I'm sorry Ebony is taking so long to be updated, so have this oneshot that threw a brick at my face when I went to see Iron Man 3.
Disclaimer: I do not own the Avengers or any characters associated with them.
April 17, 10:50, Avengers Tower
It was one of those late nights in the tower. The lights were dimmed, most of the rooms were vacant sans the main one. Everyone had gathered around the enormous television positioned in the center of the wall, game controllers in hand and eyes concentrating on the rapidly changing screen. The screen had been split into ten large portions-one of which was noticeably larger than the others-each with a different vehicle twisting and turning in the center.
"You would fare better if you did not use such an unbecoming monster as transport, brother," a newly reformed Loki drawled with an eye roll from where he sat upside down on one of the couches.
Thor smirked without taking his eyes from the screen, comically moving the steering wheel shaped controller. "But it is such fun to demolish the competitors with it!" He remarked excitedly, Jane shaking her head in good humor from beside him.
"AW, COME ON!" shouted Tony as if on cue when his motorcycle was run over by Thor's monster truck. The thunderer only chuckled wickedly in response.
Pepper leaned against her beau, controller in hand. "Don't worry, babe, I'm sure you'll catch up."
Tony almost growled, muttering under his breath, "I better, I built this stupid thing."
A loud chime sounded as the game announced a competitor had completed the final lap, the jingle sounding three more times to announce the next third winners.
Clint punched the air with a grin on his face. "FINALLY," he shouted excitedly, making Natasha instinctively jump from where she had been sitting next to him. "IT ONLY TOOK THREE HOURS," he went on, throwing a deliberate glare in a certain trickster's direction.
Loki lifted his hands innocently. "It is not my fault you are all incompetent."
Steve sighed as the game let out a tenth and final chime, announcing the last competitor had crossed the finish line. "I guess this stuff isn't for me..." He muttered, setting a hand on his chin.
A brunette girl leaned against him with a smile. "You'll do better next time," She said with a smile.
The soldier returned the gesture, setting a hand on her back, "Thanks, Orion."
Orion Coervelle, OC for short, snuggled closer into his form and set a determined look on her face. "Let's go again." She announced with a dangerous glint in her eyes.
Bruce leaned forward and clicked a few keys on the master controller, the screens resetting to a different track.
The game continued on into the night. No one paid any heed to the ticking clock as Friday, April 26, waned ever closer. Midnight ticked closer and closer with each tick of the clock's hands. No one heard it when every clock began to chime Midnight's arrival.
Ding.
The ground rumbled ever so slightly, but not enough for anyone to notice.
Ding.
A race was finished and the winners began to shout and yell excitedly as the losers protested. Their excitement was enough for them to not notice the stars fade.
Ding.
Something glass shattered from behind them, but only the two assassins noticed. They both figured it could be taken care of later.
Ding.
The moon began to brighten, its light glaring through the darkened windows of the main room in Avengers Tower.
Ding.
A new game began, but was suddenly interrupted by groans of protest when one player paused it.
Ding.
"What gives?!" Tony asked angrily, aiming his statement towards Loki.
Ding.
The trickster paid him no heed, instead aiming his line of sight outside.
Ding.
"The sky is burning," He said simply.
Ding.
Everyone's attention immediately shifted warily, their eyes widening when they realized their newfound friend spoke the truth.
Ding.
The ground rumbled again, this time with enough ferocity that everyone was thrown to the ground. Several clung instinctively to another in sudden fear.
Ding.
"Something's happening," Loki whispered.
Ding.
Light from outside exploded in an array of green and blue hues. Pressure bore down onto them with sudden intensity and everyone clutched the ground as the air around them thickened, making it feel as if it were crushing them.
Then, it all stopped, as quickly as it had begun. The ten forms clinging to the floor slowly looked up, detaching themselves from the carpet as they looked around.
Everything looked the same. It was as if nothing had changed.
A hiss escaped one of them, still kneeling in his knees with hands clenched.
Tony blinked and moved closer to the trickster. "You okay Lokes?"
Loki's eyes snapped open and he grabbed Tony's arm, eyes wide and frantic.
"We moved," He breathed.
"Sorry?"
"We moved," He repeated.
The billionaire blinked in confusion. "How did we move? The sky just did a bunch of weird stuff and then stopped."
Loki straightened, composing himself. "I felt it," He muttered. "I felt the plains of reality shifting all around us. Our entire world moved."
Jane eyed the sky curiously. "All the stars are the same though."
"No," Loki continued, "Not like that, our entire universe moved through the cosmos to a different location…as if it was being reorganized…as if it no longer belonged in the place where it was…"
"That doesn't make any sense though," Clint said with bewilderment in his eyes.
"Our universe is the same," the trickster went on, "Just as I am the same when I teleport, but…something has changed…not within our world, but outside it…as if this place has been classified differently."
"How could you possibly know any of this?" Natasha asked warily, eyes roving around the room for changes that were not there.
"I've seen it," He replied curtly, "And that place was called something different when it moved. It wasn't just a universe…it was an alternate universe."
"An alternate universe?" Steve wondered skeptically.
"A world simply rendered as impossible to its original. There are parallel universes for everything imaginable, but once the original changes, it renders the parallel impossible and it moves. It becomes something different."
"It becomes an alternate universe."
Silence reigned as everyone attempted to comprehend what had been said. After a minute or two, Clint spoke up, voicing all of their thoughts on the matter in one word.
"…what?"
The idea behind this story is that once Iron Man 3 came out, most Avengers fics were rendered as Alternate Universe (AU's). So, I tried to implement the most common Avengers fic stereotypes; Redeemed Loki, All the Avengers living in the tower, and an OC love interest. Most of these would be rendered impossible because of Iron Man 3's content.
I really hope this makes sense to more people than just me...
Anyway, Hope you enjoyed! Thanks for reading, reviews and constructive criticisms are appreciated~ C: