Loki and the Broken Blade.
*(*
Loki was not nervous. He definitely embodied calm and collected. Wringing his hands together and pacing were practices calm Gods did too.
'It's not like the fates of Midgard and Asgard depend on my introverted friend befriending a group of hostile mortals and convincing them that I'm not actually their enemy. Though, I learned long ago not to underestimate him. I remember the first time Thor and I met him was eventful to say the least.' Loki slipped into a faded memory.
"Ah, King Odin of Asgard! Welcome to our Lands! This is my son Sesshomaru!" Loki looked on bored. He was meeting yet another spoiled, meat headed Demon who would fawn over his brother.
Stepping forward, however, was someone Loki didn't expect. He looked delicate, like something made of spun glass and silk. His sharp gold eyes looked like they calculated everything.
Loki didn't bother hiding his puzzled look at the Demon, he certainly didn't look like the typical impulsive, clumsy Demons he had met before.
He also had a big crescent moon on his forehead. Definitely odd.
Loki furrowed his eyesbrows at the Dog Demon as his sharp, apathetic gold eyes studied him. He appeared about as excited to be here has Loki was.
'Let's get this song and dance over with.' Loki rolled his eyes and tapped his foot softly, luckily unnoticed by Allfather.
"Aye, a pleasure to meet you at last Lord Inu no Taisho, as you may have heard, these are my sons." Allfather answered and before anything else could happen, Thor thundered.
"This is your son?! But he is rather puny, and looks like an elven girl." Thor acted out and Loki could hear Allfather's armor clink as he tensed up. Idiot, we are guests in their Lands! Thor took a bite of his apple.
Loki straightened like an arrow when he saw the Demon Lord, Inu no Taisho, set his jaw and clench his fist, clearly offended.
Of course his brother would offend the one Demon Lord who had a weapon that rivals Gungnir in strength. Loki had heard rumors of Sounga, the Sword of Hell, and from what he could feel, the sword on the Demon Lord's hip proved those rumors true.
Loki, as he often did, prepared for the worse.
"Father, who is this cart ox?" Sesshomaru countered flawlessly and Loki cracked a laugh.
Cart ox. Thor. Loki couldn't believe it. No one had ever said anything like that to Thor. Ever. The smile didn't leave his face, for once Thor had been on the receiving end of an insult and not himself.
The tension dissipated, and the fathers chuckled good naturedly while Thor frowned. Loki stared at the fair Demon before him, who looked like he would rather be anywhere else.
"I am no beast of burden you uncivilized Demon! I am Thor, Prince of Asgard! God of Thunder!" Thor introduced himself proudly stepping forward, mouth full of apple.
"You claim I am uncivilized yet you speak to me whilst chewing food." Sesshomaru spoke without a hint of emotion and gazed on, completely unimpressed, almost looking as if he'd fall asleep. Allfather nudged Loki, knowing that Loki may be able to smooth things over, of course.
"I am Loki, Prince of Asgard, Sorcerer and God of Mischief. My brother can have quite the appetite and speaks rashly when hungry. How may we address you?" Loki stepped forward, bowing slightly. Sesshomaru turned to the God of Mischief, eyes a bit wide. Sesshomaru didn't step forward, instead deciding to stand beside his father.
"You are permitted to call me Sesshomaru. I am the heir to the Western Lands." Sesshomaru stated bowing towards Loki slightly, as if giving them permission to call him by his own name.
What an arrogant Demon! Loki raised his eyebrows.
Just because this Demon called out his brother did not mean he was worthy of his time. Loki had far better things to do than get to know this aloof Demon.
Thor beside him took another bite of his apple.
"Sesshomaru, you are to face Thor in the upcoming melee tournament, and to study alongside Loki." Inu no Taisho, Lord of the Western Lands informed. Sesshomaru showed no reaction.
Loki fought the urge to groan. He had been reduced to a babysitter for this small, young Demon. There was no certain way this Demon, though witty, could keep up with him intellectually. Demons were notorious for only following their instincts and were only taught the basics. Loki knew he would hate this visit to Midgard.
Then Loki let the rest of the words the Lord of the West spoke sink in, this twig of a Demon was to face Thor in a melee tournament?! Was this Demon Lord daft?!
"Allfather! Surely this Lord jests! This little Demon is no worthy opponent." Thor protested and before anyone could respond, a flash of a green whip lassoed the apple from Thor's hand and pilfered it, retracting the whip and apple into a small clawed hand.
Loki's jaw dropped. That was fast, faster than he could move.
Sesshomaru looked at the apple, then looked back at Thor. He then closed the distance, Thor's half eaten apple clutched in his outstretched hand.
Loki had to commend the tactic, he certainly proved to be not only intelligent, but quick and accurate as well.
"You lost this, Storm God." Sesshomaru, completely deadpanned, stated slowly and Thor grabbed back his apple with a tanned hand, not saying anything.
Loki bent over in laughter while Inu no Taisho smirked and Allfather huffed.
This Demon, this Sesshomaru, perhaps wasn't such a lost cause after all. This could be a Demon he could get behind. And eventually he did.
Now he found himself on the roof of the tower, scanning for Sesshomaru's youki, but he was keeping very well hidden. Unsurprisingly so, Sesshomaru lived a very private life of which he let few people inside. Sesshomaru most likely needed his space from all these prying mortals.
Though the fact he had shared the story of his half brother with their ever intrepid and perhaps overreaching leader showed he was at least warming up to them.
The encroaching sunset painted the city into dusky, fiery hues. He could see why they were having issues adjusting to this realm, it was all glass and metal. It didn't help that he and Jaken were the only Demons left either.
"Waiting for your good husband to return from work?" Loki knew that was Rogers, and turned around. He didn't expect any of the Avengers to seek out his company, especially humorously. He had resigned himself to being a presence they would have to keep alive at best, tolerate at most.
'It would be quite disastrous to try to kill the one person who knew the most about their enemy, pending of course Sesshomaru actually convinces these lost creatures.' Loki uncrossed his arms, putting his hands on his hips.
"The life of a kept man can be rather dull." Loki quirked a slight dark smile. Loki wasn't sure why the Captain was reaching out to him, he supposed it was his nature. Loki had noticed that conflict within the Avengers was something Rogers avidly liked to avoid. Deciding to play along, Loki let Rogers get close to him, standing side by side on the helipad.
"You know, I..." Rogers started and it was then Loki noticed he had neither shield nor weapon.
'Surely he must know I could throw him from the roof, or impale him, or roast him with magic or countless other atrocities before his allies found him. I could kill him outright, Rogers is no fool, he leads this band of misfits!' Loki felt the puzzle pieces connect in his head and his green eyes widened.
'This idealist trusted him! By the Nines...this could work! If the leader trusted what had transpired thus far, he would be at least open to hearing Sesshomaru out!' Loki let loose a wide smile of victory, clenching his fists.
"One does not always need words to articulate what one means." Loki helped him and turned to face him fully, searching his wide blue eyes for any lie, and finding none. He did know how to find lies after all.
Loki had expected perhaps only Romanoff to believe him, recalling their conversation on the helicarrier three years prior where he told her she killed and lied in the service of liars and killers. He figured if anyone would believe him it would be her. She knew exactly what he did, because she once did it herself.
"True, actions speak louder than words." Rogers agreed and for a few minutes they both stood in comfortable silence. Loki's smile remained on his face; his former home, Asgard, and his current residence, Midgard, may live to see another year after all. Loki may just get his saccharine sweet revenge yet.
Scuffle.
"Uncle Loki! Hey I found them! Uncle Loki look, Rin got you another ice cream! This one is lime sherbet! Lord Sesshomaru says you may like this one better because it's less sweet." Loki was legitimately surprised; he didn't hadn't sensed that Sesshomaru had returned. He accepted the ice cream as Rin turned to Rogers. He took a lick of the tart ice cream; these limes of Midgard were quite good.
"I drew you Bedclothes!" Loki choked on his ice cream in laughter. Rogers, not understanding what she said, narrowed his eyes suspiciously at Loki who just smiled broadly.
"Lord Sesshomaru says your shield is really strong so I have you beating Naraku with it, even though he said you don't know who that is." Rin handed Rogers the drawing of him beating some sort of monster to death. It was actually pretty good.
'Sesshomaru must encourage her skills to develop.' Loki thought, remembering their own calligraphy lessons, especially the one after Sesshomaru lost his sanity and shredded those five Aesir warriors into streamers.
He hoped he would never see that form of Sesshomaru's again.
"Uh, thanks Rin." Rogers humored Rin, taking the drawing and smiling. She raised her hand and he high-fived it good naturedly.
It was then Sesshomaru came out upon the roof, wearing his traditional garments, armor and pelt with Tenseiga and Bakusaiga at his side. He had always looked imposing, but after seeing him in Midguardian clothing, now he appeared even more so. He did however, have those ostentatious sunglasses still on top of his head.
However, who followed him up next caused Loki to almost drop his ice cream and Rogers to almost, almost curse in shock.
Because Stark stood next to Sesshomaru in a matching garish red and gold version of his exact garment. Stark, red-faced in embarrassment, was eating his chocolate ice cream. Banner, walking behind him, was smiling from ear to ear.
'Sesshomaru, the murderous, feared by all mortals, Demon Lord of the Western Lands, now stands side by side with this insufferable mortal inventor who is eating ice cream Sesshomaru bartered for him. I could not have envisioned anything more backwards.' Loki shook his head. He had no words for what was transpiring between them except seeing Stark fling the sleeves of his outfit uncomfortably around was by far the best gift he could have possibly received.
'It still doesn't make up for the earlier window incident. I will get that Dog Demon back for such treachery.' Loki mused, knowing truthfully that Sesshomaru did not betray him but in this case it would be far more entertaining to seek revenge than to let such an act slide. Especially for revenge against that haughty inventor.
'That pompous inventor thinks Midgard's weapons, technology, and science make them superior to my own magic and Sesshomaru's weapons. What folly. Stark believes my own magic as crude and Sesshomaru as slow minded for being from the past. I doubt any of the Avengers, save Thor, respect our power and intellect. They need to if they are to trust us in leading the strategy to defend Midgard.' Loki's thoughts and magic darkened and swirled in him like the beginnings of a typhoon.
While at first, Loki had claimed that he did not care about what the Avengers thought of him, the past few days of him getting used to the tower, caused a grating feeling in him that Tony Stark looked down on his magic. Something in him sparked that made him almost want to prove to these mortals just what he could do. Most likely because, if he wasn't a powerful, magical weapon, what exactly was he?
"Tony? Are you guys going to do a reenactment?!" Rogers began to chuckle. Loki snapped out of his reverie.
He then had a disturbing thought, was this all some sort of mind-game for Stark? Was he attempting to show Sesshomaru as ridiculous for his attire? Right before he would address them with his strategy?!
Loki's darkened magic accelerated, twisting within him.
"...I am to assume this is not an attempt at mockery am I not?" Loki's unusually cold tone was laced with caution. Loki carefully observed Sesshomaru who shockingly appeared pleased, well as pleased as Sesshomaru publicly looked.
Something was afoot. It was as if Sesshomaru knew about the outfit.
"No, you see Tony here lost a bet on the Quinjet from New Mexico to here that if Sesshomaru managed to bring you here he'd make an outfit like his and wear it." Banner explained and Loki immediately relaxed, mouth slicing into a knowing grin. His magic snaking from his fingers, powdered and he resumed eating his lime sherbet.
He never would have thought Stark's antics would entertain him so. Stark crossed his arms and glared a heated look at Sesshomaru who simply ignored him.
'Oh how the mighty have fallen, right Stark? It looks like your own skepticism of our abilities indeed backfired.' Loki's green eyes flashed in vindication.
On cue the pelt appeared on Tony instead. Loki burst out laughing.
"Well done Stark, and here you stated you wouldn't underestimate us….What did you call us? Sesshoki? I will state that it is a testament to your intelligence that you could at least put the garment on correctly." Rin and Sesshomaru were right, he preferred lime sherbet. Loki licked his ice cream as Banner sighed as Stark, yet again, found himself entwined in Sesshomaru's pelt.
The first time Stark had been stuck in Seshomaru's pelt Loki was not able to adequately enjoy it due to the fact that Sesshomaru had just scryed. Well, also, he had just pulled eight arrows from his chest.
"Get this off! The bet should be null in void anyway, because technically Sesshomaru didn't bring Reindeer Games here, he brought himself. I'm just a magnanimous individual." Stark struggled with the pelt and the ice cream. Sesshomaru stood next to him, face placid, ignoring his struggle, ears twitching in victory.
"Rin thinks you look quite noble Stark! You and Lord Sesshomaru look like you could rule the Western Lands together!" Rin complimented. Loki knew he was the only one to understand what she said and his eyes bulged out in astonishment.
Did Rin also notice how Sho and Stark interacted? Sesshomaru turned to Stark and looked him up and down in appraisal that only caused Stark to struggle and redden more.
"He needs refinement." Sesshomaru should have grinned when Banner took a photo of them both. Rin bounced in glee and Loki couldn't tell if he was just humoring Rin, or if his flirtations towards Stark had solidified into something more.
"Refinement?! I'll have you know I can be captivatingly refined; despite being dressed as a Japanese MC Hammer. I just need sunglasses…and a drink." Loki saw Sesshomaru put a hand to his head, guarding his sunglasses, as Loki began to finish his ice cream.
"Man of Iron! Have you perchance adorned your mother's drapes?!" Thor came flying by and Loki lost it. He laughed so much green magic sparks shot out of his hands, he almost dropped his ice cream. Again.
It had been a while since he laughed that hard at something Thor had said.
"Ok. That's it. Everyone is kicked out of Stark Tower. I'm done. You're all fired, especially you two Team Rocket." Stark pointed to Sesshomaru and Loki who looked at each other, puzzled. Team Rocket? What exactly made them a rocket? Stark must revel in making references they did not understand. Loki began to walk towards them, finishing his ice cream.
Rin ran up and high-fived Thor when he landed.
He sensed something on the horizon at the same time Sesshomaru did. Loki turned to view the Quinjet approaching. When it got close it dipped suddenly to the right then straightened.
Loki didn't like the looks of it, and Sesshomaru's eyes went cold and his youki flared into a blue wall. He directly blocked Loki and the rest of the mortals from the landing Quinjet.
Loki turned to face Sesshomaru whose face revealed nothing, but his ears were planted flat against his head.
The Quinjet finally landed and the doors opened only for Romanoff to slam Clint against the side of the jet. Loki couldn't make out what she said, but he was certain Sesshomaru could because he didn't look pleased and his ears pricked up.
"He meant to fire." Sesshomaru said in the softest of whispers, meant only for Loki to hear.
"Fire...the guns? At me?" Loki wasn't surprised that Clint still felt angry, more so his careless choice in tactic.
"Me. Not that this Sesshomaru would have let that device do damage." Sesshomaru turned his back on the Quinjet all ice and long talons. Now that surprised Loki.
'Clint can mess with me all he pleases, but the minute he redirects that ire will be the moment he regrets it. Sesshomaru won't tolerate it. Neither will I.' Loki's face darkened. Due to him hiding his emotions less well than Sesshomaru, and the shove, Stark picked up that something was amiss.
"Ugh. Don't tell me Legolas has his g-string in a twist, he isn't even dressed like a bad video game character." Stark walked out to meet Sesshomaru and Loki.
"...He needs an outlet." Loki supplied, Stark either didn't hear him, or didn't respond.
"Natasha! Barton! I drew you!" Rin ran out to meet them and for the swiftest of moments Loki feared the archer would do something unwise. He didn't; and accepted the picture looking a bit more sedate.
"Love the new look Tony. Very Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon." Romanoff smirked victoriously, looking at her picture which showed her attacking a braided man with a very large sword and a cross on his forehead.
"Actually fun fact: Sesshomaru here is a Dog Demon…and he isn't a huge fan of Tiger or probably Dragon Demons." Rogers informed and Romanoff pointed to the pelt, nodding as if she could see the connection between the pelt and dog fur.
Sesshomaru tilted his head to the side. Oh dear… Rogers and that big mouth of his, didn't he understand that Sesshomaru would sooner eat their 'human fare' than know Thor and I told the Avengers of his past?!
"My Lands have… once had both Dragon and Tiger Demons… how did you discern my opinion of them? As of this morning you professed ignorance of Demons all together." Sesshomaru asked suspiciously gold eyes darting between Rogers, Stark and Romanoff.
"We got a crash course in your backstory Sailor Moon, complete with family photos." Stark admitted and Sesshomaru whipped around, eyes blazing to Loki. Loki pointed to Thor.
Thor gave his best 'who me?' face.
Fabulous. Sesshomaru now knew they had gone and spoken about him without him present. That would certainly irritate the private Demon. Sesshomaru uttered a low, chest rumbling growl, and for a moment Loki wondered if he would witness Sesshomaru engage Thor in a spar.
"Oh no, you're now literally changing into him, Tony. Are you going to draw the line at going grey and face tattoos?" Clint greeted good naturedly. Perhaps his urge to attack them was indeed a lapse in good sanity.
"Nah, gonna get a matching set. And if Anderson Cooper can do it I can." Tony gestured to his whole self and Banner rolled his eyes.
Loki, not about to let that opportunity to pass him by, snapped his fingers and appearing on Tony's face was an identical set of Sesshomaru's markings.
"Loki…" Sesshomaru growled again in warning and Loki smirked, this would be revenge against them both. Against Sho for throwing him through the window and for Stark's arrogance.
"What? Oh… tell me Reindeer Games didn't." Stark began and Romanoff took out her phone and took a photo, then showed the result to Stark.
Rin simply pointed in awe, face lit with excitement and joy.
"Tony I think the phrase you're looking for is 'be careful what you wish for.'" Clint's mouth quirked up into what Loki would describe as a reluctant smile, almost as if he didn't want to smile at anything Loki did.
Banner took another photo.
"See, refined! I think I pull them off better than you." Stark pointed to Sesshomaru whose ears rose with his eyebrows at the sheer audacity of the statement.
"Your senses are faulty, human." Sesshomaru cracked his knuckles. Loki, supremely amused, knew that Sesshomaru must harbor a healthy regard for Stark to not rip his vocal chords out.
Or Loki's own vocal chords since his glamour was in an indirect reference to when a Demon takes a mate they inherit a marking of the other. Loki vanished the glamour away before Sesshomaru's patience ran too thin.
"Let us return to the matter at hand shall we?" Loki suggested, realizing his little glamour may have created too much of a diversion.
"Yeah… How was the meeting with Fury?" Rogers asked, reeling in his rag-tag group.
"Fun, in the sense that he thinks Loki is Sesshomaru, which he was, but actually isn't. He also wants to create a formal extra-terrestrial customs protocol so Thor isn't everyone's meet-and-greet. Fury is, however, convinced that Loki has compromised the Magic detectors since he can't get a bead on his magic signature here in New York." Romanoff reported with a good amount of snark. Thor crossed his arms indignantly.
Loki's eyebrows furrowed, he wasn't masking his magic, he couldn't any longer...Sesshomaru must have done something.
"Sounds like a productive waste of time. You missed Thor blow up my microwave with a jar of spaghetti sauce, Sailor Moon throw Reindeer Games out my window, and story time complete with pop up pictures. But at least you made it in time for dress up!" Tony continued to fuss with the pelt as he devoured his ice cream. Clint and Romanoff looked at each other in disbelief.
Loki began to move towards the rooftop access, not particularly wanting to relive today's events of him cleaning up Thor's mess, yet again, and his friend's surprise "betrayal".
'Well, at least I got him back with Stark's glamour… however I am sure I will be on the receiving end of his ire once more once he realizes I showed them what his Father and what he looked like, during the final battle for the Western Lands.' Loki smirked, a bounce added to his step, Sesshomaru greatly disliked being compared to his father.
"Wait, why did you throw Loki out a window?" He heard Clint ask incredulously.
"...I bartered with Lady Potts." Sesshomaru admitted, following Loki. He heard Clint suppress a laugh, that sounded better than the dark look he sported before.
"Like I said before, it hasn't been boring." Banner chimed in.
"Things with Tony usually aren't, but I must say I think this time it has to do with your house guests." Romanoff picked up and twirled Stark's sash. Stark slapped her hand away.
"...damn squatters." Stark grumbled and Loki spotted a twinge of satisfaction on Sesshomaru's face. Precocious Demon. He had certainly opened up more in this time than he ever had in the past. Most likely because he had to, to properly adapt here.
They made their way down to the main room and Loki felt his gut tie itself up in knots as everyone took their seats across the room. He remained standing next to Sesshomaru, conjuring a map in the air.
'Sesshomaru isn't one to speak a great deal. He may get agitated. Or they may just not believe him. Regardless, I'll go after The Other, on the Relentless and do as much damage as possible before I'm stopped. I have to believe in Thor that he will convince Odin to return Sesshomaru to his own time if they won't believe him.' Loki thought of his contingency plans with a fake, wan smile taped on his face.
"Lord Sesshomaru! What is going on?!" Jaken, still Jack, walked in, holding the staff of two heads, and strawberry ice cream. So Jaken had been converted to 'human' food after all, curious indeed.
"Stay Jaken. I am conducting a war assembly." Sesshomaru gestured to the seat on the other side of Rin who sat next to Romanoff.
"Yeah. Alright Doomsday Room is officially in session. Show us your stuff Sailor Moon, how would you blow an invasion while fooling your superiors." Stark clapped his hands, and as if on cue, the pelt reappeared on Sesshomaru. Stark looked positively relieved, rolling his shoulder and brushing off remaining fluff.
Loki conjured a city, complete with a wall in a harbor. A familiar layout they were given when studying and not unlike New York City itself.
Sesshomaru straightened, his face impassive and unexpressive as ever.
"...I would begin with procuring unreliable spies. Giving my superiors faulty intelligence on the general populace, while spreading word of our preparing forces." Sesshomaru looked at the map, standing tall with a practiced command. Loki conjured black pawns in the middle of the city of white pawns.
"I would then make public displays. Denouncing their culture and their intelligence is an easy way to provoke dissent against a new ruler, no matter how disliked or weak their current one is. I would make it clear I am to be obeyed." Sesshomaru's voice grew cold. Loki remembered Stuttgart and being captured. He magicked black stages in the city.
"If the objective is to rule successfully, the leader needs to be fearsome, but not distrusted by his own, productive peasantry." Sesshomaru elaborated, eyes piercing Rogers' for effect. Rogers was the leader of the Avengers after all.
Loki recalled his conversation with the Other over the matter. It wasn't that hard to convince him that a show of power would make these mortals crumple.
"Godling, so you wish to show these mortals your might, do you? What gives you the impression you are so much higher than the mortals you want to subjugate?" The Other sat tall in his obsidian high backed chair, and Loki knew was smirking under his mask. Behind the Other the glassed wall showed the ultra violet core of The Relentless spinning slowly like a windmill.
"Only that you chose me for this invasion, my forger. I wish to stomp them into the dirt they crawl over. Stuttgart is not only a mission critical Operation for the portal, but with proper preparation, it can be a demonstration of our prowess as well. The people who exist in this province of Midgard have been loyal to charismatic figures of power in the past." Loki refused to tremble before the Other. It wasn't only out of fear, no, but out of barely bridled fury.
Fury against the Other, against Thor, against Odin, against everything! His anger tingled his magic, there was a very true part to the Other's words. He wanted someone for once to bow to him in fealty, for once!
The small, rational part of Loki's mind had begun to thaw the ice of the Other's magic around his mind, and his memories. He, logically, knew that he didn't want these mortal's backs to the sky for him, but…nonetheless his magic and his emotions were ravenous for something like it to occur.
"Very well, my Broken Blade, make the mortal's foreheads press into their precious Earth, remind them what filth they spawned from." The Other waved him off and Loki left the gunmetal grey command room in a ruffle of green cape and brushed bronze.
"Gathering false or incomplete information on the land's military positions, numbers, and capabilities is imperative. I'd report this information back and plan a tactically sound plan based on that information, yet unsound to actual facts." Sesshomaru paused, putting his fist to his chin, tilting his head as he looked out the window facing him. Loki sensed his nervousness, even though it didn't show. It was difficult explaining strategy, much less relating it to a realm five hundred years advanced to his own.
'He is doing quite well however. Step by step he is following exactly what I did.' Loki stole a glance to the other Avengers, the only mortal looking at him was Rin, who waved. He waved back silently, one mortal child he could say he liked.
"…I would leave all scouting and communication constructs intact, so my enemy may still signal their own troop movements, and see my own forces arrange and monitor my own forces." Loki began to gain confidence; this was indeed exactly what he had done. He had not disrupted their communications nor satellites. Loki allowed SHIELD to coordinate a strike after all.
"My own forces would construct improper siege weapons, ones that could not create a large enough breech in their city walls for all my invading forces to enter. I would also commence the attack on a city of large economic and cultural importance, not a military stronghold. I'd make it appear as though I wanted to demoralize and strike fear into them first. We'd burn their fields, sink civilian vessels, and poison their ground water." Sesshomaru searched the room.
Loki thought of the position and the diminutive size of the portal he'd created, and his choice of the city New York. Yes, he had needed a strong power source, but he was Loki of Asgard, he could have found other, more strategically sound means.
"Why economic and not militaristic?" Rogers asked, disrupting the harmonious flow of Sesshomaru's voice.
"I would want them profitable. Devastating their largest trade port would hamper their usefulness. Secondly, this would catalyze fragmented troops from across their lands, knowing that their own civilian cities could be next, to a rallying point. Thirdly, it would be an easily accessible entryway for the enemy forces. Additionally, the military strongholds would still be operational to attack my disoriented fleet and encumbered ground troops in a crowded trade harbor." Sesshomaru patiently explained, and Loki conjured in the city wall, a small hole, a fleet of ships that were impeded by civilian ships and military ones approaching from their flank.
Loki pursed his lips, The Mad Titan certainly wished to own Midgard, it being the best access point for the other eight realms, Asgard of course being one of them. Before he did not desire Asgard, but now that it held the Tesseract and the infinity gauntlet, he did.
"With a breech too small to facilitate all my troops occupation, the ones that enter the city will be picked off, and my long range support will be without clear shots, and on the low ground. The ground offensive would eventually be routed." Sesshomaru flicked his wrist, and Loki swirled his magic in the form of troops stuck in a bottle neck, with the archers stuck behind the vanguard, being sniped by the archers atop the wall.
"You wish to open our portal using that one mortal's power ring under that structure? Why that civilian city, my Broken Blade?" The Other questioned, rising from his chair for the first time since Loki had reported to only him. Loki before reported to both him and The Mad Titan and the Other had been standing then, but all stood, or knelt in the presence of the Mad Titan. Loki was currently kneeling.
"That structure was constructed by one of the Avengers. It would be severely demoralizing to have his own power device used against him. Secondly, Midgard's resolve has crumbled now that I have scattered their precious defenders. Once I make the portal operational, the creator of the tower, who is of some intelligence, will return to it and I shall turn him against his allies. He shall prove useful in the manufacturing of new weaponry." Loki, by this time, had been able to control himself more in front of the Other.
He felt a bit more sure now. He never wanted to rule Midgard. He had managed to sort his emotions out better with more of his magic returning. He would betray an oath he made long ago to never claim sovereignty of Midgard if he conquered it now. Even though that Demon no longer existed, he would keep that oath.
Loki also, knew, somewhat, that wanting to enslave mortals Thor had come to adore so was not proper revenge against what Thor had done to him.
"Proceed then, Godling, just make haste with this portal. The primary fleet grows impatient." The Other gave almost distrusting look before waving him off and Loki's shoulders relaxed unseen under his armor. These fractured Avengers would surely rally to save their precious New York, and he would buy them the time with an undersized portal.
Loki was thankful that in a prior meeting he convinced the Other that Midgard's military would stand down in fear, not willing to fire their missiles at such an important civilian cities. Loki himself did not trust that another province on Midgard, such as the Russian Federation, or perhaps even SHIELD would not decimate New York to prevent the invasion. That issue, however, was not his to solve. It might even be a bit of fun to watch part of Midgard burn the way he did.
"To prevent my fleet from escaping back sea bound, I would discreetly have my ships tied together and launch a fire attack upon my fleet, sinking them in the harbor. It would be a great morale boost for the defending Lands, a humiliating defeat for my superiors, and would take years to construct another attempt." Sesshomaru finished and Loki could have embraced him. That was exactly what Stark did with the tactical missile. Loki didn't hide his smile; his friend had not lost his edge in the five hundred and fifty-three years they were apart.
Loki, feeling unbridled pride for his friend, felt his fingertips light up green. This was splendid! Indeed, for once a victory he could claim as his own! This strategy in bringing Sho here was brilliant!
"My superiors certainly would blame me in the failure, leaving my only options to defect, flee or be otherwise reprimanded." Sesshomaru's eyes flicked over to Loki, looking for confirmation of a sound strategy, face neutral when spotting the elation on Loki's face. Sho couldn't have been better!
…'or otherwise reprimanded…'The previous happiness and triumph he felt began to corrode.
Loki's magic spun out of control within him, the magic coiling around his lungs, suffocating him as he remembered another time he almost suffocated.
'Abyss, an endless, magic decaying, life draining abyss. This is what I let go for. This fate, this malady of ambition of mine. Protecting a throne from a brother who wasn't ready, committing patricide, regicide, all in the name of an Allfather who scorned me for what he taught me to be.'
Loki tumbled, all the while his magic and his vitality leeching from his body like water through a sieve. He would eventually die here, in this void. And that was ok. His stomach, dense as lead, would eventually fade, just like the rest of him.
His legacy, he hoped, would fade too like a scroll left in the sun too long. He did not want nor need to be remembered as what he was now.
'I was never to be equal. Thor would always stand on my shoulders. Odin would only regard Thor as his one true son. Odin putting a Frost Giant on the throne of Asgard? Reckless, Absurd, Grotesque! That is who I am. A grotesque, abomination of an existence. A fraud, a cheat, an illusion of a God! Someone such as I shouldn't bother existing, there is no inherent value in it. My gamble did not pay off, my luck has long since atrophied. A Frost Giant who attempted to destroy his own race to stave off the destruction of an adopted home that scorned him. My destiny was to fail, my kismet: the void.'
Loki's green magic began to surge and roll in his chest like a hurricane.
He scanned the Avengers, they all looked grave, but contemplative. Including Clint. Maybe he wouldn't be sent to a detention center in SHIELD, or sent back to Asgard. Maybe he would keep what was left of his fragile, artificial sanity.
'Eventually the void eroded my sanity. My mind melted into a murky puddle, all ridges or folds of memory, recent or old, important or trivial, fleshed together into a muddled mass. A blurry haze of faces I couldn't recognize, voices I didn't quite know, and wounds I couldn't remember receiving or bestowing. The void erased my identity. As I fell dying, all I knew was a nebulous but overwhelming sense of despair, which eventually fermented into a festering knot of hatred.' Loki recalled hitting rock bottom, ironically a place called 'Sanctuary'.
But fortune would again frown upon me. My deteriorated immortality was not allowed death, I would not rest in peace.
Loki felt his palms dampen in sweat and he vigorously rubbed them together. Jaken, still in his Jack appearance, beamed in approval and Rin jumped off her seat and ran up to Loki, holding her hand out for a high five. He reciprocated and Sesshomaru looked directly at Stark.
Pause.
"...There's always a sequel isn't there." He heard Clint mutter. Stark just stared at Sesshomaru.
"Ok, so the whole 'slow of mind' thing, you can forget that. And can you like do podcasts or audibles or something?" Stark put a hand over his mouth, thinking, his tone serious despite the jesting nature of his words. Sesshomaru straightened, his ears pricking up in approval.
"Sesshomaru, were you told how Loki conducted his invasion?" Banner asked, his voice laced with ardent curiosity. The other mortals, aside from Romanoff, turned with him as if demanding a convincing answer to the question.
"You dare imply I would waste my time and dishonor myself by passing off another's strategy as my own?" Sesshomaru's knuckles cracked. Loki grimaced, he figured at some point someone would ask that infernal question. As if he would compromise the whole strategy by telling Sesshomaru what he had done. "This Sesshomaru has no knowledge of it, other than…Loki's tactic of procuring spies." Sesshomaru cast his gaze Clint's direction who stiffened slightly.
"My Lord Sesshomaru is no liar or cheat! He would never say something was his that wasn't!" Rin's clear voice rang out, and she twisted on the sofa to cross her arms at Banner.
"Lady Rin stated Son of Taisho is no liar or cheat, and that he'd never claim something that was his, that wasn't. Which, to my knowledge is true." Thor interpreted, speaking up for the first time, and not quite sounding like himself. Rin huffed and continued to glare at Banner who, amusingly now looked quite guilty.
"My Lord is an exemplary strategist! Second to none! Even if my Lord had knowledge of this Magic God's failure, it wouldn't matter. You lowly humans should have all reached the conclusion that it was obviously designed to fail!" Jaken, ever Sesshomaru's supporter, praised. Loki dared not say anything against the 'second to none' statement. Loki knew he was more experienced than Sesshomaru and better for it.
'The Other found and propositioned me. He told me he could restore me, for a price. Like a marionette I danced. I wanted to remember who I was, what exactly happened to me….because I was suddenly so confused, so desperate, and so angry.'
'With the Other's guidance, my mind reformed, I rediscovered my identity, separated out my memories, recognized people, put a timeline to events. Yet, the elation of rediscovering myself was indeed short-lived.'
The room silenced for a moment, and stilled. Loki couldn't say anything to defend Sesshomaru, they certainly wouldn't have believed him if he had.
"Kermit is right. Pretty Boy, plagiarizing Glow Stick's strategy, or not, would have brought me to the same conclusion. The strategy he explained to us is basically what happened here three years ago. Glow Stick executed a deliberately unsound Op. Pretty Boy just now proved it to us. I'm convinced." Romanoff clipped off. Sesshomaru looked to Loki in mild surprise, ears up. Banner sat back, understanding that Sesshomaru's surprise meant he had no idea what Loki had actually done.
"I can't believe I'm saying this, but I believe him. It makes sense, along with everything else. Even what Tony did with the missile. Loki didn't plan that, but it's the same basic principle as matches the fire attack." Banner admitted and Loki nearly let loose a breath he didn't know he was holding. The Berserker, of all the mortals, harkened to Sesshomaru.
Loki's magic inside him began to spin out of control. It was actually happening! His pulse quickened and a slight sheen of sweat dotted his brow. He was pulling this off! It terrified and excited him at the same time.
'The Other only rebuilt me to coax and manipulate my resent feelings of hatred, resentment, and envy to grow as an infection. I fought it; I did. I knew that my entire existence was not the misery and anger the Other told me it was. I had rich memories, good ones, yet I didn't win that battle.'
He hadn't realistically thought he would get this far, truly. Loki was, first and foremost, a realist and a cynic. There were simply things in this life that did not work out well. Goals that went unachieved, prices that couldn't be paid, beauty that was made to fade, strength that was cowed till it broke.
When he, after two years and some odd months in Asgard's prison, managed to thaw out his mind, restructure it so that it made sense, he thought of the scheme. The scheme to bring Sesshomaru to the present. He had softened Frigga enough to remind Odin of Tenseiga, to bring the sword to the present so he could properly atone.
The fact that Odin had eventually capitulated, and agreed to retrieve the healing blade, and by proxy Sesshomaru, still vexed Loki. Yet, so far, each step of this far fetched, practically unachievable goal of his was almost within his reach.
Loki swallowed, trying to calm himself but it wasn't working. His mind kept cycling back through what happened.
'My magic had been drained completely from the void and the Other saw the opportunity to create the perfect weapon for his Dark Lord. The hatred curved inward, tainting my every possible memory, emotion, and instinct, like a poisoned well. I focused only those warped emotions towards a golden Thunder God, a one-eyed King, a gilded city, blue skinned giants, and a long-lost Demon Lord.'
He could feel Thor's gaze still buzzing on him like a live wire.
Loki's magic within him bubbled for release like a volatile chemical solution in reaction to it.
'This, however, does not mean that I have any leadership responsibility over this hodgepodge group of mortals. They have their Director Fury and Captain America for that position. Sesshomaru and I will simply provide instruction from the sidelines…if they end up using our advisement at all' Loki reassured himself, knowing the last thing he wanted was to be directly responsible for any actions other than his own.
Loki found himself staring blankly at the Demon Lord, who turned slightly to him, ears lowering. He suspected something was up, Sho had long ago began to sense his magic like he would a Demon's youki.
'I became a patchwork Frankenstein of someone I used to be.'
'I was forced into submission and beaten to kneel before a Dark Lord in order to obtain an infinity stone with which to conquer Midgard. A place I remembered that wronged me by vanishing my only friend. The same planet cherished by Thor, whom at the time I wanted to see crushed. The Other successfully took my magicless, mindless, shell, and twisted it with his own magic into a weapon.'
Loki pursed his lips together, still hating his weakness for not being able to fight back against the Other harder.
'Thor has yet to say anything. I can feel his ice blue gaze drilling holes in my skull and I can't look his way. Is there any way he could believe me?' Loki stilled, daring not to face his brother, he knew his brother, and perhaps Sesshomaru could feel his magic sting and spike within him.
"Yeah. Now we just have to convince everyone else on Earth. Which, so won't be a big problem." Stark's voice rang with sarcasm looking Sesshomaru in the eyes, both of them staring at each other with a look that showed a growing respect from Loki's point of view.
'Outdated strategy indeed Stark….' Loki thought, trying to rein in his magic that still twisted within him. His magic laced blood raced through his veins, his absurd idea was actually working and Loki still had to process it. He needed to be alone to calm his magic.
"...Natasha's right. Everything he explained would make sense if you wanted to fail an invasion, and remember Stuttgart? That got everyone's attention, in a way that didn't help Loki or his commanders." Rogers stated woodenly, still processing.
"What I want to know, Fancy Pants, is why someone would purposely fail an invasion attempt? Why go through the trouble?!" Clint's voice sounded confused, asking the one question Loki had hoped no one would ask.
Loki couldn't do anything but stand stock still in horror. He knew what Sesshomaru would say. There were only three reasons someone would purposely fail an invasion.
He wanted to flee from the room, but instead his mind just froze. He kept replaying the reasons why he was even there in the first place.
'The invasion was an opportunity to carve out a destiny that at the time I thought I wanted. But in reality, it was what the Mad Titan wanted. The Other manipulated me into thinking I desired it as well. And I was none the wiser until I arrived on Midgard, connecting back to Yggdrasil and charging regaining some of my own magic. Things didn't make sense.
'I never wanted to rule this planet, I even promised Sho once that I wouldn't. I realized that the Other put me back together in a way that benefitted him, not necessarily what was actually true. Yet, those warped emotions and those memories still remained, as if icing or glazing over my true self. I still hated Thor three years ago, I still resented everything, I still felt that despair haunt me. But I knew that this destiny was not the right path. It was not mine.'
Loki's magic levels were going haywire, feeding off his inner turmoil. Green smoke coiled tightly behind his eye sockets.
His blood thinned in his veins, he knew soon Sesshomaru would answer Clint's question. He had to get out of this room. His hands shook and his chest rattled like an aerosol can, he knew Thor, Sesshomaru and perhaps even Jaken could sense his magic churn but Sesshomaru would not react unless he did something outward, to save him face.
"...I would purposely fail if I desired fortune and the targeted Lord bought my allegiance. More likely, if my superiors were treating me ill, such as refusing to promote me or worse persecuting me into their wishes." Sesshomaru's eyes went wide and he froze, toxin coated his fingers.
Loki then knew Sesshomaru had put all the information together. Loki's whole body started to convulse. Green magic snaked around ankles and steamed out his eyes. His emerald magic writhed like vines within him. If anyone noticed his magic react around him, he couldn't tell, his vision had narrowed into a tunnel and he couldn't properly focus.
He wanted to lash out and attack, implode, and disappear all at the same time. He hugged his sides tightly, as if to literally hold himself together.
Sesshomaru looked Loki right in his eyes, his gold ones glazed over in disbelief. Time froze. Loki took a step back, throat dry. His face stretched in panic. Sesshomaru's eyes remained wide, his pupils slit, his youki surged around him like a blue whirlpool on the floor. Jaken took Rin away in a rush.
"Persecution." Sesshomaru growled. "This Other, he kept you." Sesshomaru cracked his knuckles, toxin sizzling the floor. Loki had no idea what the other Avengers were thinking, he couldn't take his eyes off Sesshomaru; he commanded his attention.
Also, the magic that smoked from his eyes obscured his peripheral vision. The magic began to turn from green to black.
"I simply couldn't endure. My mind isn't truly my own any longer. It has a new forger, not unlike a broken blade." Loki found his choked voice. Loki knew he would only be what the Other made him into: the Other's broken blade.
'Blast you Clint Barton! I was fooling the lot of you. I had, up till now, tricked you all into thinking I was actually Loki, God of Mischief, not this monster I am now.' Loki experienced a flash of a memory: his own laughter, high and brittle, his saliva and blood spraying into the air. A masked face looking down, eyes vicious. His own skull fractured; his hair ripped out. His fingers broken backwards, his thighs coated in blood.
'I had blocked that time out. I can't have these mortals know about it. I can't face my broth-Thor. Sometimes I curse Sesshomaru being here, Thor looking at me this way, making me remember I didn't used to be this monster, that I was once someone.' Loki's lungs grinded like sand on rusted metal.
"I existed once. I truly did. You know that." Loki gestured to Sesshomaru palm up.
His black magic spiraled out of him and fanned out on the floor, like three roots of a great tree. From his eyes, his magic turned black and twined into six branches on the ceiling. Yggdrasil. Loki heard someone say something, but he knew it wasn't Sesshomaru nor Thor.
Sesshomaru blinked, reining in his youki. Loki's pulse jackhammered in his ears and mind scattered. The past clashed with the present, the torture with the peace, the masked Other with handsome Clint. He was losing it. He couldn't let the mortals see what he truly was. They had to believe him, not think he was some sort of broken mess. A broken blade.
Loki did the only thing he could: he teleported down to substorage room 3-b.
He slumped to the floor where he and Sesshomaru usually slept and violently shook with images of a blue masked face, sharp cerulean wires, potent hostile magic, and vials of his own blood.
His magic grew to fill the storage room like vines would an abandoned building. He could not go back to who he was before the Other had him, before he fell from the Bifrost. He did not know how.
'I can still hear their jeers, the sound of my flesh ripping, the smell of my burnt skin and hair, my own strangled, defiant laughter echoing in the cell. The sight of my failing magic limping against the walls. It's still all there. It still keeps me.' Loki suddenly felt extremely fatigued and drained, he wanted to simply sleep. He then saw the door open, the black vines of magic recoiling from the light.
Who came down surprised him.
"...Brother?" Loki would eviscerate Sesshomaru for this. He would take his own whip and flay him with it. He knew Thor wouldn't come down of his own volition, Sho forced Thor to come…what a waste of time. What an insult!
"Thor, we are not brothers, and as you can see I am in a most uninterested mood." Loki's green eyes flashed in the darkness but his voice held no strength. This was supposed to be his time of triumph, not one of crippling terror.
"I knew not that was how...I was unaware that...I should have thought better of you. I should have looked for reasons for your actions." Thor's voice sounded gravelly as he slowly entered the dark room.
"...it matters not." Loki didn't know what to say. 'That Thor should have seen through my attempt? Seen through my own paper-thin sanity three years ago? Shouldn't have assumed me dead when I let go from the Bifrost? Should have known I didn't care two bits about ruling Midgard?' Loki had long tired of waiting for Thor to notice his plight.
"It matters a great deal! It is of great importance to me! The conditions you were under when you led...and you endured Allfather's punishments voluntarily... I failed you." Loki hadn't heard his voice sound so thick and sticky in a long time. Thor sat on the floor beside him.
"It truly matters not…" Loki just felt tired, he hadn't slept well recently due to his nightmares. Perhaps before the Bifrost he wanted this conversation. Not now. Not anymore.
"Falsehoods! Brothers are supposed to know each other. I feel as if Son of Taisho knows you far better than I, and he ceased to be five hundred years ago. He even stated if you truly wanted Midgard you would have had it. I doubted your desires and intelligence. I even forgot how skilled you are in sparring when you truly mean it." Thor croaked out, his voice not matching his strong, though slumped silhouette. Loki shook his head, eyes heavy, because Thor, as always, was too little, too late.
Loki's magic flared in stale anger as a green shockwave of magic flung Thor to the other side of the room. Thor didn't even appear phased, all he did was tuck into a tumble and skid to the far wall, eyes on the floor.
"Stay. Back. Thor. I have neither desire nor energy to relieve your precious conscience of its regret. I am on Midgard for two purposes. One, to save our realms; Two, to slaughter the Other. Assuaging your guilt about our false fraternal bond is not one of them. You are my ally. Nothing. More." Loki's voice sounded stronger than he knew he actually was, or felt. He was not responsible for Thor's feelings, and he wouldn't roll over and just accept a meaningless apology either because it really didn't matter. Thor would get over it. Thor would get over him; he always was resilient.
"I will not leave you alone down here." Thor righted himself against the far wall of the storage room and Loki sighed through his nose, smiling wanly and shaking his head. He had forgotten Thor's stubbornness. When his magic calmed and he rested, he would beat Sesshomaru into the cement for not coming himself.
Loki didn't say anything else as he just leaned against the wall and drifted into a nightmare, which was, just in time, interrupted by a pulsing ice blue glow.
Whooooo that was a doozy of a chapter! I'd like to thank all my precious reviewers and everyone who has been following and favoriting this story! So thanks to: Silvermane1, Demonic Otaku, the17thmuse, adi1981, 'Guest' and the Rayne Alchemist!
And a special shout out to Darkmiror for helping me proofread and giving me ideas :)
-TL