AN: Yeah, uh, hi again. I 100% didn't expect this chapter to be finished as quickly as it was... but it is, so here I am. Again. I guess that note yesterday really didn't need to happen! Anyways, we are nearing the end of this story, with only 3-4 chapters left. I might be doing an epilogue, which is where the '4' comes in there, but it depends on how far I go with the last chapter. This chapter is starting to introduce some plot, which is great!
Also, please tell me you people have seen Far From Home? I saw it opening night, and it was definitely a great movie! Gotta love Led Zepplin, amiright? sOBS uncONTroLlably
Alrighty then, go ahead and read the chapter!
Chapter 12 ~ Isn't It Lovely?
"Loki? What the fuck are you doing here? You're dead!" Jane exclaimed. The two children behind her scampered off towards Cooper, who had stepped out from behind Sam to envelope the two in a hug.
"Well, very clearly I am not dead," Loki pointed out. "Or—well, I am, but technically we all are."
"What?" Jane asked in a monotone voice, and Loki shook his head.
"I'll explain later," Loki decided, and Jane blinked as if trying to comprehend that. "Do you know if anyone else is here? Dr. Selvig? Your friend who used that electricity-weapon on my brother?"
"Oh, he's your brother now?"
"I didn't say brother— answer the question!"
"No, I haven't seen anyone else in this hell of a forest. If I had, they'd be with me. Does that answer your question?" Jane said, a bite to her voice.
"Well, I suppose that's satisfactory-"
"Tell me about being dead, then!"
Loki frowned, and Stephen stepped up instead.
"Dr. Foster," he greeted formally. "My name is doctor Stephen Strange."
"He's a wizard!" Cooper piped up, and his siblings looked at Stephen with awe written all over their features.
"Sorcerer," Stephen corrected.
"Great. You going to tell me what's going on?" Jane asked impatiently.
"A giant purple raisin with dreams of universal genocide dancing in his head got his hands on the infinity stones, that's what!" Sam huffed, and Peter snorted with laughter at his definition.
"I'm sorry, that's immature of me, but raisin?" Peter wheezed. Loki rolled his eyes at the child, forcing back a fond smirk.
Jane looked utterly confused. "The infinity stones? Like the one we saw on.. Whatever that place was called?" Jane asked, turning to Loki.
"Correct. The aether that you housed in your body was the Reality stone," Loki confirmed.
"There were six stones all together, each possessing a vital part of our universe; Power, Space, Soul, Mind, Time and Reality. The stones were separated, as they are impossible for any mortal to wield together."
"Even holding one will blast you to bits," Quill added, stepping up with Drax in tow.
"Yes. It is very painful," Drax agreed.
"Course, we could do it because we're the Guardians of the freakin'Gala-"
"And that's enough from you," Loki decided, twisting his palm and making the two guardians walk away without consent. Quill barked a 'hey!' as his feet moved on their own.
"And so a being powerful enough to hold all six emerged, collecting the stones that we tried to protect," Stephen was explaining to Jane as though the interruptions never happened.
"So… where are we?" Jane asked hesitantly.
"Well," Stephen began hesitantly, "it's kind of difficult to explain-"
"Our souls are currently trapped inside one of the infinity stones, Soul, until we can find a way out," Loki cut in, crossing his arms in boredom. He earned a glare from Stephen, which caused him to smirk.
"Well, how are we going to get out?" Jane asked. "If this stone is like a cage, there has to be a way out. Right?"
There was a moment of uncomfortable silence.
"We have yet to discover a means of escape," Loki mumbled.
"Wonderful."
There was quiet except for the children's excited chatter, the Guardians' jokes and Sam bickering with Bucky. Fenrir was sitting next to Loki, almost as though he was afraid to leave his side.
"So.." Jane began. "What's with the wolf?"
…
It was a blur when Clint and Natasha arrived. The rest of the Avengers were surprised to see their friends change in demeanor and overall weariness.
Upon arrival to the compound, they did their best to catch up and explain to Clint what exactly happened. He wasn't happy, of course, but he didn't comment on the Loki part of the explanation. He trusted Natasha, and if she said Loki was helpful he believed her.
When Clint has explained what had happened with his family, even saying the… 'f' word was forbidden. Nobody mentioned it around him after their first time making the mistake.
They had been eating all together for the first time in a while when Tony had partially apologized to Steve and the others for his outburst. (Keyword: partially.)
"I shouldn't have yelled at you guys as much as I did. Especially you, Brucie-bear." The inventor had managed a weak smile. "You're like family to me."
And just like that, all hell broke loose. Clint slammed his fist on the table, startling everybody— even Valkyrie, which turned out to be a difficult task. He'd stood up so fast his chair fell with a loud slam, and the ex-archer had stormed off. Natasha had hurried after him, following him to his room, but the door was slammed shut and locked so she left him be; he needed space, to cool down and to fully come to terms with the loss.
A week after Nat's and Clint's arrival, Korg had discovered the compounds printer. (Steve regrets his decision to show the rock creature around and help him to understand earth better immediately.) The gladiator had printed off countless revolution pamphlets and had begun handing them out to everybody. Miek followed his companion closely but had started second-guessing his choice of friends. He then decides that out of those on Sakaar, he got lucky; there were much worse in the universe. Doug was not one of them. Poor Doug.
After another week passed, Carol had decided to continue her duties to the universe; help out the other planets in the universe and possibly figure out how to reverse the effects of the blip. (That was what the news outlets had started calling the incident, and it had sort of stuck.) Rocket and Nebula decided to help; they were no use sitting around doing nothing anyways. The trio took the Benatar and left Earth's orbit. (Valkyrie had considered joining them, but Bruce had talked her out of it.)
Thor had been struggling to get Valkyrie to speak with him again. After their chat behind the Compound, the other Asgardian barely even spared the thunder god a glance. Every time Thor tried to spike up conversation, Valkyrie either ignored him or fled the area completely. It made Thor's heart break more because by trying to save another person he cared about, he had only lost her anyway. Besides dealing with stubborn female warriors and walking rock creatures handing out pamphlets, Thor had been searching the galaxy for the Asgardians with the technology Bruce had helped him concoct when they were looking for Valkyrie. He hadn't had any luck yet, but he still had hope. On top of that, he was trying to find somewhere for the refugees to stay once he found them. He considered calling up Wakanda, but the country was dealing with who to appoint king/queen. Not only had T'Challa faded, but Shuri had too. Rhodey had used his spare time from helping Tony recover to speak with governments from Scotland, Sweden, Iceland, and Norway to find a place for the refugees. So far, only Norway and Iceland had humored them.
Bruce was trying to settle scores with the Big Guy, try and sort out what was going on. If confronting a toddler and wrestling three hippos were mixed together, it would explain Bruce's mental state very accurately. The scientist had even asked Natasha to try and help calm Big, Mean and Green and get him to come out (AN: eEEWwW! Keep it pg Brucie!) So far, their attempts have been in vain.
To say Tony was struggling would be an understatement. Of course, everybody was; the whole universe was, for Christ's sake! However, Tony was having a different kind of struggle. It was no secret to the Avengers that Tony Stark suffered from PTSD. Tony had shared it one night with the team before it all went to shit. Every original Avenger (and Peter, but Peter was gonegonegonegonegone-) knew about it. Who would've thought that, with the Great Wormhole of 2012™, flying in a donut to space would bring back some unwanted memories. Fuck, the man had watched his intern (son) fade away to dust before his eyes, all the whole the teenager begged for Tony to save him.
"I don't wanna go, Mr. Stark! Please, sir, I don't wanna go!"
And Tony tried to save him, oh God, he tried! But the boy faded away between his fingers. (gonegonegonegonegone-) Tony may be a billionaire, genius, playboy philanthropist, but he wasn't some heartless monster. That was his kid, whether he agreed to it or not. On top of his mental issues, whatever was left of the UN was trying to contact him left and right; apparently the inventors return had leaked. Rhodey did his best to keep them away. Pepper had joined the fray soon before Clint's arrival, and though she was trying to settle SI, she was also smothering her husband-to-be.
And then there was Steve. A man out of time, a man out of place. The soldier didn't know what to do with himself. He was constantly in and out of the compound, making trips to the city on his motorcycle to help out law enforcement and keep everything calm. Without Bucky, he didn't feel right. Nothing felt real. He'd just gotten his best friend, his childhood friend, his Bucky back and it was all taken away from him with a simple snap. Steve often found himself wondering what would happen if he hadn't been frozen for 70 years. If he had been found earlier. If he had gotten that dance with Peggy. With everything that had happened, Steve missed his best girl more than ever. He found himself carrying around the compass with her picture in it more often. He never left his room without it. He looked at it more often, savoring every black-and-white detail of her face. Saving it in his mind so he didn't forget. He didn't want to forget.
Earths Mightiest Heroes were in shambles. On top of all their problems, they still have yet to find a way to reverse the snap. They have no idea where Thanos is, or if he's even still alive.
All they know is that they're all fucked up, probably need a bucket-load of therapy, and that the printer should be unplugged and/or disposed of quickly, before Korg makes any more pamphlets.
…
Barely any time passed in the Soul stone. The group, now adding three additional members, continued on their quest to gather a battle force. A day after Jane and Cooper's siblings were introduced to the group, Stephen pulled Loki aside and spoke to him quietly.
"Loki, I need your help," Stephen hissed urgently, grabbing the trickster by the wrist and dragging him away from the group as they set up camp. Loki grudgingly let himself be led away, keeping on a playful façade.
"You? Need my help?" Loki gasped dramatically. "This wretched stone must be having some effect on you, dear Stephen!"
"No, it's not having any effect on me!" Stephen snapped. "I've just decided the best way to get out of here, and you happen to be a vital part of it!"
"Do tell," Loki prompted, prying his wrist away from where Stephen still had a shaky grip. Stephen glancing around cautiously, and when he decided they were far away from any enhanced ears, he spoke.
"I've known how to get out of the Soul stone the whole time," he confessed with a sigh. Loki blinked.
"You what?" He hissed. "All of this time, you could have gotten us out?"
"Loki—" Stephen started, but the trickster cut him off as he continued to rant.
"My brother and those buffoons he calls friends could be dying in the real world, trying to bring us back, and you could get us out the whole bloody time?" Loki all-but screeched.
"Loki, if you'd just calm down and listen to me for a second, I'd explain!" Stephen tried.
"Calm down? Are you serious? No, Stephen, I will not calm down!" Loki spat. "We've been trapped here for Odin knowns how long, following you like a bunch of clueless ducklings when really you knew how to free us the entire time! What was your plan, really? Gather us all up just to watch us run around, trying to solve a puzzle you already had all the pieces to?"
"Loki, quiet or the others will hear!" Stephen hissed, an edge of urgency in his voice.
"Oh, so now you want to silence me? I—"
Before he could finish his sentence, Stephen had tackled him to the ground. His cloak slid away from the sorcerers shoulders and wrapped around Loki's wrists, holding them above his head. Loki grunted, and when Stephen drew his hand away to cover his mouth Loki bit down as hard as he could.
It was kind of insensitive, really, considering the man had damaged hands, but when has Loki ever played fair?
Stephen clenched his teeth to stop a shriek of pain, tightening his grip on Loki.
"Would you shut your goddamn mouth and let me explain?" Stephen snapped. Loki narrowed his eyes.
"Go ahead, defend yourself. I appear to be.. outmatched at the current moment," Loki spat.
Stephen took a calming breath. "I needed to wait a few days within the stone before they were ready for us," he explained.
"Who was ready for us?" Loki asked, quirking a brow.
"The Avengers, obviously."
"And how would you be aware of that in here, hm? Another secret you've been keeping in that mind of yours you wish to tell?" Loki demanded.
"Simple. I saw the future," Stephen shrugged.
"Now how in the Nine Realms did you manage that?" Loki spluttered.
Stephen rolled his eyes. "Protector of the Time Stone, idiot. Before we fought Thanos, I used the stone to look at the future, to see how we win. In the different timelines, we escaped too early and too late. This is the best time to start getting out."
"And how do we get out?" Loki asked, shimmying his hands a bit to try and free them. The cloak kept it's tight hold, however, and Loki was stuck in the uncomfortable position.
"You," Stephen stated simply.
"Me?" Loki repeated. "What the hel am I supposed to do? Snap my fingers and all will be sunshine and rainbows again?"
"Go to hell."
"The insult was uncalled for, Stephen. I thought we'd really started connecting there."
Stephen sighed. "No, I mean physically go to hell. It's a realm, right? You've been before."
"Once or twice, yes," the prince confirmed. "But how is that supposed to solve our problem?"
"Your sister is the queen of hell, right?" Stephen asked.
"Yes," Loki replied slowly, frowning suspiciously. "Where are you going with this?"
"You need to travel to hell and convince your sister to help us," Stephen revealed.
"And how do you expect I do that? Waltz on down to hell with a box of chocolates and ask my dear evil sister to forgive me for unleashing fire demon on her and expect her to welcome me with open arms? How do you even expect me to get the hel? If you haven't noticed, we're kind of trapped in a stone with no means of escape!"
"Well…" Stephen began with a wince.
"What?" Loki snapped. "Tell me, damnit!"
"We're in the Soul stone; we are nothing but souls. If one of us were to die in the stone, our souls would be freed to go to heaven or hell," Stephen explained, trailing off and the end. Loki's eyes widened and he shook his head.
"No, nonono, this is a horrible idea!"
"It's the only way!" Stephen insisted.
"I am not dying just to humor you!" Loki huffed. "What if my dear old dad decides I'm too good for hell, and I go to Valhalla instead? Your plan will have failed!"
"Oh, trust me," Stephen grinned, "you won't be going to 'Valhalla.'"
"How do you know?" Loki snapped defensively.
"Because I've seen the future. You go to hell, trust me," Stephen snickered.
"Har-har, I'm an evil monster," Loki drawled sarcastically.
"Your evil nature has actually helped save the universe," Stephen pointed out.
"When?"
"Earth 1999999."
"…What?"
"Don't worry about it," Stephen dismissed. "Just trust me. This is the only way."
"Consider yourself trusted. Can I get up now?" Loki asked, squirming underneath the sorcerer.
"Oh—right," Stephen stammered, going bright red. Loki snorted as Stephen stood and recalled his cloak. Loki stood and brushed himself off.
"Right then. I suppose your theory could work, if I could get Hela to listen to me," Loki decided.
"Well, I'm sure with that 'silver-tongue' of yours you brag about, you'll be just fine."
"Why did that sound sarcastic?" Loki asked, tilting his head.
"Because it was, genius."
"You don't believe I have a silver-tongue?" Loki smirked.
"No, I believe you. How else would you have hidden Odin for as long as you did?"
Loki blinked. "You know I have an actual silver tongue? The nickname isn't just because of my amazing skills of manipulation and flattery."
"Yeah, sure," Stephen rolled his eyes. "You have a huge ego, by the way."
When Stephen looked back at Loki, the god had his tongue sticking out of his mouth. It was actually made of silver, the metallic sheen glinting in the dying light.
"What the fuck—"
"Believe me now?" Loki smirked and retracted his tongue.
"Yes— why the hell is your tongue silver? Were you born that way?"
"No, actually," Loki sighed. "Just a… deal gone wrong, I suppose."
Stephen frowned. "They cut off your tongue?"
"Amongst other things, yes."
The two lapsed into silence, before Loki spoke.
"So why didn't we have this discussion with the rest of the group?" Loki asked.
"Because they aren't going to know."
Loki blinked and crossed his arms. "You don't trust them?"
"In the future where they knew, they stopped you and we were trapped forever."
"Oh," Loki mumbled. "So, how are we going to do this?"
"Let's hope you're actually good at lying, Mr. Silver-tongue-as-in-literal-tongue-of-silver."
"Oh, trust me," Loki laughed, "you haven't seen anything yet."
...
Grandmaster: [sitting in a theatre, watching this all go down with a bowl of popcorn]
Grandmaster: Wow... The plot thickens.
Grandmaster: I didn't even know we had a plot.