บท 4: Gathering Allies
AUTHOR'S NOTES: TRIGGER WARNING FOR MORE CHILD ABUSE LIKE LAST CHAPTER! For now, I'm not going to keep warning for that unless it's explicit or worse then what we've already seen. Nor will I put triggers for cannon shit unless I think it's particularly bad.
Second of the double upload! Probably the last upload of the year. See y'all soon!
Discord!
https://discord.gg/4tmDwEppx9
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"Hello?" I call uncertainty to the gate in front of me. Loki tightens his grip on my forearm, shifting uncomfortably. I know there has to be cameras and an intercom somewher but I can't see it and Loki wouldn't know what to look for.
"Hello. Can we help you?" A polite, soothing, British voice comes over a speaker somewhere to my right. I beam, letting my hair and eyes shift from brown to its natural silver, dropping my illusion. There is a pause, and then, "Ah, I see. Please come in."
Loki and I walk up the long drive to see a beautiful mansion with a few individuals waiting for us. I feel a presence in my mind just as Loki's grip becomes bruising. I frown, turning to the man in the wheelchair. "Stop that."
The adults standing around him tense, but a raised hand from the wheelchair bound man stills them. "My apologies, but-"
I stop him with my own raised hand. "No. I understand well enough that you have people to protect. I will not claim mind reading is not a necessary evil in certain scenarios, but you are still too willing to abuse your ability, Dr. Charles Xavier. However, both my friend and I come with good intentions, so we will allow you a brief excursion into our minds to confirm that, after which you will desist from doing so in the future.'
The X men shift unhappily, but Dr. Xavier seems far from offended. Rather, he's apologetic and hopeful. "Of course, you are correct. I should have attempted to ask for consent, at least, Miss…"
"I am Novahna, or Nova. And this cantankerous one is Loki." I let my frown fade to a smile, liking the man's energy and allowing him to skim the surface of my mind, that I come offering my aid to mutant kind, that I hope to help protect the vulnerable population from both normies and violent mutants, that I want an alliance when it comes time to save the world, that I'm psychic, and that Loki and I are from Asgard.
Dr. Xavier gasps, and Logan steps in front, his adamantium bone claws popping free from his knuckles, but I just keep my hands down and visible because, frankly, putting them up would seem more dangerous to those used to mutant abilities.
Dr. Xavier seems to pull himself together and quickly invites us inside, much to the surprise of his minions. Loki, boogie brat that he is, examines the stunning mansion with a critical eye and his nose high in the air. "Not bad for Midgard."
I snort. "Please excuse him. The prince has a good heart but a shitty attitude."
"Prince?" Logan growls out, oozing suspicion
"Yes," Professor X murmurs, awestruck. "Prince Loki of Asgard, trickster god of mischief and magic."
"Like the legends and myths?" asks a stunning woman with white hair, similar to my own, and beautiful ebony skin. That's Storm.
"In the flesh, mortal," Loki smirks, throwing himself into an ornate armchair and crossing his legs, lounging like it's a throne.
"Let me catch the non psychics up. Loki and I have come to make an alliance. No, we aren't mutants. We are aliens, beings from a place called Asgard. Yes, we do mean the Norse myths. Yes, Loki does have a fantastic anti-aging and skin care regimen and is the one from the myths, although they are only partially accurate. No, I don't have any cool myths because I'm waaaaaayy younger by godley and alien standards."
I state all this bluntly, before conjuring some tea and biscuits I had prepared earlier. The group gazes blankly on as I start making myself a cup, floating one over to the doctor in his chair along with the cream and sugar. There is a moment of silence before Logan speaks. "What the fuckity fuck?"
I snort. "Hey, there are children here. Behave yourself."
""They are who they say they are. How magnificently fascinating," the doctor says in delight as he fixes his tea and I smirk sensing a kindred soul. Turns out the mind reader was, in fact, a huge troll that thrives off of a bit of chaos all along. Go figure.
"That's impossible… right? I mean, aliens-" starts a man with dark glasses covering his eyes, but I cut him off. That's probably Cyclops.
"Oh, please, as if we are not surrounded by many individuals with fantastical and extraordinary abilities as we speak. Aliens are far from unbelievable in our world. Just accept and roll with it for the sake of your own sanity. It would be very difficult to have faked all that to the doctor anyway, much harder than simply blocking him as we are now."
"Prove it," Storm says suddenly.
I don't hesitate, snapping my wings out before putting them away, conjuring a book, moving a cup, sparking a flame at my fingers, growing a flower in my other hand, and then, using a spell that allows someone to slip through space using the Yggdrasil, I teleport behind them and back to my seat, causing them to startle. "We use an energy we call magic. We are also far more durable than humans. It's why the first time our race traveled to earth, we were mistaken for gods and worshiped. Is this evidence sufficient?"
"Yup, that'll do it," Logan says, shrugging, and I find myself amused by his utterly unphased demeanor. "Still not the craziest thing we've seen. So, what do you want from this alliance?"
"If I may be blunt?" I offer, and Xavier waves me on. "As I've said, I've come to make an alliance. I offer my protection to your people and home, a way to contact us for help, and soon enough, I'll be, unfortunately, becoming a very public figure. Me and mine will be advocating for mutants', and anyone else with powers, rights, although honestly, we will be doing that with or without your alliance. Additionally, I can see the future. There are things I wish to warn you of if any of you plan to live through the next two decades."
I shrug, letting them panic and as they whisper yell among themselves as I float the cookie dish to a delighted Xavier and then Loki, who looks entirely uninterested despite the fact that I know otherwise.
"Can you tell us anything now?" Logan interrupts suddenly, drawing my attention now. "A sort of demonstration? I know foresight is supposed to be tricky-"
"And you want to make sure it's worth the trouble," I finish for him, utterly impressed and once again reminded why wolverine was always my favorite X men. "Come."
At my bidding, he hesitantly crouches next to me, reluctantly kneeling by my chair, and I brush my hand over his head, resting it there. The contact allows me to focus my magic on him and I show him a series of visions relating to his lost memories. His name, his brother, the wars he fought in, how he lost his memories, just a few clips here and there, and from the gasp of Dr. Xavier, he's clearly peeping through Logan's mind to watch.
"Fuck," Logan, or James Howlett, chokes breathlessly,
"Did I hurt you?" I ask worriedly. I could do mind magic well enough, but I had not used it much in this life, and there was always a risk with such dangerous things, but he merely shakes his head silently. "That is all I saw, but if it makes you feel better, two of your fellow Howling Commandos are not dead and I can bring them by to meet you when they are available. If you'd like."
Logan's voice is shaky as he agrees, dazedly returning to his previous position, unseeing of the concerned looks he is receiving from his team. It's not long before another voice speaks up, this one belonging to Jean Grey. "So what do you want in return?"
I shrug. "The universe will be facing some serious threats in the coming two decades. Threats on the level that would make Magneto look like a fridge accessory holding a child's drawing. I'm talking more than half the universe's population, earth and every other civilization, a number of beings I'm sure you couldn't even comprehend, wiped out. All I want is your friendship and a promise that you will send any able-bodied, willing mutants to fight with me when the time comes."
The horror coming off of them is potent and I feel my attention wander to some teens eavesdropping in the hallway, and I make a note to watch my language. "How do we know you won't use us to commit world domination or something?" Cyclops blurts and I laugh darkly.
"If I wanted to dominate the world, I would not need your help. Rather, when Earth gets invaded by aliens slaughtering people in the streets, my integrity won't be in question," I shrug, letting them absorb that terrifying comment. "I have no intention of using you like cannon fodder or for personal gain, but I won't force you to fight either. When the time comes, use your own judgment."
"That's it? That's all you want?" Storm murmurs.
For what is essentially the first time, Loki speaks up. "Don't let her fool you. She does have an ulterior motive," I shoot him a baffled look as the X men get ready to square up, but Loki just flips his hair snootily. "She's quite fierce in the protection of children."
I shoot him an incredulous look. "I know you of all people aren't talking." He was braiding Sleiphir's hair just the other day, and before that, he was inspecting Asgards orphanage, something he did yearly of his own volition! The little shit is a total sucker for ankle biters himself.
Loki sniffs haughtily. "I have no idea what you mean."
Somehow, this seems to break the tension as a few chuckles fill the room. Charles, still feeling of hope, leans forward. "Please tell us more, Miss Novahna."
XXXXXXXXXX
We end up warding the X Mansion to hell and back against those with bad intentions. By the time Loki and I finished, it would've taken several hours worth of airstrikes to even damage the place. Additionally, we offered some gifts. One was a mirror to contact us through. Others included bracelets like the one I gave Tony. All they would need to do is take it off while thinking hard on reaching out to mr, and I'd come running to battle under the assumption that if I was being contacted through a bracelet rather than the mirror, it was an emergency.
We also offered a few bracelets that should, theoretically, put a mutant and or their abilities to sleep in the instance of dangerous, uncontrollable abilities, something we tested on Storm and Charles himself. So far it all seems to work and the good doctor was practically in happy tears at all the possibilities for helping mutant kind.
"Nova, I would like to ask you if I might be allowed to study your blood," Dr Xavier asks at one point, and I freeze.
Loki, however, explodes. "Insolvent mortal! How dare-"
"Peace, Loki," I order softly, grabbing his shoulder to calm him as the X-men stiffen again at the sudden hostility. "They do not know how sacred blood is to magic users. They meant nothing by it."
Loki grumbles, but he does settle back as the doctor quickly apologizes. "Forgive me, I had not meant to be disrespectful."
"You could not have known," I waive the apology off. "There are many things that can be done when one combines blood and magic. Potentially, someone could even influence my thoughts and actions from a far, which is why it is so dangerous to hand such a thing over. However, I will give you a blood sample."
"Nova! You-" Loki hisses alarmed.
"We will take precautions. Only a few people will be allowed to touch the container. Anyone with bad intentions who touches it will receive a nasty surprise and the blood inside will be destroyed. Does that satisfy you, Loki?" Loki sighs, but nods, summoning a container and enchanting it right there in his seat. Knowing a needle might not be able to penetrate my nonhuman skin, I just use one of my daggers to open a cut and spill some of my blood inside. It's oddly glowy for blood, much to my vague amusement. "I urge you to be very careful and destroy any traces of it when you are finished testing. Otherwise, call me and I will dispose of it myself. Also, keep in mind while I am half Asgardian, we do not know what blood my father carried. I know not what you will find."
"We will protect this gesture of goodwill and trust with our lives, Miss Nova. Thank you, from the bottom of our hearts," Charles says with the utmost sincerity, and I smile, happy to have made good allies.
Before we leave, I tip off the X men to some incoming danger, but it's hard to tell what the actual threats will be. I've had limited visions of the mutants, and since Jean Grey isn't dead, and we have the addition of all the more prominent MCU elements in this world, I can't rely on past life knowledge of the movies to really anticipate anything. I'll have to keep an eye on them solely using my psychic abilities. While that is unfortunate and makes it far more difficult to help and protect them, it's not all bad because, hell, were some of the X men movies a complete mess, and I deadass do not want to deal with all that time travel shit. I will probably have to, at some point, do something about Kang and the time keepers and all that sacred timeline bullshit, but that was a future me problem, and so long as the X men left it alone for now, it would give me time to deal with the more immediate threats heading our way.
"Well, this was fun. We'll come back to play with the kids next time," I grin, shaking hands with various X men. "Call us if you need us."
"Next time, how about some sparring?" Logan smirks and I can't help the blood thirsty laugh that tumbles out of me. Even Loki seems to get hyped at the idea.
"We look forward to it."
"Great. More battle junkies," Scott groans, much to our collective amusement.
XXXXXXXXXX
"These are for you two," I grin cheerfully, handing over a box to Frigga and Heimdall whom Loki and I had asked to tea. "Desserts from Midgard."
"Oh? I think you mispronounced "bribe"," Heimdall replies dryly, making the queen giggle delicately behind her hand.
"Semantics," Loki drawls, going for the chocolate mousse with gusto.
"I take it your trip was successful?" Frigga questions, happily dissecting a powdered donut.
"Yes. I have reached out to a very nice set of allies and have high hopes for the future," I tell them cheerfully, utterly pleased with myself. "Did anything of interest happen here while we were away?"
"Aunt Freya has sent you a package, dear. It is in your chambers. And Loki, love," Frigga turns to her son, overflowing with joy and excitement. "You have been granted a visit with Fenrir."
Loki freezes, eyes wide. "Truly, mother?"
"Yes. You may see him tomorrow," she remarks gently.
"Thank you, Mother," Loki chokes out, rushing out of his seat to hug his mother tightly. He's not thanking her for telling him, but rather whatever it is she had to do an order to get permission from Oden, who has not let Loki see Fenrir in five years despite the fact that Fenrir is kept in a cell under the palace, guarded by Oden's men
"I would do anything for you, Loki. You are my son," she voices sweetly, brushing his hair back. I wince, knowing the words are true, but not wanting to think about just what this gift to Loki cost her. Odin may love his wife, and she, him, to some extent, but he was still not a kind man and that is not to be forgotten.
From the grim look on Heimdall's face, I decide it was nothing good.
XXXXXXXXXX
"Hello, Fenrir. I'm Nova. It's nice to meet you, little one," I crouch in front of the absolutely tiny kid hiding behind Loki's legs, just as I had with Jormungandr. Fenrir looks around seven, and he's disheveled and dirty, a chain locked around his neck and wrists and ankles.
As the youngest of Loki's children, the kid has few to no memories of the outside world, very few memories of his father and grandmother, or any people, really. His cell isn't as bad as it could be. Clearly servants were still told to clean and keep the kid alive, no doubt on Frigga's insistence, but he had no education, little social interaction, and days on end alone in the dark, just like Jor and his other siblings.
My rage against Odin is beginning to become overwhelming. Perhaps I should just assassinate him?
The child carefully creeps closer and I raise an eyebrow when he audibly sniffs me before seemingly calming. A wolf, huh? I know how to handle that. I settle on the stone floor, letting the kid approach at his own pace, my eyes averted and my body relaxed, making sure to smile without teeth. It takes a while and some encouragement from his father, but the kid eventually becomes more at ease, even coming to sit next to me and touch the end of my silver braid, or the back of my hands, all innocent, childish curiosity.
Like with Jor, we do our best to make the room more bearable, something else Loki and Frigga had been denied. However, I am technically a diplomat from Vanaheim, so we think Odin might let it slide in order to save face at the least.
Fenrir… doesn't talk, not really. He seems to understand well enough, and occasionally makes some very canine noises, but beyond that, I don't think he says a word. He just listens to his father, head tilted with wide, gold eyes, solemn, and it has me blinking back tears the entire visit.
The loudest noise Fenrir makes is when we leave. The little boy cries, shaking, heaving sobs that send him into coughing fits as he tugs at our clothes desperately. With the guards starting to get aggressive, the only thing I could really do was bodily drag Loki away in case they decide to get violent with us, or worse, Fenrir himself. I spend the rest of the night cradling Loki as he cries, reminding him that he is a good father and that this isn't his fault.
My fury at Odin only climbs higher.
XXXXXXXXXX
It's several months later that I feel it in the middle of the night. Eyes snapping open, I bolt up, lunging to my feet as I summon my prepared battle suit of black leather and bits of armor. I take another moment to grab my twin swords, and with a deep breath, I rip open a hole through space, blue and silver sparks convalescing around the edges, and then I step through into the space where I can feel Tony calling me.
I squint taking in the two frozen men in front of me, the bits of metal, and the glowing circle in Tony's chest, and the fact that I'm in a fucking cave, and then I sigh. "…I was hoping you would have called me sooner."
"I… didn't know you could make… portals? And I didn't want to put you in danger," Tony stutters out, eyes wide. "I only called you now because I thought you could track me and tell the military or police or something."
I blink, "Honey, I don't live on earth. I didn't even realize you were captured. It's why I gave you the bloody bracelet."
"Are you telling me your a fucking alien?" He says incredulously.
"Okay, look, now is clearly not the time," I roll my eyes, heading to him and raising a glowing, magic coated hand. "I'm checking your health, okay?" He nods, eyes huge as I press a hand to his cheek, scanning his body with spells murmured under my breath. After a moment, I nod. "Well, it's not great, but it will keep. I guess we're taking your captors out and bouncing?"
"Yup. Yinsen, this is Novahna, my alien benefactor, apparently. Nova, this is Dr. Yinsen, fellow hostage," Tony says a little distractedly, watching my hand as it hovers near his chest, soothing the damage and killing the infection brewing there.
"…Alien?" Yinsen asks, still gaping.
"No time. Tell me what's been happening, and how I can help," I order, stepping back and checking Yinsen as well.
They catch me up to speed as I help them put the very first iron man suit together, using my alien strength and magic to speed up the process, (And, oh my gods, this is so fucking badass), much to the two humans' baffled awe. Soon, all that's left is the fucking loading bar that does… something I don't really understand to make the suit work. "Is that everything?"
"Yes, now we just need time," Tony agrees, just as yelling starts outside the door.
"Alright, Yinsen, I'm sending you away," I declare, wiping grease off my hands.
"What?" The doctor startles. "No, I-"
"Want to die. I know, I can feel it," I interrupt gently causing Tony's aura to writhe with stress and horror. I take in the man's aura, the shroud of death hanging heavy on him, and the whispers of voices from beyond. "You lost people, and you're tired. You just want everything to be over so that you can see them."
"How…" the man whispers.
"I promise you that one day you will see them. But, that day need not be today," I tell him softly, the feeling of death receding a bit as I alter the man's fate, word by word, voices no one else can hear, his family, urging me on. "Their lives are over now, but they still watch over you. Live for them, knowing that they are safe and proud. I'm sure they won't mind waiting on you."
"Will I really see them? You're sure?" Yinsen whispers, his voice almost pleading.
"I am. I know Death and what comes after, " I admit easily. "So don't waste your life. It's precious." When he nods, I open another sparkling portal back to my room in Asgard, instructing the man to stay there and hidden before leaving him there just as someone tries to get into the room in the cave, causing an explosion.
"You booby trapped the door?" I inquire, amused as I slip Tony's mask on.
"It's what I do," Tony replies grimly.
"Well, I'm going ahead to buy some time. I've always wanted to take on terrorists. Motherfuckers always be giving marginalized brown people a bad name," I grumble heading to the door.
"Wha- Nova! You can't go out there!" Tony panics.
"I'll be fine. These guys ain't shit to me. See ya!" I wave without turning back.
Out in the hall, I step over the bodies from the door trap as men with guns appear and open fire. I throw up a shield before blasting them with energy and sending them tumbling as I pull my swords from their sheathes. Then, I summon their weapons to me, telekinetically aim them at the enemies charging at my back and hold down the triggers, mowing them down without even bothering to look behind me.
The next several minutes goes much the same, me occasionally mocking the terrorists in languages they don't realize I also speak. Eventually, I end up just shutting my eyes and fighting using my magic echolocation, the lights of explosions and gunfire having started to hurt my already weak eyes. At this rate, Tony won't have anything to do by the time he gets out of here.
I easily clear out the tunnels solo and wait at the mouth of the cave once the terrified men retreat outside, lazily doing sword tricks until Tony's hulking form joins me. "You ready?"
"Yup," he chokes out.
"No, you're not," I deny seriously. "You're about to kill a lot of people."
"I don't have a choice," he snarls.
"Exactly. And if you don't, I will, because any survivors here will only go on to kill more people like Yinsen's family." Tony reels at my words before he straightens with determination under the metal suit. "Don't forget why you're doing this. You will feel guilty about it later, but don't forget. Now go. I have your back."
"Thank you, Nova," he says in a low tone before stepping out into the sunlight, bullets raining down on him. When he retaliates using bloody flamethrowers, I take the opportunity to slip out of the cave, circle around, and start picking off Tony's stragglers and making sure there aren't any more hostages. When Tony starts getting overwhelmed I throw up a shield around him and start setting off some nearby explosives and throwing lightning bolts at snipers.
Just as Tony takes to the sky, I get a bullet in the shoulder, but I just stab the shooter's chest through, and conjure my own wings to join Tony. I take one more bullet in the hip before I create a massive, swirling fireball and bomb the whole area, making sure the base's tunnels caves in. I catch up to Tony just as he's about to crash land, and all I can do is use wind to slow his fall, landing next to him, alarmed.
"Not bad," he murmurs dazedly amid the rubble making me laugh. I check him over, healing a few minor injuries before portaling Yinsen back.
Then, we walk.
It's not nearly as bad as canon. I summon water to keep them cool and hydrated and feed them with some food summoned from my rooms in Asgard. But, we were still wandering in the damn desert with sand finding its way into unspeakable places as the two scientists asked me every question they could think of. Unfortunately, I couldn't just portal them to an American base since I need to know what the place I'm going to looks like or its exact location. So we spent a whole day and night wandering, me occasionally sending up large, bright flares into the sky to draw attention from the military, and eventually it works.
"Incoming!" I call, sensing approaching helicopters. "US military!" Tony and Yinsen collapse with relief as I send up another flare. "Listen up, guys. I don't care if you tell them about me, but don't tell them I'm a bloody alien. And Tony, hold off on the press conference until you call me back when you're home."
"Can I tell them you're a goddess?" Tony asks cheekily, but I just snort and vanish into a portal as the helicopters come into sight.
Back in my room, I sigh, dropping my swords, only to turn around and find a rumpled, pissed off Loki waiting for me like a parent who caught their kid sneaking home after a night out partying. "And where, pray tell, have you been for the last day, Starlight? Surely you wouldn't have snuck off to battle without me. My shield sister would never have done such a thing, ri- Is that blood?"
I wince, resigning myself to having to listen to the other god's motherhening and lecturing. Guess I'm not getting that bath after all.
XXXXXXXXXX
AN; Well, was anyone expecting the X men? I wasn't lol. Their story line will be pretty background, but very different from the movies.
Loki's children 😭 I made myself sad.
Poor Tony entirely underestimated his new friend lol
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