Strangers, Enemies, or Friends?
(Serenity's POV)
"Aw, it's okay, Siri! He didn't deserve you anyway," Corinne tried to comfort me. I'd just received a text from Steven, my now ex-boyfriend, saying he's found someone else. And this wasn't the first time, either. I couldn't believe I was stupid enough to fall for him again. "You'll find the perfect man soon. Someone that won't leave you for some other girl."
"I actually believed him! I thought he actually loved me! I'm just his go-to girl, so he'll never be alone," I replied, sobbing.
"Serenity, why don't we go get some hot chocolate and buy you a new phone?" she suggested. That made me glance at my phone, shattered in hundreds of pieces on the floor. Once I'd read the text, I threw my phone at the wall, leaving a dent in the wall.
Corinne guided me out of the bed and into the bathroom. She took a makeup wipe and rubbed it at my eyes. I just had to wear mascara today...
She made me look presentable and got my shoes and my coat. Then we headed out. Corinne drove to a coffee shop and ordered two hot chocolates, one with extra marshmallows. All there was left to do was wait...
--
(Loki's POV)
Ah, the joys of being king. The pleasure it brings. With Thor and Odin gone, temporarily, imagine the possibilities! If only Mo- Frigga was alive...
"Your Majesty, Heimdall requests your presence," said a guard as he entered the throne room.
"Very well," I replied simply. I rode down to the Bifrost and joined Heimdall. "What is it you bring me here for?"
"As you know, I am to report any treason occurring in Asgard. I have discovered someone committing treason."
"Who's?"
"Yours."
"What? Are you a fool?"
"Loki, you deceive me no longer. The king was acting strangely, so I watched him only to discover that our king is no longer who we thought it was. What has become of Odin?"
I was shocked, but then realized what a fool I was for not thinking about Heimdall's "power," call it as you may. "You spied on your king?"
"Loki, no more illusions."
I showed my true appearance, with the exception of the helmet. "Well, well, well. It took you how long now to discover who your king was? What are you going to do now?" I decided to play it cool.
"I'm going to find out what happened to the All-Father, where he is, and how you're alive."
"And you're doing a marvelous job with that-"
"Loki! What happened to Odin?" Heimdall yelled abruptly, cutting me mid-sentence. I created an illusion, making it seem I was still with him. I headed off to get a flying ship. And I made it pretty far, too, before Heimdall discovered my whereabouts. I was just entering the passage to the dark world when I saw flying ships heading my way. I glided through the passage and ensured myself a safe path towards the portal to take me to Midgard. The same one Thor and that mortal used.The portal brought me to Midgard in a city they call New York. Great. My home, sweet home...
I hid in an alley and removed some garments so I wouldn't be easily recognized. Throwing my extra clothes over my shoulder, I wandered into the busy streets. I decided to go into one of these mere Midgardian shops, trying to blend in. As I walked in, someone knocked over their full cup. I looked back to watch, but bumped into someone in the process. I turned around to see a tear-stained faced girl looking up at me.
(Serenity's POV)
I looked up at this stranger, yet there was something familiar about him. "Sorry," I said, quickly.
"No, my apologies, my lady," he replied in a sincere tone.
"Um, would you like me to get you a cocoa?" I asked, not knowing what else to say. I had to figure out why he looked so familiar.
"No, it's fine, really."
"No, it's okay. Hey, um, do I know you from somewhere?"
He hesitated before answering, "I don't believe so."
"Why don't you join us? It's no bother, really."
"Um, I really shouldn't. I should probably go."
"Please," I begged. "Just sit with us." I ordered him a cocoa and sat down with Corinne and the guy. We sat in awkward silence until Corinne broke the ice.
"So, hey, you look familiar," she said.
"Yes! I thought so too!" I said, surprised I wasn't just imagining things.
"Do I know you from somewhere?" Corinne questioned the stranger.
"I don't believe so." He answered in a smooth, British accent. I thought about where I could have seen him before. I looked back up at him and it hit me like a sledge hammer. Loki. Loki, Thor's brother. Loki, the cause of the Battle of New York. I didn't have the heart to blow his cover. Corinne would freak out and Loki would be screwed. But what could I do?
"What's your name?" Corinne asked.
"Uh," Loki stumbled. I had to say something. I had to do something. I did the first thing that came to mind. I puked. All over the table. Loki and Corinne stood up, sending me shocking looks, though Loki's look seemed more relieved than shocked.
"Siri, are you alright? Was it the cocoa? Did they poison it? Let's get you home. Sorry, uh, sir," Corinne glanced at Loki as she spoke.
"It's alright. Um, thank you for the cocoa, my lady," he answered with a slight bow. What was he going to do? I couldn't let him get caught! I needed to get Corinne to go away for a bit, so I could find out what to do with Loki.
"Um, Corinne, could you get me some water?" I asked. It worked.
"Sure thing." She walked away and I looked back at Loki.
"What are you doing here?" I questioned in a hushed tone.
"Wha-"
"I know it's you, Loki. What should I do?"
"How should I know? It isn't my fault I'm on this dull, pathetic Midgardian realm!" Before I could answer, Corinne was back with some water.
"Thanks. I'll be right back; I'm going to the bathroom," I said, giving Loki a look.
(Loki's POV)
The girl left, leaving me with the other one. What was I supposed to do? My identity was at risk. "So, what are you doing back on this realm?" she asked. Great. This one knew who I was, too. Would she give my identity away? "What are your schemes this time? Here to destroy Manhattan again? You know, they're still rebuilding everything there. You really caused a lot of damage. Don't worry, I won't blow your cover, but you better be careful so Siri doesn't find out."
"Um, she already knows. She thought you would freak out about it."
"Oh, well... Yeah, okay then," Corinne answered awkwardly. "We won't give you away, but what are you doing here? It's kind of stupid to show your face here after what happened."
"It wasn't my idea to ever come to this pathetic realm again."
"You call us pathetic? We defeated you."
"It took six special people to do that."
"You had an army!"
"You had a Hulk!" I yell/whispered back.
"Ha! You admitted your defeat against the mighty Avengers!" She was getting louder now.
"Shh!" I looked around and a few people gave us strange looks.
"Look, you have no where to go, but with us. Let me give you a make over and I'll give you a place to stay until whatever is going on is over." I looked over Corinne's shoulder and Siri was coming back.
"Okay, I'm better. Can we leave now?" Serenity asked.
"Sure. I found out who this guy was. He was that guy in the coffee shop across town we saw yesterday. You know, the one who looked hot?" Corinne covered me up. Serenity took the hint and played along.
"Oh yeah! I remember now! Hey, want to hang out a bit around town?" she looked questioningly at me.
"Uh, sure?" I responded. Serenity grabbed my wrist and pulled me out of the shop, Corinne right behind. She led me to a car, I think they call it, and pushed me inside. I really had no choice. They were offering me shelter. They hopped in as well and started the machine up. We backed out and drove off. "Where are we going?"
"We have to get Siri a new phone since she broke her's this morning," Corrine replied.
"What is a phone, might I ask?"
"It's a thing that you use to communicate with other people without seeing them face to face. It sends RF and microwave waves through the air and into space, where satellites pick up those signals. The satellites then send those waves to another cellular device, causing it to make a sound. The receiver of the call then knows that someone is trying to reach them. It's simple, really," Corinne said, in this matter-of-fact way.
"Oh, like when a pebble is dropped into steadied water creating ripples, which then spread out and cause seaweed, or any light object in the water to move?"
"Exactly."
"Stop being so smart!" Serenity yelled. I smiled, and Corinne laughed. Serenity looked at me and said, "Look! There it is! The famous evil smile of Loki Odinson!"
"Laufeyson, not Odinson," I said in a raged voice.
"Laufeyson? What?" Serenity asked.
"I'm not the son of that old fool. I was born a Jotun from the Jotunheim. My true father, Laufey, cast me out as an infant. The Jotuns were at battle with the Asgardians. After the war, which the Asgardians won, Odin found me. He took me to Asgard and raised me alongside Thor. He never told me of my true parentage and favored Thor. I went to battle against the Jotuns with Thor, Lady Sif, and the Warriors Three. When a Jotun grasped my arm, instead of freezing, my skin turned the blue of their skin. When we returned home, I went to the Casket of Ancient Winters and held it. It made my skin turn the same blue and my eyes ruby red. Odin found me there and told me the whole story."
"Wow, I had no idea," Serenity said, shocked. "It must be pretty tense with Odin, then. Mind me asking about your mother, or Thor's mother in this case?"
At the mention of Frigga, I froze. No one talked about her since her funeral, of which I couldn't even attend I might add. Serenity must have noticed this and said, "Sorry, is this a touchy subject to you?"
"Well, kind of. Her name was Frigga. She taught me how to create illusions and told me stories of mystical lands. She always thought of me as one of them and never once criticized me for who I was. She taught me the power of education, and that it is better to have strength in the mind, rather than strength in the hands. When I was in a cell in Asgard, she was killed by one of Malekith's men. I wasn't told of her death until after the ceremony. It tore me apart. I didn't keep myself together whatsoever until Thor came to me." When I looked up, I saw their eyes. Sernity's were glazed with water, while Corinne's were concentrated on the road. Finally, Serenity closed her eyes, and tears came racing down her cheeks. "Sorry, I didn't mean to-"
"You loved you- Frigga a lot, didn't you?"
"Yes." Crap. I could feel the tears starting up. Don't cry. Don't cry. Don't cry. Not in front of these ladies. Hold it back. Hold it back. Crap. Here they come.
(Serenity's POV)
Loki was taking deep breaths, biting back the tears. His plan failed. The tears came rolling out. He closed his eyes and, in a way, face-palmed. I shouldn't have brought up Frigga. "Need a Kleenex?" I asked. That was lame. I felt the need to say something and I ask if he needs a Kleenex? He probably doesn't even know what that is!
"Might I ask what a Kleenex is, my lady?" Aw, he was so well-mannered. I couldn't believe the man before me, well behind me, was the man who launched the attack on New York.
"It's like a handkercheif."
"Oh, yes please." I handed one back to him, and he took it graciously. Poor Loki. He was probably so embarrassed to be crying and weak in front of mere Midgardians.
"We are close to Best Buy, so, yeah." I didn't want to sound like 'I need a phone so you need to be presentable. I don't care about your "mother" whatsoever. Come on I need a phone!'
"Is this the place to get a communicating device?" He asked in such a confused voice, it was kind of cute.
"Yeah." I didn't know how else to respond.
"Leggo!" Corinne yelled.
"Lego?" I asked.
"Yeah. Let's go? Leggo? It's a thing."
"Whateves." I got out of the car and opened the door for Loki. He got out, and I took his hand. He looked down at our clasped hands, confused. "I'm not taking any chances of losing you. It's not every day that a Norse god comes to Midgard to go shopping for a phone with you, you know." He rolled his eyes, the tears gone. I laughed. I, Serenity Ames, get to boss the god of mischief around. It was a good day! Well, as of after breaking up with my ex and puking in a public coffee shop, not to mention all over my cocoa with the extra marshmallows... Wow, today is a special day. I led Loki into Best Buy, Corinne right ahead of me.
"Do you want another iPhone?" she asked, falling into step with me and Loki.
"Sure." Corinne led me to the iPhones.
"So, I'm taking it you want the 5th generation?"
"Duh, of course!" I said excitedly. I looked over at Loki. He was so confused. It was kind of funny. And cute. Corinne worked on getting the phone all ready since I would have no idea what I was doing, so I decided to show Loki around. Maybe I could get him to try using an iPad or something. That would be entertaining. A god playing Flappy Bird on an iPad? Awesome!
We looked around for a while, and he seemed specifically bewildered by the XBOX Kinect they had set up. He kept moving his hands around, amazed that it followed his actions. He loved playing the Disneyland game, especially the one with the carts. I decided to buy the game, seeing how much he enjoyed it. I never thought a Disneyland game would entertain the god of mischief so much. After looking around more, getting Loki to play Flappy Bird, we headed back to Corinne. She was just finishing the purchase. All there was left to do was go home.
A/N: Yay! First chapter finally done! So, do you like it so far? I know you don't know the characters very well yet, but besides that. I'm so excited to write some parts, but I have to find ways to get to those points, which might be months away! Btw, this is happening about mid-November, just so you know. Thanks for reading this, too!