"AAHHHH!" Thor screamed in the very quiet room.
Awkward Silence.
I held in my laugh as I stared at the long haired blond trapped on the metal chair.
"He's wonderful— it is a he?" The grandmaster asked Scrapper.
She nodded. "It is a he."
"Yep. I love it when you come to visit, don't I always tell you that? You just bring me the best stuff." The Grandmaster pointed to Topaz beside him.
"Whenever we get to talking, Topaz, about Scrapper142. What do I always say? She is the... and it starts with a 'B'—."
"Trash."
Topaz stared at Scrap with the most straight forward and stoic look. She really doesn't like Scrap.
The Grandmaster turned slowly to look at his right hand with a look of disbelief.
"No, not trash. Were you just waiting to call her that? That doesn't start with a 'B'." Grandmaster stared up at Topaz.
"Booze Hag." Topaz tried again, not breaking eye contact with Scrap.
I squinted my eyes at the woman, clearly not liking how she's trash naming my new friend.
Her paint lines just don't hit the same as Scrapper's.
"I-I-I'm so sorry. No, 'best'. I was thinking about 'best' 'cause I always say you're the best." He quickly apologized to Scrap.
Scrap just smirked over to me making me smirk back.
She knows she's in good quarters with the Grandmaster and Topaz can't do shit.
"She brought me my beloved Champion, you know."
"You say that every time she's here." Topaz aid annoyedly.
I looked over to Thor who just watched us with confusion.
His eyes found me. What's going on?!
I lifted my finger signalling him to wait a minute.
"What have you brought today? Tell me." He looked up at Scrapper excitedly.
"A contender." She replied.
"A what?" Thor called out to us.
"I need to go closer. I want to get a closer look at this. Can you take us closer?" Topaz went behind the Grandmasters chair and pushed him toward Thor. "Thank you."
I walked along side Scrapper towards Thor.
The Grandmaster stared at Thor.
Am I really just gonna stand here while Scrapper really sells Thor to some crazy lunitic...?
Oh my— what if Thor has to fight Hulk!? Oh shit!
I wanna see this! I want it! I need to see who the strongest Avenger is!
Clearly it's me, but I want to know who would win in a fight!
"Pay this lady." Grandmaster snapped his fingers and pointed to Scrapper.
"Just wait a damn minute!" Thor exclaimed as he struggled against the metal restraints on his chair.
He stared at me for help. I just smiled innocently.
I watched Scrapper pull out her electric shock control remote.
"I'm not for sale!" Thor broke free, only to be electrocuted by something in his neck.
I winced at the sight of his nerves spazzing and veins popping out slightly.
Maybe I should help?
I mean I probably should.
"Man, he's a real fighter." The Grandmaster smiled cheerfully.
"I take 10 million." My eyes widened at the amount.
"Tell her she's dreaming." Topaz glared at Scrap who stared right back.
"Oh for heavens sake. Transfer the units." He ordered Topaz.
I was impressed to be honest.
Topaz lifted her wrist and transferred the 10 million units to Scrap.
Scrap smiled back at me before walking away. She lightly tapped the Grandmaster's face making him rub his cheek with a adoring smile.
"You'll pay for this." I heard Thor say to Scrap as she walked by him.
"No I got paid for this." She retorted.
I love that woman. She is amazing.
"Where's what I want to know." The Grandmaster stood up and walked towards Thor.
I joined his side and stood in front of Thor.
He struggled as he looked up at me.
"Who are you?"
I sighed and looked at the Grandmaster.
"I am the God of Thunder!" Thor yelled out as he lifted his hands up only to have sparks of lightning show up in his hands.
"Wow... wow. I didn't hear any thunder, but out of your fingers was that like sparkles?"
I hid my smile with my fist.
"We've located your cousin." Topaz said to the Grandmaster as she walked behind him.
"Oh! Great! Hope, sweetie." I looked over to the Grandmaster with a kind smile. "Be a dear and wait in the lounge for us. I promise you will get to meet our newest contender."
"Sure thing, Grandmaster." I nodded and glanced at Thor as the Grandmaster turned around.
"I'll see you in a few minutes, okay?" I placed my hand on his arm. "I promise we'll get to Asgard."
"What is this place?" He grumbled as he started to be pulled along.
I just watched him follow the Grandmaster and Topaz.
~
I walked into the lounge area and found Loki sitting with a bunch of people, laughing and talking away.
I looked around to see all the people who were just here to have a good time and socialize.
Ew... socializing...
I noticed a woman sitting a little too close to him, her hand on his arm while she laughed at his jokes.
I read her mind. And not liking what I saw, I quickly made my way over.
"Hey Loki." I greeted him with a smile and looped my arm with his other one. I placed a kiss on his cheek.
"Hello Love." He greeted back. Everyone around us awed except for the woman beside Loki who pulled away.
Loki, you idiot! For being the God of Mischief, I thought you would be able to pick up when someone's trying to be flirty!
Loki went back to his story... wait a damn minute.
"There was a wormhole in space and time beneath me. At that moment, I let go." Loki chuckled.
Everyone around us listening laughed.
He's literally talking about his story with Thor. When he fell into the wormhole in space when Thor broke the BiFrost.
He has nothing else to talk about?
I noticed Thor and the Grandmaster walking in.
I nudged Loki's arm making him politely pull away from his story time and look at me.
"Yes Darling?" He asked with a toothy smile.
My mind completely forgetting the flirty woman who is giving me a glare.
His smile is nice.
"Thor." I whispered as I nodded my head in his direction.
"Loki! Hope!" Thor called out to us making us both look up at him.
Loki grabbed my hand and excused us from the chatty group.
"Loki! Hope! Over here!"
"Sh! Shhhhh!" Loki exclaimed to him as he looked around us.
I notice the Grandmaster playing music, but his eyes on us.
"You're alive?" Loki stared at Thor in disbelief. I gaped at Loki.
"Loki! You were the one who literally told me he would be!" I whispered as I hit his arm. He just flashed a quick innocent smile then went back to staring at Thor.
"Of course I'm alive!" Thor whispered loudly.
"What are you doing!?" Loki whispered as he gestured to the chair he was in.
"What do you mean what am I doing?! I'm stuck in this stupid chair! Where's your guys's chair!" He whispered back looking between both of us with the utmost confusion.
"We didn't get a chair." I told him softly.
"Well, get me out of this one." He whispered as he struggled a bit.
"We can't." Loki shook his head.
"You can't?" Thor furrowed his eyes in confusion and desperation.
"I've made friends with this man, he's called the Grandmaster." Loki continued to whisper as if said 'friend' was right beside us.
"He's crazy." Thor mumbled back.
"I've gained his favour. The BiFrost brought me here weeks ago, and Hope just a week ago."
"Weeks ago!?"
"Yes."
"I just got here."
"What are we whispering about?" The Grandmaster stood beside us as he whispered.
"Ahh!" Thor let out a yell in surprise.
Loki backed up from Thor.
"Time works differently around these parts. On any other world, I would be millions of years old. But here on Sakaar..." The Grandmaster sent Loki and I a tight smile with a wink.
Loki looked at me and Thor.
I looked at Loki then to the Grandmaster.
Thor looked at Loki, then me, then to the Grandmaster.
"In any case, you know this, uh, you call yourself Lord of Thunder—."
"God of Thunder." Thor corrected him. He looked up to Loki. "Tell him."
"I've never met this man in my life." Loki pointed to Thor while smiling at the Grandmaster."
"He's my brother!" Thor yelled.
"Adopted." Loki added.
I rubbed my head as I listened to these adult children talk.
"Is he any kind of fighter?" The Grandmaster asked as he looked at Loki and I.
"Take this thing out of my neck and I'll show you." Thor chuckled smugly and annoyedly as he smiled at the ruler of this planet.
"Oh listen to that, he's threatening me." Grandmaster fixed his collar and smirked at Thor. "Hey Sparkles."
Thor growled as he struggled again.
"Here's the deal. If you want to get back to Ass-place, Assberg." The Grandmaster mocked.
"Asgard!" Thor corrected him again loudly.
"Any contender who defeats my champion, their freedom they shall win." He spoke dramatically.
"Fine. Then point me in the direction of whoever's ass I have to kick!" Thor grumbled as he struggled again.
"That's what I call, contender." The Grandmaster grinned as he wiggled his fingers towards Thor.
I frowned as I watched him, remembering what literally just happened for him.
He did lose his father and hammer like, an hour ago. And his sister tried to kill all of us.
I glanced at Loki who glanced at me. I could see his smirk flatten at my frown.
"Direction would be this way, Lord." The Grandmaster used a device to move the chair past Loki and I.
"Ah! Loki!" Thor called out as he rode the chair away.
My eyes followed Thor as he left the room.
"A fight will be scheduled tomorrow, Lord of Sparkles against my Champion." The Grandmaster pointed at Topaz.
"Yes sir." Topaz nodded and tapped on her wrist screen.
I started walking towards the door.
They're gonna take him to one of the cells they have in the lower quarters. Where the gladiators and contenders go.
I made it out the door and into the hallway when a hand wrapped around my wrist, stopping me from walking.
In a blink of an eye, I was back in mine and Loki's room.
I looked back at Loki with a confused glare. "Hey! I was just gonna go talk to Thor."
"We can't go back." Loki tightened his grip on my wrist.
I furrowed my eyebrows at his words.
"Why not? We have to." I stated obviously.
"Hela, she is too strong. Odin had mentioned she draws her strength from Asgard. She is probably arriving on Asgard as we speak. She will be too powerful to stop, even for us." Loki's eyes held a softness to them.
I stared at Loki for a moment. I noticed his tense posture. The worry and concern on his face.
He didn't believe Thor would come here. He didn't believe Thor would survive.
He doesn't want to go back. He wants to stay here. He was never going to return. Loki wasn't going to help his world and his people.
He told me he would wait until a week for Thor to return. He told me he would try and stop Hela, even without Thor.
He lied.
I mean, I shouldn't be surprised. But this is the first time in 5 years he actually lied to me.
And I should have known Loki wasn't the type to go after such a battle by ourselves. Not yet anyway.
He's not exactly the full blood good guy yet.
I guess I had become accustomed to the fact he never did lie to me, so I stopped reading his mind. I only ever listened to him as I did become to trust him more than myself.
I suppose, I forgot he is the God of Lies and Mischief.
I unwrapped his hand from around my wrist slowly.
I let out a small laugh as I shook my head.
"You said you would return home after Thor had arrived. You said you would help and not run. You promised you would help stop her." I thought of my friends that will probably have to deal with Hela sooner or later.
Bella, Tilia, Liam, the Warrior Three, Heimdall....
Hela seemed like the type to see the bigger picture. So a few loses to require a big win would be a easy decision for her.
Even if it meant hurting, or killing anyone who got in her way.
"I just thought that this place is perfect for us. It can be just us. And with my position with the Grandmaster, if anything were to happen, we could have this place." Loki tried to explain.
I let out a laugh at his ways.
"You know I can't stay here—."
"You won't stay here, even for me?" Loki grabbed my hand and stared down at me. His eyes staring into mine with an intense look.
I gulped as I felt a pull towards him. These intense soulmate bond feelings seems to cloud my thoughts when it comes to him.
"I'm going to find Thor and go back to Asgard. And if you want to stay here, then stay." I told him. "Then maybe, if we do stop manage to Hela, I will return to Midgard."
I noticed a flash of hurt in Loki's eyes. He stared down at me with disbelief and fear.
"You would really leave me to try and help a world that is already doomed?" Loki tilted his head, his face soft with hurt.
Loki will change his mind. He knows they're his people and that's his home. He loves me and Thor.
He'll change his mind... right?
"I wouldn't leave you, Loki." I started. Loki's eyes filled with confusion. "But I can't stay here."
Loki sighed disappointedly.
"And they aren't doomed." I shook my head.
I stretched my neck and placed my lips on his. He kissed back desperately, not expecting the kiss. The fireworks still there.
I pulled away from him.
"Have a little hope, Loki."
Loki's eyes bore into mine as I back away towards the door.
I turned and made a portal to the god. I left Loki to think about his decision.