Chapter 30: To Be Worthy

A/N: Otherwise known as "there are too many characters in this damn arc so I'm going to use the perspective of someone who will barely pay attention to most of them."

-x-X-x-

Lady Sif was not unused to being looked down upon. Even her title was something of an insult that she was forced to silently bear. She was not known as Sif the Warrior. Nor was she known, as she secretly longed for in her darker moments, as Sif the Valkyrie.

No, for all that she'd proven to embody the warrior spirit of Asgard time and time again over the centuries, she was still referred to as Lady Sif. A constant reminder that she was a woman first and a warrior second, even in the eyes of her closest friends.

After all, Thor did not address Fandral, Volstagg, or Hogun as 'Lord' did he? And while they sometimes addressed him as Prince, it was often more than acceptable for them to simply call him 'Thor' when they were alone.

Only Sif was referred to as 'Lady Sif' most of the time. It wasn't Thor and his Warriors Four, but Thor along with Lady Sif and the Warriors Three. Forever an outsider because of what lay between her legs.

Still, it was an irritation that Sif bore with quiet dignity and grace… most of the time. If it wasn't for Thor, she would not even have been allowed to train with a blade. The Valkyries were ancient history after all, and some on Asgard considered them little more than myth. Sif knew better, of course. She knew they were real, and she strove to follow their example in all that she did, even if she would never be able to count herself among their number.

This was all to say, as much as Sif would happily duel anyone who truly questioned her honor as a warrior, there were subtler insults that she was forced to bear with as a matter of course, simply because she chose a more martial path than most Asgardian women in this day and age.

However, taking such subtle insults from a Midgardian of all things… that was something Sif was currently struggling to come to terms with. As well as the fact that the man was apparently already Thor's friend.

It had been some time since Sif had come to Midgard, but she did not remember Midgardians being quite so strong. And indeed, once Thor and this 'Tony Stark' introduced her and the Warriors Three to the other Midgardians in the 'base', Sif could tell something was fishy.

Some of the Midgardians did not believe Thor to actually be who he said he was. Tony Stark believed, and so did his lady wife Pepper Stark. As well, some of the others seemed on the fence. But then there were those who were apparently still quite doubtful, and who even suspected her and Thor's shield-brothers of being little more than forgeries.

They had put this matter to rest once and for all by revealing their strength of arms to these naysayers and nonbelievers. Tony Stark had granted them permission to put holes in his concrete (whatever that was) walls with their bare fists to show how strong they were. Frankly, Sif almost wished he hadn't given them permission. She would have liked doing it against his wishes even more.

Still, the strength of her and her fellow Asgardians had unsettled the Midgardians, even those who had already believed that Thor was who he said he was. And that didn't make much sense because… because Thor's new Midgardian friend was at least as strong as Sif herself. She had felt it when she'd shaken Tony Stark's hand.

It wasn't like Sif had planned to break any of the Midgardian's bones. Really. She'd merely intended to teach him a lesson about unwanted 'compliments'. She was not to be addressed as 'gorgeous'. She was to be addressed as Lady Sif or nothing.

However, before she could lay down the law so to speak, Sif had been shocked when her attempt at squeezing Tony Stark's hand to the point of pain had been met with impossible resistance. He'd squeezed right back and as they'd shaken hands, he'd matched her strength for strength, even as she'd increased her grip to something that should have pulverized a Midgardian's bones and turned them to little more than dust.

Initially she had wondered if Midgardians as a whole had gotten stronger in the centuries since she'd last visited their Realm. But now, seeing the other Midgardians react to Asgardian strength, Sif realized that it wasn't Midgardians in general, but Tony Stark in particular. He was stronger than he should have been and that… that was most curious.

Especially since Sif suspected from the way the others interacted with him that they didn't know. None of the other Midgardians showed the same unsettled fear towards Tony Stark as they did towards Sif and the Warriors Three. Instead, it was a mixture of different emotions, from exasperation to annoyance to affection.

After introductions are said and done and the Warriors Three have the attention of the Midgardians, Sif makes sure to sidle up alongside Thor and gets his attention.

"Thor."

Her Prince looks at her curiously.

"Yes? Look, if this is about going back to Asgard to fight Loki… I'm worthless as I am now. Until I prove myself worthy, I must remain here where father put me."

Sif just shakes her head, still a bit irritated at his refusal to return with them, but at the same time understanding where he's coming from. It's just still hard to wrap her head around the idea of a powerless Thor. He's always been larger than life. Always been strong and powerful. Now… now he's barely better than a Midgardian. And an average one at that, not one like Tony Stark.

"It is not that. It's about your new friend, Tony Stark."

At that, Thor's expression suddenly darkens.

"Ah yes. Do not think I did not see what you tried to do earlier with him by the way. I know that he upset you when he called you gorgeous, but you must understand that Midgardians are different. You shouldn't have tried to harm him just for paying you a compliment."

Gritting her teeth, Sif has to resist the urge to give Thor a good solid smack for that. In her experience, men were the same everywhere. And being a man, Thor didn't know what the fuck he was talking about. But… she needed to look past that for the time being so she could raise her concerns with her Prince.

"Surely you saw how strong he was, your highness. That wasn't normal. This 'Tony Stark' is strange… he's not like the other Midgardians."

She hopes to see Thor's brow furrow into thoughtfulness as he heeds her words, even as rare as such a thing tends to be. Alas, it's not to be. Instead, Thor's eyes light up and he suddenly grins.

"Ah! Yes, I'd noticed as much as well. Do not fret, Lady Sif. I have already figured out the secret of Tony Stark. You see, Midgard has moved away from the use of kings and monarchies in the last few hundred years."

Wait, what? Sif blinks at that, furrowing her brow. If they no longer had Kings and Queens, how in the name of Yggdrasill did they ever get anything done?!

"I know, it's strange. But they rely on this system of governance known as democracy these days. However, as you've noticed, Tony Stark is special. He is no mere Midgardian. No, Sif… he is a hidden king in a world that now persecutes them!"

He… what? Sif leans back at Thor's enthusiasm, a little nonplussed. How… how did that work exactly? And how did that explain why Tony Stark was so much stronger than a Midgardian should be? Sif opens her mouth to voice this to her Prince, but before she can…

"Thor, buddy. We've got incoming again. And this time I don't think it's friendly."

Every eye in the area turns to Tony Stark, who suddenly looks very serious. He flicks his fingers and through what Sif can only assume is magic, creates an illusion in the air that shows a stretch of the desert outside. Her eyes widen along with Thor and the eyes of the Warriors Three as they all behold The Destroyer stomping towards them.

"Recognize it, I assume?"

"The Destroyer! But Loki would never… no, I suppose the proof is right in front of my eyes. Damn it all, she's gone too far!"

At hearing this, one of the blander Midgardians suddenly begins speaking into a device, and several more Midgardians stream towards the exit of the facility. Everyone else follows along, including Sif and Thor's shield-brothers.

The Destroyer is no laughing matter, but together they've all fought bigger monsters than it before and prevailed. Only… they'd always done so with a fully powered Thor at their side.

The Destroyer stomps up to the perimeter of the Midgardian Base and stops there, even as Midgardians array themselves before it. The bland one goes to step forward and speak, but Tony Stark puts a hand on his shoulder and shakes his head.

"Let Thor handle this one, Agent."

Sif narrows her eyes at that. Thor is in no position to handle anything and these Midgardians had better be prepared to help! Belatedly though, she realizes Thor is already stepping forward.

"Sister! Cease this foolishness! You already tried to trick me once with your lies. I will not believe our father to be dead, not even if you produced his head right this moment! I will not believe he has passed from this world until I have proven myself worthy of Mjolnir once more and regained my powers so I can return to Asgard and verify it myself! Moreover, I will not believe Mother wishes me to remain in exile indefinitely until she herself tells me so with her own lips, no matter how it might hurt!"

Holding his arms out like an utter fool, Thor seems to be trying to talk sense into Loki. Sif could have told him that would never work. The crazy bitch had never been the type to listen to anyone but herself and very rarely her and Thor's mother.

"There's no point to any of this. Call off The Destroyer! Father will awaken from the Odinsleep soon enough, and he will pass judgment on us both for our transgressions! Do not make this any- sister… are you even listening to me?"

Huh? Sif blinks before realizing what Thor is talking about. It's kind of hard to tell because The Destroyer's 'face' is just a pair of rather large dark eye sockets. However, now that she's paying a bit more attention, she realizes that The Destroyer isn't even looking at Thor, despite Thor ostensibly being the reason Loki sent it. Instead… instead The Destroyer is looking directly at the Midgardian Tony Stark. And it's beginning to glow.

"Oh shi-!"

The Destroyer's face opens up and an orange-white fiery beam of destructive energy comes blasting out, taking Tony Stark directly in the chest and blasting him back through the entrance of the base that they'd all just come piling out of.

"TONY!"

The man's lady wife screams and races back in after him, while the other Midgardians react in one of two ways. The ones who are armed with Midgardian Weapons begin to fire upon The Destroyer, including an archer of all things that is apparently on the roof of the large Midgardian Base. The ones who are unarmed all scream and duck for cover, racing to find some place to hide.

Sif, of course, rushes forward along with the Warriors Three. Thor still stands out in the open and they have to protect him from The Destroyer's wrath. However, they're too slow. At the attack on his new friend, Thor roars and rushes forward despite his powerless state.

"LOKI NO! If you must kill, kill me! LEAVE THEM OUT OF-urk!"

Of course, as he is now… Thor can't do anything. It's one thing to know her Prince has been depowered and another to see his powerlessness with her own eyes. The Destroyer doesn't even blast Thor like it did Tony Stark. It just casually backhands him across the face, sending him sprawling with injuries that will surely be his death if they are left untreated for long.

Unfortunately, neither Sif nor the Warriors Three are in any position to render Thor aid. The Destroyer immediately turns on them once it's dealt with the Prince, and they are soon fighting for their lives. The Midgardians do their best to provide covering fire, but funnily enough it is only the archer and his strange arrows that do anything to so much as stagger The Destroyer. The rest of the Midgardian weapons don't so much as scratch its metal.

Still, Sif is a warrior. A fighter even. And she will not go down easily. Even if defeating The Destroyer feels impossible, she and the Warriors Three fight with reckless abandon and impeccable teamwork. There's just one problem… there's a gaping hole in the middle of their formations, potentially the most critical piece of the puzzle. Without Thor… it's a losing battle from the very beginning.

But just when all seems lost, something strange happens. The air begins to tingle and Sif smells something on the wind that brings a tired smile to her lips. And then… Mjolnir comes flying out of the Midgardian Base, and slaps into Thor's outstretched hand. A massive bolt of lightning strikes down from the sky and coats Thor in power and in that moment, Sif knows the day is won.

"LOKI!"

The Destroyer does not last long after that. It was only ever Odin's Vault Guard after all, not exactly a machine meant for war. Thor, Prince of Asgard and God of Thunder, dismantles the automaton in just a few harsh strikes, seemingly having little patience now that he has his powers back.

When he's done with The Destroyer, Thor turns to his friends and grins, hoisting Mjolnir over his head.

"My friends! I am worthy once more!"

The Warriors Three cheer, but Sif just gives Thor a pointed stare and a raised eyebrow that causes the smile to drop from his face. She'd intended to remind him of Loki's crimes and the need to get back to Asgard immediately now that he has his strength again… but instead, Thor whips towards the entrance to the Midgardian Base.

"Tony Stark!"

As he begins to race forward, however, Thor is stopped in his tracks by a most peculiar sight. Everyone else turns as well just in time to see Tony Stark being supported by his wife, the Lady Pepper as they come out of the base.

"I'm fine… I'm fine!"

Everyone is agape and Sif raises a brow, wondering if this is when the strange mysterious Midgardian will be forced to reveal his true power. However, right before everyone's eyes, he pulls open his shirt… and reveals a strange metal chestplate underneath, covered in a massive burn mark from The Destroyer's attack.

"Luckily I was giving this thing a test drive today. It's for a project of mine I've been working on for the past year now. Don't worry Coulson, Pierce knows all about it."

The bland Midgardian's mouth shuts with an audible click and there's an expression of frustration on his face. Sif finds herself experiencing a strange sense of kinship with the 'Agent Coulson'. She knows for a fact that Tony Stark was wearing no armor, at least not near his arm, when they'd shaken hands before. His impossible strength was his own.

"Tony Stark of House Stark! It heartens me to see that you are okay! For a moment I had thought you had fallen in battle to the treachery of my sister and I was most bereaved. But now I can do as I've longed to and call you shield-brother in earnest, for we have fought together at long last and defeated a most worthy foe!"

Tony grins lopsidedly and lets out a laugh.

"Sure Thor. Shield-Bro it is."

"Yes! I like it! We shall be 'Shield-Bros'! Alas, I and my friends must depart now. Loki must be stopped, once and for all!"

He's right of course. It's everything Sif wanted when she and the Warriors Three first came down to Midgard. And yet, as Thor steps back and prepares to call for Heimdall… Sif finds herself hesitating as the others gather around their Prince. Instead of going to him…

"My Prince! I request permission to remain here on Midgard for a time… to act as your eyes and ears until you can return!"

The mystery of Tony Stark has caught Sif's attention like nothing else. She cannot simply drop it now, no matter how much she wishes to. Thor looks surprised by this request… but then gives her a beaming smile.

"Of course, Lady Sif! Friend Stark, you will look after Lady Sif for me for a time, won't you?"

"Sure Thor, I can do that. No problem."

Hm, there's something in Tony Stark's voice then. Something Sif can't put her finger on.

"Very good then! I swear I shall return as soon as my sister is dealt with! Until then, fare thee well, all of you! Heimdall, bring us home!"

There's a brief pause, and then Thor frowns.

"Heimdall! Bring us back to Asgard via the Bifrost so that I may confront my sister! As your Prince, I demand-!"

Mid-sentence, Thor and the Warriors Three are suddenly hit by a shimmering rainbow beam of light and without another word, the four of them vanish up into the sky. Sif watches them go with pursed lips, already slightly regretting not joining them all in the fight against Loki.

… But Thor would handle things like he always did. He would return soon enough and when he finally did, Sif was going to make sure she had more information on just who Thor's new shield-brother really was. Because something didn't add up with Tony Stark, and Lady Sif was going to get to the bottom of it.

-x-X-x-

A/N: Sif is just looking out for her Prince regarding his new 'Shield-Bro'. Besides, Thor will be right back after he puts Loki in her place. Not like there's anything that's going to happen that would cause Sif to wind up stranded on Midgard, haha. Two week stay, tops!

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