For Phil Coulson

[throneenvy]

Redemption was a double edged sword, and one that Loki frequently wondered if he truly wished to wield.

His actions in saving Thor's life at great risk to his own had allowed him a tentative reprieve from the throne of Asgard, a way to repair the damage that had been done. Yet it was damage that may never truly be healed. The anger, the bitterness, the betrayal, the jealousy-- none of it had ever truly faded away, it still burned beneath Loki's breast and threatened to pull him into dark waters once more. He still could not reconcile with Odin, though the two had reached a tenuous cordiality when forced to be in one another's company.

If it hadn't been for Thor and his unwavering dedication, and the memory of Frigga's ever loving wishes, Loki would not have even tried, for the road required of him was long and arduous. His pride detested each concession he had to make in the name of redemption, in the name of forgiveness. His magic remained mostly blocked, he had to assist in the restitution of destroyed buildings and livelihoods in Asgard, and he spent years confined to the palace grounds.

Thor told him often of his exploits on Midgard with the Avengers. How SHIELD had reformed and gained a new director, the man he had almost killed during his escape so many years before, and (of course) all about his love affair with Jane Foster. And somehow years came and went, and Loki settled back into his old life, if never truly comfortably.

Until three days previously.

He had been called to the throne room and Odin had decreed that he had served his punishment here on Asgard, but he would now be required to give restitution to Midgard. He would be sent there and placed under the supervision of SHIELD, to work with them and the Avengers where needed in order to repay his debts to the mortals. If helping the common Asgardians had rankled at his pride, this near shattered it. They were human, beneath him, he should not be forced to debase himself this way.

But he would. He would because he did not want to lose this second chance now that he had become accustomed to it. He would do it, but he did not have to like it.

Which is why it is a sullen looking Loki whose feet land in the dusty terrain of New Mexico after the Bifrost transports him between the realms. He brushed sand from his clothing and looked around for Agent-- Director Coulson.

Comments

[avengeme]

"Really. Because from what I've seen, I thought you're mentally 18." A teenager with a bad temper tantrum and who desperately needs supervision. "I'll bet Heimdall's been ordered to keep an eye on you at all times." There have been some relations between Asgard and Midgard at the very least. Even if Coulson wishes he'd been told about Loki before today.

[throneenvy]

"I would be happy to take such a wager, but I have no use for your Midgardian currency. You see, Heimdall cannot 'keep an eye on me', he has long been blind to my movements."

Reformed though he may supposedly be, Loki still did not allow the Guardian to track him by any means. He was a secretive creature by nature, one who valued his privacy.

"There are no eyes here to witness my deeds but yours and mine."

[avengeme]

Great. He didn't think Loki was lying either, which just makes this information all the worse to hear about.

"Perfect. Just the way I like it." There's no conviction in his tone as much as he tried to insert it. Though as luck would have it, there's a sharp turn up ahead which he could take far too quickly.

[throneenvy]

The slightly unsure quality to Coulson's voice made him smile, dark and pleased with himself. He may be considered toothless on Asgard now, shackled from doing most anything that may be threatening or dangerous, but here on Midgard he was still formidable.

"Be at peace, Agent Coulson." Alas, he did have to make sure they knew why he was here, or things would not go well for him. "I am here to assist you, not to injure you further."

[avengeme]

It's the benefit of being Asgardian, or a Frost Giant in Loki's case. The reassurance didn't do much to assuage Coulson's concern though.

"Director. And we'll see about that."

He'll be continuing on for another five minutes, out further away from the New Mexico site and away from nearby cities before he will come to a stop. There didn't appear to be anything in the vicinity as the transport jet that sat there silently remained cloaked.

[throneenvy]

Loki should still be an Asgardian to these people. If Thor or Odin had revealed the shame of his origins then this would not remain a peaceful collaboration for very long at all.

"My apologies, Director." He could not sound less apologetic. "I had been under the impression that position was held by another."

He remained just a little behind the times, unaware of the situation with Fury. He glanced around at where they had stopped, one eyebrow raised in silent question.

[avengeme]

Oh Coulson definitely has no idea.

"Fury's dead." he lied smoothly. That's what the rest of the world thinks anyway. He reached for the radio and spoke into it. "open her up. Our guest is here."

And a few seconds later, the cargo ramp slid down, revealing a high tech and spacious interior as the rest of the plane shimmered into view.

He turned to Loki, obviously proud of his plane. "welcome to zephyr one."

[throneenvy]

Perhaps a shred of logic may say that it would be unwise to get aboard a plane with men and women who wished him ill. He would be trapped, for he had no power of flight to fall back on, and they would most likely outnumber him significantly.

Loki cared nothing for that logic. He had ultimate faith in himself that he would be able to slaughter every last one of them if they were foolish enough to try and make this into a trap.

"Your hospitality is boundless." His voice held only the barest hint of sarcasm as he slid out of the car and began to walk towards the plane. "I assume that you intend to take me somewhere secure for questioning, so shall we be about it?"

[avengeme]

Coulson followed suit, leaving the car to be dealy with by the rest of his personnel, many of whom were giving Loki a wide berth and curious looks. It was probably a look Loki was familiar with - mostly fear and anger.

"I'm taking you to my base actually. And I'd appreciate it if you kept its location a secret." He was being a bit more hospitable than he really wanted to but logic dictated that he not toss Loki into their one untested Asgardian-proof bunker just yet.

[throneenvy]

Loki did not respond to that request with anything other than a wicked looking smile. He had no need to divulge the location of such a base, nor even anyone he knew that would be remotely interested, but it may be a useful bargaining chip if he needed one later.

He strode, straight backed and looking every inch royalty, past the nameless agents as though they did not exist to him. Up onto the ramp and into the cool interior of the plane itself.

"Smaller than our last shared airbound transpor, but considerably less hostile." He wasn't immediately in a cage, for one.

[avengeme]

Well, Coulson hadn't expected anything less from Loki.

"and it'll stay that way if you behave." He moved to catch up to Loki so he can lead them deeper into the heart of the plane. Not the second floor where the lounge and meeting rooms were but the lower floor with the interrogation rooms. Equipped with enhanced walls and ceiling to contain people with abilities.

"Have a seat. We can talk here while we fly to the base." it's sparsely decorated with just a metal table and two chairs bolted to the floor.

[throneenvy]

Though Loki seemed to walk through the plane without pause or interest in his surroundings, he made sure to take in the layout of everything he passed in case he should need it for future escape. Just because he had come here under the guise of peace did not mean it would necessarily last.

He raised an eyebrow in muted amusement at the room Coulson led him into, for it was quite clearly intended for interrogation purposes or containment if questioning did not go to plan.

"Hardly comfortable, Director." He did, though, take a seat. Legs crossed and fingers interlaced on his lap as if utterly relaxed. "Very well, proceed."

[avengeme]

There was the hanger they just walked in through and the spiral stairs that led to the upper deck of the plane. The lower deck appeared to be mostly made up of a lab and the holding rooms with maybe one emergency hatch in the center.

"You'll have to work your way up to cushions." Coulson remarked insincerely. He took a seat across from Loki and interlaced his fingers together on the table. "Be honest. Are you really here because you want to or because Odin told you to?"

[throneenvy]

"Must the two things be mutually exclusive?"

Loki disliked admitting that he had come here on Odin's orders, for he still harboured a great deal of bitterness and anger towards the All-Father. His redemption had come for Thor's sake, foolish as that was, and partially for the selfish reason of knowing he had used his last chance before execution.

"That I am here is the end product of either reasoning, why should it matter?"

[avengeme]

"Odin then." Coulson answered, ignoring the question. He questioned Loki's sincerity and while the director was no stranger to working with someone he didn't trust, working with someone who'd successfully killed him was a first.

"Let's put everything on the table then. I have no reason to trust you but you're here and I am going to put you to work. Try anything funny and I promise I will have weapons and a special room laid out for you to spend the rest of your days. You got that? "

[throneenvy]

It irritated Loki to be so transparent, but he hid it underneath a nonchalant expression. Perhaps that he had come here on Odin's command would make it easier for the mortals to believe he did not intend them harm, and as such make for a more comfortable working environment.

"I understand, Director. You have my word, I have no wish to make further enemies during my time here."

He would not, however, tolerate too many blows to his pride. If they thought to give him demeaning work simply to take petty revenge, he would disabuse them that his cooperation meant he was toothless.

[avengeme]

It did make things easier to stomach and easier to invite a murderer into their ranks. Still, Loki's reaction surprised him and it took him a moment to respond with a curt nod.

"All right. Now we can start with telling me what you can do." As much as Loki was willing to dilvuge anyway.

[throneenvy]

"You ask for something too nebulous and expansive to truly list. I have many skills, learned and nurtured over a millennium of life."

He still had his pride, his ego, and it was clear he still thought of humans as far beneath him. They were such fragile creatures and the lives they led were too short to become masters in anything.

"But if we are to assume that you wish to hear my combat related abilities... I am proficient in most weaponry, though I favour daggers and staves. I am also a master sorcerer, capable of many feats of magic."

[avengeme]

"Like the illusion you used on Thor." He remembered that all too well but he didn't give pause for either of them to dwell on it. He had a feeling Loki would be far too pleased. "Good. We're going to need that. People still remember your face. And unfortunately, we can't have you going around attracting attention."

[throneenvy]

"I can quite well see how inconvenient that may be for you."

Loki smirked. There was the barest flash of green light that rippled along the length of his body, before another Coulson sat opposite the first, identical to him in every single way.

"Is this more what you had in mind, Director?"

[avengeme]

Coulson wanted to bite back that it's inconvenient for Loki too before the transformation made him frown deeply.

"You are never to impersonate me or anyone in this team unless I tell you otherwise." this was a line best drawn in the sand first regardless of whether Loki followed it. "In exchange, I keep things interesting for you." he knew better than to leave an Asgardian bored.

[throneenvy]

"We have an agreement, Director."

Loki smiled brightly, for the wording allowed for him to impersonate the team should he become bored. And Coulson had no idea just how easily Loki Liesmith could become bored.

A second flash of green light and Thor in all his caped glory sat there.

"Is this more to your liking, Son of Coul?"

[avengeme]

They were going to have plenty of talks in the future. He gave Loki a disapproving look.

"which part of not attracting attention was difficult to understand? "

[throneenvy]

Loki had begun to enjoy himself now, it would have been wiser for Coulson not to show that this irritated him. He changed once more, now in the visage of Tony Stark with arc reactor glowing beneath his Black Sabbath t-shirt.

He was not to know the real Stark had had his reactor removed now.

"This, then?" He mimicked Stark's accent and speech patterns, though he detested how inelegant they were. "At least I'm a mortal this time, right? You look like you're going to have a heart attack, bee tee dubs."

[avengeme]

Coulson looked like he was about to make another remark before he decided against it and said instead.

"fine. You get to deal with Stark's fan base. I'm sure you'll enjoy it. "

[throneenvy]

"I am certain they and I shall get along swimmingly."

Loki rippled one last time and became himself again. He may well wear the Stark disguise out and about, but he may also find the temptation to deal with a riotous fanbase violently too strong to ignore.

"Now, tell me, what task am I to be set to, Director?"

[avengeme]

It's a good thing he's going to have an arc reactor to show that he's a doppleganger then, should that ever happen. He squared his shoulders, all business.

"We have a problem with HYDRA. They've grown under our noses for the past few decades and they're still growing. I want you to blend in, infiltrate their bases, find out who's in charge and get to the very top." He pauses. "And end this." It may seem a bit out of character for him to order kills but he had been through a lot since HYDRA reared its ugly heads. And now that he had Loki on hand, he wasn't about to let it go to waste. "Think you can handle that?"

[throneenvy]

Loki knew little enough of HYDRA. The mortals had so many petty organisations that all warred against one another, smaller provinces within an already fractured realm. He cared nothing for if SHIELD or HYDRA came out victorious, but he would do his duty here. At least for now. If he saw an opportunity, then he may well take it.

He smiled. It was not a pleasant smile, too many teeth in a wicked predator's grin.

"It would be my pleasure, Director Coulson. It is a small matter to slaughter your kind, their organisation shall be destroyed."

[avengeme]

Oh, hey may see plenty of opportunity in HYDRA. They do seem to be the bane of SHIELD's existence and have come up with one research after another -- hunting down Inhumans with Kree DNA and opening portals to other realms. It would make for quite an interesting jaunt for Loki. But Coulson will worry about that later. Loki is his best option for taking down the organisation right now.

"Good." There's a single rap on the door and he holds a hand up to Loki to pause the conversation, standing to open it to the sight of an agent handing him something. He takes it and returns to his seat.

"This is a communicator. I want you to check in at least once every 24 hours." The tiny object takes the form of an innocuous button.