Chapter 6: Child of the Thunder

Being the daughter of a brunette astrophysicist woman wasn't too bad. That was a pretty normal life.

Being the daughter of a blonde hammer-wielding giant who could fly and had control over all things relating to storms? Not so much.

Not to mention that the aforementioned blonde giant was often referred to as the God of Thunder and spoke like he came straight out of a Shakespeare play. And often had at least one of his powerful and equally-strange friends over. Powerful as in they all had weapons and armor. Strange as in the way they spoke, behaved, and dressed.

It was the life one lived when one was the daughter of Doctor Jane Foster, astrophysicist and host to all things downright strange, and Thor, the Crown Prince of Asgard and very proud father. Especially now that his daughter's powers were manifesting. Powers that were her birthright on her dad's side and made him proud, but powers that her mother feared and were very nervous about.

Case in point being how they manifested. A bully was picking on one of her friends. Although she had warned him that if he didn't knock it off, she would beat him up, no one (not even she) had suddenly expected her to be able to pick up a man the size of a football player and throw him through a concrete wall at least a foot thick with no trouble whatsoever.

She fled the scene before anyone could put two and two together, but that was only the beginning. The very next day, someone tried to feel her up. This earned him a thorough electrocuting. She fled again, unsure of what the hell was happening. She didn't return home that night, too scared of hurting her family.

Of course, this led to her father and mother pulling out all the stops. Jane called Darcy and Eric (they were happy to help-they were like a family). Thor summoned Lady Sif and the Warriors Three (not like they had anything better to do really-nothing was going on in Asgard that needed their attention). They all gathered in Jane's RV, and after much discussion, Jane theorized that Astrid, their daughter, may actually not want to be found, but they all agreed that she needed help, lest her powers run wild and bring about a superstorm to tear New Mexico asunder.

After she was described to the other Asgardians, Thor and his friends did their thing, while Jane took Darcy and Eric in the old RV. Amongst the god-like entities, it was decided that because of the sheer expanse of the New Mexico desert, they should split up to cover more ground. The plan worked-Lady Sif was able to find the confused Astrid breaking down on a rock she had unintentionally completely shattered in her emotional run.

All things considered, the noblewoman was completely shocked. This child was only half-Asgardian, and she was able to do this much damage without even trying? Odin was certain to truly accept the marriage between his son and Jane after learning about this. Oh, he would be proud. But that was not the point. The point was helping her to calm down.

"Hello?" She called gently. Astrid looked like a puppy who had just lost its mother and then been kicked. Astrid turned, and tried to run away. But the Lady had more experience with her skills, and was easily able to catch the exhausted and confused Astrid. Crying, the young one looked up at Lady Sif. She backed away, putting her hands out.

"D-Don't touch me! You'll get hurt! I… I… Something's wrong with me!"

The noblewoman kneeled down, and took Astrid's hands in her own. She shook her head.

"Nothing is wrong with you, little one."

Astrid looked up at the noblewoman.

"W-what do you know?! W-Why do y-you look like that?! W-What's h-happening t-to me?! Just w-who are y-you?!" She stuttered in her tears. Lady Sif moved to sit next to her, and embraced her.

"Tell me, what do you know of your father?"

"M-Mom said that he's from a s-special place… w-way up in the sky…"

"Indeed he is, and so am I. Tell me, what do you know of that place?"

"T-That people up there…. they have s-special powers… like m-magic and stuff like that!"

"That's certainly correct. Magic is very common where your father and I come from."

"I-It is?"

"Yes. Now, tell me, do you know what that land is called?"

"I… I think Dad said it was called Asgard?"

"That's correct. Now, you should know something, little one. Your father just so happens to be the Crown Prince of Asgard."

"H-Huh?! W-What does t-that mean?"

"It means that he is one of the finest warriors in all the land, and he is next in line to rule the land."

"Ummm… Wouldn't that make Mom… Wouldn't that meant that Mom would be a princess?"

Lady Sif chuckled a bit, and smiled at the young one's naive nature.

"Perhaps so. Now, tell me something. You know that they are your true parents, correct?"

"Y-yea…"

"So, tell me, where do you think you got your powerful gifts from?"

Astrid thought for a moment.

"I know not of every way of humanity, nor do I know anything of this 'Asgard' you speak of, and nor do I know anything of either of you, but I believe the correct answer is that the young lady obtained these powerful gifts you speak of from the blood of her father?"

The two looked around, trying to find the source of the voice.

"If you are attempting to find me, I am right underneath your hand, young lady."

Astrid lifted her hand to see a small sphere, slowing down her tears. She picked it up. It had some white, dark green, with hints of gold. Lady Sif stared in rapt fascination at the sphere.

"A talking Bakugan?" Astrid wondered out loud, now almost completely calmed down. The Asgardian woman looked at her in confusion.

"A talking… what?"

"Bakugan. You see, there's this cool new game that a lot of the kids at school play, and part of the game includes these guys. Normally, they don't talk, but there's been rumors that some of them can!"

"A game? Tell me… how does one play this game?"

Astrid smiled.

"Well… It's not exactly easy to show you without another Brawler… but I'll do my best! You see…"

Time flew by as Astrid showed Lady Sif the game of Bakugan to the best of her ability by herself, amazing the noblewoman. Nightfall came quickly, and both were tired.

"...And that's Bakugan! I like it, and play with my friends all the time!" Astrid chirped, smiling.

"Most impressive… Perhaps you can show me an actual Brawl in the near future, when you return to the place of your education?" Lady Sif suggested.

"Maybe…" Astrid replied sleepily. She easily fell asleep against the Asgardian's armor. The noblewoman smiled.

"Rest easy now."

It was then that everyone else finally arrived.

"Awww… Look at her! She's so cute!" Darcy whispered.

"Well, what did we miss?" Jane asked.

"Oh, there is quite a tale to tell, but I believe that it will have to wait until tomorrow. This young one knows how to tell it best, but not in her current condition."

"So, bedtime, huh? Fine by me. I don't mind sleeping under the stars."

While Lady Sif kept Astrid calm and asleep, everyone else assembled a mini campsite, and crawled into whatever sleeping arrangements they had been assigned (sleeping bags for Darcy and Eric, the RV for Jane, Thor, and Astrid, and mats and blankets for everyone else) for the night. Astrid tightly clutched her father's nightshirt with one hand, and the talking Bakugan she'd found in the other. Thor woke up for one moment, not seeing the Bakugan held so tightly by his daughter.

"Good night, my Astrid."

He finally let himself fall into a deep slumber, planting a kiss on her forehead.