Authors Note: Hi all! Thank you to those who are reviewing. Please keep it up! It really keeps me going and makes me want to post more!

I hope you're enjoying, here's the next chapter!

You know the drill...

Please Read, Review, and above all... Enjoy!

Training was not going as planned. Kaleria had stormed out of training abruptly the first day, screaming her hatred for Loki. The second day, Loki tried to provoke Kaleria even more; this caused the smaller training room to be partially burned down. Construction to rebuild was scheduled later on in the week. On the third day of training, Loki took Kaleria to an outdoor courtyard that was secluded. The idea was to be in an open space for her powers to expand and for the safety of others. Kaleria, feeling ashamed for what she had done to the training room, would not use her powers that day. Day four consisted of screaming and yelling from both parties and nothing was accomplished.

The fifth day came, Loki had a plan. He was going to get Kaleria to open up, whether she liked it or not. "I'd like to say we are making progress, Kaleria, but even that is a lie I am not willing to tell." Loki sighed, rubbing his temples. "I think today we are going to try something different."

Kaleria, her arms crossed, narrowed her eyes at Loki. "Should I be afraid?"

"Not you." Loki replied, moving closer to her. "But I should."

Kaleria raised an eyebrow. "How so?"

"You're going to strike me using only your magic."

Kaleria nearly fell over. "You wish me to do what?"

"I want you to focus your magic and use it to strike me."

"I did not find you to be one with a death wish." Kaleria commented.

Loki just smirked. "I'm not."

"Then why are you asking me to do this?" Kaleria asked. "I can't do this, I'll kill you."

"You will not." Loki answered as he walked a few feet from Kaleria. "Aim for me, and strike."

"This is madness, Loki."

"I know." Loki agreed. "Now strike me."

"I am not striking you." Kaleria argued.

"I think you're afraid." Loki dared. "You will not hit me."

"I am not afraid." Kaleria's eyes narrowed.

Loki extended his arms, signaling an open target. "You must be if you cannot do something so simple."

"Do not mock me, Odinson." Kaleria threatened, and he dared.

"Mock? I do not mock you oh fierce one." Oh how he made her blood boil! "I am simply stating a fact that you are too scared to do something so easy."

"I am warning you, Loki." She clenched her fist tightly; Loki took notice and knew he was getting exactly what he wanted.

"I am frightened, truly." He moved, shifting slightly, smirk never fading.

"Loki!" Kaleria growled. "I mean it!"

"As do I, coward." His final act in this twisted performance; this would be a grand finale in deed. "What a pity, being a frightened sister to the brave and mighty Lady Sif." That did it.

"You want me to strike you?" Kaleria shouted. "Then I will strike you!" With a swift motion, Kaleria snapped her arm forward, a fireball projecting from her palm and rocketing towards Loki. The fireball passed through Loki, hitting the tree behind him. Kaleria stared wide eyed at the sudden destruction of the tree, and the disappearance of Loki. "I've disintegrated him!" Kaleria panicked, this causing the ignited tree to rage even more out of control.

There was a chuckle from behind her, Kaleria turned quickly to see Loki standing there. "You really did strike me." He commented.

"How did you…?" She asked curiously, only to suddenly be angry once more. "I could have killed you!"

Loki smirked. "But you didn't."

"You truly are the God of Lises." Kaleria glared.

"And Mischief." Loki sang musically. Their attention then turned to the tree. "Now, control that."

"I don't know how…"

"Yes you do."

Kaleria looked at Loki, seeing a different look in his eyes, a more reassuring look. Something inside her was different, she could feel it. Unsure of what exactly this new found difference was, Kaleria went with it and slowly raised her hand.

It hurt, there was a lot of pressure forcing down on her head as she twisted and turned the flames, using her hand to stable it. The once roaring flames, now a dim spark as the fire subsided. The tree, forever gone in ash, but the fire was out. The fire was no more and Kaleria had controlled it.

Kaleria turned to Loki who nodded approvingly. "See? You can control it." He said. "Even when your emotions get the best of you, you can always control the aftermath."

Kaleria looked at her hands. "Even so, I'm still destructive."

Loki moved closer to Kaleria. "Only if you believe you are."

Kaleria let Loki's last words sink in only to throw him off guard. "Thank you."

Loki, unsure of what he just heard, shook his head. "Is this you being nice to me?"

Kaleria rolled her eyes. "Don't let it go to your head."

"It's a bit late for that." Loki teased.

"So how were you able to be in two places at once?" Kaleria asked.

Loki grinned, snorting slightly. "It is my gift. I can project myself to be in more than one place."

"Is that all you can do?"

"Is that all I can do?" Loki feigned being insulted as he suddenly transformed into a splitting image of Kaleria. "Is that all you can do?" He said, mocking her.

"That's quite creepy." Kaleria commented. Loki just laughed as he transformed back to his normal self. "Your mother trained you with your gifts?"

Loki nodded. "She has taught me everything I know."

Kaleria bit her lip. "Is there a reason Frigga did not want to train me herself? Was I not worth her time?"

Loki was slightly shocked at the question, he almost forgot to answer. "No."

"Then why did she not wish to train me?" Kaleria asked.

"I asked to." Loki admitted quickly, not batting an eye.

"Why would you do that?" Kaleria asked, truly curious.

Loki inhaled rather harsh; he held his breath for a moment before finally exhaling and replying. "I understand."

"Understand?" Kaleria pressed on.

"I understand what it is like to be different." He admitted, turning away from Kaleria. "To constantly be a shadow in your eldest siblings' former glory." Kaleria watched as Loki's shoulders tensed.

"My father always honored Sif." Kaleria revealed. "She was a warrior like him and I was different."

Loki was still tense as he spoke. "And what of your mother; was she a warrior?"

"My mother had magic." Kaleria commented, sadness in her voice. "Sif says she had a natural ability too."

"Is your mother on Vanaheim too?" Loki asked, turning back to look at Kaleria.

Kaleria paused for a moment before looking down to her feet. "It's getting late, I think we're done for today."

He knew she was avoiding the question; the conversation about her mother was something he would have to get out of her someday. "You did well today."

Kaleria nodded, leaving Loki alone to his thoughts.

"How was training today?" Sif asked. "Make any progress?"

Kaleria had joined Sif, Thor, and the Warriors Three in the banquet hall. There was a rather large feast being enjoyed by many Asgardians. Kaleria wasn't too sure what the occasion was, but figured this group did not truly need an occasion. "It went well." Kaleria replied subtly as she took a sip of her mead.

"She is being modest." Thor chimed in. "Loki has told mother that your sister made a lot of progress today."

"That's good to hear." Sif replied with a warm smile. "Loki is not giving you trouble, is he?"

Volstagg laughed. "Is he not always causing trouble?"

Fandral chimed in. "Being the God of Mischief would give him such a reputation."

Unknowingly to Kaleria, a smile formed slightly on her lips. "He's behaving himself."

Sif, noticing the smile, quickly replied. "Just keep your guard up." The group fell quiet for a moment before Volstagg began speaking. Kaleria had faded from the conversation as she became lost in thought. Loki was the God of Mischief; she knew Sif was right; she had to keep her guard up.

Days seemed to blend together; Kaleria would train hard with Loki. Her powers were growing, she was becoming in control. Her emotions still overtook her control at times, but she was learning and she was becoming more comfortable. She would still argue with Loki, and he would argue back. They fought relentlessly, and he would push her to her limits.

Her nights she would spend in the library, exhausted from her training, but needing to separate herself from reality for a while. Kaleria often found herself sitting against the far window between an aisles, a book on Asgardian history on her lap. She was truly interested.

She heard the library doors open and close, the sound echoing throughout the room. She peered over her book to see no one. Shrugging she went back to reading. "I thought I would find you here."

Kaleria peered over the book one more time, narrowing her eyes at Loki. "Haven't you had enough of me today? I most certainly have of you."

Loki snickered. "Do not fret, I came to read."

"It's a big library, read somewhere else."

"Our hatred for one another is quite brilliant." Loki commented as he turned away from her, looking at the section of books she was near. He began humming. Kaleria peered over the book once more, glaring at him and his smirk.

"I'm trying to read here." She grumbled.

"So read." He replied as he went back looking for a book. Loki irked Kaleria; he was truly trying her patience. She just wanted alone time, and here he was, ruining that; just like everything else. "You are so concerned with what I am doing." He commented.

"You're distracting."

"Well, only by account that you are making me a distraction."

Kaleria felt her body begin to heat up. She inhaled deeply and closed the book. "Fine, I will go to my room and read." Kaleria left the windowsill and walked passed Loki, who chuckled to only follow her. "You're really going to follow me?"

"Why are you in such a hurry to avoid me?" Loki countered.

Kaleria stopped short, to Loki's surprise; he almost toppled over the girl. She quickly turned on her heels, narrowing her eyes. "Why are you always trying to bother me?"

"I am not bothering you."

"Oh but you are." Kaleria replied. "I just wanted a night in peace and you come to destroy it!"

"I am not here to destroy anything." Loki replied.

"You're destroying my sanity!" Kaleria growled. The two suddenly went wide eyed as they looked down at the book in Kaleria's hand. The spine starting to smoke as Kaleria's hands were heating up. Kaleria quickly dropped the book to the floor, her handprint forever burnt in the book's spine. "Oh!" She gasped. "Now look what you made me do!"

"I did not make you do anything." Loki argued. The two bent down for the book at the same time, both hands reaching for the book. Loki quickly pulled his hand back almost as quickly as it touched Kaleria's. Kaleria stopped from reaching the book, her eyes wide.

"I…" Kaleria began, pulling her hands to her chest. "It was…"

Loki looked at his hand, a small blister forming on his index and middle finger. "It's fine Kaleria, it was-"He looked up to see Kaleria had already made it down the aisle and towards the door. "An accident…"

Kaleria ran to her room, standing in front of her door in frustration. She knew if she tried to open the door now, the door would have a matching charred handprint. Sif, hearing the ruckus outside her own room, opened the door to see her panicking sister. "Kali?" She called to the girl as she walked over. "What's wrong?"

"He made me so mad!" Kaleria was breathing heavy. "We were arguing, like we always do, and I started burning the book and then dropped it, then we both reached for it and then-"

"Kali, slow down!" Sif started. "Here, let me get the door, tell me inside." Sif opened the door and the two walked into Kaleria's room. Kaleria panicking and holding her hands out in front of her. "Let me get some water." Sif said, filing the bowl with water and placing it before Kaleria. Kaleria placed her hands in the water, the water hissing as her hands cooled. "Now start over."

"Loki and I were arguing in the library and I ended up burning a book and dropping it. Loki and I both bent down to grab the book and I touched him and burned him." Kaleria tried to regulate her breathing.

"Is he all right?" Sif asked.

"I think so?" Kaleria sighed. "I ran out of there."

"I'm sure he's fine, where did you burn him?"

"His hand, he touched me." Kaleria said reluctantly.

"He will be fine." Sif smiled reassuringly.

"But mother…" Kaleria started.

"No!" Sif snapped, a little harsher than she wanted. "You will not think of that. You will not do that to yourself."

Kaleria looked down. "I don't want to hurt anyone anymore."

"And you won't. That is why you are here; you are training to control your gifts." Sif spoke softer. "What has happened is now the past, you must remember that and move on. Loki is fine, and you are fine." Sif reluctantly added. "What happened to Mother was an accident, and it will not happen again. You are a good person, Kali."

Kaleria nodded. "I'm scared to train with him tomorrow. What if does not want to train with me anymore?"

"I doubt that that's the case. Loki's pride is too strong." Sif joked, getting a small smile from Kaleria. "How are your hands?"

"They're normal now." Kaleria said.

"Good, you should get some rest; you will still be training tomorrow."

"Thank you, Sif." Kaleria said. "I know we have not spent much time together since my arrival… but thank you."

"I would do anything for you, Kali." Sif said. "We will spend more time soon, I promise."

Kaleria nodded as Sif left her room. Even though Kaleria felt shadowed by her sister, she knew deep down Sif believed them equals, even if Kaleria did not see it. Sif would do anything for her, and she would do anything for Sif.

Kaleria sighed and got ready for bed, dreading facing Loki in the morning.

Kaleria walked into the courtyard to find she was alone. Slightly relieved, she sat down on the grass, running her hands through the cool blades. The cooler temperature felt good on her skin. The sun was radiating down on her, normally, people would feel the warmth of the sun, and Kaleria's skin was usually warmer than the sun's rays. She always found this to be peculiar and quite amazing. She closed her eyes and smiled slightly up at the sky.

She sat in silence for what felt like an eternity. She opened one eye to peek around real quick. Even though she did not want to confront Loki about the night before, she was still late for training. "Where is he?" She muttered to no one in particular.

"Miss me?" Loki whispered from behind, causing Kaleria to jump slightly as she turned her head to see him.

"Tardiness is hardly a quality to miss." Kaleria said, straightening her dress. "How long have you been there?"

"Not long." Loki replied, looking down at Kaleria. "You looked so relaxed. I didn't want to bother you."

"You not want to bother me?" Kaleria scoffed. "Doubtful."

Loki grinned. "Yes, I suppose you're right."

Kaleria stood up, brushing off her dress from dirt and grass. She avoided eye contact with him at first. "How is your hand?"

Loki smiled reassuringly. "It's fine."

"I burnt you, Loki." Kaleria sighed. "If I was able to char a book, you must be in pain."

"It's truly fine, it was my fault."

"Is this an apology?" Kaleria asked in disbelief.

"Well, if you'd like to take it that way."

Kaleria rolled her eyes. "What is our lesson today then?"

Loki clasped his hands behind his back and began walking slowly. Kaleria followed suit. "I was thinking that today we completely skip training."

"Skip training?" Kaleria asked. "Is it because I burned you?"

"No, that is not why." Loki added. "I have something for you."

Kaleria stepped cautiously. "What sort of something?"

"You will see." There it was; the mischievous grin.

"I'm not going to be tricked into anything, Loki." Kaleria folded her arms in protest.

"And I am not here to trick."

Kaleria stopped following him. "Then where are we going?" Loki stopped as well. "I am not following you anywhere until I know. You must think me dumb to just follow you anywhere." Loki turned around, still grinning, however now he was holding a rectangular shaped item, wrapped in a green cloth. "What is this?"

"An apology gift, I suppose." Skeptically, Kaleria took the item and held it cautiously. "Oh come now, Kaleria, it's not a snake."

"Knowing you, it could be." Kaleria defended.

"Just open it."

Kaleria sighed and carefully removed the cloth to reveal a book. Not just any book, the book she charred last night. However, this book was perfect, there was no burn mark. "How did…?"

"I wanted to show you no harm done." Loki said. "The book is fine, and so am I."

Kaleria opened the cover of the book and quickly flipped the pages. She then looked at Loki in somewhat awe and appreciation. "You did this for me?"

"Consider this a gift and another lesson." Loki said. "Fire can destroy but something new can come in its ashes."

Kaleria smiled. "This still doesn't mean we're friends."

Loki chuckled. "Do you still loathe me?"

Kaleria thought for a moment. "No." Loki was almost shocked. "Just extreme dislike."

Final Thoughts: Thank you again for reading! Remember to review, it really helps keep the writing going!