"Now let me get this straight, you want her to be trained with the other Avengers? You do remember her attacking you and the rest of them. Right? She almost killed Stark, and there's an agent in the infirmary who needs major surgery. It's not even certain he's going to live. And you want to train her?" Fury said calmly. Besides being unusually civil, he hadn't taken her idea as badly as she had thought. Nat was actually relieved.

"Sir, she had a chance to kill me, but she didn't and when Sam went to go get her, she didn't attack. She went for Stark, not him. I think she's programmed to attack on sight, and only a handful of us." She articulated blandly, when in reality, she was very curious and puzzled.

He nodded thoughtfully before asking, "Then why did she knock you out?"

"I believe she was still angry at me for what happened when we apprehended her, and her natural anger was magnified by the… enchantment." The word left a sour taste in her mouth. Even though she had seen that magic was in a way real, it didn't feel like the proper term for Kate.

Natasha had spoken for a long time with Loki. Together, they had figured out as best they could why Thanos had put a spell on Kate. Loki hadn't told her any of his theories on why, just that the only way to pursue them was to leave Earth, something he couldn't do. He had also mentioned the odd connection she had with Vision, how his name kept popping up in her mentalscape. Neither had a plausible theory for that.

"You've been talking with Loki, haven't you?" he mused, a steely glint in his eye.

"You never prohibited me, sir." She added.

"And you trust him?"

"No, sir but I think it a waste to not utilize his knowledge. So far, what he says makes sense." And that it did. Natasha didn't trust Loki as far as she could throw him, which wasn't very far at all, but he genuinely cared about Kate. Even if he wouldn't even admit it to himself. That was something that united the two of them, Loki and Nat; their odd protectiveness of Kate. Nat couldn't shake the feeling that something terrible had happened in her past. The way she held herself, how she flinched during physical contact, how she always scoped out the room she was in, like it was second nature. Nat did those things as well.

Fury chuckled darkly. "I don't trust him at all. In fact, I think he shouldn't even be allowed to be on this planet, but guess what. He is. I would have thought by now you would have realized that even if I never said you couldn't talk to him, you shouldn't have."

Natasha decided to play along. "Yes sir." Fury stared at her long and hard.

"I'm assuming you want to be a part of her training?" he said.

"With all due respect sir, I think I am better equipped at training her than anyone else." A bit of firmness entered her voice, emphasizing her point.

Fury smiled and shook his head. "I'll consider your plan for her training. If I agree, then you can train her as long as she doesn't attack you. I don't need one of my top agents dead." He paused, letting the words sink in. "I'll arrange all the technicalities." That was as close to a 'Yes' if there ever was one.

"Thank you, sir."

Kate was very rudely jostled awake. Her eyes focused on two, no three, no five heavily armed soldiers milling in the room. When they noticed that she was awake, they stiffened and a few readied their weapons. Their behavior really ticked her off. She hadn't killed anyone last time, and besides she wouldn't attack. There really wasn't a point. Did they think her some mindless beast?

"Up, hands behind your back." The one who had woken her demanded. Leisurely, she stretched, and sluggishly did as she had been told. No need to make it easy on them.

They put thick, cold cuffs on her wrists. A piercing beep, and her hands were covered too by what felt like metal gloves; she wouldn't be able to use her claws unless she wanted to shred her hands first. Great.

Two guards went in front, two on either side, and one in the back. Weirdly enough, Kate wasn't nervous. What she was however, was bored. This entourage wasn't meant to guard he, but to protect everyone else from her. It didn't really bother her; she'd have done the same if the situations were reversed.

The procession proceeded down hallway after hallway, entering and exiting room after room. When they finally reached their destination, Kate was positive her feet were going to fall off at the ankles. The pads on the bottoms of her feet weren't calloused at all, so the harsh floor made them ache. SHIELD hadn't given her shoes, only a uniform. How thoughtful.

Before Kate and her entourage was an imposing door of iron, perforated by quarter sized holes. She couldn't see in clearly, just snippets of light and movement. What was on the other side? Another cell? No, those holes were great for her claws to tear through, but if it is a cell, then maybe they were leaving the cuffs on? She really hoped not. Kate had lost feeling in them long ago.

They waited ten minutes, Kate counting the seconds as they ticked by. She tapped foot obnoxiously, earning a disgusted look from one of the soldiers. She smiled cheerfully at him, displaying her new canines.

Then, the door opened. Glaring lights shattered the dim hallway, blinding Kate for a moment. With her eyes readjusted, she could finally see the room. She let out a breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding.

It was a gym, of sorts. Weights piled in a corner, a running track hugged the walls, parts of which raised up and lowered to resemble hills, huge rings hung from different heights scattered under and above the lights, trampolines, punching bags, punching dummies, a shooting and archery range, and she thought she saw what looked like small swimming pool. It was every Olympic Athlete's dream. Any kind of athlete could work out here. Kate felt a little thrill of excitement.

On one wall, a balcony occupied by at least twenty people, hung over part of the track, casting it in shadow. A few, she noticed were SHIELD agents, emblems flashing coldly. Kate thought she saw Fury, but the majority looked like normal everyday people. Except one. He stared straight at her as she walked. She stared right back, in both amazement and defiance.

His skin was red, blood red. Strips of grey lined his face, meeting on the top of his head, converging were hair ought to be. A dot of something yellow and sparkling, nestled on his forehead. There were no signs of emotion, but intelligence was plain in his features. There was something else, too. Was it familiarity? No way, Kate would never forget someone like him. Maybe curiosity, but that was obvious. Everyone who had seen her so far had gawked for at least a minute. She found it rather fun to see them rubbernecking.

Hello.

Kate balked, stumbling into the guard behind her. He shoved her forward with his gun roughly, grumbling about watching where she put her feet. She snarled at him, but he didn't so much as flinch. Disgruntled slightly by his lack of reaction, she glared resentfully.

Hello. The voice said again. It was quiet and calm, full of wisdom and gentleness… and familiar.

Kate stared wide eyed up at the balcony. No one seemed to have noticed her arrival yet, except the red man.

A memory, small and weak flitted in the recesses of her conscience. There was something about his voice, but she had never seen him before… wait. Never seen him. Never seen him. Just because she hadn't actually laid eyes on him, didn't mean she hadn't heard him. It had to be him! It all made sense now! It was his voice that had calmed her when she had been panicking in the cell and the one who pulled her out of her nightmare! She would know that voice anywhere. But how? And who was he?

How do I talk back? She wondered, still staring at him.

Just like that. He said.

Oh. Kate blinked. Who are you? She asked, curiosity at an all-time high.

I am called Vision. Vision! That name, that name, that name! It felt so very familiar, like an old book she'd once loved. There was a memory wiggling at the back of Kate's mind and she grabbed for it, but it stole away. As soon as the memory was gone, a sharp pain started at her temples, radiating out. She felt like screaming. A thousand hot knives jabbed inside her head, she couldn't see, couldn't hear, couldn't do anything! Kate pressed the heels of her hands to her head, trying ineffectively to push the agony away. Milky tears leaked from her eyes.

Are you alright? He said. For some unfathomable reason, she could hear him, but it was impossible for her to respond. When she didn't, he must have realized something was very wrong because suddenly her mind was filled to the brim with soothing light. Her thoughts were silenced and the pain seeped away, a trail of bliss in its wake.

What happened? She thought weakly.

I do not know.

Her eyes opened and trained on him. Only this time he wasn't alone. A woman stood along the rail analyzing her. She didn't seem malevolent, but Kate was loath to trust anyone at this point.

Hello. A new voice perforated her thoughts. This one was feminine, and Kate assumed it came from the woman next to Vision. She smiled at Kate's baffled expression.

Hi. Kate said back, hoping they both heard it.

We did. The woman laughed. Kate smiled up at them.

What is your name? And how can I talk to you in my head? And- Kate was cut off by the woman.

One at a time please. She laughed softly again. My name is Wanda. I have the ability to move objects with my mind and also influence your perception of reality, among other things. I don't know why you can talk back to Vision and me, but you are very special Kate. There is something about you, something… she trailed off, leaving Kate rather confused.

How did you do that? The calming thing, I mean. Kate directed her next question to Vision, who just shrugged in response. Well that was helpful, Kate thought gruffly.

I am sorry I can't be of better service. Vision apologized.

Oh! You weren't supposed to hear that. I'm just… frustrated, worried, overwhelmed, and confused, I guess. Don't take this the wrong way, but how do I block you from hearing my thoughts?

Wanda smiled reassuringly. No offense taken. I'm not sure how to tell you how to guard your thoughts, but I could transfer my method, if you like.

Kate was puzzled. Transfer? What does that mean?

Let me show you. There was silence, and a fluttery sensation entered Kate's head. There. The knowledge on how to build a wall around your mind, how to open it, and how to communicate even when it's up.

Thank you. Kate uttered, a little speechless. She quickly followed the guidelines Wanda had given her, and built her wall. It was rather simple, and Kate would never be able to describe how she did it. In a way, she was using a new kind of thinking. Without words, images, or emotion, she could analyze and build.

She breathed a sigh of relief now her thoughts where her own, and she could talk without moving her mouth, with no worrying about stuttering to Vision and Wanda. How did you do that? Kate marveled.

It just comes with my powers.

Oh. Cool. Do you know what's going on?

Yes, you will train with us now. It's alright. Fury just needs to make it official with a serious speech. There was sarcasm in her voice and Kate suppressed giggles. She was starting to really like Wanda.

"Good morning Kate." Fury stood at the railing, looking down at her imperiously. Everyone on the balcony now occupied a spot where they could see her clearly. She recognized next to none of them, but she did see the red-winged man. He, unsurprisingly, glared at her. She didn't blame him. "Now, you will train to be an Avenger." He waited, gauging her reaction, which was nothing. It didn't seem to bother him. "Agent Wilson, Agent Maximoff, and Vision will be your main tutors, but we'll bring in a few others every once in a while. Your training starts today. You will obey everything they say. Am I clear?"

Kate smiled humorlessly. So he wouldn't tell her what happened. No mention of the rest of the Avengers. She wouldn't be seeing Tony, Bruce, or Black Widow anytime soon, unless they were the 'others' Fury mentioned, but that was doubtful. According to her assumptions, she had attacked them with no real reason.

"Am I clear?" he reiterated, a threat edged his words.

"Yes, sir." Kate put as much fake cheerfulness into her voice as humanly possible... or as mutant-freak-of-man possible. Fury's glare hardened, but he didn't say anything. Wanda seemed to be struggling to suppress sniggers behind his back. Vision was impassive yet he appeared to be analyzing Wanda's reaction.

"If any trouble is caused, I will know. If you decide to go off on your own, I will know. If you so much as break any of this equipment, I will know and trust me, you don't want to know the consequences." He said, his voice dangerously low, but carried perfectly down to Kate.

"Yes, sir." Again, Kate shoved as much perkiness in her voice as she could. Fury didn't find it nearly as funny as Wanda did. In her head, Kate could hear her laughing.

Fury shot Wanda a dirty look, like he knew precisely what was going on, but once more said nothing. Instead, he turned and left, a string of agents following. Soon, the only ones left on the balcony were Wanda, Vision, and the red-winged man who she guessed was called Agent Wilson.

Kate was confused. Weren't they going to come down and train with her? Was the plan for them to issue orders and her just follow them to best of her ability? No, that didn't seem likely. But she didn't have to wonder long however, all three flew down to meet her. Well, Vision floated, carrying Wanda, and Sam's wings whooshed out. He coasted to a stop and Vision landed without a sound.

"You may leave us now." Wanda said to the guards, who didn't seem daunted at all by the display.

"Director Fury's orders were to stay with the Project." One informed Wanda, who did not look pleased.

"He also ordered her to be trained. She can't do that with you suffocating her." She glowered at all of them, her eyes flashing red. Little ribbons of light curled around her fingers.

The guard nodded, motioning to the others to back off. Kate was a little taken aback at how they just obeyed Wanda. They didn't try a second attempt at arguing or even negotiating, just nodded and disappeared into the shadows around the gym. The only inclination of their existence was the odd shadow here and there.

"Well," sighed Wanda, "That's as much privacy as we're going to get." She turned to Kate, studying her up and down. Then, she started to circle, which was a little unnerving, setting her self-preservation instinct off. Wanda vanished from her peripheral, then her footsteps stopped, right behind her. "Do you mind if I touch them?" After a moment of hesitation, Kate nodded grudgingly.

Her hands gently stretched Kate's wings out to their fullest, prodding and stroking feathers. All the while, Kate felt a growing urge to hit something, or someone. She didn't like to be touched. "Sam, come here." The man did, also examining them. "What kind of bird, do you guess?"

"I'm not a bird expert, Wanda!" he said, miffed. "But they're definitely made for long flights, and they seem like they can switch direction on a dime. They aren't like any bird wings I've seen. A mix. I'll be teaching you to fly by the way." He added. Sam didn't seem to have gotten over her attack yet.

"I'll help you with your powers." Wanda added, coming back into view with Sam right behind her.

And I will help with your mind. Vision said in his gentle, calming way. Kate met his eyes and nodded. She was grateful for that, but had been hoping Loki would be the one they would assign.

"Today we're just going to see what you can do." Wanda began, motioning around the room. "Do you want to start with anything?" When Kate shook her head, she said, "Alright then. Let's start with flying. Sam?"

He nodded, walked in front of her, sized her up. With a click and a whoosh, his wings fanned out. Kate mimicked him, watching how the device moved, just like a real bird's. "Now, you want to get a running start to take off. You're not strong enough to just go up yet. So, go ahead, try it out."

They moved out of her way, a clear path about thirty feet long. She took a deep breath to calm her nerves. Butterflies filled her stomach, causing blobs of pink to blood over the soft gray fur. She stifled the pink as best she could, turning a few shades darker as well.

Kate flexed her hands. The last time she had flown, she'd kind of fallen first. The walls didn't look very comforting if she happened crash into them. Which was likely.

Then, she ran. Her feet pounded over the floor, her wings spreading out a little more with each step… she was nearing a stack of hurdles. Panic gripped her suddenly. Would she break her wings if she fell into them? She was running faster than she ever thought possible, slowing down wasn't an option anymore. They were getting closer… no holding back. Her wings snapped down, and her feet no longer touched the cold floor. For one glorious moment, she was flying, going up and up towards the ceiling… and then that moment ended. Her wings faltered, her tail wouldn't stabilize her, and Kate somersaulted into the hurdles. A lot of limb flailing and screeching as she and the hurdles collided.

Her mentors ran over, while she lay there, panting and a little shell-shocked.

Are you alright? Vision asked. Kate sent him a telepathic 'Yes' while Wanda chose the verbal route of, "Kate! Are you hurt?" Sam just laughed good naturedly, and said, "Man, Fury's going to be pissed."

Kate frowned, observing the mess. She'd broken two hurtles. One was shattered beneath her while the other lay cracked a few feet away. She groaned, refusing to get up. Sam held out his hand, and she took it, feeling very self-conscious.

"Man what do they feed you?" he whined. The animosity he'd had a moment ago was gone, which was nice.

She grinned toothily. "Raw meat and a lot of rice."

He made a disgusted face, exclaiming, "What? No way!" Kate nodded, laughing.

"Ow!" she pulled one of her wings around, annoyed that she was hurt. A large blob of yellow covered a section on the back of her wing, right where the pain was. A long sliver of grey wood imbedded near the wing joint stood out against the yellow feathers. Kate cringed.

"Let me look at that." Wanda moved around and gently touched it, wiggling it slightly.

"Stop!" Kate exclaimed. It hurt! "Let me get it." But no matter what she did, Kate couldn't get the right angle to pull it out. She grudgingly admitted defeat, and felt her cheeks heat with mortification. This was so ridiculous. Kate had been hoping she could impress them with her skills, but it turned out her 'skills' didn't want to make an appearance.

Wanda moved her hand over the wood, eyes intense. A tendril of scarlet light snaked from her fingers onto the wood, pulling it out. Small bursts of discomfort caused by the tugging made Kate recoil slightly. It was an odd sight, seeing the wood deliberately slide out of its own accord. After a minute of feeling awkward on Kate's part, it was over. She flexed her wing, extending it and retracting it. Nothing hurt, a little discomfort but that was to be expected.

"Alright hot shot, maybe next time don't crash into Fury's hurdles." Sam shot her a grin, which Kate quickly returned.

"Is he really going to be upset about them?" she asked, feeling a little worried.

He shrugged, smirking. "We can just say it was Wanda."

"I heard that!" she called. Sam laughed and Kate happily joined in. He didn't seem so bad after all.

The next hour or so consisted mainly of her and Sam doing stretches and ground work. He showed her ways to stretch her wing muscles, so she wouldn't hurt herself when it came time to really flying. Consecutively, they agreed flying would have to come later.

Then, they moved on to mind training. Sam couldn't participate in this, so he wandered over to the trampoline and settled down for a nap.

Wanda, Vision, and Kate sat in a circle, almost like a séance, which Kate found rather funny.

"Kate, we're going to be speaking in our minds now. It will help." While she spoke casually, there was an undertone of warning that made Kate uneasy.

Can you hear me? Wanda asked. Kate nodded. Alright then. It is better we speak like this when discussing your telepathy. You weren't supposed to be able to do this Kate. For right now it would be best for you to keep this between the four of us. A few others know, but Fury believes it would be safer for you to keep this hidden.

Who would attack me?

We don't know, but this may make you seem more dangerous to others who wouldn't understand. Please Kate, don't tell anyone.

She frowned. But things like this happen, right? I mean, the scientists can't plan for everything. Maybe it's just a fluke, something lucky even. But even as she thought this, she knew it wasn't true.

There is something very similar between us. Something to do with this. Vision tapped the sparkling stone on his forehead. I don't know why. I hardly understand the stone I have, much less why you would be connected to it.

Wanda shot him a glance. They must have been communicating together, because Kate heard nothing.

We will figure this out Kate. In the meantime, promise you won't say anything? Wanda asked her, but Kate was more curious than worried at the moment. Very typical Kate.

I promise. She switched her attention to Vision. Are you saying I have something to do with your stone? She pressed him.

No, your energy is different. He didn't continue, even though Kate looked at him expectantly.

Kate, can you control your coloring? Wanda changed the subject quickly. Kate dismissed it, knowing she would get nothing from either of them. She would have to try again later.

Sometimes, if I concentrate hard enough.

Can you blend in with the background?

I've never tried. That was a lie. Kate remembered attacking Natasha while being camouflaged. She just didn't remember how. Some guilt rose with that memory.

See if you can. Wanda prompted. Kate nodded, took a deep breath and closed her eyes.

She imagined the ground seeping up into her, the ceiling dripping down, and the walls covering her like a blanket. The colors shifting across her didn't cause any sensation, but something felt different. It felt natural, like she was meant to do this. She still hadn't opened her eyes yet, so Kate had no idea if she was invisible or not. When she did, she let out a cry of triumph. She was transparent. Her feet looked exactly like the floor, and the wall behind her was reflected on her arms and neck. The only thing keeping her in sight of Wanda and Vision, was the uniform SHIELD had tailored specifically for her.

Wanda stared at her. Or she rather stared where she assumed Kate's arms and legs were.

"How many fingers am I holding up?" she asked, excited.

Speak in your head, Kate. Wanda scolded gently. Kate smiled and nodded, but still waited for one of them to answer her question. I don't know, three?

No, Kate laughed, very pleased with herself, two!

She settled back down. An illusion of purple water running down her, painting her fur soft shades of violet and blue, she came back into sight. Wanda smiled proudly.

You're already making progress.

They continued practicing speaking non-verbally, trying new ways of blending in to the back ground, and just talking in general. Kate suspected this was also a team-building strategy, just without a stupid name.

After forty-five minutes of shifting, Kate was tired. She was sure she wouldn't be able to change any more shades without passing out. It took a lot out of her, to change so much.

Vision noticed this before Wanda, and suggested they go eat lunch. So, they woke Sam, and went to the cafeteria.

It was very SHIELD-ish. The tables, water bottles, plates, posters, and even a giant tapestry, all emblazoned with the SHIELD logo. For a super secret organization, they sure did like to put their name on everything.

Moving to the end of the buffet line, Kate noticed that she was getting a lot of strange glances. Several agents craned their necks, ogling.

"Hey, Wanda-"

Mind, Kate.

Oh, yeah. Sorry. Um, why are they all staring at me? They work for SHIELD, shouldn't I be considered normal?

These are agents in training. Most have never seen us in person. They have also all heard rumors about you and what happened with the Widow.

So that was why the general amount were glaring at her. She shrugged, ignoring them. If they had a problem with her, fine. It wasn't like they could hurt her.

They left the cafeteria soon after with loaded trays. Which was odd, in Kate's opinion. Wasn't a mess hall filled with tables and chairs meant to be eaten in? Maybe Wanda didn't want to attention.

They were back in the training room, eating their meal in silence. Kate's consisted of raw meat, rice (Seriously though, what is with that?), and a bottle of water. Wanda's was a bowl of some kind of soup. Sam ate what looked like military style food while giving her raw meat dirty looks. Vision didn't eat anything apparently.

"So, tomorrow I think you and Sam should try to practice flying."

She nodded, but a twinge of regret in her gut promised she would not find the training so easy.

The rest of the day was spent practicing conversing with Vision and Wanda in her head, and carrying out different stretches for when she would fly.

The next day, Kate wasn't escorted by a troop of armed guards to the gym. Instead, it was just one person; Loki.

"Hi." Kate said, not sure what else to say. What do you talk about to someone who's been in your head?

"I was told to give you these." He handed her a lanyard, a small book, and what looked like a com.

"Oh. Thanks." Again, Kate wasn't sure what to say.

"And I've been charged with babysitting duty." He grumbled, strutting away like a disgruntled peacock.

She rolled her eyes, not surprised in the slightest that Loki would be upset with having to guide her to the gym. She didn't know how to get there herself yet. It was strange they would assign him this job though. Wouldn't a different agent be better? Was he her new guard?

They walked in silence, she trailing behind, trying to keep up with his footsteps. Even though Kate was much taller than she used to be, Loki had at least six inches on her.

They entered the gym to find no one. Everything was on, the lights, the pool, and the television screens, but it was empty.

"Where's Wanda? And Vision? And-" Kate began, but he interrupted her.

"You won't be training with them today." He said, turning to face her.

Just as she was about to ask why, Loki's arm, quick as a whip threw a dagger at her head.

Dodging to the left, she tripped over her tail, landing in a heap. He calmly walked over to where the dagger lay imbedded in the wall, pulled it out, and looked at her expectantly.

"What was that? Do you want to kill me?" she shrieked, getting up and flashing red.

Loki chuckled. "My job is to teach you how to fight and use weapons."

"Did you have to throw a dagger at me?" Kate bristled.

"I needed to see your reaction time, so I can know how to deal with you."

"Deal with me? You couldn't just teach me in the normal way?" she demanded. Wrong move, Kate.

Loki snarled, flinging two more daggers at her, these were low, aiming for her unprotected stomach. Instinctively, she dropped to the ground, flat as a pancake.

"In case you haven't noticed mortal, you are not normal, and neither am I." he replied, a hard edge to his voice.

Kate was cautious now, fully aware he had no qualms with hurting her. He flicked his wrist, both daggers shot straight into his hands. He tucked them away, beckoning her over as he did.

She slowly approached him, like she would a wild animal, which is exactly what he was. Wild, dangerous, but he did have a soul. Kate knew he did, knew it in the way he treated her, in the way he was subtly gentle. For example, it had been him who had helped her when she had been trapped in her own head. He didn't give her contemptuous looks or look at her suspiciously. He just… treated her like he would anyone else. It still wasn't exactly nice, but it was better than how the other agents handled her.

"Do you have a preferable weapon?" he asked. Kate shrugged. The only weapons she ever remembered using were rocks and pocket knives. He stared at her long and hard. Finally, he broke the awkward silence.

"Let's try you out on a sword then." He said, walking over to a wall. Kate followed, curious.

Once she got close enough to see the details, she realized it wasn't a wall, but a cleverly concealed cabinet. Slim hinges fit into the wall seamlessly, and a thin handle barely protruded from the metal. He swung the doors open, a gust of wind ruffled Kate's fur.

The interior was a sight to see. Guns, spears, knives, daggers, bows and arrows, swords, and maces among countless other weapons that Kate recognized, but couldn't name. Loki strolled along, glancing at the daggers, but stopped before the swords. Taking two down, he passed one to Kate and kept the other.

"Why would SHIELD need swords? Isn't that a little old fashioned?" Kate questioned.

He rolled his eyes. "This 'old fashioned' weapon will kill just as easily as a gun. In fact, the sword is better still, because it won't run out of ways to kill."

They walked onto some mats, Loki swinging his sword, while Kate just stood there, feeling wrong-footed.

"Uh, shouldn't we used blunted blades?" Kate asked nervously. The edges were so sharp, she felt like she would cut herself just by looking at it.

"You will never learn to avoid the blade, if you are accustomed to a non-fatal object." He stated.

"I'm not sure that's true." No sooner had the words left her mouth that he lunged.

Kate careened to the side, forgetting she had her own weapon. He gave her a smug grin, backing off. Unsteadily, she rose to her feet, glaring at the god. As soon as she had her footing again, she pivoted. In an instant, her blade met his. Sparks flew, surprising Kate, causing her to jump back in alarm, tripping over her tail again.

Expecting Loki to stop his attack, give her time to catch her breath, Kate didn't bother to get back up immediately. That was her mistake. A flash of silver passed her vision, and the next thing she knew, her shoulder was bleeding.

"What is wrong with you?!" she screeched, scrambling away. He snarled, raising the sword high. "No! Don't, don't, don't, don't!" She tried to backpedal, eyes never leaving the armed psychopath.

The blade fell, landing with a thud next to her hand. Two inches of the blade buried in the thick mat. She could see her eyes reflected back at her in the quivering metal. She swallowed the lump in her throat.

"Get. Back. Up." He practically spat the words at her. She stared, nonplussed. What was his deal? Fury would never allow this… would he?

Slowly, she got to her feet, regaining her footing faster than last time.

"Get your sword."

She did, holding it out in front of her. With calculated footsteps, he retrieved his, neither letting their gaze off the other.

When Loki began to move, she was ready. Their blades clashed, his movements fluid and natural, hers jerky and stiff. When he started to aim for her non-bleeding shoulder though, something clicked. Her muscles settled into a rhythm, her hands gripped the hilt confidently, she started to run through a list of attack positions in her head.

Loki was going to try to hit her forearm, the one holding her sword. If he did that, she would surely lose. Like a stone, she dropped to her knees, rolling out of the way and leapt up, snapping her wings out to distract him. For a moment, it worked. His green eyes shifted just a tad to size her up again. In that instant, Kate swung her sword. She almost hit his side, but his blade appeared in a rush, effectively blocking her.

Then, he struck her in the leg, the flat part of his blade slapping against her calf. It would surely bruise tomorrow. Taking advantage of her loss of concentration, he lunged again, this time nicking her thigh. He continued to dance around her, a whirlwind of green and black, nicking and hitting her until she was too dizzy to do anything. Only when she ended up flat on her back, winded, did he stop. His face was unreadable, while hers was not. She was angry, and embarrassed. For a moment, she knew what she was doing. Knew what to do to defend and attack him, but she hadn't expected him to hit her like that with his sword. It was ridiculous, but it had worked.

"Where did you learn that?" he asked, staring intently at her.

"Learn what?"

"When I swung, you dropped and rolled away. Where did you learn to do that?" he repeated.

"I don't know. Not that big of a deal." She said, shrugging. It hadn't been that hard. What was so weird about it? Maybe it was dumb luck that she had done it, but still. What else was there to it?

Loki nodded slowly, processing her words. She continued to watch him, waiting for his next attack. She didn't have long to wait.

When he began to move, so did she, and that click from earlier happened again. It was second nature for her to drop from under the blade again, spinning as she did, and ending up behind him. This time it was Loki who had the disadvantage, but that didn't seem to faze him. He spun, sword sweeping through the air. Kate dodged, thrusting her sword out, aiming for his chest, right where his heart should be. Again, her efforts were fruitless. In one smooth broad motion, the point of his blade jabbed her hand, fingers spasming, and released the sword.

"Stop! Stop, stop, stop!" she wailed. Her wings flapped in panic, her tail tangled her legs. To make matters worse, Kate was now pressed against the wall. She was defenseless. Panic pooled in her stomach, wiping all rational thought away. He roared, swinging the blade. Kate snapped her eyes shut, and raised her arms to cover her face, knowing full well Loki would cut her… but the blow never came. Slowly, she opened her eyes. With them open, her gaze was drawn to her claws. Protruding from her fist, the knife like claws shone under the glaring lights. Loki seemed intrigued by them, not touching, but close enough.

"Don't come any closer." Kate threatened, pointing her hands towards him. The tips of her claws met his chest, but he didn't so much as flinch. Instead, he smirked, persistently studying them.

"How many times have you done this?" he said.

"I think only once." Kate replied. Once was a lie. She'd done it more than that, but those memories where foggy at best. No need to confirm until she was certain. After all, those could have been knives… that she held between her fingers… okay, so she knew she had used them more after destroying the door, but she hardly remembered.

Loki didn't look like he believed her though. He nodded, replacing the swords into the cabinet and taking out two daggers. Kate held out her hand, expecting him to give her one. Again, he smirked and got into an attack position. Kate blanched. He was going to attack her while she had no weapon. That was low. And terrifying.

He ran at her, blades flashing. She backed up, trying to get away as fast as possible.

"Remember your assets, Kate!" he called to her. He began to circle her, like a wolf around a lamb. That was how she felt, like a lamb.

What does he mean? Oh.

Kate tucked her wings in tight and wrapped her tail around her waist. Then, in the blink of an eye, she vanished. It felt normal to blend in. She didn't even have to think about it. A switch just flipped, and poof, she was gone. There was one issue, however. Her uniform. It didn't camouflage with her. Loki couldn't miss a floating set of clothes. She was still an easy target. Kate did her best though, using her wings to cover as much as possible. It was good enough.

Kate managed to douse the fear in her mind. Loki did scare her. Who wouldn't be worried about an armed Asgardian who once tried to take over the world? Since she was invisible though, he couldn't see her.

Kate stalked around behind him, making as little noise as possible. For a moment she considered flying up and dropping down on him, but he'd probably hear her and she hadn't practiced invisible flying yet… or flying in general. This wasn't the best time for experimentation.

Finally, she was in perfect position. Loki hadn't moved the entire time, oddly enough. He just stood there, his back to her, daggers at the ready. His face was hidden from her, but she didn't bother to care about this fact. Kate readied herself. She didn't want to hurt him, but she did want revenge for the cuts he'd given her. She really wanted payback for that. The one on her cheek stung like crazy.

Adrenaline, the energy that gave warriors their edge, pulsed through her in waves. Her feet, so strange feeling earlier, shifted into the perfect stance, her muscles taught with excitement. Kate sprang forward, Loki, at the same time, spun around. His arms were raised in front of him, both knives pointing straight at her.

"Agh!" she yelled, startled. She flashed into view, while Loki spun and kicked her out of the way. She landed hard, rolling until her back slammed into the wall. Stars blotted her vision, and she struggled to breath, but that didn't impair her ears. She clearly heard him as he spoke.

He said, "Pitiful. Should have expected more from someone like you."

Kate moaned, glaring daggers at Loki.

"What?" false confusion flashed on his face. Kate snarled.

She struggled to her feet, wings still tucked in but her tail pin-wheeled, smacking the wall.

"Ow." Kate gasped, clutching her side. Sharp, invading pain flared from the spot. It hurt worse than anything she'd ever felt.

Loki sighed. "Come here."

Kate didn't move. No way did she trust him now. It was because of him she was hurt. Cuts, bruises, and maybe a broken rib, all because of him. She scowled, wishing he'd take a dive off a cliff. Then again, he might survive that, being a god and all.

Loki rolled his eyes and walked over to her, graceful as a panther. Kate backed up, teeth bared, wings flared. Her fur raised slightly, giving the impression that she was bigger. Loki however, wasn't fazed. He waved his hand in front of her face, and suddenly the pain vanished. Gingerly she touched her cheek, but found nothing but smooth fur. He muttered something unintelligible. The pain in her side receded gradually until it was a mere memory.

Loki backed up, giving her an expectant look.

"Thanks." Kate grumbled. "What was the point of fighting me?"

"The point, Kate, was to see if you remember." He said, smirking.

Taken aback, Kate gaped at him for a moment. "Remember what?"

His smirk widened, turning almost cynical. "I'll tell you when it happens." And with that he left the room, leaving a frustrated Kate in his wake.

Sorry it's late, I'm at the beach and yesterday was crazy with family coming in and just sand and water and THE BEACH! I have a lot of inspiration here so I'll get the next chapter done soon hopefully, hope you guys liked this, please REVIEW, fave, and follow! Hope you guys have a great week! BTW, thanks to all my wonderful reviewers and followers and favoriters forgiving me support and just being awesome!