XIII

"I'm back!" I exclaimed loudly as I arrived, entering the living room.

"Well, if it isn't our favourite traitor!" Tony greeted cheerfully.

"Awh, favourite? Really?" I said, bringing my hand to my chest as to say 'I'm so touched!'

"No, not really! Our favourite traitor is Clint, obviously!" Tony told.

"Hey! I was under mind control, that's not fair," Clint said offendedly.

"It really isn't. He wasn't technically the one betraying you, meaning he should be disqualified from the race," I pointed out.

"That is so far from the point," Steve told; "Arabella, you owe us a goddamn explanation!"

"You know you did bad when Cap swear," Tony told me.

"You really think you could've kept him in that little room?" I asked.

"It wasn't a little room, it was a cell," Steve corrected me; "Build to hold powerful beings."

"And yet it wouldn't have held him for a second!" I argued.

"We got him in there, didn't we?" Tony challenged me.

"Because he wanted to be in there! The second he realised that none of you had what he needed, the second you got him annoyed or even used up his patience, you all would have been toast!"

"And you wouldn't?" Cap tried.

"No, because I don't make the mistake of underestimating the people I'm up against! I just got an ally, one of the single most powerful beings in this realm owes me a favour! You lot, however... Well, if this is how you'll handle this entire thing, then good luck," I ended my little speech.

"Arabella," a voice sounded from behind. I rolled my eyes at Fury before even turning around.

"Hey mr. Pirate. I let Loki out of his cage," I told him honestly.

"I heard. Why?"

"Because if I didn't he would've just gotten out of it himself, and that would have caused much more destruction to the nice little aquarium you've built."

Fury looked at me, evaluating if he could trust me.

"Alright. I trust your call," he then decided.

"I don't care," I replied.

"You should. You really should," he warned; "You are very close to becoming a threat to us, and you know what we do to those."

"Oh my god, the threats again?! Fury, for the love of god, I am trying to help you! You're very much making me not want to help you," I warned him.

"Your attitude isn't helping. You're getting a new room," he told.

"Please tell me it's far away from here," I begged.

"You can borrow the... What did you call it, aquarium? We will let you out only when someone can watch you," Fury told.

"This is actually not that bad," I admitted, sitting down on the floor of the cell; "Can I have a book, though?"

"No," Natasha replied. Tony stood next to her, the two of them being assigned to get me to my new 'room'.

"That's fine," I decided; "Anyway, I'd like to get some sleep, so if you don't mind?"

"Don't worry, Arabella. You'll be out of here soon," Tony assured before turning around to leave.

"Byeee!" I yelled happily after them before the automatic door closed.

I got down on the floor, quickly got myself comfortable before closing my eyes.

"I see they had a new occupant ready to take over," a voice hummed from the dark.

"I don't see what that has to do with you. Or see anything at all," I added; "It's really dark in here."

A green light appeared at chest height, quickly moving around before lighting up the entire room.

"Ah, good to see you again, Loki," I greeted, not bothering with getting up from the floor.

"You lied," he stated.

"Did not," I claimed offendedly.

"You said your name was Arabella," he reminded.

"Are you allergic to books or something?" I asked; "Everybody knows I have lots of names."

"You said you hadn't seen her," he told, growing serious.

"Well how could I?" I shot back. He chuckled lightly.

"I see. You tricked the trickster," he said, sounding impressed; "Not many can manage such an achievement."

"Well, I'll see if somebody has a gold star sticker once I get out," I told, sitting up.

"Speaking of - why are you in here?" he asked curiously, looking around.

"I'm trying to show that they can control me," I explained; "If that's what they think, they'll let me get back to my thing."

"Which is?"

"Being human. I want to have a job and friends and I want to have an alarm clock, you know?" I told honestly, looking dreamy; "What about you? What do you want?"

"World dominance."

"That escalated quickly," I pointed out.

It's the only way for us to be free he told me, the words appearing in my brain without his lips having moved.

"My way works, too," I tried.

"You're in a cage," he pointed out.

"For now. A year is practically nothing, and then they'll let me get back to doing me," I explained with a shrug.

"Darling, I'm planning on taking over the world. If it's just me against them, it won't be over in a year. You'll have to stay and help them for longer, because you and I both know that they'll need you," he said softly; "And you think it'll be over then? If you go up against me they'll see your strength, you think they'll ever let you live a normal life then? And you'll have no choice but to become a sensation, famous, a celebrity. Your face will be in magazines, and generations away they'll still be able to recognise you. You'll lose your chance to be a human."

I looked at him. There was no sign of joking in his eyes, no sign of him trying to manipulate me, even though that was probably the case.

"Besides fighting on a losing side, you'll also be fighting on the side of your enemies. You do know that, do you not?"

So what do you propose? I asked.

"Join me, my darling," he offered, a gentle smile reaching his lips.

"In what?"

"In ruling this world. In creating a world in which we can be free, in which we can be our powerful selves without hiding and constantly being hunted down like prey," he told.

"What's in it for you, Loki of Asgård?" I asked him, standing fully up. Even though I didn't reach his height, it didn't matter. We both knew we were equals, no matter physique.

I have... Been banished, in lack of better terms. And I experienced the same thing you did. Being hunted, chased and dishonoured for merely being too strong. They are scared, and of course they are! They do not stand a chance he told me softly; But with us as their leaders, they'll get to live their lives. They'll no longer have to fear, because they will have someone to protect them and lead them, as is right. And we will no longer have to hide. We will be free, finally.

"I don't want to rule the world," I admitted; "I just want to have a simple, human life."

And you can, with no one constantly checking you, measuring you, controlling you. As will all the humans he added before I could ask.

And how many will die while achieving this? I asked.

"Does it matter? We will change the world, darling. In a few generations, all will have been restored and the world will be a better place, for all."

"So why not talk to them?" I asked.

"They are humans, love, they are scared. They need a leader to make the right decisions for them," he appealed.

With you on my side, on our side, it'll be over so much quicker, and they will all, as well as you, be able to return to their humane ways.

"Alright. I'll hear you out," I agreed with a sight, making him smirk happily.

"Need me to break you out, darling?" he offered pleasantly.

"Nah, I got it," I told casually before every single piece of glass on the floor shattered to a million pieces - including the one holding me back.

"Dramatic. I like it," he grinned, reaching an arm out for me to take.

"Well, they had me behind around 20 centimeters of bulletproof glass, it took a little power to break through," I shrugged, taking his arm and standing next to him.

"Power you could not have contained?" he joked, smiling at me.

"Easily, but they've made it quite clear we're not on the same side," I told, feeling comfortable in my new role.

Jensen-SilverShadow is entirely to thank for this chapter, which I would not have written had it not been for them. I am very sorry I am so late, but thank you for putting the time and enthusiasm into my story to both read and comment.