The Best People have the Rottenest Luck

Prologue

Hello Readers,

I'd like to start out with saying that this fic will actually have a plot and lots of action. I've been reading a lot of Avengers/PJO crossovers lately (and I mean A LOT). Trends that I've noticed are too much fluff, too much angst, and/or too little plot. I'd like to tell a story with this one.

For starters, this take place one year after the events of 'The Avengers' and directly after 'The Last Olympian'; therefore, this story will not have any of the HOO characters or Bucky Barnes (sorry!).

In addition, I'd like to state that this will NOT be an ALL action story. I want to build characters and relationships. I hope that you'll stay with me throughout the journey. I'll add humor (lots), a little fluff (just for relief and characterization), and I'll even venture into some deeper themes (for some zest).

If you have any questions, requests, or just want to give feedback, feel free to comment/review. Feedback is especially important because I am, for the most part, writing as I go along (don't worry, I still have a plot in mind!).

Finally, I do not own PJO or MCU.

Now that all of the formalities are out of the way and done with, let's move on the the juicy bit.

Enjoy!

-Kat Jacks

I now present to you...

THE BEST PEOPLE HAVE THE ROTTENEST LUCK

By katjacks14

PROLOGUE - ASGARD

Loki was bored. He sat in the far corner of his cluttered cell. Being the Prince of Asgard did have some perks, for Loki had been provided with book after book upon his request. Now, those books have all been read over and over again and thrown away, littering the white room.

He heard the outside dungeon door open, a scattering of footsteps, and it being closed again. Loki pushed himself off the cell floor and over to the semi-transparent gold barrier serving as his jail bars. It was time for the daily guard change. He put on a signature greeting smile as the new guard walked down the corridor riddled with with other cells identical to Loki's, minus the books, of course. Loki was positive that he was the only one in this uncivilized bunch of prisoners that bothered to pass the time with anything other the sulking and nursing his anger, not that he didn't also do that.

"What are you grinning at, traitor?" the guard sneered as he approached Loki's cell. Loki could see the guard was tall and buff, much like all the others that came day after day. His gold plated armor was matched with a flowing gold cape and a gold, horned helmet that he had taken off his head and placed under his right arm. Loki's smile got a little wider before it shrank. Finally, Loki thought, a guard that was stupid enough to taunt him.

"Should I not greet my brave guardian?" Loki replied, inwardly cringing at the praise he had just given to an imbecile.

"'Guardian'?" the guard questioned, original resentment turning to confusion. Loki knew he could wrap this one around his finger.

"Ah, yes, my dear Asgardian warrior. Do you not see this bunch of evil creatures I have the misfortune of being surrounded by?" Loki gestured to the cells around him, earning a low growl from the prisoners that were actually bothering to pay attention to the exchange.

"You put yourself there," the guard snorted. Loki only nodded.

"Yes, yes. And there is not a day that goes by without me regretting it," he effortlessly lied. Loki bent over and picked up the closest book to him, not even bothering to look at the title. "Here," he continuedas he held out the book towards the guard, "this is my favorite book, my friend. I have read it over a dozen times. It is the story of a traitor, much like myself, as you so wisely pointed out, who changes his ways. It gives me a hope that someday, I may be given a chance to redeem myself in the eyes of all dutiful Asgardians, such as yourself."

"Why are you giving it to me?" the guard inquired as he shifted his helmet to under his left arm reached out his right hand. Part of the golden forcefield dissipated, leaving a hole large enough for his hand and the book to get through. This man is truly an A-class idiot, Loki inwardly sneered.

"Because I'm bored," Loki answered semi-honestly as he placed the book on his waiting palm. As soon as the book made contact, a great burst of green energy radiated across the entire dungeon. The guard was thrown to the stone floor, his helmet clattering a few feet to his side. As the green energy touched the cells' forcefields, they shattered, leaving the inmates free, who then started towards the dungeon doors, confronting the remaining guards and surrounding them, desperate to get out. Loki smiled as he stepped out of his own cell and onto the stone floor. He took a deep breath, breathing in the slightly less stuffy air.

"Much better," he said as he dusted off his cloak and stretched his legs. He looked down at the nameless guard, who was in the process of getting up. Loki shot out another burst of his green magic and the man fell back to the floor, paralyzed. Loki's form loomed over the poor guard as he bent over the golden-cloaked man to get his helmet.

"This'll do," he said as he placed his hand on it. The golden helmet started liquefying and the gold substance dripped from Loki's palm, into the grout of the stone. He then placed the dripping palm to the stone and a measly spark of green energy flickered out of it.

"Damn," Loki cursed, "not enough left to create dark energy." Suddenly, his face lit up and his evil grin turned to face back to the petrified guard, frozen to the ground. Loki stood back off the floor and placed his palm, covered in liquid gold, to the guard's chest, directly over his heart. All the guard could was stare, terrified, at the cruel, crisp blue eyes of the traitor Asgardian prince as the life was slowly sucked out of him and into Loki, fueling his magic reserves. As the last breath of life came from his lips, Loki pulled his palm off and sighed in pleasure.

"Oh, I needed that," he spoke and looked toward the glazed over hazel eyes of the man, whatever his name was. "Thank you, my friend," he mocked. Loki placed his hand with the remaining liquid back over onto the grout of the stone, with was still filled with the golden substance. The gold color soon turned to a midnight black as a portal rose vertically from it, just large enough for a man to walk through.

"Time to stir up some trouble," Loki said to himself, giving his trademark smirk. Not bothering to look back at the continuing chaos of the inmates trying to overtake the guards down at the end of the long corridor, Loki stepped into the portal.

Loki had a lot of work to do, for he was coming back for the throne of Asgard. And it would be his, this he knew.