"So, Cerberus is…?"

"My uncle's dog? Yeah."

"Seriously? Hades actually has a giant three-headed hound?"

"Well, he's nowhere near as big as you humans make him out to be, but he does have three heads."

"No way…"

"Oh yeah. He's a real sweetheart, too."

"Heh… I'll bet."

High above the courtyard, two students of Class A leaned against a metal railing. Their playful banter echoed softly in the evening air as the two of them went back and forth. Following yet another explosive argument with Loki, Nari was left storming out of the classroom in search of solitary solace. A habit that was happening more and more often as of late.

For the last few days, the god of fire had been harassing the woman almost constantly. After making her life difficult during the ocean trip, the trickster god had apparently decided that the trouble he caused wasn't enough for him. No, he hadn't bothered her nearly enough. Thus began the first of what would quickly become Nari's new nightmare. The fact that he was regularly attending classes should have been a good thing. But instead, it only meant that there were endless opportunities to make her school life a living hell.

. . .

"What is wrong with you?!"

It was the end of class time and the older sister had dismissed herself to conduct her usual club activities. Between dance practice and songwriting, Nari typically dedicated the most time to extracurriculars out of all the students. As such, she was often the first to leave the classroom to allow herself the most time possible. Unfortunately, Loki was aware of this, and had once again made her the target of his most recent prank.

Upon opening the classroom door, she was met with a very unpleasant surprise: a falling enchanted eraser filled to the brim with blue and purple powder. An eraser that, after bouncing off her head, proceeded to assault her, ricocheting between her face, her chest, and flailing limbs. He had arrived before her, and nothing had had happened upon her entry. He also hadn't left the room during the entire lesson. She had no idea how he had managed to set up the trap in the first place. She didn't really care either. The only thing on her mind at the current moment was wringing his neck.

The god in question was leaning back in his chair, cackling like a madman. Off to the side, Balder was gazing at her with a surprised expression, his features lacing with genuine remorse. Behind them, Thor was shaking his head with a look of pure exasperation. This had been the routine ever since their return from summer vacation. Poking and prodding, relentless irritation, multiple pranks, all in the span of less than a week. And the older sister had had more than enough of it.

Nari spun around and shot him a furious glare, hands clenching into violet fists.

"Whaaat? You like purple!" He taunted her, earning an even more vicious gaze as a result. Had she been born in another lifetime as another person, she would have frozen him solid. But she wasn't, and she couldn't. So, her rage went ignored with a flippant grin. "Ooh… Should I have chosen a different color? Hmm, maybe green perhaps."

"You son of a —"

"Nari!"

In the next several seconds, Yui was across the room. Weaving in between the desks, she entered the fray, appearing in front of her older sister and stopping her with a pair of hands on her shoulders. "Nari, calm down!"

"Move, Yui."

"Come on, don't do this. You know how he is."

"I don't care, I'm gonna punch him in the face."

"There's no fighting in the classroom!"

"Then, I'll punch him outside."

"That isn't any better!"

From behind her sister, Loki leaned around. A mischievous shit-eating grin was plastered on his face as he stuck out his tongue and taunted her with waggling fingers. Utilizing her younger sibling as a living shield, he was having an absolute field day. Yui wouldn't allow her to throttle him, and Loki knew it. Nari was just a moment from seeing red when her sister brought her back to reality with a voice of reason. "Nari, please! Just don't… It isn't worth it."

"…Tch." A disgusted scoff was the only thing she offered before backing away. When she spun around, Loki thought for a moment that she would come after him again, paying close attention as she stomped toward the door. But he was wrong. Reaching the doorway, Nari paused, turning and looking over her shoulder in his direction. When their eyes met, his giggling ceased. Her expression wiped the smile right off his face.

. . .

That was how they had found themselves playing a game of true or false. As had slowly become commonplace following one of their showdowns, Dionysus had located her, taking the time to talk her down.

"Alright, your turn. Anything you want to know?"

"Hmm… is it true there are really humans who refuse to drink wine?"

Nari snickered, shaking her head at his look of legitimate confusion. Of course, he would ask something like that. Her classmate had a rare opportunity to exchange information, uncut and raw. He was free to inquire about any topic he chose. And wine was his concern. Typical. "Yes, Dio, it's true."

"Why?" He looked incredulous.

"Well, lots of reasons. Some people don't like the taste. Others can't drink wine because the alcohol makes them sick. Maybe a person isn't old enough, or drinking goes against their beliefs or religion… so on and so forth."

"That's awful. I can't imagine such a life."

"I'm sure you can't."

"Alright, next question."

"Hmm… what about the story of Pandora's Box?"

Dionysus smiled. "Humans are very fond of that one, for some reason... Anyway, I'd say partially true. It wasn't as bad as you guys made it out to be. Also, it wasn't a box. It was a jar."

"Is there much of a difference?"

"Mm… Not really, no."

The two laughed at their foolishness, Nari leaning her head against her arms. "You're so weird… Okay, continue."

"Do your people really sing songs of my exploits?"

Nari nearly choked, both at the absurdity of his question, and the implication. "I… uh… I mean —" His smirking face forced made her roll her eyes and return to a standing position. Recomposing herself, she furrowed her brow. "Mm. Well, I wouldn't go that far. People don't really… sing of your conquests." Silence fell between them as she took a moment of pause. "Well actually, come to think of it, there is a K-pop song named after you. And it talks about partying and drinking. And it mentions Thyrsos, so…"

"I'll take it!"

His goofy grin brought a smile to her face. He was so ridiculous. "Alright, what about Eris's golden apple?"

Dionysus grimaced. "Ooh… yeah, there was a lot of trouble surrounding that one."

"Yikes…"

"Oh! Actually, I've got a personal one for you."

"Honestly, I'm surprised it took you this long… go on, do your worst."

"How about intimacy between humans?"

There was a moment of pause between them, Dionysus's innocent expression and Nari's wide-eyed stare. She wasn't surprised. She had been expecting it. And that still didn't make it any less strange. "Like… You're asking if humans… have sex?"

"Well, obviously." He waved his hand, gesturing to her existence. "But I mean… how exactly does it work with you guys?"

"Um… I uh… I assume… it works the same way you guys do."

"You forfeit all inhibition to ecstasy and enter an uncontrollable frenzy?"

Nari blinked. She wasn't sure what he was talking about at this point. Probably had something to do with his godly power. She would definitely have to look into that at a later time. "Um… no. N-No, we don't."

"Hmm… fascinating."

"Yeah…" His question left her staring off into space. The idea of a hormone-induced mania was concerning to say the least. But she couldn't help but wonder… "Oh!" Another thought suddenly came to her. "The Odyssey."

"True. But greatly exaggerated."

"Ha! I knew it."

Dionysus chuckled at her triumphant smile. It was a refreshing sight, having grown so accustomed to her perpetual frown. Something he still didn't fully understand. He wasn't sure what reason she had to be so upset, such a vibrant and talented young woman. She was also very interesting and surprisingly knowledgeable of his kind.

Through their conversation, he was beginning to learn that the older sister was far more versed in Greek mythology than he had originally thought. Though their understanding wasn't always entirely accurate, it was clear that she had learned of far more than just her studies in the local library. Their influence on the human world was far stronger than he thought. In particular, humans seemed to be rather fascinated with his culture specifically. At that thought, Dionysus tilted his head. "Fotia, do all humans share this same interest in my people?"

"What, the Greeks?" Dionysus nodded. "Oh certainly. You guys are the subject of all sorts of things. Video games, movies, television, theater…"

"Any particular reason?"

"Mm… it's difficult to say. I'm not sure why you guys are so mainstream." She waved her hand in a flippant gesture. "But it's not just the Greeks though. It's all over. There are games that cover Japanese mythology like Okami, Yokai Watch, Ghosts of Tsushima… And a whole section of the Marvel cinematic universe is dedicated to the Norse."

"Really?" Dionysus wasn't entirely sure what a Marvel was, but it sounded interesting. And a whole portion for the Norse? Color him curious.

Nari nodded. "Mm-hmm. I don't think there is a single person alive who hasn't heard of Thor, the god of thunder. The man is an icon. And he has a bunch of movies, a couple starring him and —"

Her explanation came to a harsh and sudden halt, and her face fell. Getting lost in their discussion, she had gotten a little excited telling him all about the human world. In doing so, she had nearly forgotten the reason she had ended up here in the first place. Loki. The very thought of him soured her mood, pushing off the railing with an aggravated huff.

To her side, Dionysus followed her, his own expression shifting to mirror her own. The god of fire's behavior had not gone unnoticed, not by him or any of the other classmates. He himself had been present for the fallout following her exit, watching as the younger sister tore into the startled trickster like an angry hound. He had never even thought such an outburst possible, but it seemed that even Yui could erupt if she was pushed far enough. Apparently, Nari wasn't the only woman one with a dangerous temper. Hers was just easier to bring out.

Still, the look on her face was beginning to worry him, her eyes so hollow and downtrodden. Slowly, he stepped forward and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. "Hey… are you alright?"

"Yeah… Yeah, I'm fine. I'm just —" She interrupted herself with an aggravated sigh. Her frustration was evident.

"Are you sure you don't want me to say something? If he's really getting to you —"

"No, don't bother. It isn't necessary. And besides, it won't stop him. All you'll do is turn his nonsense on you."

"I can handle him, Fotia."

"So, can I. It's just… I just don't know what his problem is."

Dionysus was at a loss. Why the god of fire was so focused on Nari was as much a mystery to him as it was to her. It was clearly starting to wear on her, and he wasn't certain just how much more she could take. She insisted she was fine, but even he could see her tolerance slowly chipping away. But if she didn't want him to interfere, then he wouldn't. However, it wouldn't stop him from trying to help however he could. "Okay, I'll stay out of it… but if I might make a suggestion…"

Nari shrugged. "Go for it. Can't be any worse than Yui's 'just try and ignore it' crap."

"It seems Loki isn't one to be easily rationalized with… And for whatever reason, he's chosen you as his current mark. Maybe one way to deal with him is to make yourself less of a target."

"Less of a target? How do you mean?"

"Show him that you aren't going to stand for his nonsense anymore."

Nari scoffed. "Yeah, good luck with that. Loki only speaks one language, and that's bullshit."

"Exactly… maybe speaking his language is exactly what you need to do."

"How? By giving him a good old-fashioned beatdown?"

Dionysus laughed before shaking his head. "No, Fotia… by turning his own tactics against him."

There were a few moments of silence as Nari considered his proposition. It sounded a bit farfetched; she wasn't going to lie. But she couldn't help but remember the startled expression on his face when she had sent him crashing to the floor. If she could get that sort of reaction from something so small, perhaps there was credence to his logic after all. A small smile grew on her face as she contemplated the possibilities. Yes. Maybe a taste of his own medicine was just what Loki needed.

"Yeah… thanks, Dio. I think that's exactly what I'll do."

Now, all she needed was an opportunity.

. . .

Luckily for her, that opportunity came a few days later. After successfully avoiding the fire god for the better half of the week, their inevitable encounter finally came in the form of a chance meeting outside in the school grounds. After finishing her practice session, Nari had made her way to a large tree, leaning against its massive trunk, and resting her eyes beneath the setting sun. It was a crisp autumn afternoon, and the sound of birds twittered away to announce evening's arrival. Her plan was to relax there for a few minutes and cool down before returning to her dorm for a relaxing bath. Of course, there was one major flaw in her logic…

Trees were one of the worst possible places to get away from Loki.

The sound of rustling leaves rattling above her disturbed her rest, putting her immediately on high alert. If there was one thing living at that school — as well as much of her life in general — had taught her, it was to never let her guard down. Not completely. In the following moment, that proved to be an invaluable lesson.

Nari remained perfectly still, resting her head against the tree's trunk, and keeping her eyes closed. She willed them to still, leaving her lids smooth and lifeless. The perfect image of a sleeping woman. Doing so tested every ounce of her patience, holding in a gasp when she felt the soft brush of air reaching her forehead. She could almost feel his breath against her skin as he drew nearer. So close. Dangerously close. Then, just as she felt a gentle caress against her temple, Nari came to life.

Throwing her eyes open, she reached forward, wrapping her fingers around the long crimson braid, dangling helplessly above the ground from the upside-down Loki. Hanging in front of her, marker in hand, he had only a second to express a look of shock before he was yanked downward, tumbling out of the tree with a loud smack.

"Ow!" He complained, scrambling to his feet, and righting himself almost immediately. By the time he had recalibrated, Nari was already standing, staring up at him with a look of utter exasperation. Yet strangely, she wasn't angry with him, or even upset. No, she looked amused. Possibly exultant. "Aw, no fair. You ruined my fun, puppy."

"Oh, did I? My sincerest apologies." Her footsteps crunched quietly against the moist grass as she stepped toward him. She couldn't help the smirk rising on her features when he backed away from her, keeping a bit of distance between them. He didn't seem nervous of her. More likely, he was being cautious. Something that would quickly work out in her favor.

"Oh, what's wrong? No angry outburst? No threatening, or shouting, or profanity?"

"Not this time, I'm afraid," she answered calmly. Her body moved in slow, careful motions as she circled around him. A hunter stalking its prey. "You see, that's exactly what you want, isn't it? To get a rise out of me?"

"Oh, ho, ho." Her target chuckled, keeping his eyes on her as she moved around him. He stepped backward and to the side, maneuvering around her as she attempted to draw closer in. His eyes never left her own. "I get it… you're changing your strategy. I'm sorry to say that reverse psychology has little affect on me. You'll have to do better than that to best the god of tricks…"

"Oh, but I've already won… You just haven't realized it yet." Nari shook her head, continuing forward. "Game over, Loki."

The god of fire smirked, faltering for all of a second when he felt a hard surface press against him. His attempts at retreat were thwarted by immovable resistance. She had backed him against the tree. Yet, he felt no uncertainty in his new precarious position. Instead, he felt exhilarated. Curious to see what Nari would do with her newfound advantage. Smiling back at her, he kept his voice level. "I disagree, puppy… we've only just begun."

"Oh, is that what you think?"

"That's what I know."

Nari chuckled. "You really think yourself invincible, don't you? An infallible creature with little or no weakness…"

"Well, I am a god, you know. Perhaps you didn't get the memo, hmm?"

"You think that'll help you here?"

Nari was drawing closer now, standing only three footfalls away from his current position. His mischievous grin masked the growing unease rising in the pit of his stomach. It was a foreign feeling to him, a strange amalgamation of nervousness and excitement. Just what was she up to…? "And just what are you planning to do, puppy? Is your aim to try and trap me? Kill me with kindness?"

"No." She was merely inches from him now, eyes staring up at him in an unblinking gaze.

Loki swallowed, feeling a gentle warmth rising to his face. What the hell was she doing? More importantly, what the hell was he doing? She was pressing a frontal assault, but her flanks were open. He could easily maneuver around her and escape. Step to the side and evade, leaving her standing there like an idiot. But he couldn't bring his body to move. He was bewitched and enchanted, rooted to the spot, silver eyes focused on her brown ones. So focused, that he didn't notice her hand slowly slipping into his loose jacket pocket.

When she spoke again, he barely even heard it. As though she were speaking to him through the other side of thick glass. "I'm going get even."

"And how are you going to do that?" His question was rhetorical. He didn't genuinely believe that she had any sort of plan. In truth, he wasn't really thinking at all. No, he was far too confused, trying to figure out what the woman was doing to him. Why he was so enchanted to the point that he could barely look away. Was this how others felt when he used his power of suggestion?

"By beating you…" Nari leaned forward, her other hand slowly tracing along his purple tie. The corners of her mouth curled into a Cheshire grin. She had him. "… at your own game."

Loki didn't have time to react.

With her final declaration, she had found what she was looking for. With a wicked smile, she threw herself backward, pressing him flat against the tree as she pushed off. His eyes finally broke away from her gaze, shifting quickly to her fisted hand. Then, it opened, hurling an all too familiar object toward him, fuchsia with golden stripes. Before he could even open his mouth, the trap detonated, exploding into a massive cloud of pink and yellow.

He lifted his sleeve to his nose, closing his eyes and coughing as he stumbled forward. For a few moments, he staggered around blindly, trying to find his way out of the heavy cloud. Loki was familiar with his traps, and it didn't take him long to escape the brightly colored fog. Coughing, he emerged, wiping his eyes, and leaving little skin-colored rings surrounded by pink dust. He was covered from head to toe, his long red braid now a striking shade of orange. And Nari, the woman responsible for his current state, was nowhere to be found.

He was flabbergasted. She had tricked him. The Japanese goddess had bested him once again.

She had caught him off guard with deception. Again. She had brought down his guard and defeated him with a sneak attack. Again. And much like last time with the sabotaged eraser, she got him with his own weapon. Again.

She had pranked him. Surprised him. Tricked the god of tricks with his own creation. He didn't know whether to be disgruntled or surprised. Amazed or annoyed. If he was being honest with himself, probably a little of both. What exactly had she done to him? How had she left him so paralyzed? Could it be that Japanese goddesses possessed a similar power to his own? It was certainly possible.

But why hadn't she utilized such power in the first place? Maybe, like her sister, she was attempting to take the moral high ground, keeping her trump card hidden until the right moment. The right opportunity to try and catch him off guard when he least expected. Whatever her motivations, it didn't matter. Nari had won. For now. And in doing so, had opened up a an entirely new can of worms. A force that, once unleashed, would not be contained.

Smiling, Loki brushed more of the powder off his face, shaking his head and making his way back toward the Norse dorms. He gave one last look at the school building, then continued onward with a lighthearted chuckle. Muttering to himself, he slowly vanished into the tree line. "You shouldn't have done that, puppy…"

The gauntlet had been laid. If she wanted a battle of wits, then he would give her one. And when he was through with her, she would never think twice about tricking him again. He would retaliate tenfold. He would make her rue the day she ever challenged Loki.