Misadventures in the Multiverse

Chapter Eighteen

The morning had come. During the night, both of them had retired to a room. Clyde was ready to get this all over with, so he quickly got up, already dressed. That's when the hangover hit him like a truck. "Maybe I need a minute, actually." He lays back, letting his feet stay on the floor. The words Loki hit him with started to enter his mind. Had he changed? He had gotten a little more assertive, he thought. Being surrounded, by so many powerful people, was rough. He wasn't sure if it was the confidence he had gained, or fear of being drowned out by the others. He felt powerless sometimes and didn't know if he even could get stronger. Humans like himself had a limit. In his world, people couldn't casually do the things he had seen, even after years of training. "Great now I feel like shit emotionally, and physically."

After he felt like he had recovered enough, he made his way to the rood his fearless leader resided in. "AH! Yes! That's the spot! Right there!" Clyde heard as he was gripping the door tightly. His eyes widened, and his heart raced a little. Was she doing the deed this time? He took his hand away from the handle, walking away from the door. "I'm not jealous at all. Good for her." He said to himself face flustered. Loki entered the hallway wearing an older style garb. He suspected it might be the kind of attire they wore in The War Worlds. "Good morning Clyde!" Faint noises could still be heard from inside. "Well, what are you waiting for, let's get her." He opened the door with no regard. He thought about stopping him, but it was too late.

His eyes looked in to see Raleigh with one of the guys from the night before. They were both clothed still, but she was on a massage table getting a full body work from the guy. "Don't you people know how to knock!" She stopped him, and began throwing things at Clyde, and only him. "We were just making sure you were ready to go to The War World," Loki informed her. Clyde still getting pelted with whatever she could throw at him.

"War World?" She asks curiously, obviously interested. "Yes, I would've thought Clyde told you by now. We are going to tell my father what for." She stood up on the bed, putting her hat back on. "Yeah, let's go." She didn't need more elaboration, the name alone was enough to make her want to go. She turned to the guy. "I had fun with you guys, thanks a bunch." He smiled nodding. "Alright, well, let's be off then," Loki said, leading the way. They both walked off, leaving Clyde on the floor. The guy in the room looked at Clyde, winking like he knew something they didn't. "Good luck." That is all he said before getting up, and walking away too. He dusted himself off, following after the others, hoping they had not got too far. Outside, he saw that the party had died down a lot. Almost everyone was laying down on a bench with the morning sun on their face. In the distance, he saw a full women police force in what looked like leather outfits arresting some people. He elected to ignore it.

They made it to The Square where the hopper was, but instead of heading to it, Loki inserted his cane into the ground, making a large portal rise up. "What, we aren't taking The Hopper?" Raleigh asked, pouting a little. "I know about your little problem, dear. Give me a moment to make sure we go to the right place." He replied. She looked over at Clyde with angry eyes that asked if he had fibbed on her. "What, I didn't say anything. He probably just used his god powers to find out or something" He said trying to defend himself. "I may be able to help you with that issue. Though it would take a little time." "Oh... I see." She said, accepting that for now. After a few minutes, the portal lit up, showing another place on the other side. A cold breeze swept the square, making him shiver a little. It was snowing pretty hard on the other side. "I think I might be a little under-dressed for this, actually," Clyde said, backing away. "Nonsense, you'll be fine." The deity said. "Don't be a wuss, it's just snow." She said pushing him inside. They all made the trip safely, the portal closed behind them.

Now that she was on this side she was crossing her arms trying not to look like she was freezing. Loki didn't seem all that bothered by it. Her teeth chattered slightly. He wasn't doing much better. "Loki, give me the weird mane thing you always wear." She demanded. "I will do no such thing." He rejected her, only for her to pounce on him trying to take it. He sighs, making two thick-looking coats appear from thin air. "You should know better than to interfere with a man's sense of style." She took the coat. "T... thanks." She said, feeling a bit guilty now. Clyde just put it on without saying anything, instead of looking at their surroundings. In front of them was a huge mountain with an even bigger castle. At the base of that mountain was a large city. Two men clad in armour were guarding the gate into the city. As they approached, they seemed shocked. "Do my eyes deceive me?"

Loki faintly smiled. "No, my friend, it is I." He ran over to him, giving him a bear hug. "It's good to see you. Who might your friends be?" He laughs, "Well, let's call them moral support. The little lady's name is Raleigh, and The sexy one's name is Clyde." He said as a jest. "You haven't changed a bit, have yah, lad. I tell yah, when this one was a boy, he practically swooned over everything that moved." Clyde and Raleigh didn't seem to be too happy with their given titles. "Oh, where are my manners. I'm Harold The Great Gatekeeper."

Clyde felt like he was off his game now what happened. He silently accepted defeat once more. "Well, I hate to keep things short, but we must be going," Loki says. "Right, don't let me keep you." He says, motioning them to open the gate. They walk inside, seeing a medieval-looking town. Everyone is in armor, even younger kids. Gender doesn't seem to be an issue either, the females look just as powerful as the men do, though compared to Theron that wasn't saying much. Everyone recognized Loki right away. Some of them waved singing his praises while others silently scurried out of sight looking upset with him. "Well, it seems it was exactly how I left it." He laughed. Raleigh inched closer to Clyde, whispering in his ear. "Hey, Clyde, why are we here exactly, I just said yes because it sounded cool." "And here I thought you were always prepared." He said. "We are here to help Loki with his Daddy issues." "Aw really is that all." She would say. He reassures her"I wouldn't write it off just yet."

They made it to the castle where Theron. "The city is in an uproar, brother. Are you finally ready to take Father's place as War Master?" She asked. "Come now, sister, you know me better than that." She sighs. "Either way, you've come at a bad time. After failing to bring, your father decided to carry on with preparations for the next war, and if you're really not here to replace him he's not going to be happy." It sounded like she had a lot of her plate, and also wanted her father's approval very much, though differently from Loki. "Why do you let that man run you into the ground, sister." He asked. "I will not let you insult The War Master like that!" She raised her weapon. "Oh dear, I haven't been here long, and you already want to fight me," Loki says with a smile on his face. Clyde can tell he is upset by this in all actuality. "Wait! I'll admit I don't know how everything works around here, but we just came to talk, and try to settle our differences. She focused her attention on him. "You are that little man from before. Alright, I'll stand down now, but only because you helped me." She said, causing him to blush a little.

Loki seemed relieved, though Theron was still clearly inching to prove herself against her brother. "Give me some time, please. It won't be good for any of us if he gets angry." Loki nodded. "Thank you, and brother?" Theron inquired. "Yes, what is it?" She lifts him in the air, hugging him tightly, her serious persona vanishing for a moment. She was a good two feet taller than him, "I missed you so much, brother." The god seemed ill-prepared. "Calm down. Theron, you're a lot bigger now, it's more than I can take." This sisterly affection he was getting seemed to warm his heart a little. She let him down. "I had no idea." He said to her. "Why did you leave me all alone." She looked as if she might cry.

"I'm.... well I'm sorry, maybe I should've taken you with me or perhaps some other alternative. No, you wouldn't have wanted that anyway, you felt way more at home here than I ever did." He says. She didn't say anything, however, it was clear to him, he was right. His head began to scream as his jolly demeanor returned. "I think everything is going to turn out just fine. Go now, do what you need to." She started to walk away. "Your not going to disappear on me again, are you?" "I promise I will not." He reassures her." That's enough for her to go on.

Now they were left in the courtyard till she said it was safe to enter. "Well, now what," Raleigh says. "Well, I guess we could go over anything we haven't yet. Sounds like you have some sort of evil plan brewing." Clyde suggested. "Oh, it's nothing you need to be aware of, yet, anyway." They sat on a bench that had a pretty good view of the City below. "Well, for one, everyone is getting ready for a War. They treat it as one of your people's sports games. What is it called again, leg ball? Never saw the appeal of that, either." Clyde had PTSD flashbacks of high school, and all the overly obsessed football fans. Their school never even won, they were lucky to get a first down. He cringed, trying not to think about it. "Are they at least good at it?" He had to know. "Yes, they are rather good, I don't think they've lost in centuries, but the time does blur together when you live for a while." He replied. Just how old was Loki, he wondered.

"So is everyone here a lion person?" Raleigh asked. "Hmm, well, I'd say just about every bar, a few." He answered. "Don't lions usually live in warmer climates?" She asked as well. "Raleigh! That's probably racist or something, don't say stuff like that." Clyde interjected. Loki just shrugged, not seeming to have the answer to that one, but certainly being entertained by it.