When I went back to the Tower, Fraye said nothing about her earlier behavior, nothing about my flight from the place. She was waiting for me, drawing in her little notebook, all alone. I sat down next to her before any of the other Avengers could discover that I left her alone. After a while, she even giggled and showed me her most recent drawing, of a bunch of stick figures standing around a building. "Tha's Steve, an' Uncle Brucey, an' Tony, an' Clint, and Natasha, an' tha's you Nat'lee!" She positively squealed with delight.
I went along with her little game, gushing, "Oh, Fraye, that's so great!" But our eyes were locked dead on each other. We both knew the other's plan. We both knew what was really happening here. But neither of us said a word.
From that point, life went on as it usually did. I acted out my role, pretended that I loved Fraye just as much as everyone else, pretended that I, too, was looking for her parents, was trying to save her. In reality, however, every time I looked at her, the bitter taste in my mouth would grow stronger. My heart would pick up in pace as my teeth would clench… but I made certain the Avengers knew nothing of this, that they knew absolutely nothing of my secret resentment.
I hated lying to them. It was the second time since I'd met them that someone had tried to take over/destroy the world, and forced me to lie to protect them. And I hated it. The Avengers were my friends; more then that, some of them were like my family. Lying to them…. It just felt so wrong. But what could I do? Tell the truth? Tell them that Fraye, a little girl whom we'd been protecting, a young child with an innocent face and the most adorable way of speaking… was really a monster from another planet, a nightmare creature who had tortured Loki for months? Tell them that she intended on slaughtering everyone on the planet, planned on destroying everyone in her path for no other reason then that she could?
How could I tell them something like that? How could I voice the words out loud? I knew what Fraye was, and let me tell you; ignorance was bliss. Let them have that bliss a little longer.
Beyond that… it wasn't like they'd believe me if I told them, anyway. I knew what they'd say; and it wouldn't be that I was being paranoid, wouldn't be that I was acting ridiculous…
No. I knew who they would blame, and it would not be me. It wouldn't be Fraye, either. It would be Loki.
After all, Loki had made me say strange things before, had spoken through me on any number of occasions. The Trickster loved his little pranks, and the others all knew it by now. And if I insisted that it was true, insisted that Fraye was the bad guy, then they would merely suspect that Loki had managed to twist my mind; which might get me put under observation, or even imprisoned as well… No. It was too dangerous to tell them the truth. We couldn't risk it.
So I kept my big mouth shut for once. When Fraye cuddled up next to me, or to any of the others, I said nothing. When Tony made her laugh, or when she told her 'Uncle Brucey' not to get angry, or played with the miniature bow that Clint had given her, I said nothing. When she listened to Steve's stories about his old ex-girlfriend, or when she pretended that she was trying to sneak up on Natasha… I said nothing. I even said nothing when she tried to lift up Mjolnir, to everyone's amusement, though it gave me no small amount of pleasure to see that she could not. The others laughed it off and assured her that it was probably because she was so little; that she was obviously worthy enough to lift it, but that her muscles simply weren't strong enough. Whether or not they actually believed this, she at least acted like it cheered her up. But she still kept trying; I found her later that night, by herself, straining to lift it from where Thor had left it for her.
She saw me watching and turned, grinning. "It's incredible," She admitted, a bit breathless. "I actually can not lift it. That's never happened to me before. There's never been something I could not do." She slouched against the wall, staring at the hammer. Darkness suddenly swirled around it, shadows that buckled and strained against it, trying to pull it up from the ground… but nothing happened. It remained immobile. I didn't comment on the display of creepy shadow powers as she glanced out the window, to the moon above.
"Maybe there's some hope for me after all," she mused almost silently. I did not ask what she meant, though I tucked it away for later study. She looked back to me, lifting an eyebrow; like always, whenever she dropped her façade, I was startled by how adult her gestures seemed on her childish face.
"You can not lift it, either," she noted. It was not a question.
I shrugged. "Never tried. Doubt it, though." It was more than just doubt. I was completely certain that I could not lift it. Even if I was 'worthy' enough, (and, given the fact that I turned to lies and trickery before I asked my friends for help, not to mention my newfound propensity for plotting and scheming, it was safe to assume that I wasn't) well, I also had Loki in my head. If he couldn't, then I sure as hell couldn't.
Fraye took a step back and gestured with one small, pale hand; a flash of Loki's blood dripping down from her fingers ran through my mind. I pushed it aside and looked to Mjolnir; the shadows vaporized around it.
"It won't work," I told her.
She shrugged. "Indulge me."
I lifted both eyebrows, but did as she'd asked. Loki was curious, too, now that Fraye had pointed it out. I reached forward and gripped the handle, closing my eyes…
I struggled and strained to lift it, putting all of my strength into the task… I imagined it coming off the ground, springing into electric life in my hand… but of course, when I opened my eyes, nothing had happened. The hammer was still on the ground. And now my arms hurt like hell.
"Ta-dah," I said dully, releasing Mjolnir. A little smile crossed Fraye's face.
"Well, you're only human, after all," she said with a quiet chuckle; a spark of something less than sense danced in her eyes. My own eyes narrowed.
"And what are you?" I inquired, looking her up and down. "Not human. Not Asgardian. A lot tougher than both." I slouched against the wall, crossing my suddenly aching arms as I studied her. "And whatever you are, you scare the crap outta Loki. I'd shake your hand for that," my voice grew darker, "But you took it a little too far, wouldn't you say?"
She gave me a blissful smile, tilting her head back and resting it on the wall. "What about you? You nearly beat him to death. What makes my fun any different from your anger?"
"My anger had a reason. Your 'fun' is just… sadistic. Without any purpose. You destroy worlds for no other reason then that you're bored." I assumed, by this point, that Fraye had shut off JARVIS' access to this room; this conversation would remain private. So I had no qualms with saying the things that I was out loud.
She placed her palms flat on the wall behind her and used them to push herself upright, to propel her forwards a few steps. "You know… Loki is a very smart little toy. That's what makes him so much fun." She sighed exasperatedly. "But he needs to learn not to assume so much." At my confused look, she laughed. "You see it, too, don't you?" She rolled her eyes. She was so different from Loki, so much more relaxed, so much more… human. She played the role of a mortal very, very well; better than Loki ever could. If he ever stooped that low, which he probably wouldn't.
"He assumes that I have no reason for this. That I'm just destroying worlds with reckless abandon." She waved her hand about airily. "He's completely right, but… I do this for a reason. I am the way I am for a reason."
And… playing me.
She heard my unspoken thought and laughed again. "Worth a try," she said innocently. "But I actually do have a reason." She winked. "The universe owes me, Natalie Frost. The universe owes me so much. And I intend to make it pay in full." She held out her hands in a what-can-you-do kind of gesture. "It's just a fact of life."
My eyes narrowed. "Not on my planet, it's not," I growled dangerously. Her eyes twinkled with a hysterical, dark light.
"Oh, but it's not your planet. Not anymore. It's mine." She took a step towards me. For someone so small and childlike, she was pretty freaking terrifying. "Get used to it."
She strode past me, black hair flicking behind her, the shadows lapping at her feet like trained dogs… I watched her go in silence, listened as she squealed in delight. "Clint! I hit the target! I pulled the string back an' aimed jus' like you told me too an' I hit it!"
"Great job, Fraye," Clint congratulated her. I found myself surprisingly… envious. Clint never congratulated me when we worked together, when I did something right in combat practice… He wasn't proud of me…
I shook myself out of it. Jealousy never used to be an issue with me, not really; if people liked someone else better then they liked me, that was their problem. I didn't care. But since Loki had gotten in my head, that had changed; his jealousy was such a prevalent feature in his life, his envy for his brother seeping through him, creeping into my bones. Ugh, he could be such a girl sometimes…
I beg to differ.
Hush, you.
I walked out of the room, out to where Fraye was showing Clint how she'd fired her arrow and showed how close it had gotten to the bull's-eye… he chuckled and stroked her hair back gently, with all of the tender care of an older brother. I bit my lip. Even the spies… even the freaking spies…
"Natalie?" Steve came into the room from the side. He looked at me, his head tilting to the side. "Is something wrong?"
Everything. Everything was wrong. But I plastered a smile on my face anyway. "Nah. Just a bit tired. I'm heading up." I feigned a yawn. "Night, you two. Make sure Fraye gets some sleep tonight, ok?"
"Will do," Clint said easily. Fraye faked a pout; she liked to watch TV until at least three in the morning. Or, at least, she pretended to like doing that.
"Don't forget you promised to call your parents before you went to bed tonight," Steve pointed out. I swore inwardly; I'd actually completely forgotten that.
"Thanks, Soldier Boy," I said, unsure of whether or not I was being sarcastic. I headed for the elevator; most of the others were either sleeping, going to sleep, or somewhere else in the Tower, so I skipped saying good night to any of them. The elevator made it to my floor, and I navigated my way to my room.
I took my phone out of my pocket and stared at it for a long time before I finally dialed. As I did so, I growled at Loki, Behave. He didn't answer.
After a few rings, my father's voice came over the phone. "Hello?"
"Hey, Cameron," I said, jumping onto my bed and kicking my feet up. My toes wiggled about nervously in my slipper-socks. "It's me."
"Oh, hi, Natalie," He said, and I could hear his tone shifting, as it always did whenever he talked to me. Well, to anyone, really. People always seem to change personalities, depending on who they're talking to. "How have you been?"
"Pretty good," I answered. "Really busy with the job."
"So you've said. Your mother has been counting the days; says its been almost a month."
"What can I say? Superheroes keep weird schedules."
"Uh-huh." There was a trace of disbelief in his tone. "And what about their enemies? Do they keep strange hours, too?"
I gripped a handful of the sheet beneath me. "What do you mean by that?"
"Oh, nothing. You just… seem to prefer working on your relationship with Loki more than your relationships with your own family." I could hear resentment creeping into his words.
I scowled. "You really wanna go that route tonight, Cameron?" I asked coldly. There was a quiet moment, and I added, "Because if you do, I think I should let you know that I haven't seen Loki face-to-face in about three weeks. The Avengers have kept me at the Tower."
Another pause. Then, he chuckled softly. "I guess I don't want to go there, then," he said amicably. "Sorry, Nat. We just miss you."
"Mom misses me," The words were out before I could stop them. Stupid, stupid, stupid! I pinched the bridge of my nose and let out a long, slow sigh. "Look. I know that you miss me. I miss you too; I miss you both… so much." I swallowed, my throat suddenly thick. If Fraye had her way, then this whole planet was going to burn. The whole world would go up in flames… and I still couldn't tell my father I loved him.
I hate my life.
"I… I know that this sounds like serious bullshit, but… it's not. I've been locked up at the Tower for a long time. There's a… a new threat." I paused. "Listen… about that… I was wondering… if maybe you and mom could get out of New York for a while. Go somewhere else- anywhere else. Just… Just for a little while?"
There was silence for a moment. Then, "It's that bad, huh?"
"It's really awful." I kept out any mention of Fraye; Tony listened in on my personal conversations when he was bored. But the 'shadows' that 'attacked' her would seem like enough of a threat to warrant something like this.
If only they knew.
"Well, I doubt your mother will leave. If anything, she'll just freak out and make you come home, superhero or no."
I heard myself in his words and looked away; what I was looking away from, I had no idea. "So I'd be the first Avenger in history who gets scolded by their mom. Lovely."
He chuckled. "I'm not going to leave you here alone, either, Natalie."
"What, you think you guys can protect me?" I asked, not unkindly. "Face it, Cameron. You're only human. Something happens, and you're toast."
"Probably true," he admitted; but his voice was cut off by someone else's, a little more shrill, high-pitched… my mother.
"Is that Natalie? Have you told her yet?" she fired off the questions like a machine gun, asking the second before my father had a chance to even comprehend the first. I lifted both eyebrows as I heard my father cover the mouthpiece of the phone.
"It's not… she should hear over… phone," his voice was garbled and quiet, but I managed to get those few words. As he uncovered the mouthpiece again, my mother said, "You should tell her, anyway. She hasn't been able to see you face-to-face for a month now, what makes you think that'll change anytime soon?"
Of course, I couldn't let that go. "Tell me what?" I asked innocently. I could hear my father's less-than-amused frown in his response.
"It's nothing, Natalie."
"Oh, I think it's something," I sat back, twirling my hair around my finger. "Come on, spill it. Tell Dr. Frost everything."
"You ain't my shrink, Nat," He shot back, but it was light and teasing; he really was so much like me… it was incredible, the things he would say, the things that I would have said in his situation… I pushed the thought aside.
"Ah, but I'm having a special. Free therapy sessions for all parents."
He laughed quietly, but didn't say anything. I bit my lip. "Come on, Cameron. You might as well tell me, or mom and I will have to double-team you until you do."
He sighed. "I suppose that's true." He paused; I gave him a moment to collect his thoughts. Then, his voice a little quieter, more solemn, "Just… don't worry, ok?"
"Why would I worry?" I asked, and naturally started worrying immediately. You just don't say 'don't worry' to people.
"Well… I went to the doctor a few weeks back."
Okay. Okay, fun. That's another thing you just don't say to people; especially following the words 'don't worry'.
"I'd been getting a lot of headaches, dizzy spells, that sort of thing," he was talking very flippantly, but my heart was pounding suddenly. Was this possible? Was my luck really this bad, that we might defeat Fraye only to have some stupid disease take my dad from me, anyway?
Well, considering the fact that you're talking about a girl who can't deliver a pizza without getting nano-infected….
He didn't stand a chance.
"Anyway, the doctors did a few tests, and they… they found something." He sighed deeply. "I wanted to say this to you face-to-face."
My heart was pounding. "What did they find?" I asked, my voice a bit strangled.
He sighed again. "Like I said, you don't need to worry, but… they found a lesion on my brain."
Time froze. For the longest of moments, the entire world was completely silent… and then it started moving again, all too quickly, long before I could pull myself together. Because time is a jerk like that.
"The doctor said that it seemed benign, that so far it's not doing any real damage… but I'm going to need to get a few more checkups from time to time, see what happens."
My eyes slid to the mirror. Loki's eyes glanced back at me. He stood in my reflection, a distant look on his face.
Just tell me, I ordered harshly. Is this your fault?
He met my gaze for a second, then looked away. I closed my eyes and let out a very heavy, deep sigh. That's what I thought.
"You there, Nat?" My father asked. I swallowed.
"Yeah. I'm here."
"I didn't tell them anything," his voice got suddenly quieter. "I didn't say anything about… You know. Him."
I swallowed. So the implications were not lost on my father, either. I guessed it was inevitable; Cameron's brain had been seriously screwed with. You couldn't just do something like that and not expect consequences.
"Thanks," I said, my mind buzzing.
"Not like they would have believed me, anyway."
Truth in that. I frowned, my mind already working on this latest problem. "Hey… when's your next checkup?"
"Um… next Tuesday. Why?"
I chewed on my lip in concentration. "Well, I'm thinking that maybe you shouldn't go back to that doctor. I can call the guys at S.H.I.E.L.D.; if it is something that Loki did"- my throat felt dry as I said 'if'- "then they'll have more experience. They might be able to help you better than another doctor could." I frowned. "And the Asgardians might be amenable to something. But if the lesions aren't malignant, then I don't want to risk that one just yet; politics and all. World-ending stuff. You understand, right?"
"Yeah," he chuckled. "I'm just surprised; I forgot how determined you could get about this sort of thing. Actually, about anything."
I smiled a little in response. "Never underestimate the power of a Frost on a mission," I joked hollowly.
"How very true," my father said thoughtfully. He seemed to shake himself out of whatever he was thinking, because he added, "All right. I'll let you go; let you get some sleep. I'm sure that'd be welcome, since you've been so busy and all."
I scowled. "You really expect me to sleep after that? Sheesh, Cameron. You have less tact than I do."
He laughed; a real laugh this time, a nice, loud laugh. Why did I always hate hearing that laugh? Why was it always so wrong to see my father happy? I pushed the thought aside, blaming it on Loki, as my father said, "Fair enough. I'll let you go, anyway. I'm sure you're going to do some research now, at least."
I grinned. "You know me too well."
"No, I know your mother. I told her the news on the way home from the doctor; by the time I'd gotten to the front door, she'd texted me three separate links about symptoms and possible treatments."
I snorted. "Figures, that she finally figures out technology and decides to plague us with it."
He laughed again. "I'll see you soon, Nat."
"Bye…" I tried to get the word out; but I heard the click on the other end before I could choke out, "Dad."
Damn.
I sighed and placed the phone on the nightstand, tilting my head back onto my pillows and closing my eyes. I took a deep, shaky breath.
"JARVIS?"
There was a beep. "Yes, Miss Natalie?"
"I want you to do a web search. Brain lesions. I wanna know types, symptoms, treatments, the works."
"Of course, Miss Natalie."
"Just give me a summarized version," I added, picking up one of the glass tablets that linked with the Tower. Words started flashing across the screen as JARVIS connected me to the internet, and I bit my lip, scanning it quickly. I didn't get very far before another beep alerted me to a room-to-room call.
"Hey, Nat," Tony's voice came over the intercom. I looked up at the ceiling. "Just heard about your father. Tough breaks."
I glared at nothing. "You know, there is such a thing as 'privacy' in the real world."
"You don't live in the real world anymore." There was a pause. Then, a little kinder, he asked, "Are you ok?"
I smiled a little. Tony could be a jerk, but when it came right down to it, he was a good guy. The Tin Man had a heart. "I'm fine, Tone."
My door suddenly opened; I sat upright and looked to it in surprise as Tony entered, pulling up a chair. I scowled. "I locked that for a reason."
"My tower. My rules."
"My room. My rules. Rule one: leave Natalie the frick alone when she finds out that Loki did one more thing to screw her life up."
"Doesn't work that way, Pizza Girl," He held up one finger, the other hand still behind his back. "Rule one of Stark Tower: Always listen to the man whose name is on the building. Rule Two…" He pulled his hand out from behind him; in it was a small bucket of ice cream and a silver spoon. He held it out to me. "Always keep Natalie's comfort foods in stock."
I couldn't stop the smile that took over my face. I took the proffered ice cream, removing the lid and digging in, mumbling against the spoon, "You're going to make me fat."
He grinned, but didn't say anything. I kept the spoon in my mouth for a long moment, just holding it there, too occupied with my own thoughts to actually eat any more. Finally, I pulled it out; it clacked against my teeth quietly. "Thanks."
"What're friends for?"
I hesitated. Yeah. Friends. In the old days, this would have been April's job; but now… now that role fell to the Avengers.
The only difference… I didn't lie to April. Not often, not really. And when I did, she usually knew right away; she just didn't say anything. The Avengers were another matter entirely.
Loki saw where the conversation was heading; and he did not approve. Do not say another word, Frost.
Of course, that only made up my mind for me. I was feeling a bit reckless, I'll admit. "This whole privacy thing… I mean, I can never keep secrets from you." I toyed with the spoon, using it to stab at my ice cream.
"Is that a bad thing?" He asked.
"I dunno. You can keep secrets from me." I swallowed. "It's a trust issue, I guess."
Stop talking. Stop talking right now, mortal.
I gave him the most churlish, childish response imaginable: Make me.
Do not tempt me.
Tony gave me one of his scrutinizing looks; the one where, if you didn't know him well enough, you'd swear that he didn't care about what you were saying in the slightest. "It probably doesn't mean much, but I don't have any secrets." He sat back. "Nothing I wouldn't mind telling you."
I gave him a little half-smirk. "Oh, really? So why do you hate the shrink-couch so much? More then that, why do you try and sabotage my reports?" As he looked ready to protest, I cut him off. "Don't give me that, I know you do."
He shrugged. "You, I trust. Fury, I do not." I smiled faintly, and he studied me for a moment. "Where's this coming from, anyway?" His eyebrows furrowed. "I mean… you don't have any secrets… do you?"
I opened my mouth. I formed the words in my throat. I was completely and totally ready to say, 'I might', or 'maybe'.
Instead, however, I just laughed a little and answered, "Nah. Just thinking too much again, that's all."
Dammit, Loki.
You will not destroy everything simply because of your guilty conscience. He said, as aloof as always. As I grumbled inwardly, cursing a few times, he sighed and added, Patience. Fraye will reveal her true colors soon enough.
You know what? Maybe that's your problem. Maybe you're just too freaking patient.
And you are not patient enough.
You should be more spontaneous. Impulsive. Learn to ditch the endless planning and just… live a little.
Then I would be my brother.
"Aaannnddd… I've lost you." Tony said, shaking his head back and forth. I looked to him, shaken out of my mental battle with the Trickster. "Inevitable."
"Sorry?" I asked, confused. Tony sighed through his nose.
"You know, I can spy on your conversations. I can bring you ice cream when you need it. I can talk it out with you. I can whoop your ass at video games." He shook his head again. "But in the end, I can't be him."
I flushed as I realized what, exactly, he was saying. He went on, "No matter what, it's only a matter of time before you phase out, and I lose you." His lip tugged downward. "Which I would be completely cool with, if it wasn't him. The man just gave your father a brain lesion, for crying out loud, and you're still going to him."
My cheeks burned even hotter. I felt my ears turn red and swallowed a massive bite of ice cream in an attempt to give myself a moment to think of a good response. Why was it that my mouth always said had a snappy, sarcastic remark whenever I didn't need it, but whenever I desperately needed to fill the silence, nothing would come out?
Finally, swallowing another bite, I said, "We don't know that it was Loki…" he shot me a look and I shut up again. Yes. Yes we did. I cleared my throat and tried once more. "Look, can we just… not talk about him right now? I mean, Loki isn't everything. I do have a life outside of just him."
Whatever gave you that idea?
Oh, shut up.
Tony lifted an eyebrow, then shrugged. "Sure."
The two of us fell into light conversation; it was uneasy at first, but we eventually fell back into our old pattern. I noticed with no small degree of bitterness that Loki got exactly what he wanted; I did not bring up my secrets again, said not a word about them; and when Tony eventually left, taking the empty ice cream carton with him, I was still left telling lies.
I did not protest; I was too exhausted to say another word. It had been too long of a day. I curled up under the blanket, tucked my arm under my pillow, and closed my eyes… I could hear my heartbeat in my ears; once, twice… and then I was gone.
Tied down. Chained, shackled, bound, the shadows holding me in place. Alone now, though I know that she will return, that she will come back for me, the woman with my blood on her hands, the woman whose name I do not know… whose name I do not wish to know…
Alone in the darkness. Fire in my lungs as I struggle with each breath. Every part of me hurts. The stinging cuts, the lashing lines of blood across my back, my arms, my hands. I can barely move through the pain, the utter agony of each and every breath…
My own blood pools around me. It is everywhere. It stains the entire world, stains the very shadows… And suddenly I remember something, something that I had forgotten, something that I had pushed aside…
I am a Frost Giant. And a Frost Giant's blood is not red. It is blue; a dark, dangerous blue, blue as their skin… not this red, like the red of their eyes, the red of my eyes… I fight a horrible laugh as I tilt my head back, as I close my swollen, blackened eyes… But even if I wished to, I know that I could not laugh, that the pain is too great, the fire in my lungs too much… I would surely burn…
But as I look at the blood around me, I see it. I see that it is only fitting, only right, that my very blood should be a lie. It pretends to be red as I pretend to be Asgardian, pretends to be crimson as I pretend to be great.
Lies are everywhere in my life. I am nothing but a lie, whispered in someone's ear, a quiet deception told to keep the rest of the world silent, to keep everyone in the dark…
It is only right, that my blood should be a lie as well.
Deception flows in my veins. Deceit rushes through me with every beat of my heart. Falsehoods, fabrications, dishonesty and trickery… they flow from these wounds, flow from the gashes that decorate my form… Even my death is a lie, for as much as I have plead for it, as much as it has promised to come, I still live, I still breathe, I still burn…
How could I be anything but what I have become?
"Wakey, wakey, Natalie."
The cold, ice-bitten voice shocked me out of sleep as frozen fingers brushed my hair away from my face. Fraye's black eyes stared back at me, her white teeth sparkling in the grey dawn light. "It's time."
I shook myself out of sleep, pulling myself upright. "Time?" I asked, still groggy. "Time for what?"
"What else?" She winked. "The plan's coming together." She took a step towards me. "It's time for the reign of blood."
Oh shit.
I tore out of the bed- still in my freaking PJs- throwing the covers back and getting to my feet in seconds. I ripped off the slipper-socks; they'd just get in the way, slipping and sliding across the floor. Fraye giggled.
"Let's see if you can survive it," She said, walking to the window. As she threw it open and jumped out, falling who-knew-how-many-stories to the planet below, I started calling across to the other part of my brain.
Loki. Loki, get up!
He stirred a little, but didn't wake. I didn't want to risk it, but I found myself checking out his dreams, anyway; and, naturally, it was another nightmare. It was not the same as mine had been, but that was nothing new. I often had dreams from Loki's point of view, and he frequently had dreams from mine. Usually nightmares in both cases.
Loki, Fraye's on the rampage! Get the hell up!
Still nothing. I turned to the window. I knew from experience that I could survive a trip down in the same manner; if I had the bubble. Well, right now, it wasn't hard to find reasons to be angry. Or afraid, for that matter. I took a deep breath, allowing my rage to fill me up, to take me over… unleashing something inside… a glow flared into life over my body, and something exploded away from me: the bubble. It snapped into its spherical shape, visible in light, Tesseract-blue for a brief second before vanishing into nothing.
It still wasn't enough. I could fight with the bubble-form of my force field, but it was better when I had Loki fighting with me, easier when the field could be manipulated, worked with. I screamed as loud as I could in my brain.
LOKI! GET AWAKE! NOW!
His eyes snapped open. In a brief second, he took in the situation; immediately, he went into action, suppressing my emotions, quelling everything in me that was not fear and fury. The force field fell into my command in a heartbeat, and I ran to the window, throwing myself out of it as I heard alarms start to blare, as lights were thrown on everywhere… as I fell, I heard someone's screams over the loud roar of the wind in my ears…
It was happening.
It was actually happening.
I could feel Loki's fear like a virus within me; I used it as my own fear, used it as though it were mine to command. Now was not the time to freak out; now was the time to fight. And fight we would; because fight we must.
I kept falling, down, down, down into the grey dawn light, the ground rushing at me, faster and faster… I braced myself, waiting for impact…
When it happened, I felt nothing; but the world crumbled around me, the concrete crushed beneath my feet, the force of the blow ricocheting across the bubble, digging into the ground… My shield rippled into blue visibility for only the briefest of seconds as dust went up into the air; I coughed a few times, waving my hand in front of my face as I pulled myself out of the self-made crater.
I heard screaming again, and the sound of gunfire… Tony's cries, Natasha's weapon. I threw myself inside of the Tower, racing to where I knew Natasha's and Clint's rooms were; close to the entrance, so that they could easily slip out and escape, should an emergency like this arise. I saw something fly past me and whirled to the side so that I could catch it; Tony collided with me, and the two of us were sent backwards… I sent sharp points out from the force field and into the ground, extending away from my feet, digging into the floor, leaving deep gouges as I kept falling back… but then they slowed me down, stopped me, and I remained upright as Tony fell to the ground, his flight stopped as well. He wasn't in his suit, wasn't wearing his armor, so I assumed it wasn't an 'intentional' flight.
"Fraye!" He gasped as he pulled himself upright. "It's Fraye, she's gone insane!"
"I know!" I shouted, pushing him aside. "Go suit up; I'll help the others!"
He nodded quickly, fiercely, and I started running again. I heard Clint and Natasha fighting together, heard Fraye's hysterical laughter… I barreled into the room, throwing myself at the little girl… I knocked her aside like a sack of potatoes, but she stopped herself from going too far back into the air with a swirl of shadow; the darkness wrapped itself around her, held her off the ground. She kept laughing as I ordered the other two, "Go get the others! I'll hold her off!"
Natasha did as I asked; Clint merely armed his bow, aiming it at Fraye. "Stand down, kid! Now!"
She just laughed (she never stopped laughing); a slice of shadow threw itself towards him; he dodged, rolling to the side, and came up firing; the arrow flew towards Fraye's eye, would have hit her… but the shadows converged together, like two waves crashing against each other; when the arrow hit, it fell to the ground uselessly, the shaft broken in two.
I charged towards her, trying to light up my skin ever brighter, to make the glow stronger… but it did little to nothing against the swarming darkness. And still she giggled, an insane glint in her eyes, a hysterical smile on her face…
Two seconds later, and Iron Man flew into the room, breaking through the wall, his armor shining despite the dust that started raining down. He aimed his repulsors at the little girl. "Fraye! What is wrong with you?"
"Wrong with me?" She asked, her lips curling back from her bright white teeth. "What's wrong? Everything is wrong, Stark! Everything that lives is wrong! Everything must die!"
Loki swallowed, but pushed aside his fear, pushed aside his terror… he kept fighting to hold my emotions in check, to keep me angry, his mind and mine planning together, our thoughts intertwining…
"Stark!" I shouted. "Just shoot her already!"
Clint was taking my advice and firing arrow after arrow towards Fraye; the shadows kept swirling about them, flinging them aside, breaking them in half; one of them actually exploded, but the shadows wrapped around the flames, snuffing the explosion out before it even happened. I stared.
Shadows flickered out of Fraye's hair, danced along her fingertips, crept away from her feet… the darkness swirled all around her as she flung herself backwards, outside of the Tower, out into the street… Clint and I exchanged a look, then threw ourselves after her. Tony soon followed… but we all stopped dead in our tracks at the sight that awaited us out there.
The shadows pulled themselves together, emerging from thin air and swirling into massive forms… the darkness built itself up, taking shape and form… they solidified into massive creatures, with fur like shadows cast from firelight, teeth sharp as a razor's edge, eyes black as midnight… a low, primal growl vibrated through the air, louder and louder, a sound that brought forth every animal instinct I had…
Shadow Hounds.
Three of them.
She expects us to live through this? I thought incredulously, staring at the nightmarish creatures before me. They lurched forwards, advancing… I forced my glow hotter, brighter, trying to focus my rage… Clint and I shared another look, then nodded and ran forwards. Our thoughts, I'm sure were the same; we had a city to protect, after all.
They're not getting past us.
As I flung myself at the Hound in front of me, it dodged to the side; I quickly lost myself in the dance of our battle, the strikes, the blows, the snapping teeth, the defensive blocks… I lost track of how many times the claws dug into my force field, how many times I held my breath, hoping it would not yield… how many times it saved my life…
My thoughts and Loki's merged, our attack synchronizing, his fight experience compiling with my fighting style; I kicked and hit and dodged, my field manipulating itself around me, into sharp points and edges, cutting into the creature, only to have it reform again… The battle exploded all around me, Clint's arrows striking the creatures he attacked with pinpoint accuracy, hitting their eyes, their paws, anywhere he could… explosions flared into life as I heard Fraye's mad giggles, as though this was just the most beautiful of games…
Teeth snapped at my shoulder as I jammed my fist into the Hound's muzzle, snapping its mouth shut; I flung a sharp point towards its black eye as I saw Tony attacking the third monster, the repulsors firing, making the Hound shrink back and whimper, only to re-form and strike again… I heard the crunch of metal as it managed to dig its teeth into the armor; a second repulsor blast shocked the creature backwards, and it yelped in pain…
Howling filled the air as I held onto my Hound's teeth, clinging on for dear life as it shook its head back and forth, trying to dislodge me… the fight had dissolved into chaos… I heard the roar of thunder above, the crackle of lightning… Thor burst in, sending the monsters flying back with a blow to the ground… electricity flared out in vicious arcs, scattering the creatures… only to have them regroup around Fraye, their master, who was still hovering above the ground, the shadows dancing in her eyes, weaving themselves around her body, striking at those who still fought against her… I caught a glimpse of Natasha's red hair, streaming towards Clint as the two took on the monster together…
One of the creatures barreled into me, teeth snapping, and I brought my arms up in an 'X' above my face, blocking my one weakness as it tried desperately to rip me apart… the shadows whispered around me, searching for my weak point, ready to flow inside my protective shield, to invade my second skin… These shadows were thrown aside by repulsor blasts as Loki's idea crossed my mind, as his battle strategy made my hands go upwards, clap together, the bubble expanding in a point away from them… it stabbed through the Shadow Hound's mouth, up through its head, black blood draining from it as it let out a whine, falling back, exploding into nothing but darkness around me.
The shadows that once formed it pooled around my feet as I struggled to stand, exhaustion filling my every muscle. But then the shadows pulled themselves together again, and the Hound was alive and howling again… I placed my hands on my knees, panting, swaying. Oh, come on!
Don't think, Loki insisted. After all, we didn't need to think, not yet, not this time. We just had to survive. We had to get to the next stage of our plan.
Fight, he ordered, and I brought my fists up again, charging the Hound.
All around me, the world had descended into madness, accented by the sound of Fraye's unceasing, demented laughter… I suddenly saw Bruce in front of her, still in human form, trying to plead with her, to reason with her.
"Fraye, stop this!" He shouted. It was so rare, to hear him shout. "Please! We are your friends!"
She squealed in delight. "Friends? My dear Uncle Brucey: you are my toys! Dance, my little puppets, dance!" She threw out an almost casual hand; the shadows flung themselves away from her fingers, colliding into his chest, throwing him backwards, shoving him down to the ground and skidding painfully across the asphalt.
"Bruce!" I screamed; but I could not move to help him; a Shadow Hound's claws began to rain down on me, and I tried to shove it aside, to fight it again… I caught sight of Bruce slowly standing, getting to his feet. Carefully, each and every movement perfectly planned and controlled, he removed his glasses from his pocket and set them beside Stark Tower; as though they wouldn't end up destroyed, anyway. His skin began to darken. His muscles began to ripple.
The Shadow Hound knocked me off my feet, snapping at my head… I threw a sharp fist into its muzzle; it yelped as I kept punching, losing myself into the fight once again, living in the moment, each breath consisting of only the next strike, only the next move. Because if I stopped for even a second, I was dead, or one of the Avengers was dead, or one of the innocent civilians in the street was dead.
A massive, blood-curdling roar filled the air… something huge and green flung itself into the Shadow Hound, throwing it off of me, driving it into the ground… bulging arms wrapped tightly around the creature, crushing ribs, crushing the entire creature in a death grip. The Hound whined, then exploded into nothingness, into shadow. The Hulk stood up from it, features twisted dangerously.
The Hulk whirled on me. I looked at him, wide-eyed and powerless, lying helpless on my back.
I'd forgotten how freaking huge the guy was…
I gave him a grateful nod, and, though he barely acknowledged me, he launched himself towards the second Hound… Fraye was watching him closely, her laughter dying at last, but a smile still decorated her face as she watched him systematically remove the threats, a display of brute force, pure power and strength…
The Hulk decimated the other two Shadow Hounds in a matter of moments; he even ripped one apart with his bare hands. They both dissolved into darkness and did not reform. And then he whirled on Fraye, a snarl on his face as he roared again.
The little girl clapped slowly, taking a step down from where she hovered; the shadows formed a flat surface beneath her foot, holding her upright. She took another step, and the shadows did so again, step by step; and with each of those steps, her face morphed and changed, her figure shifting. She grew slowly taller, thinner, paler. She lost the childhood baby fat and then some, turning into an almost skeletal figure, her entire form shifting and changing. Loki started to shiver, to tremble at the sight of her; I could almost see his blood on her hands. Fire burned in my gut as I thought of what she had done to him, thought of how I was going to make her pay… Loki latched onto my anger, tried to use it as I had used his fear, tried to use it to banish his sudden terror.
By the time Fraye stood on the ground and stopped clapping, she was the perfect image of what I had seen before; all grown up and dangerous as hell. The shadows danced around her, the shades lapping at her feet.
"Finally, a challenge," She said, looking Hulk in the eye. His fists tightened; he roared a final time, throwing himself towards her…
At that moment, I wondered how Loki could have ever thought that the Avengers would lose to this girl, to this woman who was supposedly so dangerous. How he could ever see anything happening but this inevitable outcome; that the Hulk would take one look at Fraye and throw her around like a rag doll, just like he had done to Loki himself. Seeing the difference between them, seeing how small Fraye was compared to his enormous monster… The girl didn't stand a chance. Even the other Avengers were just sitting back to enjoy the show.
As the Hulk charged towards Fraye, she danced out of the way on light feet, moving faster than I ever would have thought possible. The Hulk reacted quickly, throwing out another blow, enormous hands reaching out to grab her, to pick her up and fling her back down to the ground… a shadow sliced at his hand, cut across it; he reacted, pulling his hand back, though it obviously did not break skin.
And then, suddenly, they dissolved into a blur of fighting; the Avengers and I stayed where we were, unmoving, disbelief keeping us rooted to the spot, keeping us immobile. The Hulk went about striking at Fraye with his usual lack of subtlety, pure brute strength flinging itself at her small form. Every time, she danced aside, dodging and weaving, sending blow after shadowed blow back in his direction; the blackness swirled around him, slashing and stabbing, pure power pushing him backwards… his feet dug into the ground, digging gouges out of the concrete, keeping him from sliding back as he struck at the shadows, ripping them apart, tearing into them. Fraye resumed her crazed laughter, but I could see a trickle of sweat on her forehead; the Hulk, at least, was a difficult challenge.
Natasha was the first to recover. "Come on," She said, reloading her gun. "He needs our help."
Anyone whose eyes were not glued to the battle turned to her, incredulous. That should not have been possible. That should never have been said. The fact that it was… it was wrong. It went against all known laws of the universe.
Hawkeye recovered as well, loading his bow, and Steve-whom I finally caught sight of- soon followed. As the Hulk landed a blow on Fraye, we all froze; she was made airborne, flying backwards… she landed in the Earth, limp and immobile, a Fraye-shaped crater surrounding the area around her. The Hulk let out a growl and started advancing towards her again; slowly, incredibly, she pulled herself upright, a maniacal smile on her face.
She saw us coming then, out of the corner of her eye, and she turned to us and snarled, "Oh, no you don't." She plunged a hand towards the ground; as it struck, the shadows converged on it, crashing together in a violent storm, throwing themselves upright, forming another nightmarish creature… Another Shadow Hound, far larger than any of the others. It tilted its head to the sky and howled, that low, melancholy note that dredged up the worst emotions I had, formed a terrifying storm in my heart. The Hulk made an attempt to change his course, his usual battle strategy (see something, destroy it) changing his direction, so that he could tackle this latest threat … But Fraye stood in the way, wiping her lip, her hands clawing at her sides.
"Let's dance," She said with a girlish giggle. The two of them went at it again as the other Avengers and I all went into immediate action against the Hound. It battled back, severe and fierce, lunging towards us with ever-increasing, ever-breathtaking speed. I kept Loki's focus on the Hound, trying to keep my eyes away from Fraye, because every time I looked, Loki would end up shivering, momentarily paralyzed. And right now, I needed him too desperately; I was in the battle of my life, fighting this creature with the other Avengers.
Every time we would dig gouges out of it-whether using Tony's repulsors, Clint's explosive arrows, Steve's shield, or my force field- it would simply breathe in the shadows around it, becoming bigger, stronger, faster. Large teeth and claws lunged forwards at my fellow attackers, sometimes missing broadly, sometimes missing by inches, and occasionally not missing at all, shoving them back or drawing blood from smaller wounds.
I was getting exhausted, my knees week, my arms and legs drained. I was a college student, not a superhero; I wasn't built for this kind of crap. But still I fought on, pushing the pain aside, submerging myself in the adrenaline of the moment, fighting as fiercely as I was able…
As Iron Man fired a bazillion tiny missiles at the creature, the thing exploded in a flash of light and dark, the ground spewing up dust and rock and earth. We all started coughing, struggling to breathe… I could see a number of gnarly wounds on almost every one of them. Natasha had a nasty gash on her shoulder, Clint's arm was totally bloodied, Steve's side was gushing red, and Tony's armor had been crushed in places, the paint scratched and scuffed up everywhere. I, thankfully, had nothing but a few bruises, and Thor seemed much the same, but everyone else looked like hell. We waited for the creature to reappear, all of us getting ready to fight again.
But nothing happened.
The reason why was almost immediately plain; Fraye was pretty occupied at the moment. She and the Hulk were locked in a death match, the fight of the century, speed and power versus pure, raw, furious strength. The Hulk clapped his hands together, trying to crush her beneath them, but she simply flipped out of the way, taking to the skies as the slamming of his palms sent out a shockwave of energy that touched even us, standing as far away as we were. Fraye hovered in the air, the shadows holding her aloft, then dropped back down to the ground, throwing a blow towards the Hulk's face; it caught him square in the jaw, and he took a startled step back. Fraye did not let it stop there; she threw blow after blow, strike after strike, shadow after shadow, the darkness unrelenting as it hit him again and again and again.
I gasped as sudden pain stabbed my heart; it was so intense that I dropped to my knees, gulping down air. My head screamed, my heart pounded, and a cold sweat broke out on the back of my neck. Loki was losing it. He was absolutely losing it. The two most powerful beings in the universe, the two people who had utterly defeated him, were currently both fighting for control, fighting to stay alive. The very fact that Fraye was standing her own against the Hulk was… incredible. Impossible. And utterly terrifying.
Loki? Loki, stay with me, I pleaded, trying to calm him down. It's ok, you're ok, she's no where near you, she can't touch you, she's not going to hurt you yet, you're safe, you're fine…
But this was not true. Because, at that moment, all the way in Asgard, the lights went out, and Loki was plunged into darkness.
He's afraid of the dark.
I immediately started cussing out whoever was responsible in my head; Loki went absolutely insane, stumbling backwards, deeper into the darkness, the blackness that scared even me, a person who had never had a problem with the dark. He thrashed, fighting the invisible, fighting the blackness that could not be-could never be- touched.
Loki, please, you're fine, it's ok, just focus, you're fine, I was practically begging by this point; his fear was overwhelming me, taking me over… I felt the bubble flicker and die around me, my anger too far diminished, too far gone. My hands shook violently. There was nothing left of my fury; there was only Loki's terror. I tried to spread the glow around me, but even that light died, taken away by the fear that was Fraye Burns. I could see and hear nothing but blood and death and dread, could feel nothing but the pain that he remembered, the pain that he had suffered through.
"Natalie? Are you ok?" I was pretty sure it was Steve's voice, but not positive.
"Fine!" I lied, shouting. "Just… stop her!" I clutched my head tightly, suppressing a scream. Loki, dammit, you've got to listen to me! We have a plan, remember? She's no where near you!
I heard her laughing suddenly. I looked up in horror as she paused in her fight just long enough to wink at me.
That little bitch.
It was her fault. I didn't know how she'd done it, didn't know how she could possibly be that powerful… but then, magic didn't always have limits. Loki's connection with me was incredibly strong, no matter the distance; it did not matter that we were worlds apart. That was just how it worked. But if Fraye could control the shadows, even from that far away…
Then Loki really was in danger…
He huddled up in a corner, alone in the dark, alone as he had always been. I switched tactics. Listen to me! Listen! Are you an immortal or aren't you? Are you really going to allow this fear to override your life? Fear is nothing! Fear is an illusion! It does not exist; it can not be allowed to exist! Now I want you to stand up, and I want you to face that darkness, do you understand me?! GET UP! GET OFF YOUR ASS AND FIGHT, YOU COWARD!
He trembled from head to toe. His spine quivered. The darkness pressed in all around him, smothering him, choking him. Fraye and the Hulk continued to battle ferociously… neither of them seemed human any more, just… animal. Primal. They had become the embodiment of all animalistic instinct. And then there was Loki, who had been reduced to only one instinct as well; one of pure, untouched, untainted terror. Unable to move beneath the crushing weight of his own dread, unable to breathe, to think…
Are you a man? I demanded of Loki, my mental voice a horrible, dangerous snarl. Are you a man, dammit? My hands clenched in fists at my side, the glow starting to flare up again as my anger battled fiercely with his fear. Or are you a monster?!
His heartbeat quickened. The trembling got worse. But, very, very slowly, he pulled himself up to his feet, staring into the darkness… he closed his eyes, taking a deep breath… he had so little power left, so little magic that he could use… But that didn't matter. Not anymore.
Focusing himself carefully, he flicked out a hand; immediately, fire burst into life on his fingertips. It was a weak, small, pathetic flame… but it was light. And light was all he needed; it sent shadows flickering across the room, and his eyes grew sharper, more deadly.
He didn't say anything to me. But I felt unbearably smug as I nodded once, pulling myself up from my knees, back to my feet. Good. Now let's do this.
He nodded in return, keeping his eyes locked on the fire in his palm. I'd forgotten that he could do that; it was useless as an offensive weapon, after all. I pushed the thoughts aside. We had a plan. We were going to stick to that plan.
One way or another, Loki was getting out of that darkness.
I looked to the other Avengers; those who were not advancing on Fraye and the Hulk were looking at me worriedly. I waved them off and started towards the fight as well, throwing out my hands at my sides; the bubble formed around me, wrapping itself around my skin. Loki kept his eyes on the flames, kept his thoughts away from the darkness that surrounded him. Kept his focus on the light.
Fraye did not see us, did not even glance to us. Her focus was on the Hulk; as sweat ran down the side of her face, she threw the shadows at him, again, and again, and one more time and again. Each strike seemed stronger and sharper than the last, fiercer than anything else… they cut and slashed at the green monster, tore and clawed their way towards him, striking the same spot on his chest over and over again until…
Until…
Every one of the Avengers froze in their tracks. It did not matter what we had been doing before. In that second, we all stopped advancing, stopped moving, stopped breathing. Something dark green, so dark that it was nearly black, started to trickle down the Hulk's chest… a single droplet of…
"Is that… Is that blood?" Tony asked the question for all of us. I gaped. No. Ok, just no. That was not possible, that never happened, the Hulk did not bleed. Not once, not ever. He was… he was unbeatable, undefeatable, indestructible.
And if she could destroy the indestructible…
The Hulk didn't seem to care about the injury; in fact, the sight of his own blood just seemed to piss him off even more. He flung himself towards Fraye with a guttural sound, something that came deep from within the core of his body… But seeing the blood, she danced back, a leisurely, catlike smile on her face.
"Now that's interesting," She mused quietly. "Perhaps there's no hope after all."
The Hulk charged towards her, but Fraye, it seemed, had what she needed. She turned to me, gave me a final little wink that sent shivers through me, then pulled her hands together; the shadows closed around her like curtains, swirling about in tones of black, smothering all trace of the nightmare creature… then, just as suddenly, they vaporized into nothingness, leaving only empty space behind. No Fraye, no darkness… just… nothing.
The world fell silent. I found that I was still walking forwards, my footsteps the only sound in the abruptly empty world. That is, it was the only sound: until the Hulk freaked out, letting out another loud growl and charging forwards, towards where Fraye had vanished. I managed to grab his hand quickly-my whole hand barely fit around his pinky- and pull him back. Well, not exactly pull him back, but my unexpected weight made him turn around. His other hand clenched in a fist as he got ready to pound me into pulp, but I raised my hands quickly, surrendering, and he seemed to recognize at the last second that I was one of the 'good guys'.
"It's over, big guy," I said slowly. "She's gone."
Hulk's face twisted, and he turned away again, lips curled back from his teeth as he growled. His hand suddenly raised to the injury on his chest; he touched it gently, then looked at the blood on his fingers; his eyes turned ever darker. I took a step back. My last encounter with big, green, and muscle-y had left me a lot worse for the wear; and, as other circumstances had gotten in the way, he'd never actually finished beating me. That was the kind of thing that he didn't tend to forget lightly, I was told.
Still… I dreaded to think of what that wound would translate to when he morphed back into Banner… I carefully stepped up and ran my fingers along the cut. It was tiny, barely anything, compared to his sheer mass… but Banner was so much smaller; it would be a lot bigger on him… If that was even how it worked…
The Hulk pushed me aside; yeah, he wasn't tolerating that. He glared at me, and I skittered backwards quickly, keeping my bubble flared in case he decided that right now would be a good time to finish our little grudge match. I looked back to the other Avengers as the Hulk closed his eyes, letting out a frustrated breath… he did not like being beaten.
"Hey." I gently nudged him-because I have a death wish- and Loki winced, readying himself for another battle. Hulk looked to me, and I smiled a little. "You're still the strongest."
He didn't acknowledge that. He just turned away and went off in another direction; I was sure he'd calm down soon enough, but I gave Clint a look, and he nodded and followed Big Green off, just in case. He tossed me something on the way; a small, metal device. A headset; obviously, he wanted us to keep in contact in case something went wrong with Hulk. And he wanted to keep up with whatever the other said about Fraye's 'sudden betrayal'. I caught the headset and, letting the bubble die around me, put it in my ear. I didn't ask when Clint had gotten it; I'd learned long ago to not question the things that the spies did. I rarely liked the answers.
I turned to the other Avengers; all standing on the ground now, some with their hands on their knees, trying to recover. They didn't look as exhausted as I was, but they still looked like crap.
"So… What the hell was that?" Tony again asked what everyone was thinking. Except for one thing; I wasn't thinking it. I was thinking about how I could bring up the fact that Loki knew about Fraye without the others getting too suspicious of me. My mind switched gears, battle tactics changing, preparing for a different form of war.
Loki's mind switched gears with mine, focusing on the matter at hand. The flames died from his fingers as he finally realized that the light in his cell had come on again; he was a fair distance away from it, having run into the darkness, but now he crossed back over to it; the relief he felt when he was standing beneath the grey light again was almost palpable.
"That… was Fraye," Natasha said, trying to breathe. "Apparently."
"The real her," I confirmed, falling down on my butt on the concrete. I didn't care about standing up and staying 'dignified'; I was hurting all over, from head to toe just… aching. I buried my face in my hands and groaned aloud. "I… I can't believe it."
The lie tasted sour on my tongue. But it was part of the plan. And we couldn't deviate from the plan. Now was our chance. Now might be our only chance.
"How did she… I mean, with the shadows…?" Tony's face plate had lifted up, and he looked… confused. "I mean… what is she?"
Thor shook his head very, very slowly. "In all of my travels of the nine realms… never have I seen a creature like that."
Aaannnddd, thank you, Thor! I celebrated inwardly. Huston, we have opportunity!
Loki ignored this as I made my eyes go blank for a moment. I was fairly well practiced with such things; it was almost stupidly easy to make it look as though I was speaking with Loki; or perhaps questioning him. Then, after a moment, and once I was certain that at least a few of the Avengers had noticed my empty stare, I hissed out, "Son of a bitch!"
That got everyone's attention perfectly. They all looked to me as I ran my hands down my face in false exasperation. I groaned again, as though in absolute disbelief. As they gave me questioning stares, I grumbled against my hands, "I have."
"What?" Natasha asked. "How?"
I pulled myself to my feet unwillingly "Loki," I snarled out the word as though it were a curse. Everyone stiffened at the Trickster's name, and, with pure fire in my eyes, I turned around and started trudging towards the Tower. "Come on. We're gonna need the Tesseract."
A/N: Before anyone asks, a Frost Giant's blood is blue; at least from what I can tell from the movie. :) As for the Hulk's… I have no clue. I don't remember him ever bleeding. O_o Then again I have only seen the Hulk movie once…
And I call myself a Marvel fan… I'm so ashamed…
So if anyone knows the real color (movie-verse, not comic-verse please, there are too many conflicting comic storylines to ever judge what is 'canon') let me know, and I'll fix it. :)
Also, as you can probably tell, this is going to have a lot more action than the previous one. Why? Because I can. And because it fits Fraye's personality to have a lot of weird crazy battles n'stuff. Unfortunately, fight scenes aren't my forte; which is part of the reason why I decided to write so many in this. Practice, practice, practice, right?
Another reason why this has a lot of action while the first one had less: in the first one, I was still trying to keep Natalie from becoming a 'Superhero'. That was why I'd given her a more defensive 'ability'; and the only reason I even gave her that was so that it would harder for Loki to kill her when she pushed his buttons. But then Natalie laughed at me, and was like, "Psh, please, I do what I want."
:( My characters are mean to me…
So, anyway, stuff. Hope you enjoyed, please review!