When he was not called to see Odin after being the first person to go to Jotunheim in a thousand years or after finding out the truth he knew he had fooled Heimdall successfully.
There's some consolation in that anyhow. Why did Odin take me? Was I someone important he thought he could ransom back? A pet for Thor when he became king? Or, perhaps worst of all, a weapon? This would explain why Odin let me grow up so unappreciated and disrespected. If the Jotun ever grew too powerful he could tell me the truth and how I could serve Asgard. I would have been desperate to do anything to be seen as a real Aesir. I could devastate Jotunheim with the casket or my magic. Save Asgard the taint and the trouble. Then, afterwards, he could discard me in disappointment for acting like a monster. He wouldn't even have to do anything elaborate. A simple "no, Loki" would probably be enough to send me off into oblivion.
I will not allow that to happen. I am Loki. I live and follow my own rules as the others would destroy me. I am no monster.
This truth changes nothing really. I am still leaving. It just serves as additional encouragement to leave.
He wanted to leave Asgard because he was seen as a failure and would be seen as a monster if the truth was revealed. He moved onto picking the realm he would make his home in. Yes, a home as a citizen only. I have no desire to rule for I am not really a prince and it would bring me to Odin's attention. I only wanted power to prove myself Thor's equal. If I am somewhere I am left alone or respected then I don't need to be Thor's equal. Ruling would be a lot of work anyhow. I want to catch up on my fun reading and experiment in peace. Odin spends most of his time working. I want to do what I feel like doing.
That aside, where to live?
As he thought about the other realms he knew of he knew he kept running into problems. Finally only one possibility remained.
Midgard! What do mortals know that I would appreciate? I'll go insane. Unless I make a few side trips…yes that could work if I'm careful for traps. Odin will set them to get his weapon back. If a weapon I was meant to be… yet what else makes sense? Thinking about this is pointless. I must never let Heimdall see me or Thor catch me. Midgard with trips out as needed is my best shot. Everyone discounts the mortals. They would only think I would go there to distinguish myself by mischief or a pathetic attempt to be able to finally shine in war. No, I go there to survive. This means I must distinguish myself in ways Heimdall would not consider. I could use my silver tongue to stop wars and bring peace when I felt like it. I could take my place among their greatest minds and tutor them if I wanted. As diplomacy and any mental challenge are disrespected by the Aesir no one would think of me making my place by using them. I love it when a plan comes together!
With that settled he started making trips to Midgard to prepare for living there. He quickly found that he was correct about Midgard but also very wrong. Yes, the people lived quickly and died senselessly so often. Then again they had libraries, so many of them, and so many different kinds! Libraries that had so many types of knowledge and ballads. He considered living near the one known as "the library of Congress" but decided being in a kingdom's capital was too close to politics. Odin might think to look for him there.
Midgard had so many different kingdoms. It was arranged by first "continents" then "countries" and then many other different levels of classification. There were so many different places he could spend his whole life exploring them and not get bored!
Eventually he decided on living in the town called San Francisco. It had a large library system, many different types of people, he could easily travel through the city and to others using various Midgard-no he should call it Earth for that was a native name- types of transport. The weather was moderate and variable: sunny some days, rainy others and foggy as well. One downside to San Francisco was that it was expensive. Living places cost many dollars. What was he to do about money? He didn't want to get a job: several hundred years as Thor's minder should make him eligible for retirement if he wanted to! Plus, after looking into the process of gaining employment, he saw it could be difficult. He lacked a social security card and much else. No he would have to be independently wealthy. How to get that money? He couldn't just make it. It turned out his to be adopted country guarded most carefully against counterfeiting. He could probably outwit them but didn't want to have to. He wanted to relax here which meant keeping below the authority's …what was that term…radar!
In the end he found a workable solution. He found that jewel companies bought precious metals and stones. He could easily create those with his magic. Then he could bring them to these people, in disguise so he couldn't be traced, and then get money. He easily did so at many different places and then stored the cash in his pocket dimension. He decided to open an account since not having a bank account would be suspicious. He winced when even the amount he decided to deposit raised eyebrows but his much despised silver tongue saved him. As long as he kept the future deposits down he would be left alone. They couldn't trace where he got his money from so he did not have to worry.
He scouted where to live and picked a house. He paid the full price at once which raised eyebrows. He made this choice because, even though it caused amazement, it was not unheard of and would minimize the amount of interactions he had to have with people. He used his first energy bill in the name of Luke Noen to get a library card. (He thought of using Norwegian for "no one's son" but that would be too pointed. "Nobody" would be false because he did matter even if no one else thought so. A Norwegian word meaning "someone" fit him well.)
Money? Accounted for.
Lodgings? Bought and paid for as well as the needed services.
Library card? How Thor and the others would laugh, but it was to him essential. Yes, he could buy his own books but he had too many fond memories of libraries. He would not give them up now. Thor might think to look for him in the libraries of Alfheim or Vanaheim but not Earth. No Aesir would pause to see just how much these libraries offered. Loki planned on becoming a rather generous anonymous donor.
Not sticking out? He knew the money. He knew about and had a computer and email. He was learning slang and could brush off anything by saying he had grown up in Norway. Though he liked having a British accent better somehow. Maybe Norway by way of Britain? Unusual, but people wouldn't care and it wouldn't be the type of thing Thor would think to look for. Thor would look for someone who would stand out by way of lack of knowledge and by making trouble. Loki knew the way of the land and his mischief days were done. Mostly. He wasn't going to give up everything to be free of Asgard. Otherwise what would be the point?
He had planned and enough time had passed that he had established himself in San Francisco. He would not seem to have established residence there the same day he left Asgard. Plus he planned on leaving the jewel with the illusion turned on when he left. No sense in giving them too much of an idea when he left. If only there was some way he could find out how long it would take before they knew.
Yes, he was the god of mischief. Maybe there were a few incidents the Aesir might have some reason to be annoyed about. The way they had treated him more than made up for it. He would start anew: as long as humans left him and what he cared for alone he would leave them alone. Except for maybe the occasional prank.