Post by Deleted on Jun 19, 2021 16:18:16 GMT -5
Las Vegas, Nevada
Loki.
Whenever something truly odd happened, there was a slim chance it was Fate, but she knew them. The more likely probability is that Loki was somehow involved.
Yes, that was it.
Freya pushes herself up onto one arm and observes the room around her. Some items she recognizes: the door, the bed. The mirror, of course. What's this though? She looks around the small black box. From the front it is large and wide but from the side it's merely a fraction of that. What is it for? What does it do?
And this?
She picks a small rectangular device from the table beside her. It has small squishy nodules with some sort of mysterious writing. She mashes down on one of the raised runes that is different front the rest and the box shoots to life.
'In local news,' the voice begins.
Freya jolts to her feet as the newscaster continues. Freya loudly replies to the screen, 'Tiny man, where am I?'. He continues, showing the weather. Freya considers for a moment: he is small but he knows magic.
What would Thor do?
The screen cuts to another reporter and Freya makes her move. She reaches for the box and pulls it from the counter, throwing it at the wall with the call of 'Loki!' where it crashes and crumbles to the ground. She looks down at the box that now sits crumbled and quiet. It was not the shapeshifter Loki; it was merely a magical box. Odin would have his words, of course. As she considers the rest of the room, there is a knock at the door.
'Enter,' she commands.
The handle rattles but the door remains closed. A voice from the other side can be heard.
'It's locked.'
Locked? Nobody traps Freya!
The door implodes.
The door implodes.
'I will show you what it means to attempt to imprison a Valkyrie!'
Freya's arm shoots out through the debris and catches a thin man in a tan button-up by the collar and lifts him easily into the air.
'Where am I, mortal? Why have you imprisoned Freya?!' her emerald eyes practically glow with anger. He mumbles a few words, struggling to put together his though before he loses control of both his bladder and consciousness.
Stay home, city boy
With that television
Warm synthetic light
Keep your mind off real life
Larry smiles to himself, shifting the microphone to the other hand. He looks out into the room to take it all in: the sounds, the lights, the atmosphere. This was home. The audience are locked to him.
Oh, stick to television
I can make it here in hunger city
His eyes close and he is taken to a time and a place where he was a star. Sometimes a retirement can be bitter sweet.
Nothings gonna stop me
I know I'll survive
He retired long ago, giving up the glitz and the glamour only to have a go at it again as a professional wrestler. He could feel that dull ache in his knees and the back that is stiffer somedays than others. Some retirements can be more sweet than others.
I can take it here in hunger city
Even though they'll eat me
Just to stay alive
'Get out of here!'
Two security guards stand to the sides of Freya as she marches through the door. Though they stand close behind her, they have their hands tucked behind themselves. Generally when someone makes a door implode, you try not to get too handsy. At least that's what Tony had thought was the plan.
Tony was the taller of the two. Tony was a father of three beautiful girls. Tony knew trouble when he saw it.
Luke did not.
Hunger city!
He reaches out a hand and shoves Freya, echoing his ally.
'Yeah! Get outta here!!'
Freya stops.
She turns, her jaw set as she squares off at Luke. A grizzled man in a striped blue suit stops as she does and looks her up in down before his eyes land on a large sparkling jewel that hangs from her neck. A pair of men in black leather flank him.
I can make it here in hunger city
Nothings gonna stop me
'Hey baby, wanna hang out with us?'
I know I'll survive.
Freya continues to stare at Luke but a tug on her arm from the taller man began to move her away. She turns to the man and begins walking beside him, more confused by his boldness than anything.
His two companions trail just behind.
His two companions trail just behind.
I can take it here in hunger city
Even though they'll eat me
Just to stay alive
Hunger city!
Hunger city!
There was a cool downpour by the time Larry finished his song. He steps out of the side door to the Karaoke bar to get a breath of fresh air; too early to go home. Nobody came to Vegas to go to bed on time. He pulls a pack of Big Red from his pocket, tips a foil loose and drops it's contents into his mouth.
'Maybe one more song,' he mutters to himself, looking out at the still bustling Vegas strip. Vegas, baby. Larry turns to go back into the bar when he notices a woman walking confidently beside a scruffy gentleman in a pinstripe outfit. He seems to be guiding her towards an alley and a pair of men in all black leathers trail just behind
Larry stops to watch as they duck down into the small passage between two buildings and just after, the two men take a quick survey for witnesses before following. As they turn down the alley, he can see that both men wear a patched black leather jacket with the words 'Satan's Sluts' stitched into the back. One is around Larry's height, but the other, well he could be trouble. He had his limits, especially now that he was retired but he couldn't leave her alone.
'Not on my watch.'
He holds a hand up towards a car as he rapidly crosses the street, following the group into the alley.
On closer inspection, both men were taller than him. He could see the shorter of the two wore a bowler hat and it looks like he's sewn plastic baby doll faces into his jacket. The more intimidating of the two wears a bone necklace and has a large, thick stainless steel nose ring dangling just above this lip.
'Don't be snot-nosed, snot nose,' says Babydoll. He holds a small knife in his hand, his two companions standing on either side of Freya whose face remains calm, almost uninterested. Larry knows he has to do something.
'Hey!' he starts. Freya turns her head in his direction and the largest of the group follows suit. He braces himself for the fight, digging in low. He could feel the pressure in his knees in all the wrong places, but this was no time to think about that. All or nothing.
'Beat it, old man,' growls the monstrous hulking beast bearing down on Larry.
'Whoa!' Babydoll is launched backwards just as he reaches for her necklace into the brick wall, where he bounces off and lands in a heap. The large man turns and Larry takes his shot.
'No more mister nice guy,' he says launching himself into the air. He drives a knee into the big man's sternum, forcing him back a step. A pain shoots through his leg and he lands hard onto it; it hurt but it wasn't broken. His eyes look up, sees the hulking goliath, and then close as he braces for the strike.
'Urrttt-' he hears and opens his eyes. The woman has thrown both of the smaller men into the brick wall and now hoists this one high into the air and like an oversized dog, the large man freezes as if this is the first time he's ever been lifted. The woman's eyes, the most brilliant shade of green, lock with Larry for a moment before she swings her hip and launches the larger thug into the wall where he lands in a pile on top of his companions with a unified grunt.
'Wow,' Larry says looking over her in disbelief. Freya turns back to the kneeling man and for a moment he finds himself staring. There was something about her that was...
What are you doing, stand up!
He pushes himself to his feet and tries to nonchalantly brush some of the gravel off his pants leg.
'Talk about a rotten day,' he begins.
'You're not with them,' she says matter-of-factly. Her gaze turns away and looks around the alley.
'You're lost?'
'I am not lost,' she says defiantly before she looks around more. Larry offers a smile.
'Where are you heading?'
She stops to consider, 'I am not sure.'
'Maybe I can help,' he offers, 'are you hungry?'
She considers for a second: she could eat.
My goodness she could eat!
The good thing about Vegas was that you could always find a buffet; the bad thing was he had not anticipated her being this hungry. He had decided to move away from the madness of the strip, after all, how could he have anticipated anyone her size would eat so much.
Larry watches her in amazement: seven dishes that were once covered in bacon and eggs now sit piled at the edge of the table. Rather than waste time with a fork and knife, she shovels food into her mouth with her hands.
'Maybe she's homeless,' he thinks to himself. She wore many exotic looking pieces of jewelry not to mention the large iridescent jewel that rests on her chest. Even the dress she wears, though soaked through, seems like it was made of the finest cloth.
Across the diner, a man in his mid-thirties wearing a flannel shirt helps his grandmother to her seat. As he goes to sit, Larry's and the man in the flannel shirt's eyes meet, but when he smiles back gently, Larry's face turns flush and he look away. Freya looks over at him quizzically, a fresh piece of bacon in her hand.
'What is wrong, mortal?' she says,
'It's complicated,' Freya turns herself slightly to see where he was looking. Spotting the man still glancing over, she turns back to Larry.
'You like him,' she declares.
'I mean he seems sweet, but I don't know...' Larry looks down at the cup he nervously fidgets with.
'What is there to know? Love is love. You should find your smile,' she says plainly. Larry looks over her for a moment and a smile grows it's way across his face.
'You're beautiful.'
'Yes, I am Beauty,' she confirms. Larry smiles widely now to himself and looks around the diner. There were not a lot of people here at this hour, but there wasn't a single one who hasn't spent their time glancing in her direction.
'So, how did you get to Vegas?'
'Loki.'
'Loki?' he asks, confused.
'Yes, he is usually to blame,' a thin bus boy slides the plates into a black bin and scoots towards the next table. Larry waits until he is out of earshot to continue.
'Like... Loki, God of Mischief?'
She only nods her head.
'You're serious.'
'I am Freya,' she corrects, shoveling a final handful of eggs into her mouth before standing and walking out the door. Larry waves to the waitress, drops a handful of bills on the table, and rushes after her.
As he bursts through the door, he sees her not far away where she stands immobile, staring into the sky. Water beads up and makes it's way in little rivers down her face as Larry steps up beside her. A few moments pass and he begins quietly.
'Hey listen...' her face whips to him and for a moment he chokes. Recovering with a swallow, he continues, 'You got anywhere to go?'
Her eyes turn back to the sky where stares off once more and says one word.
'Home.'