Chapter 36

Loki could hear the excited chatter from the common area as he went downstairs for the evening meal. Already, the team was gathered around the large TV with their meals either on their laps or on the coffee table. Glancing at the screen, he recognized that the person was on skis.

"Change of pace tonight," Bruce remarked cheerfully, "We're watching the opening ceremony for the Winter Olympics." At Loki's confused look, Bruce shrugged, "Just get your dinner and we'll explain."

Loki did so, and when settled between Bruce and Steve, the super-soldier spoke up next. "Basically the Olympics is a friendly sports competition between nations every 4 years. In the summer, there's swimming, triathlon, wrestling and the like. In the winter, there's skiing, skating, sleighing, and hockey. Every four years they trade off winter then summer and choose the city to host it accordingly. Take a guess where they are?"

Loki shook his head. Thor boomed, "They are in the land of our brethren, Norway, brother!"

"Hey Jarvis, how many times has Norway hosted the Olympics?" Bruce asked curiously.

The 1952 Winter Olympics occured in Oslo, and the 1994 Olympics took place in Lillehammer, Norway. Jarvis answered promptly.

"Thanks Jarv." Tony called out.

"Oh yeah." Clint added "They also have the paralympics for athletes and soldiers who have been wounded and those with physical disabilities for both summer and winter events, Cap. They have a seperate set of events built around their disabilities after the general Olympics.."

They watched as a narrator describe Norway's founding all those centuries ago, alongside a visual of the Northern Lights, fjords and native people herding reindeer over old Norse song

"I bet they won't mention the Jotun invasion when Odin literally came down to Midgard." Loki sniffed.

The next part of the program was the Parade of Nations. As the announcement was made for Greece, which was the first country, Bruce explained, "Greece always goes first since it's where the first Olympics took place over 1000 years ago, and the host country goes last so they can complete the opening ceremony."

So they watched as each nation marched out onto the arena stage, some like Ghana with smaller delegations, and others like Great Britain with larger ones. When it was Russia's turn, Natasha seemed to clap politely at the athletes on the screen. Cheers from the others were loud as the United States was announced over the loudspeaker. Loki made little American flags appear for Tony, Steve, Clint and Bruce, who waved them a little enthusiastically

"Why is it that our athletes sweaters always look like a bunch of grandmas made them?" Tony commented.

"Hey, be nice. I bet a lot of grandmas did work hard on those outfits!" Clint added with a laugh, which resounded in a collective chuckle from everybody else.

Thor and Loki applauded as Norway finally appeared, also making corresponding flags materialize for the country that had worshiped them over a thousand years before, while he and his brother grinned proudly..

The night's ceremony was capped as an Olympic Alpine skier came down a hill holding the Olympic torch in one hand to the cauldron. From there a smaller octogonal shaped lantern on the ground was lit, causing more light on either side of the main cauldron.

"These lanterns are recreated from Medieval times and represent the spirit of the athletes in each Olympic and Paralympic sport." The T.V. announcer explained as they all came to life and began to shoot fireworks. A man wearing a winter suit who was apparently the crown prince of Norway appeared, took the flame up the steps to the cauldron and lit it. Loki felt his heart warm; even though the Olympics were held every four years as Bruce had said, it felt as though he were watching something wonderful occur. And for all intents and purposes, it was; it was drawing him closer to the team.

During the next week there was a small buzz about the days events. They had gathered for their mid-day and evening meals around the television to watch the sports offered that day. Even after missions, the team would come home to the tower and watch the games to unwind. There was a mutual agreement that some sports were dull, like curling and Biathlon.

"Who thought it was a good idea to add target practice to skiing?" Tony remarked one day when they were watching it. "It's like something out of a James Bond film."

Some sport Loki found to be crude in its own right, like hockey, though the others seemed to enjoy for that reason. There was a shared enthusiasm for some sports, such as snowboarding which both Tony and Clint could see the appeal as the athletes took on an obstacle course or what was called a 'half-pike' while performing amazing feats of artistry in jumps. Natasha was a fan of the figure skating, but everyone was dismayed by the scoring system. Several times Nat or even Loki would shout. "These judges have no brains! This scoring system is terrible!"

It was one day after lunch that they had gathered to watch T.V. Loki had gone upstairs to read for a while, but JARVIS announced that Thor would like him to come downstairs. Perplexed, Loki descended to the common area.

"Loki," Thor boomed, "the luge competition has begun!"

The Trickster looked at the screen and beamed, sitting down with the others to watch.

A man called Elias Gurstung from Germany was first up. They watched as he slid down the icy track at speeds reaching 82 miles per hour.

"You kind of have to be crazy or extremely well trained to go down a track like that at top speed." Steve asserted with a little wonder.

Clint snorted, "You think this is crazy? You should see Skeleton, Cap. They go downhill on a track, head first!"

"I thought you might like to see this Loki, as you helped to establish the sport!" Thor stated. The others all blinked were silent, then it was Tony that spoke up.

"Hang on, you mean Loki helped create the Luge? Seriously?" Tony barked.

"Oh yeah, I've read that legend." Bruce added with a grin. "It gets lost between Celtic and Norse mythology, but there's some semblance of a story there. The sport was made official in 500 A.D."

"I've gotten quite good at the luge, I'll have you know." Loki sniffed. A shark-like grin appearing on his face. "And I will now endeavor to prove it!"

He disappeared with a 'pop', re-appearing as a blur on the screen in the background. They faintly saw him snap his fingers and appear now at the top of the hill, all decked out in a luger's outfit complete with a sled that were of course in ombre shades of black and green. On the screen the name Ikol Oddinson (Norway) appeared and their mouths went a little dry.

"Is he really going to compete?" Clint wondered aloud.

As if in answer to this question, Loki or rather Ikol, took his stance, then begin the run. He flawlessly navigated the sharp turns and was blazing down the track at a speed of nearly 85 miles per hour.

"Wow, look at this, We may have a new Olympic record here!" The T.V. announcer spoke up with amazement.

At the end of the run, Loki popped up, put his helmet under one arm, held the sled with the same hand, and waved to the crowd who were loudly cheering now.

"Well. I guess Loki was right, he really is good at this sport." Natasha said dryly.

The dismay in the Avengers Tower soon was fully realized when Loki not only appeared for each competition for luge, but began to win them.

"He has to be cheating!" hissed Clint as he watched the Trickster slide.

"I think not, friend Clint." Thor cut in. "He has been participating in this game for several hundred years. Heimdall always knows that Loki snuck down to Midgard for competitions."

"But he can't win." Steve added firmly. I mean he's good, don't get me wrong, But he didn't enter the games ya know, fairly. He's taking the chance away from someone who might deserve it."

Tony snorted, "And you really think he's gonna give up a medal if he wins one? You're naive, Cap."

There was a collective, if not resigned sigh from the group while they all tentative held their breaths, some hoping that Loki would win, and others hoping that one little mistake would keep him from winning. Thor couldn't help but shout 'Go, Loki, Go!" as he made his run.

At the end, the announcer said, "And that clenches it, Ikol Oddinson has won the Olympic gold medal in Men's Luge!"

Loki stood and threw his hands up in the air as he looked at the clock recording his time, shouting in what Thor knew to be Old Norse which was muffled under his helmet. He took it off as a female reporter came up beside him.

"Ikol, you've just won Olympic gold. How are you feeling?"

Loki looked as proud as a peacock as he spoke in a Norwegian accent, "I am very happy and wish to say hello to my hero Thor and the Avengers if they are here on Earth." They looked a little stunned that he'd mention them by name. "Also I'd like to say hello to my mother and father who could not be here, unfortunately. But I hope I've made them very proud today."

"I'm sure they're proud. Thank you." The reporter affirmed.

"He won." Clint muttered. "Loki actually won."

"I guess I'll be making him a medal stand." Tony added dryly.

When Loki came home, the gold medal was hanging around his neck, while Lok himself stood, chin up and looking a proud as ever.

Thor came up to him first and pulled him into a huge bear hug. "Loki, I am so proud of you!"

"Congrats, Loki." Bruce continued, "You're an excellent luger."

The others congratulated him and gave him a pat on the back.

"We have something for you Loki." Tony announced, appearing with a wood box. On it was the Olympic rings etched onto the glass, the symbol of that Olympic game, and at the bottom, a picture of Loki wearing the gold medal on the presentation stand.

"Thank you.. This has been one of the most exuberant times of my life. I think I'll have to do it again in four years."

"NO!" came the united yell from the Avengers.

TBC…

A/N: I know, I know it took so long to get this chapter up. But as I said, my life was chaotic until about a month or so ago, I had so much fun writing this chapter because it just popped into my head one day. The most difficult part was actually writing the Opening Ceremony, I didn't know how to make it interesting. I had intended for Loki to compete in the figure skating because they are really critical about the scoring, but ran out of time. I hope you all liked this chapter. I had planned to do a few 'missing scenes' from Halloween to Christmas since I pretty much missed those.

Please leave a comment or review. Thank you to those have faved and followed this story. I greatly appreciate it!

Legend about Loki and luge:

www . druidry library / gods-goddesses / norse-loki-and-celtic-lugh

Medieval Octagon Lantern:

www. jelldragon lamps. htm