The Stronghold 2: Immortals

Pepper Has Consistently Been A Creep

"Come on, Georgy," Pepper wheedled. They were in the school library, Emmi and Sophie doing last minute homework while Georgina procrastinated and listened to Fall Out Boy. Loki was reading Twelfth Night in preparation for their next English homework while Salt was irritating Rebecca. Brian was sat at one of the computers but for once he wasn't doing homework; he was talking to a boy sat next to him, a boy Loki registered as being called Harry. 

"Don't call me Georgy," Georgina replied automatically.

"Aw, but sweetie, it's a pet name for you!" Pepper protested, leaning on the table. His tie was loose and his hair windswept. A small smirk told Loki that the boy knew he was being observed by several lovesick girls that kept on sighing over the young inventor. Shaking off the feeling of jealousy Loki regained his neutral outlook and simply watched. 

"I'm not your pet," Georgina said, turning up the volume of her music slightly. Loki could hear the bass line of 'Sugar We're Goin' Down' and glanced about, checking that the librarian was nowhere near. 

"But you're my date," Pepper smirked.

"Nope, not any more," Georgina said. "That ship has sailed."

"And that ship is Peppina," Pepper said, his smirk growing. "Face it, honey. You're mine now."

"I am not a possession," Georgina said, closing her eyes and gripping her iPod a little tighter in anger.

"But you're my girlfriend," Pepper purred. "And so you're mine." 

"Leave her alone," Loki interjected. Pepper raised an eyebrow and looked at the demigod coolly.

"Oh, I forgot you were there," the inventor said. "Go and play with your brother. Oh wait, he's in another country, isn't he?" Pepper laughed cruelly. "My bad. I'm sure Thor is thinking of you while he suns himself on an American beach. Not."

"Pepper, grow up," Georgina said. "And stop being horrible."

"Sugar, I'm just-" Pepper began but Georgina interjected, bursting into song. 

"We're going down, down, in an earlier round,

'Sugar we're going down swinging!

'I'll be your number one with a bullet,

'A loaded God complex cock it and pull it." She repeated the verse, standing up with a smile on her face. Pepper looked bewildered and Loki just shook his head. She really was obsessed with Fall Out Boy.

"Oh wait, are you singing that emo stuff again?" the inventor said at last. "Sit down, you're being embarrassing. Not to mention stupid. Who could like that band? Especially with the lead vocalist. It's like he's been inflated or something, he's so fat!" Pepper laughed and Georgina launched herself at him, screeching.

"Do not insult the smol child Patrick Stump! Do not insult Fall Out Boy! Burn in hell, Pepper Rogers!"

*

"What are you doing?" Georgina asked curiously. Again Loki jumped, spinning around in his chair and catching himself just before he fell onto the floor.

"Reminiscing," the demigod replied. "I'd forgotten how violently you attacked Pepper."

"It was worth the suspension," Georgina said with a smile. "He was a dick."

"He really was," Loki agreed. "Where is he now?"

"Some businessman in the heart of London," Georgina said. "I just hope I don't meet him one day. That would be awkward." 

"It would be indeed," Loki said with a laugh. "Why are you inside again?"

"Wasps," Georgina said. "Also, people. Not my two favourite things, you understand."

"You should go outside," Loki said. "Have fun. You might not see them for a while so go and talk, catch up." He stood and gently propelled her towards the doors.

"You better actually go and lie down," Georgina said warningly, stumbling onto the patio. 

"Yes ma'am," Loki said, saluting. Georgina laughed and disappeared down the garden. Loki stood in the doorway for a second before turning and going back into the house, passing through the dining room and pausing in the hallway. He knew his way around; to his right was the modern kitchen, ahead and on the left was the lounge, there was a playroom for Dean and a den filled with video games and DVDs - Georgina called it 'the batcave' - and just ahead of that was a curving staircase to the second floor. The front door was on Loki's right and there was quite a large entrance hall in front of it before you reached the stairs. The demigod ventured up said stairs and hesitated at the top. It was darker upstairs and the lack of light confused Loki for a second but he soon regained his bearings. To his left was the bathroom and diagonally was Dean's room. To the right of that was their room and further along was the spare room.

Loki wandered over to the doorway of their bedroom and pushed it open. It was spacious and the window looked out over the back garden. Loki walked to it and opened the window, sliding it up and leaning on the windowsill to look out. Dean had climbed up next to Delta in the tree and Tobi was in the process of joining them. Salt was lying on his back in the shade while Rebecca and Sophie put kittens on his face, much to the Albino's amusement. Emmi was trying to train the puppies to stop eating Max's book while Max stood still with his arms folded, glaring at the two baby dogs. Harry and Brian were in charge of the barbecue and Georgina was attempting to persuade Dean to get down from the tree. 

"This isn't the same world, you know," a voice said quietly. Loki spun around to see Shaade stood behind him, wings gone.

"They were annoying," Shaade said by way of explanation, appearing to read the demigod's mind. "And they stand out a little. Not good when you want to blend in." He smiled and took a step or two closer.

"It worked, then," the demon said, nodding to the window. Loki nodded and Shaade rubbed his nose.

"As I was saying," he said, "this isn't the same world. You didn't fix everything. You just sent them to another parallel earth were there were places for you to fit in and exist. A job well done. Everything's normal and there's no trouble in this world." A mischievious glint in the demon's dark eyes made Loki frown.

"Don't go causing trouble," Loki warned. 

"I won't," Shaade promised. "Not in this world, at least. Nah. I've found another perfect world to wreak havoc in. The world is much like earth but the cities are all different. Other than that everything is the same. They also don't have magic and demons." He grinned. "I'm going there and causing as much trouble as I possibly can. I'll probably turn up here every so often - watch the little statue to see if I'm coming, it'll glow blue."

"The marble thing?" Loki guessed.

"Yeah, that. Anyway. Gotta go, danger calls." His smile faded slightly. "Have a good life, Loki. It was nice knowing you." He held out his hand and Loki shook it.

"See you around, Sparrow," the demigod said. Shaade scowled.

"I hoped you would have forgotten that was my name," the demon muttered. "Goodbye, Frost Giant. Don't kill anyone."

"The same goes for you," Loki said with a small smile. Shaade just grinned and vanished in a swirl of shadows.

"Dad, Dad!" Dean shouted, thundering up the stairs. Loki looked at the boy just in time to see a grin light up his face.

"Dad, Mum just got a phone call from the superhero film offices. Guess which film she's going to be in?" Dean seemed to be bursting to tell him.

"I don't know, what film?" Loki asked, humouring the child.

"A brand new franchise called Super Glitches!"

END.

Well that took a while. I hope you've all enjoyed it. Thanks for reading along with me writing it - there will be a third one in time, from Shaade's perspective again as he causes chaos in this other world. It'll be a while coming though because I'm doing 5000000000 other things at the same time. 

Ta for reading! Sorry if I've scarred anyone along the way.

~

G