CHAPTER 11 - Stopping and Planning
Two days after the expected arrival and they still hadn't actually made it to Knowhere. Again, a scan of their jumps found that they were getting jumped into wrong areas. It wasn't as bad as before, but it was still bad enough that they wouldn't make it there any time soon. Frustrated, Quill and Rocket decided they were going to stop at the next inhabited planet to figure out what to do. The planet was called Sorin and like most of the other more popular places, various species roamed around the area. After once again stocking up on supplies, the group converged in the 'dining room' to discuss what to do next.
"We can't keep going to Earth or to Knowhere. We keep getting blocked," Quill needlessly pointed out.
"Planet hopping ain't working neither. We'd likely be dead before we get anywhere close," Rocket added. "And that's if we had enough units to buy supplies for that long."
"Okay, so what? We give up?" Clint wondered. Quill sighed.
"I don't know," the guardian muttered. "We promised to get you guys home but... Whoever is doing this, be it Thanos or someone else, they really don't want you going back."
"It's mostly just me he doesn't want to go," Loki mentioned, staring at Clint. The archer shook his head.
"I told you before, I am not leaving you here," Clint stubbornly told everyone.
"Well, we might have to ditch you both then," Rocket retorted.
"Rocket!" Quill and Gamora snapped. Rocket shrugged, unconcerned with their disgrace of him.
"You're right. We can't just leave you to Thanos if he is looking for you. No matter what planet we leave you on, the life there will be at serious risk," Gamora mentioned. "And not all have so many warriors that could help fight him off."
"What about dropping them back with Dey?" Quill wondered.
"No," Clint muttered.
"What is your issue with him?" Quill finally asked. While the guardians had issues with Nova Corps, they were at least willing to work with them. But Clint adamantly refused to travel with a single officer on the same ship. Clint sighed. There was no way to really describe it. Yeah, he mentioned that the officer kinda reminded him of his dad but it wasn't just Dey.
"I... They feel wrong. Nasty," Clint tried to explain.
"What, like bad food?" Rocket countered. Clint sighed.
"It's more like... When you look down a long dark hallway while hearing noises of some strange creature. That feeling you get when you know it's the only way out but you don't know what's waiting for you on the other side," Clint tried. Quill shivered.
"Yeah, I wouldn't want to be near Nova Corps if that's what they feel like," Quill replied.
"Yet you both tend to run into danger head first," Gamora mumbled.
"No one ever said humans were smart," Loki said. Clint and Quill turned to give him a nasty glare. "No matter what plan we make, there seems to be no way to get Clint and I both to Midgard. But, we can attempt to just send Clint."
"I told you!" Clint started but Loki held up a hand.
"I will use my strongest magic to knock you out long enough for them to leave me behind," Loki hissed, daring the archer to fight him on this. Clint snarled.
"I ain't leaving you," Clint once again stated. Loki shifted forward but as he did, Clint shifted back. "I don't care what you think you're gonna do. Laura will kill me if I go back without you."
"Who's Laura?" Quill whispered.
"You only want me to come so your family won't get mad at you?" Loki growled, his eyes darkening in anger. Clint huffed, mentally realizing how his statement must have sounded. Especially considering their deteriorating relationship on the farm.
"No, you just keep sitting there thinking no one gives a shit about you. But, you are part of my family!" Clint shouted. That made Loki pause. In fact, the guardians also looked a bit surprised at the archer's outburst. "You have gone through so much, with and without me. But I've seen you change from the guy I first met. I care what happens to you. I can't let Thanos get you."
"Clint," Loki mumbled, stunned.
"I don't care what anyone says. I will stay with you, even if it kills me," Clint promised.
"As touching as all this is, it still doesn't help us plan on what to do next," Rocket pointed out. The group sighed. But then an idea stuck Clint.
"Can you send a message out to Thor, or Heimdall?" Clint wondered, looking at Loki. The trickster sighed.
"Only if I was closer than we currently are or even got to," Loki replied. "I see no clear way out of this with both of us getting to Midgard."
"Alright, well while you fucks decide what to do next, I'm gonna go see if we can find some schmuck to pay us a lot of units to do something," Rocket called before turning and walking off. After a moment, Drax turned and followed.
"There has to be some way. Something we haven't thought of," Clint mumbled. Loki winced but refused to say anything. He had prayed things would go much differently than all this. Even now, Clint's body likely would not be able to withstand a trip with the Tesseract. Maybe in a few more months, baring anything other changes, the archer would be okay to travel as his magic would help center him, but Loki didn't want to wait that long. He needed to get Clint to go home.
"I'm sorry, but nothing is coming to mind here, Clint," Quill softly said. Clint sighed. This was unfair. There was always a solution. But then again, it wasn't normally Clint's job to think it up. Typically it was Tony, or Bruce, or Steve. And often Natasha as well. Clint... Clint had always just been along for the ride.
"Clint, you need to go back without me," Loki pressed. Clint shook his head. Loki gave a near silent groan. "Please."
"No," Clint hissed. Heaving a breath, Loki moved away.
"So, you guys just wanna tag along with us? Kinda help out?" Quill questioned.
"Quill, what if the slowing still happens?" Gamora asked.
"Then we'll willing get dropped off at the closest uninhabited planet that we could survive on," Clint answered. Loki huffed. Apparently that had not been on his agenda. Clint let out his own huff before leaving the room, intent on heading for his bunk. Loki, Quill and Gamora watched him go, Mantis slowly following after. Once he was sure Clint was gone, Loki turned to the others.
"If the slowing happens again, drop me off anywhere and take him with you. He deserves to go home," Loki ordered.
"I don't like that idea," Quill admitted. Loki sighed. He couldn't even tell them about the Tesseract without knowing that they wouldn't tell Clint about it. If Clint knew that Loki had had the stone with him the entire time, Loki doubted he'd be able to explain that Clint wouldn't have survived. And Clint certainly would blame the trickster for his magic rather than Ego.
"I don't fully like it either, but he needs protection. Sometimes even from himself," Loki retorted, looking back the way Clint had disappeared to.
Rocket did end up finding a poor schmuck to hire the guardians for help. The 'guy' wanted the group to defeat some type of 'mafia' like group that had kidnapped his wife, son and daughter. Clint bristled at the idea of what happened, thinking of his own family. Loki also didn't seem amused. Rocket, dumbass that he was, was just excited to be getting paid a really 'decent' sum.
"Alright, so where is this group?" Quill questioned after Rocket spilled some of the details and it became clear that everyone wanted to help.
"On the planet Molea," Rocket replied.
"Molea? You mean the Purgatory home planet? Are you insane?" Gamora screamed. Rocket shrugged.
"'Purgatory?'" Clint echoed, really not liking the name at all.
"Purgatory is a group of aliens, mostly Vreiqrul, that basically rule over this section of space," Gamora explained.
"And the Nova Corps-" Clint started. At the groups faces, he sighed. "Does nothing about it. Great."
"It's said that some of the officers are being bribed to ignore or protect any members. No one has been able to prove it yet, but it has become a well known rumor," Gamora replied. Clint rolled his eyes. Of course.
"So, are they strong?" Loki wondered.
"Kinda... The species they have in command are dangerous in their own right, never mind working with others. But, that's not to say people haven't stood up to them and lived, just... They're hard to beat," Quill stumbled over.
"Sounds like the mafia," Clint muttered.
"What is a mafia? Are they a dangerous species? Do they require slaughtrage?" Drax called, looking like he was preparing himself for war. Clint just stared at the guy, unsure how to answer. Even Loki didn't have anything to say. He just looked at Drax, wondering how this man had ever lived as long as he had. And Loki thought Clint had been bad...
"Doesn't matter what they are, we're going after the Purgatory," Rocket interrupted, saving Clint from having to try and answer.
"If this Purgatory is so dangerous, why have our services been required?" Mantis inquired.
"Cause, we're gonna get paid enough units to survive if we keep getting slowed the frag down," Rocket retorted. Clint huffed a laugh.
"And do you know how many we'll be facing?" Loki countered. Rocket looked to him and shrugged. Loki sighed. "What their defenses are?" Rocket stared, silent. "Where the family might be hidden?" Again, stare. Loki sighed, rubbing a hand across his nose. "It's like talking to Thor."
"Or Tony," Clint whispered. Loki snorted, he couldn't help it. Tony did have some amazingly stupid ideas that typically put a lot of people in danger. Hence, Sokovia and Ultron.
"Look, we'll figure it out once we get there," Quill informed. Loki looked to him.
"And if we don't carry the proper weapons, or supplies? You honestly think they'll let us pause and go get these items and return?" Loki growled. Quill shrugged. "By the Norns, I'm surrounded by idiots!"
"Hey!" Quill cried, offended.
"Well, can't you just magic us up things?" Rocket pondered. Loki huffed.
"Magic does not work that way," the trickster hissed.
"What about his bow thingy?" Rocket pointed out.
"I happened to have had a bow hidden with my magic in a small pocket dimension. I willingly gave it to Clint as a gift, making Clint the bow's new master. When it vanishes, it merely enters it's own pocket dimension, waiting for Clint to recall it," Loki snapped. Clint raised an eyebrow at all that. Loki hadn't explained it like that. "That bow had been in Asgard's vault for nearly a thousand years!"
"Then why did you have it?" Rocket growled. Loki paused at that, his eyes flicking to Clint for a brief moment. Snarling, Loki spun on his heel and walked away. The tension in the room vanished. "Uh... What just happened?"
"I believe Loki took that intending to give it to Clint even before all this," Gamora theorized. Clint frowned. Thor had said the vaults had been destroyed. And that likely Hela had ruined any powerful artifacts inside. But, if Loki was able to save the bow, what else could he have saved? Curious now, Clint headed off to find Loki. He found the trickster outside Loki's bunk.
"Loki?" Clint began. Loki sighed deeply.
"I'm sorry," Loki whispered. Clint frowned, moving to stand beside Loki. In the Lie-smith's hands was the Tesseract. Clint stilled, staring at it before looking back up at Loki. It was now that Loki decided to give Clint some half lies. He needed to make sure that Clint still trusted him. "I had nearly forgotten I had this. But the main reason why I never suggested it before, was that you likely wouldn't survive a second trip. You've been affected by far too many Infinity Stones and your body and magic will take time to heal yourself to be prepared for another trip."
"But, you could use it to get back?" Clint asked. Loki sighed.
"I believe so. Thanos wouldn't be able to control this," Loki replied. Clint glanced back at the Tecceract and then back to Loki.
"Is this-"
"No. It wasn't until I told the others about the pocket dimension that I remembered that I still had it with me. As much as any one believes otherwise, I do actually forget what I carry in my pocket dimension," Loki half joked, returning the Tesseract as he said so. Loki hoped that Clint would focus on the second part rather than the first part which was a lie. Clint snorted. "I likely have one of Thor's play hammers in there, but I can't remember."
"Well, I guess I can't blame you. I forget things all the time," Clint told the trickster. Loki smirked, pleased that he had been able to get around the fact that he had known about the use of the Tesseract long before this. "So, you think if the guardians bring me back alone, you can use that to get back?"
"I believe so. I see no reason why not," Loki responded. Clint sighed.
"I don't like the idea of leaving you behind. I've nearly lost too many friends doing that. And hell, I've nearly been killed when I made others leave me behind," Clint grumbled. Loki shifted to press a hand against Clint's arm.
"I am a powerful magic user, a thousand year old... Jotun. And I've survived thousands of battles keeping Thor and his friends safe from their own stupidity. I will be fine," Loki explained. Clint huffed.
"And if Thanos catches you again?" Loki shivered.
"I have the Tesseract. I don't need to wait for you to arrive on Midgard before I go back. If Thanos catches me, I will just use it to go back," Loki answered. Clint rolled his eyes but Loki could see that the archer was cracking. "I promise you, I will do all I can do to return as well. But you will be able to go faster without me."
"But-"
"Clint, please. You need to return home," Loki stressed. Clint sighed.
"I-"
"Clint. Must I knock you out?" Clint grimaced. "I will. I will make it that you fall into a stasis until your arrive on Midgard or I undo the spell."
"Won't I drain it?" Clint wondered. Loki paused before shaking his head.
"It isn't a constant spell. The magic will only happen at the beginning and the end," Loki replied. Clint huffed. "Clint, don't make me have to do it."
"I... Loki, please. We can find another way where you are with us," Clint tried. Loki shook his head. Clint was going to hate him for this. He had only a moment to catch the archer unaware and it was highly helpful when Quill and Rocket rounded the corner to check on them. Quickly saying the words for the spell, Loki lunged forward, pressing his hand to Clint's forehead. The archer started before dropping a second later. Knowing what was going to happen, Loki caught him before Clint crashed onto the ground.
"What did you do?" Quill called, staring at Clint as if Loki had just killed him.
"As I promised before, I have put him to sleep. I request that once you are done with your mission, you bring him straight back to Earth," Loki told the guardian. Quill frowned. "His body, while asleep, is also in a sort of stasis. He will not require food or water, nor will he wake until he is on Earth or I remove the spell."
"Doesn't that drain your magic?" Rocket asked.
"It did in the beginning but this spell, like the arrow spell I taught Clint, doesn't require magic for it to continue. It... In essence it's similar to a curse rather than a spell," Loki huffed out, glancing down at Clint with a small grimace. He doubted the archer would ever forgive him for this.
"Alright. We'll do what we need to and get him home. If anything props up, we'll return here," Quill promised. Loki nodded. He expected nothing less.
Another week, another chapter.
Darius has been doing good. Relaxing a bit, actually listening a bit more about things we tell him to do... So, it's getting better. Just today we got a delivery of Disney Magic Bands for our Disney trip in February. First thing Darius says is 'ohh! New watches!' Tee hee. Then he wanted to take them and wear them. Sorry kiddo, we need these bands for our trip and we don't wanna lose them this early. Can't wait until the trip. Baby Jason is getting closer to crawling lately and seems to be getting into standing on his own faster. He might go cruising before crawling. Either way, he'll likely be on the move soon.