(1) Alis Propriis Volat (Loki)

Chapter Four

Astoria pushes Loki into a seat on the quinjet, Steve studying the sceptre in his hand as he takes a seat. But Tony's eyes are on the crest on Astoria's suit, recognition flickering across his eyes, he smirks and looks at her. Being a kid on Earth means he knows exactly what that logo on her uniform means.

"Oh ho, ho..." Tony teases. "We've got one of the Umbrella Academy among us..." Steve frowns a little and looks at Astoria. Loki raises an eyebrow, he's never heard of them but clearly, that information is important. "Fury really did pull in the big guns, huh?" Astoria turns a glare on him. "Blonde hair, glowing blue eyes....that makes you...Number Seven"

"Yeah" Astoria reluctantly agrees. "Yeah, it does"

"I used to have all your little action figures" Tony admits with a smirk. Astoria gives him a weird look because that's weird. What grown-ass man admits to having dolls?

"That's creepy, dude" She points out.

"Number Seven?" Steve asks as he looks between them. Astoria snorts. "I thought your name was Astoria"

"Dear old Dad couldn't be bothered to name us" She answers. "So he numbered us all instead" Steve lets out a disappointed breath and shakes his head. She knows that's not aimed at her. But it is the face most of the Academy wears when they think about Reginald as a dad. "The names came later on..." She adds and shrugs. She's dealt with a lot of the trauma....not. It all still bothers her.

"He didn't even name you?" Steve asks her.

"Cap" She stops him. "He wasn't in it for the children" She points out. "He was in it for the powers" She holds out her hand and lets her powers erupt, she curls her fingers into her palm before uncurling them again. "We were a mini-army" She pulls her powers back. "Didn't work out for him"

"Why not?" Tony asks her, she smirks at him.

"He forgot that children turn into teenagers..." She explains. "Rebellious, opinionated teenagers with powers...." She shrugs and takes a seat next to Steve, crossing one leg over the other.

"Are we ready?" Natasha asks as she starts the quinjet.

"Is he secure?" Steve asks as he nods across at Loki. Astoria rolls her fingers and blue energy manipulates the harness of the seat around Loki who gives her a dirty look as she does, she just smirks back at him as it fastens him into the seat.

"He is now" Astoria answers Steve who nods, impressed. It is impressive. Effortless nearly. "Let's blow this taco stand..." She tells Natasha who smirks a little and then lifts the jet off.

.............

Later; The quinjet is midway through the journey back to the Helicarrier and a storm rolls in around them. Natasha's eyes scan the sky as she talks to Fury over her headset.

"Said anything?" He asks her.

"Not a word" Natasha answers, glancing over her shoulder at Loki who sits silently in his seat, glaring at the restraints.

"Just get him here. We're low on time" With Loki tied up and cuffed to his seat, Tony and Steve watch from a distance, whispering to one another.

"I don't like it" Steve admits as he folds his arms over his chest, his eyes on Loki as Astoria reads from a book she had pulled out her little portal thing.

"What? Rock of Ages giving up so easily?" Tony asks.

"I don't remember it being ever that easy" Steve argues. Astoria lowers her book to look at him.

"Urm easy?" She asks. "Were we in the same fight?" Steve looks at her.

"You have to agree that it was easier than it should have been...." He points out, she pulls a face and nods. Because she had thought the same thing. "This guy packs a wallop"

"Still, you are pretty spry, for an older fellow. What's your thing? Pilates?" Tony asks, Astoria snorts a little.

"What?" Steve asks confused.

"It's like callisthenics. You might have missed a couple of things, you know, doing time as a Capsicle" Steve looks at Tony.

"Fury didn't tell me he was calling you in" Steve admits, a bite to his tone. Loki raises an eyebrow at the display and then glances at Astoria who is already watching him. Those eyes of hers still glowing blue.

"Yeah, there's a lot of things Fury doesn't tell you," Tony argues. Thunder and lightning nearly hit the jet, making it shake violently.

"Where's this coming from?" Natasha asks as she stares out at the storm. Astoria puts her book back into her portal and then focuses on what is going on around them. Thunder rumbles overhead. Loki stares out the window intently.

"What's the matter? Scared of a little lightning?" Tony asks him.

"I'm not overly fond of what follows" Loki comments. Which elicits a weird look from each of them. The ramp of the jet lowers and all heads turn to it.

"What the?" Tony starts as he picks up his helmet. A huge blonde wall of muscle and cape steps onto the jet. Thor. Astoria throws up her hand and erects a force field between him and Loki as she stands from her seat. Steve moving to her back, readying his shield.

"I can get Loki out of here," She tells Steve. "Hold off Viking Barbie?" Steve nods, he glances at her as she unbuckles Loki. Tony snaps his Iron Man mask into place and moves to join them.

"On three," Tony tells Astoria who grabs Loki and pulls him out of the seat, her armour rolling down her other arm before she swaps her hold on him. Loki raises an eyebrow watching her and then looks down at her arm. It's fascinating. It's magic. He can feel it. But he's never seen such precision in a human. "One" Thor bangs his fist against the force field and it quivers against the force. "Two" Steve adjusts his shield and Astoria pulls the force field down, Tony and Steve charge Thor and Astoria slips past Thor with Loki.

"What are you doing?" Loki asks her as she moves straight for the ramp. She just smirks back at him and then makes sure she has a good grip on his armour. She winks and then pushes him off the jet with her.