Hey guys! As promised, here is the next chapter in the series! Like always I do not own Marvel, only my OC's. Enjoy!
Kidnapping pt?
"Yes."
"No."
"Yesss!"
"Noooo!"
"Yess~!"
"Nooo!"
"No?"
"YES!"
"Yes!"
"Wait, what?!" Steve asked as Calliope cheered in delight. "I mean no! Calliope, we can't!"
"Say's who?"
"Stark!"
"But that's the beauty behind all of this, Steve! Stark doesn't have a clue about it!"
"...I still don't think it's a good idea, Cal."
"Come on, Steve, it's on the bucket list. Tomorrow will be the perfect opportunity! Neither of us is working, and I don't have school since it's a four-day weekend!"
"Cal, we can't just steal-"
"More like borrowing."
"Stark's Debit card-"
"Credit card, actually."
"And go to Disneyland-"
"World~!"
"In California-"
"Florida!"
"Without his permission," the 93-year-old man said. This argument between the two has been going on for six days straight. Ever since Calliope heard of her extended weekend due to Spring break, she's convinced they need a Disney Vacation. "Cal, he's going to get upset. You're stealing from him!"
"I AM NOT!" The short woman complains to her best friend as she flies up to his height. "I told you that Pepper slipped the card to me after Tony pissed me off the other day."
"And what exactly did he do? You never bothered to mention."
"So we were in the lab performing some tests, and Pepper asked me a few questions about my health."
"Like?"
"How do I hide my period since my blood is radioactive, and I only found out a couple of years back that I can manipulate my blood," she explained to the blond. This took Steve aback since he grew up during a time when women didn't speak about their time of the month out in the open. He tried his best not to blush solely to avoid the jokes Calliope would tease him with. To be honest, this wasn't his fault. True, his mother was a nurse, but she never told him about this.
"Ahem- well, I still don't understand what that has to do with Stark."
"Because I explained to Pepper that I never got my period. I'm incapable of having one (although, I have no idea why), so it's never been a problem. Then Tony said the reason I'm in a bad mood all the time has got to due to the build-up of never having one. Eternal period mood, he said."
Even Steve grimaced once he heard the whole story. There are just a few things a man should never say, and Stark clearly broke one of the top 10 rules. Now he understood the reason behind the man's stolen credit card.
"Okay, fine, but if anyone asks what's going on-"
"Don't worry, Steve! I have it covered," The raven-haired woman promised with a far too innocent smile. "I'll just say I kidnapped you."
Get along
The two women stared each other down as the only man in the group ordered their favorite drinks from a very frightened waiter. Still, the women didn't pay attention to the teenager as they were too focused on their objectives. It's been three weeks since they've seen each other in any capacity. While the man, Clint Barton, may have forgiven the young raven-haired female, others haven't. Specifically, a deadly assassin who refuses to look away from the radioactive 18-year-old.
"Okay, you two agreed to be here today, remember?" Clint points out to the two as they receive their drinks. "Can you at least talk?"
"I have nothing to say to her."
"Neither do I."
Sighing, Clint took a swing from his drink as he tries to think of a new tactic. He understands why the two dislike the other, but if they simply talk out their differences, Clint is positive they'll become good friends. However, it isn't that simple.
"Listen, I know the two of you got off on the wrong foot, but this is the chance for you two to become friends."
"NO," the women respond to their mutual friend. This merely frustrates the archer even more. The only time Natasha and Calliope seem to agree is when they team up against him…
Wait a minute, Clint thinks to himself. That could be it.
"You're right, it was dumb of me to suggest something like-"
"Cut it out, Clint."
"What?! I didn't even say anything yet!"
Natasha scoffs at her best friend as she leans back in her seat, "You're way too obvious. Reverse psychology? Really?"
"Come on, old-man," Calliope asked before taking a sip from her drink. "We basically saw the light bulb go off over your head, and we didn't even look in your direction."
"Not to mention the steam coming from your ears."
"Geeze, to think you're an agent?"
"Exactly! It's a wonder he's gotten this far."
"Must be luck," Calliope shrugs to the redhead.
"Has to be," Natasha agrees with the younger female. "Have you ever seen the man assembling a couch from IKEA? It's practically impossible for him to do it."
"Tell me about it! Last time, I asked him for help with a math problem since I'm terrible at it, and he gave me the wrong answer! He swore he knew what he was doing."
From there the two female Avengers went on a tangent about how stupid men are. Clint simply sat back as he watched the friendship between the two blossoms. Honestly, who would have thought the best way to get the two women to get along is to get them to talk crap about other people. Although, he is a bit pissed that Nat brought up the whole IKEA thing. Listen, they make it more complicated than it needs to be. Plus, it shouldn't matter since he can build a couch by himself... He just needs Laura's permission first.
Don't Tell!
"Okay, what's next?" asked Calliope as she looks over the captain's shoulder to his notebook. "What about we watch a movie?"
Today, the two decided to continue making their way down Steve's list in his notebook. So far, they've made it through the known and unsaid parts of the '50s, '60s, and mid-'70s. The history books love to leave out certain aspects, so Calliope made sure to teach Steve the rest of what she learned on her own. Nonetheless, going over nothing but history is kind of boring, which is why she suggested a movie so they could take a break. Plus, today seems like the perfect day to do so. It's Friday night, and neither one of them have a place to go tomorrow.
"Sure, but which one? We've watched every Disney movie, some of the classics I missed out on, and most of the westerns you told me about. Oh, and we watched a bunch of documentaries too."
"Yeah, but that's not even half of what's out there," The young Avenger pointed out as she brought her phone out. "By the way, what do you feel like eating today?"
"How about Hibachi?"
"Sounds good to me! I'll place the order while you pick a movie. Just go through the list of movies people told you about"
"Alright," Steve said as he got his wallet out to pay. After handing Calliope his credit card, Steve went back to his list. As Calliope moves to her bedroom to place the order, Steve flips to a new page in his notebook. For the most part, the two made good work on crossing out many of the things he needs to learn. The only thing Steve couldn't figure out is why his friend keeps changing the subject when scary movies are brought up. She seems to know quite a bit about them, but she always dodges the question about how many she's seen.
Maybe I should ask, Steve thought himself. It can't hurt to ask.
Back in the '40s, if Bucky was hiding something from him, Steve would off-handley mention something to gauge a reaction from best friend to learn the truth. The brunette always fell for it and Steve would have his answer. However, Calliope is excellent at hiding her true feelings and her facial expressions. Something that annoys Steve to no end. Still, if he wanted to get to the bottom of this he would have to try his luck.
When the Latina reenters the living room to her apartment, she immediately gives her older friend his card. At one point, towards the beginning of their friendship, Calliope tried to argue that they should take turns buying the other food. However, Steve is as stubborn as a mule and refuses to compromise. Thus, the young woman gave up on the cause.
"So, have you picked something?"
"Yeah, I have," Steve carefully said as he watches his friend's reaction from the corner of his eye. "What about Child's Play."
"Child's Play? Oh, you mean Chucky! I mean, if you want to watch a movie about a doll, why not."
"It's about a doll?"
"Si, pues, you know how I told you back in the day they made weird movies? Well, this is one of them."
"Oh," muttered the super-soldier, completely forgetting his original goal. Unknowingly, the blond falls straight into his friend's trap. "So, what about-"
"We could watch Bonnie and Clyde?"
"Bonnie and Clyde?"
"It's about a pair of infamous robbers," Calliope explains to the captain as she jumps onto her couch beside him. "Now doesn't that sound more interesting."
"I guess it does."
"Then it's decided!"
Once the food arrives, the two settle down to watch the movie. It's only halfway through the movie Steve realizes he's been fooled. Still, the story of Bonnie and Clyde is interesting, so he'll wait until the film is finished to ask his question. An hour later as the credits roll, Steve opens a new drink as he eyes Calliope. The female is currently on her second can of Coca-Cola with a smile on her face. The phrase now or never is going through Steve's head. Taking a breath, he goes for it.
"You don't like horror movies do you, Cal?"
"Why would you think that?" The woman asked as she easily redirects the question without giving a definite answer. However, this plays to Steve's advantage for once.
"Whenever I bring one up, you somehow change my mind about watching it."
"No, I don't."
"You did with Chucky," Steve points out with a smile. "You said it's just a movie about a doll."
"Because it is."
"So is Toy Story 1, 2, and 3. Last time I checked we watched that movie a few weeks back."
"It's a good movie. Plus, I thought you would like it considering how similar you are to Woody and Tony is to Buzz."
"I did like the film, and you do have a point about the character's personalities. That doesn't change the fact you refuse to watch Chucky."
"Well- I um... es que..."
"Cal, are you scared of scary movies?"
"... Well, why the heck are they called scary movies if they aren't scary!" Calliope yells at the man as her face flares with a heavy blush. "I mean, it's a creepy doll that goes around killing people. Why would anyone want to watch it! Plus, just think about the number of nightmares you'll have if you watch it!"
Steve couldn't help but laugh at his friend after hearing Calliope's explanation. Out of all the things the woman could find uncomfortable, it's a doll on TV. Calliope, on the other hand, did not find it amusing. She's never been a fan of horror films or Halloween. The closest she gets to the spooky holiday spirit is watching Disney-related Halloween movies. If it isn't PG, then it isn't meant for her.
"Shut up," Calliope wines, throwing a pillow at the old man. "Don't tell anyone, okay."
"Why?"
"Because you'll ruin my reputation!" Calliope shouted, her accent thickening per word. This somehow made the supersoldier laugh even harder at the young woman.
How do you know?
"Yeah, but we basically finished those genres," The pink-eyed woman explained to her older companion. "However, we're still on the classics from the '60s and '70s. Music is a bit easier getting through than movies."
"I'm still amazed you know so many movies," Pepper commented. "Especially Westerns. I didn't think it was your type of movie."
At the moment, the two women find themselves at Avengers Tower in NYC. Steve was busy on a mission with Natasha, so Pepper invited the younger girl over for the weekend. Currently, the science lovers were up in their lab 'causing chaos. Pepper didn't mind so long as they didn't blow up the building. Still, the two women decided it was to stay in the common room near the lab. Only as a precaution.
"Well, to be honest with you, Pep, I only watch them out of sentimentality. That doesn't mean I dislike the genre. I just have a reason behind watching them."
"Do you mind if I ask about the reason behind it?"
"Not at all," promised the Mexican beauty. "My dad loved watching old films. Cantiflas, the comedian, was his favorite for Spanish movies. For American flicks, it was Clint Eastwood. He would sit me down every day to watch these movies when he came home from work. Those are some of the best memories I have of him."
"And your mother?"
"Well, my mom was different. She didn't watch TV as much as my dad. She said it would give her headaches watching the screen for too long. Instead, she liked to knit."
"Did she teach you?"
"No, she never got the chance, but she would let me watch her. She would always hum a tune as she knitted."
Pepper watches the other woman as the guarded expression on her face softens. It isn't often she gets to see Calliope without a stern look to her. Yet, there are times, far and few in between, when the girl smiles. It's not a wide one, but it's just as precious to the redhead.
The mind is an open door.
Another day has come and gone, and Frigga couldn't help but worry. The longer Loki is down in the dungeons, the less of himself he becomes. He's suffering, and like always, he hides it behind his smirk. It doesn't matter how well he tries to hide it because a Mother will always know. Still, there is only so much she can do. Odin refuses to help and Thor is still hurt over the entire ordeal. She's left with no other option than to... unless?
"My lovely wife, what troubles you?" Odin inquires as he enters their bed-chamber. Odin noticed as of late the worry lines on Frigga's forehead, meaning something must be troubling her. "Is there something I can do for you?"
"No," Frigga smiles at her beloved husband. "I believe I have found my solution."
Later that night, Frigga slips out of her bedroom to perform a spell. This spell will connect two individuals while they sleep. Hopefully, this will be the trick that saves her Trickster.
(Dreamworld)
In a laboratory from long ago, a young woman relives her nightmare. With no one nearby to wake her from the slumber which has overtaken the young woman, all she can do is succumb to it. Frozen in fear, she watches the men strap her down to the metal bed, which hangs over a pit of familiar liquid.
"Begin," a disembodied voice calls over the intercom.
The men in the hazmats begin to lower Calliope in a concoction of radiation. The scientist hopes this will empower the girl to become an unstoppable weapon more powerful than any soldier in existence. If their experiment succeeds, this girl will become a slave to their organization. All she needs to do is live through the night.
As the radiation touches the skin of Calliope, she begins to cry out in pain. However, no one in the room felt any pity as they fully lower her into the pit. Thankfully, she no longer needs to breathe, but unfortunately, leaving her mouth and nostrils without a cover does nothing to help her as the liquid seeps in.
"ARGHHH!"
Pain is the only thing she can feel. Calliope's entire body felt like it was burning so hot that it made her feel cold. She could see her body coming apart and her blood mixing in with the radiation. Black dots begin to swim across her vision, and she assumes she's about to faint.
"So I am no more than another stolen relic, locked up here until you might have use of me," a voice cried out just as Calliope closed her eyes. The voice sounded distraught, angry, hurt, and betrayed. Soon, another voice, gruffer than the last, sounds through the void.
"Why do you twist my words?"
Confused by the voices appearing in this particular memory, speaking about things she does not know of, Calliope begins to fight back. Once she breaks her restraints, the body of the girl transforms into that of a woman, her current form. Slowly, her world fades to black as she searches out the voices through the abyss.
"You could have told me what I was from the beginning," The same broken voice from before calls out. "Why didn't you?"
"You are my son. My blood. I wanted only to protect you from the truth."
In the distance appears a golden door. Calliope runs as fast as she can to reach the person inside. She can feel their pain. While she physically suffers, this man agonizes emotionally.
"Because I am the monster parents tell their children about at night?"
"Don't..." "
It all makes sense now. Why you favored Thor all these years."
Thor? Does this person know Thor? She needs to find out. She has to reach this man in time to save him.
"Listen..."
WAIT!
"Because no matter how much you claim to "love" me, you could never have a Frost Giant sitting on the Throne of Asgard!"
Bursting through the doors, she finds Loki kneeling down beside his Father, calling for help. Now she understands what's happening. This is the day Loki transformed into the man he is today. The day he finds out the truth behind his heritage. But why can she see this? Does he even know she's here?
At the same time Calliope thought this, Loki looked up from his father. He was about to call the guards when he noticed the woman instead. Soon, clarity enters the tricksters' mind as he realizes the realm around him is nothing more than a memory. Nonetheless, this is not a memory meant for others to see.
Loki stands up from his place beside Odin as their world bleeds into any empty room he does not recognize. Noticing the shock crossing the woman's face, it's clear to Loki that Calliope has nothing to do with their situation.
"What's going on?" the hero asked the former prince. "Can you see me?"
"Yes, I can. However, I do not know what has caused this," Loki responds as he becomes his present self. "It seems we are stuck in my memories-"
"Well, not exactly," interrupts the female. "Sorry… I interrupted, but um-, I was actually having a nightmare, and I heard voices. So I broke free and came here."
"A nightmare? You were sleeping then?"
"To be honest, I still think I am."
"That would make sense," the man mutters to himself. "I must have fallen asleep as well while I was reading."
"Great, we're both taking a nap. Fantastic, but how are we speaking to each other? Is this even real?"
"Yes and no."
"Huh?"
"Yes, in a way, this is all real. However, it is only real in our minds," explained Loki as he walks closer to the Avenger. She doesn't back away, so he approaches her until a foot of space stands between them. "Somehow, our subconscious has been linked by an outside source."
"Then how do we stop it?"
"I don't know."
As the two stand in front of the other, insecurities begin to rise. Their minds, although hostile at times, is the one place they could hide within. Now, they must face the one person who can possibly destroy their mind.
"Will we always meet when we… sleep?"
"I suppose only time will tell," Loki reluctantly replies to his foe.
"I-"
BRRIIINNNNGGGGGG
"AHHHHHH!" The raven-haired woman yells as she shoots up from her bed. Looking around frantically, Calliope finds her alarm clock ringing on her bedside table. Turning it off, the young hero realizes she's no longer with Loki but in her S.H.I.E.L.D. Academy dorm room.
"What in the world was that?"
5 senses
"Careful, don't die now," jokes the pink-eyed woman as she pats the older man's back. Currently, the two were resting in Calliope's apartment in Washington D.C. when the girl managed to convince Clint to try real Mexican food. To her delight, he liked it more than the cheap crap he bought the other day. Although the archer still refused to use the homemade salsa Calliope made the other day. However, he did try the Horchata. That's how they found themselves in their current situation. Clint somehow found a way to choke on the sweet beverage.
"Yeah, -HACK- because I'm planning on -AHEM- doing that," Clint sarcastically replies as he gets his coughing under control. "By the way, thanks for the help."
"Sorry, hun, but there ain't much I can do," shrugs Calliope. "If you keel over, I can't exactly give you mouth to mouth. I don't breathe."
"Fair enough."
The two return to a comfortable silence as they ate. However, something was still bothering the archer. Clint wanted to ask, but he didn't quite know how to go about it. The last thing he wants is to offend the girl.
"What's up?" Calliope asked, startling the man out of his thoughts.
"What-? nothing!"
"Then why are you staring?"
He indeed was staring at the 18-year-old.
"Well, something has been bothering me for a while now."
"Do share."
"Can you smell anything?"
"Yes, yes I can. Why do you ask?"
"Well, you can't breathe, but you can smell things. It's a bit of a contradiction, isn't it?"
"I can understand why you would think so, but I think you have a misunderstanding about how the sense of smell works."
"Alright, so explain."
"Well," Calliope began before pausing. She had learned this particular fact years ago, so she's having a bit of difficulty remembering. "From what I was told years ago, it has to do with the particles in the air. RIGHT, so basically, the brain and nose work together, so when the particles enter the roof of your nose, that's how you smell things. Breathing simply helps the process."
"Ah, so that means you can smell things like the rest of us?"
"Well, kind of. I can smell things, and I have to say my sense of smell isn't terrible, but I wouldn't compare it to an average human."
"Meaning?"
"Well, I would rate it below average. Like I said, breathing does help when it comes to smelling 'cause you take in more particles."
"Huh, I guess that would make sense," Clint murmurs as an idea pops into mind. "So, if I were to take my shoes-"
"Don't you dare!"