[I'm doing my new layout here too]. [2019: Thank god that the new layout started out early in this story because I got annoyed about fixing it].
[Idea: daringwolf2000]
[Old Chapter Title - Questions].
Courtney Brown: Thor's Absence
The moment my head hit the pillow and my eyes closed, I found myself in a flaming street. Cars are turned over, roads destroyed. People are running and screaming frantically, clinging onto their children tightly. I looked at the sky above through the smokey haze and see aliens flying in the sky.
Oh…I recognize this from all the pictures and news recaps. It's the Battle of New York.
This is a dream. This has to be all a dream.
But why?
I run down a street, heading in the opposite direction as everyone else. I turn a street corner and see Iron Man surveying the streets from the air, firing at whatever aliens are in the way. I run past him, hearing him communicate with his other Avengers via earpiece, asking for a location on Loki which causes me to pause. Hearing that name causes me to figure out that this is why I'm here.
Loki. I needed to see him and where else would he be? He's here!
I start sprinting through the battle scene, trying my absolute best not to look at any injured people or anyone crying. It'll only make me want to cry even though it's only a dream. Aliens fly above me and some jump off their ships in my area. Some people scream as the aliens point their weapons at us. This is a dream so I don't react as much as them even though it's still frightening. The alien fires and a shield of my magic forms to protect us. Even in my dreams, I get saved.
Once the magic vanishes, another figure jumps from a building top and casts its shadow over my body. It's not one of the aliens but the Hulk. It punches at and throws the aliens like they're weightless which they definitely are compared to his strength. I turn around and make direct eye contact with Captain America which sends shivers down my spine. He doesn't notice me but gives orders to the Hulk who suddenly disappears in a drastic leap towards the skyscrapers. Captain America turns to face oh my god, Agent Romanoff and her husband are Avengers.
Before I could run, the battle goes into slow motion. Everything is moving so slow that it might as well be frozen. Well, except me.
I spin around and The Avengers have vanished. I'm completely alone in this slow scene. When I turn back, I see Loki. He's wearing the green, black, and gold outfit with the sceptre and the golden crown that I've only seen only from photos of the battle and from my previous dream. I stop and can feel my heart pounding.
"You wanted to see me," he says with a grin on his face as he opens his arms. "Here I am."
I think I forget how to talk. My mouth is open but it's not formulating any words in any of the languages I know.
"It's alright." Loki takes a step closer to me. "None of this is real."
"I know," I finally respond, feeling my pulse lower itself to a normal rate.
"Now, you have something to say?"
I watch as he takes a seat on a flipped car, waiting for me to start the downpour of questions. I feel my mind go blank for a second. How could he be so casual about this?
"Am I in danger?" I finally ask him.
"Yes," he replies bluntly. "That's why I needed you to get out of the orphanage. It's a temporary hiding space."
"So, I'm still in danger?"
His face wavers a little, trying to choose the right words. "I'm working on it."
"You said that the next time you'd see me, you'd have a plan!"
"I have a plan."
"Which is?"
He says nothing as I tap my foot in annoyance, waiting. He literally had one job and couldn't even manage that. Loki frowns at me when I roll my eyes and cross my arms at him. He probably isn't used to receiving this much attitude from a child.
"I will send someone to help you," Loki tells me.
"Is it Thor?" I ask.
"You know it won't be."
"Then, what's the point?" I drop my arms at my sides. "What am I even supposed to do with some aid that will just be lingering around while Thor is on the search for my mother over me? My past and future are so overwhelming with all these unanswered questions, conspiracies, and magic that I can't even live in the present. If I just keep going on as someone I'm not for much longer, I will go crazy."
Loki slightly nods his head. "In that case, I will send aid immediately."
"No!" I yell. "I don't want an aid, especially one from you."
Loki rolls his eyes this time. "Well, you'll have to deal with it because you won't be seeing Thor for a long time."
Before I could argue, Loki snaps his fingers and The Battle of New York disappears all around me.
-o-
I wake up in my bed in San Sebastián.
No. No, no, no, no, no!
He can't just leave me with the fact that I'm in danger, won' t see Thor for a while, and send some useless aid! He just can't. If Loki was in control of my dream, Thor's absence was probably the indicator that I won't be seeing him anytime soon.
Whatever.
I'm the most powerful sorceress in the world. I should be fine, right? If only I could convince myself of that fact.
I know that I shouldn't trust Loki because, well, he's Loki. Aside from the war and deaths of a lot of people, he saved me and told me a lot about myself that nobody ever could.
For now, I'm Courtney Brown and I will continue to be.
"Oh, Courtney," Mrs. Brown says as she knocks and enters my room. She peeks her head in as I quickly hop out of bed and fix my hair the best I can in five seconds. "Get dressed, we have a lot to do today."
I roll my eyes and groan as she closes the door behind her. I'd much rather be in The Battle of New York than live through whatever today has to offer.
