Chapter 2: Made a Mark

Author note:

Holy smokes! It was like a firework of readers and hits and all that. YAY! Thank you so much to the readers and especially to the people who added my story to their favourites and alert lists and thanks to Midst, Loneangel666, HeavyDreamerDeme and LBF for reviewing! Glad you're finding it interesting and liking the start. The same with all of you. And to HDD, I think this chapter answers your question. And to be a tease, so far with planning, this seems to be heading to more than 20 chapters or so.

Alrighty, by popular demand (AKA my excitement), enjoy the 2nd chapter! P.S Don't be afraid to tell me how it is afterwards. Reviews are much appreciated!

Shortly after the search, Natasha and Agent Darcy returned to SHIELD headquarters the following morning. As Nick Fury addressed and enquired them, Agent Darcy informed professionally to him as Natasha surprisingly remained silent. "So do you have a lead on the target's whereabouts?" Nick Fury asked. "Agent Romanoff was interviewing some of the civilians and she told me that they had sight of him in the last period of time. We weren't able to catch when exactly he was sighted and he most probably entered those premises during the first day of attack and arrival. Either way, I suggest we continue in an easterly direction to see the possible way the target travelled" Agent Darcy glanced occasionally at Natasha who seemed to be oblivious to the conversation occurring.

Nick Fury took notice as well. "I'll take your suggestion into account Agent Darcy. Agent Romanoff -" Natasha looked in delayed response as the three of them had stopped at an intersection of the hallway. "You're particularly quiet… you have anything else to add?"

Natasha could definitely say that she had discovered a possible trail on the target considering that she had in fact met the one and only Loki but it was very much in an unexpected way. A perplexing, unexpected way that she had to keep classified as personal and secret. Natasha finally shook her head. "It was all summed up and mentioned by Agent Darcy" Nick Fury nodded at her sensible yet dishonest answer and parted ways with the two agents heading to the left direction of the hallway intersection.

Agent Darcy faced Natasha and she suddenly became paranoid that she would bitterly question about her odd behaviour but fortunately, she took the better yet harsh way. "If you weren't paying any attention, Director Fury told me that he's sent some files for us to fill in about our search information on the target. He kindly requests that we have them completed before we depart for our next search which is still yet to be planned" Natasha nodded and couldn't help but compare Agent Darcy to a type of programmed machine created by SHIELD to simply regurgitate orders and instructions. Natasha as an agent knew she wasn't that serious. "Good. Until then, Agent Romanoff" Agent Darcy nodded her head in a brief goodbye as she walked past Natasha leaving her alone in the hallway. Natasha couldn't help but scowl at Agent Darcy's inanimate and silently judgmental personality. It wasn't Natasha's fault that their 'target' had caught her deep consideration and evaluative attention. Yet, there was more than just a few simple thoughts about him.

Through the entire week, Natasha had been finding some bizarre things occurring especially to her but she made sure to never demonstrate it especially around others. Her mind was still haunted by Loki as she replayed their first encounter over and over again. As if observing it to detail and building up his entire profile but she particularly felt a special urge to think about that one enticing action he committed. He was a pure distraction of her mind and she had no reason why.

Meanwhile, Loki was elsewhere down below in a secret, closed off area that he established as his hideout and base for keeping the busy, mortal puppets that he controlled working. It had been about two weeks since he had arrived on Earth and he fortunately had not been suspected or discovered by the enemy mortals. As he effortlessly ordered around his workers and was making great progress on his mission, he had many things on his mind as well.

A particular unfortunate thought covered his mind which involved his conviction especially for his assignment. If he had to be honest especially to himself, there were quite a few gaps in his knowledge of this entire mission. Call them flaws or errors, they definitely existed and Loki wanted them to be completed and figured out.

After all, if circumstances of drive such as more power or reward were the things to assist in pushing him forward with executing this task; another predominant one was indeed: fear.

"Let them go themselves. I will lead them in a glorious battle"

"Battle? Against the mighty Earth?"

"Glorious? Not likely. If your force is as formidable as you claim –" Loki had sounded rather smug directing that to the dark, blue, hooded figure that stood before him.

The figure reacted in slight offense "You question us? You question Him? He who put the scepter in your hand? Who gave you ancient knowledge and new purpose when you were cast out, defeated"

Loki had been making a vigilant, schemed and important discussion at the antipode side and world to his home and heart but as of lately, he felt condemned of a heart and home so there was no upfront or undisclosed need of mention involving his past. It was gone and this was his present destiny.

"I was a king! The rightful king of Asgard. Betrayed" Loki defended. He was going to get his side and what he wanted no matter what. He knew his stand and was going to genuinely show it.

"You're impatient. You were born of childish need. Look beyond the Earth of greater world that the tesseract will unveil"

"You don't own the tesseract" Loki corrected.

The Other zipped towards him with his hand in striking position but Loki remained calm.

"I don't threaten. Until I open the doors, until your force is mine to command, you have my word"

Loki felt conceited and satisfied to have made such a great exchange of proposition with the Other and things seemed to be running well but Loki was having too much of a grand state of mind to think that he had a great upper hand.

The hooded figure remained silent until he broke out "You will have your war Asgardian but if you fail...if the tesseract is kept from us, there will be no realm, no barren moon, no crevice where He can't find you"

Loki listened and felt the Other's presence circle around him in such a threatening manner. Loki stood still and was heading to exemplify his boldness up against the other creature but never had his vulnerability been so visible.

"You think you know pain? He will make you long for something as sweet as pain"

The menace implied by the Other even made Loki gulp down apprehension as he basically stood frozen. The next thing that occurred was not expected at all.

The silent hand of the other being had crept up behind Loki's head and as soon as he murmured the last word, it was exactly what Loki began to experience.

The blue hand had compellingly been placed on the right side of Loki's face which immediately sent a frigid sensation on Loki's skin as it felt like stabbing icicles but it wasn't the only thing it was doing. It was also injecting.

Ultimately, the unbearable pain was infused along with a type of fast rushing, cold, mystical energy. The points of the Other's blue hand and spread fingers had been fixated on particular spots. His fore finger pressuring on the temple of Loki's head, his two middle fingers on parallel sides of Loki's eye and his small fourth finger placed just to the side of Loki's mouth. Through those main points, it was effective transmission of the energy to enter Loki. The sensation was chilling and it made it difficult for Loki.

The icy energy disabled and entered Loki's mind, his eyes and his mouth. A breath had caught in his throat and it was stuck midway. Possibly frosted by the cold sensation but the energy didn't necessarily freeze those body parts. Loki started to feel weak as he stood trying to tolerate the bitter pain but it was getting the better of him. As his mouth remained gaped still trying to find a way to inhale and exhale, he blinked repetitively as his vision was starting to be hazed by the colour of blue and the energy. Worst of all, his mind was at a standstill consumed by the benumbing and penetrating force.

It was only then after the brief moment that the monstrous hand had felt Loki cringe in agony, he showed some mercy and let go of contact with Loki. The release nearly made Loki stumble to the side but he used his scepter to keep stability. He was shaking though as the glacial energy had began to subside allowing him to recover to slight normal being. The Other was circling from a distance and he was facing away from Loki. It seemed like things were done here.

Although, mercy and the conclusion of things were too soon of a thought as right after he felt recovered; a blue hand had zoomed back towards him again and energy was then placed on Loki's neck which caused excruciating pain.

He could hardly exchange a breath and the energy's effects had returned to his eyes and mind. Loki even dropped his own precious weapon which stressed on his susceptibility. The blue fog had completely clouded his vision but after a moment, his vision was starting to be eclipsed by darkness. His world and life was plummeting deeper into darkness and could he even bear to say: the end? His death?

As if he was reading Loki's mind, it was a final moment before the Other's hand had let go of Loki. He instantly collapsed to the ground like a puppet had their strings cut off but there was no liberation. It was soon revealed that his strings were reconnected and to a stronger extent with not being as such physical.

The blue being had knelt on one knee next to Loki as he attempted to get back up. He muttered lowly "I repeat again; you can and will have your war Asgardian but not under what you expect such circumstances to be. Do not fret though. You will still have my force. You will still have tremendous power especially over the humans. You will have such glorious rewards for when you succeed and you better have your dignity for when you sign your half of the arrangement but there is one thing that you may as well say is dead and gone. Even starting right now"

The Other's hand had been creeping yet again towards Loki and it prepared itself for the last intimidating touch to be placed on the now weak Asgardian.

"Of course, that single object and in terms of you considerable and unique creatures is none other than the audacious sentiment: pride"

A finger had pressed against the near behind of Loki's neck and this time, it painfully singed as Loki could not take anymore. It was a brief touch before the Other had stood up and quietly chuckled at Loki's deplorable and contradictive state. He had started to walk away and Loki felt the heavy footsteps vibrate on the ground. Loki simply turned his head to the left seeing his scepter a few feet away from him. He simply stared at its glowing emission of blue energy. Energy that he could control. Yet, the energy and force demonstrated by the Other was completely out of his control or let alone his reach. The discharged waves of energy from his scepter danced lightly as it disappeared into the air. It seemed so free. Something that Loki wanted to be. Something that maybe he might not ever be.

Loki inhaled sharply and jerked his head – creating an ache on that exact spot that marked and deemed him pathetically dominated by the other side – as his mind returned to reality from that horrible confronting memory. Or maybe it was more a nightmare but it was in fact real. Loki knew his life was hanging in the balance through this mess that he now slightly regretted getting involved with but he had to push through no matter what.

It was an uncanny chain of dominance that involved Loki. Here on Earth, he was able to command and manipulate such poor beings of mortals so easily. Whether they become his puppets or cower before him, he declared higher placing over all of them but there were beings even higher than him and it was none other than those others that had scarred and damaged him for the worst.

It seemed to be a universal law or equation that was applied to life. A food chain or order of species determined by their ferocity and abilities in the complete game of survival. Loki now seeing past this entire haze of desired power and reward made me him realize that he may not necessarily be near the top. Could it be worst that maybe he was in the basic middle? Heaven forbid if he were located at the bottom of that order. It was quite an aspect of contribution of why he resented life.

Loki massaged his neck while still pondering about multiple things. It truly was a headache with all these parts composing his plan to be reconsidered. He searched through his mind of something positive to settle this nuisance for now and clear everything. He closed his eyes and kept massaging while trying to seek something else to think about over this cascading and overwhelming amount of faults in his plan. Yet, he froze everything in revelation to the perfect subject of thought. It was another missing hole in his wide plan but it wasn't as major but proved to be of some significance and possibly some enjoyment: the female mortal he had met that one night.

It was a question of what his intentions were with her. Even Loki couldn't exactly identify what purpose he had with her but most definitely; he had an intention towards her. He would be able to use her to his advantage somehow but that was yet to be figured. Even with his own attitude questioning "why be involved with such a lowly creature" and especially "enemy", he decided that it was time to persevere no matter what. Everything for his plan was vital. After all, this mark of a task was granted onto him and he wasn't going to give up or back down.

That was simply the boost needed for him.

Natasha took notice of more peculiar things. This time upon her body and limbs. At random times, her right hand had tingled or trembled and her arm altogether had experienced internal tremors. It was truly odd behaviour and it was a question of whether her mind was doing it subconsciously or not. She didn't call upon these random reactions and so it was with her mind. She still thought occasionally of Loki but had developed the ability to try and shake it off. She needed to learn somehow though to try and train her arm and hand to stop quivering.

She was able to still do work and training especially gathered with the other group members and made sure to be as contributive for the others to not read her mind or actions.

Natasha rejoined Agent Darcy for a further exploration of the area that they first searched and didn't as such find anything in result. It wasn't much expected especially for Natasha but it led to another initiated search to be held more of the areas within the 50 miles radius of the original headquarters. 4 teams of agents were assigned to the north, west, south and east points of the place but a majority of other teams were sent to international destinations.

Natasha simply had an instinct though that this minor business of trying to track him wasn't going to be as effective because he was capable to anything and could easily escape in a snap. There was a development in the headquarters of a radar machine being able to track energy radiation which seemed more reliant but it had to be finished to be used soon. This travelling and following business of the target was more for reasons to snoop out any suspicious or dangerous occurrences or devastation. The only way they could properly encounter Loki was coincidently or personally and individually. Just like she had.

Loki had felt the urge to complete a particular minor task that had been on his mind as of lately but he wanted to make sure that things were all under control in his private factory of power. Things seemed to be running smoothly so far but he needed assurance. Everything had to be perfect. He thumped his scepter twice on the ground. As if it were a call or order but it surprisingly wasn't intended for all of the people. It was a couple of moments before one person had answered: Agent Barton.

"What is your request sir?" The possessed Agent Barton was entirely under Loki's order as seen in his dark-rimmed eyes. "I request for you to keep guard and watch of the place until I return. If any trespassers make their way even to the very entrance, I expect no mercy to be shown" Agent Barton nodded as Loki began to march away. "May I ask where you're going sir and if you require back up?" It was ordered courtesy for Loki's servants to ask of being extra assistance or service for him. Loki smirked pleasantly at Agent Barton's right function. "It'll be fine Barton. Remain here as I told you and I will be back soon. I just… have to pay an important visit to a particular someone"

Agent Barton nodded in response to his master's instruction and strode away.

Loki advanced again walking down the tunnel entrance of his hideout. The beat of his steps and scepter bounced off the walls after every tap or tread which emphasized the satisfaction of his ulterior plan being achieved as of lately and falling into simultaneous action. He ran his sleeve upwards in a swift motion of his right hand to examine the vaguely illuminated mystical energy pulsing through the veins of his arm.

At that exact moment as well, Natasha had entered her personal room provided aboard the ship headquarters of SHIELD. She was on the 2nd lowest level on the ship just above the supplies level. It was a small section of space that the dormitories for the team had taken up. It was lucky that she had gained her own small room as Natasha was the only female of the team. Right across the hall from her room was the guys' dormitory but this resting place for the team was rarely visited by them as breaks or rests seemed to be the last thing on everyone's mind.

Yet, Natasha needed a break to try and calm herself. To recollect her whole mind and being because she truly felt that she was losing self control.

Especially to the inexplicable man she had met during that dark, isolated night.

She couldn't comprehend why and how her senses and mind had been spun out of control and extent. One encounter, one sight, one touch and most importantly one voice and expression of him; of Loki had caused a possessive notion of interest and desire in her mind. It was as if he was a consummative distraction. An intoxicative disturbance enveloping her sanity. Natasha now knew from that single meeting of Loki and her, it wasn't anything to ordinary. He had made an impact. A mark on her but it wasn't necessarily just her mentality.

Natasha noticed she had been subconsciously gripping her right arm. She stared as she discovered that her veins had been appearing in a more bold and accentuated manner. Beginning at the inward flex of her elbow then following to her hand, the veins could be traced quite clearly by her finger. The palm of her hand was darker due to more exposed veins. Natasha turned over her hand to see another surprising sight: more veins were visible but only up to a particular point just below her middle knuckles.

It was then she wondered and realized it was the very spot the devilish and unique man she met had kissed.

He had been gazing at the continuous pulse of the energy travelling through his veins for a couple of moments while walking. He stopped though and marched forward with faster pace as he grinned in self contentment. The centre aura of his scepter was glowing brightly with thin outbursts of blue tesseract energy. It meant that it was ready. Loki swung his scepter back and forth in his hand with more confidence building up precision until by one wide circular motioned wave; he was consumed by a radiated blue sphere from the scepter and had disappeared.

Story note:

Yes, there was an excerpt of the movie which was the flashback inserted in there which was twisted with my uptake and applied mystery and whatnot.

And time shifts between the lines so hopefully you haven't gotten confused and got the sense of how it was like a couple of days' difference in action (Except for when I said meanwhile at the beginning of the last 7 paragraphs).

AND HOLY SMOKES: this is the most I've ever written. About 3500 is quite a lot for me but I know there's more. Anyway: thanks guys for reading! Much appreciated!