Helloo! Here's the next chapter and hope you enjoy!

Shout Outs!:

CHSHiccstrid

He is, poor guy. Glad, I've been planning that for quite a while. They needed it before everything went down.

WeAreNumberOne
Ch 34:
I've thought it for a while, especially how it seemed to react to Schmidt vs others like Carol or Mar-Vell, even Fury in that movie but in Avengers it seems a bit-mad if that's the right way to describe it. I've also read some stories with similar plot points and I like it. I've thought about it a bit but not terribly much since it isn't something huge in the story just a very minor subplot.
Uh...not happily. That would be something.
Yes, he has!
Ch 35:
Yes, very Hiccup-y. Oh, you have no idea.
The way I decided to work a lot of his mind-control is a combination of prior torture as well as fear for Hiccup with the scepter as backup against him doing anything funny.
Will have to wait and see.

Journal 2, Entry 36: "The Avengers Pt.2"

Steve breathed heavily as he punched another bag out of commission, blinking back memories of crashing the Valkyrie and the half-heard voices as he thawed out. He frowned as he grabbed a new bag out of the lineup, confusion running rampant. And it wasn't even confusion about the new century he woke up to—it was the fact that he woke up at all.

He hooked up a new bag and wiped away the sheen of sweat above his eyes despite the fact that the gym was so cold it was liable to start growing its own icicles. He frowned and punched the bag. Mentally it felt wrong to feel this warm with such a bitter chill around him, especially after having been sleeping in an icy bed for decades. But, unnervingly, it felt right. He shook his head and punched the bag harder.

"Trouble sleeping?" Fury's familiar voice asked. When Steve turned around, he saw his hands were buried deep in his coat pockets—the coat itself buttoned up snuggly.

Steve's nose wrinkled and continued punching the bag. "I've been asleep for seventy years. I've had my fill."

Fury walked closer, breath coming out in barely noticeable puffs. "Then you should be out celebrating and seeing the world."

Steve paused and looked long and hard at Fury before turning and unwrapping his hands. "You know, it might be easier if I had a friend to help me. When I went under we were at war then I wake up and they say we won. They didn't say what we lost…"

Fury sighed quietly. "We've… made some mistakes along the way. Some very recently."

Steve frowned, still not happy that Fury denied him seeing Hakon. "Trying to get me back into the world, sir?"

Fury took the folder out from under his arm and handed it to Steve with the front open on the Tesseract. "Trying to save it."

Steve's frown shifted from Fury to the folder but recollection lighted his face as he took a seat. "Hydra's secret weapon…Isn't this the project that Hakon was working on?"

Fury nodded, still irked at Hakon for that stunt and leaking top secret information—doesn't matter who it's to. He had a strong suspicion that Stark knew as well. Deep down, he suspected that it was Hyse's contingency. With Stark and Rogers knowing, no one could get too overt with what they did with the Tesseract without one or both raising public hell. "Howard Stark fished that out of the ocean when he was looking for you. He thought—we think that the Tesseract could be the key to unlimited, sustainable energy. That's something that the world sorely needs."

Steve looked up at Fury unsurely as he flipped through the scarce pages then handed it back to Fury. "Who took it from you?"

"He's called Loki." Fury said, taking the folder back and catching the twinge of recognition in Steve's eyes—no doubt just from time spent around Hakon. "He's not from around here. There's a lot we'll have to bring you up to speed on if you're in. The world has gotten stranger than you know."

Steve sniffed and stood, stuffing his gear into the bag. "At this point? I doubt anything will surprise me."

Fury's lip twitched and he wanted to make a quip and earn an easy buck but he wasn't done giving Steve the call to action. "Rogers, there's one more thing you need to know."

Steve paused his walk to a bag to take home. "What?"

Fury's mouth thinned. "When Loki came, he abducted several of my agents."

Steve nodded, pointing at the file back in Fury's hands. "Yeah, it mentioned something about him brainwashing people to escape. Wasn't very detailed though."

Fury caught his look, a withering look of withholding necessary information. Fury remained impassive as he said, "Among those people was Hyse."

Steve froze, finally breaking the spell with a stuttered, "W-what?"

"He tried saving Selvig, didn't succeed and only caught Loki's attention." Fury explained.

Steve ran a hand through his hair and walked in a nervous circle. "Have you found him? Do you know if he's okay?"

Fury winced fractionally. "We haven't found a body on the roadside, so I presume so. But we could really use your help in detaining Loki."

Steve grumbled a few more incoherent things before nodding. "Gets kidnapped just before I go under, then just after. I'd swear he's doing this on purpose."

Fury grunted a laugh. "He does have a propensity. There's a debriefing packet for you back at your apartment."

Steve stood with his bag in hand, the punching bag forgotten and beelined for the door.

Fury turned to track Steve. "Is there anything about the Tesseract that we ought to know now that Hyse might not have known?"

Steve's eyes narrowed but he didn't turn back. "You should have left it in the ocean. But I'm sure Hakon argued for that."

Tony grinned as he took a seat and Pepper handed him a cup full of celebratory Champagne. His only regret was that his uncle couldn't be here to see the tower online with them. He took the glass and smiled at her. "Tell you what, the next building is going to say Potts on the tower."

She chuckled and tapped her glass against his. "On the lease."

He sucked a breath in and started to playfully argue when JARVIS interrupted them. "Sir, the telephone. I'm afraid my protocols are being overridden."

Tony frowned and looked back at his miraculously hacked phone. He blamed Archipelagan technology because there was no way anyone from SHIELD could have hacked his tech.

"Stark! We need to talk!" Phil demanded.

Tony's lips pursed in irritation. He may like Phil over the other SHIELD agents but he did not approve of his hard earned evening being trampled on. He snagged the phone and said evenly, "You have reached the life model decoy of Tony Stark. Please leave a message."

Pepper silently laughed from across the coffee table and he grinned at her.

"This is urgent." Phil argued.

Tony glared at the picture of Phil as if he were actually here. "Then leave it urgently."

The elevator pinged and Phil stepped out, sternly and apprehensively looking over at Tony.

"Security breach!" Tony chimed, he and Pepper sharing a glance.

Phil tucked his phone away and said formally but with a pointed look, "Mr. Stark."

"Phil." Pepper greeted warmly as she stood. "Come in."

"I can't stay." Phil responded as he entered, looking back at Tony.

Tony followed her as she walked up to the agent. "That's alright you can still come in, we're just celebrating."

Tony frowned at her then Phil. "Which is why he can't stay."

Phil handed him a black folder to which he merely looked at skeptically. "We need you to look this over as soon as possible."

Tony's nose wrinkled as he began to argue. "I don't like being-"

"Tony, Hiccup has been compromised. There was an incident with the Tesseract two nights ago. Loki came through but he's been brainwashed. Or, that's what the Chief said before I lost all contact with him."

Tony's eyes bugged and ripped the folder out of Pepper's hands who had taken it to prevent a fuss, ignoring her confused looks but she sighed and shook her head after a moment. "Why didn't you say something?! Why didn't he call me? What happened!?"

Phil's face screwed up, hands clenching beside him. "I don't know. The fact that Loki is the instigator in all of this is suspicious enough and the fact that he appeared to attack Hiccup…"

"What?!" Tony roared, scaring Pepper. He ripped the SHIELD pad out of its folder and turned it on as he stalked to his holographic table. "What happened to the god that supposedly would kill himself before harming uncle H?"

Phil sighed irately and took a few steps closer to the enraged Stark. "I'm not sure beyond what Hiccup mentioned of him being mind-controlled."

Tony shook as he pulled up the recording. Pepper came up next to him and grabbed a trembling hand, watching the recordings with him while not understanding all that much. "What is the Archipelago doing? Surely they can track uncle H down."

Phil stiffened, looking at the recordings again. "I can't get ahold of them. No one can, and any Yggdrasil branch to them has been cut off. We've even called Wakanda and they flew to the Archipelago, only to lose a plane to the border being impenetrable."

Tony's eyes widened as he slowly looked over at Phil. "So…we're fighting a god, alone? Are none of uncle H's kids out somewhere?"

"You." Phil said, eyes pinched. "Everyone else is most likely trapped in the Archipelago similarly to us being kept from getting into it."

Tony sighed and ran a hand through his hair.

Pepper turned away from the images to Tony. While not understanding a word of their conversation, she understood the gravity of it, not to mention all the recordings. Something big was going down. "I'm taking the plane to DC tonight."

Tony started to argue then stopped, looking back at the recording of his uncle fighting Loki. "Alright."

She smiled sadly and turned his head back to kiss him before leaving.

Tony looked over some of the other information SHIELD had deigned to give him, stuff about the other Avenger candidates. "How do you know Hakon's going to be alright? I know I've only heard stories of Loki but—he looks rather… unhinged."

Phil sighed and watched the recordings for the umpteenth time. "Apparently it's happened before. Given it was centuries ago but…well, just watch the recordings. You might not be able to tell, but Loki's not fighting with hardly any of his strength against Hiccup. Our best hope is that Loki took Hiccup to the Archipelago and locked him in like he did last time he was mind-controlled."

Tony swiped the images away, unable to stand looking at them anymore. "Is-is there anything we can do to help? To… unbrainwash them?"

Phil shrugged. "Not my field of study. Most people didn't touch it beyond learning how to shield themselves from attempts—and even then, they were purely those of Hiccup's descent. Without Æsir you don't stand a chance."

Tony sighed, staring despondently at the images again before his resolve hardened. Hakon couldn't fight this one alone.

Hakon watched over the Tesseract as other mind-jacked scientists worked on it, ensuring that they wouldn't cause an explosion but offering little help otherwise. He glared at where Loki sat several yards away, watching all of them with his own glare.

Clint, with the help of a few others, found both the abandoned underground building where they could rebuild the portal device as well as find the extra hands—willing and unwilling. Now the largest chamber was dedicated to recreating and bettering the device.

Tor snarled as a soldier ran past, holding his rifle too close to Hakon with a knowing look in his eye. Hakon paid them little mind, scowling once more at Loki before refocusing on the Tesseract.

He fisted his hands as he remembered yesterday when they first arrived, when Loki dragged him into an empty room in a moment of control.

"Loki, let me help you, please. Let's go to the Archipelago and get this fixed—or to the Ancient One, I'm sure she can help." He pleaded the moment they were alone.

Loki tightened his hold on the scepter and shook his head, eyes pinched shut. "No, Liten Listig, you don't understand. Even if I could fully break his control, it would be far worse…I'm so sorry I brought you into this. I prayed to the Norns that you would be in the Archipelago…"

He frowned. "Why can't you? Who's him?"

Loki shook his head violently before snagging Hakon's arm and drawing him into a tight hug, burying his nose in the whitening auburn hair. Hakon felt his skin prickle as the scepter rested against his back but Loki kept firm control over it, despite it taxing his already weakened Æsir.

"Why would it be worse?" He decided to ask.

Loki pulled back and put several paces between them, looking away as he answered. "Liten Listig, I—I tried to return to you, but he had this." He lifted the scepter and stared loathingly at it. "I couldn't run."

Hakon frowned. "Well, you have it now. You can run, you can fight back."

Loki shook his head again, running a hand through his disastrous hair. "No, I can't. I may hold it, but I don't-" he grunted and his face pinched as the scepter pulsed, "I can't fight, I can't fight." He said shakily, eyes distant.

Hakon took a step forward, eyeing the scepter, then looking at Loki.

Loki pulled away again, keeping distance between them now. "I've made a deal with the devil—to protect you. If I fail…I can't fail, I refuse to lose you again."

Hakon's eyebrows furrowed. "Loki, you're not. Look, whatever's happened, we can fix it-"

"We cannot!" Loki snapped, eyes flashing a dangerous blue. "You will help me, Hiccup, or I will be forced to knock you out and lock you up again. I will not subject you to the torment of the scepter but I cannot allow you to interfere."

Hakon staggered a step back then glared at his patron and squared his shoulders. "And how well did that work for you last time? What is going on? Why do you need to do… whatever it is you're doing? Loki, please…I want to help—help you. Just before you came back, I saw you with an army—why?"

Loki sighed, glancing sorrowfully at his Chosen. "I was sent here to retrieve the Tesseract and—subjugate Midgard. He knows that despite Midgard's apparent weakness, it is strong in magic between your descendants and the Ancient One's sorcerers. Even its common people grow stronger by the decade. I am to… keep it pliant. If I do, he will not come here and…If I do not, he will come here and destroy everything personally. Starting with you."

"What?" Hakon breathed in horror, face paling. "Wha—why would you…Loki! You can't do that. We can fight this, him. We've faced threats like this before."

"We cannot!" Loki roared, the scepter flaring dangerously. "And if you remember correctly, Liten Listig, you perished because of my failure to succeed. A mistake I will not make twice."

Hakon winced and took another step back out of fear. Tor whined and pushed his head into Hakon's stomach, pulling his other half's magics away from Loki's temperamental magics.

All kind light was gone from Loki's eyes now as he neared Hakon, barely hearing Tor growl in warning. He jabbed a finger at Hakon's chest, keeping a firm hold on the scepter that pulsed and constricted around his magic, demanding he deal with this potential threat. "If you do not help me, or you remain a hindrance, I will send you to Hela since you so kindly pointed out that you are incapable of staying out of trouble even if I lock you up."

Hakon's eyes widened before he hissed, eyes narrowed, "You wouldn't."

"If it keeps you safe, I would. You know this, Hiccup."

Hakon turned away from him and swore. Loki said nothing as he straightened and watched, thankful that his Chosen was finally seeing the position they were both in.

Loki stormed out of the room after that and Hakon tried to follow, only to find the door locked. His lips curled in frustration, wanting to shout in anger. He was very tempted to teleport out, but that would only cause the others just outside the door to get suspicious so he plopped down on the floor with Tor and waited. Loki returned less than an hour later and escorted him out, avoiding eye contact with him.

After that, Loki had distanced himself from Hakon as much as physically and magically possible. Hakon breathed deeply, running his fingers through Torbjörg's fur to ground him. He was furious with Loki but also confused. It was getting hard to tell what was the real Loki and what was mind-controlled Loki. He sighed as he felt the scepter pulse and Loki's magics wince at the oppressive force.

Tor turned and licked his cheek and he tried to smile but could only grimace. He just wanted his father back, but everything kept going wrong, oh so horribly wrong.

Loki looked at Hakon again when he finally turned away, his constricted magics crying out to run over and comfort his Chosen, to abandon this madness. But the scepter tightened its hold on him, dragging what little he was allowed to control of his own mind down into its core—threatening full subjugation despite how much that might hamper in his plans. A wild card was far more troublesome than a braindead puppet. He almost wished he was one. Then he wouldn't have to see Hiccup's despair.

The scepter tugged on his mind again, its true holder and both their masters demanding an audience. He wanted to sneer but could not risk it as the world fell away before his eyes, even though he remained firmly on Midgard.

The Chitauri Leader stepped around a grey rock only a few shades darker than the creature's skin. "The Chitauri grow restless."

Loki's face remained impassive despite however much he wanted to glower at one of his tormentors, using the scepter's magic to cast a vision of himself to his warden. "Let them gird themselves. I will lead them into a glorious battle."

"Against the meager might of Earth?" The Chitauri Leader said snidely.

Loki walked around the pillar as the Leader neared him. "If it is so meager, then take the wretched Stone and leave."

The Leader growled warningly and Loki turned his head away with a near inaudible huff. "Do you question us? Our strength? Do you question him? He who put the scepter in your hand? Who gave ancient knowledge and a way to forever protect what is yours?"

For once, the scepter did not cut off his rage towards the Leader and him. The Leader bared his teeth as Loki openly sneered at him. "I did not ask for this power! I had what I wanted-"

"Yet it was always threatened. How often have you nearly lost him?" The Leader chuckled when the scepter pulsed, re-gipping Loki's mind.

Loki still glowered at the being, but it was far less heated as the scepter's magic muffled his indignant emotions. "I have never needed this tainted power to protect what was mine before. Not even from death."

The Leader blurred as he moved into Loki's space, hand raised as if to claw his face. "But he is not death. He is far worse. Those under his feet beg for the mercy of death—you know this well, Asgardian." He lowered his double-thumbed hand and walked around Loki deliberately—the scepter refusing to allow him to move away. "If you fail or if you keep the Tesseract away from us, there will be no Realm, no barren moon, no crevasse where he cannot find your child."

Loki stiffened and took a controlled breath, fear once again gripping him as images of what they would do that they forced him to watch played in his mind. The Chitauri Leader suddenly grabbed his head and tossed him aside, breaking the vision. He jolted with a sharp breath as he quickly took in the underground cavern and not the starry sky against the cruel rocks.

Hakon looked over from his observation of the Tesseract and made brief eye contact. Loki stood as he felt Hakon brush against their bond with worry. He pushed him away with a tiny wave of reassurance before letting the scepter have full control.

Hakon distantly heard Clint asking Selvig about an element he needed for the large portal to stay stabilized. He looked away from Loki dejectedly and didn't turn to face him when he neared the work station. If Loki would just let him help! If he could just break the scepter's control, Loki wouldn't be so madly adamant about fighting alone and they could get this situation resolved.

Torbjörg bumped into his leg, eyes wide. Hakon rubbed his ears but couldn't pull himself out of the thought.

Hakon glanced over at Selvig as he eagerly spoke to Loki, seemingly enraptured by what the scepter did to him. Hakon bit his lip, distantly remembering his stint of mind-control at Grimmel's hands. He shivered at the memory and decided they must be two different experiences but he wasn't sure which was worse…probably the scepter's.

Loki smiled but Hakon could tell it was nervous. "It, uh, touches everyone differently." Loki briefly looked at his Chosen but quickly turned to Clint. "What did it show you, agent Barton?"

"My next target." He said flatly.

Selvig chuckled. "Stick in the mud. He has no soul. No wonder you chose this-this tomb to work in."

Clint turned and glared at Selvig. "Well the Madison doesn't have three levels of lead-lined flooring between SHIELD and that cube."

Selvig wrinkled his nose but nodded. Hakon couldn't help the grunt of a laugh, grateful for the tiny bit of banter that broke the oppressive air.

Clint honed in on him and he returned the flat look, the former asking. "What did it show you?"

Hakon scowled at him and walked away, picking up a few miscellaneous pieces to fiddle with and occupy his mind.

Clint frowned. "Something's not right with Hyse. I've seen him work, he could get that machine running on his own and in half the time if he wanted to, yet he's barely done anything except keep a foolish scientist from electrocuting himself."

Loki fought to school his emotions even as the scepter pulsed in agreement with the assassin. His Æsir flared as it fought off the new wave of demands, that he ensure Hakon's loyalty. He closed his eyes and took a breath, wrenching back the bit of control he did have.

He looked down at Clint who watched him expectantly. "I see why Fury chose you to guard it."

Clint hummed and nodded his head, walking away from the Tesseract's workstation, leading Loki further conversation about the next step in the plan.

Regner—chief of Berk—ran from one end of New Berk to the other, barking out orders to the people and even a few dragons. Everyone, including the villagers with the most homely, mundane jobs, were in a panic. They had been since early this morning.

He had come to New Berk to visit his cousin and the chieftess—as well as take his watch over Jör for the day. It didn't matter where in the New Archipelago they were, everyone of Jötunn blood was brought in for a rotation of Dýrsvell-sitting. This last rotation was odd, Jör was more upset than usual, churning the waters around New Berk into a dangerous swell. He'd been walking back to the branch when he froze in his tracks.

Loki was there, hand held out over the branch site and the previously invisible spot glowed with runes and patterns that he imagined the Bifrost would leave behind. The tenders oddly absent.

He stumbled a step before walking closer with an optimistic stride. "Loki?"

The man turned and he was undeniably Loki. Regner's heart soared in relief, but it was instantly made wary by his disastrous appearance. Well, disastrous for Loki. He smiled tiredly, a strange scepter with a glowing stone set in its top made his Æsir shrink back at the feeling of wrongness. "Regner. I am glad you are here."

"I-" His voice failed for a moment before finding his strength again and closing the distance, "You're alive and-and back! Does grandfather know? Of course he knows, you have a bond…"

Loki smiled tightly. "He does indeed."

Regner sighed in relief. "Is he here?"

Loki shook his head. "No, but he is safe."

Regner looked over at the still glowing branch and frowned. "What were you doing? Adding another branch?"

Something flashed across Loki's face but the scepter glowed a bit brighter and it was gone. "No. I was closing it."

Worry shot through him, his attention fully on Loki now. "What? Why?"

The ground shuddered as Jör suddenly roared, earning worried looks from both men. Loki recovered first and lifted his chin with a soft sigh. "A war is coming, one I cannot involve my Chosen's people in."

"What!?" Renger shouted, taking a step forward then several back. "If-if there's trouble coming to Midgard it's our duty to protect-"

Loki's caring gaze instantly hardened. "Your duty is to stay out of the way and not interfere!"

Regner staggered back at the shout, magics clamping together as Loki's flared out dangerously. "I don't understand, we can help and-"

"Exactly. I cannot have you help stand against me." Loki hissed.

It was then that Regner noticed Loki's eyes flashing with the same blue as the scepter. He raised his hand, attempting to argue and stall the god while subtly calling for backup when the trickster smirked and disappeared in a green flash.

He swore and openly called for backup and the Archipelago flew into a flurry. Jör disappeared before any could follow, only for a Berserker to report several hours later that he was at the border and unable to pass through. It was then the true horrific realization set in across the New Archipelago.

They tried every method to breach the wards or circumvent them, but nothing worked. They couldn't even get transmissions to or from the Archipelago, magical or mundane. They all tensed and prepared, constantly testing the borders but no one had any clue what Loki had done, no one had even known such a ward was possible with their set up. And the only two who knew anything about the shielding around the New Archipelago were most likely not going to return until whatever this war was, was finished.

Loki walked away from the man lying in shock and near death and casually followed the screaming crowd out of the Museum Hall. Barton now had what he needed so he would provide further distraction. He smiled as he shifted his formal Midgadian attire to Asgardian ceremonial armor. A battle from SHIELD was undoubtedly going to come and he would finally have a chance to stretch his skills again.

He felt Hiccup creep along their bond, curious as to what caused his amusement in his laps of keeping the bond shut. He frowned and let the scepter silence the bond again. Never, even before the repulsive scepter, had he cared about most mortals but his Chosen always did—even after a millennia he was far too innocent to let him feel what he just did or what he planned to do next. He would get uppity again and cause havoc with his plans, which was unacceptable.

Distantly, he felt Hiccup's disappointment but he did not push—the Familiar bond sweeping his magics away for which he was grateful.

A siren neared the panicking crowd and he blasted the annoying vehicle before casting an illusion to the far side of the group. "Kneel before me."

They continued to shriek and changed directions, forcing him to send several illusions out and box them in. He was thankful they were not smart enough or just too confused to question the absurd oddity for that realm.

"I said," He walked closer and slammed the spear against the ground, the stone on top flaring brightly, "Kneel!"

Frightened, the crowd did so. Loki grinned and the spear thrummed in triumph. He started walking through the group as he delivered his speech on humanity's need for subjugation when an old man stood at a pause, staring defiantly at him. Loki smirked as the spear magic intertwined with his and he felt amused. He raised the spear to make an example of those who do not submit.

The man's eyes widened and the instant before it could incinerate him, something hit the ground and ricocheted the blast back at him with a sharp ping!

Loki grunted with the impact, sending him face first into the ground. He looked up and smiled, Fury's motley crew finally arriving—he'd been beginning to doubt Barton. The smile quickly fell into disbelief at who stood to defy him. Barton seemed to think he wouldn't be seeing action for some time yet.

"You know, the last time I was in Germany, I saw a man standing above everybody else. We ended up disagreeing." A blue clad man with red and white stripes around his torso said.

Loki stood and swallowed his shock, re-gripping his hold on the spear. So they actually found him. This complicated things a bit, but not much. "The soldier. The man out of time."

"I'm not the one who's out of time. And I would like my friend back—before one of us has to do something stupid to get him back." Steve said as the Quinjet hovered with a whine behind him.

Loki smirked. "Hm, I have heard of some of his more… creative solutions to escaping problems…but this is not one of those times."

Steve glared at Loki, clenching the straps of his shield. Natasha's voice suddenly came over a speaker as the jet circled for a clearer shot. "Loki, drop the weapon and stand down."

Loki tilted his head with a mad smile, raising the spear and firing at the jet.

Natasha yanked the stick, just evading the blue blast, and Steve threw his shield—hitting Loki in the chest, but it did nothing. The shield bounced back to him and he caught it as he charged at Loki, punching him in the chin with most of his might.

Loki's head snapped to the side before he looked straight back at Steve with an apathetic scowl. He swung the spear around to hit the soldier with the shaft, but Steve raised his shield again and deflected the blow. Steve moved the shield to deliver another punch but Loki moved quicker and slammed the flat end of the spear into the man's gut.

Steve rolled several paces before stopping and kneeling with a pained grunt. It only lasted a second before he threw his shield at Loki, which he knocked down, and Loki took another swipe at him that he bent backwards to avoid. The fight continued on for several more minutes, Steve fighting down the worry that he was tiring but Loki showed no signs of even breaking a sweat.

Loki fought with the spear to hold back his strength and not seriously injure the man, the friend of Hiccup's and also the mortal who unknowingly carried his blood. The spear pulsed and constricted his magics, irate at the constant withholdings and defying. Loki's lip curled and Steve glared back, unaware that the ire wasn't directed at him. He should have known that sending him to Midgard would raise issues, that he would fight back more strongly.

Rock music inexplicably filled the air and both paused in confused shock to find the source. Loki turned his head first, catching the sound of repulsors first, only for twin white blasts to catch him in the chest and throw him into the steps.

He winced as his head hit the concrete and sat up, hand over his ribs but said nothing. He stared at the gold and red clad man and even though he could not see his face—nor had he ever actually met the man—Loki knew it was Hiccup's godson. Yet another point he would exhaustedly be fighting the spear on. He breathed tiredly. Tired of the fighting and trying to protect…maybe if he just put a few of them under his control, temporarily…

The man held up one glowing fist while the other raised with multiple weapons popping out of it and his shoulder guards. "Make your move, Reindeer Games."

Steve joined Tony and Loki let his armor change into more casual clothing though no less royal with hands raised in surrender. Tony let the weapon systems close. "Good move."

Steve huffed next to him, wearily watching Loki who had yet to move. "Mr. Stark."

"Captain." Tony said politely as he marched up to Loki and grabbed him by his jacket lapels, throwing him into the nearby museum pillar. He vaguely heard Steve cry out in surprise but he ignored the captain as the faceplate lifted and he seethed at Loki who looked far from surprised, which only infuriated him more. "What the Hel, Loki! I thought you were Hakon's father but you go and attack and brainwash him? What kind of—he was worried sick about you! Drove himself to exhaustion trying to find you and bring you back, away from whatever torment you were in because he would glimpse your pain and immediately pass out, and then you-you do this to him!?"

Steve stopped in his tracks, staring at Tony in amazement and confusion as he shouted at Loki—seeming more angry on a personal level than just at someone who tried to invade the world.

Loki had the decency to look away in some shame. "Hiccup is in good health, I assure you. He's far too valuable to carelessly manipulate and toss away like the others. I would never and could never hurt my child. I took him to keep him safe and far away from any battle that might come."

Tony shook with rage and Steve rushed to hold the man back. "That is the most asinine excuse anyone has ever given. Kidnapped him to protect him—what about brainwashing him like the rest of your Merry Men!?"

Loki started to answer when the scepter tightened around him again. "I've done what I had to do."

Steve glared at Loki and held onto Tony while Natasha cuffed and led Loki away. Finally, he let Tony go and turned curiously to him. "You close to Hakon?"

Tony glared at him for a moment before blinking it away, save the anger for Loki not Steve. "He's my godfather…Really he's more of a father than mine was."

Steve nodded but a knife drove into his heart at that. Why wasn't Howard a father? Hakon had mentioned he had remained close to the Starks but not much else. He shook away the thought and walked next to Tony as they boarded the jet.

Loki sat quietly in his seat while Steve and Tony kept an eye on him, both helmets off. They flew mostly in silence bar a few calls from SHIELD checking their progress. Steve glanced at Natasha who just ended another call and turned back to Loki, saying softly. "I don't like it."

"What?" Tony asked, turning his head to look at his father and uncle's good friend. "The Rock of Ages giving up so easily?"

Steve's brow furrowed. "I don't remember it being so easy…this guy packs a wallop. What was that about—between you and Loki?"

Tony scowled at the wall. "That was personal. Still, you were pretty spry, for an older fellow. What do you take, Pilates? Or has uncle H given you something? 'Cause, let me tell you, I've never seen a guy so old and so sprightly."

Loki snorted from behind them and both turned to give him a heated glare, Loki rolled his eyes and ignored them.

Steve took a step back to face Tony. "What?"

Tony shook his head, looking back up at the cockpit as he said offhandedly, "It's like calisthenics. You might have missed a few things doing time, as a Capsicle."

Steve frowned. "No, what about you and Loki? If it's about Hakon, it's personal to me too."

Tony glared at Steve. "Not this."

Steve's frown fell into thoughtfulness. "You speak his language."

Tony shrugged. "You pick things up as a kid."

Steve watched Tony for a minute before sighing. "Fury didn't tell me he was bringing you in."

Tony smirked. "Like he could keep me out once I got wind uncle H has been kidnapped." Tony's lighthearted jest quickly soured. "You know, of all the attempts to kidnap him—the only one that has succeeded since your Muspelheim friend happened on SHIELD's watch. And under the most security he's been in since the war." He snorted, crossing his gauntleted arms with a clang. "I even took a Thor forsaken super soldier on and won! I don't know how the Norns I did—but Fury could have protected him better than just standing around and trying to chat with the crazed looking god if I could stop a super soldier kidnap attempt!"

Steve watched Tony rant with concern while Natasha turned around, eyes wide in worry. Steve looked at her while keeping Tony in his peripherals, not daring to leave him unattended with Loki. "You… don't happen to know what he's saying?"

She scoffed. "We've been trying for years. Every time we think we get close to figuring it out…all information gets lost." Steve frowned and she nodded. "Our thoughts. Now whether it's Hyse or Stark, no one has ever been able to find out and I don't think anyone ever will."

Loki watched Tony sulk and glower at him so he smiled. "I do remember that. Or I remember Hiccup telling me about it. It was quite an impressive feat."

Tony's gloved hands screeched as he tightened his fists.

The cabin suddenly lit up with flashes of lightning, grey clouds of night turning black with a storm. Natasha frowned and shifted closer to the window. "Where's this coming from?"

Loki leaned forward, looking out the thin slits of windows in the back. He couldn't help the small bubble or worry from rising, they couldn't have fixed the Bifrost...

Steve caught his look and asked, "What's the matter? Scared of a little lightning?"

"I'm not overly fond of what follows." Loki answered, still looking around for the inevitable source to come barging in like a Bilgesnipe.

Tony frowned before his eyebrows shot up. "Thor," He said in a near whisper.

Of course, one man was a super soldier with enhanced hearing and the other was a god so both heard it. Loki nodded once and resumed his mildly concerned watch while Steve turned to Tony like he was losing his mind.

Tony shrugged and gestured to Loki. "You just fought a being who used magic and illusions and goes by the name Loki. Who also uses a scepter to hypnotize people and shoot balls of blue destruction."

Steve hummed but didn't appear fully convinced. That is, until the plan jerked and tilted dangerously when something slammed into the roof.

True fright finally showed on Loki's face while Tony glared at the roof and activated his helmet again, hitting the switch to lower the ramp. Before he could fly out, a hulking blonde that would fit in back in the Archipelago landed. He raised a repulser to the offender's chest, not wanting to go for a kill shot yet, when a hammer was thrown at him. He barely dodged in time, only able to thanks to Hakon's training, and shot at a clad boot.

The blonde yelped and lifted the foot while Loki choked back a laugh. Tony was not fast enough to dodge a second swing of the hammer and was sent flying into Steve, who ran back to help after grabbing his shield.

Tony lifted his head and growled as he saw, presumably Thor, snatch Loki from his seat and fly out.

"Think they're both Asgardian?" Natasha asked.

"Doesn't matter." Tony said shortly as he blasted out of the cabin to follow. "If he frees Loki or kills him, Hakon's gone."

Steve groaned, from both the impact of Tony's armor and his rushing out without a plan, grabbing a parachute.

Natasha glanced back as she worked on keeping the plane stable after the short fight. "I'd sit this one out, Cap, these guys are basically gods."

Steve frowned as he tightened the straps. "I only believe in one God, ma'am, and I'm pretty sure he doesn't dress like that. Besides, Tony's right, Loki's our only way of finding Hakon. Not even he can escape from mind-control." He was out of the plane before Natasha could fire back another argument.

Thor's back and neither Tony or Steve like that. See y'all soon!