“A shapeshifter? Like… Turning into other people, animals and shit?” Tony said with a wide grin on his face, and Natasha wondered exactly what pop culture reference he was using as a basis. Her own mind went for that cute bartender who changed into a dog in that one vampire show she once watched on cable while cooped up in a motel room in Beirut for way too long. “Wait, does that mean that thing with a horse was true?”
He apparently did catch up with his reading.
Loki blinked at him. “What thing with a horse?”
Tony giggled nervously. “I’ll borrow you the books later,” he said. She could swear his cheeks got a bit redder under his tan.
“That would explain the form change,” Bruce said and adjusted his glasses, still not quite believing the sight before his eyes. “Do you know how it works?”
“I’ve only ever heard the stories,” Loki said and there was astonishment and dejection both in his voice. “About powerful Jötnar shamans turning into fearsome creatures to join the fray. I’ve never seen it in person.” His hand returned to its regular shape, and he rested it back on the table.
“How are you doing this?” Bruce inquired.
“I just told you…”
“No, I mean, how do you control it? It was a conscious change, what you just did, right?”
“Yes,” Loki said and took a breath. “It’s hard to explain to someone who’s not familiar with the arcana of magic. I don’t think your language even possesses proper terms to describe it.”
“I’m sure you can do it,” Pepper said with an encouraging smile. The years as Stark’s assistant had done wonders for developing skill in gentle persuasion.
Loki sighed and yielded. “I could sense it since the moment I changed. It’s like… a strand of unfamiliar magic, deep inside my mind. I had no idea what it meant until now.”
“Are the claws the only thing you can do?”
Loki bit his lip, considering. “I’m guessing not, but it was the easiest, since I’ve apparently done that before, and it was the first thing that came to my mind. I’d have to… explore it further to know where the limits are.”
“Would you…” Bruce started and paused, then adjusted his glasses again to buy himself some time to gather the courage to ask whatever he was going to ask. “Would you consider allowing me to scan your brain while you’re undergoing a change?”
“Why?” Loki asked, taken aback.
“We already know it’s in some way similar to my own transformation and I’d love to study it more. And I can’t really do it on myself. Hulk doesn’t take being examined too kindly and I’d imagine Tony wouldn’t appreciate having yet another floor forcibly remodeled.”
Loki crooked his head and pursed his lips, still unsure.
“It’s a completely non-invasive procedure,” Bruce hurried to explain, “Very similar to the scans we did yesterday, just the sensors are placed in a sort of a net around your head. And it’s not time-sensitive, we can wait till you feel better and your injuries heal.”
Loki sighed and nodded. “Okay,” he said.
“Thank you,” Bruce said. “I’ll prepare the test parameters sheet later and let you overview it before we start, so you know what exactly we’re trying to achieve.”
Loki nodded, curtly, then said, “I don’t know if I’ll be able to understand your scientific jargon. The All-Speak is not… ideal at translating specific terms.”
