- Disclaimer: Matantei Loki Ragnarok belongs to Kinoshita Sakura.
Ah, My Loki-sama!
written by Kurosu
- Chapter Twenty-Two.
Somehow during the week, the group of gods managed to find jobs, but then again, these were good-looking, attractive immortals that people just gathered to, like mindless moths to the pretty light that would eventually be their electrifying doom. In this case, the simile was perfect because these gods were troublesome and could bring about the end of Midgard, or at least Tokyo, Japan.
After dropping Mayura off at her school, Loki, willingly in his child form, took Fenrir for a walk through the neighbor, and surprise, they ran in to preoccupied Narugami, who stood at the corner of a busy intersection, handing out flyers. Loki smirked at the sight of the god of thunder in a chicken suit and picked up a flyer on the pavement - a random person just threw it to the ground carelessly.
"Oi Narugami, looking good," he chuckled.
The god just rolled his eyes, "A job's a job! I'll take on as many as I can, for sensei's sake!"
Fenrir started drooling, 'Daddy, can we have chicken for lunch?'
Narugami shooed the two towards the restaurant, "Hey mention me and you get a discount!"
"Oh? Is that all?"
He rubbed the back of his chicken head embarrassingly, "Well, I get a tiny commission too."
"Sure," Loki shrugged, "I'll add you're doing such a good job that babies are crying, kids are terrified of poultry, and mothers are threatening to have you arrested for harassment..."
The laughing boy and snickering dog walked into the restaurant, leaving a frowning Narugami shaking his fists after the two, "Curse you, Loki! And your cute, li'l doggy too!"
Meanwhile not too far away, a few blocks from Narugami's corner, a panicking Kazumi flew down the street, being dragged by at least ten dogs on leashes, five within each hand. He somehow conned the neighborhood into letting him walk their dogs for a small fee, with the excuse of paying for his mother's birthday present. So touched by his adorable sweetness, they obliged, and that's how he ended up in this mess of dog walking, and for some reason, no one questioned his absence from school - maybe assuming he was home schooled.
The dogs were still in control here, dragging the poor god pass a store being renovated, and from this particular place, poor Freyr just got kicked out onto the walkway, his behind hitting pavement, followed by Gullinbursti thrown to his head and dropped into his lap.
The apparent leader in charge of the site shook an angry fist at them, "How hard is painting a damn wall?! And... PINK?!"
Freyr, covered in pink paint, hugged Gullinbursti in his arms like a lovesick fool, sighing, "Yamato Nadeshiko..."
Okay, some failures here and there, but where was Freya in all of this?
She was sitting in an office building at some lawyer firm, dressed very professionally, looking about at the folders across the desk and wondering what she was supposed to do. The phone rang somewhere beneath all the paperwork, and she figured it was her job to answer it, but finding the damn thing was difficult. She threw paper and stapler and pens and whatnot over her shoulders, digging for the phone.
Finally when she found it, she picked it up and answered, and the dial tone greeted her. Pissed, she threw the whole phone, receiver and base, into the trashcan. "Aah, someone help me!" she sighed.
And at her request for aid, men suddenly popped out of their offices and hurried to the receptionist's desk, each one wanting to help the blonde beauty.
And some goddesses have all the luck.
So did some gods- er, demi-gods, like Yamino sweeping the stone pathway in the shrine courtyard. He was enjoying the peace and quiet, in the little chores he did at the Daidouji house and shrine, and with all the gods away, he could actually bring normalcy back to the place. Next on his list of chores would be cleaning everyone's room, which was going to be a more challenging task.
He went down the list of bedrooms, from Mayura's to Daidouji's, which shouldn't be much of a hassle, and neither was Loki's and Fenrir's, sometimes Ichirou's when his brother would carelessly use up his powers. Then he thought about his own room - with a dark thunder cloud appearing over his head - the one he shared with the messy Narugami. The worse room was probably Kazumi's and Freyr's, where the latter stuffed it with his endless gift ideas for his beloved Yamato Nadeshiko, which could rival his own mail-order products hidden within a very small closet in the house - try finding that!
Yes, life on Midgard was tough, indeed, for these immortals.
Another day at school for Mayura, another day at lunch with Hel-chan, then another afternoon without Loki. Although Mayura missed being by his side, she figured it would give him some time to find more jaki, but she wasn't feeling lonely because spending time with Hel-chan was just as nice, something about it reminded her of the moments with Loki. She couldn't quite place her finger on it but decided to shrug it off and go find Hel-chan that afternoon.
She was supposed to meet her classmate in one of the classrooms in the elective building. She walked along the not so crowded hallways, where most students were at club or sport activities, and when the sound of music reached her ears, she was entranced the familiar melody and followed it, wanting to inquire the person of the piece's origins. She came upon the music room with the piano and watched, staring wide-eyed at a serene Hel-chan, whose fingers graced the keys like an expert pianist.
It wasn't the shock of seeing the talented Hel-chan, but Mayura finally remembered the melody, the song from her childhood, and the words came to her as if the memory had been yesterday:
o/` Even if the tears flow and the pain still hurts, never give up your dreams.
Her voice beautifully flowed with the music, falling into perfect sync with the notes.
o/` Forget all that's standing in our endless path, and believe in a smile.
o/` The door of light will just be a reach away, don't ever be afraid.
The song was coming to a close, the soft notes gradually fading in to silence.
o/` I'm so sure, I'm so sure we will be all right...
Hel-chan smiled as her hands laid to rest upon her lap, and a sniffling Mayura wiped away the moistness from her eyes and joined her friend, smiling faintly.
"Hel-chan, you play very well! But how do you know that song?"
"Someone taught me," she looked at the girl, her smile and words were very cryptic.
"Hmm..." Mayura was in her thinking pose, gazing up at the ceiling, but she blinked and shook the thoughts away, "Nevermind, it must be a coincidence." She grabbed Hel-chan's hand and started to pull the girl out of the room, speaking energetically, "The ice cream parlor has a discount today! You get a free scoop in between four and five o'clock! So we can't-!"
Hel-chan stopped them both, her kind face suddenly turned serious and almost menacing. She ducked to the side, pulling a surprised Mayura with her, and they both landed on the floor, just as a group of music stands flew to the wall, missing their targets. A few instruments began to float in to the air and in front of them, as the girls climbed to their feet, cautious of their dangerous situation.
They slowly moved to the walls, their backs pressed against it, as they inched their way to the exit. Just a few more feet, and they could escape, but Mayura's phone went off. At the sudden noise, the spirits went wild, and the girls ran for the door, but it slammed shut right before their eyes. Hel-chan grabbed the knob, attempting to twist it open, but it wouldn't budge.
"Hel-chan!" Mayura cried, no time to answer the phone, and threw herself at the girl, just as the trumpet slammed against her shoulder. She winced at the throbbing pain, and Hel-chan helped her away before the rest of the instruments threw themselves at the students.
They ran to the windows and looked outside, from the third floor. The atmosphere of the room shifted, and Mayura, wide-eyed, saw several jaki floating around the room and gasped, "Where did they all come from?!"
"Throughout the school," Hel-chan said softly, "They were probably dormant before... I believe we might have awoken them."
"Eh! Hel-chan," she stared at the girl, "Are you... a goddess?!"
Hel-chan looked at the ground, guiltily, "I-I'm sorry, Mayura-san, for keeping it from you." She started to move away, still avoiding eye contact, and introduced herself to the mortal girl, "I am... the goddess and ruler of the Underworld. Those who die come to me... They come to Hel."
When she looked up again, she had the most pained expression that Mayura had ever seen. "Hel-chan..." she whispered and ran to the goddess, throwing her arms around the lonesome figure, embracing her with all the warmth and kindness she had, "To me, Hel-chan is Hel-chan! Whether you're a goddess, or a person, or something else, we will always be friends!"
Hel-chan gasped, surprised that someone had accepted her true self without reservations, and gazed at the mortal girl in her arms with pure adoration. "Mayura-san..." she closed her eyes and returned the hug, "Thank you..."
Her eyes snapped open again when she felt the disturbance within the mass of jaki, closing in on them.
"Ah! Mayura-san," she breathed, "We have to get out of here!"
She secured her hold on the mortal, "Hold on, Mayura-san!"
After the last minute warning, Hel-chan shoved herself against the windows, breaking through the glass and falling out of it with Mayura tightly in her arms.
Loki, already out of breath even in his full form, pushed forward through the school gates, Yamino's phone gripped in his hand. He had felt Mayura's sudden panic and knew she was in trouble. He had tried to call her as he pursued the white thread, with Fenrir right by his side.
They heard the loud crash from the east side of campus, and even the white thread wound in that direction, then ascending higher and higher in to the skies. Loki and Fenrir stopped, eyes gaped at the dramatic scene before them, of two girls falling from the third floor windows. A flood of jaki spiraled out of the windows, shattering more of the glass, creating a storm of spirits and shards over them.
The blonde god, paralyzed by the sight, felt his chest constrict, "Mayura!"
'Ah! Daddy! That's-'
A bright light engulfed the girls, still descending straight to the ground, and when it faded away, Hel-chan had sprouted magnificent wings - one was white, and the other black - from her back, saving herself and Mayura from the fall. Without a break in her movements, Hel-chan carefully shifted Mayura's body a bit to the side and lifted a container made out of bones into the air, where the many jaki were falling right upon them.
"Hel awaits with Hunger..." *
At the command of the goddess of the Underworld, the opening of the container began to suck in all the evil spirits till there were no more. When the last jaki disappeared in to the prison, it automatically closed itself. She held the bottle to her side, as Mayura regain her footing on solid ground.
The mortal girl ignored the pain in her shoulder and looked at the goddess in her full form, "Hel-chan! Are you okay?!"
Hel-chan, now without her glasses, blinked.
"Speak to me! Hel-chan!" Mayura held the goddess' shoulders, worried etched all over her face, "Hel-chan!"
"Ah Mayura-san, I'm okay," she blushed shyly.
"Thank goodness!" she sighed, so relieved, and hugged a stunned Hel-chan, "I'm so glad! I was so afraid... so afraid I would lose Hel-chan..."
"Mayura-san..."
So touched by the mortal's honest feelings, Hel-chan started to cry.
"Hel... Mayura..."
The girls looked over to see Loki walking up to them, a gentle expression graced his handsome features.
"Loki-sama..."
"Father..."
Mayura blinked, "EH?! Father?!"
Loki gave them a warm, loving smile, very happy that the two important women in his life were all right. Without any more words, because actions were enough, he wrapped his arms around the two girls and pulled them against him, his heart oh-so very relieved that everything ended up fine, perfectly fine, and he could live with this.
"Mou Loki-sama!" came Mayura's muffled voice against his chest, smothered by his fancy, white shirt. She was able to pull back and stare up at him, brows furrowed in confusion, "How many kids do you have?"
"Hel is my youngest," he smiled and then looked thoughtful, giving her a squeeze, "But I wouldn't mind having more."
Hel-chan blushed at her father's insinuation, but the mortal was clueless, "Why are you looking at me like that?"
Loki laughed and gave her a chaste kiss on her forehead, which made her blush since he had never been so affectionate to the point of kissing her, even if it was in a safe spot.
The other girl giggled, "Father, I approve."
"Mou Hel-chan, not you too!" Mayura pouted, pressing her cheek tenderly against the girl's own, "Don't take Loki-sama's side! Us girls have to stick together!"
'Me too, me too!' Fenrir barked, 'I want to join in!'
Mayura pulled away from the father and daughter to pick an eager Fenrir up, in to her arms, giving him a warm squeeze, and Hel-chan smiled, happy to see her older brother again, "Ani-ue." **
'Hel, you look good!'
Later that evening, with everyone seated for dinner, and Loki and his children finally reunited together, but... um, Hel-chan, after using all her powers to save Mayura and herself and capturing the mass of jaki was left in her powerless state, much to Loki's amusement and Mayura's confusion and worry and everyone else's mixture of reactions.
Freya's fist slammed on the table, shaking the poor furniture in to fear, and shouted, "What are you trying to do?!" While she demanded an answer from Hel-chan, her finger was pointing to a grinning Loki, relaxing in his chair with his head resting against his propped up hand, enjoying a sweatdropping Mayura in his lap, as Hel-chan moved Mayura's plate over to her new seat at the table.
"Here you go, Mayura-san!" she chirped very sweetly to the mortal girl before whipping her furious eyes to the blonde goddess. "WHAT DO YOU THINK I'M DOING!" she sneered, "For being a goddess of Asgard, you aren't very bright!"
"WHY YOU LITTLE BRAT! HOW DARE YOU TALK TO ME THAT WAY!"
"Need I remind you that this brat is Hel... Ruler of the Underworld! So bring it to HEL!" she cracked her knuckles, and the evil glint of her glasses was quite disturbing as if she had become a totally different person - a more dominate and aggressive persona, unlike her usual quiet, timid self.
"GRRR, YOU ARE ASKING FOR IT!" Freya pulled out a chainsaw and sliced an empty chair in half to show that she meant business.
Hel-chan snapped a whip, from out of the blue, across the table, cutting that in half too, and the plates and food slid down the slope and in to a messy pile on the floor, "BRING IT ON, BITCH!"
Everyone, especially her two brothers, sweatdropped.
"Ano Loki-sama," Mayura whispered, worriedly, "Will Hel-chan be okay?"
"Of course," he smiled, very entertained with tonight's dinner, "Seeing my quiet Hel like this... is very refreshing."
* Hunger is the name of a dish that belongs to the goddess Hel - information from wikipedia site - but I made it in to a jaki container instead, lol.
** A very formal and archaic way of saying "older brother," which I imagined Hel-chan would use because of her sweet, kind, polite personality, her love of books and knowledge too.
Notes: Okay, I guess I lied about no more updates till next week. The mood just hit to keep on writing! I'm actually happy how this chapter turned out, at least the second half of it, dealing with Hel-chan. Besides Mayura being my favorite, I love Hel-chan too! I wish there was more of her in the series. Lol, and I always seem to refer her to as Hel-chan in my stories.
And if you can't tell, Hel-chan's powerless state is a more dominate and aggressive personality, a complete opposite of her normal, shy self. I thought it would be so funny to have a dual personality, lol. She quietly supports Mayura and her father together in her normal self, but she'll push it farther in her crazy powerless state and butt heads with Freya. Hope you guys enjoy that, rofl!
Oh, the lyrics from the song will appear again in its fullness later, and I'll give you proper information on it then. Just a glimpse of it for now. *grins* -kuro.