My friends, sometimes you just write something because you need some unbridled happiness for yourself. This is that chapter. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do!

(Also, I borrowed an incredibly minor Marvel villain for this one rather than invent somebody out of whole cloth, but this is their one and only appearance so don't take it too seriously.)

Also, because I can't help myself, the theme for tonight's chapter is "Rainbow Connection" by Kermit and I am not one tiny bit sorry. I don't care if you live in a world where somebody else wrote the song. Kermit wrote it and that is my reality and I like it here.

Enjoy!


Story 2: Probably Magic: Adventures in Loki-Sitting


"It should be illegal for Halloween to be on a Monday. Every time Halloween falls on a school night is just like a big cheat or something."

Peter snorted. "Ned, that's how calendars work. Besides, the Stark Industries party was just yesterday and we were there for the whole thing. So it's not like we missed out on anything."

"Yeah, I know." There was a pause. Then, "I'm really sorry I can't be your Guy in the Chair tonight."

Peter shook his head even though Ned couldn't see it over the phone call. "It's fine. I've got KAREN with me, and Tony will be checking in all night, too. Don't worry about it."

"I mean, if you really need me, I could tell my parents I can't go do family time with my cousins. Or I could pretend to be sick."

"Dude. No. It's fine."

Peter didn't want to admit that he was kind of okay with being on his own for the evening. It was the Saturday before Halloween, so sure to be a weird one in the city with people getting a little wilder than usual. And, since May had only let up on Peter's grounding the weekend before, he hadn't really had much time to be Spider-Man lately.

As much fun as it was to have Ned in his ear, nights like this where things could get a little more intense were better without the distraction. For everybody's sake.

Ned huffed a deep sigh. "Well, okay. Next time, though, right?"

Peter smiled. "Definitely. Say hi to your parents for me, okay?"

"I will. Later, Peter."

"Ned has disconnected," KAREN told Peter.

"Yep." He straightened up from his couch. The sun had just set, which left a lot of night ahead of him. "Anything on the scanners?"

"Scanning."

Peter drew in a breath of the chilly October air. There was something in it that made him feel alive. A year ago, he had spent Halloween stealing the bits and pieces from Tony's lab for his web shooters and his mask; now he had a suit made by Tony Stark with his own AI, and Spider-Man had come out of the shadows. He still had the No-Seeing Eye on him, but not so he could hide from JARVIS, May, Tony, and everyone else — instead, he had permission to use it as an extra layer of stealth and secrecy if necessary. He just had to let Tony know before and after he activated it and where he was in case he dropped off their radar for whatever Tony decided was "too long."

He also had to check in with May if she wasn't working — and Tony if she was — every hour. JARVIS had at least two different Iron Legion suits ready to launch from the Queens workshop in case of emergency regardless of how many Avengers were actually in the city (or the neighborhood; Peter had definitely spotted more than one lurking in his area in the last week). And KAREN sent reports to JARVIS, Tony, Aunt May, Miss Pepper, and probably the rest of the Avengers of everything he did or saw. It was a slightly unsettling level of oversight, but Peter could live with it.

He would have agreed to pretty much anything if they let him keep being Spider-Man.

"I have received a report from social media of a lost dog," KAREN said. "Follow-up posts suggest that the dog was inside a car that was stolen within the last hour."

"Okay, we're definitely going after that," he decided, settling fully into the Spider-Man role for the night. "Nobody steals a dog from its family on my watch."

Spider-Man was about to launch a web when his instincts flared.

He spun around, shifting into a defensive position and getting ready to jump.

A hand closed around his arm.

"You're slipping, child."

"Loki!"

Loki smirked, barely illuminated by the city lights in a way that made Spider-Man think he was deliberately concealing himself with magic. He wore his simple green and black leathers, the toned down choice he made when he wasn't throwing fireballs during a training session.

"You ought to have perceived me far sooner," Loki chided. "A month away and already you have forgotten so much of my instruction?"

"N-no," Spider-Man said. "I just wasn't expecting you." He paused, considered. "Is this really when your month is officially up?"

"Indeed. I little realized how tedious Asgard can be until I was banned from Midgard entirely."

"I'm really sorry you got in trouble because of me," Spider-Man said.

"Peter, I got in trouble because of me, and I would thank you to remember that," Loki said, scowling. "I will not have you taking credit or blame for my acts."

"Okay." Spider-Man shifted around on his feet. "So, I was kind of hoping to patrol, but if you wanted to train a little while first, we could probably do that."

"Even with your mask you are a terrible liar," Loki said. "How is it that your entire planet has not yet learned your identity?" He shook his head. "No. This night, now that I can again set foot upon one of my own realms, I believe I shall simply indulge myself."

"What exactly does that mean?"

"It means I am coming with you."

"Oh. Um. Okay. But…"

Loki crossed his arms. "You have concerns."

"I have...yeah, okay. Two." Spider-Man would have rubbed the back of his neck but stopped himself; he had finally gotten the seam to lie flat so it didn't bunch up against his spine. "First, I'll have to tell Tony about it because I promised and I am so not ready to get grounded again."

"You may inform your guardian. And the second?"

Spider-Man cleared his throat awkwardly. "You're still not...I mean, nobody has said anything publicly, so I kind of assume that the UN hasn't done anything, so people might see you and still think you're an evil bad guy."

At this, Loki smirked. "You shall see me as I am, Spider-Child. All others will see as I wish them to see."

"Oh. Uh, okay. I'll just call Tony then. KAREN?"

KAREN pulled up the contact inside Peter's mask. "Calling Tony Stark."

Tony answered at once. "Hey, kid. Everything okay?"

"Yeah, it's fine. Just, uh, Loki's here and he wants to come patrolling with me?"

"KAREN," Tony said, "transfer the call to Peter's phone and put it on speaker for me, will you?"

"Routing call."

Spider-Man pulled his phone out of one of the surprising number of hidden pockets on his suit and held it out. "Okay, Tony."

"Back in town, Chaotic Neutral?" Tony asked.

Spider-Man snorted at the reference.

Loki raised an eyebrow. "I have abided by our agreement, Stark."

"Yeah, I know that. Actually, I didn't think you were good for it. So, nice change of pace. Anyway."

"Your child is safe in my care," Loki said. "On that you have my word, Craftsman."

"Actually, I know that, too," Tony said. "You might be lying about other things, but not about the kid and I appreciate it. I guess if you two want to have a playdate, go for it. But the minute, I mean literally the instant Spider-Man gets in over his head, I'm expecting you both to back out and call the Avengers. You hear me, Mister Wizard?"

"I will not permit the child to enter into danger beyond what he can manage with ease," Loki said. "And I will employ no magics to cut you off from him unless there is no choice in order to ensure his safety."

"I'll be okay, Tony," Spider-Man was quick to put in. "And I'll let you know everywhere we go."

"You better, kid. All right. Have a nice...romp…hang out...whatever, outing together, you two. I'll be keeping an eye out. Stay out of trouble."

"Mister Stark has disconnected," KAREN told them.

"I guess we're going on patrol, then," Spider-Man said, grinning.

"Indeed. Where to, then?" Loki asked.

"We," Spider-Man said, excitement and heroic fire relit in his chest, "have a dog to save."

-==OOO==-

Loki had made countless forays into the realms under Asgard throughout his life. Sometimes at the side of Thor and his friends, seeking out or 'inadvertently' finding a battle to satisfy Thor's constant need to prove himself. He had also ventured to the realms alone at least as often, seeking his own satisfaction of knowledge, hidden magics, paths that led between worlds remembered by none but himself, or simply a chance to amuse himself. He was not the God of Mischief for nothing, after all, and it had long settled his wandering spirit to find a place to make trouble.

Only Loki, and perhaps Odin and Heimdall, knew how many of those troubles he caused were played upon those deserving of his tricks and how many were played against the innocent. But, looking back at his history, Loki could content himself with knowing that he had at least done no more harm than good — for the most part.

It was strange to think about doing that which was right for strangers, and yet with the safety and stewardship of Asgard and the Nine Realms in his hands, he must. It was a burden Loki had not expected to care for, and in some ways he did not. So many amongst the realms were petty, cruel, selfish — unworthy of his regard or his efforts, and for them he would not lift a finger. But there were others who were better.

There were mothers who protected their children from nightmares and scoundrels. There were siblings who stood proud against the world for the sake of one another. There were warriors who sought not glory and praise, but the safety of their loved ones. There were rulers who put the well-being of their people ahead of the gold in their coffers.

For them, for those who hoped for peace or lived in kindness, Loki could shake himself of his habitual selfishness and do better. As he now fully understood should have been done for him.

Before Loki had felt betrayed by Odin, before all the rage and pain of his life could be laid at the fact of his birth, he would have fought and died for his family without question. Once that truth was learned, for a time, he hated them all. He lost the clarity of knowing what was worthy, what had meaning. His hurt and his grief kept him from weighing anything as he should have and drove him to act with the cruelty of rage that burned in his chest. But after the Convergence, Odin had spoken to him with contrition, finally recognizing the pain he had caused, beginning to see more clearly at last the shadow that had covered Loki for his whole life.

It changed the course of all that Loki would become, interrupted his plans to steal the throne and allowed him to take it with Odin's blessing — and with his respect. And that ray of light to warm and banish Loki's shadowed life had birthed others.

Loki had not known how much he needed to know not that he could prove himself, but that he was approved of. Not until Odin and Heimdall had willingly gifted him Asgard for a time. Not until Heimdall looked at him and supported his decisions as a ruler. Not until Odin summoned him to Midgard for a task only Loki could do, and affirmed his own admiration for Loki's efforts. And then Odin (and the Avengers) began the truly monumental task of explaining to Thor, in very small words, what he must unlearn as well.

That was an ongoing process, but at least it was happening.

And now, as Loki flitted through the Midgardian night after Peter Starkson, Loki could only count the boy as another of those rays of light. Peter was still so unfailingly kind and courageous, ridiculous and enthusiastic and impossibly noble — far more so than Thor had ever been — and willing to gift Loki his trust in spite of all Loki had done to his world. The Avengers, too, had been once his enemies, then his adversaries-turned-reluctant-allies, and now Loki found himself increasingly...well, 'fond' was a strong word. Perhaps 'appreciative' of them would suit. Particularly Stark, the Lady Spider, the Falcon, Banner, and Clint Barton. They were worthy allies, reliable in battle, but entertaining in quiet moments also.

Loki would not assume any of them would consider him a friend, and he did not require that they do so. He was content with having somewhat earned their trust. That was, in many ways, more than he had ever earned from Thor's friends in Asgard.

All of which led him to tonight, bounding across buildings after the Spider-Child in pursuit of, of course, a lost canine companion. Peter remained ever constant, innocent and odd, even in the guise of Spider-Man.

It was charming and wonderful, and Loki would burn a world to the ground to preserve it.

Spider-Man stopped atop a tall structure, and Loki drew up beside him. "Have you located the missing pet, then?" he asked.

"No." Peter shook his head. The mask might hide his expression from mortal eyes, but Loki could perceive through the armor Stark had crafted enough to know that Peter was frowning. "I thought if we could track the car we might find him. But the car is down there."

Loki looked and saw a dingy building that would serve better if it were knocked down entirely.

"An unpleasant place," he commented.

"KAREN scanned it and she thinks it might be a chop shop."

Loki raised an eyebrow.

"When people steal cars, they cut them up and sell the pieces off so they can pretend that they weren't stolen," he explained.

"Ah. Then shall we perhaps interrupt these criminals and see who can lead us to your lost dog?"

The child fidgeted. "I'm not sure chop shops are on the list of what I'm allowed to do without the Avengers. And I'm trying really hard not to get in trouble right now."

Loki rolled his eyes. "Then I shall assist. I will render them all unconscious and you may enter at no risk to yourself. Stark cannot object to that."

"Wow. Thanks!"

Loki nodded and descended from the height, pulling invisibility around him with practiced ease. He entered the 'chop shop' silently, finding it infinitely more filthy on the inside than it had appeared from above. Half a dozen grungy men worked banging metal and sawing and other manner of crafting that was all quite noisy and apparently illegal. It was the work of a few moments to cast a deep sleep upon them all. Loki ensured that there was no one missed by his enchantment before he stepped outside and looked upwards.

Peter dropped to his side. "That was easy."

"Such magic is simple enough even you could master it," Loki said.

"I could?"

Loki knew the sound of Peter's eagerness well, and he resolved to return to the topic again when they were not on a quest, humble as it might be. "The dog?"

"Oh, right! Did you find it?"

"I did not look for it," Loki answered.

"Okay. Let's go!"

Spider-Man entered the building and immediately followed the KAREN voice to a door which led elsewhere; Loki had not explored it other than to sense no Midgardians beyond, so he followed with his own senses extended for danger.

"Oh my gosh!"

Peter darted forward, pushing some boxes aside to reveal three small cages, each holding a shivering canine.

"It's okay," he soothed. "Good dogs. I won't hurt you." He laid his hands upon the bars of the cage and the dog within whined and leaned against it.

Loki knew the eyes of a being that had been hurt, and a certain rage churned in his stomach.

"This is the lost dog," Peter said. "And the other two were reported missing, too. I wonder why they have them."

Loki very nearly suggested that he wake one of the criminals to ask them — he had no compunction against gaining information by whatever means would induce it — but stopped himself. The Spider-Child would almost certainly object even if Loki did not use his most aggressive (or permanently damaging) techniques.

Instead, he said, "Can not KAREN scan the electronics and learn what they may have done?"

"Oh, good idea!" Peter ran to the nearby computer and turned it on, muttering under his breath to KAREN.

Loki stepped closer to the dogs. The two besides that Peter had been seeking were thin, underfed, and both had minor injuries.

"Despicable," he said. He reached down and broke open the first cage, then the other two. Afterwards, he conjured a trough of water and another containing the simple foods they fed hunting dogs on Asgard when they were ill or injured, hoping it would be mild enough for their Midgardian brethren.

All three dogs fell upon the food eagerly.

"I found it." Peter's voice was low, and Loki looked up. "They were selling them to a dog-fighting ring."

He sounded upset, so Loki supposed this sport must be a harmful one. "Do you know where?" he asked.

He nodded. "Yeah. Can we...can we go stop it, please?"

"Have KAREN contact Stark or your Midgardian authorities first," Loki advised. "Stark will be angry if we do not keep our promise for you to inform him of your activities. And these men should be punished for their acts."

"And then the dogs can go home." Spider-Man brightened at that. "Okay." Then he noticed what Loki had done. "Wow. You fed them. That's really nice of you."

Loki shrugged. "It was an effort that cost me nothing, and I mislike seeing creatures callously hurt."

"Me, too." And Peter's voice was low and sad.

"Go outside and make your reports to Stark," Loki said. "I will ensure they finish their meal and remove whatever they leave so your authorities will see the situation as they should."

"Okay." Spider-Man trusted Loki so thoroughly, he didn't consider why Loki needed to be alone for such a task.

Which, of course, he did not. Instead, he needed to be alone for something else altogether.

Loki adjusted the spell used to conjure the troughs to vanish when the next mortal entered the room and left the dogs to their food and water and freedom. Then he made his way back into the larger space where the men responsible for this mistreatment remained asleep.

"Your own laws will punish you," he said to them. "But consider this a warning from me."

And he summoned a nightmare spell. It would hold to these men and visit them in every rest until they truly regretted their actions. Until then, they would dream of the pain and humiliation they had inflicted on those dogs and others.

It was a spell Loki had learned after it was used upon him by some angry dwarves, and so Loki knew well its power. It was no more than these Midgardians deserved, and he left them to their dreams without a backward glance.

Loki rejoined Peter upon the building nearby.

"Okay," he said. "Tony's going to call in the tip and says it's okay to do the dog-fighting ring but he's going to monitor because sometimes those operations are big and the people who do them tend to have a lot of guns for some reason."

Loki raised an eyebrow, surprised. "He is trusting you with that much?"

"Uh, I think he's actually trusting you."

Loki didn't smile, but it was a near thing. "Then I shall strive to deserve it. Let us away."

They traveled across the city to an area not at all far from where Loki and Peter trained in the abandoned buildings. This time, Loki opted to transform and fly at Peter's side as a crow. And if he interrupted Peter's momentum periodically, or got in the way of his webs, at least the boy was getting quicker still about making mid-air adjustments before he slammed into something unyielding.

Even if Peter did say it was 'cheating.'

Before they got too close, Loki darted in front of him, forcing Spider-Man to dodge quickly to the side and roll on the nearest roof to stop his fall.

"What was that for?" he demanded, getting up.

Loki landed beside him and returned to his Aesir form.

"There is something amiss here," he said. It was a taste on the air, peppery and sharp. "More than Midgardians with weapons."

"What kind of 'amiss' are we talking about? Like, end of the world stuff?"

"No, nothing like that," Loki assured him quickly. "But I believe we must be cautious to begin with."

He considered for a moment.

"Call Stark."

"O-okay." Peter drew out his phone and held it up.

"Everything okay, kid?" came Stark's voice at once.

"He is fine," Loki said. "But I sense a pulse of magic in the area of this...dog-fighting ring. I intend to cloak us both from all forms of perception. To be thorough, you will lose access to the child's artificial watcher."

"Not sure I'm happy about that, to be honest," Stark said. "How about I come join you, just in case?"

"You don't have to do that, Tony," Peter said, his youth clear in his petulant tone. "We can handle it."

"I know you can," Stark said. "But like with most things, it's not you I don't trust, Spidey. Or even Nordic Winters over there. It's everybody else."

"Do you have authorization to act as a hero, Stark?" Loki asked pointedly. "Or will your interference continue to complicate our political schemes."

Stark swore, and Loki smirked at Peter.

"I guess there would be a reason to have made you an Avenger, kid," he grumbled. "You'd be stuck twiddling your thumbs like the rest of us. The only ones in the clear right now are Rhodey and the Maximoffs. Barnes isn't an Avenger, but he's internationally wanted, so that's not helpful."

"And Thor," Peter piped up.

"Not Thor," Loki said. "This is not a moment for repeatedly hitting things with a hammer."

"And Rhodey's upgraded suit isn't close to ready yet." Loki could hear the consternation in Stark's voice. "I am seriously tempted to send the twins in, or just come myself and damn the consequences."

"Tony, don't." Peter leaned closer. "Really. We can handle this. Right, Loki?"

Loki attempted to sound genuine. "Indeed. I called only to warn you that you will not be able to perceive us for a time. But no harm will come to Peter. I give you my word."

"Fine." Stark sounded like he was chewing glass. "I'm giving you two half an hour. Thirty minutes and if I haven't heard from you, I'm coming down there and to hell with the politics. You hear me?"

"Okay," Peter said, glancing at Loki for permission. "We can do that."

"Clock's starting now," Stark said. "Underoos, be safe or so help me I'll sic May and Pepper on you. Loki, if my kid gets a scratch, I'm taking it out of your hide. Hear me?"

"Loud and clear," Peter said, inordinately cheerful. "Bye, Tony!" He ended the call and put his phone away. "Well, that could have gone worse."

Loki smiled. "We shall have to move fast or risk the protective wrath of a father. Now, stand still for a moment, if you please."

He summoned a spell of concealment that was almost enough to hide from even Heimdall's eyes — Heimdall said it made his gaze cloudy, but not fully obscured — weaving it around the child and binding it to the talisman he already wore. Then he cast it upon himself as well.

"I suggest you open Odin's bauble as well," Loki said when he was finished. "My magics do not always work perfectly against Midgardian technology. It is too primitive."

"Oh, sure." Spider-Man fiddled with the orb in his pocket. "Okay, now what?"

"Now we move cautiously."

The peppery taste in the air was setting Loki's teeth on edge with foreboding, and for a very brief moment, he wished Stark had come along after all.

Shaking aside that thought, he began to lead towards their goal.

-==OOO==-

There was something weird about whatever Loki had done, Spider-Man decided. He could almost it on his skin like sunscreen or lotion. It was kind of slimy, somehow, and he could nearly smell it, too. The No-Seeing Eye had never felt like anything really in particular.

He wondered if that meant Loki's spell was just that much more powerful.

Spider-Man followed Loki down from the building to the street as they walked between a bunch of industrial properties. Some were vacant, but most weren't. He was grateful for the No-Seeing Eye, because this area would be hard to get around in without popping up on every security camera for a couple blocks in every direction. And he didn't know how many of those were protecting a dog-fighting ring.

The very idea of it made Spider-Man's blood boil. He was going to rescue those dogs and make sure they all got homes or special care and trainers or whatever it took to make them happy again. Tony had already agreed to make sure every single one went to a rescue or a rehabilitation center, so no dogs were getting hurt anymore.

Spider-Man was really looking forward to webbing up some bad guys in the most uncomfortable positions he could think of. Nobody hurt dogs with Spider-Man in the city.

Loki led the way to one particular building that had a loading dock and a lot of 'keep out' signs. He forced open the nearest door, gesturing for Spider-Man to follow.

As soon as the door opened, Spider-Man could hear shouting, barking, and whimpering. And he could smell urine and blood and so many dogs and rust and sweat and people and suddenly he wasn't following Loki anymore.

Spider-Man took to the ceiling and tracked the loudest noises to the big open room off the loading dock. There were three separate rings, but only one in use at the moment with two dogs snarling viciously at one another. And at least two dozen people were gathered around, cheering even more viciously.

Spider-Man saw red.

"Hate to break up the party!" he yelled, launching a web grenade and snagging five or six of the cheering people at once. "But cruelty to animals is definitely not okay!"

Immediately there were guns in hands pointed at the ceiling. Spider-Man darted into the rafters and launched a couple more web grenades, trapping more people.

"Somebody shoot him!" a voice yelled.

Amidst the chaos, Spider-Man could still hear Loki's dry voice. "I think not."

He had no idea what Loki did to whoever that was because Spider-Man was too busy dodging a couple of other gunshots. He shot a splitter web and caught two people at once, hauling them up to dangle above the floor.

"I hope you always wanted to find out how a piñata feels!" he yelled to them. Then he swung one of the strung-up bad guys into where a few other spectators were trying to run away, knocking them down like pins in a bowling alley.

Spider-Man dropped to the ground and lobbed a pair of web grenades, this time catching a bunch of people by the feet. Two of them turned towards him as best they could with guns.

"Get him!"

Spider-Man lunged sideways, throwing a strand of web. "Yoink!"

He pulled one of the guns away and flung it across the room.

The other guy was shooting, but suddenly he crumpled to the ground and Loki stood over his unconscious form.

"Sloppy, Spider-Man," he said. But there was light in his eyes and Spider-Man knew Loki was just teasing.

"Come on, they're getting away!" he yelled. He started after where the remaining crowd had run.

Some of the bad guys were headed for the door, but Spider-Man was faster than them especially on the ground and webbed it shut before they got there. Then, dodging and weaving, he got all of them nicely immobilized on the various walls, floor, and ceiling of the hallway.

"Looks like you're stuck," he said, making sure the webs would hold. "Hope you didn't have anything important to do tonight. Other than get arrested."

"My scanners are showing three more human heat signatures in the building," KAREN said then. "They are clustered around a great number of smaller heat signatures."

Spider-Man scowled and took off running with KAREN's guidance.

The room he entered made him feel sick.

Dog crates were stacked along the walls, many of them with dogs in them. The smell of blood and urine was chokingly strong. And there were so many.

At the end of the room, three big guys were hurriedly grabbing a bunch of notebooks. Spider-Man figured those were important, so he jumped to the ceiling and headed that way.

"You throw a really awful party, you know?" He started slinging webs aiming to catch the three. He got two of them, but missed the third. "You didn't even have snacks! I mean, who does that?"

The bad guy still not webbed up swore at Spider-Man. "You're gonna pay for ruining our business!"

"Yeah, I don't have a lot in my bank account," he replied. "Do you take an I-owe-you? Because I definitely owe you this!"

He dropped to the ground and tried to throw a punch.

Spider-Man didn't really punch people all that often. So the punch itself was awkward and he remembered too late that his thumb was in the wrong place. But he was mostly worried about hurting the bad guy with his super strength, so he focused his real attention on not hitting too hard.

Which resulted in him missing completely, swinging his fist through the air like a useless cartoon character.

"Crap," he said.

The bad guy grinned. "Let me show you how it's done." He threw a punch in return.

Spider-Man caught that, though, and held on. "Sorry. You're not my teacher."

"No," Loki said, appearing behind the man. "I am."

Loki's punch did not miss and the guy went down in a heap.

"Thanks," Spider-Man said.

"This is why you need to learn to actually defend yourself adequately," Loki said.

Spider-Man chose to ignore that. "Is that everybody?"

"Yes."

But Loki's face was doing a weird thing, and that made Spider-Man nervous. "Um, I don't think these guys were really very magical."

"Indeed, they are not." Loki started rooting around in the notebooks and other papers the three guys had been packing up when Spider-Man interrupted them. "And that is cause for concern."

Spider-Man decided to deal with the unconscious guy in case he woke up. Spotting an open dog crate, he picked up the guy and shoved him in there, bending the metal door behind him so they'd have to cut it to get him out. It smelled like dog poop and wasn't clean at all, and Spider-Man hoped the guy was stuck in it for hours.

It wouldn't make up for hurting dogs, but it was a start.

Spider-Man checked the timer inside his HUD. They still had about ten minutes before Tony would start worrying. He trotted back over to Loki.

"Did you find something?"

Loki was scowling. "Someone has cast magic so that they cannot be traced, even after signing their name here," he said.

"What if they used a fake name?" Spider-Man wanted to know.

"Even a false name is a name," Loki said. "You could call yourself anything, but the more frequently you claimed the name, the more true of you it would become. It need not be one given to you at birth or used commonly for it to lead back to you."

"So…" Spider-Man leaned on the table. "Somebody here was using a fake name, and they magically made it so you can't find them even if you knew which name it was? Why would you bother?"

Loki's eyes narrowed. "You would only do so if you were very powerful, very knowledgeable, and very interested in passing unseen."

"Plus, they were here, whoever they are. So probably not really a good person."

"Indeed."

Suddenly Loki froze. "How many people did you pursue into the corridor?" he asked.

Spider-Man had no idea, but KAREN fed him the answer. "Eight."

"I marked thirty two people when we entered," Loki said. "There are three here, and eight restrained by you. But only twenty remained in the main room when I followed you in here."

"There's one left!" Spider-Man turned to go. "We have to find them!"

He was pretty sure Loki was going to tell him not to run off, but he was already in motion. He'd gotten all the way back to the doorway leading into the big main room when he felt a hand on his arm.

"Be cautious, little spider." Loki shook his head. "We do not know who we are looking for."

"What if they're invisible?" Spider-Man asked.

"An excellent point. Allow me to gift you the power of sight." Loki waved his hands over Peter and Peter again had the odd feeling of something slimy on his skin. Except this time it was icy cold. "Now you will see what others do not."

There was a flicker in Spider-Man's peripheral vision and he turned in time to see a door shutting.

"This way!"

The door led to a stairwell, and Spider-Man chased up it as fast as he could. At the top, he had to force open the door because it had already been locked on the other side.

"Dude, whoever you are, you should go for the Olympics if you can run like that," he commented.

They were on the roof now, and Spider-Man immediately spotted the person standing near the edge. They wore black armor and carried a long sword.

"Be cautious," Loki said from just behind him. "We do not know their power."

"Maybe we should split up?" Spider-Man asked.

"Indeed. You are clever." Loki edged one way. "Distract them, if you can."

Spider-Man immediately moved the other way and started yelling. "Hey, so, Halloween isn't until Monday. But, like, neat costume!"

The figure turned to face Spider-Man and backed closer to the center of the roof. Spider-Man couldn't see Loki, so he focused on being distracting.

"Are you going for a Black Knight from Monty Python kind of thing, or is this more like Lord of the Rings? Maybe a video game? I gotta say, I don't recognize the fandom."

Spider-Man inched nearer.

"I'm sorry if it makes you feel bad that I can't place it," he said. "I promise I'll figure it out when I get home tonight."

Suddenly the figure started to move back towards the stairs.

"Strike now!" Loki called out. "With all your strength, before he gets away!"

Spider-Man ran after the guy, but something wasn't right.

He stopped dead in his tracks and spun around.

"You're not Loki!"

Not-Loki's face stretched in a cruel smile Spider-Man knew for sure his Loki would never make except maybe when he was mind-controlled. The figure in black vanished like all of the real Loki's illusions always did.

"Too clever by half," Not-Loki said.

Spider-Man spotted too late the sword in their off-hand angled at his chest.

But a weight wrapped around Spider-Man's middle and pulled him off his feet, rolling with the momentum across the rooftop. Before they'd stopped moving, he knew which Loki had saved him.

"Are you hurt?" Loki demanded, getting to his feet as fast as Pietro and putting his back to Spider-Man to face the Not-Loki.

"No, I'm okay." He gulped, then stood up too. "Who is he?"

"She," Loki said, "is Karnilla."

Not-Loki smiled and the form shimmered with light. A moment later, a woman stood there. She had flowing black hair and a long red gown, and Spider-Man had seen enough of Odin, Thor, and Loki to recognize the shapes of Asgardian fashion.

"It is lovely to see you again, Loki," Karnilla said sweetly. "It has been so long."

"Apparently not long enough," Loki said. Without turning, he reached behind and gripped Spider-Man by the wrist. "I'm going to banish any spells on you but the ones which are bound to me," he said. "That should keep her from tricking you again."

The weird magic tickle washed over him again. And the cold feeling on the back of his neck vanished.

"That sounds like a challenge to me," Karnilla said. "And you know how I do love to be challenged."

Spider-Man wrinkled his nose. "You are definitely a villain. I can tell."

"Oh, really?" She smiled at him. "How?"

"I mean, if the trying to stab me thing didn't give it away, creepy flirting with Loki definitely does."

Karnilla chuckled. "Once, little spider, Loki and I were one allies on the same side in the struggle for power and glory."

"We were never on the same side," Loki spat back.

"Come now. We both know you chafed under Odin's leadership as I did. But you were his son, and I was simply a sorceress who dared approach him in power. He would never have exiled you, though he had cause."

Loki's hands folded into fists. "Odin banished you for making war on Asgard. You killed many, including those not old enough to fight. Whatever my crimes, that is something I have never done."

"I know!" She looked delighted. "Instead, you have usurped the throne of Asgard quietly and banished Odin to this miserable place. Quite brilliantly done. Indeed, I owe you a debt. It will be so much easier to kill him now that he is alone and weakened."

Spider-Man blinked. "You want to kill Grandfather Odin?"

Karnilla's eyes narrowed. "Grandfather?" She pursed her lips. "In that case, which prince of Asgard should I congratulate? The child is clever enough to be sired by you, but he possesses the strength of your brother. Or is he another's?" She shook her head. "Regardless, I must give the child a present to welcome him to our lofty kingdom."

"You," Loki said, voice laced with venom, "will never so much as touch him," he seethed. "Nor shall I ever permit you to harm Odin or anyone else."

"Stop pretending such nobility, Loki. It doesn't suit you." She frowned. "You will benefit when he is dead, for Asgard will be yours to rule. Unless, of course, I choose to challenge you for it."

"Child," Loki said. "It is time for you to go. I will handle this better if I need not worry for your safety. Return to your father."

Spider-Man shook his head, even if that did give him an idea. "I'm not leaving," he said as he shut the No-Seeing Eye in his pocket. "Even if I am in over my head, I'm not letting you fight an Asgardian sorceress on your own."

Loki chuckled. "We shall speak about this at length later, then. I appreciate your loyalty — and your words."

Spider-Man grinned. He knew Loki would get it. Ignoring KAREN and most of what she was putting up in his HUD, he stepped up next to Loki.

"Looks like it's you and me against her," he said. "Anything I should know about her magic?"

"It is stronger than his, young one," Karnilla said. "I am as old as the seeds of Asgard. Loki is but a child like you to me."

"If you're so strong, how come I could see through you trying to trick me before you could stab me?" Spider-Man taunted.

She scowled. "You were merely fortunate."

"I don't think so. I think Loki's magic protects me and even though you tried, it didn't stick as much as you wanted it to." Spider-Man put his hands on his hips. "I think Loki's better than you."

Karnilla was visibly fuming.

"Besides," Spider-Man added, hoping to push her over the edge, "at least he doesn't hang out with dog-fighting rings!"

At that, Karnilla threw back her head and laughed.

"Child, you are precious and stupid. I see why Loki tolerates you. He must mock you endlessly."

Loki bristled, but didn't interrupt.

"We all have our little vices, I suppose. And watching mindless creatures tear one another apart is very entertaining when one is bored."

"That's disgusting!" Peter was appalled.

"I thought you intended to kill Odin?" Loki asked. "Why have you not done so, then?"

Karnilla's amusement vanished like she'd been doused in cold water. "He hides himself well, the crafty old man. But each day I grow closer to finding him. However, perhaps there is no need."

She lifted her sword and pointed it. "With that boy under my thrall, Odin will come to me on his knees. He is soft that way."

"If you think you will ever get to him through me," Loki said, all pretense gone in a flash, "then you are far, far greater the fool."

"Do you truly believe your illusions threaten me, Loki?" She tossed her head. "You have some skill, I grant, but you have nothing on my lifetime of study. With a wave of my hand, I can change all you perceive until I drive you to madness. You will be begging me to end your life before I am through."

"Yeah, I don't think so," Spider-Man said.

Karnilla pinned him with a cold stare. "And what makes you think you stand any greater chance against me?"

"Oh, I don't." He rocked on his heels with glee as the countdown KAREN was displaying hit zero. "But this is definitely a problem that can be solved by repeatedly hitting things with a hammer."

And Thor dropped out of the sky, launching lightning directly into Karnilla's face.

The sound of repulsors filled the air and Iron Man appeared on the rooftop along with six of the Iron Legion.

"You okay, kid?" he asked.

"Yep." Spider-Man was feeling pretty smug right now, actually. "I told you we would stay out of it if it was too dangerous."

"You sure did. Thanks for stalling, Spidey."

Karnilla had thrown a lance of yellow light at Thor, but it missed when she was struck from the side by a silver blur. After that, a red nimbus wrapped around her.

"They were bored," Iron Man said, gesturing to the twins. "And, really, they've earned the right to cut loose. No better target for that than an evil Asgardian." His helmet nodded at Loki. "No offense."

"None taken, I assure you."

"Are you sure it's okay for you to be here?" Spider-Man asked.

"Mostly," Tony said. "I'm not actually fighting, just providing some extra resources at the request of our visiting Asgardian prince — the official one. And the twins aren't here officially, so the worst that happens is Thor has to give an extra speech about allies and teamwork if we get caught."

Iron Man sent the Iron Legion into the fray, and with the six of them, Thor, Pietro, and Wanda — and Loki who evidently decided to get in a few hits of his own — Karnilla went down surprisingly easily.

"To be fair," Wanda said as Loki conjured chains to bind her, "no one does magic so well with a concussion."

"I'm taking credit for that," Pietro said, puffing up.

"I believe it is more likely that my attack did the damage which weakened her," Thor said.

"You just gave her frizzy hair," Pietro shot back. "I did the real work."

Tony emerged from the Iron Man suit and put an arm around Spider-Man's shoulders.

"Well, we wouldn't have caught her at all if not for Spidey here distracting her and throwing her off her game in the first place. Good job, kid."

"Thanks, Tony," he said. "And thanks for trusting me."

"You earned it." Tony looked past Spider-Man to Loki. "Both of you."

Loki ducked his head, but Spider-Man could see his pleased smile.

"However," Tony said, "I hope this won't become a trend. If you two are going to patrol more often, I don't even want to know what other trouble you'll find. This all started from a lost dog. I shudder to think where an actual mugging would lead you."

Loki looked up to meet Spider-Man's eyes and they both grinned.

Next time was going to be fun.