Rolling in hot

On one level, it was utter insanity. The X-Com warrior Jane Kelly and the Viper Alley stood on the Bifrost bridge that led connected Asgard (the home of the Norse gods) to Midgard (Earth) and the rest of creation, fighting a horde of ghosts beside the legions of Asgard. These were not the Marvel movie versions either.

On another level? It was totally right.

Alley slithered forward, staying with Jane and warding her partner's back as the swords-woman darted from enemy to enemy, the human's golden blade slicing through psionic phantoms as if they did not exist. They did and despite their ethereal nature, Jane's rage and Alley's power was more than sufficient to remove them from this plane of existence. Each strike from Jane's sword or the bolts of energy that flew from Alley's bow instead of arrows made an enemy vanish. Despite their charge, the Warlock's mass of psionic shades showed no sign of wavering as the horde of warriors at the odd pair's back followed them into combat.

Jenni still held her staff, but she stood back, a quartet of golden armored warriors standing between her and the fight as Jane and Alley carved their way towards the Warlock. The one eyed king of Asgard stood beside her, his spear at the ready. To strike the Warlock's minions or Jenni? Hard to say. For her part, Jenni's head was bowed as Alley and Jane fought for her. A little behind them, the hammer wielder made a mess on one side of the bridge and the other? Loki was much a ghost as the phantoms. He appeared from nowhere, struck and vanished back into invisibility, his sword and dagger just as lethal as any other weapon.

"This mind is mine!" The Warlock declared as the blue skinned alien leveled his power at Jane who staggered under the psionic assault, but Alley shot him and he recoiled. Jane charged again, her sword flashing as she carved towards her foe. "You dare!"

"You really are an idiot, aren't you?" Loki was snide as he dispatched yet another enemy. The Warlock snarled and threw a bolt of power at him. The trickster of the Norse gods sighed as he dove under the wave of purple energy. Thor took the blast on his hammer, slamming it away from the battle with pure strength."I bet you can't even take a joke. This is getting tiresome. Brother? If you would?"

Without a word, Thor hit the bridge with his hammer. The shock wave that resulted was enough to send at least half of the shades flying and the rest were caught in a net of electricity that spread out from the God of Thunder's strike. Everyone was staggered. Everyone except Jane and Alley.

Neither Alley nor Jane felt the need to say anything as they finally reached the stunned Warlock and attacked. Jane's sword swept low as Alley shot high, her projectiles of power hitting the blue skinned alien in the face. Psionic power flew from his hands and pain hit both furious females like battering rams, but their rage would not be denied. Even as he hurt them, Jane's sword bit deep into his side and Alley's arrows peppered his face.

A scream came from behind them as Jane hit the Warlock again ad again and Jane paused, but Alley did not.

"Do it!" Jenni called even as she fell to her knees, blood pouring form a rent in her side. Odin knelt beside her as she raised a face that was burnt as if from energy to scream at Jane who stared at her. Energy like the bolts that Alley was throwing at the blue skinned monster. "DO IT!" Jane was shaking her head as Alley continued her assault. "Alley cannot do it alone, Jane! Stop him!"

"I can't kill you." Jane said weakly, her sword drooping as the Warlock smiled and power thrashed Alley again.

'I am already dead, Jane!" Jenni said reasonably as she tried to rise and could not. "You saw me fall! I am a copy! No more! I love you, but this has to end! Strike, warrior! End this!"

"I… I can't kill you." Jane slumped even as Alley retreated a little. Alley stared in horror as Jane's sword fell from nerveless fingers. "I am sorry, Jenni… I can't."

Before Alley could find her tongue to say anything. red hot pokers slammed into her mind. The bond between her and Jane was an open conduit for power beyond belief as the Warlock reached out with a strangely gentle hand to touch Jane's face. The woman was crying as the blue fingers touched her and her face altered. Her tears stopped and her face blanked. Then it happened. Her skin changed from its normal pale human hue to a blueish cast. The pain hitting Alley doubled and then redoubled, scouring through her in unending waves.

"Good girl." The Warlock crooned even as Alley fell in a heap. "You will serve. Just as this one will." He nodded to Alley but his focus was on Jane as the image around them changed. Suddenly, they stood again in his throne room. Alley lay in a heap, trying to move, to scream, to do anything, but all she could do was hurt. Jenni stood by one wall, chains of purple energy wrapping around her as Jane stood like a statue, still gripped by the Warlock's hand. Alley felt despair from Jane and it matched her own.

Suddenly they were not alone.

"A bit overdone." Everything stopped as Loki from the bridge appeared nearby! He was garbed as a modern human, not a character from a movie and his face was sad, not malicious. Then again, only in Marvel comics had he ever been truly evil and even there he was always more mischievous and misguided than a bad guy just for the sake of being a bad guy. He shook his head as the Warlock goggled at him. He waved at the throne. "Thrones are meant to be symbolic, but that is a bit overdone, don't you think? Compensating for something, are we?"

"Who are you?" The Warlock demanded as he took hold of Jane's arm.

"Me?" Loki inquired and then shook his head. He looked at Alley and- Was that a wink? It was! He actually shrugged. "No one of consequence." He actually quoted 'The Princess Bride' and the Warlock all but gawked at him. Alley managed a snicker and Loki smiled. "Nice to see that movie is remembered. They had some very good jokes."

"I am the Dread Pirate Roberts." Alley managed to croak through her pain and Loki's smile grew wider, if still tinged with sorrow.

"Inconceivable!" Loki replied as the Warlock snarled at him. "Now, now. Don't be crude. I am not here to interfere. If I was, you would be even more dead right now." His calm words were an act, he was poised and ready as the Warlock threw power at him. it sailed right through him and vanished in the distance. "That was quite rude." He complained. "Also dumb. Like I am going to stand here and let you hit me? I am not here to kick your ass as you richly deserve. Dear old Dad was quite clear that I can only watch. There are some rules that even I know not to break." He looked at Alley and shook his head. "Alley, you cannot save him. He has to save himself."

"I know." Alley screamed that through the power hitting her. "He does not know how!"

"And you cannot do it for him." Loki chided her, but gently as he knelt down beside her, utterly ignoring the Warlock's sputters. "There is a very old human saying; 'You can lead a horse to water, but you cannot make it drink'. There are limits, Alley. Even for such as me, there are limits. You know this."

"I do." Alley's sorrow was pooling out of her in salty waves as Loki reached down to pat her arm.

"You have a good soul, Alley." Loki rose back to his feet and stepped back. "I am honored to be here. To see this. Do what you have to." There was no bite in his words, but no give either. No hate, but no mercy.

"What are you blathering about?" The Warlock grabbed Jane's arm and started to pull her towards throne, but he couldn't seem to budge her. "What have you done?" He demanded of Loki.

"Me?" Loki asked, too all appearances bored now. "Nothing. You are the one who has royally screwed up. Enslaving Jenni was a mistake. She is one of my mom's people. My mom may not be as famous as my dad, but only an idiot makes her angry." He actually shuddered. "Hel truly hath no fury like a pissed off goddess of love." He shook his head. "Angering one of them is almost as bad an idea as angering a mother."

There was an odd inflection on the last word. What was he-? Alley's thoughts slithered to a halt and she staggered mentally as realization struck. In the real world, Alley wasn't a mother and could never be one. But this wasn't the real world! Alley stared at him and yes! He winked again! Alley focused herself and the pain faded. She could feel Jane's fear, shock, rage, sorrow, all of that and she gathered it in. She pulled Jane's mind close, held it tight and soothed Jane as she had once soothed her first partner. Jane's face turned towards her, and the stiff features eased with her pain.

"Alley… What?" Jane's words were both mental and aloud even as the Warlock pulled on her arm. He might as well have been trying to move a mountain with a dinner fork.

"It is all right, Jane." Alley said quietly as she slithered to where Jenni stood motionless. "You are who you are. You live, you fight. It is what you do. You bother me at times, but I do love you. I would not change you for all the money in the universe." She shook her head as Jenni raised hers, as if it invite a strike to the neck. "No, Jenni. You have suffered enough." Instead of striking, Alley reached out and somehow took hold of the purple energy chains that surrounded the woman. The Warlock screamed in rage as the bonds parted like paper under her hands and she was suddenly coiling around Jenni as the woman started to cry. "It is all right, Jenni. It is all right."

"I messed it all up, Alley!" Jenni pleaded as Alley crooned to her.

"A bit, but it wasn't just you." Alley reassured the woman as she focused her mind and yes, she found what she sought. The link that bound the woman to the Warlock. It was pervasive, that link, bound through the enslaved woman in far too many ways for Alley to sense, let alone counter. That had been the plan all along, Alley realized. Jenni was functionally immortal, as a brain held in a stasis container. Hiding his fortress inside a quantum bubble inside one of her brain cells had been a stroke of genius and madness on the part of the Warlock. Alley felt a tinge of appreciation at the sheer audacity. It was vastly overshadowed by her rage. Alley could not break it. She didn't have to!

"Alley, please!" Jenni begged as she cried. "Save Jane!"

"I will, although she will not thank me for this." Alley took hold of Jenni head in gentle hands and Jenni relaxed as best she could as the Viper eased the woman's pain with both psi powers and gentle caresses.

"It is not in her to forgive such." Jenni agreed. "She cannot forgive herself for what she sees as failing me. That is what let him in."

"I know." Alley sighed, deeply inhaling the scent of the woman. There was an odd sensation, almost a fragrance to her senses. It was almost like the Lady! Alley looked at Loki and the being, whoever he really was, nodded just a little. The Warlock was doing something, but Alley ignored that as she started to sing.

'From the day we arrive on the planet,

And blinking, step into the sun
There's more to be seen than can ever be seen
More to do than can ever be done '

Her voice wasn't nearly as good as Arisha's. She wasn't a singer by trade like her fellow psi was, but suddenly, she felt Arisha's mind touch hers and the music swelled within her. More than one voice was signing with her as she continued the intro song of the folk tale that had become one of the most famous of Disney's movies. 'The Lion King' had been so many things to so many people. Other voices joined in, male and female. Some were practiced, others were rough, but all were heartfelt as Alley continued.

'Some say eat or be eaten
Some say live and let live
But all are agreed as they join the stampede
You should never take more than you give'

The power was imbalanced. Jenni had broken the balance when she had done the things she had done. What X-Com had done to her after was just icing on the cake. From w hat little Alley could feel from her, she was powerful beyond belief, but also afraid. So afraid now and her fear swept through the alien psi like a tidal wave. Alley couldn't fight that and she did not bother to try. Instead, she rode the fear. Touching the reservoir of power, even momentarily was daunting to say the least, but Alley was no stranger to fear, to dangerous situations. Add to that, Alley's sheer power as well as her matchless empathy made sure that here and now? The Warlock had no chance. Alley continued to sing even as power flayed at her mind again. She ignored it and the pain vanished as quickly as it had appeared. It hit her again and did nothing again! Only when he lashed out at Jenni did the Viper react and then, she broke his attack in time with the music! Other voices she knew joined her. Milodi! The Lady! Everything stopped as Jane Kelly started to sing! Her voice was bad. There was no other word for it. It didn't matter!

'It's the Circle of Life
And it moves us all
Through despair and hope
Through faith and love
'Til we find our place
On the path unwinding
In the circle
The Circle of Life'

When the music ended, Jenni was crying. Alley was crying. When Alley looked, Jane Kelly had tears falling down her face as is shifted back to pale human skin. Out of the corner of her eye, Alley saw Loki brush a tear of his own away but when she looked his face was stern. Then he winked at her again! When Alley spoke, it was quiet, reverent as she quoted.

"Everything on Earth exists together in a delicate balance. We must respect that balance. We are all connected in the great Circle of Life." She shook her head as she gave Jenni one final squeeze and released her. "Warrior, farmer, healer, builder, we all have our place. Our time. Our wyrd."

"I see why Jane loves you." Jenni reached out with a slow hand to scratch Alley's head behind her hood. "Alley..."

"Go, Jenni." Alley gave the woman a gentle shove towards Loki who bowed to her! She just gave him a look and he held up warding hands.

"Hey!" The God of Mischief said quickly. "I am showing respect! Nothing more." Alley's look became pointed and he sighed. "Marvel has a lot to answer for! I never did half of what they blamed me for. Yes, there was the whole Ragnarok thing, but that wasn't my fault!" Alley crossed her arms and waited. Instead of being angry, he smiled. "Oh, I do like you."

"I… Jane… Alley..." Jenni took a slow, faltering step towards Loki. "I am sorry."

"Don't be." Alley slithered a little away as Jenni made it to Loki's side and he took her hand in a gentle grip. "You made mistakes, but this? No. This is not on you. I will call the debt due on who did it. But you need to leave now. You and Jane both."

"What?" Jane demanded, her skin back as it had been. She jerked away from the Warlock who snarled at her and threw power, it rebounded as Alley shielded her partner. Somehow, Alley was between the human warrior and the alien monster as he recoiled, his own energy eating at his shields.

"This is my fight, Jane." Alley said with a growl as she focused herself. "You will see Jenni again." She looked at Loki who nodded as Jenni started to glow like a rainbow. "Although, you might want to prepare the halls for when Jane gets there."

"Nah." Loki smirked as Jane sputtered. "Valhalla is what it is. They need some shaking up every so often or they get stodgy. They actually know this, hence why I am still around and not bound in that horrid little cave anymore. We know our own, Alley. You and Jane will be welcome when your time comes."

"Alley!" Jane screamed as she vanished in a flash of rainbow energy. Jenni was gone too as Alley felt her world shift yet again, this time into an unfamiliar metal cockpit. Loki sat beside her, Alley knew that without looking.

"What do you want her to remember?" The Norse trickster's voice held no mirth now.

"Is that a joke?" Alley demanded as she focused on the unfamiliar controls. But as she expected, her mind made sense of things. This was an X-Com ship but the controls were easy to manipulate with her hands and mind. She could fly it, even though things like the bobble headed alien doll and cigarette lighter on the dash were off putting.

"It wasn't intended as one, but I guess it was." Loki said with a snort that had little humor in it. "That is one problem with being a jokester, even when I want to be serious, sometimes I can't be. Eh, we better let her decide, right?"

"Anything else might make her mad, true." Alley felt her world shift and her screens lit up with another ship. A large saucer composed of purple energy. The Warlock. Moving to attack. "Go on. Let me finish this."

"We do know our own, Alley." Alley felt a touch on her shoulder. No power, just a gentle touch. "This is from me, my dad and my mom: You make us proud. Make it hurt!" Then he was gone.

"I will." Alley spun the small ship in whatever space they occupied now and accelerated towards the purple enemy in the distance. Drawn by the pain of a singular mind enslaved to power it. As she closed, she could hear the boy crying mentally and her heart went out to him. Her mind however, armed the ship's weapons and fired even as her com lit up.

"I have nothing to say to you, monster!" Alley snarled as the enemy ship fired back and she evaded it. "These kids are mine, not yours. I am taking them as my children now and you will not hold any of them! Sam will be free and your evil will be a memory!"

Was it her imagination that a chorus of battle horns sounded as she charged her enemy? Had to be.