Sentenced to Midgard
Chapter 2:
"No."
"But..."
"No."
"Stark, please..."
"No!"
Loki sneered. His brother and the one who the mortals called Ironman were currently having a heated argument, as they had been doing for the past twenty minutes or so. At first it was amusing, but now it was just annoying. They were just repeating the same things over and over again.
He looked around the room, where the rest of the individuals known as The Avengers stood, with varying looks of distrust on their faces, directed straight at him.
"Why not?" Thor asked desperately.
"He threw me out a window!" Stark yelled. "And opened a hole in the sky which led to half of New York getting destroyed by aliens!"
"And he used that sceptre thing to mess with several people's minds, including me." Agent Barton added. "And he killed Phil Coulson, and called Nat a... You know..."
Thor was now staring at Stark with wide, desperate eyes.
"He did not mean to do it, he was under as much control as Barton..."
"And how do you know this?" Stark demanded.
Thor then looked a bit sheepish.
"Well, umm... The healers saw the damage done to his mind when they were healing him after we had finished dealing with the convergence."
Stark raised an eyebrow.
"I'm sorry, but he has been in Asgard for what, a year? And you are only realising that he was under mind-control now?"
Thor shifted uncomfortably.
"Yes, well... You must understand, Father was quite upset from the events..."
Loki had to hold back his sneer. Oh yes, he bet the All Father was upset. After all, his little puppet had finally cut the strings.
"So wait, it took him a year to check Loki's physical and mental state because he was upset?" Asked the Captain.
He looked at Loki with something that may have been a combination of sympathy and pity. Loki had to resist the urge to use his now limited magic against the Captain. He did not need his pity.
Loki looked down at the band around his wrist. It was beginning to become quite uncomfortable, but there was little he could do.
After the events of the convergence, Thor had returned to Asgard, forcing him to come along. Odin had been inclined to throw him straight back in his cell, even after Thor had taken him to the healers and they had finally discovered what he had gone through.
Almost a year of torture, physically, mentally, and psychologically.
Thor had begged the old fool to give him a chance for redemption. After all, Loki had just helped keep the realms from falling into darkness.
In the end, it was Thor arguing that it was what their mother would have wanted which persuaded Odin to allow Thor to take Loki down to Midgard to serve as a member of the band of misfits known as the Avengers for the foreseeable future. However, he had also greatly constricted his magic. Whereas before he had been practically the most powerful sorcerer in the Nine Realms, now he only had enough power to be of some use to the midgardians, and enough to "Keep him out of mischief".
Loki rolled his eyes. Honestly, while he would admit that Thor had somewhat matured, he was still a naive fool.
For example, he hadn't even asked the Avengers if they were even fine with Loki joining them. He just expected them to be alright with the one who had attacked their realm unprecedented. Thor had literally arrived on the roof of Stark's building via the bifrost, Loki standing beside him, and declared that the war criminal was to serve his sentence assisting the team.
Stark had been the first to react, which consequently led to the argument.
Loki was now becoming annoyed from the arguing. Finally, he stepped forward and cleared his throat.
"If I may," He began.
Instantly, all eyes turned to him. Loki sucked in a deep breath.
"The past year has given me time to, think over my actions. And while I was under the control of the sceptre, I must apologise..."
"For?" Stark interrupted.
Loki sighed.
"For attack your realm. Yes, I was angry at my brother and the All Father, but that was no excuse. Yes my emotions were amplified by the sceptre, but I should not have taken my frustration out on you."
Thor was smiling at him. Looking around the room, he saw that everyone else were staring at him in suspicion. He continued regardless, turning to the only female in the room.
"I also apologise for calling agent Romanov such an uncouth name. It was crude and despicable of me, and I feel disgusted at my own silver tongue for disrespecting such a formidable woman in such a way."
Romanov raised an eyebrow at him, but remained silent.
Looking around the room, he saw Thor nodding at him, as if in approval. The Captain and Dr Banner were staring at him with sympathetic looks in their eyes. The only ones still glaring at him with distrust were Stark and Barton.
"And?" Stark pressed.
Loki sighed.
"And I apologise for manipulating the minds of Barton, Selvig, and the various other agents."
"And?"
"And for killing Coulson."
"And?"
Loki gritted his teeth.
"And for tossing you out of a window."
Stark grinned in triumph. He then looked around the room.
"What do you think, should we give Reindeer 'games a chance?"
The heroes looked amongst each other. Finally, the Captain spoke up.
"Well, if he didn't have complete control over his actions, it would be the right thing to do."
Banner nodded hesitantly.
"I mean, if he feels sorry. And hey, if he causes trouble we could call on the other guy."
Loki had to suppress a shudder at the memory of the beast known as the Hulk. Being tossed around like a ragdoll and smashed into the floor had truly been a painful experience.
Barton scowled, then turned to Romanov. The two seemed to communicate non-verbally, before Barton sighed and turned back to him.
"Fine." The archer said. "But any funny business, and it will be another explosive arrow right here."
He gestured at the point between his eyebrows.
"Noted." Loki muttered.
"So," Stark continued. "Did you think about where he could be sleeping, or did you just go straight from Asgardian hospital to here without a plan?"
Thor cleared his throat.
"Perhaps he could sleep in the unoccupied room on my floor."
"Fine." Stark replied.
Loki had to hold back a groan. Thor was notorious for his loud snoring. He had to hope he had enough power to sound proof his room.
Thor smiled and grabbed Loki by the shoulder.
"Wonderful!" He said, turning to the elevators. "I shall escort him there now."
Thor led him into the lifts and proceeded to press a button. They ascended from the floor that they had previously been on, which Loki suspected was some sort of common living floor, to the floor that Thor called home when he was on Midgard. Thor explained to him that each member of the team had their own floor, except for the two of them now, as Thor was now sharing his floor with him. Loki listened carefully to the explanation of who lived on which floor, so that he did not accidentally enter onto a hostile floor, not that he believed anyone was going to leave him out of their sights for too long.
Once they entered onto Thor's floor, Loki was not surprised to see that the area was a mess. Thor honestly did not know how to clean up after himself.
Though they had both been princes, with many servants who could do the work for them, Loki had at least learnt how to keep his living quarters somewhat organised with as minimal mess as possible. Thor, on the other hand, seemed to spread his belongings everywhere and course his quarters to appear as if a hurricane had just hit it.
Thor led Loki through the disorganised floor to a room and opened the door. Loki looked inside to see that at least this room was tidy, maybe because Thor had had no use for it.
"I hope this is to your liking." Thor began. "Please, feel free to make yourself comfortable."
Thor smiled at him.
"I shall leave you to, umm, settle in. If you are in need of something, Stark has a system whom he calls Jarvis, who you can ask for assistance, or even ask for me."
Loki nodded. Thor went to leave, but then turned back to him.
"Loki," He began. "Thank you for agreeing to this."
And with that, he was gone.
Loki turned to his new living quarters and entered.
The room itself was bare, except for a bed, a desk, and a wardrobe that was currently empty. He supposed he would have to get some midgardian clothes, if he was to "fit in" with the realm that he was currently exiled to.
He could see a door in one corner. Opening it, he saw a bathroom. Good, at least he would not have to share with Thor. Sometimes, that man stank worse than an army of bilgesnipe.
He turned to the bed and sat down. He had not had the opportunity to test his new magical limits. He crossed his legs and meditated, focussing inwards towards his magic as he had had to do when he was first being taught by his mother.
He clenched his fists as he thought of her.
Though it had been approximately a week, the emotions were still as raw as they had been when he had first heard the news. Guilt, sadness, regret, and various other emotions flowed through him.
Though he had been angry at Odin and Thor, he could never bring himself to hate the woman who had cared for him his whole life. Even though she too, had kept the truth from him, he knew that she had not wanted to, and was forced to lie by the All Father.
Loki clenched his fists even tighter.
She had always been the one to love him. She had been the only one to not show favouritism to Thor. She had been the one to teach him magic, in an attempt to make him feel less of a disappointment.
She had always loved him, though he was not her flesh and blood.
And how had Loki repaid her? By taking his frustration at Thor and Odin out on her. The words of their last conversation still echoed in his head.
"Then am I not your mother?"
"You're not."
"Always so perceptive, about everyone but yourself..."
Loki could feel his hands shaking. He new that if he had been at full strength, then the entire floor would have most likely been destroyed.
After all she had done for him, even after all of his mistakes, and this was how he repaid her. Words of cruelty were to be the last he ever spoke to her.
Loki could feel his heart racing, his magic swirling, even in it's constricted state.
He did as he had always done, whenever he felt upset and when Frigga was not their to comfort him. He began to hum the tune that he had always heard on the wind.
He never new where it came from, nor what the song said. He could only remember the tune. It was strange. For his entire life, this song had been a constant comfort for when even Frigga could not help.
It made him feel calm and at peace.
He could feel his breathing beginning to steady. As he calmed, he began to muse more over the song.
Since the violation of his mind, something had been knocked inside of him. Now, he was beginning to hear snatches of what he could only guess were the lyrics to the song. Though he was yet to have a comprehensive song.
Instinctively, he began to sing softly under his breath the only part that he had managed to piece together.
Hush child, the shadows will rise from the deep, and,
Carry you down into sleep, child,
The shadows will rise from the deep, and,
Carry you down into sleep...
Loki was jerked out of his thoughts with the clearing of a throat.
He looked up to see Agent Romanov standing in the doorway.
"Yes, did you need something?" He asked.
She raised an eyebrow.
"Were you crying?"
Loki frowned, then felt his face to find that indeed, he had been crying.
"It is known of your concern." He retorted.
The assassin continued to stare at him.
"What were you singing?"
"Nothing." Loki replied. "What did you want?"
"I just came to check on you." She replied.
"I am fine." Loki replied.
The two stared at each other in silence for a long time. Finally, Romanov spoke.
"Thor told me about your mother..."
Loki sneered.
"As if you care."
She began to walk into the room.
"I just wanted to say I'm sorry." She continued. "Thor told us you were close to her..."
Loki continued to sneer.
"What would you know of it? From what I have heard, you never knew your mother."
She showed no visible reaction. Her voice was calm as she spoke.
"He also told us you were adopted."
Loki rolled his eyes. Of course he did. That man did not know how to keep his mouth shut sometimes.
"Does this conversation have a point?" He asked.
The Black Widow studied him.
"I can see you are still grieving." She said. "I can tell your emotions are still in a mess. I just wanted to ask... How much did you get from agent Barton?"
"Everything." Loki replied.
"Everything?"
Loki realised what she was referring to.
"Yes, he told me of your upbringing."
He had been disgusted to learn of the assassin early years. Though he had killed many, he drew bounders at harming children.
The woman in question merely rose an eyebrow.
"From what Thor has told us, you also kind of had a lonely childhood..."
"What did he tell you?" Loki asked.
"Only that you never seemed to fit in with the other Asgardians and were always sitting by yourself with your magic books." She replied.
Loki raised an eyebrow.
"I am surprised he noticed."
Her lips twitched in something resembling a small smile.
"I guess we both had lonely childhoods."
Loki thought over it for a moment. Then nodded in agreement.
"I suppose s."
She continued to stare at him.
"Thor does care about you." She continued. "And something tells me you don't completely hate him."
Loki shrugged.
Over the past week, he had thought over how he felt concerning his brother. On one hand, Thor still claimed to love him, even after all of their fighting. On the other hand, Loki could not forget the centuries of living in his shadow, Thor always taking the spotlight and not even noticing Loki's despair.
"I am ambivalent." He finally said.
The assassin turned to leave, but then they heard the voice of the Captain from seemingly nowhere.
"Attention all Avengers. Report to the quinjet As Soon as possible."
The red-head turned to him.
"Thank you," She began. "For cooperating."
She then left, presumably to get into her uniform.
Loki himself began to channel his magic. It was now harder to summon his armour, but still doable, even if it took longer than usual.
By the time he was fully dressed for battle, he could hear Thor thundering down the hall to his door. His brother threw open the door.
"Come brother!" Thor yelled.
The blond turned, his red cape flapping in the movement. Loki followed at a more sedate pace. He was curious to see what was going on.
They met the rest of the Avengers on the roof, where what Loki remembered was called a Quinjet was waiting on a landing pad.
The Captain stood with the rest of the team around him. Loki and Thor joined the circle.
"Captain, what is going on?" Thor asked in his booming voice.
"Just got a call from Fury." The Captain began. "There are reports of a strange energy coming from a few miles away."
He glanced at Loki.
"He suspects that it's magical."
Loki held up his hands.
"I did not do it."
Half of the people assembled looked at each other suspiciously, but did not comment.
"Come on," The Captain continued. "We need to go."
And so the seven of them piled into the jet, Romanov in the pilot seat.
Loki was stuck between the Captain and Thor. Whoever thought putting the two bulkiest people on the jet together was an honest fool, but he supposed it could be worse. At least he could be sure that Thor would not try to attack him in his seat. The Captain seemed to be the most accepting amongst the Midgardians. The man even attempted to start up a conversation with him.
Loki could tell the man was genuine, and had a kind heart. He did not know if he appreciated this or not.
It did not take them long to reach their destination. Romanov landed the jet in a forested area, and they prepared themselves. All were in uniform excluding Banner, who would thankfully only call upon the Hulk if the situation called for x.
Once they got off the jet, Loki could instantly feel the disturbance. He did not know why, but for some reason it felt as if something was calling to him.
Almost instinctively, he began to walk towards the disturbance, the six Avengers following him.
"We're sure he had nothing to do with this?" He could hear stark muttering.
"Nay, Father has greatly restricted his magic." He could hear Thor reply, for once quite. "Now hush, we mustn't disturb him."
"Why?" Barton asked.
"I have seen him like this before." Thor replied. "He is in somewhat of a magical trance. He shall lead us to the disturbance and hopefully he may have some idea as to what it is."
Loki ignored the whispers and followed his instincts.
Finally, they reached a clearing. Even without sensing the magic, he could tell something was wrong. Leafs, branches, and clumps of dirt were flying around the area in an uncontrollable swirling wind.
"What the hell?" He could hear stark yell. "I didn't know it was tornado season!"
Loki ignored him and focused.
"Brother, can you tell..." Thor began, but Loki raised his hand.
"It feels, wild... Unstable... A rip in the fabric of the Nine Realms... As if something, or someone, is breaking through..."
"What?" Thor asked in shock. "But I thought the convergence was over."
"But the Realms are still unstable." Loki continued.
"Can you tell which Realm whatever or whoever it is is breaking through from?" The Captain asked.
Loki concentrated for a long time.
"I, do not know." He replied. "The energy that is being used to break through feels Asgardian, but... Something else..."
"Shit!" He could hear Barton yell.
"Language."
Loki was temporarily broken out of his concentration. He stared at the Captain.
"Did you just say "language"?" He asked.
The Captain blushed.
"Force of habit." He muttered.
"Well, now that we've gotten over Cap acting like a total Mom," Stark interrupted. "Look at that."
They turned to where Barton and Stark were looking. A dark portal had appeared in the middle of the clearing. The Avengers held their weapons at the ready.
After about a minute or so, something came out of the portal. A dark figure crouched, seemingly tired from the strain of opening the portal. Loki began to step forward, but stopped as the figure stood up.
Before them stood a woman, clad in black and green, with long dark hair and fair skin. Loki's eyes met hers, and he felt a shiver go down his spine.
There was just something about this woman that seemed familiar.
The woman grinned in an all too familiar way.
"Finally." She spoke.
Loki did not know why, but that voice just sounded so familiar. But where could he have heard it?
And why did it make him feel so... Calm?