Hi everyone! This idea just popped in my head after re-reading "Snakes and Ladders." Really, I couldn't help it. Anyway… this is a pick up chapter of the 'collaborative' MaLoki story. "Slaying Shadows" takes place immediately after "Snakes and Ladders" ends.
I highly recommend:
1. Read or re-read at least "Snakes and Ladders" as well as "Reflections" otherwise you're going to be very confused. This isn't a stand alone story, it's more a continuation.
2. Yes, I know "Reflections" took place 2 weeks after "Snakes and Ladders," but bear with me. I've tied it in in an unusual way.
Well, on with the story.
Slaying Shadows
by LokiGirl
Mayura could hear plenty of noise upstairs. Fenrir must be still waking up Loki-kun. She giggled, everyone in the mansion knew that Loki-kun hated mornings. Without anyone to take her mind off her problems—Fenrir and ecchan were waking up Loki and Yamino-kun had gone back to do his daily chores—Mayura began to fret about seeing Loki-kun. He was just so scary with all those shades around his small body. "I don't want to see those creepy ghosts around Loki-kun!" she whined. As soon as the words slipped out of her mouth, Mayura knew she was acting childish. Yamino-san had taken so much time out of his morning routine—he had even made me a desert to make me feel better—and here I am whining about something I've always wanted to have like a little kid. Loki-kun acts more mature than I am right now.
"Will life ever return back to normal?" she asked desperately to herself. Mayura closed her eyes and tried to imagine a 'normal' life after all this.
.
.
.
Mayura opened her eyes wide in shock and ran into the bathroom. What was that? Turning on the water, Mayura was too preoccupied to notice the strange tint in the water and splashed her face. Nervously she lifted her gaze up to the mirror. Please don't let it be there, please don't let it be there kami-sama… please! Disbelievingly staring at her reflection in the mirror, Mayura brought her hand up to her forehead. Letting out a sigh of relief she stated to out load to calm herself, "See, nothing to worry about. There's no third eye on my forehead." Mayura laughed shakily at her own foolishness. I'm the only thing that hasn't changed… at least what I see physically anyway. amended Mayura. After all, it was her 'change' that was causing all these problems in the first place.
Staring at her reflection Mayura began to talk to herself. "Will that be my life? Always scared of the world around me? But… but I don't want to be scared!" It's just that everything is so scary. Like Yamino-san and Loki-kun.
Walking back to the front room and sitting back down into the chair Yamino-kun had directed her to earlier that morning, Mayura reflected about the dream or vision has had just experienced… well, it had to be something. Did I really see heaven in that fountain? And who was that man… hmm… he reminds me of—Loki-kun. Loki-kun?! Why did I think about Loki-kun having an adult aura? I mean, sure he's a really smart kid and doesn't act like a child but… I need to read less shojo manga. Loki-kun couldn't be older like that. But if he was older then, then, then…
Mayura's eyes sparkled as she straightened up smiling. Now that I can see all these weird fushigi mysteries, I can help Loki-kun! While thing about Loki-kun and mysteries at the same time, Mayura couldn't help but get mad at him. He still treated me like I'd be in the way! Oh!! Loki-kun wa hidoi desu! Why can't he just treat me like I'm the teenager I am not like some little kid? Why can't tell me what I want to know? I want… I want…"
"What do you want, Mayura?" asked a voice coming down the stairs reluctantly. Mayura spun around to find Loki-kun coming down the stairs with his assortment of shades, ghosts, and other scary things. Ecchan of course was on top of his head.
Even though she knew it wasn't going to help her understand, Mayura curled up into a tight ball at the sight of specters around Loki-kun. "I… I…" she tried to respond, hyperventilating.
Loki saw the terrified look in her eyes and knew it was because of him… because of what she saw. Loki stopped walking and lowered his head in shame. He had never cared before about what other people thought of him, especially mortals, but for some unexplained reason he felt his chest tighten at the thought of Mayura hating him. Keeping his head down, Loki spoke softly to Mayura. "I'll leave. I see… I see that I'm causing you distress."
Mayura looked up from the almost fetal position she had hunched down into. "Please don't go. I want… I want to understand Loki-kun."
"See, see! I told you daddy! Mystery girl wants to know more about us. But Yamino said that you're the one that had to tell her."
"Punyaaaaan!"
"Daddy?!" screeched Mayura.
"I… umm… well you see…" vacillated Loki, quite flustered. He had hoped that he wouldn't have to explain that little tidbit, or at least not until later.
"Come on daddy! You can't leave your miko in the dark, can you?"
"My miko?!" exclaimed Loki, now at the bottom of the stairs.
"Well she is, isn't she? I mean, unless you don't want her to be," retracted Fenrir. It wasn't his job to tell his daddy who his priestesses were.
"Loki-kun's miko? I don't get it. That's the second time you've said that. What so special about me being a miko? I've always been a miko. After all, papa runs a shrine."
Fenrir gave one more tug on Loki's shoes before running over to jump into Mayura's empty lap. "Yep, you're his miko. Now that you can see that is."
"But why would Loki-kun need a miko? I thought only gods got stuff like that," Mayura stated confused.
"Fenrir"
"Yes daddy?"
"Go help your brother. You've confused Mayura enough."
"But daddy I was just answering her questions."
"Go"
"Alright daddy," sulked Fenrir. Licking Mayura on the face one last time, he got down and ran out of the room, probably to find scraps of the breakfast Yamino-kun would be preparing shortly.
Loki sat down on the sofa nearest Mayura's chair, and watched Mayura draw back into herself obviously terrified. "Ecchan would you please?"
Understanding what Loki wanted, Ecchan floated down into Mayura's arms. Feeling the warm soft fur, Mayura compulsively began to stroke Ecchan, her nerves calming therapeutically by the slow smooth motions.
They sat in silence for a while before Loki spoke up. "What is it that you want to understand Mayura?"
"Everything! Like why do you have those scary shadows around you, how are Fenrir and Yamino-san brothers, and who is this daddy that Fenrir keeps talking about?!"
"Alright," replied Loki lifting up his hands in defeat. "One question at a time Mayura, okay?" Loki paused not knowing what to start with.
"Loki-kun?"
Loki sighed; he didn't want to do this. Curse you Heimdall. I swear…
"Loki-kun!"
"Yamino-kun calls Fenrir nii-san because Fenrir is his older brother. And I'm… I'm their daddy." Loki lifted his gazed to look right into Mayura's eyes.
"What!! But that's… that's… impossible!" stuttered Mayura her eyes widening into saucers. "You're just a little kid."
"I'm not."
"Not what?" Mayura asked obtusely.
"A little kid, I'm a god. The specters you can now see around me are… are the shadows of my power I guess you could say."
"But Loki-kun, you're so nice to me. Why is your power so scary looking? Are… are you an evil god?"
At Mayura's question Loki felt his heart stabbed through with a rusty knife. Nothing that Heimdall had ever done to him—nothing that Odin had done to him—compared with the knife thrust Mayura had so innocently dealt him. Anger quickly overshadowed the pain and he yelled out, "I'm not EVIL!" Loki's eyes flashed crimson and the specters gained more substantial power. One of the ghouls currently around him made its way towards Mayura—the source of his anger.
"Ba… BAKEMONO!" shirked Mayura, terrified for her life.
Her scream squashed Loki's anger and replaced it with shame. "I'm sorry Mayura. Really I am. I… I didn't mean to scare you. Those shades won't hurt you. I know they look scary. You probably think I'm scary now too."
Mayura lifted her head at the sound of his heartbreaking voice, and saw something that she thought would never see—Loki-kun crying. "You are scary Loki-kun." Loki hung his head further down in shame. "But papa told me that just because I can see behind the masks; it doesn't mean that I'm seeing what's really there."
Loki lifted up his head to stare intensely into Mayura's eyes. "What do you think is really there then?"
"I… I see a really cute and sweet little boy with really scary, scary monsters around him!"
"I'm not a little boy Mayura. I told you, I'm a god."
"Can you make the monsters go away?" pleaded Mayura, completely ignoring the whole 'god' thing.
Loki shook his head. "No, I can't. They're a part of me. Wait a minute! You can see them without me projecting them?" he questioned.
Mayura nodded her head. "You mean I shouldn't?"
Loki shook his head negatively. "No… well at least not many people can. Your father can't."
"I know. That's why he let me come over here even though he doesn't want me to. Papa knows that he can't answer all my questions. Eck!" Mayura cringed back as one of the wraiths tried to come closer to her in inquiry.
"They won't hurt you Mayura. Go ahead, try to touch one."
"Are, are you sure it's okay?" asked Mayura pensively. Those monsters certainly looked real to her. Loki nodded his head. Tremblingly, Mayura brought her hand towards one of the many wraiths surrounding Loki-kun.
"Trust me Mayura."
"I… I trust you. Loki-kun is still Loki-kun!" she declared sticking her hand into the shadow, only to see it come out the other side. Mayura stared in shock. Her hand was still in one piece! And she wasn't feeling any pain. If anything she would have said it… tickled? Growing bolder, Mayura waved her hand through the shades cutting through them with ease. A small smile appeared on Mayura lips. "There be slayed, vial creature of the black abyss. Have at ya!"
Loki smirked. "So, you dare to challenge the mighty darkness brave and foolish priestess miko. I shall vanquish thee! Kukukuku!" returned Loki playfully in a false low evil voice, at the same time commanding one of his wraiths to 'attack' Mayura.
"Oh no! No, the evil can not triumph. Take that, and that!" giggled Mayura as she quickly got up from the chair to jump over the back of the sofa, hoping to land a surprise attack on Loki's wraith.
"No!" shouted Loki before he overdramatically made choking and dying sounds. Falling into Mayura's lap he whispered, "I shall return to destroy thee, high priestess." Theatrically he raised his arm limply up towards Mayura's face before letting it fall, pretending he was dead.
Yamino-kun raced in from the kitchen hearing the commotion in the front room. He hoped that nothing bad had happened. He had reached the doorway in time to see his father 'die' and 'threaten' Mayura for revenge beyond the grave. Worry and concern overran his common sense and Yamino-kun was about to storm into the room to demand what Mayura had done to his father when uncontrollable laughter reached his ears.
He felt rather foolish for even considering the idea that Mayura had truly killed his father. It was such a ludicrous idea. And yet so was the thought of Loki-sama rolling over in choking laughter. A smile crept onto Yamino-kun's face. That's right Mayura-san, no one has to stay the way they are—especially Loki-sama. Yamino turned to walk back to the kitchen, and Ecchan followed him seeing that his work was done.
It looks like Mayura-san won't be very nervous at breakfast now. I better make a few more pancakes… no, better make that pancake batter. Loki-sama hasn't been eating well since that incident either and will probably come in as hungry as a starving giant. Yamino-kun chuckled to himself at his joke. He was already mixing the new batter when Fenrir came up to him.
"How're daddy and his miko?"
"They're doing fine nii-san. They were just playing a game. It seems that Loki-sama is explaining everything smoothly to his high priestess…" Yamino-kun stopped his sentence suddenly.
"That's good. I wouldn't want mystery girl to go away.She gives the greatest belly scratch," replied Fenrir as he went into the backyard to finish digging the hole he had been working on when his brother had rudely interrupted. Yamino just doesn't understand the importance of a good dead squirrel. He just doesn't. Fenrir thought shaking his head.
Fortunately for Fenrir, his brother wasn't paying attention to him—if he was, there wouldn't have been anymore hole digging. Instead, Yamino-kun was still lost in thought about the last words out of his mouth. His high priestess… Where did that come from? He continued to stir the pancake batter, as he found that cooking helped him to think.
Loki-sama called her high priestess while they were playing… A knowing smile and chuckled escaped him. I better start planning for tonight's dinner. It's not everyday that father chooses a new high priestess, especially since he's never had one before. Priests, priestess and other underlings when he felt the need… but never a high priestess. Yamino-kun began to whistle to himself. You might not yet realize it yet Loki-sama, but the choice has already been made. In high spirits Yamino-kun finished making breakfast. Perhaps I don't need that automatically collapsing bookshelf.
Back in the front room, Loki and Mayura were just finished laughing. Loki looked a little bit startled at himself—this wasn't his normal behavior. He never allowed himself to just have fun around Mayura before. He had never behaved this silly before either. But he didn't mind. It felt good and right for some reason.
"Loki-kun, the shades are fading away!" exclaimed Mayura.
Loki cocked his head his head at Mayura in confusion. "I got an idea Mayura. Can you see them now?" he asked, projected the vision of his wraiths onto the 'normal' human receptive level.
"Y… yes"
"How about now?" Loki asked again.
"No"
Loki smiled. "It looks like you're healing Mayura."
"Healing? What does that mean?"
"It means that your sight receptor doors are finally beginning to work after being blasted open."
"Does that mean I won't be able to see all this stuff soon?" asked Mayura in an unsure voice. For some unknown reason, Mayura didn't want to lose the sight that only about an hour ago she would have done anything to get rid of.
"No, you'll always have the second sight into the spiritual world. After lock doors are pried apart, they will be able to close, but never locked again. Anyway, there more like filters. Try to see my wraiths Mayura."
"Alright," she replied looking at Loki-kun intensely. "I… I can see them, I can see them! Fushigi mystery!"
"Now try to not see them."
"Huh? You can't just not see things Loki-kun."
"Just try? I know what I'm talking about," retorted Loki, a little bit annoyed that Mayura wasn't listening to his advice when he was trying to help her. Not that she ever listened to me before. Mayura squinched up her eyes in concentration while making a little annoyed sound. She's so cute like that. Loki blinked his eyes. Cute? Mayura's not cute! She's …
"They went away! They went away!" cheered Mayura. "So, what does that mean?"
Loki shook his head and replied amiably, "It means that you don't have to watch the world in psychedelic vision anymore."
"So that's what Yamino-san meant." Loki looked at Mayura questioningly. "Yamino-san said that you don't pay attention to the, the snake him usually because it's too much of a distraction. Now I get it." Mayura paused for a moment in thought. "How come papa didn't know about this?"
"Mayura-papa isn't as gifted as Yamino-kun, myself, or you are now. He doesn't know about it because he can't do it."
"So I can see what I want and ignore what I want at the same time?"
"Ummhmm," replied Loki nodded his head. "Although it'll take some practice and your sight probably still has to heal some more after Heimdall blasted it into kingdom come."
"Is Heimdall that boy you were fighting with?"
"Yes, and he's the reason you have the sight. He was probably trying to hurt you to hurt me, but I deflected his attack slightly and well, you know what happened."
"Why did this Heimdall boy try to hurt you Loki-kun?"
"He's another god and my arch rival—the watchman god of Bifrost."
"Oh" Mayura looked at Loki-kun and puffed out her cheeks. "I don't like Heimdall-sama! He wanted to hurt Loki-kun!" she cried, glomping the eight year old detective and god.
Loki was speechless. He knew that Mayura liked him a tad, but he always thought it was because he was unfortunately surrounded by 'fushigi mysteries' that Mayura couldn't seem to get enough of. He never once thought that Mayura truly like him for… him. A warm fuzzy glow enveloped his body. And it wasn't lust either—he wasn't even capable of feeling that in his current shape. "Mayura…"
Without letting go Mayura asked, "What is Loki-kun the god of?"
"Fire, chaos, trickery, and mischief," he replied with a gleam in his eye at the mention of the last one. Materializing in his hand was an inflated whoopee cushion. He knew it was childish, but he was in the mood for some crude humor—at Mayura's expense of course.
In shock, she let go of Loki-kun and sat back onto the sofa, deflating the whoopee cushion. Mayura looked all around embarrassedly before checking underneath her to find the offensive object. "Loki-kun!" yelled Mayura this time puffing her cheeks at him. "That's not funny!!" she whined.
But Loki didn't care; he was having too much fun laughing at the looks of embarrassment to anger on Mayura's face. "You're going to have to have a sense of humor if you want to be my miko Mayura," Loki choked out.
"I do too have a sense of humor Loki-kun!"
"Oh yeah? Prove it," he responded haughtily.
Mayura paused for a moment to think, chewing on one of her nails. Meanwhile Loki looked disbelievingly at Mayura crossing his arms. Inspiration hit her. Crawling on her hands, Mayura closed the distance between her and Loki. "I do too Lo—ki—kun," she restated as her mouth came closer to his.
Loki's eyes widen in shock, and his breath caught in his throat. In situations like these he always had a plan ready, his mind working miles ahead of the unfortunate girl trying to kiss him, usually Freya. But not this time—the gears wouldn't engaged. His mind was empty. Involuntarily he gulped as Mayura came steadily closer. He was powerless as Mayura's lips made their way towards his.
At the last possible instant, Mayura tilted her head up and kissed him squarely on the nose before backing away to laugh hysterically on her back. "Hahahaha… Loki-kun… Loki-kun thought I was actually trying to kiss him! Ahahaha!"
"That… that's not funny!" stuttered Loki angrily.
"Where's your sense of humor mischief god Loki-kun?" she retorted, trying to sound like Loki-kun from moments before.
Loki tossed his head. "It wasn't that funny." Mayura once again burst into laughter and this time Loki joined her.
"Ahem… Loki-sama, breakfast is ready," announced Yamino-kun.
"Oh, yea! I'm so hungry. What are we having Yamino-san?"
"Pancakes and sausage, Mayura-san." Mayura ran ahead, eager to get to the table and eat. "Loki-sama?" asked Yamino worriedly.
Loki shook his head again. "I'm alright Yamino-kun. Let's get to breakfast. I'm starving." No one commented on Mayura's reaction or rather lack therefore at the sight Yamino-kun.
The rest of the day passed rather uneventful for those within the mansion. Yamino-kun was happy as a clam preparing for a dinner that neither Mayura nor Loki knew about, Fenrir was happy to be back in the company of his daddy—after breakfast Mayura was taking everything so well that Loki didn't see the need to send Fenrir away, and Ecchan was once again perched comfortably on Loki's head. Mayura and Loki where meanwhile having a long discussion about her new sight, how to use it, and testing for any other special abilities she may had gained along with the sight. The grandfather clock chimed eight.
"Yamino-san has been busy all day," observed Mayura. "I wonder what he's doing?"
"He's probably making a big fancy dinner for you. Yamino-kun loves doing those kinds of things and today is a very special day for you—accepting your sight and all."
"Yeah, I guess so. Lucky it's during summer break so papa isn't mad that I'm not home yet. Ne… Loki-kun… If, if you're a god, why are you here on earth? Don't gods live up there?" she asked pointing to the sky.
"I was exile to Midgard, and trapped into this reduced form."
"Midgard?"
"You call it earth. It's the middle world of the nine worlds, so it was called Midgard."
"And where did you normally live?"
"Asgard, the world of the gods."
"Oh, why were you exiled?"
"For some grievous sin," Loki lowered his head. "And they won't even tell me what I did. That, and it has been prophesied that I'll be the one responsible for the destruction of the nine worlds… the evil god Loki."
"Loki-kun!" exclaimed Mayura, hugging Loki. "Loki-kun isn't evil. Loki-kun is Loki-kun, and I won't leave my friend because of some stupid prophecy. Because the Loki-kun I know is good… doesn't like mysteries," Mayura pulled away pouting, "but is a good friend," she finished hugging him once again.
"Daddy is the best daddy," added Fenrir wagging his tail.
"Puyaan!"
"He sure is. You guys are just so adorable." she stated pulling away from the hug.
"Mayura… will you be one of my priestesses?"
"Is that like being a miko?" she asked, blinking in bewilderment.
"Yes, but as my priestess you will only serve one god, me. In return, you will be granted certain powers within my providence depending on your talents and abilities to use them."
"I will," she replied solemnly, not taking the time to think—she didn't need to think. "I will gladly be one of your priestesses Loki-kun!"
"Actually Mayura, I don't know your true position yet. You could be a priestess or an acolyte, or a herald… although I think you'll be a priestess. I won't know until the ceremony. Something will just feel right and…" Suddenly, the lights went out.
"Daddy, what was that?"
"The electricity must have gone off, but why… I don't know," he said, looking around.
Moments later, Yamino-kun walked into Loki's study. "Loki-sama, Mayura-san, nii-san, Punyaan-san… dinner is ready," he stated holding a candelabra in his left hand. Together they followed Yamino-kun to the formal dining room.
"Wow… look at all the candles! It's so beautiful. It's like Yamino-kun planed for the lights to go off."
"I did Mayura-san. I pulled the breakers down in the basement."
Mayura looked at Yamino-kun in confusion. "Thank you Yamino-kun, you're always anticipating me," stated Loki with a smirk.
"Huh? What, what! Loki-kun?!"
"This is my ritual dinner for anointing new priestess. As the god of fire, it is naturally conducted under fire light alone. I guess you'll be joining the ranks of my priestesses before I had expected, although it seems a bit overdone."
"This ceremony should be more special than normal Loki-sama," replied Yamino amiably with an eloquent smile. Loki looked at Yamino-kun shrewdly. "Mayura-san is special to you, isn't she?"
Loki responded with a nod of his head. A lot of things had happened today and he wasn't quite sure of his voice. That and he had a sneaky suspicion that Yamino-kun was up to something, or at least knew something that he didn't. But as he had stated before, Yamino-kun was very good at anticipating his needs.
"Oh look, you've already set the places. Should we sit down to eat now, Yamino-san?"
"Yes, the ceremony should be performed after. Usually there're many attendants for a ceremony such as this—personal god anointings don't happen that often—and with your rank unknown, it would be dreadful to make a seating arrangement," he answered. "So instead, the candidate is always given the seat of honor."
---After Diner---
"Daidouji Mayura, please come over here," stated Loki standing in front of the large fireplace which happened to have a cheery fire brightly burning within it. Fenrir was standing to his father's right while Yamino-kun moved to stand at his father's left. Ecchan was floating gracefully to the left of Yamino-kun.
Mayura walked to up to stand right in front of the god. "Yes, Loki-kun?"
"Do you wished to be named as one of the Ecclesiastic, as one of the few called to my service?"
"I do."
"Please kneel, chosen." Mayura did as instructed and looked up reverently into Loki's eyes. Lifting up his hand, he produced an intense flickering flame. Turning his palm to face her chest, Loki gently guided the dancing flame into Mayura's body. "I now anoint you high priestess."
The room was utterly silent as Loki gave and Mayura relieved the graces he was bestowing her in order to serve her duty as his high priestess. Moments passed in a surreal daze for the two of them. Never before had Loki given so much to a mortal. He rarely found it necessary to have living clergy, and he had never before had the need or want for such a powerful connection with his chosen. The silence was broken by loud angery rolls of thunder.
"What was that Loki-kun?" asked Mayura gazing upwards towards the ceiling.
"It seems that Odin has learned about our activities. We can expect new attempts on my life and yours as well, Mayura."
"I will stand by you Loki-kun. I believe in you," Mayura affirmed, staring confidently into Loki's eyes.
He bent over and offered his hand. "Rise Mayura, as…" Loki stopped as Mayura took his hand. At the moment of contact, an exhilarating power radiated through his body.
Mayura was pulled up into the close proximity of a very adult and good looking young man. Taking in gasp of air, Mayura stared at the ageless green eyes which she now still had to look up into. Her heart fluttered in his gaze. Uncertain she let go of his hand and backed away. "Loki-kun?"
Author's Note: I know… I'm evil. Three cliffhangers in one chapter: Mayura, the high priestess? An enraged Odin? Loki in kakusei form? What more could happen? Someone else is going to have to pick up the next chapter, that's what!