Hello, beloved readers! Sorry it's been a while... Thank you everyone for sticking with me, and especially thanks to Budjma for the review!
I cannot predict the future, but I'm pretty sure I'm done with this whole "on-the-go" sort of thing that's been going on lately, so yay! Hopefully less typos will surface through the next few chapters!
I also have some really good plot-development in the works for this story (at least... sort of.) compared to some other fanfics that I have written. Unlike the others, this story actually has a point B! Sort of... At least that's something... *Yay!*
And pertaining to this and the following chapter, it may not be extremely accurate to the source material since Infinity War clips on this scene haven't really been released yet, but I'll do as well as I can.
Onward!
It was Ebony Maw and Black Dwarf. Loki glared in distaste. He felt nothing but boiling hatred towards both of them. Loki especially remembered Ebony Maw's eloquent voice taunt him with a placid half-grin on his disfigured face during Loki's time in exile. Loki hated every Child of Thanos, but Ebony Maw may just be his least favorite.
Loki double-checked his invisibility charm subconsciously. He knew that he was deemed one of Thanos's children now, but that did not calm him at the sight of them. Despite him being now well accustomed to being on "the Bad Side", Loki wondered if he could still get his much-desired revenge this way. He felt unsettled and disgusted by following around his brother's murderer like a broken puppy and being unable to use his wit and tricks to get himself out of this position. He knew that he had acquired Bruce Banner's trust so far, which was a start to being on the right side to kill Thanos, but he still doubted he would survive more than an hour after betraying the Titan, after Thanos had so kindly taken the time to demonstrate the consequences. Maybe he could deceive Thanos on his loyalty by doing the tasks that were laid out for him, but also work with Bruce and perhaps some other stand-by's to figure out a way to kill Thanos. He could warn them of Thanos's next moves, and help weaken the Titan from an insider's advantage. If Loki helped Bruce and the others succeed, maybe Loki could take the Power Stone in order to properly heal himself without depending on the Titan. Then he could scavenge the few possible Asgardian survivors of the attack and protect them as their new king. But his plan still seemed too risky...
Loki groaned, frustrated at himself and his own indecisiveness as Ebony Maw began to waltz down the streets and proclaiming that same annoying speech as always. Determined to leave the site of Ebony Maw, and finally heading back towards the Sanctum Sanctorium, Loki had made up his mind. He flung the Sanctum doors open while lifting his charm of invisibility. The startled face of Tony Stark greeted him, alongside the two "sorcerers" and the somewhat pleased Bruce. At the same time, both Tony and Bruce exclaimed, "Loki!", Tony seemed angered and shocked, while Bruce sounded at least mildly happy to see him.
Loki rolled his eyes, pointing towards the Sanctum doors. "Were you preparing for Thanos's Children at all? I told you that they'd be here, and now they're here. Is the Stone safe?"
Doctor Strange nodded. "Yes; I put an insta-burn charm on it for anyone but me."
"Excellent idea." Loki said without much emphasis, feeling as if he could have done better.
Stark still stared at Loki incredulously, pointing. "What on earth are you doing here? I thought you were in Asgard's big house!"
Loki groaned, "Let's leave the formalities behind for a moment and get rid of Thanos's Children, shall we?"
"Why should we trust you?" Stark accused.
Bruce put his hand on his arm. "He's good, Tony."
Loki rolled his eyes again, repeating, "He's good, Tony. Fine. Now I believe there are more pressing matters at the moment..."
Loki nodded towards the door. Screaming was heard from outside and sirens blared.
Outside, they began to hurry down the street, seeing people run and scream away from a certain street. Stark kept on glaring at Loki uneasily, but Loki disregarded these looks, used to being stared at by now. The massive, disk-shaped vessel was to be seen hovering over the city and towering over everything. Ebony Maw alongside the towering Black Dwarf was striding slowly and deliberately down the street, speaking in his silky, disgustingly calm voice; "Hear me, and rejoice! For you are about to die at the hands of the Children of Thanos."
Loki's eyes widened when he realized that at any moment, Ebony Maw would notice Loki alongside Thanos's opposers. Loki gasped, getting out of the way and hiding behind a car for cover. Stark glanced at him in confusion, but glared back at Ebony Maw as he continued,
"Be thankful that your meaningless lives are now contributing to the balance of the-"
"I'm sorry the Earth is closed today!" Stark interrupted. "You gotta pack it up and get outta here!"
Ebony Maw's placid pale face twitched in anger. "Stone-keeper, does this chattering animal speak for you?"
Doctor Strange stepped forward, conjuring glowing shields of magic, "Certainly not. I speak for myself. You're trespassing in this city and on this planet."
"He means get lost, Squidward!" Stark quipped.
Ebony Maw sneered, putting his fingertips together and spoke softly to Black Dwarf. The giant alien hefted his axe and charged.
Loki ducked back in alarm as it came towards them. He stared at Stark in surprise as his golden and scarlet armor was suddenly wrapping around him from out of nowhere. Loki huffed, thinking, What a show-off. Stark's new armor was very bulky and shiny, and looked a little bit too computerized. If Loki had been in the position to choose Stark's armor, he would have preferred one of the older models of armor that he had confronted before during the Chutari attack. Thin strips of metal floated out of the back of Stark's suit and jets of bright light shot out of them towards Black Dwarf. Black Dwarf got knocked backwards onto the side of a building. Rubble rained down over the alien as it struggled to get back up.
Bruce gaped at Stark in awe. "Whoa! What was that?"
"Nanotech suit with some clatomic functions. You like it?"
"Yeah-"
Bruce froze as the Black Dwarf finally got back to his feet and Ebony Maw lifted his hand leisurely and a car floated into the air at his side. The Maw repositioned his hand, preparing to throw.
Stark noticed this with distaste and unease. "Oh boy. Here comes the party. Planning on bringing out your jolly green giant?"
Bruce nodded uneasily. "Oh yeah. Sure." He grit his teeth and muttered. "C'mon, Max!"
A flush of green color spread over his threat, but quickly faded away. Bruce tensed up, gritting his teeth harder and grunted in effort.
Stark glanced toward him in concern. "You 'kay buddy? Where's our guy?"
Bruce grimaced awkwardly. "Oh yeah... well Hulk and I are sort of having this thing..."
Stark pointed at the two advancing aliens. "Nonononono... this is no time for a thing. That over there is a thing-"
Ebony Maw hurled his arm toward them and the levitating car was flung towards them. Stark and Bruce instinctually ducked, but Doctor Strange enlarged his golden shield charm for the car to come smashing against it right in front of their faces.
Stark whirled around to glare at Bruce. "Any moment, thinking of helping out?"
Bruce clenched his fists, groaning in effort. Doctor Strange momentarily lowered his hands a hair to stare at Bruce with wide, incredulous eyes.
Stark leaned towards Bruce, whispering, "Dude, you're embarrassing me in front of the wizards."
Bruce sighed, frowning in defeat. "I don't understand..."
Loki peered behind the car he was hiding behind, a little puzzled at first that Hulk wasn't coming out of the little man to come smash the aliens, but realized the Hulk must have been afraid after getting ultimately mauled by Thanos back on the Asgardian ship.
"Bruce." Loki whispered, shaking his head. "It's not happening. I would advise seeking cover."
Bruce groaned, but reluctantly nodded, beginning to step away from the action just as Doctor Strange's shield charm broke away at Ebony Maw throwing two more cars st them. The lit up in sparks, exploding at the impact with the shield, then the shield flickered away. Doctor Strange tried to conjure up another shield, but Black Dwarf came running through the rubble with a furious roar before Strange could get far enough with the spell. Iron Man shot beams of white light from his hands at the towering Dwarf. Black Dwarf roared again, waving around his huge axe furiously, but didn't yield.
"Bruce, get out of here!" Stark yelled.
