Chapter 7: Bills, Deals, and Trades
Mayura's father died during the night early Thursday morning. Her school sent her their condolences and excused her from school for the rest of the week. Mayura however didn't even notice this. That morning she had locked herself in her room and cried. Only Loki was able to convince her to come out and help plan her father's funeral. It was a somber event as all funerals are. Loki didn't even grumble about it raining like cats and dogs.
But Mayura's depression didn't go away after the funeral. At school she acted like a zombie and even when she went over to the Detective Agency which wasn't often, Mayura was lacking her normal exuberance in life. She no longer talked about mysteries and rarely smiled. When she did smile or laugh, it never reached her eyes. Although Mayura was perfectly healthy on the outside and constantly claimed that nothing was wrong, Loki knew she was still dying on the inside. He was scared. As annoying Mayura could be at times, Loki was afraid that he would never see the old Mayura again.
Well of course she'll never be the 'old Mayura' again. After such a tragic event, she could never be the same person again. That would be like asking me to be the same person I was before Odin exiled me to Midgard. I've learned too much… I've changed too much. I don't want to be that person anymore. That thought shocked Loki. He had never thought deeply about it before. I don't want to be who I was… Was that what Mayura papa was talking about that day? "When I first met you, I didn't trust you. Your whole presence screamed of hidden agendas." And yet, and yet… he gave me his consent to marry Mayura. Have I truly changed that much? Maybe I should ask Narukami-kun.
"Loki-sama, do you think Mayura-san will be here today?"
"I don't know Yamino-kun. She's been really busy lately, and from what I can gather the bill collectors haven't been that nice. She's trying to do everything on her own. And I'm going to let her do so for a little while still. These types of things are usually very personal in Japan from what I hear. I'm worried about her, but I don't want her to get the impression that I think she's a baby and can't do anything on her own or…"
… or become another father figure to her. I don't want that. "If you love my daughter half as much as I think you do, then I give you my consent to marry her," repeated Mayura papa's voice in Loki's head. A small smile appeared of Loki's face. Nope, definitely not that.
"I understand Loki-sama."
"Good afternoon…" said an unenthusiastic voice.
"Good afternoon Mayura," said Loki in a more cheerful tone. "Is there something you need help with?" Loki asked as he spied the large folder full of papers with her.
"Um, well actually, I… you said you'd look at the bills later? Would you? Loki-kun… please!!?"
"Sure, why don't you grab another chair and sit at the desk with me. I'm sure we can sort out the bills together. Okay?"
"Thank you Loki-kun." Mayura dropped the bills on the desk and hugged him.
"Loki-sama, would you like me to bring some tea up for the two of you and keep nii-san downstairs?"
"That would be appreciated Yamino-kun," said Loki as Yamino walked out the study door and closed the door. "Alright, let's work on these bills, shall we?"
Two hours later… Loki and Mayura were still at the desk sorting out the bills and trying to figure out how to pay them.
"I think we've finally flushed out all the duplicate bills and sorted the rest by payment date."
"I'm never going to be able to pay all this! It's highway robbery."
"I don't disagree with you. What does the hospital think you are, made out of money? I don't even think your weight in gold would pay this… But seriously Mayura, do you have any plans on how to pay these bills?" This would even make my coffers hurt. And I've been 'borrowing' a ring or two from Odin for centuries now.
A/n: Odin has a solid gold ring that reproduces itself 600 times every day.
"Yeah… kind of… I know that I don't have the money to pay for all the medical bills so I've decided to sell the shrine. I even have two offers. I hate the first one, but now that we've gotten the grand total on the hospital bills, the funeral charges and stuff, the second offer isn't enough. It wouldn't even pay all the bills let alone leave me with enough money to live off of until I can find a full time job." Mayura said dejectedly.
"What exactly are the offers?"
"The first one is from a large corporation. They've wanted to build a shopping mall and movie theater there for a while now. 'Can't waste quality land on a shrine,' is their motto. Papa has always declined to sell before. I mean, Ginga Shrine has been sacred land for over a thousand years, and… But it looks like I'm going to have to sell to them. I'm sorry papa."
"And the second?"
"Well, the other offer is from a shrine in Kyoto. It seems that they have two sons vying for the family shrine. The youngest son's wife saw my advertisement for Ginga shrine. She and her husband went to college here, and they're willing to buy the shrine and take care of it. Their little daughter is so cute. But they can't offer as much as that stupid mall." Mayura added angrily.
"The shrine means a lot to you, doesn't it?"
"Yes." Mayura looked at Loki questioningly.
I hope this works. "Sell Ginga shrine to that couple from Kyoto, and I'll pay off the rest of the bills."
"But Loki-kun, I couldn't do that…"
"Let me finish please Mayura. You can live here, since you practically do anyway and I've got more than enough space. That way you don't have to drop out of school. However, I'm not going to do this for free."
"Huh? But I don't have any money!"
"I never said you'd have to pay me money Mayura. I want you to study more, and no excuses either. I want results, got it? You're going to pass the exit exam."
"But that's not payment! I can't take advantage of you're kindness Loki-kun! I have to pay you back!"
"I don't care about the money Mayura."
"Isn't there at least a job around the house that I can do?"
"Well… if you really want to work… I guess you could do the laundry. Yamino-kun and I both dislike doing it. How is that Mayura?"
"Oh, thank you Loki-kun." Loki found himself once again hugged by Mayura. Not that he minded. Mayura leaned down and kissed him on the cheek.
"Loki-sama, Reiya-san came over to see you," informed Yamino as the little girl walked into the study. He took a set in one of the couches.
"I'm going to go home and pack a few things. I'll be back Loki-kun."
Just as the front door was closing behind Mayura, a flash of light became visible.
"Loki… I'm so lonely. You never asked me to stay over here."
"Freya…"
Freya walked towards Loki. "I love you, and yet you never seem to care for me. Why? Why do you care about that girl Mayura? You even care about little Reiya more than me! Why?" She bent down and held onto Loki tightly. Loki however looked quite uncomfortable. "What does she have that I don't?"
"It's not that Freya. I… I… I like you Freya… as a…"
Yamino quickly stood up and opened the windows to the study. This was fortunate because no more than 30 seconds later Freyr had plowed through where the windows would have been, riding Gullinbursti.
Do you have a Freyr sensor Yamino-kun? If you do, it's worth the money you paid for it by mail order. Now only if you found something that blocked unwanted Freyr pop-ups too.
Cue sibling theme song
"That's' it. Stop, stop, stop!! Let go, let go! Freyr understands that Freya-chan is at an age where she falls in love easily, and that can't be helped. But you have to go for this guy, of all people…. (mumble mumble). Anyway, Freyr won't forgive that!"
"Don't get in the way onii-sama! Loki was about to confess his love for me."
Haven't we done this before? Loki sighed.
"And now you're encouraging it! This will stop now!" Freyr pointed acquiescingly towards Loki.
"Wait just a minute! If you let me finish my sentence…" Loki demanded.
"Yes, let him talk onii-sama!!"
"I don't need him to talk to know what he wants…." Unfortunately, the siblings began to intelligibly bicker between themselves again, causing Loki's patience to finally run out. Three and a half centuries of this would strain ever the most level headed.
"I don't love Freya. I like her as a friend… a casual friend," yelled Loki. Some neighbors who were outside at the time swore till their deaths that the house shook.
----Stop sibling theme song---
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Wow
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They're quiet
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The sound of nothing in my ears
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I don't believe this
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I'm not dreaming am I?
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Nope
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Well, this is a new experience
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I didn't know they could be quiet
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Maybe their brains have stopped working
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"Fine then," yelled a quite annoyed Freya. "But you do like Reiya. So I'll win you as Reiya. Daidouji Mayura, you have a rival!!"
"Ughh… but Freya… I like Reiya as a friend. I'm just nicer to her because… well, she's only eleven and a lot less touchy-grabby."
"Huh? Who is this Reiya person?" asked a bewildered Freyr.
"Never mind Freyr," said Loki as rolled his eyes. You may be a god Freyr, but intelligence was never one of your gifts.
"I will win you Loki!"
My life sucks.
"I'm back Loki-kun!"
"How much stuff did you bring Mayura? You couldn't have packed that much in the time you were gone."
"Well, since I've been planning to sell the shrine for awhile, I've already packed up most of the house. And I thought the big furniture could stay at the shrine, now that nice young couple is going to buy it. I obviously have no where to put it."
"Does any of it have sentimental value Mayura? I'm sure space can be found for a few things."
"Not really, most of it is just nice. Anything of any sentimental value is part of the shrine proper. But, could I keep grandma's serving set Loki-kun?" Mayura looked at Loki hopefully.
"Of course Mayura, that's what I just offered. You need to listen a little more," teased Loki.
"Loki-kun! Stop making fun of me!" said Mayura as she stuck out her tongue at him.
"By the way Mayura, how did you get this all here?"
"I used the motorbike."
"But you can't drive."
"Oops."