Unraveling Countless Lies

Nevaeh stared at him unblinkingly with her mouth a little open. 'Teleportation? You can – teleport people?'

'No! Not – not really,' blurted Loki.

The words had barely escaped his lying tongue, when Nevaeh's left hand suddenly started emitting green smoke. She hit the floor, crying in pain. Loki knelt next to her with wide eyes, beginning to understand what had just happened.

'I YIELD! I can teleport!' he yelled loudly, grasping Nevaeh's left forearm and making her jump despite the pain as she looked questioningly at Loki.

'Yield? What are you talk—'she paused mid-sentence when she realized that her hand had stopped emitting smoke and was back to its scarred self.

Nevaeh was frowning at her hand when Loki quickly let go of her forearm and stood up, running both his hands over his face as if ironing it. He knew that Nevaeh's hand had started to act up when he had lied to her, yet again.

'Yield means surrender. What are you surrendering to?' she asked sharply.

'More like, who,' Loki muttered.

'What was all that?' asked Nevaeh.

'I don't—'he paused in mid-sentence as he saw Nevaeh's palm glow the faintest green for a second. Loki sighed; he was about to say 'I don't know' when in reality, he knew. Nevaeh got up from the floor to walk towards his terrace without taking her eyes off him. She picked up her wand. 'Why did it stop hurting when you said that?'

'Does it hurt when it glows?' Loki asked quietly.

Nevaeh rolled her eyes. 'No, Loki. I needed attention. That is why I was crying out in pain and kneeling on your carpet.' She took a deep breath, before asking the dreaded question. 'So you can teleport?'

Loki nodded grudgingly, knowing what was about to come.

'So, basically, Asgard has a built-in teleporting gate and you have the ability to teleport. Then – why – the – HELL did we walk for days to reach my home? Why didn't you just drop me home? Are you kidding me right now?' She spun 360 degree on the spot in exasperation, feeling like she was about to collapse. She was feeling so betrayed. 'Why? Why did we walk countless miles when you could have teleported me directly inside my house?' Nevaeh asked, staring at Loki through angry and confused eyes.

Before Loki could say anything, she continued. 'But then again, why would you need a teleportation device if you can teleport people yourself? You never needed the device, did you? Loki, then why – why did you risk your life to get that stupid device?' Nevaeh bellowed in bewilderment. Loki wondered how long would it take for her to figure out that everything was a mere illusion.

Loki paused a moment, hoping that she would figure it out herself because he didn't know what else to say right now, but another lie. Nevaeh stared at him questioningly and was extremely annoyed when Loki kept staring back at her.

'Why aren't you saying anything?' Nevaeh bellowed exasperatedly. 'Answer my question! Why did you risk your life to get me that device if you had the capability of doing that yourself!'

Loki thought hard about how he could escape this situation without tampering his already spoilt image. He could hear his own brain, but he wasn't finding anything useful in it to use at such a moment. 'Well, you tried to save me and I wanted us to be equal,' Loki said in a matter-of-fact tone of voice, which was true. Although Nevaeh's heroic act of springing in front of a dragon was unnecessary, yet he'd wanted them to be even.

Nevaeh was perplexed. 'You got beaten up to even some kind of bullshit record you have been maintaining? And how did those little creatures harm you, anyway? Your face was bruised back then and you were limping! I tried my best to attack you, yet you are still standing here!' Nevaeh yelled, waving a hand in front of his body.

'Would you feel better if I were limping or hurt?' Loki asked calmly.

Nevaeh closed her eyes for a moment. 'Loki. How did they hurt you?'

'Why? Do you want to try those assassination methods next?' Loki said coolly.

Nevaeh remained silent and opened her pitch black eyes to stare at him. Loki instantly knew she was onto him. 'How?' she asked again, her voice containing a hint of growl.

Loki let out an audible sigh. 'They didn't,' he said quietly.

Nevaeh frowned. 'What do you mean they didn't? You were barely moving! You were very much hurt! How did they do that?'

'They didn't,' Loki repeated. He knew very well that if he elaborated his statement truthfully, Nevaeh would go berserk. If he lied, her hand would go berserk.

'What do you mean? They were like orange-coloured, Asgardian Ewoks! So, how did they manage to bruise you?' she asked.

'Didn't Ewoks eventually take down the Empire?' Loki arched an eyebrow.

'Their entire population did! Not just the three of them! Loki, do not try to distract me with sexy talk! HOWWWWW?' she shrieked the last word.

'They – they didn't,' Loki repeated, yet again. He naturally didn't want to elaborate how he had faked everything. He hated being caught at his own lies and Nevaeh's relentless questions, in such an accursed situation, were forcing him to be honest.

'What does that even mean? Did you self-inflict those bruises? Is that what you are trying to say?' she asked. Loki wondered if Nevaeh had lost the memory of punching a vanishing Loki. But, he knew he couldn't avoid her question forever. He could, but, he had other important kingly stuff to get to.

'There were no bruises. They – they were illusions,' Loki admitted finally.

'And you were acting about being hurt?' asked a flabbergasted Nevaeh.

Loki nodded apologetically, wrinkling his nose a little, as if implying he'd made a silly decision. 'Loki! My heart flipped out when I saw you lying there; bruised, tied by chains, barely conscious. And you were – acting?' she asked shrewdly. Nevaeh's head was hurting as she tried to process all this new information. She knew Loki was a drama queen, but this was shocking, even for his behavioral tendencies.

Loki watched quietly as Nevaeh went away from him and sat on his bed. She was clutching her head tightly with her fingers. Loki went towards her. He figured that Nevaeh wouldn't want him to sit next to her, and most of the furniture inside his room was broken, so he conjured a chair out of thin air and took a seat in front of her.

'So, now that I know you are the King, you wouldn't dare sit on the floor! Oh, the horror!' Nevaeh said scathingly as she watched him take a seat on the chair. 'This is exactly how you gave me the tissue, the apple and how you got a change of clothes even when you didn't pack. Oh my god, I was – such a – moron' she said quietly, finishing it as though it were a monologue. She got up from the bed and trotted towards the terrace; she felt so restless, she couldn't sit in one spot for more than a minute. She chose to finish the interrogation first and then figure out what she was feeling later.

'When you said that Thor is living as a mortal on Earth, where exactly is he? Do you know where he is? Have you met him after his banishment?' she asked suddenly, making Loki's eye twitch.

'Thor is in New Mexico' Loki said curtly.

Nevaeh waited for him to answer the rest of her questions. She looked questioningly at him. He continued, 'Yes I met him once.' Nevaeh was quickly doing the math inside her head. 'When exactly did you meet him?' she asked. Loki told her how he went to have a word with him while they were on Earth.

'Uh-huh. When I thought you were solo-shopping you were actually in New Mexico meeting up with your banished brother? After which you ran into Joe and I.' she said nodding. Loki sighed again, wondering if her questions were ever going to end.

'What did you say to Thor?' Nevaeh asked.

Loki froze. The last thing he wanted was to admit what he'd told Thor about – everything. Loki knew he had to dodge that question in order to escape a déjà vu of life in hell.

'How did you like Thor when you met him on Asgard?' Loki asked curiously, as though taking a survey on Thor's personality.

Nevaeh frowned, but answered. 'He was good. Kind,' but she suddenly fixed Loki in a quizzical stare. 'Wait – a – minute. Thor was banished before your father went into Odin-Sleep, and when I came here your father was already in Odin-Sleep' Nevaeh was getting a little confused again. Meanwhile, Loki ran a hand through his hair while mumbling 'shit' under his breath.

'Don't just stare at me, say something! You are not answering any of my questions! Okay, back up a little. What did you say to Thor when you met him? You teleported there for a reason!' she asked.

Loki was about to say 'nothing' by default, but he knew what would happen if he did so. 'It is – personal,' Loki's voice was sounding genuine.

Nevaeh rolled her eyes. 'Yeah, I am not falling for that Loki! Just say it! I am not letting it go unless you do,' she said firmly.

'I told him about our father, how our mother was holding up and – everything' Loki said, lightly shrugging.

'Uh-huh, what else?' she asked raising an eyebrow.

'I told him about Jotunheim's situation, nothing important – just casual talk,' Loki said.

'Jotunheim is the ice planet?'

Loki nodded in response.

'And what is Jotunheim's situation?' she asked.

'That wouldn't interest you. That's tedious, political stuff and – you are not brave enough for politics,' Lokisaid, smiling thinly.

Nevaeh would've dropped the topic on any other day, but today she was constantly encountering Loki's extent of lying in brutal, unimaginable ways. She smiled at him apologetically. Nevaeh leaned ahead and patted Loki on the head twice by her good palm.

'Indeed, but this is an exceptional case. So I'll bite. Spill it, Loki,' Nevaeh said firmly. Loki found no other loopholes to dive into and he shrugged, wondering that he'd brought this on himself.

'How we had agreed on a truce depending on Thor's exile,' said Loki.

Nevaeh shot him a deadly look. 'Did you? Because you just agreed on another plot with the giants, who were least bothered with Thor's location!' Nevaeh said viciously.

'Well, they did have bigger things on mind—'Loki was interrupted.

'You are – finding loopholes aren't you? You are trying to hide information, while eliminating necessary yet unnecessary facts when you answer my questions!' Nevaeh said through wide disbelieving eyes. 'What did you tell him about your father and your mother?' Nevaeh asked sharply. He did not want her to find out anything and her repetitive questions were making him furious. Loki's jaw clenched. He sharply stood up.

'Your questions are stupid!' spat Loki, 'Our father had collapsed, my brother was banished and he had no clue of what havoc his misdeeds had wreaked during his absence! It was my duty to let him know – as the King of Asgard! Just because I was with you, does not imply that I had nothing else on my mind!

Nevaeh blinked at a slightly red Loki, who was flushed with frustration. She felt a hint of guilt for badgering him with sensitive questions about his family. Nevaeh felt a bit of relief as she saw Loki expressing how he was responsible for ensuring the updates on their family to his clueless, banished brother. She silently glanced at Loki who hastily changed his calculative expression to an angry one, making her frown and rethink her guilt.

Her confidence in Loki's lying abilities overpowered her guilt in no time. 'What did you tell him?' Nevaeh repeated, raising an eyebrow.

'I gave him the news of our father and – and how our mother was feeling' said Loki. Nevaeh shook her head lightly and Loki instantly knew that she was onto him again.

'How long are you planning on delaying a straight response? You do understand that the more you avoid a question, the more suspicious I get of you? Why – are you – still – trying – to lie?' asked an exhausted Nevaeh, rubbing her face with her hand.

Loki closed his eyes and wondered if finding out the harshest truth, at this point, would make any difference to his already spoilt image for Nevaeh. Loki figured there was no point in further tricks, especially when she was ready to have a civilized discussion, and had finally stopped attacking him.

'I told Thor that our father is dead, and that our mother has denied his return,' Loki said.

Nevaeh's face grew horrified again. 'Has she?' she whispered barely audible, only to watch Loki shake his head no

'Why do you hate your brother so much? He seemed so kind! What could he possibly do to you?' she whined with a hint of desperation in her voice, unable to understand his hatred towards his family. 'You told him your father died? That must've killed him! What the hell is wrong with you?' she cried.

Loki didn't say anything. He silently sat on his chair with his eyes shut.

'I don't understand you. You show such compassion towards me and my family, but when it comes to your own, you act like a snake!' she yelled. Loki sharply opened his eyes to glare at her.

'Don't look at me like that!' snapped Nevaeh, glaring back at him. 'You told your brother that your father died! He must've been devastated, Loki! Why this adamant stubbornness on wanting your father dead, whether in your imagination or in actual reality? Or both, if your plans with the Frost Giants succeed!'

Loki swiftly stood up. 'How do you know they are called the Frost giants? Who told you that?'

Nevaeh stopped talking; she didn't want him to know that Heimdall had told her about them. 'Thor did,' shrugged Nevaeh. She felt a slight tingle in her palm, not the bad kind, but she didn't have time to keep giving it her attention every two minutes.

'No, he didn't!' Loki snapped.

Nevaeh laughed disbelievingly. 'How can you possibly know that?'

'Because I know! Now, tell me! Who told you that?' he asked urgently, but Nevaeh was beginning to frown again.

'You know, even back home I didn't tell you that I never mentioned your name to Thor and – and somehow you already knew it,' Nevaeh said thinking hard. Loki was cautiously watching the frown grow wider on Nevaeh's forehead as she stood there looking puzzled. 'Loki?'

'Yes?'

'I – I did meet Thor, correct?' she asked slowly

'How would I know?' Loki blurted in a high-pitched voice.

'You are lying, you rat –'

'Alright! I was Thor!' Loki bellowed, kicking his chair aside.

'Excuse me? What do you mean you were Thor?' asked a perplexed Nevaeh as she realized the horrifying truth. 'Are you saying that it was you pretending to be Thor?' she asked, her voice breaking a little. Loki nodded. 'So, it was you who was flirting with me, not Thor?' Nevaeh asked raising an eyebrow while Loki avoided her gaze. 'Why would you do that? Pretend to be your brother? Was that another behavioral experiment to find out whether I would leave your orphan ass behind for a made-out-of-sunshine looking prince?' Nevaeh asked, anger bubbling inside her.

Loki scoffed, his eyebrows disappearing in his as he looked at her through bulging eyes. 'Made out of sunshine? And what am I made of, huh?'

'You – are – dark! You are made out of pure, pitch-black darkness!'

Loki smiled and made an impressed looking face, feeling quite pleased with himself. 'Like the unilluminated?'

'You are unbelievable! You pretended to be Thor and flirted with me because you thought that I would leave with him like an ungrateful little bitch, didn't you?' Nevaeh asked outrageously.

Loki sighed and silently stared at a distance. 'Not in those words, no. I thought you would continue your journey with him. In my entire life, I have time and time again realized that everyone prefers Thor over me, so I was doing nothing but providing you with better company,' Loki said.

Nevaeh couldn't believe that Loki was sensitive enough to compete and be jealous by his own brother and cruel enough to actually plan the misdeeds he had in mind. She watched Loki with a hint of anger mixed with frustration as she saw nothing but a grumpy little child who is pouting because things aren't going his way.

Nevaeh took a deep breath and faced him. 'What else have you lied about? Because when I came here, I thought I had unveiled everything you had lied to me. But, here I am, somehow more confused than before, because your lies are just not ending anywhere. So, why don't you go ahead and enlighten me, Loki? Just spill everything,' she said desperately, waving both her hands in the air.

Loki figured that since Nevaeh was prepared to have a civilized discussion and was no longer attacking him, he could try and answer his lies. 'Allow me.'