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It was a toy to begin with, the tiny balls of clear material containing a miniaturized item which became large upon the balls outer layer cracking. It became more of a prank item as sales went up, and the only thing stopping children on Asgard from terrorizing everyone with them was the price. The family who sold them in the capital's main market street put a lot of work into the balls and often each one was custom made for the recipient.
When Loki first saw them and asked his mother for one containing a firework set to explode in a burst of green color once the ball broke, Frigga saw no harm in granting his request. He had just been told Odin had chosen Thor to become the next King and Loki was understandably a little down. Something small to cheer him up sounded perfect to her.
When Loki wanted two more for his birthday a week later, Frigga again saw no harm in it.
The next year Loki again wished for the balls, but this time four, and again he got them.
The year after Frigga was slightly amused by Loki's request for eight. He had always had his hang ups.
When Odin asked her why Loki had asked for sixteen the year after that, she shrugged and reminded her husband that fireworks were relatively harmless and that Thor's gifts had cost much more.
“Loki, darling, surely you want something else for your birthday this year?” Frigga asked encouragingly. She was no longer amused, and by now slightly concerned for her son. It had been decades, almost an entire century in fact, and she was almost certain Loki had a stockpile the size of the Treasury.
Loki smirked slowly. “As it so happens -”
“You will wish for something else this year,” Odin said.
“The estate on Vanaheim we never use,” Loki said decisively.
Odin nodded approvingly.
“Also, since Thor decided to have his coronation on my birthday I want the party to be on the night before.”
Frigga nodded.
The day before Thor's coronation Loki's birthday party was held in the small estate in rural Vanaheim. Thor gave Loki even more balls, much to Loki's smirking amusement and Odin's annoyance.
It was a small gathering of friends and family and had Thor not gotten too drunk it would have been perfect.
The next day as the sun was at its peak in the sky they gathered to watch Thor be crowned and swear his oath to Asgard. It all went smoothly and when Odin stepped down the stairs she smiled at her husband.
Thor ascended them and sat down on the throne only to rise up quickly again while green fireworks went off.
“Loki,” Frigga sighed, and was not at all surprised when she noticed that the Loki beside her was an illusion.
Thor stomped down the stairs, only to step on invisible balls and having fireworks in green go off all around him. The audience started tittering in both outrage and amusement.
“Let's go to the feasting hall,” Frigga said. She led the way and oddly enough her feet never once struck a ball, even though everyone else did.
Servants shrieked as every mundane task they performed seemed to trigger another colorful explosion. Reports soon came in from all over Asgard that the balls were everywhere. Everywhere. Homes, shops, pubs, streets, pastures and remote forest areas.
Thor swore loudly that he would outlaw everything even related to the construction of the toys.
The next morning Asgard was quiet, serene almost, after the chaos. Frigga drank her morning tea out on a balcony and pondered how to handle Loki henceforth.
“This just came,” Odin said, dropping a scroll in her lap. “Thor is still sleeping off his drink.”
Frigga picked it up. It was an official missive.
“Did you tell him?”
“Tell who what?” Frigga continued unrolling the scroll.
“Laufey is thanking us for the return of the Casket! Did you tell Loki he's adopted?”
The clatter of a teacup being sat down on its saucer drew both their eyes to Loki, suddenly sitting at the table opposite Frigga.
“No, she did not,” Loki said calmly.
“I did,” the unmistakable voice of Hela purred from behind Odin.