Finding Home

Chapter 14 - Loki's Return

We exited the portal standing in front of a large building, unlike the one where we met the mortals. I gestured for Loki to follow me and walked towards the building, seeing Tony standing by the door with a woman that I suspected was his lover, if the love that I sensed between them was any indication. Loki followed, but he was looking at Tony nervously. I wondered why for a brief moment, but when Tony saw Loki, my question was answered.

Tony glared at him and the gauntlet from his armor formed around his hand as he pointed it at him. "What are you doing here?" he growled.

Loki went to speak, but I stepped in front of him, aging a few years, my eyes flashing dangerously. "I would stand down if I were you." I said, a slight edge to my tone.

Tony immediately lowered his hand and the armor retreated. "Fine, but I still want an explanation."

I smiled a little. "I like you, Tony. Your team is undoubtedly the only group of mortals that would speak to me in such a way after learning who I am. Other than the people I fight, that is." I paused before saying, "Loki is here with me. We are here to see his brother before I offer him a position."

He grudgingly accepted this information, and walked over to Loki, who eyed him warily. "I apologize for what I did to you and your people." Loki said, bowing his head in shame.

I rolled my eyes, knowing that Loki had been tortured until he couldn't maintain his mental walls and was controlled into doing what he did, but I didn't say anything. Tony sighed heavily as he looked at the god. "I accept your apology because Thor's my friend, but that doesn't mean I trust you. You threw me off a building, my building."

I laughed lightly. "Loki, I have newfound respect for you, even if it was when you were being controlled." I grabbed his wrist and started tugging him along after me, reverting back to my original form as I did so. "Now come along, we do not have all day."

As we walked, he asked me about what happened to Thanos, though he referred to him as "The Mad Titan." I had just finished retelling the story when something occurred to me. "Hey, Loki, why weren't you surprised when I changed my age back there. It's not because you're a god, Thor was freaked out."

Loki suddenly looked self-conscious. "I, uh, I can change forms." He muttered, almost as if he was ashamed.

I smiled. "Loki, that's great! Why do you look so down about it?"

"Percy, it's not a good thing in Asgard. No one else could change forms, and I was already the odd one out, the bookworm, the weak one. When I first succeeded, I changed into a snake, and as soon as I changed back, I ran to tell Thor. Thor always loved my magic, and he would spend time with me, even if it was just lying on the roof, staring up at the stars. When I found Thor, he was with his friends. When I showed him, he loved it, but his friends... not so much.

"They didn't say much in front of him, of course, but when he was gone, they would... what's the word mortals use? Bully? Yes, that sounds right. When he was gone, they would bully me, telling me I was worthless, and if I couldn't stand up to them, then I was weak. Of course, I didn't do anything about it. I could have, and I was tempted to at times, but I didn't because they were still Thor's friends." He smiled, and I could see just how devious he could be when looking at him. "I could have done so many things, I could have beat all of them in a spar without even breaking a sweat, I could have killed them with ease.

"They think themselves undefeatable because they have never fought someone who wields magic as a weapon. They've never even tried to challenge mages, because they believe that magic is weak, that it is merely a parlor trick." He stopped and looked at me. "I guess I showed them just how wrong they were, didn't I?"