The Bifrost roared as we were transported from Midgard- Earth, I corrected myself- to the golden gates of Asgard themselves. It was a shorter trip than I'd remembered, taking half the time since the last I'd been traveling through the rainbow bridge. Maybe it was the fact that it'd been rebuilt from scratch after the...incident?

At any rate, the thought of seeing Asgard again made my spirits raise more than slightly, of my throne that was mine and only mine awaiting my return. Loki having hijacked that throne for a number of years made me feel a bit murderous, wanting to rend the fool limb from limb for even daring-

And then I recoiled again at the unnatural anger and homicidal rage that flared in reaction to the thought. I didn't… I didn't want to hurt anyone again over such a stupid thing, not like all the Valkyries, and above all, my own little brother! Sweat broke out over my forehead as I squinted my eyes shut, biting my cheek deeply to chase all the murderous thoughts away.

Heh, Loki considered himself a monster? I truly was one, with the dozen civilizations worth of blood dripping from my swords of uru.

At any rate, I really didn't want to kill either Thor or the aforementioned God of Mischief. Especially by the way he had paled at the simple mention of Thanos himself.

…"The Mad Titan?" Loki questioned, skin gaining a stark white pallor at the name, but quickly forced a smirk on his face. "You must be bluffing, dear sister Hela. And why in the Nine Realms should either of us join you on your ridiculously suicidal quest?"

Thor regained his composure, glancing back at the destruction I'd wrought with a slight shiver. "Brother, I don't believe we're in any position to argue. Besides," he added, "we ought to at least hear her out."

I shifted on my lithe feet, then decided that I couldn't stand any longer for what would undoubtedly be a long story. With a flick of my hands, I conjured a small seat of swords behind me, settling against the metal comfortably. "My imprisonment was less than willing, as you can imagine, but, during my captivity, the Norns granted me the mercy of seeing a vision of the future."

I mean, it was basically what happened. From a certain point of view.

Loki narrowed his eyes and scoffed at me. "Dear sister, I think your time away has addled your brain. Do you expect us to believe something that absurd?"

Now a small smile crossed my face. "I had the pleasure of seeing a mortal Thor nearly constipate himself trying to lift Mjolnir." I giggled at the mental image.

The prince in question glanced down at his hammer, letting out a light chuckle and relaxing. "Well, I believe her."

Loki cast a slight betrayed look in his brother's direction, turning back to me. "That proves nothing!" He squawked indignantly.

I sobered slightly, sighing. "I also happen to know that...something happened, causing you to fall from the Bifrost. But it's not my place to delve into your personal reasons for doing so."

His whole body stiffened tellingly and his eyes narrowed to slivers, green orbs glaring. "Suppose that I believe you. What significance does this planet Sakaar have in the grand scheme of killing the Titan?"

"It has two people who'll be instrumental in his destruction. And…" I trailed off, gaze becoming distant, "of one of them, I have my own reasons."

Valkyrie…

I was snapped out of my ruminations at a hand on my shoulder, once again Thor sending me a concerned look. The Hela in me raged at being pitied, of being seen as weak. I shoved her down in my mind violently, instead giving him a weak smile.

Around us crowded the friends of Thor and the new hefty gatekeeper, Skurge, all appearing startled. They drew their weapons on sight of me, settling into weary stances. Soft, not battered with constant battle and hardships at every turn.

I resisted the urge to meet them in kind, my own lean, muscular body hungry for the roar and adrenaline of a fight. Doing so wouldn't get me any favors, and my homicidal rage didn't even rear its ugly head. Just battlelust. Progress!

Thor stepped forwards, shielding both me and Loki with his outstretched hands. A warm feeling flickered in my chest for a moment, but went out as I remembered Father doing the same on occasion, when we began meeting with the delegations of other worlds to barter for peace. Did it mean anything?

"Friends!" The Thunderer bellowed, appropriately booming in the Bifrost hall. "We come in peace, you have nothing to fear. The woman with us is my sister, Hela, who was...confined at some mystical location for a length of time."

"And where is Odin?" questioned one, still brandishing his axe in a burly grip. "I thought you went to retrieve him, but instead you come back with a supposed sibling?"

"He has passed on to Valhalla, my friends," Thor announced sorrowfully, bowing his head in grief. "We were with our father as he died, and perhaps he took comfort in that his family was there in his finally moments."

The ones Odin maybe loved, at any rate. It was kind if hard to tell with all the horrible parenting we were all subject to, especially in those grand "final moments", where instead of telling Thor and Loki all this pertinent information years in advance chose to wait until he literally had five minutes to live.

"Oh, I'll just exposite at them and dump all my horrible decisions on my sons!" Odin probably thought gleefully. "I'm sure they can fix my problem, preferably through violence! Because that just ALWAYS worked so well!"

And then the old man just twinkles away into the wind like freaking Santa Claus, beard and everything. Thanks for the GREAT present, Allfather Christmas!

The rage was almost a wild animal writhing within my skin, reinforced by the seidr and adrenaline surging inside my veins. It wanted to be let free, but I had to keep it bottled up and away and oh Norns my skin looked like it was literally steaming. Faint vapor curled away from reddening skin.

Was I so mad I was literally spouting steam? Magic makes no sense, if that was what was even going on. Even my Asgardian memories we're of no help, particularly since Hela was a warrior, not a scholar or physician.

A sudden shink made me look down in surprise to see some small swords jutting from the ground around my feet. They vanished almost as soon as they'd appeared, and everyone looked at me strangely and, if possible, even more wearily.

I froze at their stares, mind stuttering inside behind my veil of black hair. Thankfully, the other green royal in the room stepped up to the task. Their glares pulled off of me and redirected at Loki, burning holes in his head.

"I'm afraid our dear sister has had an absurdly taxing day, everyone," he said smoothly, that famous silver tongue back in gear. "If I may, I'd like to escort her to a guest quarters to rest her little head. And Thor," Loki smiled at him, "you look a little sluggish yourself."

And then with a rush and a pop of green seidr, we were deposited in a clean white bedroom, but decorated with that classic Asgardian style. Another pop sounded Loki's fast exit. I stared numbly at the bed in front of me, emotionally and mentally frozen.

Then I caught sight of a painting of Mother on the wall, and the walls keeping everything in shattered. Great big, ugly sobs shook my form as I collapsed into the soft sheets and pillows. I wanted my Mother. I wanted my mom and my dad and my precious Chiba Inu, except for I couldn't because either they were dead or I was dead, so it made it equally impossible to do either.

I wouldn't see any of them again. All I had was a pair of formerly fictional brothers who, like me, had no idea how to interact with the other. One of them could probably secretly hate me, for taking Father away or something.

It all just sort of fumbled in my head and addled my thoughts until I couldn't think, only cry softly into the pillow I was grasping like it was a lifeline. What I wouldn't give for one if those stupid anime body pillows right about now.

I didn't even bother changing into nightclothes as I further burrowed into the bed for some ounce of comfort, undoubtedly dirtying the pristine white material. Somehow fitting, since I was essentially the stain on the golden peace and prosperity of Asgard, of that forgotten age of expansion. A smudge of blood that could never be wiped away, similar to the blood on my hands.

I fell asleep to nightmares of the screams of the Valkyrie legions and their blood pooling at my feet. And then it wasn't only them, but the faces of my brothers, my father and mother, of my human family. They were all slaughtered like helpless cattle, pleading for mercy at my hands. My crazed grin grew wide and I laughed as my sword pierced a vital artery on the hip of my mom, and within seconds she was a lifeless corpse sprawled before me.

Loki and Thor's heads rolled and stopped at my feet, expressions frozen in pure terror in death. I enjoyed it. I enjoyed it enjoyed it enjoyed it enjoyed it enjoyed it enjoyed it enjoyed it enjoyed it enjoyed it enjoyed it enjoyed it enjoyed it enjoyed it enjoyed it enjoyed it-

Until Loki's head asked, "Sister?"

And I snapped awake on the floor of my bed chambers, writhing in my own sheets and my youngest brother above me. I stared up at him, confused and completely exhausted.

"What do you want?" I asked tiredly, eyes half-lidded. "If you want to spring a surprise attack, this is a rather poor attempt."

Loki gazed at me with another of those haunted looks in his eyes before it fled like a dream. "Thor sent me to check up on you. He was concerned by the screams."

And so was I went unsaid, but I could tell he was feeling it anyway.

"Nightmare. Run of the mill terrible dream." I bared my teeth at him groggily. "Now run off before I stab you."

"Duly noted. I presume there was nothing...too graphic, such as a Valkyrie slaughter?"

Suddenly I was fully awake, staring down at my hands. "Who found the fresco?"

"Thor was throwing a tantrum in the throne room about Odin not telling us about you and accidentally hit the ceiling. We have much to discuss."

A pit grew in my stomach and swallowed my hammering heart, becoming more and more nauseous with every beat. They knew I was a monster now. They would think I regretted none of it, they wouldn't listen, Thanos would win and everything would be my fault.

I gingerly rose from my heap and looked down at the floor. "Let's go then, I mumbled, slipping past the guards of my room to follow the departing Loki.

My hands clenched and drove crescents into my palms as we set foot in the throne room, chunks of plaster and rock scattered everywhere. I gulped and set my gaze above at the very fresco that now doomed me, still vibrant and exuding that air of conquest and supremacy. I wanted to puke at the aura. And right on my- the throne sat Thor, looking extremely troubled.

"Is it true, sister?"