A Crossover Short Story For Wattys 2016. Featuring Loki, the God Of Mischief, and Jareth, Goblin King of The Labyrinth.
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Loki, God of mischief had been banished from his home once more. This time when his father had found out that Loki had been masquerading around as him. But as Loki had just helped his brother save earth, the king decided banishment would be kinder then re-imprisonment.
The humming noise of the teleportation sizzled to a stop. Odin had been rather angry when he banished his mischievous adopted son that he really could have landed anywhere, on any of the nine realms.
Loki shut his eyes as he materialized. Not the fire realm, please not the fire realm... He prayed to himself before opening them. What he saw in front of him was a humongous wall made of intricately carved mortar. Looking around he was pleasantly surprised to see it was a giant maze.
Jareth the Goblin King sat lazily on his throne, one leg slumped over the arm rest, in one hand was the decree he had to read over, and in the other he tossed a crystal up and down. Deciding to take a small break from his work he conjured up his favorite image into the small orb in his hand. Sarah of course, the human girl who'd bested him. She was in the middle of a show at the moment. The human play called "Wicked". Sarah still breathtakingly beautiful, even when covered In green grease paint.
It had been 3 years since, "The Incident" As his goblins politely referred to it. She was now a successful young woman, with a well paying career. Occasionally he liked to peek in on her, even when she did mundane things like washing dishes, or baby sitting young Toby.
Suddenly the image in the crystal faded away and was replaced by another. A dark haired man dressed in green and gold, wearing a golden helmet with horns atop his head. Jareth was suddenly filled with rage. His labyrinth had an intruder.
Loki tried fruitlessly to teleport out of the maze, but it seemed as if this entire realm was just one giant labyrinth. No matter what direction he tried he always remained inside the maze.
"Who dares enter my labyrinth uninvited?!?" A deep ominous voice seems to call from everywhere at once, surrounding The God Of Mischief. "I go where I please." Loki calls back, summoning his helmet and staff. Loki is suddenly thankful his father didn't strip him of all of his powers like he once did to Thor. "God's require no such invitation." The objects materialize onto him as he takes a defensive stance."Show yourself foe!"
Jarath materializes just a few yards away, leaning casually against the wall of the labyrinth, throwing a crystal up and down, catching it it his hands. Dressed in his high collared, deep brown, armored long coat, tight grey trousers, with black leather gloves and high black riding boots. The picture of a powerful, arrogant royal. For these two beings, It was almost like looking in a mirror.
"What realm is this?" Loki asks through narrowed eyes, not lowering his staff. "I asked you first... Who are you?!?" Jareth questions, continuing to throw and catch the crystal. Normally he need not even ask, just simply gaze into a crystal and conjure up an identity. But this man drew a blank. He wasn't Goblin, definitely not human.
"Insolence!" Curses Loki, firing a warning shot of green energy right beside the Kings head. The goblin king retaliated by throwing the crystal at the intruder. It shatters on impact causing ice to swirl rapidly, freezing Loki up to his neck in a solid block of ice. Loki looks down and laughs.
"You think ice can stop me?" his skin turns blue as he spoke, taking on his half Frost Giant form. "I was born of it!" The God states menacingly, and passes straight through the solid ice. "What's the matter blondie, all that hair product affecting your brain?" Loki taunts, skin returning to normal.
"Funny..." Chuckles Jareth "I was about to say the same thing about that ridiculous helmet." The look on the God Of Mischief' s face read clear as day. Oh no he didn't. He fired another blast and the Goblin King nimbly rolled away, but not fast enough, the green magic singed the shoulder of his favorite jacket. The smell of burnt leather hit Jareth's nostrils, he frowned down at the burned fabric, running his thumb over it.
"Your going to pay for that..." He growls. "Put it on my bill." Loki smirks back arrogantly before projecting five more images of himself, all encircling the blonde ruler of the labyrinth.
"Oh please..." Jarath conjures another crystal and tosses it up in nonchalance. "You think you can fool me with a simple illusion?" He asks, staring directly into the eyes of the real Loki before throwing the crystal. This impresses the banished God, no one in Asgard had ever been able to pick his tricks apart so easily.
"I practically invented them." Gloats Jareth. Loki in turn tries to block the incoming object with his staff, but the magical little ball simply swerves around the scepter of power. Hitting the intruder solidly In the abdomen. White magic escapes the crystal when it shatters. Swirling around him and fusing him into the wall behind him. Making him part of the labyrinth.
"Quaint..." Loki squints his eyes. His scepter lay on the ground where he had just stood. But where magic failed him, he always had his other natural Asgardian abilities. He breaks free using his Godlike strength. With the sound of the stone and mortar cracking and giving away, Jarath could hear his labyrinth cry in pain.
"Kneel before me!" The Asgardian ordered once free, his scepter flying back into his hand, cutting what would have been a terrifying figure, that is of course, if the Goblin King was ever afraid of anything. "You first." The monarch crosses his arms in defiance.
"I will not stand for such Insolence. Do you know who I am?!?" Cries Loki in annoyance, thrusting the base of his scepter into the ground.
"I don't actually. " Jarath let's out a hearty laugh. "That's what I've been trying to find out." He laughs even harder, the sound of it easing the tension somewhat between the two men. The laugh of the Goblin King was contagious. Loki finds himself joining, It was rather ironic.
"Well trespasser..." Begins Jareth idly playing with another crystal. "It seems we are in a bit of a bind. We are equally matched. You appear immortal, as am I. We could be here all day."
"Possibly." Responds Loki, not wanting to let on to much. "Perhaps we should make introductions. Where am I? Who are you?" "Now now, it's only courtesy that you should introduce yourself first." Jarath wags a gloved finger. "After all it is you who is the trespasser. "
"Very well..." The master of mischief gives in. "I am Loki of... Well formerly of Asgard." He greeted. "Ahh Loki the diety, that explains so much. What is it you are the God of again? Mischief?" A teasing smile forms on the edge of Jareth's mouth.
"That is my official title..." Answers the God regretfully. "Though I prefer chaos." He informs, as Mischief was quite the more awe inspiring word back in the day. But these days his title was a now source that others found amusing. "Chaos is good." Smirks Jareth. "Chaos is always good."
"Alright, I've kept up my end of the bargain. Now tell me immortal.... Who are thou?" Loki interrogates with suspicion. It was his business to know about everyone in Asgard. But this creature, with his strange magic and odd overindulgence of cosmetic products, this was no son of the first realm. So, where in all the nine realms could he be from?
"I am Jareth. King of the Goblins. Ruler of the Labyrinth." He states, adjusting his curved necklace, the symbol of his power. The banished God's jaw nearly hits the floor. "No.... no that can't be. Your not real. You don't exist!" He says with wide green eyes.
"Many mortals believe you dont exist either." The Goblin King replies matter of factly. "Do not try to fool the master of deception. You cannot be the Goblin King. He is just a myth, a scary story mothers tell younglings to make them behave!" He knew this because his mother had told him this story many times.
"Things are not always what they seem." Answers Jareth calmly. Loki could always read a lie. This being was telling the truth. "I guess Odin does have a sense of irony after all..." He whispers to himself. "But how... This isnt a real realm?!?"
"You Asgardians have it all figured out. So firmly set in your belief of the nine realms." He starts. "True, there are only nine realms. But there is sooo much more to it. Each realm with its own set of alternate dimensions, and enough parallel universes to give you a splitting migraine just thinking about."
"I need a drink..." Loki rubbed his temples with his free hand. Trying to take it all in. His whole mindset of the universe had just crumbled.
"Come to my castle beyond the Goblin City. If my goblins haven't gotten to it yet, I have a very nice bottle of Bacham 1244."
Loki had no idea what type of drink that was. "Is it sturdy?"
The goblin king cocks his head with a knowing smirk. "It could knock a God off his feet. "
The Goblin King returns to his castle alone. Explaining to Loki that rules are rules. Human, Goblin or God, all had to find their own way to the castle. He materialized in the cellar to fetch the bottle. Knowing it probably wouldn't take the God more then an hour to solve the labyrinth. He makes his way up to the throne room, upon opening the door he comes face to face with himself. He gasps at the sight of what looked exactly like him. The room falls silent. His goblins stopped what they were doing and just stared dumbstruck back and forth between the two Jareth's. It was Loki, it had to be. "All of you, out!" He yells at his goblins. Again they glance back and forth, unsure of what to do. The faux goblin king nods towards the door as well and they decide it ok to leave.
"Ready for that drink?" Loki asks, dispersing his illusion. "How did you get here so fast?" Jarath crosses his arms. The God was sitting on the Kings throne the exact way he did. One leg swung ever so Unregally over the armrest. A look of "I do what I want." Clearly imprinted across his equally arrogant face.
''Piece of cake." Explains Loki. "Your labyrinth is designed the exact same way I would have created it. Loved the oubliette by the way."
"Thank you... I think." Jareth replies.
"Am I in your seat?" Loki motions down to the throne. "Its quite comfortable. I could get used to this."
"Please, don't get up on my account. " He snaps his fingers and an even grander throne appears next to his original one. Made of gold and covered in plush. The back so high it towered over the other one. The Goblin King clearly showing the God his place.
"You may be a God, but you are still just a prince." He sits into his over the top throne, throwing his leg over into its usual spot. "Here I am king." "Note Taken." Loki chuckles, a new found respect for his host. Loki pulls the glass cork out of the crystal bottle and pours two glasses. "I do believe it's time I ask how you ended up in my labyrinth?"
Loki takes a deep swig and begins to tell his tale. He explains to Jareth all that went down. From his brothers banishment, to the tesseract, to the the dark elves. The King was right, it was quite potent stuff. By his second glass he found himself speaking of his imprisonment, how he hated it. By his third he was telling this near stranger about his jealousy of his perfect brother. And how others had always teased him.
"And I always thought my helmet is what mortals refer to as cool." He hiccups "but no... I don't know what what a reindeer is... but Thor called me that!" Complains the God.
"Like bird wings are anything special." Groans Jareth in agreement, idly playing with a crystal. "He just doesn't understand anything about image."
"I know!" Slurs Loki. "We're the bad guys. We have to project a certain image. Leather, dramatic flair, many wardrobe changes. It all comes with the territory."
"It's how we were written. " Jareth mumbles under his breath. "What?" Loki raises an eyebrow. "My apologies, I am so drunk I think I just broke the fourth wall." Chuckled Jareth. "Alright, enough about me..." Hiccups Loki, trying to compose himself. "What sort of trouble do you get into around here Jareth? "
Just at that moment his crystal lit up, It lit up like it usually did everytime Sarah would sing that song from her play, and boy, could she sing.
He rolls the crystal over his hand and raises it to his eye level, watching her. Only he could hear her belting out the lyrics to Defying Gravity. He wasn't as obsessed as he'd once been but he still took the time to listen to her everyday. "I haven't really wreaked much havoc since Sarah..."
"Sarah? Your pining over a wench?" Puzzles Loki. "Rather sad isn't it?." Jareth's usually smooth as silk voice is now slurred. "Really Jareth, the great Goblin King? I can't believe you loosing your head over a girl." Loki shakes his head.
"But she wasn't just a girl. She was the girl. She bested my labyrinth and made a fool out of me." He admits, staring into the crystal. "Let me see that!" Loki reaches over and snatches it out of his hands. The second his hand came into contact with the orb he too could hear her song.
"She's.... Green." He stares in confusion at the ball. "You were bested by a mere witch?" "No, that is just paint and a costume. She's an actress." Corrects Jareth.
This makes the God keel over in laugher. "You lost your heart to a mortal?" Loki slaps his knee, it was the funniest thing he'd heard in over a century. "A fragile little midgardian?!?" He is now gasping for breath. "That is pathetic!"
"Thank you for reminding me. As if I could forget." Jareth hangs his head. He tells Loki the story. How Sarah had wished away her baby brother, how he had promised to return young Toby should she best his labyrinth. How she had remained unafraid of him through the entire ordeal. How he moved the stars for her, had offered to make her his queen and how she had rejected him...
By the time he was finished weaving his tale, the entire bottle had been drunk. This was such a strong liquor that even one drop would put a mortal into a coma.
He slaps Jareth on the back. "How long ago was this?" "Three earth years." Replied the drunken ruler of the labyrinth. "Lets say we go to visit this mortal." Loki plotted. "God of mischief I think your just trying to take advantage of me when I'm drunk." Chuckles Jareth. Lokis eyes widen a bit at the kings joke.
"You just want a free ride to Midgard." States The Goblin King.
"Yes actually, I do." Loki answered feeling no need for deception.
"But what if she..." Jareth begins doubtfully. "No buts..." Loki argues. "My broth... Thor is always saying ''Thou whilst never know if thou never try.' If this little quim rejects you again, we can always just go and wreak a little havok on earth."
"You know..." Another coy smile plays at the Edge of Jareth's mouth. He had never had anyone to go wreak havok with. "That actually doesn't sound like such a bad idea."