The Art of Manipulation || Phantom of the Opera & Loki the God of Mischief ||

1. A Goddess Returns

Chapter One || A Goddess Returns

Music
mu • sic (myo͞o′zĭk)
n.
1. The art of arranging sounds in time so as to produce a continuous, unified, and evocative composition, as through melody, harmony, rhythm, and timbre.

Alouette
al•ou•ette (a-loo-e-tuh)
n.
1. French. a lark.

Lark
(lärk)
n.
1. A small ground-dwelling songbird, typically with brown streaky plumage, a crest, and elongated hind claws, and with a song that is delivered in flight.

2. The lark in mythology and literature stands for daybreak and pure spirits.

New York City, NY • Present Day

"Just one more, Ms. Alouette! Please?"

Sighing, I rolled my eyes and made a resigned smile, "Alright, one more."

Managing the best smile I could with my cheeks being as sore as they are, I posed for what seemed like the billionth selfie.

Humans and their phones.

Relaxing my weary cheeks I sat back and watched as Tess quickly typed the caption for our selfie, her thumbs typing as fast as lighting. Tilting my head to the side I asked, "Where will this one be posted to?"

Without looking up from her iPhone she replied, "Snapchat."

"I see." I smiled down at my lap, the expression unnoticed by the mortal sitting across from me, her eyes glued to the bright screen in her hands.

Snapchat and Instagram will definitely be two things I won't miss once I leave here. Earth has become such a strange generation. If I transformed into a creature made of slime no one would see it because their attention would be on their cellular devices. They miss out on the world going on around them, their minds too busy with the unimportant world occurring within their tablets and cellphones. I see parents everyday spending more time taking pictures of their newborn babies than actually spending time with them. By the time they put down their phones, their babies will be full grown humans more occupied with their own lives than the lives of their aging and degenerating parents.

I'm not complaining, I'm only pitying this generation of humans. Their lack of self control to put down their smartphones and pay attention to the outside world is in no way the reason why I'm leaving my adopted home.

To be honest, I myself, am a not entirely sure why I am leaving Earth. I mean, I do have my reasons why I must leave here and my job...and my friends and my townhouse. I have been summoned back home; the dominating voice from above called my highly sensitive ears to order my return. Truthfully, I hardly cared about that familiar voice from that other dimension; I answer to no one. The greater, more powerful, reason for my departure has to be what ties me to Earth, and the related painful memories my current surroundings evokes. It isn't my job that triggers these painful memories, it is the opera my job is producing...

I pushed away these thoughts with a sigh and went back to collecting the remaining stray pieces of sheet music on my desk.

Right as I tapped the upright stack of papers on my wooden desk, the shaggy head of Samuel poked through my half open door, "Alouette, my love!"

Oh, dear Odin.

With his face contorted in over exaggerated dismay, Samuel came in and walked around my desk, kneeling down in front of me and taking my hands in his. He placed a kiss on each of my hands and looked up at me, the despair in his eyes way overdone, "Take me with you."