Warnings: OOCness, semi-OCs, lack of spellcheck

The Mythical Detective Mayura

XII: Canine

"Cerberus, it is time for you to try your hand at Athena's death." Ares said, releasing the demonic dog. "Rather, your paw."

Cerberus howled angrily. "I can defeat her easily. She is slow. Her strength and wisdom have no effect on me."

Ares smiled maniacally as the hound vanished.

Eris watched from the corner of the library. "It won't work. Cerberus will end up having his sin removed too. Just like Aphrodite."

Ares glared at her. "Then you will have to kill her yourself!" He snarled.

Eris smiled slightly. "Perhaps I shall."

X

"Loki, I have news for you!" Odin sat his brother down at their breakfast table one morning.

Loki glared at him. It was far too early to be dealing with him. "Yeah?"

"Remember that girl I love? She's moving in with us! And she has a new puppy...isn't that great?" Odin was quite excited.

Loki sighed. "Isn't that sudden? I haven't even met her."

Odin smiled wide. "She's wonderful, really. I can't wait to introduce you two!"

"Okay, when?" Loki asked, knowing there was no resisting his brother.

"No, puppy, no!" The blonde woman said, following the small black dog into the house. The dog immediately began to eat the couch cushions. She then noticed Loki. "Ah...you're Loki!"

"Yes, I'm Loki." He replied, raising an eyebrow at her. "You are...?"

"Ah, I'm your brother's girlfriend, Frigg." She said warmly, shaking his hand.

"Nice to meet you." He glanced down at the dog. "You'll be living here from now on?"

She glanced at Odin, who nodded.

"Yes!" She answered, hugging him. "This is my puppy, Fenrir! Named after the Norse demigod, since we have Norse names. That's why we met, you know." Frigg gazed longingly at Odin.

Loki avoided gagging.

"Will you take Fenny for a walk?" Frigg requested, handing the blonde boy the leash.

He glanced at the cute puppy uncertainly before sighing. "Fine..."

X

Thus Loki wandered along the streets with the odd, adorable black puppy. The dog stopped to mark a tree before continuing on his walk.

"Well, this is...normal." Hadn't he just been complaining about normalcy like this a few weeks ago? Since when was everything so incredibly weird?

Oh, right, since Mayura.

But that had been his decision, in fairness. He was the one who wanted an exciting, adventurous life. He had been the one to fall in lo--

Whoa, wait a second.

He didn't love Mayura. He barely even liked her.

She was annoying and ditzy. She had no knowledge of customs on Earth. She was stupid, naive, gorgeous, kind-hearted, curious, exciting, adorable--

Wait, wait, wait! He began to rub his head in frustration as Fenrir ate a leaf.

Mayura was not adorable. He was not in love with her. She was just...different. He was just thinking these things because his experiences with her were so new.

That had to be it. Yeah.

Even if he did love her, they couldn't ever be together or anything. She was a goddess and he was a mortal--even if he was incredibly handsome and intelligent.

Plus she probably didn't feel the same way. Not that there was anything for her to feel...

He began to walk the dog towards the park.

X

Mayura sighed heavily, sitting inside her agency as she glanced at her files.

Aphrodite...

"Or perhaps the person your heart aches for most...?" Aphrodite continued, and Mayura saw Loki before her. "Detective..." Aphrodite said in Loki's voice. "I gotta admit, you're pretty cute..."

Aphrodite leaned in to kiss Mayura but the goddess of wisdom turned away. "You aren't Loki." She whispered.

Aphrodite's form shifted back to the beautiful woman. "If you won't let me steal your love, I will steal your life as Hades suggested!" She held a hand up to the sky and a stroke of powerful energy hit Mayura, knocking her into the tree where she landed beside Loki.

She couldn't be in love with Loki. Aphrodite was just playing a trick on her, using her seduction abilities to taunt her and tempt her and...

What was the point in denying it?

"Mou, Yamino-san..." Mayura groaned, letting her forehead hit her desk. "I have a problem."

The green-haired man stopped in his dusting and turned to her. "Yes, Mayura-sama?"

"Loki-kun...I think I'm in love with Loki-kun." She said, picking her head up slightly to look him in the eye.

He met her gaze and stared at her for a long moment before frowning. "Can you be, Mayura-sama?"

"What will happen?" She asked, sitting up and leaning back in her chair. "Will I be banished?"

Yamino smiled. "That's a good point. Now that you've been removed from Olympus and are being targeted for assassination, no more punishments can fall upon you."

She nodded, glancing out the window. "Mou, I don't know when or how I fell in love with him. He's just...my bishonen assistant detective friend."

"Love is a delicate flower that blossoms in times of trial." Freyr said, appearing out of nowhere. "It does not consider those questions that thou art asking."

Mayura blinked at him, surprised by his arrival. "Apollo, you really understand love..."

He shrugged. "To some extent, this one does. Of course Aphrodite is the real expert...Artemis is good with women..."

Both were silent for a moment as they considered their sisters.

"Artemis is truly gone." Freyr was almost asking her.

Mayura shook her head. "She's always with us!" She said, standing up and hugging her brother.

Little did they know...

X X X X

A short, revealing chapter for you, despite only one review!! ;-; I really thought you'd swarm after the "Lust" chapter, too...D:

Why did I update, then? Because I finished the fic! YAY! Meaning, if you guys get snappy with that reviewing, I can start updating once a week again ;D The ending is wonderful--you will be thrilled with it. The next chapter is good too.

Next chapter: Yamino and Loki have a chat about Mayura, but what happens when Cerberus interrupts?!