Aria's mother bent down and opened the oven to retrieve the chicken that was cooking inside. Mouthwatering aromas filled the air with just the chicken alone and Aria was starving. Her mother turned around and put the hot plate on the stovetop, her protruding stomach now very noticeable. She was excited to meet her little brother and she knew that she would absolutely love him. She didn't know how else to explain it but there was this bond between them already from the moment she touched her mother's stomach. However strong it was, it didn't deter the thoughts Aria had that had been troubling her since she came home two days ago.

"Mother, I have had something bothering me of recent that I wish to seek your advice on..." Aria started slowly as she gazed at her mother, continuing once she heard her mother hum, "well I've been wondering...is it normal for white glowish stuff to come out of my hands?"

Her mother's head snapped up at her comment, her frame starting to visibly shake. Aria slowly became concerned because she didn't mean to upset her by asking. She was just genuinely curious after an incident at her uncles almost cost him an arm. They were riding on horses and were far out in the fields when it happened. His horse was startled by a mountain lion and all Aria could do was put her hand out in fear. What she hadn't expected was for white strings to shoot out and wrap around the lion, letting her pick it up and throw it off. She had passed out soon after but her uncle was kind enough to tell Aria everything that happened. After a small debate, Aria told her uncle that she would speak to her mother about it before her uncle decided to bring it up himself.

"Oh dear," her mom rubbed her hands on her apron before turning to look at Aria, "you must've imagined it. Those things are best saved for stories wouldn't you say?"

"But mother, it really happened! My uncle can-"

"ENOUGH. You and I both know how mad your uncle is in his head! How could you bring up my ill brother in such fashion?! Go to your room before your father comes and hears this nonsense."

Aria looked at her mother with pained eyes but headed and went to her room. How could her mother think of her as a liar? She was just shy of thirteen, she had no room for fancying such fictional ideas. She knew she didn't conjure up the event because her uncle was there as well. She'd just have to prove it to her somehow. She flopped on her small bed before trying to decide what to do, or what she could do because the last thing she wanted to do was hurt anyone. Aria knew she wouldn't handle it well if anyone were to get hurt by her little spectacle of light.

With me helping you, fear of causing someone pain would be no more child...a voice bellowed around Aria causing her eyes to widen and stare around the room. Finding no one. She calmed slightly but was still wary.

"I must be going mad as my uncle for hearing such things..." she giggled to herself as she grabbed her journal at the end of her bed. She was glad her mother taught her to read and write for these pages held her darkest secrets.

I'm afraid your darkest secret will be of me the voice intruded again, its voice now a mere whisper.

"Alright, where are you? I will not stand for an intruder to be in my room. I've got powers you feign and I'm not afraid to use them!" Aria jumped up to stand on her bed as she directed her palms up and scanned the room warily. Her eyes caught sight of not a thing, making her skin crawl.

I am, unfortunately, inside of you. It is of recent time that I'm able to speak to you. The voice seemed to ricochet from one ear to the other, the realization she was the only to hear it making her sit quite quickly.

"W-what? Inside? That makes no sense...What are you?" Aria questioned quickly as she brought her pillow close to her chest.

Complexity at the very least is what you will find with those answers you seek. Child, I have not long in this domain for you are fighting me...the voice seemed to huff out in struggle, but Aria knew not of what. She felt as if she were dreaming. I'm always here but until you accept me...our meetings will be short and far between. The seal is weak, but not weak enough...one day...but I want to share something to you. The water may seem calm but beneath the surface it is in turmoil.

"Turmoil? But I live a happy life with my mother, father, and unborn brother. Everything is happy and merry. How could you jest like that?"

I do not jest. That man is not your father. Your mother speaks lies to your ears. Your unborn brother will scorn you for what you are. Only I will accept you as is, truthfully. The voice spoke forlornly, as if what it was stating hurt it for having to say it. However, no lie could be detected for the first two sayings. She wasn't sure to believe the third considering he was unborn and it wasn't fair to already be wary of an innocent soul.

Aria just closed her eyes and covered her ears with her hands. She didn't want to hear its words any longer. She didn't even know what it was. It was telling her all these things and she just felt...everything. Her tightly closed eyes gave way to tears, her hands squishing her head as she tried to understand what was happening to her. She thought she was just like other twelve-year-old girls, how come she had powers? How come she had a whole different voice in her head? Why was this voice telling her these things? Was her dad not really her father? Was her dear mother really lying to her? The questions swirled in her head like a tornado, questions that had little answers to go off of. Her chest swirled with emotions. She was so busy in her inner turmoil she failed to notice her door opening.

"Aria, sweetheart, mother tells me your imagination is running wild again-"

"NO! LEAVE ME ALONE!" Aria yelled as she shot her hands out, white energy surging through and out of her arms.

It made contact with her father's body, enveloping him with a bright glow. She squeezed her hands as anger took over her mind. The laughter in her head was sinister in nature, making her angrier at everything that she was stuck with an entity that sounded so evil, so frightening. So, she just kept squeezing her first and enjoying the feeling of the surging power. She started to laugh slightly, the giggles bubbling from her lips. That is until she heard a choked breath come from in front of her. Snapping her eyes up before horror struck her heart, she saw the man who she called her father up in the air a few feet. White light was wrapped around his arms, legs, and neck. His face was discolored and his eyes looked like they were going to pop out of his head if any more pressure was applied. Aria stared both in horror and wonder. She lifted her hand and saw him be raised, the same thing happening when she swiped her hand left to right. She figured that her squeezing would kill him and for some reason, the thought didn't terrify her.

We were born to kill my dear, your true purpose has been hidden from you. Death shall become your new ally and Life will become your enemy.

Aria scrunched her nose up in slight disgust at her companion's words but it started to make sense. Her mother never told her anything, never helped her understand, never was there for her the way Aria wanted her to be. She loved and cared for Aria, but seemed to hide away important aspects about Aria's life. She felt that she was now of age to know the truth and to be listened too!

"Are you my true father?" She asked him, her own voice not recognizable to herself. She sounded angry, cold, and spiteful. She lessened the squeezing of her hand and watched as relief filled his eyes at him being able to catch his breath again.

"A-aria sweetheart...please let me go...I'll go fetch your mother and we can talk about this calmly..." he looked at her suspiciously, eyeing the connection of energy between them. This was never what he signed up for when he began dating Yamilex. "Babygirl please, we can talk out whatever you're feeling..."

Aria glared at her "father", now knowing that he really wasn't her true one. It made sense, they looked nothing alike. He had black hair, brown eyes, pale skin. She had light pink hair, green eyes, and tan skin. She should've known better. But how could she? She was being fed lies from her mother from the moment she could remember. He had come into their lives sometimes before her memories surely; she must've been a toddler or even an infant. Her eyes softened slightly at the thought. If he was willing to be there for her without being her real father, then that means he was a good person. Right?

She closed her eyes and let her arms fall at her sides. She didn't know what to do or say, additionally she felt exhausted after her little power surge. She just breathed in and out mutely, her mind mulling over everything. Who was she then? A half of her was her mother and now a half of her was up in the air, debatable, unknown. She knows she looks like her mother but where did the pink hair come from? Where did her powers come from? All these thoughts threatened to spill the tears that were blooming in her eyes. She felt so many things yet nothing at the same time.

If you let me, I can take it all away...I can make us feel better...the presence in her mind soothed slowly, almost pleadingly.

….please...Aria begged as she let the tears fall down her face. She heard the cackle from her companion before everything turned black.

After releasing Loki to some of the aircraft's guards, the group went back to the bridge in silence. Stark wasn't with them at the moment, but Aria knew he'd join them sooner or later. With his...bubbly...personality there was no way he'd be on standby with a mission such as this. Coming upon the main room, Aria opted to lean on the wall adjacent to the table as both Natasha and Rogers sat down. Thor decided to stand near her to examine her unnoticed, but failed miserably since his eyes kept flickering between her and literally everything else. She dismissed his blatant staring, tucking the thought to fight him for being rude at the back of her mind. Banner walked down to meet them awkwardly, offering a small smile at their return. Aria looked at him softly, remembering the way she used to feel about having a monster trapped inside. In fact, she still had her own sentiments to this day about it.

Their attention was brought to the table when a small screen popped up showing a live feed from the containment unit Loki was currently occupying. Everyone watched as the Director came into view, walking around the cell towards a control panel. All their eyes were glued to the screen, watching what was happening.

"In case it's unclear. You try to escape. You so much as scratch that glass," Fury presses a button which opens the hatch underneath Loki's cell. Loki peers as much as he possibly can over the edge, smirking a bit at the show. "Thirty thousand feet straight down in a steel trap. You get how that works?"

Loki nodded silently, looking around the cell before landing his eyes on the camera. Aria felt slightly unnerved at his smile, slightly wondering if he knew they were all watching him. His eyes had returned to a blueish haze that had been gone she noticed, which confirmed that something wasn't right with him. Was he being controlled by the scepter? If he was, was it just the scepter itself or was someone controlling him? She wanted to find out why and to do that, she'd need to get into that cell.

Fury pressed a button to shut the hatch, point at Loki he continued. "Ant," he then pointed toward the button that would drop the containment cell through the steel trap, "Boot."

"It's an impressive cage. Not built, I think, for me." Loki said as he smirked at the director.

"Built for things a lot stronger than you."

"Oh, I've heard," Loki paused looking at the camera once more, "The mindless beast and the unpredictable power of that woman, both making play they are still human. How desperate are you, that you call upon such creatures to defend you?"

"How desperate am I? You threaten my world with war. You steal a force you can't hope to control. You talk about peace and you kill 'cause it's fun. You have made me very desperate. You might not be glad that you did." Fury concluded; his voice unwavering.

"Ooh it burns you to come so close. To have the Tesseract, to have power, unlimited power. And for what? A warm light for all mankind to share, and then to be reminded what real power is."

Fury smiled and shook his head as he walked away, before calling back to Loki, "Well, you let me know if Real Power wants a magazine or something."

Loki watched him walk away before looking towards the camera smirking. The monitor went black and disappeared but Aria couldn't take her eyes off the glass. His words rung through her mind, tauntingly. Was she trying to live still as a human? Was she even human anymore? The blood on her hands, the evil thing crawling under her skin...how could she be human with those factors diving into play. Her thoughts were shaken when she heard Banner force a chuckle from his throat.

"He really grows on you, doesn't he?"

"Loki's gonna drag this out. So, Thor, what's his play?" Steve questioned as he turned to look at him.

A moment passed before Thor answered, his eyes seemingly somewhere else; "He has an army called the Chitauri. They're not of Asgard or any world known. He means to lead them against your people. They will win him the Earth. In return, I suspect for the Tesseract."

"An army...from outer space?" Steve looked bewildered at the notion. Aria felt her blood freeze at the thought as well. She tore her eyes away from the table and looked at Thor before her eyes slid towards Banner as he spoke.

"So, he's building another portal. That's what he needs Erik Selvig for."

At the name Thor perked up, "Selvig?"

"He's an astrophysicist."

"He's a friend."

Natasha cut in then, stating that Loki had Selvig under mind manipulation along with another one of them. Aria assumed that she was speaking about the Hawkeye that was in the files. She sighed and closed her eyes, the picture of Loki smirking at them through the monitor popping up in her mind.

"Let me speak to him." Aria spoke up, the whole team looking at her surprised, "I have a theory that Loki may not be of his own mind but I'm not sure. He may just be a lunatic hell bent on destroying Earth for his own gain, or may be doing it for someone else's. During our fight earlier, I was able to...help him regain some of himself so maybe now that he doesn't have the scepter to blast me out of the way it'll be easier."

"What can you do to make him talk? Cause I'd like to know why he let us take him since he won't be leading an army from here." Rogers said, curiosity laced with his words.

"I don't think we should be focusing on Loki. That guy's brain is a bag full of cats, you could smell crazy on him." Banner joked but the seriousness wasn't mistaken.

"Have care how you speak. Loki is beyond reason, but he is of Asgard, and he's my brother. If this woman has a way to get through to him, I believe it in the best interest to try."

Natasha rolled her eyes and put her hands in front of her intertwining before uttering "He killed eighty people in two days."

"He's adopted," Thor rebuked, shifting slightly in place.

Aria rolled her eyes at them before clicking her tongue and pushing off the wall, "Well I'm going to clean up and then go have my fun with Loki."

Aria walked through the hallways, her mind still lingering on Loki's words. Having the memory of that horrible night and hearing him call her a monster made her mind stir. She had morals, she had boundaries for herself shaped by the guilt she carried from previous mistakes. Mistakes that shouldn't have happened but what could she do now? She was but a child then, still grasping what she was. Hell, she still had trouble grasping what she was now even with all the experience she had tucked under her belt. At least now she was in more control, or at least she had a better control. Shaking her head slightly, she opened the door to her room and went to her bag. There wasn't much in it with her need to pack light. A couple of casual shirts, some pairs of jeans, pairs of matching underwear, socks, an iPod with music, and two identical pairs of clothes of the ones that she wore to get Loki. Coupled with some black high-top converse, black gladiator sandals, and black combat boot that was all Aria had with her. She grabbed her gray AC/DC t-shirt and black skinny jeans along with a pair of underwear to throw on after her shower. She felt disgusting and needed the wash, her stomach was caked with her own blood from the blasts and her hair was in disarray.

Stepping in the bathroom and closing the door, she slowly stripped down watching herself in the mirror. While she was able to heal herself with her energy, she wasn't able to heal past scar tissue. As a result, her body was littered with scars from her neck down. She never seemed to scar on her face but her body held stories of those who she had faced. Now on her stomach, the story of the time she faced a God was lightly etched into her skin in a circular shape on her abdomen. Her eyes ran over the knife and bullet wounds, counting them off absentmindedly. When the mirror began to fog over, she climbed in the shower and closed her eyes in bliss. Maybe Loki had been right to call her a wolf in sheep's clothing, after all she did have a creature lurking at the depths of her own mind.

Monster...is that what I am?

She ran her hands through her hair, rubbing soap in her scalp and hair to clean off the impurities.

Would there ever be enough soap and water to wash out the blood on my hands?

She scrubbed harder, moving down her body. Unknowingly, she began to claw at her skin. She needed to be clean of everything. Of the dirt, of the blood, of the evil.

Unpredictable power...does he see me for what I truly am? The cold killer. The monster that parents tell their children to scare them? Am I the thing lurking in the dark?

Small moments of people begging for their lives before she ended them ran through her mind. The various things she destroyed because she deemed them dangerous for mankind. Her brother's corpse. Her mother's last moments of life. The tests her uncle performed on her that she endured that would kill a normal person.

A normal person...something I will never be...maybe it wasn't the weapons that were dangerous...maybe it's just me...

She stood under the water, breathing slightly ragged, as she watched the soap run down her body and collect on the floor. Strangely enough, it reminded her of the puddles of blood she's stood over. Blood dripping from her hands, a carnage of bodies left in her wake. She struggled to discern what was real and what wasn't before the thought drifted in her head that it in fact, was real. It was all real and while it may not be before her at the moment...she knew she had stood before something as atrocious as this. Tears pricking at her eyes, she shook her head before looking up and letting the water mix with her tears.

What I did...what I do...is it really to protect others or is it to protect myself? Do I really only care about myself? As a monster would...

Finishing her shower quickly, she turned the water off and got out. Not taking another moment to dwell, she rushed out of the bathroom and closed the door on the bathroom as well as the thoughts she would face another day. For at this moment, there was someone who was on her list to make pay.

She watched as the guards opened the door to Loki's cell. The Asgardian sat on the opposite end grinning madly at them. The guards made quick work of getting her in the cell, probably feeling anxious for being around the God. She stepped forward swiftly as the door swished closed behind her and she was now alone with the madman.

She had briefly talked with Thor before coming down to the containment cell, his warning of how Loki could be manipulative ever present in his speech about his brother. She learned that he was of Jotun heritage, he could manipulate magic, and that his favorite color was green. He also despised humans and believed them inferior to everything. Aria had chuckled before informing the God of Thunder that she too could be manipulative and what she had in store for his brother would be befitting to knock him down a notch. Now she had to back up her talk since she knew she'd have an audience. Not for long though.

She sat down across from Loki, her eyes never leaving his frame. They sat in silence, merely observing one another. His face seemed calm but there was a certain unease apparent in his eyes. Aria wondered if she caused that or if something else was causing it. Her eyes wandered over the rest of him, taking him in entirely. His black hair was slicked back as the ends curled slightly up at his shoulders. He was smaller than his brother in broadness, his slender frame a disguise for the power he undeniably had. His skin was pale and made his blue eyes stand out, the color which she knew wasn't his. His jawline was sharp and his cheekbones were prominent. Without knowing him, she would claim he was fairly attractive. Banishing those thoughts, she cleared her throat as she made up a way to approach him. However, she was startled slightly that he spoke first.

"You weren't who I was expecting but nonetheless it is welcomed. I, however, didn't fancy you enjoyed my company..." he leered at her, his smirk forming.

"Upon first impression no I didn't," she spoke softly in return, "the impression being that you are a person of utter destruction, but I know better than to assume that is all you are."

Quite brave to think him more than a monster...is that the same sentiment you hold to yourself vessel?

Be quiet you, I need to focus. Aria thought angrily, a small grimace making its way to her face at the antics of her counterpart. She hoped it wasn't noticeable to the God but she doubted it. He was watching her like a hawk watching a next meal.

"Oh, then what do you assume of me?"

"I believe we are the same. Lost in a world that has no place for us."

"No place? Maybe for such a heathen as you there may be none but I was born to rule." He rudely stated as if it were a fact.

"And yet, we are here. I have no place to label home and you have no throne." Aria shot back calmly. His agitation swirled in only his eyes, his smirk ever-present as his features remained stoic.

"For now." He stated as he leaned back against the glass, turning his gaze from her.

"Does that mean you plan to escape?" She questioned.

"You ask that as if you think this glass cage would be able to contain someone such as I," he spat out as he sharply turned to look at her and lean forward, "the beast-man may be quelled in this cell and you may be able to be detained here, but I have power far more then you know."

"If it would be as easy as tying a shoe to leave, yet you remain here locked away that suggests you have something up your sleeve."

"Oh dear, I didn't achieve the title God of Mischief due to the smallest of jests I shared with those back on Asgard. I pray you think higher of me." He expressed, his smirk coming back. Aria smiled back softly before continuing.

"Oh I do, otherwise this meeting would have never happened," she slowly stood up and walked towards him, her gaze never leaving his, "in fact, my thoughts of you are probably too high. Maybe it is just you behind those blue eyes...or were they green?"

"Despite what you may think, in my eyes, you still don't think high enough. And my eye color has nothing to do with anything. Goes to show what a failure you are in interrogation."

"Maybe I do fail in interrogation. But I know what a damaged person looks like and you fit the bill."

His eyes widened at her statement before they narrowed as he stood up while she approached him, "How dare you speak of me in such manner?! I am not damaged."

"I'm not here to tell lies and neither should you Loki. You can trust me."

"And why should I?"

"I don't have a reason why you should. But what would I gain lying to you?"

"You have everything to gain in this situation. Tell me where it is that I win."

"Knowledge. I'm curious and I know you are too. I've rigged the camera and audio so to them it seems we're just sitting in silence. But it'll only run for the next 20 maybe 30 minutes. You'll know when it's up once Fury walks through the doors behind us. So whatever is said between the two of us stays here."

"How do I know you're telling the truth?"

"You don't."

He peered at the camera before turning towards her as his smirk appeared yet again, "Well if we are to play this game, I request that I go first. Why do you assume I don't control my own self?"

Make no mention of me, whoever is controlling him must not find out about us. Who knows what his owner would do lest he find out. The monster growled out lowly, a tinge of unease apparent in its voice.

You act as if I'm proud to house you demon. If I've never mentioned to not a soul before, why would that change now. Again, be quiet or I will put up a wall to block you out. Aria sighed aloud, both at Loki and at the thing rumbling in her head.

"When you first came here, you were pale and sweating. Unnaturally pale and I don't believe that travelling through a portal would cause a God such as yourself to break a sweat. If us fighting didn't, I don't imagine travel would either. You also have dark rings around your eyes, suggesting maybe no sleep."

"Attentive to detail I see, but I'm afraid that offers no insight to your predisposition to think me being controlled."

"Your aura is infected as well."

"My aura?" Loki asked confused.

Aria chuckled at his confusion, before continuing "I think it's my turn to ask a question...what is it you really want?"

"I've already spoken on that behalf."

"I spoke to your brother before coming here. You had the throne yet you told him that wasn't what you had been seeking. You wanted to be his rival, but here you are trying to destroy the planet that your brother claimed under his wing. Why? Is this a case of a child trying to steal a toy from its brother?"

"If you spoke to Thor then you must know I am not brother. And that is where you are wrong, I want to rule over this pitiful planet. I'm giving it mercy. I am no child stealing; I am merely taking what is already mine." Loki's words dripped with hostility but not towards her. Family was never easy to handle, she knew with her moments of her ever-elusive mother.

"Don't be stupid. Just because you don't share the same blood doesn't mean you're not brothers. You are more fortunate than I, still having the ability to call a family your own."

"Fortunate? They are all liars and manipulators, using me as but a piece in their political games of chess."

"Yet you have a brother who will still defend your name in spite of all you've done. He's hurting for you. If that isn't brotherly love then I don't know what is."

"You have no idea what you're spouting, Thor doesn't care for me more then he cares to wage war against anything bigger than he."

"I had a younger brother once. I loved him with every fiber of my being and he was taken away from me too soon. Watch your words Loki because the loss I feel every day I wish on no one. Not even you, you are unknowing to the fortune you have." Aria stated coldly, anger slightly bubbling in her chest at his antics. He didn't have an idea of how much Thor cared for him and it was sickening. She had to remind herself that Loki was also not himself and she hoped his anger towards his brother was the result of that and not true.

"Forgive me." His voice was soft and Aria was slightly taken aback from how gentle and sincere it sounded.

"Forgiveness isn't cheap, I still haven't forgotten how you blasted me through a building Loki."

"All is fair when it comes to war, is that not a human saying?"

"We're both not exactly human though, are we?"

"Fair point madam...I say it's fair to say that had we met under different circumstance...we could potentially be of friends...wouldn't you agree?"

"I do." Aria blankly stated and a silence wrapped around them, more so out of no need to say anything.

Loki made the move to sit down first before beckoning her to do the same. She nodded her head and sat down as well. She knew now that he felt a bit more comfortable and was more likely to accept her invitation of freeing his mind from whoever or whatever it was. Maybe he knew what the scepter was himself since he wielded it with ease. Now was the time to ask some harder questions.

"What is the scepter? Is it apart of the Tesseract?"

"Wouldn't you like to know the inner workings of the device that has allowed me to conquer over some of your best." Loki taunted with a vicious smile blooming on his face.

"I want to know what it is to possibly help you better, so think of it as helping me help you."

"Even if I wanted to share with you what it was, not even I am sure of its nature. The man who gave it to me just spoke of how to use it, not why it works." Loki sighed and Aria couldn't detect any lie present in his words.

"I believe it may be a force of energy, it makes my skin crawl whenever I'm near it and it...lures me to it," Aria explained to the best of her ability without mentioning that it was the beast inside that wanted it, "When I saw the Tesseract there was a similar aching but when I fought with you, it was even more palpable. When you shot me, it actually helped my healing progress faster. I got knocked out because my head hit something pretty hard."

Aria giggled a bit at the end of her explanation but kept her eyes trained on Loki. He only furrowed his brows a bit, but no other reaction came from his person. Her small smile flitted away as she saw him concentrate on her, her mind beginning to race at what he could possibly be thinking. Did she give too much away that he began to suspect? She knew he was on a different playing field intellectually, maybe he saw through her façade and began to see her as the monster he had told Fury she was. A small tightness began to form in her throat at the thought, her smile now gone from existence. He was the first person in so long that she genuinely enjoyed the presence of, despite the fact they were on opposing sides, and when she said she also believed in a different world they could be friends she meant it.

Oh how I feel the yearn to be accepted coming from you. Have I not told you that no one but I shall grant you that? For as long as we are one, no one will hold you the way you wish.

I'm tired of telling you to be quiet. Your annoying voice is hurting my head.

"Is it luring you...or something else?" Loki asked carefully and softly, barely above a whisper which shocked Aria from her inner monologue, "your eyes...they've glazed over various times within our time speaking. Which tells me either your distracted or there is another reasons for such occurrence. Yet I know not why."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Aria declared indifferently but panic sparked in her chest.

Loki hummed in disagreement, but instead of pushing on it he leaned back, "You are a marvelous, intriguing woman. Tis a shame you chose to be on the losing side."

"I chose to be on the side of life, not destruction of it. While I have enjoyed our banter, I must say the time for our conversation is at its end. Now I'll be freeing you whether you choose to accept it or not," Aria spoke kindly, anxious of what the outcome may be from what she was about to do.

Creature, I ask for your presence now.

I've been waiting my child the voice wriggled in her mind.

"Now shall we test out the theory I have about you, God of Mischief?" She beckoned as she put out her hand.

"If you dare believe I care to be manipulated by the likes of your-" Loki started but she cut him off by sending out energy through her palm to envelop him as before.

A convolution of her energy snaked out, wrapping itself around him at her will. Apprehension was clear in his demeanor, but he didn't act against it or her as it occurred. Her breathing became slightly labored, the energy was of her own and having it out of her body was tough. It was something she only copied from her mother from seeing it alone, even she wasn't exactly sure what she was doing or how it was done. All she knew was that she was letting her arm be a conductor for the energy inside of her and bending it to her will to do as she pleased. When she had first started doing it, she practiced on inanimate things. Too much energy being pushed out would cause it to break or explode but too little would sever the bond between her and the object. After years of practice, she found she only had to concentrate slightly to keep the bond stable but if there were any distractions it would surely break. She wished that her mother hadn't hidden her own ability to do this magic, maybe she could've learned how she was able to control it. Dismissing the thought, she saw that her energy slowly began to eat away at the yellow light holding his mind captive.

"What...what are you doing to me?" Loki asked frozen in place as his eyes scoured over her white energy covering him. He moved his hand up and saw the energy flicker before regaining its bright nature.

"I am, for lack of better words, taking whatever the fuck is wrapped around that head of yours," Aria gritted out.

Now would be a good time for some of your energy! Aria called out.

With pleasure it growled out before a surge of energy raked through her body.

Aria watched as her white light became tinged with an icy blue. The dull of exhaustion she was starting to feel faded away and the yellow mass was beginning to be sucked into her energy at a much faster rate. She ignored the boisterous laughter of the monster and focused on what she was doing. She would question it once this was all over because she was slightly worried that doing this would leave her susceptible to the mind manipulation she was drawing from Loki. However, her biggest concern is what that energy would do to the cruel thing lurking behind the shadows. She looked up at Loki's astonished face, pulling back the energy she had in her eyes for a moment, only to see the blue haze in his iris to fade away to the emerald she had seen before. Smirking, she let the energy flow back into her eyes to gauge how much of the yellow was still there only to be taken aback by the fact that it was all gone. His aura was pure cyan.

She commanded the energy to return to her and watched as it made its way back into her palm. He fell to his knees breathing heavily and she followed suite once all her energy was back within her. She, however, wasn't feeling tired at all. In fact, it was quite the opposite despite doing such a taxing enchantment. She closed her eyes tightly, thoughts of killing him swiftly embedding itself against her rationale. Whenever the energy from it surged through her, the intent of her companion's nature also seeped through and this time it felt...stronger. She had been worried that whatever energy she took from Loki's mind fed the monster and with how she was feeling now all but confirmed it. It had said that the Tesseract was part of the reason it was created and Loki's scepter was most likely similar to the cube, but it was a risk she had to take. She felt the need to save him but the reason was lost on her.

Kill him. We no longer require his...assistance... the beast murmured to her.

No... we do need him...no blood has to be shed now. My intent was never to kill him you know this. She countered quickly as she began to force her energy to wrap around its energy coursing through her body. Hers acted like a dome, trying to contain it to the best of its ability.

Blood is what we crave make no mistake. You and I have merged in more ways than just energy vessel, it's voice boomed drenched with arrogance.

Aria began to feel panic as more of its energy began to seep through her against her will. The scepters energy seemed to energize the demon and make it a bit tougher to deal with. Normally when she accepted the energy, it was easy to condense within her own. They would inherently mix, strengthening her own energy to a point. Once she used it to enhance her strength or speed, it's influence would leave. Yet this time it felt different. Trying to merge her own energy with the foreign energy wasn't working and she couldn't dispel it unless she wanted to break Loki free from the cell. She had an inkling that whatever they enforced the cell with wouldn't contain a powered punch of hers with the extra energy her kind friend had given her.

Her skin began to crawl as the power in her flowed about. She briefly wondered if it was visible to those watching, knowing that the video feed had begun to run normally once she began the extraction. This was the strongest she had ever felt and while it amazed her, it also scared her. She had asked for her partners energy before but this time it felt as if it had a mind of its own. Was the scepters energy the cause of this or was the monster holding back before? No, she had felt this kind of intensity but she hadn't cared what was around her. The night she lost everything she held dear to her was the only other time she had felt this kind of raw power. Becoming worried, Aria began to mold the energy inside to wrap around her heart. She threw out her palm and began to close her hand, gasping at the immediate pain she felt from doing so.

Retract it all now you monster before I use it to kill myself! She threatened it the only way she could muster, unable to hide the panic from the being inside her own mind. Whatever she felt it would too, no matter how she tried to downplay her emotions.

Dear you know I would never let you commit such folly action for it would end me as well...as you wish but first...

Aria's eyes shot open as her vision was obscured by an icy blue haze. Suddenly she found herself landing harshly in a dark room, blackness stretching out every direction. She pushed herself up on her hands and looked around, before facing a giant paw. She followed it up, seeing it connect to a body. She gasped and pushed herself back but noticed she couldn't mold her energy. That meant that it had dragged her to her mind space. She breathed out shakily, trying her best to calm her nerves. She had almost quite possibly killed Loki and everyone on the ship at that point. Thankfully, she hadn't but now she was here face to face with the lurking monster in her mind. Or well, face to paw. She watched as a face reached down and shock at what she was seeing made her still.

A wolf-like creature stared back at her. The coat was pristine white with icy blue marks etched all over his body, connecting here and there in weird shapes. Its neck scruff curled in the form of clouds; the tail bunched in a similar fashion. The wolf's face had scars that glowed the same blue as well, but these scars resembled more cracks along the Earth after an earthquake than from battle. Its eyes were mystical, glowing a darker shade of blue and the pupils in the shape of a crescent moon. Its snout was long and thick, teeth protruding from the sides even though the large mouth was closed. Huffing out slightly, it moved its snout to be close enough she could reach out and touch it had she wanted to.

The power extracted from the God's mind was enough to help conjure the image of myself from a time where I was free. What you see in front of you is my true form...I am Hati, a pleasure it is to officially meet you vessel.

AUTHORS NOTE

Now this was a bitch to write. I think I rewrote this like 5-6 different times. I'm sorry it took so long! Been slightly busier this last week and it didn't help how many times I drafted this chapter hehehe

I hope you enjoy everything you read. PLEASE let me know what you think. I know some things might be confusing, so ask questions and I'll try my best to answer without giving away too much. For all my Norse mythology fans out there, I'll assume you know of Hati. Just know, I'm taking the concept but adapting it differently to fit what I'm trying to do here. For those that don't know, do not fret there will be an explanation of who Hati is but just know that there will be some tid-bits that differ to fit my story VS the actual mythology surrounding Hati. For instance, Hati isn't created by the stones but in my story he is.

Again so so so so sorry about the wait. I'll try to update things faster of course but sometimes life gets in the way.

Please don't hesitate to let me know how you feel in the comments! I really wanna know if people are enjoying this so far! Lemme hear from THE PEOPLE hehehehe