Author's Note: Well, this is it. After this chapter, I'm just one more until I reach the holiday specials. Here, we reveal a secret to a big character.

The song featured here is "It's a Lose-Lose" from the original show. Speaking of songs, I'm going to need some help coming up with a song parody for the next chapter. I don't normally use songs that are sung in the background, so "One Best Friend" isn't going to cut it. Sadly though, I have a hard time trying to think of one. If anyone has any ideas, send them my way please.

Anyway, let's get this chapter started. Any and all comments are welcome.

"Oh, sweet baby corn!" Molly whined as she lounged about her living room. Loki noticed her sad mood and sighed.

"Okay. What moral dilemma are you tackling with this time?"

"I just lied to Libby." Molly said. "She asked what I was up to last weekend, but instead of telling her I was having adventures with Scratch, I told her we searched all over the state for a rainbow candle for my mom."

Loki chuckled. "Yeah. I remember my first lie. I said 'I don't know how Thor got stabbed'."

"But I hate lying to her." Molly said. "She's my best friend. She should know about you and Scratch."

"Not a good idea." Scratch said.

"I agree with him." Loki said. "Unlike you, Molly, she's actually heard of me, and I don't think she'd appreciate you hanging around the most evil man in all of Asgard."

"But look at me!" Molly said holding out her arm. "I'm getting stress hives from all the lies!'

"That's just gross." Loki commented.

"Molly, it's not just Loki who'll be in trouble here." Scratch said. "The more people know about me, the less scary I am. And I'll be just some kind of friendly ghost."

"But I like friendly ghosts." Molly said.

"Well, the Ghost Council doesn't." Scratch said. "If I don't keep my scares up, they'll send me to the Flow of Failed Phantoms, a vortex where all failed ghosts are imprisoned forever!"

"What?!" Molly gasped. "What about you, Loki?"

"Same problem." Loki said. "You see, when the Ghost Council partnered me with Scratch, he and I began to share fates. So if he goes into the Flow, then so do I."

"Whoa." Molly said with a worried look. "I didn't even think of that."

"Hi, Mrs. McGee."

Libby's voice came from the main hallway. The three of them turned to see Libby approaching Sharon. She was carrying a giant, rainbow-colored candle.

"No wonder you had trouble finding this." Libby said. "Abe and Allie at the candle store said they've never even heard of a Rainbow Ribbon candle. So here. I made you one myself." She left it in Sharon's hands.

"Thanks… I guess." Sharon said. "Just one question. Why…"

"Why, Libby!" Molly greeted interrupting her mom. "How thoughtful of you to make us a candle from scratch." She emphasized her last word for Sharon to understand the situation.

"Oh, right." Sharon said walking away with her new candle. "Smells like… rainbows?"

"Wow. You've saved the day yet again, Libby! See you later!" Molly said shoving Libby out, but the turtleneck girl stopped and looked in the living room.

"Hold the phone. Is that Lukas? What's he doing at your place?"

"Oh, him?" Molly asked. "He's here because he… Uh…"

"I'm using Molly's oven." Loki lied carelessly. "Mine's getting repaired."

"Yep! That's it!" Molly said. "Well, see you later, Libby!" This time, Molly was successful in getting Libby out the door and slamming it behind her. She scratched her stress hives.

Just outside the door, Libby had a suspicious look. She pulled out a tape recorder and spoke into it. "Mm. Molly's hiding something. Looks like the bloodhound of truth will have to sniff it out." She sniffed the ground and howled into the sky.

All the while, Loki looked outside at Libby with an awkward stared. "And I thought it was disturbing when Eitri thought he could do a backflip."

Later that night, Molly was lamenting out of her window with Loki and Scratch beside her. She sang out her worries.

Molly:

What do I do? Should I tell her the truth

Should I just avoid her

That would destroy her

Scratch:

Sure. That'll do

Bonus points

Molly:

I'll be unhappy whichever choice I choose

It's a lose-lose

"Tough break." Loki said. "Hey, maybe tomorrow, you can…"

Molly:

But she's loving and she's thoughtful

I can't bear to see her go

Loki:

Maybe it's best

If I send her a text

Molly:

LOKI! GET AWAY FROM THAT PHONE

I DON'T WANT TO LOSE HER! I DON'T WANNA HURT HER

Scratch:

MOLLY, DON'T YOU SEE

Nobody wants to hurt her

But better her than me

Molly:

I just can't throw a way a best friend. I refuse

But I don't know what to do

It's a lose-lose

Molly laid in her bed fully at her wit's end over the situation. "But that means Libby and I can never truly be best friends."

"Then it sounds like Libby needs a new best friend." Scratch said.

"Better said than done." Loki said. "Molly's the only one who can put up with that girl's many quirks. Where's Molly going to find a new best friend for her?"

"You're going to WHAT?!" Loki cried out. He and Scratch looked around at all the lists, red strings, and pin-up boards that Molly decorated.

"You were right, guys." Molly said. "Libby needs a new best friend."

"I also said it's impossible for anyone but you." Loki said.

"Oh, we'll see about that." Molly said. "Now, I don't know anyone else who can keep up with Libby's funny quirks, and knowing Loki, he'll refuse to make Lucy Libby's new best friend. So I decided to create… Milly!" She slapped a blue hair paper on a sketch drawing of herself.

"But they're both pictures of you." Scratch said.

"Well, there's a familiar resemblance, sir," Molly said, "But this is clearly my Canadian cousin, Milly. You see the Canadian flag? Milly as blue hair and is an exchange student staying with the McGee's. Meanwhile, Molly will be up in Canada. Anyhoo, what's important is that Milly and Libby's friendship is one-hundred percent lie-free and pure."

Loki had a surprised look on his face. "Molly, that's the exact opposite of what Milly and Libby's friendship will be. Every last detail is part of a big, fragile lie. Just one slip up could mess everything up. This is a vagrant insult to all lies everywhere."

"It's either this or I tell Libby the truth."

"Well, if it's gonna keep us out of the Flow of Failed Phantoms," Scratch said, "Hello, Milly!"

"So let me get this straight." Libby said after meeting "Milly" at the bookstore. Loki and Scratch went with her. "Molly is in Canada, and you are her, uh, cousin… Milly, was it?"

"Yep. I'm Molly's Canadian cousin, Milly." Molly lied nervously. "Totally different person."

Libby was clearly not buying it. She was already suspicious. "Okay, 'Milly'. You wanna check out the dystopian fiction section?"

"There's a dystopian fiction section?" Loki asked. "Suddenly, I want to be a regular customer here."

"Well, unlike Molly, I am very pessimistic about the future." Molly said. She skipped away happily

"Yeah, you're a real goth." Loki snickered. That's when he noticed Libby with her recorder and listened in.

"A flimsy fake friend?" Libby asked. "The Molly mystery multiplies."

"Uh, oh. She's getting smart. That's my least favorite kind of mortal." Loki muttered quietly.

Loki followed Libby over to Molly. A crow was perched on Libby's shoulder. "So, 'Milly' what part of Canada are you from?"

"How long has she had that crow?" Scratch asked.

"That's… an excellent question." Molly said. "And I guess…"

"Nepean, Ontario."

"It's Nepean, which is in Ontario." Molly lied. That's when she noticed the voice that echoed in her ear. "What the…"

"Ontario, huh?" Libby asked. "Close to Toronto?"

"440 kilometers miles northeast approximately."

Molly heard the voice again and responded to Libby's question. "440 kilometers northeast approximately."

Libby rubbed her chin. "You do seem to be very knowledgeable about Canada."

Molly walked away a few feet and sighed. "How did that happen?"

"I helped." Loki said approaching her. "I casted a spell to whisper the answers to you from afar."

"You did?" Molly asked.

"I thought you didn't like this plan." Scratch said.

"I don't, but it's obvious Molly's going through with it." Loki said. "The best thing I can do is help her stabilize this counter-productive lie."

"Thanks, Loki." Molly said.

"How did you know all that stuff about Canada?" Scratch asked.

"You spend a few decades plotting to take over Midgard, you learn its geographical details."

Later that day, Loki watched from afar as Molly and Libby sat next to each other in the school cafeteria.

"Oh, an American cheeseburger with fries." Molly admired her lunch. "In Canada, we have…"

"Poutine." Loki whispered.

"Poutine." Molly finished.

"Well, you must be homesick for the Great White North." Libby said. "I know how much Canadians love… maple syrup." Just like that, she held out a jug and presented it to Molly.

"Odin's beard, she's good." Loki said. He saw Scratch floating by and pulled him toward him. "Listen, Scratch, you need to go over there and take care of the maple syrup thing. She always said that maple syrup tastes like a tree's tears."

"What? Why do I have to?" Scratch said.

"Because I can't go over there without Libby getting suspicious, because you can eat anything, and because I'll exorcise you if you don't."

"Okay. Don't be rude." Scratch said as he floated on toward Molly who struggled to bite her syrup-covered burger.

The ghost got there just in time. Just when Molly was about to eat it, she actually slipped it into Scratch's mouth. Libby was surprised not seeing Scratch.

"Honestly, it's not bad. I'd have another one." Scratch commented.

"So what are we doing next, best friend Libby?" Molly asked as she and Libby walked in the park. Loki followed behind them hiding from tree to bush to park bench.

"Oh, you're going to love it, 'Milly'." Libby said.

As soon as Molly saw what was in store, she cringed loudly. Before her was the town street magician, Irving the Illusionist, who Molly despises. Before him was a table with three upside down cups.

"Which cup hides the ball?" Irving asked. "Is it under one or under all?"

"Wow. Libby could give Hela a match for cruelty." Loki said. "Thankfully, this is where I can help."

Libby dragged Molly to Irving's table where the magician did his work. She picked a cup, but there was no ball. She picked another, and there was still no ball. The last cup had no ball either. He played it off that the ball disappeared by magic, but it just rolled out of his sleeve. That's when Loki decided to make his move.

SNAP!

Suddenly, Irving's hat on the ground shot out a ball that hit him in the chin. "Ouch! What the…" Another ball smacked him in the nose. Two more followed. And after that, the hat exploded into a geyser of balls. Molly and Libby quickly moved back watching Irving rise up on top of the ball explosion.

"Whoa! Guess one of Irving's tricks backfired." Libby said.

Of course, Molly knew the truth and she gave Loki a thumbs up.

"Okay. I've had enough. Milly's gotta go." Molly said after returning to her room. She threw off her blue wig.

"No kidding." Loki said. "Libby's tested my powers so many times, I'm almost convinced she's my old rival, the Enchantress, in disguise."

"Okay. Milly's out." Scratch said. "But I've workshopped a backstory for Libby's new new best friend, Mally from Tallahassee."

"No, Scratch." Molly refused. "My skin can't handle another lie."

"Okay, but you know, Mally has a talking cockatiel named Paul." Scratch said. "So your loss."

"Bye, Mally." Paul said before he flew out the window.

"I'm out of options." Molly said. "Are you sure I can't tell Libby about you two?"

"What? No!" Loki yelled. "Molly, remember? The Flow of Failed Phantoms? And let's not forget the Asgardians. I was almost seen by them twice this past month. I can't afford to take any chances."

Molly frowned. "Then I have no choice. I can't ever see Libby again."

DING-DONG!

The three of them already knew who was at the door even before hearing Sharon's voice from downstairs.

"Hey, Libby. Come on in."

"The house is compromised!" Scratch yelled out.

"We need to get out of here!" Loki yelled. He, Molly, and Scratch bolted out the window right before Libby could enter their room, but not before leaving a sludge of blue ectoplasm for her to find.

Molly rushed through town with Scratch and Loki behind her. But right on their trail, Libby was tracking them down like a bloodhound. Through the streets, through the alleyways, through the shops, they only narrowly dodged Libby's curious gaze.

Finally feeling they caught a break, the three of them sat down in a park bench.

"We finally shook Libby." Molly said tirelessly.

"Or did you?" Libby asked suddenly appearing from underneath them. They gasped in surprise as they saw her and jumped away from her. Loki put the wig back on Molly. "Once the bloodhound of truth gets our scent, there's no hiding."

"The bloodhound of… Aww. Is that you?" Molly asked. "Is that what you call yourself?"

"I'll ask the questions!" Libby said. "I know what you're hiding, Molly. Your big secret. The one that you and Lukas seem to share." Loki and Scratch gulped nervously. "I know the truth! You have… an Eastern Canadian brain slug!"

Molly, Loki, and Scratch dropped their nervousness and exchanged it for confusion. "What?" Molly asked.

"Wow. She really went off in a totally different direction, huh?" Scratch asked.

"Brain slug? What?" Lukas asked.

"Don't hide it, Lukas. I know your part in it too. You're new in town just like Molly, but you don't have any friends yourself. So you tried to take Molly from me by giving her a brain slug, which gave her an impeccable Canadian accent and mucus which I found on her windowsill. It's also the only logical conclusion why she didn't want to hang out with me lately."

"…WHAT?!" Loki asked. "Do you have any idea how ridiculous that is?! That's your most logical conclusion?!"

"Oh, yeah? Well, we'll see for ourselves." Libby said. "Obviously, Molly's super cool wig is meant to hide the slug itself!" She grabbed Molly's blue wig and pulled it off, but she was surprised to see nothing but Molly's natural hair color.

"I don't have a brain slug." Molly said. "I actually think they don't exist."

"Oh. I was really hoping for a brain slug because it was the only logical one of my three conclusions." Libby said. "The others were one: you and Lukas are secretly dating…"

"HAHAHAHAHA!" Loki laughed loudly. "If you actually thought Molly McGee is my type, maybe you're the one with a brain slug."

Libby frowned. "Then the only conclusion left is… Molly doesn't want to be my friend."

"What?" Molly gasped. "No, Libby! I swear, that's not it!"

"What else could it be?" Libby asked. "Molly, friends—real friends—they don't keep secrets about each other. They don't hold back any truth. I can't trust any friendship of mine unless I know everything. So if you've got something you need to tell me, you have to do it now." Molly struggled to answer, but she thought of what it would do to Scratch and Loki, so she reluctantly stayed silent. "I figured. This has happened before. I just thought you were different." Libby got up and began to walk away sadly.

Molly began to tear up. Loki looked at her and suddenly, a memory flashed in his mind.

"WHY DIDN'T YOU TELL ME?! HOW COULD YOU KEEP THAT FROM ME?!" Loki yelled out to Odin in the throne room. His eyes were full of tears.

"You need to calm down, my son." Odin said. He tried to reach out to Loki, but his hand was smacked away.

"I'M NOT YOUR SON!" Loki replied. "YOU KILLED MY REAL FATHER AND STOLE ME WHEN I WAS A BABY! YOU LIED TO ME FOR MY ENTIRE LIFE!"

"I never wanted to hurt you." Odin defended.

"You already did." Loki replied with malice in his voice. "Everyone treats me like an outsider, and now, I know why. I just thought you were different."

After reliving that traumatic moment, Loki sighed. "Molly… you can tell her."

"What?" Molly asked.

"What?" Scratch asked. "Loki, remember the Flow of Failed Phantoms? The Asgardians?"

"Why are you giving me permission now?" Molly asked.

Loki sighed. "I know what it's like to be hurt by secrets. I just never saw it from this side before. Didn't think it would affect the liar as well as the one who was lied to. So… Libby's the one time I'll let you tell anyone."

"Are you sure?" Scratch asked. Loki nodded.

"Oh, thank you!" Molly hugged Loki before dragging him away. "Come with me. I'll need you."

Molly brought Loki and Scratch to catch up with Libby. They all stopped in front of her to get her attention.

"Libby, wait! The truth is…" Molly sighed. "I have been hiding something. And yes, it involves Lukas. The thing is, I've been lying to protect him and my other friend."

"Protect him from what?" Libby asked. "And what other friend?"

Molly turned to Loki and Scratch who just dropped their disguises. Out of thin air, Scratch appeared himself before Libby. And Loki changed his casual clothes into his Asgardian armor, cape, and horns.

"Yep. I'm a ghost." Scratch said.

"And my real name isn't Lukas. I am… Loki."

Libby let out her most surprised expression ever. Her face dropped before she fainted onto the sidewalk.

"Happy now?" Scratch asked.

"Thank you." Molly said with great appreciation.

"Something tells me we have a LOT to cover when she wakes up." Loki said.