Heart Of Stone

Chapter 5

After Natasha is confident I am capable enough to make a sandwich on my own she goes off to 'train', by which she must've meant informing the others on what I've told her because that's what she's doing. Did she really forget that I could read minds or did she just not care that much whether I knew?

They're surprised at the fact that I called out 'the Black Widow', as they're putting it, but apart from that their thoughts are pretty boring so I just focus on my sandwich, bored. Am I missing any fun? Loki's voice enters my head. They are arguing over whether I am smarter than Black Widow because I called her out while I am sat in the next room where I supposedly can't hear them, I reply.

They're not the brightest lot, are they?

I've met worse... though I've also met better.

The trick is to make one of them angry.

I know what you are up to and I am not going to rouse a beast.

I had my thoughts blocked.

No you did not, but it did not take much to work out your true intentions.

Hm... I hate not having my full power with me.

I would, too. You deserved this, though. You have to admit it.

I suppose so. At least it's better than torture.

What do you know about those people?

Not much. Not much at all. All I know is that I awoke in that horrid little room when I should have been in an Asgardian cell.

What is 'Asgard', anyway?

His thoughts changed to a bridge shining every colour under the sun, an enormous palace, a shining cube that was clearly more than it appeared... it was all beautiful. That is Asgard, he finished. It is where I was raised alongside Thor. We were princes up there, you know. Though Thor was the true son of the king while I was merely adopted, so he took all the glory.

So I assume you attempted to take Earth to prove that you were just as fit to be a ruler as Thor was no matter who's blood is in your veins? I guessed.

He didn't reply for a short while. You are very perceptive, he said at last. I have seen many minds jumbled and filled with all sorts of nonsense, I reply. You need a keen mind yourself to find the clarity within the chaos.

How poetic, he remarked. Would you rather have to entertainment whatsoever? I question. Fair enough, he admits. Might as well make you useful.

What a sweet thing to say, I retort, rolling my eyes despite the knowledge that he can't see. Please tell me you're not as sarcastic as Stark, Loki begs. I can't stand him.

Is it even possible to be as bad as Stark? I question. A question I find myself asking more and more often, he agrees. So what are you going to be doing now?

Why do you care? I can't help but find myself asking. Because I would rather know if my only source of somewhat entertainment shall be obtainable or not within the foreseeable future, Loki claims. Fair enough.

I don't plan on staying, I admit. These people... even if they mean well, they'll only bring me pain. Pain I can't afford to bare. The smartest thing is to leave before anyone gets too attached.

Like they would, Loki comments. Well what about you? I tease him back, though I'm confident that he's not merely trying to tease me. You seem pretty keen to have me stick around.

Only because otherwise I shall be driven to madness, he states. Though I might see about some rest for now.

Have a nice sleep then, I guess, I say before tearing my mind away from his. Just then the door opens and a certain man with a shield comes in. "Have you had enough to eat, Lexis?" Steve asks, keeping a comforting distance away from me so that I don't worry we'll come into contact. "More than enough, thank you," I reply politely, though to be honest I could go for some more food. I've barely eaten ever since I got caught up in that bunker where Loki was being held, though if I said anything they'd have another excuse to keep me here longer than I have to be.

"Good," he smiles. I smile back slightly. It's strange to be interacting with people. I've never really done it before. I've spent my whole life in that place in the forest while making sure nobody reaches me, too scared that they'll touch me if I do.

"So the whole team have been considering things and wanted to ask if you'd like to join us," he offered casually. My posture stiffened slightly. "What?"

"The Avengers said they found Loki and some girl with powers in a bunker, so I came to see what all the fuss was about," a voice said. My head snaps to the door, where a bald man wearing all black and an eye patch was walking over to me. I instantly enter his mind. He's already calculating his first impressions of me.

"I'm Nick Fury, director of SHIELD," he says. "These guys seem to have taken a liking to you. Think that you could be a valuable asset to the team."

"If they think I can be a helpful addition to their group, they are mistaken," I reply, choosing my words carefully. "I would not be of any use to anyone and in any case I find it safer for me to work alone."

"Anyone who can convince Stark to obey them without some form of mind control is a very powerful person," Fury objected. "This is something I hear you did about a certain God of Mischief?"

"That is correct," I confirm. "Why did you fight to free Loki, a criminal who tried to take over earth?" Fury questioned. "He wanted to right his wrongs, my powers confirmed this to not be some trick," I explain briefly. "And your powers are?" He asked.

The only two I plan to reveal for the foreseeable future are telepathy and the ability to read minds, I tell him telepathically, smirking as a look of mild shock passed across his face.