Tally Marks

Chapter 11 - The Grandmaster's Permission

Brunhilde figured that their encounter with the Grandmaster would be anything but pleasant.  He would be equal parts pleased with Loptr and angry with him.  He would be happy that Loptr easily handled those Midgardians; but unhappy that Loptr had showcased some of his talents without his express permission.  The punishment would no doubt be the epitome of degradation.  The Grandmaster only knew how to show his power by putting others down.  Loptr had been punished by him in the past and she hoped that he would learn.  He never did, and Valkyrie wondered if it was a remnant of his previous life to be so stubborn.

The two guards let them pass without bothering to ask them what they were doing there, and sealed the doors behind them.  Loptr stood before the Grandmaster as he sat in a chair before the fireplace.  "Come closer, boy," he said and Loptr approached.  Brunhilde made a move to leave, but En Dwi Gast shook his head.  "Stay, Scrapper 142.  I'll need you for this."  Brunhilde froze and watched as the Grandmaster made Loptr approach him until he was standing right before him.  The Grandmaster reached up and lifted the flap of leather up and saw the revealed skin and the scars underneath.  "They all saw?" he asked.

"Yes, sir," Valkyrie answered for Loptr.  

"Hmmm.  Well, the outfit is ruined.  You might as well get rid of it," the Grandmaster told Loptr.  The man just stared at him with his ruby eyes for a second before he stripped the leather jacket off.  Once it was removed, the entirety of his chest, back, and arms could be seen and the tally marks ran all over his skin.  With the exception of his face, his pelvic area, and the soles of his feet, there was no inch of skin left untouched.  There were even scars going up his neck as well.    The Grandmaster ran his fingers along the raised lines before he looked at Valkyrie.  "How do you put up with this?  Must be disgusting when you're having sex," he commented.  Valkyrie felt as if every vessel in her body constricted at those words.  She knew that En Dwi Gast was gouache and cruel, but those words were completely unnecessary.  Brunhilde wondered what Loptr must be feeling at that observation.  He seemed completely unaffected by it, but she knew better than to assume that words had no affect on him.  She had found out many a night on Sakaar exactly what hurt Loptr.  En Dwi Gast suddenly stood up and was cradling Loptr's face in his hands, looking into his surgically altered red eyes.  Loptr just stared straight ahead.  The Grandmaster's eyes wandered down to where Loptr had been stabbed in the arm, and the thin wound was still dribbling blood onto the floor.  "What were you thinking when those Terrans attacked you?"

"Kill them.  I didn't need to think anything else," Loptr responded and En Dwi Gast chuckled before lightly tapping on his one cheek. 

"142, come here," he said and she slowly moved forward.  When she was close, the Grandmaster pushed Loptr towards her and they almost collided if not for his quick reflexes.  Instead, he wrapped her in his arms and spun them around.  Her back was to the Grandmaster and Loptr was facing him again.  "You have my permission to have her."  Loptr's eyes shifted minutely as he processed the command a split second before he took Valkyrie's hand and made a move to leave the room.  "No.  Right here."  Brunhilde felt a shiver go through her body.  Loptr's pupils dilated slightly as he actually glared at the Grandmaster.  "Ooh!  You getting protective of the gift I give you.  Remember, it's only out of the goodness of my heart that I let you have her.  Now, be a good boy and do what I said."  Brunhilde knew that if she did not do something, Loptr would kill the Grandmaster and their plan would fall apart.  Instead, she grabbed him and steered him towards the bed.  She kept his face on her.

"It's alright.  We're going to be alright," she whispered as she undid her trousers and his.  She could feel Loptr vibrating and knew that it was rage that was driving him.  His eyes were wide and she could hear him breathing hard.  She had been doing all the guiding up till that point, until he suddenly picked her up and dumped her on the bed, crawling on top of her in an instant.  Valkyrie looked up at him and watched as he positioned himself between her legs and drove into her.  She gasped and he growled.  The Grandmaster just poured himself a drink and sat back down.  That was when she felt a tear fall on her cheek.  Loptr was crying.  "Shush!  It's okay," she assured as he continued with their business.  Valkyrie wrapped her arms around him and continued to soothe the wild beast.

"What were you hoping to accomplish?!  That was the most stupid thing I've ever seen either of you do!" Steve exclaimed angrily when all the Avengers were gathered together after the incident with Loptr in the hallway.  Bruce was taking a look at Clint's bruised side while Natasha just stood in front of Steve, bearing the brunt of his berating. 

"I had to be sure of what you said," she responded coolly.

"And?!  Are you satisfied I was telling the truth?" he asked.

"I am satisfied that you would never lie; merely not see," Natasha retorted.  

"So, instead, you put Clint in a situation where he was clearly compromised?" Bruce rejoined as he finished with the archer and handed him an ice pack.  

"I chose to go with her.  And I can verify that it is Loki," Clint said as he stood up.  Thor's head snapped in his direction and his eyes widened.

"It is Loki?  Loki is a slave to that monster?" he asked.

"More like a robot," Natasha pointed out and Thor frowned.  "His movements were smooth and graceful, but I could tell his mind was elsewhere.  As if it he was trying to block us and the entire fight out.  He was controlling himself, but not all present."

"Was in a trance-like state or something?  The way you're describing it, sounds like he was hypnotized," Tony commented.  

"I don't think hypnotized would be the correct assumption to make.  People who are hypnotized need a trigger in order for the hypnotism to even work.  And it can't be an action or a signal.  It has to be verbal," Bruce explained and everyone gave him a look.  "I allowed myself to be hypnotized in hopes of controlling the Big Guy.  Didn't really work.  He hates having more than one person in my head giving orders." 

"So... hypnotism is out.  What else is there?" Tony asked.

"He could have been in a berserker trance," Thor suggested and everyone looked at him.  "Centuries ago, when my grandfather was establishing the Nine Realms, he had an elite unit that existed before the Einherjar.  It was comprised of the fiercest warriors in all of Asgard.  Their blood lust and rage fueled them in battle so that they entered a state of peace within war.  It left them completely invulnerable to the attacks of their opponents.  When the fight was over and they would come back to their bodies, that was when they finally felt the pain of any injuries they sustained.  I've heard that some would even lose limbs and still keep fighting, regardless of the blood loss and pain.  It is quite possible that Loki was in this state.  Did he react to being stabbed?"

"Not the way most people react to being stabbed," Clint rejoined.  

"He must have been."

"Either that, or he doesn't give a f*ck about physical pain," Tony cut in, but Thor shook his head.

"I have to believe that there is some feeling and emotion left within him.  And I have to try to find it," Thor responded, and none of the Avengers said anything.  They knew why Thor was choosing to think this way.  It was as much for his redemption as Loki's.