Awake
Consciousness returned in a rush. Thor sat up with a shout--and immediately wished he hadn't. Not because of the startled girls who ran screaming at his sudden resurrection, but because of the intense pain that exploded through him. He flopped back down with a deep groan--and again, wished he hadn't. At least there was a mattress of some kind under him.
"Easy, there," a soothing voice said, and there was a cool hand on his arm. He looked up through the haze of pain to see a lovely face and long, red-gold hair pulled back in a utilitarian braid.
"Who are you?" he asked, his voice rough. "Where am I?"
"CHAMPION'S ROOM," a familiar voice boomed, and he looked past the girl to see the Hulk, lounging in what appeared to be a hot tub.
"My name's Eden," the girl answered his first question. "I'm the medic. You're remarkably resilient--I've never seen anybody heal like this."
Thor shut his eyes. He wished he'd heal a bit faster: his side and his head both felt like they were on fire.
He heard some movement, and a moment later there was something cool at his lips and a hand under his head. It still felt so strange with the short hair... "Drink this," Eden said, and he drank the cool water gratefully. "What's wrong with me?" he asked, eyes still shut. He hadn't hurt like this in awhile.
"Internal bleeding, judging from how dark your bruising is," she answered matter-of-factly. "Broken ribs. A hell of a concussion. But seeing as how you *should* be nothing more than a bloody pulp, I think you'll be fine." She began sponging some sort of herbal-scented liquid over his ribs, and slowly the burning pain began to ease. Thor mumbled something that might have been thanks--even he wasn't sure--and slid away again.
---
The next time, he woke a little more slowly. He was warm, comfortable. Something smelled good. He cracked open his eyes.
It was still daylight--or daylight again?--and the large room, decorated in an unsettling red and white pattern, appeared to be empty. Thor sat up slowly. His ribs ground in protect and he winced, but carefully climbed to his feet and made his way over to the large window. It looked down on--what else?--more junk. At least this wasn't actual piles of garbage.
Maybe this was a way out? He glanced around once more to see if there was anyone there, drew back his arm, and punched the glass.
He fist rebounded off of it, jerking him backward, and he gave a cry as his ribs protested. He caught himself on the wall.
There was a clattering noise, and Eden ran over. "Careful! It's unbreakable," she said, taking his arm. There was no way she would be able to support his weight, but he let her think she was helping as she guided him over to a chair. "There's no way out--you'll only hurt yourself trying. Here," she added, going to fetch the tray of food she had left by the door when she entered.
"What, you've never tried to escape?" he grumbled.
"Absolutely. That's how I know it can't be done."
He looked at her a little more closely as she set the tray in front of him, taking a yellow apple off of it and biting in as she dropped into the chair opposite. She didn't look cocky, or defeated, just matter-of-fact. She was young--Darcy's age? Thor was always bad at judging ages; came with being from a race of immortals. After adulthood it was kind of anybody's guess. A pretty face, with a square jaw, red lips, and blue eyes. Not as fit as the Valkyrie--nowhere near. "You're not ME."
"Every fighter in here has tried it at some point. Do you know how many champions the Master's had?" He shook his head. "Nine. Guess how many escaped?"
"...Three?" he guess optimistically.
"None." She continued to eat her apple.
He digested that, by no means discouraged, and took a bite of whatever the thing was in front of him. Not bad--tasted like mac and cheese. An Earth dish he actually missed.
"I didn't get your name yet. Besides Lord of Thunder," she smiled amicably.
"Thor Odinsson."
"Really? Like the Norse mythology?" She laughed. "That's great!"
"Norse mythology?" He frowned. "Are you--human?"
"Yep. I'm guessing you're not. Where'd you learn the mythology?"
"Uh..." He glanced around as if the terrible decor would give him a good way to explain this. "I--didn't? I'm actually Thor."
"Get out of town." She took another bite of apple.
"No, really. You didn't see the lightning? In the fight?"
She frowned. "There's no way you're a god."
"Well... kind of a god AND an alien," he admitted.
"No."
"Yes!"
She narrowed her eyes. "Prove it."
"The lightning in the fight!"
"High tech gizmos. Do it NOW. Without them." She gestured to his shirtless state, no "gizmos" in sight.
He concentrated hard, gathered his rage, his pain, and gave a roar--as blue sparks flew from his hands.
Nonetheless, Eden looked surprised.
"Ow," Thor added, dropping his forehead into his hand.
"Okay, no more parlor tricks until you're back to one hundred percent," Eden said, standing up and pressing cool fingers to the back of his neck, massaging in slow circles up from the nape of his neck.
"Mm." It really did feel good. He could feel the muscles in his neck and scalp relaxing. "You have healing hands."
"That's what they say!" she answered cheerily.
He sat and enjoyed the scalp massage for a minute. "How are you so cheerful?" he grunted.
"Practice." She paused, her cool fingers rubbing very gently at his temples. "My situation is miserable, but I have the choice to be miserable or not." She paused as if she were shrugging--he couldn't see. "So I'm doing the best I can with what I've got."
"I'd be angry. I AM angry."
"I can feel that." She walked over to the wall and opened a cupboard that hadn't previously been visible, and pulled out a wide roll of bandages. "Totally understandable. I've had plenty of time to suppress it."
"How long have you been here?" he asked.
"Stand up." She lifted his arms so she could wrap the bandage around his broken ribs. "About ten years."
"Ten YEARS?!" He didn't know whether he was more shocked or affronted. "They took you as a CHILD?!"
She looked confused. "No? I'm almost forty."
"What?" Forty was about Tony's age, wasn't it? Eden did NOT look Tony's age. She looked younger than Jane. "You don't look forty."
"Good genes," she grinned. "I've got one of those faces. Don't seem to age past like, twenty-five." The bandage she was wrapping was snug, but he DID feel more comfortable. "There. Think you can sleep?"
"Sleep? No! I've been sleeping for--" She reached way up and touched the back of his neck. "Mmm. Yeah, I could sleep," he said drowsily. Eden took his arm and pulled him, unresisting, toward his bed. "How do you do that?" he mumbled.
"Chi points." She pushed him down on the mattress and pulled up his blanket. "Go to sleep, Lord of Thunder."
"*God* of Thunder," he mumbled, and fell asleep.