Free at last

April 19, 2019:

Loki being freed from his tree prison.

Central Park

Bunch of trees, ya know general park setting doesn't last long so not really important.

Characters

NPCs: None.

Mentions: Nothing Real

Plot:

Mood Music: None.


Fade In…

*

Dressed conservatively, by the standards, Katsumi is wearing her dark camisole-skirt-boots combination outfit and taken a stroll into the park. At night. One might think she's courting danger, being a nubile young woman showing considerable leg, where a woeful amount of muggings take place. And perhaps they're right. The girl is currently seated on a bench alongside the water, her arms stretched along the backrest in languid form. An extra-woolly calico cat is seated beside her.

Bright magenta eyes are cast out upon the sparkling city lights across the water with a small, pensive frown on her face.

*

The night seems like a normal night, but as she streaches on the bench it gets quieter in the park, and gradually there is no-one around her just her and her cat in the quietness of the night. It just must be one of those wierd nights as the lack of sound might be setting in and a light fog seems to be over taking the area. That would be when she would see her, a small Japanese girl though she looks familer Kat can't place her just yet Magenta eyes staring back at her.

There is a light laugh as she turns and moves into the forest of the park disapearing from sight though nothing around Kat changes the silence just holding for now. All around here is the park, and the fog maybe getting thicker though very slowly so there is still a way out for now. You think you can see her moving through the forest still so ya know where is is at not moving at any abnormal speed, and that is where Kat now finds herself.. with her cat.

*

Magenta eyes? Oh, Katsumi immediately knows what's up. She bristles, no longer relaxed, and sits upright. The feline similarly has a cocked eye - in lieu of an eyebrow, see. As her doppelganger takes off, Katsumi doesn't waste time. She's bolting after it. The cat is following along, but at a more leisurely pace.

"Hey! There's only one Oshiro Katsumi!," she shouts. "And that's me! No substitutes!"

*

As she chasses after the doppleganger she runs into the forest, and at first it looks like she is catching up. Running, and running until she may realize the same tree, and then again as she would hear the light laughter that would echo her own at that age. Walking behind a tree as this realization maybe coming across the girl disapears just walking behind one tree, and then just not the other. The wierd thing is the cat if he has cat smell could actually smell her, and she would smell like the one standing next to her.

Looking around there are now only trees around her, and some did not look like the ones in the park. Some of them were tall dead husks going up to the sky that would dwarf the park's trees. There is no opening of the forest, or way that looks like it leads out just more trees around her, though one might not realize how bad it is unless they get a higher view. From above one might see nothing but tree's as far as one can see though with the fog at night that might be a bit less.

*

"Sorcery," the cat states.

"No s#&@," replies Katsumi.

Both, nonplussed.

"Alright! Listen! I've had a really f#&*ed up week, and I'm not playing around! You wanna deal with me!? You come at me correct!" Katsumi begins pacing in her little plot of magic-woods, claiming her territory. "But if you keep playing mind games with me, I've got a surprise for you! This chick!? She's a @!#damn psychic, and she knows what's in your future! It's a busted face and an @$$ so kicked you're gonna have to start calling it Payless!"

She points out at the vague surroundings.

"So get out here! Stand and deliver!"

*

As you yell into the forest there is only silence to meet you for a moment then from litterally right behind you there is a light giggle. The cat would sense her like she is fully there though only for a moment before she is gone again. Maybe a taunt, or maybe a response to her comment with a more direct comment to her personaly who knows as that is when she can see it start. The trees around her start wobbling, and moving with the branches starting to whip around. It seems almost random at first just waving around in the air before the first large branch bends and comes down directly at her.

This is happening while the other branches on the other trees are still wobbling around though the cat picks up another smell. One of a normal human male that is approaching though only somewhat quickly, as from deeper in the forest a older man wearning normal clothes, and a trench coat approaches. He has a shot-gun in hand looking a lot more worried about the trees then yourself not aiming or looking at you othen then the times to make sure he is going the right way. With a wave he yells in a worried tone "The heart! Find the heart!" though you lose sight of him for a moment as another large branch slams the ground between the two of you.

*

Katsumi Oshiro immediately whirls around, but naturally, there's nothing there. It does nothing for her disposition. She is becoming one salty punkette. She's not used to these things by any stretch, but the emotional toll of the week - really, since coming to America - has worn her nerves so extremely thin. Anger is a nice, easy outlet. She's familiar with it. She's comfortable with it. So anger is what she'll be working with.

A large branch comes down at her, and the girl cleanly skirts to the side on impulse. Equally in pure reaction, she attempts to thrust a booted foot hard against the branch with the goal of snapping it.

"Fine! I'm no lumberjack, but if you trees wanna start something, I guess I'm kicking tree-@$$es!"

Is she joking? No. No, she is not.

Katsumi rushes the short distance ahead to the offending tree and pivots on heel. Making the conscious decision to go full-force, she launches a sidekick at its trunk with the intention to smash it in - and with the potential to outright kick it over. It depends on which would give first: the roots, or the trunk.

At that point, the man with shotgun appears! She points the accusing finger at him with a glare. "You a part of-.. wha..?" The heart? "Trees don't have hearts!"

"I believe he means the heart of the forest," supplies the calico, warily keeping an eye on the surroundings.

"Oh. Yeah, okay." Katsumi crinkles her button nose, then takes off after the man. Amidst the branches and tree trunks, the girl could be mistaken for a master of parkour. Smooth, perfectly controlled vaults, the occasional twirl past a tree, kick-jumping between trunks, her stride is unbroken.

*

As she kicks the branch it breaks like a normal branch would throwing it out as she breaks through it. The tree she hits does the same reacting also breaking in half and falling though t doesn't seem to stop anything else that is going on. So although the trees are still waving as she vaults over the one still on the ground knocking down trees she sees the man on the ground looking injured from getting hit. He looks like a normal guy just with a gun he lays there clutching his side looking up at her as she approaches.

Thankfully the trees being random are smashing other areas not really aiming at her just around. It helped that most the close ones are knocked down thanks to a little help from Kat. The man looks up at her as she approaches he speaks with a rasp but says quickly to get it out. "The heart.." and points further into a forest, "It has been pierced by an evil…" Coughing fit.. "Evil artifact.. Help me.. Re..Remove it." and with that his body falls slack apperently using the last of his energy to get that out.

The tree is just a short space ahead of you though sticking into it is a chared twised spike of dark wood. It sticks out of the ground up to about waist level, and as is thin enough were one could almost wrap their hands around it for grip. The tree itself doesn't look knarled just old though the part where the spike is stuck does look like it is slowly dieing away.

*

Katsumi Oshiro stops by him to hear his instruction, then blinks when he goes slack. "Uh, is he-"

"No," replies the feline upon catching up. "He's fine. Just continue." The cat peers at the 'dead' man, jade eyes narrowing. No, this isn't making sense. Her doppelganger lured her here. Why? To be lured further by someone who needs 'help'? Against what seems to be the evil forest? Why would the doppelganger, presumably associated with the forest, want her there to help? Herukage doesn't like this.

Alas, Katsumi is sprinting on ahead. "Remove what? This old thing?" She reaches out to yank the ugly spike from its resting place.

*

When she pulls the ugly spike a few things happen though nothing directly to her, or at her. First the park would come back though a couple trees would be knocked down now with small foot marks where she kicked them. The item once removed changes from a twisted ugly spike into a well crafted wooden spike. The girl walks out of the tree her dobbleganger, but she has a serious look on her face before she smiles, and starts laughing while she floats up into the air. The laughing gets louder, and more methodical as the image of the girl falls off like water revealing a large man standing over six feet tall floating in the air laughing maniacly. "YES! Finally I am released once more!" the man says to the empty air.

The cat might know him from the beast, anything he would be told is his name is Loki, and he is an extreme danger do not listen, talk, or interact with him as it will mean great amounts of trouble. To Kat though he might look just like a medevil cosplayer floating in the air with a green globe around him. He doesn't seem to of noticed her yet just soaking in the night air though him even floating there is starting to blow back the trees a bit with the force he is putting off. "Loki.. lives…AGAIN!" he yells looking back up at the stars challenging his father to do something about it.

*

Katsumi Oshiro looks at the now well-crafted wooden spike, blinks, and looks up at the floating man. She jumps slightly at the sight of him just floating.

And then she jams the spike right back into the ground. Does that do anything?

"Oh. I see," says the feline, who now takes a seat on the grass.

*

She stabs it into the ground, and nothing really happends as the item was the lock on Loki's cell so without the cell it doesn't have something to lock. Loki looks down, and frowns at the mortal with her cat for the first time realizing that he wasn't alone. He hovers down the shield lowering from around him, and becoming a platform that deposits him on the ground as he looks at Katsumi conteplating what he will. "Mortal.. You have freed me from my fathers prison tell me what is it that you want so I may get it for you." he gives her a small bow with a grin. He isn't that bad and doesn't have his giant helmet on right now so may not look that out of place. He glances at the cat, "And you.. quiet." he adds snapping a finger.

To Katsumi the cat would disapear, and couldn't be seen, head, or anything. To the cat a green globe would just come out of the ground to try encircle him, and hide him under an illusion. The cat would be in no danger, but he didn't need it interupting his conversation. Loki siles, and adds. "That's Better… Now go ahead child, ask me for what you may require."

He did not like cats, and that one seemed wierd so he did not want him to interupt. This mortal had freed him from his cell so he would learn more about her and then do what he does. He was Loki after all, and what was Loki if not for his tricks.

*

Green bubble! "Rude." The feline's expression dims, and he begins pawing at his confines.

Katsumi, meanwhile, startles when the cat abruptly vanishes! "Hey! That was mine!" Her attention snaps back to Loki, and she looks over him - slowly. Careful heed is paid to wardrobe, until her eyes land on his face again, brow knit. "So you're like a genie with daddy issues," she guesses. "And I'd say I want my cat back, but that'd count as a wish. And that's cheating. What's the rule on wishing for more wishes?"

All things considered, she's taking this very well! Outwardly, at least. Inwardly, she's ready to flee at a moment's notice. This is unknown territory in a huge way.

*

The man looks at Katsumi his face blank while he listens to her quietly waiting for her request. He does frown at her quips though not laughing, and giving her a hard look of lack of patience though he finally speaks. "Do not waste my time Mortal. Your feline friend is adeqately secured stop trying to take advantage of the situation like your little mortals do." he adds in a short tone. He sighs, and looks around a bit, "And mention my father again you will need to use your…. wish on that you did not." turning to look at her in the eyes when he says the last part.

He waves a hand, and gold bars fall out of it disapearing as it hits the ground then he snaps again and it is magazines with your face on it. "These are just images of what you could have come now young one make your request or risk losing it." he adds walking around her a bit. He looks at the thing you stuck into the ground, "All because of this, which you will not need any further of course." though he doesn't touch it.

*

"Hey!," Katsumi argues, "I'm just trying to get a handle on things! And why the Hell didn't you just ASK me to let you out? Didn't need to get all creepy Silent Hill on me." There's a slight quaiver in her voice, despite the strong front.

A gold bar drops beside her. She quickly stares at it, not even sure what she's looking at initially. How many people get to see one in person? But it then vanishes. The magazines fall next, featuring her face.

"Okay, those?," she points where the magazine was, "I've already got. And there's a lot I could want. My career back, knowing what's going on in my life, what I'm supposed to do - I don't think a wish is gonna really fix that."

She eyeshifts aside, then back to him with a quirked eyebrow.

"Do you do IOU's?"

In any other context, in any other situation, that would've been a joke. Here and now, she's absolutely serious. It's hard enough to think straight without a genie named Loki offering her whatever she wants. Though it does raise another question.

"And did you call yourself Loki?"

*

Loki smile deepends, as he nods. "Ah.. Your career back such a meek wish though what can one expect from the young." he sighs, and nods. "Very well the deal has been struck they will want you back above all else." he snaps his fingers letting the cat loose again. He actually test touches the item in the ground, and seems to be ready to recal though when nothing happends he laughs a bit to himself grabbing it to pull it out with little trouble. He speaks almost to himself as he looks at it. "Above eating, above drinking, above even their own family.." he gives a small chuckle to himself.

He finally looks back up at her. "Yes, my name is Loki god of lies, and tricks. This.. Is an artifact that Odin crafted himself to jail me in that tree. I could not touch it unless I made an agreement to who pulled it out." with a flash of motion he breaks it in half over his knee as lightning strikes out in random directions. "It.. was the only thing that could stop me again." he laughs to himself tossing the parts to the side. "Now there is nothing that can stop me, or save those poor people you had just cursed."

*

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, what?! Grow some ears!," Katsumi fusses. She doesn't at all like this monkey's paw genie! "And what kind of d#&@ move is that!? I do you a favor, you curse some people?! You got like no friends or something!?"

The cat, by now, is released and padding along to sit beside her feet. He stares up at Loki with the same passive irritation everyone gets from him.

"You just do things to ruin lives?! No reason?! Just for the Hell of it!? What are you, the f#^@ing god of Twitter!?"

The feline eyeshifts aside to Katsumi, who continues to berate.

"Here I was thinking you might be interesting, but you're just an ass@#^&! You're gonna make me break their hearts!? That's your first order of business!?"

"Oshiro."

"Are you a @^&damn troll!? Am I on the Internet right now!?"

"Oshiro…"

"What's your problem!? That's some pent-up horse@^!& right there! You need a f@&*ing girlfriend!"

"OSHIRO!"

"WHAT!?"

"Calm down."

*

As she gets on him on how could he curse people he just waves her off, but as she starts scolding him he eyes her the anger of being talked down by a Mortal. By the time the cat interupts her rant there is green energy coming out from around him. "Do not understand my kindness of not destroying you as weekness." as a green ball comes out of the ground larger this time to encircle her. She could punch it, or kicks it and the field wouldn't give as lookin looks angry at her. "Do not worry what survives will be adored by all else by those that fired your from your last job.. That is the deal" he speaks to the globe though looks down at the cat not in it.

With a wave of his hand the ball launches away, and out of the park accelerating quickly, but not anything a standard human could take. And then the ball of safty that was holding her inside disapears giving her the momentum of flinging her away from the park. Loki peers at her flight, and makes a tear that seems to lead into some office building.

Loki looks at the cat, "Remember to tell the beast lord I did not kill his chosen or whatever you call it. If he chooses to stike back in retribution that I will not be kind next time." and gives a slight nod of respect to the cat disapearing right infront of him. If it was a teleport, or an illusion it would be hard to tell though Loki was gone from this park most likely on his way to Japan to make some people very addicted to Katsumi.

Speaking of Katsumi the velocity of being thrown would thankfully be interupted by smashing into, and through a solid glass window. Thankfully it was one of those new kind that flex in so the edges of the glass are pointing away when breaking. It would be a hit, and landing on said broken glass might not feel nice, but the actually impact was softened by the flexable surface so she doesn't go through the floor or anything. The cat can arrive to the same location just walking through the portal as for some reason Loki gave him the easy way there maybe out of respect for another powerfull being and not for the cat itself.

*

Katsumi Oshiro gives a veritable squawk of surprise as she's bubbled. "Wha- stop that! Let go!" Indeed, she tries punching and kicking the barrier. It seems to absorb the controlled blows. So Katsumi cocks her fist back and deepens her stance. Her fist tightens, eyes narrow, channeling her focus. And then her captive sphere launches into the air, throwing her to the 'ground' within it. "Waahh!"

And away she goes.

The feline breathes a sigh; an odd sound coming from a cat. He doesn't speak in response. He only raises a paw to lick, then rub said paw over his ear. Once Loki has vanished, Herukage turns to pad off. No, no accepting strange portals. Or perhaps the cat-nature within him is just too darn aloof to be bothered.

Meanwhile, Katsumi crashes through glass. There's no risk of it cutting her, but it certainly doesn't feel comfortable. And her landing is a significant margin less than 'graceful'. She hits the floor chest-first, skidding with her rear hiked in the air. When the momentum finally ends, she simply lies facedown. In the middle of an office. Thankfully, the office is currently closed. That's rather poor succor for Katsumi, however.

"Oogh.."

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