CHAPTER 134

[Yelena Belova POV]

Oh, this guy was definitely sus.

For him to 'coincidentally' show up in front of me for the third time this week was already gonging on the drums that had been beating the first time Nat and I met him. 

It also didn't help that none of us were able to find anything on him… not even a security footage before he appeared. The only footage we found of him was on the day he met us. 

Yeah, sus. 

It also didn't help that Draul looked as if someone just gave him the wrong tea leaves… a look of annoyance as if he was about to blow a top, and blow up the city. 

But so far, our newly found God of Mischief had been keeping whatever his plans were under a tight lid. And he was strong too. 

It was just a feeling I got, anytime he did one of his so-called 'magic' tricks and acted friendly, it felt as if snakes were around me. It was a disturbing sensation. 

Hopefully Draul was able to figure out this guy's business before I was tempted to put a bullet in his skull. Magic wasn't going to save him from having his brains blown out. 

Another thing was his eyes. Eyes that his smile never quite reached. 

Arrogance? Maybe. 

It was like he wasn't living in the same world as everyone else. Like he was brought up in some golden castle in the middle of the stars or something. He was just that annoying. 

I would admit however that he was great in conversation. A little too quirky, but a great conversationist. And he was smart too, like really really smart. With such intellect, he would have been a known genius if he went into the scholarly field. 

And he also knew a lot about history. Or maybe those jokes about the Greek and the early vikings were just his point of view. I think it was the former, if not why would Thor get caught naked and chased by a bunch of men and animals for hitting on a man who was illusioned as a woman? And what did he mean 'Good old days'?

Looks like we need to update his psyche profile too. 

"So tell me, young Yelena, what brings you out today?" Dressed in what I could identify as his favorite color, green, and his sickening perfectly permed hair accompanied with his unnerving smile. 

"You know, it's getting awfully suspicious how you keep appearing when I'm out in town. Are you a stalker or something?" Who would expect someone to be this blunt? Definitely not Loki, but like his hair, he was too smooth for something like this to stop him. 

"That's quite a bold accusation you have there but I'm afraid you are a century too young… at the very least." Did she mention he was annoying too? Because every word that came out of his goddamned mouth just served to boost whatever godly ego he had. It was like he felt that he was a god or something? If gods were like this, then I would lose all my nonexistent faith in them. 

"Right. Well forgive me for being too young, but if you'll excuse me. Wouldn't want to make you look like a child predator now, would we?" Yes, he pissed me off. But all of this was just an act to see what else he had on him. 

It was something both Nat and I quickly realized about him. 

Loki was very dangerous. We realized that without even needing a psychic like Draul to tell us. Every infuriating thing that came out of his mouth were like time bombs that would explode when you were on your own and started pondering on them later on. A perfect psychological attack which just made us that much wary of him. 

Just like the persona of the Norse god he was putting on, this man who identified himself as Loki had a deceptively slick tongue. 

I could see the small, almost imperceptible smile at the edge of his lips as I turned away from him in mock-not-so-mock annoyance. 

"Don't be so angry now. I'm just saying is all. Right, what of the redhead? Your sister if I'm correct." He looked around and it might just have been me but I think that he spotted Nat who was more than five hundred meters away. 

"She's at home, where I'm supposed to be in less than an hour. Hopefully I don't see you later, Loki." I needed to get out of here and fast. I ignored the wide smile he was now spotting and left the crowded street and weaved my way through in a way that he couldn't keep an eye on me. 

"Nat? Do you still have a visual on him?" I asked Natasha, already expecting the answer. 

"No. I lost him… again. Same with Bucky. Draul said to come back home. I think he found something on Loki."

He always pulled a perfect disappearing act like the magician he was so we haven't been able to track him down all week. I just hope that whatever Draul had on him would give me a warrant to put a bullet through his skull for every time he infuriated me. 

… 

[Loki, The Magician POV] 

They have their guard up, not that it would matter much in the end. 

It was very easy for me to predict how they'll move, I am me after all. While they have their full attention on me, they'll never expect the, as humans call it, curveball I was about to throw them. 

Normally I would never put myself out here like this but I had a very good feeling about this one, so I needed the front row seat. 

This Draul was very interesting. A very strong mortal. Since when did the Midgardians become this strong?

Yes, it's been centuries since I last visited this mundane realm but still? Looks like I'll have to move things up a bit. 

From what I've been able to gather, it seems like this Draul becomes quite the beast when he becomes angry. But I think I've done a good job by finding a perfect match for him. 

Oh, how Midgard had become amusing in the days I've been here. Mindless beasts in the form of men. 

I found one. 

Who would win, I wonder? The red or the green? That would be quite the show to watch. 

At least it will trump that of watching a giant pummel a drunk Volstagg across barren fields only to have Thor finish up the fight. 

Well then, time for the prelude I guess.

…

[Back at home. Draul St. Cross POV]

It didn't come as a surprise to me that they lost sight of Loki who I confirmed to be the adopted son of Odin, if the face of Tom Hiddleston and that ridiculously slick hair was any giveaway. 

Loki was a master in magic and his illusion mastery would put even the masters at Kamar-Taj to shame,  having learnt magic from one of the most powerful sorcerers in the nine realms. Evading Natasha and Bucky's surveillance was child's play for him. 

"I think it's pretty much established but he's a prick." Wow. Even Steve didn't like him, and he hasn't even met him yet. 

"So? What's his deal, quack?" Bucky asked. 

"Well for starters, he's a god." Figured I should put the part that was harder to believe out there first and we'll work from the reactions. 

"Well, he's done and overly extensive job on selling that story." Yelena scoffed. 

"Actually, I meant that in the literal sense. He's a Norse god." They all looked at me with different expressions but the first one to snap was.. 

"So no bullets?" She sounded almost disappointed as she asked that. 

"Sorry Yelena, but no bullets. It wouldn't do anything to him other than an irritating tickle." I was pretty surprised how she just seemed to accept that. 

"Wait, you're not joking? He's a real god? Like a real Norse god from the myths?" Natasha asked, blinking her eyes in incredulity. 

"Yes."

"So that means Thor…"

"Probably still in Asgard."

"And Odin…"

"Probably sitting on his throne… in Asgard." That reminds me. Odin would surely know if Loki was here. Different from how the MCU made him seem, nothing happened in Asgard that could escape Odin's eye. Which meant  that the OG white Fury had his eye on me. How troublesome, though it was fated to happen sooner or later. 

"I know you talk about runes and Asgard a lot and gods being real, quack, but I kinda felt that they'd be more… harder to reach? Definitely not expecting one of them to stumble upon us this soon." Bucky ran a hand through his hair and sighed. "The myths weren't enough, now we have to deal with real gods too? When did our life turn out this way?" He muttered to himself. 

"Do we have any idea what Loki wants from us? I don't think it will be anything nice considering he's the god of Mischief and Trickery, if we were to go by the myths." Steve said. 

"Oh you can bet it won't be anything nice. And yes, though not entirely accurate, they are very much like the myths. Though I have no interest in playing whatever games he's cooking up." This world was a healthy mix of the comics and MCU, meaning that Loki was probably not the one trick pony he was in the movies. He was a prodigy in magic and not just illusions like he was depicted in the movies. 

"So I might have a chance to shoot him?" Whatever did he do to annoy Yelena so much? Hopefully I never find out. 

Loki's presence signified a lot of things. 

One was that Odin was probably aware of me. Most definitely. 

Two was that he was acutely aware of what I was trying to do. If he was, it meant that other gods, most probably, godheads were aware too. That's discomforting. 

Odin was the Skyfather of the Norse pantheon and also a God of Wisdom. His plans had plans. I didn't know what he saw with his eyes but at least that was one Skyfather that doesn't have a beef with me. No way was I in any shape or form ready to face a galaxy+ - universal level being. 

"Yes, you might have a chance to shoot him, Yelena." I affirmed. 

Dealing with Loki was never easy. He could be downright a very wicked villain or just your normal trickster, doing everything for the thrills and giggles. 

"We have any plan on how to deal with him?" I have to say, I was impressed on how easily they were taking everything in. "Do you think you can fight him, Draul?" Steve asked. 

Can I defeat Loki? 

"Yes. Though he's a prodigy at magic, I can take him on pretty easily." I might not be as experienced as he was with magic didn't mean I couldn't still beat the shit out of him. Loki was slightly stronger than your average Asgardian physically, though he trumps them all in magic. His illusions on the other hand might be a pain to deal with but I'll manage. 

I should be able to fight Thor, though I don't know how strong he is. He shouldn't be all that strong considering that he hasn't been banished to earth yet. So even though he was strong, I should still be able to take him. Might have to fight him to know how strong he really is. 

"But won't we run afoul the Norse gods if we beat up one of them? I mean, the myths painted them as pretty stuck up individuals and looking at Loki, they still got their pride." Bucky asked worried. 

"The only one to fear a retaliation from would be Thor. I don't think Odin would interfere. As long as we don't kill him and just let them come pick him up after we are done, we'll be cool. That won't work for the Greek though, thankfully it's not them." I explained. 

"Great! Now we are talking about beating up a mythological being. We've really moved up in the world." Natasha lamented. 

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