Disclaimers applied to all future chapters (because I'm lazy), Matantei Loki Ragnarok belongs to Kinoshita Sakura.

A Hundred Mysteries

written by Kurosu

Episode One: Club Approved! Call Me by Name!

Her deep ruby eyes held determination like no other. There was a passion lit like wildfire in the dry forest on an extremely hot day, and nothing could extinguish such intensity. Today was a day like no other; it signify the start of something great, something so extravagant that the gods would have to declare... dooms day, the apocalypse, Ragnarok, or something along those lines.

Maybe those were merely dramatics speaking, but let's just say it was not a typical day. Then again, typical was never a word to describe Daidouji Mayura.

On this monumental, spring day, this pink-haired teenager held the stack of papers in her hands as if they were her lifeline. She stared at the writings on the sheets of paper so hard they could've burned holes through them, but after three minutes of just plain staring, her audience was slowly losing patience.

"Daidouji-san," someone coughed.

"Ah yes," she managed to spluttered out, and now with her full attention at the situation at hand, she gathered her wits together and presented her case to the elite student council of Enjaku Private Academy.

"Student council president, vice president, and the members who have gathered her today, I, Daidouji Mayura, would like to submit my application to create Enjaku's first and only... Mystery Club!"

~ * ~ ENJAKU PRIVATE ACADEMY logo flash ~ * ~

Now then, somewhere not too far away, a group of students were casually entertaining themselves in a classroom. Three young men and one female. They didn't look like a group that would end up together in this one room, but somehow fate gathered them into this particular situation. To be quite honest, the ladies of fate had put the spinning wheel into the hands of a mere mortal girl, who was currently amusing the student council with her long list of reasons why a mystery club should exist in the school.

Narugami Touru, a second year high school student who happened to be in the same B-3 class as Mayura, was busily wolfing down his third bento lunch box, with another box awaiting to be consumed in another five minutes. He was also part of the kendou club--third seat in rank--faithfully carrying his bokken everywhere he went. Not once had someone seen the young man without it, even when he privately relieved himself in the restroom.

Kakinouchi Koutaro, another second year high school student who was actually in the top B-1 class, looked bored with his feet perched on the desk and his focus on the blackberry phone in his hands. Not only was this guy smart, he was rich and considered himself a ladies' man. Arrogant bastard.

Yamino Ryuusuke, a third year high school student at the top of his C-1 class, was occupying himself with sanitizing the classroom, from sweeping the tiled floor to washing the windows three consective times to make sure his reflection was etched clearly in the glass panes. Then his attention came to the desks and bookshelves. More spraying disinfectant and more intense scrubbing, he would not allow a single speck of dust to exist in the same room that he was in. He wasn't a religious neat freak, or, others would call him, housewife. He was just bored.

And lastly and specially, Hel-chan, who was a first year high school student also in the top of her A-1 class, preferred every person in the world to address her as such. She had a great penchant for books, and like Narugami with his bokken, Hel-chan was always seen with her face in the pages of a book, which she was currently doing now, or carrying a myriad of them wherever she went. (Although one would agree a book in the restroom was better than having a useless bokken.) Oh, and she was also Yamino's little sister.

Two excruciating hours later, the center of their universe had finally arrived, and Mayura, looking happier than ever, skidded right into the room and nearly hit the wall if she hadn't put on her brakes in time. After letting out a squeal that had potential to break the sound barrier, she announced, "We've been approved! The Mystery Club is official!"

Reactions varied from her fellow club members: Hel-chan and Yamino clapped their hands with a bright smile; Narugami, with food in his mouth, manly punched a fist into the air; and finally a bored Kakinouchi spared her a single glance.

"Well not quite official," she explained embarrassingly, "There's one more thing I have to do, and then we'll be set!"

"Let's celebrate!" Narugami suggested, after finishing the last bento box.

"I think I'm going to be sick," Kakinouchi mumbled, "if you suggest we go out for food and drinks, after you ate all those boxes."

"That sounds like a good idea," Hel-chan chirped, putting her book away.

"Let's get cleaned up and meet somewhere," her brother agreed with the suggestion.

Now let's back this up a bit to before the whole mystery club idea was in the process of creation. Mayura had always been a fan of the unknown, supernatural, extraterrestrial, and whatnot that could not be explained, period. This came about because when she was a young child, her mother read bedtime stories to her straight from a book of mysteries, because for some strange reason, the book of fairy tales mysteriously disappeared from the family library.

The girl grew up with all sorts of mysteries, seeking the unknown and unfamiliar, proving of its existence while torturing the people around her with nonsense. Such strong feelings burned ever brighter after her mother's death from a mysterious illness. On her deathbed, Mayura promised the fragile woman that she would find and solve 100 mysteries!

Sadly, a mystery within the mystery that is Mayura wasn't so much a mystery anymore.

But how did she managed to recruit four seemingly normal students into her outrageous adventure?

Narugami grabbed his bokken and was already on his way to the door, "Hey Daidouji, better keep your promise to bring food every time we do this." She nodded, wearing a nervous smile.

Kakinouchi sighed, "As long as you'll get beautiful clients." On his way through the doorway, he seemed to look thoughtful with a grin on his face, "Hm, since I'm involved, those beautiful women will have no choice but to come to me!" His narcissistic laughter echoed from the hallway.

Finally the two siblings walked up to Mayura, who gave them a curt bow, "Thanks guys for helping me out! I don't know how I would've found two more members." One of the prerequisite in forming a club was to have a total of five members in agreement.

"It's really nothing, Mayura-san," Yamino said shyly, not used to being thanked and praised, "We should be thank you instead, for allowing us to be involved."

Hel-chan nodded, "I'm so happy we're friends! It's always been onii-san and me for the longest time. But because of you, Mayura-senpai, we feel that we now belong. Thank you."

Touched deeply by the siblings' words, Mayura began to tear up and pulled them into a tight hug, and they returned her embrace easily. "I LOVE YOU GUYS SO MUCH!" she shouted, now making the two feel a tiny bit uncomfortable which they didn't think could happened when their energetic friend was in the picture, "This will be the best year ever! Mystery Club forever!"

~ * ~ ENJAKU PRIVATE ACADEMY logo swirl ~ * ~

After the quick departure and the promise to meet up at the local cafe just right off campus, Mayura decided to get the final requirement to make her club official: the chancellor's signature. The day was gradually losing its light with the sun setting in the background, and a breeze mysteriously picked up when she stood in front of the administrative building, that resembled more closely to a European style mansion.

She had never seen the chancellor before, since her admission into Enjaku Private Academy, nor were there any photos of the said man. It was as if he was also a mystery!

With one last look at the looming height the building created, she walked up to the entrance with her schoolbag in both hands and stepped through the towering archway, unknown to her of a pair of eyes watching her from the window of the third floor. Even the doors creaking open to the almost empty lobby was like a scene out of a horror movie.

The receptionist behind the oblong desk of wood greeted her with a smile, "How can I help you, Miss?"

Seeing that the woman was to cheerful to be a mystery, Mayura walked up to the desk and said, "I'm here to see the chancellor. I need his support and signature for my club."

"We're about to close for the day, but he should still be in his office. It's on the top floor." She pointed to the stairs and then elevators, "You can take either one. His office is number 322."

"Thank you," she bowed and took the elevator, thinking the faster she got this done, the happier she would be. She thought it would be a quick trek, but the slow-moving compartment seemed to be against her. The soft instrumental leaked through the speakers as if she was on the waiting end of an evil phonecall to customer service.

She noticed a small video camera in the corner of the elevator booth and stared at it with a blank expression, as if she stared at it long enough, she could see the person at the other end, which was impossible and didn't happen. But it was certain that whoever was at the other end could see her clearly and vividly, and that was just downright creepy.

Yet she felt no fear, exiting the elevator, and began to search the numbers on the door. Odd and even were alternating every few meters on either side, and when she passed by an intersection, the number jumped up higher, so the office had to be near the end of the main hallway. She didn't seem to notice the lighting of the branched off hall was flickering ominously and then burnt out into darkness. (The janitor should be fired for not replacing it already. It is an elite academy after all.)

Anyway, Mayura was at the end of the main hall and after a few seconds of deduction, she took a left and followed it to the very end. Even before she reached there, the doors were grand and exquisite, and the golden plaque had the title Chancellor scribbled in fancy letters on it.

For once in her lifetime, she felt nervous. She never had to face someone of such high authority and prestige before. Rumors had it that the chancellor's family was of noble ancestry, but they truly did build and put their wealth and lives into the academy. It was a very long legacy, and each new chancellor came from the family.

Clutching her schoolbag tightly in one hand, she swallowed hard before knocking on the door. A deep, soothing voice resonated from within the room, "Come in." She turned the door handle and pushed the door in as slowly as she possibly could, to give her some time to find the owner of the voice and a strange tapping sound.

It was pretty huge, from what she could make of the office in the... dark. Did someone forget to pay the electricity bill? Her vision could only take in big, blurry objects about the room, but to the right side, she could see the outlines of two couches facing each other with a coffee table in between them. But it was from the opposite side of the room, the tapping continued, and when she was in the room and the door closed with a click, the tapping stopped.

She extended her arms in front of her to make sure she didn't hit anything as she moved through the strange unlit room. She yelped when her foot hit the edge of a small table. A chuckle echoed in the darkness before there was another click. The room lit up, with the tall floor lamp by a desk as a source of illumination.

A gasp escaped her lips when her dark crimson eyes clashed with amused, emerald ones. She was openly staring at the handsome man before her. He looked like he was in his mid-twenties, with youthful eyes and a seductive smile. His blonde hair seemed to glow against the light, and his poise was confident with a bit of arrogance.

"I apologize for the unsettling darkness," his voice was deep and almost sounded like he was purring. She blinked in confusion, watching him return to his big, leather chair. "Welcome to my office," he formally greeted her and gestured her to the chair in front of his desk, "How can I be of service to you, Mayura-chan?"

Now, if she didn't show any signs of confusion before, she certainly was oozing with it now from the expression on her face to the awkard manner in which she stood. He had just called her name, which she didn't remember giving out to him, with familiarity that just threw her mind into a whirlwind of bewilderment and momentarily, she forgot her original purpose.

"How do you my name?" she asked.

He winked and put his index finger to his lips, "That's a secret."

She remained in her spot and opened her mouth, wanting to say something, then shut it again being uncertain as to what to exactly say. She opened it a second time and blurted it out innocently, "Are you really the chancellor?"

He laughed, his voice resounding so deep and melodious, so pleasant to the ears, but Mayura's brow furrowed into offense at his reaction. She was being serious, yet he was acting like they were old friends. She moved closer and stopped in front of desk with a slight glare, repeating herself, "Mou, are you really the chancellor?"

His carefree laughter died down to small chuckles, staring at her endearing, pouty expression. He leaned his cheek against the palm of his hand and gave her one of his most alluring smiles, "Indeed, I am."

"Okay." As if the confrontation was now over, she reached into her schoolbag and pulled out the application for her club and laid it on his desk. His intense, green eyes never leaving her form, he listened to her sweet voice explain her situation, "The student council have approved of my club, so it would be a great honor to have the Chancellor's support."

And with that said, she gave him a deep bow.

Silence loomed between them, but she met his gaze with steady resolve, and he continued to grace her with his smile. He picked up the sheet of paper that required his signature and looked over the words as if he was actually reading it, but what he actually did was accessing her out of the corner of his eye. He noticed her slight fidgeting at the hem of her uniform jacket, a bit of fear behind her round, innocent eyes of a possible rejection.

"So Mayura-chan," he called her given name again, which triggered a twitch of annoyance from her eye, "what will your Mystery Club offer to the academy?"

She was stunned for a moment at such a normal question, but she had the answer prepared because the student council had also asked her this. With a confident voice, she stated, "I hope that we will be able to discover and research the unknown--whether they are fact or fiction--and record our findings for the future generations of the academy. We will also lend our services to the investigations of and find solutions to any paranormal or extraterrestrial problems!

"Free of charge!" she added as an afterthought.

"Is that the reason you are attending this institution?"

She was once again surprised by his sudden question unrelated to the club, but she found her voice, "Enjaku IS the number one place in the world with unsolved mysteries and high paranormal activities, so... I guess you could say that." She looked away nervously, sweating a bit, like she had been caught sneaking into the cookie jar at night.

"Hm, you are definitely an interesting one, Mayura-chan," he seemed to mumble to himself, and with one swift movement, he wrote his name on the required line and stamped his seal on the spot next to it.

Mayura looked down at the paper with pure joy radiating from her face. She accepted it with both hands and bowed again, "Thank you so much for your support, sir!"

"Loki."

"Huh?"

"Please call me Loki."

What a strange man, to request that she, a student of the academy, call him, the chancellor of the academy, by his first name! She wanted to refuse, or else she would be punished for disrespect, but the intensity of his gaze told him she had better or else there was a greater wrath she would be facing.

Apparent nervousness crept into her voice, as she tried to say his name, in a shy whisper, "L-Lo... Loki-sama..."

There was a strange pleasantness when the name rolled off tongue, and it felt natural that she called him by such. And as much as he didn't like the '-sama', he knew that was as far as he could get from her, but his expression did soften at the beautiful sound of her voice calling out to him.

Rawr! I cleaned up my magical girl genre idea, and it turned out to be like this, lol. I just had too much fun writing this piece. There will be more to this story. I just have a lot of mini plot ideas and not sure which mystery to start next. =P Let me know what you guys think. Thanks!