Chapter 1

All alone. Again.

The insides of the majestic time machine seemed quieter now that he was alone. Again.

The lights emitted a golden glow over everything, even the man sitting quietly in the one chair in the room. The Time Lord, the Doctor, sat slumped in the chair, silently staring at the floor. He had set the controls on random. Only the TARDIS knew where they were going. A surprise of sorts.

So few of those for the 900 year old Time Lord, surprises were few and far between. The sound of the wheezing brakes made his head turn. The Doctor sighed, grabbed his long coat, and dashed out the door to see what his lovely TARDIS had taken him. He looked about in amazement, towering structures so shiny his eyes were beginning to water. The Doctor closed and locked the TARDIS door, tossing the key deep into one of his many pockets, and began his leisurely way up to the door of the imposing structure before him. Some things seemed awfully familiar while others were new. His eyebrow raised unnaturally high. Asgard? The TARIDS brought him to Asgard? Oh…dear. He shrugged, threw on his best smile, "Allons-y."

Loki strode down the halls. A smirk happily playing across his face. He'd just managed to string explosives to the turkey that laid in the dinning hall for the party Odin had been hosting that night.

Had. Key word here. The gods would soon find an explosive treat as soon as they touch the meat at the center of their table. The food would fly everywhere. Oh, it would be glorious! Their silly screams like music to the prince's ears. He had to better remove himself far from the situation. His feet almost breaking into a run as he pranced down the halls towards the tower where the best view was to be had.

Loki had planned for weeks to prank his lovely family. Odin's favorite robe would so easily be ruined by the food explosion, and if Loki was lucky, the table would join the pile of ruined materials during the night. The prince skipped in joy down the halls until he swore he heard footsteps, but one could swear that Asgard would be silent besides the guards. Even then, their shoes were made of metal. They should clink...not flop. Loki froze in the place he stood. Hiding in the shadows as he saw the man stagger down his halls. No, he definitely was not from Asgard. His style to weird for even the strangest of the prisoners in the realm.

Quickly, Loki looked around. Asgard was at its brightest. The evening sun glowing off of the palace walls like fire on a building. It took years to be able to walk around Asgard without your eyes hurting a bit. That is, if you were human. The man shrugged his shoulders, and began to walk away. The prince stepping forward as if intending to follow the guy, but in all honesty… he was curious.

The palace was silent, a little eerie in the Doctor's opinion. It had been a long time…and a few faces long gone…when he was last in this mystical realm. And he distinctly remembered Asgard as the hub of activity. Especially that day when Odin brought that young child back with him…Loki? If he remembered right. The same day the little Thor received his hammer…what-ever-its-name-was…Ah…good memories. All the Asgardians had thought him to be a god, like them…He denied it of course, but…

He tasted the air, a frown furrowing his face. Odd. He quickly looked around, his ancient brown eyes darting around the architecture, looking for the disturbance. He tested the air again. Definitely strange. A new smell. Not Time Lord. But with a definite tang to it that would suggest anything other than human. He looked around again and cleared his throat, "I know you are there, so it would be best if you would just show yourself!"

"Now is that anyway to treat a prince?" Loki purred from the shadows. A smug grin playing across his pale face. The man did have some guts. Calling him out like that. Threatening him as it seemed. Oh, no. This would be fun. Causally, he stepped forward. Running his long fingers through the gelled-back, black locks on top his head.

"I don't take nicely to threats," The god joked. A creepy joy in his posture. Just the way he held himself could get someone to run. Normally. Which in this case Loki hoped it would work. Chaos was unwanted, and where there was Chaos, there was Loki. Always running. Not that he could complain. Over the years he'd found so much enjoyment with their continuous squabbles, but this man seemed different. Something about him caused the god to almost shiver when trying to look in his eyes.

"Looking for the bathroom I suppose," Loki laughed, "Isn't that what one says when getting caught in a place they shouldn't dwell?"

"Ah, but I am always where I am not wanted, it seems," the Doctor squared his shoulders, not backing down from the black-haired Asgardian before him.

The Time Lord did not take threats lightly either. He squinted, looking the god up and down before a smile twitched at the corners of his mouth, "You look familiar, but where would I have seen you before?"

He circled the Asgardian, not able to put a finger where he had seen this black-haired man before. Then an earlier statement of the man's managed to penetrate the Doctor's mind and he leaned away, "You did say that you are a prince, am I right? Well…I only know of two Asgardian princes. You don't look anything like Thor, soooo…you must be Loki." He snapped his fingers, all proud with himself for figuring it all out. His eyes narrowed again and leaned in once more, "You've grown. I remember when you were only this tall," he leaned down, palms level to about his knees, and straightened out, "I've been away for an awful long time it seems."

Loki starred in puzzlement when the man did not hit his knees as the others. Guards would be killed for such disrespect, but here this man stood. Almost as tall as the prince. He didn't know who he was, but Loki liked him! He liked him until he mentioned Thor. Comparing them like two kittens. A frown quickly cast itself on the ghostly features of the god.

"Yes, yes." Loki rushed his words. The blue-green irises glued to the horizon. The sun setting. It was minutes until the feast would begin. "Can we discuss this elsewhere?" He more stated than asked.

His feet broke into a quick jog towards a tall tower that hung over the dinning halls. Loki could even smell the food behind him like it was a mocking joke. His robes fluttered behind him as he attempted to escape the aroma. "Now would be nice!" Loki shouted at the man who stood in the hall. His eyebrows raised in the most interesting fashion.

"Oh, I do love the running bit. I'm awfully good at running," the Doctor chuckled, following after Loki.

Glittering walls flashed by, a tower looming above and which was quite possibly their destination. His ancients eyes darted around, taking in everything, "It has been an awful long time. Everything looks different." He did wonder if his old room was still around here somewhere. He would have to go and find out later. His long brown coat billowed out behind him as he matched his stride with the black-haired god. "Oi, what exactly are we running from?" He was curious now. There had been a look close to utmost fear, or apprehension, on Loki's face. The Doctor could smell something really delectable wafting from the opposite direction. The direction they are running from. Now he was really curious. His own eyebrows raising.

"You'll see," Loki said with a smirk. Happy to see the Doctor running along side with him. It was weird but maybe he could blame it all on the man. He was rather strange for Asgard. "Renovations. Magical are they not?" Loki chuckled as he turned a sharp corner. Grabbing the Doctor's hand as he changed them into small, black birds. Flying above the tower until Loki found a suitable perch, resting his talons on the turret. The prince couldn't refrain from a laugh as he saw the Doctor awkwardly fly up the drifts. Loki chuckled for a moment before aiding the man with a hint of magic. Turning him back to a man when his talons too rested on the ledge. The god's lips were pulled back. Showing his sharp white teeth.

"Welcome to Asgard," he laughed. Running his fingers through his raven black hair as he looked down at the golden city. Lights flickering across the courtyard like fireflies, but soon his irises were drawn to the dinning hall that already was filling with guests. "Enjoy the show."

The Doctor was still disoriented. That whole being turned into a bird was going on his 'never again' list. He was a time traveler…not a shape-shifter.

The Doctor clutched the railing tight with white knuckles, taking deep drafts of air to clear his head…and his roiling stomach.

"A…little…warning…would…have…been nice," he gasped out, his face a little green. But the nausea soon passed. For which he was glad. The Doctor followed Loki's gaze down to what appeared to be the beginnings of a party. He arched an eyebrow, wondering what the god was meaning…his eyes widened…

"What did you do?" he growled, his brown eyes hard. It was going to be apparent that the god's title was well earned: Loki, the god of mischief.