“Why, Azzy? Why do you constantly treat me as though I'm the bad guy? Why are you constantly making it out to seem that I started this war? I didn't start any war. Humans started this war when they first created those labs and started doing what they did. You keep telling us to wait. Let legals process it. Violence won't solve anything. So we were supposed to keep our thumbs in our asses and pray for our government to suddenly give a fuck about us while they kicked down doors to deliver cures? Project Wideawake. Dad didn't know what it was, huh?” She issued a snort at the end of her question, her lips curling into a snarl. “If the Superhuman Registration Act doesn't pass, Senator Kelly and President Lipton have been working on their little project along with some others in the government. Not just in America. All over the world. Russia. Hungary. North Korea. Ukraine. Mexico. So many other countries. They're building robots, Azzy. Sentinels, they call them. Specialized in identifying by a glance. To identify mutants. To sort whether or not they'd be useful. To capture and kill them. Specializing them in dealing with different types of abilities possessed by mutants. You're asking us to sit and wait for them to kill us. And I won't do it.”
Azzy wanted so badly to lunge towards her and hold her when Astro started crying it was almost painful. When Xavier died, Azzy hadn’t taken it well; sure, not as bad as his sister, but he shut himself away a little more than average until he could rationalize what had just happened, and understand that Jean was no longer the Jean they knew. In fact, once he reemerged, he almost sympathized with Ms. Gray: after all, he knew what it was like to have another person in his body. The comment about if he killed dad was an awfully low blow, however, and he cringed ever evidently at her even suggesting it.
However, his anger began to return as she began to suggest that he was making her out to be the bad guy. Truthfully, he had no answer for how he would stop the Project Wideawake, or the sentries without actual force; Astro had him there. However, he knew that he could not simply condone the entire human race for the actions of the paranoid: if he did, how would he be any better than they? How could he sleep at night as Nexus laughed at him and the souls he damned flicker before his eyes? Astrid was already justifying the killings she had caused, but could he? The short answer; no.
“Then what will you do when you meet those that wish to do no harm? The humans that want to coexist, or the mutants that don’t want to fight?” Asbjorn stared at his sister hard, as she continued to give him that look of annoyance and anger. “Will they be swept under the rug as mere pawns in a game of chess, waiting to get shot in the crossfire?” Asbjorn shook his head. “You are trying to start a war to eliminate those that fear us: yet war does not end fear, Astro - it creates it. You can’t end violence with more violence unless...” He paused, a look of anguish striking through him. “You commit a genocide.” His voice was low, and all he could hear was the howling of Nexus behind him as his face turned somber. “And I swear, if that is what you are suggesting...” Azzy cut himself off.
"So, tell me then. What does the almighty Asbjorn have in mind! Hm? Do we keep protesting in the streets? Hide at the Academy and learn how to blend in so we fit in with humans? Hide our abilities like they don't exist, forever denying that part of us? OH! How about we set up a secret society far away from human eyes, let them run us out of our homes without a fight. Kinda do a Harry Potter thing. Xavier's can be like our Hogwarts. Whatever we have to do to refrain from shedding blood. From fighting for our rights. From living in coexisting peace. Don't you dare insinuate that I am some kind of monster that would take an innocent life. At least I'm standing up for my people. I don't hate humans. If you cared to see me as more than just your broken, psycho sister then you'd know that. I'm not stupid and I'm not mindless. I know what I'm doing." She finally let out a scream, more light bursting forth from her and throwing her brother back. "It's a revolution. There is good and there is bad. Pick. Your. Fucking. Side."
By now Nick had arrived, the jet landing and blocking view from the remaining brave spectators. The trench coat wearing man exited the aircraft with Loki in tow, undoing his handcuffs. Lina seemed to appear from nowhere, examining her nails. "Just... Fix it," the Director growled at Loki over the noise.
Asbjorn did not expect the random scream, nor the excessive force to be suddenly used to push him back. While it didn't throw him violently, it did send the man on a pretty good tumble. When he finally came to a stop, all he could hear was the continuous howling of Nexus, whose only words seemed to be Look at fucking Asbjorn here, solving shit! Like you're solving anything at all with your useless words ya twat! Asbjorn tried to keep it subtle, but he did bite out a simple "Shut the fuck up". Clawing at the ground to get a good footing, he lifted himself up and screamed back. "So that's how it is, Astro? You're just gunna mock me and make me choose a side because I don't have an answer to the problem? How very fucking human of you!" A snarl came to his face without his knowledge, which turned into a small, crude smile. "Humans always want to put everything into definable boxes so they can classify what is good and what is 'evil'. I thought, maybe as superhumans, we might be past that kind of childish bullshit!" He was seriously starting to get sick of her attitude, especially her snide comment about how he didn't see her as anything more than a broken sister. "If you were only a psychotic sister of mine, than why in the hell did I let you throw me around? Why would I just take the screams and the punches, without trying to get you help from anybody else? Because I trusted you to fix your own shit!" He bit out, his words slowly not being recognizable to himself, which caused a pang of fear to run through him until he saw Loki and narrowed his eyes. "What in the hell are you doing here."
Loki, however, was quite content to be freed from the mundane restraints, but could have done without the screaming and the rude stare from Mstr. Fury. "Well, I do believe that your Father has requrested that I attempt to 'fix this'... predicament." Loki didn't have to put up the air quotes for people to understand what was going on. "However, I seem to be at a loss, seeing as how all I can understand from this nonsensical fight is that you too seem to be airing out your dirty laundry, as the quote seems to work."
Astrid parted her lips to reply to her brother but quickly went silent at the sight of Loki. Her features visibly softened and her voice took on a hushed tone. “You shouldn't be here... This is not your war, Loki. Go home.” There was pain in her voice as her features hardened once more and she turned her attention to the lab on Alcatraz, conjuring a powerful beam of light and converting it to a laser as she began to destroy the place of horror. “I love you, Ásbjorn. You are my brother. But you will stay out of my way if you know what's good for you. You've made it clear that you aren't going to help. And I can't trust you. Things have been put into motion that you couldn't possibly stop...”
She paused and turned to him with a serious expression. “And do not use such a condescending tone with me as though you're speaking to an idiot. There is good and evil in the world though one cannot exist without the other. Light cannot exist without shadow, nor one the other. You and I know this very well.” Her words of light and shadow alluded to the many times they'd helped one another when nobody else could because only they understood each other in the way that was needed. “But there are the in betweens and lines often get blurred. Like with Eric.” She pointed to the unconscious man in the distant with a still expression.
“He is a good man filled with love and compassion. But like many others, and myself at one point, he was driven to be filled with hate. But hatred does not fuel his actions. Love does. He has seen the ugly side of this war, as we have. He was among the first of victims. He only wants to end this. To have a world safe for his grandchildren and generations to come.” Her gaze fell to Loki. “And there is then Loki... He is not evil. He never has been. Everything he did was an attempt to bring peace. He went about it the wrong ways... But at least he cared enough to try.”
The brightness of the light spiked as her anger did once more. “And then there is evil. True evil. You and I have seen the faces of true monsters. The people who murder infants at birth for being born mutant. The people who kidnap and hold captive babies, men, women children, the elderly. Who rape them. Beat them. Turn them into slaves. Force them to kill their brethren and children. Turning them into their own private army and science project for fun. Who kill them without hesitance as though they were mere ants, as though their life held no value.”
She grew more animalistic with each point as vicious memories filled her head, heat now radiating from her. “I have sacrificed for peace, Ásbjorn! I have gone back over and over to those labs to rescue those innocent souls! I allowed myself to be beaten and raped as a child just to spare you even a few moments of pain. I have given my all! My time, my money, my life, my fucking heart, mind, body, and soul to help make people safe! Don't stand there and act like you're the only one of us helping, you self-righteous sonuvabitch!”
Orfelina, with lollipop in her mouth, made her way towards Ásbjorn and grabbed him by the hand to pull him away. “That's your cue to exit. Loki... Have fun. Just... Do what she'd do.”
Asbjorn’s fists clenched as his teeth seethed at her destruction of the Alcatraz facility, even if a part of him gave a sigh of relief to see its destruction. However, the fact remained the same: Astrid was past the point of return, something that caused anger and fear within his soul. Her next words nearly sent him off the edge, stating that since light and shadow existed as opposites, that somehow meant the morality of good and evil existed. Somehow, that justified Eric and even Loki’s actions against the world, which boggled Azzy’s mind as to how one could so easily justify the actions of those that stood against the world because they were ‘misunderstood’. If that was the case, why not just state that all the world’s tyrants were misunderstood and deserved their chance to take on the world!
Yet nothing Astrid said lit a flame so deep within him as when she herself began to become more vicious as she seemingly remembered all of the actions committed against the innocent by the select few. It horrified him to see her take the path of self justification, but it hurt more to watch her basically state that no others had sacrificed anything for the cause.
“So are you calling granddad a self-righteous son of a bitch, because he refused to side with Eric like I refuse to side with you? How the fuck does that work, huh Astrid? You kill a woman because she killed a man you cared for, yet side against the man you cared so much for? What a load of bullshit! And if I’m being self-righteous then-”
Azzy was cut off mid sentence when he felt a hand grab his, and he turned with a slight snarl/grimace on his face to see Orfy pulling him away, stating it was his time to go and that apparently Loki would do the rest of the work. It was hard to stay mad at Orfelina, even if he thought what she was doing was completely bullshit, but he could tell he was getting nowhere. However, he shook her hand off of his to turn to his sister one last time, his anger slowly dissipating to be replaced with the same cold eye that his father would look at him with. “I guess I’m getting forced into a tactical retreat, Astrid. But don’t ever for a second think that in the end, you saved me from anything. You may have thought you were, but they knew what you were trying to do. They fucking knew.” Asbjorn turned from his sister, and began to walk in the direction that Orfelina had begun to pull him. Nexus couldn’t seem to keep his face shut though, as his whining began to start getting really irritating. You’re serious? You’re just gunna walk away? What kind of pathetic cunt are you, ya piece of shit? That didn’t solve anything! All you’re gunna have now is... “Shut the fuck up, if you could.” Asbjorn mumbled, even when Nexus seemed not completely ignore him.
Loki, on the other hand, stood somewhat blankly as Orfelina seemingly stopped a ranting Asbjorn, and turned to him as if he knew what to do in such a situation. As they walked away, Loki was left with a confusing conundrum: he could use this to his advantage, fuel Astrid’s desires to fuel his own, or he could attempt to talk her out of it as was apparently expected of him. The only reason he would do that would be because Mr. Fury was glaring at him, and Orfelina seemed to have a hunch that he would. Yet there was no other incentive to stop her actions: from his point of view, they were pretty ingenious, even if that little comment about him made him feel slightly odd; after all, he had used humanity’s need for leadership and peace to hopefully control and lead them.
So after a pause, Loki turned to Astrid with a sheepish look. “If I was allowed to go home, Miss Fury, I would have done so. However, it does not seem to be my home that is in turmoil, but yours.” Do what she would do? Whatever is that supposed to mean? Cajole her? Loki wracked his brain, but decided to see what happens as he went. “So correct me if I am wrong: you are attempting to start a war with that unconscious man over there against the will of your brother and father because you see those that have wronged you as evil, yes?” He shrugged. “I tried starting a war, and look where it got me.”
Astrid ignored her brother. Everything she was saying was going over his head as he twisted her words and put more words in her mouth. He even so dared to accuse her of siding against their grandfather. She only seethed more, standing there and watching as Orfelina towed him away. They left Loki to deal with her. He couldn't even take a bullet without needing a hospital. How was he going to stop her? Still, she listened to him with a calm expression, shaking her head. “No...” She moved towards him, her heat dying down but her light shining ever so bright. “I never started any war, no. You... Don't understand. Humans have waged silent war against any and all inhuman creatures for centuries. I imagine it won't be long until they attempt to invade other worlds. They create technology, abuse and brainwash people like me, mutants, just to destroy and control anything foreign. They invade other countries and murder families for oil... Bloodshed is a small price to pay for peace. Negotiations? We've tried. They laughed at our faces. We're just finishing, putting and end, to what they started.”
Tears were forming now, bright rivulets of crystal blue trickling down her face. “I am not a monster. I am doing what I have to that will keep innocent people safe, Loki. I can't wait for our adversaries to have a change of heart and see the error of their ways. We've been waiting decades! We didn't ask for this!” She was clearly distraught, her voice reeking of sorrow. “I -- I'm not suggesting a war in the streets... I'm not stupid! We... Have our own strategy... Loki, you made the wrong approach... It's going to work. We've been planning for years...”
Loki was quiet as Astrid came towards him, shining annoyingly bright as she began to explain things he already knew while breaking down slolwy. Bloodshed a small price for peace sounded like a line he had heard many times before come out of either his own mouth or out of Thor and Odin's, so he was no stranger to the idea. But as tears began to fall from her face, the entire thing came full circle, and Loki understood it all: she was taking the path she felt best, and having to live the with concequences. The irony of the it all was sickeningly sweet, for Loki had been in this exact situation before.
"Previouisly in my life, I had heard something similar to this plight, only Thor and Odin had sounded less sorrowful; yet they both made their excuses for destroying the Jotunns nonetheless." It was odd how he was the one giving such advice to Astrid, when not only had she been the one having to guide him this past few years, but also the fact that she was in absolutely perfect manipulation range. She was putty in his paws right now, her emotional state crumbling before his very eyes. Yet he was reluctant to take advantage of her: why? What made this scenario so much different than previous excursions to other planets? "Though I must say, if plans worked out the exact way they were planned every time, I do believe we wouldn't be having this conversation for I would be King of Asgard." There was no humor in his voice, just a dry realization on how plans worked: 75% of the time, they never really did.
“So you're saying that peace can never be achieved?” Astrid's tone of voice was one of genuine question though it was obvious she'd never believe it if he said yes. In truth, she was simply buying time. “Loki...” Her voice dropped as she stepped closer, letting her light die down, knowing that she was most likely blinding him. She could see news helicopters off in the distance, S.H.I.E.L.D. likely having no authority to stop them now. The government wanted to know what was going on. There was a flicker of a smirk as she engulfed both she and Loki within light, parting the light so that they could both see each other within. Her face was smeared with running makeup from sweat and tears as she took his hand. “Everything is going to be so clear... Really soon.”
Orfelina watched from a distance, sucking quite happily on her lollipop as she helped orchestrate the situation from behind the scenes. Hiding out in the jet the two Fury men had arrived in, she maneuvered a holographic screen before her, her fingers working quickly. Astrid gave a cry of pain as she allowed her friend to manipulate her system, another Quintepede, one hacked and controlled by Lina, attached to her spine. As the helicopter spotlights hit her, the true show began. “Stop!” She let the tears flow harder this time, forcing her power into her performance. She made a show of losing her mind, grasping her hair and forcing her light to fluctuate. She went down on her knees and hunkered over, giving the cameras above a good view of the device on her back, the words “Stryker Tech” in plain view.
“Kill...me!” She moved towards Loki, grabbing onto him as though it were her last moments. For all he knew, it was. “Get it off!” In truth, the device was already loosened by Lina. All Loki needed to do was give it a yank. From there, everything else would fall into place, as planned by Astrid. The outcome would fare well, as foretold by Orfelina.
Loki was more than confused at Astrid's words, and it certainly didn't help that he was completely out of the loop. Nevertheless, he gave her a befuddled look at her last sane sentence, wondering why anything would be clear at any given time - after all, Loki was used to deciphering messages and real world problems, not having the, just suddenly cleared up for him. But he certainly wasn't expecting what came next, for it nearly freaked him out.
One of those large robotic insects suddenly appeared on Astrid, latching to her back and causing her to scream in pain. She was hunched over, writhing as light fluctuated all around him as he stood their stunned by not only the light but by the scenario. He hadn't a clue what in the 9 realms he was supposed to do, especially when she began to inch towards him, begging for death. How was Loki supposed to answer that? A nonchalant "Sure, whatever you say miss" didn't seem quite appropriate for the time, until he clued in that possibly taking off the robotic insect may stop the problem. However, his knowledge of anatomy did question whether or not ripping an electrical device from a human spinal column would cause any major harm. However, Loki really didn't seem to have a choice, did he? It was either watch Astrid writh to either her death or destruction, or throw caution into the wind.
Holding her, Loki mumbled something incoherent under his breath while he grasped hold of the robotic insect device, and pulled. Strangely, for something that looked imbeded into a spinal column, it came off quite easily. That was when Loki's sense of suspicion kicked in almost instantly: after all, he was God of Mischief, and regardless of what in the blazes had just gone on here, something seemed ever so slightly off. Nevertheless, he cradled Astrid without saying a word, waiting until a later date to confront others of his suspicion; now was the time to make sure he hadn't possibly just killed the one who had been keeping him alive for so long.
Asbjorn was in no mood for chatting once he boarded the jet, sitting in the darkest corner while facing away from his father and Orfelina. To him, she had no right to remove him from the situation, no matter how heated it had looked. Granted, he had gotten nowhere, and should have known that he was seriously just a catalyst for her anger at the moment, but his own anger refused to see it that way. Avoiding his father's intense gaze, Azzy could almost feel the mischievious energy flowing from Orfelina as she seemed perfectly content with the situation, happily playing the a hologram for some odd reason. If this was a normal day, his deductive mind would have instantly told him that Orfelina was up to something, as if she was manipulating some odds or something. Instead, however, Azzy removed most of his intuition as it was replaced with emotional anger and rage: he was still stewing over his fight with Astrid, and no matter how much he wanted to put it behind him, a certain voice kept egging him on in the background.
That didn't, however, stop Azzy from stealing glances towards Orfelina, having glimpses at whatever she was doing before he heard a scream. Rushing back to the edge of the plane that he had entered, he watched as Astrid writhed in pain, a Quintepede seemingly firm on her neck. It was as if Azzy had forgotten his ability to move as he watched her got to Loki, and have that man rip the insect right off of her neck. Silence was all he had to say, until he caught another glance at the smug Orfelina. Something wasn't adding up: why would Astrid's best friend be so content with whatever the hell was going on? A sliver of mistrust imbeded itself into his consciousness at that moment as he watched his sister, wondering what kind of reprocussions ripping a cerebral implanter off would do to her.
The night after....
Far off in the mountains of Montana, Astrid lay peacefully in a bed. She could hear the sounds of people moving and whispering around her. She kept her eyes closed as all the voices faded away, people exiting her room eventually. But there was one who remained, their hand holding hers as she pretended to sleep. She wasn't faking the pain though; Her body ached all over and she was absolutely exhausted from the amount of light she had given off, the sheer amount of force she used in creating such massive and powerful lasers. Not to mention the two times that a Quintipede had been on her only to be ripped out. Still, she was sure that it was all worth it.
Her vision was blurry as she struggled to open her eyes, blinking rapidly until everything became clear. She was in a S.H.I.E.L.D. facility, no doubt. It was surprisingly lavish, likely because her father knew that she hated the ambiance created by hospital and lab rooms. The bed was a normal one and the blue walls held posters and a television. She looked to see a sleeping Loki with his head almost in her lap as he held onto her hand. A smile flickered across her face as she used her free hand to grab the remote. Astrid sharply inhaled as pain shot through her arm but she pushed through it, turning on the television. It didn't surprise her that what happened at Alcatraz was all over the news...
“Two weeks ago, Worthington Corporation had announced that they had manufacture a cure for mutants that would allow them to become human. Many were eager to do away with their mutations while others, quite understandably, didn't trust it. The question that not many asked was answered only last night: What is the price to be paid? After a thorough investigation and multiple confessions, it was discovered that the President and CEO of Worthington Corporation had manufactured this cure with the help of former Army Colonel William Stryker who employed mercenaries and quite a few disgraced scientists whose names were not released to the public. Stryker admitted that he was also manufacturing weapons with the cure, such as guns and grenades, intending to arm his personal army of mercenaries to track down and force the cure upon unwilling mutants in an attempt to quote, cleanse the world. And just how did this cure come about when there are fewer than five people who even understand human mutations? A child. Stryker also admitted to spending years searching for a mutant with the needed abilities. He was named Leech for his innate ability to cancel out another mutant. Any mutant within five feet of him would have their X-Gene pushed into recession. He was experimented on for many years until Stryker's scientists formulated this cure from his blood. Something that nobody involved ever planned on releasing. What looked like a merciless attack on the lab on Alcatraz turned out to be a rescue and destroy mission. The mutant known as Magneto had found out about Stryker's horrors and decided to try and rescue the boy, a mission that was successful. What he walked into was a trap, hundreds of mutants depowered by the army that awaited them. The horror only continues. Stryker also manufactures devices he calls Quintipedes, used for controlling others through their nervous system. Those who do not obey are shocked or drugged by the device, as seen in this disturbing footage.”
There was a brief warning of graphic footage before Astrid was shown from the night before, freaking out in the spotlight. Her performance was so amazing that she even moved herself. She knew that all across the world, every time someone would watch this clip, they would feel pain, sorrow, and fear as her powers forced them to empathize. After Loki had yanked the Quintipede from her back and cradled her, she gave his hand a light squeeze. The footage showed her standing with him and looking around in horror at what she'd done before again begging him to kill her so she could pay for what she'd done, claiming she had no choice, she didn't mean to, she was so sorry, how could she live with herself. She went on into hysterics as Loki held her and S.H.I.E.L.D. swooped in to investigate and clean up the scene. Loki carried her off, her blood smearing his face and arms as he carried a grim expression of worry and regret, taking her to the jet.
“That was captured only twenty-four hours ago. The woman seen is the humanitarian, Astrid Torres- ” Of course they didn't know her real last name was Fury. “She is also an agent of S.H.I.E.L.D. and a mutant. William Stryker used his device to force her to wreak havoc in an attempt to fear monger more humans into hating mutants but all he's done is caused this woman to hate herself. She begged to be killed after seeing what she'd been forced to do. The man you see is none other than Loki Laufeyson, the God who has been under her watchful eye for nearly two years. You can clearly see how torn and devastated he is to have to had hurt her to save her and possibly everyone else. Not many people could make that call. Our sources say that he hasn't left her side since that moment as she now toes the line between life and death in a nearly comatose state. The world is clearly shaken. Many countries have cut off business done with Stryker and Worthington's corporations, both now in the custody of S.H.I.E.L.D. and under extreme lockdown. In more amazing news, this has opened many eyes to the problems faced today by mutants and many countries have begun to create laws. Some for the benefit of mutants, some not so beneficial. This is Cindy Ortega, bringing you today's latest news.”
She cut off the TV and smiled to herself, craning her neck to glance at Loki before squeezing his hand again. “Loki... Wake up.”
Elsewhere in the facility, Lina had found herself sitting in one of the dorms, tinkering with Gracie who appeared to be shut down. Ásbjorn had suspected that she was up to something on the jet but she declined revealing just what it was. He and Nick both grilled her on the way there why she was so calm about the whole situation, especially while her best friend bled out next to her, possibly facing multiple charges of manslaughter among other felonies. Lina had simply told them that good would come from the night and all was not lost. They shut up after that, attempting to pry Astrid from Loki. Loki had a death grip on the comatose woman, soaking himself in her blood as he refused to hand her over until doctors came around.
Ben was the doctor treating her, there with his father among the other Avengers. There were more than a few apologies thrown in Loki's direction for doubting him and Astrid as far as bringing out his compassion was concerned along with some more apologies given to Nick, Ásbjorn, and Loki for what she was going through, all seeing her as a victim. Orfelina and many others saw her not as a victim, but a martyr. Or something like it, since a martyr had to die. She wouldn't die, Lina knew that much. She was a hero. Ásbjorn was too, but not many saw it just yet. She had gotten to thinking about him, waiting until she knew he was alone.
She left her AI unattended and headed towards the cafeteria, spotting him poking at a cup of coffee with a thin red straw, staring into the liquid. Smiling softly, she made her way over and sat right next to him, moving the coffee cup and taking his hands into hers. “She's going to be fine, Azzy. Everything will be fine. You guys are gonna make up, like you always do. And you're going to go on an amazing adventure. Azzy, your life is on the verge of just beginning.” She was cryptic as always, but there was joy shining in her violet eyes.
"I'd believe you Lina if you stopped being so damned vague all the time." Asbjorn hadn't meant for the razor edge to find its way into his tired voice, but Nexus seemingly demanded it. After all, for the last 16 hours nobody had even seen the man. During the entire flight, he had tried to get Loki to relinquish his sister from his grip, yet the man was oddly protective of her. When the plane landed, and the doctors put her to bed along with a few Avengers throwing pity his way, Azzy disappeared. His destination? Anywhere but around people. For the first time in nearly a decade, Asbjorn forced himself to be alone with Nexus. There was no way he could help it: the entire situation had left him bitter, anxious and furious all at the same time. Astrid's retorts and actions still stung his mind while Orfelina's calm disposition kept returning. Nothing made sense at all, even as his emotions and mental state returned to his own and he could calmly assess the situation. Granted, any time alone with Nexus made that difficult, but this time around he seemed to manage.
His return to society - aka the mountain base in Montana - was met with shock and annoyance by nearly all those he ran into. His father was furious that he would have disappeared without a word, staff members who had been worried kept rushing to him and a certain man to whom he left his phone with told Azzy of his dozens of messages. Yet all oncomers were brushed off without much of a word as he morphed his way into his sister's room to check on her. At the sight of Loki clutching her hand, Azzy promptly left without a word: it wasn't Loki that he cared about anymore. All he wanted to know was that she was alive and in the place he was told.
Since then, Asbjorn had drifted between rooms before finding his way to the cafeteria where he had gotten a coffee, only to realize he didn't really want it. Rather than pitch it, Asbjorn deduced that if he drank it through a thin straw slowly, it would disappear eventually. It had been an hour before Orfelina arrived, and it still wasn't gone. Her hands felt a heck of a lot better than that coffee though. Meeting her eyes, Asbjorn gave a long, hard sigh of acceptance before speaking. "Sorry... but it's hard to really trust your words right now: especially after that..." Asbjorned paused, thinking of the correct words. "Whatever the hell that entire deal was with Astrid and the holograms and technobabble." He looked away from her violet eyes for a second before returning her gaze, only a little more stern, "No offence Orfy, but coming from the guy that has been accused on numerous occasions for being 'too manipulative' your methods are not only unorthodox, but annoyingly secretive."
Loki, on the other hand, was more confused than anything. After watching Astrid react in a way that would freak out any normal indivdual and asking for her own death once again, Loki had no clue what to think or even say. He had never really been put in a position in which a powerful demigod demanded her own death, only to freak out in his arms more and then basically pass out. The only thing he could think of was to carry her off once SHIELD arrived. The cameras had gotten an angle of his face that looked grim and solemn: while that emotion was true, it was also painfully obvious from the other angle that Loki was panicked and confused at the same time; it was as if he didn't know what to do with the creature in his hands besides carry her off. Yet for some reason, his grip was tighter than Odin's eye patch for Loki refused to relinquish Astrid. Again, he hadn't really a clue why he refused, he just... well, he just did.
The rest became a bit of a blur as Astrid was treated by doctors, people gave Loki their appologies for doubting him, and other events that he was barely familar with. These people had previously looked at him distrust and disdain - something he knew and understood - and suddenly, because of a single event, they trusted him completely. If only he had done something like this earlier. Regardless, Loki found himself glued to Astrid af if she held the key to everything he ever dreamed of, even if he didn't know what it was. His hand was firmly latched onto hers, even as the time of this world kept on moving and his head grew heavy. His sleep was, for better lack of a word, befuddled.
A squeeze to his hand, and a soft voice roused him from his slumber in an odd way: it was as if he had predicted the call of awakening, for he seemed awake right before his hand had been squeezed. Loki cracked his neck slightly, rising as if he hadn't been sleeping at all: no yawn, no teary eyes, no sign of tiredness. Yet he only turned his head in Astrid's general direction, not letting go of her hand. "Well, it appears that you have survived once again, Miss Fury. I would say I'm pleased with your resurection from the dead, if only that hint of mischeviousness hadn't leaked from yourself and your friend Miss Howlett." A faint smirk grew on his lips as he continued.
"Be advised with your answer that I am still considered the God of Evil and Mischief: attempting to 'pull this over my eyes', as your people say, would not be within your best interests." Loki had no idea what she was about to answer, but already he knew he was going to enjoy listening to her. After all, this kind of large scale planning was his favourite pasttime, and to no be involved in this scheme - no matter how small it might have honestly been - was slightly disheartening. "Make no mistake, however: I did think of you dead, even if that metal insecct was extremely confusing."
He wanted to know what was going on. It was likely that Azzy did too. She gave a quirky little smile, the very smile that had become a regular sight when she first began to grow close to Loki, as she noticed he was still clutching onto her hand. “I heard that you're the only one who hasn't left my side since... Y'know.” She wasn't trying to change the subject, merely pointing it out. “Get... Get my phone.” She struggled to get up, clutching at her chest as a sharp pain shot through it. “Text Lina. Tell her "Bukipsy". And then I'll tell you everything...I promise.” She gave him a gentler, more casual smile as she squeezed his hand again. “Thank you... For everything.”
Loki looked away when she pointed out that he hadn't left her side since the incident: mostly to avoid the fact that he was certain his face was getting a little hotter from the situation. He didn't need her to point that out. She then instructed him to get her phone, which he stumbled around to find. The instructions were even more absurd when she told him the word to text and that she gave her thanks. Another blush, and then he grabbed her phone. To put it bluntly, texting on the contraption was a nightmare: technology such as this should have been banned by all 9 realms. How in the blazes were you supposed to hit the letters needed for the Midgardian language if it was on a screen? But he did as he was told, though he did have to ask how to spell such a weird word.
Orfelina smiled at Azzy and checked her phone, a wider smile placed on her face. “Fabulous. Bukipsy.” The strange word was one that they'd come up with as children, originally Astrid's idea when she and her brother wanted to hide something from their parents and babysitter. That babysitter who happened to be the woman sitting right beside the male twin. She texted back the word in reply before setting her phone down and trading it for a tablet. Again, she toyed with strange blueprints and codes on the screen before setting it down and gave Asbjorn her undivided attention. “You're smart. You're a lawyer. I'm surprised you haven't figured out at least a little bit of what happened.” She wasn't teasing him by any means. Okay, maybe just a little.
“Everything that is happening has been planned for... Five years. And everything is going according to plan. I wanted to bring you in... But Astrid didn't want you to be there. She wanted to show you that she could help too. And she was afraid you wouldn't approve. Everything that happened last night, it was planned. We knew Leech was there. We knew Stryker was behind the so-called cure. It was the perfect situation. Eric really was just there to get Leech. Everyone "cured" were our guys. We've got them in the lab looking for an antidote. We had Tony Jr. persuade Stryker into being more... Open. About his plans. He's also taking the rap for the bug and making Astrid go crazy...”
She paused to let him take it all in, giving his hands a squeeze.
Astrid leaned back some and turned with a wince to face Loki. “You hate looking weak and vulnerable. But everyone's seen it now. They've seen you look human.... And that's all it takes. They realize you feel too.” He could go home now, though she didn't want him to. “I'm mainstreaming mutants. With help, I've been getting them more active in society. Singers, actors, humanitarians, lawyers, even senators. They're going to come out as mutants and form the Xavier and Lensherr Foundation for Mutants, dedicated to exposing the inhumane treatment of mutants without the risk of war. They're going to do everything they can to help mutants and build onto Xavier's Institute. We're showing people that they don't have to be scared...”
Asbjorn took her words in silence, staring blankly at either his cup or at Orfelina as she explained the entire staged event. Literally, Asbjorn was tempted to wrack his entire brain for the past five years, to overanalyze every event to see if Astrid ever left a clue. But to think that the past 5 years had been staged felt... well, Asbjorn didn't know. His conflicted emotions were that he felt cheated and cheapened, and slightly mystified. That Astrid had wanted to leave him out, that she had been capable of this kind of grand scale planning even during her drug induced phases. It was, well, a little too much to accept all at once. The hand squeeze did help bring him back to reality, and his silence was finally broken.
"You're right Orfy, I probably wouldn't have approved. This kind of manipulation... is beyond me, beyond anything I would ever dare attempt. The lies, the staging, I would have seen it as madly genius at the same time. To think..." Another pause, his eye still unfocused. "I don't know what to think. That Astrid would leave me out of such a grand scale event - but then again, one could argue that I'm pretty used to being left out of the loop when it comes to the higher ups." His tone became extremely dry, reminding Orfy of the fact that he had been constantly revoked the ability to achieve Level 10 clearance on reasons similar to this entire mission: his accidental manipulation and so called brash decision making made him dangerous, even if he was tactically a genius. "I just don't know how to feel Orfy. I feel cheated, used, and a whole shit ton of things." Was this how others felt when he manipulated them? He had always stated that it was for the good of the others, for the team; but then again, so was this.
Loki, however, still kept the mildly befuddled look on his face as Astrid explained everything. After she finished, a pregnant pause filled the silence before Loki spoke. "Interesting. Not only have you efficiently created the greatest lie of the public to expose your story, you also conveniently left out one man that, from what I recalled, fought for this very form of peace his entire career." The reference, of course, was to her brother: after all, Loki had watched the man fight against his own sister, who just days ago had seemed to want to start a war. "Why leave out your brother? Why have that verbal exchange of violence, only to create the world he had been striving for?" It seemed odd to Loki that such a grand scheme would leave out a man that seemed to scheme often. Then again, not a lot made sense to Loki about this Midgardian realm: he didn't even understand himself anymore.
“Azzy,” Orfelina offered a light sigh, reluctant to speak further. But she had to. They agreed to tell Ásbjorn everything once it all came to fruition. “You, more than anyone, know how she was. Back then. The drugs, the mood swings, the violence. She... Used to, before Loki, she would go out at night. She'd kill people, Azzy. She was like Batman. Except she would torture criminals and then kill them. I knew what she was doing and told her to think bigger than just the streets of New York. Then she called in Ben, Junior, Amanda, Basil, and even Caelan. Azazel and Mystique and Eric worked with us sometimes. We mapped out locations to labs all across the globe and we put the plan in motion. All of us went more public with our charity work, got more involved in the world. Basil was behind the Africa Operation.” She referred to an event two years ago when the Cajun had gone to Africa with his own team to document them helping improve the crops and provide clean water for poor villages. He may have used his powers off camera and also got the wild animals to chill out.
“On those rescue missions, she didn't want you there because she didn't want you to see her like that. She was... She was brutal. Like, no fucks given brutal. It wasn't just about rescues. She needed it. She needed to get that anger out. That hate. You have no idea how awful she felt and still feels for how she treated you...”
Astrid gave Loki a light smirk, a sadness in her eyes. “That...outburst. It was just part of the act. People have camera phones, you know. As far as they know, that was Stryker's words in my mouth. And you... You saved me.” She sat up more, wincing again as she turned and hung her feet from the edge of the bed while she faced Loki, still refusing to release his hand. “Azzy wouldn't have approved of my methods any more than Grandad would have. We had to leave them out, because our mission required a strong stomach... And I didn't want them to see that dark side... My inner monster isn't a pretty sight.”
Azzy was quiet, soaking up the information slowly, even if some of it wasn't something he would have considered that helpful to know. It was ironic that Orfelina would use the comparison between Batman and Astrid, when she - and now he as well - knew that they were nothing alike. Batman, from what Asbjorn could remember, killed next to nobody: he refused to even wield a gun. Astrid, on the other hand.... Asbjorn stayed quiet as Orfelina kept going, talking about Basil and the Avengers and Astrid. Nothing settled right with him, and it didn't help his ability to speak much either. "So she let off steam by killing people, huh..." To think that Astrid warranted more need for a criminal conviction than roughly half of the criminals he had put away scared him more than anything.
"And she thought that by killing people, she would feel better? That it would somehow change how she felt towards me?" Azzy's tone was soft, confused more than anything. "If she felt so bad, why in the hell would she be killing people? Did she not remember what I do for a living? I mean..." Azzy's hands stiffened in aggravation: nothing seemed to be going the way that was normal anymore, it seemed. "I put up with her shit because she's my sister: I'd do it again, and again if I had to. I just..." Azzy really didn't know where he was going with that sentence, so he let it drift off and die. He hadn't a clue what to say, or where anything was going anymore. Nothing made sense.
Loki looked at her with an intrigued look: he hadn't thought that Astrid would goad her own brother just for the camera. It seemed she was more slippery than he had once thought. In fact, the whole thing was slippery, right up until her reasoning for leaving her brother out. Loki didn't know who her grandfather really was - his only guess was Xavier - and was a little confused when she stated that neither of them would understand her methods. Loki gave a bemused smirk when she finished, and began to speak as Astrid was now sitting more upright. "My dear, your demons could conquor Asgard but that still wouldn't change anything: you cannnot hide them from those that care forever, lest you wish to lie and detach yourself from them. You should also never underestimate the inner demons of those you care for..." He made no mention of who he was exactly referencing, letting Astrid decide.
"Besides, I didn't think I had done that much in the way of saving you: after all, if memory serves me right, that robotic insect was purposed to drill its way into the spinal column closest to the back of the cranium. The thing I pulled out was quite loose compared to what I was expecting. Care to elaborate on that?"
Orfelina sighed and took Azzy's coffee, chugging some of it herself before turning her body completely to face him. “When kids have anger management issues they are suggested to find an outlet. Talking doesn't always help everyone. In fact, it only helps about three percent. Others do things like yoga, gardening, boxing, things that either make them zen and forget about their anger or things that help them by getting it out. Astrid is one of those people that needs to get it out. She was lashing out at you and she didn't like it. She didn't want to. But she needed to take that anger out on someone. She figured she'd take it out on people who deserved it. Murderers. Rapists. Child molesters. Those kinds. And eventually it went from them to rich people who kept mutants like pets and then the scientists and mercenaries who fucked with mutants.”
Lina ran fingers through her hair, shaking her head. “We're not knocking your abilities as a lawyer but you sound like an idiot. You're good. But there are some people you can't touch and some people who deserve a fate worse than some years with a roof over their head, a pillow beneath it, and three square meals a day. You feel me?” She lifted a brow and took his hands again. “Whether you want to admit it or not, some people seriously fucking deserve to die. And I can promise you that she never laid hands on anyone who didn't deserve it. After she started dealing out her brand of justice she listened to you more and cleaned up her act. Azzy... Not everyone is the same and you cannot condemn her for it. She only did what she knew was best. She let you handle the people that the law could handle and she took care of the people that the law couldn't touch.”
Astrid shrugged softly. “Ásbjorn can't help me with these demons. He tried before and it didn't end well for him. It wasn't his fault. It was mine. But I can keep them in check when I need to. Still, it feels good to let loose every now and then.” It was perhaps just a bit dark and maybe a little twisted that she was insinuating that she enjoyed her killing sprees of justice but she spoke as though it were no big deal. “Lina had control of the bug the whole time. She loosened it up for you so that it wouldn't do so much damage to me. Otherwise you would have had to rip it out while it was attached completely to my spinal cord and there's a strong possibility that I would never walk again after that.” She gave a light laugh, seeming far too calm about the entire situation. There was a gleam of victory in her eyes as she smiled at Loki. In a sudden movement, she leaned forward and placed a kiss on his forehead. “Because of everything you've done... Your debt to Midgard is repaid. You can go home...”
As if on cue, Thor walked through the door with an elderly man with a golden eye patch. She knew this man was Odin and she immediately bowed her head in respect. She had met him before only when she was retrieving Loki from the helicarrier and the only words she had spoken were “I can get the job done.” She withdrew her hands from Loki's and leaned back, offering a wave to Thor and her father. “Your time is up, Loki...” Odin began to speak, regarding his adoptive son with a gentle gaze. Astrid could read his face. He wanted so badly for a good report. He wanted his son home. He wanted the Loki that he had known before the young Prince went power-mad. “Special Agent Insidious... Report?” He looked to the blonde now, as did most others in the room. Astrid gave a kind gaze and a nod as she sat up just a bit.
“When Loki first arrived, I wasn't completely sure what the hell to do with him. He was arrogant, selfish, egotistical, a bit sadistic, and extremely annoying. I hardly spoke to him within the first two months. I would take him out with me to visit children's hospitals, soup kitchens, and other places that needed extra hands. He didn't really seem to like it at first and complained all the time about it. But he changed and it's come to the point where I would trust him to walk around New York City alone and not fear that he'd run away, hurt someone, or try to take over the world again.”
She looked down at her hands, biting down on her lip for a moment. “He has learned humility, Your Grace. He has learned charity. There have been days in the past fourteen months when he's ready to leave to help others before I am. I can see the joy and compassion in his face when he reads to sick children and brings them gifts. When he gives warm clothes, new shoes, and a good meal to those without a home. He's even built a shelter for the homeless. Came up with the idea on his own, chose the building, and helped put it all together with his own two hands. He has humanity and he is no longer afraid to show it...”
She looked at Loki now, her smile a bit faded. “Trust, loyalty, and the ability to love someone besides himself... That is something that you will have to ask him yourself because no one but he has those answers.”
Odin looked to his son now, lifting his chin some. “Tell me, Loki. Who do you trust? Where do your loyalties lie? …. Is there love in your heart for any other besides your own self?”
Asbjorn was silent as Lina took his coffee and drank more of it than he had probably had, pondering her words as he avoided her gaze. It became terribly obvious that he had little to no way of actually connecting himself to Astrid in this case: hell, he couldn't even connect with how she felt at all. To him, coping was just another test, another way to show strength and responsibility - he did so by being that cheerful, optimistic guy. Perhaps he had never truly connected with the fact that no matter how much he tried, he could never get Astrid to ever cope the way he did. If it were possible, would she have killed people? Probably not.
"I..." He wanted to start a sentence, but he couldn't. How could he rebuttal the truth, even though he dearly wanted to? The law could not stop all, or else it would not be the law: it would be forced choice. Yet Asbjorn still couldn't accept Astrid's actions: regardless of the points that Orfelina made - aka the truth - it didn't remove the nagging feeling that what she did was wrong. "You say I can't condemn her, but it won't be me that does if anybody finds out about her actions. The law is there for a reason, and I can't just... just let it slide for —” He was halted by Lina letting go of his hands abruptly and putting one of them over his mouth. Her own lips were turned into a frown. “You're being extremely narrow-minded, overly critical, ignorant, and unappreciative. You know what? You're fucking welcome.” Frustrated with his tunnel vision, she got up and stormed off to the dorm she was sleeping in to pout in her bunk. If he couldn't accept his own sister's ways how could he accept her, for she saw herself and Astrid as nearly one in the same.
Asbjorn hadn't expected Orfelina to stop him midsentence, before he could actually recollect himself and come to any form of conclusion. It was then she basically decided to slander him, and then leave in a pout before another word could escape his mouth. As she disappeared from view, Azzy realized he was back where he was only a few minutes ago: alone. Well, not entirely alone, for there was a frustrated voice in the back of his head. Odd, Nexus rarely got mad when he screwed things up the way he did, as he normally just laughed at him and called him names while laying down truthful facts. However, it was hard to tell people that the only reason he stuck to such a high morality was because he absolutely hated Nexus. How else was he supposed to keep... whatever he was at bay? But that didn't make him feel any better. Instead, Asbjorn sunk into his chair dejected, staring at the unfinished coffee.
An intern whose name was lost amongst many was carrying a few last minute reports of the outside situation when she heard an awful banging noise, as if metal was being stretched. Rushing as fast as she could, she turned the corner to see the cafeteria: only instead of pristine white with orderly tables, contained a splatter of black on the wall and a disfigured chair, bent severly out of shape, laying on the table. Nobody else was within the room, and nothing else was displaced.
Loki wasn't ready for the next few events. While he graciously took the explanation to the whole scenario - they had even thought of the robot bug, how convenient - he hadn't really been ready for the kiss on the forehead, or the fact that she stated he could go home. While his face was still a little pink from the contact, it seemed the god's themselves ordained this exchange, for Thor and Odin decided to make an entrance almost fluidly. While Astrid did a little bow, Loki straightened himself and only nodded his head in a small bow, his anger beginning to flare just slightly; after all, they had banished him here to this rock.
Odin's gaze, however, was odd: it wasn't like the way he looked at him on every other occasion back home. Instead, it seemed softer, less judgemental and more sincere. Loki was taken aback by this, but kept it to himself; had the old man tried to change his attitude towards him while he was gone? For that would have been an achievement greater than Loki's. However, that did not stop Loki from visibly wincing at some of the terms used on him by Astrid: especially the annoying bit. Harsh, if he did say so himself. Loki's attitude changed as the report went on though. The fact that Astrid shared seemingly every minute detail about his exile - even the one about the shelter - made him just a little self - conscious. Her trust in him, though, was what astonished him the most: even though the length of time they had been together was long, how could she state that she wholeheartedly trusted him? Even he didn't trust himself, and he was in control.
Nevertheless, Loki winced a little when Astrid put him in the hotspot, as Midgardians put, of his father. At first, Loki wasn't sure how to answer: the way he always did? Loki ruled that out, for it didn't seem to fit how he felt at the moment. So he decided to wing it. "If I may be honest with you, father, I do not believe this is a loaded question - after all, why would I bother to answer that I trusted nobody, or cared for anyone if a simple lie could get me exactly what I needed to return?" Loki raised an eyebrow with a smirk, happy to see Thor a little unnerved and nervous at the answer. However, Loki's smirk fell slightly as he continued.
"Nevertheless, I shall answer you to the best of my mundane abilities." A pause, and then he continued. "My trust is not something that entirely exists, yet I have felt that it has strengthened over these years. Miss Fury has saved my life countless times, and I have felt that my ability to trust would go to her." Another pause, obviously to ponder. "I'm hestiant to answer, for while I would like to state that my loyalty is to myself alone, I would be lying if I didn't say that I would do many things for Miss Fury - I've even listened to her brother, a man I do wish I could have interacted a little more with." There was a drop of mischieviousness within his tone, but he continued nonetheless. "Finally, my heart may not know to whom it may love, but I can state that it can love others..." Loki wished he could have stopped there. "To an extent, of course."
Loki gave a sigh of relief, happy to have that over with. "Do those answers satisfy your curiousity, Father?"
×××××××
After deemed worthy, Loki was permitted to return home. He asked for a few days to tie up some loose ends and returned home with Astrid, Nick and Ásbjorn right over their shoulders the entire time. The children at the hospital were devastated that he was leaving, as was everyone else whose hearts he touched. Odin had given him his powers back and a parade was thrown in honor. Obviously not everyone approved and there were hecklers but it was a good event nonetheless, hosted by Xavier's. Loki put on a fabulous show of magic for everyone and the crowd loved it. He was returned to the Triskelion in Washington D.C. for the return trip home. Thor had chosen to stay for the time being, much to his father's dismay.
Astrid watched as Odin talked with his son before walking away, offering him a light wave and a smile when he looked in her direction. She had recovered smoothly and was feeling much better. She surprised everyone when she showed up with a bright smile and pink hair with a pink ensemble. She'd even put on some lip gloss and eyeliner. Astrid was like an entirely new person, a vision of joy. Orfelina smirked knowingly from her own corner before striding up to Loki when Odin left to speak with Director Fury. “Congrats. Looks like you'll be getting everything that you want pretty soon, huh? If only there were some way you could repay Astrid for everything she's done for you. But what could you do for the poor, motherless girl?” The cryptic seer winked before walking away, seeking out Ásbjorn.
Loki revelled in the attention that was given to him for what he wouldn't necessarily call achievements, but needed goals to further himself. Granted, he did feel something peculiar when all the children found out he was leaving and started to tear up. Perhaps he would miss them as well? He didn't know yet: he hadn't left, obviously. The recovery of his powers, however, made him nearly forget everything that he had learned. The abilities he had lost, the schemes that he could have; all things that were possible before his exile. Yet he refrained from doing anything significant, besides putting on a little magic show for the crowds after the parade. Honestly, Loki was befuddled by his father's sudden excitement in his progress. Before, Loki had always gotten the short end of the stick: the irony was thick when he realized that all he had to do to receive his father's praise was to refrain from taking over a world.
So here he was in the present, his father chatting to him about all of the things that he had missed back on Asgard: the peace keeping, the fighting, the tenseful suspence of their eyes watching his movements. Loki was slightly intrigued by all of the events, but only a few stuck out to him as actually important: mostly that many of the Asgardians actually cared about his recovery after all that he had done. Odd. However, Odin excused himself to speak to the director, which left Loki seemingly alone once again, until a petite, familiar voice inferred of a dastardly plan that he simply could not pass up. The smile that had always been on his face previously began to reform as Orfelina winked and walked away, with the only parting words being 'I like the way you think, Miss Howlett. I do indeed."
Loki worked quickly, maneuvering towards his father to ask of a favour. Upon arrival, his instantly excused himself into the conversation, only to give his father a simple statement: "When you are done chatting father, I do have a favour that I wish to ask of you." Odin looked at him with an odd look, but nodded encouragingly as he continued the conversation with Nick. Loki waited a few paces away until his father came over, to which Loki quickly jumped in. "I was thinking that I would like to reward Astrid with a little more than a simple thank you: after all, I do believe I wasn't the easiest creature she has dealt with." Odin gave a snort of agreement as Loki continued. "I couldn't think of anything that I could give to her that would carry any meaning, enough meaning to prove that I truly am in her debt. So I was thinking of inviting her and her brother to Asgard." Loki gave a winning smile, and instantly Odin knew what was going on, and was about to deny him when he paused. Odin knew that it had been many years, and that he as well truly did owe Astrid much more than his gratitude.
He didn't like it, but he agreed, and Loki couldn't have been happier. Things were being put in motion, and he was liking where they were going.
Azzy, on the other hand, was starting to get a little more distant than normal. Ever since the events at SHIELD, Azzy didn't know where he stood on the fence. Was he with his sister on her decisions? He had always been by her side through thick and thin. Yet could he accept her actions? Perhaps - but it did go against his own moral code, the code he instilled within himself to keep sane through his years of studying and dealing with Astrid's downfalls. But at the same time, how could he not understand and appreciate what she was doing for everyone? Loki was a prime example, and even still Azzy didn't entirely trust the man. Was that just the way things were going to have to be? Astrid does something, and he would critique it from afar and judge it? That sounded like some devilish nightmare. Nevertheless, his withdrawn attitude resembled more of how he used to act as a child, which was different enough; hard to express your opinion though, when your mind is jumbled instead of his 'always clear, always focused, always optimisitc' state.
Orfelina turned to look at Astrid, smiling at her friend as she observed herself in the mirror. Odin had approached the Fury family and invited them to Asgard as a thank you. They had arrived to find the entire kingdom celebrating Loki's rehabilitation and return. People crowded the streets as they rode by on horses, flowers strewn across the well cobbled ground as they were thrown. Astrid couldn't stop blushing and smiling, waving at everyone. But it seemed as though many of them were pointing and whispering towards she and her brother. She couldn't exactly make out the whispers over everything else but it certainly piqued her curiosity and caused her to look at her brother. Still, she couldn't focus on that for too long. The sights were far too beautiful. Her hopes were high that their mother was here. Everything was in perfect detail as she described in the stories she told them as children and nothing like what the old books about Asgard described. She shivered with excitement.
The outfit she wore was sent to her room as a gift from Loki with a note attached. "I thought this might go well with your luminescent personality" How sweet. It really did go well with her shine. She hadn't stopped glowing since they had exited the bifrost either, nor had her smile faded in the slightest. She admired the rainbow fabric that hugged her curves, grinning widely before exiting the room with Orfelina. Odin was hosting a royal feast to celebrate. There were many people there but she and Orfelina were guided towards the head of the head table, taking seats near Odin, Thor, Loki, the Warriors Three, Lady Sif, Frigga, Nick, and the Avengers. Her father flashed them a smile as Lina sat by Ásbjorn. Astrid placed herself between her brother and Loki, blushing bashfully as people pointed and whispered. Was it her tattoos? The scars? Her outfit? Perhaps the way her glow reflected off of the shimmering fabric lined and studded with various small gems.
Orfelina's violet eyes gleamed as she adjusted her dark curls and placed a hand on Ásbjorn's shoulder, leaning over to whisper. “Get ready for the surprise of your life.” She gave a cryptic smile before smoothing out her dress. She liked it here. The technology was far superior to anything in Midgard but at the same time the entire world of Asgard had a gorgeous and breathtaking fantasy medieval setting that she adored. It was like she was in a dream. She was honestly thinking of asking Odin if she could stay a while and study the land and technology. She shuffled her cards nervously now as everyone came to a hush. Her eyes fell to the All Father as he stood.
“Three years ago, my family suffered. Mistakes were made by my sons... And myself. Thor, my eldest. He was brash, arrogant, and childish. I banished him to the world known as Midgard until he learned to be wiser, more humble. More fit to be King. Loki didn't think his brother could change. He believed himself to be better equipped to rule. The two of them caused much trouble and much heartache to both our worlds. Two years ago I sent Loki to Midgard. It seems this world has a way with bringing out the best in people despite its many many flaws. I left him in the care of the one known as Astrid... He has returned home this day a hero. A man worthy of the crown. I know not which of my sons will take my place when the time comes but I know that with either one, Asgard will be in good hands. Loki, my boy....my son. I am proud of you. I know not whether you no longer see or accept me as your father. And that is fine. I understand that I should have told you of your true lineage long ago. But you will always be my son to be. Our son.”
The King placed a hand on his wife's shoulder as they smiled at their son amidst the claps and cheers of others. Once again, everyone settled into silence as Frigga stood. “We cannot thank Astrid enough for what she has done. Not many would have tried and even fewer would have had success. We give thanks also to her brother, Ásbjorn, and their friend, Orfelina. We welcome home the lost children of Freya! You may both stay as long as your hearts desire. As may your friend. Your mother is away in battle with your elder sisters but they will all return soon.”
Silence of shock fell as everyone looked at the twins. Astrid was on the brink of tears, a hand covering her mouth as she found herself unable to react any other way. Her blonde curls bobbed as her body quaked with sheer joy. They were home. Cheers welcoming them erupted around them as she turned to cry against Loki's shoulder before she looked at him with a teary smile. “You knew... That's why you brought us here.” It wasn't a question, but a statement. She threw her arms around him, hugging him tightly as she cried more. Nick was just as shocked, sitting in silence. Alex was there too, holding her husband's hand. Anyone could tell that she was uncomfortable. How could she not be? She was about to lose the two children she raised to the birth mother that abandoned them, essentially leaving them with the message that they weren't strong enough. She was livid. But it didn't show. Much.
Orfelina again placed a hand on her dear Azzy's shoulder, kissing his cheek. “You alright,” she asked in a whisper.
Asbjorn had been confused almost the entire trip; the offer made little to no sense to him, really. Why bother dragging him to Asgard? All he had done was state that Loki wasn't worth the trouble, and admittedly just try to be a pain in the ass about him. It also didn't help that it had taken Thor quite a long time to convince Asbjorn that the place even existed. His logical mind hadn't been ready when he was a kid to fathom another world - let alone many others - and it was still boggling to his simpleton upbringing that such a place could existed. So most of the trip, Asbjorn had little time to look at people who were whispering about him while he continued to soak in and fathom the world around him. Plus he was on a horse, which was a weird feeling for him. He had never ridden a horse before, and after said experience, he was planning on sticking to walking. However, he did catch his sister glance at him with confusion, probably about those whispering people, to which he promptly shrugged his shoulders. He was finally beginning to rationalize her decisions, which had taken longer than he had expected.
Nevertheless, the ride ended in a palace that one could only assume to being the great palace of the gods themselves. He had been sent to a room and changed into an interesting garb: needless to say, it was Asgardian in style yet Midgardian in class. It was oddly flowing, yet matched his body type perfectly in an eerie way. He didn't know where they got his measurements from, but it weirded him out a little with how much these Asgardians seemed to know. Before he left the room, however, Azzy checked his hands. For some reason, this placed made his shadows absolutely crazy: they were pooling where he stepped, dripping from his hands and then vanishing. Was it the magical sense of the place that amplified his powers, or was he starting to lose the ability to control them? Asbjorn didn't know, like always when it came to his powers, especially since creating his own shadows usually required immense amount of work.
Once he came down, he was whisked away to near the head of the head table, with Astrid and Orfelina on his sides. Orfy was being cryptic again, saying something about how he was in for a shock, and then Odin began to speak. He spoke of the past, how Thor was banished to Earth and Loki short afterwards. And of his pride for his 'son', and how the crown was finally up for grabs. While Asbjorn appreciated the equality, he knew who the crown would go to: Thor. If it went to Loki, he wasn't sure if the man would take the power trip very well.
It was then that Odin looked at Asbjorn and Astrid, and spoke words that they were welcome, for they were the lost twins of Freya. The world stared at him, yet Asbjorn did not register his words at all. He stared blankly forward as they sunk in, as he faintly heard his sister gasp, and the world erupted into cheers as if they had been waiting eons for it to be said. All Azzy could do as the world exploded into happiness was turn his head slightly to his father, who too looked stunned, and his mother who was easily the most tense person there suddenly. A peck on his cheek brought him back to reality just enough for him to refocus, and to turn to see Orfelina looking at him and asking him a question. It was then that it dawned on him: they all knew but his family. How long had they known? How long had they lied? He didn't answer for a while before mumbling out two simple sentences that were a little disjointed. "I need air. Find me on the roof later." The cheers continued as he pushed away from the table, caressing the hand on his shoulder as he moved towards the exit, mumbling the second sentence. "I only have one mother. I don't have another, and I never will."
Asbjorn ignored any and all that attempted to stop him, turning ethreal to simply faze through most of them. When he finally exited the main hall, Azzy floated upwards on a cushion of shadows, leaving a slight shadowy resin where he last stood. He made his way to the highest peak, and sat on whatever he could before staring out, his thoughts incomprehensible. He didn't know how to feel, or anything really. The only indication that he knew he felt something was the fact that he was crying, and he didn't know how to stop it.
Loki was smiling and waving as the crowds signified his return with joyous response. To be honest, as he rarely was, he loved everything about this date. The crowd actually signifying him as one of their own, rather than some useless cast off that Odin took pity on. Now, they looked at him like he was a person: no, they looked at him like he was a god, and that was exactly what he wanted. It certainly didn't hurt that he was going to be giving the twins the shock of their life, and gauge their reactions accordingly. He knew that Astrid would be thrilled, but how would Asbjorn handle it? He couldn't wait to see how it would turn out.
To prove how giddy he was, Loki even got Astrid a new dress, leaving a simple note on it. While it was a little corny for his standards, it was quite clever at the same time; just not at the same caliber as he was used to. Nevertheless, seeing her in that dress made it all worth it. There was an odd attraction he found in Astrid, which he knew was forming as soon as he sent the dress. It left an odd after taste in his mouth, one that he couldn't really describe. It was like he was taking a guilty pleasure seeing her in such an extravagent dress. Shaking his head, Loki refocused on the speech Father was saying, one that made him sound like a glorious ruler when in reality all he had done was what he had asked to get out of exile, and a little more for Astrid. But it was when he dropped the bomb that the world titled to a place he more recognized: shock, and disbelief. As expected, Astrid was thrilled: unexpectedly, she flung herself at him in excitement. She was crying with joy and... well, Loki had no real clue what to do besides continue the embrace. But over her shoulder he watched as Asbjorn stood up and left, and a smile formed on his face. It was exactly what he wanted to see: shock, but not the way that Astrid looked. It was morbid, and even horrified. A glorious contradiction to his twin.