When Natasha had informed her purple haired friend of Thor's intentions to escort her to the dance, the girl had performed a wild hand gesture, arms flailing in front of her, and hands squeezing as though reaching out for something while squealing in delight like a child who had just been offered a treat.

Natasha had come to learn this as the normal behavior of one, Monica Winters.

When their limo pulled up, courtesy of SHIELD and Fury who wished to humour them (though Tony was the one who demanded it) in front of the Winters' impressive townhouse, Monica had practically dashed from the top landing of the stairs, in her heels and gown, before rushing into the side door of the car Natasha had just opened and brambling in uncouthly.

"Move! Move! Move!" Monica yelled at the driver as she slammed the door behind her, just in time to see a poignant elderly gentleman opening the doors to the townhouse and literally shaking his fist as the limo pulled away onto the busy road.

"Ladies" Monica stated smoothing down her silver blue dress with white lacing trimming the top and looking around at the occupants of the limo with a small demure smile. "Looking pretty all of you"

"What the hell was that Winters?" Natasha blurted looking back to the townhouse in case there was someone in pursuit, Monica waved her hand and made an impatient sound.

"Dad's butler" she answered carelessly "Didn't like the fact I may or may not have taken something that was otherwise not allowed to be in my possession"

"And that was?"

Monica grinned before pulling out a paper bag tucked underneath her arm and handing it to Tony who looked slightly startled at the sudden presentation "Tah Dah!"

"Is that…" Tony started taking the package carefully

"Oh yes"

"And its.."

"Yep"

Tony looked at her with a sudden amount of respect, before removing the long bottle from the bag and making orgasmic sounds as he did so, hugging it to his chest.

"Oh god" he stared addressing the bottle, wary of the four pairs of eyes that followed him. "Baby, you know I've missed you"

"It's Merlot" Monica stated smoothing down her purple strands which had been straightened "It's all I could grab in the time available to me. Gyles has been on my case ever since that incident last year with the Pinot and the local church gathering."

"Do I want to know?" Natasha asked blandly looking to her friend dully.

"Well, let's just say I saw the light" Monica answered slyly, before casting a wink at Loki who seemed somewhat amused at the proceedings "Hey Romeo"

Loki cocked an eyebrow "Hello Miss Winters"

"Will wesee you on the dance floor tonight?"

"We?"

"General female population" Monica supplied with a grin "Got your dance card ready?"

"I wasn't aware you had need of one" Loki stated confusedly looking from Natasha to Thor, whom seem just as bewildered as he did, Tony was too busy murmuring soft words to his wine bottle to care.

"She's joking" Natasha interrupted quickly, shoving her elbow into her friend who yelped "All you have to do is throw yourself into an ocean of students and move your body"

Loki replied politely "How quaint", but she couldn't help but smirk at the look of disgust on his face.

She shut her eyes tightly as Monica jabbed in to the conversation "No worries Luke, you can just slow dance with Natasha" Again Natasha's elbow met with the purple haired pixy's stomach, but Monica was determined to be a nuisance, and gritted through a smile "You'll have to do it with the Spring Queen anyway if you win"

The Russian spy frowned slightly, she had forgotten all about the stupid competition to crown Marsden's most popular boy and girl. When it had come a time to vote the day before, she put off placing a name into the ballot box fervently, her pen swaying between the two Asgard prince's before finally casting her vote.

Hopefully Loki would never see his name ticked off in her signature handwriting.

Anonymous ballot though it was, Loki was far too clever for his own good.

She had voted one of the Athletic champions as Queen, anything otherthan Kristin would just have to do despite how insufferable all the other nominations were.

Tony poured a glass of Merlot for each of them, using the small empty bar in the limo's interior, and humming a jaunty tune as he did so. Both Thor and Tony downed theirs in one go, while the rest sipped generously from theirs. Despite growing up in Russia, and basically surviving off vodka for most of her life while living there, she wasn't yet ready to trust her new immune system lest she wish herself to become like Stark had that night many weeks ago.

"You look hot Rushman" Monica whispered in her ear squeezing her shoulder slightly as they climbed out of the car in front of the school building "I can't wait to see those bitches' faces when you walk in like thatwith freaking Luke on your arm. I have my camera phone ready"

Natasha laughed slightly but her nerves were beginning to grow as Loki offered his arm. She placed her arm lightly in his rolling her eyes at his smug little smirk and proceeded to the large assembly hall where the Fling would be taking place.

Monica followed with Thor and Tony on both her sides, arms entwined and looking everything the feminine pimp Natasha thought she would.

The street outside the school gates were filled with students and their own rather expensive vehicles, all the girls wore their gowns tailor fit while the male students had on their suits and bow ties. Natasha could pinpoint the clip ons from a mile away, and had to give a smile at the simple shirt one of the jocks wore, a suit like semblance printed on the front, his date glared at him angrily, her rouged cheeks purple with fury.

"How is your search by the way?" Loki asked carelessly as they wandered up the stairs to the entrance of the school building, Natasha's dress flowing effortlessly around her in waterfalls of emerald.
A few of the male students were even peering at her admirable from behind their girlfriends' backs, she felt a small blush rise up her cheeks from the simple attention, but focused on her date nonetheless.

If truth be told her date was obviously the more desirable one to be with at any rate, not that she could deny it, not with those cheekbones and jawline. She was absolutely sure it was a crime against nature to just ignore such stunning structure.

And tonight those features were for her use.

Natasha shivered pleasantly before attempting to engage in conversation with her Trickster prince. Her, she thought with an inward groan slightly frowning that she had used the claim of ownership and mentally slapped herself. Well her Trickster Prince for tonight, at least.

"You mean the girls?" Natasha asked with a small frown as Loki guided them past the locker rooms and library, following the drifting bunch of other students. Loki hummed in confirmation of the question "Well not to well, actually. We're running out of time for undercover investigation. There's only the four of us left, and once we revert back to our usual selves it will be hard to actually walk through this hallways for a closer look. We know it must be someone in the school, it's just figuring out whom"

Loki nodded thoughtfully but did not prompt the subject further, Natasha managed to spy the soft flicker of disappointment on his face before falling back into nonchalance. She couldn't help but wonder why the sudden change of emotion. Did Loki fear for the safety of mortal girls?

No, Natasha thought with an indecipherable shake of her head. Perhaps Loki was disappointed, because soon they would revert back to their normal states, and return to as they once were? As enemies?

Painful fluttering began circling in her chest once again as she studied his face side on, looking for any more clues into the truth.

If you hadn't guessed, the chances of decoding a master and God of Lies, is very much like teaching a chicken to moonwalk. Frankly, Natasha was certain she'd have more chance with the chicken.

She let it drop.

If Loki wished to inform her of something, he could do it himself; with some subtle prompting from her of course.

"You've gotta be kidding me" Tony groaned from behind them as they entered into the assembly hall "Did someone just go wild with theming or what?"

Natasha cringed at the sight as well of the newly decorated hall, with its circular ceiling and extravagant columns she was often connected with Grecian architecture. If it had been up to her, she would have displayed the charming architecture with pretty lights and shadows to help emphasise their classiness. As it were, she did not have any inclination or drive to sign up for the Spring Fling committee, not while it was domineered by the students she hated the most at its forefront.

There were streamers and paper chains everywhere, colours stuck between white and blue, and cardboard castles set up all around the large interior, blocking the pretty arches set into the walls. Blue and white balloons hung from the columns, and Natasha silently cringed at the thought that the stupid classmates had used tape on the white paint to stick them up, praying that they would be careful not to peel anything when taking them down.

She didn't know what she was getting so worked up about, but she couldn't deny that she was a sucker for beautiful architecture.

She looked around the room, the loud popular music muffling Tony's audible gasps and winces as they spied everything including the white lights, prop bridges, white benches with fake grass beneath them, even a bloody replica of a white carriage where one was to take their photos with their dates.

"Tacky themes" Monica groaned loudly and exaggeratedly looked up to the ceiling as though addressing a higher being "Is there no escape from our sufferings?"

Thor's face was one again scrunched up in adorable confusion, the expression that always made Natasha want to go up to the Thunderer and rub their cheeks together, not that she would ever admit it.

"I don't understand" Thor voiced looking around "What is the concept of this fling, as you would so call it"

"Cinderella" Natasha answered suddenly, spying the large ice sculpture in the shape of a high heeled shoe where the small finger foods and punch were set up. Her voice took a sharper edge as she elaborated with narrowed eyes "This has Kristin written all over it, I'll be damned if she's not wearing a tiara and a blue and white dress to go along with it"

"Cinderella?" Loki asked in his own subtle air of confusion, his hands clasped behind his back as he also observed the large body of students, dancing together in a swarm of bodies with no thought to the rhythm whatsoever, Loki's eyes cringed in repulsion for the lack of formality "I believe I side with Theo on this in having no idea what it is you speak of"

"Really?" Monica asked suspiciously "You've never heard of Cinderella?"

Natasha laughed really quick as Loki moved to answer, interrupting his further probing and questions along with Thor's "It's probably called something different from where they grew up"

"Right…and where was that again?"

"Oh look" Tony started this time loudly, so everyone may look to him he pointed in a random direction to side-track everyone into looking "It's Ms Masters! Hello Ms Masters, looking stunning as always I may say"

Ms Masters, their pretty and young English literature teacher sidled up to them, wearing a dress of clingy black lace which just barely reached her knees and emphasised her curves dramatically. She gave a small pouty smile to Tony who grinned back only as the playboy billionaire ever did.

Natasha had always found herself on the end of one of those, less now when he realised that she worked for SHIELD. More so when they had both joined the Avengers and one again diminished when she had his neck in a choke hold for a near hour after he made a pointed and sexual statement about her working suit.

She was glad to admit she did not miss those sly smiles; Pepper had managed to wipe out those smiles and receive sincere and respectable ones far before she did, courtesy of whipping the Ironman into a far more distinguished man to date. Blatantly flirting with their English lit teacher made Natasha want to kick him where his manhood lived.

"Timothy" Ms Masters practically cooed with her heavy lidded eyes fluttering, a male student walked by silently getting an eyeful of her impressive cleavage and falling over one of the many white chairs "I hope you're all enjoying yourselves?"

A small murmur of confirmation passed through them, unenthusiastic to say the least. Ms Masters didn't seem to catch the mood however and instead lay attention on the God of Mischief, her eyes lighting up a certain extent when she caught sight of him.

"Luke!" She near purred, Natasha frowned slightly at the sudden lack of formality and the way her teacher was looking at her date.

Retract your claws, retract your claws….

"You look handsome as always" Masters continued with a sultry smirk

Will not punch in over bloated lips.

"Thank you Ms Masters" Loki replied easily with his own trademark smirk, you know, the ones that made girls weak in the knees at "You look very pretty tonight"

Ha bitch! He called me beautiful and gave me this corsage and…why the hell am I getting so worked up?

Masters tittered and gave a small laugh; Monica nudged Natasha in the elbow and gave her a knowing look which she returned. Tony looked put out at the sudden lack of attention, and Thor just looked politely disconnected from what was going on around him instead returning waves and smiles to passing students.

"And who is this?" Masters asked now shaking her blonde curls away from her face, reminiscent of Kristen in so many ways it made Natasha psychologically ill. It was then she realised her English teacher was addressing her, that encouraged her frown even more.

"Ms Masters, it's me" Natasha answered, blinking furiously at the teacher's lack of remembrance "Natalie Rushman? I'm in your English Lit class with Luke"

"Oh" Ms Masters answered blinking owlishly as she looked Natasha up and down scrutinisingly "Ms Rushman of course, I didn't recognise you, you look so mature and…youthful"

Natasha nodded her head slowly once, tightening her grip on Loki's arm slightly and forcing an appreciative smile on her lips "Well, I am young"

The blonde haired teacher nodded slowly, the smile slowly rising back on her features. "Yes" she replied with a small laugh that Natasha swore didn't meet her eyes "Yes I suppose that is true. Carry on children"

Natasha returned a small laugh before dragging Loki off, he followed without complaint, the others tagging along behind them. They reached the small food table where she proceeded to pour herself some punch, Loki did it for her and handed it to her which she took with a small smile and murmured thanks.

"That English teacher often shows affection" Loki started as they turned to cast their gases back to where the bodies gyrated underneath the disco ball, the music quick and sporadic she could not even make out the words. She choked lightly on the punch as she realised what her date had just said, Monica gasped next to him.

"Seriously?" she asked her purple hair flying behind her as she stepped towards them with her own punch cup. Tony was stuck showing Thor how to use the ladle to pick up the apple chunks floating around in the red liquid. "Like how far, like illegal far?"

"I believe if I allowed her to get as far, she may have" Loki considered thoughtfully sipping delicately from his Styrofoam cup and still managing to look like a classy bastard "I denied any attentions she had however and kept it platonic"

"Tutors always admired Loki for his cleverness" Thor admonished in a loud whisper; Loki rolled his eyes and shook his head with a small smile. Natasha grinned, Loki liked having Thor's attention, it was obvious he had some left over 'big brother look at me!' from his childhood left. If only he realised just how much Thor praised him when he wasn't there to listen…

"Yeah well that's kinda creepy" Monica replied with a shake of her head, before nudging Natasha once again and making her scowl.

"What?" Natasha hissed at her friend who was looking over her shoulder slyly, eyes flicking back and forth from whatever it was to Natasha. Shit eating grin lining her face as he nudged her head in the direction she was looking.

"Kristin looks none too pleased" Monica sang lightly, the black widow cracking her neck with the sudden movement as she gazed behind her. And what do you know; Kristin is in fact wearing a tiara. Could she be any more of a pretentious bitch?

And god, that glare that bore holes from her overly made up eyes and face, silvery blonde hair tied back into an elegant knob at the back of her head, loose ringlets framing her face and pretty periwinkle blue dress adorning her well-structured body. Natasha would think she looked quite agreeable if it weren't for the look of distain painted on her face, as though someone had just offered her a healthy serving of dog shit right in front of her painted lips.

"It's the price of being good-natured" Natasha answered sarcastically, throwing the girl and her gatherers a sweet smile and waving her hand in mock friendliness. The glower deepened and so too did Kristen's friends, their poor dates left to stand around awkwardly and wonder why the temperature surrounding their partners had just dropped dramatically.

Kristen pulled on the arm of her date, dragging him off and making him slosh the drink he was holding on the ground with a small yelp. The hyena pack followed after their alpha, along with their prey.

Natasha rolled her eyes and turned back to Monica, staring at each other for a singular moment before bursting out into a fit of giggles mixing in with the loud song blaring through the halls, the laughter and screeches of other students participating in their rites of passage.

"Friends look!" Thor exclaimed, catching sight of the prop carriage where a professional camera had been set up to take pictures of Fling-goers. Natasha swore she could see an invisible tail wagging excitedly behind the Thunderer, imagined ears pricking up in sudden alarm and eagerness "There are photograph machines here as well!"

A/N: This chapter is slightly longer, and had to be split into two. So there will be, in fact, two more chapters.
Huzzah. Any guesses who the culprit is? I've made it fairly obvious in this one. (Hint: look for the italics)

Thank you thank you thank you for all the wonderful reviews I have recieved, and the continous flow of faves and follows :) Will update in the following week, most likely.