This story is currently being rewritten. Updates will happen weekly for as long as I have chapters ready. This story is crossposted to Ao3 under the same name, please do not copy otherwise.

Loki strolled down a busy lane on the planet of Sakaar. There were many humanoid aliens, he noted. All along the sides of the road, there were vendors selling various items in various languages. Luckily, as a god, Loki had a basic understanding of many of the tongues. None of them really seemed to catch his eye, except a single one he had noticed an hour prior from the high floors of the Grandmaster's Tower. He made his way down the lane, ignoring calls to try and catch his attention. He knew the tricks. Some of the vendors could ensnare your mind for a minute, just long enough to swindle you out of all your money and leave you dazed, confused, and penniless with some worthless knick-knack in your hand after.

Finally, he found his way to the vendor he was looking for. Nobody had a stall for about four feet on either side of it - out of fear more than respect. He stole a look at it - Perfect; the thing he had come for was still there, if the magic radiating out from the tent was any indication. He walked up towards the entrance. The sign above it read "True Magic" in faded Midgardian script, and he nodded in affirmation. It was the truth, after all. He walked forwards, not allowing himself to be dissuaded by the flashing lights and small noises the different items and creatures around him let out.

The vendor poked his head out from the back as the Aesir god entered the shop. Green eyes moved around the shop, doing anything to avoid staring at the man too soon. The man spoke loudly, his voice echoing around the tent and seemingly surrounding Loki, who tried not to let the fine hair on his arms raise. He didn't know what the vendor would be like, and he didn't want to risk showing weakness in front of a powerful entity. "Welcome to True Magic! Spells to spark an interest, love potions, fortunes-" There. In the corner was a small figure hunched over a table, carefully plucking vials and scooping them into cauldrons filled with various liquids before placing them into a satchel on her waist, a small bag which seemed like it couldn't hold more than one or two of them at a time but took more and more nonetheless.

And she exuded magic. She was what the Asgardian had come searching for. Loki waved his hand and interrupted him. "Spare me your mindless drabble. How much for the girl?"

The vendor's eyes narrowed in annoyance, both at being interrupted and at the stranger's request. The girl was, after all, the creator of all the items in his shop. "She's not for sale."

"Everything is for sale. Is that not your policy?" Indeed, it was. A sign above the counter proclaimed the very statement.

The vendor realized that the man would not be swayed by a simple denial. "She isn't. You can leave, now." When the green-eyed man didn't move, he tried to appeal to his sense of morality, although he doubted that such a thing existed. "Trading sentients isn't a good practice to partake in." He wasn't afraid, no, definitely not afraid of the shimmering green eyes that held nigh-infinite wisdom, almost a mirror to the girl's... In fact, now that he thought about it, they might've even been siblings for all their similarities. He was simply trying to avoid a ruckus.

"Spare me the bullshit." Loki said with a hum, letting a glint of his teeth show. "You have her as a slave. I am here. Neither of us believe that."

The man grit his teeth in response. "I won't sell her to you." He ground out, finally taking a direct stance.

The Aesir god grinned in response. "Then I shall simply not pay." In a flick of his wrist, a silver dagger appeared. Another flick, another dagger. The vendor grinned. He was fine with that.

"Girl!" He called. In an instant, the flaps to the stall closed so none could look in. "Defend me." The girl who Loki had spotted earlier shimmered into existence. She had pitch black hair, which was a galactic oddity, pale skin, and dull green eyes covered by dusty glasses that stood out on a 5'3" form. A mask covered the bottom half of her face, as well. She wore a tattered grey dress that went just past her knees, exposing her bare feet. Most noticeable were the silver manacles that connected one wrist to another. Oddly enough, the manacle disappeared at one section on each wrist, almost seeming to act like bracelets more than fetters, but Loki knew better, for he had seen them once before in a place that he'd quite like never to return to.

The manacles were held together by the wearer's magic. Not only that, she also had a matching pair in her ankles. They were meant to constrain the wearer's magic flow, causing them immense pain and keeping them under control, and the fact that she was wearing four when most magic users would've been completely nullified with a single one...?

Loki's vision tinted red. 'How dare a sorceress be treated like this?' He mentally raged, using a great deal of willpower to keep his face blank. The girl was obviously a magical being, her use of invisibility, telekinetic abilities, and floating stature all evidence of this. More important, however, was the Obedience Disk implanted in her neck, the same kind that the Grandmaster used on his gladiators.

Without warning, the girl attacked. Raw magic - no, raw power surged through the air. She was perhaps one of the strongest magical beings Loki had ever encountered, even with most of her magic bound. Luckily, though, he was ready. The force sent at him was dodged, and he slipped through space and attacked the girl from behind. Her dulled eyes met his as she whirled around faster than Loki could blink. His dagger hit the silver chain and clanged off. He jumped backwards and looked around.

A shield had formed around the vendor, further proof of the girl's power. Loki growled lightly, gritting his teeth. He would have to keep attacking the girl, which was far from his desired outcome. Suddenly, he had an idea. Jumping through space again, he directed another attack at the girl. It was once again blocked, but this time, he brought his other hand around and struck her neck. Godly aim holding true, he pierced directly through the Obedience Disk with his other dagger. Quickly, the girl's eyes gained a little bit of light, and the shield around the vendor dropped.

The disgusting pig's eyes widened, his miniature-sized brain realizing that it had just lost his most prized possession, and that his life was now in grave danger. He started making a dash towards the nearest thing he could find - Unfortunately for him, since he hadn't allowed the girl to make weapons, he had nothing of note. A dagger pierced through the man's neck, killing him instantly. Quickly, Loki retracted the blade and cleaned it. The mortal wasn't worthy of staining his silver.

He turned the girl, who was now staring at him expectantly. He looked at her for a second, and then realized she would naturally need assistance in getting the manacles off. He strode over and apologized quietly before making a small slice through the shackle on her left wrist, using godly precision to ensure that he didn't touch her skin.

The metal slipped off and the girl, to her benefit, didn't make a sound. Loki saw a flash in her eyes, however, which told him that she felt the air on her raw skin all too well. He did the same with the other hand, quietly apologizing again. He then repeated the process with her ankles. Once all of the cuffs were off, a flash of light occurred. For the first time in many years, the witch's power was released. Almost instantly, the rings of raw skin on her wrists and ankles healed, as well as the wound in her neck. Her hands flew up to her jaw and fumbled with the device, and her mouth broke open as the mask over it fell off and she gasped for air, the first sounds that Loki had heard from her.

'The mask must've been clenching her jaw in place. It makes sense. Words would make an incantation much, much stronger,' he thought, barely suppressing a grimace at the thought. He needn't have her think that he was disgusted by her; it would make her trusting him that much more difficult.

The girl, once she had stopped gasping for breath, softly opened her mouth. "... Thank you..." The words were quiet, and her voice was hoarse, as if it hadn't felt water in a long time. Loki dipped his head. The girl started making movements with her hands before pulling inwards, and almost instantly, two bracelets appeared on her wrists. Both seemed to be made out of wood, perhaps... Elder? Loki knew not.

Again, the girl seemed to be rejuvenated, and the magic that had been flowing freely throughout the air started to diminish, as if the bracelets were collecting it... or, rather, compressing it. "How long have you been stuck here?" The girl's head turned back to him.

"That depends on... what year this... is..." Her throat was burning. A few more hand motions, and the bracelets glowed. Out of nowhere, fresh water floated in the air, then dropped into a cup that appeared when she held her hand out. Finally, after many many years, the burning in her throat was subdued. Loki watched this display with interest.

"You humans seem to have decided on 2017." The girl thought about it for a few seconds.

"That doesn't really sound right, considering I... left in 2002." The girl's voice had cleared up, and it came out crisp and... warm, somehow. Loki found it enticing. The girl moved her hands, the bracelets around her wrists giving off a faint amount of golden light, and a complicated clock appeared before her. After a few moments of studying it, she finally came up with, "Five years, give or take a couple months, I think."

Loki frowned in displeasure, thinking about how miserable the days must've been. For a non-immortal or... he peered at her form warily, an immortal of lesser age, at least, five years was a significant chunk of time. "Do you know who I am?" The girl shook her head.

"No. Do you know who I am?" She questioned. Loki shrugged.

"To an extent. I know that you can do magic, and that you seem exceptionally strong. I am Loki, of Asgard. You are...?"

"Rose Potter, and I'm from West Country, which is uh, Southwest England. On Earth," she added belatedly, seeming to realize it wasn't particularly likely that she was on her planet at the moment. She titled her head, as if she was trying to remember something, and then her eyes narrowed as she succeeded. "He has-had something of mine." Loki looked at her, calculating. A Midgardian. Explains the sign.

"Had something of yours?" He questioned.

"Two things, actually." She nodded, taking a step and staggering, her legs unused to the voluntary motion. In a moment, the Trickster God was by her side, making sure she didn't fall. The girl grit her teeth and forced her legs to straighten and carry her weight, though they were shaking nonetheless. She shook off his hand. "I'm fine," she protested, and Loki didn't argue. She didn't seem like the type to want help from others, and forcing the issue definitely wouldn't help endear him to her.

Rose walked the rest of the way over to the fallen body of her former captor, and then knelt down. She looked at the corpse for a few moments, then held her hand out above it. Something on the top half of his person began to shake, and, all of the sudden, a small locket slipped into the girl's outstretched hand which she firmly grasped, and the movement stopped as a small stick made its way to her waist. Green eyes gazed at the corpse for a few more moments, and then Rose stood back up and spat on the man's chest.

"Good riddance," she muttered, and then clasped the locket around her neck.

"Are you ready to go?" Loki asked, now that it seemed like the girl had gotten what she wanted. When she nodded, he spoke again. "Follow me."