The Trickster and the Mortal- LOKANE

Ten

"Better," Loki commented. "But it did not last."

Frustration was slowly creeping into both of them. After a while, it was clear the portals wouldn't get any better, and Jane was going to run out of energy. "I think we'll just have to use the next one." Jane said. And so they did. The portal they went through closed just barely after they came to the other side...

 The clear blue sky above falsely suggested warmth, but Jane was shivering in the thin clothes. Loki kept walking, but Jane was shivering too violently to move. "Give me your hand." He commanded. Jane lifted her stuff hand and placed it in his. The clothes thickened, from top to bottom as they became a thick sweater. "Where are we?" She asked. "New York. We should be getting close." Loki answered. "It's easier to create a portal to somewhere that isn't new to magic. We've got a bus to catch." He didn't think Jane would ever run out of questions. 

Loki quietly slipped onto the bus, and waited for Jane to do the same. Jane managed to get on, but not before tripping a ridiculous amount of times. She sat a seat away and wrapped her arms around herself. 

"Hey, pretty." A deep, gruff voice said in the direction of Jane and Loki. Loki's eyes flew open. An enormous man, unpleasantly similar to Sterkt, stood towering over Jane. Loki ignored him and shut his eyes again with just a twitch of the nose, the smell was so strong. "Why don't you abandon Skimpy here and spend a little time with us?" 

Loki's eyes opened again. He extended one long arm and wrapped it tightly around Jane, pulling her into the seat directly next to him, expecting her to protest, but she did not. A few of the men behind the huge one jeered. Loki smiled, as if daring them to come over. They did not.

...

"Have you happened to see an older man with a golden eye-patch around?" Jane asked random people. The villagers always shook their heads. It was very unlikely, after all, that Odin would show himself to the commoners of a fishing village. Loki searched for any hints of magic that may lead them to Odin, but found none until Jane tapped his shoulder and pointed to a figure on a cliff, certainly no other than the Allfather. Loki sped up the wet grass, making his way toward Odin- 

"Allfather!" He called. "I need a favor from you." He said, falling into one knee. "Well, why else would you come?" Odin said, turning towards him. He placed a leathery, knotted hand on his shoulder and Loki wanted to shake it off, but he needed the magic severed. "I would like to ask if you could separate my magic and the magic of the Aether." Loki said as respectfully as he could. 

"You will regret it if I do." Odin said, his face as unreadable as his golden statue. 

"Please." Loki said a little forcefully. His magic was half of him, and it was impossible to imagine losing it. Odin had not removed his hand from Loki's shoulder yet. the thought of losing it was impossible to imagine. 

"The woman," Odin said. "If she means anything to you-" 

"She doesn't." Loki said coldly. 

Odin only smiled. It made Loki want to smite him more. "Mind reading is an ability we share." he said. 

"We are not related."

"No."

"And as you said, I am not your son." 

Odin sighed and shook his head. "If you truly want it, the tie between you and the woman is cut."

Loki, with great difficulty, falsely smiled back at Odin. He turned and saw Jane standing silently, just barely out of earshot.