tendril of his own loose, testing the magics, and found them set to protect the ruins of the city.
Characters:
Shin-Ra – the lovely blond boy is, yes, dear Rufus' many greats grandfather, and Jenova's sometimes lover
Faladin – this dark-haired beauty is Vincent's many greats grandfather, and a great deal more amusing
Krystal – the redhead, who has the grave misfortune of mothering Scarlet's line, is Jenova's current girlfriend
Rala – another blond… The bunny is still ominously silent concerning her. I begin to worry.
Miklain – a brunette boy, typically quiet and studious… and… well… the father of Hojo's mother's line
Jorran - this is the guy who fathers Genesis' line, and that lovely one takes after the father of the line.
Loche – Loki and Tayla's daughter, hasn't a bit of magic in her blood, nor any obvious Cetran qualities. Somehow or another, Loki managed to sire a perfectly normal child.
Jenova - the oldest of the group, de facto leader, Loki's child sired by an again unknown mortal of uncertain origin.
Author creative process goes here: