OK. SO! 2016. Yeah….I got into Fairy Tail fics and so….new stories and stuff. Lots of shipping. ANYWAY! Still going good. I'm a tutor. I may have a boyfriend. Possibly? I do not know. ALMOST ready to graduate. YAY! I am working more on stuff with my newly available time. SO I am ready!
Lots of stuff is going on and getting started but I am reaching the pivotal point in which my free time is opening up meaning WRITING/TYPING TIME! I apologize for this delay but as mentioned before life is happening. I am almost there! We are moving along. SO just relax and enjoy!
Hey! I HAS FLASHDRIVE! Aqua is not here at the moment but my potential significant other is! SO ONWARD!
Love, Radio! ONTO CHAPTER SIX!
Him
Tony had no idea how this conversation stated but at the time he blamed Beauty and the Beast. Somehow the movie, along with Emma's random explanation of the meaning behind it that went deeper than any thought of before, had led to talking about Loki. Which still felt weird to the genius since there was a distinct lack of alcohol.
"I do not know much of the punishment that Odin has for Loki. What I do know of it, I would not be able to do myself to another." Thor had said and went on about what changes were made in his brother that concerned him of what the punishment would do to him when Clint made a comment.
"Shoulda seen him when he first showed up." Clint scoffed as he ate a hand full of popcorn.
"How so?" Ever the curious creature, Emma spoke up from her spot curled up next to Tony. "How was he different from how he was during the invasion and how he is in Thor's descriptions?" She elaborated thoughtfully. She wanted more information to better understand the situation that affected her people.
The group looked to Clint.
"He was sweating. Like buckets. Had a limp. Didn't look like much other than he came out of a portal and had his scepter. Oh and he didn't have green eyes. His eyes are blue." Clint listed.
Tony could hear the gears in M'M's head turning. He knew she was making crazy connect the dots at warp speed allegations which normally is something he enjoyed hearing about. Not so sure about this time.
"Loki is a Frost Giant like in the myths, right?" She pried.
"Yes, Loki is of Jotunheim decent." Thor answered a bit puzzled and disconcerted at the acknowledgement of the statement.
"Why a Frost Giant would be sweating-No! Better question is what could make a Frost Giant sweat like so?" Emma pondered out loud.
"Extreme heat probably." Tony replied offhand. "Heat melts Frost and snowmen."
The light bulb went off over her head.
"Frost Giants are living ice." She stated dazed.
"Their touch can instantly freeze flesh." Thor commented still mildly puzzled but catching onto something.
"The amount of heat to affect them must be enormous. Why would he be somewhere that caused such a disadvantage to him? And where the heck did he get that army?" Emma questioned jumping topics rapidly.
"Arm- you mean the Chitauri?" Bruce prompted looking confused at the jump.
"Who the hell gives someone an entire space army? It had to come at a price. And you said he had blue eyes but they are really green as depicted in myths and in Thor's own familial knowledge. Why would his eyes be blue? To fool us into thinking this potential line of thinking or was it really real?" Emma continued to question unknown to the reaction of her team.
"Clint's eyes were blue when under Loki's influence." Natasha stated as she picked up on the train wreck of thought as did Tony by the way his eyes widened.
"You believe my brother Loki to be played?" Thor asked seeing the train but not the wreckage.
"From myths I've read and what you have told us about Loki, it would be stupid to think he would let someone hold such power over him like that. Unless… unless he was desperate enough or was already in a vulnerable state that being a puppet was the better option." Emma theorized.
"Or only option." Natasha stated darkly.
"Loki was being controlled?" Steve stated clearing up the air that had become tense.
"Possibly. Yes and no." Emma replied waving her hands around. "Something happened after Loki fell and I don't think he was welcomed with sunshine and rainbows. He probably was tortured or something before he was used. Though that does not make up for the damage he caused, it sets the scale for just who had the power to control someone as powerful as Loki and just how Loki ended up in their hands."
The room silenced as the people sat barely breathing while the words sunk in. Even Emma was scared of her revelations. A person stronger than Loki? Out there still waiting to strike and get his end of the bargain that Loki had to have made with him. Oh Loki, what did you get yourself into?
"There are many enemies of Asgard. If Loki did fall into one of their hands, few could be more powerful than Odin himself. Loki spoke none of this to me and I fear that what you theorize to be true." Thor solemnly replied.
"Many won't forgive him but if the chance comes that he wants to change and work for good or even neutrality, I would help him." Emma declared softly. "If he wants to repent and truly regrets his actions, I will forgive in time." It was her code of sorts. Forgiving came naturally to her for it could be the thing that kept someone from doing a bad again. Having someone who cares despite one's wrongs changes how they react to things for the better or worse.
"I thank you Lady Emma. I pray that day comes soon." Thor regally said with a bow.
"Whelp, that was enlightening and morbid. Come on Bruce, let's finish some experiments before M'M decides to completely destroy our world views any more for the night." Tony broke the ice and proceeded to drag Bruce away.
Just like that the team went their separate ways to do whatever they did before dinner which is what Emma set off to make before she wrangled her scientist. She could not wait to meet Darcy Lewis in the next few months. She is Doctor Foster's wrangler and Emma had plots to steal her away into the clutches of the Great Pepper! This also meant she would have a team mate to tag team the supers. Yes!
It was during these happy thoughts as she walked to the elevator to the labs did it happen.
As she neared the elevator, flashes of a black mass swept her vision causing her to freeze just a few rooms away from her destination. She spun around falling into the form Natasha had started to teach her that month. Was there an intruder? How did they get past JARVIS?
Before she could react any further it was on her. The black mass enveloped her in a choking smog filling her with an instantaneous burning and shocking pain from her joints to her nerves. With a blood curdling scream, she fell to her knees upon the ground fighting to hold it together.
Something was taking a part of her. Something very important and vital to her being. Claws of ice and acid pulled at her insides. She now understood the phrase 'pins and needles'. Every flinch set off tiny pinpricks of sparking pain that nearly caused her to black out when her body hit the floor completely. She could feel blood oozing out of her from her pores but when she cracked open her eyes to spare a terrified glance down her body she could only sob a choked off scream.
There was nothing. No blood or black tendrils of energy like those seen viscously attacking her in her mind. Just her spazing on the ground. What was going on?
She heard JARVIS calling for her causing her to remember where she was and who she could trust as her very foundation of her person was mutilated. Tony. Tony could help her. Yes! Get Tony! Get to Tony. He needed to know. An intruder. A magical intruder was here! She had to warn him!
She made to crawly to the elevator but the motion ended up with her crying out in agony as the thing that attacked her cackled in glee and cause a murderous tap dance of pain on her joints and nerves.
It took a moment but she gathered enough of herself to somehow crawl and roll into the elevator.
"Miss. Dewey?" JARVIS called.
"Tony." Emma wheezed as she curled into herself shaking. "tony."
"I am sending you to the lab floor. Mister Stark is on his way to meet you."
"In-in-terduer." She stuttered to say as another wave of pain hit her as if the thing was upset at her attempt to escape.
She heard the AI but could not put meaning to the words as she held in her sobs. She did her best to fight of whatever was in her mind. Shoving, clawing and pleading for the force that laughed cruelly but sweetly at her. It contradicted itself and it only continued to hurt her with his actions. Nothing in her mind was left untouched by his energy. Raping her mind as it or he or whatever drained something from her. She could feel it leaving her only to be replenished by something tainted. Almost metallic in taste but it was laced with a poison that caused her to scream again. What was happening to her? Why?
The 'ding' of the elevator brought her out from her mental battles and she vaulted out of the elevator vainly thinking it would get her farther from the thing that plagued her mind. In desperation she reacted.
"TONY!"
Her shriek rattled the walls and was answered by an equaling thunderous bellow.
"EMMA!" Tony shouted as he ran down the hall as fast as he could. Rector humming, heart pounding and then it stopped. Hell, he was sure he stopped breathing at the sight of his would be little sister.
She was twitching-convulsing-on the floor. Tears streamed down her face in rivers and her nose dripped as she cried out in pain. Sounds that would haunt his dreams came from her. Her voice cracked and croaked as she laid in a balled up position.
"no. no. no. No. No! NO! No more! Stop! Stop! Please! It hurts! Tony! Tony." She wailed.
The inventor snapped into action dropping to his knees at her side and scoping her up in his arms. She struggled and repeated her words.
"I'm here. M'M, I'm here! Damnit!" Tony said giving her a gentle shake.
"Tony?" She whispered terrified. Her blue eyes wide and clouded grey in fear looking every bit the little girl on the pinnacle of becoming an adult that she hid behind with sweet shyness and quirky ways. She sounded so broken.
"I'm here. I'm here." Toony restated rocking her back and forth while she clung to him for dear life.
"He's here. In the tower!" She sobbed.
"Who?" Tony demanded but it went unheard as Emma wailed again in pain. Tony ordered scans of the whole Tower and a check in with everyone. The scans and replies came back all clear.
They stayed there waiting for medical for what felt like eternity. Bruce showed up only a few minutes after Tony had gotten to Emma and worked to look over her but he could not discern what ailed her.
During that time Emma repeatedly mutter and screamed for 'him' to stop, called out for her dad and Tony before falling into a shaking mess of mumbles.
By the time doctors arrived and were able to bring her to medical, she had fallen into a fitful doze.
The doctors took over and examined her for injuries. Their report came back with signs of trauma in her nerves and brain fluctuations but nothing physical that they could mend. This news did nothing to soothe Tony or Bruce or Mad Mama Natasha who stormed in with Clint on her heels to interrogate Tony.
Tony had reviewed every piece of footage with the others while they waited for the doctors to finish examining their den mom.
By the footage it seemed that someone attacked her in the hallway. No matter what they used to collect data nothing showed up to indicate what exactly it was.
Who attacked Emma? And Why?
That was what the Team wanted to know for she did not fake that reaction nor did she have past medical leanings towards any mental disabilities. They would have to wait for her to wake up for any new answers.
Emma woke with a groan. Her body felt heavy. As if she was drugged or had run a marathon. Do not try that without training. Ever. This feeling of overused and abused muslces drenched her making moving difficult.
Then she remembered. She remembered him and the pain. It was real. Not a dream if she was in what looked like a hospital room. She cried. She had prayed it was only a nightmare like that one time she went to see the Mammoth Caves with her family and had nearly passed out due to what she later would self-diagnostic (because what kind of doctor would believe her and not put her away if she said she felt a draining force and waves of negative emotions from a cave?) that she held a greater sensitivity to empathy readings of areas. Fancy wording for she could feel emotions. She had dreams of suffering from illness (TB research was done on people in the caves) and of lost warriors starving to death or suffocating or by metal poisoning. It was a bad three days. This felt similar in part but held more pain and a sense that whatever had been drained from her had not hurt her before where this time. This time something came with her replenished energy. She was so confused. What did this mean? Were the similarities a clue? Who hurt her or would want to hurt her? She barely left the tower let alone had time to make enemies? And any of the team's enemies did not even know about her thanks to careful security and Pepper's awesomeness.
Emma took in a strained breath. It hurt but she refocused.
The entity or whatever was gone. No she berated harshly to herself. That was a foolish lie that she would not and could not risk deluding herself to. The entity or more so 'he' was still there. Lurking in the mental shadowed corners like he had been doing this whole time she left home. The feelings of being watched and standing behind her were all 'him'. She knew this. Instinctively, she knew 'he' remained hidden in her mind. 'He' had been around since she got off that plane and started working for Tony. A burst of rage blossomed in her directed at Tony. The shadow, she felt, cackled in horrifying joy before snarling in rage and disappearing to the dark corners of her brain when she shoved away the anger. Ripping around the foundation of the emotion and negating its power over her.
She would never blame Tony for making her life better. For becoming the older brother she never had. For giving her a job that helped her family stay out of the red. Emma loved Tony and Pepper and Happy and Bruce and Steve and Clint and Natasha and Thor and they were her family! She would never let her rage control her in matters as petty as who to blame for in this matter the only one who hurt her was 'Him'. Not Tony or anyone else. 'He' chose to cause her pain and that had to do with 'him' and not her people.
'He' shrieked at her before vanishing to the darkness of her mind. She would not let the darkness control her when she could use it to fuel her true emotions. She would not let 'him' take her from her true home. If she had one thing to selfishly hold, it would be this. The shadow could tear her a part nerve by nerve; she would never switch teams. Not even for gummy worms which she strangely craved at the moment.
"Hey kiddo." Tony said at the sight of her eyes focusing.
"The basterd is here but not." She croaked with a wince.
"That made no sense M'M. Need some info here." Tony jibbed. Emma gave a half smile. She knew it was a front. Tony's eyes showed his fear and concern.
"Sorry for the trouble." She started.
"Stop thinking that." Tony ordered gently as he handed her a glass of water. She mumbled her thanks after she took a few tentative sips.
"Do you feel up to explaining what happened?" Steve asked from the foot of the bed bringing Emma to notice that her whole team was there plus Pepper.
Shock filled her at the crowded room before love and warmth filled her which easily helped the healing of her mental wounds and gave her strength to speak.
"Ever-ever since I came to to New York" She stuttered to begin as she cleared her throat. "I've f-felt as though something was watching me or just there behind me or in the corners-she paused to breathe as the memories swarmed her- I-I thought it was just new place jitters or paranoia. I thought it was normal. But but some of my dreams started to change. Like like there would be this shadow there and it felt like it was mocking me and not part of my normal dreaming mind. It would randomly show up but it was every week or two and 'he' was there. Laughing, sneering, poking at my fears and weaknesses. I thought stupidly that it was stress." She laughed painfully. "I was wrong. So wrong." She did not even fight off the tears.
"What happened in the hallway, Emma?" Natasha demanded.
"The thing, he, it, entity what was in my dreams was there! In the hallway! I saw a shadow move and turned. There was a black mist or fog that slammed into me and then-"She cut off dragging in air frantically before calmly. "It was like 'he' was carving me up. I felt my blood flowing but I'm unmarked. I-i-I thought-thought-he –he he was in my mind Tony! 'He' scrambled it and took something from me! Something that just kept coming back even though 'he' would not stop taking it. 'He' tainted me Tony. And it hurts. I couldn't breathe or move and 'he' enjoys my pain so much. 'He's' still there in my mind! It won't go away! It hurts and 'm scared. Whadye do? Whad do I do?" She babbled and cried as terror filled her. She fell boneless into Tony and Pepper's arms as they cradled her.
"You stay with us." Tony stated.
"If the guy only found her in New York then maybe we should move her out of the city." Natasha countered even though she would rather keep the girl she had begun to care about close.
"He'll' follow." Emma howled with a straggling cry.
"I'll contact SHIELD, discretely, and see if there are any magical beings we now of and are allied with that would help us." Natasha offered after a few moments. Pepper gave her an approving nod before returning to comforting her distraught friend.
"Thor, do you know anyone that fits the ting Emma is describing?" Steve questioned once the group had left the room trusting Tony, Pepper and Bruce to watch over their friend.
"Elves would be one to have some of the abilities but the steel of the Tower would drain their powers leaving them unable to perform even the simplest of magicks. There are many magical beings out there that may fit. Loki would know more. Perhaps I should call upon my mother. She would help. Though, it is curious to me that this thing would harm Lady Emma." Thor replied. "She is but Midgardain and such methods seem strange for a random attack."
"Guy is acting on his own then. Emma has something he wants." Clint added stonily. Steve nodded as he reopened the door to the room so the people inside could hear him.
"For now, Emma sticks with an Avenger at all times. Natasha, Clint and Thor will find out what they can. Tony-"Steve dished out before Tony took over.
"Movie nights and take out." Tony quipped. "Don't worry kiddo. We'll handle this. Hang in there."
"okay." She whispered. She was not used to letting others take over like this but she could barely handle it as she was let alone by herself. This was bigger than her. Bigger than they believed. She needed all the help she could get.
There we have it folks. Not as long as I had hoped but I need to find the notebook that has the rest of this story in it. I am bad at staying in one book most of my stories are everywhere! But I know it has to be in my room! Pretty sure. Yeah. -_- …..wish me luck.
So this is the turning point where things get moving. The first arch of the story is now transitioning to the next and then Loki comes in! WOO!
PS: I just looked over my beginning chapters and saw that in the first four I never stated what color Emma's eyes are. XD oh my primus how did I even do that? Also some of the misspelling and grammar were found. Sorry about that. I am working on just getting stories out right now and then cleaning up.
Please leave a review and tell me what you think of this so far! Any pointers or things that I can improve and so on! I live off of the words of my people! Thank you!
-Radio