Meanwhile in Asgard

AN: Nothing much to say here. This chapter is rather small and is a setup up for an arc later down the line, which is why I decided to put it out now. As you would guess, a couple of characters from Asgard will be introduced here. Enjoy!

A young girl lied in her room. Deep in thought and sighing as she tossed and turned on her bed. An air of depression seemed to hover over her.

"Dian?" Another girl spoke as she entered the room.

"Torunn?" Dian sat up. "What is it, sister?"

"You've been in your room all day, I just wanted to see if something was wrong."

"I'm...fine." Dian said hesitantly.

"Something is wrong, you sound troubled." Torunn said. Being a caring and loving older sibling, she can tell when something is amiss.

"Well...yes actually. I've been thinking a lot lately."

"What's on your mind?"

Dian got up from her bed. "Have you ever felt like you didn't belong?"

"Didn't belong?"

"Like I've said, I've been thinking a lot...a lot about myself. I don't feel like I don't belong here...in Asgard."

"What are you saying, sister? Of course you belong in Asgard, it is your home."

"You say that but...it doesn't feel like that. You of all people should know how troubled I am. I'm different."

"Dian, everyone is different."

"But I'm DIFFERENT different; I mean look at you, me, our parents. Aside from the blonde hair, I look nothing like you or father and no one would be able to tell if mother and I were related unless they were told."

"You've been listening to those boys again haven't you?" Torunn questioned. Dian had always been the subject of ridicule and teasing from the boys their age. Torunn would always step in and defend her while also giving the boys a good thrashing. "I told not to listen to them, they speak nonsense."

"But what if they're right. I have trouble doing the simplest of tasks. I struggle picking up chairs, I bruise easily, I heal much slower, I get exhausted faster than everyone else, I can't even control my powers. What if..." Dian turned away.

"If...?"

"I'm not actually...related to you by blood. What if we're not actually sisters?"

"Dian Mu," Torunn said. She never said Dian's name fully unless she was angry. "Don't be ridiculous! You're my sister and we are related by blood!"

"But what better way is there to describe it?! I'm not normal!" Dian raised her voice.

"Yes, you're not normal, but like mother has said, you are special!"

"Special...special...WHAT IS SPECIAL?!" Dian was shouting now. "Being weak, fragile, a freak?! THAT IS NOT SPECIAL! It's pathetic! The only special thing about me is that I glow when I use my powers! A stupid freaking glow!"

"It's not stupid! It's beautiful!"

"It is stupid!"

"Children, children, I can hear your squabbling from the other side of Asgard!" A much more mature older woman said as she now entered the room, taking extra care not to let the horns on her headband get caught in the door way.

"Ah, Aunt Loki!" The two girls turned to look at their aunt. Growing up, the sisters rarely saw Loki. Whenever they did interact with her, Father and many others would be keeping a close eye on her.

"Yes, it is I." Loki said, oozing self-importance that seemed to fly over the heads of the girls. "Now what is the matter with you two?"

"Aunt Loki, please talk some sense into Dian Mu." Torunn said. "She believes that she doesn't belong here in Asgard and now she thinks that she isn't actually related to us."

"Really now?" Loki inquired, raising an eyebrow. "Is that true Dian Mu?"

"Y-yes," Dian answered, avoiding direct eye contact. "I'm not normal."

"And you believe that you're not a legitimate member of our glorious family?"

"Yes, yes!"

"It's ridiculous isn't it?" Torunn said. "You were there when we were born, right?"

"Hm, truthfully, your wonderful aunt was imprisoned at the time, believe it or not. So I was only aware that the two of you were born. Who's to say what really happened."

The two girls moped as the elder woman smiled as if she had an idea.

"But perhaps I may know of something that might help you two get to the bottom of this." Loki said.

"Really?!" Dian Mu asked.

"What is it?!" Torunn asked.

"Tell us!" The girls demanded.

"If you insist." Loki took out a small picture. "This."

"A Bo-Staff?" The staff in the picture looked like it was made out of some pretty nice materials. The base being red with golden dragon heads on both ends. The eyes on the dragon heads were each with different colors and had symbols in them.

"It is a legendary weapon said to help its user find what they are looking for." She handed Dian the picture. "I hear it might also help you control your powers."

"Where do we find it?"

"Well, I believe that it is located in Migard."

"Migard?" The two sisters looked at each other. They've both heard of Migard from their parents and the many stories of adventures their father has had there. They've never been there before, they've never even been outside Asgard period. Father strictly prohibited them from leaving.

"That's across the Bifrost, right?" Torunn asked.

"Yes, it's the only way to get there." Loki answered.

"But father forbids us from leaving Asgard. Even so much as setting foot on the Bifrost is punishable." The sisters remember doing exactly that one day while they were roughhousing and playing and were severely disciplined by their mother for unintentionally touching the rainbow bridge. The mere thought of that day caused them to rub their butts in remembrance of the pain.

"Forget your father, the two of you are old enough to venture out on your own." Loki objected before directing her focus on Dian. "Dearest Dian Mu, surely you'd like to find out what you truly are?"

"Yes...I do." She nodded.

"Are you serious about this, Dian?" Torunn questioned.

"Sister," Dian started. She placed her hands on Torunn's shoulders and looked her in the eyes. "I want to do this. If you love me, you'll come with me and help."

"What? But the punishment." Torunn didn't think it was worth it. A driving force behind that was the potential of getting caught and facing their mother's wrath. She never wanted to experience the pain her butt felt at the hands of mother again.

"Torunn please, I need this." Dian pleaded as she shook her sister. "If I don't, it'll continue to stress me for the rest of my life. I won't ever be happy again."

Torunn sighed. "I can't bear to see my sister so troubled, I love you too much." When she noticed that Dian was been bullied by the other young Asgardians, she promised herself that she would do whatever she could to make her sister happy. "If going against father and going on this adventure with you will help you get over this and truly make you happy, then I'll do it."

"Oh, sister, thank you!" Dian hugged Torunn who lovingly returned it.

Loki rolled her eyes at her nieces' display of affection. 'How nice, but perhaps they love each other a little too much.' Still, she was a little envious of their love.

Not breaking from their hug, the two faced Loki.

"Aunt Loki, will you help us?" Dian asked.

"At least to get us across the Bifrost." Torunn added.

"I'll gladly help my two favorite nieces." Loki said with a smile.

"Thank you!" The two said simultaneously.

Finally, the sisters released each other from their hug. "We must prepare." Torunn said.

"Yes." Dian said.

"I shall go and gather supplies," Torunn then pointed to her sister. "You should do the same, sister."

"I will." Dian nodded.

Torunn left the room, leaving Loki and Dian Mu by theirselves. There was a brief period of silence before Loki spoke.

"You know, Dian Mu, I was once in a similar situation like yours."

"Really?" Dian inquired.

"Why yes. I had always felt and looked different from the others and was always treated poorly, even by my father." Loki exaggerated her movements as she spoke. Out of the corner of her eye she can see that Dian was eating it up. "I started to question what I was."

"What happened? Did you find out what you are?"

"Yes," Loki frowned. "Turns out that I'm actually a frost giant."

Dian gasped. "But, you don't even look like one. You're not even that big."

"I know, could you imagine how distraught I was. I can't even be a proper Frost Giant."

"Is that why you're helping me?"

"Dian Mu, I see a lot of myself in you." Loki said walking behind her. "It's why I treat you in much higher regard than most. Neither of us are physically strong, nor are we well loved amongst our peers. Which is why I'm seeing to it that you find yourself so that you may not go down the same horrible path I went."

"Loki..."

"I want you to know that no matter what happens," Loki leaned in close, tilting Dian's head towards her so that they were both eye to eye. "I will always be there for you. You can talk to me about anything that's on that cute little mind of yours."

"Thank you, Aunt Loki." Dian actually hugged Loki. An action that caught Loki by surprise.

"You're welcome my sweet child." Loki said, separating from the young girl and proceeded to make her exit. "When you and your sister are ready, come find me."

"We will."

Flashing her a smile, Loki left the room. "Hm, hm. Oh Thor, you should've taught your children better." Her smile slowly turned into a devilish smirk as she spoke to herself. "They should know better than to trust me so easily. Still, Dian might be a great ally in the grand scheme of things. A wonderfully naive and easily manipulated ally." She snickered. "Oh how delicious it would be if I were to turn one of your own daughters against you in the end, brother."

AN: For those who haven't caught it yet, Dian Mu is Pao-Lin/Dragon Kid. So just imagine her in Asgardian armor. I'm surprised no one acknowledged that she was missing in the first two chapters. Then again, I did say that not everyone would appear in the beginning. In context of the story, both Torunn and Dian Mu/Pao-Lin are around 12 years old with Torunn being the oldest by several months.

And yes Loki is a woman. For no real reason, I just wanted to. Regardless, she's obviously up to no good. What does she really want with that Bo-Staff she's sending Dian Mu and Torunn for? Will it really help Dian find out if she's really Asgardian or something else? Find out…...eventually.

Coming Soon (hopefully):

Crushers For Justice: Wild Tiger & Wolverine ISSUE 1

For their vacation, Kotetsu and Logan return to their families in Japan. Bringing Kamala along, Kotetsu introduces her to his family. Kaede, however, doesn't take this to well. Meanwhile, an escaped clone arrives to Japan still on the run and looking for someone, but who?

Please review and I hope to be back soon.