Ororo was new to the Avengers, on loan from the X-Men as Ironman liked to crack, having only assisted the group recently a handful of times. She hadn't conversed much with the heroes. Conversations were scarce on the battlefield, but as everyone began to unwind in Tony's parlor her distance began to shorten. Ororo watched silently, smiling every now and then at a joke. Gin and tonic in hand, she took a sip, avoiding the much stronger Asgardian mead. After all, she was no demi god nor super serum soldier.
It would seem that the Asgardian alcohol was getting the better of the fellows that made up the group. Yet another drinking party and yet another challenge to lift Mjolnir was laid down to the Avengers. Thor sat back, legs crossed casually in front of him, one arm draped across the back of the coach on which he was reclining, watching the events unfold before him. The only one to come even close to holding Mjolnir aloft was Steve Rogers. He had managed to nudge the mighty hammer slightly once. Ever since, no one else came close to achieving that much.
Thor had not considered the possibility of one of his team being able to actually lift Mjolnir. He had considered the Avengers to be worthy enough for him to fight alongside against the forces of bad and evil; but worthy enough for Mjolnir? He highly doubted it. Then again, they didn't have Storm on the team until now. The woman was certainly striking, both in beauty, knowledge, and ability. Thor had admired her greatly but from afar as yet. Now as she came forward to accept the Mjolnir challenge, Thor was granted an opportunity to admire her a little closer than before. She was still striking, perhaps more so at this close range, but warmth radiated from her. Thor took another sip of mead as he eyed her, determining she must also have a sense of humor for her to attempt.
Taking a gulp, Storm decided to play along. "Stand aside, gents," she declared as she approached. Ororo theatrically stretched her arms as she took her mark behind the table that Mjolnir rested upon. She took one last healthy swig of her cocktail before handing it to Tony. "Hold that for me," she instructed before flashing him a quick wink. Wrapping her nimble fingers around its handle, she made no real show or effort at lifting it having just seen so many stronger than her try and fail.
And yet, it felt light as a feather. With no effort at all Ororo lifted Mjolnir, silencing all of the room including herself. Stunned, she stared at the hummer in her hand before turning to Thor wordlessly.
"By the Nords!" Thor was up on his feet within seconds. His drink dropped from his hand and the glass smashed into pieces. It was almost as if Ororo was glued in place, eyes darting back and forth between the Thunderer and his precious hammer though she did not move even after his glass broke, only able to grip onto Mjolnir. The other Avengers all gasped, but no one had wider eyes or jaws dropped as low as Thor. He stared at the hammer, then at Ororo, then back to the hammer, trying to ignore the feeling of betrayal burning in his chest all because the hammer had allowed someone else to lift her. "You're worthy!"
A strange, charged kind of hush descended all around them, all eyes seemingly stuck on the sight of someone other than Thor holding the mighty Mjolnir. Ororo's heart suddenly began to race as he grew near, a sudden sensation washing over her with his every step closer. There were many answers to be had, yet she could only ask one question. "Worthy of what?"
"Worthy of the power of Thor," he explained, his voice sounding breathless. "Worthy to wield the power of the skies and have the thunder and lightning at your command." He paused and let out a short laugh. "But you already have that, dodn't you? Mjolnir has chosen you for something only you are worthy for. If it's not the power of Thor, then I don't know what else it could be."
Thor felt as if he was drawn closer to Ororo, a magnetic pull making him act without thinking. He got close enough to wrap his hand around hers as she held onto the hammer. A jolt of sharp electricity jumped up his arm. Her electricity called to him, the hammer the conduit. A new kind of magic was at work here surely. This was like nothing he had experienced before. She was like nothing he had ever experienced before.
"Want us to leave you alone?" Stark's voice cut through the spell they had fallen under, making him aware of the others in their company.
Not until hearing the inventor's voice did Ororo break away from Thor's gaze, suddenly reminded that they were not alone as the group continued to stare at them. Reluctantly, Ororo withdrew her hand, releasing Mjolnir from her grasp. She would have preferred taking the prince's hand in hers, but instead clasped them together.
Regaining her composure, she smiled to the party goers then up to the Asgardian. "Perhaps we should leave the room to discuss what steps we should take next. No need to spoil everyone else's fun due to our confusion."
Thor nodded to Ororo's suggestion of leaving the main room of the party. He took the lead and strode out of the room, heading straight for one of the smaller rooms close by. Mjolnir returned to his grip alone but Thor could not shake the sensation of betrayal. The hammer was enchanted so that anyone who was worthy could lift it, but along the way Thor had begun to assume he was the only one who was worthy. Seeing Ororo lift the hammer was a shock that he was struggling to come to terms with it. He glanced down at the hammer, narrowing his eyes at it. He reached the room and held the door open for Ororo.
"Forgive my brutishness, but how in the Hel did you do that?"
Her brows knitted together, both in irritation with his tone, and confusion by such a question. The answer seemed so obvious. "I grabbed your hammer and lifted it up." To add insult to injury Ororo folded her arms and asked, "Care for me to demonstrate?"
Thor should've guessed that Ororo would react the way she did to his question, but he hadn't. Seeing someone else lift Mjolnir had muddled his thought patterns and he wasn't thinking as clearly as he should; especially considering who he was talking to. Ororo could summon plenty of thunder and lightning of her own without the use of Mjolnir as a conduit. "I don't appreciate your tone," he snapped.
Ororo stayed frozen when he snapped at her. She rose a single, perfectly arched brow, her lips drawn into a tight line as her eyes narrowed though she did not say a word. Rather, the current the flowed around her body grew, expressing her anger as the skies outside began to darken. The hairs on Thor's arms rose as Ororo's current shifted, becoming more intense as it prepared to summon a storm. If Thor did not apologize quickly, he was certain he would have been struck by a bolt of lightning. He could take such a shock after centuries of handling electricity through Mjolnir, but it wouldn't be pleasant for him either. Clearly, Ororo was not a person to be trifled with.
His expression softened. "Then again, you don't appreciate mine either, do you?"
Even after his question she remained mute as she simply slowly shook her head and answered flatly, "No." Though it would seem neither were aware, it appeared their forms of anger were similar to their electricity. Thor's was white hot and fiery whereas Storm's was cold and frigid.
With a sigh, he sank down into one of the chairs in the room. "My apologies, Lady Munroe. I've never experienced anything like this before. Being the brute that I am, I'm handling the shock and the surprise of it, true to my brutish character."
Not until he apologized did she slowly thaw. Ororo's arms remained folded though she offered him a small smile. "You are not the first brute I have encountered, Prince Thor," she calmly replied with Wolverine in mind. Ororo offered Thor a smirk that border lined on being a grimace despite her electricity dulling as he gave her brief, almost nervous close-lipped smile before he focused his gaze on the hammer.
His brow creased into a frown when he noticed an inscription that had not been there before. If it had been there before, it had been hidden from his view. "Curious," he muttered as he stepped closer to the hammer to get a better look. There, written in ancient Runes along the handle of the hammer, was a magic spell. His jaw dropped when he realized the purpose of the spell. "Fucking hell."
Hearing his irritation Storm stepped closer to see the hammer for herself as she heavily sighed. "What is it now, Thor?" she inquired, trying to look over his shoulder to see for herself as if she could make out any of what appeared to be ancient hieroglyphics. Judging by the obscenities that left the Asgardian's mouth her tone took on more urgency when Ororo implored, "What does it say?"
"It says: if Thor lives, whomever else can lift this hammer shall be worthy of Thor's true love."
The hammer had been enchanted by his father, Odin, so that only the worthy may lift the hammer and possess the power of Thor. But apparently, unbeknowst to Thor until now, his mother, Frigga, had added her own enchantment to the mighty Mjolnir. He shook his head before he began to laugh. This whole situation seemed entirely ridiculous to him. "According to my mother, for it would have been she who cast this, you and I are to fall in love."
Ororo heard Thor yet she paused, blinking silently before a laugh began to build within her, soon chuckling along with Thor. The whole situation was absurd. This must be one elaborate prank. "I'm sure your mother has the best of intentions, but I am afraid this is some sort of mistake." The more she spoke the more the humor left Ororo's voice. "Spells are not how love works." She turned away from Thor, her gaze towards the floor, suddenly needing more space between them. Something about the situation rubbed Ororo the wrong way, reminded of the young girls and women she knew growing up that were forced into marriage against their will. Though this was far less traumatic she did not care for the idea of a romance, or lack thereof, against her freewill.
He supposed this spell would be troubling for anyone; a declaration of being tied to another should do that, especially if there is no apparent choice in the matter.
"I apologize on behalf of my mother and her trickery. I'm sure she did have good intentions. However, I will not stand in your way should you wish to leave and never speak of this matter ever again."
Ororo shook her head with a wave of her hand. "There is no need to apologize on your mother's behalf. She was merely doing what she thought was best for her child." However, the reasoning didn't sooth Ororo any. She peered up to Thor curiously with her eyes still held a sad hue of blue. "What happens next? Do we just fall in love at any instant now? What?"
Thor resolved to have some seriously strong words with his mother as soon as he returned to Asgard. As soon as that resolution had been made, an idea occurred to him. "I was planning on travelling back to Asgard to speak with my mother," he said before turning to peer to Ororo, a hint of a sly smile on his lips. "Perhaps you could join me and have words with her yourself? Together we could get some answers from the one who cast this spell."
"You want to me to exchange words with my future mother-in-law the first time I meet her?" Ororo asked jokingly, as if needing to confirm what he was inviting her to do. She mimicked his smile, offering one of her own just as wily then quipped, "And here I thought your brother was the mischievous one."
She gave a shrug of her shoulder then answered, "I think I would like to join you, actually. It gives me a chance to get answers and a break from responsibilities. I'm sure the X-Men can cope just fine without me for a few more days. After all, I'm on loan."