Loki Alone

Ego Check

7 months earlier:

"The mission is simple, get in, get out. I don't want any of your funny business Barton" Fury commanded, "Whatever do you mean?" Barton smirked with a slight bow as I walked in. Natasha, noticing my entrance turned to give her voice in the matter, "Who's the new kid?" Approaching I transformed my appearance to that of thirty mortal years, and said "Who you calling a kid" in the deepest voice possible. Then returned to my usual 17 year old body. Romanoff had clear confusion and intrigue on her otherwise emotionless face. Meanwhile Barton practically dropped his jaw to the floor "What the hell director? We have SHAPE SHIFTERS NOW?" He said amazed at my abilities, to which I proudly and cockily replied "Nope, I'm one of a kind baby" smiling and winking as I stopped beside him. Fury giving me deathly looks announced "This is Loki, an agent in training." "Ahem, Loki the god" I said, having the urge to impress my new coworkers on my first mission. I feel more and more mortal with each passing day and I don't know if I'm disgusted, or thrilled. "God of what? Greasy hair?" Natasha quipped to me. "You're probably just jealous his hair can produce oil while every bleached strand on your head is dry." I can tell this is the start of a beautiful friendship. I smiled before Fury cut in "Ladies, it doesn't matter who has the prettier hair can we focus on the mission?" "Yes director" Romanoff and Barton said in sync, so I followed suit, "Yes. director."

Shortly after the vent collapsed, and the ship stopped shaking a report came through that Barton was on the ship. In the chaos around us I went to find him, and maybe whack some sense into him while I was at it. Before I could find him he found me, I felt an arrow whizz by my head and when I turned to the direction the arrow was fired I saw him walking towards me, determined. The two of us collided, on impact he swung out his bow while I attempted to knock him out. I yanked his bow out of his hands and made it disappear. Without a bow, Barton resorted to the knife from a hidden compartment in his uniform. His face betrayed no emotion, it was as cold and dead as his new icy blue eyes. But his movements on the other hand were more lively than I'd ever seen. His attacks were not to stop, but to kill. I guess holding back was a stupid decision considering he's been brainwashed to destroy any and all foe. It's harder for me not to pull punches when all I see is the guy who practically took me under his wing when I first came to SHIELD. After a few deflected attempts at my life, and several punches Clint had me against the wall, hands pinned, with knife at throat. "Woah, WOAH there Barton. I mean, I'm flattered and everything but you know there's Laura and the kids and well Natasha is fighting Hulk downstairs-" I smirked and spit out with the little breath I had left over from the fight. Barton whipped his head around as Natasha cut me off saying "Not anymore" punching Clint squarely in the jaw knocking him out. "Thanks for that, I mean I had him, but thanks." I said checking my neck for blood. "Yeah sure you did kid, had him with a knife to your throat." she responded in a cool tone.

Once Natasha and I managed to get the unconscious Barton restrained in a cell we headed to a meeting in the control room. The moment we walked in I noticed that Thor was soaking wet and covered in seaweed, immediately I burst out into an uncontrollable laughter. Everyone looked at me like I was crazy, Natasha rolled her eyes, and Thor's facial expression was one of pure anger. By the time I took my seat still laughing Fury looked like he was going to fire me right then and there. "You finished?" he asked clearly, unamused with me. I forced myself to stop and try to focus. "Right, yes, please do explain." I managed to say without my voice cracking. Thor began to recall the tale, how after the explosion he went to check on the prisoner only to find him mid jail-break. Describing their fight and how Thor got thrown out the containment unit and into the ocean. At this point I had been holding in my laughter for so long I practically spit across the table, it took everything I had in me to remain silent. "Care to tell us what you find so funny about all this? We just found out that the thing we captured managed to escape and take down a god and you are laughing." Rogers said, completely pissed by my behavior. I controlled my instincts enough to reply "Well, Captain, my dear brother here believes himself above basically everything so for him to be defeated and thrown into the ocean by some mortals is freaking hilarious." Thor looked like he was ready to explode out of anger or possibly embarrassment, probably because he knew I was right. His ego needed to be brought down a few pegs anyway and this was the perfect opportunity to show him we're no better than the midgardians.