"Why am I here?" This was a question with multiple layers for Loki, ranging from the cosmic scale to the philosophical. But at the moment what he meant was why he was standing outside in an open field, staring at a monster from his nightmares, while a group of idiots stood around watching him. The answer he got though was a small shrug from Sylvie, who look far too amused by this chain of events, and Tony's voice, annoying as always, yelling to him, "Because you pulled the short straw, Big Wheel."
Loki grumbled and cursed the god of luck, because it could only be a cruel trick of fate that he'd be the one to go up against the one Avenger he actually was wary of.
The Hulk himself.
Five hours prior...
Loki had gotten used to the drill by then. Wake up in the morning, have breakfast with the others, go to the Avengers Tower while Luka went to work, and waste the day while Tony was supposed to be working on the Tempad. Which he came to a realization was a question of if today would be a working day for that or if one of the trillion things that tended to come up would: a mission, dealing with SHIELD, general goofing off, something with his business. It had been amusing when Sylvie realized it for herself, watching as she almost killed the man for not focusing on what she saw as important. Of course Loki did too but he was finding some pleasantness is not dealing with the TVA, Mobius, the Minutemen or any of the other stupidity he had had to deal with before arriving there in that time period. And knowing that his timeline was gone, he wasn't really in a hurry to go back; besides while overthrowing the Time Keepers was definitely still in his plots, until the Tempad was fixed, unless the TVA came for them, they couldn't really do anything anyway. Still watching Tony get terrorized by a girl two inches shorter and a thousand times scarier, holding a sharp Asgardian sword, was hilarious.
So when they all prepared to leave for the day, Sylvie assisting Astrid with putting on her shoes, and Luka turned to tell Loki that he would be going to the Tower as well, the god was a little confused.
"What, did Nevermore burn down?" Loki was still suspicious of the bookstore and it's owner; since the Nap Incident, he had seen her and her familiar a few times, mainly when she came with Luka to deliver some sort of information to Tony. When asking the genius he got an interesting story: apparently the trio worked for an information broker that SHIELD and the Avengers employed by the name of Nightingale, someone they had never met but who had been operating apparently since the early years of the SHIELD. According to him no one in either group, or any of the multiple agencies apparently that interacted with them, knew their name, their appearance, anything about them except that they worked through intermediaries, the current ones being Tsuki, Luka, and Nox. Only the intermediaries apparently knew and none of them ever spoke a word; Luka honestly seemed to find delight in keeping the secret personally. There was a lot of suspicious things there, a sense of omissions and tiny lies, nothing overt but just enough to set off the God of Lies' mind.
Luka seemed unaffected and shook his head. "Nothing so extreme, promise; I just felt like coming along today."
"You're plotting something," Loki accused him, causing Luka to smirk.
"But of course; I'm Loki." Hard to argue with that; Loki could only sigh and glancing at Sylvie he nodded.
"Fine, let's get going then."
The guards at the Tower were pretty used to things as well too; Sylvie didn't need a disguise anymore but as they walked into the elevator Loki scratched his head and rolled his neck, removing the illusion he cast on himself with a grimace. "I still hate that."
"Necessary evil," Astrid piped up, clinging to Sylvie's hand tight with a bright smile.
Sylvie nodded. "Not our fault you and Luka are identical; one of you needs to disguise himself so we can get past security."
"I think I'm definitely more handsome," both Lokis said at the same time and she rolled her eyes at them.
"Narcissists."
"Why thank you."
"Can you two not talk in unison, it is really creepy," She asked making a face at them.
Loki looked at Luka and both gods shrugged, again in unison, making her groan. Astrid giggled and when the door opened she broke free of Sylvie, running into the common room and right into the arms of Natasha. The first thing that the younger of the twin Gods of Mischief noticed was that she was dressed in her full uniform; the second was that she was not the only one. Tony was adjusting a bracelet on his arm, likely something having to do with his suits, and Steve was talking to Bruce in a low tone about something or other. Clint stowed his collapsible bow in his quiver then turned to the trio. "There you are, we were just about to leave without you."
"What are you talking about, my featherless fowl?" Loki asked getting a look in response.
Tony frowned and looked to Luka. "Hey Rock of Ages, did you not tell him or something?"
"Oh my it seems to have slipped my mind," Luka said in an apathetic tone, glancing up at the ceiling with a wistful look.
Sylvie shook her head while Loki glared at his twin, swearing he saw the man's mouth quirk with a tiny smirk. He took a moment, contemplating his best answer, but spoke with the same unaffected voice, "That's okay; I'm sure when I'm as ancient as you that I'll have memory problems too."
Tony burst into laughter, joined by the snickers of a few others. Natasha did her best to hold back, though there was an amused smile on her face, and even Astrid was giggling. Sylvie turned her face away, as if that could possibly hide her grin, and Luka raised an eyebrow at Loki, looking quite proud of himself.
"Unfortunately age has little to do with it; it was the worst right after the Hulk beat us up." That made Loki freeze up and Luka smirked knowingly before making his way over to Tony. The inventor continued to laugh until he found himself tugged by the ear, whining and complaining the whole time while Luka addressed Steve, "We should get going on; Tsuki and Nox stated they would meet us at the training grounds."
"Affirmative, and about what we asked for..." Steve answered trailing off.
"Tsuki promised to bring it along."
"Excellent." This seemed to please the captain and he turned his fellow Avengers; Tony was still complaining but Luka seemed unconcerned, continuing to hold the shorter man by his ear nonchalantly to Loki and Astrid's joint amusement.
Natasha adjusted the giddy toddler in her arms and nodded. "Alright then what are we waiting for? As Loki said, we better go."
The group started to mobilize and Loki, still confused, tried to catch one of them. But only Bruce stopped long enough to talk, the others getting into the elevators to leave.
"Banner, what is going on?"
Bruce furrowed his brow, glancing towards where the others went then back at him. "It's training day."
"Training day?"
Training day. A few hours later Loki found himself standing in a field, wind blowing through the tops of trees that encircled them. High above was the blue sky and before him Astrid ran about, laughing happily as she chased her stuffed cat. Luka was settling down under a tree, waving his hand about absently, magic dancing at his fingers as he simultaneously played with his daughter and talked to Nox. When they arrived, for whatever reason they ended up having to drive there despite the three magic users in the group, the nonhuman and the bookseller were already there; a large blanket was set out under a trio of trees that made a nice big space of shade, and what looked to be various food was scattered over it. In addition there seemed some electronic equipment beside it, a laptop covered in stickers sitting on a dolly and connected to a bunch of cords to a larger hard drive box. Nox took note of them first and gave a small wave as the group of them came over and once Tsuki noticed them, she smiled and immediately made her way to Tony. Everyone soon enough settled in their own places, mulling about while waiting, for what Loki was not sure.
"Took you long enough," she scolded the inventor, still rubbing his ear from being dragged around by Luka, "Somethin' wrong with your ear?"
"I'd like to make a customer complaint; your employee abused me and tugged me by the ear," Tony said frowning.
Tsuki raised an eyebrow, looked to Luka, then back at Tony. "Do you want a serious answer or a jokey one?"
"Serious, Tsukkuyomi."
"Don't make me grab your other ear."
He glared and she shrugged. "As Loki is not currently on the clock, and I'm not either, what he does on his day off does not concern me. Your lover's quarrels-"
"W-we are not lovers!" Tony exclaimed outraged and turning red, Luka choking and coughing from where he had settled down.
"Right. Then your arguments as friends are not my problem."
"What about the fact that I'm your friend too?"
"That's more reason to let him mess with you, Tony; after all I love watching you squirm." With that she pinched his cheek then walked off to talk to Steve who was currently watching as Bruce, with a furrowed brow, typed away at the laptop and told Clint something.
The inventor looked miffed but that passed quickly as he went to join the others. Sylvie moved to stand by Loki, looking over the collection of heroes and civilians; he wasn't sure immediately where she found trail mix but assumed it probably was with the other food, saying nothing about it for now.
"So, do you have a clue what's going on?" she asked, munching peacefully.
"Banner said it's training day."
"Training day?" Loki nodded and he heard a sigh leave Sylvie beside him. There was only so many things that could mean, none of which made Loki terribly excited.
He felt his body lurch violently forward and almost snarled as the head of his big brother popped out between the two Lokis; Sylvie cursed angrily as her mix went flying. Thor seemed unperturbed, smiling brightly. "Brother, sister, I am glad you decided to join us today!"
" 'Decided' is such a strong word, Thor," Loki commented, trying to peel the massive hand off his shoulder, "I prefer the term 'dragged along without knowledge of what exactly we were being getting into'."
"I'm reminded a little too much of the Time Fascists," Sylvie grumbled and pulled away from Thor, walking away.
The Thunderer looked sad; Loki told himself that it was his idiot brother's own fault and he didn't get to cry over upsetting the female Loki. But at the same time whatever was going through his mind didn't seem to last long because he choose to zero in on the Loki he did currently still have grip of and a sense of dread started to creep in.
"Still brother, I am glad," Thor said smiling, "It had been far too long since we last sparred."
Loki winced as memories flashed through his head. Training with Thor was very rarely anything other than lessons in the ways of pain, repeats of the problems inherent in forcing a god who specialized in magic fighting a warrior whose strength was in physical conflict. He did not so much "train" or "spar" with his brother as he attempted to find new ways not to get caught; did he win sometimes? Yes. Did it ever come from actually trying to rush the practical tank of a god? Very, very, very rarely.
"Yes...brother...it has," Loki said surprised more that his voice stayed from shaking than that he did not simply tell the man that his happiest days involved not having to directly fight his brother which never seemed to end terribly well.
"Hey Shakespeare Brothers, get over here!" Loki found himself somewhat relieved that Tony called them over, though the continuing nicknames were getting a little tiring. Worst yet was that many of them were just the same one over and over but even new ones gave him a little annoyance. He wondered if the man just didn't have the inclination or the creativity to think up anything particularly original.
"Ah we are coming, Stark!" Thor at least seemed not to mind too much and as Loki tried to make his way over he suddenly, and rather unwantedly, found himself being lifted up off the ground and he froze immediately. Many thoughts crossed his mind but the sound of Hawkeye loudly laughing, followed by the sound of the man being smacked and complaining about such, caused the god to turn red and twitch a little. At least Sylvie and Luka weren't laughing, though neither Loki were actually looking at him, and Astrid giggled as she ran over to follow her uncles. So worse yet the toddler did see and seemed amused; as he was set down once by the rest of the group, she beamed up at him, holding her squirming and newly animate stuffed animal in her arms. "You got a ride from Uncle Thor~"
"Yes though I neither asked for it nor wanted it," he said throwing his brother a displeased look before dusting himself and reaching down to pat Astrid on the ground; that last thing was becoming more habit than anything else.
"It was quicker that way, brother," Thor said.
"No it wasn't," all three Lokis said in absolute chorus and despite one of their voices being different than the others, there was a harmony to it that seemed to shock the collected heroes. Plus one strange girl and her definitely not human friend.
Said girl chuckled and shook her head. "Alright moving on, Tony, Bruce, is the program up and running?"
"We're ready for the first tests, yes," Bruce said and readjusted his glasses as he typed away at the laptop.
Tony moved to push him out of the way, causing a small furrow in Bruce's brow. There was a decided lack of green though so no one started panicking quite yet; still Luka flicked Tony's ear and got a glare before the self-proclaimed genius started talking, "Which pair wants to go first then?"
"Spoiler alert: one of the pair will have to be a Loki," Tsuki piped up and as Loki raised an eyebrow she smiled some, "There's a reason for it, I assure you."
"And that is...?"
"The new program we're testing is supposed to help us better train by giving us feedback on data it collects from recording our movements and abilities," Bruce explained with a small smile, "Once it complies enough for each of us, it should be able to give a rundown on any potential issues, improvements that can be made, and even ways to best counterattack things we normally would not know how to handle effectively."
"The thing is though we're about 89% certain it won't have any issues with physical type data like what it will get from say the Capsicle or Hawkeye," Tony interjected, "But more...abstract data-"
"-Like what would be expected from a certain Asgardian sorcerer-"
"-Yes, from everyone's favorite bag of cats, well, we don't really know. So for the first proper test session we'll want to make sure of one of you madmen to make sure that it can take the info and make proper calculations."
"And Thor isn't good enough?" Loki asked glancing at his brother. It wasn't like his brother was great at magic, he was a brute force type with just enough ability to be able to control what powers he had, but he too technically had it and could be used it sounded like.
The Thunderer smiled and threw an arm around his brother who tried but failed to escape the impending hug. "It was decided that the best source of knowledge would be from one who is well-versed in the magical arts, such as my dear brrothers! And sister of course."
"Oh no no no," Sylvie said putting up her hands, "I'm only good at enchantment. You'll need one of the idiot twins for that."
"It hurts whenever you call us idiots, especially considering we're all the same person," Loki said placing a hand over his heart.
Luka shrugged. "I don't mind it; it's like a term of endearment at this point. Sort of like how we like to insult Thor and Tony as much as we do."
"It still stands that I'm not as good a choice as Luka or Loki are," she continued and sat down, Astrid taking note and immediately jumping into her lap with a giggle.
No one argued, mainly because even Loki knew that was true. Sylvie didn't seem to have much magical ability though he didn't think that was so much because she wasn't magically talented as it was because she didn't seem trained in such. Her enchantment magic, as much as he wanted to dismiss it, was dangerously powerful and her outburst in the Tower had proven she had the power. She was basically like Astrid in that regard.
But based on the house's defenses and how easily he did things like change his form and create things, Luka definitely struck Loki as being more than capable. Actually after spending some time with him, not a lot but some, he had started to suspect that the other marginally older Loki was perhaps more powerful than he showed. But then again so was he and all it meant was a vindication for his own assumptions about himself.
"...Got it, then we're decided," Tony said and Loki blinked, realizing he had been lost in thought and not paying as much attention as he possibly should have been. Especially when he took note of the way the others seemed to be looking at him and a slight sense of dread down his back.
And thus there he was, asking his question and being told he was unlucky. Though he suspected it had a lot more to do with him not paying attention. His opponent, who apparently was chosen because "he was the most opposite force to magic that they would think of" according to Tsuki at least, gave a grunt and Loki most definitely did not instinctively flinch and start to feel a very sharp pain in his back. It really hadn't been that long since he had had to deal with being used as a ragdoll by the giant and not much wanting to be again, when the Hulk took a step forward, Loki responded quickly and with maybe too much force. A magical blast to the face that cause Tony to actually squeal before turning to check the readings but Loki was far more interested in the fact that while it had succeeded in throwing his opponent quite a whiles away, into some trees no less, the look he saw on the Hulk's face when the dust settled made him start to regret every life choice. Including but not limited to being born.
"Well then," he said trying to sound as tough as possible but it was easily bellied by the girlish scream he then gave as the Hulk got up and charged at him.
Loki, God of Mischief and Lies and Trickery, did not run. He tried to retreat very quickly and came to the realization that escape was futile as he came up to a slightly too familiar green tinged barrier that came up as he got too close. He turned to glare over where he was sure Luka was but the twin just smirked and gave a little wave of his fingers before gesturing to where the green behemoth was coming at him from. Loki had no time to curse his other self's name but he did mumble some choice words nevertheless under his breath as he maneuvered to avoid the bulldozer.
Another blast to the body didn't seem to stop the Hulk and Loki decided, while still moving, to try other methods. It certainly didn't seem like this would end until either the others were appeased or one of the two won this little experience. Casting some duplications to try and distract the monster, and snickering as the Hulk tried swatting at them only to have his hands go through them. Until he realized he was making him more mad and that was possibly not the best idea; someone outside the barrier made a noise that didn't sound like they approved and Loki nearly lost his footing as the ground shook and he saw the Hulk rip up a piece of the ground, holding it high over his head. He could easily guess what was going to happen with that and he did some quick calculations. Brute force attacks were usually pretty easy to avoid if one knew what they were doing and he was Loki, he grew up with Thor, he wasn't some simple minded Midgardian. So what if last time he got too close he ended up in the kind of pain that normally he would very much prefer to avoid; this behemoth was big and tough and angry and Loki's magic only seemed to make him angrier and if he tried to attack now it might not work...
"You can do it, Loki!" Astrid's little voice rang out and somehow stuck in his head. It was strange to hear someone actually cheer for him but somehow it managed to restart his thoughts some. He was Loki after all; what did he fear from the Avenger's monster? If being caught was the problem last time, being caught would just be what he didn't do this time.
He took a deep breath, gave a grin and ran in. This seemed to draw amusement from the rest of the crowd, sans a few select individuals, and as the Hulk took a few seconds to take in what was happening, he took those precious moments to give himself a little magical boost. Enhancement magic was pretty simple too, though even more so than enchantment he often saw little use to it; that would require him to want to actually be more physical in his fights and he very much liked being the distance fighter. Daggers worked so well as a thrown weapon in his experience and magic wasn't something that should really be done from close up but neither of these points meant that Frigga hadn't taught her dark haired son well and getting close enough, his grin grew and he did an upward spin to kick the Hulk under the chin.
The monster did not expect that and staggered hard, giving the god enough of an opening to then deliver another kick this time to the monster's chest. This seemed to knock the air out of the Hulk and the hunk of earth starting to fall from his grasp; Loki jumped out of the way just in time to avoid being crushed and as the Hulk groaned under his own makeshift weapon, the god laughed. "Always expected the unexpected and the expected!"
"That is statistically impossible," called out the voice of Tsuki and the strange woman was laughing as well as Luka lowered the barrier; Clint was whispering to Nat and Thor looked like he was going to burst from excitement, easily avoiding being stopped from going up to Loki to pick him up and hug him tight. Very, very tight.
"Brother! I knew you could fight honorably if you wished!" Thor exclaimed and Loki squirmed for freedom, to no avail.
"Okay Lucies, you got some 'plaining to do," Tony said with a terrible accent; his eyes were still on the computer and as Nat moved to look, her brow furrowed, "One, we wanted magic, not brute strength; we could have gotten that from your burly brother wearing your mom's drapes. Two, you're a magic user, how the hell do you even have that much brute strength?! That's like if Nat was suddenly able to throw a heavyweight wrestler."
"I mean I probably could," Nat said.
"Point is, no one expected Loki to win by physical knockout," Clint said and watched as Bruce pulled himself free, with the help of Steve of course, "Though I guess the rock helped..."
"As our twin said; you must expected the expected and the unexpected," Luka said and Loki moved to join him; the elder variant smiled, only getting a look in return, "What?"
"You're an asshole."
"What for?"
"Trapping me like that."
"Well, my dearest self, if I'm such, then what are you?"
"Your poor victim."
"They always say that to us, don't they." Loki had never wanted to hit himself before but he sort of wished to at that moment.
He didn't though, mainly because it was wrong but also because Astrid choose then to be cute and cling onto his leg, making him pat her on the head once more before picking her up. She giggled and kissed him, rather messily, on the cheek. "Good job, Uncle, you did it, just like I knew you could!"
"I gotta admit, idiot," Sylvie said as she approached as well and there was a tinge of actual respect in her eyes, "You did good."
"Thanks, Sylvie," Loki said sincerely; there was just something nice about being told something nice by his own self, especially considering how mean she could be to him.
"Alright alright, who's up next?" Tony said waving off whatever was going on between the Lokis; Bruce reclaimed his glasses from the man, he had apparently left them with the other genius before the fight, and glanced over the data.
"Wow that...I expected readings like that from Thor but Loki has some serious power inside him."
"Asgardians are all pretty sturdy, strong types," Luka said, "Thor is borderline unbreakable at times. We might look more delicate but I can assure you, we're not actually a pushover."
"Yet you fell so easily last time," Tony noted and snickered as he got an annoyed look from Loki in response.
"That was an off day," Loki said with a huff and in a sea of chuckles the next pairing was decided on.
The god made his way to the sidelines, watching as Nat and Sylvie made their way to the field that only moments before had been ripped up by the Hulk; it didn't escape his notice Luka's movements nor the fact that said grounds were back to how they had been before. The two Lokis locked eyes and the elder smiled before taking his daughter and starting to talk to her. The younger sighed and settled down against a tree, closing his eyes for a moment. The magic had taken nothing out of him, it had been akin to walking at a leisurely pace for a few miles, yet still a kind of tiredness settled into his bones that made him feel the need to just rest for a moment. He could hear the sounds of fighting, the two women going at it as they fought, and in his mind he was tempted to speculate on which would win this particular practice match. His ego went towards Sylvie, of course, but Nat was no pushover, this he knew all too well. It would be interesting to see which did win.
"Mind if I join you?" He opened one eye, looking upwards into the smiling face of Tsuki. There was something in her eyes, odd and calm and knowing; he wasn't sure what was there but the sense that she was not normal, that this red eyed individual was Different, struck him once again.
He hesitated for a moment but she didn't seem to mind, allowing the seconds to pass before he nodded and her smile grew some before sitting down beside him. She did not sit too close, a respectable enough distance, and her gaze fell upon his female variant and the spy once more without a word. He on the other hand continued to watch her and words left him absently, "What are you?"
"That's quite the rude question, Loki; I expect better from a prince of Asgard."
"It's a fair one," he said deciding it better to double down rather than to apologize.
This made her chuckle and she sat back against the tree, leaning her head towards the canopy of leaves and branches above them; sunlight glittered through the openings, leaving spots everywhere. There was a sort of serenity to that moment and again there was a pause before she responded in a tone almost too soft to hear, "What do you think I am?"
"I don't know; that's why I asked you."
"Ah but I'm curious to hear your theories."
"Something not human."
"No, that would be Nox. I'm human, that much I can assure you."
"Then what are you?"
"I'm not just gonna tell you; you'll have to figure that out for yourself." He gave her a look but as she was still looking up she didn't seem to notice.
The god sighed and rubbed the bridge of his nose. He wasn't sure how to feel about this; he didn't like not knowing but in the longrun he supposed it didn't much matter either. Whatever she was didn't seem to care much about causing any problems, any more than he did. It mostly interested her because there seemed to be a connection between her and Luka and the fact he wouldn't answer any questions either made it all the more something he felt he needed to find out about. Yet the idea of forcing the issue gave him the sensation that Nox was watching and would likely not react well considering how the being never really seemed to be very far from wherever she was.
"Fine be that way," he said with another huff and she replied with another chuckle. He turned his attention back to the training, watching as Sylvie brought Nat down with the most smug look he'd seen on the female Loki yet. There too were secrets, ones that Sylvie seemed insist upon not disclosing, and he supposed if he was so curious about things he should start closer rather than farther. But in the moment he was most curious about what was happening with the people Luka apparently spent so much time with. Sylvie's secrets seemed to all involve the TVA after all and Loki didn't really want to think much about them if at all. She wanted to get back but as he felt the wind blow through his hair and heard Tony argue with Bruce over something in the readings, Astrid laugh as she was allowed to run free and Luka make some offhand comment to Tony about whatever was going on, Loki decided that he didn't so much. The Time Keepers, Mobius, the business with Variants, all of that could wait for all he cared.
It had been far too long since he actually felt at peace, even just for a second, and he didn't want to lose that quite so fast.