Heeyyooo y'all! What's happenin? I see that it's been a good while since I posted chapter eleven, and after a self-talk-through of the next couple of chapters I figured I'd boot up the ol' idea train and keep writing along! School's been a freakin pain in the side but meh life goes on sadly, and I'm a junior now, in it with the big leagues.
Upside, not a whole ton of homework lately and I got to go to the Renaissance Festival this past weekend (and it's almost the weekend again thank GOD) and hey I'm still alive :D
So yeah thanks for sticking with me everybody! Let's get this show on the road!
Review Replies from Chapter Ten:
krikanalo- heh, thanks, and I will. Or I'll DIE TRYING *srs face* XD thanks for the review!
TheStoryTeller231- ha I like your username! Very cool! ...huh...yeah age is important I mean I am kinda on the Pepperony train and the Clintasha and SteveBeth trains as well oh yeah and ThorJane/ThorSif and BrucexWhoever-that-guy-can-find XD but idk that Loki thing was kinda my own fanservice thing but idk maybe she and Loki might have a spark maybe *shrug* it's more of a "I understand your pain and I sympathize with you" in my head kinda thing but of course Loki is all like "No I'll be all seductive and pervy to mask my feelings" and *shrruuggg* I dunno but yeah thanks for the review!
Arabelle/Liberty Bell(Guest)- well you're not going TOTALLY insane :D I get reviews from you guys while I write so probably you unconsciously help me write for the next chapters, and since the questions help me get into character i dunno it subtly influences what gets put in the chapter ^^ but not completely, sometimes it WAS just a coincidence! haha! And don't worry I put your question into the previous chapter for ya because it kinda fit :3 YAY A question for Brucie! Thanks for the review, even if it was late, I still really appreciate it!
Guest (8/13/13) - Thanks, glad you love it!
dragonteehee1- that's okay, you reviewed now that's what matters! woaaahh yeah haha just a bit of fanservice there not really. I think of it as that because well you know that happened in my head heheh...^^; thanks I'm glad you thought it was good and able to be visualized. ooohh yeah I'll have fun yeah *sarcasm school is not fun meh but thanks for wishing me well anyway* thanks for the review!
Liberty Bell's Question for Bruce: I hear from some other fanfics that you're a huge fan of classical music because it keeps you calm. If that's true here, too, then having Tori must be a huge blessing and you might not want to let her go just yet. Am i right?
Bruce: Classical music, definitely my favorites. There's no evidentiary support, but something about it seems to keep the Other Guy at bay without me having to be angry all the time, you know? And well, yeah it's really nice to have Tori here. She's really sweet and her piano playing is stupendous. I know we all wanna help her as much as possible, but I guess you're right. It's nice just to forget the whole Loki business and spend time with her and all of us. Brings us together as more than "heroes"...
Disclaimer Time!
Heya guys, if you can talk to me and be my muses does that mean I OWN YO U?
Everyone: nope
Me: *gloom* ...you all answered at the same time wow my heart just got crushed *grows mushrooms in Tamaki's emo corner*
Avenger'd
Chapter Eleven
There was nothing but a thin blurry haze of images that ran across the insides of my subconscious, and in no less than a few minutes, the images faded to black. I let out a dull groan, and as my consciousness was rousing, I could hear in the back of my ear the faint echo of that sound. I didn't want to wake up. Nope.
I didn't want to because that would mean I'd have to deal with the awful tiredness throughout another long period of time, and have to face the Avengers…after that whole spiel I didn't really have the heart to. Either way, this whole situation felt extremely déjà vu-like; it was extremely disconcerting.
My eyelids fluttered and slowly but surely I felt the veil of sleep finally lift from my body. I tossed to the other side and before I realized it, I was awake and staring at the cream-colored wall, lit by the sunlight streaming in from the window. My eyes flitted sluggishly around the room and they landed on a figure sitting on a chair next to the bed, down by my feet.
It was Dr. Banner, and I felt a tired smile weave itself onto my face. He was asleep, hands on his face, marks of concern still etched into his features. I blinked slowly and leaned over towards the gamma doctor. My action seemed to stir him and he looked at me in surprise.
"You're awake," he stated plainly, but it was evident in his voice that he was worried. I nodded slowly, looking down. I didn't know what to say.
"h-How long was I…?"
"Twelve and a half hours, give or take a few minutes," Bruce replied softly, glancing up at me. I paled at this. Twelve and a half hours?
"What happened? How did this even…I don't remember…" I muttered placing my hand on my forehead. Dr. Banner took a slow breath.
"When you left, we were discussing Loki and the conditions of your arrival and then Thor ran off and said that you were in danger. Next thing we know, he's carrying you unconscious in his arms. You drowned, Tori. You were barely breathing," he explained in a grave tone, and I could only stare at his face in shock as the gravity of events struck me in the forefront of my mind.
"We took you in here and tried to resuscitate you, but you stayed in a coma-like state. We found out that this could have been through Loki's magic, and so Tony and I have been running programs to try and track Loki and the others have been keeping watch. Natasha was looking after you until about an hour ago."
I looked down at my hands and gaped. On my right palm there was a blue circle that had not been there previously. Dr. Banner noticed this and then rubbed his chin.
"Natasha said that there had been some kind of stone that you were holding and I have a theory that it was what kept you in the coma, but when I came down, it was just that circle. It could have melded into your system, like a bio-synchronization."
"Huh…" I whispered softly. "Well isn't that just the icing on the cake?"
"Did you have any sort of weird dream?" he asked with a concerned, yet stoic expression. I nodded. There were the animals….then….
-A blinding white exploded in my vision-
I quickly shook my head. I remembered the bird, and its laughing and then the tiger, being pushed into a black hole…then that white light. I had a sinking feeling that there was something in between those two events but I couldn't remember. I relayed to the gamma scientist what I did remember. He didn't say anything, but only patted my hand.
"I should let the others know that you're awake," he said after a minute of uncomfortable silence, switching the topic. I bowed my head slowly and then he left the room, leaving me alone. Only a few minutes later, though, I was promptly squished in between the arms of the God of Thunder.
"Lady Tori, I had feared you would never awaken from the clutches of slumber!" he bellowed, squeezing me to the point my lungs were waving white flags in my chest. "I should have never left you to do battle with that heinous beast in the water alone!"
"It…wasn't…your…fault!" I managed to squeak out between sharp breaths. "Thank…you…for…saving…me!"
Thank goodness he let go of me at this, and gave me the most heart-warming smile of relief that he could give. But shortly after, I was crushed by another pair of arms (named Clint Barton and Steve Rogers, duly noted.)
"Are you okay? You didn't sprout any third-arms or antlers did you?" Clint asked, quite childishly concerned, but it made me smile as I shook my head.
"I'm fine, Clint!" I answered as cheerfully as I could, and he gave me a tired smile in response.
"You gave us all quite a scare Tori," Steve said softly, his baby blues relaying so much more emotion than what appeared. I chuckled hollowly.
"Sorry for that. I kinda scared myself for a while," I added with a lopsided grin. Natasha walked over and patted me on the back.
"We're glad you're feeling better now," she said with what seemed to me as an uncharacteristic act of familiarity but hey- maybe I was growing on her. I looked around at them all, and then a small frown adorned itself on my face.
"Where's Tony?" I asked. Speak of the devil, and Murphy's Law, I heard the genius billionaire's voice enter the room.
"Sorry I'm late, had to run to the airport," he commented with a devilish grin whilst striding into the room, giving no impression that he was worried sick about his surrogate-kid sister. "Glad to see you're alive and kicking, maestro."
But Tony wasn't alone. Walking in behind him, grabbing his hand was a slender, petite woman with fiery red-orange hair, like an autumn leaf. She was dressed in a casual business suit and her hair was pulled back into a wavy ponytail.
"Hi," she greeted politely with a warm smile. I waved my non-tattooed hand awkwardly.
"Hi," I reciprocated. The woman gave a sharp expectant glance to Tony and his face lit up in realization.
"Oops, sorry, my bad," he goofed, running his hand through his unruly brown hair. "Maestro Tori Matthews, meet the lovely Pepper Potts. Pep, this is Tori." He looked pleased with himself after introducing us and we all just gave small chuckles.
"It's a pleasure to meet you Tori," she said, shaking my hand.
"You too, Pepper," I replied. "Tony's told me a lot about you!"
"All good things I hope."
Tony shivered unconsciously.
"Haha yeah all good things. You guys must be pretty close huh?"
"Yes, we are," Pepper replied with a smile. She then looked around, noticing the others in the room. "Wow, this must be really bad if all of the Avengers are here…which I know nothing about," she added after seeing the positively troubled look on Tony's face.
Yes, it was very bad, and about to get worse unbeknownst to the rest of us.
psshh I know that was awful ending #1 right there but I wanted to segway into the next chapter and I had a certain framework and dialogue in my head so I had to end it here yup.
Tony: YEAH PEPPER YOU BROUGHT HER IN I LOVE YA *goes off to do god knows what*
Loki: meheheeheheh I'm becoming more prominennnttt weheheheheh *rubs hands together*
Thor: STAY AWAY FROM LADY TORI, BROTHER! *smashes in with Mjolnir*
Loki: It's ON, Odinsson!
Me: ...*slinks away*
Review please! Reviews are love!
Feel free to ask questions of any of my muses as well! It not only helps the writing but it's fun roleplaying too! Ask away world, ask away!
~DarkMousyRulezAll, signing out for the night!