Story [Thor] "Harken Forth", UDC VI - Week 17 & 18 up on 12/01!

?Harken Forth?

Genre: Everything
Rating: PG
Time Frame: Everywhere
Characters: Everyone


Summary: The moments behind myth and legend.


Notes: Because this fandom is eating my brain, and I am giving in to its zombie like tendencies.

Apparently I am quite the masochist when it comes to tackling projects like this - but last night was a sleepless one, and so I kicked out quite a few weeks of these in order to not feel so terribly behind. That said, I had a terribly wonderful amount of fun mauling mythology with these, and I hope you find even a fraction of my enjoyment when reading them.


Disclaimer: Nothing is mine, but for the words.

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[blockquote] [b]Week I[/b]: [i]and they will continue wandering, these things of steel amongst the stars[/i][/blockquote]


[b]I. Lights[/b]

The first time it happened, it was an accident.

Loki had remembered thinking that the training ring was too hot. The dust clung to the sweat of him, and the steel in his hand was molten. Thor's attacks were relentless, and he had been thinking, [i]if I could only[/i] . . .

The light that leapt from his fingertips was a fervid, verdant thing that had Thor flying backwards. [i]Magic[/i], that snaked back under the skin of him as soon as the clearing quieted, his heavy breathing as stunned as Thor's.

Thor's eyes were bright upon him. And he grinned. ?Brother, do that again!?



[b]II. Camera[/b]

?There are no pictures in these.?

?Believe it or not, there are some who look to books for the words they hold,? Loki's voice was distracted ? for unraveling the wards around the forbidden sections of the library was no simple feat.

Thor marveled at that. ?Truly??

Finally, Loki did roll his eyes. ?Here, I have it.?

Thor leaned forward to see the ancient book in his hands ? a journal detailing the canyons of Invaldi, and the beasts who lived there.

?Not so useless after all, brother?? Loki mocked.

Thor rolled his shoulders, his smile a knife wound. ?Come now, I feel the hunt approaching.?



[b]III. Action[/b]

There were few things that Sif found more fascinating than traveling by the bifröst.

Leading them, Thor held a fisted hand out before him as if to challenge both time space. The stars brightened him, mocking him: [i]you small little princeling of a thing[/i]. But they let him keep his charge.

Beside her, Loki let the shadows between the stars swallow him; their light forged him, and he seemed to ebb in time with the passing of the universe more so than the rest of them.

Sif merely slanted her eyes ahead, and waited for their destination to rush upon them.



[b]IV. Roll[/b]

[i]You were both born to be kings.[/i]

The memory was an axis, spinning the whole of his future. Such a silly thing to say; he had thought at the time, with the firstborn being groomed for the throne, and the second son ready to be the adviser in the shadows. The words were nothing but a consolation; empty.

[i]You were both born to be kings.[/i]

Loki looked down to see the blue that frosted over his skin; a stigma that only a careful whisper of spells hid.

[i]You were both born to be kings.[/i]

Yes . . . of his father's people, he was.



[b]V. Shoot[/b]

Thor still called him brother.

The title had hit him like a blow that first time they'd faced each other after the destruction of the bifröst. With steel meeting under the shadow of Midgard, the mortal warriors ? [i]Avengers[/i], their arrogance dubbed them - were a flanking ring to them the whole of the battle.

?Brother, come home,? Thor bid him over the cross of their blades.

Something uncomfortable lodged deep within him. And still he whispered, ?I do not need you.? [i]I do not miss you[/i]. Loki refused to call him brother.

It was the greatest lie he had ever told.



[hr]


[b]End Notes[/b]: The title nick for this week was taking from the lovely Pablo Neruda, who is up there with Mr. Cummings when

 

Jade_eyes: As always, your words made my day! Yes, I shall send you PMs, I like the personal touch. (And Star Trek will come back to me, the muse is just chasing herself in circles when it comes to getting something productive done there. )

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[b]Author's Notes[/b]: More titles taken from Pablo Neruda. [face_love] I have a kinda grab bag for this week, and I hope you enjoy. :)



[hr]




[blockquote] [b]Week II[/b]: [i]I have no other star: you are my replica of a slowly multiplying universe[/i][/blockquote]


[b]VI. Adventure[/b]

?I am going to murder your brother.?

The phrase was not a rare one on the lips of the Lady Sif, but it was rare when speaking of one brother rather than the other. Instantly, Loki sat up straighter, intrigued.

?Whatever for??

Sif didn't respond right away, instead turning to seal the flap of his tent against the violence of the storm beyond. Snow stuck to her hair, frosting over the fur that swathed her; the ice brightened her eyes.

?Remind Thor, next time, the sagacity of summoning a storm on [i]Niflheimr[/i] -?

? - I tried to -?

? - where there is no rain, but [i]snow[/i].?



[b]VII. Romance[/b]

?I'm fine with the elements, but [i]this[/i] is ridiculous.?

?Indeed,? Loki settled for agreeing, for it seemed to be the only thing to do.

Sif tossed her head, indignant; and once her boots were shed, she crossed the few steps towards him. Not bothering to ask, she slipped under blankets with him, twining herself about him as if she had every right to do so.

?My tent is cold; yours is warmer,? she said in explanation.

?My lady,? he caught her hand, warming her fingers. ?You never need such an excuse with me.?

?It's too cold for you to be smart,? she declared arrogantly. The ice was melting against her lashes. ?Now, hold still and let me warm.?



[b]VIII. Science[/b]

?I didn't realize that the sun had a name,? Jane whispered, tracing her finger across her father's star charts. ?Sól?? she tried the appellation on her tongue.

?Sól, who draws her chariot of light across the sky while the wolf Sköll snaps at her heels in hot pursuit,? Elian Foster enlightened her. ?So radiant is she that she brightens the sky, and all she touches.?

Jane gave a watery smile. ?That's a silly story to name the sun after.?

?Really?? Elian grinned. ?Most myths are nothing more than explanations for things that couldn't be explained. Science and magic ? at times, they are the same thing, kid.?



[b]IX. Fiction[/b]

That night of the bifröst's destruction, Jane opted for a roaring sugar high over a fifth of tequila. It wasn't the same, but it served its purpose as she and Darcy finished off their fifth carton of Ben 'n Jerry's while scouring over their book of Nordic myths, putting faces to the names they had all read of before.

?I say,? Darcy declared grandly, waving her spoon in the air, ?that we read the one about Thrym again ? that one deserves a double read. And pictures. We definitely need more pictures.?

Jane grinned, and started to read. ?So says the [i]Thrymskvitha[/i] . . .?



[b]X. Comedy[/b]

?Darcy, for the last time, [i]shooting first[/i] does not come before [i]asking questions later[/i].?

?How was I supposed to know that he was another suit from SHIELD?? Darcy refused to look petulant as Jane bent over the man she had felled. ?Given all of the freaks that have been passing through here, I can't be blamed for my actions.?

?Darcy,? Jane's voice was a long suffering sigh, but she had no argument for that.

The man on the floor coughed, struggling to consciousness. ?Which of you,? Clint Barton started, still holding his head, ?is the one with the rather excellent aim??



[b]~MJ[/b] [face_rose]

 

Jade_eyes: Thanks! It was a guilty pleasure to write.

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[blockquote][b]Week III[/b]: [i]and I will watch your shadows as they darken the ground[/i][/blockquote]


[b]XI. Wings[/b]

?Your son found a way to enter the weapon's vault unaided.?

Frigg raised a brow. ?Oh? And how did Thor manage such a feat??

?[i]Loki[/i] managed to . . . with [i]magic[/i],? Odin thundered, the word a curse. ?Magic that [i]you[/i] insisted he learn -?

? - Loki's talents are past anything Asgard has ever seen. Of course he needed help harnessing it.?

?What, then, is going to keep him from finding a passage to the Underway ? or even worse, the Ways between the realms? What happens then??

Frigg sighed, her troubled mind lost upon the wings of prophesy. ?Then, you will just have to learn to trust him.?



[b]XII. Unforgiven[/b]

By their third century, the brothers were not at all unfamiliar with pranks gone wrong. And just the same, they knew to respect their father's wrath in return. So, it was known from experience that the longer the wait always meant the worse the punishment would be in the end.

. . . Odin had yet to speak to them the whole of the day through after their latest 'incident'. Beyond them, Asgard's skies were threatening to darken.

?Come now, brother, what is the worst that Father can do?? Thor, ever at ease with Odin's approval, could not quite empathize with why his brother's face was so pallid.



[b]XIII. Rocky[/b]

Darkly, Loki answered, ?He can tie us by our intestines to the mountainside, and wrap vipers about our foreheads to drip venom on us from now until the end of time.?

Thor blinked at him. ?Yours is a peculiar mind, brother.?

?Don't think he hasn't thought of it.?

Thor shook his head, bemused, ?If we ask very nicely, I am sure that Sif would hold a bowl to catch the venom until we free ourselves. So, you see, no harm will be done.?

Beyond them, the guard announced that Odin would see them; and the princes hesitated for a heartbeat's time before entering.



[b]XIV. Titanic[/b]

On Jötunnheimr after Odin's revelation, Loki approached Laufey's court with his head held high, arrogantly meeting the Jötunn king's gaze. Even still, It was a blow to him to see the shape of his own face within the other man once he knew to look. Another blow to feel the way the winter bit at his skin ? as if welcoming him.

It should have pained him to speak the lies that would lure the monarch to Asgard. Father's flesh in behalf of Father's flesh, and he would be the only one to hold the weight of blood in the end.

But the lie came easily to him, silver upon his tongue.



[b]XV. Crash[/b]

He had not been expecting to see a son of Odin so soon after the first; and he had most certainly not expected to have the second son ? the shadowed one ? come before him, and speak of treason.

Through it all, there was something familiar in the young man's gaze ? something about the shade of his eyes, and twist of his words that Laufey couldn't quite put his finger on. It was this undefinable likeness that made Laufey agree to trusting a traitor ? for the idea of Odin, felled by his hand and Asgard in flames, was too much for him to pass by.


[hr]


[b]Mythological Mauling Notes[/b]: Funnily enough . . . Loki's punishment for his role in the death of Baldr was as mentioned above. Loki was bound to a stone by the entrails of his son Narfi (whom the gods killed special for that reason), and then Skathi (the Jötunn Goddess of skis ? I kid you not; and one of Odin's wives) bound a poisonous snake to his head to drip venom on him for the rest of eternity until Ragnarök. Sigyn, his wife, doll that she was, sat by him the entire time to catch the venom in a bowl to keep it from striking him.

Now [i]that[/i] is Norse myths trying to out-squick their Greek counterparts at its best, I say. [face_laugh][face_doh!]



[b]~MJ[/b] [face_rose]

 

Jade_eyes: The Norse were very . . . creative, that's for sure. The first time I read that I totally had a squick out moment - and so of course I had to write about it. Because my mind works that way . . . As always, thank-you for reading, and your kind words!


Alrighty, now for more . . .

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[blockquote][b]Week IV[/b]: [i]we kept ripples from the shoreline[/i][/blockquote]


[b]XVI. Clue[/b]

The first time Odin Allfather ? his father ? had let he and Thor accompany him to Jötunnheimr for the annual treaty renewal, the brothers had been a little more than a century old. And a century, hardly a ripple amongst a race of immortal beings, had been little time to cool the relations between the Aesir and the Jötnar.

Loki remembered being wide eyed at the wasteland ? the ruins of ice and stone all around him, all throwing shadows that whispered stolen secrets. While Thor shivered at his side, he couldn't help but imagine that the winter echoed in his veins ? as if welcoming him home.



[b]XVII. Operation[/b]

?Jötunnheimr wasn't always that way, you know.?

?What was it like?? there was a curiosity to her son's voice ? Loki always was like an empty bowl, ready to be filled; and Frigg felt an ache behind her heart as she thought of her reply. It was a fine line ? a delicate operation ? raising a child so far from home, and she had much she yearned to tell him.

Even so, Frigg pulled her son close and whispered stories of grand palaces made of ice, and arctic lights so bright that they put even Asgard's skies to shame . . .

And carefully, Loki listened. He forgot but little.



[b]XVIII. Life[/b]

?I am going to be sick.?

?The great Lady Sif, felled by a little trip on the bifröst?? Thor's laugh was a teasing thing.

?It was not the trip, but the destination, you fool,? Sif hissed, kneeling upon Midgard's surface. Around her, humanity struggled and tore each other asunder on the battlefields. She could hear their warcries ? and their fervent prayers, unconscious or not, threw her.

So much life, lost for nothing . . .

?Breath deep, and they will pass.? She felt Loki's hand on her shoulder, and then a gentle light - soothing against her mind, quieting the prayers until she could stand again.



[b]XIX. Sorry[/b]

?My apologies, brother, but I find myself in need of a hiding place, and you have that honest sort of face that no one would second guess.?

Thor blinked, but stepped aside in order to let his brother into his rooms. Loki was still covered in dust and grime from the training ring, and he had a rather impressive bruise developing about his right eye.

Thor knew the shape of that bruise from long experience.

?You could just try apologizing to her,? Thor hesitantly offered the suggestion.

?Perish the thought,? Loki drawled, his eyes glinting as he pulled himself deeper into the shadows.



[b]XX. Risk[/b]

?I need to know where to find that snake of a second prince.?

Unblinking, Heimdall asked, ?And what do you seek your vengeance for??

Sif held up her arm to where a rather impressive burn loitered, still flaring green. ?He cheated,? was the only explanation she gave.

?Perhaps you should be seeking Eir, and not the Prince,? the watchman offered, knowing his words to be useless ? for his sister did not embark upon the warrior's path without knowing the risks involved.

Sif scoffed, ?I blackened his one eye already, and the other will not escape me. Now ? his location, brother.?

And Heimdall fought the urge to sigh.



[b]~MJ[/b] [face_rose]

 

Master_Jay: You are looking at a proud Loki fangirl here from the age of golden comics and spandex. Oh, I cannot wait for next year! I go into a complete and utter squee fit every time I see the Avengers trailer - it just may be everything I never knew I always wanted as a fangirl.


Alrighty, here we go with more . . .

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[blockquote][b]Week V[/b]: [i]when we're dancing cheek to cheek[/i][/blockquote]


[b]XXI. Rated[/b]

?Dancing is pointless.?

?You won't think that in a few centuries,? Frigg admonished her eldest, clapping her hands in an easy beat. Thor's eyes were crossed comically from where he tried to balance the book atop his head and still move in the patterns the Queen had showed them.

?I pity the lady stuck dancing with you when that time comes, Brother,? Loki snickered, his book not wavering nearly as much as Thor's.

?Loki Tangletongue,? Thor sneered.

?Thor Tanglefeet,? Loki returned, ever easy with his words; and the book fell from Thor's head as soon as he lunged at his brother.



[b]XXII. Guidance[/b]

While Sif easily followed Thor in battle, she struggled when he tried to lead her through a dance's steps. A few paces away, Sigyn was quite the pretty picture dancing with the second prince; sickeningly graceful as Loki guided her.

Distracted, Sif let out an oomph of surprise when she collided with Thor's shoulder. Sigyn's laugh at her misstep was dainty; flirty and bright.

That was it.

Flinging Thor's arm from her waist, Sif moved to cut in between the other two with a battle-born boldness. At Loki's smirk (and Sigyn's glower) she defended: ?I tire of your brother stepping upon my toes.?



[b]XXIII. Suggested[/b]

?Come, I would see you dance rather than stalk the edges of the feast.?

Sif's voice was an order as she dragged Thor towards the dancing couples who celebrated his latest victory. There was no rejoicing in Thor's eyes as he mourned the brother and the woman he had lost, and his silence weighed heavy.

?You are brave to risk your toes so,? Thor attempted to cheer.

?Seeing as how I cannot beat your melancholy from you, I am resigned to suffer so.?

Thor's hand on her waist was heavier than the one who normally held her so - but it was a comfort nonetheless.



[b]XXIV. Caution[/b]

The gala Tony Stark held to celebrate the Avenger's formation was . . . opulent, in a word.

Jane felt uneasy amongst the glitter and the glamor, picking restlessly at the evening gown that Pepper had helped her select. Besides her, Thor was a bedtime story come true for her (wearing the tuxedo Stark had insisted on), bowing in order to ask her to dance.

Her heart leapt stupidly, amazed once more that she had found him again. ?I have to warn you that I am exceptionally good at stepping on toes.?

Thor's smile was blinding. ?I wouldn't have it any other way.?



[b]XXV. Restricted[/b]

While Clint Barton had had enough of mutants, secret agents, Gods (Tony included), heroes and freaks in tights to fill two lifetimes, he had to admit that the whole of them looked pretty good when gathered together and dressed to impress.

And if the young woman who normally blazed with a do-not-touch sign (and the taser to boot) was determined to dance, who was he to say no?

?C'mon, Bullseye ? there are too many pretty people out there dancing, and its making me nauseous.?

?It's Hawkeye,? Clint grumbled. Still, he followed her.

?Yeah,? Darcy smirked, placing his hand on her waist. ?That's what I said.?



[b]~MJ[/b] [face_rose]

 

Jade_eyes: Pastimes and warcraft and teasing . . . and that is just what I love about this fandom. As always, thanks for reading.

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[b]Author's Note[/b]: This week actually started as a one-shot, but seeing how my fanfiction plate is rather full at the moment, I decided to squeeze it in here. And while I know it has been done a dozen times in this fandom, I bring you a mini re-telling of the [link=http://www.sacred-texts.com/neu/poe/poe11.htm]Thrymskvitha[/link], because mythology like that just begged to be written about (especially with the 'princess' tuant in the film. There is no way such a cheesy insult would work so perfectly to set Thor off unless there was such a story behind it . . . :p).



[hr]



[blockquote] [b]Week VI[/b]: [i]to pay the bridal price, we shall go[/i][/blockquote]


[b]XXVI. Sex[/b]

?I can assure you that this is not what it looks like.?

While Sif had seen many things in her long life, coming into her chambers to see the second prince with her wardrobe open and scattered across the room . . . and [i]modeling[/i] a rather elegant blue dress before her mirror was not one she expected to see this side of Ragnarök. Ever.

Sif blinked. ?Dare I ask??

?How,? Loki started thoughtfully, frighteningly at ease within the woman?s garb as he ran an elegant hand over the silk, ?do you think my brother would look as a bride??




[b]XXVII. Graphic[/b]

?Why can?t Sif wear the dress??

?Because I am not the one who angered Thrym into stealing Mjölnir in the first place,? Sif said, her eyes crossed as she carefully painted Thor?s eyes. ?And you deserve a little pain for expecting Freyja to wed Thyrm because of your idiocy. Shame on you.?

Thor made a face. ?Perhaps Thrym selected the wrong woman?s hand ? already you have ice enough in your veins to make you a fitting bride for a Jötnar.?

Sif?s next pluck with the tweasers at Thor?s eyebrows was vengefully sharp, and Loki couldn?t say that he blamed her.



[b]XXVIII. Violence[/b]

?That is not fair.? Was the first thing Thor said, decked out in bridal finery, and quite ill at ease.

Loki raised a brow ? a move made more elegant by the actual female form he was able to shapeshift into. ?If I could, I would have bespelled you as well.?

Thor looked dubious.

?And you do look lovely, brother,? Loki couldn?t help but mock, knowing full well of the bruises Thor would give him later. ?Now, play the role of blushing maiden, and do try to refrain from violence ? my spells will keep eyes from peering too closely and nothing more.?



[b]XXIX. Language[/b]

The princes entered Thrym?s court as Freyja dressed to wed, and her single bridesmaid.

Thrym commented on his bride?s appetite, and the bridesmaid responded that [i]she[/i] had not eaten nor drank in eight days, so hot was her longing for Jötunnheimr.

Thrym commented in the fire in his bride?s eyes when he moved in for a kiss, and the bridesmaid responded that [i]she[/i] had not slept in eight days, so fierce was her yearning for Jötunnheimr.

Thrym brought out Mjölnir to pay the bridal price, and then there was nothing more for Thor to say where actions spoke louder still.



[b]XXX. Drugs[/b]

They return to Jötunnheimr not even a century later, this time with war in Thor?s eyes, and violence burning in his veins.

Laufey was prepared to overlook the rashness of a boy, knowing full more of war than which the ignorant before him sought. And yet, it was a very familiar Jötunn who stepped forward as they retreated. Thrym, saying: ?Run back home, little princess.? Around him, the giants chuckled at the memory.

Loki stopped upon the ice, knowing Thor?s response would be quick and bloody, as predictable as an intoxicant upon the blood. And he could only whisper:

?Damn.?



[b]~MJ[/b] [face_rose]

 

Author's Notes: I have no excuses for this one. This is just a shameless fangirl indulgence on the highest level, I tell you . . .

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[blockquote][b]Week VII[/b]: [i]?and because love battles, I shall take up arms?[/i][/blockquote]



[b]XXI. Book[/b]

Sif had always been able to read the second son like an open book. It was a talent that served her well, with the sun hot above the training ring, and Loki lost within dozens of illusions ? copies, cast from the mold of him.

Around her, her shadow clung to her like a second skin; she could feel its caress upon the hand that held her blade, upon the slip of skin between her shoulderplates and her hair.

One of the illusions smirked; a flare of green was bright at his eyes, telling real from imagined. And Sif struck true.



[b]XXXII. Black[/b]

While Sif did not miss the golden cast of her hair, the first time Sigyn taunted her for its new color (such dirty hair, fitting for a woman doing a man?s work), Sif took her leave from the feast to regain her composure. She was uncomfortable within her dress, with the weight of her newly growing hair, within her very skin it would seem.

Loki was the one to follow her, understanding in his silences as he raised a gentle hand to thread through her hair. Her breath caught oddly at the gesture. ?Lovely,? he whispered.

And she believed him.



[b]XXXIII. Misunderstanding[/b]

?I believe your son has caught the eye of the Lady Sif.?

Frigg let the suspicion fall to her husband as she unbraided her hair for the night, her voice thoughtful as her observations slid alongside her visions ? for her son could hide but little from her, and Sif was even more open still.

?It will be a strong match for Asgard,? Odin finally said to her revelation.

?Indeed,? Frigg agreed.

Odin smiled then, beaming and proud; and it warmed Frigg to see. And then he said: ?I always knew Thor had it in him.?

Wearily, Frigg rubbed her temples.



[b]XXXIV. Stride[/b]

It had been an instinctive reaction - she coming to harm and the ice leaping from his fingers in her defense. Loki had been working for the Avengers ? for Thor?s absolution ? for the better part of a season, and the frost between them had yet to completely thaw.

The look in her eyes was something like the hunt, and he found himself slow to cloak himself in his spells the closer she came ? raising curious fingers to the black markings that proclaimed his Jötunn heritage for all to see.

?Lovely,? she whispered, quietly fascinated, and for a moment he believed her words to be true.



[b]XXXV. Singing[/b]

The sound of a baby?s cries faded to the lullaby upon her husband?s lips. Sif stayed watching at the nursery?s entrance, as entranced as Hela by the easy melody ? by the play of magic from father to daughter.

?What song is this?? Sif asked as her child?s eyes drooped, coming to wrap her arms around her husband.

Softly, Loki replied, ?I do not know . . . it is merely a memory . . . from before a time I can recall.?

Sif was silent as the alien lullaby started again, no words needed as she turned and held her small family close.




[hr]

[b]Mythological Mauling Notes[/b]: Yep, in the myths, Hel (or Hela) was Loki's daughter.

Not wanting the child to be raised by Loki, Odin banished Hel to Niflheimr, and gave her guardianship over the dead - seeing as how she bore an affinity to lost souls, having been born of death and loss. (In one version of her birth, her mother was Angrboða, a Jötunn sorceress. Odin killed Angrboða, and afterwards, fed her heart to Loki. Loki, upon discovering what it was that he had eaten, gagged, and coughed up Hel.) Hel was also banished so that she wouldn't help her brother's Fenrir and Jörmungand escape from Midgard and fulfill their prophecies (it was said at Ragnarök that Fenrir the Wolf would kill Odin, and Jörmungand the World Serpent would kill Thor).

. . . such a dysfunctional family. [face_laugh][face_silly]



[b]~MJ[/b] [face

 

Jade_eyes: "Lady Ovid". I like that. But yeah . . . the powers that be are going to have a field day with Loki the Villain at this point, so I shall sit here patiently and hope that someday there will be a redemption cycle in there as well. (Because Thor and Loki are meant to be the Norse Arthur and Merlin. They just are. ) And if they even approach my personal fanon and OTP with a ten foot pole, I do believe that I will have the fangirl's squee of squees!

And I have to agree, Sif is simply lovely with her black hair. Sigyn is just jeeeeealous.

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[blockquote] [b]Week Eight[/b]: [i]this cold metal is not my steel[/i][/blockquote]


[b]XXXVI. Cube[/b]

? . . . and then you press the lever down here, and voila! You have a pop tart ready to be consumed in about thirty seconds or so.?

Darcy smiled over at where Jane?s Thunder God was bent rather comically over the counter, his eyes wide and fascinated upon the toaster and the treat it held inside. She figured that if the big guy was going to eat all of her pop tarts, he could at least learn how to make them for himself.

?Such great power,? Thor declared.

Darcy smirked. ?Just wait until I show you microwaved popcorn.?



[b]XXXVII. Sphere[/b]

?And this?? Thor questioned, referring to the contraption she had out on the roof.

?It?s a telescope - I use it for looking at the stars. Here,? Jane gestured him over. ?Like this.?

Thor frowned upon drawing away. ?The stars are so much . . . less here,? he said softly.

Jane fell quiet, remembering just how long she had searched for him with that very telescope. At the pained look that crossed her eyes, Thor turned again to her, and vowed: ?I must show you the cosmos from Asgard . . . indeed, its splendor is past anything I can describe.?



[b]XXXVIII. Cone[/b]

?Forward, metal beast of Midgard!?

?Or you can try hitting the gas.?

?Yes, there is always that,? Thor?s smile was sheepish as he carefully accelerated. The steering wheel was loose in his fists ? for he still did not understand why he had to learn to drive when it was just as easy to fly to his destination.

?That cone was supposed to represent a pedestrian,? Jane remarked wryly as the cone fell to Thor?s wide turn.

?And it is not Midgardian custom to hit pedestrians?? Thor couldn?t help but tease.

Jane threw her nose in the air. ?Only when I?m driving,?



[b]XXXIX. Cylinder[/b]

Jane?s trip to the grocery store (apparently, feeding a whole group of Aesir would take more than her small apartment had to offer) took an unexpected turn when she lost Thor in the maze of aisles. She found him in the toy aisle, a honest to goodness plastic [i]lightsaber[/i] in his hands as he instructed the children around him on the proper footwork and technique for swordplay.

Upon seeing her, he smiled widely, and said: ?A useful training saber ? but I cannot quite figure out how to access its magic to make it appear as the one in the picture.?



[b]XL. Pyramid[/b]

?There is no magic in this land. My brother . . . my brother always hated trips to Midgard, complaining that he could not feel the elemental arts here.?

Propped up on his chest, the both of them sprawled out to stargaze on the roof, Jane gave a watery smile as Thor?s stories turned wistful. ?And yet, it was not always so. For instance, I don?t believe I?ve told you about the time the Norse predicted their whole harvest season based on the number of times Loki tried to set the Viking Chief Sigurd's hair on fire . . .?



[b]~MJ[/b] [face_rose]

 

Jade_eyes: The whole gang set loose in the SW-verse would be too much for my heart to handle, I think. Oh, what a blast that would be!

---

[b]Author's Notes[/b]: Because I am still channeling the epically silly after that last set, and who better to carry that on than Darcy Lewis? Who was quite possibly one of the best comedic gems in the history of [i]ever[/i]. :p [face_love]


[hr]


[blockquote] [b]Week IX[/b]: [i]The Darcy Files[/i][/blockquote]


[b]XLI. Who? [/b]

[i]Entry I39[/i]

My boss totally just hit a drunk homeless guy with the van.

Sure, I was in the driver's seat, but Jane's hand was on the wheel, and really ? you should have seen her face when she realized somebody was inside the storm that I was determined not to die in. And really, it was a pity that such a . . . gorgeous drunk homeless guy was also halfway out of his mind and ranting to the sky above (he called himself Thor. Really?).

Jane may have hit him with the truck. But I tasered him. And I'd do it again.



[b]XLII. What?[/b]

[i]Entry 142[/i]

Okay, it is official. Jane's homeless guy is a [i]God[/i]. Really. I mean, anyone that . . . delightfully ripped has to have a little of the divine in him. Right? It's a pity he already has starry eyes for Jane, though. Jane ? who has never shown attention to a guy unless he was holding a star chart.

Hmm . . . do you think that he has a brother?

What? Don't look at me that way, diary. [i]You[/i] try being in the armpit of the dessert and finding a guy who isn't Farmer Joe, or some hillbilly hick who's insisting on seeing UFO's. Seriously.



[b]XLIII. When?[/b]

[i]Entry 143[/i]

So, I just battled a giant robot Destroyer with Xena's long lost twin, Robin Hood's fashion designer clone, Jackie Chan's samurai brother, and the Norse look-alike of Santa Claus. And we totally won.

Well . . . I just sort of watched from the sidelines. But the Destroyer was . . . destroyed by Jane's better-without-a-shirt guy - who looked even better with a cape. Now, we're waiting at the bottom of a rainbow bridge for Thor to return after schooling his little brother ? upon which he promised a tour of the other side.

. . . when did my life become this interesting?



[b]XLIV. Where?[/b]

[i]Entry 154[/i]

So . . . The bridge busted. Thor never returned, and Jane threw herself into her work with a determination that was scary . . .

I'm still sticking around. After all, I have a summer internship to complete ? and I'm even looking at the possibility of finishing my courses online before becoming officially employed by Stark or SHIELD ? anything to keep me near Jane's project. After all, the woman needs someone to make her pop tarts and coffee ? and she [i]definitely[/i] needs someone to make sure her rebuild-the-rainbow-bridge playlists are shuffling properly. Where else would she find that if not in me?



[b]XLV. Why?[/b]

[i]Entry 207[/i]

Jane won't let me taser Nick Fury - a cold, cutting, ends-justify-the-means man who could totally [i]use[/i] a good bolt of electricity to the chest. I did, however, taser one of his top agents.

Later, I learned that Clint Barton was assigned to us for security purposes - information that could have been more useful [i]before[/i]. Still, even fogged by pain, his eyes were a delightfully warm shade of blue as he sat up and looked between me and Jane, and said: ?Which of you is the one with the rather remarkable aim??

Why yes, that would be me. Darcy Lewis at your service.



[b]~MJ[/b] [face_rose]

 

Jade_eyes: lol! Oh, I bet we could all name quite a few of those guys. As always, thank-you so much for reading and taking the time to leave your thoughts.

---

[b]Author's Notes[/b]: Because [i]Doctor Who[/i] had to creep in sooner or later with all of these worm holes and alien realms and space traveling. :p In other words - enjoy the fangirl indulgence that is this crossover. [face_blush]



[hr]



[blockquote] [b]Week X[/b]: [i]and when you land, you land with a splash[/i][/blockquote]



[b]XLVI. Return[/b]

Thor spent the first and last candlemark of every day with the Guardian at the ruined edge of the bifröst. Heimdall left the prince his thoughts in silence, knowing as he did of their weight, and turned his unblinking gaze upon Jane Foster at Thor's command.

And then one day, Thor breathed the question that Heimdall dreaded to answer. ?Can you . . . can you see him? My brother.?

For a moment, Heimdall wished he had the Liarsmith's strength with falsehoods. Instead, he had only his truths, his duties, when he answered, ?He lives . . . and he has found The Destroyer of Worlds.?



[b]XLVII. Revenge[/b]

Surely, his landing was the universe's sick concept of revenge.

Loki fell for he knew not how long ? plummeting through the dark and harsh parts of the cosmos, shadowed against time and space as the stars around him accused: [i]you arrogant tiny thing[/i]. The void refused to release him. Gravity refused to hold him. He saw many things ? cruel and careless and so rank with [i]life[/i] that he trembled upon witnessing them. Suddenly, his great power was a drop of water against an ocean. Useless.

His thoughts mocked him, for when he landed, he landed within a pool. A pool within a library.



[b]XLVIII. Curse[/b]

Loki surfaced to a mortal couple watching him, openly surprised. The woman, with flaming hair and eyes made of steel (and for a moment, he thought of Sif, and knew a fresh lance of pain) opened and closed her mouth twice before shouting, ?Doctor, your cursed pool is picking up hitchhikers again!?

He narrowed his eyes at her shout, but ignored the questions in their eyes as he waded through the water; the leather and metal of his armor slowing him.

?Ponds, stay out of the Pond, and if the hitchhiker is Arthur Dent, don't let him near the poetry!?



[b]XLIX. Wrath[/b]

?Your name Arthur Dent?? the woman asked, adjusting to the strangeness of their situation without blinking.

?No,? Loki shook his head, spells itching at his hands as confusion still fogged him.

?You got a name, then?? she asked.

He narrowed his eyes, but that third voice rang out, closer now. ?Loki, Loki Odinson . . . or Laufeyson, going by your place in the timeline.? The name, still raw to Loki, burned. If the Doctor noticed, he made no comment as he turned, and before the woman could speak, said: ?And no, Mrs. Pond ? you may not keep him. We're going to throw this one back.?



[b]L. Attack[/b]

Mr. Pond handed him a towel, but Loki waved him away and dried with a silent spell. The Doctor watched him, and Loki could see it in his eyes ? his ancientness, his command of time. Loki bowed mockingly, and let him look ? for he was even older, and the universe had long since dubbed him her favored son.

?It's been too long since I gave a sorcerer a lift ? and a God, at that,? the Doctor said, voice light and eyes dangerous. ?Is there anywhere you'd like to be??

[i]Home[/i], Loki thought. But that bridge was burned to him. And so . . .

?New Mexico, if you please.?



[b]~MJ[/b] [face_rose]

 

Jade_eyes: Why thank-you, I sure had fun writing them!

Master_Jay: Oh, next year cannot come fast enough!!! (And this is my very articulate thought on the idea of an Avengers movie - Forever and ever, amen. ) And thank-you for taking the time to leave your thoughts - I have been having a ridiculous amount of fun writing these.

---

[b]Author's Notes[/b]: Because one good crossover deserves another. And, that being said, these are kind of a loose prequel to my Week 13 of "every star to move". Ye fanfiction Gods, but when this turns into a full blown story, I will have officially hit rock bottom. [face_blush][face_laugh]



[hr]


[blockquote][b]Week XI[/b]: [i]if you were to ask me who I've been[/i][/blockquote]



[b]LI. Death[/b]

Ragnarök comes.

Asgard falls, even with all of her children's valiant efforts to forge a different fate. But prophesy was prophesy, and from some there was no escaping destiny's weight. Like the forest fires that ravaged the wilds, the Gods would die in order to live life anew amongst time and space.

Thor had passed his centuries confident in his ability to forestall that future ? for his people, for his family. But now, with the gilded pillars shuddering around him ? the sea flowing from its cradle, and the very sky dropping stars - he knew that some things could not be prevented or conquered ? merely survived.



[b]LII. Doom[/b]

They had given up fighting. Already, most had fallen ? Odin in the first wave, Frigg ever faithful by his side. The Three in place of the princes two.

And now, around what was left of their small group, his brother's shield was fading. The color of it a tired shade of spring. Loki's eyes were drooping, slipping into red as he exerted his magic past what his body could handle. At his side, Sif had dropped her own shield long before in order to hold him up. Low, urgent words passed between them, and Thor could only imagine the shape of their syllables.



[b]LIII. Terror[/b]

Protected in the circle of his own arms, as if the height and breadth of his form could spare her, Jane was shaking, even as her face was carefully calm, serene as death shadowed her. Newly immortal, she had been determined to face the Twilight of the Gods alongside her husband, and foolishly he had let her, confident of their victory. Now, he was struck by how dearly he had failed her.

He would not do so again.

?I will find you,? he vowed fiercely. ?I swear that I will find you.? Jane nodded, taking his promise as her own as around him his world died.



[b]LIV. Peril[/b]

Ragnarök had been more fearsome than any Armageddon Jane could have imagined while on Earth. In some ways it had been moving to see ? Jötunn fighting alongside Aesir, Álfar next to Dwarf, and mortal next to monster ? all fighting to save Yggdrasil from being torn from its roots.

But the Ancients, the force who had created the universe, were unreasonable, and they would smite any and all who inhabited Asgard's halls. But it was the possibility of rebirth ? of [i]again[/i], due to Hela's sacrifice, that anchored them. And so, Jane closed her eyes tight, and let the tide take her.



[b]LV. Shadow[/b]

Centuries in the future, a child was born on a modest farmstead in the sea of harvest ripe fields known as Iowa.

It rained the day of that child's birth ? sheets upon sheets of water that gave the oceans of grain around them life. The sky parted, and the immensity of the heavens above was filled, eager to encompass its own down far below.

They say that George Kirk was born with the stars in his eyes and thunder in his veins, and the shadow he threw was an old and ancient thing that the land rumbled forth to accept.



[hr]


[b]Mythological Mauling Notes[/b]: In mythology Ragnarök was the Norse version of Armageddon - the Twilight of the Gods, the last battle of good vs. evil in which all would perish, and the good woul

 

Jade_eyes: Thank-you!

---

[b]Author's Notes[/b]: And here we have two sets for the price of one. The first is my nod to Minor Character Appreciation. And while writing, my fondness for Volstagg over the rest of the Three probably showed. Just slightly. :p And then that last drabble led into [i]quite[/i] the fangirl indulgence with the second set . . . Yep. I wrote kid!fic. [face_blush][face_whistling] Shush. All of you. :p

And, as always, enjoy. [face_hugs]


[hr]



[blockquote][b]Week XII[/b]: [i]we took up your call to arms with battle cries of our own[/i][/blockquote]


[b]LVI. Prime[/b]

When Volstagg was but a youth, Jötunnheimr waged war with the stars.

He had been hardly a man - a ripple amongst the ranks of Asgard's immortal guard. But the Allfather had called, and he had eagerly answered. The battlefields of the Great War had been unlike anything he could have imagined - fierce and bitter and cold. When Asgard triumphed, and her sons marched back home, there were gaps in their lines ? missed where young men had bled out into the snow, lost to Valhalla's glory.

Now, war forged, there was a veteran staring from his reflection where once youth and dreams had stood.



[b]LVII. Composite[/b]

?The Warriors Three!? Volstagg laughed lustily the first time he heard the name, Fandral and Hogun unfortunate victims of his mirth as he caught one under each arm. ?It suits us.?

Fandral stumbled out from under the larger man's hold. ?Fandral the Bold,? he mused delightedly. ?I like it. And Hogun the Grim . . . fitting.?

Hogun blinked ? loquaciousness, from him. ?And Volstagg the Vast,? he murmured, rubbing a hand over his neck where Volstagg had held too tight.

?Worthy titles all,? Thor declared in agreement, grinning heartily.

?Truly wonderful,? Loki drawled from his brother's side. ?Together you all can now attempt at a whole mind.?



[b]LVIII. Deficient[/b]

The first time they gathered in the practice rings after the bifröst's destruction ? the Three, their Lady, and their Prince ? it became apparent that they were an uneven number. There was a new rhythm to be learned to their fighting now, with their sixth soul lost.

?We are five now,? Fandral said, scratching at his head, ?Not exactly the most ideal sparring number.?

Sif's glared at him when Thor hesitated to speak, emotion heavy in his gaze. ?I will face two rather than one,? she said, her eyes fierce even as the hand on her shield clenched. ?Come now ? Fandral, Hogun, see my challenge.?



[b]LVIX. Perfect[/b]

Throughout her centuries, Eir had seen much of loss, of life. In her hall, she had held new life as it was birthed, and had felt life slip away in rushes of steel and crimson. For each who passed her way, she did her utmost to return them whole when they had entered less.

?Why, my friend, I do believe that this will scar ? come now, a smile at the thought!? Fandral clasped Hogun on the back, his grin forced and wane.

The somber man inclined his head, and under her hands, Eir felt destroyed skin weave itself together again.



[b]LX. Abundant[/b]

Hela's first real steel was a set of throwing blades, quite like her father's. The girl tended to the weapons delicately, brow creased in determination.

The whetstone was still clumsy in Hela's small hands, and taking pity upon the proud child (who would not ask her parents for help), Volstagg took out one of his own knives, and set to instructing her. ?I taught your mother how to sharpen a blade,? Volstagg said easily to Hela's cross eyes. ?She was as stubborn as you, as I recall.?

But like Sif, Hela quickly realized that he had much to give, and carefully, she listened.



[hr]



[blockquote] [b]Week XIII[/b]: [i]deem you a reflection, fully smoothed[/i][/blockquote]


[b]LXI. Toys[/b]

Upon the air, Loki felt the shimmer of magic, untrained and clumsy against his senses. Following the flare of energy, he found Hela in his study, one of his shapeshifting Grimoire's out and open before her (and

 

Jade_eyes: Thank-you! I totally gave into every soft spot I had writing those, and it was wickedly fun to do.

---

[b]Author's Notes[/b]: And here we are with more baby!fic. [face_blush] What? These characters deserve a bit of fluff after everything I put them through. :p [face_whistling]

(The chapter title is also a nick from Pablo Neruda . . . again. :p)

[hr]



[blockquote][b]Week XIV[/b]: [i]and you were a little leaf, that trembled on my chest[/i][/blockquote]



[b]66. One[/b]
[i](UDC I, Week 19, Prompt 91)[/i]

Frigg had marveled that her newborn son could so fit in the crook of her arm. The child was so small, so small where in her visions she saw a man ? bearing the height and breadth of the storms in all their glory. Already he was his parent's mirror, though; her little prince, all harvest gold and sun blessed.

But Thor was one . . . her visions had seen herself mother of two.

It was silly to mourn what was false ? a weaving that had not come to be, but as she held her only son, a small part of her wished for more.



[b]67. Hands[/b]
[i](UDC II, Week 7, Prompt 35)[/i]

Odin had not known that a child of the Jötnar could be so small.

But the babe was. In the shadows of the temple, the infant hardly filled the crook of his arm. But his scream was mighty, and the strength of that small hand over his own was strong ? mighty and tenacious. And then Odin thought of that smart gaze, the child's strong grip . . . thought of this child leading his people against the Aesir in times to come. And a part of Odin recoiled.

When he uttered his spells, and held the child as his own, he never looked back.



[b]68. Planet[/b]
[i](UDC III, Week 12, Prompt 58)[/i]

?And how do my sons fare this eve??

Jane Foster, eight months pregnant (although she was sure she was carrying a [i]planet[/i] rather than two demi-gods - [i]two[/i], Loki had ruined the news for them the week prior), braced a hand at her back, and looked fondly at her husband. ?Active,? she answered. ?They won't hold still.?

Almost giddy, Thor knelt down next to her, his hands braced against her to feel his sons.

?Oh,? Jane breathed as one kicked, ?that was a strong one.?

?Mighty indeed,? Thor breathed, laying his massive head against her stomach, his breath tickling her skin.



[b]69. Filial[/b]
[i](UDC IV, Week 6, Prompt 27)[/i]

?Do try to stop pacing, brother ? you wear the floor thin.?

Thor paused from his circle to look at his brother ? easily reclining on one of the benches outside of Eir's hall. Beyond them, screams echoed, setting Thor's skin to crawl. Both men had been kicked from the birthing room by Eir ? who said she did not need Thor's anxiety, or Sif's threats to Loki to hamper her work.

?It's your wife,? Thor saw fit to point out. ?I do not see how you can be so calm.?

?A true mystery indeed,? Loki gave wryly. But at his knee, his fingers tapped restlessly.



[b]70. Terrorist[/b]
[i](UDC V, Week 12, Prompt 56)[/i]

That night, giving the new parents a much needed break, Darcy took it upon herself to take the newest addition to their rather large family. In her mind, she was going to be the best Aunt [i]ever[/i], and it was time to start early.

Strangely, Hela's eyes were already very green ? and she would swear that the girl was plotting behind them. Darcy grinned a crooked grin, and held the baby close enough to whisper in her ear. ?You are going to be a right little hellspawn, mark my words.?

It would serve her father right, if Darcy had her way, after all.



[b]~MJ[/b] [face_rose]