Chapter seventeen
In plain sight
Thor had very little time to process everything he had learnt in so little time, but his brother was alive and he was fighting on his side. They had fought together against Malekith, but he wasn't so sure Loki would have had it not been for Kurse killing their mother. Otherwise his brother had no reason to help him or be trusted…as far as he could be. Now…his brother and his friend Darcy had some sort of relationship. Were they friends? Oh, no matter, there were more important things to worry about and that involved saving the realms yet again.
He rarely grew tired of it, but he wished they wouldn't need saving.
"So…where do we even start?" Darcy asked.
"We could ask the Norns for help, or perhaps even Hel, the—" Thor started.
"Yeah, yeah, I know all of the above. How are we going to get there?" Darcy asked.
"Guys, there are GIANT BLUE GUYS MARCHING DOWN THIS CORRIDOR RIGHT NOW!" Fitz yelled, backing away.
Thor turned around to see Frost Giants moving towards them, undoubtedly heading towards the throne room. Or what used to be the throne room. He started swinging Mjölnir, but the Frost Giants stopped in their tracks and made a gesture to stop him.
"Son of Odin, we hold no quarrel with you this day; we only wish to join the fight against those who have taken our Princess," one of them said.
Thor stopped and frowned. "You will fight with us?" Thor asked.
"We know that the fate of all the realms rest in fighting together to save them; are we not all a branch of the great tree?" Another Frost Giant said. He held out his hand. "A truce, son of Odin? We have made one such one with your brother already and he is far more trickier so."
Loki had met with them already?
"Heyyy, I recognise you. Your Princess is alive, by the way, we were just about to go and find them," Darcy said.
"You are the trickster's companion…you speak the truth? Is Princess Embyr alive?" The Jotunn asked.
"Yes, she is. Hopefully still will be by the time we find her. I'm Darcy, by the way. Darcy Lewis, of Earth…or Midgard, as you guys call it," Darcy said.
"I am Aurvandil, of Jotunheim," he responded. He looked at his companions before looking back at Darcy, Thor and Fitz. "I would like to join you."
"The more the merrier, but we should hurry. How did you get here?" Darcy asked.
"Through the secret passage," Aurvandil said.
He turned to his companions and they nodded, carrying on down the corridor to join the fight. A few moments later, Fire Giants also came down the corridor and stopped.
"Hey! I remember you guys too! The little girl that was killed? Hemr…she's alive! We're going to go and rescue her and the others," Darcy said.
"Hemr is alive?" One of the giants from the back asked, pushing his way to the front. "I am her father; will you let me assist you?"
"Indeed, friend, but we must go this instant, we have stopped to talk enough," Thor said, growing restless.
The other Fire Giants followed on in the direction they had been going in while Thor and his growing group of allies made their way out again.
"Are there any passages to Niflheim?" Darcy asked. "Wait, the Norns can just appear anywhere…hey, Norns! Verdandi? Urd? Skuld? We need your help!"
"Oh?" A voice called out.
Thor turned around to see Skuld there. "Skuld…we wish to know where the ones who have been taken are," Thor asked.
"Is that all you have?" Peter Quill asked.
"Excuse me?" Tony asked, blasting another blue alien away as he landed near to the one named Peter Quill.
"Put on a bit of Blue Suede, at the very least," Peter said.
"Who?" Tony asked.
You don't know Blue Suede? Oh, come ON!" Peter yelled.
"Alright, what song?" Tony asked, blasting a H.Y.D.R.A. agent out of the way.
"Hooked on a feeling," Peter said.
Suddenly the song was blasting from his suit and it had a strange start. Tony sincerely hoped that it got better. He flew up into the air as agents with hoverpacks littered the airwaves. Tony took a moment to scan the skies; Asgardians in flying little boat things, little space ships, other flying people…and suddenly a swarm of star-like ships came flying in from the direction of the big golden globe at the end of the rainbow bridge. Tony had seriously wondered what he had been drinking when he took in the big picture that was Asgard. Thor's home. Loki's home. And people said he acted like he was entitled, spoilt…all sorts of things. Just look at this place. One golden tower alone would end world hunger. Possibly.
"Rhomann! What are you guys doing here?" Peter asked into whatever communicator he had.
"Okay, so you want to fight the guys that the dudes in the long boats are fighting. Yeah, those ones, blast the bastards," Peter said.
"Friends of yours?" Tony asked. "Where are you all from, anyway?"
"The Andromeda galaxy. Rhomann and the other guys are from Xandar. Let's just say, they don't like Ronan and his stupid Kree fanatics either," Peter said.
"Kree…the blue people?" Tony asked.
"Yeah," Peter said. "Are you from Earth?"
"Yep, there's a mix of humans and Asgardians here, generally if they're wearing medieval clothing, they're Asgardian," Tony said.
"I was born on Earth…" Peter said, ducking out of the way of one of Groot's arms stretching over to grab a bad agent. "But I was abducted when I was like eight."
"Tough break," Tony said, blasting another agent out of the way.
"I didn't realise Earth had robot suits these days," Peter said, blasting a few more agents.
"They don't. I do. I made it myself," Tony said.
"Neat," Peter said.
"They are on Midgard…I would hurry, their usefulness is nearly at an end," Skuld told them. "Heimdall fights near the Observatory…he is letting allies in, he will let you down to Midgard."
"Thanks, Skuld, you rock," Darcy said. She smiled and disappeared. "Why couldn't she zap us there?"
"The Norns are observers of fates…they cannot get too involved. They have the power to end existence, and yet cannot use it," Thor replied.
"The world works in mysterious ways. Oh well. Let's goooo!" Darcy said, as they raced out of the palace and towards the Observatory. "Damn, can we go any faster?"
"Darcy, climb onto my back and hold on," Thor said.
Darcy did as she was told and he picked Fitz up before he zoomed through the air faster than anything she had travelled on. When they landed, she fell off and looked around. The two giants had just reached them.
Heimdall was already operating the Bifrost while a few Fire Giants stood guard so the gatekeeper could carry on bringing more allies in. The latest to come through the Bifrost was none other than Bruce Banner and Clint Barton.
"Dr. Banner, Clint Barton, it is nice to see you, how does Midgard fair?" Thor asked.
"There are very few agents still on Earth…Agent Coulson thought it best for us to join you here," Clint said.
"Hopefully being here won't mess around with the other guy," Bruce said.
"It'll be fine," Darcy said. "He has plenty of people to fight…we have allies from all over, so the tall blue guys with the red eyes are on our side, same for the red ones. Just talk to Loki or someone."
She saw Clint look stony at that, but it's not like he had a choice. She followed Thor into the Observatory and watched him request passage. Soon they were flying through the strange, colourful and very fast rollercoaster ride that was Asgard's space travel. Darcy liked it more than flying with Thor. When they landed, she saw Fitz stare up at the sky and she knew those eyes anywhere…those were science eyes.
Then those science eyes turned into freaked out eyes because, holy shit, they were standing on nothing in the air.
"We're on the ship…it is…" Fitz started, but he seemed a little lost for words. "GUYS! Open up!"
The ship materialised and it opened up a hatch, which Fitz climbed down into and then she did. It was a little comical seeing Thor trying to get inside, then two giants. She turned around to see Agent Coulson there.
"Are they our friends?" Agent Coulson asked.
"Yeah, yeah, new allies. Aurvandil and Alfr, a Frost Giant from Jotunheim and a Fire Giant from Muspelheim, respectively," Darcy introduced.
Aurvandil held out his arm before hitting his chest lightly in a horizontal fashion and Alfr put his hand to his chest.
"And this is Agent Coulson, of Earth…or Midgard, as you call it," Darcy said.
"It's nice to meet you. Miss. Lewis, is there a particular reason you're all back here? How are the others?" Agent Coulson asked.
"Agent May is fine, as are the other Avengers. As far as I have seen, there's been no major injuries on the ground, though I haven't seen much of what was going on in the air. Asgard is literally littered with H.Y.D.R.A. and the Kree, those blue guys. They had also taken control of Thor, but thankfully Loki hit him over the head," Darcy said. "As for why we're here, the nine missing people are here somewhere…would you help us find them?"
"Of course. H.Y.D.R.A. all seem to have gone to Asgard…no reports of anymore attacks here," Agent Coulson said.
"That is good to hear, my friend. Asgard has better ways to protect its people now, and with the attack all in one place it is easier to focus our attentions there," Thor said.
"Any ideas how we can find the nine who are missing?" Darcy asked.
"Skye's been working on it, so far nothing, but perhaps we will do better now," Agent Coulson said.
"They say more heads are better than one," Darcy said. She saw Coulson's expression. "Bad choice of words. Okay. Let's go."
Loki couldn't deny that there was a part of him that enjoyed all of this. It was all so chaotic and the life or death situation only helped to make him fight harder. Not for himself, not because he had some sickly-sweet love for the universe that made him want to save it…but for Darcy. Funny, caring Darcy. The girl who fell in love with a monster, but…he wanted to change that. Loki wanted to be better. For her. She had grown up far away from the pressured life of a not-even-second-born son.
He had left the man with the blue skin and red markings to fight Ronan with a few others after being attacked by the angry blue woman with no hair. He parried her attacks and followed them up with ones of his own, oddly spurred on by the music Iron Man blasted from his suit. Honestly, he was a man bound to inappropriate tendencies…Loki found that oddly amusing and relatable. Loki blocked another hit with his left arm and pulled her robotic arm backwards, using his right hand to bring up the gauntlet and smash the arm right off.
Nebula lurched back with a yell of fury and continued to attack him expertly. Loki wouldn't deny that she was a good fighter; even with only one arm, she still put up quite a fight. The fight had been going on for a while; they had attacked and parried without much effect. They were both quite quick fighters and although their styles differed, they were similar enough to cause the other a problem.
"Once I knock you out, I'm taking you to Thanos…he will be especially interested to see what you have," Nebula hissed, landing a blow across his face.
Loki stood up and brushed away the blood from his mouth and grinned at her; he wouldn't admit that Thanos was one of the very few people in the universe that scared him.
"Oh? Do you think you scare me? Only I can use this gauntlet and its gems…they will die with me," Loki said, holding out his arms and she landed a kick as she growled. He stood up laughing.
"Thanos could make you…" Nebula said with a nasty grin.
Loki held up his wrist and the Mind Gem shone a little. "I think I am immune to his mind games now," Loki said with a wink.
He could tell that she was none too pleased in the way she went on to fight him fiercer than ever.
It was rather fun, really.
Though all good things must come to an end; after a particularly hard hit he landed on her, she decided it was high time that she got back into her little ship and attempt to get away. However, Loki suddenly saw a huge green form jump onto it and smash it down into the ground with his weight alone. The Hulk. He couldn't help but swallow at the sight of him, but at least now they were on the same side. The Hulk pulled the ship apart and threw Nebula across the room before taking one look at Loki and grunting.
"Puny God…" He growled, but not in a threatening manner.
Loki rolled his eyes.
"I've got it!" Skye exclaimed.
"Awesome!" Darcy said. "Where are they?"
Skye pulled up a map and it zoomed in until it came up with the location. "There," Skye said.
"On it. Agent Triplett, Skye is patching through the co-ordinates now," Agent Coulson said.
Darcy was excited; they were getting closer to their goal. "How long will it take to get there?" Darcy asked.
"Not long; now, unless one of you have a way to speed up the ship…" Agent Coulson joked.
"Sadly that is not within my power, but I am sure your Midgardian vessel will do just fine. Loki is not here to damage it," Thor said humorously, making Agent Coulson laugh.
"I think he'd actually speed it up if he were here," Darcy said. "But I'll accept your insult of my boyfriend this time; he did fuck a load of shit up."
Thor looked at Darcy. "Boyfriend? You and he are courting?" Thor asked.
Oops.
"Uhh…well. Actually, we haven't really properly talked about our relationship status, I just got a bit ahead of myself there…I have no filter," Darcy said. "We're…involved." She made wiggly eyebrow motions that Thor didn't seem to understand. Goddamned aliens. "We're having sex. Only, I confessed my love for him a while ago and…he kinda did the same a little while ago…but we haven't had the talk yet so it could have been a heat of the moment kind of thing."
"Oh, Darcy Lewis, I have never known Loki to speak without much thought; I do believe, if he has spoken those words, then he meant them," Thor said.
Darcy felt a warm feeling inside her and she couldn't help the little giggle. It so wasn't like her. "Okay, so, back to business," Darcy said.
It took them maybe half an hour, but they arrived in some place she didn't recognise and they readied themselves to disembark.
"Darcy, you—" Thor started.
"If you tell me to stay here, then you're so not going there. I have been managing quite well until now. Gawd, you and Loki need to calm the hell down," Darcy said. "Though I did leave my blaster on Asgard…"
Agent Coulson handed her another blaster, this one quite big too, a little heavier than the other one, but useful nonetheless. She was also handed another pistol-type gun.
"This, ironically, was used to blast your boyfriend back when he was taking his God-sized tantrum, it was designed based off the data we retrieved from Asgard's Destroyer…I'm sure you remember that," Agent Coulson informed her.
Darcy snorted when he spoke of the tantrum and grimaced when she remembered the giant robot. "Oh, I remember. All too well. It still visits me in my sleep saying Hasta la vista, baby. And this?" Darcy asked.
"Night Night gun, knocks them out," Agent Coulson said. "Knocks humans out, anyway."
"Cool, okay, shall we go?" Darcy asked.
Agent Coulson talked to a few agents and gave Skye a Night Night gun before sending them off. Darcy hoped to high hell (oh, oops, sorry Hel!) that they managed to get all nine of them back without any problems. She could tell that the two giants were raring to go; they were flexing their fingers and everything as they walked. They entered the strangely ordinary yet rather creepy building and she was infinitely glad that Thor had taken the front and the giants were behind, leaving Darcy, Skye and Fitz in the middle. Watching Thor from behind made her think about how different he and Loki were; Thor walked like a bear ready to strike at any moment and Loki walked more gracefully, in a way where you just couldn't predict when he would lash out.
After walking through many corridors and empty rooms, they came out into a large room where there were nine people sat in a circle. It only just occurred to Darcy as Thor started making mincemeat out of the H.Y.D.R.A. agents that nine was three lots of three, which fit very well into H.Y.D.R.A.'s specs. It was like the nine planets were made for the group. Obviously they knew more about the other realms than most people on this planet did. It irked her that such corruption was so deeply rooted in an organisation for good.
The giants made quick work of the agents while Darcy, Skye and Fitz took a look at the nine in the middle.
"Jemma!" Fitz said, coming to her side, but the woman didn't seem to be responding.
"They must be under some mind control…" Darcy said. "Maybe the sceptre?"
Apparently there weren't many people guarding the nine abducted females. Darcy watched Aurvandil walk up to who was clearly the tallest of the females, Embyr she would assume, and kneel down next to her. She wondered what their relationship was.
"Wait, is that the sceptre?" Skye asked, pointing at the wall behind Thor.
It was there, in plain sight, lying horizontally on two little stands.
Awfully strange place to hide it.
Darcy frowned.
