CHAPTER ONE

A company always on the run

From where he sat, outcast to the edge of Asgard with only guards for conversation (if he ever spoke), he had a chance to admire the natural beauty of the golden gilded city. Every morning as the sun rose, the sky lit up like a wild fire, burning bright with the glistening sun as it reflected off the grand metal buildings. The same was true for every sunset. Yet, for all the time he had to sit back and admire the splendor of his home, he chose to ignore it as much as possible. Not because the ability to admire that which deserved to be admired was lost with Loki, but because it was a reminder of all the things he could have had, but did not. It had been cruel for his brother to place him so close to the edge of what he truly desired only to make sure that it was constantly, hopelessly, out of his reach.

Three years had crept by as slowly as their world turned. They say that being forced to reconcile all that you've done makes you a better person –helps you to heal- but Loki felt no different now than he did on the day he'd been sentenced to life in banishment and solitary confinement. The bitter resentment and burning anger that had settled in his stomach like a rock at the bottom of a turbulent stream and boiled his cold blood was stronger than ever, if not worse today than any other day. He paced along the impenetrable walls like a caged lion, power rippling through muscles unused, light green eyes hollow and dead inside yet the flame of rage still flickered. He'd not been so agitated the days before, but it was what had been delivered to him that had fanned the flames of fury once more.

Clenched in balled fists, knuckles turning white from the pressure, was a brilliantly colored square of paper. Rimmed with gold and smelling of all things wonderful and kingly was an invitation. Not to a party, a wedding, or a naming ceremony, but all things a coronation ceremony. News was slow to travel out to Loki's desolate stake of the world, but the news of Odin stepping down and crowning Thor the new King of Asgard had come as quickly as the light from the rising sun reached him. Of course, being public enemy number one had Loki assuming that he'd only get to hear about the splendor of the ceremony and exaggerated tales of Thor's brilliance and natural ability to rule. With this, he was fine. The last thing he wanted to do was to stand at the edge of a loud and noisy crowd, cowed like some sort of subjugated prisoner with shackles on any part of his body that they could possibly imagine keeping him put and the Asgardians safe.

No, he revolted at the idea. The only time he'd walk amongst the pathetic public would be when it was he who was being crowned as King. Though, he had high hopes that this ceremony would be no better than the last time Thor had almost become King. Actually, Loki was counting what little good karma he had to make Thor's big day his worst day of his life. He craved to hear of a ceremony gone horribly awry. He wanted that monumental temper of his younger brother's to rear its ugly head once more –to remind the realm of the sleeping dragon that they could have sitting on their throne. If Loki wanted anything more than freedom, it'd be to hear of his brother's failure to gain control of what he'd always wanted.

Once or twice, mid-pace, he raised the invitation back up to eyelevel to read the golden embroidered words: Dearest friends, family, and supportive subjects, the All-Father has named his choice in the next Monarch of Asgard as his son, Thor. The ceremony will take place in the Great Hall of Asgard. While those who do not receive this personal invitation are not required to come, those that do will find that their attendance is fairly mandatory. Not because the All-Father and New-Father wish to bend the wills of those around them, but because they would greatly appreciate your presence on this day. A messenger will await your final decision and come to place your name and your select gift on the official roster of guests in two day's time.

Light green eyes slid over the words over, and over again. He scoffed at the word 'family' each time. He was as close to being related to Thor as the Bilchsteim were related to the Chitauri. How casual they'd made a 'mandatory' invitation sound! The two days for Loki's reply had come and gone, and the first messenger sent had skittered away with fear when Loki unleashed his pent up words of rage and revealed just how he felt about being forced to attend a crowning he wanted absolutely nothing to do with. Finally fed up with the invitation as a whole, he snarled at the paper in his hands, tore it in half and threw the shredded bits to the side. If Thor wanted him to attend, he'd have to come down here and drag him out of his homely, poor excuse of an ex-Prince's cell himself.

So when he turned to look towards the Rainbow Bridge and tall towers of the inner city of Asgard, he was hardly surprised to see his adoptive brother striding towards him. Thor was dressed to the nines (or was it to impress?), full battle armor polished and glistening in the mid-morning sun, and Mjolnir swinging back and forth freely in Thor's clenched hand as he stalked towards the cell. Though well aware of who their newest King-to-be was, the guards still stood up tall and demanded what business he had with the incarcerated lunatic. Obviously his brother was not in the mood to play games or answer to anyone, because he simply growled at them like an angry dog. Luckily, the guards were smarter than most and scattered to the side to allow him the ability to approach the cell. Thor drew closer to where Loki stood waiting for what was to come and let loose a voice as terrible and deep as rolling thunder of a vicious storm,

"Why have you refused to answer your invitation, brother?"

Loki eyed the angry god with the most disdain that he could possibly ever pour into one look and scoffed. He did not have time to explain to a man who refused to accept the fact that they were destined to hate each other why he did not want to go. Pacing to the back of his cell, he drooped down onto the bed and raised a hand to his face. Picking dirt from beneath his fingernails, he smoothly answered,

"Because I have no desire to watch you get what you do not deserve," he turned his head to look at Thor, "surely I am allowed that bit of freedom in what I do?"

Obviously that was not the right reply, as Thor loosened his grip on his precious hammer and reared back an arm. His face grew dark and terrible with anger as he menacingly replied,

"You might be a prisoner, you might be an evil enemy to all the peaceful realms, but you will answer your King's invitations with grateful intentions in your heart!"

Now it was Loki's turn to get fired up. Springing up from the bed, he paced close to Thor and hissed,

"You are not my King. No one is my King. I did not ask to be ruled by you! I did not ask to be ruled by anyone! I will not bend my will to suit your foolish-" Thor began to bring his hammer down towards the walls, as if to hit him. Taking a step back, he raised his hands and smirked, "come now, Thor. Did you come here to persuade or threaten me?"

Thor halted his motion mid-swing to eye Loki. Curling his face into a distorted crumple of rage he shouted,

"I want you at my ceremony because it means something to me!"

Loki laughed at this, "the last time I attended a coronation, things turned out very, very differently for you and me. Perhaps you have forgotten? Though I suppose if you really would like a repeat of that day, I can see what I can do?" his voice was cool, hardly reflecting the burning fury he'd shown in his pacing just moments before Thor's arrival.

Thor clenched his teeth, a powerful muscle jumped in his jaw as he did so, and took a step back from the cell. Had he not known better, Loki would assume that what he'd said had hurt him. Alas, the tone of Thor's words proved that he had made no emotional impact what so ever on his adopted brother,

"Perhaps, Loki, you forget how I convinced the All-Father to spare your life when you were brought back to Asgard?"

Loki scoffed at this, "as I recall it, I did not ask to be spared. I'd much rather be dead and a bitter memory than a prisoner to your rules and will. You speak as if I owe you something, but I owe you nothing!"

"Yes, you owe me everything! Why do you refuse to accept that beneath the bitter pain in your heart, there is still good? I know that though you claim you'd rather be dead, you relish in the fact that you get to live another day."

"In a cell? Forced to watch the world as it passes me by and lives move on without so much as a thought of who I am? To allow mothers and fathers to teach to their children the horrors of my people? To tell their unruly kids that should they misbehave, Loki will snatch them away in the night? To sit back idly and let you be crowned King and ultimate savior and victorious warrior of the realms –to hear how perfect a predecessor to the All-Father you are? If you think these things are good for me and that this is the life that I have always wanted, then you do not know me as well as you think you do."

"I know you as well as I need to! Perhaps you do not know yourself very well," Thor sighed and finally relaxed his muscles. With a mighty thud, he placed Mjolnir down beside him and stalked closer to the cell once more, "brother-"

"WE ARE NOT BROTHERS!" Loki's furious voice resonated through the cell and surrounding areas. The recently idle guards turned sharply, weapons ready to attack and detain Loki, only to relax at the King-to-be's dismissive wave of hand. Thor's blue-eyed stare held far too much pity for Loki to handle. He backed up from the front of his cell and began to pace once more as Thor spoke.

"Loki, being brothers is not necessarily about blood relations. You cannot sit there and deny the memories of us being raised on the same teachings, the same morals, the same stories! You might not have a place in the world now, but perhaps a spot for you in the court will open up."

Loki laughed at this and turned with a malicious smile to Thor, "shall I apply for the job of court jester then?"

Thor narrowed his eyes and ran a hand through his light hair, "you know what I mean!" he snapped, "There is still a place for you in this world, even though you refuse to accept it."

"I do not refuse to accept the fact that I could still have meaning. It just happens to not exactly be what I want."

"We do not get to pick and chose what we are assigned to do in this life."

"You say that now only because you are being handed the most envious life of all on a silver platter with a crown on the side! Imagine, Thor, if we switched places. Would you so readily accept a lower position after being shown what real power is?"

Thor shook his head sadly as Loki, "that is not what life is about."

Loki sneered and turned his back to him, "that is what my life is about," he turned his head over his shoulder to look at Thor, "are you done here?"

Standing his ground against Loki's obviously dismissive words he crossed his arms, "I want your word that you'll be attending my ceremony tomorrow."

Swiveling around on his feet to fully face his 'kin' he said, "and if I do not?"

"Then I will remain here until you do."

Loki weighed the seriousness in Thor's voice. Loki had nothing but time on his hands now days, and if he were to play that game with his brother, he was certain he'd win. However, the satisfaction of winning a pointless game of wait it out with his stubborn adopted brother would not be as great as finding a way to ruin his big day. Licking his lips thoughtfully he finally sighed heavily and said, "fine. I will go."

Thor seemed to brighten up at the acceptance of his invitation at last. Any grave pity that'd been in his eyes before was replaced by the light in his eyes as he smiled and said, "thank you, Loki. I know now that you do not wish to see this day play out once more, but I promise that as you come to terms with what is in store for you in this life, you will be grateful that you attended."

Loki rolled his eyes at the sentiment dripping like fat off a roasting hog over a spit fire and in a voice laced with more sarcasm than needed he asked, "shall I pick a wardrobe that'll match my shackles? I'd hate to ruin the aesthetics of the decorations on your big day."

Thor caught the sarcasm, but was far too preoccupied with the joy that filled his heart at Loki's reluctant acceptance of his invitation to care. He only laughed and picked up Mjolnir as he turned to leave, stating "only if you wish to look like a Prince, Loki."

Their conversation could have been left at that. Loki could let him walk away and make this the one and only time they've talked since his sentencing and imprisonment. But the satisfaction of finding a way to emotionally bruise his brother was not there yet. As Thor began to retreat, Loki thought of something and narrowed his eyes. His voice took a chill as cold as his blood as he tempted fate and asked,

"Does your Earth-bound lover know the rules of you becoming a King?"

Thor halted mid step and turned sharply to look at Loki, "what?"

By the way he looked at him, Loki could tell that he'd hit the nail on the head with this one. Grinning at the goldmine of potential emotional anguish he'd dug up, he dug deeper, "surely you know the rules! Everyone knows that you must have a wife to legitimately rule Asgard…and that she must be of Asgardian descent."

Thor hefted his hammer back and forth from hand to hand –clearly he knew all of this, but had been putting it off for as long as possible, "you didn't have a Queen when you ruled."

Loki chuckled bitterly, "and look how long my rule lasted!"

Thro narrowed his eyes at Loki and stalked back over to his cell the way a lion would back to a dying zebra, "perhaps I already have this covered."

Loki raised a curious eyebrow at this, "do you now? I only saw one name on the invitation. Is your wife invisible?" Thor was silent at his reply, and Loki took it as another moment to interject his opinion, "how will your darling Jane handle this? Surely you're going to focus more on the plights of Asgard now that you're going to be King. It's not like you can slip away to romance the simple-minded female so easily anymore."

Thor seemed shocked to know that Loki knew what he'd been up to, "I have not-"

"Oh please, it's written all over your face. The second her name is brought up you become the easiest book in the world to read. You love her, maybe more than you love Asgard and the power you are coming into, but you won't sacrifice everything you have just to be with her," Loki laughed bitterly at this, "you are no better than I when it comes to what we want in this world."

Thor snarled and slammed a fist against the glass of Loki's prison (who did not look the least bit phased by Thor's sudden outburst of anger), "do not speak as if we are equal!"

"And here I was thinking that you were beginning to accept us as such," his voice was nonchalant and dismissive, he sighed dramatically and stalked back to his bed and sat down, "but I suppose that was far too much for me to expect of you. Alas, I grow tired of pushing your buttons and entertaining you and your whimsical requests, you are free to go."

Thor retracted his fist from the glass and stepped back, snarling, "do not kid yourself, Loki. I am not leaving because you told me to. I am leaving because I have other things to attend to."

Loki laughed, "if that is what you'd like to think. But we both know that we're done talking here. I dismissed you first, so you are leaving on my orders. Perhaps you should go and speak to Jane after you're done here, no?"

Thor growled at him but did not give Loki the satisfaction of a response. Instead, he stormed off, ordering the guards to double their watches for the evening and to shoot him if he said anything to them. As the frazzled crowned Prince stalked away, Loki called, "I look forward to seeing you tomorrow, brother!" The guards turned to glare at their prisoner, but he was not intimidated by them. Instead he held up his hands dismissively and lay down on his bed. Looking up at the brilliantly blue sky that stretched out over Asgard, he couldn't help but think of all the fun he'd have tomorrow.

Author's Notes: Hello fellow readers (and writers!), and welcome to the start of my next project. Yes, it's a far cry from my Harry Potter obsession, but this is going to be so much fun to write -you guys have no idea how excited I am. I know it's been a while since I've updated anything, but here we are again, starting a new journey. I hope that along the way I will refine my writing, maintain character personalities while intricately weaving my own touch into them, create a story that everyone can enjoy, and please a lot of people (along with myself). Things, from here, will move extremely fast paced. I have given this story an 'M' rating for potential language and violence (no slash or lemons though, just brief sexual descriptions if that). I know that this is labeled as 'Drama/Adventure', but there will be a tad bit of romance in here, I just got panicky and wasn't sure what to tag it as xD But seriously. I'm super fucking excited. You bitches have no idea. So let's get this party on the road and welcome to the beginning of 'Bad Company'!

I do not own any Marvel characters, only the ideas and story are mine.

Story title/chapter titles (c) Five Finger Death Punch (Bad Company)