I'm truly surprised about how much people like this. I'm not sure what a 'good start' is considered on fanfiction, but personally to me, it's awesome. I would have updated sooner but a certain Sprinkles kept me busy. Also, just so you know, after the next two chapters, it will be around a 'quarter' of the planned story done. Yeah, it might be a long one, especially for my first proper fanfiction. Again, thank you all so much for liking it. Much appreciated. - Hades

Brjóta eða Kaupa

Destroy and Bargain

"I CANNOT BELIEVE YOU DID SOMETHING SO FOOLISH!"

"I had to! He was going to tear himself and everyone around him to bits!"

"So better it be solely him to feel the burden of his pain rather than share it with his friends?"

"Friends? He doesn't have friends, Thor! You know that!"

"I…"

"We will keep repeating this until he is well enough to be unrestrained, and even then it will be a long time before he is ready to leave. He is in a bad state."

"What did he mean by 'Goat'?"

"I don't know, maybe a pet of his?"

"Not that I knew of."

"I will ask him about it next time, but carefully."

"You have been careful this entire time, and what has it got you? He needs to address by someone of his level."

"What, a god? You?"

"That might be safer."

"It's either he talks to me and treats me like a 'mortal', or he talks to you and loses it because he's horrified by the sight of his brother!"

"Then we need someone else."

"Who does he respect but not fear? I cannot think of anyone."

"Perhaps there is one man. It is risky, as whom I'm thinking of isn't going to play nice, but he has kept a conversation with Loki before, he might be able to again."

"Well you better call him."

Loki didn't even bother this time, he opened his eyes, surveyed the figures (who were even more deformed) and fell to his knees, looking at the ground, defeated.

"See? He is learning."

Thor approached him, placing a hand on Loki's head, causing horns to erupt once again, bile to rise in his lungs and organs, his eyelids to turn to glass, and stitches to form over his mouth. The pain was excruciating to Loki, but he kept quiet, only grunting.

"Now, what was it I had planned?" Thor pretended to think, dramatically holding a bony hand over his bleeding beard. "Ah yes, the Goat tried to run away."

Loki's eyes shot wide and his head jerked up to look at Thor, who smiled, half his smile expanded from the missing flesh in his cheek. He silently pleaded no, grunting and humming to try to tell him.

"You really think a simple no is going to stop me?" Thor's smile broadened, and he grabbed Loki's good horn and began to drag him towards the bored looking Odin. "You aren't finished yet, pet, your mood needs some adjustment." Odin raised his sceptre and held the tip to Loki's forehead as it glowed blue and wisps of light flowed into his head. Loki's eyes darkened, then went completely black.

"Goat?" Thor asked, releasing Loki's horn, letting him thump to the floor.

Loki lay for a while, face to the floor, not breathing, not moving.

"What happened?" Thor turned to Odin, curious.

"I'm not sure, Goat, move."

Loki's arms twitched violently before settling down again.

"I'm not sure if that's an improvement."

"Goat! Stand!"

Loki lifted himself into kneeling, and then looked at them; his eyes were solid black, endless pits of darkness. He smiled. Thor raised an eyebrow, "Goat?"

"Yes, Maste-" His voice was a glitch, warped and broken through stitches, the world around him also warping, showing his damaged mind. The figures became static-y, parts of them shifting and bending before snapping back, sometimes even changing colour briefly.

Thor and Odin both raised a bent eyebrow this time, "I'm definitely not sure that's an improvement." Thor said bluntly.
"Fine, I'll fix it." Odin replied, annoyed. Instead of being careful this time, he simply smashed Loki across the face with the point of the sceptre, ripping a line from cheekbone to cheekbone of the downed man. Loki didn't make a sound, just kneeled with the same grin on his face, oil pouring from the horizontal cut on across his face. It was a moment before blue wisps began to leak out along with the oil, flying and dissipating into the air. When the wisps exited, the blackness seemed to leak downwards from Loki's eyes, leaving him with grey-white eyes with an almost unnoticeable iris and pupil. He fell face first to the ground.

"Good job, you broke him!" Thor said with brutal sarcasm.

They started to argue heavily, until all that could be heard was static, growling and the sound of burning.

Yes, Loki was still alive. He couldn't die yet, he is still needed. Or at least that's what he thought, but his mind was shifting from good and bad so quickly he had no idea which side he stood on. Goat, Loki, Goat, Loki, Goat, Loki. He lifted himself up and grabbed his head in his hands, his eyes flickering black and white, showing the seizure his brain was experiencing. The figures looked at him in disgust, their anger at each other now channeling towards Loki. He could not scream as they ripped his clothes off, held him down by his horns and abused his body. All he could do was internally scream as his mind flashed from wanting to die to wanting more, white and black.

When they were done Goat was exhausted, weeping quietly, curled into a ball on the ground, blood and oil pouring from the many cuts and wounds and even bruises that where everywhere on his body, especially his pelvis. Goat was finished. Goat would be Goat.

Not Loki.

The figures chuckled together, like sandpaper rasping on steel, "I say we let him sleep for now, he needs times to lick his wounds, and he's no good to us dead," Odin smiled, a sliver of white dripping down his broken jaw.
Thor nodded and licked his lips, "Then we will have fun, oh yes,"

They appeared to lift a blanket of darkness from nowhere, throwing it over the trembling Goat.

He was free. For now.

"Wait wait wait. You want me, the guy who almost died sacrificing himself for the city, to go have a happy little chat with the guy who caused the destruction to said city?"

"Yes."

"Well I'm in."

"You confuse sometimes, you know that?"

"What about the others, why me?"

"I'm trying you first, but I will attempt with the others, they are the only people he really knows, even if they are on bad terms."

"Bad terms is putting it lightly."

"I know, but I have to hope."

"Why do you want him to be good and better all of a sudden? Aren't you going right back to Norseland to have him tried and thrown in whatever sort of jail you have?"

"If he is mentally unstable it may have explained his actions."

"Come on, there has to be more than that."

"I care immensely for him, I always have."

"How touching. Now, shall I be off?"

"I believe you will reach the institution first, so yes."

"See you soon."

"See you… soon. Heh."

"Did you talk to him?"

"Yes, he agreed to help."

"Really? Did he really?"

"Yes."

"… Well okay."

His head was reeling, good, bad, Goat, Loki. He kept one eye closed to enjoy the darkness, and one open to feel the light. Because of his limited abilities, his eyes had physically turned black and white, they weren't flashing as intensely, but they did change from time to time, and he switch eyelid positions accordingly when they did.

He didn't have to wait long this time, not that he noticed, he was too busy trying to sort his head out. The door opened and a cocky individual barged in, "Hello highness, feeling any better?" his voice was sarcastically sweet, and he was carrying a metal suitcase, a gold and red one.

"Stark, please play nice." Richard was beside him, a little more timid than last time.

Stark walked up and peered into Loki's eyes, "He has some serious strobe light thing going on, you might want to get that checked," he chuckled, and examined the restrained man.

Richard frowned, approached carefully and examined Goat's eyes just as they changed, "Odd. That wasn't happening before… Loki, are you okay?" he was prepared this time, already holding the sedative.

"That's a big needle doctor, you sure his highness needs all that?"

"You weren't here last time…"

"Then why are you here again?"

"Thor."

"Yeah, that explains it."

Loki flashed back, and he tried to lift his previously free arm, but it had been re-restrained, he choked out a "Help," before Goat flashed back, a look of contempt replacing fear on his face.

Stark looked apprehensive, but not in fear, out of curiosity. Without warning he leapt out and grabbed Loki's chin, wrenching it up so it was inches away from his own, "Quit the strobe effect."

Loki's mind and system was so shocked by the sudden move that it jolted back to a balance between the two, returning to its' somewhat regular state. His eyes also returned to normal, but his iris and pupil were considerably lighter.

"What happened, did you go blind?" Stark leaned in closer, ignoring the protests of Richard.

Loki looked wearily up into Stark's eyes, "No…" he croaked, his voice sounding ancient.

"Tony, step down."

Tony Stark had to be mere centimeters away from Loki now, eyes creased and examining.

"Tony."

Tony wrenched away from Loki and stood back, placing his suitcase on the table, "Well something is wrong with him," he said bluntly.

"That's what I've been trying to tell you."

"And what do you want me to do?"

"Have a conversation, keep it light-hearted, try find out what is going on in his head. Be as nice as you can without making him think you're pathetic."

"Sounds simple enough, can I have a chair?"

"Of course."

After retrieving the chair Tony sat down next to Loki, who had been staring into space, oblivious to the outside world. Tony clicked his fingers in front of the lying man, causing Loki to jolt his head back and focus on the fingers. "Right, so I'm going to be Dr. Stark from now on, got it?" He sounded arrogant, but playful; Richard wondered if it might work.
Loki creaked his head sideways, staring at Tony for a minute. Tony didn't break a sweat, just stared him down. Richard was about to intervene when Loki spoke, "Very well, Lt. Stark," a weak smile grew on Loki's face as he had the smallest victory he could in his present condition.
Tony wasn't impressed, "I guess Lt. will do. Now, what was your childhood like? Neglectful mother? Abusive father? Dog that ran away?" he had gained a mock psychiatrist pose, talking in a silly voice. Loki chuckled the slightest bit until it got to abusive father, then his face fell to stone. Tony noticed his mistake, "I guess it's door number two then," he said softly, but shook his head mentally and continued, "Now Mr Highness, I need you to describe why you were having a miniature rave party inside your eyes, can you do that for me?" he kept up his façade of actually being a doctor, but had a softer face than his usual iron one.

Loki considered telling him, what point was there in keeping silent? As much as he hated to admit it, if he could achieve help from the mortal Iron Man, then he would have to grin, bear and take it.
"I am Goat." He said bluntly, but softly.
Tony raised an eyebrow, thought for a minute, then simply made a "baa", or goat noise.
Loki didn't laugh, he continued staring at nothing.
"Loki, why are you a goat?" Richard couldn't help but ask, curiosity overtaking him.
Loki frowned, coming back into focus again, "Be silent," he snapped sharply to the doctor.
Tony raised both eyebrows, slightly turned to Richard, almost laughing, "Well I guess the goat has spoken, doctor,"
Richard frowned, and continued to sit on the table and watch, silent. He nodded impatiently to Tony, indicating to get on with it before Loki spiraled again.
Tony rolled his eyes and spun back around so he was facing the restrained man on the table in front of him, and simply asked, "Now, I know you don't like me, and to be perfectly honest I don't like you either, but you need to get better so you can leave our planet and go rot in a cell or whatever it is you guys have."
Loki considered what he said, he didn't actually hate Stark, he just saw him as a powerful obstacle, and he even thought under different circumstances, they might actually get along. Why was he being nice all of a sudden? He had gone soft! Ridiculous. "I don't hate you," He accidentally croaked out what he was thinking, for all the room to hear. Tony raised his eyebrow again, and the doctor leaned forward, curious.
"It's understandable you love me, but let's get back to the main topic, why are you a goat?" Tony avoided Loki's statement, and tried to steer the conversation back. It worked.
Loki thought for another moment, "Tell the pathetic one to leave." He would tell Stark, but not while that stupid man was in the room.
Tony turned again and looked Richard, who looked shocked in response to Loki's request. "I… I suppose I can leave. Shout if you need help, Stark." He sounded slightly annoyed, but stood and left.
Tony smiled, and turned back to Loki, "Now why would you tell him to leave? He's the one with the meds to shut you up if you flip," he was joking of course, but Loki didn't laugh. Tony clenched his jaw and waved a hand for Loki to continue with what he was going to say.
Loki seemed content with this so he continued, "They have told me I am Goat, a mere beast, a toy for them. I must not speak, my mouth is sewn shut, I must not walk on two legs, goats walk on all fours, I must obey and listen to every order and execute them without hesitation…" he remembered what had happened last time he had hesitated, he was still mentally sore.
Tony seemed somewhat uncomfortable for Loki to be unloading his mental troubles on him, slightly shifting in his chair. Trying to stay professional (in a mocking way), he lifted a hand to his chin and pretended to ponder. "So, they, whoever they may be, have convinced Loki, God of Mischief, into being their farm animal slave? I am finding that hard to believe, as last time I checked, you answered to no one," he talked carefully, but still full of humour.

The "God of Mischief" heard and tried to understand what he had said. Minutes passed, Tony grew bored and restless, suddenly swinging his legs up and resting them on the god's chest. Loki jerked, but didn't explode, he was still in extreme thought, almost oblivious to the outside world.
"Dude, come on, this is getting boring, I can't have a conversation talking about you with myself," he paused, "Let's give it a shot anyway," he stiffened his back, "I tried to rule the world but the amazing Iron Man and the slightly less significant heroes helped to stop me," switching positions, he became the doctor again, "Such a shame, but you were out of line. Another topic, how have your dreams been like? Any ones about a handsome billionaire?" he said without pause or fault, before switching back to Loki, "Oh no! You have discovered my secret!" this continued solely due to pure boredom, Tony's jokes becoming even more horrible and even disappearing, eventually he ended up with his forehead on the edge of Loki's hip/bed, groaning in boredom. "You are so, so boring now, you know that? I think a vegetable would be more interesting."

Loki came back to reality, he had enjoyed his stay in a lighter part of his mind, thinking things over, but he returned to Tony touching him, and he didn't appreciate it, "Get off me!" he growled, but not loud enough that anyone outside the room could hear.
Tony smiled but didn't move his head, "Say please."
Loki frowned, but creakingly chuckled, "Untie me, man of iron."
It was Tony's turn to chuckle; he lifted his head and looked bemused, "Now why would I do that?"
Loki kept a straight face, "Because that mortal woman you care for will live if you do."
Tony raised an eyebrow again, "Oh? Wait, so if I don't leave you tied up where you can't move, can't do any damage, and can't be a nuisance to the human race; you will not hurt my girl?"
Loki's face was still straight, "You think I am alone in this world?"
"Yes, I do."
"Then, you are mistaken. But do you really want to take that chance?"
"Nice try."
Tony stood, about to leave.
"Miss Pepper Potts, was it?"
Not freezing, but not leaving, Tony turned around, a smirk on his face, "Haha, nice guess."
Loki shrugged as much as he could while being tied down, "It is an art."

"Well, I believe my time is up, I need to go visit the mortal woman I care for. See you later, highness." With that, Tony left, taking his armoured suitcase with him, tipping his head and smirking to Richard (who was right outside the door) and walking down the hallway. Richard entered now, and raised an eyebrow at the now exhausted Loki.
"Well? What did you talk about?"
Loki didn't speak.
"Loki? Can you hear me?"
Loki didn't speak.
"Can you hear me, Loki?" Richard was right next to him now, starting to get annoyed.
Loki didn't speak.
Richard frowned, "Talk, or I'll assume you're catatonic and need mental rest."
Loki turned and looked at the doctor, returning the frown.
Richard smirked, "So you can hear me, good. Now we're going to talk, and I don't mean you just listening. We need to sort out a system that works so you can be unrestrained and mobile as soon as possible. Is that a deal?"
Loki kept his face pointing at Audolf, but his eyes shifted from side to side, considering, planning, thinking. His face was stoic, unrelenting of information.
"Well, Goat?"

Loki's head jerked and he focused on Richard, "What did you say?" he breathed.
Richard raised an eyebrow again, "I said, "Well, Loki?" I was wondering if you had made up your mind."
Loki frowned at himself now, in thought. He hadn't come to a conclusion, but better him talk now than have the man force sleep upon him because he thought he was lost in his mind.

"Deal."