*Okay, this is totally random and has absolutely nothing to do with the story, but I need to get it off my chest… everyone I've told has informed me I'm insane… but I've got the next billion dollar idea to help market the next Avengers movie… Picture this. You walk up to the snack bar at the movie theater… and you can get… "Robert Downey Junior Mints." A little box of Junior Mints with Robert Downey Junior on it! :D Tell me that's not pure genius! I would buy Robert Downey Junior Mints… Right? Anyways, sorry, but I had to get it out there. Before I forget it and it disappeared into the void of my mind.
Felony
"Loki?" Odin's voice seemed to cut a knife through the atmosphere on the balcony.
Noir and Loki immediately stepped away, as if they had been caught doing something naughty… and in a way, they had. But Odin didn't exactly know that.
The Allfather stepped out onto the balcony, looking resigned. His cold steely gaze wandered between his son and the lady, not particularly suspecting what he had just interrupted.
Nothing was said for a long moment as Loki felt irritation spark through him as he looked at his father, Noir felt awkward and slightly frightened of the king, and the king himself merely wondered what Frigga had wanted him to do.
"Are you enjoying yourself?" Odin finally asked mildly.
Noir glanced to Loki, deciding to let him do the talking.
Loki's fists clenched at his side. "Yes, actually," he said curtly.
Odin forced a smile. "…Would you mind introducing me to your friend?" he asked, glancing to Noir.
Noir felt panic flash through her. Loki swallowed and glanced at her, unsure.
"If you please, Your Majesty," Noir said, her voice strong despite her slight terror. "I am Lady Noir Voleusesdaughter."
"An honor to make your acquaintance," Odin nodded to her regally.
Silence fell again.
"…Did you want something?" Loki asked, an edge to his voice.
"I merely thought…" Odin trailed off. "We don't talk much, Loki, and so I thought we might talk a bit tonight."
Loki gritted his teeth. "Convenient," he muttered.
Noir sent him a meaningful look…. A look that basically said, "I swear on the nine realms, Loki, if you say one word to make your father unhappy, he's going to kill us both, and I will find a way to kill you again once we're dead."
Odin's brow furrowed. "What do you mean, my son?"
"I mean it's convenient that tonight of all nights, you decide to make some effort to pay any attention at all to me," the second prince growled.
The king's eye narrowed. "Your mother is the one who suggested it, actually… because she's under the impression that I do not care for you."
Loki scoffed. "Under the impression," he repeated bitterly. "As if there's any other impression given. Father, just go back to praising Thor and his every perfect word and perfect action. Leave me be."
"I do care for you, Loki," Odin said as his son started to turn away from him.
Noir averted her gaze from the arguing men, looking instead at her bare toes, still poking out from under the hem of the dress. She scuffed her feet against the ground. She couldn't help but feel terribly out of place, like she shouldn't be here for this conversation. But the only way she could escape the balcony was to walk past Odin… and she was starting to think that perhaps jumping off the balcony was an option, once considering the thought of walking past the king. Jumping off the balcony was a much more appealing concept.
Loki threw his father a resentful look. "Right. You care for me. Which explains why Thor is only prided higher than gold, and why I'm the one who is told to merely stand by and worship him, too," he spat venomously.
Odin's eye was filled with smoldering anger. "You think of yourself so highly… yet you seclude yourself and say nothing but poisonous words to those trying to be friendly."
"I don't need friends," Loki spat.
"And that is why I do not dote upon you like I do Thor," Odin said, raising his voice slightly. "Because you do not require such attentions. You keep yourself company; you need neither my approval nor approbation. You reject it once it is given; why should I offer it?"
"Because maybe I do need it," Loki hissed angrily. "Maybe I just don't want your secondhand pride, a hand-me-down of your love for Thor. Maybe I don't want to be the afterthought, the tag-along, the name that comes after the 'and' inn a sentence!"
Odin's face hardened. "You have jealousy in your heart for your brother, Loki. It is not fitting for a prince. If you would understand the actions I take, and not question them… if you would accept your place—"
"Accept the fact that I am below Thor, you mean?" Loki deadpanned.
Odin stopped speaking and just gave his younger son a glare. There was a long moment of silence, and then the king merely turned and swept the curtain aside angrily, stalking back into the ballroom.
Loki watched his father go, a blank expression remaining on his face.
Noir, who had still been standing to the side silently, looked at him sadly. "…Loki?" she whispered
"What do you want?" he asked flatly.
Noir was taken aback. She swallowed and edged along the balcony railing until she stood next to him. "Loki?" she repeated anxiously.
He finally turned away from the gossamer curtain that his father had just disappeared from. He met Noir's eyes, and she was surprised to see the coldness and hatred there. "What?" he asked, voice still flat.
Tentatively, she reached out and touched his hand. He made no move to pull away, but neither did he squeeze back when she tightened her grip on his hand in an attempt to comfort him.
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
"For what?" he asked bitterly. "I'm simply supposed to accept my place… as merely the second-in-line. The last one to be noticed, the last to be asked the opinion of, the last to be appreciated."
Noir almost felt her heart break just looking at the somber expression on his face. The coldness and hatred had disappeared… but now there was only desolation. She pulled him closer to her, and she wrapped her arms tightly around his shoulders. "Loki… they save the people who are drowning first."
His arms wrapped around her waist in return. "But what if I'm drowning, too? And they just haven't noticed it yet? What if I can hardly breathe, and I'm sinking, and they can't hear me calling for help?"
Noir closed her eyes, holding back her tears at his words. "Then let me save you."
He tightened his hold on her. "You can't, Noir," he whispered.
Noir let out a shuddering breath. "Then at least let me drown with you. Can I at least do that? We'll drown together."
Loki laughed shakily. "Please don't." He shifted slightly, so he was leaning back against the balcony railing, and Noir faced him. She pulled away just enough for him to see her brow creased with worry and her eyes shining with tears that threatened to spill. With a sigh, he stroked his hand down her cheek. "Noir," he whispered.
She didn't say anything; just looked down at the ground. He pressed a kiss to her forehead and then waited for her reaction. She gave none.
"I didn't know it was like that for you," she admitted. "I didn't know you were so badly shunned and… and…"
Loki felt his anger again. "It doesn't matter."
"Yes, it does…"
They both froze and glanced away from each other when they heard a scream from the ballroom, followed by a commotion. They looked at each other in surprise, then dashed for the curtain to see what was going on.
Sif stood off to the side of the ballroom, her back to a window as she watched the line of couples in the middle of the room. Her eyes followed Prince Thor and the young lady he was dancing with… it was the girl she had introduced herself to earlier. Lady Marron Something-or-Other-She-Hadn't-Bothered-to-Listen-To. Sif's brow creased. Thor and Lady Marron were smiling and talking… well, it appeared that Thor was doing most of the talking… which only made Sif's heart sink further. The couple was already in the middle of their second dance, and Thor hadn't even danced with anyone else yet. He hadn't even looked at Sif like she might want to dance.
She sighed and leaned back against the wall next to the window, folding her arms over her chest. Lady Marron was a lucky girl. Normally, Thor would do his princely duty and try to dance with as many ladies of the court as he could. But Lady Marron appeared to have his full attention.
Lady Sif paused and frowned as she heard a clink just outside the window. She glanced sidelong at the glass. She didn't see anything at first… and then she spotted it. On the windowsill, there was a… a something. A…. grappling hook?
Suddenly the window was smashed, and several more around the ballroom were smashed simultaneously. Several people screamed at the sudden sound of shattering glass.
Sif skipped away from the window, retreating to a safe distance of a few good strides. She reached for the long dagger at her waist as a figure dropped lithely in through the window… and similar figures dropped in through all the smashed windows at the same time. Cloaked and indistinct. By this point, the ballroom was in a bit of pandemonium, with all the partygoers dashing to the middle of the room in a huge huddle. The music had stopped playing, and the couples were no longer dancing. Sif slowly backed away from the indistinct figure in black, heading back towards the crowd of frightened people.
"Everybody keep calm!" a gruff voice called loudly, confident and slightly sneering. "All we want is a little word with our Dearly Beloved Gods-Save-Him King!"
The voice came from a figure on the other side of the room, and Sif turned to see a figure in black, seemingly a bit taller than the others, striding towards the head of the room. Sif wasn't sure what to do… should she jump into action and attack? Or should she wait. She didn't know.
All the figures in black cloaks were now grouping together and moving forward after their leader… there were perhaps twenty in all, all in black and all with their hoods up to hide their faces.
The lady warrior drew her knife and started to stalk after the group, quickly joined by Volstagg, Hogun, and Fandral.
"If anyone makes a move to harm any one of us…" the leader called over his shoulder nonchalantly. "Then we attack the lovely little group of sitting ducks in the middle of the room." He raised a black-gloved finger at the unarmed and terrified group in the middle of the room, shaking with fear in a group.
Sif and the warriors stopped, knowing that risking the lives of all the lords and ladies was not a risk worth taking to attack the twenty figures head-on.
The leading figure then approached the throne, where the king of Asgard sat up straight, looking like he was made of stone.
The figure in black moved to stand at the very bottom of the steps leading up to the kings' seat. He dipped into a bow, spreading his cloak grandly. "King Odin Allfather… I am Chatte Rouge Catalysseur… You might know me better as… your doom."
Loki and Noir tore the curtain aside and then stopped dead at the sight. All the partygoers were huddled together in fear in the middle of the ballroom, while Odin sat up on his throne, staring stoically at the figure in black before him, backed by a group of similarly-garbed people in black. The music had stopped, and wind was blowing in from smashed windows all around the room.
"What the bloody-?" Loki started to wonder quietly, his eyes flicking over the situation.
"I am Chatte Rouge Catalysseur… you might know me better as… Your Doom," a sonorous voice sounded from the leading figure in front of Odin.
Noir's fists suddenly clenched at the sound of his voice. "Chatte. They're nekos," she hissed to Loki.
Loki's eyes narrowed, and he slowly started to step forward.
"Chatte Rouge Catalysseur," Odin repeated the name the leader had offered. "Why do you interrupt our night in so dramatic a fashion?"
Chatte Rouge Catalysseur laughed darkly. "Because you won't listen to us otherwise, will you, my king?" he asked scornfully.
Odin made no comment. Loki's jaw clenched. This was exactly what he had been telling his father the previous morning… that the nekos were taking violent measures because the Allfather would not make any changes otherwise.
"All I wish to tell you…" Rouge said calmly. "Is that… the rebellion is coming. And you should enjoy your throne while you have it. Because you won't for much longer, Odin."
There was frightened murmuring around the whole room, though the group of cloaked forms chuckled quietly.
"I take it you are the rebel leader, Chatte Rouge Catalysseur?" Odin asked warily. "And these are your followers?"
"These are only a select few… a few well-trained warriors that can gut an Aesir in a pinch," Rouge said nonchalantly.
Further worried murmuring from the Aesir. Loki nervously tugged Noir's elbow and they crept a little closer, joining the group of party guests.
"And why, neko, do you think this will accomplish anything? Simply tell me what it is that you request of me, and I shall consider it. I do not see reason for you to continue with your so-called rebellion… I am sure such measures are not necessary," Odin was obviously trying to keep himself cool and collected.
"You want to know what we want?" a neko from the group behind Rouge challenged angrily. "As if you really don't know, King? As if you really don't know why we do this?"
"Blanc, hold your tongue!" another snapped harshly in a whisper.
An arm seized Noir's, and she jumped. Marron stood next to her, eyes wide in fear and realization. "Blanc," she said almost inaudibly.
Noir swallowed, her lips pinched, and nodded in agreement.
"I see no reason for such sudden and drastic actions," Odin said slowly.
"Pay no heed to him," Rouge said quickly. "He does not know his place. But he is also correct; surely you know what it is we wish? What we want is our rightful place in society. It is a simple request, is it not, Allfather?" Rouge continued solemnly.
Odin let out a bark of laughter. "Your rightful place, you say? Your rightful place is back on your plantation as slaves, or in prison, or hanging from the gallows. You deserve nothing more than that, and your endeavors to raise your status only prove where you belong, Chatte Rouge Catalysseur. You dig your own grave by leading your fight, and only further separate yourself from civilized society."
There was dead silence in the whole room for a moment.
And then, "If you insist," Chatte Rouge Catalysseur said in a dangerously low voice.
There was a deafening boom that shook the room, and suddenly the room had returned to pandemonium. It seemed people were running in every direction, most making a mad dash for the ballroom doors, and a few running towards the king. The figures in black seemed to only be adding more confusion by suddenly standing in people's way, or throwing down small objects that made more small explosions.
Loki and Thor lost sight of Noir and Marron as suddenly people raced past. The two princes grabbed each other's forearms to not lose each other,, and they tried to forge their way through the crowd.
"Loki!" Loki thought he heard Noir's voice, but he could not see her. "Loki!"
And still he could not see through the silk gowns and velvet capes, or the swishing black burlap cloaks.
Now people were flooding out of the ballroom, leaving it nearly empty. It appeared the black-cloaked nekos had disappeared in the commotion… and so had the nekos in ball gowns.
"We must speak to Father," Thor started to lead his brother forward, looking worried, but Loki tried to wrench his arm out of Thor's grip.
"Noir and Marron," he hissed meaningfully.
Thor frowned and nodded, indicating that he already knew. "They probably will just find their way to your chambers again," he shrugged, though obviously not entirely convinced. "But it doesn't matter… Father—"
Loki cut him off with an irritated sigh. "Father can be taken to Helheim," he muttered under his breath, but Thor was already dragging Loki to the head of the room, where Odin, Frigga, Sif, the Warriors Three, and a group of guards were already deep in conversation.
"What is to be done?" Thor called to the king.
Odin turned and looked at his two sons. His gaze lingered on Loki a little longer than necessary. "…We shall find the nekos and attack. We cannot allow this to happen again. They did not cause harm tonight, but they have made it clear that that is their eventual aim."
Loki's mouth dropped open in outrage. "You're going to attack?"
"What would you suggest, Loki?" Odin snapped.
Loki scoffed. "I'd suggest you think about their actions tonight. They came for a reason…" He looked around the ballroom for a moment. "They came to get a rise out of us…" He took a few strides away and knelt on the floor. "Their leader stood here… and…" He ran his finger along the ground and lifted it to inspect. "Evidence of flash powder," he announced, standing and brushing off his hands. "Which is used to create theatrical effects, but is known simply for its noise and light, and not necessarily for damage. And they used many of these little flash powder explosions to create confusion. Which means…?" he gave the others a dark look, as if waiting for them to come to the conclusion themselves. None of them seemed to realize what he was getting at. He rolled his eyes and sighed. "This means it was all a show… all a little… performance… all a…" he paused, and a thought struck him. "A… distraction…"
Odin's eye narrowed as he tried to comprehend what Loki meant. Then his eye widened. "Their appearance tonight was nothing more than a front, and a diversion… to make us not notice something…"
"Allfather!" Sif's eyes suddenly widened. Her eyes were glued to one of the smashed windows, and she rushed over to it.
Everyone followed her, and gasped. In the far distance, on the outskirts of Asgard, a blaze was visible. It was leagues away… but it was not in the city.
It looked like every building at the numerous plantations had been set aflame.
About ten minutes earlier…
Noir's cat ears, still invisible, drew back and flattened to her head at the sudden boom that filled the room when Chatte Rouge Catalysseur finished speaking. People suddenly screamed and dashed towards the exit to the ballroom, jostling the neko girl.
She was swept by the crowd for a moment as she struggled to free herself from the current.
"Noir!" a voice squeaked somewhere off to her left. Noir turned, stumbling slightly as someone ran past, bumping her. She caught sight of a flash of amber hair, and she shoved her way over to Marron.
"Marron," she whispered. But she suddenly gasped as she realized someone—a figure in a black cloak—had a hand wrapped around the girl's arm, and was dragging her towards a window. And then someone grabbed Noir's upper arm and began dragging her, too. She tried yanking herself out of the hold, but a long-forgotten male voice whispered in her ear.
"Little Chatte Noir Etoile… It's been a long time."
Noir's blood ran cold, but suddenly she was being ushered out the shattered window of the ballroom.
"Loki!" she yelled helplessly, unable to stop the gloved hands pushing and pulling her onto the narrow stone sill just outside the window. She gasped as her bare feet touched the frigid rock. She was beginning to regret taking off her shoes for that dance with Loki.
"Shut your mouth, Etoile!" the same voice hissed before a hand dragged her further out the window, snagging her gown and tearing it. The magic spell upon it faltered, and she found herself wearing a simple white dress. "Loki!" she called desperately, but she could not see him.
And soon she was being led along the narrow stone sills and trellises out of the palace. Tears pricked her eyes… she had no idea what was going on. All she knew was… she had been kidnapped, caught off guard by the chaos in the ballroom. And somehow the neko rebels had gotten ahold of her and Marron.
And she was no longer with Loki…
Note from LoquaciousQuibbler: Sorry, you guys, I got some major writer's block on this chapter… I knew what I wanted to write, but I just couldn't get it out… so I'm so sorry for not updating as regularly as usual. :P I still feel like this chapter didn't end up as good as I had hoped…
Also, sorry for ruining the lovely fluffy atmosphere we had last chapter. But we all knew it was coming, right?
Props to Phantasmagorical Me for the "What if I'm drowning, and they just haven't noticed?" line. Thank you, my friend. I hope you don't mind that I took the metaphor a lot further than you originally suggested. Also, I did a little moment of Sif being jealous of Thorron… we may have a little more of that in the future ;)
For now, though, we can all feel terrible for Loki and his terrible daddy issues… and for Noir and Marron, who have just been taken against their will by the rebels… (Hmm wonder who's to blame for that? Can't imagine…)
My favorite line of this chapter was Loki snapping at Odin about being the second place every day… "I don't want to be the name that follows the 'and' in a sentence!" That is my favorite. I don't know why… But anyways.
And in case I don't update before the holidays come around… Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year, everybody who celebrates it! (Well, those are what I celebrate… if you celebrate something else, then I wish you a happy holiday of your choice ;P)
Please favorite, follow, review, and forgive the unnaturally long wait