To Infinity
"Yes, right."
Nadia paused her arms poised with one above her head and the other almost twisted around her torso.
"Move your hand higher, it should help with the flow of your attacking spells."
"Like this?"
The man circled her, eyes sharp. "Yes, but…" He tilted her wrist slightly. "Perfect."
Swiftly, his hand went to strike at her and the young woman twirled before repeating the stance as she cast a spell. It knocked the dark-haired man back.
"Finally. I thought you would never get it right." He chuckled.
"Of course I would. You're a great teacher, Loki." Nadia smiled, her expression widening when he saw him puff up.
The trickster would never admit it out loud, but he enjoyed teaching Anya's child. He loved her praises even more.
"You know that that was a dirty move, Loki."
Speak of the devil.
She was dressed in her purple and black robes, though slightly altered to blend more with the Asgardian style. Her posture was stern and her lips a straight line.
Loki scoffed, "Well indeed it was. Do you expect a real enemy to play fair, darling?"
Anya's firm stance softened a bit.
Loki turned to Nadia and winked, she giggled.
The blue-eyed woman shook her head, "The council will be holding their meeting soon. The Allfather's presence is required."
The prince brushed himself off, "Well, duty calls, I'm afraid."
Nadia sighed, "I'll be going too. Home I mean. This will probably be goodbye for now."
Anya looked at the two forlornly, Nadia punching the man on the shoulder. The two had grown close since her daughter started visiting Asgard over three years ago. Nadia had stayed two weeks this time. Her longest visit to date. She would usually stay two or three days with weeks, even months, in between.
"Midgard is dull."
"I have duties too."
"And what would the Man of Iron have you doing? You could learn so much more here." Anya knew that the man would miss her daughter, though he would never say. He enjoyed having a student who trusted him and didn't mind his mischievous tendencies.
"And I'd love to stay… for a bit longer at least. Still, I'll be visiting again."
"Yes," He looked at Anya who was approaching them, "I will look forward to then."
A battle cry sounded from behind him and he slipped away easily. Nadia landed on the ground when she went right through the illusion of him. She glared at him, flipping her hair from her face.
"Ah. Why do you insist on imitating Thor in that aspect? Those versed in magic-"
Loki staggered forward a step when a weight hit his back.
"Hah! Finally! Beat you at your own game!" Nadia cried victoriously from her perch on the god's back.
Loki realized what she had been doing during their little sparring sessions. She had given him the idea that she would roar out whenever she was sneaking up to tackle him. Then when she really meant to charge him, she was silent.
He rolled his eyes, "Such tactics will still not work during a real fight. Now, unfortunately, I must go." The familiar glow of magic washed over him as he slipped easily into his disguise.
"Thank you for meeting with me, Allfather." Nadia bowed, smirking. She knew the god of mischief didn't like being referred to like that when around her or her mother.
Uncharacteristically for Odin, he rolled his eye. The girl simply laughed, moving to hug her mother and share some words with her before disappearing into the palace.
Anya then took her place beside Odin and nodded her head, "Thank you for training her. You are a good teacher, you know."
"Of course, Lady Anya," they walked side by side into the palace as well, turning down a hall leading to the throne room. "It is a simple request in exchange for helping me oversee the less... fun things here."
Anya gave a warning glance at the disguised Loki. He merely chuckled. She sighed in defeat and shook her head as the large golden doors opened and Loki-slash- Odin swaggered in. Almost two years and no one ever really questioned the Allfather's change in demeanor. She should really just give up trying to correct him at all.
Loki did as he pleased, no matter what.
"I still can't believe you went to Thor's home planet without telling me!" Peter pouted. The squinted lenses on his mask indicating how upset he was.
"Sorry, Pete. I couldn't exactly bring a plus one. I went there to see what I could learn," She flicked his forehead. "Besides, if you asked me then, I would have probably snuck you in."
The lenses widened almost comically, "Really?"
Nadia chuckled, "Well my mom seemed pretty sure. That's why she made me swear not to tell anyone where I was going."
Peter grinned. Actually, he would have been sure too.
"I did manage to take a few pictures." Nadia handed over her phone.
"Wow! This place looks like something out of a fantasy novel." He said as he examined the pictures of the shining city.
A shot of the palace from the marketplace. The royal gardens.
"Everything's so… gold- wait. Oh my God! You met Thor?!" He gaped at the selfie Nadia had with her and the blond god of thunder in the palace, Odin almost scowling in the background.
Nadia grinned, "He happened to be there when I visited and was pretty game for a selfie."
Then there was one of her that simply caught Nadia's hazel eyes, though the subject was clearly her mother talking to Odin.
Then another selfie of Nadia with Thor in the stables, the young woman petting a lean and gallant black stallion while the Asgardian leaned down from his own massive buckskin.
Peter punched the young woman on the shoulder, "You're taking me next time!"
She laughed, producing an object from her pocket and tossing it to him.
Peter yelped and juggled her phone and the small pouch in his hands until he had a solid grip on both. Handing Nadia back her mobile, he looked curiously at the pouch, pulling the string and emptying it on his palm.
"Your souvenir. Sorry, it took close to two years," The young woman nodded to the crystal that was attached to a short chain. It looked simple enough, somewhat translucent, like ice. "It's the same thing that their rainbow bridge is made of. And-"
She took Peter's hand and pulled off one glove. His brown eyes followed intently as she slowly lowered the crystal onto his uncovered palm. Imperceptible at first, the inside of the keychain glowed yellow like a soft flame from a candle.
"Oh wow." He looked in awe at the small light.
Nadia smiled, "The rainbow bridge glows because of the power that runs through it from Asgard. This lights up from soul energy, but you have to put your focus in it to work."
Peter looked back up at her and the glow died, "Is it the same for everybody?"
To answer, she simply picked up the crystal, setting it in her own palm. It didn't take long for the facets to sparkle a bright, almost wild green for a few moments before going clear again. "Nope." She said simply before putting it back in the teen's hand.
Peter gripped the object, looking back up at Nadia. "Ah, jeez. How can I ever pay you back, Dia? My souvenir was a scrap of metal. How can it compare to a magic Asgardian diamond?!" He flailed.
The young woman laughed out loud, "All you need to say is thank you, you dork. And it's not a diamond! You can find them in all around the outskirts of Asgard small amounts if you know where to look." She bumped his shoulder with hers. "Besides, this little scrap of metal-," she pulled out a rectangular pendant on a chain, "- is from your first big fight."
She thumbed the surface, traces of blue and white on one side like the paint had been scratched off, "The fact that this came from the sign the Winter Soldier threw at you is a pretty big deal."
"You still have it?" Peter looked surprised.
"Of course I do, Spiderboy! It's from you!" She chuckled and looked back at the pendant, Peter sheepishly scratching at his neck. "That and that you even thought to go back for it after Captain America floored you is sweet." She looked at him with a smile.
Peter was just glad his mask was still on.
"I could have done with a fridge magnet, you know."
Their break was cut off by glass shattering and the shrill sound of an alarm. "Well, duty calls," said Nadia, putting back her own half mask as she stood.
::About time, too!:: Jacks echoed in her ear when the AI activated. ::Time to kick ass!::
"Looks like five of them. Wanna split this?" Wraith asked, fingers flaring with magic.
::You can take them!::
"You know I can hear Jacks right?" Peter said, putting the crystal in its pouch and keeping it in a pocket in his suit that housed some of his web fluid refills.
Nadia laughed as she jumped down from the building. "Oh, he knows it too. Take the three on the left."
::Oh come on!:: The AI practically groaned exasperatedly.
Peter laughed too, swinging after his partner.
Renny watched the ripples on the surface of the lake, sitting under the shade of a tree. A young goat had rested its head on her lap and she pet its ears, scratching a bit.
Birds flew overhead and cawed at each other.
It was peaceful.
Yet her shoulders couldn't feel any heavier. Something was making her gut churn, chills run down her spine, and her palms sweat at random times. It was getting worse.
Maybe she should ask both her girls to visit here again a few months earlier than planned.
"You know I'm kind of jealous right now."
She looked up and met Bucky's grinning face, giving him her own smile, "Jealous? Of this adorable fella?" She kissed the top of the animal's head while it bleated, annoyed at being moved from his comfortable position. It scrambled away and Bucky laughed, petting the goat's head as well when it passed.
"Such a tease," he said, sitting down beside her on the grass. He wrapped his arm around his girl and kissed her hair.
His girl. Sometimes it was still surreal to him.
She pouted and looked at Bucky, grey eyes meeting blue. The man chuckled, knowing what she wanted, "Nuh-uh. You just kissed the goat, Sunshine. I swear sometimes, it's like you love them more than me."
Looking scandalized as she propped herself up in her knees, Renny said dramatically, "Never."
Bucky pulled her down, "Really, doll?" He said lowly.
"I love you, James Buchanan Barnes." Her voice was clear and stern and she looked straight into his eyes, touching her forehead to his.
He would never get tired of hearing her say it. Not after he waited for so long. Saying I love you back always didn't feel like enough though, so he did what he did every time she said it.
He kissed her. Slowly. Deeply.
Her fingers tugged at his hair and she shifted onto his lap. He loved it. He loved her and everything she did.
He hummed in contentment, "Definitely worth the goat breath."
Bucky laughed out loud and barely budged when she shoved at his shoulders, giving him a playful glare.
"I'll give you goat breath," she said lowly, a mischievous grin on her lips. She shifted her weight to her right, knowing it would overbalance him.
He could have easily stayed upright, but he let her wrestle him to the ground. She peppered his face in kisses while he playfully resisted.
God, he loved her.
"Say that again, Pancakes." Renny pulled away slightly, barely two inches between them.
Whoops. Looks like he said it out loud that time.
This time, he gave her a kiss to the tip of her nose, "God, I love you, Renny."
A/N: Hey y'all. Finally, yeah? I know it's been a while, but my muse hasn't been kind lately. So this chapter basically just places where each of the Capellis are leading up to Infinity War. Still not sure exactly how this story is gonna pan out because I don't have a definite plot yet unlike when I was writing GTKS, so it might be a while 'til I actually get some traction on it. Suggestions are very welcome.
I might be doing the story plus flashbacks/ oneshots in between so I can keep this story updated and not sitting idle for too long. Sound good? Or do you guys have an idea? I'd love to hear it.