The Truth in the Mirror

The usual disclaimer applies.

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Chapter 3

"In retrospective if someone asked me why I did what I did, too put it lightly, to put it in the most mundane of terms, I was bored. Simply and utterly bored, bored with people, places, roles, responsibilities, expectations- anything and everything. B-O-R-E-D, bored. Did this make me a traitor? Was I doing the 'wrong' thing? Would people think less of me if they found out? Was there a 'morally' right thing to do when the demi-god appeared in my tower? Wait a minute- did I even care? In today's world, I feel justified in doing anything I can get away with to succeed. I let others worry about higher values; my main concern is with the bottom line. Tony Stark always gets what he wants..."

"There you are sunshine," Tony commented when Jarvis alerted him to Loki regaining consciousness. After Loki's 'dramatic' entrance, Tony moved him to a make-shift cot he had in his lab and waited from him to come around. Tony was ecstatic to discover that the device he implanted into Loki six months ago was still operational and had continued its original function. Tony was currently having a field day going through all of the data with Jarvis the device had collected. Even now it was still active and had linked up to Jarvis and the personal network Tony operated.

"Argh, what happened?" Loki groaned as he slowly rose from the cot.

"You fainted," Tony aptly responded from his workstation.

"God's do not faint Tony Stark."

"Well there you go, you learn a new thing every day. So what does that make you then?" Tony quipped over his shoulder, his eyes still not leaving the screen.

"I did not faint. I merely exhausted the last of my strength to arrive here."

"And then fainted," Tony finished for him.

"Don't push me Stark," Loki warned.

Tony finally turned around from his desk to face Loki. "Or what, you'll insult me to death?"

Loki gave Tony a questioning look, one that was suspicious but also unsure at the same time.

"Yeah that's right, Tony knows you are all out of puff. No stick of destiny, no illusions, no magic, nadda, zip." Tony smiled, spreading his hand out in gestures mimicking his words.

Loki's eyes narrowed, "If you think I am all but magic to back my words Stark, you are sorely mistaken," warned Loki as he slowly but confidently began walking towards Tony.

"Oh, of that I don't doubt, rock of ages, but like I've told you before, I'm just not afraid of you," Tony remarked. Loki was barely a couple of meters from Tony now.

"Really Stark, tell me, what gives you such courage to face an Asgardian, though even in the weakened state I am, a mortal is still no match for me. What makes you so sure I don't throw you out the window again? I don't see your Iron Armour anywhere." Loki replied, spreading his arms out wide to make his point. Loki was before Tony now, his attire poor yes, but that just added to the dark and dangerous demeanour he was portraying, like a wounded snake, ready to strike for the kill. His bright green eyes, with dark shadows bore into Tony's in an attempt to intimidate the smaller man. The things Loki would do to Tony if he got his hands on him.

Tony gave Loki the most bored expression he could muster, one that said he has seen and done it all before and the act that Loki giving him barely even registered in an accelerated heart rate. "You know I am glad you asked Loki..."

Loki raised his eyebrow at that, Stark never used his name, and when he did and the way he just did made him pause, now slightly unsure.

"Jarvis," Tony said aloud, a simple word, no command or explanation given, the name was somehow familiar to Loki, as if he had heard it before. Loki tilted his head to side in confusion, he had no time to respond though because a sudden and excruciating pain gripped him, one that immediately sent him to his knees, before collapsing in a heap and twitching uncontrollably. His entire being just screamed in pain, from his fingers to his toes to brain, as if his entire being was internally on fire. Loki didn't have time to process all of it, attempt to find its source, why it was occurring or try to even think past it, for as swift and sudden it had started it also just as suddenly stopped, lasting only mere seconds. However, the aftershock left him feeling raw, sensitive and twitchy. He raised his head to see the form of Tony Stark looming over him, looking down.

Loki looked up into those cold brown eyes and saw himself reflected back looking at himself, he looked pathetic, a former King of Asgard cowering before a mortal no less, it was disgusting. He hated Tony in that moment, but not as much as he hated himself for allowing himself to be in such a position.

"Wha...what did you do to me?" Loki managed to whisper, vigilant for the pain to suddenly occur again.

"Hurts, doesn't it," Tony stated, rather than questioned, a nasty smile on his mouth. "Think of it as an insurance policy," he continued. "I prefer my guests on their best behavior," Tony finished before turning back to sit at his workstation.

"That is no answer at all. Is this how you treat all your guests?" Loki grumbled as he started to try and rise, determined to not be on the floor at Tony's feet.

"Only you sunshine and we both know it's because you're special. Oh and I wouldn't worry too much about my amour not being on me, it can move around itself." Tony said as he tapped away at his keys on the workstation, reading the continuous data Jarvis was presenting him.

Loki suddenly felt himself being lifted effortlessly to his feet, looking behind him he saw Tony's amour staring back at him.

"What sorcery is this? You have given your armor to another?" Loki questioned.

"No, pop the lid Jarvis," the face plate immediately lifted revealing an empty shell. "Like I said it can take care of itself. But more importantly it's here to take care of you during your stay, you know think of him as your own personal body guard." Tony explained.

"Watch dog you mean, and what has you under the impression that I am going to stay here?" Loki retorted, shrugging the metal hand off him. He was slightly unsteady but he could stand on his own, his sheer stubbornness and pride holding him up.

"Then why are you here if not to crash while you are on the run, from what everybody now is it?" Tony flippantly replied.

"I came here to get that thing you put inside me removed!" Loki spat.

"Now, now what did I say about returning gifts, it's impolite. Besides something tells me it's gotten you out of a bind," Tony replied in a knowing tone. "Anyway you seem to have forgotten that I'm your fairy god mother, and I think you're here because you really have nowhere else to go, buddy. You have no friends, no family, no money, nothing but the rags on your back and let's not forget no magic either. And you are still public enemy number one here and this time if S.H.I.E.L.D catch you they won't hand you back to brother dearest, oh no, I'm sure they have others things in mind with your body, if you get my drift." Tony explained.

"So why haven't you turned me over? Or are they already here?" Loki seethed not liking how Tony shoved his current situation in his face. Loki was in a bad way and he knew it, his hands started to shake and he couldn't stop it.

Tony turned back to face Loki, "Why would I want to give you over to S.H.I.E.L.D?"

"Do you not serve them?" Loki replied incredulously.

"Serve? You mean work for S.H.I.E.L.D? Hell no, I don't even like them, and they only seem to where black, so dull, I like a bit of color in my life, you know?" Tony explained

Loki was growing more confused by the second. "Then what is your purpose?"

"Argh for the third time I'm going to be your fairy-"

"I don't know what that means Stark!" Loki yelled in frustration.

"Touchy much. It means sunshine that I am going to grant your heart's desire. It means that I intend to actually help you," Tony said seriously. Loki was truly taken back, though immediately suspicious.

"And why would you want to help me Stark? If I recall I did throw you out of your window, to plummet to your death by the way. I attempted to kill your friends, succeeded with one and was almost successful in enslaving your world. So please forgive my suspicion with your offered help," Loki sneered.

"True, you've proven to be no friend of mine. However, I do recall kicking your ass and I'd like to think you've gained a new perspective on things. Let's let bygones to be bygones. What can I say, I don't hold grudges and just to show my sincerity I'm going to give you access to your magic back," Tony replied.

"Impossible I have been cursed by the Allfather," Loki snorted.

"Well according to my magic I can," Tony said seriously.

Loki looked up in shock, he wanted to believe Tony but this was Odin Allfather, nothing bested his magic. However, Loki was curious. "Just how would you accomplish this?"

"I'm glad you asked, step right up, don't be shy and I'll show you," Tony said before turning back to his workstation screen. Loki made his way closer to Tony. His previous pain had subsided and he was able to make his way over, noticing how the Iron suit followed closely behind him.

Tony expanded the screen, on it was the shape of a humanoid body. "See this? This is you, now I've colored coded the waves to help explain. See the internal blue waves, faint but there?" Loki nodded his head, "Haven't worked them out yet, but they too are dampened to bother with anyway. However, see the green waves, which seem to be different from the blue, that run throughout your body, see how they are unable to expand out?" Loki indicated he was following, "Well that is your magic pal, I've been able to code and identify your magic for a while now and my scans indicated that this-" Tony zoomed out of the picture and pointed outside of the body that represented Loki "these golden waves, these are suppressing your green waves and therefore, no magic. Now this is linked up to you, I'll demonstrate, try and use some magic, anything," Tony insisted. Loki merely raised an eyebrow. "Come on, this is for your benefit, not mine."

"Very well," Loki concentrated and attempted an illusion spell to alter his appearance. He felt the curse activated and prevent the spell from completing.

"Look! There, see it?" Tony exclaimed, pointing to the waves reacting on the screen. "See how your green waves flared and the gold activated?" Loki stared at the screen transfixed, he was amazed, he tried again, once again seeing how the golden waves also flared and suppressed the green.

"And you can remove this golden binding that suppresses my magic?" Loki questioned, not able to curb the excitement that was in his tone.

"Remove, no, no yet," Tony sighed. "However, what I can do is counteract and suppress the suppressor," Tony said. Loki looked confused again. "Behold, the gift that keeps giving. That little device I implanted in you, it can release its own magic waves to fight the golden waves. This should help you release your green, which is your magic. Now I haven't cracked its code, I'll need more time before I as you say can remove or break this, what was it, curse you said? Anyway until then what I can offer you is some of your magic back, so whatever that doesn't take much use, power, manipulation or whatever, does that make sense?" Tony questioned.

"It does, somewhat," Loki replied.

"Well, let's give it a go then shall we? Jarvis, upload our present, calibrate and prepare to test."

"Yes sir," Jarvis replied. Loki looked up and around, trying to find the source of the voice.

"Where is this Jarvis? Why hasn't he revealed himself?" Loki demanded.

"Jarvis is everywhere, and all at once, he runs everything and he is a being of my creation without, how does one say it... corporeal form," Tony explained. Loki only looked more confused. Tony shrugged, "You will get use to him, just don't piss him off and behave appropriately."

"Upload is complete sir, calibrating...phase one complete," Jarvis stated.

"Excellent" Tony clapped his hands together, "Now behold my magic," Tony said in anticipation, his hands to the keyboard imputing commands. "Start off with these levels Jarvis; let's have a look shall we..."

Loki's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he saw the body that was supposedly him start to emit red waves from his neck, throughout his body; they hit the gold and subsided. Loki's hand went immediately to his neck but he couldn't feel a thing, which was weird for him because he felt like he should be feeling something.

"Nope, increase levels Jarvis, another 10%," Tony ordered, reading the data Tony still wasn't satisfied, "Hmm, try 15%...no, raise to 20%."

"Caution is advised sir," Jarvis stated.

At those words Loki turned back to Tony, "Is this safe?" he demanded, now concerned.

"Pheft, please, you're a god aren't you? Relax," Tony said to him. Loki wasn't convinced, and suddenly really not willing to test his immortality right now while he was so weakened.

"Sir, waves Alpha 01 are decreasing in strength," Jarvis stated.

"Excellent, finally some progress. Increase slightly a bit more to 22% Jarvis," Tony turned back to Loki, "Okay give it a go," Loki blinked at him; he still didn't feel any different. "Go on, try some magic."

Loki sighed and resisted to not roll his eyes, he tried his illusion spell again, suddenly surprised when he felt his familiar sensation of his magic cascade over his skin. He could feel his magic again, without the curse interfering. He suddenly changed his spell to the first thing he desperately craved.

Tony watched as Loki's skin began to glow and light shimmer over his body as his appearance slowly changed from clothes of rags to a clean, crisp green tunic and leggings, complete with gold trim, and black leather boots that came up to his knees. Tony recognized what he considered Loki's normal attire without the armor he usually wore. Loki now looked clean and presentable, his hair slicked back and his pale skin glowed softly, his green eyes seemed brighter than before. Loki looked down at Tony in disbelief. He could call his magic again and it was because of a mortal no less.

"Ye of little faith, rock of ages, I said I could do it," Tony shook his head at Loki's disbelief and turned back to his screen.

Loki, feeling better than ever, now that he was clean and properly dressed, decided to attempt another spell, teleportation. He drew his magic up again and started to shimmer out of sight before Loki suddenly felt Odin's curse activate again, preventing the spell from completing. Loki appeared back where he started, breathing heavily, the curse also felt painful, constricting his entire being.

"Baby steps, reindeer games. It may take a bit of time, but we will get there," Tony reminded him, before turning back to screen to read the data, check out puts and signal strength. The data he just collected made him feel giddy with excitement.

Loki's mind swam with possibilities and ideas. Loki was always an opportunist at heart, and the opportunity presented to him now, had such great appeal. However, Loki was suspicious, he didn't trust Tony, he didn't believe in his claims of trying to help him. Yes Tony had answered why he was helping him, though Loki felt they were poor. It was then that the right question finally hit Loki.

"Stark," Loki began, Tony, didn't acknowledge him. "Stark," Loki said louder, grabbing Tony's attention.

"Hmm?" Tony rose an eyebrow in response.

"What is it that you want?" Loki demanded.

"What I want...?" Tony repeated.

"I am not stupid Stark. You are speaking to the God of lies and mischief, nothing in this world is free, there is always a price. What is the price for your aid? You have granted me a token, a gift as you say. What is the price for the whole deal, as you're people say?" Loki finished. This, the situation he was in, reminded Loki of bad times, of horrible memories and ill formed agreements and he hated himself even more for being in this position, with a mortal and one from Midgard at that.

Tony smiled now and it wasn't a nice smile. Loki knew that smile well, because it was a smile he too would give when he knew something finally went his way. "Loki, I thought you would never ask." Tony began. "My price prince of Asgard, is an golden apple."

Loki's eyes widened, and his breath caught in shock, "An...golden apple?" he whispered, as more horrible memories came to the surface.

"A kingdom for an apple, fair trade no? And not just any kingdom, Earth or what is it Midgard you call it, that is just the prelude; I'll help you reclaim your father's. Do we have a deal?"

"And they call me mad," Loki said, more to himself.

"Madness, dear Loki is such a subjective term, don't you think?" Tony replied, still smiling.

Loki immediately hated that smile.

-End chapter-