The Multiversal Road-Trip: Book Five

36

Wanda arrived from seemingly nowhere, (it seemed she'd found a way to travel instantaneously too) just as Scott came back out from his house after getting changed, and Loki and Wanda morphed into regular clothing. Stephen showed off by using a spell he'd learned that also allowed him to change his clothing to a regular outfit. The cloak was rather offended, but didn't fly away, just stuck by Wanda, floating alongside as though it were her bodyguard. Now the old grudge was gone, it looked like those two could be good friends.

Yes, the cloak was a friend. To say it wasn't his friend after all these years would make him a very bad cloak-handler.

The four of them didn't chat much along the half hour walk, and as they reached the top of the cliff, a group of people appeared, indistinct shadows under the moonlight, until Scott called, "Guess who's back?"

One of the smaller figures turned around and started running towards him. "Dad!" Cassie shouted, running straight into the hug without slowing down. When she let go, she smiled up at Stephen and Loki. "Hey Mr Stephen and Mr Loki." They waved in reply, and then her gaze turned to Wanda. "Um, hi..."

"Wanda," she replied, smiling softly. "I'm assuming you're Cassie? I've heard a lot about you."

"Dad, why are you constantly talking about me?" she complained, pouting at her dad. But she brightened up straight afterwards. "It's great to meet you, Miss Wanda!"

As she ran back to her family, Wanda turned to Scott, her grin so wide it nearly went to her ears. "She's so cute," she squeaked, and it was the most cheerful Stephen had ever heard her.

"I know she is," Scott squeaked back, then grabbed her by the wrist (nicely) and led her over to the others. "Come on, I'll introduce you to everyone. And don't worry, I'll make sure Hank and Hope don't bother you."

Stephen hung around with Scott and his family for a minute, but they were a little lively for how tired he was at the minute, so he sat down on the bench which Loki had retired to almost as soon as they'd arrived, some way along from where Scott's family were stood. He sat there in silence for a while, watching the waves below.

Wanda was really happy now, and she and Cassie were getting on like a house on fire, even though the rest of the family were a little wary of her. Scott was loving life. All that sleep while travelling certainly seemed to have kept his batteries charged. The cloak considered itself the life and soul of the party, obviously. But he just wanted to sit back and wait for the fireworks to start.

As did Loki, apparently, because he was just sitting next to him on the bench, and he didn't even appear to have acknowledged him. That was a sign he was deep in thought – oh yes, Stephen was getting good at figuring this un-figure-out-able god out.

"Do you celebrate New Year on Asgard?" Stephen asked, to start a conversation, notably jerking Loki from his thoughts.

"We celebrate new centuries," he replied, twisting his thumbs together awkwardly. "If we did every year, it would get somewhat boring."

"True, I suppose," Stephen nodded, looking back at the waves below. "I bet your fireworks were much more impressive than ours though."

"Strange," Loki said, as though deciding it would just be better to go ahead and say it.

"That's my name."

"You wanted to know what else it was I was worried about earlier," Loki said, and to be completely truthful, Stephen had entirely forgotten about that.

But he didn't want to spoil these 72 hours they had of rare freedom. "It can wait."

So Loki had not been expecting that. "Wait, really? You're sure?"