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He wakes to a cocoon of gold around him, blinks once, then once more. He feels better then the last time he woke up, maybe it was time once more. The cocoon opens at a thought and he carefully moves to swing onto a golden branch. The gold swirls up from the branch and his own golden Seidr responds.
“Hello old friend, is it that time again?”
The branch twitches and he laughs as he swings easily to the next.
“I’m going, I’m going.”
He doesn’t hurry though just moves through the branches touching a budding leaf and watching it grow under his touch. It is peaceful and his mind feels whole once more after his long rest.
Where to start. Where to start.
He is already heading down even as he ponders this question. It isn’t really a question wish is first, it is a question of what order the other eight will go after his first one. On the bottom most branch of gold he grips onto the strings that make up the bark and he starts his climb down.
The climb is long and his mussels are almost quaking by the time he stops, he has been in rest so long that they do not know what hard work is. Taking a seat on a root he waits till his breath comes easy once more.
Leaning down he looks between the roots till he spots it, the branch large enough to support this new world. His Seidr comes, rising and feeling just as exited as he is.
A dark orb forms and gives it a kiss before throwing it at the spot he had chosen. It shatters and a cloud of Seidr intertwined with his.
“Good morning Helheim. It is time to awaken from your sleep.”
He watches for a time, he is not sure how long. Time means so very little to him right now. It takes the brush of Yggdrasil that wakes him and gets him moving. The eight other worlds could wait, but Yggdrasil was impassion in wanting more to do.
“Always so pushy in bringing our demise aren’t you.”
With one final look at the forming realm he starts his climb back. Loki watched the green flame shift in his hand. It was getting easier the more he practiced he could now make it shift through simple shapes but the more complex shapes like the finer features of a face still took more thought.
“Look at the little Loki playing with such a womanly art.”
He tensed as he heard them coming, the flame going out. He did not want to deal with this today.
Looking up he watched Thor and his three stupid friends crossing the garden. Just from the way they moved he knew he was in for trouble if he stayed, with a quick move he darted around the row of hedges to his left and a quick spell and a clone of him ran off in clear sight while he moved along the hedges as fast as he could.
Loud footsteps and nasty names could be heard as they gave chase. He knew the clone wouldn’t last long, he didn’t have enough Seidr for it to do so.
“The little Arga tricked us.”
He really needed to get out of here, but he couldn’t go back to the palace. Thor was sure to make up some lie to get him in trouble. Then he would be a sitting bird for the next few months.
Come this way.
He froze at the words in his mind. His seidr hummed and it was not in fear.
This way little mage.
The warmth of the words this time was joined by gold Seidr that felt like mothers hugs. Before he could think more of it he followed it and his body felt like it was getting sucked out and then he was landing on something hard under his feet and looking out into the darkness of the gap between realms.
He stumbled as he took a step back, he was going to fall.
Hands locked onto his shoulders and he was pulled into a chest. Something soft wrapped around him.
“I have you little mage. You are safe here.”
Safe, how could anywhere be safe when his own home wasn’t safe? He could feel his seidr sparking as it always did when he was scared.
His feet left the ground and the being holding him moved and yet it barely felt like they were moving. There was neither wind nor the normal sway that came with someone moving.
“Do you know where you are, little mage?”
He shook his head.
“You are on the branches of Yggdrasil. Yggdrasil has taken quite a liking to you and asked me to help you find your way here.
Yggdrasil, the world tree.
Opening his eyes he looked around and now that he was looking he could see the gold branches, could feel the old Seidr. Yggdrasil liked him, but no one liked him and none had ever been known to walk Yggdrasil. It was said to be impossible.
"No one walks the branches of Yggdrasil.”
He had meant to ask who are you or even why him but that all seemed less important. He was on the branches of Yggdrasil. He was doing something that not even his Farther could do.
The being laughs and Loki turns, leaning back to look into dark eyes flecked with gold.
"I hadn't chosen a name yet but that will do. I am No One. Please to meet you...?"
"Loki." He answered and then he really took in the being holding him.
"What are you?"
His hand goes out to trace one of the gold vines winding down one arm holding him and how it stands out from the slightly tanned skin. His hair was a copper colour and came down just past the beings shoulders. His body looked like the light elves in the books he had read and yet there was something not quite right.
"My race doesn't have a name that I know. I've never seen another one of my kind. I just know I don’t come from these nine realms.
His heart ached. He felt alone on his own realm and yet at least he had others like him. To have no one to count on, no home realm, no being to spend time with must be dreadful.
"Don’t worry about that Loki. How about I help you learn to get around."
Loki looked down.
"What if I fall?"
The being grinned and slowly he moved to sit him down. Loki gripped the branch fingers gripping the gold strings and he closed his eyes not wanting to see the darkness around him.
A spark of Seidr had his eyes opening. The being was now shirtless and Loki could see the gold vines that covered his chest.
With a dazzling smile No One stepped back, right off the branch. Loki let out a cry and gripped the branch tighter with fear. He’s falling. If I reach out I will fall too.
Then gold light broke through the darkness and No One rose up till his eyes were level.
Loki’s wide eyes flickered to the gold wings keeping No One perfectly in place.
"If you fall while I am here. I will catch you." Gold eyes held such a word of promise that Loki knew it to be true.
Slowly he loosened his grip and stood. This branch was wide and he found it easy to put one foot in front of the other.
No One landed behind him and when he looked back, his heart fluttered with the kind look he was given. None apart from his Mother ever looked at him like that.
Turning back, he slowly moved along the branch.
"Feel Yggdrasil with your Seidr. Ask it where you wish to go and she will show you. If you ever need me ask and she will let me know. "
As time went on Loki gained confidence and surprisingly he never slipped once. Not even when he jumped from one branch to another. He learned to feel the seidr of the tree and how it would never guide him wrong. How it would tell him what was safe to go to and move him away from what wasn’t.
As they moved through the branches Loki told No One about the spells he was using. Told him why he had come here and some of the tricks he had played.
No one laughed with him and he subjected some ideas to try. Never once did he call him a bad name or call him womanly.
Loki came to a stop when a hand closed on his shoulder.
"Little Spark, how about you try finding your way home?"
His seidr sparked with the challenge. Reaching out with his seidr he felt it almost swept up at once and a warm feeling swirled up.
He pictured his home, the golden palace and mothers garden.
Take me to Asgard please.
The Seidr of the tree tugged on his and he followed, trusting it when it told him to jump even when it was on to one of the leaves. He raced along the branches and he felt free for the first time in his life. He was free to explore. Free to use his Seidr. Free to show all of what he could do.
All too soon it came to and end. He turned to No One who was smiling.
"Now that you have been here you should be able to get here when ever you want."
"Will you be here?” He asked.
What if he could never see his new friend again.
"I won’t be here here."
Loki felt his stomach drop at the thought of losing a friend.
"But it won't take me long to get here no matter where I am when you call."
He nodded feeling a bit better; he would still miss No One while he was away.
"How about a parting gift?"
Reaching down No One plucked a strange gold fruit no bigger then a grape.
"Eat this just before you go to bed tonight."
The grin on No One's face was a familiar trickster one he'd seen on his own face after he'd pulled off a cleaver trick on someone.
"What will it do?" He asked even though he took the fruit.
"Let’s just say. You will be able to blend in on a whole other level. Now off you go your mother must be worried."
He thought of home and then with one final glance at his new friend. He let his Seidr take him back.
It was dark and his mother was indeed worried as she hurried to him when he was insight of the palace.
“Loki, my son. Where have you been? I have been so worried.”
He was swept into a tight hug. He felt bad for scaring her but he still was feeling the thrill from the run.
“Mother, I was on Yggdrasil.”
His mother held him back so he was staring into her blue eyes.
“What?”
“I was traveling the branches of Yggdrasil. She likes my Seidr and asked me to. No one was there and it was so fun to run on the gold branches.”
He could still see the fear in his mother’s eyes even as he saw that look she got when she got a new spell book.
“You will have to tell me about it tomorrow. Right now it is well past a little prince’s bed time.”
He looked into his mothers surprised eyes. The green flame in his hand flicked out and he stared at his hands for a long time time, until he recognized them. They weren’t his hands. They were his mothers hands, looking down he could see he was wearing his mothers dress.
“Loki?”
He looked at his Mother.
“Mother what? Did I do this.” His voice was not his own.
She reached out and cupped his cheek.
“Be calm. What were you thinking about before you changed.”
“I was trying to make my flame look like you.”
If thinking of Mother caused this. He pictured himself, dark hair not like his family, bright green eyes.
His seidr swirled and he felt his body change and this time it felt smoother. This time when he opened his eyes he was looking up at his mother once more.
‘You will be able to blend in on a whole other level’ is this what No One had meant.
“Mother did you see that?”
Mother's smile was bright and she let out a little laugh.
“You are so full of surprises my son.”
His seidr swirled up in him and he felt almost giddy. It wanted more, he wanted more. He pictured one of the wolves he had seen in the book and remembered the tales his mother had told him.
His Seidr goes willingly and his body shifts. Soon he is on four paws and trying to figure out how it all works. He is so very clumsy at first and his mother laughs, it is not a teasing laugh but one of joy.
He jumps at her and licks her on the face in revenge. As they both go tumbling to the ground. She laughs more and Loki shifts back and laughs with her. It takes him a few weeks to get out from under his mothers eye. She had kept such a close eye on him since he had visited Yggdrasil. Now he creeps out of the palace.
The dawn light helps him hide as he shifts into a serpent and slithers along the walls, keeping still when the guards pass.
He feels for Yggdrasil’s branches and when he finally get close enough he pulls himself on to it.
Yggdrasil greets him with warmth and he greets it back with a flick of green followed by a question
Where is No One.
The magic hums through him and he follows slithering along the branches of gold.
“What do we have here?”
Two hands lifted him up and he meets gold eyes.
“Hello little spark, tell me do you know why snakes are so hard to fool?”
Loki thought and then changed to his boy self at a thought and shook his head.
“Because they have no leg to pull.”
Loki snorts and No One smiled.
“Sorry I have been on my own for a little to long I think.”
“It is fine. I have been practicing the gift you gave me.”
To prove it he changed into the wolf pup, trusting No One to hold him.
No One did and then scratched him behind the ear. Oh norms that felt good.
“Such a pretty little wolf pup you make. Though wolves aren’t meant for trees how about this.”
Gold magic swirled in front of them taking a form, something with a long tail. Then a finger touch his head and he could see it in his mind. See the dark spot and how it climbed strange trees he had never seen before. How it moved so gracefully with a flick of its long tail.
He changed taking its form, it was large and even so No One had no problems holding him before lowering him to the branch. His claws gripped the branches and then moved forward. It was so very easy in this form to move around and then to his surprised No One joined him in this form in gold.
He felt the tension of Asgard leave him and the freeness that came from running the gold branches take over. Loki looked at the open land of Alfheim, in the decades that had past since there meeting he had always found there time together special. Exploring together when he had become old enough to leave for days with No One accompanying him, sometimes other realms sometimes just Yggdrasil.
“What has the little Skywalker so lost in his head,”
He turned to look at No One who looked like an elf right now, finer features, blond hair and leaner muscles. More to the point the exact same as he looked. They had found it easier if they got separated to just say they were looking for their twin.
“That I am glad I know you. That we can go see such sights and visit lands such as these together.”
“I enjoy our time together as well little spark.”
“So do I. Where are we going next.”
“I have a project I am planning and the Dwarves have given me permission to work there.”
“You know I am banded from the Dwarves kingdom.”“I know a Loki of Asgard is band but I do not see that dark haired prince here, do you?”
“I was in need of a new set of daggers.”
No One held out his arm and Loki took it and in the next step they were gone.
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
Someone was here that shouldn’t be here, someone was not just looking from there ship, they were here on earth. His Seidr pulsed with a need to know and sits up.
“Ja, what’s happening.”
“Good morning Sir. Something seems to be happening just outside of New Mexico. SHIELD is to be moving in.
Images popped up and he reaches out a hand to brush the hollow screen.
“Hello Mjolnir, what are you doing so far away from that little one with lightning.”
He had made that when he had felt how out of control the oldest prince of Asgard lightning gifts had been. It was both a blessing and a curse when ones body chose to only be gifted in one aspect of seidr. Such unriverling strength in one area and such weakness in everything else.
“Watch over this Jarvis. With the binding spells on it no human should be able to move it till Odin or the little lightning pup come to get it.”
“Yes, Sir.”
He lets out a sigh; with his Seidr this worked up there was no way he was going to be able to sleep.
“Ja, you feel up to an adventure.”
“Always Sir.”
“Call up every appointment I have for the next two weeks and work them into the next two days. Tell them it is either that or they wait a month.
“To do so you will be working 16 hour days.”
“I’ll handle it, just get it done Ja.”
“At once Sir.”
Tony had only just dressed when the new timetable popped up showing he had twenty minutes till his first meeting.
No rest for the wicked
A little red gold bot flies to him and he holds out a hand and waits for it to lock around his wrist like a cuff.
“All good there Jarvis?”
“Yes, Sir.”
He takes a step and then Yggdrasil welcomes him with a swirl of Seidral leaves and he returned the greeting with his Seidr. Taking a breath he let’s go of his mortal shape and takes a deep breath that has nothing to do with air. He is a being of Yggdrasil, a being of Seidr. He doesn’t need to breath and yet he does so just to feel the magic of Yggdrasil in his lungs.
His seidr twitches, something felt off within Yggdrasil. A twist of his Seidr and his wings were out. A flick of gold feathers and he soared along the branches, letting his Seidr guide him.
He is fast, but he still feels like he is going too slow.
He’s pulled in the direction of Asgard and he felt fear grip him for the first time in decades. If something had happened to their little green spark, then he would paint the golden city red.
Stepping from the branches he stepped down onto the rainbow bridge. His wings tucked in and he let out a growl. He could feel Loki's Seidr sparking with rage.
Loki was shouting with rage as he shouted at Thor and Thor was shouting back. They were fighting and he could see the grief in both of them. Could feel the acting pain in Loki’s Seidr that spoke of the mages pain.
With a blast of gold Seidr he sent Thor flying as he closed in on Loki.
"What has happened Loki?"
Rage filled green eyes turned on him and the young mage takes a step back away from him.
"I’m a monster. A filthy Jotun and his father kept it from me.”
Loki pointed a shaking hand at the thunder god.
“All this time I tried to please them all just to find out it was never going to work. Why would anyone care for a frost giant?"
"Loki." He says and he waits for green eyes to look at him.
"You are no monster. You are Yggdrasil's chosen little mage. You are my little spark and nothing will change that."
Green eyes narrowed.
"You knew."
He held up his hands in surrender, hoping to calm Loki.
"I thought you knew. I thought you were keeping it from me and didn't want me to pry. I knew of what Asgardians said about the beings from Jotunheim"
He could feel Odin’s Seidr coming this way and knew he needed to get to Loki soon.
"Who are you?" Thor interrupted, finally getting to his feet.
He turned his glowing eyes on the other prince.
"I am Loki's friend; now kindly shut your trap Point Brake."
Turning back to Loki he smiled.
"Remember the fruit I first gave you. You can be anyone you want to be. You don’t have to be Jotun nor Asgardian if that is what you wish."
He held out his hand and he was thankful this time when Loki took his and then let him pull him close.
"I have you now. No being will hurt you whiles I am here."
Green eyes looked into his.
"I do not wish to stay with these lies."
"You know what to do then little Skywalker."
It was Loki’s choice and he would not take it from him. Not when so much had already been taken from the mage.
Just as Odin was getting into sight green seidr sparked and he followed.
They landed together on the branches and feeling how down Loki was he reached out and tapped the mischief makers shoulder. Then leaning down he whispered in his ear.
"Tag, your it."
He darted away it took two seconds for Loki to give chase.
Both of them were bounding through the trees, changing shape and darting around the other. It took little time to bring a smile to the young mages face as his worries were put on hold for the moment.He let the Yggdrasil guide them during their game and it was a shock where they ended up.
Loki came to a stop beside him and he could feel the curiosity at the sudden halt in the game. Maybe it was time he told Loki. Time he answered all those questioning looks.
He takes a seat and looks out over the cocoons strung between the two branches. Loki copies him.
"There is a reason I don't belong to any of these nine realms. I exist with Yggdrasil during the time of the nine realms deaths or Ragnarok as Asgardians call it. The nine realms live off Yggdrasil and when there is too much life and Yggdrasil can't keep up anymore the nine realms die and I go collect the core of each."Loki looked at him with wide eyes and he could see fear, but it was overwhelmed with Loki’s thirst for knowledge. "After that I go to sleep here while Yggdrasil recovers and when it is time Yggdrasil wakes me and I go to the spot of each realm and start them back up again. Then the cycle continues.""How old are you?"
The questions seemed to surprise Loki and he smirked."23 cycles."
Loki’s eyes widened as his mouth dropped open.
“How…?”
He laughed.
“Some times I wonder that as well. How come I don’t age? How come it is me? How come there is no one like me? I have never found the answer to that. I just remember waking up in a sea of Golden magic and knowing what to do.”
He looks out and runs a hand over the cocoons.
“This is where I store anything I wish to keep before the end.”
Reaching in he pulled out a book he knew Loki would like.
“Right now I am living on Midgard if you wish to join me you may.”
He tossed the book at Loki as he stood.
Loki smirked, catching the book as he stood.
“You said I could be what ever I wanted?”
He looked at Loki puzzled.
Green magic flowed over Loki’s skin, his features change becoming slightly more pointed. The green sunk into his skin leaving green markings and then flowed over his back forming into wings.
He gasped not truly believing what he was seeing.
A pale hand cupped his cheek.
“I believe you don’t get to be called unique any longer.”
They both grinned.
“Race you to Midgard, Reindeer games”