Ch. 99 - Judgment
Bright sunlight filtered into Da Vinci's workshop as the quiet sounds of bird song and a distant crowd flowed in from the simulated windows. Various projects of the genius lay on countless workbenches, surrounded by notes and schematics readable only by Da Vinci herself. The Uomo Universale wasn't like most Casters who kept many of their secrets under lock and key – rather, they were quite proud to show them off, as the process was just as important as the finished result.
And as a Caster's workshop, it also meant that no one could intrude or eavesdrop on anything within should she not wish for it.
Ren sipped at his coffee as he once more sat at the small round table where he delivered his debriefing after Orleans. With him were Roman and Da Vinci herself. The two adults also had coffees as well, made by Ren at their specific request, and for a while, they simply enjoyed the brew. After all, it had been a while since any of them had decent coffee while Ren had been in the Roman singularity.
Finally, the Phantom Thief decided to break the silence and get to the point. "So, what'd you guys want to talk about?" he asked calmly.
Roman and Da Vinci glanced at each other, then the former sighed. "We wanted to discuss how to deal with Loki," he admitted. "Normally, an insubordinate Servant's fate would be left to the director's discretion, regardless of the Master's wishes. However, with how things are right now, I don't believe that would be the right call to make."
"Someone like Loki is rather unprecedented," Da Vinci added. Though she was still smiling, her eyes were hard and serious. "Their abilities are something that cannot be easily discounted, nor can we easily dismiss their actions, both good and bad. And with how unstable the current structure of Chaldea is, what we do here most likely set a precedent how we treat Servants from here on out. It is not a decision to be made lightly."
The Phantom Thief considered. "So what happens if we decided not to have Loki here?" he asked. "Do we just send them back to the Throne? How does it work?"
Roman anxiously bit his lip at the question. "Dismissing a Servant isn't a simple matter as flipping a switch," he replied grimly. "We would have to destroy their spirit core in order to send them back to the Throne. I won't sugarcoat it: it's essentially an execution. That's why we wanted to talk to you about this before we made any drastic moves. After all, you deserve to know and it's not an easy thing to consider."
Ren nodded with a frown. He should've known it wouldn't be that easy, but as horrifying as it was, he at least appreciated the honesty. "Thanks for being candid with me," he replied earnestly. "And thanks for talking with me about this." He racked his brain as he contemplated. Loki wasn't Akechi, but neither was that completely true either. Whenever the Avenger got worked up, he could see tiny bits of his rival slip through. They weren't like El-Melloi – Loki was some combination of the two where it was difficult to tell where one ended and the other began, if there even was one in the first place.
And that led to a cold, unavoidable conclusion: There's no way he could make an objective judgement about this. His lingering sentiments about Akechi interfered far too much for him to do so. And, thinking pragmatically, he had been the one who chose to bring Loki along – the responsibility for everything that had happened was easily as much his responsibility as it is the trickster god's. The matter at this point was far too out of his hands, and far too large.
Wait…
"A vote…" he quietly mused to himself.
Da Vinci blinked. "I beg your pardon, ragazzo?" she inquired.
The Phantom Thief looked up. "I say we put this to a vote," he answered more clearly. "This matter is beyond me or any one of us, at this point, in terms of actions and experience. There are others who are more objective than us, and more knowledgeable. Plus, we can get some other opinions while we're at it. It's a fairer measure of how to deal with Loki, I think."
Both adults blinked in surprise, then considered. "In theory, it's not a bad idea," Romani murmured. "But votes can be a divisive matter. And we don't exactly have the largest number of people here – it'd be pretty simple if everyone talked to one another to see who voted for what. If there's a lot of disagreements, then it could crumble morale and the command structure in Chaldea."
Da Vinci tapped her chin. "There was a certain disciplinary protocol," she recalled. "Where in order to have a certain motion pass, it must be voted on by an overwhelming majority to deter dissent. Might we not do the same here? Say, perhaps, two-thirds of the vote? If the number of votes electing to dismiss Loki reach or surpass that point, then it would mean that there's common enough of an opinion that those who disagree may still the accept the outcome."
"That's still going to foster some resentment from the minority," Ren pointed out.
The genius shrugged. "'A good compromise leaves everyone angry,' as the saying goes," she simply replied as she took another sip of her coffee.
The three considered their options. They couldn't transfer the decision to anyone else easily, not without undermining Chaldea's command structure, nor did they have any better ideas than the vote. They debated on various different ratios as well for the majority, be it two-thirds of the vote, half, or three-quarters. In the end they stayed with two-thirds, as anything else would either prove inefficient and unlikely or would result in too divisive a split.
"I'll talk to Ritsu and Morgana," Ren said as he stood up from the table, collecting the cups. "And ask them to check in with the Servants and get their opinions. I'll leave the voting system to you guys."
Da Vinci once more smiled. "I'll be able to whip up something," she assured him. "It will be simplicity itself."
"And thanks for your understanding on this, Ren," Roman added with a grateful, if apologetic, smile. "This probably wasn't an easy call."
The Phantom Thief gave a strained smile as he shrugged. "I've been making plenty of those lately," he joked half-heartedly. "What's one more." With that, he walked off, balancing everything as his mind raced a thousand miles. His mind reached out to his Servants. 'Anyone know where Ritsu and Morgana are? I need to talk to them.'
An hour or so later, everyone had gathered in the director's office. Artoria and Archer were standing nearby while Tamamo sat by the table, pouring out cups of tea. The Caster had set up talismans around the room that formed a bounded field to prevent eavesdropping, spying, as well as unneeded intrusion from any Servants. Such precautions were perhaps greater than necessary, but it was better safe than sorry.
Sitting on the couch cross from Tamamo were Ren, Morgana, Ritsuka, and Mash. The catlike being held a clipboard and was quietly tallying up the votes and checking the ratio. Ritsuka, contrary to her usual demeanor, bore a serious expression on her face. Mash looked between all the various parties in the room, trying to come to a decision herself on what needs to be done. While she tried to think how her senpai would handle it, she was at a loss this time save for her own opinion and judgement.
The Phantom Thief, meanwhile, was impassive. His expression showed absolutely nothing as he simply contemplated. He had his own plans that he had discussed with the others beforehand, but depending on how things went, they may end up being fruitless. For now, he simply awaited as an observer – he had far too much of a bias here to properly weigh in, so he kept quiet.
There was also one more observer to the proceedings: El-Melloi II was currently in a corner, leaning up against a wall and quietly smoking. Like Ren, he had kept quiet, simply observing everything and keeping any judgements or opinions to himself. As the one who had suffered most from Loki, he had every right to be here – and every right to not be, if he so wished. Yet when consulted about his vote and that they would be discussing what to do with Loki, he instead asked to participate instead of simply answering.
In the meantime, Roman was at his desk staring intently at his monitor while Da Vinci was beside him, her usual smile replaced with a serious expression. They had sent out an electronic anonymous vote throughout Chaldea to weigh in on what was to be done with Loki. The ballot was simple: An explanation of Loki's actions (as much as they could explain) and the aftermath, a vote whether or not Loki should be dismissed, and a textbox to provide the voter's reasoning. If the two-thirds majority for his dismissal was reached, then the Avenger's fate was sealed.
Ritsuka frowned slightly when the process was all explained to her. "Was this all communicated to the voters?" she asked.
Da Vinci nodded. "When we wrote it, we had debated whether we should mention it or not for fear of swaying votes," the genius replied. "In the end, we believed everyone deserved transparency on how we would move forward with the procedure. For now, all we can do is wait and see what the response is." And so, the voting proceeded apace.
Finally, after a tense few minutes of waiting, Roman breathed a quiet sigh. "The needed majority hasn't been reached," he concluded. "However, it's by an incredibly small margin. What about the other Servants? What are their opinions?"
Morgana checked his clipboard. "Also a narrow margin," he reported, double checking his math just in case. "Most abstained from voting, either because they couldn't make up their minds or feel like they have no right to properly vote. Honestly, not enough people said anything to make a clear decision."
"Servants normally do not wish to make such a decision," Artoria spoke up, catching Morgana's attention. "This matter is usually to be decided on a Master's prerogative – or in this case, whoever they may answer to in turn. It is unsurprising that would be the result, though I understand your reasoning and thank you for asking for our opinions and experience on the matter." Morgana deflated slightly at the Saber's explanation but nevertheless gave a resigned nod.
The doctor ran a hair through his messy orange hair, looking exhausted. "So, it looks like it falls to us to make the decision," he concluded in a tired voice. Sitting back in his chair, he looked around. "What do you guys think? What's everyone's call?"
"I believe I had my stance clear," Tamamo stated curtly as she lowered her cup. "They are far too dangerous and untrustworthy to keep here. With their abilities, they could easily sow seeds of discord among both friend and enemy alike. At best they will leave us a much greater mess to clean up in their wake, and at worst they may very well end up destroying all of us. No – for our Masters' safety and for the sake of our goal, they cannot remain here."
Mash looked about, then took a deep breath. "I believe Loki worked in the best interests of senpai and our goals," she spoke up, garnering everyone's attention. "They had done so out of a place of concern and anger for him. While I think disciplinary measures should be taken, we shouldn't dismiss them so easily. I think they deserve at least another chance."
"It could also be another chance for them to get up to more trouble," Archer cautioned. "It is admirable to continue to trust someone, Mash, but this may be a situation where we may be rewarded with yet more problems in the future – problems that we may not be able to afford to handle like in the Roman singularity. Is there a reliable way to limit Loki's options at least?"
Ren was quiet as everyone discussed and debated around him. Finally, he looked up. "El-Melloi," he called out, his voice immediately silencing everyone. "You were one of those who suffered the most from what Loki had done. What do you think?"
The lord didn't even glance up as everyone turned towards him. He took the cigarette out and slowly blew out a long stream of smoke, which vanished once more into nothing as it reached the invisible filter the man had set up. "What Loki did would be considered reprehensible by many," he slowly stated. "And their actions were sloppy. There is no doubt about that. However, their ability to infiltrate enemy lines and sow discord at a whim is undoubtedly a major asset – one we would be utterly remiss to neglect or give up."
"You say that despite what he did to you?" Archer asked with a raised eyebrow.
El-Melloi shrugged, unperturbed. "We were enemies at war," he replied simply. "While winning honorably and losing with grace are the most ideal outcomes in battle, reality is rarely if ever so kind. The Avenger secured you a victory where best case, you would've had to hold out in a torturous siege that rendered you unable to continue your campaign. Could it have been better done? Yes. But it still doesn't change what did happen in the end: That they were the reason you were able to continue marching and eventually succeed."
Morgana huffed as he crossed his paws. "While I wanna agree, there's still one huge issue we have to deal with," he groused. "How are we gonna handle Loki? We can argue all day about the usefulness of their abilities and their intentions compared to the chaos they could and would cause, but how are we supposed to mitigate their actions? They're not easily controllable, especially if they could use the Metaverse to slip away at any time they want."
Ritsuka glanced down at the back of her hand. "Could we use command seals?" she ventured, though she already knew the answer.
Tamamo shook her head, her ears twitching in frustration. "Loki is a trickster and delighted in testing their wit," she retorted. "They'd simply take any orders from a command seal as a challenge and seek every loophole possible – or more infuriatingly, obey to an obnoxious degree to hinder all of us in turn."
The redhead blew out an annoyed breath. "They would do that, wouldn't they," she grumbled. The Caster simply nodded in affirmation.
As everyone debated and discussed how to handle Loki, ranging from assigning Servants as guard duty, keeping them under watch in Chaldea, or even revisiting utilizing command seals, Ren pondered. Every action of Loki's reminded him of something: Akechi's own Loki persona. He could never forget how it appeared when Akechi first brought it out: Covered in dazzling white and black stripes, sitting in mid-air with crossed legs while leaning on one hand and gesturing with the other. Its very body language conveyed all the scornful mirth the Servant seemed to have in spades.
That just muddied the question further though: Where did Akechi end and where did Loki begin, or vice versa? Or was that not even applicable question anymore? "Hey Roman," Ren called out, looking over to the doctor. Everyone else broke off their discussion to listen to what the Phantom Thief had to say. "Refresh my memory – what do we know about the Avenger class?"
Roman blinked in surprise, then went back to his computer to pull up the database entry. He frowned in consternation. "Honestly, not much," he answered. "It's a theoretical class at best, even worse than a Ruler. According to what few notes there are, they're Servants who have experienced such hatred in their life that their entire focus is on revenge – hence their name."
"Revenge…" Ren mused. He thought back to Akechi's whole MO: Working with Shido until he had the perfect opportunity to drag everything about him straight down to hell. And then he remembered what he knew about Loki, particularly their imprisonment and their role in Ragnarok, taking vengeance for the mistreatment of themselves and their treatment. On the surface it made sense, but his instincts told him he was missing something.
He thought back to the Servants he had met thus far, particularly Cu Chulainn. When they first met in Fuyuki, he was a Caster. While he was still effective with his staff, he utilized magecraft a whole lot more. Now as a Lancer, he didn't think he recalled Cu using anything besides his spear. Or at least, no outright spells that he used with aplomb as a Caster. If that was the case, then the conclusion would be that a Servant was defined by their class rather than the other way around.
And if he went with that theory, then maybe…
"I have an idea," he spoke up.
Everyone immediately turned their attention to Ren. "What is it, Master?" Artoria asked.
Ren opened his mouth to explain, then thought better of it and shook his head. "Loki's too sharp," he replied. "If I told you guys, they'd immediately catch on that something's up and it might ruin everything. The biggest problem right now is that they're unpredictable, so I'd rather not have more factors for them to mess with."
"So what do you require from us?" Tamamo asked, her tail belying her irritation at this entire plan.
The Phantom Thief gave a tight, humorless smile. "I'll need one of you guys with me, just in case," he answered. "And most of all: No matter what might happen, you have to trust me."
Ren could practically hear everyone mentally groan in frustration – after all, this was hardly the first time he asked for such a thing. Archer frowned. "It sounds like you have something foolish in mind, Master," he cautioned. "Are you sure about this?"
"It's the best chance we have," the Phantom Thief confirmed. "Conventional methods aren't going to work with Loki, so I'm going with something a bit riskier."
El-Melloi gave a brief chuckle. "Confront the orthodox with the unorthodox, and the unorthodox with the orthodox," he muttered. "Very well. As you have the most experience in the matter, leaving it to you seems to be the best option we have. Which one of us will accompany him?"
"I will take up that duty," Artoria replied in a tone that brooked no disagreement. "If my Master is to take such a risk, then it is my duty to ensure his safety and wellbeing as best I can." Waver's expression momentarily pinched as though he bit into something incredibly bitter, but he mastered his expression within a second and nodded.
"That being said, we will be nearby as well," Archer pointed out. "It would be idiotic of us to simply leave you be to undergo said risks by yourself without backup." Tamamo nodded in agreement.
Ren grinned. "Wouldn't dream of it," he agreed easily. "Thanks for your support, guys."
"And don't think you're leaving me behind!" Morgana cried. "I still got a bone to pick with Akechi! Even more so now that they're Loki!"
"I still owe them a punch or three," Ritsuka muttered.
"I will be coming too, senpai!" Mash piped up as well.
The Phantom Thief blinked in surprise, then chuckled. "Guess we're bringing everyone then," he remarked. He turned to Roman and Da Vinci. "I'll let you guys know how it goes," he assured them. "If you guys are gonna watch, please don't freak out."
Roman smiled weakly. "Way too late for that, Ren," he responded. "Just don't do anything to give all of us yet another heart attack."
"Good luck, ragazzo," Da Vinci purred with her ever-present warm smile.
Ren nodded in response before turning to the others. "I'll meet you guys at Loki's room." With that, he walked out. He needed to pick up something first – and if he was right, it would help resolve the matter once and for all.
Loki yawned as they reclined on their bed. They had been here for some time already – a few days, in fact. And frankly, they were bored out of their mind. There's only so much one could do in their room like this. They tried reading something from the archives but reading on a computer was far different from reading from a book. Before long, they got so annoyed that they stopped. There was that pinball game the computer came with that they played to pass the time. The high score list was now completely packed with their entries. And then there was Minesweeper.
After a certain point, their warden – that dragonslayer – had to materialize to stop them from putting a bullet through their computer. It was a simple game of logic and positioning and numbers and they would not be mocked by that accursed dead smiley face from a simple children's game-
They avoided that game afterward.
As for Solitaire… well, they did have some faint impressions of an old movie their host saw some time ago and was intrigued. But soon they found themselves bored to tears as they tried to play it. The point was, in the few days they had been here, they had exhausted every single avenue of entertainment for themselves. All they could do now was await their Masters' pleasure and judgment. Though they were certainly taking their sweet time.
Just as they were about to ponder another way to perhaps possibly needle their jailer, the door slid open, and in marched a surprisingly large group: Their Masters, the Shielder, and the King of Knights. They suspected there were also other Servants probably squatting outside in the hallway, ready to charge in at a moment's notice. Siegfried materialized, bowed to the Masters, and returned to his vigil, his eyes never straying from Loki. Well, at least this promises to be different – and perhaps even amusing.
"Well, I had a feeling you'd come sooner or later, but I wasn't expecting a party," Loki remarked as they swung their legs over and sat up on their bed with a sardonic grin. "Is it my birthday? No, no, there's no cake. Perhaps a group apology? Not nearly contrite enough for that." That had both Morgana and Ritsuka all scowling in response. Ah, there was the response they had wanted, not like the dragonslayer who refused to react no matter what they had tried.
Though speaking of no reaction, Artoria and Ren looked impassive, the latter simply staring at the Avenger with an unreadable gaze. That intrigued the trickster god – after all, normally his Master's reactions are far better than this. "That only leaves the judgment," they sighed. "Are you going to keep me around or may I request a last meal? Oh! Perhaps you might use some command seals on me! That will certainly be entertaining! I do wonder what kind of orders you've cooked up!"
Unbeknownst to the Avenger, Tamamo, who was right outside, scoffed in smug satisfaction through the mental connection. Ren had to force himself not to smirk in response. 'Yeah, you called it, Tamamo,' he admitted easily. The sense of satisfaction from her came through before the mood turned serious once more. "So, how are you enjoying yourself here?" he asked.
Loki raised an eyebrow. "Oh, I can't complain," they replied sardonically. "Drab walls, mediocre bed, little entertainment and enrichment. Featuring perhaps the single most boring dragonslayer I have ever encountered. I have to say, bravo for that particular touch – you truly have thought of everything."
"Well, we figured it's probably the best punishment for you," Ren replied with a simple shrug. "You did screw up, after all. And since you're always looking for entertainment, being bored is the worst thing in the world for you.
The trickster god rolled their eyes dramatically. "Yes, yes, I'm well aware of that," they retorted, waving off the comment. "I doubt you came here merely to state the obvious over and over. What is your point?"
Ren smirked. "Oh, no point," he replied with a shrug. "I just thought I'd mention the punishment since normally you'd be neater than this, Akechi."
The atmosphere in the room dropped a few degrees as it felt like time slowed down. Loki smiled, but it was thinner this time as their eyes glinted with a dangerous light. "You're playing a very dangerous game, Master," they murmured quietly. "I had thought that you, of all people, would know better than to call me by that name."
Ritsuka, Morgana, and Mash looked increasingly alarmed while both Artoria and Siegfried stood off impassively to the side. As much as they wanted to interfere, they had given Ren their word to trust him. Ren himself didn't seem to particularly notice – or care – the change in the mood, still smirking as his eyes focused on the Avenger. "Sorry, sorry, you're right," he apologized. "I should know better. After all, I'm well aware of how Akechi operates – and I have to say, you're pretty third rate. If anything, you're a considerable downgrade."
Loki's eyes narrowed as the air grew even colder. "A considerable downgrade, you call me?" they hissed. "I was the one who secured you the victory in Massalia when you were all out of options. I cleaned up after those assassins who were aiming for your life. Were it not for me, you wouldn't even be here to mouth off right now. So how about you kindly shut up, show some gratitude, and piss off before I do it for you?"
The Phantom Thief gave a humorless smirk. "And now you're resorting to bragging about what you did like the whole world owes you," he commented. "Call yourself what you like – Avenger or Loki or whatever – but in the end, there's one thing that's absolutely clear to me: You're still the fake Detective Prince, Goro Akechi."
There was a blur of movement and in the next moment, Loki had their red, serrated blade at Ren's throat. The others cried in shock and horror, but Ren shot a quick warning glance for them to back off. "You are becoming rather cocky for some trash," the trickster god snarled. "You think just because you resolved three singularities and have a bunch of Servants underneath your belt gives you the fucking right to mouth off like that? You are sorely mistaken."
Ren looked down at the blade at his throat but didn't seem too perturbed. "Well?" he asked. "What's wrong? You have me dead to rights – something that never happened last time, no matter how close you got. Go right ahead, Akechi."
Loki's glare intensified as their red eyes met the Phantom Thief's amused, cruel gaze. "What are you playing at?" they snapped. "You're no idiot, nor are you suicidal – what's your goal here?"
The Phantom Thief sighed dramatically in exasperation. "Looks I have to do everything myself," he muttered. Before Loki could question what he meant, Ren grabbed the Avenger's blade and yanked it closer to his neck. The edge sliced his skin as rivulets of blood started flowing down his neck. Ritsuka, Morgana, and Mash cried in surprise as Artoria and Siegfried began to move, eyes wide in shock-
But none moved faster than Loki. With a horrified cry, they immediately threw themselves back, tearing the blade out of Ren's grasp as they crashed against the wall. Their sword dropped from their nerveless hands and clattered to the ground before vanishing in a shower of golden light. They looked up at Ren, their eyes wide in shock, anger, and fear. "What the hell do you think you're doing?!" the Avenger screeched. "What the fuck is wrong with you?!"
Ren didn't respond immediately, wincing as he clenched at his bleeding neck. "Pixie," he rasped out. The persona came forth once more and pointed at the Phantom Thief. With a green glow, his wound sealed itself, causing him to sigh in relief as the pain receded.
"You wanna explain why you gave every one of us a heart attack?" Ritsuka snapped, glaring.
The Phantom Thief briefly glanced over to the others – who looked equal parts incredibly concerned and angry – before turning back to Loki. "It's not an easy thing to handle, is it?" he asked. "Having three identities within yourself all vying for control over your actions."
Loki frowned in confusion, matched by the others within the room (and the surveilling Servants who had rushed in in spirit form at the commotion). "Three?" they inquired. "The hell do you mean by that?"
Ren crossed his arms. "When you were summoned, we thought you were a combination of your host, Goro Akechi, and yourself – the trickster god Loki. I didn't question it much at first: Akechi had… a lot of issues with rage and vengeance, and your myths had you and your children unjustly treated and imprisoned, with Ragnarok having you lead said children against the gods as payback." The Avenger scowled at the statement but for once held their tongue.
"However, in Septem, you were… uncharacteristically contradictive in your actions," he continued. "You looked out for our best interests while at the same time needling and provoking us. You showed initiative in taking out Alexander and Waver and almost completely wiped then, yet you were extremely sloppy with the follow-up that put us all in jeopardy. You claimed to only want entertainment, yet you were always on hand to watch my back when I was attacked by those assassins and then Alexander."
"Because you're the linchpin in everything here," Loki rasped, seemingly gaining some semblance of their composure back. "If you failed or died, then that would be that. No more entertainment – the most I've had in centuries."
"Maybe, but is it really just that?" Ren asked. "It explains some of your actions, but definitely not all. Your class, Avenger, is defined by hatred and vengeance and yet despite that, it doesn't explain how irrational you act at times. I had an inkling, but I needed one more bit of evidence – evidence you have just provided."
The trickster god gulped slightly. "And that bit of idiocy proved… what?" they growled.
Ren quietly rubbed at his neck where it had been cut. Despite being healed, he could still feel the phantom pain. "That you have a third side to you," he stated. "One that forces you into irrational acts, one that the other parts of you – Akechi and Loki – try their best to fight off, but it's melded so much with the others you can't even tell anymore. One that, honestly, I should have expected to persist in some form considering your circumstances."
"That third side is the persona of Goro Akechi: Loki."
A silence followed as everyone tried to absorb what Ren just said, to the point one could hear a pin drop. Finally, Mash spoke up. "Um, senpai, I'm a little confused," she murmured. Her voice sounded almost terrifyingly loud in the quiet. "Aren't the trickster god Loki and the persona Loki the same thing or being?"
"No," Ren answered. "At least, not in this case. Akechi had two personas: Robin Hood, which symbolized his desire for justice and unfulfilled potential, and Loki, the culmination of his hatred and anger in life. Hence, my conclusion is that the persona – be it traces or even the persona itself – is influencing their actions, driving them to act irrationally when normally, they would be a lot more sensible."
Loki stared at Ren with an unreadable expression, then let out a low chuckle. "And you figured that out with just that stunt you pulled?" they asked quietly.
"I had my suspicions," the Phantom Thief replied. "Diving into the Metaverse is one thing, but forcing psychotic breakdowns on people? That's pure Loki. Not to mention, how you acted and body language reminded me a lot of them no matter how I looked at it. I don't have complete confirmation or hard info, but it explains everything."
"Wait, wait, hold on a second," Morgana spoke up, establishing mental contact with the other Masters, Mash, and Artoria. "How was that… stunt supposed to prove what you said, Joker?"
"I've no doubt Akechi wanted to kill me in life," Ren replied without hesitation. "But it would be by his own terms and by his own hands. The actual Loki wouldn't want to kill me because, as they said, I'm the primary source of their entertainment. Killing me would be counterproductive. Because of that, I had to force their hand. The persona Loki would've taken my head off then and there, but the other two? They'd never let that happen."
A feeling of considerable displeasure emanated from Artoria. "That was an incredibly dangerous gamble, Master," she admonished sternly. "Had any of us – especially Loki – had been even a hair slower, you would be bleeding out on the floor beyond any hope of recovery."
"Sorry for scaring you like that, guys," Ren earnestly apologized. "But I needed Loki's genuine reaction. If they got tipped off, then they really would kill me just to spite me."
"You're going to pull off something like that again in the future, aren't you," Ritsuka asked rhetorically. Ren could only laugh ruefully as everyone else sighed in exasperation.
The sound of clapping drew everyone's back attention to Loki. "Bravo, oh bravo," they cried sarcastically. "You managed to solve the riddle of what the fuck is wrong with me. Bravo. And for the grand prize: The question of 'what are you going to do now?' You may have figured me out – in fact, figured out an aspect of me I didn't even know existed – but you still haven't answered that little bit. What's it going to be: Keeping someone as unstable as me around, or a 'dismissal'?"
Ren turned back to Loki. The others around him very clearly had their own opinions on the matter, but they kept silent. After all, Ren knew how to deal with Loki better than any of them – even if it shocked all of them. "Those are the only two options you could think up of?" he asked. "I thought you were the trickster god Loki – I thought you would've had a third or fourth option available waiting in the wings."
The Avenger let out a bark of amused laughter. "Fair, but I don't think you want to hear those options," they admitted. "I take it you have something in mind then, Master?"
The Phantom Thief smirked. "Simple: an ongoing competition between us," he declared. "Tricks, pranks, games, whatever you and I wish. There are a few conditions, however: this competition is only between us. No one else can interfere, nor can they be included as collateral damage. In exchange, on the field, you'll be the ideal Servant – communication and coordination with all relevant parties, and any acts of espionage and combat done neatly with as clean a victory as you can get."
Loki raised an eyebrow as they crossed their arms. "That's not much of a deal," they pointed out. "It's incredibly lopsided in your favor – why the hell should I agree to your proposal?"
Ren smirked. "Because I'll be the only one you'll have to listen to," he stated, shocking everyone around him, the Avenger included. "You don't have to worry about anyone else or others' orders except when we're on the field. I'll be the one to keep a rein on you, and in turn I'll be the one you turn your fangs on whenever they ache. Doesn't that sound fun?"
The trickster god was silent for a moment, eyeing Ren warily. "And what," they whispered. "Makes you so sure I'll take this deal?"
"Oh, I'm not offering you a deal, Loki," the Phantom Thief corrected as he reached into his pocket. A moment later, he flung something out that slapped against Loki's chest, surprising them as they caught it. They looked – and their eyes widened as they saw what was in their grasp: A familiar black glove.
"It's a challenge," Ren concluded with a smirk. He stepped forward until he was face to face, eye to eye with Loki. "So what do you say, Loki? You are my Servant, and I am your Master – something we'll prove to each other again and again. If you want, you're free to be 'dismissed' and run from this."
The Phantom Thief's smirk grew wider. "Are you going to run?" he asked.
The room was once more silent as everyone processed Ren's words. Morgana, Ritsuka, and Mash only looked at each other with shock while Artoria and Siegfried watched Ren, their expressions impassive. The Phantom Thief had wrested any and all semblance of control over Loki away to be the sole one holding the reins, while simultaneously painting a target on his own back. He had, in essence, exchanged multiple shackles on Loki for a singular strong bond – but only that one.
To say it was a risky gamble was putting it mildly. All of them would have words with Ren once it was all over and done with.
The silence was broken by a low chuckle from Loki. It slowly rose in volume until it became full on laughter, a sound that was hearty, amused, and completely mad all at the same time. "So that is how you plan to control me!" they cried. "Through the shackles of a rivalry that I cannot possibly reject, not when there's so much fun to be had! And you would make yourself my one and only victim too! This is truly absurd beyond words! So absurd I can only laugh myself sick!"
Loki looked back at Ren, their mad grin just as wide as the Phantom Thief's smirk as their eyes shone red. "Very well," they replied. "I agree to every one of your terms and conditions, Ren Amamiya, and I accept your challenge. You had best brace yourself, Master."
Ren chuckled. "Same to you, Loki," he replied. "It will be fun seeing what you come up with. Now, I better report to Roman and Da Vinci. I'll catch you later – though not too long."
He turned to leave when Loki spoke up. "Wait," they stated. Ren stopped and turned back – and his eyes widened in surprise as the Avenger grasped hold of his face and kissed him full on, tongue slipping into his own mouth. He could hear the sheer shock from everyone behind him but at the moment, almost nothing was processing in his head – especially the fact that he was neither accepting nor resisting. His mind was racing a million kilometers an hour, and it was going nowhere fast.
Finally, the Avenger broke the kiss and grinned knowingly at their Master. "Careful with your words and confidence that borders on madness," they pointed out. "They'll make any girl fall for you – and I do enjoy the female form at the moment."
The Phantom Thief could only blink. Getting kissed by what was the female version of Akechi was… disconcerting to say the least. He couldn't do much else but chuckle at the warning. "I'll give you this one, Loki," he admitted. "But you're not going to catch me off guard again."
The Avenger's grin widened. "So you say," they simply replied. They watched as everyone left the room, including their erstwhile warden, leaving them once more alone.
Once the door hiss closed, they laid back down on the bed. The feeling of the kiss still lingered on their lips. It was rather surprising – they hadn't expected to be quite so aggressive, but despite the mess of emotions, they felt… satisfied. The flabbergasted look on Ren's face had been beyond priceless. It had been very much worth it.
Taking out the other glove in their breast pocket, the trickster god stared at the now complete pair they held in their hands. And they laughed. They laughed and laughed and laughed.
Ah, it seemed everything had fallen into place for them after all. This would be spectacularly amusing.