Disclaimer: I don't own it, okay? But let me act like I do for a just little while. Please, Mr. Lawyer person… pretty please with sugar on top… and by the way, those useless character convos at the end might prove a bit useful to some confused readers.

Now where were we? Oh yes, Loki was looking into Fenris' eyes…


Chapter 2

But they weren't her eyes. They were too wide, too innocent, the expression all wrong. Disappointment gripped him, and he discovered he couldn't suppress it. Yes, it would be a while before all the effects fade.

Of course they were not hers. She is dead. You saw her die. But then he realized where his thoughts were taking him, and he quickly cut them off, turning to other matters at hand. Now what do I do with the girl? Loki started studying her, noting her movements, her possible strengths and weaknesses. He discerned nothing threatening. Just an ordinary citizen, one he could handle with no trouble at all.


Ruri stared down at the guy, very relieved. Whoo! He's alive! And he looks okay! I don't have death on my hands! Darn, that means lots of dang offerings to every single god I know... But what in Hel was that fit? Do I still have to bring him to Gram? Guess I'd better…

Ruri opened her mouth to talk to her grandmother's prospective patient and found out that she was at a complete loss of words. And that she had absolutely no idea who he was. And that she had absolutely no right to bring him anywhere. And that he was staring at her.

"Will you get off me or not?" It was then that Ruri realized one more thing: her, ahem, rather awkward position. Her hands were practically around his neck. Her knees were on both sides of his hips. And her face was directly above his, her hair falling all around it. Oh, shit. Shit shit shit shit. Baka gods! I take all of my future offerings back!

She scooted off him, her face a color that would make every red thing on Rune-Midgard profoundly jealous


She extricated herself from him quickly enough, her face flaming scarlet. She was clearly embarrassed, mumbling an incoherent apology and turning away from him. Loki got up promptly, nonchalantly dusting himself off.

Humans. Always allowing emotions to rule their actions. Does she not know she is exposing her vulnerable back to a potential danger? At least she had stopped nattering. Wait, scratch that. The little chit either recovered or just resorted to talking to mask her humiliation.

"Sheesh, you almost gave me a heart attack there. Are you alright? No dizziness, faintness or black spots before your eyes? D'you think you need some medical attention? 'Cause I know a very good doctor that I'm sure would find out what's wrong with you. Do you have any affliction that might've caused such an attack? Oh, and don't worry about me. I'm here to help you. My name's Ruri, by the way. Ruri Tomoeda. What's yours?" And she stuck out her hand.

Loki simply stared at it. He did not acknowledge any of the questions, either. So naïve. Does she think it safe, trusting and conversing with strangers and offering to help them? I do not think it necessary to kill her. Perhaps a simple warning would suffice. Her hand was still stubbornly waiting for his handshake.

"Forget what you just saw. Do not speak of it to anyone, and walk away when I tell you to. Or else…" he summoned his bone armor to appear on his left arm. He gave her a threatening glare, moved lightning fast and flexed his razor-sharp-armored fingers inches from her neck. Her already wide eyes went wider. Good. Hedropped his hand, but did not withdraw the armor.

"Now go." Loki pivoted and started to walk away himself, aware that she had not moved. Then he promptly stepped on what seemed to be a loose rock and fell flat on his face.


A blur of movement, and Ruri saw that his arm was suddenly encased in a bony-spiky armor-like thing. That was enough to momentarily dispel her growing irritation with his cold demeanor. Way cool. Another blur, this time much closer, and she felt his fingers very near her neck. Whoa… Even cooler. Ruri didn't seem to register the fact that he might very well kill her.

"Now go." And he was walking away, just like that. How mean. Here she was, trying to help, and what does he do? Act cold, threaten her, and leave without a thank you. Well, he wasn't the only one with tricks. Concentrating, she focused on his foot and willed it to stumble on a rock. The harder the better. And he fall he did, her image of him as a cold, unruffled warrior totally ruined by the fact that he was now sprawled on the ground, limbs spread eagle and face kissing the earth.

She couldn't help it. Ruri gave a small giggle, then clutched at her stomach and burst out laughing.


He tried to get up, but found he could not. Puzzled, he tried again. Still no success. What is the meaning of this? Then he felt it, a force, most probably magical, that was holding him down. It was not that strong. Elementary magic.

Loki called on his willpower, and heaved himself up a few inches. The force pushed him back down. He struggled again, much more strenuously this time. The force resisted, and then abruptly it was gone. He couldn't stop his own momentum, however. He shot up like a cannon, and felt the force again, this time on his chest, pushing him back. That, and his own momentum, caused him to fall again, this time on his butt. Accursed girl. Maybe he should kill her after all.

Ruri sauntered up to him and smiled. If he was any other assassin from his former guild, she would be dead now. An assassin did not take humiliation lightly. She should thank her lucky stars Loki was the master of self-control and emotional suppression.

"Be nice." She held out her hand. Loki ignored it. "Take it, or I swear I'm gonna make you fall like that with every other step you take for the rest of your life." She was bluffing, Loki could tell. But it was better not to take any chances. He had no magic inside him; therefore he was wary of it. Loki grudgingly reached out to take it.

Electric shock. He felt it in every single part of him, every cell in his body screaming in surprise. It ran through him, immobilizing, paralyzing, yet at the same time making him shudder in little continuous vibrations. It was intense but not painful, drowning out every rational thought, each of his five senses unaware to everything except this current running through his body. It felt hot, and it was surrounding him in a prism of light. Steadily, it grew overwhelming, and when it was over Loki was vaguely aware that everything was descending into nothingness.


Somehow Ruri managed to let go.

She slowly sank to her knees, her mind almost deadened with the shock. I should be panicking again right now, and wondering exactly what that was. But I just feel numb. She glanced at the guy, who seemed knocked out. I gotta get home now, and bring him with me.

She stood up and tested her body. Thankfully, nothing seemed wrong with it. Then she walked towards him and checked his condition, managing to do it purely by the fact that she had memorized it and therefore it didn't need lots of thinking on her part. He was alive, but way out of it. I have to carry him home.

Ruri tried to carry him bridal style, but he was simply too big for her. She tried as many positions as her currently zombie-like state of mind would allow. Finally, she slung him over her shoulders and started down the path. As she walked, her mind gradually sharpened, and soon she was giggling at the scene she would probably cause. And worrying incessantly about that weird shock thingy.

It was almost dusk, the setting sun making the fields green-gold and painting the sky in hues of blue and pink and violet. The flowers shone like jewels and the trees formed interesting shadows that were growing longer by the minute. A few late birds were flying home, and the first of the bats were already in the air.

Ruri took this all in, wondering all the while at what Gram would think when she showed up carrying an unconscious young man with an arm covered with a sort of spiky bone armor. And not only that, he suffered from fits, and had large aquamarine eyes and a very serious attitude problem.

End of Chapter 2

Me: That's it for now. Hoped you liked it, please R-

Loki: The humiliation….waaaaah…. T.T

Penny: Crying. How OOC. I'm sorry, Loki, but would you have gone with her otherwise?

Me: She's right, you wouldn't. Anyway, readers, pl-

Lynna: I thought Ragnarok was a Korean manwha based on Norse mythology. What's with the Japanese?

Penny: The answer to that is this: Amatsu. It'll be explained later.

Me: …umm…please R&-

Iris: ((talking to Paul and pointing)) …and what's this, and that one, and this one?

Me: ((a bit annoyed now)) I said, please Read and Rev-

Lidia: No way! I didn't steal that one! C'mon Chaos, don'tcha trust me?

Me: ((vein pop)) Will you people please let me ask the readers to R&-

Skurai: Talatsu still needs blood…

Talatsu: Yesss…fresh sweet blood…

Me: Aaarrrgghh! ((grabs Talatsu and swings it around)) Keep quiet!

Everybody shuts up.

Me: ((smiling serenely)) That's better. Dear readers, kindly don't forget to R&R!