♤Magical Entertainment♤《 Loki X OC 》

Chapter 44 ~ Ravens

Recap

"So, when did you two finally get together?" Reyna asked with that signature smirk of hers, knowing and fox-like, gesturing to the older pair. She burst out laughing as their faces became beet red, their younger sisters joining the mutant in her mirth.

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After much spluttering, reassurance, and laughter, Shafira invited Reyna to join them in the breakroom. Abby was sent to gather another cup and some refreshments for their guest, and the catching up began. They spent most of the afternoon talking and laughing, simply catching up on life. When the Avengers had liberated the Palace, Shafira and Remi had finally been reunited with their sisters after years of separation. It took a lot of discussions and bargaining back and forth with SHIELD, but the pair had been granted custody over their sisters, and together with a financial boost, they had been able to settle down here and open the shop. The girls had enrolled in a SHIELD-run program created to prepare the people they rescued to return to the real world. Once they graduated, Abby and Alanna would go the last years of high school and then go on to college. Shafira and Remi would take some classes and get a certification for their craft, but wouldn't seek any higher education, at least for now. They were already great at it since they had acted as the Palace's on-site hairdressers, but had agreed that they needed to get proper classes. Their clientele primarily consisted of people they already knew from before, dancers, experiments, and former captives. They and their shop offered a familiar and safe space for people lost in a big and unfamiliar world. Shafira also eagerly told the story of when she and Remi went on their first proper date a few months ago, much to Remi's embarrassment and the others' delight. Reyna simply sat there with a proud smile as the tale was told. It had been common knowledge for every dancer at the Palace except for the two of them that they had feelings for each other. The mutant found herself wondering how on earth this had gone unnoticed by the Matron, but the overwhelming pride in the pair soon washed away that train of thought. Occasionally, the doorbell rang, signaling an appointment, and either Shafira or Remi had to excuse themselves and take care of the customer. And finally, when afternoon turned to evening, Reyna was invited to stay the night after the tales of her latest adventures had been told. Shafira also insisted she'd be allowed to cut and style the Latina's hair. Her hosts came up with hundreds of ideas of what to do with her hair; everything from cutting it short to dyeing it crazy colors. Reyna laughed as she shook her head at their eagerness but ultimately agreed, much to the girls' delight. After all, it had been far too long since she had her hair tended to properly.

They talked long into the night, but soon Abby and Alanna were sent to bed. They had school early in the morning. Reyna sat Remi and Shafira down at the small dining table and brought up an idea. It would be hard, impossible even, to execute this idea, and Reyna knew it was more likely that they would say no, but it would be cowardly not to try. When she brought it up, they seemed hesitant, to say the least, but Reyna powered through, describing how the idea came to be and whatever loose planning she had come up with so far. They discussed the notion long and hard, and when they all finally went to bed long into the wee hours, they had finally agreed on the matter; the idea was blooming.

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The doorbell clanged as Reyna exited the small shop and stepped out onto the busy streets with the well-wishes echoing behind her. Shafira had taken good care of her hair; split ends had been cut, her curls had been thoroughly taken care of, and they had dyed the newly cut tips and the longest hair at the nape of her neck a beautiful wine-red color. The color was dark enough to blend perfectly with Reyna's raven hair and created a beautiful, if a bit morbid, blood-like shimmer in the chilly but incredibly bright early December sun. She started her journey once again, but this time it wasn't to meet old friends. Instead, she would be taking a new ally up on his offer. Reyna picked up a card from her pocket; 177A Bleecker Street, Greenwich Village, New York City. She frowned. How the hell am I supposed to find this place? She thought. Then she felt the need to slap herself in the face.